BMA Mag 326 11 Jun 2009

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inside this issue

P O SP T L DO IL O LT DS P H OIL O O S H O LT D H IL O O H O LT H IL O H O H L H I H H p

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THE DEVOTED FEW

CONSTRUCT

HELL CITY GLAMOURS

P O SP T L DO IL O T S

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Once again we’ve cobbled together some pure liquid awesomeness. Whether it be CDs, DVDs or gig tix you’re after, or perhaps a sexed up Penthouse-style shoot (oh yes, we’ve got that too), send answers to

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editorial@bmamag.com and we’ll see what we can do.

1 Frosty Words Who hasn’t heard about the Watergate scandal? It seems to have lasted longer than any other presidential scandal (even the “not sexual relations” of Clinton, the unfortunate office worker Lewinsky and that blue dress). Three years after being ousted from office Nixon agreed to break his silence over the scandal in an interview with UK television presenter David Frost. Over the course of the interviews both men met their match, as viewers watched with baited breath to see what would unfold. The DVD of Frost/Nixon, directed by Ron Howard, offers a handful of extras including deleted scenes, footage from the original interviews and film from the Nixon Library. To win one of five DVDs tell us about the biggest scandal you’d never want to own up to. We won’t tell… promise.

2 Black is the new Black No matter how hard you try one of your limbs will persist to tap along to the pumping pulse of Nik Fish’s latest album Black, and we just so happen to have five copies to give away to diehard house lovers. The new mix is heavier and darker than Fish’s previous work, with one track featuring audio snippets from The Dark Knight.

With powerful dynamics and breakouts Black is the perfect

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soundtrack to pull you to the dance floor. All you’ve got to do to snag a copy is stir up some of those memories of mishap and tell us the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you mid-jive.

3 Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder Now we’re sure you’ve all heard of the film My Year Without Sex, and naturally when there’s a film, there’s a soundtrack! Packed with a mix of international and Aussie artists including Bob Evans, Mick Harvey, Little Birdy, The Audreys, Bombazine Black, El Perro del Mar, The Eels, and Bananarama, the My Year Without Sex soundtrack would have had you shooting out of your seat and jumping up and down screaming ‘OMG I love this song!’ while the whole cinema stared incredulously.

Luckily, thanks to us, you can do this in the privacy of your own home as we have three copies up for grabs. Just tell us what you would give up sex for a year for and the soundtrack could be yours.

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4 Who’s Bob tonight?

Canberra’s cheeky charmer Sanjiva de Silva and local legend Craig Dawson were born to be Bob Dylan, while The Lenders were born to channel The Band.

Guy The Sound Guy (aka Guy Gibson, long time Canberra soundie/studio engineer) invites you to get along to Bob & The Band, a tribute to the music of Dylan and the band with the most boring name ever – The Band – who wrote some of the best songs ever. Will ‘Pete Seeger’ appear with an axe to try to stop ‘Dylan’ going electric? Find out on Saturday June 13 at 8pm at the Polish White Eagle Club, Turner. Strut in dressed as Dylan or Baez and you could win a CD. Better still, come up with a better name for The Band than they did and you could score a double pass.

5 Shot in Face So you’ve got yourself a spanking new recording and it’s sounding sweet, but what about a picture or two to glorify your album with, or to send out to the press masses so your mug can be plastered through the pages and across the world?

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Cole Bennetts Photography is giving away a full photoshoot for a band, DJ, MC, JP or indeed if you just want to look hot on facebook. Cole Bennetts Photography supplies super high-quality and creative images to media and agencies across Canberra and the nation.

To win, simply tell us what animal you would imitate in a photoshoot. Jump onto www.colebennetts.zenfolio.com to see what cracking works the man creates.

6 flippin’ yeah What they say about punk never dying must be true; this ain’t no ordinary punk band and this ain’t no ordinary album. Flipper, the band that even Moby once claimed to be in because he loved them so much, are back with their double album Love/ Fight. Love is the first studio album to be released in 17 years, while the second disc Fight is a compilation of live tracks from over the years. To enjoy this CD and be taken back to the days of denim before it went the way of bad and angry bastards, let us know what you’d call your punk band and one of three double albums could be yours.

Did you know that every thirteen minutes a relationship in Australia ends? Statistics tell us that only 5% of these relationships will end cleanly. The majority will haemorrhage into heaving silence with one staring into space and the other in tears. Sentences will get said: “I don’t know what I feel any more. I just don’t think I can give to this relationship.” The carcass of trust shall hang from necks. There will be gazes from the doorway. Beautiful creatures in knee high socks and soft cotton dresses sprawled on the bed, faces buried in pillows.

Nervous men out of scripts and drawing on movie memories. Walk out the door. Just walk out that door. There’s no turning back. We’re past the point of no return.

Having done a snap-survey of my friends I’ve concluded that for those of us that are single, it’s not easy. We’re all nursing a photo album of bruises in our hearts. We’re all staring longingly into the suburban sunset, waiting for the smooth white arms of a perfect match to come cradle us through this spiritual recession. We have so much to give and we feel like we’re going to waste. We sit on public transport retina scanning from afar. Glancing at stockinged legs wondering if now’s the time to stand up, ride the bumps like a fate surfer and wander over with business cards in hand and the pre-rehearsed line of “hey... you seem really... nice... let me know if you want a coffee sometime...” before thrusting our little rectangle mangle of a lifeforce into the clenched hand of the long-haired lovely, nursing shopping and a good book – innocent royalty in this fraction of a possibility.

How can we meet new people? Us loners. Us washed up lovers. How can we tune into the frequencies of those who would hold our arm as we picked out videos. Who would kiss our necks and laugh softly as we realised our opinions on The Life Aquatic were so damn similar.

What combination of words and actions could unlock the vault of chance that would lead us to a universe of warmth beneath covers and the body lock of sweetheart sweat – the timeless utterance of “I’m so glad I found you.”

How can we find those we’d be so glad we found?

We go to gigs, we go to parties, we flick about on Facebook. Everyone looks occupied and unattainable. The beautiful people have their friends, their drinks in hand, they don’t need us and our over-thought desperation. We over-thought it already. Our sentences are like highschool clay, all fingerprints and lumpy joins. What could we possibly offer? We are on the outside of the painting looking in.

Colours are creamy and expressions are effortless. It’s a dream in there. How could we approach? We are covered in shadows.

Within a typical day the average single person will create over 186 conflicting thoughts about love. They may tell themselves things like ‘this is a good time to be single’ within the same stanza as ‘I’m horny, everything’s fucked.’ This is normal and is reflective of the human experience. We are wise-cracking muddles all wrapped up tight in string, like Kris Kringles waiting to be given to the right person.

We’re store-bought bundles of poetic observations, clever humour and kisses. Woh dear God we are good kissers. Did we mention this?

Upon the well-timed mouth we’ll make you forget every insult you’ve ever been given. We’ll take you up in a hot air balloon and land you in a forest of flowers, make you biscuits of the ripest honey and read you the funniest and saddest story, in voices soft as rain.

You just have to find us.

We just have to find you.

JUSTIN HEAZLEWOOD www.bedroomphilosopher.com Justin performs as The Bedroom Philosopher and writes for Frankie, Jmag and The Big Issue. The Bedroom Philosopher launches his new album Brown & Orange at ANU on Thursday July 2.

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new neighbours

March Across Oz

Still sexy after all these years

Augie March are touring again after the release of their fourth LP Watch Me Disappear. Watch Me Set My Strange Sun You Bloody Choir will be the band’s last tour of 2009. They’ll be marching into the ANU Bar on Saturday July 18 with the support of Gareth Liddiard and Dan Luscombe of The Drones. Head to Ticketek before it sells out.

# 3 2 6 J U N 1 1 A Change is gonna come Fax: 02 6257 4361 Mail: PO Box 713 Civic Square, ACT 2608 Publisher Scott Layne General Manager & Advertising Manager Allan Sko T: 6257 4360 E: advertising@bmamag.com Editor Julia Winterflood T: 02 6257 4456 E: editorial@bmamag.com Accounts Manager Ashish Doshi T: 6247 4816 E: accounts@bmamag.com Sales Executive Danika Nayna T: 0408 657 939 Graphic Design Jenny Freeman Exhibitionist Editor Naomi Milthorpe Film Editor Mark Russell Principle Photographers (The Flashbulb Posse) Andrew Mayo Nick Brightman John Hatfield NEXT ISSUE 327 OUT JUNE 24 EDITORIAL DEADLINE JUN 12 ADVERTISING DEADLINE JUN 18 Published by Radar Media Pty Ltd ABN 76 097 301 730 bma is independently owned and published.

Opinions expressed in bma are not necessarily those of the editor, publisher or staff.

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Canberra youth bands are joining forces to raise awareness of climate change. The National Climate Emergency Rally and Environment Festival kicks off at Garema Place on Saturday June 13 with the funk and rockin’ beats of Pleased To Jive You and Astro Chem. The boys will take the stage at 12:15pm, followed by the rally at 1pm, and then there’s more music to follow. With the planet facing catastrophic global warming in as little as twenty years, why not get down and support local musicians doing their bit.

Here Comes The… Fresh out of the studio and ready to hit the road, Brisbane pop sweethearts Autumn Sun will be bringing their contemporary coastal sounds down south when they tour their highly anticipated EP Gritty Love. The band is heading to The Phoenix on Monday June 22, with support from the loveliest of local lasses Marianne Mettes.

green speak Are you under 25? Do you have something to say about sustainability and environment issues? On Thursday June 18 the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment and the Children and Young People Commissioner will be at the Canberra Museum and Gallery to hear your views on the current state of our dear mother earth. There’ll be free

grub and drinks, so be sure to RSVP by June 11 so they know how much nosh to order.

Phone 6207 2626 or email envcomm@act.gov.au .

images of darfur In a town that always seems to be running an exhibition of some sort comes a truly unique one. Far to Here is the photographic exploration of the conflict in Darfur, with images provided by photojournalist Kabir Dhanji and Darfuri youth after their resettlement in Australia. Coinciding with Refugee Week, the images provide a harrowing insight into the tragedy that has been faced by these people over the last decade, as well as the hope they still have as a community.

This incredible exhibition is on show at the Presiding Officer’s Exhibition Area at Parliament House from June 17 to July 3, and it’s absolutely free.

Lay-by Your New Year The Peats Ridge Sustainable Music Festival is back in fine style for 2009. A limited amount of First Release tickets were made available on June 8 and will be available until the end of August. Bringing a new initiative to Australia – following the lead of some of the world’s biggest music festivals like Glastonbury and Coachella – Peats Ridge is offering a lay-by system to assist festival lovers in these gloomy times.

Ticketing portal and full details on how to purchase at www.peatsridgefestival.com.au .

Love Thy Neighbour Everyone hates running into their ex, so why go on tour with one? Lucy Hearn of The Understudy and Chris Frank of New Neighbours have put themselves into this tensionfilled situation to show the East Coast a fiery show. With opening act Margaret Helen King they’ll be at The Phoenix on Saturday June 13. With a mix of muscular and melodramatic music, and the possibility of some entertainment from squabbling exs… it’ll be a sight to behold.

Twain Ride Rising five-piece alternative/ roots/rock band The Huckleberry Swedes are touring Australia with their debut LP Suburban Dreaming.

The album features the boys mastering a wonderfully bemusing mix of accordion, banjo, mandolin, keyboards, guitars, bass, vocals and drums, all of which they’ll be bringing to The Phoenix on Wednesday June 17.

All the people, so many people Parklife Festival is back with an electric mix of this year’s most essential international and local artists, including Crystal Castles, Junior Boys, The Rapture, Lady Sovereign, MSTRKRFT, Empire of the Sun and Art Vs. Science. Australia’s most forward-looking festival hits Sydney on Sunday October 4 (long weekend).

Tickets go on sale Thursday June 25 and are available from www.parklife.com.au .

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another

YOU PISSED ME OFF!

thing…

Where were we? Oh yes, Black Sabbath were about to offload British vocalist Tony Martin after 1990’sTyr album had stiffed, but who to select? Stalwart band leader Tony Iommi, now becoming almost as famous for his vacillation and indecisiveness as his adamantine riffwork, was in a quandary. Elements outside the band suggested the time was right to stop fannying about with unknowns, but Ozzy, the obvious choice, was making too much money as a solo artist to be tempted back into the fold which left… Ronnie James Dio. The diminutive crooner, though in the midst of a successful solo tour of duty himself, needed no real persuasion and thus, it is he who appears behind the mic on 1992’s Dehumanizer. Hailed by critics (especially in the US) as something of a return to form after the best part of a decade in the wilderness, Dehumanizer was a crushingly heavy affair, though not so heavy that one song, Time Machine, was able to worm its way onto the soundtrack for Wayne’s World – but, as you’re doubtlessly becoming aware, a successful Black Sabbath album doesn’t guarantee a stable Black Sabbath lineup. Ozzy Osbourne, increasingly plagued by ‘forgetfulness’ and a dodgy knee, had decided to call it a day, announcing a farewell tour, the last two dates of which would feature the Prince of Darkness supported by…

Black Sabbath.

Except nobody had told Ronnie James Dio. Enraged that Sabbath would effectively be paying homage to Osbourne (with whom he had a long enmity) by supporting him, Dio flatly refused to have anything to do with the shows, and Iommi promptly sacked him. Dio was replaced temporarily by Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford, whose appearances on stage inevitably sparked rumours that the metal god may become Iommi’s new right-hand man.

He didn’t of course. As the smoke cleared from the Dio debacle, other rumours started circulating that the real reason that Dio had left was that he’d discovered Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler had been in negotiations with Osbourne concerning a possible reformation of the classic lineup; if this was true nothing came of it, because by the time Sabbath released a new album – 1994’s Cross Purposes – Tony Martin was back in the band! CP was another fine record – the band hadn’t really delivered anything ropey since Seventh Star – but, as Paul Weller so accurately put it, the public gets what the public wants – and, after the inevitable live album and the awful, awful Forbidden (produced by Body Count’s Ernie C, and featuring Ice T on guest vocals with hilarious, if somewhat wearying consequences) Martin was finally shown the door in favour of… Ozzy Osbourne.

The Reunion tour with Osbourne was a roaring success, at least at first, and the accompanying live album, Reunion, was greeted rapturously, not least because it featured two new tracks from the ‘classic’ lineup, recorded in the studio as bonus cuts for the release.

But they were the only tracks Osbourne managed to record with the band, as fans were forced to content themselves with ever shorter live sets and a procession of repackaging and rereleasing of the band’s ‘70s output. Iommi and Butler became increasingly frustrated with their inability to record any new music with the ever-more ludicrous Osbourne and, when record company executives decided the time was right for a look back at Sabbath’s Dio-led years (with accompanying new material), the pair jumped at the chance of writing with the little man again. Which, if I’m not much mistaken, was where we came in… scott adams thirtyyearsofrnr@hotmail.com

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

And for the love of God, keep it brief! [All entries contain original spellings] To the immoral, perfidious, treacherous, vile, sordid, snivelling, despicable THIEF who stole my 21st birthday present from Kremlin Bar on May 23, may your whole house be infested with termites, your mattress fill with lice, your refrigerator blow a gasket, and your dermatologist proclaim your case hopeless! May your mates realise you’re as annoying as a mosquito, your favourite brand of cheap deoderant be discontinued, your National Bank of Dad file for bankruptcy, and all your condiments go mouldy! For that is what you stole from me when you assumed that sparkly bag contained booze, when in actual fact it was full of jam! Scrumptious fig jam, delectable fig and lime jam, and (my favourite) fig chutney, made with boundless love and dexterous care by a wonderful woman and cherished friend, the likes of whom you will never have the pleasure of knowing! So I do hope you’re enjoying my birthday present and didn’t just ditch it when you realised you couldn’t get sloshed on stolen goods. Spread it on thick you loathsome cockroach, but may your toast be burnt forever.

FROM THE BOSSMAN Were it not for my studious (and, frankly, gorgeous) fiancé, I would have been buried by my own possessions long ago (and cut short of the greatness that I aspire to each day, of course. A tragedy, you’ll agree). Yes, like many a bloke to their doting missus, I can often exude symptoms of annoyance when asked, for the fifth time that Saturday morning, to clear away that pile of CDs, sort through that stack of papers, or wheel that hamper of soiled underpants into the laundry. But it keeps things in check, and allows one to accumulate anew like our hunter-gatherer ancestors of old.

Sadly, this is not the case in the office. Despite my best intentions to keep the ‘media area’ * clear of CDs, every day, case by case, a binary hamlet is built until – in a frenzy of musical ADD we all sometimes get when 100 songs enter your head at once, and you simply must play them all that afternoon – an impenetrable fortress of musical history has been erected that no man can demolish.

No man, that is. A woman has that neatly packed away in ten minutes.

So as the Pope famously once didn’t say: “Women. Am I right fellas?”

I really do tail off with these things.

ALLAN “NOT SO SHORT STACK” SKO * read 1982 Rotel CD player with a tray that jams in the winter, and a dogeared copy of Q Magazine circa 1996. Who will win the battle of Brit Pop between Blur and Oasis? I still haven’t the time to find out…

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WHO: THE BEDROOM PHILOSOPHER WHAT: MUSIC COMEDY GENIUS WHEN: THURS JULY 2 WHERE: ANU BAR

Award-winning folk-comedy maverick The Bedroom Philosopher (AKA Justin Heazlewood StruthBeTold) launches the shit out of his critically acclaimed difficult second album Brown & Orange with a national tour.

For the first time he is bringing the puzzlingly gorgeous five-piece The Awkwardstra (‘a rock eisteddfod for home school children’,) along with best friend and fellow indie-pop comedy wizard Josh Earl (‘a one man flight of the conchords’). Fresh from winning the Director’s Choice award for his Melbourne Comedy Festival Show Songs From The 86 Tram this promises to be a sitar/flute explosion of alt-mod-superirony and stage theatrics not seen since Jarvis Cocker joined Ween.

WHO: LOCAL & INTERSTATE DJS WHAT: PURPLE SNEAKERS WHEN: FRI JUNE 26 WHERE: TRANSIT BAR

The kids at Purple Sneakers really look forward to their trips to Canberra each month. It’s just like partying in Sydney except they don’t get robbed or bashed for no reason. However, there has been one thing that has been bothering them, and that’s the fact it’s so freaking cold, so they thought they’d heat things up a bit with some of their favourite local party DJs. Local superstar Talihina Shan will be taking control of the decks and dance floor along with Will Eat Brains, while Purple Sneakers DJs M.I.T and Walkie Talkie will be bringing a truckload of Sydney tastiness to Transit on Friday June 26. Beat the heat and move those feet.

WHO: CANBERRA MUSOS AND MUSIC LOVERS WHAT: SAVE CANBERRA’S MUSIC SCENE WHEN: SAT JUNE 13 WHERE: ANU BAR

Canberra’s Music Scene is dwindling fast. Venues have been forced to shut down, opportunities for musicians are little to none, noise restrictions are making it increasingly difficult for venues still standing to make a living, and most of our talent is forced to move elsewhere if they are to have any hope of making it in the industry.

This special benefit gig is designed to raise support for these musicians/venue-owners, and awareness about how dire the situation has gotten. The night will feature local heros Hancock Basement, Rubycon, Rounds, The Heroines and The Preys. All proceeds will be donated to the Canberra Musicians Club.

WHO: SHAZAM WHAT: FUNKIN’ FRESH BEATS WHEN: SAT JUNE 20 WHERE: TRINITY BAR

Known for always bringing something fresh to the table, Shazam is a Perth producer making tracks for dance floors, with plush productions that manage to balance depth and substance with an abounding sense of fun. He knows how to inject the right amount of bump into a track, while not getting caught up in the all too prominent contest of who can bang the hardest. He’s so far released material on Modular, Bang Gang 12 Inches and Ministry of Sound, sometimes dipping into DJ mode and causing his audience to lose it like a set of keys. If you don’t care how you’re getting home on Saturday June 20, head to Trinity for some seriously bangin’ (but not overly so) beats.

WHO: PACQMAN AND FRIENDS WHAT: FREE GIG WHEN: FRI JUNE 12 WHERE: WODEN YOUTH CENTRE

Electronica-duo Paqman are coming home for the second instalment of PostOp Production’s Pc4PcFest, a FREE all ages event at Woden Youthie. Enormous congrats to West of the Sun who organised the extremely successful previous event. Joining Paqman will be Escape Syndrome, as well as hardcore veterans Vera. Opening this massive gig will be Astrochem and Turbulence.

With experimental electronica, metal, funk, hardcore and alternative rock, there is something for everyone. Free gigs are rare. Free gigs featuring a lineup as diverse and original as this one are even rarer. Pacqman return to Woden Youthie on June 27.

WHO: MOOSEHEADS WHAT: SNOW JAM WHEN: FRI JUNE 26 WHERE: ER, MOOSEHEADS

Feeling snowed under? Well cast off the winter doldrums with the Mooseheads Snow Jam, where you can slice and carve up the dance floor while a snow machine cakes the club’s interior in a wintery wonderland. With various other snow-themed chicanery - including a snowboard arcade game, snowboard raffle and highly coveted Mooseheads jumpers (“Mooseheads jumpers?!?”

“Yes! Mooseheads jumpers!”) - as well as $2 Agwa bombs and the club’s finest house DJs to enjoy, the Snow Jam is snow joke <shoot me now>.

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M c R P E R L U A S E S E M D A N I K A N AY N A “Balls to that!” I said. “There’s no way you’re going to get me on the phone to one of the biggest hip-hop acts in the country, especially with some dude who calls himself Pressure.” I took some convincing.

Being the Advertising Executive of this fine publication we call BMA Magazine and having never conducted a phone interview before, the thought of kick-starting my five minute journalism career with the Hilltop Hoods was, in my mind, nothing short of life threatening.

Feeling a little shaky and like my heart was about to slingshot through my throat, I set myself up on the floor of a room bearing nothing but a lonely drum kit and awaited the phone call. A young, female representative of a publicity group burst onto the line. She asked if I knew whether he preferred to be called “MacPressure” or “M.C. Pressure.” Feeling a little better about my knowledge of the hip-hop universe, and wishing dearly that I’d told her to call him MacPressure, I crossed my legs and tapped the bass drum until the intensity of my fear was completely crushed by the magnificently pleasant man that picked up the other end of the line.

Pressure informed me that he was currently reclining at his home in Adelaide, after spending a weekend off with the always pleasurable company of your friend and mine, beer. “We finished the album last Wednesday, so we’ve only really had the weekend off,” he says. “It’s been a little bit crazy. We’ve been working on it solidly for the last 18 months and even a little bit more than that. It’s only come to head in the last month. Glad to have a bit of time!”

The album Pressure refers to is their brand spanker State of the Art. After The Hard Road smashed through the mainstream world, debuting at number one on the ARIA charts and bagged all sorts of pointy awards, the Hoods cemented their place in a scene that Australian hip-hop had been knocking on the door of for too long. Now feeling comfortable with their fanbase and (surely) knowing that everything they touch turns to gold, the trio have taken a somewhat more serious direction.

“It draws elements from The Calling and The Hard Road with a little bit from The Hard Road Restrung,” he says. “It’s probably a little bit harder. It wasn’t one of those things that

we deliberately tried to do.

We just went track by track and the album turned out that way, with all the songs that made the cut fitting together. Hopefully you can find some sort of continuance from the last album if you’re a fan of our music. Nothing’s changed so much that you won’t recognise our signature sound. It’s just our next journey, really.”

It’s been ten years since Pressure, Suffa and DJ Debri released their first EP; a long time to spend working with the same two people, so it’s understandable if times aren’t always filled with tender man-love. When asked if they always agree on what to write about and put on the album I’m met with a resounding “No!”. Pressure fills me in, saying “when you’re working with two other people, everyone has a difference of opinion, which is a good thing at the end of the day and a lot of songs got cut from the album because one of us didn’t like it. We’ve always had a policy that we only ever put material on our album that all three of us were really feeling. You have the occasional disagreement, but at the end of the day we’re all really good friends. It doesn’t come to blows!”

One of the most interesting and mature tracks on the album is She’s So Ugly. It relates to the group’s feelings about the industry they so demandingly reign over, pointing out the frustrations the Hoods face as producers with such issues in the back end of the industry as copyright and sampling restrictions. I ask Pressure what pisses them off about the scene.

We’re getting a bitterness off our chest about all the bullshit and politics that goes on in the hip-hop industry.

“I guess it’s like anywhere. You’re in something for long enough and you build up a sort of grudge against it,” he says. “I guess we’re kind of getting a bitterness off our chest about all the bullshit and politics that goes on in the hip-hop industry and a bit in the music industry overall. You’ve got to put up with a bit of shit!” That said, Pressure is quick to point out his adoration for the quality of hip-hop in Australia.

“I think we’ve got a fantastic industry over in Australia at the moment.

It’s gone from strength to strength over the past five years and there’s plenty a good artist out there making music. I think Australian hip-hop’s in the best place ever.”

Quite proud of myself for finally getting Pressure to swear, twice, I shifted sitting positions, causing the drum kit I mentioned earlier to become my worst enemy. I’d managed to wedge myself between the bass and snare drums. Sabotage! The awkward dilemma I found myself in could go one of two ways; either I reef out my legs, making the kit come crashing down, or I get a cramp. Time to wrap this baby up.

The tour was the final subject on my lips. “We’re putting together a different show,” Pressure said. “We’re trying to find new ways to do old stuff.” I took more of a shot into a barrel of fish rather than a wild stab in the dark, asking if they’re sick of performing The Nosebleed Section. “If we don’t do it in our shows we get ‘dude! Pleeeaaase play The Nosebleed Section!,’ so you have to play the old tracks. People come to see the material they know and love.” I guess that means you can expect the Hilltop Hoods to be cracking out a lot of your favourites along with their new material on the tour. Win. Hilltop Hoods with special guests Classified and Briggs will play the ANU Bar on Tuesday August 4. Tickets through Ticketek. Make sure to get in early, this promises to be huge!

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ALL AGES Hello ladies and gents! An epic couple of months coming up in Canberra’s underage music scene, with some amazing local talent popping out a crapload of cheap shows for us musically destitute young ’uns.

House Vs Hurricane, Melbourne’s original ‘trance-core’ blokes have been causing a stir in Australia’s underground music scene since their formation in 2006. With a unique style of music fusing ambience, hardcore, rock, melody, experimental, electronica and alternative, these guys are on their way up, so don’t miss out on seeing them before they skyrocket their way to the top. HVH will be rocking out at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Thursday June 11 along with Nazarite Vow, Dead Kings and I Exist.

Sydneysiders Bleached Academy, Cayce and local lads So Long Safety are rocking out at the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Friday June 26. Winners of the 2008 Youth Rock Competition, Bleached Academy are one of Sydney’s youngest up and coming bands on the scene at the moment. Frontwoman Hayley Warner puts on a wildly energetic performance, along with a raging performance from the rest of the foursome. So crack out your term ticket and get yourself down there, because you’ll be pooing pigeons if you miss out.

Deez Nuts, Amity Affliction, Break Even, Ligeia and Louie Knuxx will be cranking it up for us at the Weston Creek Community Centre on Friday July 3. Former I Killed The Prom Queen drummer JJ Peters’ rapcore solo project, Deez Nuts, is one of Australia’s biggest hardcore/rap exports and the only good thing to come of IKTPQ’s untimely split. Amity Affliction are one of Australia’s most popular post-hardcore bands at the moment, having shared the stage with such prominent bands as Alexisonfire, Misery Signals, Anberlin, Silverstein, Every Time I Die, Emery, I Killed the Prom Queen, Parkway Drive, Carpathian, The Getaway Plan, Against, Nazarite Vow, House Vs. Hurricane and Miles Away. These guys put on a smashing show – so don’t miss it, all the cool cats will be there.

Paqman, Escape Syndrome, Vera, Astrochem and Turbulence will be struttin’ their stuff on stage at the Woden Youth Centre on Friday June 12 and there’s no excuse to miss this because, yep that’s right, you can save your dolla billz ‘cause it’s free! Now dat shit be whack biatches!

Also at the Woden Youth Centre – Paqman, Pleased to Jive You and Slovac (plus plenty more bands to be announced) will be joining up to chill out and jam out on Saturday June 27. And it’s not going to put a hole in your back pocket either, tickets are only $6 at the door, so save up some lunch money and get your pretty little selves down there.

Come down to the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on Tuesday July 7 to witness the ultimate collision of genres in Punk vs Metal. Tickets are only $8, so don’t miss this epic battle for the title of best ever genre ever… ever. [Forever ever? Ed.] That’s all from me this fortnight fellas, get out and party hard biatches! liz rowley elizabeth_rowley@live.com.au

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LOCALITY The weather is starting to cool down, making the 1am walk from the venue to the car a little more daunting than in previous months. But don’t be discouraged, dear punters! There will be all kinds of lovely live Canberra music for your listening pleasure during the next three weeks.

Sam King, of Canberra’s fabulous Mr Fibby, will be hosting the Seasonally Affected Depression Sessions (or SAD Sessions) in an effort to counteract the cold weather. Get along to the toasty warm Corroboree Park Hall in Ainslie on Saturday June 20 and Saturday June 27 and take in some tunes with likeminded music fans.

Zounds and The Pocket (both from regional NSW) will be playing at The Front Café and Gallery on Thursday June 11. They will be supported by Canberra’s The Sleeves and The Eastern Seaboard and the show kicks off at 8pm.

It’s time again for The Pot Belly’s annual showcase of Canberran bands and solo artists. Pop The Pot ‘09 will be held on Saturday June 20 and the music will start at 5pm. The lineup includes Pleased To Jive You, The Heroines, Paulie The Water Tiger, Johnny Roadkill, Ffatt Controller and Changeable Dan, plus solo artists Dan Ihasz, John Lollback and Sean Smeaton. With more acts yet to be announced and no cover charge, it promises to be a big night. Get in early folks!

The word on the street is that the Canberra Musicians Club is putting together a fundraiser, featuring some awesome local bands, in order to Save Canberra’s Music Scene. To save said scene, simply head to the ANU Bar on Saturday June 13 and rock out with Hancock Basement, Rubycon, Rounds, The Heroines and The Preys. Doors open at 8 pm, tickets are $12.

Hancock Basement will also be playing at the ANU Bar on Saturday June 20. This time around the boys will be supporting Hell City Glamours (Syd), along with local lads Escape Syndrome.

The friendly people at Servants of Sound want to hear from any acts that would like to be part of this year’s Dragon Dreaming Festival, which will be held on the October long weekend (Saturday October 3 – Monday October 5). The festival’s focus is electronic music; however the organisers are seeking interest from a variety of performers. The Andi and George Band played last year and their blog hailed the festival as “the most diverse bush doof I’ve ever been to”. High praise indeed! If any bands, solo artists or other creative types would like more information on this year’s event, send your queries to info@servantsofsound.org .

As always, there are two packed nights of great local music each and every week in our fair city. If you love cocktails and chandeliers, head to Hippo on Thursday nights for Domus Adultus. If you’re all about beer and chess, you probably already know about The Bootleg Sessions, held on Monday nights at The Phoenix. At the time of writing, there’s no info available on the acts that will be playing in June, but based on Locality’s experience, you really can’t go wrong with either of these events.

That’s it from Locality for this issue. Got some Canberra music news? Email us your info and we’ll make your business everyone else’s business.

‘Til next time, CATHERINE JAMES locality.bma@hotmail.com

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DANCE THE DROP I woke up this morning realising that we are smack bang in the middle of 2009, six months away from 2010 and a whole lot of neon skyscrapers and flying taxis away from the future as predicted in classic ‘80s science fiction movies. Just as time passes more quickly when you’re having fun (which by all accounts would make this year the most jocular in history), so does it also move in cycles. The cyclical nature of music is most apparent in electronica with its roots in the ‘80s spawning 808s, big hair and ludicrously audacious apparel to the naughties where we have come full circle, re-visiting our love for analog synths, helmet hair and brightly coloured clothes. (Segue Alert!). Speaking of cycles, we are back into Winter clubbing season!

The Mercury is rising on the city strip thanks to the Nemesis crew who present Energize on Friday June 12 at Mercury Bar. Fans of hardcore and gabber will be excited to see that they have secured the services of interstate gun slingers Danny J (Melb) and Gurty (Bris) along with locals Haks, Cotts, Nomad, Kataklizm, Nasty, Fiend, DJ Happyy, Harlequin MC and Side Scratcher Rushnosh.

Mark Friday June 19 in your tattered dance diaries as it heralds the homecoming of two of Canberra’s favourite expats. Chris Fraser and Typhonic hit the highway from the big smoke headed for a special adults only double act at Lot 33, this is followed with the exciting arrival of Italian minimal tech wizard Alex Kenji & Bass Kleph appearing together on Friday June 26 rounding off another month in the Pang calendar. I caught up with the Captain of the ship Hubert for an update on his 2009 club calendar. “I think it’s essential to have a good mix of international and national acts. There also needs to be some consistency with music without overdoing the one particular genre… We have a lot of great acts locked in for the coming months, we feel that there’s a lot of variety and all the acts will be really exciting. We have some big internationals such as Alex Kenji, Bloody Beetroots, Yuksek, Mighty Fools, Sidney Samson, and will see return visits from national guys like Hook N Sling, Bass Kleph, Bang Gang DJs, and Funktrust DJs.” Adding to their stellar array of headliners, he adds that the Pang DJ comp was extremely successful in unearthing some fresh faced music manipulators. “I think that the new crop of DJs in Canberra is very impressive; the 2009 Pang DJ Comp has definitely exposed guys that wouldn’t normally have a chance to get in a club environment and play… One of the big things that I have noticed is the variety of great DJs coming through; we have already seen amazing techno, house, tech and electro DJs display their talents. I have to also mention the dubstep that has been played at Lot33; this is a new genre to the club, but it went down really well. You will be seeing a lot more of this genre in coming months.” Stay tuned.

Finally I’ll leave you with my hot tip for this month. Man of the moment Avicii; Youtube his tunes, you will thank me. tim galvin tim.galvin@live.com.au

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voices missing because in our traditional music we sing together with our wives, our girls, everybody. So some of them try to sing in high voices so the music changes.” It is perhaps this element, the high keening ululation, as well as the grunting, puffing sound they make when they stomp their feet, for which LBM are so well renowned.

Wisdom Warriors julia winterflood Summon your Sesame Street alphabet memories (go on, we all have ’em) and you’ll probably recall a Muppet-tastic segment featuring Kermit singing with Zulu warriors. The richly resonant voices of South African male choral group LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO on African Alphabet Song make it one of the top three most requested segments in the show’s 40 year history; YouTube it and you’ll be grinning like an amphibian all day.

LBM gained international fame in 1986 when Paul Simon featured their incomparable tenor/alto/bass harmonies on his landmark LP Graceland, though they performed in various incarnations for almost 20 years prior under the musical and spiritual guidance of Joseph Shabalala. In a gloriously deep voice with exceptionally charming cadence (even when he cleared his throat it sounded musical), founding member Albert Mazibuko spoke of the group and their leader’s resounding philosophy. “Joseph Shabalala always has the message to share with the people; the message for encouraging people and inspiring people to do the good things, inspiring people to be strong.”

The style in which LBM sing, Isicathamiya (pronounced ‘is-cot-a-MEyah’), evolved when men working far from their families attempted to recreate the music of their homelands. “When they missed home they tried to sing the same songs… but they’d find there would be some

Beams Albert, “our music is not complete until we do the dance.

It is a stomping dance. When they tried to do it when they were away, it was intimidating the other people because it was making a lot of banging sounds. A long time ago all the rooms had wooden floors and it made the other people scared. So in order for them to practice with other people around they start tiptoeing. When they go back home, the people at home, they say ‘wow, this is wonderful – they don’t stomp anymore.’ They praised the dancing and called them tiptoe guys. That’s how Isicathamiya started.”

r We are planting the seed in the younge to m generations, because we want the on keep going even when we are passed On average LBM spend eight months of every year touring, with this year including an Australian tour. “We are always enjoying our tour; it doesn’t matter how often we do it... it’s wonderful all the time.

Our show is going to be so vibrant. We have four of Joseph’s sons in the group so he performs two wonderful songs with his youngest because by doing that we are planting the seed in the younger generations, because we want them to keep going even when we are passed on,” Albert heartily proclaims. “We invite people to come to the stage to finish the show. I hope you will be one of them. Be prepared and wear your sneakers and not your high heels.”

The inexplicably talented tiptoe guys of Ladysmith Black Mambazo bring their inspirational harmonies to Canberra Theatre on Friday June 26. Tickets through the venue’s website canberratheatrecentre.com.au .

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THE REALNESS FUNKED UP Katherine Quinn “Yeah, my mum doesn’t really appreciate it!” I’m chatting to DJ Reflux from Adelaide hip-hop group FUNKOARS and I’ve just asked him what the ladies in his life think about some of their more, ahem, offensive lyrics – particularly those about who he calls the “not-sogifted women in the world” (that’s putting it mildly). “But when we sing The Greatest Hit (off their 2006 album, The Greatest Hits) it’s all chicks in the front row singing along. I guess they all think ‘it can’t be about me!’”

We might put Hons in a full-body condom – five dollars a lick!

He makes me laugh, this one, talking with a curious mix of a lilting Aussie hip-hop accent and eloquent, educated language (he said ‘conglomerate’ at one point – I rest my case!). I’m assured, however, that their new album, The Hangover, which dropped in November last year, is much less likely to offend our mothers.

“What about Black Sally?” I ask, referring to the first single off The Hangover, which has received copious amounts of airplay on triple j. Is that about an ex-girlfriend of one of the Funkoars? “It’s actually about alcohol,” he replies, and I feel foolish. Here I’d been wishing that someone would write a song like that about me (guess I’m not quite as potent as a bottle of JD). “We have made songs about exgirlfriends, but they haven’t left the studio!”

Black Sally is a powerful combination of the usual finely-crafted, witty Funkoars lyrics and a casually rhythmic backing track which reminds me of a scratched record catching as it spins – Reflux describes it as a “head-knotting groove.” It’s taken from the Human Instinct track of the same name, with Maurice Greer of Human Instinct even appearing in the video. While it’s a bit slower than usual Funkoars – and possibly a bit of an odd cocktail, mixing psych-rock with Aussie hip-hop – after the guys heard it they couldn’t resist.

“We looked at more rock-based stuff for this album, with more guitars,” Reflux admits. “It’s designed to really come across live. We felt like we’d already done funk to the nth degree.”

The legend official Brad Strut has returned with his brand new Fall Out Shelter/Rejuvenation EP/LP double CD which features new tracks recorded with producer Beat Butcha during Strut’s relocation to the UK. As expected, it is amazing quality once again from Strut, mixing his trademark LC style on tunes like No and Blasting Them with more mellow and introspective tunes like Believe and Looking At You. The release comes with a bonus LP entitled Rejuvenation which features a host of remixes of classic Strut tracks from the likes of M-Phazes, Trails, Simplex, Chemo, Beat Butcha, Ciecmate, Tornts, Mortar, Dazastah, Jehst and many more. Dopeness.

Obese records has had a prolific year yet again, predominantly launching their brand new signings and the latest release, the debut LP from Illy, which is another notch in the much respected label’s belt. Entitled Long Story Short the LP is a record about falling in and out of love, places, family, friendships and hip-hop all shaped by the unique privilege of being born and growing up in Australia. Enlisting the production talents of the super-prolific M-Phazes and Jackson Jackon’s J-Skubs for the majority of the album ensures a continuity of both sound and quality, and new comers J-Squared and Ta-Ku also supply worthy contributions. Guest slots come from label boss Pegz, Spit Syndicate, Solo, Phrase and N’Fa. Elefant Traks’ super-group Astronomy Class have returned with their sophomore set entitled Pursuit Of Happiness. Sir Robbo and Chasm further explore their signature reggae based soundscapes with a welcome touch of soul thrown into the mix. Ozi Batla again takes up host mic duties following the success of The Herd’s Summerland release and continues to expressively display his insights about modern life and all its trials and tribulations. Ozi is joined by The Tongue, Vida Sunshyne, Diafrix, Kween G and Ash Grunwald who all contribute stellar performances. Another stellar release from the Elefant Traks camp and well worthy of your time.

UK born Nine High are set to release their debut self-titled LP on June 6 through Taos. The group is made up of three emcees: Fraksha, Scotty Hinds and Felony. The album features production from M-Phazes, Ghost Town, Jase and Lewis One.

Funkoars are touring with Phrase, out of Melbourne, who has recently received acclaim for his new album Clockwork, so it should be quite a nice package deal! “If it’s a massive crowd, our performance goes up tenfold,” Reflux promises, so we’d better all haul-ass out there. It does sound like fun, with talk of ridiculous props, video camera footage and, of course, dirty jokes. “We might put Hons in a full-body condom – five dollars a lick!” Reflux laughs wickedly. Was he joking? Guess you’ll have to come along and find out. But I know I’d fork out a fiver for that.

Veteran emcee Lazy Gray returns on June 26 with his third solo LP The Soundtrack out on Karsiogenics/Shogun which is entirely produced by V who has sourced all the sounds from 1980s film soundtrack records, giving the album a consistent, deeply layered feel. Lazy’s new album has been heralded a decidedly unexpected work in that rather than being the sum of his experiences to date, it is firmly grounded in the present. Lazy has said that “this is a snap shot of ten months of penning thoughts, resulting in The Soundtrack.

It’s not a soundtrack to my life, it’s more like I’m composing the soundtrack through what I do - make music - while the rest of ‘em are the actors and extras in the movie which plays out perpetually on this planet. Everyone’s playing their role, I’m just playing mine.” With DJ Dce on cuts and guest spots from Lenwun, Bigfoot, Jake Biz and Miss Brown, I can’t wait to hear the final product.

To hear music from all the above and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM, Tues nights from 9:30-11pm.

Make sure to bring your homies to the ANU Bar on Thursday June 25 to catch Funkoars, Phrase and DJ Flagrant. Tix through Ticketek.

ROSHAMBO roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

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“So where does reality sit? What was real?” asks Shipley.

The ambiguity of “what was real”, and the festering memories uncovered during the play, turn on the “inappropriate relationship” between Ray and Una, for although the two are now both adults, their relationship began when Una was only 12-years-old. In the age of Bill Henson and increasing hysteria – whether justified or no – over child pornography, Blackbird asks questions not only of what was real but “what was wrong”, as Shipley says. These questions are “brave… and timely,” says director David Atfield.

“I do think people are going to find this quite confronting, even offensive, mainly because of how it treats the male character.”

“It doesn’t take the stereotypical goody-baddy, victim-villain scenario that a lot of plays and films about this subject do. These are two very complex individuals… both with problems and faults,” explains Atfield. “It’s not a simple black and white piece.”

T he L ight o f t h e dark Black N ight Naomi Milthorpe “The bitter pill is the one that is going to make you better,” says actor Noel Hodda, explaining the power and the purpose of The Street Theatre’s production of David Harrower’s play BLACKBIRD. The play is sandwiched between two David Williamson plays as part of The Street’s Drama Stimulus Package, and while Harrower’s controversial play seems the odd one out, the creative team behind it – director David Atfield, actors Hodda and Nell Shipley, and Street Theatre Artistic Director Caroline Stacey – hope that Canberra audiences will respond to the troubling questions Blackbird asks.

The play, which won the Olivier in 2007, beating out blue-ribbon stalwart Tom Stoppard’s offering, Rock’N’Roll, is a real-time meeting between Ray (Hodda) and Una (Shipley), who fifteen years ago ran away together.

The story is “in the present,” says Hodda, but Ray and Una are “caught in the past. One of the issues that is raised is how things can be seen differently when you look back on them.” Shipley agrees.

“Because there’s been such a gap, 15 years… inevitably there’s a recalibrating of the memories, there’s differences of opinion that have festered. What actually happened can only be known by these two people.

Harrower’s grey-scale ambiguity will be compounded by the production’s staging. Atfield and designer Imogen Keen will be presenting the play in the round, breaking the easy divide between audience and performer. Such a staging will, by necessity, give each audience member a different perspective – a different interpretation – of the events of the play. Shipley agrees that the performance space is “a confrontational arena”, but that it works with the play’s ambivalences.

“There is an awareness of the outside,” says Shipley, “of other people’s opinions and interpretations layered on top.”

What comes through most clearly in talking to the Blackbird creative team is this metaphorical language of layers and levels, and of the idea that what seems wrong or right is not necessarily, or not only, what seems to be so on the surface.

“This play is on one level a very disturbing story of an inappropriate relationship,” says Hodda, but “on another level it’s a love story.”

The complexity of Ray and Una, and of their relationship, means that simple questions of right and wrong need to be shelved in order to come to an understanding of the individual stories and struggles. In a fundamentalist world such as ours, that can be confronting.

“It’s not easy, it’s not simple,” says Shipley. Hodda realises that such radical ambiguity that Ray and Una’s relationship entails means that the play is “not going to be easy to watch.”

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“It’s much easier to paint things in black and white, to try to fit things into patterns,” says Atfield, who hopes that this production of Blackbird will “break people’s expectations on all sorts of issues, including that very radical issue of child sexual abuse.”

Atfield cites recent films like 2006’s Little Children, which “looked at people who had committed sex crimes, but painted them as full individuals, not just as villains. I think society needs to do that too, if we want to actually resolve this problem,” says Atfield.

“If we don’t look at the underlying reasons of why they’re doing it, we’ll never actually get rid of the problem.”

So why, in a town where it’s hard enough to get audiences to front up to any live theatre show, program such a difficult and confronting play? Artistic Director Caroline Stacey explains the impetus behind The Street Theatre’s 2009 season.

“One of the things that we’re trying to do here is build a drama, text-based programme, that there’s a loyal and interested audience for. “Nationally you’ll find that it’s one of the hardest genres to develop an audience for, and yet it’s one of the places where stories are told, and current issues are addressed.”

Which is what makes Blackbird “an important work to do,” says Stacey.

The moral and ethical questions it raises are “completely and totally at the heart of not just cultural practice… with all of the stuff around Bill Henson,” but also relate to issues raised about child sexual abuse in the Catholic and Anglican churches. The play addresses “moral and ethical dilemmas that are very much at the heart of our concerns. It asks a lot of questions but doesn’t have any easy answers.”

The play should “promote discussion”, says Hodda, but Shipley adds that it is also entertaining. “But it’s got to be both, that’s the challenge. People want reality and solidity,” says Hodda, adding that this play, rather than some cream-puff piece of pure entertainment, is “the popular success of the world. It touches right on the zeitgeist.”

Part of what the Blackbird creatives hope for is that responsibility for answering Blackbird’s troubling questions will “continue out the door, [with] arguments in cars on the way home,” says Hodda.

“And if theatre isn’t doing that, then we’ve got a problem.”

The Street Theatre presents David Harrower’s Blackbird at Street 2 from June 19 to July 4 @ 8pm. Tix from $15 to $29. Phone The Street box office on 6247 1223 for details on how to book.

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ARTISTPROFILE: B E N F O R ST E R

What do you do? For nearly the last four years I have been attempting to program a computer to draw in a way that is distinctly human, rather then stylistically digital or mechanistic.

When did you get into it? From a very young age, before the beginning of my memory, I have always been obsessed with drawing.

Somewhere along the way Alistair Riddell, sound artist and lecturer at the ANU, exposed me to the possibilities of programming. To paraphrase Harold Cohen, programming provided me with a harder surface to bash my ideas against.

Who or what influences you as an artist? The aesthetics of diagrams and abandoned scraps of notes intrigue me, as they are ephemeral records of thinking. Some of the artists that inspire me are Tim Hawkinson, Keith Tyson and Sol LeWitt. In fact, their work makes me excited like a child. Art should be exciting.

What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far? Two recent events are having my work accepted for Hatched ’09 at PICA, and becoming a resident at Canberra Contemporary Art Space.

What are your plans for the future? I’m currently in the midst of planning a six month residency at SymbioticA, to continue exploring the extensions of drawing, although replacing computers with biological materials, such as fungi, bacteria and animal cells. What is drawing? And can a drawing be living?

What makes you laugh? The world, people and sex. It is all hilarious and far too messy and complicated. I just have to laugh as we all run around with a false sense of certainty.

What pisses you off? I try not to get angry, but self-righteous and ignorantly applied moral judgements generally agitate me.

What’s your opinion of the local scene? Canberra is a great place to be an emerging artist because if you’re passionate and enthusiastic about what you are doing there is a lot of support.

Upcoming exhibitions? Keep an eye on the buildings around the Civic and Belconnen areas, as my new work will be sporadically projected on to the facades in the upcoming months as part of the BEAM Projection Group.

Contact Info www.emptybook.net . Find out more about SymbioticA at www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au .

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FRY UP

dream b uilding

It’s a special type of person that loves English comedian, writer, actor, and blogger Stephen Fry. They’re the kind of person that gets slightly cream-bun-sticky at the thought of puns and double entendres, the kind of person that titters at the mention of bottoms and salivates at the thought of rugger blues. Luckily for Everyman Theatre, who are performing Fry’s Latin! Or Tobacco and Boys at the Courtyard Studio this fortnight, you don’t need to be this kind of person to enjoy Stephen Fry’s divinely razorish wit. I sat down with director Jarrad West, actor Duncan Driver, and producer Duncan Ley to talk about Fry, theatre, and Chelsea buns.

Solon Ulbrich, accomplished dancer and choreographer, has finally brought contemporary dance work construct to Australian audiences with company Performing Lines. construct explores notions of construction and destruction, building and collapse. The bare stage is strewn with objects associated with house building, such as a work bench, a step ladder, wires, rolls of tape and loose timber planks. All these objects are at some stage integrated into the choreography, most notably the planks.

Courtney Boot

Latin! is (oddly, for a man who seems so quintessentially theatrical) Fry’s only true play. “He’s done scripts and books for musicals,” says West, “but he hasn’t really written that many plays. I think this is his only ‘play’ play.”

“He did a version of Cinderella for the Old Vic years ago,” says Driver.

“But haven’t we all?” quips Ley. It seems an appropriate play for the Everyman men; men who relish wit and wordplay and slightly dirty jokes. The play centres on two prep school masters (prep school, for the embryo Fry fan, is the “school where you go before you go to public school,” explains West): a young prep Latin teacher played by Driver, and a senior master played by veteran Canberra thesp Oliver Baudert, who are both trying to wrest control of the school from the dying headmaster. The younger teacher is engaged to the headmaster’s daughter and will inherit the school, but the senior master uncovers a dirty little secret. “The senior master has discovered that the younger teacher is having ‘extra Latin lessons’ with one of his thirteen year old students… and so decides to blackmail him.”

In order to give the audience the essential claustrophobic public school experience, West hopes to stage the play as if it were located in a classroom, with the audience sitting in desks. “I’m interested in different concepts of staging,” says West, “not the usual thing of having the stage in a box.” Including the audience in this way carries its own dangers, of course. “[I have] to talk directly to the audience, pick people in the audience, and that can be quite confronting,” says Driver. Ley agrees. “There is that tension of alienating the audience; by attempting to include them you can almost do the opposite.”

“At least as headmaster I don’t have to be nice to them,” jokes Driver.

The other tension is, of course, the material itself. West explains that when it was staged at the Edinburgh Fringe there were “protests and letters” complaining about the performance of material that “glorifies and endorses paedophilia”. “Well of course, it doesn’t,” says West. But the fine line that Fry treads, between humour and offence, is precisely what makes his writing so enjoyable. “There is a delightful element of risk,” says Ley. “You read the script and you go, this is extraordinarily funny, but we could get hounded out of town at the same time – and that’s rather wonderful.”

Everyman Theatre presents Stephen Fry’s Latin! or Tobacco and Boys at the Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre, from June 18 – 27 @ 8pm.

Tix $20/$15. Book through Canberra Ticketing on 6275 2700 or on the CTC website at www.canberratheatre.org.au .

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“construct is a dance theatre performance that raises all sorts of interesting ideas and perspectives on the process of building our lives and the challenges faced during their creation,” Ulbrich explains. “It breaks down and reveals many aspects of the set and lighting and technical construction. It also shows the increasing complexity of the theme as the dance form progresses from simpler movement and physical phrase construction, to presenting more detailed physical nuance, embodiment of emotional and physical history and human interactions.”

Just as construct is about the physical environment, it is also an ode to the complex and fascinating construction of the body. “The ability for the human body to convey complex subtle ideas, interaction and the full palette of the human experience, whilst leaving space for the audience to have their own interpretation is very satisfying,” says Ulbrich.

The final work choreographed by Ulbrich’s late partner, Tanja Liedtke, is inspired by Liedtke’s adventurous childhood. “Tanja grew up and lived many places all over the world. She was multilingual and had a broad perspective on cultures and their different modes of communication. I think she thrived with dance because it was exciting, energising, engaging and passionate, but also because it was a universal language that was available for everyone to appreciate and understand in their own way.”

Ulbrich, having worked with some of Australia’s most revered dancers and choreographers, appreciates the diversity of education and experience his dancers bring to construct. “I am very lucky to work with some of Australia’s finest dancers in construct. I play a small role in supporting them to stay fresh and engaged in their realisation of Tanja’s work, in which they played an influential part as collaborative choreographers.”

Dance and theatre audiences are promised an amazing experience

by Ulbrich, assuring us that it will be both influential and memorable. “It is one of the most challenging and exciting virtuosic choreographies I have ever seen, performed by mind blowing dancers. It is a work with emotional impact as we examine the choices we make and the way we choose to construct our lives.”

It is a rare opportunity to appreciate the depth and talent of Liedtke’s choreography. “Canberra audience members will be lucky to see Tanja Liedtke’s final work and to experience first hand the amazing talent she was and the gift she gave to Australian dance.”

Performing Lines presents construct at the Playhouse for three nights only, from Wednesday June 17 to Friday June 19 @ 8pm. Tix $50/$43/$35.

Bookings and info through Canberra Ticketing on 6275 2700 or check out the CTC website.

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IN REVIEW The 2009 M16 Drawing Prize M16 Artspace Generally speaking, art prize shows are hit and miss affairs. When they are bad, they are excruciating, self indulgent or mind-numbingly dull affairs, but when they are good: well, they’re like the M16 Drawing Prize.

Yes, entries for the prize had to be drawings, but as today’s definition of drawing is so broad, if not a little vague, M16’s solution was to go BYO definition. Along with their artwork, artists were asked to submit a statement explaining ‘what is drawing?’. If you could justify it, you could enter it, and this has made for a deliciously diverse range of work.

There were a staggering 120 entries for the Drawing Prize this year, 29 of which have been short listed and hung in the exhibition. Among the 29 works there are luscious colours, bold statements, whispered lines and dedicated draftsmanship. There are oh-so-clever computer programs, reams of digital printouts, delicate threads and fabric, crafty paper and glue and more.

In addition, the entries that didn’t make the short list are being shown on a DVD loop as a part of the exhibition. This is a fantastic idea, meaning everyone gets their 15 seconds of fame and visitors to the show can see just what an outrageous (and kooky) array of submissions there were.

This year’s winner, as judged by Patsy Payne, is the gloriously graphic graphite drawing Untitled by local wunderkind Robbie Karmel, and though this piece doesn’t really challenge the notion of drawing it was definitely one of my favourites. Other standouts for me were Sean Dwyer’s A Darlinghurst View and Surya Bajracharya’s Wet Cheeks and Stormy Collisions.

The nice thing about a good art prize is knowing that it’ll come around again next year, always giving you something to look forward to. This year’s exhibition closed on May 31, but there’s always next year…

YOLANDE NORRIS

2009 M16 Drawing Prize winner Untitled by Robbie Karmel

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UNINHIBITED Around about this time last year I met a one-eyed man named Michael. He walked into The Phoenix (apparently half-drunk already), sat down next to me and said: “God, Canberra’s a shithole, but sometimes you find good things.”

I disagreed with the idea that my beloved Can is, in fact, a can, but was intrigued. As evidence of the good, Michael pulled out a book from his backpack, his wild hair covering the empty socket where his right eye once was. It was a book of reproductions of Marcel Duchamp, the cover featuring the dadaist’s famous Fountain. We got to talking, discovered a mutual love of satirical fiction, and over the course of a few hours and several pints, a platonic love story was played out in miniature. I think he was impressed that a young woman could be interested in a mode of fiction that is so inherently male and so inherently horrid, and I was impressed that a man who looked (to be frank) like he’d slept in the gutter could quote whole slabs of Journey to the End of the Night verbatim. Anyway.

Michael left me with two things. The first was a scrap of paper on which he’d scrawled the name of a poet he thought I’d like. The second was what he said to me as he tottered off into the night.

What he said was: “Thank you. You’ve made me think twice about Canberra.”

Now, this all sounds completely self-serving, which of course it is, and I like retelling it because I come out cooler than I actually am (and who wouldn’t, in a story involving beer and a one-eyed man?).

Really though, I’m retelling it because I’ve been trying to write this column for the last fortnight with nothing, nada, zilch. I have, in fact, been suffering from writer’s block, and it’s something that you can’t control at all: sometimes the inspiration just will not come.

But then, just a moment ago, after I finished watching an episode of One Tree Hill and flicked my iPod to You Can Call Me Al and pondered rolling a cigarette, I remembered Michael, and his scrap of paper, and the poet whose name he’d scrawled on it, and something crystallised, and inspiration came.

What Michael gave me in that moment he wrote the poet’s name on the piece of paper (and because, like the dutiful literature student I am, I searched for months until I found a collection of his poems) was the best gift anyone can give. Just as I am thankful to the beautiful boy who got me hooked on One Tree* and to my mother for dancing to Graceland in our living room when I was a child, and to my university lecturer for introducing me to satire, and to the numberless people whose work in theatre has inspired, comforted, baffled, enraged, or enriched me, I am thankful to Michael, for even though he didn’t know me from Eve he cared enough to give me art.** NAOMI MILTHORPE princessnaea@gmail.com * yes, dammit, One Tree Hill is art. I won’t hear anything against it. ** In case you’re wondering, the poet’s name is Kenneth Patchen.

If you find a book of his poems, I’d recommend them.

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b i t PA RT S WHO: Canberra Repertory WHAT: Jazz Garters: A New Tradition WHEN: Thursday June 11 – Saturday 27 June @ 8pm WHERE: Theatre 3, Ellery Cres Acton The middle of the year is traditionally the time for Rep to pull out its stalwart winter revue show, The Old Time Music Hall, but this year the long-running tradition has been superseded by a new revue show, Jazz Garters, directed by Jim McMullen. Jazz Garters presents a chocolate box of musical treats, with cabaret, vaudeville, circus and comedy acts devised by a crack team of creatives. Tix $35/$27. For info and bookings call the Rep box office on 6257 1950.

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WHO: WeThree WHAT: Agamemnon by Rachel Hogan WHEN: June 11 – 20 @ 8pm and Sunday June 14 @ 5pm WHERE: Belconnen Theatre. Sunday June 14 @ Wee Jasper WeThree are a new local theatre company, working in collaboration with Ickle Pickle Productions. This fortnight they are producing a new work by local writer Rachel Hogan, titled Agamemnon. Hogan has adapted her play from Aeschylus’ classic tragedy about the conqueror of Troy, who returns home to find his wife is NOT in a good mood with him at all (the reason: he sacrificed their daughter. Go figure). WeThree will be performing the play at Belco Theatre and also a one-off special performance at Carey’s Cave, Wee Jasper. For info on the show call 6251 2981.

WHO: Musica Viva WHAT: The Tokyo String Quartet WHEN: Thursday June 18, 7pm WHERE: Llewellyn Hall, ANU School of Music The Tokyo String Quartet is known as ‘the Rolls Royce’ of string quartets and excitingly, for the classically inclined, will be visiting the Can for one night only thanks to Musica Viva. The Tokyo quartet play on a matched set of Stradivarius instruments originally assembled by 19th century virtuoso Paganini. Oo er. The quartet will play a programme of classical and romantic music by Beethoven and Mendelssohn, paired with a contemporary work by Musica Viva’s artistic director Carl Vine. It’s pricey, with tickets starting at $33 and moving up to $108 (call Ticketek on 13 28 49), but you won’t see a string quartet like this in our nation’s capital for a goodly while.

WHO: Alex James WHAT: The Twilight of Mr Kemp Exhibition WHEN: Opens 6pm Thursday June 18 and continues until June 28 WHERE: CCAS Manuka, 19 Furneaux St Manuka

photo: stephen mcrory

Local photo-genius Alex James is descending onto the Canberra Contemporary Art Space Manuka to exhibit his new body of work and launch an accompanying book. The Twilight of Mr Kemp is a collection of James’ luscious large-scale photographs. His subject of choice is the landscape, which he captures in all its wild beauty and brooding intensity. Gorgeous stuff. Head along to the opening night drinks and book launch on June 18 or pop in for a visit before June 28.

WHO: Various artists WHAT: Soft Animators Exhibition WHEN: Until Saturday June 20 WHERE: Craft ACT, North Building, 180 London Cct

WHO: David Williamson WHAT: Lotte’s Gift and Let the Sunshine WHEN: Until June 13 (Lotte’s Gift) and July 7 – 11 (Let the Sunshine) WHERE: The Street Theatre, Childers Street Acton

Not to be confused with the equally as entertaining Soft Sculpture exhibition at the NGA, Soft Animators at Craft ACT is a showcase of artists who use textiles, sewing and stuffing to bring handmade creatures and characters to life. The artists include the incredible Sarah Crowest from South Australia, CUPCO from Sydney and Ghostpatrol with Cat Rabbit from Melbourne, who have all contributed sweet, ugly, humorous and sometimes downright bizarre little critters to the exhibition. Look out for the squishy K-Rudd amongst CUPCO’s crowd!

David Williamson is often called Australia’s Bard – possibly because of his mad prolificacy – and coming up at The Street Theatre are productions of two new works by Williamson, Lotte’s Gift and Let the Sunshine. Lotte’s Gift is the story of three generations of women and the music that sign-posted their lives, performed by renowned guitarist Karin Schaupp, and performs from June 9 to 13. Let the Sunshine opens in July and sees Williamson in familiar socio-politicalsatirical territory, lambasting the nouveau-riche of Noosa. For info on performances and bookings call the box office on 6247 1223.

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29

HELL CITY GLAMOURS

CRY WOLF

SCOTT ADAMS

NAOMI FROST

By now, of course, you’ll be aware that BMA, in its boundless beneficence, is hosting another night of Riffage at the ANU on Friday June 19. And of course, what would Riffage be without Sydney’s own sultans of sleaze, the HELL CITY GLAMOURS? The natural order of things dictates that an appearance in the nation’s capital by Oscar McBlack and the boys warrants in-depth discussions about something or other, so I immediately contacted Robbie Potts via the gift of electronic mail and posed the questions that need answering. Let’s go…

After only just having been introduced to WOLF AND CUB’s enchanting and electrifying music, I gained the pleasure of conducting an interview with frontman Joel Byrne. To my surprise I found myself speaking to a rather realistic, humble and level-headed artist. Wolf and Cub’s recently released album Science and Sorcery was a hit, they’re about to begin the first tour that they can call their own and all over the country their fans are anxiously anticipating the presence of the group.

To any band this seems a brilliant success and that it is, but Byrne shares with me the unfortunate truth that the road to this success was anything but a breeze for both himself and for Wolf and Cub.

The last year has seen the band make real progress. How does it feel to actually get some recognition from all over the world? “It’s been really great. I’d still want to play drums if tomatoes were flying through the chicken wire every Saturday night, so to be able to tour overseas, play to some awesome crowds, receive some great reviews and get involved in the general mayhem that is being a rock ‘n’ roll band in a foreign country is just awesome.”

Ah yes. Foreign countries.

You’ve just been to the US haven’t you? Tell me a little about the South By South West festival. How does playing something like that help a band? “They’ve got an ‘Artists Lounge’ that has beer… for free. Plus corn chips. That’s how it helps a band like HCG. In addition to that, there’s all the industry people you can poke a fedora at; a seemingly unlimited array of venues and other bands to see, countless varieties of Mexican food, good times and free beer.”

I’d still want to play drums if tomatoes were flying through the chicken wire

Time to change tack. The album’s been out a little while now – how is writing for album number two coming along? ”There’s quite a few songs in the pipeline and now we’ve finished touring I think it’s a good time to concentrate on working on them. We, like most bands, have a sort of revolving life cycle that has three parts: 1. Write songs.

2. Record songs. 3. Tour, playing said songs. The point of the band to us has always been touring. But obviously it’s not much fun driving all over the countryside playing half-baked songs to ambivalent audiences. So the harder we work in writing, the more fun we have touring. Not to mention that working out new songs gives us back that exciting spark you only get in a rehearsal room when you’re jamming out a new song. We haven’t been in ‘songwriting phase’ for a while so I’m quite excited about it.”

We all are, Robbie, we all are. Anyways, looking forward to the Canberra show? “Absolutely. Everyone in HCG loves coming to Canberra because they’re always great gigs... the people down there just seem a little more bonkers.” If the cap fits, as they say, prepare for a night of bonkers behaviour on the 19th, people – don’t let the boys down.

Make sure to catch Hell City Glamours, Hancock Basement and Escape Syndrome live at the ANU Bar on Friday June 19. Tickets are $10 on the door.

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With Wolf and Cub you have to be prepared for the unexpected all the time

During the making of Science and Sorcery it was clear to the band that they were looking for a different kind of sound. Although unfortunately this step out of the ordinary seemed to take its toll on Byrne. “It was causing me to have a lot of doubts about what was happening and doubting myself and doubting the band,” he confesses. “It was kind of a tricky thing to do. There was a lot of conflict with the making of this record. Obviously this tour will make or break. With Wolf and Cub you have to be prepared for the unexpected all the time.” With a quick transition to optimism he assures me that “in retrospect it did turn out exactly how I wanted it to.”

One topic I felt the urge to explore was the rarity that Wolf and Cub possess – that divine rarity of possessing a second percussionist.

Once having listened to Science and Sorcery, I found it was in fact the drums and percussion that gave the music its transcendent vibe. “It would be much more practical and much easier to have one drummer,” Byrne admits. “But I think that two drums... it makes sense to me. For us it’s such an intrinsic part of what we do. It’s not as if we do it because it’s easy – it’s not, it’s hard. It’s a nothing ventured/ nothing gained, no pain/no gain kind of thing.” As a new asset, it is clear that the new percussionist Martin plays a tremendous part in the unique new sound of Wolf and Cub alongside JC. Byrne elaborates on this, “they compliment each other; they’re both good at what their style is.”

Seeking closure concerning the Canberra gig on Wolf and Cub’s upcoming tour, I asked Byrne how he was feeling about it and I was almost startled by the loud, excitable outburst that followed.

“Yeah! I’m excited! Heaps Excited!” Simple words, but none the less effective enough to make me excited too! Not to mention that this simple outburst gave me all the closure I needed. I was assured now that the humble and level-headed Byrne also beholds all the enthusiasm and energy needed to give Canberra a no less than spectacular performance. Wolf and Cub are coming to town, so from the mouth of the man himself be prepared for the unexpected.

Be sure to catch Wolf and Cub, The Scare and Cabins at the ANU Bar on Sunday June 21. Tickets through Ticketek and Moshtix.

COMETH THE TAsmaniacs JOSH NIXON] Is there a harder working band in Australian heavy metal than Tasmania’s PSYCROPTIC? Let me firmly implant in your minds that that question was beyond rhetorical – these guys have absolutely smashed the frequent flyer miles in the last 12 months alone and, since signing with major metal label Nuclear Blast, the list of bands that the band work with continues to grow in number and stature.

Just in the last six months the band have done an extensive Australian tour in support of the latest record Ob(servant), played the Summer Slaughter tour easily matching their international contemporaries on the stage and in terms of audience reaction, played a slew of European dates with Cephalic Carnage and a six week jaunt in the US with death grind icons Carcass.

After a couple of aborted phone calls trying to tee up an interview with one of the undisputed masters of the skins, Dave Haley, it appears that not only is he constantly pounding blasts out for his own act, but also doing tech work for none other than, as Dave puts it, “the man who started it all for me,” Pete Sandoval of Morbid Angel.

Not to mention beginning rehearsals for the new Blood Duster album and upcoming tour of Europe with Melbourne’s grindfathers.

Newer faces up the front always gets us fired up to play our best Now on the cusp of 11 shows with the Amenta and Ruins before ANOTHER run of European dates with Misery Index and Hate Eternal, finding five minutes to talk to BMA is obviously nothing we can take for granted. I was curious as to how the band’s perception of touring has changed or differed now that they’ve signed with a high profile label. “The main difference to me has been that promoters are more interested in having us play in their part of the world because the distribution of our music is now taken care of,” Haley explains. “The first thing promoters always ask is ‘can I buy your music here?’ and if the answer is no then you’ve an uphill battle.”

“It hasn’t changed the way that we operate as a band,” he continues.

“I live in Melbourne while the rest of the guys live in Tasmania, but we get to decide on when and where we play and make all the decisions.

Touring nationally with brothers in metal Ruins, also guitarist Joe Haley’s band, and Sydney’s The Amenta, Psycroptic are once again displaying that insane work ethic that has earned them the gear endorsements and support from a label that is internationally renowned. At the same time they’re also noticing that the crowd is changing and growing. “We see the same faces at a lot of the shows, but on this album we’re seeing a lot of newer faces up the front and that always gets us fired up to play our best.” You can expect nothing less than that which they expect of themselves.

Psycroptic, The Amenta, Ruins and Punishment will unleash extreme fury onstage at The Basement on Friday June 19. Tickets through Moshtix. Br00tal.

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PUNKSKA

ON THE FLIPSIDE DAN BIGNA In his liner notes to the 1995 reissue of FLIPPER’s Sex Bomb Baby compilation, Mudhoney’s Mark Arm describes the band’s intense punk rock as “unusually slow, sloppy and messed up.” This was intended as a compliment in the best possible way, because discerning music fans like Mark Arm know that honest self-expression is always preferable to flashy technique and studio polish.

There was Kurt Cobain wearing a Flipper shirt on national television When Flipper formed in San Francisco in 1979, US punk music was about to transform into the hyper speed thrash of hardcore. In response, the band’s rhythm section, comprised of bassists Will Shatter, Bruce Lose and drummer Steve DePace, favoured loose, weighty sonics, overlaid with chaotic vocals and Ted Falconi’s wall of guitar. DePace explains that, “there was no discussion or planning about how we were going to sound. It’s one of those things that just happened. In the very early days we had some fast punk songs, but we pretty quickly fell into a style of music that was kinda slow and grungy.”

DePace says that the band’s aesthetic vision was formed from the creative diversity characterising the San Francisco music scene. “In San Francisco in the late ‘70s there were artists of all kinds in the punk scene, like photographers and film makers, painters and sculptors...

What was great about that scene was that no two bands sounded alike.

DePace had learnt the drums playing along to old blues and rock ‘n’ roll records and, like many other aspiring musicians in the mid 1970s, pursued an alternative creative path after discovering the incendiary rock ‘n’ roll of The Sex Pistols, but was less interested in the limitations of the hardcore punk sound. “The hardcore style of music was not something I wanted to play, and playing slower rhythms seemed far more interesting. In Flipper, a bass riff was generally how the songs started, and then I would lay a drum beat down... so the foundation of the Flipper sound is really bass and drums.”

A heavier rhythmic emphasis was explored on the classic Generic Flipper album from 1982, and a single-minded intensity was further pursued by the band, but the tragic death of bassist Will Shatter in 1987 halted the creative flow for some years. They’ve nevertheless proved resilient and are set to tour their new album, Love, featuring the songwriting contributions of former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic.

Flipper’s thunderous racket was a big influence on Kurt Cobain. “A friend called me one Saturday night and said, ‘turn on Saturday Night Live,’” DePace says. “So I turned on the TV and there was Kurt Cobain wearing a Flipper shirt on national television, and that was when the Nevermind album was really taking off. Then I started seeing him wearing that shirt in magazines and videos, so I became hugely aware of the fact that Nirvana thought much of us.”

Flipper play ANU Bar on Friday June 12, with I Exist, Slowbourn and Jekstore.

Tix through Moshtix.

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Possessing a permit to bury and a license to kill, it’s the Punk & Ska news… murderer style. Returning in September are two of contemporary punk rock’s champions: NOFX and their mentors Bad Religion. Tickets for the joint tour are selling fast with one of two Melbourne shows already sold out. You can still get tickets for when they play at the Palace Theatre in Melbourne on Wednesday September 23 [18+] and Sydney, for an all ages show at the Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday September 30.

Local shows coming up include US touring veterans Flipper atANU Bar Friday June 12 and the Drunk And Disorderly Tour 2009 featuring Deez Nuts and The Amity Affliction at Weston Creek Community Hall on Friday July 3 – AA. Also appearing will be Break Even, Ligeia (US) and Louie Knuxx. Tickets available from Moshtix, Oztix, Landspeed Records and the Music Shop or call 1300 762 545.

The overdue new album from Rancid (six years!) is out Tuesday June 2. The 19 track Let the Dominoes Fall is the band’s seventh longplayer and judging from teaser videos released to date, the band has mellowed somewhat, perhaps showing their age. Decide for yourself by watching the video for first single Last One to Die here: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids. individual&videoid=57229514 .

Alternative Tentacles have a DVD out from skate punk legends TSOL (True Sounds of Liberty, for those playing at home). Nudity, crossdressing and obscenity abound in this captured live show from March 1991. Includes a mini-interview with the late drummer Todd Barnes, killer SoCal skate footage spanning 1989 through 2001 and bonus digital footage from a show in 2000. Point yer clicker to http://www. alternativetentacles.com/product.php?product=1687 for details.

Missing for the past five years, Down By Law have a new album on the way. A statement from the band reads, “we’re going to record a full-length for Jailhouse Records. It’ll be a long, slow process, but it’ll happen. We’ve already recorded a few songs.”

Local punk stayers, Bladderspasms added a second guitarist to their lineup this year. Nigel, from Sydney’s Rule 303, has joined and the band hopes to have a CD out soon. Don’t miss when they next perform, supporting UK legends The Varukers, together with All In Brawl, Eye Gouge and Rust (Syd) on Friday June 5 at the ANU Bar. Tickets available at the door ONLY and they’re open from 7:30pm.

In ska news Melbourne’s The Ska Vendors called it a day, playing their final show at the Williamtown RSL on Friday May 15. It’s where they’d played a lot of their gigs and they were joined on the night by past members and other Melbourne ska performers.

Pressure Drop Records recently re-released two LPs from the late, and sometimes great, Laurel Aitken; Ska With Laurel and Laurel Aitken Says Fire. On Monday May 18 they re-released two more LPs, The High Priest Of Reggae and Scandal In Brixton Market (with Laurel alongside Girlie). These first saw the light of day in 1970 and it looks like they will feature original artwork and numerous bonus tracks – such as Moon Rock and Cut Up Munno on the Scandal… LP, and the very rare (and very average!) Skinhead Invasion on the High Priest…

LP, which originally came out on a Nu Beat blank only and usually commands three figures on the rare occasions that it appears for sale.

Oi Oi that’s yer lot!

SIMON HOBBS Next deadline is June 15. Send news, views, gig promos and abuse to rudebwaay@gmail.com .

different route with this album from previous releases and decided to produce independently. The results are clear with Baby... confirming the sextuplet’s talent, brimming with brooding lyrics and melodies to drown your ears with delicate intricacies. “We wanted to own the album because we’d seen a bunch of other bands do the same thing and it seemed to be really productive,” Fletcher reveals. “Because we owned it we could do whatever we wanted with it and take as long as we liked. It made for a better product because we were happy.”

DEARLY DEVOTED KATY HALL There’s often a lot of vague confusion when you mention THE DEVOTED FEW. The name is familiar, you’re sure you’ve heard at least one of their songs on the radio but you’re just not sure which one... It’s hard to keep up because there are always so many new kids on the block. Occasionally there are standouts from the crowd that hit the big time quickly, but then there are the bands who plug away on the Australian airwaves for years, slowly revealing their lasting talent.

The Devoted Few are no newcomers to the game. With four years since their last album release, Baby, You’re a Vampire is the latest offering, with most songs from the album being written while frontman Ben Fletcher was on tour with another lovely Australian artist, Sarah Blasko. “There’s a lot of waiting around when you’re on tour and a lot of instruments around so it just happened over time,” explains Fletcher.

In 2005 the band firmly cemented themselves on the scene with the release of their hit Sleep Less on the Schematic Tracks EP, with other Australian artists remixing their tracks. The band took a

“There’s less and less opportunity for a band to just release an album and expect sales,” Fletcher concedes. “Having the radio play we did with the last album and even this one has helped a lot with touring. If you don’t have triple j supporting you, you’re in a lot of trouble. I’m waiting for the day that we make an album and say it’s not for them.”

I had to play my guitar upright just so I didn’t hit anyone And what is it like writing an album for a six-piece band? “I write and produce for the band, so it comes from one place, but it never ends up that way. [The other members] take the demos and turn them into songs. It’s very collaborative in that way.” Touring with so many people and equipment sounds as though it would require some serious negotiating. “It can be a bit cramped. Last time we were in Canberra we played at Transit Bar and the stage was pretty small... I had to play my guitar in a straight upright position the whole set just so I didn’t hit anyone.” This time they’re touring with Canadian lasses Pony Up! before settling down to prepare for a nationwide tour. Be sure to keep an ear out for an album you won’t regret listening to, and a band you’re sure to be hearing a lot more from in the future.

The ANU Bar will play host to The Devoted Few and Pony Up! on Wednesday June 17. Doors open at 8:30pm. Tickets through Ticketek.

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BLACKBOX Is anybody else sick of the Freeview ads tugging at your heart strings with TV moments from before you were born, promising much but delivering little? Despite trumpeting the advent of 15 channels, we still only have seven. The five we already had plus the recently launched SBS TWO, expanding the news channel to include foreign language films and repeats, and a growing stable of programs on ABC2. SC10 is yet to pick up ONE HD, Channel 10’s sports channel but you can already get it through Foxtel. That’s right – the one extra free-to-air channel that’s available can only be seen in Canberra on pay TV, while free-to-air networks run ads to tell us why they’re better than pay TV. Lucky Auntie is taking things seriously otherwise Chez Blackbox might have to rethink its principled stance against paying for television. Now if Foxtel got rid of the ads…

On another front, SCTEN’s loss is a Flight of the Conchords (SBS, Mon, 9pm) fan’s gain with the second series on air in a much more respectable (and predictable) timeslot. It may have been a better show for SCTEN if it hadn’t been subject to being pushed later

by Rove (SCTEN, Sun, 8.45pm) and whichever inane reality show preceded him.

Merlin (SCTEN, Sun, 6.30pm) is really paint-by-numbers stuff. Take a British legend – preferably set sometime when there were busty women, jousting, crusades and when the men wore tights – and add some pretty people with more hair product than you’d find backstage at a drag show. Hard to tell you’re not watching the latest Robin Hood incarnation.

Harper’s Island seems to have turned out a dud – from 9.35pm to midnight to gone in the space of two weeks. Dave in the Life has also been hastily replaced with South Park (SBS, Mon, 8.30pm).

Three Acts of Murder (ABC1, Sun Jun 14, 8.30pm) ticks all the right boxes – an Australian period crime drama – this time set in the 1930s – based on a true story – serial killer Snowy Rowles, who took his inspiration from an Arthur Upfield novel, before it was even published. Confused? Tune in.

Spooks (ABC1, Mon, 9.35pm) is proving to be riveting viewing – in the next few weeks the focus moves from Iran and the middle east to Russia and there’s a new addition to the cast, Richard Armitage as MI5 officer Lucas North, captured in Russia eight years ago.

It sounds incredibly boring but The Ascent of Money (ABC1, Thu, 8.30pm) is actually fascinating, particularly if you can’t understand how you can wake up one day and be in the middle of the GFC without it having something to do with fried chicken.

Docos to look out for include Artscape: Circus Oz: The Big Birthday Bash (ABC1, Tue Jun 16, 10pm) which follows the circus on its 30th anniversary tour, Back Home (ABC1, Thu Jun 25, 9.25pm) which takes a Rwandan genocide survivor on a return trip through his country, Wordplay (SBS, Tue Jun 16, 10pm) which looks at the culture and history of The New York Times crossword, Nature’s Great Events (ABC1, Sun Jun 14, 7.30pm) which begins with the Arctic’s yearly melt.

Don’t miss Family Guy (Wed, Jun 10, 10.30pm), which promises the audio from the now infamous rant from Christian Bale.

TRACY HEFFERNAN tracyheffernan@bigpond.com

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HORSING AROUND KATHERINE QUINN PONY UP! are an all-girl band out of Montreal whose quirky and raw folk-pop sound and confessional lyricism had them at number 47 in 2007’s H100 with their song The Truth About Cats and Dogs (Is That They Die). Their new album, Stay Gold, was released on May 30 through independent label Laughing Outlaw.

The album is therefore aptly titled, a reference to the 1980s cult film The Outsiders. A character named Pony Boy recites Nothing Gold Can Stay, a Robert Frost poem, the gist of which is what? “Don’t let the hard world get you down,” band member Lisa tells me – good advice for anyone, particularly struggling musicians in today’s economic climate.

Stay Gold is more of the galloping drum beats, jangly guitar and unprocessed vocals we loved on their 2006 album, Make Love to the Judges With Your Eyes, except that this time they worked with a

We really needed somebody to say ‘play that guitar ‘til it fucking shines’ producer rather than just an engineer. And not just any old producer – Murray Lightburn from The Dears! “We really needed somebody to say to us ‘play that guitar ‘til it fucking shines’ and Murray’s a bit of a slave driver, so it worked out well. Plus we all really admire him, of course.” Apparently the feeling is mutual, with Murray asking Lisa and Laura from Pony Up! to join The Dears on tour last year.

Lisa cites Texan band Okkervil River as a major influence on Stay Gold (apparently vocalist Laura used to have a “massive crush” on a member). Indeed, there are many similarities between the two bands’ styles: they both feature meandering guitar parts, pitchy vocals and both have a penchant for prominent keyboard. However Pony Up! has a more childlike quality to their music, with uplifting, building chord progressions and soaring, layered vocals which make you feel like you’re ascending a steep hill towards sunrise. This sweet, optimistic quality is particularly evident in their new song A Crutch or a Cradle – one of my new faves. So did Laura and the guy from Okkervil River ever get together?, I ask excitedly. “No, she has real love now,” Lisa laughs. “She doesn’t need fictional love!”

Well, Lisa’s calling card is about to run out, but I have one last question: what’s this I’ve heard about a secret band handshake?

There isn’t one! “But you can pretend like there is,” Lisa says. Cheeky.

As a consolation she tells me about the ‘Coconut Club House’, a pantry off their kitchen too small to stand up in, which band members Laura and Lindsay decorated with a tropical theme and used to write songs in. How old were they when they did this? “That’s exactly what my boyfriend asked me when I told him that story!” Lisa cries, then says somewhat sheepishly, “They were like, twenty!”

Pony Up! will gallop into town on Wednesday June 17 to play with The Devoted Few at ANU Bar. Doors at 8:30pm, tix through Ticketek.

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the word

on albums

album of the week iron maiden flight 666 the original soundtrack [emi] Of course, as an Iron Maiden fan, you know what you’re getting here – a live document of the band’s last tour to tide you over in the absence of any new product whilst the band completes its next studio offering (which they haven’t actually started yet, so there might be a bit of a wait). But – and it’s a big but – the Flight 666 OST is a bit different.

Not only because it’s the soundtrack to a cinematicallyreleased feature documentary, something the band has never tried before, though that may be reason enough to tempt some of the hard-earned from your wallets, but because, for the first time ever, there’s a chance you may well be on the recording. That’s right. Two tracks from F666 were recorded in Australia (as was some amusingly brainless footage in the film at Melbourne’s Richmond Hotel)– stellar versions of 2 Minutes to Midnight (recorded in Melbourne) and Revelations (Sydney), but really that’s a silly reason to buy a record, isn’t it? So just shell out the readies for the fact that this is, quite possibly, the definitive Iron Maiden live album of all time. Monstrous.

Nambucco ‘Powerslave’ Deliria

huckelberry swedes suburban dreaming [vitamin] Immediately casting a relaxing atmosphere with the first track, Huckleberry Swedes’ debut album Suburban Dreaming perfectly captures the ideal Australian Outback.

Slightly nostalgic lyrics are harmonised flawlessly, accompanied by ever changing instrumentation of accordion, mandolin, banjo, keyboards, guitars and bass. The drum lines consist of variations of rock, swing, and shuffle beats and determine the feel of each song. As the band’s PR states, the album consists of “Songs about love of fishing, pies, and sweethearts”. From the music all the way to the artwork and everything in between, Suburban Dreaming screams Australia.

RHIANNON BRUNKER

Passion Pit Manners [Columbia Records] I guess this is what happens when you get labelled as a hype band and sign with a major; the tracks that created the hype in the first place stick out like a sore thumb, while the rest of the album is just whatever comes out first. Manners’ biggest problem as an album is it’s easy to listen to and easy to forget straight after.

Angelakos’ unique voice is so washed over not even standout tracks like Moth’s Wings and Sleepyhead can even out the inconsistencies, making even the biggest fans wonder if Chunk of Change ever really happened. Its potential for brilliance settles at boring, with the only lasting impact being the wondering of what this album could have been.

KATY HALL

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sounditout sounditout [Undercover Music/ Yep Records] Australia is blessed with a number of electropop male duos and another has arisen in the form of sounditout. Their self-titled EP is a fantasy of shifting moods and rhythms. Opening track Die Young Tonight invites the listener to plunge into reckless hedonism while Distraction takes on a more sombre tone. Control, with its sinuous, snake-like beats, contains an alluring concoction of rhythms that make it the highlight, while Circumstance imparts a feeling of menace, taking on a more serious geopolitical theme about the problems of post-colonial Africa. sounditout is very danceable, however at this stage their music lacks the mesmerising quality that makes artists like The Presets such stars.

RORY MCCARTNEY

The Versionaries We Come Again [ForeignDub/MGM] The Versionaries are a ragga/dub soundsystem consisting of New Zealand DJ/producer Christian Burns and New York Toaster/MC Barrington Calia.

As their name suggests, it’s all about different versions and coming up with a master rhythm, before dubbing, reforming and remixing each subsequent version. If dubbedout, drawn-out and dull reggae ramblings aren’t your thing, this is a nice selection of dubbed upbeat tunes that is something like a cross between Massive Attack and Beats International.

Mixing deejay toasting, male and female vocals, this 13-track excursion on the version is worth a listen.

SIMON HOBBS

singled out

with Dave Ruby Howe

Maxïmo Park The Kids Are Sick Again [Warp/Inertia] Remember when Maxïmo Park were good? I think it was back in 2005. Yeah, that’s about right.

Back then they were interesting and, more importantly, an exciting band to listen to. What happened? I’d like to think it was some disastrous drug abuse, but it turns out they’re just too boring for something like that and are just a shit band who write weak, bland and painfully awkward songs. Bye guys.

The Sundance Kids Solutions [Warner] The first thought that came to mind? Well, it could be worse.

If it was down to me choosing what people would love – a choice between the brainnumbing, image-mania pop of GaGa or this kind of middling, mildly anthemic rock – then yeah, I think I’d prefer people like these kids. It could be worse.

Phoenix Lisztomania [Shock] You know those songs you start listening to and even before the 30 second mark it clicks that this is the best song ever? This is one of those songs. I say one of those songs because there are heaps out there. Songs that keep you hooked for their full duration and whilst you’re confined in the song’s world they really do feel like the greatest thing you’ve ever heard. When they’re over you realise they’re really not the best best song ever, just very awesome. But you don’t care. You just play it again and suddenly it’s the best thing ever… again. So play it again, Phoenix.

the word on dvds

chuck [warner brothers]

the wrestler [hopscotch films]

the day the earth stood still [fox]

Another in the long line of shows ignored by Australian programmers, Chuck was one of the highlights of the 2007 new release calendar and also one of the many victims of the Writers Strike in the same year that truncated seasons, split them in half and generally interrupted the flow of every show on TV. A few recovered easily (The Office and 30 Rock remained safe bets) but for the newer ones like Chuck, Reaper and Pushing Daisies the task to retain viewers in an already vicious market was tough.

Fortunately Chuck well and truly hit the ground running. A deft mix of slapstick, mundane office life gaggery, spy caper, espionage drama, twentysomething angst – it almost seemed too clever and chaotic for its own good. The premise required an extraordinary leap of faith – our unwitting/ unwilling hero Charles “Chuck” Bartowksi (Zachary Levi) through the magic of the internet, and trickery of his malevolent ex-best friend/ rogue CIA agent, has become a fountain of Government secrets. Downloaded into his brain, or something, it activates itself when he gets close to the scene of a potential crime.

The Fed’s want him but Chuck is happy enough muddling along as a computer expert at the local suburban big barn electronics warehouse.

Chuck eventually relents and becomes part time spy. It could be a hackneyed bore but with well written minor characters and perfectly pitched plot development Chuck exhibits a depth lacking in most network dramedies. Think Burn Notice via Judd Apatow. In the final third of this debut season something intangible happens; everything falls into place and it transforms suddenly from an already great show to outstanding television. A show ready-made for cultdom.

The world of The Wrestler is about as far removed from the glitz and glamour of World Wrestling Entertainment as you can get. Mickey Rourke is Randy “the Ram” Robinson, a seasoned pro-wrestler whose heyday was in the ‘80s. He has fucked up relationships with all of those around him which is contradicted by the dressing room where he is idolised by the other wrestlers. He is estranged from his daughter, Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood), who doesn’t like her father’s choice of lifestyle. His only positive light is Cassidy/Pam (Marisa Tomei), the stripper he visits on a regular basis.

Finally Randy is offered the last chance to reclaim his glory and get back in the ring with his old nemesis, The Ayatollah.

This is a slight film, wonderfully directed by Darren Aranofsky (Requiem for a Dream) with fantastic performances from all involved. The interest in The Wrestler is in its exposition of a world totally foreign to most people – we don’t actually know what goes on in the crazy world of wrestling, but when The Ram fights a guy called Necro Butcher with light boxes, mirrors and all manner of items, you know this film isn’t for the squeamish. There is a sense of redemption through violence with Randy doing all he can to atone for previous sins by getting the shit beaten out of him night after night. This isn’t Rocky – this is hard-hitting and ultimately depressing stuff, with Randy facing a world of loneliness and alienation, due to illness, or the fact that he can’t relate to people unless he’s hitting them as hard as he can.

Aranofsky lets the action unfold in front of you and doesn’t get heavy-handed with messages or morals. The Wrestler ultimately is the kind of movie you can only watch once without wanting to slit your wrists, but it’s a great watch.

There’s much to be said about sci-fi films of the ’50s and ’60s.

Yes, the giant lizards were hammy and unterrifying but the post war period represented a time when people grappled with the ramifications of victory/ loss; living with new fears – mutually assured destruction, creeping communism, duckand-cover, Cold War. The terror of the tank was replaced with a psychological horror far more insidious. It was the stuff of metaphor heaven and it fed scriptwriters for generations to come. Around 57 years after first release The Day the Earth Stood Still has been given a coat of paint, spruced up for the CGI generation and launched on an unsuspecting and indifferent public. Keanu Reeves plays the alien, earnestly mugging his way through this shocker with all the charm and charisma of a used battery. His crib notes probably said “stoic” but all I saw was “imminent constipation”. He’s not exactly helped by Jayden Smith playing the obligatory opinionated sprog. It’d be cruel to get stuck into a kid, but he’s thoroughly disagreeable and will struggle to reach the low heights of his dad, Will, on this evidence. Jennifer Connelly, John Cleese and a giant orb emit low range energies that struggle to maintain attention. The plot is simple – alien comes to earth to collect a show bag full of animals that are innocents in the destructive nature of man, alien advises humanity it is doomed and are bad, alien begins to blow up world – yet they still manage to stuff it up. In this post-millennial update you can practically hear global warming and allegory in the background but maybe the producers got scared and played it safe. So, in its place is a directionless mess – no plot thrust, nil character development, cod dialogue and a giant robot that would be more suitable as an oversized garden gnome.

JUSTIN HOOK

GEOFF SETTY

justin hook

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the word

on films

WITH MARK RUSSELL

Type ‘vulcan’ into Word and the auto-correct demands it have a capital V. Yes, Vulcan was also the god of fire but we know which one they meant.

The creators of Star Trek must love that sort of stuff. To be fair, computer programmers probably make up a large proportion of their fanbase but this seminal television show really did boldly go where no program had gone before. It has both lived long and prospered, even inspiring electronic doors. It’s not all good though.

The alarming rise in hand and finger arthritis in the last forty odd years can be directly attributed to the Vulcan salute.

But you don’t hear about that in your Captain’s Log...

quote of the issue Spock (Leonard Nimoy) “Because my customary farewell would sound oddly self serving, I will simply say: Good luck.”

Star Trek

38

observe and report

star trek

lesbian vampire killers

Not having experienced Paul Blart: Mall Cop, it’s hard to comment on the similarities between it and this film.

Having gashed my head open on gravel and glass when I was nine however, I can see how watching this movie is alike to that situation. This film is tacky, often discriminatory, unsubtle shit. The story follows Ronnie (Seth Rogan), a mall cop whose delusions of happiness seem to revolve around his penchant for hurting/shooting things. Writer/ director Jody Hill attributes this terrible disposition to his bipolar disorder. He’s a scary, unbalanced individual with a chip on his shoulder. Observe and Report does for mental illness what Wolf Creek did for utes and akubras. It tells us that if you’re at a distance, point and laugh at the sufferer but don’t get too close, cause they’re violent bastards. Obviously cinematic history tells us it’s possible to make mental illness hilarious, but that’s when you laugh at situations that arise because of it. There’s no punchline to the scenario presented here. Ronnie’s angry and abusive – that’s the highlight of the comedy. As a character he has no redeeming features and is surrounded by a swathe of similarly dislikeable people. Even the wafer-thin plot of Ronnie pursuing a career as a cop doesn’t lead anywhere.

On top of this, the scenes are punctuated by intense brutality which comes out of nowhere and jars terribly. Save yourself the price of a ticket to this film. If you really want to create the same effect, underscore Shindler’s List with a canned-laughter track. Oh the hilarity.

Sometimes, Hollywood attempts to take something previously delegated to nerddom and give it a sexy makeover.

Usually, the result is an arrogant and horrible film. but J.J. Abrams, of Lost fame, has successfully revamped the original 1960s Star Trek series. The USS Enterprise is now hip, slick and sassy, and fresh-faced talents step into roles that made actors into legends. James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), a cocky genius no-hoper, enlists as a cadet in Starfleet, where he meets a variety of familiar characters. Naturally, when you’re boldly going places where no man has gone before, dangerous adventure ensues – life-threatening missions, wild space-jumping, black holes, sexual tension...all at warp speed. Star Trek generally pleases avid fans that usually scoff at Hollywood’s efforts to sell nerdiness to the masses, but also appeals to and entertains those who don’t know Star Trek from Star Wars. Why? Well, the young, attractive cast helps.

Snappy dialogue, true-to-theoriginal set and zippy special effects also assist in propelling this USS Enterprise along the path to cinema awesomeness.

Star Trek manages to be neither a haphazard fan vid of high brow in-jokes, nor a dumbed-down, over-sexed bastardisation of the much-loved Star Trek ‘verse.

There are many clever moments and the premise sets the scene nicely for an entirely new set of future storylines, separate from the series. Basically, Star Trek is fabulously entertaining, wonderfully clever and terribly fun. See it. Twice.

There’s something very nihilistic about males making films about lesbian vampires.

Maybe it harks back to their school days – watching some cheerleader strut around, knowing she would destroy them if they ever put their film geek hands on her. This celluloid examination of the subject concerns the little English town of Cragwich. Cragwich labours under an ancient curse that turns all its female inhabitants into lesbian vampires on their 18th birthday. It’s also the choice holiday destination for Londoners Jimmy (Mathew Horne) and Fletch (James Corden). Cue tits and teeth.

Corden is undoubtedly the more talented of the two with delivery and timing head and shoulders above his co-star.

That’s not to say he quite pulls it off though. Much more time has been spent on dialogue than plot in this haphazard script.

The two merely move from one spot to the next, then back again, accomplishing little along the way. Most of the time these locations are intended to show off pearls of wordplay or sightgags, ranging from the superb to the very, very weak.The sex is, predictably, based on a lot of teasing. In the end the bulk of the lesbianism is about on par with what you’d see in the middle of a circle of footballers at Shooters.

Some great lines, a few good set pieces and plenty of eye candy make this passable but that’s not what you want out of a film like this. Shlock horror needs to be either absolutely brilliant or groan-inducing. After all, the only real way to foil a lesbian vampire, is with ambivalence.

MARK RUSSELL

MEGAN McKEOUGH

MARK RUSSELL

the word

on games

This issue marks the momentous rebirth of the games column and what better way to celebrate the occasion then to review two of the year’s bigger titles; Resident Evil 5 and Killzone 2.

As the numbers would suggest, both follow the rather unimaginative theme of this generation, namely the sequel. So originally might not be the in-thing at the moment, but at least it means we once again get to see our favourite character’s persona sodomised by the game developer until what remains of their plausibility is hanging by a thin tether. Did I mention Wesker can now teleport? torben sko

Killzone 2 Platform: PS3 Length: 10hrs (SP) Since its hyped reveal in 2005, Killzone 2 has been touted as a platformdefining title. Play it and you’ll be consumed in a graphical orgy, fulfilling your ever fanboy dream.

However, give it longer than five minutes and you’ll quickly become acquainted with the visuals, leaving you to realise that you’re playing an almost sub-par game featuring a terrible control system. For example, lower the sensitivity enough to perform pixel perfect aiming and you’ll rewarded with a spin so long you’ll be killed two times over before you’ve even glimpsed the arsehole behind you. To make matters worse, the enemies can take bullets better than most action heroes, to the extent that at times you’re left to sprint past the ever spawning bastards just to make progress. Not satisfying! The storyline doesn’t do the game any favours either. You’re placed in a squad of unhelpful dickheads, fighting for what seems to be the wrong team. But then again, the other guys dress like Nazis so they must be evil right? Overall, this game is solid, but other than the visuals, it’s really nothing special.

Resident Evil 5 Plaform: 360, PS3 Length: 15hrs In light of Resident Evil 4’s acclaimed success, Capcom has decided to play it safe. With the exception of the new co-op feature, the gameplay of 5 closely follows that of its predecessor, only now you’re shooting Africans instead of the French (but apparently it’s only racist when they’re black). Unfortunately, with this new gameplay, comes a whole host of problems. The co-op AI is terrible, so playing with a friend is a must. Likewise, the game is riddled with stupidities. Why can’t I change my quick-select weapons in-game? Why can’t I automatically use an item off the ground? Why does a rocket launcher take up as much space as a freaking egg? Despite the clear lack of gameplay testing at Capcom, the games still provides a very enjoyable experience (even if its only due to its RE4 heritage) and that’s only enhanced by being able to share that with a mate, assuming they’re not a twat. However, if you haven’t played either title yet and don’t have any friends, stick to the five star 4 instead.

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the word

Ratatat Gig name / Quan / Qua Venue ANU Bar Date May 10 Sunday

on gigs

For the first time ever Ratatat graced Canberra’s barren land to play a bigger set than the ANU Bar’s stage could handle. In fact it might even be said that the crowd could not be contained by this bar, filled by day with students discussing philosophies over tasty nachos and beer: barfalicious!

And speaking of mass exodus via the mouth, Regurgitator’s Quan was supporting! Best segue yet, right? Wrong. Because Quan was anything but barf. Even the most enthusiastic dancer couldn’t out-pace Quan’s energetic whirlwinding. I’m generally not for the hip-hop, but he kept it interesting – shifting between samples and singing. His drummer was pretty fun too (we initially wondered if she might be someone from the crowd, dancing about before she banged along). The accompanying video had me chuckling. And you could see Quan drawing more and more attention, motivating people out of their comfy plastic seats.

Before Quan were Qua (evidently it was the night for bands with the letters Q, U and A in their names), who definitely held their own.

These guys were deliciously electronic and experimental but they didn’t seem too interested in what they were doing. It felt a bit too pre-recorded… Don’t get me wrong, at times I really liked what I heard. But these guys are yet to meet their potential.

If people weren’t raring to go ape-shit before Ratatat arrived, they were about to be. These guys really have some solid stage presence!

Opening with Shiller, Evan Mast and Mike Stroud worked their captive audience into dance mode. Sadly, the crowd was pretty rough from the onset and it was hard to enjoy the band near the front. After a while people were moshing and riding one another’s shoulders. At a festival on grassy fields, this is a welcome sight! In a small venue such as the ANU Bar though, it was kinda intimidating.

Spectators who really seemed to enjoy the set stood further towards the back, bopping pleasantly, genuinely moved by the harmonies ebbing through the guitar slashing. Crowd-pleasers like Seventeen had the room raising their hands in delight. Never before have I seen strong guitar play utilised so well on stage. We even got a sneak peak of music to come, which promised a similar ambience to their best work yet, LP3. Behind them, video images of birds threatened to trip us out, while Mast and Stroud worked effortlessly to deliver catchy, hooky songs. Even though the set was a decent length it still felt like they left far too quickly. Let’s hope they return soon and maybe next time play a larger venue.

PETER ROSEWARNE

Little Birdy / Oh Mercy ANU Bar Thursday May 14 It was Thursday evening and I’d somehow double booked myself. The first plan was dinner with friends, the other attending Little Birdy.

I smugly thought that dinner was the safe bet because of several Canberra shows cancelled in the past by the band. My smugness was shoved down my sweater when they not only played, but played one of their most varied sets ever.

Photos: nick brightman

40

The Sydney warm up act, Oh Mercy, proved why they’ve been gaining notice in the last 12 months; with the sweetness of their songs winning over the crowd and getting everyone in the mood to hear from one of Australia’s great crooners.

the word

Little Birdy’s set started beautifully when Katy Steele entered the stage solo, singing Brother acoustically, and being joined midway by the other band members to make the melody what it really is.

Steele’s temporary solo career seems to have given her the greater confidence she needed, and finally she appeared truly comfortable onstage. But after hyping the crowd so well, the set immediately dropped. There were countless songs from previous albums bunched together, making it feel like the band were simply playing them to get the crowd onside and the songs out of the way. What’s meant to be enjoyable felt like four people with too much professionalism and no sincerity. Songs such as Confetti and Hairdo were lost to poor sound quality; and where Steele’s voice should have powered, it simply hid behind the music. The attempts at making a stripped back ‘60s feel to the songs fell by the wayside, which was a pity because recorded, the tracks are some of their best.

on gigs

Thankfully it began to pick up again when the crowd was treated to the original version of the old classic, Beautiful; with just a loop, a guitar and Katy Steele. The Split Enz cover of Six Months in a Leaky Boat got everyone clapping along, and by the time the encore rolled around everyone seemed to have heard at least one of their favourites; be it old, new or cover. When attending a Little Birdy gig, there is always certainty in one thing; that they will play incredibly well. It may not be particularly personal or even the most entertaining of gigs, but they’re not an antics band and it makes for money well spent.

KATY HALL

Reggie Watts The Folkus Room Friday June 5 It’s hard to put into words what the Reggie Watts experience is like. You sit in a dark room in front of what appears to be the love child of ?uestlove from The Roots and a comedic Bill Gates.

Between the astonishing live improvisational songs, his diatribe is both nonsensical and scintillating to the point where if someone asked me why I was roaring with laughter I wouldn’t be able to offer comment. To attempt a review of the show will be a test of my own mental quintessence, which in laymen’s terms simply means he completely and utterly blew my mind. Let’s go back to the beginning.

The Folkus Room is a bit of a social melting pot. Young, old, outgoing and socially modest alike gathered amongst the tables with beverage in hand awaiting the arrival of ‘that guy who was on Good News Week’.

I could see his infamous loop pedal and array of microphones which made me more eager to see what two hours with the man would unveil. He finally appeared around 8:30, fashionably late, which for a seemingly unfashionable man seems quite ironic. He seems almost a caricature of himself; big beard, massive hair and the stage presence of an entire band, which due to his unique vocal talents as a musical comparison does not fall far from the absolute truth.

Photos: ben shaw

Over the next two hours he performed both the role of comedian, lecturer and musician, never once losing the folkus of the crowd. He has this uncanny ability to deliver the most intelligently structured gibberish while still somehow managing to come to a hilarious point and never missing a beat, but it is his own beats that make the show something I will never forget. Masterfully crafted incantations about famine, the music industry and my personal favourite A Fuck/ Shit Stack had the audience in the palm of his microphone tethered hand. His vocal ability is absolutely prodigious, and at one stage I experienced dry mouth simply because he had my jaw on the floor for so long. I don’t care who’s running for government in the next election, I’m voting for Reggie Watts.

TIM GALVIN

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GIG GUIDE June 11 - June 13 THURSDAY JUNE 11 Arts Bodies in Trouble

By Peter Maloney.

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Careful Messenger

Jazz Garters

The middle of the year is traditionally the time for Rep to pull out its stalwart winter revue show, The Old Time Music Hall, but this year the long-running tradition has been superseded by a new revue show, Jazz Garters, directed

by Jim McMullen. A chocolate box of musical treats, with cabaret, vaudeville, circus and comedy acts. Tix $35/$27.

Running until June27.

By Tim Plaisted.

THEATRE 3, ellery cres

Avoidance Pieces

Dance

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE - MANUKA

Trash Thursdays

CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE GORMAN HOUSE

Exhibition by Paul Hay.

ARC: Summer Palace (2006, 18+)

Leading ‘Sixth Generation’ filmmaker Ye Lou’s controversial account of the generation of Chinese youth that lived in the whirlwind of 1989 and the Tiananmen Square protests – then reaped its anti-climactic aftermath.

7:30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Agamemnon

Performed by WeThree, a new local theatre company, working in collaboration with Ickle Pickle Productions and written by local writer Rachel Hogan who has adapted her play from Aeschylus’ classic tragedy about the conqueror of Troy. In addition to the Belco Theatre shows running from June 11 – 20 @ 8pm, there’ll be a one-off special performance at Carey’s Cave, Wee Jasper on June 14 at 5pm. For info on the show call 6251 2981.

BELCONNEN THEATRE

Soft Animators

Not to be confused with the equally as entertaining Soft Sculpture exhibition at the NGA, Soft Animators at Craft ACT is a showcase of artists who use textiles, sewing and stuffing to bring handmade creatures and characters to life. The artists include the incredible Sarah Crowest from South Australia, CUPCO from Sydney and Ghostpatrol with Cat Rabbit from Melbourne, who have all contributed sweet, ugly, humorous and sometimes downright bizarre little critters to the exhibition. Look out for the squishy K-Rudd amongst CUPCO’s crowd!

CRAFT ACT

$2 drinks ‘til 2am and discounted cocktails. With DJs Adam and Esscue.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Ashley Feraude

You love him, we love him... what’s not to love?

TRINITY BAR

PJ O’REILLY’S, TUGGERANONG

Karaoke

Cash prizes, 2 for 1 basic spirits and tap beer. DJ Peter Dorree from 11 with free pool.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

FRIDAY JUNE 12

Fridays @ Sub Urban

Kickstart Your Weekend

SUB-URBAN

Happy Hour 7pm-9pm, live entertainment 8:30 to 11:30pm.

One half of Canberra’s favourite DJ outfit, The Aston Shuffle, spins dance floor winners. Pay not.

LIVE

With live DJs and live music from 9pm.

Mikah Freeman

TRINITY BAR

Cheese

The Pocket

Camo Party

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Charles Chatain

Free live music at King O Malleys.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Dos Locos

Retro/disco, Latin/salsa, pop, rock.

THE DURHAM

TRANSIT BAR

Dress in camo for entry and the chance to win an adventure paintball experience.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Live Charles Chatain

Playing from 5-8pm, free live music at King O Malleys.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Something Different

Boonhorse and Bent Hen

Thursdays @ Sub Urban

THE BASEMENT

Ladies night. Buy one cocktail, get another free.

SUB-URBAN

8th Annual Australian Air Guitar Championship The third qualifying final to find the best air guitarist in the land. Grand final on June 13.

CANBERRA IRISH CLUB

Austen Tayshus

It’s a fair bet that anyone who remembers the ‘80s will remember Austen Tayshus. His comedy single Australiana sold over 20,000 copies by weaving Australian lingo and place names into an extremely clever and funny story of an Aussie BBQ. His work is improvisational and sometimes confronting, yet strangely addictive and he is the perfect host of a comedy club.

Tickets $30 on the door.

Free gig with Escape Syndrome, Vera, Astrochem and Turbulence. experimental electronica, metal, funk, hardcore and alternative rock, there is something for everyone. Free gigs are rare. Free gigs featuring a line up as diverse and original as this one are even rarer. Paqman returns to Woden Youthie on June 27.

WODEN YOUTH CENTRE

Something Different

Live A night of indie/olk/pop with Zounds, The Sleeves, The Eastern Seaboard, and Robbie Karmel. $5.

Paqman and Friends

Dance

All your favorite old school classics lovingly blended by local merchants of cheese.

TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE

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Karaoke With Grant

A night of thrash, grime and metal. $10.

Heuristic

Playing 10pm-2am, free live music at King O Malleys.

TRADIES CLUB, DICKSON

Bob and The Band

A tribute to the music of Bob and The Band. Tix $20/$15 at the door.

Canberra’s cheeky charmer Sanjiva de Silva and local legend Craig Dawson were born to be Bob Dylan, while The Lenders were born to channel the incomparable playing of The Band. Guy The Sound Guy (aka Guy Gibson, long time Canberra soundie/studio engineer) invites you to get along to Bob & The Band, a tribute to the music of Dylan and the band with the most boring name ever – The Band – who wrote some of the best songs ever. Will ‘Pete Seeger’ appear with an axe to try to stop ‘Dylan’ going electric? Strut in dressed as Dylan or Baez and you could win a CD. WHITE EAGLE POLISH CLUB

SATURDAY JUNE 13

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

After Work Jazz

Arts

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

ARC: Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (R)

From 5 to 8pm.

Rev

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

BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC

Flipper

On the Love/Fight tour, with support from Slowbourne, I Exist and Jekstore.

Tix through Moshtix.

ANU BAR

Warren Oates stars as a low-life Texas bar pianist, drawn into a mad dash to claim the cash offered by a Mexican Drug patriarch (another Peckinpah regular, iconic Mexican actor/director Emilio Fernández): to bring back his daughter’s lover, dead or dismembered.

4:30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

GIG GUIDE June 13 - June 17 ARC: Performance (1970, R)

Donald Cammell’s masterpiece (probably only technically co-directing with then cinematographer Nicolas Roeg), tests the point at which the ‘60s power-fantasy had become a nightmare. Mick Jagger plays an alternative future-self to the aging jet-setter to come, burnt-out in fauxaristocratic squalor in a rambling West London terrace. 7:30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

DAY PLAY Gorman House Markets GORMAN HOUSE

Burley Griffin Antique Centre KINGSTON FORESHORE

Dance Justin Mullins and Zed Katsu (ex Alien digit)

Back from gigs in Canada and Mexico, mixing vocal loop deep dub, hip-hop and melody. $5.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

The Crunch

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

TRINITY BAR

Academy Saturdays: Ashley Feraude

Canberra’s favourite son spins up a storm, with ample support from Rexy, Tim Galvin, with Frankie Madrid overseeing the Candy Bar. ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Candy Cube

DJs Peter Dorree and Matt Chavasse.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Live The Understudy

Everyone hates running into their ex, so why go on tour with one? Lucy Hearn of The Understudy and Chris Frank of New Neighbours have put themselves into this tension-filled situation to show the East Coast a fiery show. Opening act Margaret Helen King will take the stage followed by The Understudy, and New Neighbors. With a mix of muscular and melodramatic music, and the possibility of some entertainment from squabbling exs… it’ll be a sight to behold.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Save Canberra’s Music Scene

Canberra’s Music Scene is dwindling fast. Venues have been forced to shut down, opportunities for musicians are little to none, noise restrictions are making it increasingly difficult for venues still standing to make a living. Featuring: Hancock Basement, Rubycon, Rounds, The Heroines and The Preys - All proceeds are to be donated to the Canberra Musicians Club.

beats of Pleased To Jive You and Astro Chem. The boys will take the stage at 12:15pm, followed by the rally at 1pm, and then there’s more music to follow.

With the planet facing catastrophic global warming in as little as twenty years, local musicians are doing their bit to make June 13 a day in which thousands of mostly young Australians make their voice heard.

GAREMA PLACE

ANU BAR

THE BASEMENT

Great Romantics Tour

SUNDAY JUNE 14 Arts Blackbird

Extended Family and guests

A laid-back evening with a couple of Canberra’s best local DJs. Free entry.

More dance at Transit.

TRANSIT BAR

A contemporary classic drama by David Harrower. Runs until Jul 4.

THE STREET THEATRE

SUB-URBAN

Raven DJs

Jump on board with $8 cocktails, 6-10pm. Raven DJs at 10pm.

TRINITY BAR

Cube Sunday

Party on after the weekend is over with DJ TJ. Free pool.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Sunday Sessions: Charge Summary

The Australia and New Zealand Grand Final, bringing together the best and brightest air swishes from the Antipodes. The winner goes on to the Air Guitar World Championship Final in Finland.

From 5-9pm.

ALL BAR NUN

Concert for Piano and Voice

Concert for piano and voice with Alan Hicks (piano) and Christina Wilson (soprano). Tix $25/$20/$10.

WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE

Sunday Sessions @ Sub Urban

Happy Hour and Live Music from 4pm.

SUB-URBAN

CANBERRA IRISH CLUB

Irish Jam Session

Kickstart Your Weekend

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Happy Hour 7pm-9pm, live entertainment 8:30 to 11:30pm.

TRADIES CLUB, DICKSON

National Climate Change Emergency Rally

Canberra youth bands are joining forces to raise awareness of climate change.

The National Climate Emergency Rally and Environment Festival kicks off at Garema Place in Civic on Saturday June 13 with the funk and rockin’

Meat Raffle Mondays

Buy a drink, score a raffle ticket, grab a meal and receive 5 tickets.

TUESDAY JUNE 16 Something Different Fame Trivia

Every Tuesday, from 7:30pm.

THE DURHAM

Bad!Slam!No!Biscuit!

Poetry slam. Play Nice.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Transit Carry-On Karaoke Live

8th Annual Australian Air Guitar Championship

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Bicipital Groove and Biggie

Oscar

Something Different

Bootleg Sessions

Dance

THE DURHAM

Free live music at King O Malleys.

TRANSIT BAR

THE DURHAM

Saturdays @ Sub Urban With live music from 9pm.

Univibes DJs

As part of Transit Bar’s regular hospitality Mondays.

THE PHOENIX, EAST ROW, CIVIC

“For vitality, elegance, playfulness and technical prowess - all the qualities you want in a chamber ensemble, really - it would be hard to top the Australian Chamber Orchestra...” San Francisco Chronicle, 2009. Bookings: 1300 795 012. Presented by The Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

LLEWELLYN HALL

Dance

LIVE

Mother Mars, Looking Glass and Summons

The Sydney stoner rock four-piece head to town.

MONDAY JUNE 15

Free live music at King O Malleys.

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

TRANSIT BAR

Chuse Jazz Tuesdays TRINITY BAR, DICKSON

Pot Belly Trivia

POT BELLY BAR, BELCONNEN

Trivia Night

PJ O’REILLY’S, TUGGERANONG

Trivia Night

HOLY GRAIL, KINGSTON

WEDNESDAY JUNE 17 Arts Tanja Liedtke’s Construct

Something Different $10 Schnitzel Sunday

An evening of spectacular dance, for three nights only. Runs until June 19.

THE PLAYHOUSE

THE DURHAM

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GIG GUIDE June 17 - June 20 Live

Dance

The Huckelberry Swedes

Trash Thursdays

Rising five-piece alternative/roots/ rock band the Huckleberry Swedes are touring Australia, promoting their debut LP Suburban Dreaming. The album features the boys mastering a number of instruments; a wonderfully bemusing mix of accordion, banjo, mandolin, keyboards, guitars, bass, vocals and drums. If anything experimental is your thang or you’re just a curious music lover, this will be a must see.

THE PHOENIX PUB

$2 drinks ‘til 2am and discounted cocktails. With DJs Adam and Esscue.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

Tables Have Turned

Museum and Gallery to hear your views on the current state of our dear mother earth. There’ll be free grub and drinks, so be sure to RSVP by June 11 so they know how much nosh to order. Phone 6207 2626 or email envcomm@act. gov.au .

CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY

THE DURHAM

Shakedown!

FRIDAY JUNE 19

BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC

Dance

Hospital: The Musical

Fridays @ Sub Urban

Pony Up! and The Devoted Few

THE BASEMENT

Tix through Ticketek.

ANU BAR

An evening of brewtality, with supports Collateral Manage.

Dub Dub Goose

Two sets of original tunes, some with Beth Monzo. 8pm, $5 at the door.

THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY

Something Different $5 Night @ Transit

2 pizzas and a pint $15 all day.

The Paper Scissors

Presented by Pyramid, they are Rock/ Indie/Alternative and the very best of it.Free entry.

TRANSIT BAR

TRANSIT BAR

Shoe Levy

Carry-on Karaoke

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Every Wednesday, from 9:30pm.

Musica Viva presents The Tokyo String Quartet

THE DURHAM

Fame Trivia

The Rolls Royce of string quarters perform a programme of classical and romantic music. Tix through Ticketek.

PJ O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

Karaoke Night

Llewellyn hall, ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC

HOLY GRAIL KINGSTON

Something Different Thursdays @ Sub Urban

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Latin! Or Tobacco and Boys

Written by Stephen Fry. Running 18-20, 23-26 June, 8pm. 2pm and 8pm show on June 27.

CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE

Ladies night. Buy one cocktail, get another free.

From 5 to 8pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

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

TRINITY BAR

Pang! Present Chris Fraser

With Typhonic, Hubert, Cheese and Faux Real. Doors at 10pm, $15 on the door.

LOT 33

Carry On Karaoke

Live

Karaoke With Grant

Fete de la Musique

PJ O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

PJ O’REILLY’S, TUGGERANONG

Karaoke

Cash prizes, 2 for 1 basic spirits and tap beer. DJ Peter Dorree from 11 with free pool.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Youth Environment Forum

Are you under 25? Do you have something to say about sustainability and environment issues? On Thursday June 18 the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment and the Children and Young People Commissioner will be at the Canberra

Something Different

TRADIES CLUB, DICKSON

Known for always bringing something fresh to the table, Shazam is a Perth producer making tracks for dance floors, with plush productions that manage to balance depth and substance with an abounding sense of fun. He knows how to inject the right amount of bump into a track, not getting caught up in the all too prominent contest of who can bang the hardest. He’s so far released material on Modular, Bang Gang 12 Inches and Ministry of Sound, sometimes dipping into DJ mode and causing his audience to lose it like a set of keys. With support Ashley Feraude.

SUB-URBAN

OUT JUNE 25 44

After Work Jazz

Shazam

TRANSIT BAR

The film that marked the high-water and high-camp mark of the lowbrow, low-tech, old John Waters movie-making, pre-Hairspray and his present-day celebrity pundit status. The late, great Divine (the mother in the original Hairspray) plays the arch trailer trash and ‘notorious criminal beauty’, Babs Johnson, on the run from the law in rural Maryland with her imbecile son, senile mother and “travelling companion” Cotton. 7:30pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Kickstart Your Weekend

SUB-URBAN

Featuring Mike Callendar.

ARC: Pink Flamingos (1970, R)

Free live music at King O Malleys.

With live DJs and live music from 9pm.

LLIK LLIK LLIK

thursday JUNE 18 Arts

Itchy Triggers

BAR 32, SYDNEY BUILDING, CIVIC

Live

WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE

THE DURHAM

Rev

Indie/alt/dance action. Free before 10pm.

Yisi Wang (piano). $2 entry.

Refreshments $1.

Wednesday Lunchtime Live

Mr. Lincoln

With local artists Miroslav Bukovsky Quartet, Annie and Friends, Fortune Brass and more.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

Hell City Glamours

BMA Magazine and Riffage presentHell City Glamours withHancock Basement, andEscape Syndrome$10 on the door ANU BAR AND REFECTORY

Psycroptic

On the Unleashing the Extreme tour with supports The Amenta and Ruins THE BASEMENT

Happy Hour 7pm-9pm, live entertainment 8:30 to 11:30pm.

SATURDAY JUNE 20 Arts ARC: Australian Surrealism (18+)

Dada and Surrealism – especially the work of Luis Buñuel, but also of filmmakers such as René Clair, Man Ray and Americans like Maya Deren – were key influences on the undeterred generation of Australian filmmakers who struggled to make films in the 1950s and ‘60s and build the foundations of the feature film revival in the 1970s.

4:30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

ARC: Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London (1967, 18+) and Reggae (1970, 18+)

Two very different perspectives on London pop culture and its subcultures in the late ‘60s: Iconic British pop documentarian Peter Whitehead’s Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London (1967, 60’, 16mm) is one of the most famous snapshots of Groovy Britannia at its zenith, with surprisingly candid interviews with Vanessa Redgrave, Mick Jagger, and Michael Caine to the music of Pink Floyd. Reggae (1970, 60’ 16mm) is pioneering Afro-Caribbean filmmaker Horace Ové’s look at the formative sound of London music and the immigrant culture that brought it to the UK. 7:30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

me and the grownups yves klein blue bedroom philosopher choose mics

…plus more

GIG GUIDE June 20 - June 24 ARC: Frozen River 2006, MA 15+)

Ray Eddy is a sleep-deprived upstate New York single-trailer mom. Lila is also doing it tough on a Mohawk Indian reservation in Quebec. Broke after her gambling addicted husband takes off with the mortgage payments, Ray joins forces with Lila to build a lucrative sideline in casual smuggling, across the frozen border between the US and Canada. 7:30pm.

ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND ARCHIVE

Heuristic

The Cool

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Something Different Kickstart Your Weekend

Happy Hour 7pm-9pm, live entertainment 8:30 to 11:30pm.

TRADIES CLUB, DICKSON

SUNDAY JUNE 21

GORMAN HOUSE

Burley Griffin Antique Centre KINGSTON FORESHORE

Dance Cube Sunday

Party on after the weekend is over with DJ TJ. Free pool.

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Dance Knightsbridge Fifth Birthday

Live

It’s five-minute abs night! Hard bodied instructors included. And drink, of course. Plenty of drink.

Sunday Sessions: Naked

Tom Piper & MC Losty

Piano and Cello Concert

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE

With supports Ashley Feraude and Sean Kelly.

ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB

From 5-9pm.

ALL BAR NUN

Argentinean pianist Marcela Fiorillo and virtuoso cellist David Pereira. Tix $30/$20/$15.

Candy Cube

WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE

CUBE NIGHTCLUB

Happy Hour and Live Music from 4pm.

DJs Peter Dorree and Matt Chavasse.

Live Waterford

THE PHOENIX PUB

Local Music Night

Irish Jam Session From 5pm.

KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC

Wolf and Cub

With special guests The Scare and Cabins. Tix through Ticketek.

A free night of music to shock and delight you. 5pm.

ANU BAR

Temptris

Something Different

POT BELLY BAR

$10 Schnitzel Sunday

Piano and Cello Concert

Jumptown Swing: Blues & Swing in the City

Argentinean pianist Marcela Fiorillo and virtuoso cellist David Pereira. Tix $30/$20/$15.

WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE

True Live

TRANSIT BAR, AKUNA ST, CIVIC

Univibes DJs

PJ O’REILLY’S, TUGGERANONG

Trivia Night

HOLY GRAIL, KINGSTON

As part of Transit Bar’s regular hospitality Mondays.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 24

TRANSIT BAR

Arts

Live Autumn Sun

Fresh out of the studio and ready to hit the road, Brisbane pop sweethearts Autumn Sun will be bringing their contemporary coastal sounds down south when they tour their highly anticipated EP Gritty Love. The band is heading to Canberra to showcase their wares at The Phoenix on Monday 22nd June, with support from the loveliest of local lasses Mariane Mettes.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Blackbird

A contemporary classic drama by David Harrower. Runs until Jul 4.

THE STREET THEATRE

Live Michael Peter

With Ben Drysdale and Paul Eagle.

THE PHOENIX PUB

Wednesday Lunchtime Live Milford Piano Quartet. $2 entry.

WESLEY MUSIC CENTRE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Bertie Blackman TRANSIT BAR

Meat Raffle Mondays

Buy a drink, score a raffle ticket, grab a meal and receive 5 tickets.

THE DURHAM

SOMETHING DIFFERENT Fame Trivia

PJ O’REILLY’S, CIVIC

TUESDAY JUNE 23

Karaoke Night

HOLY GRAIL KINGSTON

LIVE Chuse Jazz Tuesdays

(TRINITY) BAR, DICKSON

Something Different Fame Trivia

With supports Machete, Scapegoat and Reign of Terror. 7pm, $10.

THE BASEMENT

Dance

Sunday Sessions @ Sub Urban SUB-URBAN

Carry-On Karaoke Trivia Night

THE DURHAM

DAY PLAY Gorman House Markets

MONDAY JUNE 22

$8 cocktails (6-10pm). Heuristic plays at 10pm.

THE DURHAM

Learn to dance with Jumptown Swing.

Class at 5pm, DJs from 6pm.

MONKEY BAR

Every Tuesday, from 7:30pm.

THE DURHAM

Transit Carry-On Karaoke

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

TRANSIT BAR

Trivia Night

PHOENIX BAR, CIVIC

Pot Belly Trivia

POT BELLY BAR, BELCONNEN

A live funk/sole outfit unleash their new album on Canberra.

TRANSIT BAR

Saturdays @ Sub Urban With live music from 9pm.

SUB-URBAN

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FIRST CONTACT SIDE A: BMA band profile

KASHA Where did your band name come from?

It is a Polish nickname for Katrina. Apparently it also a Slavic word for porridge. We just liked the sound.

Group Members Hugh Deacon (drums), Josh Becker (bass and vox), Austin Buckett (Nord) and Adam Guzowski (guitar and vox).

Describe your sound.

Battles vs Radiohead vs The Mars Volta.

Who are your influences musical or otherwise?

Radiohead, Rage Against The Machine, Noisia, Triosk, The Mars Volta, Sigur Rós, The Necks, My Disco, Steve Reich, Saul Williams, Björk, Four Tet… to name a few.

What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had whilst performing?

Josh’s beard fell off in the last song at The Phoenix. We had to start again.

What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moments so far?

State cross-country team ’98.

What are your plans for the future?

Record an EP in July in Sydney, followed by an east coast tour of Australia. Until then we will keep playing regular gigs in Canberra and Sydney.

What makes you laugh?

I just saw a man sneeze so vigorously he fell off his bicycle.

What pisses you off?

Radiohead not touring Australia.

What’s your opinion of the local scene?

Some great bands but not enough venues.

What are your upcoming gigs Hippo Bar – Thursday June 25 at 10pm.

The Phoenix – Monday July 27 at 11pm.

Contact info For bookings: kashaband@gmail.com .

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Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306 Adam Hole Adam 0421 023 226 Afternoon Shift Adam 0402 055 314 After Close Scotty 0412 742 682, afterclose@hotmail.com Alcove Mark 0410 112 522 Alice 0423 100 792 Allies ACT (Oxfam Group) alliesact@hotmail.com/ myspace.com/alliesact Amphibian Sound PA Clare 0410 308 288 Amplif5’d Classic rock covers band Joy 0407 200 428, joybarac-heath@hotmail.com Annie & the Armadillos Annie 0422 076 313 The Ashburys Dan Craddock 0419 626 903 Aria Stone, sax & flute, singer/ songwriter (guitar) Aria 0411 803 343 Australian Songwriters Association (Keiran Roberts) 6231 0433 Arythmia: Ben 0423 408 767/ arythmiamusic@gmail.com Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422 733 974, www.backbeatdrivers.com Big Boss Groove Andrew 0404 455 834, www.bigbossgroove.com.au Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY shows - bookings@birdslovefighting.com Black Label Photography Kingsley 0438 351 007 Blister Bug Stu 0408 617 791 Bridge Between, The Rachel 0412 598 138, thebridgebetween.com.au Bruce Stage mgr/consultant 6254 9857 Catchpenny Nathan 0402 845 132 Caution Horses Nigel 0417 211 580 Chris Harland Blues Band 0418 490 640 chrisharlandbluesband@yahoo.com.au Clear Vision Films rehearsals/film clips/stunts - 0438 647 281 wcoulton.clearvisionfilms.com Cole Bennetts Photography 0415 087 833/colebennetts@gmail.com Cris Clucas Cris 6262 5652 Crooked Dave 0421 508 467 Danny V Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428 D’Opus & Roshambo hifidelitystyles@yahoo.com DJs Madrid and Gordon 0417 433 971 DJ Latino Rogelio 0401 274 208 DJ Moises (RnB/Latin) 0402 497 835 or moises_lopez@hotmail DNA Vic 0408 477 020 Drumassault Kate 0414 236 323 Easy Mode Daz 0404 156 482, easymodeband@gmail.com Entity Chris 0412 027 894 Epic Flagon band@epicflagon.com Fighting Mongooses, The Adam 0402 055 314 Final Warning Brendan 0422 809 552 Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410 381 306/ Dan 0410 480 321 4dead Peter 0401 006 551 Freeloaders, The Steve 0412 653 597 Friend or Enemy 6238 0083, www.myspace.com/friendorenemy Funk Shui Dave 0407 974 476 Gareth Hailey DJ & Electronica 0414 215 885 GiLF Kelly 0410 588 747, gilf.mail@gmail.com HalfPast Chris 0412 115 594 Hancock Basement Tom 6257 5375, hancockbasement@hotmail.com Happy Hour Wendy 0406 375 096 Haunted Attics band@hauntedatticsmusic.com Hitherto Paul 0408 425 636 Infra Retina Kyle 0437 137 775/Michael 0425 890 023/www.infra-retina.com In The Flesh Scott 0410 475 703 Inside the Exterior Nathan 0401 072 650 Itchy Triggers Andrew 0401 588 884

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

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