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BROWN'S MART 2020 SEASON

TIMES OF CHANGE

Escape the heat with Courtney Act and more at DEC

Packed with theatre, music and culture

Chamber music by the seaside from Arafura Music Collective

MARCH

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INSIDE

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ello, hello, hello. Welcome to the first edition of Off The Leash for 2020! I hope you all managed to have a good break and have recharged those batteries, ready to take on another year of fun in the Top End. The effervescent Courtney Act graces the cover of this edition, performing at Darwin Entertainment Centre (DEC) on the 8th as part of their new Wet Sessions program. An exciting new DEC initiative is also giving locals the chance to have their time in the spotlight – this also includes something about a gourmet BBQ, tropical vibes and air-con… I think you’ll dig it. Check out this month’s main feature to find out about Live @ The Studio.

F R OM T H E

International Women’s Day acknowledges the contributions of women around the world, and there’s a bunch of events on to celebrate. It’s also time to catch the ferry (or charter a private plane – and yes, many do!) to the Tiwi Islands for the annual Football Grand Final and Art Sale. But get in quick – return trips to the Tiwi’s book out every year. Find out more in Around Town.

GPO BOX 2325, Darwin NT 0801

The formidable team behind SPUN release Birds Eye View on International Women’s Day – a podcast made by female prisoners in the Darwin Correctional Centre. I went along to Birds Eye View: Prison Stories at last years’ Darwin Festival, and I loved it. I’m really looking forward to plugging in some headphones and immersing myself in more of these stories – find out more on pg 10.

r o t i d E

Brown’s Mart Theatre has unleashed its 2020 season, and it is packed with the oh-so-goods. Kicking off the theatre program this month is Michael Gow’s seminal text, Away, set to bring a sense of nostalgia for the golden era of the 60s in Australia. Live storytelling event SPUN also returns, this time tackling matters of the heart.

@OTLmag

#OTLmag

Vegans, wine-lovers and eco-friendly peeps rejoice… Hilton Darwin is putting on a delicious vegan spread to coincide with Earth Hour. Enjoy six courses of eco-friendly delights whilst doing your bit for the planet!

The Visual Arts section is packed with incredible exhibitions, stories and opportunities, including a once-in-a-lifetime international exchange for an emerging or established Indigenous artist. And music – boy, oh boy, is there some music this month. The Darwin Symphony Orchestra returns to the Darwin Entertainment Centre to take you on an international journey, Arafura Collective has a seaside treat in store and the beautiful songs of the Tiwi Islands are relayed through a delightful chorus of female harmonies. Our friends at The Rails also have some exciting news… Find out more in Music.

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY | 8

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If March is anything to go by, 2020 is going to be a cracker.

Please enjoy! If you have a curiosity for people’s stories, there’s big news coming out of StoryProjects HQ.

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BROWN'S MART 2020 SEASON

TIMES OF CHANGE

Packed with theatre, music and culture

Chamber music by the seaside from Arafura Music Collective

MARCH

YOUR CENTRE IS OUR CENTRE Escape the heat with Courtney Act and more at DEC

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March 2020

FEATURE

Your Centre Darwin Entertainment Centre is gearing up for a massive 2020. With a new management team in tow, exciting new initiatives in the works and a focus on fostering local talent, Darwin Entertainment Centre (DEC) is set to keep Top Enders and visitors entertained, in 2020, and well into the years to come. By Tierney White t 8am on a Wet season morning last December, the first six months of DEC’s 2020 program was revealed at a special breakfast launch. A particularly exciting announcement was the introduction of The Wet Sessions program – five huge shows presented across 15 Wet season nights – providing audiences the chance to escape the humidity whilst catching a quality show. The maiden Wet Sessions program includes Queen Forever, recreating the music and performance of one of the greatest bands of our time, and The Beatles’ Abbey Road Live – a full stage production to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the famous Beatles’ album featuring Aussie music legends such as Spiderbait’s Kram, Jet’s Mark Wilson, You Am I’s Davey Lane and Powderfinger’s Darren Middleton. Also featuring is American singer, songwriter, musician, author, and performance artist Amanda Palmer with her show There Will Be No Intermission, English rock royalty 10cc, and Australian drag queen, pop singer, entertainer and reality television personality Courtney Act. The Wet Sessions program is impressive enough, but an exciting new initiative – Live @ The Studio – gives locals the opportunity to have their time in the spotlight. “Live @ The Studio is a new experience within the Centre that is different to anything you’ve seen there before. Local acts are aligned with shows from The Wet Sessions to provide free pre-show entertainment starting two hours before the show,” says DEC Acting General Manager Coryn Huddy.

Top: Live @ The Studio, Feb 2020 Middle: Jigsaw Collective Photos: Steve Kelk for Foldback Magazine

Bottom: Amanda Palmer Photo: Kahn and Selesnick

“We’ve got Lizards Bar & Grill cooking up a sizzling gourmet BBQ, with antipasto platters and sweets. It’s open to everyone, not just ticket holders.” This time of year, getting out and about can be a bit of a struggle due to the heat and humidity, so the promise of a BBQ and respite in air-conditioning will appeal to many.

IS OUR CENTRE “It gives people the option to get out of the house, escape the wet and the heat, and come in to a relaxed, chilled-out atmosphere, here at the Centre. Darwin’s favourite local beers are served by One Mile Brewery at a pop-up bar, alongside cocktail, wine, beer and spirit offerings at The Studio bar. “It’s the epitome of Top End life – expect a tropical vibe, with festoon lighting and comfy seating. And a dance floor!” Local performers in the first round of Live @ The Studio include Jigsaw Collective, Adam Scriven, Emma Rowe, Kathryn Ezzy and DJ Tristan. But the opportunities for locals don’t end at the conclusion of the pre-show performance. DEC is looking to roll out Live @ The Studio on a monthly basis in conjunction with a performance in The Playhouse, with the goal to build relationships and contribute to the skills development of the local cultural sector. This allows local performers to make important industry connections and foster collaboration with highly skilled industry professionals. The motivation behind Live @ The Studio, together with other DEC programs such as the Education Program, is an investment in the community. “Connection to community is important to us and is part of our identity. 89% of the utilisation of the Centre in the past 12 months has been community-focused. “We intend to continue to deepen our community engagement and facilitate pathways for established and emerging local artists and performers. We hope our contribution comes full circle and we see them on the big stage one day!” So if you’re a local performer and want to get involved with Live @ The Studio, watch this space for an expression of interest call out from DEC.

PERFORMING ARTS

Live @ The Studio Opens two hours prior to The Wet Sessions show. ADAM SCRIVEN

FRI 28 FEB, 5PM

EMMA ROWE

SAT 29 FEB, 5PM

KATHRYN EZZY

WED 4 MAR, 5.30PM

DJ TRISTAN

SUN 8 MAR, 5PM

COST

FREE

The Wet Sessions THE BEATLES’

Caught in the Act

AMANDA PALMER SAT 29 FEB, 7PM 10CC

WED 4 MAR, 7.30PM

COURTNEY ACT

SUN 8 MAR, 7PM

COST INFO

$30-$175 yourcentre.com.au

SHANE JENEK’S multi-talented, larger-than-life drag persona Courtney Act was cast into the spotlight in the first series of Australian Idol in 2003. Now, after countless appearances on stage and television – including making the top 3 in RuPaul’s Drag Race – Courtney brings her own show FLUID to the Top End.

Q&A Live @ The Studio with singer-songwriter Emma Rowe

LOCAL MUSO EMMA ROWE is among the first handpicked acts performing as part of Darwin Entertainment Centre’s Live @ The Studio series. We had a chat with her about all things music. How would you describe your sound to someone who hasn’t heard it before? It’s going through a bit of a phase, right now. It’s changing! It was rock’n’roll, so a lot of material at my Live @ The Studio gig is a bit rock. My newer songs are more pop-rockfolky-bluesy [laughs]. What inspired the change? I don’t know. I think it depends who I’m listening to at the time, and I think maybe I wanted to expand my horizons to different genres. I think it’s important for artists to change for their own creativity and sanity. If you spend your whole life making the same music, you might bore yourself and run out of creative ideas. Some musos, especially successful ones, get stuck. I think that’s because their fans have expectations of what they should be playing, and money can influence these decisions. You’ve been handpicked in the first round of local performers for Live @ The Studio, how did you feel when you found out? I felt amazing ‘cause I freakin’ love Amanda Palmer so much! This was the gig that I wanted, and I’m really happy. I think it’s such a great use of The Studio space. What a lovely way to start your evening! Why do you think an event like this is important? I reckon it’s because I’m pretty sure I’ll get to play in front of a new audience, which is the most standard way to make new fans. I hope it leads to new opportunities.

You grew up in Darwin, and have made a name for yourself as a singer-songwriter, what are some of the challenges you think musicians face here and across the NT? I think one of the main things specific to Darwin and the NT is touring – it’s very expensive. So that’s a problem. Luckily, we do have a lot of grants out there to get money to do things like that, and lots of peeps still do that, which is a testament to them. I’ve considered going ‘down south’ and I’ve kind of tried, but I just missed the lifestyle up here. It’s my home; I really love it up here! You can still do festivals, tours and make it down south, yet live up here. Especially with the internet it’s never been easier ‘cause everyone has access. Play your cards right and you can do it. If you could give a budding, local musician some advice, what would it be? Kick off your experience here. Don’t go down south with no performance or interview or recording experience. Play gigs here!

Off The Leash caught up with Courtney for a chat. Have you been to the Top End before? I have but it hasn’t been for such a long time. I feel like none of the Drag Race girls ever come to Darwin, so I’m glad that I finally get to come back. I remember I was there for Pride and it was lots of fun. I remember there was a sack race... I actually just found photos the other day. You’re bringing your new show to town – tell us everything we need to know about FLUID! FLUID is a really fun night of glamour, live music and storytelling. I wrote all of the music in the show myself, so the stories are really personal, the songs are really personal, and it’s the first time doing a whole show of original

songs. I’m really excited. It feels very creatively fulfilling. And a little bit scary... What are some of the challenges you think gender-fluid performers face today? I think the wonderful thing about the world today is that – now more than ever – people are really interested in hearing different stories. We live in a time where we’re finally hearing more than the one, same-old sort of cis-het story, and so it’s wonderful that people of different genders are able to express themselves through performance. And in drag, I think it’s always been a place where gender fluidity has intersected. But now that we have the language for it, it’s kind of this cool space where we get to express our own diverse gender and also be an example for others. Who would win a dance-off – Shane or Courtney – and why? Courtney definitely would! I always get really awkward in those sorts of situations – well, as Shane as Courtney, I feel awkward – and I usually default to my standard walking on my hands. That’s my party trick, just doing a handstand and walking around on my hands!

You appeared on the very first season of Australian Idol in 2003 – what would you say to your 21-year-old self, knowing what you know now? I would tell myself to just relax. I have spent – and still spend – so much of my life worrying about what might or might not happen, and it happens whether you worry about it or not. I think the best advice is to stay focused, stay ready, work really hard but try and worry less. And lastly, any chance we’ll see you on the podium at THROB while you’re in town? Please say yes… I have certainly already been on a podium at THROB, I performed at THROB, it was a lot of fun and I definitely look forward to going back there. I can’t wait to bring FLUID to Darwin. I’ll see you all at the Entertainment Centre and hopefully for a click and a shimmy at THROB after.

Courtney Act: FLUID WHEN SUN 8 MAR | 7PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $49 | $46 MEMB/CONC $30 U30 INFO yourcentre.com.au

Photo: Joseph Sinclair

ABBEY ROAD LIVE FRI 28 FEB, 7PM

Okay, last one – what’s your favourite thing to get up to on the weekend in Darwin? Good question! Going out to Florence Falls or the hot springs would be ideal, but what my weekends actually consist of is going to Cas Square and the Parap markets every Saturday. I love the markets. Darwin markets are the OG [original gangsta] markets. [Laughs].

WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 29 FEB | 5-7PM THE STUDIO, DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE FREE yourcentre.com.au

AWAY

BROWN’S MART

THEATRE’S 20/20 VISION are put under the microscope.” Many of the scenes take place on the beach, and recreating a seaside setting inside a theatre has been no easy feat.

BROWN’S MART THEATRE has officially launched its 2020 program, presenting a host of entertaining theatre, music and cultural offerings throughout the year.

“The design team did a great job bringing the ocean into a small room. There’s something healing and meditative about the ocean – even a sense of rebirth – and I think they’ve really captured that.”

In addition to the much-anticipated theatre program, Brown’s Mart facilitates opportunities to engage and develop a diverse mix of artists and industry from across the Top End.

One of the biggest challenges facing the cast was how to reinvigorate a classic Australian text for a contemporary audience.

Artistic Director Sean Pardy says the annual program is packed with goodies.

“I felt it was okay to acknowledge the play’s flaws; it was a good conversation to have. And perhaps we sometimes learn more by showing those unconscious biases of the time.”

A PLAY BY MICHAEL GOW emember those nostalgic summer days, digging up the sand on an endless beach? Brown’s Mart’s first theatre offering of 2020 takes you back in time to the golden era of the 60s in Australia. Local director, performer and theatre maker Kyle Walmsley directs

THE EVER-POPULAR, consistently sold-out live storytelling event SPUN is back with an intriguing mix of extraordinary people in SPUN: Heart.

Kicking off the year at the Italian Social Club, six storytellers tackle some big concepts on topics of the heart. What does it mean to have heart? Can a broken heart be mended? How do you keep a community’s pulse up under pressure?

the play, and says human nature is the central theme. “It’s about three families on holiday in the 60s. We follow their domestic dramas and interpersonal family dynamics through the eyes of 16-year-old Tom, played by Kostantine Hatzivalsamis. Nature forces these strangers together and it’s about what happens when humans

With an all-Darwin cast and a dash of high school talent from Corrugated Iron Youth Arts, who have co-produced the play, the performance showcases Northern Territory talent. “We have Bryn Wackett, who is usually known for her dance, and ABC Darwin’s Richard Margetson returning to the stage, as well as all the youngsters. It’s awesome to see new and old faces coming together and firing on all cylinders.” WHEN AT COST INFO

THU 12 – SAT 28 MAR (EXCL. SUN & MON) BROWN’S MART THEATRE $15-$35 brownsmart.com.au

Spun:Heart

Emceed by Local Hero nominee Timmy Duggan, storytellers include some of the NT Australian of the Year nominees, posing some challenging questions to the audience. SPUN Creative Director Lori Uden says the theme allows storytellers to draw from a range of topics. “The stories are really powerful. A lot of them are inspired by family, which can mean your own,

or adopted in places like the NT. It’s a celebration of the inclusion and diversity at the heart of the community.”

Can’t make it along? No problem. Jump online and catch up with a selection of stories via the SPUN podcast! WHEN AT COST INFO

FRI 3 APR | 7.30PM THE ITALIAN SOCIAL CLUB $32.50 spunstories.net

“We’re really proud of our 2020 program – it is an exciting and engaging mix of theatre and live performance, drawn from the talented and diverse Darwin community which can speak with great meaning to our audiences.” Behind the curtain, Brown’s Mart continues its long tradition of industry development with their Engage Program, which facilitates community access to the Brown’s Mart space. Their First Nations writing program, run in conjunction

with Moogahlin Performing Arts (NSW), works with First Nations writers to develop scripts. Long-standing partnerships with organisations like Corrugated Iron Youth Arts means you’ll continue to see local kids on the big stage. “We’re in the sixth year of the Education Program, which provides high school seniors with the same opportunities they would get in places like Melbourne or Sydney,” says Sean. Another exciting addition is the increase to six play readings in 2020, mixing classic scripts with new work from local and international actors and directors. And of course, there’s the theatre program presenting four huge productions throughout the year. Away kicks off the season, and Robert in Crisis, an award-winning 2019 Darwin Fringe Festival production, is next up in April. Don’t forget the ever-popular music program, with Live on Fridays (a favourite of the OTL crew for a Friday knock-off!) and the return of Club Culture Thursdays. Whether you’re a theatre-lover or theatre-maker, groover or shaker, Brown’s Mart has got the oh-sogoods in 2020.

INFO

brownsmart.com.au

LISTINGS

TRACKS PRESENTS

Introducing

Venaska

Cheliah Tracks Dance Company’s new Chair! Photo: Duane Preston

given the opportunity in 2011 to join the cast of Crocodile Man Pineapple Woman, and have performed with Tracks Dance on multiple productions every year since. I am both excited and nervous to be stepping up as chairperson this year. Women, especially young OFLE01Z01MA20200301001 women, continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions, so I’m grateful to have the opportunity.

THE YEAR WAS 2005 . I was standing at the top of the ramps of the Darwin Entertainment Centre, watching two firemen rappelling down a building wearing massive angel wings and I knew I’d just witnessed something magical. That day changed the way I viewed dance for the rest of my life – all I wanted was to be a part of it. Little did I know, some 15 years later, I’d be stepping into the role of chairperson of the company that allowed me to become the artist that I am today.

Tracks Dance has been part of my life since that day in 2005. I watched their Darwin Festival shows year after year, aspiring to be a dancer in their productions. Whilst unsuccessful in my first audition in 2008, I was given great advice to start expanding my dance repertoire, which is what I did. I took any opportunity that came my way, learnt to collaborate with other artists and continued to harbour my Bharatanatyam skills, which is a style of Indian classical dance. I was thrilled when I was

I’ve always believed that young people are agents of change. We are constantly striving to improve our communities and to give back as much as we can. Our viewpoints and insights are often influenced, not just by what we are told, but by what we see. I want to break down some barriers in this role, as a young female from an ethnic background. I know that I have a lot to learn and big shoes to fill and, with the support of the Tracks family, I’m confident I can do it.

INFO

tracksdance.com.au

Grey Panthers If you’re aged 60-years-young or over, Tracks Dance invites you to join the Grey Panthers, with weekly classes held in Darwin and Coomalie. Darwin WHEN EVERY FRI | 9.30-11AM AT TRACKS DANCE COMPANY

Coomalie WHEN EVERY TUE | 10.30AM-12PM AT 49 RUM JUNGLE RD, BATCHELOR

COST INFO

$5 DONATION tracksdance.com.au

All Sorts On the second Friday of each month young Corro artists test new work, revamp classic stories and offer performance tasters. Every month there’s something new, something bold and something surprising! WHEN AT COST INFO

FRI 13 MAR | 6-7PM CORRUGATED IRON PERFORMANCE SPACE $5 corrugatediron.org.au

Peter Williams Medium – Searching Spirit Tour After sell-out performances across the world last year, psychic-medium Peter Williams returns to Darwin. Known for bringing a modern and refreshing feel, Williams amazes audiences with his ability to communicate with the afterlife, but does so with energy and laughter. WHEN SUN 22 MAR | 2-4.30PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $45 | $40 CONC INFO yourcentre.com.au

LOCAL COMEDY GIGS Canned Comedy Darwin WHEN THU 12 MAR | 7PM AT DECK BAR COST CANNED FOOD

Canned Comedy Palmerston WHEN WED 18 MAR | 7PM AT GOOD TIMES BAR & GRILL COST CANNED FOOD

LOL Thursdays WHEN AT COST INFO

THU 26 MAR | 8.30PM BEACHFRONT HOTEL FREE topendcomedy.com

RAW

COMEDY FANCY A CHUCKLE with some of the best comedic talent getting around the NT? You’re in luck – it’s RAW Comedy time! Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s famous open mic comedy competition sees aspiring local comics battle it out around the country for a spot in the national final next month. Heats are held at the Happy Yess before the NT Final at Darwin

Entertainment Centre. Who will be the next Hannah Gadsby, Ronny Chieng or Celia Pacquola? Who knows! But you can be sure our comedians won’t hold back on their chance at the big time. Head along for one, two or three nights of hilarity, and throw your support behind the Territory's funniest.

NT Heats HEAT 1 | MON 2 MAR, 7.30PM HEAT 2 | TUE 3 MAR, 7.30PM AT COST

HAPPY YESS $14

NT Final WHEN SAT 7 MAR | 8-10PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $35-$39 INFO yourcentre.com.au

AROUND TOWN WHEN AT COST INFO

SUN 15 MAR | 9AM-6PM BATHURST ISLAND FREE flytiwi.com.au | sealinknt.com.au Photo: Elise Derwin

Tiwi Islands Football Grand Final

& Annual Art Sale

Dino Wilson working in the studio at Jilamara, 2019, Image courtesy of Jilamara Arts and Craft Association. Photo: Will Heathcote

ure, art and Aussie Rules footy might not seem like two things that go together, but just like poached eggs on Vegemite toast (don’t knock it ‘til you try it!) the Tiwi Islands Football Grand Final & Annual Art Sale is a winning combo. Since 1930, Aussie Rules football has been a big part of Tiwi Island’s history. Local teams battle it out during the Wet season for a chance

to play the most-anticipated match of the year – the Grand Final. The annual event on Bathurst Island, located 80km north of Darwin, attracts visitors from all over the country. In addition to insane football talents, Tiwi Islanders are celebrated for their artistic abilities, and are well known for beautifully decorated Pukumani burial poles – a significant cultural object, still made for ceremonies today.

International Women’s Day #EachForEqual AN EQUAL WORLD IS an enabled world – that’s the message for this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD). We all have the individual power to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women’s achievements. Get out there, shout from the rooftops and celebrate the women in your life and across the world. The Top End has plenty of inspiring events and ways to show and share strength and solidarity to help create an equal world. Oh, and wear purple!

The Annual Tiwi Islands Football Grand Final & Annual Art Sale is where visitors and locals can capture two of the most celebrated features of Tiwi culture. Soak up the atmosphere at the Grand Final before taking your pick of authentic art pieces by local artists from Tiwi art centres Jilamara, Munupi Arts, Ngaruwanajirri, Bima Wear and Tiwi Design.

and look forward to welcoming new people to our lands."

"A lot of our boys and girls play in the AFL and AFLW leagues. We also have a team in the NTFL – the Tiwi Bombers – many players are in multiple leagues," she says.

If this sounds amazing, it’s because it is. But you’d better get in quick if you want to make the trip across the water. Check the Sealink Tiwi Island ferry or local airlines to charter a flight.

Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association Public Officer Raylene Miller says

"At the Grand Final, visitors can see artwork from the four art centres and three communities of the Tiwi Islands. We come together to share our culture, painting and traditions

Watch the Grand Final, buy some art, and lap up the Tiwi culture. This is bucket list stuff.

DARWIN

tropical centre before celebrating

Women’s Art Exhibition

Women’s Network NT Brunch What better way to celebrate than with inspiring speakers and some brunch? Emceed by hilarious local lady Amy Hetherington, you’ll hear from guest speaker Kezia Purick. We love a bit of morning inspo!

in Civic Park, where plenty of festivities and entertainment await.

WHEN MON 2 MAR | 10-11.30AM AT CITY OF PALMERSTON LIBRARY

WHEN AT COST INFO

WED 4 MAR | 6:45AM DOUBLETREE BY HILTON $20-$35 internationalwomensday.com

IWD 2020 at Northern Institute Northern Institute celebrates its 10th International Women’s Day event and you’re invited! Grab your pals and don your purple threads for an afternoon of complimentary drinks and nibbles. Hear stories from inspirational local women about the hurdles they’ve overcome to achieve equality. WHEN FRI 6 MAR | 4.30-6PM AT CDU CASUARINA, RED 7 COST FREE INFO cdu.edu.au/ northern-institute

the day showcases the spirit of the Tiwi community.

International Women’s Day Walk Deck yourself out in purple and join in the fun of the annual IWD Walk! Make your way through Darwin’s

WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 7 MAR | 8.30AM CIVIC PARK, DARWIN FREE darwin.nt.gov.au

Skate Day Newcomers, shredders and in-betweeners can practise skate skills, meet new people and share ideas to celebrate the strength and energy of women and non-binary people. WHEN AT COST INFO

SUN 8 MAR | 9-11AM LEANYER RECREATION PARK FREE facebook.com/shinertown

PALMERSTON palmerston.nt.gov.au The celebrations in Palmerston can’t be contained to a single day, it’s International Women’s Week! There are loads of activities for the whole family to get involved in, including an art exhibition, cultural celebrations and murals celebrating women.

Cultural Celebration and Lunch WHEN TUE 3 MAR | 11.30-1.30PM AT PALMERSTON RECREATION CENTRE

Aboriginal Women’s Weaving Workshops WHEN WED 4 MAR | 10AM-12PM AT PALMERSTON RECREATION CENTRE

KATHERINE Breakfast & Balance Join Mental Mates – a community-run initiative to inspire change within the Katherine community regarding awareness, suicide prevention and intervention – for a yarn about women’s mental health over brekkie. WHEN TUE 10 MAR | 7AM AT IBIS STYLES, KATHERINE COST $32.50 INFO mentalmates.org eventbrite.com.au

LISTINGS

Big Ideas DO YOU HAVE a community event that could use an extra cash boost? Or perhaps an environmental initiative you’d love to get off the ground? City of Darwin is calling out for community projects and community-based environment initiatives to apply for the next round of grants and sponsorships.

Steps to Inner Peace Led by Buddhist monk Gen Dornying, this five-week meditation course provides step-by-step guidance for taking control of your life. Develop lasting inner peace, the actual cause of happiness, regardless of the challenges that come your way. WHEN EVERY THU, 5 MAR – 2 APR 7-8.30PM AT CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY COST $85 INFO meditateindarwin.org

Neighbour Day 2020 Neighbour Day is Australia’s annual celebration of community, encouraging people to connect with those who live in their neighbourhood. Round up the ‘hood for a cuppa or a picnic in the park, and get those community vibes flowing. WHEN SUN 29 MAR AT YOUR ‘HOOD! INFO neighbourday.org

Bruce Munro: Tropical Light Darwin illuminates with a 2.5km outdoor exhibition featuring eight sculptures by world-renowned artist, Bruce Munro. This free exhibition is connected by a self-guided path through the city,

with contributions by local artists across various mediums. WHEN AT COST INFO

DAILY | 7-10PM DARWIN CBD FREE tropicallight.com.au

Beat the Heat – Aqua Fitness It’s the coolest way to burn calories. That’s right, in the pool. Dive into Darwin’s Wave Lagoon for some pool-based aerobics. Cost includes all-day entry. WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY SUN | 8.30-9.15AM DARWIN WATERFRONT $12 ADULTS | $8 U15 waterfront.nt.gov.au

PALMERSTON LIBRARY palmerston.nt.gov.au/library

Storytime Say goodbye to quiet libraries! 1-5 year olds and their caregivers will love singing, dancing, listening to stories and engaging with puppets in these fun, interactive sessions. WHEN EVERY TUE & THU 10-10.45AM

LET’S DANCE For almost 20 years, this funding has supported a diverse range of development programs, including organisations such as the Environment Centre NT (ECNT) for their sustainable living initiative COOLmob. The successful funding application allowed COOLmob to run the Sustainable Apartments Program, to motivate and educate management committees, owners and renters of multi-unit dwellings on energy efficiency, with the overall aim to decrease greenhouse gas

enjoys hands-on, problem based learning activities, this is for them. WHEN EVERY TUE | 3.30-4.30PM

Nursery Time You’re never too young to enjoy reading. Treat your baby to songs, puppets, nursery rhymes and movement to enhance their early literacy development. Suitable for children up to 12 months. WHEN EVERY WED | 10-10.45AM

Get Job Ready Come along to these free sessions, where you can use the library’s laptops to create or update your resume, search and apply for jobs.

emissions. It’s free to take advantage of the program, which runs until the end of June this year. Got an event or idea that matches City of Darwin’s goal of creating a safe, liveable and healthy city that is vibrant, creative and inclusive? Throw your name in the hat!

WHEN SUN 1 – TUE 31 MAR INFO darwin.nt.gov.au

WHEN EVERY SUN | 10-11.30AM AT NIGHTCLIFF COMMUNITY CENTRE COST $15 | $10 CONC INFO facebook.com/ movement-medicine -australia

showcase your creative business? Learn about the range of website platforms available, what they do and what’s involved, plus get tips on choosing the one that’s best for you.

Salsa Classes Spice up 2020 with Salsa. These practical, fun and easy-going dance classes help participants feel confident on the dance floor. So put on your dancing shoes and give it a crack!

Community and Environment Grants Program Applications

WHEN WED 4 MAR | 6.30-8.30PM COST $50 | $40 MEMB

First Steps to Selling Online What are my goals? Who are my customers? Where do they go to buy? Get the answers to these key questions before starting your journey to selling online. Come along and find a platform that works for you. WHEN WED 11 MAR | 6.30-8.30PM COST $50 | $40 MEMB

WHEN EVERY WED | 2-4PM

TACTILE ARTS STUDIO SERIES tactilearts.org.au This series of professional development workshops with Christine Smith equips you with the skills to grow and promote your creative business.

Movement Medicine Conscious movement/ecstatic dance practice is sure to awaken the dancer in you. Take the dive into the magnificence of the moving body and unleash your innate creativity with great music and great company. See you on the dance floor!

Becoming Social Media Savvy Want to learn your DM’s from your insta-stories? Don’t know what that even means? Explore the exciting world of online platforms – what they do and who uses them. Consider your reasons for being active online and get ready to choose the right social media mix for your creative business to thrive.

WHEN TUE 3, 10 &17 MAR BEGINNERS 6.30PM IMPROVERS 7.30PM INTERMEDIATE 8.30PM AT DANCE WORLD STUDIO, WOOLNER COST $18 INFO salsitadarwin.com.au

Milonga: Tango Dance Party You’re invited to shake those hips on the last Friday of every month. Bust a move to the tango tunes from a live DJ – what better way to spend a Friday night? Ola! WHEN AT COST INFO

FRI 27 MAR | 8-11PM COCONUT GROVE COMMUNITY HALL $10 facebook.com/nthntango

Argentine Tango Practica Practice the skills and techniques for dancing Argentine tango at this casual, collaborative practice session for improving your Argentine tango dancing skills.

WHEN WED 25 MAR | 6.30-8.30PM COST $50 | $40 MEMB

WHEN AT COST INFO

Throwing on the Wheel Join local ceramicist Cecily Willis for this intensive throwing course and learn the fundamentals of working with clay on the wheel, along with basic glazing techniques. Create a number of masterpieces in this two-and-a-half day course, which are fired in the Tactile Arts kilns.

The Magic Garden Learn hand-building techniques with Ingrid Gersmanis including using clay slabs, coils and moulds. Decorate your clay creation using impressions from natural and other found objects. As well as using coloured slips, stains and under-glazes are shown.

Make Your Mark Join one of Darwin’s top textile artists Lillian Smith, in a workshop that introduces participants to the basics of found object printing. Students learn fun and easy ways to brighten up old wardrobe items and make unique gifts, with techniques that can easily be used at home.

WHEN SAT 7 & 14 MAR, 10.30AM- 3.30PM | SAT 21 MAR, 1PM-4PM COST $295 | $270 MEMB

WHEN EVERY SUN, 15 MAR – 5 APR 1-4PM COST $285 | $265 MEMB

WHEN SAT 28 MAR | 10AM-3PM COST $140 | $130 MEMB

Gadgets and Games Club Learning plus games equals fun! If your child is aged 5-12 years and

Website Platforms from Scratch Think you need a website to

Warm Glass Join Jon Firth for this two-day workshop on glass making and explore advanced techniques to enhance your creations. Held over two Sundays, students can create different types of inclusions, like flame working, pot drops and combed glass. WHEN SUN 22 & 29 MAR 10AM-4.30PM COST $325 | $300 MEMB

EVERY TUE | 7-9PM STUDIO 13, COCONUT GROVE $10 facebook.com/nthntango

WORK SHOPS tactileARTS 19 Conacher Street, Fannie Bay 8981 6616 | tactilearts.org.au

The event sold out, and the project has only grown from there. To commemorate International Women’s Day, StoryProjects is set to release the first ever podcast from women in prison. Presented in 10 episodes, Birds Eye View is the result of two-years of storytelling involving more than 70 women. The podcast takes you on a sometimes funny, sometimes dark, but always fascinating journey into the world of life behind bars. Themes range from survival strategies, sharing a cell with family members, how revenge can shape a life and the revelation that prisoners are put to work by big business. But for Johanna, it was more about the daily struggles of the women themselves.

A Different Point of View ave you ever given much thought to the women that find themselves behind bars? What did they do? How did their lives lead to incarceration? These are all questions that piqued the interest of StoryProjects Creative Director Johanna Bell on female prisoners in the Darwin Correctional Centre (DCC). “Before I started on this project, I didn’t even know there were women in the Darwin Correctional Centre.

Of the 1048 people there, only 80 are women! And because they’re incarcerated in a men’s prison, it’s difficult for them to be seen or heard,” she says. This curiosity and discovery of information lead to Birds Eye View – a fully immersive part walking tour, part audio essay in last year’s Darwin Festival. Ticketholders donned headphones as they walked the grounds of Fannie Bay Gaol alongside the women of Sector Four, hearing their moving tales.

Flix Wet IN THE

“This project is about shining a light on the lives of women in prison, humanising their experience and challenging the single – and overly-used – narrative that they’re beyond repair.” Set to the soundtrack of over a dozen NT female artists including Caiti Baker, Emily Wurramara, Eleanor Dixon and Shellie Morris, the podcast also includes an in-prison interview with ARIA-award winner Courtney Barnett. So tune in on International Women’s Day for the first five episodes of what promises to be an intriguing series, where scars and regret overlap with hope, horoscopes and beauty hacks.

LISTINGS

Photo: Jett Street

Books Gone Wilde Head along to the Nightcliff Markets for this once a month book swap and meet’n’greet. Browse the collection of books, meet new people, drink some coffee and feast on market food. WHEN SUN 8 MAR | 8AM-12PM AT NIGHTCLIFF MARKETS COST FREE INFO facebook.com/ booksgonewilde

Curator’s Cut – We of the Never Never At the turn of the century, Australia was still a very young country, in a land as old as time. Few had ventured far into that vast heart of Australia – the great outback. Based on a classic novel, this extraordinary story of a woman overcoming hardships and dangers forms the heart-warming story of We of the Never Never. This event is part of the Northern Territory Library’s Curator’s Cut film

Café Cinema runs after the screening with the NT Working Women’s Centre. WHEN SUN 8 MAR | 5.30PM

Undertow Grieving the loss of her stillborn baby, Claire meets pregnant teenager Angie. Feisty and irrepressible, Angie challenges Claire’s careful control. Drawn into Angie’s world, Claire develops a dangerous obsession that risks both of their lives. This is the feature directorial debut from Australian director, Miranda Nation. She will be in attendance at the 22 March screening. WHEN SUN 8 & SUN 22 MAR | 3.30PM

Don’t miss this film festival favourite. WHEN SUN 15 MAR | 3.30PM

WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 14 MAR | 10AM-1PM NT WRITERS’ CENTRE $80 | $50 CONC ntwriters.com.au

Mad Gnome Film Club Mad Gnome Film Club is Darwin’s premier retro movie social club, with the goal to recreate the era of the video store. Film screenings are of various genres from the late 70s to the 90s, with a fondness for films of the 80s. Akira WHEN SAT 14 MAR | 6PM

The Goonies WHEN SAT 28 MAR | 6PM AT RADIO GNOME RECORDS COST $5 INFO facebook.com/ madgnomefilmclub

There are some big themes in the work, but the down-to-earth style of language makes it extremely accessible and relatable to those who may not otherwise read poetry.

EVENT CINEMAS, CASUARINA $16 | $12 CONC | $10 MEMB $35 FAM deckchaircinema.com

Anthropocene Humans now arguably change the Earth and its processes more than all other natural forces combined. Climate change, extinctions, invasive species, terraforming of land, and redirection of water are all part of the indelible human signature.

Starting Blocks with Sandra Thibodeaux Got a great idea for a novel but don’t know where to start? Always dabbled in poetry but need a little guidance? Perhaps you’re sitting on a fascinating life story but the task of writing it down seems daunting... This workshop is a must!

evident in the Northern Territory, and Malcolm doesn’t shy away from confronting them head on; however, the underlying tone is one of deep respect and a humanising sadness for those caught in the middle.

Malcolm – a story in verse Written by Leni Shilton

Working Woman Life at work becomes unbearable for Orna. When her world is finally shattered, she must pull herself together to fight, in her own way, for her job and a sense of self-worth.

WHEN WED 18 MAR | 5-7.30PM AT NORTHERN TERRITORY LIBRARY COST FREE INFO ntl.nt.gov.au

NT WRITERS' CENTRE REVIEW

WHEN SUN 8 MAR INFO storyprojects.com.au

AT COST INFO

series, screening rare films from the Library collection.

AFTER THE SUCCESS of Walking with Camels, a story about the fascinating Bertha Strehlow, you could forgive Leni Shilton for taking a break. Instead, she has produced this powerful collection of poetry that tells the story of Malcolm. The backbone of the work is its breakdown of a single story into verse form. This provides the reader with snippets of heart-wrenching detail, as the title character narrates the harsh realities of life as an Indigenous Australian. The scale of the social issues that are affecting the community are

What is striking is how perfectly Shilton has captured the voices of those who are rarely given the opportunity to speak. This shouldn’t come as a surprise – Shilton has worked extensively in Central Australian healthcare – but the perspective shift may leave some readers reeling. This is certainly a must-read for anyone living in the NT. There is a secondary sadness to reading this beautifully crafted work, and that is because UWA Press will soon close their doors after eighty-five years of printing. The institution has always been a strong supporter of less commercial, but vital, works and now those small, barely audible voices just got a little quieter. INFO uwap.uwa.edu.au ntwriterscentre.com.au

LISTINGS

YOUTH TH YOU le

Profi

EMILY instagram.com/djulburr

hen she’s not winning awards like the NT Young Citizen of the Year or volunteering her time on City of Darwin’s Youth Advisory Committee, 21-year-old Emily Ford studies a Bachelor of Arts at Charles Darwin University and flies drones around with her remote aircraft pilot licence. But as a Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu woman from Kurrindju, who speaks two languages – Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu and Rak Marrithiyel – her true passion lies in linguistics. “We wanted to create a dictionary

to help revitalise my language, Marranunggu, and reinvigorate it for younger generations as well as for future generations,” she says. This sense of community was fostered at a young age when Emily had the opportunity to go out on country. “The bush-camps we went on during high school helped us develop a stronger connection to each other, to the land, to learn more about our culture, and our languages. I’d get to help organise it as well as volunteer… I enjoy being around people, being a part of the

So give Emily a follow and learn something new about the oldest living culture on the planet.

darwinrollergirls.com.au shinertown.com.au

Profi

22-YEAR-OLD ROLLER SKATER Sam Pini loves getting around on wheels, and you can often find her hitting the rink in the Darwin Roller Girls League as her roller derby alias, Pinidreadful. We caught up with Sam to chat all things skate. How did you get into skating? A couple of years ago, a friend got into skateboarding and I ended up falling in love with quad skating. That’s where you have a skate on each foot! What’s the skate community like in Darwin?

WHEN AT COST INFO

WED 4 & 18 MAR | 6-8PM JINGILI SKATE PARK FREE darwin.nt.gov.au

Palmerston Otaku Club Are you over 18 and looking for something to do on a Friday night? Join like-minded Anime enthusiasts

WHEN AT COST INFO

SUN 8 MAR | 9-11AM LEANYER RECREATION PARK FREE darwin.nt.gov.au

EVERY THU | 3.30-4.30PM PALMERSTON LIBRARY FREE palmerston.nt.gov.au

Freestyle Fridays Express yo-self! Head along for a boogie at Freestyle Fridays, a dance club run by Express Studios Darwin. Meet other local dancers and practice your skills. Ages 12-25 years. WHEN EVERY FRI | 6.30-8.30PM AT PALMERSTON RECREATION CENTRE COST FREE INFO facebook.com/yopalmy

Snap

HAPPY TAG #launchdarwin for a chance to see your pics here

Sam

International Women’s Day Skate Workshop Strap on those skates and give it a go with this skills development workshop – skate on uneven surfaces, get crafty or just show up and support! This event is skate, scoot, BMX and quad friendly.

WHEN AT COST INFO

Being tech-savvy, Emily uses social media to help promote cross-cultural understanding through her Instagram account, Djulburr. “I wanted to put the words we found online so that people can learn and to share the language. We’ve even got audio so that people can listen to the pronunciations.”

FRI 6 & 20 MAR | 6-7.30PM PALMERSTON LIBRARY FREE palmerston.nt.gov.au

Geek Squad Head along to Geek Squad for all things geeky – from Anime to gaming and everything in-between.

community, and seeing things I might not have usually been able to see.”

INFO

TH YOU le

Pini

WHEN AT COST INFO

Skate Nights Skate Nights are back, baby! 19 huge nights of shredding are planned this year. Quad skaters, BMXers, scooters and skateboarders are invited down to the Jingili Skate Park every second Wednesday.

FORD

INFO

to watch, talk and taste all things Japanese.

Santa Ride Photo: Aydar Zarifullin

We’re on a roll here… Who’s your favourite skater? I’m a big fan of Team Australia’s Bicepsual. She skates in the Victorian Roller Derby and I got to meet her in person once, she was so nice.

The skating community is so friendly and accepting. They’re really open to beginners and we have skaters aged from four-yearsold up to 65. We also have roller discos with themes like Denim and Diamonds – they’re so much fun. Tell us about roller derby! Roller Derby is a full-contact team sport where you race around a track and people try to block you with their hips and chest. It’s fast-paced and awesome. I skate in the Darwin Roller Girls League as Pinidreadful – we love a good pun!

What does it feel like to pull off a rad move? It feels incredible. Absolutely amazing when you finally get the move you want. I want to master the drop down in the half pipe – I did it once but I’m still practising. Shoot the duck is also fun, that’s where you lift a leg up when you’re down in the cannon ball. Awesome! Where can we sign up? Shiner Town’s a skate shop in Woolner that runs beginner classes all the time – jump on their Facebook page and they’ll get you skating. Or you can always find a skater or two to ask along the Nightcliff Foreshore. If you can catch them…

@shiner_town

Emily Ford Young Citizen of the Year

Get That Job - First Aid Training Photo: Aydar Zarifullin

Casuarina Pool Party Photo: Aydar Zarifullin

Survival Day Photo: Tymunna Clements

17 Tue

Mon

6 Away 7 Grey Panthers 9 Storytime 9 Gadgets and Games Club 9 Salsa Classes 9 Argentine Tango Practica 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsals 23 Jam Nights

23 See Food & Drink 15

15 Earth Hour Vegan Wine Dinner

18 Wed

6 Away 7 Canned Comedy Palmerston 9 Nurserytime 9 Get Job Ready 10 We of the Never Never – Curator’s Cut 11 Skate Nights 23 Italian Tenors

See Performing Arts 6

Sat

19 Thu

Tue

6 Away 9 Steps to Inner Peace 9 Storytime 11 Geek Squad 23 Arafura Wind Ensemble Rehearsals 23 Flamenco at Moorish

24 6 Away

7 Grey Panthers 9 Storytime 9 Gadgets and Games Club 9 Argentine Tango Practica 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsals 23 Jam Nights

Sun

22 Times of Change

29 LIGHTS OUT FOR EARTH HOUR! 8.30-9.30PM

9 Neighbour Day 2020 9 Beat the Heat – Aqua Fitness 9 Movement Medicine 9 Warm Glass 9 The Magic Garden 15 International Food Fair 16 For Country, For Nation Exhibit (last chance)

6 Away 9 Make Your Mark 10 Mad Gnome Film Club 18 Dreamtime Stories and Animals Creating Land (last chance) 19 Matriarchs (last chance) 20 Tiwi Strong Women’s Group

20 Fri

23 MusicNT Meet’n’Greet

Wed

6 Away 7 Grey Panthers 11 Palmerston Otaku Club 11 Freestyle Fridays 23 Loud@The Library

6 Away 9 Nurserytime 9 Get Job Ready 9 Studio Series – Becoming Social Media Savvy

See Music 22

See Music 23

Thu

Sat

6 Away 9 Throwing on the Wheel

See Music 23

Sun

19 Kitsch (last chance)

Fri

7 Peter Williams Medium 9 Beat the Heat – Aqua Fitness 9 Movement Medicine 9 Warm Glass 9 The Magic Garden 10 Flix in the Wet (last chance)

19 From Mangroves to Mudflats (opens)

Tue

23 Flamenco at Moorish

Mon

6 Away 7 Grey Panthers 9 Milonga: Tango Dance Party 11 Freestyle Fridays 22 Brahms’ A German Requiem 23 Loud@The Library

6 Away 7 LOL Thursdays 9 Steps to Inner Peace 9 Storytime 11 Geek Squad 23 Arafura Wind Ensemble Rehearsals

7 Grey Panthers 9 Storytime 9 Gadgets and Games Club 9 Argentine Tango Practica 9 Arts Grants and Sponsorships Applications Close 18 Trudy Said “Mwerre!” (last chance) 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsals 23 Jam Nights

See Visual Arts 19

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

offtheleash.net.au

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.

Sun

Thu

6 Away 7 Canned Comedy Darwin 9 Steps to Inner Peace 9 Storytime 11 Geek Squad 23 Arafura Wind Ensemble Rehearsals 23 Flamenco at Moorish

4 Live @ The Studio 5 Courtney Act: FLUID 8 Skate Day 9 Beat the Heat – Aqua Fitness 9 Movement Medicine 10 Birds Eye View Podcast Release 10 Books Gone Wilde 10 Flix in the Wet 11 Skate Day Workshop 23 Celtic Music Sessions

See Food & Drink 15

Calendar

1 Sat

9 Beat the Heat – Aqua Fitness 9 Movement Medicine 23 First Sunday Blues

15 Lunch with the Queens

7 Wed

7 RAW Comedy NT Final 8 International Women’s Day Walk 9 Throwing on the Wheel 18 Taksu: The Art of Bali (last chance) 19 Off the Walls (last chance) 19 Matriarchs (opens) 19 Arreth – Strong Bush Medicine (opens) 21 Glitoris

11 9 Nurserytime 9 Get Job Ready 9 Studio Series – First Steps to Selling Online

2 Mon

Fri

7 RAW Comedy - Heat 1 8 Women’s Art Exhibition

6 Away 7 Grey Panthers 7 All Sorts 11 Freestyle Fridays 23 Cedric Burnside 23 Loud@The Library

3 Tue

7 Grey Panthers 7 RAW Comedy - Heat 2 8 Cultural Celebration and Lunch 9 Storytime 9 Gadgets and Games Club 9 Salsa Classes 9 Argentine Tango Practica 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsals 23 Jam Nights

4 Wed

4 Live @ The Studio 4 10CC 8 Women’s Network NT Brunch 8 Aboriginal Women’s Weaving Workshops 9 Nurserytime 9 Get Job Ready 9 Studio Series – Website Platforms from Scratch 11 Skate Nights

MAR See Music 22

Sat

Thu

9 Steps to Inner Peace 9 Storytime 11 Geek Squad 23 Arafura Wind Ensemble Rehearsals 23 Flamenco at Moorish

See Visual Arts 19

Sun

8 Tiwi Islands Football Grand Final

15 22 Around the World in Eighty Minutes

9 Beat the Heat – Aqua Fitness 9 Movement Medicine 9 The Magic Garden 10 Flix in the Wet

6 Away 9 Throwing on the Wheel 10 Starting Blocks 10 Mad Gnome Film Club 18 Trudy Said “Mwerre!” (opens)

Fri

18 Twine and Twine Again (opens)

Mon

7 Grey Panthers 8 IWD at Northern Institute 11 Palmerston Otaku Club 11 Freestyle Fridays 15 Women in Business Morning Tea Showcase 21 Rails Annual Music Quiz 23 Loud@The Library

17 Taiwan – Australia Indigenous Artist in Residence applications close

See Around Town 8

See Visual Arts 18

Tue

Mon

7 Grey Panthers 8 Breakfast & Balance 9 Storytime 9 Gadgets and Games Club 9 Salsa Classes 9 Argentine Tango Practica 23 MusicNT’s Divas 2020 Program Launch 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsals 23 Jam Nights

NORTHERN TERRITORY WRITERSâ€™ CENTRE

8941 2651 ntwriters.com.au executive@ntwriters.com.au Workshops | Monthly Events | Opportunities

Flix in the Wet

Upcoming Events Aqua Fitness Every Sunday in the Wave Lagoon 8:30am to 9:15am Get water active with weekly aqua fitness classes. $12 for adults and $8 for children which includes all day entry to the Wave Lagoon.

Yoga Asana Every Saturday from April to October 8am | Free

While the Deckchair Cinema is closed for cyclone season, get your film fix at the Flix! Sunday afternoons | January - March, 2020 Event Cinemas | Casuarina Tix & Info:

www.deckchaircinema.com Flix is a Dawin Film Society project

A dedicated and qualified yoga instructor will guide you through a gentle 1 hour session of yoga asana, breath work and meditation suited to all levels of yoga experience including beginners. Patrons will need to provide their own yoga mat for the class. Easter Celebrations Saturday 11 April 9am to 1pm | Free Join the Easter celebrations on Saturday 11 April from 9am to 1pm with free family fun including a photo with the Easter Bunny, face glitter artists, garden games, arts and crafts, kids DJ, obstacle course, waterslides, jumping castles and more. All events are alcohol and glass free waterfront.nt.gov.au

DRINK

Food for Thought ILTON DARWIN HAS a special treat for the Top End’s vegan and environmentally conscious folk this month, with the first Earth Hour Vegan Wine Dinner. Every year, millions of people around the globe participate in Earth Hour by going lights out in an attempt to raise awareness for our planet’s changing climate. With more than 180 countries taking part last year, the conversation has grown exponentially since its inception in 2007, right here in Australia. Now, our attention has turned to our food, with many people going vegan either full or part-time to be

mindful of the energy required to put animal products on the plate. This year, you’re invited to spend Earth Hour a little differently with a sumptuous pairing of selected vegan dishes and vegan-certified wines – enjoy six courses of eco-friendly delights whilst doing your bit for the planet! The sumptuous menu includes pan-roasted asparagus with wild garlic and white bean hummus, spring onion and hazelnut pesto; roasted pumpkin, sage and fennel tartlets with sundried tomato pesto; and portobello mushrooms Kiev’s with garlic béchamel. Yum. Each course is paired with a

delicious, vegan-certified, eco-friendly drop from South Australian wineries The Lane Vineyard, Rymill Coonawarra and Bremerton Wines. And don’t forget to save room for dessert… Close your vegan foodie experience with a fresh raspberry, almond, sherry and saffron trifle. Delicious! Earth Hour Vegan Wine Dinner WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 28 MAR | 6-10PM HILTON DARWIN $109 darwintickets.com.au

Earth Hour WHEN SAT 28 MAR | 8.30-9.30PM AT WORLDWIDE! INFO earthhour.org.au

LISTINGS

FOOD

Lunch with the Queens - Ovarian Cancer Fundraising Lunch The Top End Tealers is a group of local women who have committed to trek the Larapinta Trail in Alice Springs to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Australia (OCA), and you’re invited to their fundraising lunch. Enjoy a great time with lots of entertainment and laughs, learn some things about Ovarian Cancer, and raise much-needed funds for OCA. Lunch includes a two-course meal and welcome drink, dessert treats and a goody bag full of info and vouchers. WHEN AT COST INFO

exciting local enterprises, or sit beneath the frangipani tree and enjoy a refreshing, complimentary iced tea spritzer, this is the perfect way to kick off your Friday. WHEN AT COST INFO

FRI 6 MAR | 9AM-12PM ABORIGINAL BUSH TRADERS FREE eventbrite.com.au

International Food Fair

SUN 1 MAR | 11.30AM-3PM WHARF ONE FOOD & WINE $90 stickytickets.com.au

Women in Business Morning Tea Showcase

Embrace the flavours of the world right here in the Top End with the International Food Fair. Treat your tastebuds to tantalising foods from Sri Lanka, India, China and more. As you tuck into a delicious feast, enjoy performances from the Top End’s multicultural community. There’s fun for the kids, too.

Come along and enjoy a complimentary morning tea celebrating International Women’s Day. Whether you’re keen to connect with some

WHEN AT COST INFO

SUN 29 MAR | 4-7PM BUDDHIST TEMPLE, LEANYER FREE ntbuddhist.org.au

GULP NT PRESENTS Words and photos by Emma Lupin

Community

COOK GROWING & UNDERSTANDING LOCAL PRODUCE

BILLEE MCGINLEY WAS captivated by the Top End nearly 20 years ago when she relocated from her hometown of Melbourne. Darwin quenched her thirst for different experiences, as well as being drawn to the tropical warm climate and opportunities to learn more about Indigenous cultures. A passionate advocate for our unique landscapes, environment and Indigenous culture, Billee has worked with Indigenous land and

Fetta and Spinach Buckwheat Pancakes sea managers, and been involved in many grass roots sustainability projects, including community gardens. Billee has been running The Little Gardeners program at Lakeside Drive Community Garden, bringing parents and children together to connect to outside natural spaces and learn about local food. Becoming a mother inspired her to start the group. “It was after having my daughter Papuana that I prioritised more time in the garden to pass on these important skills of harvesting and eating from a garden. I think it's important that everyone grows up with a connection to their food.”

Batter 1.5 cups buckwheat flour (naturally gluten free) 1 cup milk (I use oat milk) 2 eggs 2 tsp baking powder Topping Chopped up spinach (from the garden) Fetta cheese, crumbled Lots of nutmeg (I grate 1 whole nutmeg) Salt and pepper to taste Method Mix batter ingredients together. Fry pancakes in oil or butter. I think coconut oil makes them nice and crispy and tastes best. Top with delicious topping and serve! INFO

ldcg.cdu.edu.au | facebook.com/lakesidedrivecommunitygarden

VISUAL ARTS

Tarzan Jungle Queen

Tarzan JungleQueen, 'Free the Nip', 2020, posca on card

Art &

ABOUT

with artist Tarzan JungleQueen

21-hour bus ride to the centre of Australia might not sound like much fun for some, but for Darwin multi-disciplinary queer artist Tarzan JungleQueen, the long-haul ride down the track – with their creative tools in tow – was full of excitement and anticipation. Tarzan was selected for the Travelling Artist Residency at Watch This Space in Alice Springs – 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 of February to focus on their project Do I Seduce You?. Tarzan says having the opportunity to work in Alice Springs was a real draw card. “I really like Alice Springs. It’s got that warm Territory feel that I love, like Darwin. The community is just so lovely. If I need a bike, they offer me a bike, if I need a car, they offer me a car. I thought it was the perfect place to take my project to the next level,” they said.

INFO wts.org.au tarzandesignsjungles.com

“The proposal I put forward was to do with multiple things but with a theme of gender, Mother Nature and self,” they said. “In 2019, I was given the opportunity to be part of Octopus, a program with Johanna Bell from StoryProjects and Erica Wagner of Allen & Unwin. It’s a story project where they engaged artists to go through a six-month mentorship to create a book or work for publication. “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.” Do I Seduce You? also touches on the theme of geographic privilege systems, where voices in bigger cities are heard more. Tarzan grew up in the country and feels there’s space for more books to be created for queer rural/remote teens.

Tarzan put their application in late last year, and felt the nature of the residency was especially appealing to them.

“This book is about my journey, which is a hard thing to do – as a visual artist, my art has always said the things I haven’t been able to find the words to say, this memoir has become my voice.

“It’s comforting knowing the bulk of my work can be created here with no pressure to have a finalised exhibition ready at the end. Instead, I’ll have a small studio exhibition showing progress. Plus having to take the final artworks back on the bus would be a nightmare!”

“I hope to exhibit late this year in either Darwin or as a travelling exhibition throughout regional Australia. The booklet will accompany the exhibition and hopefully be picked up by a publishing company to be distributed to rural and remote schools and youth organisations.”

Themes of self, gender and identity have formed the basis of Tarzan’s work, exploring their experience as a queer bodied human finding their voice.

Watch this space…

Visiting Central Australia? Head to Araluen Arts Centre for this incredible exhibition.

FOR COUNTRY, FOR NATION

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a long standing tradition of fighting for Country, and continue to serve with honour among our military forces. For Country, for Nation, the first touring

exhibition from the Australian War Memorial to come to the Araluen Arts Centre, highlights these important and complex stories. It explores themes of remembrance

and tradition through family histories, objects, art, and photographs from across Australia, drawing inspiration from cultural traditions and symbols of warrior’s discipline, knowledge, leadership, and skill.

UNTIL SUN 29 MAR AT ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE INFO araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au

Tony Albert, 'Coloured Diggers', 2013, acrylic on canvas, Image courtesy of the Australian War Memorial

EXCHANGING CULTURE FROM DARWIN TO TAIWAN IF YOU’RE AN Indigenous artist looking to explore your craft in an entirely different world, Artback NT’s Taiwan – Australia Indigenous Artist in Residence program is for you. Rachael Wallis, 2018 Artback NT Indigenous Artist in Residence, Taiwan. Photo: Remix Beauty and Image Studio

Applications are now open for this incredible opportunity, returning for a third year to offer an emerging or established Indigenous artist a fully funded six-week residency in the beautiful village of Rinari, South Taiwan. Rachael Wallis is a dancer and choreographer based in Nhulunbuy, and was the inaugural Artist in Residence in 2018.

Bobby Bununngurr, 2019 Artback NT Indigenous Artist in Residence, Taiwan. Photo: Remix Beauty and Image Studio

“Driving up to Rinari was really amazing because you have to drive up the side of the mountain and we’re just looking … big eyed – ‘wow is this where we are going?’ In Rinari, you are kind of on a plateau on top of a mountain – you drive up one side and there’s the village but then you look into the distance and there’s massive mountains all around.”

Bobby Bununngurr is a songman and multi art form creative from Ramingining (his outstation is Ngalayindi) and got a lot from his time in Taiwan last year. “Working and creating with Taiwanese First Nations people truly inspired me and gave me a deeper understanding of, not only other Nation’s cultures, but the value and importance of my own culture and family. “I showed them artwork, my painting. I told all the children to join me, I said to them, draw with me. And I drew with them a crocodile and a magpie [goose] and I told them, this is a part of my song and my story.” Bobby says this cultural knowledge exchange is important because it continues the learning of traditional culture. “I told them about how I came from Australia and I’m bringing connections to Taiwan, language and culture, everything … We keep

GOING COCONUTS! COCONUT STUDIOS IS the latest addition to the ever-growing creative hub that is Coconut Grove. We had a chat with the brains behind the new independent art space, Steph Martin. We’re excited to hear about Coconut Studios – what prompted the idea? I’ve had ongoing conversations with friends and locals about the need for more independent spaces to develop and present new artwork in Darwin. And, with Scott Morrison having abolished the Department of Communications and Arts at the turn of the new decade, I thought, it’s now or never – we must do something to keep our spirits high. Can you tell us a bit about your experience as an artist? I studied fine art and furniture

design, but now that I think of it, all past work is relevant to this project. Even those hospitality jobs that drove me crazy at the time!

month – what can we expect? Yes, we’re launching on the 4th of April and the opening night is going to be magic!

Someone once said to me “weave together all the fragments of your life, together they are beautiful.” That’s the driving sentiment here.

Larrakia Elder Aunty Bilawara Lee will conduct a Welcome to Country, artist Beth Caird will present a new video work created especially for the launch, and there’s also a performance by local sound artists Tutup Mulut X Threadbrains to carry us into the night.

What’s the creative space like? The space has an industrial exterior with a slick, two-storey fit-out inside. Both levels are fully air-conditioned. Phew! What kinds of art activities can arts folk explore? Multidisciplinary art shows, talks and workshops with a focus on diversity, experimentation and change. And you’re launching early next

Artback NT’s Executive Officer Louise Partos says the program has lead to great things. “This residency has enabled First Nations artists from Taiwan and the Northern Territory an extraordinary opportunity to see first-hand how another Indigenous community operates outside of their respective countries. “The artists who have previously participated in this cultural exchange program have made connections culminating in new work and have provided real outcomes for the Creative Industries in the Territory.” Applications close Mon 9 Mar. INFO

artbacknt.com.au

Photo: Stevie Martin

Steph Martin

our culture strong because we have many young children that need to … hold onto our traditional culture … every song comes from old people; they pass it on. That’s what we bring them and we record it, [then] we can play it to our people.”

If you want to find out more, including other special (and no doubt, fun!) events, follow the Coconut Studios Facebook page.

WHEN SAT 4 APR | 7PM AT COCONUT STUDIOS, 8/18 CARYOTA COURT INFO facebook.com/ coconutstudiosdarwin

GYRACC

OUTSTATION

Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre Stuart Highway, Katherine East | 8972 3751 | gyracc.org.au

2/3 Parap Place, Darwin | 8981 4822 | outstation.com.au TUE 10AM-1PM | WED–FRI 10AM-5PM | SAT 10AM-2PM

TUE–FRI 10AM-5PM | SAT 10AM–3PM

Julie Ashley, 'Basket', 2019, pandanus and natural dyes, 25x25x35cm

Trudy said "mwerre!" IN MARCH 2009, less than a year since Outstation Gallery opened its doors, the gallery hosted the inaugural exhibition of Yarrenty Arltere, an Alice Springs based art centre.

TWINE AND TWINE AGAIN (WEAVING OUR WAY)

11 years later, Yarrenty Arltere have become an art force to be reckoned with. Their artists have won major awards in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards in 2013 and 2015, and in 2018 they were featured in the 21st Sydney Biennial and Tarnanthi at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

This exhibition showcases Indigenous weaving art spanning the Big Rivers and Top End regions.

Their continual innovation and sense of fun make Yarrenty Arltere a gallery favourite. Trudy with woman with dilly bags and trees growing out of her shoulders 2020

WHEN SAT 14 – TUE 31 MAR

Twine and Twine Again explores current weaving techniques, mediums, representations and styles. From the traditional to the contemporary, this exhibition weaves its way through the diversity of form and representation in today’s weaving practices.

WHEN FRI 6 MAR – SAT 18 APR | OPENING 6PM, FRI 6 MAR

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

DREAMTIME STORIES & ANIMALS CREATING LAND This exhibition provides an entry point into the artwork of emerging artists, Ananias Naborlhborlh and Robert Conway.

I Gusti Putu Sana, 'Dancer', 1998, Chinese ink on paper, 83x61cm, Donated by Mary Harrison Hill and family in memory of Chris Hill, CDU3009

Taksu: The Art of Bali March is your final opportunity to see the rich diversity and splendour of Balinese art. Taksu: The Art of Bali profiles recent gifts to Charles Darwin University by two of Australia’s most prominent collectors of Balinese art, Michael Abbott AO QC and the late Christopher Hill.

UNTIL SAT 7 MAR

Robert Conway, 'Mimi', 2019, acrylic on canvas, 80x60cm

UNTIL SAT 28 MAR

Exploring Dreamtime stories and the animals that created the land, the artworks feature stylised animal and spirit figures. Using traditional and contemporary motifs and application, the artworks represent the artists’ country, culture and creation stories.

ABORIGINAL BUSH TRADERS Lyons Cottage, 74 The Esplanade, Darwin | 8942 4023 aboriginalbushtraders.com MON-FRI 9AM-4PM, SAT 9AM-3PM

BUSH BLING MAGNT

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 19 Conacher Street, The Gardens | 8999 8264 | magnt.net.au MON–SUN 10AM-5PM

Therese Ritchie: burning hearts

Therese Ritchie is renowned for her provocative prints that make fearless political and social commentary. This exhibition situates these prints within her practice more broadly, and considers the fundamental role photography has played in her development as an artist.

UNTIL SUN 28 JUN Therese Ritchie, 'Tim', 2017 (printed 2019), pigment print, 56x80cm

Continuing millennia of adornment of bodies in traditional cultures, Bush Bling brings together artists who are breaking ground in their contemporary practice to show their work in an insightful context. Artists draw on their knowledge as they weave tradition together with reclaimed materials, precious metals and acrylic paint, producing highly designed pieces that sing of the strength and pride of cultural leaders grounded in their artistic practice.

WHEN FRI 13 MAR – FRI 24 APR | OPENING 6PM, FRI 13 MAR

PAUL JOHNSTONE GALLERY

Harriet Place, Darwin | 8941 2220 | pauljohnstonegallery.com.au WED–FRI 10AM-5PM | TUE & SAT 10AM-2PM

NORTHERN TERRITORY LIBRARY

Parliament House | Corner Bennett and Mitchell Street, Darwin | ntl.nt.gov.au TUE, THU, FRI 10AM–5PM | WED 10AM-8PM | SAT & SUN 1–5PM

CHINESE PORTRAITS Ah Toy Family

The Chinese community has played a pivotal role in the development of the Northern Territory since early European settlement. Visit NT Library for a photographic exhibition of some of the men, women and children from the Territory’s Chinese community who have lived and worked in the Top End.

Yuyuya Nampitjinpa, Untitled, 2019, Acrylic on linen, 91x91cm

MATRIARCHS

UNTIL SUN 28 JUN

Matriarchs pays homage to some of the great women of Indigenous art.

artworks are coveted by collectors and institutions.

Culturally, these women exemplify strength and honour, artistically, they present powerful renditions of ancestral narratives. They are role models to generations while their

Participating art centres include Kaltjiti Arts, Martumili Artists, Papunya Tula Artists, Warlayirti Artists and Warmun Art Centre.

WHEN SAT 7 MAR – SAT 28 MAR

NCCA

Northern Centre for Contemporary Art Vimy Lane, Parap | 8981 5368 | 0402 379 630 | nccart.com.au WED-FRI 10AM-4PM, SAT 10.30AM-2.30PM, OR BY APPOINTMENT

Jimmy Bamble, 'Hydrostatics', VR painting

TACTILE ARTS

19 Conacher Street, Fannie Bay, Darwin | 8981 6616 | tactilearts.org.au

OFF THE WALLS

DAILY 10AM-4PM

Seven local artists have created artworks with the use of virtual reality. Artwork made by the use of VR has the unique ability to, not only express the precise moment of the subject matter’s form, but the entire journey of its creation.

UNTIL SAT 7 MAR

SALON PROJECT SPACE

1/3 Vickers St, Parap | 8941 3935 | salonartprojects.com.au TUE–FRI 10AM-5PM | SAT 10AM-2PM

Aly de Groot, Ocean Ghosts, 2019, cyanotype and plant pigments on recycled cotton rag paper, 20x20cm

ARRETH STRONG BUSH MEDICINE

FROM MANGROVES TO MUDFLATS This solo exhibition showcases new works by Aly de Groot, weaving the tragic tale of sea life in the plastic age, lamenting the impact of marine debris upon sea life and coastal communities.

The Artists of Ampilatwatja are once again showing their dappled canvases at Salon Art Projects.

A navigation of places, familiar and new, emerging from the artists’ time living and working between Darwin and Groote Eylandt.

WHEN FRI 27 MAR – SUN 12 APR | OPENING 5.30PM, FRI 27 MAR

Whether you need kwenkart (turkey bush) for headache, therrpeyt (native fuchsia) for flu,or ntang (edible seeds) for feeding the family, the Ampilatwatja Artists have an exquisite bush medicine guide for you to enjoy in the form of painting. The intricate painted layers both reveal and conceal traditional knowledge held by the artists, allowing the viewer an insight into ancient healing practices.

KITSCH Tactile Arts launches the new decade in questionable style with members’ exhibition, Kitsch.

Ingrid Gersmanis, Violet and Friends, 2019, vintage found objects and mixed media, 48x65cm

“Art is a car. Kitsch is a horse.” (Odd Nerdrum)

UNTIL SUN 22 MAR

WHEN SAT 7 MAR – SAT 4 APR | OPENING 10AM, SAT 7 MAR

Pammy Kemarre Foster, 'Bush Flowers', 2019, acrylic on linen, 91x91cm

MUSIC Photo: Prudence Upton

L-R: Leonie Tipiloura, Jacinta Tipungwuti, Callista Kantilla

By Kate Sieper

The Sounds

of Tiwi

f you’ve never heard the voices of the Tiwi Strong Women’s Group before, then you’re in for a treat this month. If you know them well, then you probably already have your ticket.

Ngarukuruwala is the name of the collaboration that has been uniting the incredible culture, stories, and songs of the Tiwi women with Sydney-based musicians for over a decade. This kind of collaboration with partnership and two-way learning is truly the best in Australia, and makes you count yourself lucky to experience it. This month’s show is a very special one-off, just for Darwin. Yoi – which means ‘to dance’, and also ‘coming together to dance’ – promises all the power of the senior ladies, singing unaccompanied, as well as introducing a number of the emerging singers of the Tiwi Islands, both men and women.

Tiwi Strong Women’s Group Ngarukuruwala: Yoi!

WHEN SAT 28 MAR | 7PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $38 | $34 MEMB/CONC $30 U30 INFO yourcentre.com.au

One to watch out for is Francis Orsto, a beautiful singer, but also wellversed in language and culture, who is increasingly taking his place as a respected songman. Genevieve Campbell has spent many, many years working with the Tiwi singers, and returns to the Islands every few months. As well as being a horn player in the band (and mini bus driver, handbag holder and coordinator) she was instrumental in the return of archival recordings of

Tiwi songs to the singers, taken between 1912 and 1981. Reclaiming the recordings has been highly significant for the senior Tiwi artists, and Genevieve says there are a number of songs literally performed with the old recordings, bringing the voices of their ancestors into the room, and having them sing for us. “We’re going to have the big screen up and we’ll have some translation of text, and images of the particular country the songs are coming from, and some archive tracks that we’ll then be playing live around,” she says. “Then there are a few songs that are completely new, that the young guys have written that they want to perform, so we’ll be getting into some electric bass and drums and keyboards and grooving action as well. “We don’t want to lock it in – it always has to be current and real on the night. Tiwi songs are always in present tense and first person. Most of the songs are not set in stone. Whoever is singing, whichever of the old ladies is singing, is singing her version. We can’t write down charts or anything, really we just have to go with it, on the night.” So while it might be impossible to entirely predict the evening, you can be sure Yoi! is going to be something special.

MUSIC NT PRESENTS

Manuel Dhurrkay give them a role model, and a path that they can follow.

FORMED IN 1996, Saltwater Band are recognised far beyond their native Elcho Island and indeed, far beyond the Territory. Synonymous with an island reggae roots sound, Saltwater Band’s lead singer Manuel Dhurrkay has ventured out on his own for the first time with his new release ‘Nawumul (Canoe)’.

MusicNT spoke to Manuel about old friends, new musical styles and fresh opportunities. Congratulations on the new single ‘Nawumul (Canoe)’! What does this single mean to you? It’s an opportunity to change my music, my voice and my life in an effort to continue my career and my love of singing, and support the young singers in my community. To

The single features backing vocals from your cousin and musical co-collaborator, the late Dr G. That must be pretty special? Dr. G was my second singer when we formed the Saltwater Band together in 1996. We shared songs together – when I sang my songs, he’d sing backing vocals for me, and when he sang his songs, I’d sing back vocals for him. We recorded two albums, then the third Malk over 10 years. After that, Dr. G started his solo project, and now [this] is my solo project following Dr. G. Our life was in the music, songwriting and harmonising together,

making our voices beautiful. He helped me like he was my teacher, and when we sang on my single ‘Nawumul (Canoe)’, it reminded me of when we were in Saltwater Band. This is your debut solo release despite being in the game since the 90s – why has it taken so long to branch out on your own? I’ve been waiting until I had developed a new sound that I liked. And also waiting a respectful period of time because I have Dr. G on this track. I was with the Saltwater Band for 25 years. Now, it’s my chance to change my music style, write more songs, and to share my story and my people. Show that we’ve got a strong culture and to make our community proud.

So far the single’s received outstanding reviews, are there more solo releases on the horizon for you? Yo, there’s a lot more to come soon. I want to focus on releasing good songs from my time writing with Saltwater and Geoffrey, but also a lot more new songs. It feels like I’ve got a new life and new career now. You recently held a free gig in Darwin – any chance we’ll see you again any time soon? When everyone hears our voices, it makes people happy. I make music that makes people feel good. I am planning some big shows for here and shows nationally, and I have had some invitations to play internationally soon.

INFO musicnt.com.au

rAMP up the rails DARWIN RAILWAY AND Social Club – affectionately referred to simply as The Rails – has earned its reputation as one of the best live music venues in the Top End.

But 2020 is set to be a biggie… The Rails has been able to make some key upgrades to improve the club for performers and live music fans alike. The Rails’ Anna Stewart says the upgrades benefit the community on the whole. “Music is important in any community. And if you don’t have good facilities to support the music community, I think that’s when you see young people leave town,” she says.

Upgrades to the lighting and audio system were made possible by a successful bid for the Community Benefit Fund. Other improvements, including the new stage and upgrades to the green room, were paid for by the club. Rails Manager Kane Stewart says technical upgrades made way for others. “Because of the upgrades to our lighting and audio, we’ve been able to get rid of a lot of things that were stored in the green room as they’re just not needed anymore. It’s now a dedicated space for bands to relax before, during and after their gigs.

The walls have had a fresh coat of green paint and the air con’s brand new. It’s looking much more like a green room should.” The local music community has welcomed the news with open arms. NOOK Events’ James Gough says the improvements are an important step in the right direction.

other goodies throughout the year. There are also regular fundraising events, including this month's Rails Annual Music Quiz, with a chance to win four gold passes to almost all Darwin Railway Club performances in 2020 as well as other prizes.

There are ways you can support The Rails to ensure live music continues to frequent the stage. Consider signing up as a member for $35, with benefits including discounted drinks, express entry to gigs and

Photo: Gabby Lyons

New Darwin band The Ovulators may have performed just two gigs so far, but their third one is set to be a ripper. THEY’RE SUPPORTING Canberra’s Glitoris for the Darwin leg of their national tour with friends The Epi(c)phannys. We had a chat with the band’s leading lady Kate Boston Smith.

How did The Ovulators form? I’ve been playing in bands in Melbourne for the last 10 years, and when I moved to Darwin, I knew I wanted to start a band. I’m an art teacher and love teaching but really need my own art practice as well.

FRI 6 MAR | 7-10PM DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $15 darwinrailwayclub.org

“It’s fantastic to see the club install this audio and lighting system that I hope drives an increase in the number of local, interstate and overseas artists performing in Darwin. Darwin’s not just an awesome place to live and visit – we also have high quality equipment, crew and hospitality in venues that are open for business.”

L-R: Dan Sivan, Ryan Lucas, Kate Boston Smith, Annie Brown and James Evans.

Power

WHEN AT COST INFO

Sound’s good.

what inspired your band name? My last main project in Melbourne was called Modesty, but it was layered with irony and power, and I wanted something like that again but better. I was at The Rails with our bassist Annie and another friend, and we had to start promo for our launch gig – but we had to figure out a name first!

Lady

Rails Annual Music Quiz

Photo: Elise Derwin

It’s a place friends meet for a cold one, play a [free] game of pool and grab a pizza, before settling in for a night of some of the best local and touring music going around.

“We really appreciate what we’ve had, but technology has changed so much that it’s important to make improvements like this. We have a lot of young local bands hit our stage and the quality of sound is important.”

The band came together so beautifully. And the members are legends – one of the best collections of musos I’ve ever worked with. As a group, their energy and connection is amazing. And that can be hard to find in a band. How would you describe your style? Garage, rock and blues, really. We’ve got some big anthems in there. It’s fun, hot and sweaty, with lots of jumping around. We also have some more reflective bluesy stuff as well. There’s a focus on contemporary life dynamics related to relationships, love, lust, and longing. Okay, we’ve been dying to know –

My fave topic at the moment is ovulation – when I ovulate, it’s the most intense, wonderful, powerful, energising and creative time, and I don’t think we talk about it enough. I did some research and discovered it’s this intuitive ancient window where we become heightened and empowered. I think we need to talk about it more – to create dialogue. That’s why we’re called The Ovulators. Despite only being around for a few months with just two live gigs under your belts, your band's been handpicked to support Glitoris on their national tour – that must feel pretty great? It’s incredible. It’s been so wellreceived – even more than I could’ve dreamt of or imagined. Glitoris have such a good energy and we’re all really excited to support them. I saw them in Melbourne and they were just phenomenal! What do you love most bout this International Women’s Day gig? The power, the connection, the

energy and the messages. Things are changing but there are still ideas and concepts and attitudes that need to be shifted. The best thing is watching younger women and people, trans, queer – however one might identify – at these gigs, and seeing these messages transfer into the art they make. It’s about opening conversations and making it a normal part of our dialogue. It’s about what you can say, how you say it, and what’s not okay anymore. What are some of the challenges you think female musicians face today? Exposure. Visibility. As in, come to our gig! Our gigs are about 80% women, but where are the men? Even on big line-ups, we know this – where are the women in headlining positions? Even though they’re phenomenal, they’re still invisible. If you could give young artists some advice, what would it be? Make your own. Band, art, shows, just do it! Collaborate with people and share it, don’t wait. Get your voice out there – people are interested and don’t want to hear things they’ve heard over and over.

Glitoris: Slut Power Tour 2020 With The Ovulators and Epi(c)phannys WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 7 MAR | 7.30PM DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $21.50 facebook.com/glitorisband

Times of Change

Set to the seaside beauty of Pee Wee’s at the Point, Arafura Music Collective’s upcoming performance, Times of Change, is all about the seasons and our effect on the environment. ith a combination of baroque masterpieces, such as Vivaldi’s ‘Summer’ and contemporary works from Darwin-based composer Netanela Mizrahi, Times of Change presents a smorgasbord of musical delights. Artistic Director Claire Kilgariff says the combination of music in a beautiful outdoor setting provides

The Arafura Collective and the Love and Dreaming Choir

the perfect formula for reflection. “After the bushfires, we adopted a more serious and more reflective approach. As artists, we want to help promote change, with beautiful music and reflections on the climate,” she says. Although climate change can sometimes bring about feelings of sadness, the Arafura Music Collective is determined to keep the

performance positive and engaging for audiences. “We want to provide a commentary on the weather and changes to climate in a subtle, but also upbeat, way. Sydney composer Romano Convecii’s ‘In Times of Change’ and Netanela’s works invite us to listen to the Earth. These pieces should help us achieve that.” If relaxing to the sounds of the

seasons in a gorgeous seaside setting sounds like your jam, this is for you. Tickets include a drink, gourmet tasting platter and one of the best views Darwin has to offer. Bliss.

WHEN SUN 29 MAR | 4-6PM AT

PEE WEE’S AT THE POINT

COST

$50-$60

INFO

facebook.com/

arafuraensemble

DSO PRESENTS Shalom Kaa

BRAHMS’ A GERMAN REQUIEM Around the World in EiGHTY Minutes DARWIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (DSO) returns in 2020 with this international feast of sound. From traditional Japanese drumming to American barn dance music, DSO’s maiden performance for the year takes you to lands you could only hope to one day visit. DSO’s Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Jonathan Tooby says he’s excited to bring such a diverse piece to Darwin.

“We have tango items from South America, Bohemian Gypsy sounds, Viennese waltz, American hoedown. One minute the audience will be listening to an adapted traditional Chinese piece, and the next, they’ll

be taken to Norway with ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ or even listening to a collage of different music from the far corners of the world.” Not only is the DSO returning in 2020 with this big stage extravaganza – after seven-years, the DSO also returns to its original home on the Darwin Entertainment Centre stage. “It’s an ideal space – everyone is really excited! Around the World in Eighty Minutes is a wonderful introduction, and to see an 80-strong symphony orchestra is a real spectacle.”

local musician, host, and all-round nice guy, Shalom Kaa. “I don’t come from an orchestral background, so for me, I wanted to approach this as an opportunity to reach out to audience members who may not be as familiar with classical music, and take them on a journey around the world,” Kaa says. “The finale is very Australian – very well-known and very patriotic – the audience won’t need any prompting to sing and clap along!” WHEN SAT 14 MAR | 6.30PM AT

DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN you take a piece of music originally designed for an orchestra of over 200 people and amend it to an chorus of 80? Vocalective, that’s what! Darwin’s very own choir group is kicking off 2020 with Brahms’ A German Requiem. Music Director Michael Loughlin knew they were up for the challenge. “Normally we wouldn’t be able to do it, but we have an excellent group of accomplished singers and they’ve all been working really hard to make it work.” What’s more, they’re bringing together a diverse group of performers from the Top End community.

CENTRE

Accompanying you on this magical musical journey around the world is

COST

$20-$60

INFO

yourcentre.com.au

“We have doctors, ministers of religion, all sorts of people, and

yet musically it is well-balanced.” Throw in a church setting, a fantastic line-up of soloists and 20 talented musicians to back them up and you’ve got the recipe for a fun-filled evening for all. WHEN FRI 27 MAR | 7.30-9.30PM AT

DARWIN MEMORIAL UNITING

CHURCH COST

$25 | $15 U15

INFO

trybooking.com

MARCH Loud@The Library Enjoy midday music at City of Darwin Libraries every Friday. WHEN EVERY FRI | 12-1PM

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

DARWIN AND CASUARINA

LIBRARIES

Flamenco at Moorish Kick back with some delicious tapas, and treat your ears to the sounds of solo Flamenco guitarist Francis Diatschenko.

Tiwi Strong Women’s Group – Ngarukuruwala: Yoi!

WHEN EVERY THU | 7-9.30PM

Live @ The Studio Escape the heat and rain, and come and chill out Live @ The Studio for free, live pre-show entertainment before The Wet Sessions.

MOORISH CAFÉ facebook.com/

COST

FREE

INFO

darwin.nt.gov.au/libraries

francisdiatschenkomusic

Around the World in Eighty Minutes

@OTLmag

#OTLmag

MusicNT’s Divas 2020 Program Celebrate the launch of the 2020 Divas program – an Indigenous Women’s Music Development Program held in Darwin (Saltwater Divas) and Alice Springs (Desert Divas).

COST $20-$60

yourcentre.com.au

DJ Tristan

INFO

Italian Tenors MusicNT Meet’n’Greet Are you a Top End musician, music-lover, venue manager or just have an interest in the Darwin music scene? Join MusicNT at the first Member Meet'n'Greet of 2020 and get to know like-minded Top Enders. AT

MUSICNT HQ,

HARBOUR VIEW PLAZA

COST

FREE

DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB 17 Somerville Gardens, Parap 8981 4171 | darwinrailwayclub.org Rails Annual Music Quiz

WHEN AT COST INFO

INFO

musicnt.com.au

Times of Change – Arafura Music Collective

Direct from Italy, the Italian Tenors are three of Europe’s most successful operatic tenors who have become a worldwide pop-opera phenomenon.

WHEN SUN 29 MAR | 4-6PM AT

PEE WEE’S AT THE POINT

COST

$50-$60

INFO

facebook.com/

DARWIN MEMORIAL

WHEN TUE 10 MAR | 5-7PM

UNITING CHURCH

Brahms' A German Requiem WHEN FRI 27 MAR | 7.30-9.30PM

See them combine their classical roots with Neopolitan songs and their own blend of Italian pop classics. This show is a must-see for all who love the great arias of Puccini and Verdi, the Neopolitan standards of Caruso and Mario Merola, and the melodious hits of San Remo.

MUSICNT HQ,

COST

$25 | $15 U15

WHEN WED 18 MAR | 7PM

HARBOUR VIEW PLAZA

INFO

trybooking.com

COST

FREE

INFO

musicnt.com.au

The

Faste Fiv Glitoris

What’s the first album you ever bought? Keven 007: True Blue and

Like a Prayer by Madonna – double sided cassette, baby! Malcolm: My first vinyl was The Bangles, my first cassette tape was Madonna and my first CD was Tumbleweed. I’m going to assume they were all self-titled because I can’t remember the title, only the cover.

$45

JAM NIGHTS AND OPEN MIC

WHEN WED 4 MAR | 5.30-7.30PM

WHEN SUN 8 MAR | 5-7PM

yourcentre.com.au

WHEN FRI 13 MAR | 8-11.30PM COST

CENTRE

DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT

arafuraensemble

Band members Malcolm, Scott, Keven 007 and Andrew – named after Aussie Prime Ministers – answered The Fast Five for us.

$30-$38

Kathryn Ezzy

Join them as they celebrate their 10th year supporting Indigenous female singer/songwriters across the Territory, and hear what they’ve got planned for 2020.

GLITORIS ARE A FOUR-PIECE punk rock band from Canberra, and they’re kicking off their national tour in the NT, including a special International Women’s Day gig at The Rails in Darwin.

COST

DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

WHEN 14 MAR | 6.30PM

WHEN FRI 20 MAR | 5-7PM /offtheleashmag

WHEN SAT 28 MAR | 7-9.15PM

Burnside is in town and ready to entertain with them Mississippi Blues.

FRI 6 MAR | 7-10PM DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $15 darwinrailwayclub.org

Glitoris: Slut Power Tour 2020 With The Ovulators and Epi(c)phannys WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 7 MAR | 7.30PM DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $21.50 facebook.com/glitorisband

Live blues band support in a welcoming environment. Come down, have a couple of cold drinks and embrace the atmosphere – or jump up and sing your heart out! WHEN SUN 1 MAR | 2PM AT

PINT CLUB, MARRARA

COST

GOLD COIN

INFO

facebook.com/

firstsundayblues

Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsals WHEN EVERY TUE | 7-9PM AT

DARWIN CITY BRASS BAND

COST

$20 ANNUAL

INFO

darwincitybrassband.org.au

Jam Nights Head down to the open mic night every Tuesday and jump on stage or sit back and enjoy the music. WHEN EVERY TUE | 9PM AT

NIRVANA

COST

FREE

INFO

nirvanadarwin.com.au

Celtic Music Sessions Come along to play or listen to Irish, Scottish, American and other traditional tunes and folk songs

Arafura Wind Ensemble Rehearsals

WHEN SUN 8 MAR | 5PM

WHEN EVERY THU | 6.45PM

COST

FREE

MACKILLOP CATHOLIC

COLLEGE

Cedric Burnside Grammy-nominated artist Cedric

COST

FREE

INFO

arafurawindensemble.com

So random, and perhaps a little cringe but that’s the truth!

poster and a Nirvana poster on my wall.

Scott: ‘Morning Has Broken’ – Cat Stevens

If you could see any artist or band – living or dead – this weekend, who would it be? Keven 007: Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, with full orchestra and alien warcraft.

Andrew: Mainly guitarists – Jimi Hendrix, Dave Navarro, Tom Morello and Daron Malakian from System of a Down. Jerry Cantrell. Johnny Greenwood. I covered my school books in posters of Brian May.

Finish this sentence. The thing people would be surprised to know about me… Keven 007: Coat hangers really stress me out.

$30-$69

Malcolm: Rage Against the Machine. I’m super-stoked they have reformed and really hope they come to Australia. Andrew: Gotta agree with Malcolm on this one. Right now, we’re all dying to see Rage Against the Machine. Scott: Rage Against The Machine, in solidarity with Malcolm & Andrew!

Andrew: Pretty sure it was Madonna. Can’t remember!

Whose posters did you have stuck to the wall as a teenager? Keven 007: Leonardo DiCaprio, 90210, Girlfriend, Bowie and H.R. Giger!

Scott: Have a Nice Day by Bon Jovi.

Malcolm: I had a Led Zeppelin

Scott: Bon Jovi! I was obsessed with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora as a young teen. Kiss and Peter Criss (Kiss' drummer), Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Avril Lavigne (OMG!) and Taylor Hawkins from Foo Fighters. I also had posters included in my subscription to Drum Scene magazine, including Cindy Blackman (drummer for Lenny Kravitz), Sheila E (Prince!) and master session drummer Virgil Donati. What song would you like played at your funeral? Keven 007: ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ – Billie Holiday Malcolm: ‘Waterfall’ – Jimi Hendrix Andrew: ‘I Won’t Back Down’ – Tom Petty

Malcolm: I can be introverted and pretty shy most of the time. Andrew: I’m a massive snooker fan. Scott: I absolutely LOVE reading esoteric books exploring topics such as the workings of the Universe, the subconscious mind, past lives, metaphysics, energy, space, extra-terrestrial beings… Honestly anything goes and the weirder it is, the better!

Glitoris: Slut Power Tour 2020 With The Ovulators and Epi(c)phannys WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 7 MAR | 7.30PM DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $21.50 facebook.com/glitorisband

The award-winning Australian classic of family secrets and social upheaval.  “Remarkably timeless… captivating” THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD Brown’s Mart Productions & Corrugated Iron present

AWAY By Michael Gow

Directed by Kyle Walmsley

Grants and Sponsorship Now Open! Grants and Sponsorship support a diverse range of environmental and community development programs, cultural and sporting events and festivals that directly benefit the Darwin community.

Apply Online today! darwin.nt.gov.au/grants For more information contact 89300645 or communitygrants@darwin.nt.gov.au

Brown’s Mart Theatre

12-28 March 2020

Tickets $25-$35 Book online: brownsmart.com.au

Applications close 5.00pm, 31 March 2020

Beat the heat this wet season! Pop into the air-conditioned gallery, to view Paul’s limited edition aerial artworks and other merchandise products.

Shop 6/27 The Mall Darwin, NT 0800 O P E N 6 D AYS A W E E K

Calling Northern Territory Indigenous Artists! Taiwan Residency Opportunity 2020 24

Applications close CoB Monday 9 March, 2020 Bobby Bununngurr, Artback NT Indigenous Artist in Residence, Taiwan, October to November 2019. Photography Remix Beauty and Image Studio