Off The Leash - June 2021

Winner, 2019 & 2020 NT Media Awards, Best Magazine or Lift Out

MUSIC

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PERFORMING ARTS

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VISUAL ARTS

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BOOKS & FILM

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FOOD & DRINK

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COMMUNITY

JUNE

20 21

A SHOW OF MEMORIES

GET FAST & LOUD

NEW BABYLON

Royal Darwin Show call out

V8 Supercars hit the Top End

Premieres at Brown's Mart Theatre

@7:30PM

Open every night

EVENING READS

Script-in-hand play readings at Brown’s Mart

Deckchair Cinema is one of the most iconic cinemas in Australia. Nestled in the remnant rainforest below the cliffs right beside the harbour you can find beautiful tropical tranquility right in the heart of the city. Come and enjoy carefully curated eclectic films at the cinema where stars light the screen.

• • • • •

Eclectic selection of films every night of the week Food served every night from select local caterers Licensed kiosk with a great selection of local products Deckchairs, cushions and insect repellent provided Book online at deckchaircinema.com

ANTLIA PNUEMATICA

Thurs 10 JUNE

by Anne Washburn Directed by Scott Gooding A tale of loss and friendship, blurring the lines between the real and surreal, from the author of Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play.

Read by Rachael Chisolm, Ciella Williams, Cat Hart, Shalom Kaa, Tony Rive & Danielle Aquilina

deckchaircinema.com

ARTBACK

Do you have an idea?

Let’s make it happen!

Producer in Residence is a new internship and mentoring program for an emerging producer.

Applications close Monday 21 June.

No previous experience is required.

For more information or to apply artbacknt.com.au/whatwedo/performingarts

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IMPORTANT MESSAGE Events listed in this edition of Off The Leash are subject to change.

The situation around COVID-19 is evolving and information provided within this publication is correct – to the best of our knowledge – at time of print.

INSIDE

OFFTHELEASH.NET.AU E: editor@offtheleash.net.au T: 08 8941 7413 offtheleashmag

@OTLmag

#OTLmag

GPO BOX 2325, Darwin NT 0801

We recommend you refer to individual event websites and social media accounts for the most up-to-date information.

here’s nothing quite like the feeling of looking back on fond memories. It’s kind of like catching up with an old friend, the sense of familiarity with something from the past, the welcome feelings of reminiscence they stir.

Well, friends, the nostalgia is about to flow thick and fast, as the Royal Darwin Show celebrates 70 wonderful years next month. If you have a deposit from the old memory bank you’d like to make, the Show team would love to hear from you.

F R OM T H E

r o t i d E

using a special technology called AirSticks. And I really want to get me one.

There’s also about a thousand gigs on this month.

Melbourne power rock four-piece Kingswood hits The Rails, Darwin Symphony Orchestra gets down to DISCO at the Amphitheatre, and Lunch on the Lawn returns to showcase the musical talents of local legends. Nothing better than a bit of live music, outdoors, during the Dry!

AROUND TOWn | 5 Performing ARTS | 8 BOOKS & FILM | 10 FESTIVALS | 15 Visual Arts | 16 Food & Drink | 19 Music | 20 calendaR | PULL-OUT

BEN ELTON | 9

In exciting news, I’m taking a bit of a break. I’m getting hitched!

If you’re a bit of a rev head and like your cars fast and loud, you’re in for a treat, as the V8 Supercars descend on Darwin for three days of burning rubber. The action is hot off the track, too, with one heck of a line-up for the iconic post-race concert featuring the likes of Bernard Fanning, Ball Park Music and Alice Ivy – who is lovely, by the way, i really enjoyed having a chinwag with her.

The Performing Arts section is packed to the brim, with Ben Elton and Fiona O’Loughlin hitting the Top End to dish out the giggles. Brown’s Mart Theatre presents New Babylon by Stephen Carleton – a macabre comedy highlighting issues around waste and compulsive consumption.

My fiancé Chris and I are part of the postponed wedding club, delaying our wedding by a year due to, well, ya know... Apologies in advance for any extra noise this month, as our wonderful family and friends hit town for the big party. In my absence, the lovely Anna Dowd will be holding the fort for production of the July edition.

PARTY WITH PRIDE | 15

That’s it from me. Enjoy this beautiful Dry season weather and soak up the many wonderful events and art exhibitions the Top End has to offer. It’s such a magical time of year!

Dance and tech combine in Shaun Parker & Company’s groundbreaking new work, In The Zone,

YOU ARE HERE | 16 OTL is proudly supported by Tierney White Managing Editor and Development Manager

Rita Horanyi Editorial Assistant

Sarah Novinetz Graphic Designer

Off The Leash Inc. acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

S T R A T E G I C

Rus and his pals enjoying a feed at @pepperberryrestaurant

A C C O U N T A N T S

Our lucky survey winner.

Congratulations, Renee!

#o tlmag

Live on Fridays at @brownsmartdarwin is back, baby!

Use our hashtag for a chance to see your pics here Sunset Taco Tuesdays with @taco_daze_

Calm tropical ambience at @luckybatcafe_

Put your hands up if you had fun at BASSINTHEGRASS

Tropical wedding cake by @c_bella_m

WINNER 2019 & 2020 NT MEDIA AWARDS Best Magazine or Lift Out

@launchdarwin

Although Although all care is taken to ensure information Off The Leash correct, it is subject to change.

We recommend checking offtheleash.net.au updates. all care is taken to ensureininformation in is Off The Leash is correct, it is subject to change.

We recommend checking for offtheleash.net.au for updates.

Cover proudly sponsored by The Royal Agricultural Society of the NT Cover image: Library & Archives NT. Chair-O-Plane Ride, Boyce, Thomas, 1956, PictureNT, Denise Garside Collection, PH0803/0046, hdl.handle.net/10070/717793

As a not-for-profit organisation, Off The Leash relies on advertising revenue to underpin printing costs each month. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, printing a hard copy edition of OTL will be assessed on a month-by-month basis.

June 2021

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FEATURE

By Tierney White

Since 1951, the Darwin Show has delighted Territorians and visitors with its exhibits and a fun spread of family entertainment. Exciting levels of energy are being channelled into next month’s big event, as Royal Darwin Show gears up for its 70th anniversary.

Royal Darwin Show WHEN INFO

THU 22 – SAT 24 JUL darwinshow.com.au

A Show of Memories

hat are your Show memories? Still got that sideshow alley plush toy you won back in the 60s? Or proudly displaying that ribbon you scored for entering Mum’s never-fail scone recipe in the baking competition?

Royal Darwin Show is calling on you to share your memories to commemorate this year’s huge milestone event with a trip down memory lane.

Richard Allen Snell was on board from the very early days. His son, Mike, responded to the Show’s call out for memories and fondly recalls his father’s involvement.

“My father, Richard Allen Snell, was a member of the Maranga & Districts Progress Association, I believe he was Secretary. The next year, 1952, it became the North Australia Show Society and the show moved to the current location,” he says.

“He was a proud operator of the Chair-O-Plane ride and would ask about it every time I visited him until he passed away in 2016.”

A quick call out on the Darwin History and Old Darwin Facebook groups, and the memories of the Chair-O-Plane are alive and well.

ENTRIES NOW OPEN!

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Calling all Territory talent to be involved with the 70th Royal Darwin Show. Whether you’re into arts and crafts, dogs and cattle, or baking and horses, you’re invited to show your skills at the Show. There’s some great prizes and cash up for grabs, as well as the prestigious Show awards.

Dirk comments, “you mean chunder chairs,” to which Sue replies, “I still remember throwing up while riding on it when about six-years-old, and the crowd all moved backwards together. Never got on it again!”. Marion remembers, “my favourite ride as a child,” and Michelle agrees, “it was my favourite ride at the Show. Loved it!”

WHEN

ENTRIES CLOSE FRI 18 JUN

INFO

darwinshow.com.au

These are the sure-fire indicators that you’re at the Show, set for one, two or three days of feeling like a kid again, catching up with friends.

Main image: 1951 Maranga & Districts Progress Association Exhibition.

Photo: Richard Allen Snell

There’s no denying the nostalgic sense of excitement you get when you go to the Show. The smell of hot cinnamon donuts, a mass of bodies moving through the Dry season heat from stall to stall, the animals, and the gleeful – at times, terrified – squeals of children on the show rides.

The heritage of the Darwin Show can be tracked further back to 1905 when the Northern Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Society held its exhibition in the Old Town Hall. It wasn’t until the success of the Darwin

Exhibition in 1951 that the organising committee set about making it an annual event.

In 1963, it became the Royal Darwin Show when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was presented with a bouquet during the opening ceremony.

The final Territory orchid was placed in her bouquet just after midnight, the ladies needing to wake in just a few hours to take their place in the pavilions before the crowds arrived.

Royal Darwin Show CEO Cherry Court has been involved for over 20 years, and hopes the Top End community keeps those nostalgic vibes rolling in.

“We did a call out for our 50th and 60th, and organisations like ours, to some extent, are the keepers of tradition and history. One reason we call for memories is because … there are many people who contribute to it in different ways – it’s interesting to look back and see how many have been involved,” she says.

“Many people have had a long association with Darwin and the wider Northern Territory. They like to share their stories and these become part of the history. People love to read it, as well as tell it. It’s that connectedness, too. We as parents with our children, our parents, who are now grandparents – that connectedness through a long line of family and community. People look back nostalgically, and it was all quite simple and they were feeling good.

“It’s that longevity, too. Events have to change often, but certain elements of the Show remain the same – the history, competitions and entertainment are the backbones of agricultural shows. People want to keep these traditions. You can do what your parents or grandparents did, and can still go along and see a prize stud bull or cuddle a fluffy duck. I’m sure people will love that nostalgia when they look back.”

If you’ve got fond memories of going to the Show, possibly memories of bringing your own children or your children’s children along for the ride, take a delightful trip down memory lane.

Submit Your Memories INFO

claire@associatedadvertising.com.au

AROUND TOWN Merlin Darwin Triple Crown Saturday Night Concert

Get Fast

WHEN SAT 19 JUN | 5.30PM COST ENTRY PERMITTED WITH GA TICKETS INFO darwinsupercars.com.au

Photo: Aneta Urbanaite

& Loud Merlin Darwin Triple Crown WHEN FRI 18 – SUN 20 JUN AT HIDDEN VALLEY MOTOR

SPORTS COMPLEX

AVAILABLE

ALICE IVY

COST $11-$690 | MULTI-DAY PASSES INFO darwinsupercars.com.au

“The beautiful Northern Territory is one of my favourite places to visit, and it has been more than four years since we have had the pleasure of seeing you guys in the flesh,” he says.

MELBOURNE-BASED ELECTRONIC musician and producer, Alice Ivy, returns to the Top End this month to hit the stage at the V8s. We were delighted to catch up with her for a yarn.

“With another world-class event this year and strong demand for tickets … the flow-on benefits will be felt across our community.”

“I’ll be bringing my band The Black Fins and we can’t wait to play some tunes, new and old, for you at the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown, especially after what has been an incredibly tough year for so many people.”

If you’re not there for the cars, you’re there for the concert, and the first-rate acts Minister Fyles refers to may just tempt you trackside.

So, if you feel the need for speed or would like to see your happiness slowly creeping back, the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown is where it’s at.

Are you excited about coming up to Darwin?

I can’t wait to come back! I was in Darwin in December and played Raindance Festival, and it was absolutely wild. I think, even being a few months later, I’m keen to see Darwin in full swing. Coming from Melbourne it was definitely a culture shock, getting off the flight and playing a show. What’s the weather like in June?

Lead vocalist of legendary band Powderfinger, Bernard Fanning, returns to Darwin, joined by Brisbane band Ball Park Music and electronic musician Alice Ivy. Fanning says he’s keen to hit the Top End.

Live in the fast lane and strap yourselves in for a weekend of heart-pounding action under the sun.

Oh, it’s beautiful! Dry season days, balmy nights, not too humid – you’ll love it.

Oh, nice, I’m so excited!

O YOU FEEL the need, the need for speed? Well, you’re in luck!

Darwin is about to get fast – and loud – as the V8 Supercars hit the track at Hidden Valley for three action-packed days of burning rubber.

“After a unique Supercars doubleheader last year, this year we’ll see a super-fast edition, featuring the Supercars, Australian Superbikes, Stadium Super Trucks, Nitro Up North complete with the Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Cars and Australian Top Door Slammers, and some first-rate acts on stage,” she says.

The Merlin Darwin Triple Crown returns after delivering an altered format in 2020, rolling out in August instead of June with the addition of an extra round making it Australia’s first doubleheader since the pandemic hit.

Photos: NT Major Events Company

Anticipation is growing as event organisers predict huge numbers at this year’s event, with hotels booking out and tickets selling well in advance compared to previous years. Minister for Major Events, Natasha Fyles, says this year’s program is a biggie.

We look forward to having you back! You released your second album Don’t Sleep last year. What was it like not being able to tour?

I mean, yeah, it was really tough, and I know a lot of artists are still in a similar boat and went through the same thing. Especially when you look at albums – part of the story of an album is taking it on the road and playing the shows live for the first time.

When the record came out, we were in the middle of the biggest Melbourne lockdown, so that was really weird being at home and not being able to celebrate, with my manager or my team. But I also feel that different positive things happened during that time that maybe wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been at home. I got a couple of award nominations and that always gives you a kind of boost, so it wasn’t all negative!

Were you tempted to hold off on the album’s release?

I think the whole team and I were just, like, we’re going to stick with the date! People are still going to be hungry for, and wanting to listen to, new music. I feel like we made the right decision in sticking with the plan.

What does it mean to be on the road performing again?

Oh, it’s absolutely amazing! Being able to connect with people I haven’t been able to see and play some new audiences that have heard the record and held onto [postponed] show tickets – I’m definitely enjoying it even more so now and taking it all in. You never know when something like this could happen and I’m very grateful to be doing what I’m doing again.

You’ve collaborated with a swag of talented artists such as E^ST and Odette – who else would you love to team up with, dead or alive?

[Laughs] Ooh, that’s a tough one!

I mean, like, I wonder how an Amy Winehouse collab would go down?

That’s a tough question! [Laughs] Alive, I think Frank Ocean, Kanye, Kaytranada, Missy Elliot would be pretty sick. Yeah, lots of names!

Aside from banging out a few tunes at the V8s, what else have you got planned for your Top End trip?

Well, my parents just so happen to be in Darwin at the same time.

They’re driving from Melbourne to Darwin on a massive road trip, and so, they’ll have their little van there – I might take the van out a do a bit of camping. I’m definitely gonna hang out with my parents. It’s pretty amazing how that happened to work out. I might take a couple of days to hang out with the fam and see what Darwin has to offer!

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LISTINGS Darwin Youth Forum This all-inclusive forum for young people aged 12-25 gives you the chance to develop and express your opinions about recent global events.

GET YOUR CULTURE ON

WHEN AT COST INFO

WED 2 JUN | 6PM CASUARINA LIBRARY FREE darwinyouthforum

@gmail.com

Open Gardens NT

OUND UP THE crew, soak up that beautiful balmy weather, and experience Goyder Square like never before. The inaugural Palmerston Multicultural Festival transforms this gorgeous outdoor space into a vibrant hub brimming with food stalls, arts and crafts, performances and more.

Based on the much-loved Warisan Budaya Indonesian Festival,

Palmerston Council decided to go all in, the Palmerston Multicultural Festival building upon the original format to showcase the melting pot of culture Palmerston has to offer.

As you wander around, take in the sights, sounds and flavours of a broad range of cultures. Enjoy everything from scrumptious cuisine and colourful delicacies to music, performance, art, and more. It’s the perfect opportunity to delve in a

little deeper and learn about the different cultural groups that make up the Palmerston community.

Don’t miss this fun and illuminating evening, with culture and community at its core.

Palmerston Multicultural Festival

WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 19 JUN | 4-9PM GOYDER SQUARE FREE palmerston.nt.gov.au

This is your chance to explore the spectacular gardens of Top End green thumbs. Kingfisher Haven boasts themed garden beds, featuring bromeliads and cycads, alongside bird and wildlife-attracting natives. Beth’s Garden has an impressive display of desert roses, orchids, cacti and bromeliads.

Bursts of colour feature, along with unusual species used in homeopathy and Asian fruit trees are scattered around the block.

the official opening of the newly refurbished Colin Jack-Hinton Maritime Gallery.

WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 12 JUN | 6-11.30PM MAGNT $250 magnt.net.au

Native Bees with the Bee Man Barry Conde Join Barry Conde (aka the Bee Man) for some cheese and a glass of bubbles for a special talk and showcase on native bees and their hives. Barry discusses the fascinating and mysterious stingless bees, and there’s also the opportunity to take a look at some of Barry’s native bees and their hives. And taste their honey. Sweet!

WHEN SAT 5 & SUN 6 JUN,

SAT 26 & SUN 27 JUN

10AM-4PM

AT COST INFO

Encountering Gurambai TopEndSTS (Science and Technology Studies) presents a series of events that explores the human and more-than-human worlds of the Gurambai/Rapid Creek waterway.

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A walkshop (walking workshop) takes you through a series of encounters with Larrakia,

conservation and military histories of Rapid Creek. The Foreshore Film Night showcases films from Gapuwiyak-based arts collective, Miyarrka Media and Michif artist Amanda Strong. And the food-sharing workshop explores practices of reciprocity and accountability in the Gurambai catchment. Don’t

miss this exciting chance to learn more about Gurambai!

Encountering Gurambai/Rapid Creek

WHEN THU 24 – SAT 26 JUN AT RAPID CREEK FORESHORE COST $5 | FREE CONC &

INFO

FIRST NATIONS topendsts.cdu.edu.au

$7 | U18 FREE

WHEN THU 17 JUN | 7.30-9PM AT LOUVRED LOUNGE,

opengardensnt.org.au

AUDIT HOUSE

COST INFO

$29

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Chess & Cocktails Channel your inner Queen’s Gambit and hit up Dom’s for a night of chess and cocktails. There’s a bunch of chessboards set up, ready for your skill, but given chess is the newest hottest oldest thing right now, we recommend you book a table!

WHEN AT COST INFO

WED 9 JUN | 6PM DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE FREE facebook.com/

domsbardarwin

Encounter: Deep Blue Gala Fundraiser Join the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory for an evening like no other. Discover the Museum after dark and celebrate

nationaltrust.org.au/nt

Artback NT Producer in Residence Got a great idea but need some help to make it happen? Throw your name in the hat for the Artback NT Producer in Residence, a mentorship program for emerging producers, and get the support you need to turn your dream into a reality.

WHEN APPLICATIONS CLOSE

MON 21 JUN

INFO

artbacknt.com.au

Car Boot Sale One person’s trash is another’s treasure, and this is your chance to have a good clear out and make some coin, or pick up a bargain or two. No registration fees or sign

Let’s Get Quizzical! support writers in the NT. Funds raised at this fun trivia night – which includes a chilled Coopers beer with every ticket – go towards supporting programs in 2021, including the NT Writer’s Festival held in Alice Springs this August.

Since 1997, the NT Writers’ Centre has rolled out workshops, events and development opportunities to

The prizes are – you guessed it – books, books and more books.

There’s also a great raffle with

up is required, just head over to the club car park to set up before 8.30am. Nice!

WHEN AT COST INFO

DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB FREE dtbc.com.au

SUN 27 JUN | 9AM-12PM ALAWA HALL FREE facebook.com/

toomuchstuffdarwin

Signed, Sealed, Delivered Drawing on the national archival collection, Signed, Sealed, Delivered revisits an era when post offices touched everyone’s lives.

WHEN UNTIL FRI 25 JUN AT NORTHERN TERRITORY

ARCHIVES CENTRE

COST INFO

FREE naa.gov.au

include anything on wheels such as skateboarders, skaters, BMX bikes and scooters. Boards and helmets are also available to use.

Get rollin’.

WHEN WED 9 & 23 JUN | 6-8PM AT JINGILI WATER GARDENS

COST INFO

SKATE PARK FREE launchdarwin.com.au

The Stages of the Path Buddha gave 84,000 teachings.

Fortunately, the Indian Buddhist master Atisha created a special set of instructions that contain all the essential teachings of Buddhism.

Learn systematically the essential meaning of all of Buddha’s instructions.

WHEN AT COST INFO

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY TUE | 12-12.30PM ONLINE

Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully Join Buddhist monk Gen Dornying and learn strategies to make each day meaningful. Become free from trivial worries and concerns, help others who are grieving, and support those who are dying with a peaceful death process.

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY TUE | 7-8.30PM ONLINE $10 | FREE MEMB kadampa.live

Skate Nights These fun skate nights

DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB

COST $20 INFO ntwriters.com.au

2020 NT Writer's Festival

Geek Squad If you’re aged 13-19 and have a love for all things geeky, from anime to gaming and everything in-between, then why not join Geek Squad?

Spend an hour with like minded peeps and make new pals.

WHEN EVERY THU | 3.30-4.30PM COST FREE

LET’S DANCE Salsa Classes

WHEN TUE 1 JUN | 6.30-9.35PM AT

DANCE WORLD STUDIO,

WOOLNER

COST

$20

INFO

salsitadarwin.com.au

Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails

ONLINE $10 | FREE MEMB kadampa.live

PALMERSTON LIBRARY Gadgets and Games Club If your child is aged 5-12 years and enjoys hands-on, problem-based learning activities, this is for them.

WHEN EVERY TUE | 3.30-4.30PM COST FREE

FREE kadampa.live

AT

EVERY THU | 6-7.30PM

palmerston.nt.gov.au/library Free Lunchtime Meditation Class Escape the stress and busyness of modern life to discover the peace of meditation for yourself in these free 30 minute meditation sessions.

WHEN THU 3 JUN | 6.30PM

Storytime Sing, dance, listen to stories and engage with puppets at these fun and interactive sessions. Suitable for children aged 1-5 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

WHEN EVERY TUE & THU

Join Swing Dance NT at the Darwin Railway Club for a fun night of swing jazz and social dancing. Entry fees go towards the band, so head along for a night of great music and good times.

WHEN AT COST INFO

ecivdA ytreporP detsurT & decneirepxE

WHEN AT COST INFO

Book Club Trivia Night

WHEN EVERY WED | 10-10.45AM COST FREE

SAT 26 JUN | 8.30AM

Too Much Stuff Recycling Upcycling Flea Market Need to offload some things or keen to pick up a bargain? Head along to this fun, communityminded flea market. Sellers, buyers, recyclers, upcyclers are all welcome.

Do your bit to reduce adding waste to landfill and reduce, reuse, repurpose, restyle, recycle and repair.

heaps of goodies up for grabs, including some delicious plonk to quaff as you read.

Photo: Paz Tassone

DO YOU KNOW your Dickens from your Dostoevsky, your Austen from your Aldous Huxley? Round up the crew and head to Darwin Trailer Boat Club for a fun evening of literary trivia at the Book Club Trivia Night!

P A U L H E R O N 0421 060 838 SELLING

PURCHASING

LEASING

EVERY WED | 7.45-10PM DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $10 | $5 MEMB swingdancent.com

Movement Medicine A guided free-form dance class with music that beckons you on a journey where your movement becomes your medicine. No dance experience necessary, come as you are and bring it into the dance.

10-10.45AM

COST

FREE

Nurserytime You’re never too young to enjoy reading. Songs, puppets, nursery rhymes and movement are chosen specifically to enhance your baby’s early literacy development. Suitable for children aged up to one year.

WHEN EVERY SUN | 10-11.30AM COST $15 INFO movement.magic@ yahoo.com

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PERFORMING ARTS

NEW BABYLON hat could the world look like one day if we don’t take action on climate change? One of the country’s leading playwrights, Stephen Carleton, let his imagination loose on this troubling question, the result the second play in his proposed trilogy dealing with the climate crisis, New Babylon.

Premiering at Brown’s Mart Theatre, presented by Knock-Em Down Theatre and directed by Gail Evans, this macabre comedy examines issues around waste, excess and compulsive consumption.

The companion piece to New Babylon and the first work in the trilogy – 2018 hit, The Turquoise Elephant – emerged from the anger and mortification Carleton felt at the inaction and denial he saw around him at the time.

As attitudes started shifting and climate denialism became less prominent, Carleton began

considering the problem of climate change from an increasingly speculative perspective.

“In this new piece, my mind went to so what is society going to be like if the worst case scenario happens?

Who will get to survive it? What kind of people have the privilege to escape the worst effects of climate change and what kind of a society will reorganise on the other side?” he explains.

Fans of The Turquoise Elephant will be pleased to see the play’s only surviving character, Aunt Olympia, popping up again – this time on board a “dark tourism” ship that passes through the great trash gyres of the Pacific Ocean on its way to a mysterious destination, New Babylon. As the ship passes close to Australian borders, audiences find themselves conscripted into the drama as lucky lottery winners who are able to board the boat.

“Normally, when I finish writing

a play, that’s it, I’m done with it … but with this one I enjoyed the absurdism and the characters in The Turquoise Elephant so much, and the topic of climate change is not going away or becoming any less urgent,” Carleton explains.

By approaching a serious issue like climate change through the grotesque and black humour, Carleton hopes his new play speaks to the sense of powerlessness people can feel in the face of global warming, but in a way that doesn’t make the topic too overwhelming.

After all, we’re all in the same boat, heading towards an uncertain destination. Perhaps the play’s new world might not be so unfamiliar after all.

WHEN TUE 8 – SAT 19 JUN

(EXC. SUN & MON) | 7PM

AT

BROWN’S MART THEATRE

COST $25-$35 INFO brownsmart.com.au

Photo: Brett Atkins

GETTING IN THE ZONE ART FORMS CAN be experienced in entirely new and exciting ways when merged with other art forms.

We’ve seen art move from picture frames to walls on the streets, and video sequences timed to music and projected on water tanks. Hip hop dance meets gaming technology in Shaun Parker & Company’s groundbreaking new work, In The Zone, set to play out at Darwin Entertainment Centre this month.

The performance features AirSticks – a fascinating new technology in the form of gaming controls that creates live sound through movement – invented by award-winning Australian drummer and sound designer, Alon Ilsar.

Artistic Director and Choreographer Shaun Parker says he jumped at the opportunity to mix dance with tech when he was approached by Ilsar.

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“He came to me and said he wanted to bring it into dance. We caught up for a coffee, and I knew the exact dancer for this project.

Libby Montilla. He can do all of the

incredible hip hop body animation, which is perfect for when you’re creating sounds,” he says.

“I discovered Libby when he was 16 and in high school – I was auditioning for a show called The Art That We Did about anti-bullying.

He had no formal training and taught himself from YouTube. He’s stayed with me ever since and we’ve trained him over the years in contemporary dance and yoga, and physical theatre.

“It’s been an incredible journey because now, when we speak to each other, I’ll say ‘try this’ and he’s always on the same wavelength.

He’s a phenomenal artist.”

In the performance, Montilla is described by Parker as a kind of “Pixar” character, similar to the emotion personalities in the film Inside Out. His discovery of the AirSticks helps him realise he’s the one in control – of sound, of light, of himself – and so he learns he is the master of his own destiny.

Montilla had to learn over 1000 choreographed queues to form the dance, and thus, its resulting soundtrack. He says it wasn’t easy, but worth it.

“A very challenging, yet exciting and satisfying process. Using controllers to create sounds and rhythms while being able to remember choreography was a great mental push as a performer and dancer,” he says.

This 60-minute high-energy performance bursting with light, sound and movement has something for everyone – from teens, gamers, hip hop fans and more. Round up the crew and witness this unique and exciting clash of dance with tech – it’s time to get In The Zone.

In The Zone WHEN SAT 12 JUN | 7PM AT

DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRE

COST $35 | $25 CONC INFO yourcentre.com.au

“I love the fact that there is such a thing as a free street press – they used to be such an essential part of growing up... I’m glad that there’s still one [in Darwin] because there’s not many of them left now.

It’s an essential service.”

- Ben Elton

LISTINGS

Ben

ELTON BRITISH COMIC WRITER Ben Elton has had a hugely varied career since he first exploded onto the scene over 30 years ago, penning everything from novels to musical libretti. Now, having had to postpone his first Australian stand-up tour in 15 years, he’s finally hitting stages around the country with his new live show.

Rita Horanyi caught up with the veteran funny man and chatted about the impacts of the pandemic on his humour, the challenges of stand-up, and more.

Did postponing your Australian tour last year change your show at all?

I was worried that COVID – which was such a bruising experience for everyone – would cast a shadow, and that some of the stuff I was talking about would appear in a different light. But the basic nature of being human doesn’t get any less absurd because we’re living through a pandemic.

For instance, I do a little riff about the modern habit of sharing your condiments and now with COVID and everyone avoiding each other … you can certainly work that into the routine.

On a bigger, more difficult subject, I do a piece about aging and the fear of dementia. My father faded away with Alzheimer’s. It was the most brutal end. It’s quite funny but it’s also quite serious. I often

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take on serious subjects and see the funny side – you can see the funny side of anything.

But now there’s this extra dimension where most people my age are beginning to think, “Gosh, I hope I go before I lose my faculties”, and people are thinking about voluntary assisted dying, and we’ve got the whole world trying to keep everyone alive – which is great, but it adds an extra element to my musings.

What was the inspiration behind your new show?

The inspiration for stand-up is connecting with an audience. It’s a chance, after all those years writing novels and directing musicals, to get back on stage. As a comic writer nothing, nothing is more confronting, but also more inspiring, than going head-to-head with your audience.

Your Australian tour comes off the back of your critically acclaimed stand-up tour in Britain, which was your return to the form after 15 years. How does it feel to be back on stage?

I never, ever imagined that my return to Australian stand-up after 15 years would coincide with the end of the most brutal year for culture in my lifetime. It’s just been catastrophic for those who work in the industry. And for the community as a whole, because we need live theatre and we need live entertainment.

OVER THE PAST year, Darwin has experienced something of a comedy renaissance, a new breed of outrageously talented young comedians coming to a stage near you. Graeme Lewis recently opened one of Darwin’s hottest new comedy nights, G-Spot Comedy, so Will Crawford caught up with him for a yarn.

Graeme, tell us, how did you get into comedy?

I love comedy, storytelling and joke writing. I have watched comedy since I was very young. Me and my

There’s been live theatre in Australia for 80,000 years because ritual and gathering to dance and sing, religious ceremony – that’s all theatre – and that’s what led me to the need to come together and celebrate our common humanity.

I feel very moved to be back, because when I say to friends in Britain, I’m on the road, they can scarcely believe it.

You spend a lot of time in both the UK and Australia. Are there any differences in how your comedy is received in the two countries?

Not really, you know. Some comedians have to work very hard when they go to a new place, but my material is really about being human and it tends to be more general. Most of the stuff I’m talking about is global – ‘Me too’ is global, identity politics is global, the trans debate is global. I deal with our common humanity, and humour is a fabulous way to celebrate our common humanity.

Any new projects in the pipeline?

Amazingly, I’m in a bit of a renaissance. At the moment, I’m writing the screenplay of the new BeeGees biopic to be produced by the people that did Bohemian Rhapsody. So that’s very exciting!

Ben Elton Live WHEN SAT 5 JUN | 7.30PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

COST $62-$73 INFO yourcentre.com.au

brother grew up on Eddie Murphy’s Delirious and RAW.

How do you write new material?

Generally with a pen... No, that’s a tough question because it’s a combination of observation, planning and just playing around.

I often come up with strange ideas, I write it out and then I spit ball it on stage to see where it can go.

I also try lots of stuff out on my girlfriend. It’s a real combination of planning and improvising. But seriously, often I will write the idea

Evening Reads – Antlia Pneumatica Five old school mates get together for the first time in years to send off – with food, recollections and songs – a recently deceased friend.

Anne Washburn’s Antlia Pneumatica is a tale of loss and friendship that blurs the line between the real and surreal. Read by Rachael Chisolm, Ciella Williams, Cat Hart, Shalom Kaa, Tony Rive and Danielle Aquilina.

An Unreliable Witness, Fiona lays bare her life, as she details the ugly reality of living with addiction and the harsh truth that recovery is not easy. All the while, she shows the spark of strength that kept her alive.

WHEN AT COST INFO

Rovers

THU 10 JUN | 7.30-8.30PM

CENTRE

COST $49 | $45 CONC/MEMB INFO yourcentre.com.au

BROWN’S MART THEATRE $15 brownsmart.com.au

It’s a Kind of Magic Dinner Join one of Sydney’s premier magicians, Liam Power, for some mind-blowing performances in It’s a Kind of Magic Dinner. Supported by local Darwin magician David Lim and hosted by the multi-talented artist and performer Shalom Kaa, sit back and immerse yourself in the magic as you enjoy a delicious three-course dinner of contemporary Australian cuisine.

WHEN AT COST INFO

WHEN SAT 12 JUN | 8PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT

FRI 11 JUN | 6.30-9.30PM HILTON DARWIN $89 facebook.com/hiltondarwin

Fiona O’Loughlin The Unreliable Witness Fiona has always known the power of a great story and a good joke to show us truths about ourselves. In this brilliantly written show based on her honest book, Truths From

and then go on stage and try it out.

What comedians do you love?

Another tough question because there are too many to choose from! Mark Normand has some incredible stuff on YouTube. As a kid, I was clearly an Eddy Murphy fan.

Tell us about G-Spot Comedy?

You can find it downstairs at Landmark on the last Thursday of every month. You can expect a night of storytelling, jokes and laughs from some of the hottest

Celebrate the adventure and heart of two of Australia’s great actresses, Barbara Lowing and Roxanne McDonald, reunited on stage!

If you’ve ever said yes to a crazy dare in a bar, faced a loved one’s mortality or had to keep a family secret, then Katherine Lyall-Watson’s funny, heart-warming and fast-paced ode to Australia, and the adventurous, imaginative women she creates, should be your next ticket for a fabulous night at the theatre.

WHEN AT COST INFO

FRI 25 JUN | 7PM BROWN’S MART THEATRE $35 | $25 CONC brownsmart.com.au

comedians in Darwin. It goes for 90 minutes, so you can come out and be home before 10pm. Check out the Facebook page for upcoming gigs!

What advice would you give to others interested in stand up comedy?

As my partner said to me, “if you think your so f---ing funny, get up there!”

INFO facebook.com/gspotcomedy11

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&

NT WRITERS PRESENTS

Beyond Alice

by Tanya Heaslip 1600km from her outback home. NT Writers’ Centre caught up with Tanya to discuss the inspiration behind her latest work.

AISED ON AN isolated cattle station north of Alice Springs in the 60s and 70s, Tanya Heaslip spent many hours dreaming of the overseas lands depicted in her childhood storybooks. Now a successful lawyer and author, Tanya is President of the NT Writers' Centre and has published two memoirs.

Her third memoir, Beyond Alice, is due out this month.

It’s a raw but ultimately joyful retelling of her challenging experiences at boarding school,

SNAP HAPPY

Photos: Paz Tassone

DIFF 2020: TAKE TWO

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In a few sentences, can you tell us what Beyond Alice is all about?

In 1975, at age 12, Tanya is torn from her isolated home in outback Central Australia and sent 1600km south to boarding school for an education the bush can’t provide.

Beyond Alice is a memoir about how Tanya survives five years of institutional life inside stone walls with the help of her fellow boarders, a guitar, an orange typewriter and by recounting stories about her cattle station home.

What was the inspiration behind it?

After I’d finished writing my first memoir, Alice to Prague, people

Last month, movie buffs and makers celebrated the craft of film at the second exciting half of the 2020 Darwin International Film Festival, and it was a hoot and a half. We can't wait for the 2021 DIFF – save the date!

WHEN THU 16 - SUN 26 SEP INFO diff.net.au

said to me, “You think Central Europe is exotic, but for most Australians Central Australia is just as mysterious.” So I began writing about growing up on our cattle station in the 1960s and 70s, and that became An Alice Girl. Once I’d finished writing, people said, “Now we want to know what happens next! Tell us about boarding school,” so I started writing about my teenage years, locked away in a strict, all girls’ college, far from my outback home.

What challenges does writing about your own life pose?

With Beyond Alice, I had to make myself go back into very painful memories. I was 12 when I was sent away as a free-spirited and unworldly bush child to a place of rules, bells, uniforms and loneliness. I was crushed with homesickness and confusion. But the best part about writing about my own life was remembering

the other boarders, who became my second family, and helped me survive. The hardest part with all my memoirs has been getting my facts right – and being brutally honest on the page! I have to work out what’s interesting, not just to me subjectively, but to a reader.

Are you working on different kinds of writing projects?

Oh yes, I hope so! I have a fourth book in mind and its working title is Return to Prague. It’s about the Czech people fleeing communism, and an exploration of dislocation and dispossession, and what home ultimately means. I have met many Czech people who escaped to Australia and have since struggled with where they belong. Finding home is a ceaseless, aching topic for refugees, especially for those who escaped tyranny.

After that, I’m going to try my hand at fiction – set in the outback!

If we were to take a peek at your bookshelf, what kind of books would we find there?

Mostly autobiographies and memoirs, as I love reading about people’s lives for inspiration and wisdom. I am also obsessed by crime fiction, as it is the ultimate escape. And, of course, there are loads of “how to write” books, plus picture books of Prague!

Are there any Territory authors you’re enjoying at the moment?

The Territory writing scene is rich and diverse. I feel very proud to be part of it. I love Renee McBryde’s memoir, House of Lies, so raw and powerful, Dani Powell’s Return to Dust, a stunning tribute to Central Australia, and I’m very excited about Penny Drysdale’s forthcoming poetry collection, I am the Glass.

INFO tanyaheaslip.com.au ntwriters.com.au

Deckchair

JERVOIS ROAD, DARWIN WATERFRONT

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CINEMA

$17 | $13 CONC | $10 MEMB | $9 CHILD | $40 FAM deckchaircinema.com | 8941 4377 | GATES 6PM

Abominable

FLICNICS COST FREE INFO palmerston.nt.gov.au The Painter and the Thief When two paintings are stolen from Oslo-based artist Barbora Kysilkova, the thieves are caught within a few days. But the paintings are never found. Barbora attends the court case hoping to find clues for where they can be but finds herself compelled to walk over to one of the criminals to ask another question, “I wonder if I could paint you?”. A fascinating documentary.

Another Round Martin is a high school teacher. He feels old and tired. His students and their parents want him terminated.

Encouraged by the per mille theory, Martin and his three colleagues throw themselves into a social experiment to maintain a constant alcohol impact in everyday life. The exceptional Mads Mikkelsen leads the cast with another stand out performance.

Judas and the Black Messiah FBI informant William O’Neal infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton. A battle wages for O’Neal’s soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover commands?

WHEN FRI 11 JUN, 8.45PM

WHEN MON 21 & WED 30 JUN, 7PM

WHEN TUE 15 JUN, 7PM FRI 18 JUN, 7PM

FRI 25 JUN, 9PM

FRI 18 JUN, 9PM

DUST OFF YOUR picnic blanket and pack the snacks – City of Palmerston’s free outdoor movie program is back! Every Saturday night during the Dry, you’re invited to enjoy outdoor family flicks on the big screen.

Dumbo A 2019 fantasy period adventure film directed by Tim Burton about a young elephant with oversized ears that enable him to fly.

WHEN SAT 5 JUN | 7-9PM AT GOYDER SQUARE

Abominable After Yi encounters a young Yeti on the roof of her Shanghai apartment building, she embarks on an epic quest to reunite the magical creature with his family.

WHEN SAT 12 JUN | 7-9PM AT SANCTUARY LAKES Wonder Park This 2019 computer-animated adventure comedy follows a young girl who encounters a real version of her magical amusement park, run by talking animals!

WHEN SAT 26 JUN | 7-9PM AT DURACK HEIGHTS

COMMUNITY CENTRE LAWNS

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17 Thu

Wed

6 Native Bees with the Bee Man Barry Conde 7 The Stages of the Path 7 Storytime 7 Geek Squad 8 New Babylon 23 Thursday Live @ Dom’s

23 Mon

7 Skate Nights 7 Nurserytime 7 Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails 22 Lunch on the Lawn

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18 Fri

4 Entries close – Royal Darwin Show 5 Merlin Darwin Triple Crown 8 New Babylon 11 The Painter and the Thief 11 Judas and the Black Messiah 15 Katherine Pride Festival 23 Live on Fridays 23 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s

See Visual Arts 17

See Music 23

See Around Town 5

Thu

5 Merlin Darwin Triple Crown

24 17 Gerloong – Water in Miriwoong (last chance)

6 Encountering Gurambai/Rapid Creek 7 The Stages of the Path 7 Storytime 7 Geek Squad 18 Twilight Town (last chance) 23 Thursday Live @ Dom’s

Tue

19 Sat

5 Merlin Darwin Triple Crown Saturday Night Concert 6 Palmerston Multicultural Festival 8 New Babylon 15 Katherine Pride Festival 23 Live Music at Hotel Darwin

20 Sun

15 Katherine Pride Festival

5 Merlin Darwin Triple Crown 7 Movement Medicine 23 Seaside Sessions at DTBC

See Books & Film 6

See Festivals 15

Sat

26 Fri

25

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6 Encountering Gurambai/Rapid Creek

6 Open Gardens NT 6 Car Boot Sale 11 Wonder Park 17 Rhapsody: Discovering Beauty Again (last chance) 17 Microcosm (last chance) 20 Sitzler Symphony: Disco 23 Live Music at Hotel Darwin

See Books & Film 11

6 Encountering Gurambai/Rapid Creek 7 Signed, Sealed, Delivered (last chance) 9 Rovers 11 Another Round 16 Do I Seduce You? (opening) 23 Neil Murray – Keep Rolling On Tour 23 Kathryn and the Overbytes EP Launch 23 Live on Fridays 23 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s

Wed

11 Another Round

30 23 Darwin City Brass Band

7 Nurserytime 7 Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails 22 Lunch on the Lawn

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7 Free Lunchtime Meditation Class 7 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 7 Gadgets and Games Club 7 Storytime 23 Jam Nights

21

Mon

18 Top End Burn (last chance)

Sun

6 Artback NT Producer in Residence (applications close) 11 Another Round

27

6 Open Gardens NT 7 Too Much Stuff 7 Movement Medicine 17 A Little Bit of Justice (last chance) 18 In Her Element (last chance) 18 Fresh: connecting new & old art (last chance) 23 Seaside Sessions at DTBC 23 Last Sunday Jam

22

Tue

7 Free Lunchtime Meditation Class 7 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 7 Gadgets and Games Club 7 Storytime 23 Darwin City Brass Band 23 Jam Nights

See Visual Arts 18

AROUND TOWn Books & fILM Performing Arts YOUTH Visual Arts Food & Drink Music FESTIVALS

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Although all care is taken to ensure information in Off The Leash is correct, it is subject to change. Not all events can be listed on this calendar, so we recommend checking offtheleash.net.au for updates.

Tue

Wed

6 Darwin Youth Forum 7 Nurserytime 7 Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails 22 Lunch on the Lawn

Tue

See Performing Arts 8

7 Free Lunchtime Meditation Class 7 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 7 Gadgets and Games Club 7 Storytime 8 New Babylon 23 Darwin City Brass Band 23 Jam Nights

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Calendar

1

Fri

Mon

7 Free Lunchtime Meditation Class 7 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 7 Gadgets and Games Club 7 Storytime 7 Salsa Classes 23 Darwin City Brass Band 23 Jam Nights

7 11 8 New Babylon 9 It’s a Kind of Magic Dinner 11 The Painter and the Thief 17 Rhapsody: Discovering Beauty Again (opening) 17 Microcosm (opening) 18 In Her Element (opening) 18 Top End Burn (opening) 23 Live on Fridays 23 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s

3 Thu

8 New Babylon

Sat

7 The Stages of the Path 7 Storytime 7 Geek Squad 7 Book Club Trivia Night 17 Exhibition Floor Talk – The Drawings of Charlie Flannigan 23 Thursday Live @ Dom’s

12

6 Encounter: Deep Blue Gala Fundraiser 8 In The Zone 9 Fiona O’Loughlin The Unreliable Witness 11 Abominable 20 Kingswood 23 DSO at Barunga 23 Live Music at Hotel Darwin

4 Fri

18 Twilight Town (opening) 22 Beach Party 2 23 Live on Fridays 23 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s

See Performing Arts 9

20

Sun

See Music 22

21

JUN

13

22 The Secret Life of Darwin Trees

7 Movement Medicine 18 Exit Art (last chance) 23 Seaside Sessions at DTBC

5

Sat

9 Ben Elton Live

6 Open Gardens NT 11 Dumbo 17 Gerloong – Water in Miriwoong (opens) 21 Live at the Lake 22 Welcome to the 70s – VoxCrox Community Choir Concert 23 Live Music at Hotel Darwin

Mon

See Visual Arts 17

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6

Sun

6 Open Gardens NT

Wed

7 Movement Medicine 22 The Secret Life of Darwin Trees 22 Whistling Kite New Music 23 Seaside Sessions at DTBC 23 First Sunday Blues

9

Tue

6 Chess & Cocktails 7 Skate Nights 7 Nurserytime 7 Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails 8 New Babylon 22 Lunch on the Lawn

15

7 Free Lunchtime Meditation Class 7 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 7 Gadgets and Games Club 7 Storytime 8 New Babylon 11 Judas and the Black Messiah 23 Darwin City Brass Band 23 Jam Nights

See Arounds Town 6

10

Thu

Wed

7 The Stages of the Path 7 Storytime 7 Geek Squad 8 New Babylon 9 Evening Reads – Antlia Pneumatica 16 YOU ARE HERE (opens) 23 Thursday Live @ Dom’s

16

7 Nurserytime 7 Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails 8 New Babylon 22 Lunch on the Lawn

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Join us for an unforgettable night in boogie wonderland!

Saturday 26 June // 6.30pm Gardens Amphitheatre, Darwin Botanic Gardens

TICKETS Entry by gold coin donation | Gates open 5:00pm

REGISTER NOW: sitzler-symphony-disco.eventbrite.com.au

Andrea Mckey, Wishing Stone, embroidery and felt.

Fabric detail Kieren Karritpul

Merrepen Arts, Nauiyu Daly River.

A unique cultural experience. Meet the artists and experience the landscape. Only 2.5 hour drive from Darwin.

Textiles | Paintings | Prints | Clothes Weavings | Books | Cards Open Weekdays 8.30am-5pm p. 08 8978 2533 m. 0458 287 204 e. sales@merrepenarts.com.au

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FESTIVALS

Arafura Music Collective in collaboration with Larrakia Nation presents

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ta g er i

l i fe o f D a r w i n

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Party with Pride

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Photo: Top End Pride

TICKETS $10 adults children free TRYBOOKING.COM/BQMQY

June 6 June 13 ON THE SEQUINS and glitter, and get set to party with Pride in the gorgeous tropics-meets-the-outback locale of Katherine for the inaugural Katherine Pride Festival.

Last year, Top End Pride brought a taste of Darwin Pride’s fab festivities to town with the Darwin Pride Roadshow Katherine. Ben Herdon, former Chair of Top End Pride and one of the curators behind this year’s festival, says the reception to that initial event was overwhelmingly positive.

“The doors were wide open and everyone was asking us when we would be back.”

While last year’s event featured Darwin artists, this year’s expanded program runs over three jampacked days, showcasing a mix of both Katherine and Darwin-based talent. The K-Town community is also getting behind the festival as hosts of various events and as volunteers.

“The most exciting thing for me is that it’s local people who are wanting something to happen and are wanting to get involved,” says Herdon.

allies to meet and share stories and make connections, and that’s a really important part of what we’re doing,” says festival co-curator Melissa Favero.

This year’s program includes events such as Katherine Pride Picnic Day, which boasts a broad array of entertainment, from light-hearted lip-sync battles to two thought-provoking forums on Growing up Queer in the Country and How to be a Brilliant Ally.

This strong emphasis on connection and community also speaks to the festival’s theme – Hope.

“Both of these topics are really pertinent to this area and to the unique issues that country people face … whether you’re someone who identifies as LGBTQI+ or as an ally,” explains Herdon.

Another highlight is Dine with Pride at beautiful local venue Kumbidgee Restaurant, featuring live entertainment from the Katherine Regional Arts Choir, Constantina Bush, Emma Rowe, and more.

“So much of the queer community getting together was put on hold because of COVID … so I guess Hope came from the hope that the future is looking bright again, we can start getting that connection happening again, we can keep having things like the Pride Festival where we can bring everyone together to celebrate who we are,” says Herdon.

“It’s optimistic and aspirational.

It’s a word that people can connect with,” adds Favero.

Sparkling, bright and inclusive – just like Katherine Pride itself.

Katherine Pride Festival “The dinner is also an opportunity for LGBTQI+ individuals and their

WHEN FRI 18 – SUN 20 JUN INFO topendpride.com.au

Pop up concerts celebrating the life & times of 5 Darwin Heritage Trees

5PM 10AM

live on fridays Live music at Brown’s Mart every Friday in The Dry Wind down (or up) from your working week with incredible musicians and cool drinks in the courtyard JUNE LINEUP Frances Diatschenko & Claire Kilgariff June 4

2021 PROGRAM Katherine Pride Opening Ceremony WHEN FRI 18 JUN | 6.30-7.30PM AT GODINYMAYIN YIJARD

RIVERS ARTS & CULTURE CENTRE

COST

FREE

Katherine Pride Story Time

Dine with Pride

WHEN SAT 19 JUN | 10-11AM AT KATHERINE PUBLIC LIBRARY COST FREE

WHEN SAT 19 JUN | 5.30-9.30PM AT KUMBIDGEE RESTAURANT COST $90-$120

Katherine Pride Picnic Day

Katherine Pride Drag Queen Bingo

WHEN SAT 19 JUN | 1-4PM AT HOT SPRINGS RESERVE COST FREE

WHEN SUN 20 JUN | 12-5PM AT KATHERINE COUNTRY CLUB COST $30-$50

Rachel Rachel June 11 The Nerve June 18 Gleny Rae Virus June 25 Every Friday May to September 5pm - 7pm

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VISUAL ARTS CDU ART GALLERY

Art U&T

ABO

Building Orange 12, CDU Casuarina Campus | 8946 6621 | cdu.edu.au/artgallery WED–FRI 10AM-4PM | SAT 10AM-2PM

with Artivist Therese Ritchie

YOU ARE HERE

THIS PROVOCATIVE EXHIBITION has truth-telling at its core as artivist, Therese Ritchie, factually examines Australia’s frontier wars and the massacre of Indigenous peoples, alongside the nation’s history of coal extraction and its development by European settlers, mining companies and Australian governments.

YOU ARE HERE is an unflinching examination of how we got to where we are now.

“How did we get here? Why do we vote governments in who say one thing and do another?

We are not in control of what happens in governance and we

appear conflicted. The Crown owning minerals on Aboriginal land is divisive, as is mining companies outbidding farmers for groundwater licenses and not paying income tax in Australia,” Ritchie says.

“They’re such old ideas. It’s also understanding that we were locked into a resource development issue right from the word go, as soon as we started exporting coal and sheep. We got ourselves into a loop. How do all those people in Queensland make their money if they can’t dig up coal? Why has the government put all our eggs in the gas basket? I think we need new, sustainable ideas, not just ‘back to business-as-usual’.”

Therese Ritchie, 'Mutant', 2020, Digital inkjet print on paper, on loan from the artist

Created in 2020, Ritchie’s most recent tour de force unrelentingly makes apparent her intense discomfort with the processes of land appropriation that resulted in the formation of the Australian nation.

tion together with a whole lot of pictures that are pretty bleak, and I’m hoping that people will engage with the text. People might walk in and see the text and say, ‘oh eff that, I just want some pictures’,” Ritchie says.

Enter the space at CDU Art Gallery and become engulfed by this historical account, the four walls wrapped with digital imagery, overlaid with text and timelines that note a litany of events, misdemeanours, atrocities, discoveries, manoeuvres and ploys that lead us to this culminating moment in Australia’s history.

“But if they can engage with the text … and take it away, I think it’ll help. But I don’t really want to help people because it’s not my business what people do with it.”

“I have pulled all of this informa-

Ritchie wanted to give the sense of being in a coalmine, wrapped by dark walls all around. Accompanying the timeline is a series of sketches, depicting thoughts and ideas Ritchie experienced

throughout the process.

“When I read, I get ideas and they’re just sketches, and so I just want to draw them. When I read about our attachment to coal and masculinity, I sketch high vis stripes on a naked body – it’s to show the kind of love affair we have with coal.”

YOU ARE HERE prompts the need for wider conversations about truth-telling, care for country, the future of mining and issues of sovereignty in 2021. It is a sobering, must-see.

WHEN THU 10 JUN – SAT 17 JUL

Do I Seduce You? THROW BACK TO February last year, and queer Darwin artist Tarzan JungleQueen was hitting the track to Alice Springs, successfully selected for the Travelling Artist Residency at Watch This Space, the only Artist Run Initiative in Central Australia.

The residency attracted the highest number of applications in 26 years, with Tarzan heading to the Red Centre for the month to focus on their project, Do I Seduce You?.

Fast-forward a year, and their exhibition is set to occupy the walls at the Northern Centre of Contemporary Art.

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“In 2019, I was given the opportunity to be part of Octopus…a story project where they engaged artists to go through a six-month mentorship to create a book or work for

publication,” they explain.

“Through that, I started working on a book called Do I Seduce You? – my first foray into illustrated text which explores queer bodies and gender, mostly my own. It’s mostly visual but the text included is done through a process called poetry collage, which was the first time I found words to relay my message.”

For 33 years, Tarzan believed there were just two genders. Never feeling connected to their feminine self, they filled their body to the brim with an unhealthy amount of sludgy green masculinity. At 33, Tarzan spent four months locked in the darkroom making art with their fellow mutant-bodied friend.

For Tarzan, visual art brings forth what they struggle to put into words, sometimes there are no

words or blurbs that can sum up the explosion of confusion that comes from within, the juices that need to leak out.

NCCA

Northern Centre for Contemporary Art Vimy Lane, Parap | 8981 5368 | 0402 379 630 | nccart.com TUE-FRI 10AM-4PM | SAT 10AM-2PM | OR BY APPOINTMENT

Working largely with collage, Tarzan creates new forms of identity, social structures, and alternative ways of being in the world. They create poetry collage from conflicting texts and mash together solid colour with photographic images to forge familiar scenes and strange scenarios, vulnerability and dominance, painted solid shapes and photographs of bodily fluid, funny stories and harsh realities.

These creations have become a voice – they are the gut-wrenching soundtrack to Tarzan’s uterus, to feminism, to the patriarchy, to the lost and suppressed moments gone by. Do I seduce you? becomes the language to an unexplainable body.

Tarzan JungleQueen, 'They are all Queer', 2020, digital image

WHEN FRI 25 JUN – SAT 17 JUL OPENING FRI 25 JUN, 6PM

DARWIN VISUAL ARTS

Ground Floor, Habour View Plaza, 8 McMinn St, Darwin | 8981 9351 | dvaa.net.au WED 12–5PM (BY APPOINTMENT), THU-FRI 10AM-5PM, SAT 10AM-2PM

Ilma Ali, ‘untitled’, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 450x450mm

Jan Jarvis, 'Morning Glory', 2020, medium acrylic, 900x1200mm

Rhapsody:

DISCOVERING BEAUTY AGAIN From tranquil water lillies to dramatic abstract landscapes and flowers, this exhibition presents the latest works of artist Jan Jarvis, who has been painting in the Territory for 25 years. Lose yourself in this showcase of some of her favourite pieces from the Bees Creek Studio.

WHEN FRI 11 – SAT 26 JUN | OPENING FRI 11 JUN, 6PM

Microcosm

Microcosm is an exhibition that explores the ‘little worlds’ that exist within the larger whole of the ecosystem. Focusing on abstracting the intricate visible patterns of regularity and irregularity seen in the natural world, artist Ilma Ali reflects nature and the textures of her surroundings on canvas.

WHEN FRI 11 – SAT 26 JUN | OPENING FRI 11 JUN, 6PM

PAUL JOHNSTONE GALLERY

NORTHERN TERRITORY LIBRARY

WED–FRI 10AM-5PM | TUE & SAT 10AM–2PM

TUE, THU & FRI 10AM-5PM | WED 10AM-8PM | SAT & SUN 1-5PM

Harriet Place, Darwin | 8941 2220 | pauljohnstonegallery.com.au

Parliament House | Cnr. Bennett and Mitchell Street, Darwin | ntl.nt.gov.au

Gerloong - Water in Miriwoong: In Conjunction with Waringarri Arts Jan Griffiths, 'History Beneath the Beauty' (5751-21), 2021, natural pigment on canvas, 100x200cm

MIRIWOONG COUNTRY STRADDLES the Western Australian and Northern Territory border.

In accordance with the creation era known as the Ngarranggarni, Miriwoong people believe that spirit beings roamed across the country performing certain actions that created natural features of the landscape.

By depicting rivers and waterholes, Jan Griffiths, Louise Malarvie and Kittey Malarvie are also connecting to and maintaining their cultural responsibilities associated with Ngarranggarni.

Charlie Flannigan, ‘Horseman leaping from a cliff’, 1892, facsimile (original, pencil on paper).

Courtesy of South Australian Museum

A LITTLE BIT OF JUSTICE The Drawings Of Charlie Flannigan

This unique exhibition highlights the story of Aboriginal prisoner Charlie Flannigan – the first person to be executed in the Northern Territory at Darwin’s Fannie Bay Gaol in 1893.

WHEN SAT 5 – THU 24 JUN

The exhibition features 22 of his drawings depicting various scenes from his life, all carried out whilst in solitary confinement.

Louise Malarvie, 'Untitled' (5795-21), 2021, natural pigment on canvas, 60x80cm

UNTIL SUN 27 JUN | EXHIBITION FLOOR TALK THU 3 JUN, 11AM

17

TACTILE ARTS

19 Conacher Street, Fannie Bay | 8981 6616 | tactilearts.org.au TUE-SUN 10AM-4PM

Jo Victoria, 'Top End Burn', 2021, porcelain

Top End Burn

Kaye Leach, 'Anenome Vessel', 2021, porcelain, 17cm diameter

In Her Element

JO VICTORIA IS a place-based artist, working mostly in porcelain. For her residency at TactileARTS, Victoria was interested in immersing herself in the Top End natural environment and seeking a sense of place through this experience.

Kaye Leach’s work expresses her love for nature and aims to evoke similar feelings in the viewer. The oceans and the detail in nature’s forms inspire her, as can be seen in the intricate sculptural elements of her work. Explore how Kaye’s pieces refer to nature as their inspiration, but in an abstracted way, in this beautiful exhibition.

WHEN FRI 11 – SUN 27 JUN | OPENING FRI 11 JUN, 5.30PM

“I have tried to capture a sense of the special beauty I experienced in the Top End during my residency through this body of work. I feel like I have only scratched the surface here. This experience has transformed my practice in new directions already.”

WHEN FRI 11 – SUN 27 JUN | OPENING FRI 11 JUN, 5.30PM

MAGNT

UNTITLED GALLERY+STUDIO

DAILY 10AM-4PM

WED-FRI 11AM-4PM | SAT 10AM–2PM | CLOSED PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Unit 3/1 Clocktower Caryota Crt, Coconut Grove darwincommunityarts.org

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 19 Conacher Street, The Gardens | 8999 8264 | magnt.net.au

Exit Art:

2020 STUDENT EXHIBITION EXIT ART IS a celebration of the talents and creativity of the next generation of artists and designers, presenting the very best contemporary art and design from Northern Territory Year 12 students. Presented

by MAGNT in partnership with the Northern Territory Department of Education, Exit Art reflects the diversity of the Territory’s artistic practice and practitioners, expressing universal themes of identity, place and environment.

Ray Mudjandi, 'Bininj Ikon' (detail), 2015-2016, earth pigments and fixative on Stringybark.

Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Matt Ward, 2017, MAGNT Collection

UNTIL SUN 13 JUN

Kerri Meehan and Alex Ressel, ‘Cockatoos’, 2021, Digital image

Twilight Town

Kerri Meehan And Alex Ressel

Fresh: connecting new & old art

The sun is setting on the Ranger Uranium Mine and Jabiru. But Jabiru has become a home for many and a focal point for tourists visiting Kakadu.

What will the new dawn bring? This exhibition explores the built environment to uncover the town’s hidden past and augur what the future may hold.

Fresh: connecting new & old art brings together works from the Aboriginal, Australian and South East Asian art collections. This exhibition reveals diverse stories from within these collections and the broad geographic regions they represent.

18

UNTIL SUN 27 JUN

Jonah Nemarluk, 'Boys of the bush' (detail), 2020, digital print, 58x85cm

WHEN FRI 4 – THU 24 JUN | OPENING FRI 4 JUN, 6PM

FOOD

&

DRINK

SHE GOT IT FROM HER NONNA NSPIRED BY CHILDHOOD memories of frequenting the markets for fresh produce, and delicatessens for cured meats and olive oil with her beloved nonna, Lina, setting up a food biz seemed to be written in the stars for Mamma’s Kitchen NT owner Bree O’Kane.

“Five years ago, we were on our way to Batchelor for a family holiday, and I saw that [the food truck] was for sale and sent the owners an offer. I had to drive in and out of reception to see if they’d responded! I went to see them on the Sunday night, and a week later we were Mamma’s Kitchen.”

Ever since, Mamma’s Kitchen at Mindil has dished out Italian fare such as hot pizza and fresh pasta from their food truck at the popular seaside Mindil Beach Markets. Their take-home meals consistently fly

off the shelf, and they also offer – much to the delight of a certain magazine editor – take-home picnic boxes packed with house made dips, chargrilled vegetables, deli meats, cheese, fruit and crackers.

(Just BYO bubbles!)

Despite the setbacks of the last year, with significant impacts on the hospitality industry, 2020 turned out pretty well for Mamma’s Kitchen.

“When COVID hit, and the markets were closed, we decided to do something different with our homemade takeaway meals. We started off delivering them but that got too much, so we had a little temporary set-up out the front of Coles,” she says.

“But that also snowballed and we couldn’t keep up with demand, so we set up a proper shopfront with a big kitchen.”

Double the Fun

at Dom’s

Now, just months later, her bricks and mortar shop at Coolalinga Central has literally doubled in size.

“The shop is really busy and taking up all of our time. We’ve actually decided to sell our food truck, and give our shop and catering business all of our energy.”

AT

ARALIA ST, NIGHTCLIFF

INFO

facebook.com/domsbardarwin

WHEN DAILY AT COOLALINGA CENTRAL INFO facebook.com/ mammaskitchennt

“We grew up with lovely, amazing produce. Her [Nonna’s] cooking – home cooking – and growing your own fresh veg and everything – I’ve always done it. I love all of the fresh produce, and we make everything that we can in house, from scratch.

What we can’t make, we try to source locally. Our pesto is a hit, and we use locally grown basil to make it.”

It’s clear to see Bree’s desire to care for and nurture others is the driving force behind the early starts and long hours, and the response of the community has made it all worthwhile.

“It’s amazing. People really love it.

And our meals are big, because I am

ABOUT A YEAR -and-a-half ago, Dom Wundke realised his dream of owning a small bar in the seaside suburb of Nightcliff, his bar – Dom’s Bar – taking up residence in the Aralia Street shops, specialising in cocktails made from premium spirits and local native ingredients.

“There was never really a plan to expand but I thought it might be something we could do down the track sometime. I actually didn’t think that we would need to expand so soon! But it’s a small bar and it filled up really quickly on busy nights, so we needed more room,” Dom says.

WHEN FRI & SAT, 4PM-LATE | SUN, 2-10PM

So if you’re feeling hungry and up for a meal most definitely made with love, head to Coolalinga and let Mamma take care of you.

Mamma’s Kitchen NT

Bree’s been motivated by her own young family, her dear nonna, Lina, who passed a couple of months ago, and her beloved brother Daniel who also passed in 2019.

But in recent exciting developments, Dom’s space has doubled up, much to the delight of foodie fans and tipple takers. Dom says it all went down pretty quickly.

Dom’s Bar & Lounge

Italian – and I like big meals!”

“Also, for events as well, now we can host all of our events inside.

There’s a great space for it. We’ve got heaps of Darwin Fringe Festival shows here next month, and it’s just gonna be such a good vibe.

“People are also loving the booths.

The elevated design of the booths is really nice, and I worked with an

Bree O'Kane with photos of her nonna, Lina, and brother, Daniel

Want your own food truck? Pizza & Pasta @ Mindil is for sale!

INFO

mammaskitchenmindil@gmail.com

architect friend from Melbourne on them. I just thought of how we could build on the space we had before without losing the atmosphere, and I think we’ve achieved that – it’s still a nice and intimate setting.”

Famous for its free spiced popcorn and one heck of a cocktail list, the bar also now offers gourmet bites with the cleverly crafted cuisine menu.

“Lisa from My Host has helped us out with a whole new food menu.

She’s started a new business hosting as well as helping people develop menus as a food consultant.”

And we must say, Lisa’s kind of nailed it. Tuck into a bunch of bruschetta options, including zucchini with lemon, feta and mint, or balsamic tomato with bocconcini and basil. Snack on rich labneh with dill, mint, lemon and olive oil or marinated olives.

If you can’t go past a good antipasto, there are a couple of options to tickle your tastebuds. The cheese plate features a trio of cheeses with Sicilian olives, local chutneys,

dried figs and farmhouse bread.

The ploughman’s plate dishes out a savoury assortment of cured and smoked meats with smoked paprika cheddar and comté, tomato relish, cornichons, boiled eggs, radish, dried olives, onion chutney and crusty bread. Salivating yet?

Of course, a bar isn’t a bar without the booze. Sample a concoction from the Cocktails Especial menu, such as the Omocito made from rested tequila, scotch, ginger and chipotle, or the famous award-winning Territori-Tini with white rum, mango coco-pandan and salty plum. Enjoy gins paired with gourmet ingredients, such as local Saltie gin with tonic, orange and mint.

If you prefer waking up the next morning in tip top shape, the Free Spirited menu (aka, free of spirits) keeps you feeling as fresh as a daisy, with five delicious options to choose from.

Next time you’re in the Northern ‘burbs and fancy a tipple, a tasty snack and some good ol’ times, duck into Dom’s.

19

g le el

r in

Rediscover

o

Na ta lie

P

MUSIC

DISCO

UST OFF YOUR dancing shoes and get ready to boogie because Darwin Symphony Orchestra is taking you back to the golden age of disco!

Transforming the George Brown Botanic Gardens Amphitheatre into a glittering disco dance floor, Darwin’s beloved orchestra returns to the outdoors with their much-anticipated annual music extravaganza, after having to postpone the event last year.

Photo: Tim Nichols Photography

Expect a spectacular night of

dancing under the stars to disco hits by ABBA, Village People, YMCA, Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor and more.

Featuring local luminaries Natalie Pellegrino and Shalom Kaa on vocals, enjoy funky tunes, disco lights and dancing queens, as well as delicious food and drink available to purchase on site.

“We hope to have everyone up dancing, dressing up and just really getting into the spirit of the occasion,” says DSO’s Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Jonathan Tooby.

Kingswood MELBOURNE POWER ROCK four-piece Kingswood returns to the Top End as part of the Coopers Presents music program, hitting The Rails stage for one huge night of music. Tierney White caught up with the band’s lead guitarist Alex Laska for a chinwag.

Thanks for chatting with me.

Are you excited about coming up to Darwin?

Oh absolutely, of course! We haven’t been there in a long time – I think the last time we were in Darwin was BASSINTHEGRASS, three or four years ago? I reckon we’ve played Darwin five or six times, at least.

It’s awesome, such a good vibe.

20

Darwin can get left off the touring circuit a bit, but you guys have always included us – what is it that keeps you coming back?

Music and people! The same reasons we go anywhere. We love Darwin and getting out as far as we can, and I think people really appreciate it. As you say, a lot of people can leave certain places off the map, and our philosophy has always been that our band

started from a live perspective, so when we get an opportunity to go out and play live – which is kind of how we became who we are – if we can take that as wide as we can, we will. We absolutely love playing music.

So given how much you love playing live, I’m guessing last year was pretty horrible for you?

Yeah, it was, but we were also incredibly resilient, and so we put out three albums.

Three albums in one year?

Yeah. We put out Juveniles, Reveries and a Christmas album for charity for mental health. If you can’t play live, you can still play in a room, you know? The best medicine for us – and I sound like a broken record – is music. A good Kingswood never dies!

[Laughs] I love that! Speaking of cars, how does it feel to be hitting the road touring again?

It’s unusual and it’s incredible.

We’re very, very grateful. And love the fact that, whilst there’s a fair bit of crazy stuff going on in the

world, we’re jumping on planes and playing in venues – even if there are limits to capacity and what not – you pinch yourself, like, there’s a pandemic going on and we’re making music and going to the shop, going to footy matches.

It’s awesome.

Aside from banging out a few tunes at The Rails, what else have you got planned for your trip to the Top End? I think we are gonna go out and do some crocodile-ing! [laughs] And maybe some waterfalls and a few other things, maybe some adventuring. I think we’re up there for a couple of days, and there’s a whole bunch of stuff that we’ve been prescribed. Maybe some fishing, a couple of whiskies, a few beers. Indulging in the beautiful things in life!

WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 12 JUN | 8PM DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $45 stickytickets.com.au

facebook.com/ darwinrailwayclub

“It’s a chance for everyone to let their hair down, especially in the context of recent events. It’s going to be a real celebration … of everyone being able to breathe, go outside, and be in a big crowd, as well as a celebration of great music.”

The orchestra also has their chance to shine under the sparkly disco lights, with lush new symphonic arrangements enhancing the pop hits.

“In classical music, there are lots of different colours and textures and

Sitzler Symphony: Disco WHEN AT

SAT 26 JUN | DOORS 5PM

BOTANIC GARDENS

GEORGE BROWN

AMPHITHEATRE

COST INFO

GOLD COIN DONATION dso.org.au

sounds, whereas popular music is immediate. So the challenge is writing something interesting for orchestra that doesn’t interfere with the essence of these simple songs,” Tooby explains.

“Because disco is very up-beat, there’s a lot of brass in [the arrangements], lots of rhythmic brass playing!”

So pack your picnic rugs, enjoy the homegrown talent and get down to some groovy brass on the grass!

MUSIC NT PRESENTS

Liam

Devine A SUCCESSFUL PERFORMER in his own right, Liam Devine is in the process of setting up Indigenous owned and operated studio, Devine Productions. Aside from his success as a solo artist and with hip-hop trio DT3, this year he was awarded a scholarship to The Australian Institute of Music. MusicNT caught up with him for a yarn to find out more.

Nice work on the scholarship!

Can you tell us a bit about what it means to you?

I was awarded the first ever Indigenous scholarship through the Australian Institute of Music, which was a huge honour. Being awarded the scholarship has allowed me to begin studying an undergraduate in Music Production, which I’m using to further my music knowledge and skills as both an artist and a producer.

You were also awarded a grant to help set up your recording studio in Darwin. What does the studio

mean to you and the local scene?

The grant allowed me to upgrade the equipment in my current recording studio, bringing it up to industry standard, as a lot of my equipment was out-dated. The knowledge I’ll gain from my studies and working with this spec of equipment will benefit both local and visiting artists, providing them with a high quality studio that will be able to produce the quality of sound to take the next step in their careers without having to travel outside of the NT. I understand my studio, Devine Productions, will be the first Indigenous/Larrakia owned and operated recording and production studio in Darwin.

Your career as an artist has already had some notable highlights, from taking out a gong at the 2014 NT Song of the Year and a number of nominations at the NIMAs. What’s a personal highlight for you?

It will always be performing with

the Hilltop Hoods on their tour of the NT. Getting to meet my idols, as well as share the stage with my brothers and put on the show we did at the Darwin Amphitheatre, will always live in my memories.

The next closest highlight was bringing my son on stage with me when DT3 reunited to perform at the V8 Supercars in 2019.

Lastly, what advice would you give to young artists getting into the scene?

My advice to young artists is just to hustle hard and believe in yourself.

Find what is trending in the music scene and find a way to make your mark while remaining unique and true to yourself.

If you have a great sound, hustle and continue to be active as an artist and performer – the sky is the limit!

INFO

ART I HOMEWARES BUSHFOODS | TEXTILES CAFE I FASHION I BOOKS

Lyons Cottage, 74 The Esplanade ABORIGINALBUSHTRADERS.COM (08) 8931 6650

Mook Moook by Dale Austin, Dingo Cockatoo Aboriginal Culture

musicnt.com.au

FAMILY & PET FRIENDLY, BYO BLANKET, BEAN BAG OR CHAIR

PALMERSTON.NT.GOV.AU

Lakeside

sounds ROUND UP YOUR crew, pack your picnic blankets, and make tracks to Palmerston for free live music once a month throughout the Dry! Live at the Lake is a new twist on a much-loved classic – the old Sanctuary Sessions – and offers a mix of emerging and established homegrown talent for you to kick back and enjoy in picturesque surrounds.

Alternating between Durack Community Centre Lawn and Sanctuary Lakes each month, the series has already showcased the likes of

local gem, Prayer Corby.

This month’s session features established singer-songwriter Mandy Garling belting out her heartfelt tunes, alongside passionate up-and-comer Jennie Attrill, whose songs relay stories that speak to the soul.

Alongside local faves like Scott Murphy, look out for emerging young guitar soloists Tahlia Forrest and Emily Penny later in the year.

05.06.21

3 3 PAC K A R D AV E N U E , D U R AC K N T .

M AN D Y GA R L I N G J E N N I E AT T R I L L

17.07.21 SANCTUARY LAKES TAHLIA FORREST JON DAVIS

23 she’s already garnered some impressive achievements, including performing at Carols by Candlelight when she was just 10-years-old!

Bring your blankets, beanbags and chairs, and kick back at this family friendly event. Pets are welcome, too, so bring your pooches along for some tunes by the lake!

Live at the Lake WHEN AT

Young singer-songwriter Bella Marie is sure to be a real treat – at

LIVE MUSIC BY LOCAL ARTISTS. SATURDAYS FROM 4-7PM.

COST INFO

SAT 5 JUN | 4-7PM DURACK COMMUNITY CENTRE LAWN FREE palmerston.nt.gov.au

21

JUNE

TOP BRASS IF YOU’VE BEEN in the Top End a while you may have spotted the Darwin City Brass Band at various community events, lifting people’s spirits with their bright sound or adding a touch of pomp and ceremony to a special occasion.

But this is one brass band that doesn’t just march around tooting their own horns – although there is a bit of that too! With over 50 volunteer musicians involved, Darwin City Brass Band performs everything from classics to modern pop and reggae, bringing a broad range of music to different sections of the community.

Brass bands have a surprisingly long history in the Top End. The first one – Palmerston Brass Band – can be traced all the way back to 1895, while another all-brass

GIG

guide

outfit, Darwin Town Band, played an important role in boosting morale during World War I. Its modern day incarnation, Darwin City Brass Band, was born in 1981 when then Lord Mayor, Cecil Black, decided the city, still rebuilding after Cyclone Tracy, needed a brass band again.

This year, the band embarks on a fresh chapter as it hunts for a new Musical Director. This exciting role suits someone with strong community connections and a passion for combining traditional brass band music with modern melodies and approaches.

Today, Darwin City Brass Band continues to help keep the community band together (pun intended) through outdoor performances, such as Brass in the Park, and by supporting International Women’s Day or the Darwin Anzac Day Parade with their marching band.

Throughout its history, Darwin City Brass Band has remained an accessible, community-minded ensemble. With three different entry levels – beginner, intermediate and the main band – it’s easy for anyone to get involved.

They even have some instruments available for those band members who don’t have their own. So if you think brass is class, then why not tootle along?

“We try and get out to the suburbs and spread ourselves out a bit.

We’re not restricted indoors to a concert hall,” explains Darwin City Brass Band Treasurer, Barbara Eather.

INFO

darwincitybrass.band

OTL's quick and essential guide to live music in the Top End. To find out more, head to offtheleash.net.au

/offtheleashmag

@OTLmag

Beach Party 2 Don’t miss the second instalment of Darwin’s biggest Beach Party. Think mojitos, margaritas and funky beats on the beach.

Music starts at 5pm and features a fantastic line-up of DJs, including Peter Stone, Planet Dale and DJ Uri. See you on the sand!

WHEN AT COST INFO

FRI 4 JUN | 5PM DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB FREE dtbc.com.au

Welcome to the 70s VoxCrox Community Choir Concert

#OTLmag

Carey and Nick Yates, this one-off concert is not to be missed.

WHEN SUN 6 JUN | 5PM AT BOTANIC GARDENS EVENT CENTRE

COST INFO

$32 | $26 CONC facebook.com/

whistlingkitenewmusic

Prayer Corby

Tucker & Tunes BRING SOME EXTRA sunshine to your week and head along to Tourism Top End for Lunch on the Lawn, where you can treat your ears to some gorgeous acoustic sounds from local musos as you tuck in.

Happening every Wednesday in June and July, Lunch on the Lawn gives you a reason to get out of the office and into the glorious Dry season weather – all the while supporting homegrown artists.

Local talents are showcased to Top Enders and welcome visitors with free tunes at noon.

22

“The amazing number of tourists we have in town can actually see

some of our local artists,” explains the brains behind the gig, musician Tracey Bunn.

This year, the series has a particular focus on young and emerging NT talent.

“I really want to showcase some of the young talent I’ve been coming across … that’s been blowing me away,” Bunn says.

“It’s pretty important to nurture our young talent and provide them with an opportunity to practice their performance skills and hone their songs, and to get feedback from the audience and the other professionals.”

True to the event’s aims, emerging singer-songwriter Prayer Corby kicks things off. You can also expect to see some established names like Dave Spry, Melanie Gray, and Serina Pech.

Pick up a feed on the way, with nearby cafés offering a pre-order lunch service. Live local tunes and a feed in the sunshine? Yes, ploise.

Lunch on the Lawn

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY WED | 12PM TOURISM TOP END LAWNS FREE facebook.com/

lunchonthelawn

VoxCrox Community Choir in association with Darwin singers Lisa Sennett and Shalom Kaa, proudly present Welcome to the 70s – a night of fun, showcasing some 70s classic. Come for the groovy tunes and bust a move. You may even be tempted to join in a bit of a sing-along…

DSO at Barunga Join Darwin Symphony Orchestra for a stunning sunset concert at Barunga Festival. Featuring guest artists Manuel Dhurrkay, Don Nunggarrgalu, The Djari Project and Ripple Effect Band, this rich cross-cultural collaboration in the beautiful surrounds of Barunga is set to be one magical and moving experience.

WHEN SAT 5 JUN | 7-9PM AT

CDU THEATRE

COST

$25 | $20 CONC | $20 U15

INFO

facebook.com/voxcrox

WHEN SAT 12 JUN | 6PM AT

BARUNGA FESTIVAL

COST

FREE FOR BARUNGA

Live at the Lake

TICKET HOLDERS

WHEN SAT 5 JUN | 4-7PM

INFO

dso.org.au

AT

DURACK HEIGHTS

COMMUNITY CENTRE LAWNS

COST

FREE

INFO

palmerston.nt.gov.au

Whistling Kite New Music Whistling Kite New Music returns to present an exciting new program of instrumental music with electronics in the stunning setting of the Botanic Gardens Event Centre.

Featuring works by Iannis Xenakis, Roger Smalley, Tristan Coelho, Ben

Kingswood Coopers Presents brings you an unforgettable night featuring Melbourne power rock four-piece, Kingswood, performing great alternative hits at the iconic Darwin Railway Club.

WHEN SAT 12 JUN | 8PM AT

DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB

COST

$45

INFO

stickytickets.com.au

By Zoya Godoroja-Prieckaerts

DOWN

The Track

HAPPENINGS IN THE RED CENTRE

The Secret Life of Darwin Trees

Spend 45 minutes listening to glorious music and the stories of these magnificent trees, connect with your community through

music, and connect to our living heritage.

WHEN SUN 6 JUN | 5PM AT ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL WHEN SUN 13 JUN | 10AM AT RAIN TREE PARK COST INFO

$10 | FREE U17 facebook.com/

arafuraensemble

Darwin City Brass Band Want to play a brass instrument such as trombone, tuba, tenor horn, euphonium, baritone or cornet? Darwin City Brass Band can help! They offer free lessons and ensembles, and perform as a brass band in the community.

Neil Murray – Keep Rolling On Tour Maverick song man and founding member of the pioneering Warumpi Band hits Darwin with his latest single, accompanied by former Neil Murray & The Rainmakers drummer, Bill Heckenberg, and Brendan Hicks on bass. Special guest is singer songwriter, Prayer Corby.

WHEN FRI 25 JUN | 6.30PM AT

DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB

COST

$33

INFO

neilmurray.com.au

Kathryn and the Overbytes EP Launch

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY TUE | 4.30-9.30PM 2 ABALA RD, MARRARA FREE | $20 ANNUAL MEMB darwincitybrassband.org.au

Live on Fridays Live music on Fridays at Brown’s Mart is back for 2021! Wind down (or up) from your working week with incredible musicians and cool drinks in the open air every Friday arvy.

WHEN EVERY FRI | 5-7PM AT BROWN’S MART COURTYARD COST FREE INFO brownsmart.com.au

Live Music at Hotel Darwin Matt Hellak is back at Hotel Darwin’s beer garden on Saturday nights, playing upbeat tunes to keep you entertained.

Celebrate the release of Kathryn and the Overbytes first EP in a rocking night of fun! After the release of their highly regarded debut single ‘Please Tell Me’, this local act has worked hard to create more great music for you to enjoy. Supported by two local bands, this is set to be a night of incredible original rock music.

WHEN FRI 25 JUN | 9PM AT

HAPPY YESS

COST

$15 | $10 PRESALE

INFO

trybooking.com/BQYKG

Sitzler Symphony: DISCO

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY SAT | 6-10PM HOTEL DARWIN FREE thehoteldarwin.com.au

Seaside Sessions at DTBC Settle in under the green sails with a cold drink and an afternoon of live music, every Sunday afternoon at Darwin Trailer Boat Club. With two cocktails for $20 and world-class sunsets, it’s the perfect way to see out the weekend.

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY SUN | 3-6PM DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB FREE dtbc.com.au

WHEN SAT 26 JUN | 6.30PM AT

DARWIN AMPHITHEATRE

COST INFO

GOLD COIN DONATION dso.org.au

DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE facebook.com/domsbardarwin

Thursday Live @ Dom’s Enjoy live local music acts or catch a story or two with one of Dom’s famous cocktails in hand. Cheers.

WHEN EVERY THU | 6PM COST FREE | SOME EVENTS

Photo: Jo Nixon

Arafura Music Collective in collaboration with Larrakia Nation presents The Secret Life of Trees. Celebrate the life and times of Heritage Trees of Darwin with pop up performances under different heritage trees around town.

TICKETED

Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s Kick back with a cocktail and beats from a live DJ, and bring in your weekend in Nightcliff. You can even try the 2020 Mango Cup award-winning cocktail, the Territori-tini.

WHEN EVERY FRI | 4PM COST FREE

JAM NIGHTS AND OPEN MIC

25 years and 7000 beanies later…

Jo Nixon tells us the origin story of the infamous Alice Springs Beanie Festival. It began with her aunty in Darwin who came to Alice to teach literacy, language and numeracy in Indigenous communities. She would knit beanies during classes and soon found the women exclaiming, “we want to make beanies, not learn numbers!”

And so they made beanies.

Enjoy a couple of cold drinks and embrace the atmosphere of local live music at the new home of First Sunday Blues, Tracy Village Social and Sports Club.

WHEN SUN 6 JUN | 3PM AT TRACY VILLAGE SPORTS

& SOCIAL CLUB GOLD COIN DONATION facebook.com/ firstsundayblues

COST INFO

Jam Nights Head down to the open mic night every Tuesday and jump on stage or sit back and enjoy the music.

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY TUE | 9PM NIRVANA FREE nirvanadarwin.com.au

Last Sunday Jam Head along the Dinah Beach Yacht Club on the last Sunday of the month for live music by the sea.

WHEN AT COST INFO

SUN 27 JUN | 3-6PM DINAH BEACH YACHT CLUB FREE facebook.com/dbcya

Jo’s aunt returned to Darwin with a big bag of beanies and no idea what to do with them. In the end, she brought them back to Alice where they were sold at Witchety’s, and ever since, the Alice Springs Beanie Festival has slowly grown to what it is now – a long-weekend program of workshops, exhibitions and opportunities to make, buy and sell beanies.

Today the festival is made up of 7000 beanies, 500 beanie-makers and 120 volunteers from across the globe. In its 25th year, they continue their original mission to provide opportunities for remote Indigenous communities, whether that means hosting workshops out bush or bringing people in to town for the festival.

This year, they’ve run workshops in Titjikala, Santa Teresa, Ampilatwatja, Yuendumu and Tennant Creek.

The weekend is a big hug-fest with friendly faces – new and old – and a warm loving energy permeating throughout.

As always, Beanie Central is the main arena with thousands of beanies on display and for sale.

There are plenty of workshops too, from eco-printing to felting with Indigenous women of Central Australia. The National Beanie Competition is made up of 14 categories with prizes relating to technique, concepts, materials and more. It’s an array of colours, patterns and people frantically trying on these beauties to find their perfect match.

With so much to feast your eyes on and get your hands making there’s truly something for everyone.

Having spent half her life running beanie festivals, Jo is excited to be celebrating its 25th anniversary.

“I can’t believe we got this far!”

The theme this year is Yarning Myths and Legends, which feels fitting when we think about reaching milestones and time passing. In achieving all that it has over this last quarter of a century, we’d go as far as saying that the Beanie Fest, itself, is a bit of a legend.

Alice Springs Beanie Festival WHEN FRI 25 – MON 28 JUN AT ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE COST GOLD COIN ENTRY | $15

EXHIBITION FEE,

FREE FOR LOCALS

INFO

beaniefest.org

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Directed by Gail Evans

An exhibition by

an absurd comedy that dodges climate disaster the sequel to the award-winning Turquoise Elephant

BROWN’S MART THEATRE J U N E 8 - 1 9 , 7 : 0 0 p m brownsmart.com.au

Therese Ritchie 10 June–17 July 2021

Charles Darwin University Art Gallery Chancellery (Building Orange 12) Casuarina campus, Brinkin Opening hours: Wednesday–Friday, 10am–4pm Saturday, 10am–2pm W: cdu.edu.au/artgallery Facebook: /cduartgallery

18-20 JUNE Hidden Valley Raceway

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