BMA Magazine 493 - 10 May 2017

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[CONTENTS]

[Canberra’s Entertainment Guide]

# 4 9 3 M AY / J U N Would the owner of a white Camry please move their car from inside our office.

Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608

GIRLS ROCK! CANBERRA

Publisher Radar Media Pty Ltd.

p. 19

General Manager Allan Sko T: (02) 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Editor Andrew Nardi E: editorial@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Ashish Doshi T: (02) 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com Sub-Editor Hayden Fritzlaff Graphic Designer Andrew Nardi Film Editor Majella Carmody

SARAH BLASKO

p. 20

SAN CISCO

BETH ORTON

p. 26

NORTHLANE

SAMMY J

DON’T TELL

p. 22

Entertainment Guide Editor Nicola Sheville Social Media Manager Sharona Lin Columnists Cody Atkinson, Dan Bigna, Noni Doll, Leanne Duck, Eleanor Horn, Cara Lennon, Sharona Lin, Josh Nixon, Peter O’Rourke Contributors (This Issue) Rebecca Adams, Clare Brunsdon, Angela ChristianWilkes, Shu-Ling Chua, Jessica Conway, Travis Cragg, Karolina Firman, Anna Franceschini, Morgan Hain, John Harvey, Clinton Hatfield, Belinda Healy, Pat Johnson, Joshua Martin, Rory McCartney, Jarrod McGrath, Chenoeh Miller, Andrew Myers, Patrick Ogisi, Matt Parnell, Zoe Pleasants, Emma Robinson, Samuel Townsend, Mark Turner NEXT ISSUE #494 OUT Wednesday June 7 EDITORIAL DEADLINE Friday May 26 ADVERTISING DEADLINE Friday June 2 ABN 76 097 301 730 BMA Magazine is independently owned and published. Opinions expressed in BMA Magazine are not necessarily ES those of the editor, 199 T publisher or staff.

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p. 40

LITERATURE IN REVIEW ALBUM REVIEWS FILM REVIEWS THE WORD ON GIGS ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE

p. 42

p. 31

ORB

p. 45 p. p. p. p. p.

53 58 66 68 73

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FROM THE BOSSMAN

EDITOR’S BLAB

[THE EVOLUTION OF AN AUSSIE LEGEND]

BY ALLAN SKO

[STOP EXCLUDING PEOPLE YOU DORKS] WITH ANDREW NARDI

[ALLAN@BMAMAG.COM]

[EDITORIAL@BMAMAG.COM]

I’ve always been a big fan of origin stories*. Equally so when these legends adapt to suit the times.

For this, we are to examine the history of pub lore.

There was a time in bars and pubs where the spilling of a drink was a dour, melancholy occasion. All that liquid promise tumbling out, never to touch quivering human lip. The collective tenancy of a watering hole would live in fear of the sound of a glass spilling its yeasty contents. Precious suds would silently sink coffin-like into sodden carpet. “What a bloody waste,” men would mutter under their breath solemnly, and sip from their own brew with guilty glee.

It was like this for many a dark decade. But before long, Two Pints Patterson changed everything.

Not much is known of Two Pints, except that he would always order two drinks at a time. Sometimes three, but this is largely ignored as it didn’t fit the nickname. Whoever this suds-swilling sage was, their contribution to club culture is incalculable.

It all happened around the turn of the century, they say. Two Pints was a regular rooted in a spot in the corner of The Chimney Shaft & Blockage pub. He wouldn’t say much. In fact, he wouldn’t speak at all.

One fateful day a glass fell, ringing its death knell, liquid promise bleeding onto floor. The air, as it did, was beginning to turn ill until suddenly Two Pints, they say, “felt a feeling”. “It was as if Ol’ Patters had become possessed,” one dreary eyed witness told.

It started at the pit of his guts and swelled rapidly, rising up through his chest and into his throat, growing in intensity and pressure with each second. Unable to contain it, ol’ Patters opened his mouth and let fly:

“Taxi!” he roared, to the vacuum of the bar. The silence held heavy for a half second more as the universe held its breath.

Then, as one, the bar roared with laughter, beams of positive vibes ricocheting across rafter and back down into merry din. It was a joyous celebration like no other.

From that day on, the atmosphere in a busy pub was preserved.

No longer would embarrassed melancholy reign when a frothy brew was felled, for the pub patrons and bar staff alike had the “Taxi!” call by their side and the domicile would erupt with gaiety and laughter.

But now, of course, a new sheriff is in town. 2017, when precious liquid amber is unsettled from its perch and sent cascading over bench’s edge, there is every chance a roar of “Uber!” can be heard ringing out and met with equal volume of crowdshared mirth.

And thank goodness for such quick transition. For this was a lore that was forgotten for many a year, a lore that stretches much further back, to a grim time where fecal matter was flung from top floors in place of latrines, and looking at the monarchy sideways was met with a two-day death and a public exhibition of your organs.

A glimmer of joy was gleaned – after countless mugs of stead had been spilled in vain – when one gruff looking fellow, cloaked in the special darkness reserved for pub corners, cleared his throat and spoke aloud: “Horsecart!” * “You mean like the time Little Davey Reynolds booted that 38m field goal in the 83rd minute to win Game 1 for the Blues in 2004, boss?” “No! Point of origin story, not State of Origin story, you nincompoop!”

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Oi! Whaddaya doin’! Get that bloody ... chook outta here. It’s not a chooken, it’s a peacock!

Hey guys, what’s up, welcome to my print magazine, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe! Check out the links in the description. Follow us on Instagraaaaaaaaam.

Those were my poor attempts at jokes. I’m done here.

Have a flick through this magazine and you’ll notice, holy-dooley, there are some incredible women doing amazing things in our music industry, locally and abroad. On top of Girls Rock! Canberra, we have legendary Australian vocalist Sarah Blasko visiting the capital,

as well Beth Orton, and Christine Anu giving a talk at the National Film and Sound Archive. Yes, the Christine Anu from the Sydney 2000 Olympics, I still remember school gave us an extra week off so we could go, or watch it on TV, or play Pokémon or whatever.

Point is – is it really that difficult to find women who can play music? Maybe if your playlists and collections don’t feature many women it’s because you believe deep down that men are better at music? What an outrageous thought. Should look into that, bro.

Look at your CD stack and reflect.

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

YOU PISSED ME OFF! [ENTRIES CONTAIN ORIGINAL SPELLINGS] SEE YOUR HATE SPREAD TO THOUSANDS. EMAIL EDITORIAL@BMAMAG.COM.

To everyone driving along the parkway toward the city on the morning of May 1st, you kind of pissed me off. The way traffic was crawling its toward the city I figured that there had been an accident, and that I would eventually edge past some gruesome scene with unrecognisably twisted cars and see someone’s splattered corpse decorating the road with entrails, severed heads clunking about like in a bowling ball return shoot.

There was an incident (I was right on the money), a minor rear-end on the other side of the road which had slowed southbound traffic, fair enough. Nothing to be seen except a dented back end, and a “why-did-you-brake-so-hard,

well-why-were-you-followingso-close, yeah-sorry-matehere’s-my-insurance-details” type conversation that looked even more boring than described here. Get a grip northbound morons, is your life that dull that you will slow to a strolling pace to see a dented car? I don’t care about being late for work, but I do hate an anticlimax.

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[TIDBITS]

UPCOMING GIGS

Oliver Tank / Album Tour / Fri May 19 / Transit Bar Known for mastering the art of heartfelt, vivid soundscapes with an electronic bent, Sydney-based producer Oliver Tank’s debut album, OT is already making waves. Tank first burst onto the scene in 2011 with his textual glitch pop debut EP Dreams, which he followed up with

stunning sophomore EP, Slow Motion Music in late 2013. With rave reviews worldwide for both EP’s, Tank’s rise was kicked off by winning FBi’s Northern Lights competition and making it into triple j’s ‘Next Crop’. Supports TBA. [8pm / $18.40 via Moshtix]

Angie / Album Tour / Sat May 27 / Ainslie Arts Centre The ever-evolving Sydney-based musician and artist, Angie (Circle Pit, Ruined Fortune, Straight Arrows), is back with her third solo album, Shyness, a series of quiet moments and a folk sensibility centered around piano, acoustic and electronic guitar. The songs move between

Satie-esque piano pieces toward Tangerine Dream melodies executed on electrics through to the contemporary quiet songform of Cat Power and Nico. Supports include TVCR, Thunderbolt City and Spike Vincent. This show is all ages. [7pm / $10 via agac.com.au]

Mere Women / Album Tour / Thu Jun 22 / Transit Bar Sydney’s Mere Women have revealed Big Skies, their forthcoming third LP, which explores themes of women’s experiences over generations and the simultaneous isolation and confinement felt by many women living in regional communities.

The songs are haunting, restless PAGE 16

and impeccably composed. Mere Women have continually explored new structures in greater depth with a collaborative writing process, with the aim to find new ways of expressing and writing popular music through postpunk. Stay tuned for start times, ticket prices and supports.

Voyager / Album Tour / Sat May 20 / The Basement Australian pop sensibilities combined with modern progressive heaviness – the cult force that is Voyager are back with their sixth album, entitled Ghost Mile. Voyager’s sensationally anthemic opus has an amalgamation of everything the band does

best: huge soundscapes, pop and prog sensibilities with catchy and thought-inducing instrumentals. With French djent/ prog/dubstep maestros The Algorithm in support, as well as Immorium and Highview. [8pm / $44.90 via Oztix]

Ultimate Eagles / Tribute Show / Sat Jun 3 / Canberra Theatre Centre Ultimate Eagles, the world’s greatest Eagles show is touring Australia for the very first time.

Built on a powerful four-part vocal harmony and precise musical production, the legendary sounds of The Eagles are faithfully and brilliantly recreated by six world class musicians. Their first

tour to Australia will feature all the classic Eagles hits from the timeless back catalogue including ‘Hotel California’, ‘Lyin’ Eyes’, ‘Take It Easy’, ‘Desperado’, ‘Take It To The Limit’, ‘Life In The Fast Lane’ and many more.

[8pm / $89/109/129 + bf via canberratheatrecentre.com.au]

Orsome Welles / EP Tour / Sat Jul 1 / The Basement Melbourne’s heavy experimental creatives Orsome Welles will be releasing their long awaited new EP titled Rise on May 26. Rise has been a long time coming, with its first two singles ‘Build A World’ and ‘Maestro’ released towards the end of 2016. Orsome Welles are a band that defy

classification. An unconventional merge of progressive and heavy, overlaid with an early 20th century panache; pounding grooves, infused with intricate instrumentality and raw uncaged power. With Tundrel and Hence The Testbed. [8pm / $15.30 via Oztix] @bmamag

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LOCALITY

[THE WORD ON LOCAL MUSIC] WITH NONI DOLL [NONIJDOLL@GMAIL.COM / @NONIDOLL]

Smith’s Alternative’s local music program is huge this month.

Garage rock and surfin’ sounds abound when Space Party play on Friday May 12 from 7pm. Entry is $10, with support from Il Bruto.

Hope St Band perform an open rehearsal for free on Monday May 15 from 9:30pm. The Parlour Social will mash up classical and ragtime on Thursday May 18 from 7pm; entry to that is $15, with special deals for Canberra Musicians Club members and music students. Magic Rob Universe will fill the crowd with cape envy on Friday May 19 from 7pm, with help from The Blue Angel and Dr Wiedemann, with entry price TBA. Coolio Desgracias will heat things up on Monday May 22 from 9pm, when he presents Do Me Baby, the second part of his Deep Listening series, and you can get your dose of love, lust and longing without dropping a cent.

Also at Smith’s Alternative: The KREWDBits Birthday Bash. It’s three parties across one massive evening on Saturday June 3. The first instalment starts at 7pm and is a PG rated affair, hosted by Jazida, with music from People I Love, Sean Smeaton, Signs and Symbols and Dethroned Dullness. Entry for that is $15, as is entry to Part 2: The Adults Only Bits, which starts at 9pm.

Hosted by birthday babes InkBits and Bambi Valentine, this is sure to be delightfully vulgar, with guests including Sweaty Pits (Milf Camp) and Tiger Lily. Once that’s done, the third act kicks in at midnight, with a dance party driven by Dead DJ Joke, which you can sneak into for $10. Going to all three? Get a discounted ticket price of $25! Look it up on Facebook for more details.

instalment of Amps Not Camps, in support of the Canberra Refugee Action Committee on Friday May 26 at the Polish Club. The allCanberran line-up consists of The Burley Griffin, Oranges, Betty Alto, An Inconvenient Groove, and Brother Be, and entry is just $10, with all profits going to the cause. Be there from 7pm so you don’t miss a thing.

The Phoenix is absolutely killing it at the moment as well when it comes to showcasing local talent. Azim Zain and His Lovely Bones are back after a short break to debut the new tracks off their upcoming EP there on Saturday June 3. Starting at 8pm, they’ll be joined by Video Breezy and out-of-towners Antonia and the Lazy Susans. Entry costs $10.

Revellers, Adventure Sunday and Semen and Garfuckel will be tearing it up on Saturday May 27 from 9pm. Getting in to that will cost you $10.

Finally, there are some lovely Bootlegs Sessions on at The Phoenix over the coming weeks.

On Monday May 15, there’s Helena Pop, Violet Faye, H. and Bobby James. Monday May 22 brings East Row Rabble, Betty Alto, Bella Groove and People I Love; with Flash Anthem, Naked Scientist, Tom Brodrick and Jesse Ford on Monday May 29.

All start at 8pm, entry to all is free, but donations are encouraged.

Got gigs? Email me: nonijdoll@ gmail.com.

If you like local music and supporting great causes, the ANU RAC is hosting the second PAGE 18

@bmamag

GIRLS JUST WANNA ROCK OUT

BY KAROLINA FIRMAN GIRLS ROCK! CANBERRA is an initiative aimed at encouraging young girls and gender-diverse youth to try their hand at music and activities related to the music industry. The program runs for a week, and includes a mix of music lessons, band practice, creative workshops and live music, culminating in a performance by the campers.

Founded by local musician Chiara Grassia, who developed the program after attending several Girls Rock Camps in the US over the past few years, I recently had the chance to speak with Chiara about what she has planned for campers in 2017.

“It’s a week-long program for girls, trans and non-binary youth from the ages of 10–17 to learn an instrument, form a band and write an original song. At the end of the week, the campers will perform their songs at a showcase,” Chiara says. “Last year campers had the option of picking either vocals, drums, bass or guitar to learn during the week. This year we have expanded the choices for musical instruments to include electronic music – this will include making beats, messing around with Ableton, maybe some DJing.

“We encourage the participants to try something new and express themselves in a safe and supportive environment, one where they’re not judged and are free to make mistakes while developing new skills,” says Chiara. “This program differs from other youth music programs, in that no previous musical experience is required, and we welcome all skills levels.”

The attendees are guided by

female, trans or non-binary mentors, to ensure campers feel like they have a connection with the person that they are learning from. The mentors are still being confirmed, but they will be local musicians or people in the music industry. “During lunchtime we will have some great live performances, as it can be hard for underage kids to see live music in Canberra due to the lack of all ages venues,” Chiara empathises. Last year the camp featured lunchtime performance from one-off supergroup Pleasure and Pain (Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher and Steph Hughes) plus The Rangoons, Wives and Aphir.

“In the morning, campers will attend instrument instruction, then watch a band while eating lunch, and in the afternoon work on their song in band practice and attend creative workshops,” says Chiara.

“There will be workshops on songwriting, music history, zinemaking, as well as workshops encouraging and empowering campers to be more comfortable and confident in themselves. Last year we had workshops on Self Care, Gender and Feminism 101 and Improv Comedy, and hope to run similar ones this year.”

This year marks the second that Girls Rock! has run in Canberra, and Chiara has hopes that it will

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PHOTO BY MIA MALA MCDONALD

continue to run into the future.

“We ran our first program last year in January and it was a success, with campers and volunteer mentors travelling from all over Australia to be a part of it. It’s inspired other Girls Rock!

Camps to start in Melbourne and Brisbane,” Chiara notes. “Last year we ran on a shoe-string budget but we still managed to accommodate everyone’s needs, including offering financial aid to those who requested it.” Even on a tight budget, the 40 odd campers that attended in 2016 were inundated with volunteer mentors from all over Australia and New Zealand, including Nicole Gaffney (from Carb On Carb), and of course Courtney Barnett and Jen Cloher.

On the topic of expanding Girls Rock! to include trans and nonbinary identifying young people, Chiara believes diversifying the camp keeps with its strong inclusive message. “Music scenes and the music industry can be really cliquey and male dominated.

With Girls Rock! Canberra, we’re creating a space where young people can express themselves musically and creatively, and build confidence in their abilities,” she explains. “When setting up the program we are very conscious of the language that we use, and I think it’s important to make sure that the program is as inclusive as possible.”

It’s especially true that the staff involved in Girls Rock! aren’t only mentors, they’re also role models.

“It can be hard to imagine yourself doing something, like playing music, unless you can recognise yourself in someone who’s already doing that thing. Our program is a space where youth

can hopefully see themselves in the mentors who are helping them, and be inspired to pick up a new instrument, play around in a new genre or learn a new skill like making zines or screenprinting shirts.”

As for the future of the program, Chiara is hopeful that it’ll run again. “We would love the program to become financially stable so we can keep running future programs, and are working towards this,” she says. “This year we’ve been fortunate to receive an ArtsACT Project Funding grant, which will allow us to pay all our mentors, rather than relying solely on volunteers. We’re looking into other ways to fund the program, and encourage anyone interested in supporting GR!C to get in touch with us.

“We were recently contacted by Rose of Dead End Design, who makes these amazing zines called All GRRRL ASSAULT, featuring her illustrations of women in punk and hardcore alongside inspiring quotes and song lyrics from them,” Chiara says. “She wasn’t able to help out in person at the camp, but has offered to donate sales from her latest issue to GR!C.” If you would like to support the program, the best way is to contact Girls Rock! Canberra directly via their Facebook, Twitter or their website.

GIRLS ROCK! CANBERRA runs from Mon–Fri July 10–14 at Ainslie Arts Centre. It’s $450 for the week, and includes instrument use, all workshops materials and daily morning and afternoon tea. Limited financial aid available on a needs basis. Camper applications close Sunday June 4. For more info, visit girlsrockcanberra.com.

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PHOTO BY WILK PAGE 20

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SARAH BLASKO

STEPPING BACK, GOING FORWARDS

BY HAYDEN FRITZLAFF It’s easy to forget – or maybe I don’t think about it enough – that our artists are real, often caffeine-dependent mortals like ourselves. “I’ve had two coffees,” says SARAH BLASKO across a delayed phone connection. “So I’m just warning you.

I don’t think it’s helping, but I could suddenly burst into non-stop chatter during this.”

one is just a weird mix of soul music and folk and blues. I think that’s why I’m finding it hard to explain it. I don’t know what it is. I’m just kind of doing it and enjoying doing it. But I think it’s got more space, a lot more space than the last record. It’s not lots of layers. It’s pretty rhythm and voice based. That’s about all I can articulate at this point.

She’s about to set out completely on her own for THE SOLOIST tour. The past year has seen her wrapping up promo for her album Eternal Return, begin writing the follow-up and having her first child. Today she’s sitting eight interviews back-toback. Now more than ever seems like the perfect time to step back and regain some sense of clarity.

“I’ve been listening to a lot of Bob Marley recently which I’ve never done before in my life. I think I just love the simplicity and the honesty. I’ve also really enjoyed this newest Solange record. Or Salonge? Is that how you pronounce it? I feel like I want to say it in a French accent for some reason. That’s probably my favourite record of the past

“I think it’s always good,” says Blasko. “As important as it is to go forward I think it’s really important to go backwards sometimes, you know. Just to kind of reconnect with yourself and what you do, with your audience as well I guess. So I think it’ll be kind of liberating and fun and sort of terrifying.

This is something that I’ve been daring myself to do for a while.

You sort of get used to making things bigger rather than making things smaller.”

Playing entirely solo is new but not unheard of for Blasko. “I was sort of travelling with the band I was supporting though,” she says of her last solo shows. “I did find it really fun and liberating to just kind of be me, me and my instrument. I feel like it’s the kind of thing that I need right now and I’ll really enjoy.

“It’s just more of a meditation when you’re by yourself. I mean, meditation sounds a bit wanky, but I just mean in the sense of going into your own little

space and not having to think about the other people on stage.

You’re completely guiding it.

You’re doing that to an extent when it’s your music and other people are playing it with you but I think when you’re holding the instrument you can just be completely free to take anything wherever you want it to go.”

Meditation sounds a bit wanky, but I just mean in the sense of going into your own little space and not having to think about the other people on stage It looks as though something of that philosophy is carrying over into writing sessions for Blasko’s next album. Voice and guitar, voice and piano – they’re the default states for a singersongwriter. I ask her about the writing process this time around, and whether her next release might be a live album.

“Well I’m sort of thinking that I might record these shows,” she says. “Maybe some of them or all of them and see where that leads. I have thought that one day I would like to do a really stripped back record. But it’s not going to be this one because I’ve started recording a new album and it’s not stripped back. The new

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six months or so. Again I think it’s the simplicity. It’s a record that really gets under your skin, it doesn’t hit you in the face. I really love the people that do that. It just really seeps into your bones. It’s a really emotional record I think, but it’s delivered in a very sort of self-conscious, pure manner.”

I’m just kind of doing it. That’s a pretty pathetic answer but that’s kind of how it is.

“I think more than anything I’m just a believer in that if you put enough heart into something and you really believe what you’re doing then that’s sort of all you can do really. You do it in the hope that other people will feel that and it’ll connect with them or resonate with them because of something that really resonated with you. But you can never tell what anyone’s going to take away from what you’re doing. So you’re sort of partly selfish in a way. It has to start with you.”

Indeed, it’s that so-called selfishness that makes Blasko the artist she is. The opening tracks from her most recent albums, ‘I Awake’ and ‘I Am Ready’, demonstrate that understanding; personal experience and intimacy are the surest way to your listener’s heart.

I’m tossing up whether to press that point more with her or continue down the alt-RnB rabbit hole we started on with Solange.

The delay on the phone line gets the better of us though. “No you go,” she says. “I’m just raving on ‘cos I’m burning coffee.”

SARAH BLASKO brings The Soloist to The Playhouse on Thursday June 8. Tickets $56.50 + bf through canberratheatrecentre.com.

For someone with two ARIA Awards, a J-Award-winning album and a host of successful side-projects to her name, Blasko has a surprising lack of faith in her own musical abilities. She’s quick to attribute her success to instinct and belief rather than virtuosity. “I don’t even really know what I’m doing,” she says, laughing. “I kind of just um, yeah, PAGE 21

MORE THAN A ONE NIGHT STAND

BY CLINTON HATFIELD Shortly after stepping off the stage at Triple J’s One Night Stand in Mount Isa, SAN CISCO’s front man Jordi Davieson spoke to me about the band’s brand new album The Water and their massive Aussie tour kicking.

“Writing The Water was a much more collaborative effort,” Jordi mentions. “Previously we went into the studio with some songs written, but this time around we wrote the whole thing in the studio.

In preparation for the One Night Stand, San Cisco found themselves rehearsing in bathrooms with Thelma Plum.

She joined the band on stage to perform a cover of Peter Bjorn and John’s indie pop anthem ‘Young Folks’, an experience that Davieson is still buzzing from.

“Steven is really good at flipping songs on their head and being like ‘aight, this isn’t really working’, and completely changing it up.

He’s like your best friend and your worst enemy at the same time.” Steven gets the best out of the guys apparently by being really honest and sometimes just walking out of the studio for a while to see what they can come up with alone. That might explain why The Water is much more diverse in synth layering when compared to San Cisco’s earlier material.

“I’ve always wanted to perform that song as a duet,” he says. “It was just such a perfect fit with Thelma.” Davieson mentions that the whole collaboration came about when Scarlett Stevens (San Cisco’s drummer) ran into Plum in New York. When they both returned to Australia, the idea was put forward to the rest of the band. In the end, Plum was wrapped to be a part of the show.

San Cisco dropped three new songs into the setlist for Mount Isa and they seemed to go down an absolute treat. That said, Davieson notes that his attention may not have been on the audience reaction.

“It was a bit hard to notice what the crowd was doing when we were just trying to get through the new songs,” he says. Laughing, he recollects what happened post-show. “Coming off stage everyone was yelling, ‘Jordi, what the fuck happened?’”. Turns out the confused singer had suffered a catastrophic nose bleed right after performing. “The rest of the guys thought I’d been punched or something. I asked Scarlett for a tampon but had to settle for PAGE 22

tissues, there was so much blood.

I’m so lucky it didn’t happen on stage, I don’t actually know what I would have done.”

Davieson is unsure if fans on this tour will get to see Thelma Plum join them on stage again. “It’s a bit of a dog act to make her stick around after performing just for one song,” he says. “But we’ll see what happens.” So, the lucky few who got to see it in Mount Isa might have witnessed something really special.

Coming off stage everyone was yelling, ‘Jordi, what the fuck happened?’

In the early 2010s, San Cisco captured Australia’s collective hearts with ‘Golden Revolver’ and ‘Girls Do Cry’ via Triple J Unearthed. Since then, the band has gone on to put out two fulllength releases: Gracetown in 2015 and their self-titled debut in 2012.

San Cisco recorded their third album The Water in the Fremantle studio of John Butler. Keeping it in the family, Butler’s manager, Phil Stevens, is actually the father of Scarlett Stevens. Utilising the talents of long-time collaborator Steve Schram, who flew from Melbourne to work his magic on the group, the band may have produced their best work to date.

After nonstop rehearsing for two weeks, Davieson says his favourite songs on The Water have changed from when he first heard them on the finished CD. “I really like playing ‘Did You Get What You Came For?’ aaaand ‘Sunrise’. I think ‘Sunrise’ is one of our better constructed songs … it feels, good,” he says, laughing.

tour, the guys have really only had ten days break from the band, explains Davieson. “I went away to Indonesia for ten days.

Josh didn’t even stop though; he stayed at home and worked on the live rig. Scarlett came back from LA on a little holiday and we just got straight back into rehearsals. It’s all pretty hectic now.”

San Cisco are set to take on Splendour In The Grass again this year. “Splendour is such a great festival,” says Davieson. “I’m looking forward to going surfing!

I love the whole Byron Bay vibe, and there are some good waves up there.” This time around, he seems keen to just enjoy the festival and have a good time.

“Pretty much the first day I’ll be locked down getting ready for the show, and the next two days we’ll just be being festival people.”

It’s been a while since San Cisco have seen Canberra, but Davieson says they had a great night here the last time around. “We played a uni gig, it was like a year ago.

There was one stage on an oval, and food trucks.” Let’s hope Canberra can show them an even better time when they take the stage in June.

SAN CISCO drop by ANU Bar on Thursday June 1 from 8pm. Supported

by THELMA PLUM. Tickets $40.50 + bf through Moshtix.

What with a new album, a manic touring schedule and being allaround Triple J darlings, it’s not surprising to hear that San Cisco’s various members rarely get to take time away from the band. In between wrapping up recording and preparing for the @bmamag

JUMP BACK INTO THE FOG

BY ANGELA CHRISTIAN-WILKES THE WOMBATS’ current visit to Australia is special. In 2007, the scouse trio released their debut record A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation – a collection of feverish guitar-driven tunes that cemented their status in the indie-rock canon. Ten years on and they’re revisiting these origins with a big party. When I speak to drummer Daniel Haggis they’re on the eve of their first sideshow after playing the first leg of Groovin the Moo, following six months offstage.

“The first couple of shows were like being thrown in the deep end of a swimming pool when you’re not quite sure how to swim, but you quickly start remembering,” Haggis laughs. “You can practice as much as you want but once you get onstage and 10,000 people are singing along, there’s just something that happens that you can’t prepare for. It’s mad.

It’s been awesome. Last night was the first show where all three of us really felt like, ‘okay, yeah, we know what we’re doing.

We’re back.’”

Whilst Haggis notes that a 50-minute festival set restricts them, there will be more time at the sideshows to dive into material from A Guide – some of which they haven’t touched in over eight years. “We were worrying about how long it’s going to take to get back into them – listening to them on our iPods, ‘oh yeah, I remember what we did there!’” Haggis says. “It’s surprising how quickly we got back into them. Having played them all those years ago, they’re in our bones and in our DNA, in a way. So it wasn’t too bad. Quite a few of the songs threw up

memories that we haven’t really thought about or talked about for a while, so it’s been a fun nostalgia trip for us.”

Undoubtedly, the tour will be a nostalgia trip for many in the audience too, myself included.

literally a group of younger kids who love all this music we’re putting out, just in Liverpool – we weren’t signed or anything – but they can’t come and see us,” he shares. “So we did a few dry shows and it just was mental. Loads of people ended up coming, we had such a good time and the level of enthusiasm is so much higher. Ever since those days, we’ve said to promoters we would much rather play all ages shows. It’s just a bigger party.”

He’s quick to note that you can get involved no matter your age.

“Not that it matters if you’re 25 or 40 doing crowd surfing and moshing but I just think you have a different energy level when you’re younger … You’re finding your feet and you don’t really give a shit about anything.”

Having played them all those years ago, they’re in our bones and in our DNA At the start of our conversation, I warn Haggis about my extreme (verging on unsettling) love for The Wombats, something that took root when they first toured with Groovin the Moo in 2011.

As a teenager, I could attend following tours because they were all ages. The consistent preference for inclusivity started when Haggis’ younger brother couldn’t get into their earlier gigs.

“Him and quite a few of his friends from his school were like, ‘aw, we want to come to one of your gigs!’ He used to listen to us practicing at my dad’s house and he knew all the words. I thought, ‘this is ridiculous!’ It’s

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Nowadays, front man Matthew “Murph” Murphy calls LA home and bassist Tord Overland Knudsen recently relocated to his roots in Norway. A month ago they regrouped to begin album number four with a recording session in London. The overall sound is to be determined as they continue to record, write and wait for “that ‘hurrah’ moment when we can say, ‘this could be the template for the sound of the album.’” This softly approach differs vastly from the creation of A Guide to Love Loss & Desperation, which saw them bang out a song a day during three weeks in South Wales.

“It was such a furious pace of recording. We’d get up, have breakfast and just record nonstop. We were recording live – no click tracks, no anything, just the three of us in a room going for it … We learnt a lot from that first album’s recording process. We wanted to make the album feel like you were at a show, almost, and try to translate that energy onstage onto a CD, which is really, really hard to do.

“Having done an album like that, the next album we naturally wanted to add some more electronics into it and start messing around with more programming and different elements, just to try something different.” This craving for experimentation has seen The Wombats play with each record they put out – mastering the shiny yet sinister synth pop on This Modern Glitch, before getting textured and sexy with Glitterbug.

All three albums produced a different learning curve. “You learn so much as you go along that you’ve got a lot more information and a lot more skills in the studio to record and write,” Haggis says of this.

It all boils down to the unexplainable feeling of joy only music can bring. “You always want to try and hold onto that excitement that you feel when you’re 18 and you’re first making a song, that feeling of ‘oh my god! I made this! This didn’t exist before!’ Trying to hold onto that love of what you do. Which we still have, fortunately!”

THE WOMBATS already played in Canberra, at Groovin The Moo on Sunday May 7. How’s this for timely journalism? Check their website for all sideshows, thewombats.co.uk.

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have helped us out a lot with releasing songs and getting it out there. [But] radio has never really been part of our career.

We’ve been lucky in growing audiences through when we get put on a great festival or a great support.

“I think working with Triple J, you’ve gotta be in the right place at the right time with the right sound. There’s many ways to skin a cat. Some people go really great

In Year 10 I started doing piano as well. We did musicals as well at school. I love a good musical.

While the others sort of learnt guitar to sit around a campfire, we got the bug early and were just doing as much as we could.”

They also have some diverse musical influences.

“Love Pearl Jam, Neil Young.

Lately we’ve been listening to a lot of Lumineers, Jack White, Angus and Julia. Growing up, I

We looked around at this place and went like ‘ahhh wow, there’s 21,000 people here’ on Triple J and then just don’t tour much and we just really love being on the road and playing and entertaining, that’s what we love to do. Not to be a downer on Triple J. I’d be fucking stoked if we got high rotation.”

THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

BY JARROD MCGRATH

“That show in Canberra, that was one of the most incredible shows we did. A standing ovation at the end. I think we sold out completely of merch. We were there signing CDs for like two hours afterwards. It was just incredible.” Anyone lucky enough to have caught the PIERCE BROTHERS when they supported The Cat Empire at Canberra Theatre late last year will already be going to buy their tickets for this show before having to continue reading this article.

The way the duo engaged the audience that night was nothing short of phenomenal; especially given that they were the unknown support band and it was a seated venue. “Sometimes you get a crowd that is already on side when you walk out. We actually get a lot of energy from the crowd, so sometimes you will need to win them over a bit. Coz we’re a busking band, that’s sort of our forte on getting them into it like that.”

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Even when chatting to the brothers, Pat and Jack, I still felt that sense of energy, excitement and passion that their live show has. As a group who have built their reputation on their live performance as opposed to radio airplay, I was curious about how they saw this difference.

“Both are important, but one of them is more in your hands than the other. Obviously Triple J is important but we’ve rarely been added to high rotation. They

Maybe the airplay situation will change with the release of their upcoming EP The Records Were Ours on Friday May 19. “This EP is the first of a trilogy. It was going to be an album because we had all this material, 18 finished songs and six half-finished. We were cutting down the songs to fit an album. But then you might only be able to service one of those songs to radio, and maybe another. So we’re doing that and someone at Warner said, ‘you know what, all these songs jumbled up together and released as one, wouldn’t you rather release them in certain individual ways?’ and we said ‘what a great idea.’ You also have this whole creative thing in the form of each EP, so we thought let’s get all the songs with a common theme and chuck them on this EP.” The other amazing aspect of the brothers’ live show is their ability to play a variety of instruments.

Their exceptional musicality made me curious about their development as musicians.

“We’re the youngest of five kids.

Our older brothers played guitar when they were in Year 7 and 8 we thought that was just the coolest fucking thing in the world.

When we got to Year 7 we started doing proper lessons. In Year 9 we started doing voice lessons and we just got right into music.

went through a Metallica phase for a while. We love a lot of music but never really got into hip hop or rap. We love folk and rock with really good lyrics.”

Through their solid live show the group have already played some pretty big shows and have more on the horizon. “Ben Harper is up there as one of our favourite supports. That was ridiculous.

Cat Empire was good because we really got to know them and sort of became like family when we were on tour with them.

Supporting Tash Sultana in the States this year is going to be one of the most exciting things. We’ve sort of grown up with her. We’ve known her for years. That’s just going to be a little family trip.

“We did a festival in the UK to something like 21,000 people. It was one of the craziest shows we’ve ever done, it was amazing and we’re locked in to do that again this year. We actually got there and we looked around at this place and went like, ‘ahhh wow, there’s 21,000 people here’.

We could only see one stage and were like, ‘where’s the stage that we’re on?’ and they’re like, ‘that is your stage.’ And we played at 5:30pm on a Saturday. You guys got this wrong, what are we doing here?”

Don’t you get it wrong and miss this outstanding live act when the PIERCE BROTHERS hit Academy on Thursday May 25. Tickets are $32 + bf through Moshtix.

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LIFE AFTER KIDSTICKS

BY RORY MCCARTNEY Fans of English electro-folk singer BETH ORTON will remember well the evocative vocals and haunting music of atmospheric songs such as ‘Stolen Car’ and ‘She Cries Your Name’ from the albums Trailer Park (1996) and Central Reservation (1999) respectively. Two more LPs were followed by a hiatus from 2006 to 2012 while Orton had a family. After returning with two more releases in the 2010s, Orton is shortly to appear in Sydney as part of the Vivid Live Festival, and Canberra is very lucky to have scored a spot in her tour schedule. BMA spoke to Orton in advance of her Vivid sideshow.

alongside having children was very important. I couldn’t stop and I didn’t want to lose that part of me that creates. It was a way of keeping my head above water almost. Now I’m a little easier about it. It’s interesting, all the twists and turns of it.” While Orton has toured in the past with her young children, with the associated sleep deprivation, she will not be bringing them out to Australia this time.

After dramatic family events early in life, Orton spent time with Buddhist nuns in Thailand.

While her friend was keen for the experience, Orton did not really understand what she was getting into.

“Getting together with Andrew Hung who is in a band called Fuck Buttons, was a real lark.

He suggested we try something out. He stuck a keyboard in front of me and I’d never written on a keyboard before.”

Asked if that spiritual experience exercised any influence over her songs, Orton stated: “I didn’t go there necessarily looking for a spiritual experience, which sounds bizarre, but I got so involved and fascinated and found something there I felt I’d always been looking for. I loved the ritual and routine. I thought a lot about music but I couldn’t make music.

You couldn’t even speak, with 14 hours of meditation a day and fasting from noon.

“When I came out I started writing immediately, not with any holier than thou spiritual intent, it just happened to be the PAGE 26

way it was. William Orbit wanted me to sing and I’d always been reticent. But I came out and said, ‘let’s give it a go’. I felt up for anything really.”

Becoming a mother of two has also given her much to write about, things that she never imagined she would experience.

“I’m completely blown away and feel so blessed by it all, and incredibly grateful,” she says.

It has changed how she writes because it has changed how she lives. Orton has found a greater clarity, a greater spark and is more tuned in to life.

After the hiatus while she had a family, Orton was very excited to return to recording Sugaring Season, which involved far more deliberate planning than her previous albums. “I was just so keen to get in there and make music. For me, making music

Her music has evolved over the years, going from electro-folk to more acoustic and now her new LP Kidsticks has veered towards a new electronic sound, with experimentation as the key.

Starting with beats, Orton would play bits and pieces on the keys while Hung would fiddle with the sound, both of them encouraging each other to try new stuff. “He went away and I was left with little four bar loops and I started to write songs from them. I found them quite beautiful.” This was a shift from Orton’s usual practice of writing lyrics first, then following up with the music. “I was not thinking of where I was taking the record, how it works in relation to the last record or what people might think. I was driven by the moment and how exciting it was.”

Kidsticks is an eclectic mix of stories without a central theme.

“I never really write to themes but I’m very interested by people who do a themed record. While a couple of songs on loss and grief have always been on my records, because that has been an experience in my life, now I’m also experiencing birth and regrowth.

There’s a sense of life and new beginnings. In Kidsticks there are themes of nature. There’s a lot of sky in LA and a lot of driving and beautiful open landscapes. I think those got reflected in the music.

There’s a certain psychedelica to the imagery, and that comes out as well.”

This is the first time in a while that Orton is appearing in Australia with a full supporting band, giving her more scope in the way songs are presented. “A band gives more power to the sound and you can go deeper into the material in a different way.

It brings out qualities I’d never really been able to maximise before which is really exciting.”

The show will have a setlist which ranges widely across her LPs from Trailer Park onwards.

“There is a fluidity [to the format] to see how the crowd feels and throw in a couple of little surprises each night.”

BETH ORTON, supported by Canberra’s own THE LOWLANDS, sings at The Playhouse at 8pm on Friday June 16. Tickets $65.00–$85.00 + bf. Full details at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

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BETTER THAN A MASTER OF NONE

BY JOSHUA MARTIN

CHRISTINE ANU won’t say she blew open the doors for Australian performers like Jessica Mauboy; modestly claiming she merely “left the window half open so they can crawl through.”

Much of Australia however knows Anu is one of our most prolific entertainers, skyrocketing to prominence with her adapted cover of Warumpi Band’s ‘My Island Home’ in the mid 1990s, before trying her hand at Hollywood feature film and most recently ABC radio.

Being a multi-threat entertainer is becoming increasingly commonplace nowadays, à la Mauboy, begging the question of whether it’s no longer a handy skill but a necessity to survive.

“I’ve gone throughout my career thinking at times that maybe I should have just concentrated on one thing,” Anu laughs. “I don’t believe I’m taken very seriously as a musician because of the different things that I’ve done over the years…” Arguably Anu has thrived consistently, attaining her most sustained success as a musical talent: accruing seventeen ARIA nods at a rate of knots.

Anu isn’t altogether comfortable with the entire package of success however. “No one has ever asked me whether I was afraid of the success. Absolutely I was. You fear what you can’t see.” Up on the world stage of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the extent of what it means to be a world contending artist became very plain. “I don’t like being recognised on the street. I like being appreciated for what I can do with my talent, but I don’t like the other kind of attention.”

Anu doesn’t reject contemporary talent shows as a means of finding success, instead pitying the struggling artists plight. “No one is going to care about the psychological impact on those men and women who get left behind when the show is done.”

It’s an entertainment paradox; entertainers bemoaning being used for entertainment, and one that Anu is glad she bypassed.

But what continues to drive Anu’s own career, long after solidifying her legend status?

“Putting an original language album out there is definitely a dream … That’s before my mum passes away, because I’d really like for her to be involved and to help write the songs.” Early in her career, Anu released her first Indigenous language song ‘Kulba Yaday’, but suffered a learning curve: “There was a little bit of a protest about how and if I got permission to include language stuff on the album … When it comes to your culture there is a fine line between exploiting and celebrating.” Anu is confident that within the artistic space her illustrious career allows her to occupy, she can meaningfully achieve that dream.

Throughout our conversation, Anu has a lively spark that is evidently crucial to her longevity and a passionate approach to art of all kinds.

See Christine Anu in conversation discussing her life at the Arc cinema, National Film and Sound Archive.

Friday June 2 at 7:15pm. Tickets $35 + bf through TryBooking.

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DANCE THE DROP [THE WORD ON DANCE MUSIC] WITH PETER ‘KAZUKI’ O’ROURKE [CONTACT@KAZUKI.COM.AU]

Sometimes a rare meme comes across your Facebook feed which is just way too accurate and onpoint in its cutting assessment of the state of the world. Last week, one appeared in my feed as a fake flyer for a club night, poking some fun at the underground left-field house and techno scene. With this particular meme, I’m 90% sure it came from a place of love, rather than derision. Each detail was delicately reconstructed, from the informal typeface, the reference to celebrating with 163 art students, quotes such as “vinyl that costs $80” and “where did these four guys with hair gel come from?” – seriously, I’ve seen this at this style of party, with dudes who looked like they stepped straight out of 1994 with slicked back hair and large bomber polyester jackets.

When something reaches a meme level of recognition, you know that it’s a thing. As the club world embraces proper techno and house records again (debates about tech-house being techno or not aside), both trendsetters and those who sit outside the mainstream will end up doing their own thing, as represented in this viral image.

I remember going to a Pickle warehouse party last year and feeling like it was something truly new and exciting, a scene completely outside the club and outdoor doof scenes I was part of.

A single mirror ball in the centre of the room, warm lo-fi analogue disco records at 120 beats per minute and a young arty crowd hypnotised to the steady groove of the vinyl. The crowd itself was different, with a strong queer representation, and a focus on dancing, rather than picking up (which you see a lot more in the commercial scene). The DJ was also at the same height of the crowd, not raised above, but barely seen.

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But I guess these things don’t happen in isolation, especially in the age of the internet, with sounds, fashions and ideas spreading quickly. The fact that this meme reminded me so much of a flyer you might find for one of these events shows that, after a while, a specific style is set – and that’s what the scene becomes.

However, I’m glad that new stuff does come along in the dance music world. Sure, there are some links to the past, particularly with those raw analogue and disco sounds, but it’s awesome to see that dance music – and what it means to go out with dancing as the focus, not the lights, not the spectacle – can be stripped back to its basics and sound so fresh and new again.

A few gigs coming up by the way, take a look.

After TXNK at Kyte on Thursday May 11, Friday May 12 is pretty special for house and techno fans.

Mr Wolf has Miguel Campbell, Kyte has progressive house legend Max Graham and my crew Dept of Late Nights is throwing a secret dusk until dawn rave, Troll Life with Sydney’s Shepz, DB and a host of locals! That same night Academy has some big room sounds with JDG. The following weekend it would be worth checking out Kyte for techno action on Friday May 19, while on Saturday the first Capital Electro Swing Ball goes down at Albert Hall – costumes are a must! The next Friday May 26 sees Timmy Trumpet at Academy, and The Pitcher headlining Hard Envy at Cube.

The first weekend of June is pretty cool, with Lotown and Dept of Late Nights joining forces at Kyte for the Subsonic Festival Launch Party! Underground progressive techno legends Thank You City are down for headlining duties. See you there. @bmamag

KINGS AMONGST MANY

THANKS AGAIN

BY PETE O’ROURKE

It’s always good to meet a like-minded soul when you’re discussing music. Like many DJs and producers, Brent Mirams of THANK YOU CITY first began making beats with the tools he had – in this case a copy of Music 2000, a game on the original PlayStation.

“Yep, I wrote some sick tracks on that actually, I wish I still had them; lots of hard energy rave music,” Mirams says. “I used to hire it from Blockbuster every week, until my Dad was tired of hiring it and bought me a copy!”

Brent Mirams, and his older brother Scott, began to make music together as they got involved in the outdoor rave and underground festival scene in Victoria. While they now make techno and progressive house, Brent Mirams says those early days really influenced their sound with psychedelic trance and progressive elements still impacting on the modern Thank You City sound.

“We really like progressive music because it tells a story,” Mirams tells me. “I love a track that actually evolves and changes throughout, which is what I loved about trance back in the day – it wasn’t just the same loop over and over.”

Mirams says he and his brother wrote a heap of new music last year, which they’ll be showcasing at the Subsonic Music Festival Launch Party in Canberra in the coming weeks with their live set up.

The producer says that he tried to do the music thing full-time for a while, but actually found that having some part-time work in something completely different

meant that he produced better music, and more often.

“I was thinking about making tracks that would sell, and tracks that people would like, and get more gigs and more money … and that was stressful, that wasn’t enjoyable at all. It’s cool to have freedom to relax a bit and enjoy it more for its fun,” he says. “It doesn’t matter what the outcome is.”

While Mirams has been considering other aliases for some of the different styles he writes, he says Thank You City is definitely his focus. In the last few months the duo did a remix of Canberra artist Doppel’s track ‘Melt’, receiving high praise in the underground music scene.

“He’s a legend,” Mirams says of the Canberra producer. “He’s so talented, and such a gentleman.

Working on ‘Melt’ was so much fun because the parts that he gave us were so good. That was actually a really heavy time for us as our grandpa passed away, so it was a good escape to take our mind off it – so it’s quite a sentimental mix for us.”

So what can we expect in Canberra for the launch party?

“We’ve got so much stuff; we could go for seven hours if we wanted to. Lots of it will be quite pumping – we got inspired last year to write some proper big, banging techno. What we’re doing is showcasing stuff that we made. Everything you’ll hear came out of our brains. We’re pretty proud of that.”

THANKYOU CITY will appear at Kyte with LOTOWN and the DEPT OF LATE NIGHTS for the Canberra leg of the SUBSONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL LAUNCH PARTY on Friday June 2 from 9pm. $10 on the door, $20 after 10pm.

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BY MATT PARNELL PHOTO BY COLE BENNETTS

HORRORSHOW’s new album is a return to the style that gave them their start – at least according to Adit, their producer, who I recently had a chat to.

The first two Horrorshow albums, The Grey Space and Inside Story, introduced Australia to Adit and rapper Solo along with their open, honest lyricism about growing up and discovering themselves in Sydney. This is an influence that Adit believes has carried over to their most recent album, 2017’s Bardo State. While their personal lives have changed – the duo are no longer high schoolers planning their debut album before graduation – the sound has remained similar. Horrorshow continue to pedal some of Australia’s best storytelling music, not just limited to hip hop.

could it not be, with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and Anderson .Paak in particular gaining prominence since King Amongst Many and pushing the boundaries of what can be done, and is acceptable, with lyricism and beats respectively.

Lyrically, Adit spoke about how Solo was transitioning from describing his own experiences to channelling other people’s ‘lived experiences’, which I found fascinating – the idea of using his platform to speak almost on behalf of others. The Travis Scott influence is clear in some of the production on Bardo State, with Adit going so far as to describe some of the songs as Horrorshow’s take on trap music.

In reference to his production style, Adit spoke about how the

No longer high schoolers planning their debut album before graduation According to Adit, one of the many influences on the new album was Horrorshow’s work with the One Day Crew. One Day, comprised of Spit Syndicate, Jackie Onassis, Horrorshow and Joyride, started producing music in 2014, just after the release of Horrorshow’s King Amongst Many. One of the big influences, says Adit, was seeing the influence that their music had on people during the One Day Sundays events. These events, which started off in Sydney in 2014, were a way to frequently see how the people got down to their music, and this is reflected on the new album.

In addition to this, Adit cites the changing state of hip hop as a major influence. How

beats he made for Bardo State were beats he wanted to make, and matched his ideal beat making style, which he described as simplified production, with chord driven sounds. It is music created to make you feel.

It was also revealed that ‘Cherry Blossom’, one of the standout tracks off Bardo State and Adit’s current favourite Horrorshow song, is getting an extended cut for their live show, which is cracking news for CBR-based pundits, and an added incentive to come and see their show.

HORRORSHOW are swinging by ANU Bar on Friday June 16 at 8pm.

Supported by Turquoise Prince and David Dallas. Tickets $35 + bf through Moshtix.

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conversations, inexorably in its orbit. Cathedral, Paradise Lost and Alchemist, etc. etc. etc.

METALISE

[THE WORD ON METAL] WITH JOSH NIXON [DOOMTILDEATH@HOTMAIL.COM]

The ANU Bar was an integral part of Canberra’s musical lineage.

Back in January The Canberra Times ran a pretty good piece on the bar, even though it got the year Nirvana played there wrong (it was 1992, not 1993). At least a year prior, Mudhoney had brought Sub Pop grunge to the refectory in its most raw and vital prime. The article interviewed Pete Spicer. He was the man back in those days. All genres of music had landmark moments in that joint, in every permutation, from hip hop to a full evolution of electronic music events.

In the metal context, Adam Agius offered his perspective in his story on Metal for the Brain (MFTB), long the benchmark for domestic metal shows. Along with the local heavy music scene,

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MFTB generated an invaluable pre-internet national touring network and created a festival that many have tried to imitate.

And while the shows at UC were also fantastic, the ANU Refectory was always the annual highlight.

For fans of extreme metal, I don’t reckon you can top the Morbid Angel show on the Blessed Are The Sick tour in 1992. Well it was actually entitled the Morbid Obliteration of Downunder Grindart Tour 1992; the Canberra show saw supports by Psychrist and Armoured Angel. There were tonnes of others. I remember talking to some folks loading in gear when Electric Wizard were soundchecking ‘Return Trip’. For me, it was the heaviest sound check in the bar’s history. Dozens of us were all pulled from our

There were so many configurations the room could accommodate. I got to see and play shows on big, medium and small stages on the steps down the end near the shops, the stage at the opposite end and half way down, facing into the bar.

These were classic experiences.

No matter what part of BMA you like, there was something that impacted your musical life in those two rooms and the surrounds.

So the fracas around the big ending show that has seen Regurgitator replaced with Liquid shouldn’t have any bearing on one last chance to have the bar doors unceremoniously slam down in your face when the headliner still has four songs to play.

On Saturday May 27, Live Evil, Witchskull and Wretch will give the old girl one last blast before who knows what happens to the space. You gotta go. Long hairs, former long hairs, growing out mullets, now balding and greying hairs, you owe the old girl one last hurrah.

The Basement in Belconnen is thankfully not going anywhere and Lance and the team are, as ever, keeping up a steady supply of heavy for you guys. Perth band Voyager have a killer new album entitled Ghost Mile and are on an extensive national launch tour with The Algorithm from France to celebrate. The tour hits Belconnen’s home of heavy on the Saturday May 20 with Immorium and Highview.

Life is Noise made my day with the news that Pallbearer will be back in the country late June/ early July. One day I will convince them to come to Canberra, but for now the closest show is in Sydney on July 4 at Manning Bar. Their album Heartless has pride of place this year in my current list. Speaking of which, the new album by the The Obsessed, Sacred, is absolutely killer.

Check it.

Aversions Crown are undertaking a tour in June dubbed the Zenocidal Warpath Tour (sounds brutal). They’re here Thursday June 15 with Boris The Blade and Alpha Wolf, also at The Basement.

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PERFECT AMOUNT OF MAYHEM

BY ANDREW MYERS In 2015, Sydney-based metalcore/progressive metal band NORTHLANE claimed an ARIA in the Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal category for their phenomenal third album Node. Now in 2017, their latest release Mesmer is already walking on the same footpath of greatness. Northlane have not returned to Canberra since Groovin The Moo in 2015 where they shared the stage with big-name acts like Hilltop Hoods, Peaches and You Me At Six. With the upcoming Intuition regional tour in May, fans can experience the anthemlike messages, crushing riffs and energetic performances face-to-face.

Since their inception in 2009 and following the releases of four highly successful albums (and one split EP with brotherband In Hearts Wake), nothing seems to have stood in the way of this five-piece. Mesmer was dropped out of the mist in late March to an uproarious cheer of praise and approval. From it came two politically charged singles, ‘Intuition’ and ‘Citizen’, both tackling the problems of the digital age, corruption and the breaches of privacy that come with living in the 21st century where everything is either live, streamed, downloaded or recorded.

BMA had the privilege of talking to lead vocalist Marcus Bridge, delving into the meanings and experiences behind the chaotic wonder that is Mesmer. Bridge states that the meaning behind the title concerns animal magnetism, personal change and connectivity on all fronts. This was also apparent in the band’s

choice to release the album out of nowhere – for fans to experience “the entire story that’s being told all at once and not just little bitesize pieces.”

PHOTO BY WILK

creatively about every aspect of the way people would experience Mesmer … We wanted to make everyone’s discovery of this moment special.”

Bridge joined the band in 2014 when original vocalist Adrian Fitipaldes left due to health issues. Their third release Node introduced Bridge as the raspy and sweeping vocalist. With the progressive and harmonic path the band has taken since Bridge’s recruitment, he has vocally and lyrically sparked a newfound flare and direction for the band.

Seriously, read the lyrics to ‘Veridian’ or ‘Citizen’; the latter includes the lines, “satellites track our lives beyond the skies / Not even your mind can hide from big brother’s eyes” (cough, cough, Nineteen Eighty-Four, cough, cough, Snowden).

Since joining Northlane I’ve learned so much, about living, about music, about the world Mesmer was recorded throughout September 2016, the band retreating to a New Jersy studio with Bring Me The Horizon produer, David Bendeth to lay it down. According to the band, the process wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.

“We have grown immeasurably as people and as a band through the toughest recording process we’ve ever endured. We’ve been tested every step of the way and have come out the other side with something we are truly proud of. We felt we owed it to this album to try and think

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The modest singer said it is still daunting being the new kid on the block – or in this case, new kid with the microphone – but he is more comfortable recording an album this time, “with a clearer idea in mind.”

The band were more at ease this time around with writing “more personal” songs. This is prevalent with tracks like ‘Veridian’, which tackles bereavement with a family death, and the closing song ‘Paragon’, which is dedicated to the late guitarist Tom Searle of English metalcore band Architects, who passed away in

August of last year. The song is comprised of recycled Architects lyrics in the musician’s memory, as Northlane members were huge fans of the band. Bridge says that Architects are an “important band in Northlane’s history”. After all, Northlane took their name from an Architects song. This was a humbling realisation, being a fanboy of Architects myself, and knowing that one band you look up to can also seek inspiration and influence from another.

Bridge said the reason behind wanting to head out on a regional tour was to interact with fans that wouldn’t usually get the opportunity to make it to the bigger shows. The youth centre and pub shows bring a “crazy energy,” says Bridge. “The perfect amount of mayhem”.

When asked if joining a band and touring in his early twenties has changed him, his response was humbled and down-to-earth.

“Since joining Northlane I’ve learned so much, about living, about music, about the world – I’ve never travelled before”.

According to him, seeing and travelling the world gives one a whole new perspective on life and reality, treating every opportunity as a gift.

NORTHLANE drop by Academy on Wednesday May 17 from 8pm with special guests, local heroes Hands Like Houses. Tickets are $33.90 +bf through Moshtix.

PAGE 31

Live @ The Phoenix Friday May 12, 9pm, $5 PALS, Marlon Bando, Spaceboys Saturday May 13, 9pm, $10/$5 Society Of Beggars, Signs & Symbols, House of Strangers Monday May 15, 8pm, Free The Bootleg Sessions: Helena Pop, Rebecca-Maree Band, H., Bobby James Friday May 19, 9pm, $10/$5 Thunderbolt City, New Age Group, Chimney Goo Saturday May 20, 6pm, $10 Toe To Toe, Sketch Method, UTI, Cockbelch, Kid Presentable, Needledick, Sewer Sideshow, Semen & Garfuckel Monday May 22, 8pm, Free The Bootleg Sessions: East Row Rabble, Betty Alto, Bella Groove, The People I Love Saturday May 27, 9pm, $10/$5 Revellers, Adventure Sunday, Semen & Garfuckel Monday May 29, 8pm, Free CIT Presents The Bootleg Sessions: Flash Anthem, Naked Scientist, Tom Brodrick, Jesse Ford

PAGE 32

PUNK & DISORDERLY [THE WORD ON PUNK] WITH ELEANOR HORN [E.TRS.HORN@GMAIL.COM]

Well, I’m sure you all know what’s coming, the ANU Bar Finale has caused a lot of controversy over the exclusion of female and non-binary artists – and even more controversy when they overtly didn’t give a shit about it. There’s no excuse for ignorant and outdated attitudes, and the fact is, the lack of representation in the music industry is a huge issue. Perhaps not to men, but to everyone else. Maybe you’re reading this and thinking ‘ugh, she’s talking about gender again’, but hey, it’s one of the most important societal issues of our time, and I’m not getting paid for this so I’ll write whatever I want to, fucko.

Naaah, but seriously. I want to talk about this, but I don’t want to be angry anymore. A group of people can’t have a conversation if they’re just standing around shouting at each other and calling people cunts (something I’m guilty of).

Of course, the simple conclusion to seeing a line-up you don’t like is not going to the gig. And while this normally isn’t a big deal, the ANU gig isn’t just an ordinary gig; it’s the celebration and remembrance of the venue’s history. This is a history that women and non-binary people have played a big part in, and to these artists, seeing an all-male line-up must feel something

like a slap in the face. These people want to come – they just don’t feel welcome. Putting on a show for a group of people is one thing, but putting on a show for several groups of people is another thing entirely. This is an important show.

I’m sure one thing we can all agree on is that this has created a rift in a small music scene, and it’s a divide we can’t afford. So, let me be the first to say, I’m sorry.

I’m sorry that this happened, and I’m sorry for all the anger and hurt that was caused by all this.

The Canberra music community is rich and varied, and that’s what makes it great. I’m not saying we all have to be friends, because that’s just ridiculous (and I can only keep up with, like, two friends at a time).

But we must tolerate and be welcoming of each other if we’re going to progress and encourage aspiring artists.

And if we can’t do either, then what’s the point?

@bmamag

BMA BAND

PROFILE [LOCAL ACTS TO WATCH]

MAKING IT SANS FAKING IT

BY SHARONA LIN

If you were in high school in the mid noughties, you probably remember the singles ‘Face Down’ or ‘False Pretense’, from the RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS’ debut major label release Don’t You Fake It. The post-hardcore, emo rock album turned ten last year and, with impeccable timing, also went platinum the same year.

To celebrate, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus are making the trip out to Australia to perform the entire album, in full. They will be joined

by Brisbane’s Young Lions in each city.

show added in Melbourne after the first sold out.

Naturally, Winter is excited to come back to Australia. The main focus is the music, but he’s got some ideas in mind for when the band is off duty. What is he most excited for? “The koala sanctuary,” he says, almost immediately. “It’s fun every time we go. My wife likes kangaroos, so we tend to hit a lot of zoos.

We really enjoy all the natural aspects, and the things that you wouldn’t get where we’re from.”

But getting back to the music: the band will play the album from start to finish at each of the gigs.

If you’re a band and you make it ten years without dying and you’re still together, that’s a success So what does frontman Ronnie Winter think the legacy of Don’t You Fake It is, a decade on? “I have no idea what legacy it has,” he admits. “But I assume it’s a good one – I haven’t died and we’re still making music.”

The lead vocalist and keyboardist is clearly not one to talk himself up, or mince words. When asked about how the band has changed, a decade on from their debut, Winter is blunt. “The general consensus is that if you’re a band and you make it ten years without dying and you’re still together, that’s a success.”

The band has done a lot more than just not die, of course – they’ve worked hard in the last decade to release three albums between Don’t You Fake It and the present. That hard work has paid off, and their tenth anniversary tour is being eagerly anticipated

by Australians, with a second

But what about other tracks from their other albums? “If it’s sold out and the crowd is singing along, we might play an extra song. I can’t promise anything.”

And looking to the future, the band isn’t skipping a beat. The five-piece are hard at work on their new album, The Awakening.

“You fall into a bit of a rhythm after ten years,” Winter says, in regard to how they go about writing, rehearsing and recording a new album. “We’ve been in that rhythm for a long time now.” The new album is under wraps, but Winter does give me one detail.

“The first single is pretty much done, and it’s heavy,” Winter says. “Not in a metal way, but in an honest way.”

RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS hit The Basement on Thursday May 11 from 7:30pm. Tickets $44.90 through Oztix.

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THE POSTMASTERS Band members: Jonathan Statham (vocals, guitar, keys), Jeremy Cummings (guitar, vocals), Lucius Culliton (drums), Jeonghyun Kim (bass, monk noises, Shaggy impersonations) Where did your band name come from? Well, we’re an all mail band. Musically speaking, we like to put our stamp on things, we’re always pushing the envelope, and when we promise rock, we deliver.

Describe your sound. We often get asked that question, and we find it really difficult to answer.

We all contribute pretty evenly to the songwriting process and everyone puts their own spin on things. So if someone comes up with an idea which is influenced by a particular sound, the final product rarely turns out the way they envisioned. We really like just being ‘us’.

Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? The Killers, Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, The Duke Spirit, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, Oasis, Pulp.

in the year, and we’re currently planning an Australian tour in support of its release. We would love to tour overseas after that!

What makes you laugh? Chris Lilley, Ricky Jervais, Pauline Hanson.

What pisses you off? Everyone seems to have an opinion these days, even if they don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. It’s become fashionable to be polarising and divisive, and to create as much noise as possible while completely disregarding reality no matter what your position is. For us, it’s kind of worrying to not see sensible discussion as often as we would like.

What about the Canberra scene would you change? We need a beach. We need to lobby the government to build a beach, preferably in the Braddon area.

Where we live.

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had while performing? It’s hard to pick just one! Opening for British India at ANU was a really fun gig.

But we have also played some sold-out shows in Canberra and Wollongong recently that were heaps of fun, and we were amazed to see so many people having a good time to our music.

In all seriousness, the Canberra scene has been great to us.

We’ve played at pretty much every live music venue, and we have a great group of bands that we’ve been gigging with over the past six months. The support here is also exceptional.

Packed out shows make for a really fun night, so we’re really appreciative of that support.

So all in all, Canberra does a great job at live music and we wouldn’t change it! Apart from building a beach.

Of what are you proudest so far? Quitting our jobs to play music.

What are your upcoming gigs?

We’re playing at Lobrow Gallery & Bar on Friday May 19.

What are your plans for the future? We’re about to release the first single from our upcoming EP, which is called ‘Crave’. The EP will follow later

Contact info: thepostmastersband@gmail. com

PAGE 33

PLANET OF SOUND Planet of Sound is our column celebrating the wide history of music. In this month’s entry, Dan Bigna looks back fondly on his history with ANU Bar, and speaks to promoter Garry Peadon about the venue’s final gig.

When it comes to the ANU Bar and how it used to be, I am reminded of that line in The Simpsons when Moe the bartender decides he wants to convert his dingy bar into a family friendly restaurant. Homer’s workmate Carl immediately protests with, “but, Moe, the dank. The dank!” Not that the ANU Bar ever had that much dank as such; it was really more about the general vibe that suggested a good place to hide from looming essay deadlines while playing a game of pool and drinking Carlton Draught on tap.

I often hid in there. You might run into someone you knew such as the dude who invoked deep thinkers like Sartre and Derrida while attempting to explain why he found everyday habit and routine so distasteful. This was easily recognisable code for justifying why he was about to fail a subject. Then there was the girl who came up to me one time and said she really liked the Smashing Pumpkins t-shirt I was wearing. This trifling remark instantly led to an intense threemonth relationship that ended on the night Dinosaur Jr played at the ANU when I became attracted to a girl standing at the refectory midpoint who was wearing a Sonic Youth t-shirt, had long brown hair and great legs, and was dancing to Dinosaur Jr as if they were the greatest band in the world.

Those were the good times, but eventually the ease of heading out to see a band was replaced by the similar ease of sinking into everyday habit and routine my philosopher friend loathed so much. Now the ANU Bar is to be demolished to make way for a brand spanking new arts and entertainment precinct on PAGE 34

the University campus. This turn of events has brought on the inevitable nostalgia trip for those of us who now wear a shirt and tie at the day job and spend too much time wondering what went wrong.

I saw some great gigs at the ANU (Mudhoney, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Lou Reed) and some not so good (Nirvana). I have seen gigs where the place was packed to capacity (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) and some

face, asking the audience what they thought about this while the girl in doc marten boots and short black skirt mock quivered under his penetrating gaze.

All this local history will be preserved in memory as the place is torn down and replaced with something more functional and possibly more in synch with the assembly line approach to tertiary education these days.

When I heard a final ANU Bar show had been organised by local promoter Garry Peadon, I raced out to get a ticket so those many fond memories of the ANU Bar ‘dank’ could come flooding back one last time. A bunch of bands had been booked with 1990s alt music icons Regurgitator as the headliner. Then all this stuff started coming out about how no female acts were on the bill and a number of bands, including the headliner, pulled out. I have kept my ticket but am not quite sure where this leaves the show that was supposed to be one final burst of glory.

This turn of events has brought on the inevitable nostalgia trip for those of us who now wear a shirt and tie at the day job and spend too much time wondering what went wrong where there were like three people in the audience (Chris Knox, Hoss). I once observed an ANU bar regular snoring into his beer while Swiss post-punk band The Young Gods hit a sonic peak and also distinctly recall the girl stopped by Henry Rollins as she was about to stage dive with Rollins in that intense voice of his, yet with a big grin on his

the ANU Bar both as a punter, supplier and as a promoter so to me, it was a good fit.”

Peadon, who recalls checking out indie Canberra band The Mighty Few as his first ANU gig, had been a key player in setting up and promoting much missed Woden venue The Green Room where I saw some fantastic shows from the likes of Howling Bells and The Hard-Ons. His reputation as a major contributor to cultural activity in Canberra is sealed for this alone but he chooses not to engage with the so-called controversy surrounding the final ANU show, and I must say I’m a tad puzzled myself about what happened. But whatever the outcome, a smile still comes to my face at the spectacle of steamy vocalist Niagara from Detroit punk rockers Dark Carnival thrusting a frightening looking stiletto at some idiot drunken punter who was attempting to inflict further damage on her already ragged and torn fishnet stockings. This was one female singer with attitude gracing the stage at the ANU bar who will be sorely missed.

DAN BIGNA

Garry Peadon tells me that losing the ANU bar, “will have a major effect on gigs in town – there is no other venue that has its facilities, capacity or location.”

I was also curious as to why Peadon had taken on organising the show and his response was typically blunt. “Why not do it?

Nobody else came forward to do it and I’ve had a long history with

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THE BACKBONE OF BLUES

BY ANNA FRANCESCHINI

Then, says John Steel in a chipper Geordie accent, smoothed over from more than fifty years on the road, THE ANIMALS were one of the leading bands of the British Invasion, recording some of the greatest songs in music history. Now, the band’s original drummer is back in Australia with a line-up of new Animals to play their greatest hits. Was Steel looking forward to coming to Australia?

“Oh, very much. Haven’t been in Australia since the end of the nineties. We’re gonna have a lot of fun.”

Steel has been touring with his new line-up, as The Animals, for a number of years. I asked him about these fresh members.

There’s Mick Gallagher on keyboards (who joined The Animals in 1965 to replace Alan Price) and Danny Handley on lead vocals/guitar while the newest addition, Roberto Ruiz, plays bass. “We get along really well,” says Steel. “We have fun, and we’re very enthusiastic about the music, always get a good reaction.”

I ask him what we can expect from The Animals this time around. “The hits that everyone wants to hear, but also we play obscure stuff, other tracks and B sides. We mix everything around.

You might never hear the same set [twice]. We’ll do songs like ‘House of the Rising Sun’, ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ – all these great songs.”

Songs like ‘House of the Rising Sun’ and ‘We Gotta Get Out of this Place’ are still very popular today. I wondered what it is about these tunes that makes people listen to them again and again.

“They got something about real life in them,” says Steel. “People identify with them. ‘We Gotta Get Out of this Place’ means just as much to somebody who’s finishing school [or] quitting a job that they don’t like. It says something to everybody,” he reflects. “It always knocks me out. A lot of young people [come and] see us and they know all the words.”

“We met Bob Dylan in New York, it was our first ride over to the States and we were big fans of his. We met up with him and he told us that he’d been in the studio recording his first electricfolk [album], and the reason why was that he heard our song on the radio. That made him think, ‘well actually, I could do that’. So he changed directions, from an acoustic folk player to folk-rock, and from then on he just became a superstar.”

Steel began playing music with The Animals’ original, howling vocalist Eric Burdon in the fifties.

I ask Steel whether, when The Animals began, they set out to make a specific sound, or just went with what they liked, seeing where it would take them? “It kinda just developed,” says Steel.

“Eric and me first met in 1956, and we formed our first band in

‘We Gotta Get Out of this Place’, I think is really something special, because it’s become kind of an anthem I ask Steel whether there is a song he’s most proud of, or enjoys playing the most. “‘We Gotta Get Out of this Place’, I think is really something special, because it’s become kind of an anthem.” ‘House of the Rising Sun’ was important for Steel as well because it was the first single to go over the industry standard of two and a half/three minutes. “We first heard [‘House of the Rising Sun’] on Bob Dylan’s first album, which was all acoustic. We really loved what [he] was doing, and so recorded our version of [the song] in just the way we play.

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1957. [In 1963] we arrived at the line-up that became The Animals.

That’s when we realised we had something special. We became the hottest band in [Newcastle upon Tyne] in a very short time.

We didn’t plan it. Everybody did what they did, and it worked together. Next thing you know we were heading over to a record deal and a tour.”

British Invasion in general. “It was a fantastic time,” he says. “It was a thrilling experience to find out where all our influences came from. We had some good times in the States.

“When we landed in New York, this record company had arranged all our publicity, [and there was] a British car manufacturer called Triumph. So we had five Triumph Tiger cars [and] sat on the back seat of each [with] a model in a tiger outfit. Then we set off for Manhattan with a motorcycle escort on either side of the convoy. That was our introduction to America. I’ll never forget that, because it was so outrageous [and] funny.” He chuckles at the memory. Welcome to America!

It was a shame to say goodbye to a truly fascinating man, whose stories I could’ve listened to for hours. Since we had been concentrating on the past, I decided to make my last question about the future. “Do you have any advice for any budding musicians of today?” I ask him.

“We did it because we loved it,” says Steel. “That’s my advice. You gotta enjoy it yourself. If you can’t enjoy doing what you do, then you can’t expect an audience to enjoy it either. Do what you love, do what feels good to you and then you’ll enjoy yourself.”

THE ANIMALS are coming by the Southern Cross Club on Wednesday May 17. Tickets are $89.65 for dinner and show, or $57.65 for show only + bf through Ticketek.

The Animals were one of the many British acts to catapult up the US charts in the 1960s, resulting in the so-called British Invasion. I ask Steel how he felt about the success of The Animals and the PAGE 35

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF BONNIE

BY RORY MCCARTNEY Welsh born BONNIE TYLER had to work hard to get the prominence her spectacular voice deserved. After singing in pubs and clubs in various bands including Bobby Wayne and the Dixies and Imagination, she made her first recording in 1975. However, it was not until 1977 that she achieved modest success with ‘Lost in France’. ‘It’s A Heartache’, released in 1978, was her first big hit, followed by the even greater success of ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ in 1982. 16 studio albums followed, with the most recent being 2013’s Rocks and Honey. She is visiting Canberra during her upcoming tour, and BMA spoke to Tyler about her fascinating career.

The Welsh are known for their love of singing, and Tyler came from a musical family, including a mum who sang amateur opera.

“My brother and sister are professional singers,” says Tyler.

“And it was inevitable that we became singers because there was always music in the house.”

Early in her career she was in various bands doing covers.

Tyler favoured songs by Tina Turner and Janis Joplin, but had to be very flexible. The clubs had theme nights (blues, rock and even old time dancing) so she had to be versatile. “I was singing for seven years before my first break. I was in a club when a talent scout came down from London and heard me singing by accident. He’d come because he’d heard about the boy singing upstairs. Luckily for me, he came in on the wrong floor and heard me singing.” It was two years before she heard back from the label, but she got a record deal PAGE 36

and had her first hit at age 26.

Early in her career, she experimented with various stage names, including ‘Sherene Davis’, before settling on Bonnie Tyler.

“When I had a record deal they asked would I mind changing the name because Sherene sounds like an exotic dancer.”

‘Bonnie Tyler’ was the result of her picking out random Christian names and surnames from a newspaper one day, and looking for a good match.

after such treatment. “You are not supposed to talk for six weeks after the operation,” she says.

“You have to write everything down.” This was a bridge too far for Tyler, who found the restrictions very frustrating and could not stick to them, with the recovery period stretching out to six months as a result. When she next went into the studio to record ‘It’s a Heartache’ she startled the crew with the new, even huskier, tone of her voice.

So it was by accident that Tyler was ‘discovered’ and through the unintended effects of surgery that she developed her trademark sound. While ‘It’s a Heartache’ had not charted well when released by other singers in the US, it turned out to be a huge hit for Tyler, with her new vocal tone.

Blessed with a powerful voice, Tyler heard Meatloaf singing and was inspired by that style of song. Having changed labels, she said she wanted to work with whomever was writing for Meatloaf. Overcoming the reservations of her record company, she met songwriter Jim Steinman and they got on well.

“Three weeks later he finished off a song he’d started writing years before, which was ‘Total Eclipse

They asked would I mind changing the name because Sherene sounds like an exotic dancer Famous for the husky tone of her voice, she was already being compared to Rod Stewart at the time of her first record. Tyler then required surgery to remove nodes from her vocal chords and her voice needed extreme rest

years. However, it takes effort to keep it in good shape, including thorough pre-show preparation.

“I phone my voice coach before every sound check, no matter where I am in the world, and I go through 15 minutes of, not scales, more strange noises really.

Sometimes in my hotel I think, the person next door must be wondering what the hell is going on in there.”

Tyler sang ‘Believe in Me’ for the UK in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. She knew she would not win the TV vote, because of all the politics involved in Eurovision, but did enjoy the experience, including the enthusiasm of the audience. She did win the Radio vote, being the only UK representative to ever receive a Eurovision Song Contest Radio Award.

The upcoming show is part of the Greatest Hits Tour, with the set list to include songs from various albums including the most recent release Rocks and Honey. There will be covers too, with the opening song being Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’. “Everybody starts singing with me, right from the beginning of the show.”

BONNIE TYLER, supported by Rick Price, sings at Canberra Theatre at 7:30pm on Wednesday May 31.

Tickets are $89.90 + bf through canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

of the Heart’ and he gave it to me to record. I ended up doing two albums with Jim.” Listening to ‘This Is Gonna Hurt’ from her most recent LP, it is apparent that Tyler’s vocal strength has lasted well over the @bmamag

MOONSHADOW OVER CANBERRA

BY RORY MCCARTNEY PHOTO BY RUSSELL CHERRY

Cat Stevens unleashed his beautiful folk music in the late 60s and early 70s, with albums such as Teaser and the Firecat and Tea for the Tillerman. His sweet songs including ‘Moonshadow’, ‘Morning Has Broken’ and ‘Peace Train’ were huge hits, but Stevens turned off the musical tap in 1979, changing his name to Yusuf Islam and selling his instruments for charity. He did start releasing songs again in the noughties and toured the USA in 2016. While he did not make it to Canberra, you can appreciate the magic of his music in PEACE TRAIN: A TRIBUTE TO CAT STEVENS starring Darren Coggan. More than your average tribute act, this is a performance telling the Stevens story, explaining why he made the radical shift in his life, and illustrated with his music.

Coggan’s varied artistic background includes musicals, awards for country and Celtic music and releasing four albums of his own. This combination makes him perfect for presenting Stevens’ narrative-based songs, with their great melodies and lyrics that have something to say, in a very theatrical context.

BMA asked Coggan how he got involved with Stevens’ music.

“I’ve been singing his songs since I started learning guitar, at the age of ten,” says Coggan.

“His music goes so well with the piano and guitar that it’s not unusual for music students to learn a few Cat Stevens songs in their tuition. The genesis for this show was people coming up and saying: ‘we really enjoyed your new album, but my goodness, you sound just like Cat Stevens’.”

This occurred so frequently that Coggan researched Stevens’ life.

“I became fascinated with his journey of self-discovery, and we take the audience on that journey.

We trace the story through highs, lows and a couple of near death experiences that sparked an intense spiritual search within him. We seek to answer why, at the height of his career, he walked away from it all. Wrapped around that are 25 amazing songs the world sang along with.”

Coggan, whose shows started out with baby boomer audiences but are now introducing Stevens’ work to younger punters, believes the messages within the songs have given them longevity.

“There are messages of peace, tolerance and understanding that are a big part of his work and are very relevant in our world, maybe even more so today than when they were first written.”

Coggan sees an underlying theme about people’s ability to change their lives if they are unhappy with who or where they are. This was exemplified

by Stevens’s discontent with the excesses of stardom and his ability to cast them off because, for him, that was not what life was about. It provided him no spiritual satisfaction.

Darren Coggan brings PEACE TRAIN to The Street Theatre on Saturday May 20 at 8pm. Tickets $55 + bf or $50 + bf for group bookings through thestreet.org.au.

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PAGE 37

if you don’t have a hit record, you’re going to struggle. And we were getting in the top 20s but we weren’t getting in the top 10s, we weren’t having the hit-and-run hits. I said to an audience that [Men At Work] was on the rise; they’d just had this big record, so the place was just jamming … I asked them how much they paid to get in, and they said, ‘Twenty bucks!’ So I said, ‘I’ll give you a $40 show.’ And then Colin comes up, the little cheeky monkey, and says, ‘Thank god he gave me the $40 show … I’ve seen the $10 show!’ So I always remind him about that and how cruel he is!”

much fun as you can and be as flexible as you can, and I think that’s the joy of being in the band, and that’s what they like.

Sometimes when they’re in other bands, it’s rigid. I’m kind of what you call an ‘unmade bed’, and I’m happy to let things fly, and where the cards lay is where they lay.

I enjoy that because it then has value to me and crosses over to an audience.”

Having the Bull sisters back also opens opportunities to perform classic tunes that otherwise wouldn’t make it into the setlist.

“I don’t do ‘Never Let Me Go’

Try walking up the staircase, don’t use the elevator. Because you get to learn enough during the slog

TAKING THE STAIRS

BY NONI DOLL

When you look at the line-up for the APIA GOOD TIMES TOUR, two things become clear. It’s going to be bloody amazing, whether you’re a Boomer or Gen X who grew up with Mental As Anything, Deborah Conway and Men At Work’s Colin Hay on your radio, or if you’re a little younger and heard them playing on your parents’ stereo.

Also on the line-up is THE BLACK SORROWS, and while lead singer, chief songwriter and ARIA Hall of Famer, Joe Camilleri has been hanging out with them for years, this is first time he and the rest of the line-up have all got together on stage.

“All of these people, you kinda meet them in the same arena,” he says. “But playing on their records, playing on their songs, is a different animal, so when we have this all-in brawl, I’ve never done that with them.”

PAGE 38

He notes that Hay is a particular rapscallion, with one story from his time with Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, sometime in the early 80s, sticking out in his mind.

“Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons were on their way down; well, not so much. Bands are a big thing;

Arguably one of the most notable factors in The Black Sorrows’ line-up on this tour is their reunion with VIKA AND LINDA BULL. Their gorgeous lead and backing vocals formed a distinctive part of the band’s sound in the 80s and 90s. Camilleri is particularly excited to have them back in the fold, though he notes that they haven’t been strangers. “They live in the neighbourhood, so I see them all the time,” he remarks.

“We’re really good friends. We have a good love for each other, so once again you get to see them and not necessarily play on the same arena. They’re doing all kinds of different things. They do the RocKwiz thing, so they’re learning lots of songs and playing with lots of people.”

Camilleri goes on to talk about how easily they’ve slotted back into the band. “I mean, what they like about being in the Sorrows is that it was really the first big thing for them, and they like the fact that they weren’t backing singers, and I didn’t treat them as backing singers. They were up the front with me. And it gave me an opportunity to write for both the girls and the opportunity to do a whole bunch of things that I probably wouldn’t have done, or would have done a different way,” he says. “So we don’t have to rehearse from that perspective.

They just look at me and what it is is what it’s going to be and it’s okay. The premise is to have as

because I wrote it for [Vika], and I don’t like anyone else singing it but her, in a weird way.” He does note that he could be a little flexible, if the right person asked.

“I’d be happy if someone did do it – if Aretha Franklin said, ‘Listen Camilleri, I just want to change a few things…’ Do anything you like with it!” He laughs, but then reinforces his original view. “But it was tailor-made for [Vika], and every time she sings it and she’s singing it with us, I always believe that’s where it lives.”

After 40 years in the industry, it makes sense to ask Camilleri for advice for the next generation of musicians. He keeps it simple, then gets metaphorical. “There are two little things. First of all, don’t believe the bullshit that people are saying about you, good or bad, and that’s an obvious one. [And] try walking up the staircase, don’t use the elevator.

Because you get to learn enough during the slog. And that’s the best thing you can do.”

The APIA GOOD TIMES TOUR, featuring THE BLACK SORROWS with VIKA & LINDA BULL, COLIN HAY (Men At Work), MENTAL AS ANYTHING and DEBORAH CONWAY, comes to Canberra Theatre Centre on Friday June 16 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $94.30 +bf from canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

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Several years ago, I photographed Lillie and a whole bunch of very talented artists in Telstra’s Road to Discovery competition.

We spoke about that and the experience he had.

STARING FOLK IN THE EYE

BY MARK TURNER

In amongst the music and aromas of the 2017 National Folk Festival, I caught up with the musical bearded Scotsman from Alice Springs, COLIN LILLIE.

as much a process of growing organically at some stages but at the same time there was also some analness that we had already set in stone.”

“I was here last year with my partner, Jacinta Price. She was performing and I was supporting and this is the first time, since then, I’ve managed to release my own stuff.”

“I think for me, I never really saw it as a competition because I don’t see music as a competition.

I saw it as a way I could mix with people I could connect with using a language that was new to me.

And as a language that I was learning as much as the people who were with me were learning as well.”

I ask Lillie what the live music scene was like in the Northern Territory.

“Being central Australia, Alice Springs is always kicking Darwin’s backside. So many great performers and then you’ve got the indigenous element. The local fellas are playing incredible at the moment. We’ve got a huge heavy metal festival going on in Alice Springs right now. We’re blessed by what we have available.”

And lastly, I ask Lillie about the Folkie experience.

“It’s beautiful, especially to be part of the opening night. I’ve had a lot of beautiful feedback from that and that’s flowed into my solo gigs. Playing in front of a whole bunch of people, if you connect with one soul, you’ve done your job.”

Lillie’s debut album, Glass Homes features 11 fantastic tracks that map his folk-oriented beginnings to his present-day style which, while still sometimes sparse and acoustic, feels richer now and shows his growth in songwriting.

The album was recorded in Cairns with Mark Myers over three weeks. Before recording started though, Lillie flew over to Cairns to meet Myers and see how they would work as a pairing.

“I’d been working closely with Graham Ashton from Footstomp Music who put me in touch with Mark. I’m a very tactile person,” says Lillie. “You know, if I’m gonna be working with somebody I don’t want it just to be a modern way of working where we send it via the internet. I want to meet the person, look at them in the eye and talk. And also see if they gel with me ‘cause I can be an intense kind of individual.”

I ask Lillie about the whole recording process and how he had exchanged ideas back and forth before recording even started.

“We thought we had it pretty well sorted but when we were in the studio and heard the sound we thought, ‘ah, wait a minute, that may change’ and from that the album did take a different avenue to where we originally felt. It was facebook.com/bmamagazine

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[Comedy]

Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT

THE HERO WE DESERVE

BY ZOE PLEASANTS Canberra looms large in the latest show from comedian SAMMY J, titled Hero Complex. It is an autobiographical show which starts with the Federal Police searching Sammy J’s attic last year. “I sort of trace that moment back to 1996, when I started swapping Phantom comics with my school gardener,” Sammy J tells me. “And I make the case, in the show, that that moment led to me meeting my wife and ending up in Canberra committing a crime!”

Hero Complex has been receiving rave reviews and it was nominated for the revered Barry Award at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival (the award was won by Hannah Gadsby for her show Nanette).

Sammy J has been touring it around the country and his last stop will be the Canberra Theatre on Saturday May 27.

Sammy J took a well-worn path into comedy. At school he was an outsider who used comedy as his way in socially, and after school he started a law degree.

“That was a huge mistake,” he says. “Literally the first week of uni was the first week I started doing comedy gigs at night in Melbourne pubs. So, I was sort of living this double life of trying to be a law student by day, but all day long, I’d be thinking about my gig at night-time.”

After two and a half years Sammy J made his getaway. “I’d like to say it was a really dramatic decision where I had to go to PAGE 40

Tibet and find myself, but I was already doing comedy enough, I already had enough confidence, I guess, to make a decent career of it.”

It turns out that Sammy J is quite a fan of Canberra. He first visited in 1996 as a 12-year-old, when he came on the obligatory school democracy camp, but unlike many Australians he has returned of his own accord many times since then. “I’m one of that strange breed of Australians who visits Canberra optionally and regularly because I love it,” he says. “I go to Canberra for family holidays just to hang out at Questacon and the Gallery.

For me Canberra has always had this real allure, obviously as a politics nerd as well, I love that aspect of it.” And as revealed in Hero Complex, some of these trips, including one in 1999 when Sammy J attended a United Nations Youth Conference, have proved to be quite significant in his life.

With all this talk of Canberra and politics nerds, it doesn’t take long for the subject of Sammy J’s hit series Playground Politics to come up.

“That was a highlight of my career,” he says. The series started when the ABC approached him to do some daily, online content for the election and Sammy J, who was watching a lot of Playschool with his daughter at the time, came up with the idea of doing a Playschool parody.

He didn’t have any expectations about how the series would go and was as surprised as anyone when the first episode got nearly a million views on Facebook.

“I realised that I had this connection, which was amazing, but suddenly the pressure was on because I had three weeks of content to create!”

This pressure quickly turned into a daily adrenaline rush. “We were filming the episodes on the day that they were released, which was stupid in retrospect, but that meant they were really present and topical,” he says.

As crazy as working like that was, Sammy J appreciated the creative freedom it gave him.

“I was pretty much submitting [the show] at four o’clock and it would be up on iview at five o’clock, and creatively that was such a freedom. A lot of the jokes and styles in the show came out as result of not caring, whereas in other shows, in the past, I would second-guess myself and double-check things, or be talked

out of things. But that just didn’t happen on this show.”

Another unexpected side effect of the show was its educational effect. “I had some people telling me they were watching the episodes with their family a lot, with their young kids, and it was prompting discussion, which was obviously never my intention.

In fact, I’m horrified to think if anyone was learning something!”

Of course, comedy is a great way to teach and inform, much better than long-winded political analysis. Sammy J’s interaction with Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, in the Playground Politics Christmas Special was a case in point. “I was amazed at that myself,” says Sammy J, “[Bill Shorten] was such a good sport.

All comedians know that humour has the power, just to sort of relax people and disarm people, which is particularly pertinent in today’s political climate.”

For the many of you that enjoyed Playground Politics, the good news is that Sammy J is currently in discussions with the ABC. “So, there is nothing official yet,” he says, “but I think I can say I’m a fairly decent chance of more political puppetry action in the coming months.”

Catch SAMMY J in Hero Complex at the Canberra Theatre on Saturday May 27 at 7:30pm. $38 + bf through canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

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Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT

A LANDMARK FILM

BY MAJELLA CARMODY Australian film DON’T TELL is an engrossing ‘David and Goliath’ courtroom drama based on the true story of the 2001 landmark court case that initiated changes to Australian child protection laws. Directed

by Tori Garrett, the film is a testament to the human spirit, perseverance and courage in the face of adversity.

Don’t Tell follows the story of a young woman known as Lyndal (Sara West), who was sexually abused as a child by her boarding master (played by Gyton Grantley) at a prestigious private school in Queensland. With the secrets and burden of the past weighing on Lyndal, she decides to fight for her voice and story to be heard with the help of lawyer Stephen Roche (Aden Young) and barrister Robert Myers (Jack Thompson).

BMA caught up with Producer Scott Corfield to find out more about the making of and impact of the film.

Don’t Tell is based on a book written by Lyndal’s lawyer, Stephen Roche. Corfield explains: “[Roche] came to me through a mutual filmmaking friend [and] said, I’ve been practising law for many years since [Lyndal’s case] and nothing seems to change.

These cases keep popping up, and they keep getting settled out of court. And he said, I wrote a book … [but] I wonder if a film would be a better way to get this story out there.” After Corfield had read Roche’s book and met the real-life Lyndal and her barrister Robert Myers, it became increasingly apparent to Corfield that it was imperative that he PAGE 42

to try to bring this story to a wider audience.

Corfield has recently returned to Australia from California where Don’t Tell won the Audience Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival, where it premiered.

For Corfield, this is a testament to Lyndal’s story and people’s ability to listen. “We did a great Q&A [after the screening] and the moderator had to close it down because people kept wanting to talk about it and ask questions.

So I think that once [the film is released] and a few people start to see it, people will start to see that it’s an important film.”

shadows and into mainstream public discourse through accessible entertainment. The response from survivors who have seen the film has been positive and supportive, explains Corfield. “What I’m getting from survivors, [is that the story is] in a format that encourages people to talk about child sexual abuse …

And that was the early intention of the film. It’s gratifying to get that kind of reaction.”

But there were challenges in getting this story to the big screen. “Films are tough things to pull together,” Corfield says.

“From the start, trying to get the script right and trying to be respectful of the true story. I didn’t want to sensationalise [the story] … which I felt [would be] a betrayal of Lyndal and her story, so we [tried to] craft a film that was very close to the truth.

“We weren’t a big budget film – just over $4 million – it’s not a big budget film for that cast. …

You’re relying on the cast to do it

I didn’t want to sensationalise [the story] … which I felt [would be] a betrayal of Lyndal and her story The 2012 announcement of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse and even the release of Oscar-winning film Spotlight (2015) helped to change the conversation. Corfield and the team behind Don’t Tell have provided another means for discussion, by taking the issue of child sexual abuse out of the

for the good of the story. And they were incredibly committed and dedicated … to try and turn this into something special. So it was a real privilege to work with every one of them.” The film boasts powerhouse performances from Australian screen icons Jack Thompson, Rachel Griffiths, Susie Porter and Martin Sacks. Corfield gives particular praise to Sara

West’s central performance: “it’s heartbreakingly good”. Awardwinning Australian musician Missy Higgins also wrote a song for the film, called ‘Torchlight’. “[It’s a] beautiful song,” Corfield says.

Corfield encourages audiences not to balk at the film’s subject matter, but to support survivors by seeing this film. “I think first and foremost – this is a piece of entertainment, and it is a good watch, it’s a great piece of drama. I think it’s a very courageous story.

Like a lot of courtroom dramas, there are incredible moments of honesty … Audiences should not be afraid or scared to watch this film … it’s about injustice and it’s about trying to right those injustices.” He elaborates, “I’ve got a little daughter of my own now that was born during the production and I’m just far more aware of the responsibilities we all have [to protect children] … so I hope that the film finds a good audience and that people give it a chance because it’s certainly worth it.”

Don’t Tell is a powerful, moving and highly relevant story. See this film and continue the conversation.

DON’T TELL will be released in cinemas on Thursday May 18. For more information, visit the film’s website, donttellmovie.com. If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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[Film]

ESSENTIAL VIEWING

DARN TOOTIN’ GOOD CAMERA SHOOTIN’

BY TRAVIS CRAGG Over the past decade, there seems to be an observable decline in the amount of independent feature films from the USA released in Australian cinemas. Sure, there are the occasional breakout hits like Get Out or Whiplash, but twenty years ago there seemed to be a more regular presence on our screens from the emerging masters like Quentin Tarantino, Richard Linklater, Gus van Sant and Sofia Coppola.

So when the Essential Independents film festival came into being last year, it was a welcome showcase for many of the smaller independent

American movies that would otherwise go unseen in most Canberra cinemas.

The festival, renamed the AMERICAN ESSENTIALS FILM FESTIVAL, makes a valued return for 2017. Drawing from the high-profile international Sundance, Berlin, SXSW, Toronto, Venice and Rotterdam film festivals, American Essentials brings us many new works just weeks after their world premieres.

The opening night film is the highly anticipated, Oscar-nominated 20th Century Women, the new

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work from director Mike Mills (Beginners). A tale of a divorced mother bringing up a teenage son in 1970s Southern California, it is ostensibly a showcase for the talents of the wonderful Annette Bening (in a Golden Globe nominated performance) as the central character.

The Centrepiece film is Becoming Bond, a documentary-drama on the life of former Goulburn and Queanbeyan local, George Lazenby, who took over the role of James Bond after Sean Connery retired from the franchise. Featuring candid straight-to-camera recollections from Lazenby, combined with dramatisations of his life scenes from the likes of Josh Lawson and Jane Seymour, this distils the natural charisma of the actor into a truth-is-strangerthan-fiction tale.

Other new release highlights include: Wiener Dog, Todd (Happiness) Solondz’s latest work depicting the impact of quirky humans on the life of a dachshund (including a reappearance of two characters from one of Solondz’s classics, Welcome To The Dollhouse);

Walking Out, a wilderness survival thriller that got good reviews out of Sundance and SXSW; and The Transfiguration, a meshing of horror and minimalist realism, an unusual take on the vampire genre that was a surprise hit at Cannes last year.

The festival also contains a retrospective section, and this year there is a focus on visionary director David Lynch. David Lynch: The Art Life documents his lesser-known visual art from the 60s and 70s, and there are screenings of his two masterpieces of dreamscape nightmares, Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive. There are also screenings of Mike Nichol’s American classics The Graduate and Postcards From The Edge (the latter written by Carrie Fisher, based on her own memoirs about her relationship with her mother Debbie Reynolds), rarely seen cult masterpieces Barfly and Andy Warhol’s Bad, and what is undoubtedly the greatest romcom of all time, Annie Hall.

AMERICAN ESSENTIALS FILM FESTIVAL 2017 comes to Palace Electric Cinema from Tue–Sun May 16–28. For screening times, visit americanessentials.com.au.

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[Film]

Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT

HEALING THE DIVIDE WITH THE POWER OF MOVIES

BY MAJELLA CARMODY Gurinder Chadha, internationally and critically acclaimed director of films including Bhaji on the Beach, Bend it Like Beckham and now VICEROY’S HOUSE, has often addressed themes of identity and ‘the clash of cultures’ with nuanced humour, emotion and mainstream appeal.

For Chadha, cinema is “magical storytelling – [taking] an audience into a different world, [showing] them the rules of that world, how we as humans can connect to that world through various emotions. You go on that journey and you come out the other side hopefully with a different view of the world and of the people you’ve just seen on the screen.”

Chadha’s new film, Viceroy’s House, captures the catalyst for inter-generational and intercultural trauma that is little talked about. The film explores the upheaval associated with the 1947 division of British India into the separate dominions of India and Pakistan. The last Viceroy of India, Lord Louis Mountbatten (played by Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville), was tasked with overseeing the transition of British India to independence. Millions of people were displaced during Partition, resulting in a refugee crisis on an unprecedented scale, farreaching violence and largescale loss of life.

2017 marks the 70th anniversary of this event.

The human tragedy of Partition is a very personal story for PAGE 44

Chadha, and contributed to her motivation for making the film.

“I’d grown up under the shadow of Partition, and my ancestral homeland [was] on the other side of the border, the Pakistan side,” Chadha explains. “Partition had deeply affected my family, and it’s a subject that no one hears about, no one really talks about, so I wanted to shine a light on it before that last generation of people who were alive then, pass on. There’s been so much tension between India and Pakistan and I think that’s rooted in Partition. So I wanted to make a really healing film, a sort of reconciliatory film.”

Viceroy’s House is thematically and cinematically ambitious. In order for the film to effectively engage with a myriad of perspectives and tensions, Chadha collaborated with writer (and real-life partner), Paul Berges, to create a film partbased on fact and part-fiction. For Chadha, this allowed the story of Partition to be told “in a way that is informative and entertaining as a sweeping historical epic.”

Chadha elaborates, “It’s a challenge [to make this kind of film]. You need a very good team working with you, and you also need great [Assistant Directors] to manage the crowds. [It was]

hard finding English extras in India … and [difficulties arose] simply because we were shooting in Rajasthan where there isn’t much of a film industry, but this is where the location was.”

political boundaries and makes you realise how connected we all are economically and politically – and that maybe those kind of national boundaries don’t mean as much as they used to.”

Chadha’s films consistently explore the idea of the family as a microcosm of wider intercultural tensions. A key narrative arc in Viceroy’s House focuses on ‘starcrossed lovers’, Jeet and Aalia, who are from different religious backgrounds. In walking the ‘tightrope of tensions’ in bringing this story to the big screen, Chadha’s journalistic training as a BBC alumna came into play. “I had to do a lot of research and I wanted to make sure that I was very fair to all sides. [To make this type of film,] you have to be very careful and mindful of exploring the truth as you see the truth.”

Viceroy’s House features ‘cream of the crop’ British and Indian actors including Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson, Simon Cowell and Om Puri. The key to attracting such talent, Chadha explains, is having a strong screenplay.

“I was lucky: Hugh [Bonneville] immediately signed on,” Chadha explains. Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, The Fall), who plays Lady Edwina Mounbatten in the film, was equally enthusiastic about being involved in the project, after reading only twenty pages of the screenplay.

“That’s the best thing,” notes Chadha, “for an actor to choose to be in a film because the script touches them.”

For Chadha, Viceroy’s House holds many contemporary resonances. “Partition happened as a result of politicians using division and ‘divide and rule’ over an unsuspecting public to get what they wanted and I believe that’s very true today.

We have a lot of division and a lot of dissention and a lot of blaming of different groups of people … I think that we have to be very mindful that whenever a politician uses these kinds of divisive tactics, the end result will always be destruction and death.”

Chadha acknowledges that “history is dotted with examples of walls going up, political walls, political boundaries … I think that [Viceroy’s House] is very resonant for today. It makes us look at these economic borders,

According to Chadha, the purpose of making Viceroy’s House was to “generate debate and to inform”.

Through this film, Chadha highlights the importance of a shared humanity, with the film also providing a catalyst for the audience to seek to discover more about this tumultuous period in world history.

VICEROY’S HOUSE will be released in cinemas Thursday May 18.

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[Dance]

DANCING THROUGH THE INFINITE

BY CHENOEH MILLER Sydney Dance Company is opening 2017 with ORB, a double-billed production comprising two equally striking dance pieces.

The first is Full Moon: choreographed by Cheng Tsung-Lung, it also marks the company’s first collaboration with an Asian choreographer. The second is Ocho (meaning ‘eight’ in Spanish), which has been choreographed by Sydney Dance Company director Rafael Bonachela with composition by Nick Wales, who has collaborated with Indigenous Australian musician Rrawun Maymuru.

Nick Wales is a founding member of CODA – an experimental band that I saw in its starter days while at Uni in Sydney circa 1995.

Their eclectic instruments were jammed in a corner of a seedy pub and we crouched on the stained carpet with drinks precariously balanced between sweaty bodies and beanies. The energy created with this vibrant new sound using keys, vibraphone and varying strings, was palpable. Since then CODA have released multiple albums and played to sold out venues around the world.

garden where the beauty is in the space between objects.

Unbeknownst to me, I heard Nick’s work again when he composed for Shaun Parker’s dance piece ‘Happy as Larry’ in 2013 in Adelaide. While my memory retains the strong performances, what I notice upon reflection is the space that the music created for the performers – repetitive beats acted as a heartbeat for the show. The silence he created between the sound was like the Japanese

Wales says that Bonachela usually has a short rehearsal period meaning that the sound needs to be pretty complete by day one. In the three months prior, he will hear Rafael’s vision then research and create the sound.

Nick Wales strikes me as a passionate composer who truly loves his work. He was easy to talk to and articulate with explaining how his ideas come to fruition.

This is Wales’ seventh project with Bonachela, and their respect for each other’s contribution is clear. “When you have creative freedom as a collaborator, it makes the process a joyous one,” says Nick.

For Ocho he looked first to numerology – and latched on to the double meaning of ‘eight’ as the representative of infinity and also the ego. He says, “There is a duality to the number eight. Some

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aspects I was drawn to more than others – namely absolute power and authority. Raf wanted to start the work with a series of solos so I thought this worked well with that idea. David Elton, a trumpet player from Sydney Symphony Orchestra, provided a very loud and grand sound that suited that idea of power.

I let the instruments personify the meaning.

“The other idea of the number eight was the infinite. The last piece in the work is the collaboration with aboriginal musician Rrawun Maymuru – exploring the heaven and earth and the spiritual side of the number eight. The work is in three movements, and the middle movement is about dissolving the egos – they get derailed. I used the Persian flute here and juxtaposed that with strange hard-hitting electronic music.

Then we bring it back together in the third movement with this ethereal beauty.

“There are moments when Raf just says ‘I hate it’ like our first conversation on Ocho when I said I wanted to use the trumpet.

But sometimes I just have to ignore him.

“He’s often saying, ‘no world music – I don’t want it to sound like National Geographic channel’. But I’m often trying to sneak in some world music and see if he notices. And he loves it.

“I knew I wanted to use a song for the finale and I knew I wanted it to be a spiritual song. I could have gone to any religion for that – I could have used ‘Ava Maria’.

“But it’s not like that with Rrawun’s music. It’s not sneaking in world music – it’s the real deal.

His sound is so beautiful and bold.

There was just this synchronicity when I met Rrawun, and when I mentioned to him ideas of the infinite.

“He’s a songman, so there’s a rich tradition of passing down songs. And there was this lightbulb moment where he thought of this song that had come down through his paternal line. And when we recorded it, it just felt timeless. It didn’t feel like an indigenous song.”

I ask Rrawun why he feels it is important for indigenous artists to work with companies like this.

He says, “I want to tell my side of the story to people. To share that there is a culture that dates back 60,000 years and these stories need to be retold to the rest of Australia through song and dance.

“The premiere of Ocho was very special for me – looking at these dancers. I said to myself I have never ever seen anything like this before – it’s like accepting the other worlds, to experience other arts – and I thought, we do that! We dance to tell stories in our culture. We express ourselves through dance too. We are not different, we are the same.”

This beautiful duo of works should not be missed.

Sydney Dance Company’s ORB, including ‘Full Moon’ and ‘Ocho’, comes to Canberra Theatre Centre from Thu–Sat May 25–27. Tickets at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

PAGE 45

Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT Unfolding like the book and borrowing much from the 1992 film, this adaptation also pays homage to various vampire classics. The scenes where Lucy writhes in tormented suffering mimic Hammer Horror; smoky, backlit and totally camp.

IN REVIEW

DRACULA

THE PLAYHOUSE WED–SAT APRIL 26–29 PHOTO BY DAVE MCCARTHY

Bringing Bram Stoker’s gothic tale to the stage was always going to be an ambitious task for Shake & Stir, whose previous productions include Nineteen Eighty-Four and Wuthering Heights. This adaptation boasts confidence in its production

values, wowing audiences with pyrotechnics, startling soundscapes and shape-shifting sets, but ultimately falls short with its script and delivery.

As Jonathan Harker arrives at Castle Dracula, the audience is treated to the impressive set,

Bondage, acrobatics, hula hoops, ukulele, disco, hot bodies and Marcia; what more could you ask for in a show! Velvet’s synopsis states it’s a “sparkling show that channels all the glamour and debauchery of the original Studio 54 nightclub.” Whilst there wasn’t any actual dialogue to support this it certainly did channel the vibe.

Atop the stage was a DJ booth of sorts where, what could be described as our musical conductor, was perched, adorned with sparkling earmuff headphones and black eye line glasses. He drummed along to performances as well as playing a variety of air instruments. His predominant role appeared to be keeping the party pumping, which involved coming down onto the stage for some bongo solos (including one performance on an electric bongo which looked like an impressive and fun instrument). This role culminated in getting the crowd dancing at the conclusion whereby he walked around and took selfies with the audience.

PAGE 46

complete with a revolving stage and spiral staircase where we first encounter our vampire villain played by Nick Skubij. The rich atmosphere, created with fog, lighting and sound, transport the audience from dank Transylvania to stormy London, and back.

Fans of Coppola’s film may be disappointed in the absence of romance here. Instead of cheering for the antihero in his quest to seduce Mina we tire of his bloodlust and wonder why and how, or even if this story stands up in 2017. Dracula, a grotesque creep, is essentially a realestate mogul whose obsession with purchasing property in and around London is what drives him to feed and kill the young folk who get in his way. The absence of true love challenges us to invest in this text, especially as Dracula is presented as such an unlikable character; even with a leather jacket and suave new hair he, like the play, doesn’t quite charm or seduce.

SAMUEL TOWNSEND

IN REVIEW

VELVET

THE PLAYHOUSE FRIDAY MAY 5 PHOTO BY MARK TURNER

In between this we had a variety of acrobatic performances where crew would be pulled up towards the roof on various slings (including once on bondage chains) sometimes carrying each other as they dangled mid-air.

The fun highlight of the show was the rather chubby man in a

fluoro leotard who was a hulahoop extraordinaire. He twirled a variety of hoops around every part of his body; when the house lights went down at one point, the lightshow from the hoops was nice and flashy. The musical highlight was easily the strippeddown version of ‘Stayin’ Alive’

performed only with a ukulele and light percussion. The vocals for this piece were quite impressive.

You might say there were some ‘dodgy’ elements in Velvet, but that’s disco, isn’t it? All in all, it was certainly entertaining.

JARROD MCGRATH

@bmamag

[Reviews]

IN REVIEW

white chocolate spiked with peppermint leaves is revealed as ‘Tofu and Gum’. Low’s series ‘Reconcile’ (2016/17) speaks to the crossfire of growing up between cultures and the fragmented self this fosters.

The effect is jarring though comforting in its familiarity.

‘Our first Lamington made in Australia’ (2015) by Zhou is an hour-long video documenting the artist’s parents making lamingtons. The couple bicker over whether to whisk the batter with a spoon or chopsticks and speak in a mixture of Mandarin (subtitled) and English, revealing an authenticity that is difficult, if not impossible, to imitate. It is a tender portrait of familial love and cultural adaptation. “Let me use chopsticks,” the father insists, dipping sponge into chocolate icing, then coconut flakes.

Johnson’s series ‘Family Resemblance, after Wittgenstein’ (2015/16) builds on this understanding of self as the sum of fractured parts through 22 seemingly arbitrary images.

The viewer’s gaze, drifting from incense sticks to mooncake, is jolted by the inclusion of pillowshaped ravioli, a reflection of

Law’s series of photographs ‘Belonging in Motion’ (2015/16) examines home and displacement from the perspective of migrants from Myanmar in Australia. Of the four artists, Law’s work is the most surreal. The fading light of dusk, combined with memories projected onto suburbia, heighten the sense of

CHINESE WHISPERS AND OTHER STORIES

HUW DAVIES GALLERY, PHOTOACCESS THU APRIL 27 – SUN MAY 21 PHOTO BY JANELLE LOW

Chinese Whispers and Other Stories features the works of four emerging female Australian artists of Chinese descent – Janelle Low, Pia Johnson, Siying Zhou and Tammy Law. Through photography and video, it challenges the viewer’s assumptions of Asian Australian identity, migration, home and belonging.

On entering the gallery, one’s attention is captured by Low’s intimate yet incomplete selfportraits, juxtaposed against still-life images of Chinese-ness and Australiana. Condensed milk spills from an oyster shell while what appears to be

the artist’s mixed ChineseItalian-Australian heritage.

“The layout plays on ideas of the genogram and family tree, and looks at similarities and differences (of content and visual characteristics) of my heritage cultures, and their fusion of being Eurasian Australian,” Johnson explains.

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being caught not just between two countries but between the past and the present. Stripped of identifying landmarks, the subjects, faces blurred, could be one’s neighbours.

At the exhibition opening, Professor Jacqueline Lo (Associate Dean (International), ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences) comments on the persistence required to create a narrative. Chinese Whispers and Other Stories subtly shifts the labour of narrative-building from artist to audience. It simmers with questions, not just ‘Who am I?’ but ‘Who are you?’ or more pointedly, ‘Who are you to ask?’ It shatters stereotypes and rewards those who work patiently towards understanding.

Viewers are compelled to sift for missed clues, thereby resetting preconceptions of Asian Australians.

Visually stunning, the exhibition is an invitation to look beyond surfaces.

SHU-LING CHUA This review was originally published in Pencilled In, a literary magazine dedicated to showcasing art by young Asian-Australians.

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Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT

Emily Birks [ARTIST PROFILE]

Describe practice.

your

artmaking

I’m a wildlife artist. My focus is on Australian animals, using acrylic ink to express the colour, pattern and texture of fur and feathers. My aim is to create portraits showing the beauty and character of each subject – and how lucky we are to share Australia with them.

Who/what influences you as an artist?

Nature. I became a carer with ACT Wildlife several years ago, and that awakened an interest in our local environment and the abundance of animals. I have cared for birds, and now I primarily care for orphaned possum joeys. They are amazing little creatures – each one has a different personality and health issues. I learn a lot about animal behaviour, biology and the environments they live in. It is a lovely way to be connected to the landscape. I have learnt

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about different native plants, how to spot signs of wildlife present, and how to enjoy just being quiet in the Australian bush. That awareness has really shaped how I work.

When, how and why did you get into it?

I’ve always made things and been involved with art. I learnt to draw while at TAFE in my 20s.

After that I studied art history, art conservation (I’m a qualified art conservator) and I’ve always had a creative outlet. In 2015 I went to a couple of bird painting workshops and it really clicked.

To combine my love of animals and my love of creating, it’s perfect!

What ideas do you explore through your art?

The uniqueness of Australia’s birds and animals, their intelligence and their playfulness.

Lately I’m working on ideas of conservation and plan to depict some rarer species.

Of what are you proudest so far?

I was part of a small group exhibition late last year. It was the first time people other than my family and friends had seen my paintings. As an emerging artist that’s a really scary moment!

My paintings were really well received – I sold several and even got a commission for another piece so it was really exciting to know that people liked my works.

I love creating them!

What are your plans for the future?

I’m currently preparing some prints and small original works for a market stall, and working on my first solo exhibition.

What about the local scene would you change?

I don’t think that I’d change much! It’d be nice to have even more galleries, but I think you just need to know where to look!

We are lucky to have all the national cultural institutions to draw inspiration from, and plenty of smaller galleries for emerging

and established artists to show their work. There is even support for our local wildlife artists – I am a member of the Wildlife and Botanical Artists group (WABA).

We get together for presentations by artists and have workshops to further our skills. We welcome new artists too, if anyone would like to join us!

What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions?

I have a painting in an ANU exhibition about local extinction.

There’s an exhibition and panel discussion with artists and scientists on Monday May 22. See facebook.com/ extirpationexhibition2017 for more info.

Contact info: emilybirks.com Instagram: @ebirkswildlifeart Facebook: facebook.com/ ebirkswildlifeart

@bmamag

[Canberra Artists]

Cat Mueller [ARTIST PROFILE]

Describe your artmaking practice. I am working on two very different series that explore colour and optical effects in contrasting ways. I make large, high-contrast, gestural airbrushed paintings and small subtle dotted paintings with atmospheric colour gradients.

When, how and why did you get into it? When I was little I dreamt I’d live in my house in the bush painting on a big easel overlooking the paddocks. The dream has changed a little. The easel has been swapped for milk crates in a grungy studio in the Inner North but art remains the driving force of my life.

Who/what influences you as an artist? Outside influences make an impression on my aesthetic, but my inspiration for the next painting comes from a desire to test an altered composition or colour scheme to explore its effect on the optical reading of the work.

Of what are you proudest so far? I am proudest of how much I have learnt and refined my own unique process. I have learnt to simplify and let one idea come through strongly. Through mistakes I have figured out what

to be careful about in future for a more ‘perfect’ result. I feel proud when I peel off the last layer of tape from a painting and can see how it has come together.

What are your plans for the future? I want to continue on the same trajectory and further pursue exhibition opportunities outside of Canberra.

What about the local scene would you change? I graduated Honours at the ANU School of Art in 2015, which was an invaluable experience. I have found the Canberra art scene to be very nurturing and supportive. As a smaller community I think Canberra is very accessible to emerging artists, providing many opportunities to gain exhibition experience and mentorship.

What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions?

NONSTOP, ANCA Gallery, Wednesday May 17 – Sunday June 4. Public floor talk Friday May 19 at 1:30pm.

Morph, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney, opening January 4, 2018.

Contact info: catmueller.com Instagram: @catmueller

[O Romeo, Romeo, acrylic on polyester, 162 x 122cm, 2017] facebook.com/bmamagazine

Solomon Grainger [ARTIST PROFILE]

Describe your artmaking practice. To make art in the style I have entered this year. I enter a really uninhibited frame of mind, painting out of instincts and through feeling much more than thinking.

When, how and why did you get into it? When I was old enough to hold a pen I was trying to draw and depict my interpretation of the world, but it’s only now that I realise how important those times were.

What ideas do you explore through your art? My series at the moment comes from discovering my childhood drawings from when I was around three to four.

I am drawing inspiration from these and exploring the instincts within humans that makes us want to create, and interpret our experience of life. I suppose I want to find out what is the essence of our soul that provides us with our deepest instincts.

Who/what influences you as an artist? I am really influenced by the earth physically and spiritually, this is why I incorporate parts of it in the paintings. My palette is comprised of many earth tones, and I use mud and sand from

the desert to create pigments for many works.

Of what are you proudest so far? My upcoming exhibition Dragon and Boy. What are your plans for the future? This year I am lucky to be travelling through Europe. I hope to be able to use that time to put out some quality work.

What about the local scene would you change? I would actually love to be involved in more ventures that let musicians from our area show their talent and build a community for that.

Music for me is another passion and I have a lot of friends who are deserving of more ways to get to know one another, and for their own city to get to know them.

What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions?

I have an exhibition called Dragon and Boy launching on Saturday May 27 at Aarwun Gallery in Federation Square, Gold Creek.

It’s running for three weeks, so I’d love to see everyone there.

Contact info: Solomongrainger@gmail.com Instagram: @Solevisual Facebook: Sol Grainger

[There on the Summit of the Mountain, oil on linen, 61 x 91cm] PAGE 49

[Canberra Artists]

Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT

Julian Laffan [ARTIST PROFILE]

Describe your artmaking practice. I make hand cut and coloured woodcuts – a very old process but I use current imagery, sourced from my photographic and drawing archive.

When, how and why did you get into it? I completed a course at Studio One (now Megalo) and I followed lots of other print and sculpture courses and then I attended ANU Art School, and I found woodcut was the best fit for me.

What ideas do you explore through your art? I am just back from three weeks in Mongolia where we lived with a herding family. We have been fortunate to travel a great deal internationally and these experiences are currently a big part of my creative response to the world. I am interested in questioning identity, history and place. I also have interests in art, anthropology and archaeology and I enjoy collaborating with others.

Who/what influences you as an artist? I am interested in collections and how images and objects can create stories about people, animals and places. At the moment: Brancusi, Goya, Kathe Kolwitz, Taryn Simon, Jessie Traill and the great Canberra

community of artists and makers.

Of what are you proudest so far?

I am happiest making my work in my studio and that artists, friends and many others collect my work.

I enjoy communicating my ideas and experiences through art.

What are your plans for the future? I am interested in exploring future collaborations that cross disciplines, including working with new materials. I have started a collaboration with a film composer in New Zealand.

What about the local scene would you change? Just more artist run spaces and more collaborative workshops/ galleries for artists to show at. We saw some amazing shared spaces in Norway and Denmark that were artist run but government supported.

What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions? Le monde: observations of place at Beaver Galleries opening on Thursday May 18 is keeping me busy and is open until Sunday June 4. I hope you can make it!

Contact info: beavergalleries.com.au julian-laffan.squarespace.com mail@beavergalleries.com.au

[On the way to Salzburg, woodcut, gouache and pencil on ply, 21 x 21cm] PAGE 50

Martin Paull [ARTIST PROFILE]

Describe your artmaking practice. Currently I’m painting miniature landscapes of Canberra and the region. Most of them are views from the road. The paintings are a mix of abstract and realistic. I’ve recently been experimenting by painting on surfaces like lead sheet and cigarette packets.

When, how and why did you get into it? I started art school when I was 17. Back then you could get in pretty young, providing you passed the entrance test. I was always interested in painting and drawing, two things I remember – visiting an artist’s studio when I was about four and being given a paint set when I was eight.

What ideas do you explore through your art? I use photographs taken on my phone as the starting point. The paintings are made possible by the car, Canberra’s roadconnected location and our ability to instantly take pictures on our phones.

Who/what influences you as an artist? I’m always looking at art and artist’s work, current and historical. For my current exhibition I looked a lot at the Australian impressionists. I go to the National Gallery often and am doubtless influenced by a lot of the work I see there.

Of what are you proudest so far? Probably like many artists it’s my most recent paintings – currently at M16 Artspace. I was very proud of being a finalist in the 2010 Blake Prize and touring exhibition. I feel humble when I sell a painting – I want to greatly thank all the collectors and institutions that have supported me over the years.

What are your plans for the future? To keep making interesting art. I think I’ll start putting some figures into my landscapes.

What about the local scene would you change? Nothing.

Realistically Canberra is a wonderfully supportive place for making art – I’ve had a lot of great opportunities here. I do miss some of the cool commercial galleries which I’ve shown with over the years.

What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions? I have an exhibition at M16 Artspace until Sunday May 21. I am hoping to have another exhibition there next year. The M16 gallery is such an important space for Canberra – it gives artists like me an opportunity to exhibit in a topclass venue.

Contact info: m16artspace.com.au martinpaull.com.au

[LBG Yarralumla, 2016, oil on hardboard, 8 x 10cm] @bmamag

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Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT terrain to be able to sink your teeth into.”

REMINDERS IN FAMILIAR PLACES

BY ZOE PLEASANTS GABRIELLE TOZER’s third young adult novel, REMIND ME HOW THIS ENDS has just come out. It tells the story of Milo and Layla who as kids shared everything. But Milo hasn’t seen or heard from Layla since she moved away with her Dad at the age of thirteen. Then, five years later, she suddenly shows up in his parents’ bookshop. Soon they get drawn into a tangled mess that guarantees someone will get hurt.

Tozer has always known she wanted to be a writer. When she was in primary school she was asked to list her top ten careers,

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and author was on there. “Mum kept that [list] for ages, so it was pretty amazing when my first book came out in 2014 to look back at it and think, ‘wow, I can’t believe it happened.’” That first book was the young adult novel, The Intern for which Tozer won the State Library of Victoria’s Gold Inky Award in 2015. But not all dreams come true. Working in Grace Bros, acting in Home and Away and owning a craft shop were also on that list! Tozer enjoys writing YA novels because it’s a time in life that deals with so many firsts, “It’s this exciting, terrifying time, there is so much going on. It’s just interesting

Originally from Wagga Wagga, Tozer spent three years in Canberra studying journalism and creative writing at University of Canberra. During her time here, she wrote for BMA. “It was my number one training ground as a writer,” she tells me. “I covered

job. “It was a disaster in the sense that there were just not enough hours in the day,” she says. “I managed to do it but it wasn’t a pretty sight! And after that, I kept trying to experiment with different schedules and time management and you realise you can’t do everything.” Tozer is now a freelance writer and works

I was doing these interviews with these international stars in my bedroom a lot of bands and pop culture stuff; it was a wonderful gig.”

Tozer was living on campus at the time, “so you know when you have eleven people on a dorm, and I was doing these interviews with these international stars in my bedroom and there would be these people bashing on my door saying, ‘come on, we’re going to the pub.’ And I’d be like ‘hang on, wait a sec I’m interviewing Regurgitator, or Grinspoon!’ It was such a highlight.”

on her own terms to support her writing, “I love it, it’s the perfect mix,” she says. It seems to be working for her; as well as Remind Me How This Ends, she has two more projects coming out this year, a picture book called Peas and Quiet and a short story in the #LoveOzYA anthology Begin, End, Begin.

GABRIELLE TOZER’s Remind Me How This Ends and Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA anthology are published

by Harper Collins and are out now.

Tozer wrote her first two novels while holding down a full-time

@bmamag

[Literature]

LITERATURE IN REVIEW WITH CARA LENNON Amy: A Life Through The Lens Darren and Elliott Bloom [Omnibus Press; 2017] A picture may be worth a thousand words, but ideally you want those to be a thousand words that are different from each other. If translated to text, the photobiography Amy: A Life Through the Lens would read Camden pub, Camden pub, drugs, boobs, boyfriends, nightclub. Rinse and repeat for 300 pages. Oh look, there’s Kate Moss.

If you already know that Amy Winehouse was a gorgeous, talented singer with substance abuse issues, this book doesn’t have much more to offer you unless you’re dying to know precisely when she got her breasts augmented, or you’ve got a crying need for a coffee table book with a few nip slips in it.

The photography in Amy … is drawn exclusively from the work of Darren and Elliott Bloom, two paparazzos who had a tenuous link to the Winehouse family.

They bill themselves as friends of the family with exclusive access to Winehouse – a claim that’s at odds with stories they share of racing around central London at ungodly hours, competing with other photographers to find her.

As far as tabloid photos go, it’s a glossy and comprehensive collection.

Winehouse, uncompromising and vivacious, is unapologetic at her worst and at her best. But the title ‘A Life Through the Lens’ is accurate only if a life can be measured in a series of tipsy night-time stumbles from one part of London to another. There are no childhood photos or anything pre-fame; no red carpet shots, award ceremonies, no tours of the family home. Most unforgivably for a book that purports to chronicle the career of a singer, there’s next to no music. No recording sessions, no real gigs to speak of,

no green room candids. No record sleeves or concert posters.

This feels very much like a cashin made by two papparazzos with pictures they had on hand.

Far from meeting the book’s own boast that it covers ‘all aspects of her life’, the biography doesn’t even provide much insight into the one aspect it should be able to corner: Winehouse’s relationship with the paparazzi.

But then, perhaps that’s not a comfortable subject for the Blooms. Winehouse famously attacked members of the paparazzi in 2008, taking out a court injunction banning many of them from approaching her in 2009. The aftermath of her death was smattered with speculation on how media exploitation contributed to her downfall.

None of this is mentioned by the Blooms, who without a shred of introspection paint themselves as part of Winehouse’s safety net, between stories about the lengths she sometimes went to escaping from them. But hey, they wrap up with some very sad photos of the funeral.

Stay classy, guys.

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Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT a safe environment. It connects the wider community with people with a disability, showcasing the skills they have in the areas of Industrial Art, Hospitality, Horticulture, Hydroponics and Sustainability. A variety of student created products in these fields will also be available for purchase from the enterprise.

COFFEE WITH A DIFFERENCE Black Mountain School launched their SIX DEGREES CAFÉ, GARDEN AND GALLERY on Tuesday May 9. This exceptional social enterprise aims to develop the workplace skills of students with a disability ensuring they have the skills to be ‘work ready’ upon their graduation from school and be valid contributors to future workplaces. It also gives Canberrans the opportunity to purchase a delicious coffee and other products from the friendliest customer service in town, in a beautiful relaxed environment whilst supporting these greater aims.

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The Six Degrees enterprise aims to provide a centre for independent growth and development at a school and community level.

They envision a world in which people can influence decisions which affect their lives, enjoy their rights, and assume their responsibilities as full citizens.

The facility will be used to train and certify young people with a disability in areas of industry, and increase opportunities for people with a disability to gain future employment and volunteering work. Six Degrees is a venue where young people with a disability are able to develop their independence and social skills in

The role of education is vital to Australia having a productive, sustainable and inclusive future.

There remains a gap between young people with disability and those without, including in the attainment of vocational education and training. Targeted support, such as that being achieved at Black Mountain School, is needed to assist people with a disability in education and in the workforce. By showcasing the skills and attributes of young people with a disability in a working environment, the enterprise also aims to promote the employability potential of people with disabilities to the wider community.

courtyard and swing set (a handy option for parents with young children). They aim to increase opening hours of the café as it proves successful to the wider community. It is also a great spot for workplace meetings, and has the potential to be booked for this, with options for catering for lunch. It also has some potential for acoustic music performances or similar events in the future.

So come along and be part of an exciting venture that aims to make a significant difference to the lives of people with disabilities and create a more inclusive community in Canberra.

For further information about booking the facility for meetings, or other enquires please contact Stephanie Knott at the school. The SIX DEGREES CAFÉ is located inside Black Mountain School. The best entry is via the front school car park at Cockle St, O’Connor.

The facility has been purposely built and includes an outdoor

@bmamag

[Food & Drink]

FOOD JUNKY

[THE WORD ON LOCAL FOOD & DRINK] WITH SHARONA LIN [SHARONA@POPCULTURE-Y.COM]

Let’s talk brunch. I love breakfast foods, but don’t so much love getting up early. So brunch is kind of the perfect meal. Canberra is full of great brunch places – enough to eat eggs benedict and pancakes at a new place every weekend.

by the folks at Ona Coffee – they’ve competed in barista championships of all shapes and sizes, and you can try it right in Civic. Some find it a little pretentious, but there’s no denying they make damn good coffee.

To start off with something wholesome, Tallow and Thyme – formerly known as the Paleo Café – does “clean” food. Their pancakes are excellent, and their breakfasts are both filling, and allergen-friendly (everything is gluten-free). However, I’m not quite sold on their drinks – the salted caramel hot chocolate was interesting, but not particularly caramely, or chocolatey. If you want your chocolate fix, head to Patissez.

Speaking of, since starting full-time work, my coffee per week consumption has gone up exponentially. There have been some good ones (hello, Cupping Rom) and some terrible ones (I won’t name names), but I’ve never tried filter coffee. Veneziano Coffee Roasters is presenting an Introduction to Filter Coffee, with single origin coffee from Tanzania and Colombia. There will be coffee tasting, demonstrations and finger food provided by Kith and Nosh – it’s free, Wednesday May 10 at Kith and Nosh.

I’ve talked about Patissez before, but no brunch list is complete without a mention of it, and its freakshakes, donuts and surprisingly tasty brunch menu in Manuka and Civic. Dobinsons is also a great place to get your sugar fix, with an extensive baked goods section and excellent thickshakes.

While you’re around the city area, it’s worth looking into Eighty/ Twenty (the first place I ever ate brunch at in Canberra!) and Two Before Ten. Two Before Ten do great coffee, and also brunches that you can’t make – or even imagine thinking of – at home. For those who are a little more northside, they also have a location in Aranda, which is always packed full of healthy, glowing people in activewear, many pushing strollers.

Also in the city area, and a place I’d be remiss to not include, is The Cupping Room. If you’ve expressed an interest in either brunch or coffee, no doubt someone has suggested The Cupping Room to you by now.

It’s a concept café designed

Now, I know that alcohol isn’t exactly classic brunch fodder (apart from bloody marys, of course), but there are a few great alcoholic events coming up.

Firstly, the Great Australian Beer Spectacular (GABS) is coming to Canberra. Beers made specially for the event will be on tap at The Durham on Saturday June 3 – $15 for a paddle of three special release beers.

ELK & PEA + MONIN Australia are hosting a free cocktail afternoon with MONIN brand ambassador Karel ‘Papi’ Reyes on Monday May 22. Limited places, so RSVP quick to hello@elkandpea.com.au.

And finally, for something fun: make your own moonshine with Canberra’s award-winning Baldwin Distillery founder and master distiller Anthony Baldwin at Polit Bar. The Makin’ Moonshine Masterclass includes a Moonshine cocktail, nibbles, and a Moonshine masterclass.

Tuesday May 23, tickets start at $20 + bf.

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☺

POLITICALLY INCOHERENT WITH LEANNE DUCK

Politically Incoherent is our column all about parties, drugs, sex, general misconduct and counterculture. This month’s entry is about a Troll In The Basement.

If you haven’t heard of Miss Ink Australia, you are not a lone ranger in the populace. It’s a pageant specifically catered towards tattooed women and the celebration of an alternative counterculture. The organiser, Fallon Nicole, has been at the helm of the hullabaloo since 2009 and unfortunately 2017 will be its final year.

The competition itself consists of three rounds – daywear, swimwear and formal gowns.

The capital of each state and territory hosts its own individual heat. A finalist and runner-up from each of these come together for the Grand Final, being held at The Basement in Canberra on September 30. The competitors are judged by a panel of professionals from the Australian tattoo, fashion and modelling industries. Entrants are rated on various qualities, such as stage presence, personality, quality and quantity of tattoos and how successfully they articulate themselves on stage.

I received my first tattoo after surviving 21 orbits of the Sun and from that Lilliputian greyscale teapot, a starburst of vibrantly coloured illustrations blossomed across my epidermis. I hadn’t even heard of the competition until 2016, when my wombmate at the time tagged me in a media release on Facebook to encourage applicants because the CBR gene pool of inked shiksas was running high and dry. I caved in to the encouragement and, although I was quietly confident in my overall performance, commandeering the sash and crown was a unique kind of thrill.

If you try to explain to people that you’re a pageant winner, there’s no way to frame it without PAGE 56

sounding wanky. However, I embraced the wank and jerked it off to the point of climax. As of February this year, I am the defending champion of the ACT as I’ve swooped in to claim the title of Miss Ink Canberra two years running. Thankfully being an F grade local celebrity doesn’t impede on my privacy at all because your average citizen is completely ignorant of the tableau vivant.

However, there is a darker and less expected side to pageant involvement. For a community that’s meant to be supportive, some unsavoury characters can slip through the veil, attempting to pass themselves off as polished turds. When a new heat is announced, entrant photos are steadily uploaded onto social media as their applications are approved. Since I decided to reenter at the last minute, mine was the final pictorial released for the CBR round. These photos are publicly accessible to anyone with a Facebook profile if they wish to view them and leave any well wishes. My entrant photo acquired a few comments, but there was one in particular that stood out amongst the rest and not for good reason. It contained unfounded claims of a meanspirited nature and was posted to discourage me from entering the competition. The comment was eventually removed by the

page moderator. The account which posted the aforementioned was quite obviously a fake one intended for the purpose of trolling, anyone with an untrained eye could see that.

The comment itself hinted at a slight incident which occurred during the Grand Final of 2016, only the recount was entirely inaccurate featuring sensationalist additions which did not even occur. The misinterpreted and misreported incident was so slight that it barely deserves that classification. To be aware of this, the keyboard warrior would’ve had to be familiar with my personality within close quarters and present at the event in question. It was relatively easy to whittle down the suspected individuals and identify the most likely culprit through a logical process of elimination. I became the modernist female embodiment of Sherlock Holmes. I chose not to response directly to the attack until after the pageant as I didn’t wish to inflame the situation and give the troll undue satisfaction and momentum. I could’ve easily left it unaddressed and allowed the comment to slip back into irrelevance and anonymity just like the person responsible, but anything akin to online bullying strikes a cord of dissonance with me. I reclaimed my victory by posting a calculated public service announcement to make the troll aware that I knew of their existence.

I remember when I first read the comment. I had just finished up a positively charged shift at work and was mildly curious to gauge how people were responding to my photo. After reading the passage, my mood immediately dropped and a combination

of confusion and anger boiled beneath the surface. Even during my schooling, I had never experienced the phenomenon of online bullying but I can see how consistent messages of a malicious nature would be quite disruptive in day-to-day life – particularly for a wee bairn. I prefer the face-to-face method where the antagonist actually has the gizzards to reveal their identity upfront.

However, it didn’t take long for me to discredit the feelings caused by the trolling comment – particularly when one of my friends jumped to my defence online as soon as they noticed the defamatory attempt, immediately outing it as a fallacy.

The faceless poster inspired me to give it my all during the competition and my showmanship far surpassed the previous year’s attempts, which contributed to my overall success.

I wasn’t sure it was possible to win the same heat two years in a row, despite having acquired new ink. The fact someone would go to that extent for a low key local pageant said more about them than it ever could about me.

They considered me enough of a threat to do that and, in a warped sense, it was actually kind of flattering. Pageants are meant to be rewarding for everyone involved, but sometimes an unhealthy competitive streak can transform a person into a bitter little ninny. I’m still brainstorming for the finals in September, but as it’ll be the last on record I plan to make it an indelible experience.

Perhaps I’ll shave my noggin and permanently imbue a troll face on the back of my skull as a statement piece.

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[ALBUM REVIEWS]

ALBUM IN

FOCUS

claims that part of the rationale behind his collaborations was to impress his teenage daughter. And to his credit (or that of his pulling power) the long list does include some undeniably hip artists; notably altRnB rising star Kelela, Jamie xx collaborator Popcaan and Savages frontwoman Jenny Beth.

In the past, big-name collaborators like De La Soul and Mavis Staples breathed life into Albarn’s warped pop music, but on Humanz their main purpose seems to be to validate Albarn himself.

GORILLAZ HUMANZ

[PARLOPHONE]

[

]

“The sky’s falling baby drop that ass ‘fore it crash,” muses Vince Staples on ‘Ascension’.

He’s one of a heaped handful of feature artists lending their voices to Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewletts’ latest chronicle for the end of the world.

Humanz is the first Gorillaz release since 2010. That’s not to say that the two real-life humans behind the world’s most famous virtual band have been quiet. Albarn has resurrected Blur and put out a record under his own name, Everyday Robots, in the intervening time and his visual collaborator Hewlett rebooted Tank Girl and put together his first exhibition, The Suggestionists. In truth, such an outrageously large creative output is both Gorillaz failing and its reason for existing.

Gorillaz, like Atoms For Piece and Discovery, began as the means for someone at the helm of a world-beating rock band to indulge their other musical interests. For this reason, Gorillaz has always felt like a mix of genres, but on Humanz, that comes across as mismatch rather than melange.

Gorillaz have never truly been about suspending your disbelief – Albarn and Hewlett have always been open about the relationship they have to their cartoon counterparts – but where Humanz loses out is in the disconnect between the virtual and real-life band members.

The Caribbean-tinged ‘Saturnz Barz (feat.

Popcaan)’ is wild and incisive on repeat listens, but lacks the instant captivation of Gorillaz’ debut record. Damon Albarn

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As a result, Humanz is more playlist than album. Albarn has never concerned himself with limiting his output after all. 2007 brought D-Sides, a double-album of demos, B-sides and remixes and in 2010 we were given the “world’s first iPad album”, The Fall, that perhaps no one actually asked for. This time around he seems even less concerned with refining the shape of the record. Heck, Humanz ships with six bonus tracks on release. Humanz may be a playlist for the end of the world, one which projects a Trump-era future, but I can’t help feeling like these insights come fifteen years too late.

If Humanz is the sound of 2017 then this year looks set to be remembered for what it’s repurposed from other eras. ‘Strobelite (feat. Peven Everett)’ is a homage to disco that feels about as revolutionary as Random Access Memories does four years on (i.e. not very) and the not at all subtle calls-to-arms on ‘Interlude: The Non-conformist Oath’ and album closer ‘We Got The Power (feat.

Jenny Beth)’ don’t have the nuance of ‘Don’t Get Lost In Heaven’ and ‘Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey’s Head’ from earlier in the Gorillaz timeline.

And perhaps that’s the biggest unfairness Humanz faces: Gorillaz’ back-catalogue.

Originally designed to be an outlet for Albarn’s creative indulgences, the curse of making wildly popular music means that we’ve come to expect outstanding insight and world building from Gorillaz. Humanz is a politically charged album with the same future-pop core of Demon Days and Plastic Beach. Sadly, Gorillaz’ days as a truly pioneering outfit may be behind them.

HAYDEN FRITZLAFF

SAN CISCO THE WATER [ISLAND CITY]

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Fremantle-born quartet San Cisco have been bringing out catchy pop tunes for some time and their third album The Water will not disappoint long-time fans. Writing and performing together since 2009, San Cisco have slowly but surely made their way into the charts and the hearts of many music lovers.

The electric vibes of their indie pop tunes first came through the airwaves in hits such as ‘Fred Astaire’ and ‘Awkward’.

This album was written by lead singer Jordi Davieson over a relatively short time-span at the start of this year. He believes it is a good snapshot of his life and headspace during that time and it certainly gives us fans something to sink our teeth into.

San Cisco’s 2015 album Gracetown captivated audiences with its mix of unstoppable energy in songs like ‘Too Much Time Together’ and slightly softer, more introspective material such as ‘Snow’. For beloved followers, their newest album will hold only more foottapping and ecstatic jumping as it leaps from one synth-driven anthem to the next. Carrying the same energetic and positive emotions as their past music, The Water is another perfect showcase of what San Cisco do best. Featuring classic disco styles in songs like ‘SloMo’ and producing more of their catchy love songs with tracks ‘Hey, Did I Do You Wrong?’ and ‘Make Me Electrify’, the album can’t go far wrong.

I have been aware throughout writing this that as a San Cisco fan I may be aurally ingesting this album through a rose coloured ear piece; but damn it, they do what they do really well!

If you don’t like the synth pop of San Cisco probably avoid this one, but personally it makes me feel like a teenager in sunny 1980s era San Fran skipping down the street with my adolescent lover. And I only want more and more.

CLARE BRUNSDON @bmamag

METHYL ETHEL EVERYTHING IS FORGOTTEN [DOT DASH/REMOTE CONTROL]

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Methyl Ethel is the stage name of former Perth-dweller Jake Webb. On his CDs, Webb does the vocals and plays most instruments himself, but Methyl Ethel becomes a trio for live shows, with Thom Stewart on bass and Chris Wright on the sticks. Webb differs from your average bedroom producer in that, while they are prominent, the keys do not obliterate everything else and there is a pleasing balance in percussion and bass in most tracks, giving them more body and a stronger indie band vibe.

Webb sets himself up as a man of mystery, being non-specific about song messages and leaving them to the listener’s interpretation.

His enigmatic song titles also hint at his appreciation of other art forms. Webb has a great ear for conjuring up catchy melodies and rhythms and jigsaw-piecing them together in crafty combinations. Opener ‘Drink Wine’ is typical of his sonic patchwork of songs, with thrilling synth lines. Equally danceable is ‘Ubu’ which is constantly shape-shifting and full of subtle audio touches.

KENDRICK LAMAR DAMN. [

]

[

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As the newly self-anointed Kung-Fu Kenny, Kendrick Lamar charges into his patchy fifth album with a ‘FEAR.’ of ‘GOD.’ and a ‘LUST.’ for ‘BLOOD.’ As signalled by the song titles, Lamar is targeting subjects slightly less grandiose than the kaleidoscopic jazz-hop chef d’oeuvre that was 2015’s To Pimp A Butterfly.

Conceptuality shouldn’t be prerequisite for a release to be successful, but the cinematic narrative that was so spectacular on Kendrick’s previous releases is missed here.

There is still however, a continuous thread contextualising the fourteen tracks.

Pure Comedy is Father John Misty laying his gradually constructed worldview bare, scarcely filtered through his persona’s former charade. The man behind the mask truly embodies his priesthood moniker to deliver a quasi-sermon-narrative, chronicling the absurdity of existence from birth to acceptance. Father John Misty is an auteur of post-folk indie irony, with the ability to craft pop magic without sacrificing the purity of his lyrics. This third LP marks a distinct change from the grippingly open-hearted I Love You Honeybear, to something more bleakly cynical.

Kendrick agonises over a despondent mantra: “Ain’t nobody prayin’ for me”. He is feeling unable to speak for others while struggling to reconcile his own psyche. Kendrick’s turmoil is conveyed powerfully: ‘DNA.’ is a bombastic assertion of black heritage and status. It ricochets off samples of Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera’s denouncement of Kendrick’s anti-police sentiment to spit indignant realities of cyclical African American issues back in his face.

Misty’s sequencing of these 12 tracks is crucial; in order to traverse life’s grand comedy, he begins with bemused detachment from the human race. The opening title track bemoans the failure of political solutions for the human experience and is an Elton John-esque piano ballad to boot. Songs following play like a nihilistic fever dream, a paranoid highlight being a raucous speculation on the trajectory of entertainment on ‘Total Entertainment Forever’, ironically (but no doubt intentionally) the most entertaining and concise pop song on the whole record. The album completely changes gear by the 15-minute centrepiece ‘Leaving LA’. Misty approaches his existential disaffection from the best practical human example he can offer: himself. Appropriately bare-bones, only wailing strings and guitar intrude on a flooring introspection. Misty reaches a zenith of self-awareness while recalling the bizarre emotional tightrope of his life. From here onwards, the record attempts to piece together his shattered soul with love, narcissism and considered mortality.

Poor Kenny however, concludes that the depression tormenting him is his own fault for failing to embrace true God. The religious overtones become questionable, manifesting as self flagellatory non-solutions that leave a sour taste in the mouth. It’s disappointing particularly after the clarity of perspective on his last two LPs. To make matters worse, the record features a few bona-fide clunkers like ‘LOVE.’, a half-baked Drake impersonation.

The menacing sex-waltz of ‘LUST.’ does its best to stem drab superficiality, but the record is already fatally weakened.

Whatever meaning you draw from it, this is seductive indie-pop.

DAMN. is Kendrick Lamar as a trembling beacon of humanity in hip-hop celebrity, and by virtue a flawed personal work that trades experimentation for varied brilliance within conventionality.

JOSHUA MARTIN

facebook.com/bmamagazine

[SUB POP]

[AFTERMATH/INTERSCOPE]

Webb enjoys crescendos, where the sound builds and builds power and a playful bass line is also a prominent feature of his work.

Some vocal tones make you suspect a female backing singer was employed but no, it is all Webb’s own work. There is an 80s feel to the deep synth rumble in the shadowy, segmented track ‘L’Heure des Sorcieres’, while the harpsichord keys of ‘Groundswell’ echo into the abyss, before getting lost in a general synth torte. ‘Act of Contrition’ stands out with its acoustic guitar intro, French spoken word insert and eerie electric slashes.

RORY MCCARTNEY

FATHER JOHN MISTY PURE COMEDY

Pure Comedy makes its mark as a singular effort toward the reconciliation of human purpose, one where Misty tumbles out of the overwhelming void of culture and consciousness to reach peace by its end.

JOSHUA MARTIN

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[ALBUM REVIEWS]

ASTA SHINE

[INDEPENDENT RELEASE]

[

]

Tasmanian Asta first came to notice with a win in the 2012 Triple J Unearthed High competition. Having dabbled in power pop with a prominent acoustic core, she kept to a predominantly guitar and drums path for follow-up songs ‘Escape’ and ‘I Need Answers’, with a strong keyboard element in the latter. Then ‘Dynamite’ signaled her evolution towards a more electro-indie sound similar to Owl Eyes.

Her debut EP Shine maintains the electro-pop vibe with a set of new songs, marking a break from the Asta you may be familiar with. Slow keys and a staccato beat lead the way in the funky opening title track. Asta gives her vocals a flick up in pitch at the end of lines of lyrics, and the track ends cleverly with its title in the very last word of the song. Its message could be about struggling to succeed in romance, music or life in general. EP highlight ‘Saturday Night’ comes with great dance qualities and a winning treatment in the choruses, boosted with an extra rush of vocal overlaps. The song, speaking of the dichotomy of the attraction and repulsion of the pressures of a big night out, comes with unusual hooks in the form of bursts of metallic ticks. It is a natural for clubbing remixes. There is a change in mood to the soulful ‘Doin’ What You Want’ and ‘Art of Escape’ (not to be confused with the song by Hein Cooper) comes complete with dazzling power choruses.

Asta’s new vibe, brighter and more highly polished, has proved its dance credentials, but also acquired a softer edged, more highly produced feel which lacks some of the bite of her earlier material.

RORY MCCARTNEY

KIT WARHURST COLOUR WHEEL [SUNSHINE CLUB]

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Veteran of a number of bands and thrasher of a few different instruments in his time, Kit Warhurst is best known as drummer for Aussie rockers Rocket Science. Warhurst has now launched his debut solo LP. This debut owes very little to Rocket Science’s desperate rock music, whose songs were stained with a frantic wildness. Rather, Warhurst’s songs share DNA with the sound of the 70s and 80s, and a rock and roll tradition stretching back even further.

Songs have a simple, uncrowded format, with minimal effects and an emphasis on guitars and drums. The instruments, all played by Warhurst, were recorded in just one or two takes. The vocals bear a slightly fuzzy edge while guitars have a garage rock rawness and the percussion arrives in short, quick strikes. The opener is energetic and catchy, springing to life with a choppy, poppy melody, in a pattern that occurs frequently in the track list, particularly the fast, super-appealing title track.

‘Eighteen Year Old Drunken Survivor’ slows down to a strolling pace as it unrolls its tale of the tragedy of a young life in peril. There is a more urgent mood in ‘Man on Wire’ with its riff rising to a dramatic edge. ‘Rose Red City’ zips along on galloping drumbeats, with a power pop chorus, while closer ‘Life on a String’ captures something of the effervescence of Elvis Costello’s more poppy songs.

Anyone who took a liking to Warhurst’s early single releases ‘Nothing in Melbourne’ or ‘Oliver Never Knew Sunshine’, will like the album, as those songs are caught up in its track list and the rest of the songs follow a similar vein of sound.

RORY MCCARTNEY

SLEIGH BELLS JESSICA RABBIT [TORN CLEAN]

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Didn’t care for some of New York noise pop duo Sleigh Bells’ earlier material, as it was too much noise and too little pop? Times change, and this band has constantly sought out new musical pathways. After experimenting with jarring sounds and dabbling in a little metal, Derek Miller and Alexis Krauss found that their consistent drive to radicalism was becoming a constraint when considering new material.

As a result, their fourth LP, while still including plenty of jagged sound injections, has moved closer to indie pop, at times recalling the sound of Grimes, but without the danceability.

On opener ‘It’s Just Us Now’ the music does not flow, so much as arrive in disparate packets of energy, like photons. It comes in both raged bursts and needle-like flashes, with drums appearing in staccato clumps.

‘Lightning Turns Sawdust Gold’ is more fluid, with bright keys set against dragging synth sounds.

‘I Can’t Stand You Anymore’ is more poppy yet, with a catchy chorus and slashes of distorted guitar. Other highlights like ‘Crucible’ demonstrate that the band can incorporate plenty of varied textures into an attractive package. There is a brief descent into a slower, darker atmosphere in ‘Loyal For’ and ‘Hyper Dark’, but they are in the minority.

‘I Can Only Stare’ brings an 80s synth aspect, while ‘Throw Me Down The Stairs’ has a harder rock edge and ‘Unlimited Dark Paths’ comes in rapid, automatic weapon bursts.

Sneaking in at the end, closer ‘As If’ comes closest to a true noise pop format.

So bright it dazzles, Jessica Rabbit is a more accessible album, while still retaining plenty of thrills. There are enough sharp sonic slashes to ensure the Sleigh Bells brand is unmistakable.

RORY MCCARTNEY

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@bmamag

ALBUM IN

FOCUS

GOLDLINK AT WHAT COST [RCA]

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D’Anthony Carlos, a 23-year-old rapper from the DMV (D.C, Maryland and Virginia) area, cemented himself as one of the central pillars of the newest wave of hip-hop artists with March 2017’s At What Cost. Carlos, who raps as GoldLink, released two projects prior to this – The God Complex and And After That, We Didn’t Talk. GoldLink created a name for himself with his unique ‘future bounce’ sound on his first project, before creating a more mature concept album with And After That, We Didn’t Talk.

At What Cost, is the logical culmination of the first two projects. On this latest project, GoldLink combines the best aspects of his first two creations – the irresistible, hedonistically pleasing sound of The God Complex with the structure and narrative arc of And After That, We Didn’t Talk. At What Cost is GoldLink’s largest project, at 14 tracks, and has six features. Although GoldLink has historically been at his best rapping solo, some standouts from At What Cost include features, most notably the single ‘Meditation’.

This newfound collaborative ability flexes the artistic growth he has gone through, and his best songs are where GoldLink is unapologetically himself – open, brash and oozing personality over a beat. Louie Lastic’s production is inseparable from the artist’s ability, and GoldLink is clearly most comfortable rapping over these beats.

At What Cost is an early 2017 highlight, particularly for Australian fans. Catching the vibes displayed on ‘Kokamoe Freestyle’ or ‘Herside Story’ in the late summer Australian sun is an experience beyond replicating.

However, these Caribbean-infused tracks are guaranteed to bring you to a warmer place in preparation for a CBR Winter.

4 stars? Is that a done thing?

MATT PARNELL facebook.com/bmamagazine

MASTODON EMPEROR OF SAND [REPRISE]

[

]

They’re back! The sludge kings from Georgia, USA! After a three year gap since their last album, Once More Around The Sun, that was punctuated by various tours, festivals and acting stints on HBO’s Game of Thrones, Mastodon have returned with their seventh studio album Emperor of Sand. And it’s a funny little fella with one unifying theme that permeates throughout the record: death, and the resilience that accompanies it.

A concept album is a somewhat more cerebral offering in musical terms I feel.

It’s like a singing, strumming, tom-filling storybook for adults. The synopsis of the story, without giving too much away, is that it’s about our protagonist being handed a death sentence and being condemned to wander the endless sands of the desert for eternity. This is intended to be a metaphor for battling the tyranny of cancer and the various kinds of sometimes pernicious treatments that combat it. This fixation comes from a sequence of unfortunate personal events that beset several members of the band in the lead up to recording, all of them oncologically related. That’s just the surface. As you might have guessed, listening to the lyrics intently is a big part of the experience, lest you end up coming out of the conceptual book having only looked at the funny pictures without having actually read any of the words.

shouldn’t scare away the Mastodon purists. It still has its merits in the same way Avenged Sevenfold’s Hail To The King and Metallica’s Black Album do. Stripping things back to be more concise and less meandering isn’t always a bad thing when you have an overarching theme that unifies all the songs together and makes them one big, interconnected chimera of a thing. This chimera isn’t meandering at all, clocking in at just over 51 minutes. But thankfully, it’s nowhere near as diluted with pop hooks as 2011’s The Hunter, which was an attempt by the band to lampoon themselves for the MTV crowd (the song ‘Show Yourself’ notwithstanding, which I feel is definitely an attempt to lampoon themselves for the sake of radio airplay).

Three of the band’s four members take turns at singing and this presents a diverse range that can swap at several points during a single song. Which is important this time around because it’s plain to see, for me at least, that the lyrical content has taken the front seat as opposed to their signature undulating topography of alpine riffage and noodling. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as if that oscillating vista has become the flat, desolate landscape featured in the album’s story, it’s just that it has gone from being a towering Chimborazo to a sanded down Kosciuszko.

Emperor of Sand is okay, a little on the average side for these guys. It makes up the numbers in Mastodon’s discography.

That’s not to say that it’s bad, because it’s in some extremely coruscating company. It may sound like I’ve stuck the boot in here, and I have a little bit, but that’s because I know this band’s strengths and what makes them unique. It seems as though they’re content to now stick with the pack, albeit still with their own idiosyncrasies, not too dissimilar from the high school kid that ditches his glasses and walks around half blind and bumping into bins just to fit in, but still sucks his thumb.

PATRICK OGISI

The fact that Emperor of Sand is a little bit attenuated in a technical sense compared to 2009’s critically acclaimed Crack The Skye or anything that came beforehand

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NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS LOVELY CREATURES: THE BEST OF NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS [MUTE]

[

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Passionate creative expression was the inevitable trajectory when Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds came on the scene. Before The Bad Seeds there was The Birthday Party, notable purveyors of extreme rock music who were comfortable with the view that walls of noise from the likes of The Stooges and The Saints were merely the starting point for something even more intense. A group so defiantly antimainstream was always destined to burn out fast, so it came as no surprise when The Birthday Party finally imploded around 1983. Nick Cave remained in Europe and formed an embryonic version of The Bad Seeds that recorded the gritty swamp blues album From Her to Eternity in 1984. Its title track mired in obsessive desire introduces this comprehensive survey of Nick Cave’s remarkable body of work with The Bad Seeds, and is an appropriate entry point for a collection of songs that never once made a concession to the mainstream.

The track listing comprises highlights from each studio release up to the mournful 2013 album Push the Sky Away and Cave’s relentless quest to comprehend the absurdity of human existence through observation and metaphor never wavers.

Thought and emotion seep into each narrative and deeper explorations of flawed and vulnerable humanity are marked by shifts in the musical expression that over time have turned the harsh angularity of From Her to Eternity into a more linear and atmospheric form. This started happening more noticeably around the time of the 1990 PAGE 62

LOCAL MUSIC

album The Good Son from which the two prominent tear jerkers ‘The Ship Song’ and ‘The Weeping Song’ are included here.

On the first disc of a generous three-disc set plus DVD, fire and brimstone sermon ‘Tupelo’ becomes transformed by a shift in perspective into weepy love song ‘Straight to You’ from 1992 album Henry’s Dream. On the former, God’s wrath wreaks havoc. But on ‘Straight to You’ the turbulent observation that the “seas are all drunk and howling at the moon” is shrugged off by the narrator who will battle through the apocalypse to be with his lover. The music on ‘Tupelo’ pulsates with menace but ‘Straight to You’ is more melodramatic swoon. This contrasting dynamic in words and music plays out throughout the collection. The powerful expression of desire on ‘Do You Love Me?’ from the swaggering 1994 album Let Love In and the bloodbath detailed in ‘Stagger Lee’ from Murder Ballads contrasts sharply with the stark intimacy on ‘Into My Arms’ and ‘(Are You) The One That I’ve Been Waiting For’, both from The Boatman’s Call, an album that made waves on the charts. This signified a surprising turn of events for an artist who once made it his mission to freak out audiences with the brutal aural assault of The Birthday Party.

Less prominent songs are also included such as the nasty ‘Scum,’ recorded around the time of the magnificent 1986 album Your Funeral…My Trial. With wounded pride, Cave hurls vitriol at unsupportive music critics and black humour reigns supreme. You could begin thinking that maybe he doesn’t really mean it, but the sheer forcefulness of the delivery makes you wonder. The standout selection on the collection, and possibly Nick Cave’s greatest musical statement, is ‘The Mercy Seat’ from the suitably ragged 1988 album Tender Prey that sets out a scene of guilt and self-redemption worthy of Dostoyevsky to a musical firestorm. Nothing else in popular music is even remotely like it and if Cave never wrote another song his reputation as one of the great literary songwriters was sealed by the greatness of this harrowing epic. But every song on this collection is a winning combination of thought and expression with the additional DVD featuring interviews and live performances providing a worthwhile visual accompaniment. Kirk Lake’s liner notes are thoughtful and suitably interpretative but the cover image and booklet style format of the collection don’t add much. This doesn’t really matter though as the music is simply sublime.

DAN BIGNA

ENDREY LOST + FOUND

[INDEPENDENT RELEASE]

[

]

A smooth voice that flows over you like melted butter, dreamy chords and piano keys to graze your ears gently, the occasional strum of a guitar or ambient sounds wafting across your consciousness … the debut album from Endrey, Lost + Found, is a captivating pleasure for the senses.

Listen closer, and you’ll find an album which sits comfortably in the acoustic-indie category but with lyrics looking to challenge the status quo and address some sensitive topics. The man behind the music, Canberra’s own Chris Endrey, fills this album with 13 hypnotic and at times melancholic tracks. Songs cover allconsuming loneliness, feeling misunderstood, the harsh clarity of hindsight, the danger of apathy and the perils of contemplation.

“As a young guy without much capacity for introspection, I discovered that the things that you need to learn the most in life, you often learn the hardest. Together, these songs are a single journey through that lament,” Endrey has said.

From an album that was almost never made, it has been shaped into an impressive first offering; a compilation with an identity, a soul and a distinctive sound. Lost + Found was recorded at Studio 68, produced with Louis Montgomery (whose recordings with SAFIA earned an ARIA nomination) and mastered at Studios 301 by Andrew Edgson (Matt Corby, Sarah McKenzie, Mark Ronson). Standout tracks for me include ‘Sentimental Days’, ‘Say This’ and ‘Lost + Found’.

An intensely personal album, Endrey has laid himself bare on Lost + Found, an undoubtedly brave and difficult decision for any of us fragile and delicate humans. I both applaud and appreciate his bravery, and I think you will too.

JESSICA CONWAY

@bmamag

]

A bit different from your regular band in composition, Dorsal Fins is more of a collaboration. Leader of the push Liam McGorry (from Saskwatch) and vocalists/ songwriters Ella Thompson and Jarrad Brown are the creative core. Ideas from the trio are then thrashed about with the other six band members to generate the final form of a song.

There’s a curative process involved too, with guest singers (including Mick Vorrath from Custom Kings and Tim Nelson from Cub Sport) selected to feature on some tracks.

Indie pop with an electronic accent, there has been a noticeable jump in quality since the band’s 2015 debut LP Mind Renovation.

Digital Zodiac’s tracks are more sophisticated, possessing greater depth and appeal. The album layout is more structured too, with a deliberate fault line between the perky first half and the more subdued remainder of the LP. Opener ‘Romeo’ has the catchiest tune in the disk, with a chunky flow that adds to its charm. The bouncy feel is maintained through the single ‘Sedated’, while ‘Roll Back the Years’ morphs to a slow, smooth, soul sound.

The mid-disk change in mood shifts vocal styles, with a conspicuous drop-off in effects.

One of the best tracks appears in this moodier half, in the slow, sad ‘Blind’ (as in “You only love me when you’re”), particularly when they switch to a cappella. With McGorry in charge, it is no surprise that some tracks have a decidedly Saskwatch feel, especially ‘High Low’ and ‘When it All Comes Down to Love’.

There are glimpses of 60s vocals in the vibe of some songs like ‘Man Versus Woman’ with the style updated for this century. The album represents a more seductive offering from the band, with great interplay between male/ female vocals.

RORY MCCARTNEY

[SONY MUSIC]

[ONETWO]

[DOT DASH]

[

ZARA LARSSON SO GOOD

ALLDAY SPEEDING

DORSAL FINS DIGITAL ZODIAC [

[

]

Allday has a distinctive style – smooth, casual vocals paired with contemporary electronic beats and varying tempos on his new album, Speeding.

To be honest, on first listen I enjoyed the Aussie hip-hop artist’s second album, but after getting more familiar with it, there is a sameness that appears. Allday’s (a.k.a. Tom Gaynor) rhyming is pretty simple (‘morning’ with ‘falling’, ‘real’ with ‘congeal’ etc). While excellent production and varying tempos keep you engaged, again this becomes a familiar pattern.

The lyrics and themes are pretty standard; those of unrequited love, lacking connection and getting wasted. There are some clever and funny lyrics peppered throughout. ‘No Saint’ contains, “cops used to stop me and say I need your name and address / I’d say Usain Bolt and then gave it the legs” while ‘10 Drinks’ has a little pop culture reference: “Her house big like ‘90s clothes, shit got an echoecho / And I’m spacey, Kevin, and we racing to heaven”. Some part of me wants to compare Allday’s sound to a more upbeat version of The Weeknd’s ‘The Hills’ or Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’, but it’s just not of the same calibre.

The Adelaide-born Gaynor has embraced more singing than on his debut album, but his voice isn’t anything especially trained. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, making it good to sing along to without sounding like a cat in the midst of a street battle (a la me vs. Adele).

As an album to kick back to, Speeding is solid.

I love ‘Sides (feat. Nyne)’ which has already seen radio love, along with ‘In Motion (feat.

Japenese Wallpaper)’ and ‘Raceway’. The few female collabs standout, and I’d like to see more voices on his next album. In summary, will I play Speeding again? Sure. Am I excited to hear Allday’s progression? Hell yes.

]

The newly released album from Zara Larsson is bound to get you out of your seat and moving. Born and raised in Sweden, this 19-year-old singer-songwriter has been on the music scene for almost a decade. So Good is the first international album for her.

So Good is an amalgamation of pop spiced up with soulful 90s-inspired RnB, as well as relying heavily on dance music. While the lyrics are very simple and repetitive, the musical element makes up for it. The catchy beats make you want to get up and dance along, and the vocal runs are astounding.

Throughout the album, piano chords are the basis for each song, layered and strengthened alternately with drums, guitar, and 808 bass effects.

This is the kind of album where you don’t want to skip any tracks because each one brings something different to it. ‘I Would Like’ stands out as a pop track that plays out as a fun dance anthem. The infectious beat tied together with a hook that gets under your skin making it difficult to stop listening. The title track ‘So Good’ brings 90s-inspired RnB laced through modern day vocal stylings. It’s a nostalgic sound, similar to songs that were released in the late 90s and early 2000s.

For someone so young and to release an amazing collection of songs as their first fulllength album, it is setting Larsson up as a force to be reckoned with. If you are a lover of pop music, you need to listen to this. Starting strong and ending even stronger, this album is so good.

MORGAN HAIN

JESSICA CONWAY facebook.com/bmamagazine

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SINGLES IN

FOCUS WITH CODY ATKINSON

KIRKLANDD ‘DYNASTY’

[

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Kirklandd is yet another Canberra hip hop artist who is on the sharp rise right now. The sound on ‘Dynasty’ is extremely here and now; aspirational, swelling verses with a big, reverb laden chorus. Flashes of hip hop eras past come through the beat in the back half of the song, but more to add depth rather than date it.

SLOW TURISMO ‘YOU WERE DEAD’ [

]

For a while Slow Turismo has threatened to be the next big thing out of Canberra; with catchy guitar pop and melodies for days.

On ‘You Were Dead’, the quartet nearly go a little more soft psych, and take the tempo down a bit. The hooks and harmonies are still definitely there, which is what (at its core) makes Slow Turismo an extremely hypeworthy band.

REBEL YELL ‘HIGH AUTHORITY’ [

]

This one is for the after midnight set; a track far cooler than I have the right to be listening to. Harder dance grooves compete with a clattering beat, and the repetitive chant of “I’m the boss” underscores the intensity of the track. ‘High Authority’ is on the punishing edge of engaging, pushing the envelope of the more left-field end of dance pop.

SHANNON NOLL ‘SOUTHERN SKY’ [

]

No musician has done more, intentionally or not, to tie themselves into the mythos of the Aussie Battler than Shannon Noll, down to his Southern Cross tattoo. Now often reduced to a fodder for memes for the internet set, Noll returns with a track that tries to cram in every single Oz cliché imaginable into three and a half minutes.

The result is a flat dance ballad that lacks any real identity or passion.

TIMOTHY NELSON WORDS LIKE YOUNG

VOYAGER GHOST MILE

[INDEPENDENT RELEASE]

[

Perth singer-songwriter Timothy Nelson has struck out from the shallows with his debut solo record. His latest material is distinctly less indie than some of the songs from his time with Timothy Nelson and the Infidels or High Horse, and less bluesy than his The Kill Devil Hills participation. Tracks on Words Like Young follow a more pop, alt-country path with rock overtones. One important virtue that does flow clearly from his prior work is Nelson’s ability to craft easily accessible melodies.

Nelson’s debut launches with the power pop meets alt-country ‘Explain’, which grabs the ear with its easy, swinging, finger-snapping rhythm. ‘It’s a Shame’ is catchy pop with the strong uplifting chorus which is a winning feature in Nelson’s songs. A more complex work, it weaves in vocal distortions, synth effects and electric guitar highlights. The softly delivered ‘New York’ beckons with elegant keys and a vibe like The Whitlams, while ‘Up to No Good’ recalls Crosby, Stills and Nash in its high-pitched chorus. ‘Hard to Find’ employs layered effects and muffled vocal overlaps.

Like the album title, the focus of song themes is often obscure; mainly relationship-based, their meaning remains a little cryptic. The songs with the clearest intent are among his best. The pop/alt-country ‘Living Saloon’, about his car, comes with a rock ‘n’ roll bridge and a singalong chorus. Similarly, there is no confusion in the message within the acoustic minimalist love song ‘Good As It Gets’, which shows a different side to Nelson’s singing with its introduction of falsetto. Leaving one of his best to last, the collection finishes strongly with ‘We Never Change’, with its softly glowing start and brightly burning ending.

RORY MCCARTNEY

[IAV]

]

[

]

Now, Voyager is another interesting band to come out of the prog-metal scene in Australia, but I fear I may have repeated myself.

Progressive bands will always offer up a curious melange of other genres and bizarre time signatures. That doesn’t necessarily mean such oddities are accessible to the general public after one listen. Or even a few listens.

Being in such a small niche in such a sparsely populated country, like bands like Ne Obliviscaris, Voyager have been forced to crowdsource the funds to continue recording and touring. The generosity of their fans however, knows no bounds and here we are at album six: The Ghost Mile.

Voyager have been around since the turn of the millennium and almost two decades of graft and relentless touring has lead us to this point.

The content of The Ghost Mile could really be sculpted to the uninitiated as a compendium of dreamy atmospherics punctuated by the chugging of a riff-loaded locomotive that occasionally stops at a level crossing to let the keyboards take the lead. The multifarious approach Voyager have hitherto been known for employing has definitely continued and the microcosm of the whole album would be on ‘Disconnected’ which gives you a glimpse of the many masquerade masks the band will shuffle through at will during the course of a single song. Harsh. Soft. Gentle. Thumping.

Dreamy. It’s all there.

Luckily, if you enjoy what you’ve heard on SoundCloud or the various other media you use to get music off the internet (not judging anyone), they’re actually touring the country during May. This includes The Basement on Saturday May 20. They’ll be on the road with French progtronica producer The Algorithm.

What a mix! A mix that needs to be seen to confirm its authenticity.

PATRICK OGISI

PAGE 64

@bmamag

?

Questioning Fyre Festival with Cody Atkinson

Hey, did you hear about Fyre Festival? You know, the festival where Ja Rule and a twenty-something flew people to the Bahamas and kinda left people to fend for themselves without any real amenities or accommodation? And sold tickets for up to $12,000 for the privilege of having blink-182 cancel on them at the last minute?

Jesus. Cody Atkinson wades through the immaculately curated carnage below.

So what was Fyre Festival?

A disaster.

More details?

In short: a destination festival in the Bahamas that promised luxury surrounds, gourmet food and drinks, big music acts and good times galore. Instead, it provided disaster relief tents, no potable water, musicians pulling out left, right and centre and rabid dogs. It is the only music festival in recent years to force a government lockdown of the site. It went about as badly as something can go without anyone dying.

Wait, isn’t this the festival that every hack writer in the world has written endlessly about in the last month?

Almost every hack. This should complete the circle.

So why … did the festival even exist?

The luminaries that created Fyre Festival were Billy McFarland and Ja Rule, and they did so to publicise the ‘Fyre Music App’.

A festival to promote an app? At least it’s not another one promoting Red Bull or sneakers…

I mean I guess … but an international gathering to promote an app that barely seems to exist … seems kinda odd.

What does the app do?

Well, let me start by saying that it appears to be more like a website than a true app. Indeed, a search of both the Google Play and iTunes store finds no results for any such app. I would search the Windows store but come on who

seriously has a Windows mobile phone these days. So let’s say that the name is lying and that it’s a website and not an app.

OK… The ‘app’ promises to cut out the middle man in booking musicians for shows, and as a result is essentially a ‘middle man’ for booking shows. And the app will do this for just a 10% cut of the booking fee. Whilst the list of musicians and other assorted celebrities promoted on the service seems extensive, it appears that the only major concerts to be undertaken so far involve website co-owner Ja Rule.

So it’s pretty much just a standard booking agency. But without the personal contact.

And the sheen of THE INTERNET! Everything is fancy and hip because of THE INTERNET! But it seems to not be out of the ordinary for website co-founder Billy McFarland.

Who? Well, Billy McFarland, although only 26, had a long and expensive history of creating products with too-good-to-be-true potential, which were all too-good-to-true.

In 2013 McFarland created a company called Magnises, which was a VIP/subscription service that promised members could “unlock their cities and take their lives to the next level”.

Were people taken to the next level?

Yes, if by “next level” you mean “not much different from their normal lives”. Magnises promised exclusive art, music, food and theatre experiences,

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and delivered … a membership card for $257.55 USD a year.

And an app – an actual app this time. The service was rife with complaints, with the services either not provided or not what was originally promised. The number of members is also unknown, but the number of downloads of the Android app is between 500–1000, which doesn’t seem like many.

What about the other guy?

Ja something?

It’s no surprise that you don’t remember who Ja Rule is, despite his near-constant chart success around the turn of the century.

His distinctive deep voiced raps blared out from radios all across the world, and between 2001 and 2003 Ja Rule was EVERYWHERE. I’m not sure that was a good thing.

(Listens to ‘Put It On Me’ on YouTube) Yeah, juries out…

But by 2005, his star had fallen, and the man born Jeffery Atkins didn’t release an album between 2004 and 2012. That intervening period, speaking of juries, involved an almost two-year stint in prison for tax evasion, drug possession and gun possession.

That 2012 album, Pain Is Love 2 (presumably a sequel to Pain Is Love) was released while he was locked up, meaning that he hasn’t released an album out of jail since 2004. I think Ja firmly falls in the “formerly famous rapper” category now.

So now he’s a festival promoter?

Probably not if Fyre Festival is anything to go by. Ja’s involvement in the festival was reported to be as the less involved partner, with McFarland making

the decisions. Apparently Mr Rule and McFarland met in 2015 and bonded over their mutual love of flying small aeroplanes and hip hop. And now they are bonded by organising disasters.

Wait, there have been plenty of festivals that have been disasters, and most don’t get as much attention as this.

The failure of Fyre Festival, and its capture of the public imagination, is hard to entangle from the chaos and class issues at play. Plenty of music festivals have been haphazardly organised, many have featured death, but very few intertwine themselves with the most comical of all ‘famous’ people: Instagram celebrities.

And because the festival and it’s marketing was so intertwined with social media, it’s downfall was remarkably well chronicled.

Very few remember the disasters of Heatwave, Blueprint or Laneway 2009 – most were a fair way away from the spotlight, with nary a ‘social influencer’ in sight.

So what happens now?

Well, the organisers have stated that they will try to put on Fyre again in 2018 … which doesn’t seem like the greatest move right now. And it appears that every man and his rabid dog remotely connected with Fyre is either suing someone or being sued by someone. Even Kendall Jenner, one of the lesser Kardashian clan, is being sued, after being paid $250,000 USD to promote the festival on Instagram … which is flat-out insane. You may as well have just set your money on …

Don’t say it …

Fyre.

PAGE 65

[FILM REVIEWS]

THE WORD ON

FILMS with Majella Carmody There’s nothing quite like the feeling of leaving the cinema when you know you’ve just witnessed something special.

Horror-satire Get Out is one of those films – the vibe of the film is not unlike an extended episode of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror. And as sharp and effective entertainment, the proof is in the pudding: with a mere $4.5 million budget, US domestic box office takings for Get Out have now surpassed $190 million (and counting). So, if you’re looking for something a little different from the usual American summer superhero flick (like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), make sure you check out Get Out. You’ll see we’ve reviewed a couple of other films this issue that are designed to unsettle you – we figure it’s never too early to start the Halloween prep.

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE “IF I COULD, I WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR OBAMA FOR A THIRD TERM.” – DEAN ARMITAGE (BRADLEY WHITFORD), GET OUT

WATCH OUT FOR...

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour: The world’s most prestigious mountain film festival showcasing short films captured in wild and remote locations. National Film Sound Archive. Sat–Tue May 13–16 May. Book online at nfsa.gov.au or banffaustralia.com.au.

John Wick 2 (2017): The highly-anticipated sequel to the 2014 action-hit finally gets an Australian release date.

Starring Keanu Reeves as the titular assassin, Ian McShane and Australia’s Ruby Rose.

Released Thu May 18.

PAGE 66

GET OUT [

]

In times of social, political, and economic crisis, the little resources and power that are left are squandered among the most privileged. But, a pretty neat thing happens also – amazing works of art are created. Yep, the leader of the free world is Donald Trump and that is appalling. However, resistance is taking varied and creative forms, such as Jordan Peele’s directorial debut: Get Out. As with the geriatric women at reproductive rights marches displaying signs saying, ‘I can’t believe I still have to protest this sh*t’ it is exasperating but imperative that our films, books, and other cultural touch-points still illustrate how insidious and dangerous prejudice is.

FREE FIRE [

]

Typically, gun fights in action films last less than five minutes at a time, especially for franchises like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon or Mission: Impossible. Producers are anxious to hurry the plot along to the next expensive set piece where explosions happen, and stilted dialogue provides a stiff exposition for the audience.

The protagonist occasionally ducks behind cover to say a few meaningful words to a friend, only to then dive out into the line of fire, guns blazing, emerging victorious and unscathed.

Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams) have been dating for months and have reached the ‘meet the parents’ stage.

Chris is understandably a little apprehensive for several reasons.

His trepidation gives way to resignation when Rose’s parents behave predictably – eager to demonstrate at every opportunity how they are definitely not racist (Rose’s father remarks no less than three times he would’ve voted a third time for Obama).

Ben Wheatley and Amy Jump’s Free Fire is an hour-and-a-halflong gun-fight, the antithesis to this sort of action film fascination with elaborate set pieces. There is no clear protagonist, and no significant plot to unravel.

Wheatley places a set of colourful characters (Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley, Cillian Murphy, Michael Smiley and Noah Taylor) into an arms deal in a warehouse in the 1970s, and allows the action to unfold and degenerate. There’s no inspiring act of heroic violence, and long stretches of the film are silent, punctuated by gunfire and quips from characters, insulting and taunting each other.

The film crescendos from eyerollingly uncomfortable to sinister at a steady pace. One of the most common retorts African American people hear when they are complaining about the prejudice they experience is ‘you’re just being paranoid’.

Get Out paints a discomforting picture of American culture – the dominant culture dismisses what it doesn’t want to know about.

Despite the clear genre-service Wheatley intends to pay, he leaves his own trademark acidity on screen, with characters writhing in filth and engaging in short bursts of intense violence, intercut with moments of a kind of mean, derisive humour.

Think The Avengers for cynical misanthropes, and you’re starting to get on my wavelength.

See this film.

EMMA ROBINSON

PAT JOHNSON

THEIR FINEST [

]

Based on the novel Their Finest Hour and a Half by Lissa Evans, and directed by Lone Scherfig (An Education), Their Finest follows the story of a crack creative team as they endeavour to hit the key emotional and nationalistic marks in the development of a British propaganda film during World War II. Against the backdrop of the Battle of Britain and the London Blitz, Welsh girl Catrin Cole (Gemma Arteton) applies for a secretarial position, but is instead hired by the British Ministry of Information to write ‘slop’ (a.k.a. ‘women’s dialogue’) for a series of short information films (much to the disappointment of her artist husband, Ellis (Jack Huston)).

Catrin’s talents are quickly recognised, and she soon finds herself on the writing team for a feature film about the evacuation of Dunkirk, where she befriends the film’s chief screenplay writer, Tom Buckley (the ever-appealing Sam Claflin). Amidst the chaos and destruction caused by air raids, Catrin must also navigate the trivialities of reining in the inflated ego of ageing star, but key player, Ambrose Hilliard (a scene-stealing Bill Nighy).

This lovingly realised period dramedy and ‘film-within-afilm’ is chock-full of exceptional British talent (including Jeremy Irons, Richard E. Grant, Helen McCrory and Eddie Marsan).

Despite occasionally succumbing to cliché, the film adeptly captures cinema’s ability to entertain, move and involve an audience though compassionate, relevant storytelling.

Their Finest is a charming, funny, heart-warming, hot-chocolate Sunday afternoon gem of a film.

Take your mum.

MAJELLA CARMODY

@bmamag

BERLIN SYNDROME [

RAW

]

It’s pretty much every girl’s nightmare: Embracing your youthful freedom and the endless potentialities of ‘finding yourself’ by travelling alone across Europe, you meet a tall, dark and handsome stranger.

You hook up with him in a rush of sexual spiritedness, only to discover in the exhilarating blur of the morning after that you’ve somehow become locked, trapped, imprisoned in his derelict, secluded apartment.

Australian director Cate Shortland has constructed a chilling new captivity thriller in Berlin Syndrome, by firstly drawing in the audience with elements of familiarity or ordinariness: the initial ‘boy-meets-girl’ interactions between Clare (Teresa Palmer), a photojournalist from Brisbane with a fascination for GDR architecture, and Andi (Max Riemelt), a Berliner schoolteacher. It all starts off innocently enough, but the sterility and muted tones of the film’s setting in former East Berlin begin to contribute to a palpable sense of isolation and foreboding.

Palmer gives a controlled and nuanced performance, carefully and convincingly switching between passion, confidence, vulnerability and terror, sometimes with little more than a glance. Riemelt is equally terrific: Andi’s obsession is grounded in his own sense of normality and routine (all the while creating a living hell for Clare), and his actions are driven by the unsettling conviction that is the lovers’ destiny.

Berlin Syndrome explores the fear associated with abused trust and physical and psychological entrapment. Despite being a tad overlong, the tension in this film is unwavering.

[

]

Cannibalism. It’s one of the last societal taboos, something that seems to generate extreme reactions regardless of whether you are a sensitive soul (i.e. wimp) or a horror fan who can stomach almost any other gratuitous violent act in a movie.

It’s also had an interesting history cinematically. Going as far back as (at least) 1963’s Blood Feast, it has involved controversy and bans (Cannibal Holocaust), been depicted in musicals (Sweeney Todd and Cannibal: The Musical) and even won a Best Picture Oscar (The Silence of The Lambs).

This is the latest entry into the sub-genre, and is a French/ Belgium/Italian co-production.

The central protagonist is Justine (Garance Marillier) and the film is set in a veterinary university during her first term. Brought up vegetarian, she is subjected to a cruel hazing ritual where she is bullied into eating a rabbit’s liver.

This leads to physical reactions and an animalistic desire for meat.

The film fits perfectly into the body-horror genre, but is clearly eligible to be part of the current alt-horror movement (where films like It Follows and The Witch nod their heads to the masters of the genre, like George A. Romero and John Carpenter, whilst simultaneously subverting the traditions they have established). Debutant feature filmmaker Julia Ducournau has merged two conventional genres (female coming-of-age and horror) and structured them into a graphic and absorbing movie that believes in the intensity of its atmosphere and characters.

TRAVIS CRAGG

MAJELLA CARMODY facebook.com/bmamagazine

PAGE 67

[THE WORD ON GIGS]

THE WHITLAMS WITH THE NATIONAL POPS ORCHESTRA CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE FRI MAY 5

PHOTOS BY MARK TURNER

When you look at the history of The Whitlams, it’s almost surprising that they made it to five years, let alone two decades more. Inconsistent line-ups and tragedy tangled with their most successful years, tours all over the country and the world, six studio albums and a live album nobody talks about: just reading their Wikipedia page is a trip. The trajectory of this beloved Australian band has never been smooth, so why would the execution of their 25th Anniversary concert be?

While opening with Eternal Nightcap’s ‘Charlie’ trilogy, played in chronological order, was a fantastic idea on paper, in practice it fell short, ironically by reaching too far. While the first two in the series reflected the original recordings well, with the added embellishment restrained enough to colour but not overpower, the grand sorrow of ‘Charlie No. 3’ was dragged down by extravagant additions to what is already a very full song. The opening notes sent shivers down my arms, but they PAGE 68

were smothered by unnecessary orchestration that strangled out the core rock elements. ‘You Sound Like Louis Burdett’ also felt like it’d had an unwieldy arrangement foisted upon it, the joyous filth of the song getting muddied among all the strings and grandeur.

But for every misstep, there were three or four grand revelations.

‘Up Against The Wall’, an often and regretfully overlooked track, was transformed from its original state of an embittered post-love rock song, with the addition of a massive brass arrangement brimming with a sinister energy that sounded like it had been ripped out of a Bond theme. ‘12 Hours’ and ‘Keep The Light On’ felt like they had been made for this orchestra, the performance and arrangement highlighting the delicate quiet of both, while the addition of Psycho-style strings after “she took me home … to meet her mother” in ‘I Make Hamburgers’ elicited belly-laughs from the crowd.

The interlude of ‘Out The Back’, a gorgeous, undeniably Australian work crafted by the late Peter Sculthorpe, was entrancing. It transformed what is an otherwise unremarkable song about surfing into a panorama of the seaside landscape, painted with nothing but sound, best enjoyed with eyes closed, leaning back into the seat, matching streaking strings to the images of seagulls dancing behind your eyelids.

After the interval, Freedman paused to acknowledge the special connection his band has with the capital, with original bandmates Stevie Plunder and Andy Lewis both being originally from Canberra. With both tragically no longer with us, it was left to Freedman to deliver two of Plunder’s songs: jolly, nohoper, working-class drinking song ‘Happy Days’ and the tragic gay love story ‘The Ballad of Lester Walker’. Both were done with gusto and joy, covering their rather bleak themes with bluster and cheer. It was a bittersweet demonstration of Plunder’s remarkable songwriting gifts:

what would The Whitlams have become if he hadn’t left so soon?

It surprised nobody that they earned a rapturous standing ovation: the crowd had come for nostalgia, and it had been brought in spades. We got to pretend to be classy, watching an orchestra playing songs forged in pubs and band rooms. We got what was on the tin, and really that’s all we needed.

And finally, a side note: next time you see them live, watch Terepai Richmond on drums. His ability, his technique is poetry in motion.

Absolutely mesmerising.

NONI DOLL

@bmamag

Cinnamon was established in 2012, with label founder Jordan Rodger having his hands on every part of the operation. Since then, Cinnamon were able to put out nearly forty releases by both local and interstate bands; a positively breakneck pace. Cinnamon also put on a number of high quality shows around town – reviews of which have littered this publication. Unfortunately, on this Saturday night, Cinnamon Records drew their last spicescented breath.

The final hurrah featured a sample of the diverse range of talent that the label fostered.

The night started out with abstractions from Brother Gozu and Alphamale, an auspicious yet pleasant start to the night.

Mikey Shanahan has a story or two about Canberra if you’re willing to listen. Joined by Rodger on the night, Shanahan’s set firmly focused on storytelling – as all good folk-related music should. Lurid tales of the Capital wash over strummed guitar, all climaxing in a Springsteen cover.

CINNAMON RECORDS FAREWELL TRANSIT BAR SAT MAY 6

PHOTO BY MEGAN LEAHY

Passive Smoke represented a fair change of pace, with the quartet trading heavily on rocky yet deft guitar licks. After a couple of years together, the band works off each other with little effort; all to fuel the greater good. They closed their set with a cover of Cali Girls’ ‘Disorder’ – which worked a treat.

The gig also doubled as the

DEATH BY STEREO THE BASEMENT TUE MAY 2

PHOTO BY RICKY LLOYD

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cassette launch for Little Lunch, a local three-piece who blend lofi rock with male-female vocals, and the occasional pop touch.

Little Lunch drew more and more of the crowd in with every tune, with the new EP getting a favourable workout.

Primary Colours were probably Cinnamon’s most outwardly brash band; a fitting band to I wanted to write a bunch about our great locals but once Death By Stereo (DBS) hit the stage and delivered one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen, I realised my word quota was not going to cut it. Here’s my shorthand: Sketch Method (nicely toned screeching vocals with driving rhythms), Fight Milk (classic rock metal, ‘War Pigs’ interlude a highlight), Yoko Oh No (melodic hardcore with Bodyjaresque riffs).

The start of this gig reminded me of youth centre gigs of yesteryear.

A sign on The Basement’s front entrance directed you to the tiny courtyard bar. The crowd was dominated by the support bands, their friends and girlfriends.

There was a sense of dedication and faith to live music. DBS took this mood and then immediately transferred you to a place where nothing mattered outside this show. Frontman Efram Schulz launched himself off the railing I didn’t know existed on this stage and began engaging the crowd by pointing the mic to dedicated fans to sing and enticing others

close the label. They were at their best at their fastest and most chaotic, with tracks like ‘Compact Disc’ resonating with the fullish Transit crowd. Near the end, Rodger invited Alejandro Alcazar for an impromptu partial Mornings reunion – one of the first bands of the label. Close to full circle, really.

CODY ATKINSON off couches. His stage antics and banter, combined with the genre boundary cros¬¬sing and exceptional musicality of the group meant the faithful were rewarded and the curious converted.

Twice they got a fan on stage to sing “their newest, gramwinning song, ‘my name is … and I’m going to drink this beer before the song is over’,” offering a shot before the beer.

Guitarist Dan Palmer soloed over potentially inappropriate comments from other members (Schulz then requested this for all future comments), and did the old pick stuck to the forehead as he delivered a tapping solo. A musical highlight was ‘Neverending’ dedicated to the punk music scene and their recent signing to Australia’s Arrest Records. They’ll be back next year – don’t miss them!

JARROD MCGRATH

PAGE 69

[THE WORD ON GIGS]

BILLY BRAGG & JOE HENRY THE PLAYHOUSE THU APR 20 Two highly regarded international musicians came to Canberra, played to a sold out theatre and brought a beautiful dichotomy to the stage, and it was a match made in heaven. Billy Bragg and Joe Henry showed off not only their exceptional musicianship, but also their outstanding storytelling skill. Their earnest voices and the mysteriousness of their accents were powerful in transporting the listener to a faraway land – the railroads on the USA. The result was a fantastic lesson in music history, as well as plenty of great yarns. There was an element of nostalgia too – many of these train stations are no longer used for their original purpose, and especially in a big country like America, plane travel has taken over. Bragg and Henry covered folk, Americana and country songs by Leadbelly, Lonnie Donegan, Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams, like the well-known ‘Lonesome Whistle

Blows’. Their version of ‘Midnight Special’ was energetic and loud, and ‘Accident Waiting To Happen’ was comically dedicated to Theresa May.

THE PHOENIX HAS RISEN

The highlight of the night was ‘Rock Island Line’, a song with a wonderful story. The first recorded version was by inmates at a prison in Arkansas in 1934, and it has since been covered by everyone from Lonnie Donegan to Johnny Cash.

When you think of a good night out, what comes to mind? And no, the answer is not Mooseheads.

There was constant reference to our current political situation, which was perhaps a coincidental, but meaningful tie. Trump, Brexit, refugees and the politics that surround them were likened to the railroad and US society of the 1950’s and the skiffle music that was inspired by those times. Just as travellers using the trains were in search of a better life, so are the refugees in today’s world. Bragg spoke solemnly about the demonisation of empathy and “the war on empathy,” and ‘Why We Build The Wall’ summed up these sentiments perfectly. A night of nostalgia, superb music, and of course, important messages.

BONNIE RAITT CANBERRA THEATRE SAT APR 8

Her lifetime of acclaim includes ten Grammy Awards, a position at number 50 in Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All PAGE 70

Mine was at The Phoenix Has Risen gig. It featured a range of different acts – Helena Pop, Sketch Method, H. and Semen and Garfunkel.

Unlike what happened with the allmale line-up drama a few weeks ago, for the poor ANU Finale event promoter, this had a mixture acts so everyone stayed calm…

Singer-songwriter H. had a great set, she showcased her amazing falsetto range that could quite possibly kick some girls’ butts. It was just her and the guitar (and a cute beanie). While she was playing I couldn’t help but notice how the audience was reacting as they were in her zone, which is usually quite difficult for a musician. She sounded a bit like Tash Sultana mixed with Missy Higgins.

I had never been to the Phoenix Bar before and the venue is really nice. It had cool artistic vibes with awesome dark walls. I felt like I was at a proper underground gig with everyone being there for one reason, and that reason is great local music.

Overall there was a good turn out and everyone seemed to be having a good time. So for a gig day before Easter, this my friends was better than eating chocolate.

REBECCA ADAMS

BELINDA HEALY

PHOTO BY SUZANNE CORDEIRO

The first thing that struck me is how small she is. I had imagined tall, buxom and broad shouldered.

Lesson learned – powerhouses come in all sizes. With a career spanning 45 years, Bonnie Raitt is a living legend. As such, her largeness quickly filled every corner of the Canberra Theatre.

She kicked off with a few tracks off the new album Dig in Deep, immediately showing off her mad guitar skills.

THE PHOENIX TUE APR 15

Then Sketch Method hit the stage who almost instantly made the crowd love them from their funny comments before and during their songs. They were more rocker than the other two previous acts.

They had an old-school punk rock vibe going on with humour that the crowd was getting into. Their guitar solos were ace and vocals were very powerful so I would say that they stole the show…

Time and number 89 on their list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. So seeing her in action is a rare treat. Her mix of dynamism and authenticity is remarkable and was evident when she spoke to us like old friends, setting a standard of true glamour, strength and musicianship like she has done for decades. This woman will be belting out great songs for the rest of her life.

She takes to the stage like she’s strolling in for a jam in the lounge room – with ease, confidence and the joy of playing with good friends.

While mama wolf clearly leads the pack, she generously shared the space with her band. She introduced them after just two songs before tearing up the sound in a guitar battle with exceptional guitarist George Marinelli. While an artist in his own right, Marinelli has been with Bonnie’s band since 1993.

Their connection and joy was palpable. Later, Bonnie played support guitar while keyboardist Mike Finnigan displayed his impressive singing capabilities in a tribute to B.B. King.

Against a backdrop of painted sunset clouds, with the pink light bouncing off her red tresses, Bonnie and her fine band delivered a top-notch performance. But it’s when she sat alone on a stool with only a guitar that we saw exactly why this resplendent performer is one of the most successful artists of our time. For some reason, it’s at this point that I thought of Michelle Pfeiffer straddling a ladder in Grease 2 in her leather jacket and tight black jeans.

Until now, I thought that was

the perfect image of cool. Raitt’s movements were simple and sexy. She oozed class, and it didn’t hurt that she’s a fricking guitar titan.

The changing of guitars however was almost comical. With every song came a new guitar which she explained is because each one is tuned slightly differently.

Man, I feel for the guy in charge of handing her the right one at the right time.

The set included new songs as well as known classics including a beautiful rendition of her heartbreaking 1991 hit ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’ written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin.

Bonnie Raitt is one of those performers that, whether you’re a fan or not, you just must see.

To witness such beauty and showmanship is breathtaking.

CHENOEH MILLER

@bmamag

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE WITH THE NATIONAL POPS ORCHESTRA CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE FRI APR 7

PHOTOS BY MARK TURNER

It has to be said, the unfashionable, somewhat niche genre of operatic vocal wizardry is not something that you’d expect to hear in a pop context. Yet Kate Miller-Heidke’s choral kind of legerdemain, that peripatetically wanders between pop, folk and opera kind of like a spinning zoetrope, offers up a uniquely baroque tiramisu of audible pleasure.

I guess you could call it eccentric pop if you had to try and put her into a particular box. Listening to her is, as writer Neil Gaiman said, “like being fucked by butterflies”, which is as insightful as it is cheeky. You kind of half expected her voice to summon an animal posse into the theatre a la Snow White.

Miller Heidke’s triple-octave, classically trained vocal pyrotechnics were plain to see on the night and the orchestral backing by Canberra’s very own 38-piece National Pops Orchestra emphasised her operatic talents.

Especially during her song ‘O Vertigo!’ which has what I

guess you would call a vocal solo towards the end, similar to the glossolalia technique that Elizabeth Fraser from the Cocteau Twins occasionally uses to such good effect.

There were a few songs where Miller-Heidke and guitarist Keir Nuttall (who is also MillerHeidke’s partner) split off from the rest of the ensemble. They performed a couple of pretty little ditties together that served as nice diversions from the bombast of the sinfonietta.

The inclusion of an orchestra was definitely a marked departure from her usual performances and it was plain to see that her songs took on an element of sonic metamorphosis and weaved an altered tapestry compared to what you would hear on Apple Music (think along the lines of Metallica’s S&M).

Those who attended were also treated to a few tunes from Miller-Heidke’s Helpmann Award-winning musical The Rabbits, which is a product of her many years of performing

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in various operas and is also based on the children’s book by acclaimed Australian author John Marsden. As she explained during her performance, The Rabbits is an allegorical depiction of Australia’s colonisation. It’s kind of like an antipodean Animal Farm and, in a way, it’s rooted in reality as the crux of the play is focused on the invasion of a species not endemic to the area (being the rabbits or the British) tearing up the countryside and ruining the native marsupials’ (the Aboriginals) ecosystem.

In conclusion, it is definitely something else seeing her in concert. Her versatility is such that she went from a velvety dulcet to a cacophonous, fenestration wobbling wail that would not be out of place in a Puccini production. She possesses a certain je ne sais quoi on stage which definitely came out during her interaction with the audience, all of whom were glad they took the opportunity to come out and see her technical bravura in person.

PATRICK OGISI PAGE 71

[THE WORD ON GIGS]

NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL EXHIBITION PARK IN CANBERRA (EPIC) THU–MON MAR 13–17

PHOTOS BY JOHN P. HARVEY

Every National hosts unique performances and unique workshops and new discoveries, and one of its perennial delights is the formation, whether in its annual themed competition (this year, the Infinite Beach Boys competition) or in the Session bar’s nearly continuous jam sessions, of new combinations of musicians to perform together after meeting just a day or two earlier. It’s possible to detect, in these new combinations, frissons of barely conceived possibility.

But there are some ensembles you hope will always return, and very often they do.

One standout for me, The Mae Trio – appearing this year as The [five-piece] Mae Trio Band – characteristically sings in threepart harmony, accompanying itself on some combination of cello, violin, guitar, ukelele, and banjo. Its sound, simultaneously dynamic and soulful due in large part to its exquisite vocal harmonies, is magic. Another, The String Contingent, is an Australian–Scottish trio that, though purely instrumental, offers a lovely variety. It plays PAGE 72

its own compositions, and of late those compositions have become imbued with a beautifully sophisticated emotionality. (The String Contingent’s members also play in a five-piece, Lucy Wise and the B’Gollies, intermittently, largely performing Lucy Wise’s gentle vocal songs, but this combo had no formal gig at this year’s National.)

There were plenty of other reliably fabulous musicians too this year, notably including Guyy and the Fox; all-round musical wizard and funny man – even his website is funny – Mal Webb (whom I confess I didn’t manage to actually hear this year at all); The Spooky Men’s Chorale; and two of Canberra’s own: charming “The Voice” contestant Lucy Sugerman, and provocative living treasure Fred Smith.

And then there were the ones you hadn’t seen coming: the pleasant surprises. My pleasant surprises were: Mélisande: A French-language “electrotrad” four-piece (named after its lead singer) from

Canada, Mélisande was lively, musical, and tight and had its listeners tapping and dancing.

Flats and Sharps: Blending bluegrass, folk, and country genres in a sound sometimes reminiscent of Allison Kraus and Union Station, Flats and Sharps, hailing from Cornwall, England, has a high-energy sound and harmonic approach all of its own.

Desert Child: As well as being a blast to listen to, this Fremantle duo, with its impeccable fast guitar work and humorous improvisation, is a great deal of fun to watch as each of the pair plays off the other. The pair’s interaction with guest violinist Andrew Clearmont was a joy to behold.

Harpeth Rising: This U.S. trio adds fresh vocal harmonies to a good variety of instrumental styles in a fusion of “folk, newgrass, rock, and classical” genres. Its website is fun too.

Exaudi Youth Choir: If you’ve ever heard a sweeter choir than this Melbournian supergroup, then you’ve been very fortunate.

Its arrangements are musically interesting and rich, too.

Jarlath Henderson: A “firebrand” multi-instrumentalist and singer from Ireland, Jarlath Henderson appeared with two of his four usual fellow musicians, playing and singing pieces that were moving, even haunting.

Mic Conway’s National Junk Band: This act, less a surprise than a shock, was to me the absolute highlight of this year’s festival: musical, zany, and enormously funny.

It’s very easy to understand what turns upright festival-going citizens into itinerant festival habitués: a steady diet of such talent as appears every year at the National would surely create a high difficult to surrender. But this pop-up community of cheerful creativity is something we’re capable of nurturing whenever we invoke our own generosity of spirit. May the National long continue as an opportunity to players and listeners alike for such enrichment.

JOHN P. HARVEY @bmamag

[ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE] WEDNESDAY MAY 10 ART EXHIBITIONS M16 Artspace Exhibitions

THURSDAY MAY 11 ART EXHIBITIONS FAUNAcation

MAY 10 – MAY 13 THEATRE Avenue Q: The Musical

Tickets at theq.net.au. 8pm. 2pm matinees on May 6 and May 13.

WORKSHOPS

Male strippers with charisma, personality, and the moves to match.

8pm.

Native Birds in Full Colour

COMEDY

TIDBINBILLA NATURE RESERVE

Naked Girls Reading

Tom Rowney & Zeljko Markov Exhibition

7:30pm. $15.

Short film workshops with Marissa McDowell for emerging Indigenous filmmakers. 10am-2pm. Free.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Smith’s Scribblers

CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

8pm. Info at canberratheatrecentre. com.au.

Until Fri Jun 30.

Until Sun May 28.

Athol Shmith Fashion Photographs

Akmal – Trial & Error

Indigenous Filmmaking

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Lunchtime life drawing. 12:30pm. $15/$10.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

THE PLAYHOUSE

FRIDAY MAY 12

Until Sun Jul 16. This small exhibition showcases Athol Shmith’s elegant, bold and experimental photographs.

10am. Free.

Julia Morris

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

KARAOKE

Recent Small Paintings

Kegs n Karaoke

5pm/10pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Amber Lawrence & Catherine Britt

May 4 - 21. Launch May 4, 6pm.

M16 ARTSPACE

M16 Artspace Exhibitions

Until May 21. Recent Small Paintings, Together Apart, The Palm House and Green Space.

M16 ARTSPACE

Melodrama in Meiji Japan

Until Aug 27. Step into the tumultuous world of Meiji Japan (1868–1912), through a selection of stunning woodblock illustrations.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

Playlist

Including Raquel Ormella, Anna Madeleine, Chris Sutevski and more.

Tickets and info at livenation.com.au.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

LIVE MUSIC

The ‘LOVE ‘N’ LIES’ tour brings together two award winning country singersongwriters + special guest Fanny Lumsden. 8pm.

THE BASEMENT

Matt Dent

Awesome Aussie Roots Music.

THE DICKSON TRADIES

The Frankner

ANCA GALLERY

Velvet

May 3-14. Info at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

THE PLAYHOUSE

FILM Jumpcuts Presents

Lights!Canberra!Action! Best Of The Rest. 7.30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

KARAOKE

TRANSIT BAR

Tobias and Karin Page

Info at tobiasmusic.com.au or karinpage.com.

With Johnathan Davis. Free.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

ON THE TOWN

LIVE MUSIC

Chicago Charles & Danger Dave

The Worf Revue

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

THEATRE Avenue Q: The Musical

Tickets at theq.net.au. 8pm. 2pm matinees on May 6 and May 13.

QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

Questacon’s SciNight: Mile High Adults only. 6-9pm. $15 via questacon.edu.au.

QUESTACON

THEATRE

Avenue Q: The Musical

Space Party

Garage rock and surf music. Support from Il Bruto. 7pm. $10/$7 for CMC members.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Avenue Q tells the timeless story of a recent college graduate trying to find his way in the world. Set in New York City, we are introduced to fresh-faced Princeton as he struggles to find his purpose: meeting friends, finding love, losing love, and finding it again. Inspired by the beloved children’s show Sesame Street, Avenue Q creates a puppet-filled world that is a little more reflective of the difficult, R-rated realities that we face. Tickets at theq.net.au. 8pm. 2pm matinees on May 6 and May 13.

QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

SATURDAY MAY 13 ART EXHIBITIONS

The Frankner formed in Tokyo, Japan in 2013. A three-piece band with members Ryota, Sawachan and Yuki, they tout themselves as one of the few true punk rock bands in the Japanese scene. They’ve previously played alongside Australian band Nerdlinger, and get this – they recorded their debut LP, titled Heaps No Worries, Mate at Def Wolf Studios in Sydney. How cool is that? Support from The Mexican Age, Revellers and Sketch Method. 6pm.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

THE PHOENIX BAR

Sally Chicane

Cocktails & Karaoke

Theatre cabaret featuring some of Canberra’s nerdiest and most attractive young talent. 7pm. $20.

With Marlon Bando & Spaceboys. $5.

LOBROW GALLERY & BAR

8pm. Info at canberratheatrecentre. com.au.

DANCE

PALs

8pm. $5.

Akmal – Trial & Error THE PLAYHOUSE

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Vacations, Olibaron & Moosk

COMEDY

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Matt Dent/Something Like This

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Don’t You Fake It 10 Year Anniversary Tour. Tickets at tickets.destroyalllines. com.

Magic Desire XXX

LIVE MUSIC

9pm.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

16 local artists challenge the viewers’ perception of animals and how our actions cause them harm. Free.

M16 ARTSPACE

DJs spinning Old Skool, Hip Hop, R&B. Free from 5pm.

QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

‘The Age of Meaninglessness Has Ended, Art, Empirical and Ideal’, ‘The Darkness Torch’, ‘The Elm Forest’ and ‘Labyrinths of the Mind’. 12-5pm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Fridays From Five

9pm. Free.

The Thursday Games

Crazy ass games including tournaments and prizes, and all things Sangria & FUN. 5pm. Free.

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

TALKS Animal Rights Writing

Local authors Irma Gold, Karen Viggers and Sam Vincent discuss animal rights writing with Nigel Featherstone. 6pm.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

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Melodrama in Meiji Japan

Until Aug 27. Step into the tumultuous world of Meiji Japan (1868–1912), through a selection of stunning woodblock illustrations.

Sally Chicane have put their dancy track ‘Concrete’ to tape. Recorded at Infidel Studios and penned by Michael Tozer, this track is light-hearted and fun and a change from Kristy’s usual serious lyrics. If you haven’t seen Sally Chicane live, you need to watch them play this song ‘cause it goes off. Support from Loud So Clear, Organic Mechanic, Blissphorus. 8pm. Free.

TRANSIT BAR

Finn

8.30pm. Free entry.

CHISHOLM TAVERN

Matt Dent

Awesome Aussie Roots Music.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

ON THE TOWN

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

Playlist

Including Raquel Ormella, Anna Madeleine, Chris Sutevski and more.

ANCA GALLERY

M16 Artspace Exhibitions

‘The Age of Meaninglessness Has Ended, Art, Empirical and Ideal’, ‘The Darkness Torch’, ‘The Elm Forest’ and ‘Labyrinths of the Mind’. 12-5pm. Free.

M16 ARTSPACE

Kristie Rea: The Land, a 20 Year Survey May 13 - Aug 20.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Native Birds in Full Colour Until Fri Jun 30.

TIDBINBILLA NATURE RESERVE

Tom Rowney & Zeljko Markov Exhibition

Troll Life

Until Sun May 28.

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Athol Shmith Fashion Photographs

Feat. Shepz & DB. Tickets at residentadvisor.net.

CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

Miguel Campbell

Until Sun Jul 16. This small exhibition showcases Athol Shmith’s elegant, bold and experimental photographs.

10am. Free.

With Skinny, Genie, YoYo. 10pm.

MR WOLF

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

PAGE 73

[ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE] SATURDAY MAY 13 ART EXHIBITIONS FAUNAcation

16 local artists challenge the viewers’ perception of animals and how our actions cause them harm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Recent Small Paintings

May 4 - 21. Launch May 4, 6pm.

M16 ARTSPACE

M16 Artspace Exhibitions

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

KARAOKE

FILM

Read Like A Feminist Bookclub

#KaraokeLove

American Essentials Film Festival

May’s installment features The Permanent Resident by Roanna Gonsalves. 2pm. Free.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Octopus and Family - Book Launch

Launch of Annabelle Lee’s new picture book for grown-ups, with door prizes, books for sale and more.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Until May 21. Recent Small Paintings, Together Apart, The Palm House and Green Space.

THEATRE

COMEDY

QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

M16 ARTSPACE

Avenue Q: The Musical

Tickets at theq.net.au. 8pm. 2pm matinees on May 6 and May 13.

Anh Do: The Happiest Refugee

SUNDAY MAY 14

$54.90 + bf via canberratheatrecentre. com.au.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Akmal – Trial & Error

Light Between Oceans

LIVE MUSIC Irish Jam Session

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

MONDAY MAY 15

THE PHOENIX BAR

Lunchulele

Doctor Procter’s Monday lunchtime ukulele singalong for absolute beginners. 12pm. Free.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

The Surrogates

WORKSHOPS

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Indigenous Filmmaking

The Gaps, Sticky Bandits, Okinawa Girls 8pm. $5.

LOBROW GALLERY & BAR

Evensong

Choral music. 4pm. Free.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Multiplicity II $15-$20.

THE BASEMENT

William Crighton

Short film workshops with Marissa McDowell for emerging Indigenous filmmakers. 10am-2pm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

TUESDAY MAY 16 ART EXHIBITIONS FAUNAcation

16 local artists challenge the viewers’ perception of animals and how our actions cause them harm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

May 16-28.

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

LIVE MUSIC Charlie A’Court

Roots and soul driven by a mighty voice, fierce guitar playing for a dynamic live performance. 7pm.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Smith’s Varietal #75

Thunder Down Under 2017 Australian Tour

Your weekly mixed bag of local talent across genres and mediums, with MC Alec Randles. 9pm. $10.

THE BASEMENT

Northlane

Tickets at Ticketbud.com.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

With Hands Like Houses. 8pm. Tickets through Moshtix.

Lunch Time Sing Fling

WORKSHOPS Draw Life

Life drawing with models. 6:30pm. $15 + bf.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Paula Keogh: The Green Bell 6pm. Free event.

MUSE: FOOD, WINE, BOOKS

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! Poetry slam. 7:30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

THURSDAY MAY 18

WEDNESDAY MAY 17

Nonstop

2-6pm, free.

LIVE MUSIC

THE PHOENIX BAR

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Smith’s Sunday Session

ON THE TOWN

With Signs & Symbols, House of Strangers. 8pm. $10/$5.

The old time/folk/acoustic open jam where we party like it’s 1899. 7pm.

Free.

ON THE TOWN

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Society of Beggars

Old Timey Tuesday

Until Aug 27. Step into the tumultuous world of Meiji Japan (1868–1912), through a selection of stunning woodblock illustrations.

8pm. Free entry.

10:30pm. Free.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Melodrama in Meiji Japan

Choral music. 4pm. Free.

The Bootleg Sessions

THE PLAYHOUSE

With Christo and Jon’s. 6.30pm.

Evensong

The House of Tarot Burlesque Night

May 3-14. Info at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

Premium 80’s Trivia

ART EXHIBITIONS

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

LIVE MUSIC

Velvet

LIVE MUSIC

Traditional Irish musicians in the pub from late afternoon. Free.

DANCE

Twelve performances based on Tarot, with tarot readings available. 9pm. $25.

TRANSIT BAR

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

THE PLAYHOUSE

9pm. Free entry.

12pm, $10.

FILM Screening of Light Between Oceans, Directed by Derek Cianfrance. 2.30 – 4.45pm. Free.

Experience the workings of one of Australia’s best comedy minds in a one-off and highly unique night out. Will any of it make it into his new show?

We don’t know, but what we do know is that either way it will be entertaining …

Known for his incredible ability to deal with hot topics in a hilarious and slightly offensive way, Akmal promises this year to deliver a show that is punctual and jam-packed with words … some of which he will be using for the first time.

8pm. Info at canberratheatrecentre. com.au.

MAY 13 – MAY 18

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

Until 4 June. A solo exhibition by Canberra artist Cat Mueller. NONSTOP is a series of vibrant large-scale airbrushed acrylic paintings. Opens May 17 at 6pm.

ANCA GALLERY

M16 Artspace Exhibitions

‘The Age of Meaninglessness Has Ended, Art, Empirical and Ideal’, ‘The Darkness Torch’, ‘The Elm Forest’ and ‘Labyrinths of the Mind’. 12-5pm. Free.

M16 ARTSPACE

Kristie Rea: The Land, a 20 Year Survey

COMEDY LOL Pol

$7/$10. Bookings recommended. politbar.co POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

KARAOKE Kegs n Karaoke 9pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

LIVE MUSIC The Parlour Social

Classical meets ragtime. Boogie to Beethoven or cakewalk to Tchaikovsky!

7pm. $15/$10 for CMC/$5 for SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Youngsta

Support from Hax, DJHRH, Key Seismic, Xijuh. 7pm. $10.

TRANSIT BAR

May 13 - Aug 20.

Roses in Hand

Native Birds in Full Colour

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

TIDBINBILLA NATURE RESERVE

7pm.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

9pm. Free.

Until Fri Jun 30.

The Bridge Between

Athol Shmith Fashion Photographs

NATIONAL PRESS CLUB

Until Sun Jul 16. This small exhibition showcases Athol Shmith’s elegant, bold and experimental photographs.

10am. Free.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

Recent Small Paintings

May 4 - 21. Launch May 4, 6pm.

M16 ARTSPACE

M16 Artspace Exhibitions

Until May 21. Recent Small Paintings, Together Apart, The Palm House and Green Space.

M16 ARTSPACE

Outdoor Sculpture Festival

Info at cgsalumni.org.au. Until Jun 18.

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

The Fossicks With guests.

THE BASEMENT

ON THE TOWN The Thursday Games

Crazy ass games including tournaments and prizes, and all things Sangria & FUN. 5pm. Free.

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Upstairs Downstairs Tour

Info at portrait.gov.au/calendar/ upstairs-downstairs-2017/1419.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

East coast tour and vinyl release.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

PAGE 74

@bmamag

[ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE] THURSDAY MAY 18 WORKSHOPS Smith’s Scribblers

MAY 18 – MAY 22

ON THE TOWN

LIVE MUSIC

WORKSHOPS

Run It

Toe to Toe

Making Natural Skincare Products

With Seek N Destroy, Sub-Human, Cirrus, Yen Sid, Exposure. 9pm.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

With U.T.I, Sketch Method, Cockbelch, Kid Presentable, Needledick, Sewer Sideshow, Semen & Garfunkel THE PHOENIX BAR

Lunchtime life drawing. 12:30pm. $15/$10.

Fridays From Five

Indigenous Filmmaking

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

Giuseppe Verdi’s Choral Masterpiece.

7.30pm.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Lyn Dale and Diversity

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Short film workshops with Marissa McDowell for emerging Indigenous filmmakers. 10am-2pm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

FRIDAY MAY 19

DJs spinning Old Skool, Hip Hop, R&B. Free from 5pm.

Arabian Nights 8pm. $18 + bf.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

SATURDAY MAY 20

ART EXHIBITIONS FAUNAcation

16 local artists challenge the viewers’ perception of animals and how our actions cause them harm. Free.

Hard worn Folk Blues with a Rock’n’Roll attitude. 8pm. Free.

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

M16 ARTSPACE

May 13 - Aug 20.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Petula Clark

Until Sun Jul 16. This small exhibition showcases Athol Shmith’s elegant, bold and experimental photographs.

10am. Free.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

Le monde: observations of place Free. Until Jun 4.

BEAVER GALLERIES

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

4th Degree

10:30pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Stand You’re Grounds!

Disparo, Masochist, Blight Worms & Fight Milk.

THE FRONT GALLERY AND CAFÉ

Info at lachlanbryan.com.

Peace Train

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Julie Bartholomew

LOBROW GALLERY & BAR

American Essentials Film Festival

BEAVER GALLERIES

May 16-28.

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

THE PHOENIX BAR

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

SUNDAY MAY 21 LIVE MUSIC Irish Jam Session

Traditional Irish musicians in the pub from late afternoon. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Stand You’re Grounds!

Rotten Mind, Agency, Yoko Oh No & more.

LOBROW GALLERY & BAR

Rotten Mind, Agency, Yoko Oh No With Sleeping Dogs. 6pm. $5.

LOBROW GALLERY & BAR

Canberra Blues Society Monthly Jams

2pm $3 CBS members /$5 nonmembers.

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

ON THE TOWN Smith’s Sunday Session 2-6pm, free.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Endrey’s Musical Singalong Hour

Come and sing along to your favourite show tunes, karaoke style. 7pm. $10.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Griffith Review: Millennials Strike Back

Feminartsy Ideas Fest

Sam Vincent, Yolande Norris and Billy Griffiths, for a panel discussion with editor Julianne Schultz MUSE: FOOD, WINE, BOOKS

MONDAY MAY 22 ART EXHIBITIONS FAUNAcation

Until May 21. Recent Small Paintings, Together Apart, The Palm House and Green Space.

Info at cgsalumni.org.au. Until Jun 18.

10.30am.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

M16 Artspace Exhibitions

Outdoor Sculpture Festival

Masterclass with George Fetting

TALKS

THE STREET THEATRE

M16 ARTSPACE

M16 ARTSPACE

CANBERRA ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCE CENTRE

A tribute to Cat Stevens. Info at thestreet.org.au.

May 4 - 21. Launch May 4, 6pm.

FILM

With New Age Group & Chimney Goo. $10/$5.

Justin Bernasconi

Recent Small Paintings

The Postmasters, Slow Dial and more Thunderbolt City

THE BASEMENT

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Free. Contemporary ceramics. Until Jun 4.

8pm. $5.

Info at voyager-australia.com.

TIDBINBILLA NATURE RESERVE

8pm.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Voyager

Lachlan Bryan with The Weeping Willows

Athol Shmith Fashion Photographs

5pm/10pm. Free.

With Ice On Mercury, Lazarus Mode.

8pm. $10.

Native Birds in Full Colour Until Fri Jun 30.

Guyy Lilleyman/Special K

Renegade Peacock

Info at smithsalternative.com.

Kristie Rea: The Land, a 20 Year Survey

THE BASEMENT

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

M16 Artspace Exhibitions

ANCA GALLERY

Hellions

Sydney’s Hellions have been riding a wave of critical acclaim since they dropped their third album Opera Oblivia, which debuted at #4 on the ARIA Album Chart, landed the coveted triple j Feature Album and scored flawless reviews. Opera Oblivia is a glorious celebration and forensic examination of everything that makes being alive worthwhile. The album has been declared a genre great by the wider music community for its theatricality, emotion, innovation and confidence.

With Endless Heights, The Brave & Introvert. Tickets are $24.50 via Oztix.

Starts at 8pm.

Rockin’ Mamas

TRANSIT BAR

Awesome Aussie Roots Music.

11.30pm.

THE GEORGE HARCOURT INN

With Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes.

Steeped in Bluegrass tradition & draped in Gothic Americana imagery. $25 via TryBooking.

Until 4 June. A solo exhibition by Canberra artist Cat Mueller. NONSTOP is a series of vibrant large-scale airbrushed acrylic paintings.

‘The Age of Meaninglessness Has Ended, Art, Empirical and Ideal’, ‘The Darkness Torch’, ‘The Elm Forest’ and ‘Labyrinths of the Mind’. 12-5pm. Free.

Matt Dent

The Weeping Willows

Melodrama in Meiji Japan

Nonstop

The Tim Hulsman Trio (VIC): Friday Night Live

THE BURNS CLUB

Three Rock, Jazz and Blues acts comprised of multi-talented mothers.

4pm. $15/$10 CMC.

Oliver Tank TRANSIT BAR

11pm.

ART EXHIBITIONS

LIVE MUSIC Info at transitbar.com.au.

LLEWELLYN HALL

HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB

Until Aug 27. Step into the tumultuous world of Meiji Japan (1868–1912), through a selection of stunning woodblock illustrations.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Requiem

1pm. $45.

Feminartsy Ideas Fest is an inaugural one-day event from online feminist journal, Feminartsy, bringing together creatives and artists from all mediums to explore the intersection between feminist activism and a creative practice. The Ideas Fest will give you the chance to learn from leading feminist writers, artists and producers, and participate in hands-on workshops to grow your skills. Speakers include Caterina Giorgi (For Purpose), Chiara Grassia (Girls Rock! CBR), Rosanna Stevens, Jo Landgon (Mascara Literary Review) + more TBA. 10am3.30pm. 7.30pm-11pm. Tickets are $80/$70/$15 via Eventbrite.

GORMAN HOUSE ARTS CENTRE

16 local artists challenge the viewers’ perception of animals and how our actions cause them harm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

LIVE MUSIC The Bootleg Sessions 8pm. Free entry.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Coolio Desgracias: Do Me, Baby Part 2 of Coolio’s Deep Listening Series, exploring the love/lust binary in different musical forms.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

ON THE TOWN Lunchulele

Doctor Procter’s Monday lunchtime ukulele singalong for absolute beginners. 12pm. Free.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

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[ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE] MONDAY MAY 22

WEDNEDSAY MAY 24

MAY 22 – MAY 27 FILM

LIVE MUSIC

WORKSHOPS

ART EXHIBITIONS

American Essentials Film Festival

Peking Duk

Indigenous Filmmaking

Julie Bartholomew

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

Harrison Craig - Kings of Vegas

Short film workshops with Marissa McDowell for emerging Indigenous filmmakers. 10am-2pm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

TUESDAY MAY 23 KARAOKE #KaraokeLove 9pm. Free entry.

TRANSIT BAR

Free. Contemporary ceramics. Until Jun 4.

BEAVER GALLERIES

FAUNAcation

16 local artists challenge the viewers’ perception of animals and how our actions cause them harm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Melodrama in Meiji Japan

Until Aug 27. Step into the tumultuous world of Meiji Japan (1868–1912), through a selection of stunning woodblock illustrations.

May 16-28.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Sad Old Bastard Night 7.30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

Who Shafted Les Darcy?

6pm. What crime led this boxing legend to be vilified in Australia and America?

Join Roger Ley as he NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

THURSDAY MAY 25

LIVE MUSIC

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

BANG!! BENG!! BING!! BONG!!

BUNG!!

Local musicians trying out material for a friendly audience. 7pm. $5.

Until 4 June. A solo exhibition by Canberra artist Cat Mueller. NONSTOP is a series of vibrant large-scale airbrushed acrylic paintings.

ANCA GALLERY

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Old Timey Tuesday

M16 Artspace Exhibitions

FILM

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

The old time/folk/acoustic open jam where we party like it’s 1899. 7pm.

Free.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Lunch Time Sing Fling 12pm, $10.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

TRIVIA Movie Trivia with Henry & Steven

Presented by ANU Film Group. 6.30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

WORKSHOPS

Nonstop

‘The Age of Meaninglessness Has Ended, Art, Empirical and Ideal’, ‘The Darkness Torch’, ‘The Elm Forest’ and ‘Labyrinths of the Mind’. 12-5pm. Free.

M16 ARTSPACE

A film by Pablo Larrain.

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

9pm.

Kegs n Karaoke

Athol Shmith Fashion Photographs

THE PHOENIX BAR

LIVE MUSIC The Band of the Royal Military College

Join the RMC band with special guests from the ANU School of Music.

LLEWELLYN HALL

Free. Until Jun 4.

Hard Cover Duo

9pm. $21.50 via Moshtix.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Woodface

5pm/10pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Matt Dent

Harrison Craig

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Friday Night Fiesta

ON THE TOWN Fridays From Five

DJs spinning Old Skool, Hip Hop, R&B. Free from 5pm.

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

SATURDAY MAY 27 ART EXHIBITIONS Outdoor Sculpture Festival

Info at cgsalumni.org.au. Until Jun 18.

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

Julie Bartholomew

9pm. Free.

Free. Contemporary ceramics. Until Jun 4.

May 4 - 21. Launch May 4, 6pm.

Matt Dent

FAUNAcation

Outdoor Sculpture Festival

THE DICKSON TRADIES

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

With Reuben Stone, Jack Biilmann.

7pm.

CANBERRA ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCE CENTRE

M16 ARTSPACE

Awesome Aussie Roots Music.

Info at cgsalumni.org.au. Until Jun 18.

Pierce Brothers

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

BEAVER GALLERIES

16 local artists challenge the viewers’ perception of animals and how our actions cause them harm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

Melodrama in Meiji Japan

NATIONAL PRESS CLUB

Until Aug 27. Step into the tumultuous world of Meiji Japan (1868–1912), through a selection of stunning woodblock illustrations.

ON THE TOWN

Nonstop

The Cherry Pickers 7pm.

The Thursday Games

Crazy ass games including tournaments and prizes, and all things Sangria & FUN. 5pm. Free.

AVIARY ROOFTOP BAR

WORKSHOPS Smith’s Scribblers

Lunchtime life drawing. 12:30pm. $15/$10.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Indigenous Filmmaking

Short film workshops with Marissa McDowell for emerging Indigenous filmmakers. 10am-2pm. Free.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

FRIDAY MAY 26 DANCE Sydney Dance Company’s ORB

7.30pm.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

PAGE 76

Timmy Trumpet

THE PHOENIX BAR

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

CANBERRA SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB (JAMISON)

9pm. $10.

Neruda

Recent Small Paintings

Tickets at eventbrite.com.au.

Tickets at abstractentertainment.net.

Tickets at canberratheatrecentre. com.au.

7.30pm.

Creating a Bee Friendly Backyard

Makin’ Moonshine Masterclass

The Bootleg Beach Boys

Sydney Dance Company’s ORB

BEAVER GALLERIES

6pm. $25.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

VIKINGS CLUB (ERINDALE)

May 13 - Aug 20.

Le monde: observations of place

8pm.

Awesome Aussie Roots Music.

KARAOKE

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

UC REFECTORY

DANCE

Kristie Rea: The Land, a 20 Year Survey

Until Sun Jul 16. This small exhibition showcases Athol Shmith’s elegant, bold and experimental photographs.

10am. Free.

Tickets at pekingduk.com.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

Until 4 June. A solo exhibition by Canberra artist Cat Mueller. NONSTOP is a series of vibrant large-scale airbrushed acrylic paintings.

ANCA GALLERY

Kristie Rea: The Land, a 20 Year Survey May 13 - Aug 20.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Le monde: observations of place Free. Until Jun 4.

BEAVER GALLERIES

DANCE Sydney Dance Company’s ORB 7.30pm.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

FILM American Essentials Film Festival May 16-28.

PALACE ELECTRIC CINEMA

@bmamag

[ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE] SATURDAY MAY 27 LIVE MUSIC Angie

With Thunderbolt City. $15/$10.

LIVE MUSIC

ART EXHIBITIONS

Irish Jam Session

Outdoor Sculpture Festival

AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE

Lyall Moloney

Dana Hassall

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Country music full of airy, earthy vocals and feel-driven guitar. Support from Evan Buckley. 7pm. $10/$7.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

ON THE TOWN Smith’s Sunday Session

TRANSIT BAR

Rock Or Be Rocked

Classic rock and blues. 9pm. Free.

More information at bandmix.com.au/ mac11943/ WALSH’S HOTEL

Musical Matinee

Beautiful songs from many places by Kaleidoscope choir. 2pm. $15/$10.

QUEANBEYAN UNITING CHURCH

Matt Dent

Awesome Aussie Roots Music. 9pm.

2-6pm, free.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

MONDAY MAY 29

Revellers

With Adventure Sunday and Semen & Garfuckel. 9pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

90s night

13 bands covering 14 90’s bands over two stages.

THE BASEMENT

ON THE TOWN Ben Pearce

With Skinny, Mia Sørlie, Bakgat. 10pm.

MR WOLF

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Sammy J - Hero Complex

Nonstop

Until 4 June. A solo exhibition by Canberra artist Cat Mueller. NONSTOP is a series of vibrant large-scale airbrushed acrylic paintings.

ANCA GALLERY

Kristie Rea: The Land, a 20 Year Survey May 13 - Aug 20.

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

Busby Marou, a.k.a. Thomas Busby & Jeremy Marou, are touring in support of their ARIA #1 album Postcards From The Shell House. Featuring the singles ‘Getaway Car’ and ‘Best Part of Me’, the new album returns the pair to their roots. Info at busbymarou.com.

CANBERRA SOUTHERN CROSS CLUB (WODEN)

Polish Club

The Water National Tour.

The Bootleg Sessions

Open Mic Comedy at The Phoenix

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

Free. Until Jun 4.

8pm. Free entry.

8pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

THE PHOENIX BAR

ON THE TOWN

LIVE MUSIC

Lunchulele

Bonnie Tyler

Doctor Procter’s Monday lunchtime ukulele singalong for absolute beginners. 12pm. Free.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

TUESDAY MAY 30

#KaraokeLove

TRANSIT BAR

LIVE MUSIC

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Lunch Time Sing Fling 12pm, $10.

Feat. Ari Hoenig.

San Cisco ANU BAR

Mick Thomas

Info at smithsalternative.com.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

ON THE TOWN

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

THEATRE

Australian Lives: An Intimate History

Sydney Theatre Company’s Talk

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Book Launch. 6pm.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

THEATRE Sydney Theatre Company’s Talk 8pm. 31 May to 3 Jun. THE PLAYHOUSE

THURSDAY JUNE 1

THE BASEMENT

The old time/folk/acoustic open jam where we party like it’s 1899. 7pm.

Free.

TRANSIT BAR

Chicago Charles & Danger Dave

Fetid, Sewercide & Unbound.

Old Timey Tuesday

Info at transitbar.com.au.

With Rick Price. Tix at canberraticketing. com.au.

Stand You’re Grounds!

KARAOKE Kegs n Karaoke

9pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

9pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

8pm. 31 May to 3 Jun. THE PLAYHOUSE

WORKSHOPS Smith’s Scribblers

Lunchtime life drawing. 12:30pm. $15/$10.

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

FRIDAY JUNE 2 LIVE MUSIC Subsonic Launch party

With Thankyou City and MSG. $10/$20.

CLUB KYTE

Sorrel Nation / Something Like This 5pm/10pm. Free.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

TRIVIA Nerd Trivia with Joel Barkam 6:30pm.

THE PHOENIX BAR

THE PLAYHOUSE

WORKSHOPS

Shaken & Stirred

Draw Life

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

BEAVER GALLERIES

THE STREET THEATRE

7.30pm.

Intimate burlesque and cabaret. 7pm. $21.89 via Eventbrite.

Free. Contemporary ceramics. Until Jun 4.

COMEDY

9pm. Free entry.

LOBROW GALLERY & BAR

Julie Bartholomew

Yotam Silberstein

This week’s Smith’s Band Practice will be full of fun tunes and party vibes.

9pm. Free.

Oscar

With Faux Faux Amis, Finger Your Friends & more TBA. 8pm. $5.

CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL GALLERY

BEAVER GALLERIES

KARAOKE

Oranges Fundraiser

Info at cgsalumni.org.au. Until Jun 18.

Capital Club

Genre-defying music to take you on a sonic journey, while making your toes tap and your heart soar.

KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB

Busby Marou

LIVE MUSIC

Malumba

10.30pm. Free.

LIVE MUSIC

Le monde: observations of place

THE DURHAM

SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE

WEDNESDAY MAY 31

SUNDAY MAY 28

Traditional Irish musicians in the pub from late afternoon. Free.

One of Australia’s most enigmatic live performers, Lyall Moloney is touring in support of his new track and free fan offering ‘Get Up’ featuring Alphamama.

His soul-baring live show is a reflection of his work ethic and passion. A one man dub/trap machine who’s eclectic sounds and dirty beats heave from venue to venue Australia wide. With Coast and Ocean, Jye Whiteman. 7pm.

Tickets at Moshtix.

MAY 27 – JUNE 2

Life drawing with models. 6:30pm. $15 + bf.

Listings are a free community service.

Email editorial@bmamag.com to have your events appear each issue.

For up-to-date listings, visit bmamag.com/gigguide.

POLIT BAR & LOUNGE

Frog Friendly Gardens 8pm. $25.

CANBERRA ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCE CENTRE

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NEXT ISSUE: #494

OUT JUNE 7 PAGE 77

FIRST CONTACT Aaron Peacey 0410381306 band.afternoon.shift@ gmail.com.au Adam Hole 0421023226 Afternoon Shift 0402055314 Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410308288 Annie & The Armadillos Annie (02) 61611078/ 0422076313

Cole Bennetts Photography 0415982662 Danny V Danny 0413502428 Dawn Theory Nathan 0402845132 Danny 0413502428 Dorothy Jane Band, The Dorothy Jane 0411065189 dorothy-jane@dorothyjane.com Drumassault Dan 0406 375 997

Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408287672 paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au Kayo Marbilus facebook.com/kayomarbilus1 Kurt’s Metalworx (PA) 0417025792 Los Chavos Latin/ska/reggae Rafa 0406647296 Andy 0401572150

Rock Door Industries musical amplification/sound reinforcement/public address/ hi-fi/DJ equipment Glen 0432 675 934 Rug, The Jol 0417273041 Sewer Sideshow Huck 0419630721 Simone & The Soothsayers Singing teacher Simone 62304828

Feldons, The 0407 213 701

Merloc - Recording Studio, Watson. Sam King: 0430484363. sam@merlocrecords.com

Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410381306 Lachlan 0400038388

Missing Zero Hadrian 0424721907 hadrian.brand@live.com.au

Fourth Degree Vic 0408477020 Gareth Dailey DJ/Electronica Gareth 0414215885

Morning After, The Covers band Anthony 0402500843

Groovalicious Corporate/ weddings/private functions 0448995158

Mornings Jordan 0439907853

Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows-bookings@ birdslovefighting.com

Obsessions 0450 960 750 obsessions@grapevine.com.au

Guy The Sound Guy Live & Studio Sound Engineer 0400585369 guy@guythesoundguy.com

Painted Hearts, The Peter (02) 62486027 Polka Pigs Ian (02) 62315974

Tegan Northwood (Singing Teacher) 0410 769 144

Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438351007 blacklabelphotography.net

Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com

Rafe Morris 0416322763

Top Shelf Colin 0408631514

Redletter Ben 0421414472

Undersided, The Baz 0408468041

Aria Stone sax/flute/lute/ harmonica, singer-songwriter Aria 0411803343 Australian Songwriters Association Keiran (02) 62310433 Back to the Eighties Ty Emerson 0418 544 014 Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422733974 backbeatdrivers.com

Bridge Between, The Cam 0431550005 Chris Harland Blues Band, The Chris 0418 490 649 chrisharlandbluesband @gmail.com

PAGE 78

In The Flesh Scott 0410475703 Itchy Triggers Alex 0414838480

Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph 0404178996/ (02) 61621527

Sorgonian Twins, The Mark 0428650549 Soundcity Rehearsal Studio Andrew 0401588884 STonKA Jamie 0422764482 stonka2615@gmail.com Strange Hour Events Dan 0411112075 Super Best Friends Greg greg@gunfever.com.au System Addict Jamie 0418398556

Zoopagoo zoopagoo@gmail.com

Jenn Pacor Singer-songwriter avail. for originals/covers 0405618630

@bmamag

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