Off The Leash October 2017 by Off The Leash

OCTOBER

20 17

Celebrating 10Years in 2017 TROPICAL TAKEOVER

REBOOT YOUR LOOT

DARWIN SYMPHONY

Art on a grand scale

Garage Sale Trail

MasterSeries 2: Kakadu

MUSIC

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PERFORMING ARTS

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VISUAL ARTS

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BOOKS & FILM

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CULTURE

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FOOD & DRINK

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COMMUNITY

Yo u r fre e what ’s o n g u i d e TO TH E TO P E N D

Community Publishing Forum

For anyone who has written or wants to write and publish a book, these FREE information sessions will give you the tips and pitfalls. • How to get a literary agent. • The pros and cons of self-publishing. • Publishing children’s and YA books. Saturday October 14, 1-5pm | Northern Territory Library For more information go to www.ntwriters.com.au or call 8941 2651.

INSIDE

OFFTHELEASH.NET.AU

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he Wet season may be approaching, but there are still plenty of reasons to get outdoors and enjoy the bubbling Build Up sky. Tactile Arts has a Tropical Takeover in store for Darwin Waterfront – think colourful botanical and animal inspired installations twining themselves over shop fronts, walkways and trees. This is going to be one memorable adventure art trail – see page 4.

F R OM T H E

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Tracks Dance’s school holiday youth choreography program Make A Dance in a Week is always a winner. Check out the performance and raise money for Tracks at their movie fundraiser. Tournament Five of Midnight Basketball kicks off – we caught up with volunteer Saranya Rajkumar – and head to Jingili on Wednesday nights for free music and skating – see Youth.

r o t i d E

The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge turns 30 this year. Help celebrate the milestone at a special family festival, complete with a free screening of the solar car classic Race The Sun. Lawn sale lovers can head to Palmerston for the nation-wide Garage Sale Trail. For an insight into Top End birdlife, Kakadu Bird Week is a must – learn about our diverse range of species from expert guides. Don’t miss the final Mindil Beach Sunset Market and Malak Marketplace for 2017 – see Around Town.

Do you ever go to the markets, only to become confused by the array of tropical fruit and veg on offer? Learn how to use it at Sensational Sides Using Tropical Fruit. Accompany your newly acquired tropical cooking skills with some barbecued champagne lobster and wash it down with a home brew – see Food and Drink. Writers, both beginner and established, can take advantage of the NT Writers’ Centre’s Community Writing and Publishing Forum. Run over two days, there are workshops and info sessions with some of Australia’s top publishers and romance novelist Anna Campbell will give you some tips for marketing your book – see Books and Film.

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For some theatre and comedy, the delightful tale of the Diary of a Wombat and funny man Arj Barker visit the Darwin Entertainment Centre, while local production The Last 5 Years plays Brown’s Mart Theatre. Stop by Darwin Community Arts for Bedroom Farce – see Performing Arts.

Top End galleries show no signs of slowing down for the Wet season. We caught up with artist Sarah Martin ahead of her family’s special exhibition Sister, Mother, Daughter. Bindilicious shows work by the Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists in Central Australia and entries are now open for the Darwin Community Legal Service’s 23rd Human Rights Art Award and Exhibition. Local artists can pop into Don Whyte Framing to pick up a canvas for the 2017 Offcuts Show – see Visual Arts.

SENSATIONAL SIDES | 7

The Darwin Symphony Orchestra continues their exploration and celebration of the music of one of Australia’s greatest composers, the late Peter Sculthorpe, in MasterSeries 2: Kakadu. The Darwin Chorale performs the musical Chess in concert and the Saltwater Reggae Festival returns for its second year. Midnight Oil plays Darwin Amphitheatre with special guests Dan Sultan and Irrunytju Band – see Music.

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Although care istotaken to ensure information in Off TheisLeash is correct, it is subject to change. We recommend checking offtheleash.net.au for updates. Although all careall is taken ensure information in Off The Leash correct, it is subject to change. We recommend checking offtheleash.net.au for updates.

September 2017

Left: Tiffany Okazaki and Korin Lesh, 'Tutti-Fruitti Bat Colony'

Tropical Abbey Murray, 'Yarn Bomb Tropical Plant Wall' (detail)

by Anna Dowd

Imagine art on a grand scale – colourful botanical and animal inspired installations twining themselves over shop fronts, walkways and trees. Not your usual canvas and gallery experience, this is a total Tropical Takeover. ver four weeks, the Darwin Waterfront will transform into a giant arts trail through 10 locations from Hot Tamale to Adina Hotel, The Precinct lawns and Stokes Hill Wharf. The idea for this Darwin-first project was seeded and fertilized by local not for profit organisation Tactile Arts. Events Coordinator Tess Duke says the vision is about getting local creatives from all age groups and skill levels involved in a different kind of community arts project, but ultimately one that everyone can enjoy. “Tactile Arts was established after Cyclone Tracy as a way of bringing the community together and that’s very much what we still strive for today. Tropical Takeover is just another expansion on what we’ve always provided.” Getting art out of the gallery is a personal passion for Duke and 10 years as an architectural glass artist has taught her plenty about the impact of placing art in built environments. “There's a certain connectedness that happens when artwork is paired well with its surroundings, which affects the buildings as much as the art.” She says the project is an awesome new challenge for Darwin artists and collaborative groups in terms of making their ideas work in and with a built environment, rather than confining them to the studio or gallery.

Sarah Body, 'Plankton Lantern' (work in progress)

TAKEOVER

“I think it's one of the best surprises, when you come across art in unexpected places, and I'm always amazed by where people's imaginations can go.”

Darwin Waterfront

In recent years public art has enjoyed something of a renaissance worldwide, attracting both controversy and awe. For Duke, works like Kristen Visbal’s sculpture ‘The Fearless Girl’ facing off against Wall Street’s ‘Charging Bull’, and Melbourne street artist RONE’s giant portraits appearing on derelict buildings, come to mind. “People are engaging with these works and recognising art has the ability to make something amazing or beautiful out of a space that might otherwise be overlooked.” The team at Tactile Arts were impressed by the volume and quality of submissions for the 10 Waterfront locations, which included individual artists as well as larger groups such as schools. It seems there’s some mega talent in our midst and the hope is that the project can launch artists towards new opportunities.

Gisela Pineiro & Sophie Bound, 'Tropical Alice in Wonderland' (concept design)

“It’d be great to think, with the strong focus on large scale artworks being a big part of the proposed revitalisation of Darwin’s CBD, there’ll be more opportunities like this that will come their way,” says Duke. One thing’s for sure – with dense jungle walkways, technicolour trees and large-scale installations, this is an art infiltration that will make your experience at the Waterfront an entirely new one. Kick off your creative adventure by picking up a copy of the Tropical Takeover Arts Trail map and get in the draw to win a major sponsor prize by voting for your favourite artwork.

WHEN At COST INFO

THU 19 OCT – SUN 19 NOV DARWIN WATERFRONT FREE tactilearts.org.au

AROUND TOWN Bridgestone World Solar Challenge

Bridgestone World Solar Challenge Family Festival WHEN At COST Info

“It’s about who’s first over the line, but it’s also about finishing,” says the event director Chris Selwood.

SUN 1 OCT | 10AM-4PM | FILM 7PM DARWIN WATERFRONT FREE waterfront.nt.gov.au

“Is it possible to drive 3000 kilometres from Darwin to Adelaide in a homemade car running on sunshine?”

Bridgestone World Solar Challenge Start Line WHEN At COST Info

2017 marks the 30th year of the World Solar Challenge, where dozens of teams from around the world come to Darwin to test their 100 per cent solar-powered cars in a 3000 kilometre race down the guts of Australia.

SUN 8 OCT | 6-8.30AM | CARS DEPART 8AM PARLIAMENT HOUSE FREE worldsolarchallenge.org

In 2005 a team averaged 100 kilometres an hour over the entire trip, proving that yes, it is possible

Kakadu

Bird Week

REBOOT

Your Loot TOP ENDERS LOVE A GOOD GARAGE SALE. In the two years since Palmerston joined the official nation-wide Garage Sale Trail, registrations have increased, more trash has been turned into treasure and 95 per cent of people involved told the council they’d do it again. Now it’s on over two days! If op-shopping and second-hand sprees are your jam, this trail is a must. First, go to the Garage Sale Trail website to locate all the garages taking part. Next, plan your trail and make sure you stop off at the Palmerston Recreation Centre on Saturday, where locals will be selling pre-loved books, DVDs, CDs, toys and games. For sellers, it’s a fun and social way to de-clutter and find a home for

pre-loved items, meet people in your own backyard and make some pocket money. The average seller makes $273 – not bad. The national event is an initiative to help people live more sustainably, and decrease illegal dumping. “Over the last two years 80 per cent of local participants report that, as a result of taking part in the Garage Sale Trail, they’re more conscious about waste and their role in reducing it,” says the event’s Official Manager, Mark Blackburn. Don’t forget your spare change and some shopping bags. Recycled, please! WHEN At Info

SAT 21 & SUN 22 OCT | 8-11AM PALMERSTON RECREATION CENTRE (SAT ONLY) | VARIOUS HOUSES garagesaletrail.com.au

THE STORKS AND THE EGRETS MIGHT BE EASY TO SPOT, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BLACK BITTERN, YELLOW CHAT, OR THAT RAREST BIRD OF PREY – THE RED GOSHAWK? Kakadu is home to one third of Australia’s bird species, spread over a spectacular variety of habitats. But when it comes to seeing the array of birdlife, it helps to know what is hiding in plain site. Kakadu Bird Week is an excellent opportunity to observe the diverse range of species living in wetlands, stone country and bush, and to learn identification tips from park rangers, experts and fellow twitchers.

– and at a high speed, too. Yet some years up to half of the competitors don’t make it to the finish line. “It’s not an easy task at all. Usually because of their energy management,” says Selwood. With university and commerciallysponsored teams coming from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the US to race, the push to finish the long, hot journey is extremely high. The cars will depart from Parliament House and travel down the Stuart Highway as far as they can each day until 5pm, with a proviso that they must reach Katherine by the first day. Three classes are represented in this year’s challenge: the challenger, adventure and cruiser class. “The challenger class seeks to have

This year’s program starts at dawn (the twitching hour) with boat cruises and walks through feather-heavy locations including the South and East Alligator regions, Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) and the Yellow Water region. The walking tours are limited to 11 people, so be sure to book ahead. The stone country in particular, which includes the Arnhem Land escarpment, is home to highly camouflaged birds you won’t see anywhere else in the world, so an expert guide is essential. “You’re looking at everything – the culture, the artwork. It should give you a full picture of the whole environment,” says Paterson. Injalak Arts is offering a guided rock hill art tour with bird watching at Injalak billabong, as well copies of Graham Badari’s book Mayhmayh: Different Birds.

“The red goshawk is an amazing bird,” says guide Luke Paterson, from NT Bird Specialists.

Badari paints birds found in West Arnhem Land and had an exhibition of his works earlier this year at Nomad Art Gallery. Mayhmayh has now been published into a book, with the Kunwinkju words for each species, and it will be launched during Bird Week.

“We’re lucky enough in Kakadu to have at least one good site for them, but it’s one of Australia’s rarest raptors, so it’s a big bonus. To see people’s faces when they see it is great.”

During the day, free talks, slideshows and cultural activities are on at Bowali Visitors Centre. ‘Birdwatching Basics’ and ‘First Aid for Birds’ are some of the topics covered, while ‘What’s All The Chat About?’ will lift

the most efficient electric car, they’re probably not very comfortable because they are keen on reducing weight and keen on reducing energy consumption,” explains Selwood. In other words, it’s not a breezy cruise down the highway. The cruiser class however, is “actually quite comfortable.” “I’m looking forward to seeing the German team’s car, which is trying to reduce its carbon footprint to the point that the seats are even upholstered with pineapple leather,” he says. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the world-famous race, a family festival at the Waterfront will be held one week prior, with science activities, live music and a free screening of the solar car classic Race The Sun.

the lid on a little-known subspecies found only in Kakadu. Evening talks will cover all the birds of the Yellow Water region and the key areas of biodiversity in the park, including a special talk on where the iconic magpie goose spends its time. The tours (most of which cost money) depart from hotels in Jabiru and Cooinda, while other free guided talks and activities take place at Mamukala Wetlands, Ubirr and Jabiru Lake. Grab your binoculars and see what’s out there. It might be a red goshawk. WHEN SUN 1 – SAT 7 OCT At KAKADU NATIONAL PARK COST VARIOUS Info parksaustralia.gov.au/ birdweek

Rainbow Pitta, Luke Paterson, NT Bird Specialists

WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE

YOU’LL SEE FLEETING GLIMPSES OF THEM ALONG THE STUART HIGHWAY: FLAT, SHINY, FUTURISTIC CARS SILENTLY RACING THE SUN.

M.K Turner, 'Watchful Eyes' (detail)

LISTINGS

NT Mental Health Week

Help kick off the NT wide program for Mental Health Week and put a spotlight on an issue that affects one in five Australians. The theme for this year is ‘Do you see what I see?’ and is all about starting a conversation with family, friends, work colleagues and the wider community to help reduce the stigma around mental health.

GENERAL GeeCon

Darwin’s first-ever anime, manga and video game festival features cosplay events, video game tournaments, international guests and plenty of pop-culture goodness. WHEN AT COST INFO

SUN 1 OCT | 10AM-6PM DARWIN CONVENTION CENTRE $35 geecon.org.au

Wax Casting Jewellery Making

Explore the techniques of jewellery making using ‘lost wax’ casting with Marianne Eichenberg. WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY MON 23 OCT - MON 27 NOV | 7-10PM TACTILE ARTS $350 | $325 MEMB tactilearts.org.au

Our Common Threads

Want to improve your sewing skills or learn from scratch? Head along to these community sessions for some female only craft time.

Get informed at the launch about who is there to help by having a chat with staff from the network of mental health services throughout the NT and enjoy live music by the Sunshine Band and other local musicians. WHEN SUN 8 – SUN 15 OCT | LAUNCH MON 9 OCT, 9AM-1PM AT RAINTREE PARK COST FREE INFO ntmhc.org.au

Malak Marketplace

Darwin’s first organic market includes street bistro from around the world, locally grown produce, handmade arts and crafts, live entertainment, clean living education and a health hub. WHEN EVERY SAT UNTIL 28 OCT | 4-9PM AT CHAMBERS CRESCENT CARPARK, MALAK INFO malakmarketplace.org.au

23rd Rights On Show – Entries Open

The theme of this year’s Darwin

WHEN EVERY TUE | 10AM-1PM Community Legal Service's Human AT THE HEIGHTS DURACK Rights Art Award and Exhibition is COMMUNITY CENTRE 'Sustainable Tourism – Visitors and COST FREE | MATERIALS PROVIDED INFO darwincommunityarts.org. Locals Caring for Country'. Artists of au all levels are encouraged to enter.

Artists’ Craft and Tea

Creative folk of all skill levels and mediums are invited to use the space at the brand new Durack Community Centre. Bring your tools, your work and get inspired over a cuppa with colleagues. WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY THU | 6-7.30PM THE HEIGHTS DURACK COMMUNITY CENTRE FREE palmerston.nt.gov.au

Mindil Beach Sunset Market

As the sun dips into the Arafura Sea feast on cuisines such as Thai, Sri Lankan, Greek or Indian, take a wander through the palm lined boulevards for unique pressies and enjoy live entertainment. WHEN AT INFO

EVERY THU, 5-10PM | EVERY SUN, 4-9PM UNTIL 26 OCT MINDIL BEACH mindil.com.au

Circus Workshop

Step right up! Learn circus skills such as hula-hoop, diabolo, poi, devil sticks, spinning plates, staff and juggling with Mr Morris and Trinket from The Burning Circus. Suitable for all ages. WHEN EVERY SAT | 9-10AM AT DARWIN SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB COST $10 | $5 CHILD INFO theburningcircus.com.au

WHEN ENTRIES CLOSE FRI 17 NOV | 4.30PM INFO dcls.org.au | info@dcls. org.au

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY WED | 6-7PM HAPPY YESS THEATRE, BROWN’S MART $7 nolightsnolycra.com

Argentine Tango

Tango is a fun, social activity that can be danced by anyone, regardless of age or physical ability. It’s an improvised dance, and one that will exercise your mind as well as your body. WHEN EVERY THU | 7-9PM AT COCONUT GROVE HALL COST $12 | $15 TWO CONSECUTIVE CLASSES INFO facebook.com/nthntango

Milonga

Join the Northern Tango community for a night of social Argentine Tango dancing. WHEN AT COST INFO

FRI 27 OCT | 8-11PM COCONUT GROVE HALL $5 facebook.com/nthntango

LET’S DANCE ‘Movement Medicine’ Conscious Dance Class

DARWIN WATERFRONT

This guided free-form dance class explores using movement as medicine.

waterfront.nt.gov.au

WHEN EVERY SUN |10-11.30AM AT NIGHTCLIFF COMMUNITY CENTRE COST $15 | $10 CONC INFO 0431 929 145

Get busy with building a solar car, circus fun, rock painting workshop, Miniroos soccer and for the first time a Swim, Save and Survive program in the Recreation Lagoon thanks to Royal Surf Life Saving NT.

Tango Practica

Hosted by the Northern Tango dance community, join fellow tango dancers to practice, refine technique, build musical skill, inspire each other, talk tango and spend another night of the week enjoying tango. WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY MON | 7-9PM MALAK COMMUNITY HALL $5 facebook.com/nthntango

No Lights No Lycra

A weekly dance jam in the dark – no teacher, no steps to learn, no alcohol, no talking – no worries! Just dancing and great tunes. No need to book, just turn up when you’re in the mood for a boogie.

October School Holiday Activities

WHEN MON 2 – FRI 6 OCT | 10AM-12PM COST FREE

Aqua Zumba

Join the Zumba pool party for a cool calorie burning dance fitness session at Darwin’s Wave Lagoon. WHEN EVERY SUN | 9AM COST $12 | $8 U15

DARWIN COMMUNITY ARTS darwincommunityarts.org.au

Malak Community Dinner

This is a place to both meet new people and have a good time with family and friends – everyone is welcome! Enjoy a great night of entertainment by local community artists and taste some delicious food prepared by volunteers. WHEN MON 30 OCT | 6PM COST $5 DONATION | $10 FAMILY

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 0-1 year olds. WHEN EVERY WED | 10-10.45AM COST FREE

Code Club Malak Community Garden

Work on those green thumbs with these free garden workshops. WHEN EVERY MON & WED | 10AM-1PM COST FREE INFO facebook.com/ dcacommunitygardennews | 8945 7347

Coding is an awesome skill to help kids live in the digital age. Part of a nationwide network of volunteer-led creative coding clubs for kids aged nine to 12 years, Code Club is free but places are limited, so bookings are essential.

WHEN COST

EVERY SAT | 10-11AM & 11-12PM FREE

Beats & Clips

Want to improve your audio recording or editing skills? Be it for film, music or digital storytelling, these workshops can help you upskill. WHEN EVERY MON | 3-7PM COST FREE

Malak Community Shed

Promoting creativity, sustainability, social cohesion and a sense of community, head along for some free weekly workshops featuring local and international artists. WHEN EVERY THU, 1-3PM | EVERY SAT, 9.30AM-12.30PM COST FREE

PALMERSTON LIBRARY

ACCOMPLICE RESIDENCY SPACE creativeaccomplice.com.au

Capturing Your Life In Photos

Explore documentary photography with Jett Street, focusing on real lives and the stories and relationships in them. WHEN SAT 14 OCT | 9AM-4PM COST $150 | INCLUDES LUNCH & DRINKS | BYO DSLR CAMERA

Ghost Net Turtle Weaving with Aly de Groot

Weave and manifest your hopes and dreams for positive change using ghost nets as well as other recycled man-made debris. WHEN SUN 22 OCT | 1-5PM COST $90 | INCLUDES DRINKS

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 COST FREE

Did you know it's FREE to promote your community event on our website? Simply register and upload. offtheleash.net.au

FOOD & DRINK Image Emma Lupin

Sensational Sides

Champagne

LOBSTER

using Tropical Fruit AS A MEMBER OF A SHIP’S CREW, TROPICAL PLANT GURU EMMA LUPIN ONCE SAILED THE PACIFIC ON TRADITIONAL WOODEN BOATS, SERVING UP TROPICAL SPREADS TO FELLOW SAILORS AND PICKING UP PRODUCE FROM REMOTE ISLANDS. When Lupin docked permanently in Darwin, she was expecting the same tropical ingredients to greet her, but found locals were less familiar with them than they ought. 10 years on, Lupin has helped change that somewhat, with her Taste of the Top End blog and workshops, school kitchen gardens, market tours and work with GULP (Growing and Understanding Local Produce). This month Lupin is partnering with Healthy Darwin to teach Top Enders how to make locally-grown, seasonal sides from tropical fruit that will leave you wondering what you ever saw in supermarket produce from down south. “We’re going to be focusing on fruit but not as you think of it,” Lupin tells Off The Leash. “I use a lot of fruits in savoury things. A lovely red paw paw into a salsa with cucumber, then mixed with spring onion, sprouts and mint.” Or green fruits that when roasted, boiled or shredded turn into scrumptious crisp salads or hearty, textured sides. “Like green paw paw, which is one of our most amazing staple plants and you can use it in so many ways. You can cut it into wedges and roast it in

WHEN IT COMES TO EATING LOBSTER IN THE TOP END, YOU PROBABLY THINK OF SOMETHING LARGE AND BRIGHT RED, FLOWN IN ON ICE FROM WA – IN OTHER WORDS, AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION.

the oven or put it into a salad and add dressing.” Lupin says we’re at the peak of the Dry season harvest, when crisp local cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, butter-yellow squash and shiny zucchini are still in season, but the Build Up fruits are starting to make an appearance.

But local champagne lobster (also called peer lobster or barking crayfish) is a delicious and affordable option that remains relatively unknown to many Top End seafood lovers – and it’s in season now. “It’s not the prettiest of lobsters and not particularly large, although they do come in a great ‘plate size’,” says Rachael Ciesiolka, former Masterchef contestant and owner of Rachael’s Seafood Shack.

“We’ve also got a couple of ‘peak plants’ that are coming into harvest – mangoes and watermelons. They’re ready now until into the Build Up. That’s pretty exciting and you’ve also got all those wonderful things that you can use all year.”

The plate-sized, pale orange champagne lobster, caught far northwest near the Tiwi islands, towards East Timor, has a distinctly wild flavour, reminiscent of the ocean.

The year-round produce includes green jackfruit and paw paw, as well as perennial greens like sweet leaf, young sweet potato and cassava leaves, Brazilian spinach and even rosella leaves.

The overall taste is “something between a bug, a prawn and a lobster,” says Ciesiolka.

Taking place at the Alawa Primary School kitchen garden, the handson Sensational Sides workshop will show you how to make the most of these local beauties before the Wet descends and another seasonal cooking workshop is sorely needed.

Season

“It doesn’t take a lot of time to cook, it has its own flavour.” There’s no local champagne lobster industry, rather, the crustacean is a by-product of scampi trawling. But it should be better known, says Darwin Fish Market owner Ziko Illic, who praises the region’s pristine waters for the quality of NT seafood. “We are very lucky here, we are isolated, we are too far from action, industry, pollution and too far from other countries,” Illic says. Ciesiolka, whose business is in the Fish Market, says the fleshy champagne lobster tail suits both Mediterranean and Asian flavours, but she always removes the head before cooking. “If you leave the head on it gets very, very wild tasting. But if you remove the head just as it’s thawed and let it sit for a minute, it’s just beautiful. Sweet, firm, it has the strength of the ocean.”

Simple Barbecued

Champagne Lobster

WHEN SUN 1 OCT | 2-5.30PM AT ALAWA PRIMARY SCHOOL COST $25 INFO tasteofthetopend.com

HOME BREWING WORKSHOP

in WHAT's

By Rachael Ciesiolka

2 champagne lobster tails, cut down the middle (heads removed) ½ tbsp fish sauce ½ tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp garlic 1 tbsp fresh ginger or galangal 1 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp olive oil

Mix all ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Spoon some of the marinade over the flesh of the lobster and put shell-side down onto a hot barbecue grill. Once it is bubbling, spoon on more marinade, turn the tail over until it chars, then remove from grill.

WHEN SAT 28 & SUN 29 OCT | 10AM-4PM AT ACCOMPLICE COST $220 INFO creativeaccomplice.com.au

IT’S A PITY THAT THE DRINK THAT SO PERFECTLY SUITS A SWEATY DAY AND A BLAZING SUNSET IS ONE THAT’S NOT SO EASY TO BREW IN A TROPICAL CLIMATE. While craft beer has been growing at a phenomenal rate across the rest of the country, in the Top End where we need it the most, climate and distance means the choice is still limited – unless, you do it yourself. After all, that’s how the phenomenon started in the first place. “Darwin and the NT has an emerging homebrew scene, but there’s issues with getting raw materials and the quality ingredients a home brewer would like, given the humidity and general condition throughout the year,” says Brisbane brewer Michael (Mick) Britt. Britt’s homebrew workshop teaches beginner brewers (kit and

kilo experience is enough) the basics of brewing “a really easy pale ale for the tropics,” with the opportunity to further your skills and try out some different techniques. All participants will leave with 20 litres of wort to ferment at home, as well as a fermenter and a full instruction manual to continue the process. Britt was a backyard brewer before he and two mates started Semi-Pro Brewing Co., a gypsy brewing outfit that now produces about 20 kegs per month. “Gypsy brewing is using someone else’s brewery to make your beer,

but in small batches,” he explains. Now Semi-Pro is in the early stages of building its own brewery in Brisbane, and Britt is keen to help the craft beer community grow in the Top End. “The more guys and girls involved, the easier it is to increase skills and move onto bigger and better beer selection,” he says. “It’s about using what materials you have, trying to make it as simple as possible…and as straight forward as possible for brewers to make a good, flavourful ale for the tropics.” Cheers to that!

Oktoberfest WHEN FRI 6 OCT, 5.30PM | SAT 7 & SUN 8 OCT, 12.30PM AT SKYCITY DARWIN COST FREE INFO skycitydarwin.com.au

SHINE UP THOSE STEINS AND IRON THE LEDERHOSEN for three days of German merriment. Complete with bratwurst, weisswurst, Nürnberger, sauerkraut, apfelstrudel and other delish feeds you’ll have a ball pronouncing (and eating!), wash it all down with German beer and schnapps.

Community

Writing and Publishing Forum JK ROWLING’S HARRY POTTER WAS TURNED DOWN 12 TIMES BEFORE IT WAS PICKED UP BY A PUBLISHER, AND MARGARET MITCHELL’S GONE WITH THE WIND WAS DEALT 38 REJECTIONS.

anyone?) or be publications in their own right and Euan Mitchell is an expert in both. He’ll guide writers through the costs and benefits of traditional, digital and hybrid publishing models at a workshop at Darwin City Library.

For most writers, the path to book publication is an arduous one, full of re-writes, rejection and long waits in the slush pile. But before the publisher calls and the bidding wars begin, is there something else you could be doing to get your book published? The NT Writers’ Centre’s (NTWC) Community Writing and Publishing Forum is presenting a weekend of workshops and information sessions on all the ways to get your work into the readers’ sphere, starting with self-publishing.

“It’s all very well to self publish these days, but that doesn’t get it noticed,” says Bothroyd. “Anna Campbell is a romance writer but she is also doing a workshop on marketing your book. No one’s going to do that for you unless you have a publicist. If you want to do it yourself, she’ll have tips on using social media and writing pitch letters.” As well as workshops, the forum has free information sessions at the NT Library with Tara Wynne from bigwigs Curtis Brown Literary Agents, and children and young adult publisher, Clair Hume, from Affirm Press.

“We get a lot of questions about how to get published, including self publishing, which is moving very fast, so we’ve got a self-publishing expert coming to let people know about their options. Whether they want a printed book or an e-book,” says Writers Centre executive director, Sally Bothroyd.

There’s also one-on-one 15-minute feedback sessions available with Wynne and Hume for 20 people (NTWC members will get first dibs). To apply for this, contact the Writers’ Centre.

The Go-Betweens Right Here WHEN MON 23 OCT | 7PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $14 | $10 MEMB, CONC INFO yourcentre.com.au

When I hear you saying / that we stood no chance / I would dive for your memory / we stood that chance sang the Go-Betweens in 1988.

with romance novelist

Q&A Anna Campbell

Image Robyn Hills

E-books can be a pathway to getting print published (Fifty Shades of Grey,

of the 19th century, and a major attraction for me is the elegance and formality of the time. Contrasting passionate love stories with the polite world (at least in public) gives the stories a definite zing. How did you get your first novel published? I decided very early on in my life that I wanted to be a writer and finished my first novel (a historical romance, naturally!) when I was 17. It took me 27 years after that to get a publishing contract so I was definitely a late bloomer. In 2006, my book No Ordinary Duchess went to auction with several publishers in New York and was eventually bought by Avon, the romance division of HarperCollins. Since then, I’ve been a full-time writer. As you can imagine after all those years of working towards this goal, it’s a dream come true.

ANNA CAMPBELL WRITES HISTORICAL ROMANCE AND IS Although they never made it far up the charts or had any hits, there was never HOLDING WORKSHOPS AT THIS a chance the legendary Australian post-punk band would fade from memory, MONTH’S COMMUNITY WRITING though how they remember themselves is an interesting tale. AND PUBLISHING FORUM. SHE SPOKE TO OFF THE LEASH In The Go-Betweens: Right Here, director Kriv Stenders (the Red Dog films) ABOUT THE BESTSELLING BIZ OF delves deep into the personal relationships that formed the heart of the band ROMANCE FICTION. and tore it apart. Why is historical romance such a The Go-Betweens was formed in Brisbane in the late 70s by close friends popular genre? Is digital-only publication going to People have many reasons for Grant McLennan and Robert Forster. With drummer Lindy Morrison and take off? I think digital publication has well violinist Amanda Brown, they transformed the poetic songwriting of McLennan picking up a historical romance and truly taken off. The question – there’s that fairytale element, and Forster into singular pop music and became a cult indie rock band. is how far will it go. You just need and I think you can get away By 1988, the band had moved from Australia to the UK and back, with to see how well many digital-only with a larger-than-life story in a McLennan and Brown falling in love, while Forster and Morrison broke up. authors are doing. Some readers still historical romance that might be The resulting album, 16 Lovers Lane, saw the band gain long-deserved prefer print (I’m one!) but I suspect a little more difficult to carry off in recognition – but by the following year, they were over. that’s a generational thing – younger a contemporary romance. I write readers are used to getting their Regency romances set in England Right Here takes all remaining remembers (McLennan died in 2006) and entertainment from a screen. and Scotland in the first quarter interviews them, separately and together, as well as other Australian music icons like Paul Kelly, on the impact of the band and what it was like inside the WHEN SAT 14 – SUN 15 OCT whirlwind that was the Go-Betweens. AT DARWIN CITY LIBRARY, NT LIBRARY & SAILING CLUB

A must-see for any fans of Australian music.

COST INFO

INFO SESSIONS FREE| $60 WORKSHOPS | $50 MEMB ntwriters.com.au

LISTINGS

Deckchair JERVOIS ROAD, DARWIN WATERFRONT

Race The Sun A bunch of high school misfits in Hawaii are inspired to build their own solar car and win a trip to compete in the 1990 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia. Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Solar Challenge with this free screening under the stars. WHEN AT COST INFO

CINEMA

SUN 1 OCT | 7PM DARWIN WATERFRONT FREE waterfront.nt.gov.au

WHEN AT COST INFO

WED 11 OCT | 6.30PM CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY, BUILDING BLUE 5 $20 | $14 STUDENT, MEMB afdarwin.org

There’s No Business Like Show Business

Irving Berlin’s classic musical on the big screen. Dress code is ‘old Hollywood glamour’.

Write Here

Part of the national Write Here initiative, this two quiet hours of writing time in the company of fellow writers is held every month. WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 7 OCT | 2-4PM ACCOMPLICE $5 creativeaccomplice.com.au

Finding Dory

Dory, the friendly but forgetful blue tang fish, begins a search for her long lost parents, and everyone learns about the real meaning of family along the way.

Lost in Paris

WHEN THU 12 OCT | 8PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $25 INFO yourcentre.com.au

NT WRITERS’ CENTRE ntwriters.com.au

My One Lucky Country: Celebrating the Oils in Stories and Mix Tapes!

A fan-led spoken word event on the eve of Midnight Oil’s return to Darwin as part of their Great Circle tour. WHEN AT COST WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 7 OCT | 7PM DARWIN WATERFRONT FREE waterfront.nt.gov.au

Westside Story

The Jets and the Sharks battle it out on the mean streets of New York in this thrilling musical by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. A fundraiser for Tracks Dance. WHEN AT COST INFO

SUN 8 OCT | 7.30PM DECKCHAIR CINEMA $16 | $12 CONC | $10 MEMB | $8 CHILD deckchaircinema.com

French Film Night

Enjoy the French movie Les Héritiers, along with French cheese and wine at this monthly Alliance Française de Darwin event.

TUE 3 OCT | 7-9PM RAILWAY CLUB $5

Poetry and Coffee Connect with fellow poetry lovers and share your favourite verses, or your own originals. No criticism, just enjoyment. Simply turn up and drink coffee in the relaxing company of poetry. WHEN AT COST

THU 19 OCT | 10-11AM EAT AT MARTINS, COCONUT GROVE FREE

Wild Words The stage is wide open for anyone to perform poetry, prose, song lyrics or even a blog! An afternoon of word-ly appreciation every last Sunday of the month. WHEN AT COST

SUN 29 OCT | 3-5PM RAILWAY CLUB $5 | FREE FOR PERFORMERS

Euro

Visions

Three strikingly different contemporary stories from the Continent come to the Deckie this month – from a bright Spanish rom-com to Romanian tragedy and French-themed escapism featuring exquisite food. Starting in Madrid, Paco León’s Kiki, Love to Love is a remake of the 2014 Australian film The Little Death, which was not generally well received but seems to have been revamped with more humour and a lighter hand in this sizzling Spanish version. The film takes place over a sweltering summer and follows five couples dealing with sexual desires and dilemmas, including a woman turned on by a mugger, a carnival worker turned on by people crying and a woman turned on by cloth… you get the picture. If it sounds like early Pedro Almodóvar, it is – in a good way. Graduation takes us to current-day Romania, where the incremental wrongdoings of corruption seep into the lives of an ordinary middle class family. When his beloved daughter risks failing her British university entry exams after being physically attacked – and ruining the family’s chance of leaving the country – Dr Romeo Aldea resorts to offering favours to officials.

Directed by Cristian Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) the film has been hailed as a masterpiece, with a gripping criminal twist and complex characters. Heading west to France, prepare to accompany one kooky Canadian as she embarks on a capricious trip through the French capital in the charming and entirely unique comedy Lost in Paris.

Lost in Paris WHEN

SAT 7 & WED 18 | 7.30PM FRI 20 OCT | 9.30PM

Graduation WHEN

TUE 17 OCT | 7.30PM

Kiki, Love to Love WHEN

THU 21 OCT | 7.30PM

Filmed in Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon's signature whimsical style, the film brims with brilliantly timed pranks and intricately choreographed slapstick, in a fun and frenetic tale of people finding love while lost in the City of Lights.

NORTHERN TERRITORY WRITERS’ CENTRE

8941 2651 ntwriters.com.au executive@ntwriters.com.au Workshops | Monthly Events | Opportunities 9

EARRTH

tional comp two or three skaters are expected to compete.

PHOTHONG AS THE NT’S ONLY REP AT THE 2017 YMCA SKATE PARK LEAGUES’ NATIONAL FINALS IN MELBOURNE, EARRTH PHOTHONG HAS DONE THE ROUNDS OF DARWIN’S AND KATHERINE'S SKATE PARKS. Not content to just skate, the 21-yearold was also a support worker for this year’s NT series of comps for the Skate Park Leagues, while also competing in them. “They had skate comp events up here at four different skate parks, Leanyer, Palmerston, Katherine and the one in Jingili, which was the finals,” says Phothong. After qualifying for top spot through points he accumulated over three comps, Phothong flew to Melbourne to compete against the cream of the nation’s crop.

A DANCE IN A WEEK These simple concepts form the beginning of Make A Dance in a Week, Tracks Dance’s youth-driven choreography program that sees spoken ideas transformed into creative dance performances, created by kids and teenagers. “We don’t place any restriction on how much dance experience the kids have, so we often get a diversity – some who might go to dance school and others who have no dance experience other than just joyful life dancing,” says Tracks Dance’s Kelly Beneforti. Over the course of a week in the school holidays, primary, middle and senior students (in separate classes) work intensively with Beneforti and Leanne Eltagonde to devise a short dance piece based on shared narrative and movements. Technical skill isn’t the focus of the program, says Beneforti, rather it’s the concept and story that the young dancers arrive at, that shapes the final piece. “We definitely work task-based. That might be working with physical ideas, be it words like ‘tangle’ and ‘untangle’ and that’s kind of how they create the movement. The final product is a performance and it’s something that the students feel very much that they’ve created and had a lot of input in.”

Since picking up a skateboard almost 10 years ago (inspired by a two-minute skate scene from a teen movie) the local champ has never stopped working on his technical skills, taking to the ramps four or five times a week for at least a couple of hours at a time. “In the future I would like to move down south to Melbourne or Perth, it has a better skateboarding scene,” he says. “I’d like to have some sort of job that involves skateboarding, I would be a part of the skateboarding community – and also just to get better at it.”

This year the dance pieces will be performed at the Deckchair Cinema, before the Tracks Dance fundraiser screening of the Jerome Robbins-choreographed musical Westside Story. The Deckie isn’t your typical stageand-curtains performance space, so the young dancers will work with the environment to create something a little different. “We’re looking at making choreography that can be a lot more fluid, it might happen on the decking, or down the centre aisle. And then there might be something on the Deckchair stage beneath the screen,” says Beneforti. All students have “ways of expressing themselves that are really different,” she says. “When they’re performing the piece they’re thinking what kind of narrative or concepts or ideas are behind the piece rather than what the movement is…they’ve got a lot more going on beneath the surface than just the dance steps.”

GENERAL Australian Children’s Music Foundation National Songwriting Competition Designed to encourage creativity and self-expression through songwriting, school age students can submit their original song using a phone, tablet, computer or other device for a chance to win musical equipment and tuition in this nation-wide song hunt.

“I didn’t do too great, it was my first time being in such a big skate comp but I think I was about 17th out of 26 or 27. All the finalists from other states were there.”

WHEN ENTRIES CLOSE FRI 20 OCT | MIDNIGHT COST FREE INFO acmf.com.au

At home, the local comps proved a popular event and in the next na-

CITY OF DARWIN Image Charlie Bliss

les fi o r P

Make

TANGLE. UNTANGLE. IF YOU WERE OUTDOORS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCOVER?

“We might not be at the level of down south, but we’re trying to catch up,” Phothong says.

LISTINGS

YOUTH

Saranya Rajkumar DARWIN’S MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL HAS A DEVOTED FOLLOWING AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. But when you find yourself finishing school, do you have to give it up?

enthusiasm and b-ball skills saw her play for Darwin in the Midnight Basketball national finals in Sydney.

Not so for Saranya Rajkumar, who finished Year 12 last year and started a Bachelor of Nursing.

Not only is the tournament “challenging and fun,” the games also put her in touch with people from different backgrounds and schools, and was the only opportunity to play on a mixed team, something that her school and local club, Tiwi Jets, didn’t offer.

She decided if she was no longer eligible to play, she was going to volunteer and help the late-night matches provide the sport, fun and community that she had enjoyed so much. “It’s like everyone’s partying on weekends – we get to play and eat food, make new friends,” says Rajkumar. “Nearly everyone there is my friend. I made a lot through players and volunteers.” Rajkumar arrived in Darwin from south India three years ago, and had already been playing basketball for five years before she saw the Midnight Basketball program pop up on Facebook. “The people are really nice – I didn’t know Darwin people were that nice,” she says. “It starts at 7.30pm and we finish at 11.30pm. We eat a meal first and then play our game, three games per night and then we have workshops on different topics, like cyber safety,” she says. After the seven-week block, a final is held. Last year Rajkumar’s dedication,

facebook.com/launchdarwin

Maker Café

This pop-up workshop space includes a manga reading room, electronics and robotics workshops, shaved ice workshops, 3D printing demos and SFX markup art demos. Drop by and get geeky at GeeCon, Darwin’s first ever anime and video game festival.

“It was just two days but it was so fun, it’s a lasting memory.”

Now that she’s over 18 and on the other side of the boundary lines, the nursing student hopes to move into a coaching role, although she’s happy to try her hand at anything to begin with. “Maybe I could coach or just do random things. I wish I coached,” she says. “I’m going to volunteer every year – I’m not going to it give up!” INFO midnightbasketball.org. au | youthprojects@ darwin.nt.gov.au

WHEN SUN 1 OCT | 10AM-6PM AT GEECON, DARWIN CONVENTION CENTRE COST FREE, GEECON ENTRY FEE APPLIES

Skate Nights

Head to Jingili on Wednesday nights for free music and skating at the park. Not just for skateboarders, newbies and all are welcome and there’s spare board and helmets available. WHEN EVERY WED | 6-8PM AT JINGILI SKATE PARK COST FREE

Midnight Basketball Darwin Tournament Five

Join Midnight Basketball and enjoy team playing, new skills and dinner with young peeps from around Darwin. For players aged 12-18. WHEN EVERY SAT 14 OCT – SAT 25 NOV | 7.30-11.30PM AT MARRARA INDOOR STADIUM COST FREE

DARWIN THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

ecret Bridesmaid’s Business It’s the night before Meg’s wedding...

25-28th Oct 7pm Sun 29th Oct 3pm Tickets Brown’s Mart Adults $30 | Conc $20 | Group 8+ $20 Book online at brownsmart.com.au

by Elizabeth Coleman Directed by Mark Bunnett

REHEARSALS Tue 7.00pm to 9.30pm TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Sat 10.00am to 12noon Supported by City of Darwin

NEW MEMBERS AND VISITORS WELCOME Ron Roberts (Music Director) 0418 857 744 Carol Atkinson (President) 0408 322 539 darwincitybrassband@gmail.com

darwincitybrassband.org.au

Brown’s Mart Productions Presents

THE LAST YEARS

“Fall in love with the musical that will break your heart”

Writen and Composed by Jason Robert Brown

Otto Tschirn ‘Buck, Walker and I toast’, 1915–18. Image: Courtesy Ian Anderson and the Tschirn family. © Tschirn estate.

4–8th and 11–15th OCT Brown’s Mart Theatre $35 adult / $25 conc Tickets: www.brownsmart.com.au

17 Tue

Mon

6 Our Common Threads 6 Storytime 9 Graduation 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsal 23 Ne-yo

23 Sun

4 Tropical Takeover 6 Wax Casting Jewellery Making (commences) 6 Tango Practica 6 Malak Community Garden 6 Beats & Clips 8 The Go-Betweens: Right Here 23 Monday Jam Nights

29 7 Home Brewing Workshop 4 Tropical Takeover 6 ‘Movement Medicine’ Conscious Dance Class 6 Aqua Zumba 7 Home Brewing Workshop 9 Wild Words 18 Sister, Mother, Daughter (last chance)

18 Wed

Tue

6 No Lights No Lycra 6 Malak Community Garden 6 Nursery Time 9 Lost in Paris 10 Skate Nights

24 4 Tropical Takeover 6 Our Common Threads 6 Storytime 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsal See Food and Drink 7

19 Thu

Mon

4 Tropical Takeover (commences) 6 Artists’ Craft and Tea 6 Mindil Beach Sunset Market 6 Argentine Tango 6 Malak Community Shed 6 Storytime 9 Poetry and Coffee 16 Diary of a Wombat 17 Bedroom Farce 19 Colin Holt: a survey (opens)

See Youth 10

6 Tango Practica 4 Tropical Takeover 6 Malak Community Dinner 6 Malak Community Garden 6 Beats & Clips 23 Monday Jam Nights

20 Fri

Wed

4 Tropical Takeover 9 Lost in Paris 10 ACMF Songwriting Comp (entries close) 17 Bedroom Farce 22 At the Dakota 23 Hotel Darwin 23 Loud at the Library 23 Open Mic Night by the Sea

See Around Town 6

10 Skate Nights

4 Tropical Takeover 6 No Lights No Lycra 6 Malak Community Garden 6 Nursery Time See Around Town 6

See Music 21 Justin Wellington

Thu

21 Saltwater Reggae Festival

Tue

4 Tropical Takeover 6 Artists’ Craft and Tea 6 Mindil Beach Sunset Market (final) 6 Argentine Tango 6 Malak Community Shed 6 Storytime

4 Tropical Takeover 6 Storytime 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsal 23 Katherine Jam Night

Sat

Fri

4 Tropical Takeover 5 Reboot Your Loot 6 Malak Marketplace 9 Kiki, Love to Love 10 Midnight Basketball 16 Arj Barker 17 Bedroom Farce 18 Punuku Tjukurpa (last chance) 21 DSO: Kakadu 23 King Social 23 Lunch Buster & The So-called Friends

4 Tropical Takeover 6 Milonga 23 Hotel Darwin 23 Loud at the Library 23 Open Mic Night by the Sea See Feature 4

Sun

5 Reboot Your Loot

4 Tropical Takeover 6 Mindil Beach Sunset Market 6 ‘Movement Medicine’ Conscious Dance Class 6 Aqua Zumba 6 Ghost Net Turtle Weaving

See Visual Arts 20

20 New prints from Yirrkala Print Space (last chance)

See Around Town 5

Sat

4 Tropical Takeover 6 Circus Workshop 6 Malak Marketplace (final) 6 Malak Community Shed 7 Home Brewing Workshop 10 Midnight Basketball 11 Children’s Week 19 A Combinatorial Explosion (last chance) 21 Chess the Musical 23 Chosani Afrique 23 Hotel Darwin

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

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 Artists’ Craft and Tea 6 Mindil Beach Sunset Market 6 Argentine Tango 6 Malak Community Shed 6 Storytime 6 Mental Health Week 9 There’s No Business Like Show Business 16 The Last 5 Years

5 World Solar Challenge Start Line 6 Mindil Beach Sunset Market 6 ‘Movement Medicine’ Conscious Dance Class 6 Aqua Zumba 6 Mental Health Week 7 Oktoberfest 9 Paris Can Wait 9 Westside Story 10 Make A Dance in a Week 16 The Last 5 Years

5 World Solar Challenge Family Festival 5 Kakadu Bird Week 6 GeeCon 6 Mindil Beach Sunset Market 6 ‘Movement Medicine’ Conscious Dance Class 6 Aqua Zumba 9 Race The Sun 10 Maker Café 23 First Sunday Blues

1 Mon

See Around Town 5

Sat

Wed

5 Kakadu Bird Week 6 No Lights No Lycra 6 School Holiday Activities 6 Malak Community Garden 6 Nursery Time 10 Skate Nights 16 The Last 5 Years 23 Midnight Oil

6 Mindil Beach Sunset Market 6 ‘Movement Medicine’ Conscious Dance Class 6 Aqua Zumba 6 Mental Health Week 8 Community Writing and Publishing Forum

16 The Last 5 Years

offtheleash.net.au

6 Circus Workshop 6 Malak Marketplace 6 Malak Community Shed 6 Code Club 6 Capturing Your Life In Photos 6 Mental Health Week 8 Community Writing and Publishing Forum 10 Midnight Basketball 16 The Last 5 Years 23 Hotel Darwin 23 We Burn Bridges & Tapestry

Sun

Simply register & upload

Did you know it’s FREE to promote your community event on our website?

Tue

5 Kakadu Bird Week

6 Our Common Threads 6 School Holiday Activities 6 Storytime 9 My One Lucky Country 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsal

See Visual Arts 18

Off The Leash Cover Exhibition

Fri

6 Mental Health Week 16 The Last 5 Years 19 A Combinatorial Explosion (opening) 23 Constantina Bush 23 Hotel Darwin 23 Loud at the Library 23 Open Mic Night by the Sea

18 Sister, Mother, Daughter (opening)

See Visual Arts 18

5 Kakadu Bird Week 6 Tango Practica 6 School Holiday Activities 6 Malak Community Garden 6 Beats & Clips 23 Monday Jam Nights

Calendar OCTOBER 2017

Sat

7 Sensational Sides Using Tropical Fruit

See Food and Drink 7

7 Wed

5 Kakadu Bird Week 6 Circus Workshop 6 Malak Marketplace 6 Malak Community Shed 6 Code Club 7 Oktoberfest 9 Lost in Paris 9 Write Here 9 Finding Dory 16 The Last 5 Years 19 Bindilicious (opens) 20 Love (last chance) 22 Tennyson King 23 Hotel Darwin 23 Rock for West Papua

11 6 No Lights No Lycra 6 Malak Community Garden 6 Nursery Time 6 Mental Health Week 9 French Film Night 10 Skate Nights 16 The Last 5 Years

Thu

Mon

5 Kakadu Bird Week 6 Artists’ Craft and Tea 6 Mindil Beach Sunset Market 6 Argentine Tango 6 Malak Community Shed 6 School Holiday Activities 6 Storytime 16 The Last 5 Years

6 Tango Practica 6 Malak Community Garden 6 Beats & Clips 6 Mental Health Week Launch 23 Monday Jam Nights

See Performing Arts 16

Fri

Tue

5 Kakadu Bird Week 6 School Holiday Activities 7 Oktoberfest 11 Light The Night Walk 16 The Last 5 Years 20 New prints from Yirrkala Print Space (opens) 23 Hotel Darwin 23 Loud at the Library 23 Open Mic Night by the Sea

Mon

6 Our Common Threads 6 Storytime 6 Mental Health Week 23 Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsal

6 Tango Practica 6 Malak Community Garden 6 Beats & Clips 19 Secret Spaces (last chance) 23 Monday Jam Nights

October Events October school holiday activities 2 October to 6 October 10am to 12pm (midday) | free The fun filled line up of events for the October school holidays includes solar car building, circus fun, rock painting, Miniroos soccer and a swimming program in the Recreation Lagoon Leukaemia Foundation Light the Night Walk Friday 6 October | 5:30pm to 8:30pm Raise money and carry a lantern along an inspiring walk at the Darwin Waterfront. Hosted by Moo Media NTâ€™s Amanda Pernechele, enjoy entertainment by Singchronicity, Opa Greek Dancers, Express Studio and Jade Dragon Dancers. Tactile Artâ€™s Tropical Takeover 19 October to 19 November A collaboration of local artists will produce a beautiful art trail of tropical themed window installations throughout the Darwin Waterfront. Childrens Week Saturday 28 October 3pm to 6pm | movie at 7pm | free Celebrate Childrens Week with an afternoon full of entertainment including archery attack, float and play in the Recreation Lagoon, story telling, face painting, waterslide, kids DJ and a movie under the stars from 7pm. All events are alcohol and glass free. waterfront.nt.gov.au

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Lyons Cottage, 74 The Esplanade, Darwin

WORD ON THE STREET

ASSAULT YOUR EARS DEDICATED TO PODCASTS

Maria James was a mother of two young children, Mark and Adam. She owned a second-hand bookshop in Melbourne and, in June 1980, she was stabbed 68 times in her own home. Her killer has never been found. Trace is a new true crime podcast from the ABC, re-investigating the unsolved murder of Maria James. Hosted by ABC reporter and investigator Rachael Brown, Trace

is a pretty consuming albeit dark listen and, as seen with season one of the hit podcast, Serial, new eyes on an investigation can yield important discoveries.

and the coroner. Pursuing these previous discounted leads, and the uncovering of new information, means there is sometimes a wait between podcast episodes.

Through their investigation, the Trace team has discovered DNA bungles by Victoria Police, holes in a key suspect’s alibi, and the presence of the Catholic Church – these, in addition to 50 emails with fresh leads and tip offs from the community, could result in the coroner reopening Maria James’ case file. In fact, Maria James’ family and the Trace team are waiting for the next move from Victoria Police

I heard Rachael Brown speak at a recent podcast conference, and her commitment to Maria James’ family in seeing this investigation through is absolute. The care and concern Brown has for Mark and Adam is evident in each episode, and her thoughtful approach helps make Trace addictive listening.

Legoland Denmark

You can subscribe to Trace via Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.

Jess Ong works as a Communications Manager in the arts and the private sector, and is also the Creative Producer of local storytelling night, SPUN. She is the host of the SPUN Stories podcast and moonlights in the world of freelance. FOLLOW spunstories.net | @jess__ong

REVIEWS, TIPS AND ADVICE FOR TRAVELLING THE WORLD WITH KIDS

COMICS

CORNER

SHOWCASING TOP END COMICS AND LOCAL STAND-UP PERFORMERS Humanely Hilarious: the Ethics of Comedy I was recently asked in an interview how comedians can make jokes about tragic or serious things and live with themselves? Tough opening question, but while the late Joan Rivers might have more colourfully responded, “because maybe it’s only a funny joke, you lilly-livered, small-minded, TargetCountry dressed schmuck”, it does raise an interesting question – are there off-limit topics comedians should never explore?

gay fashionistas and North African despots, much of Baron-Cohen’s humour is derived from exposing either the outside world’s awkward reaction to the characters’ prejudice or highlighting the absurdity and inappropriateness of the relevant characters’ own prejudices.

My first impulse when people seek to quarantine an entire subject matter from the comic landscape is to try to write a joke about that topic to prove it can be done. My second response is to question the joke’s impact. The litmus test against which I assess material is my golden rule – does the joke/ routine make the world a better place?

The portrayal of S Mouse has justifiably been criticized as a superficial, unfunny and appallingly insensitive demonstration of blackface. However, the assessment of the character of Jonah from Tonga is more complex. While some in the Tongan community criticised the portrayal for denigrating their culture and reputation, another view is the character Jonah is an endearing depiction of an antiauthoritarian, renegade larrikin that makes for a heroic and ultimately

While victim-bashing and minorityshaming are clearly not cool, well-crafted dark humour has the potential to unearth legitimately cathartic or educative gems amongst the rubble of life’s dramas. Exhibit A is Sasha Baron-Cohen, who variously explored “racialism’’, sexy times and incest with his characters Ali G, Borat the Dictator and Bruno. While some would argue his humour negatively portrays Anglo-Jamaican gangsters, Austrian

Exhibit B is the work of Chris Lilley, which includes his creations Daniel and Nathan Sims, Ja’mie King, Mr G, Jonah Takalua, Ricky Wong and the infamous S Mouse from the 2011 series Angry Boys.

Will Crawford is an up-andcrawling comic. He moonlights as a land rights lawyer and policy activist.

FOLLOW Thu 5 Oct | Happy Yess

empowering character. Exhibit C is my favourite Glaswegian comedian, Frankie Boyle. Mr Boyle was banned from BBC television for two years for a rather brutal series of jokes centering on the disabled child of H-list celebrities Peter Andre and Jordan during their divorce. While the jokes in question were technically well crafted and partially aimed at the vacuous and selfish nature of his celebrity parents, the victim of the jokes was ultimately a disabled child who did not ask to be in the spotlight, nor have his disabilities used as the subject of brutal jokes. From the dark humour that nurses and firies employ to cope with daily horrors, to Bill Hicks’ attacks against the powerful conservative Republican elite in the 80s, or Bill Burr pointing out the hypocrisy of the self-righteous left of today, comedy can achieve many things. What I ask is that people judge each joke by its content and purpose not its theme.

Did you know that LEGO comes from Denmark – the happiest country in the world, according to the UN World Happiness Report. So, you’d figure then that the original Legoland Theme Park in Denmark must be one happy place – correct! LEGO beat poor old Barbie, Action Man and the humble Teddy Bear to be named “Toy of the Century” in 2000 by Fortune Magazine. A mindboggling 20 billion LEGO bricks are made every year, enough to circle the earth more than 9 times, according to National Geographic. That’s a lot of plastic and I shudder to think about the landfill should any pre-loved pieces find their way there. With boys aged four and seven, we are smack bang in the LEGO peak of their childhood. I know I’m not the only parent who has spent hours on their hands and knees picking up the stuff, only to have the incredibly painful experience of treading barefoot on that one piece you missed! Ugh. So, we knew that our mid year holiday to Denmark for a family reunion would involve a pilgrimage to the home of LEGO. Not a place I thought I would love pre-kids – but I’m a convert – Legoland is cool and not just for kids. Sure, it’s the kind of place you need to embrace which means staying at the Legoland Hotel with its pirate and ninja themed rooms. Thank goodness the beds aren’t made of LEGO. It’s pure heaven for little blonde Scandi kids. There’s LEGOREDO Town with gun-slinging cowboys and Adventure Land with wild jungle beasts and villains. Pirate Land is a hoot. There’s a cool boat trip that takes you past dastardly LEGO pirates, cackling parrots and sinister shipwrecks where you are fired upon with water cannons by other ships – and if you don’t fire first, you’ll be shot at! We were all mesmerized by Miniland with its Lilliputian

models of the Danish Royal Palace, Amsterdam canals, German villages and a Scottish castle and loch. The boys loved the mini-jeep safari through an African wildlife park with lions, zebras and giraffes all built from LEGO, of course, and a boat ride past LEGO landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, the Acropolis, Taj Mahal and Abu Simbel Egyptian temple. But hands-down the highlight for the boys was NINJAGO World where we had to complete Lloyd’s Master Maze, and Jay’s Lightning Drill. The 3D ride is awesome – we had to master the elements of fire, earth, lightning and ice by putting on our 3D glasses to fight the great serpent and archenemy of the ninjas. Without a doubt Legoland was the highlight of the boys’ holiday and honestly for me it was up there with window shopping in the Danish design stores and exploring the quirky cobbled streets in Copenhagen.

Libby Larsen Travel is, and has always been, Libby’s passion and she believes that this shouldn’t stop when you have kids. Libby knows that the best travel advice and tips come from other parents and so she started Growing up Troppo. It has loads of inspiration about hip places to stay, play and eat with kids that importantly parents love too.

FOLLOW growinguptroppo. com | @growingup troppo

PERFORMING ARTS

DIARY WOMBAT of a

THERE WOULDN’T BE MANY AUSSIE KIDS BORN AFTER 2002 THAT HAVEN’T READ THIS CLASSIC PICTURE BOOK. NOW THE TRUE STORY OF MOTHBALL THE VERY CHEEKY WOMBAT COMES TO LAUGHTERFILLED LIFE ON THE STAGE. Legendary children’s theatre company Monkey Baa decided to tackle the Australian classic as they approached their 21st birthday, and the result is a masterful combination of puppetry, live music and acting. Director Eva Di Cesare says the process of bringing the story of the mischief making marsupial to life included road testing ideas with school kids, spending time at a wildlife sanctuary and talking to author and Australian children’s laureate Jackie French about her real life experiences with Mothball the wombat. “It’s a true story. She was a wildlife carer and they gave her this wombat to release back into the wild. Of course Mothball made the decision she wasn’t going to do that. She really did do things like dig a burrow under their house.” “We took a lot of joy in talking to Jackie and putting in a lot of other parts of her story as well.”

The LAST DARWIN PERFORMANCE ARTISTS STUART FONG AND ANDI EGAN DISCOVERED THEY HAD A SHARED PASSION FOR MUSICAL THEATRE AND, NOTICING A GAP IN THE DARWIN SCENE, GOT THEIR OWN BALL ROLLING. They both loved the characters from The Last Five Years, a modern musical by award-winning American composer Jason Robert Brown, and so set about bringing the songs to life with the help of Director Merrilee Mills and musician Kathryn Ezzy. “Stu and I learnt the music before anyone else got on board,”says Egan. “We rehearsed together for hours. The score is quite intricate so we want to get it right. Luckily our voices just naturally blend together.”

Andi Egan and Stuart Fong

5 YEARS

The story follows the marriage breakdown between successful novelist Jamie and struggling actress Cathy. Cathy opens the songful tale at the end of their affair and tracks backward through the relationship, while Jamie tells the story from their first meeting. It’s a structure that leaves you in no doubt – there’s always two sides to any story. Egan loves the passion of musicals and is excited to have the chance to move people with her voice. “That for me makes this whole process worth it. Usually I’m a cabaret and comedy singer, so people are often laughing with me when I sing. I think a lot of people just think I’m the funny lady so it will be great to show a softer, more vulnerable side.”

The team decided not to change too much of the original Broadway score, which includes passionate, emotional and sometimes funny contemporary ballads and rock songs.

Scenes include Mothball kicking up dirt onto the barbeque in slow motion, battling the welcome mat on the front door, dancing the tango with the patio furniture and farting in her sleep – a universally hilarious gag for young audiences. Di Cesare knew they’d nailed it while listening to two young kids in an auditorium whispering furiously with each other. “One would say, ‘It’s real’, and the other one’s going, ‘no it’s not’, and then the other would say ‘but it IS real! The humans are just helping it, telling it where to go!’.” “In the Q and A sessions afterwards this is always one of the first questions, ‘is it real?’.” WHEN At COST INFO

THU 19 OCT | 10AM & 6PM DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE $30 | $25 CONC, CHILD | $80 FAM yourcentre.com.au

“Jason has written a beautiful musical and I wouldn’t want to change it much. There are however two versions of his script and we chose the one with more swears. It’s more fun that way.” “But don’t worry mums, it’s still totally PG13!” WHEN At COST

WED 4 – SUN 8 OCT & WED 11 – SUN 15 OCT | 7PM | SUN, 5PM BROWN’S MART $35 | $25 CONC, GROUP 8+

ARJ BARKER

AUSTRALIA’S FAVORITE AMERICAN COMEDIAN is bringing his latest show Organic, brimming with free-range hilarity, to Darwin audiences this month. Off The Leash caught up with Barker ahead of his visit.

This your 10th show down under. How would you compare your first tour to your most recent one? Well I’d like to think I've gotten a lot better at comedy since those days, but I'll leave that up to the audience to decide. Touring is easier these days. I know what to expect when I return to town for the 10th time. So for instance, I know Darwin audiences are awesome, and that

relieves some stress even before I get there!

Did you come to Darwin with any expectations, and did it live up to them? I've always heard there’s a lot of UFO sightings there. I've yet to see one, but otherwise it's never disappointed. Once, we drove out to a National Park, went for a swim and had to go under a tonne of spider webs to get out to a lake. They were only inches above our faces, but luckily none of them attacked. On the way home we nearly got caught in a flash flood after a massive rainstorm hit suddenly. It was an awesome day. I still want to see a UFO though.

Darwin’s got a healthy crop of young comedians on the rise. As someone who’s performed since the age of 16, what advice have you got for aspiring professional joke tellers? Get out there and do it. You only get better by experience, so you need to get onstage as much as possible. If you feel there’s a shortage of stage time, start your own weekly comedy showcase in a very small venue like a cafe or a bookstore. Even a small audience will help you develop as a comedian. WHEN SAT 21 OCT | 8PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $49.90 | $46.90 GROUP 10+ INFO yourcentre.com.au

Dance

Tracks Dance Company, Man Made, 2017; David Hancock

BEDROOM

FARCE

FOUR COUPLES, THREE BEDROOMS, ONE NIGHT AND A HILARIOUS EVENING OF THEATRE WHERE NOBODY GETS ANY SEX AND HARDLY ANYBODY GETS ANY SLEEP.

This is British playwright Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy masterpiece, a home-hitting lifting of the lid on the secret stresses and strains of seemingly happy middle class marriages. Trevor and Susannah’s marriage is on the rocks, the itinerant couple exposing the delicate fissures of marriage through their selfish, highenergy antics. For ageing Ernest and Delia the most exciting thing they do in bed is eat pilchards. The businessdriven Nick and Jan have settled for second best. Malcolm and Kate, who

review

seem the best adjusted, discover he stashes porn in the sock drawer. As avant-garde playwright Samuel Beckett once wrote, "alone together, so much shared.” Tania Lieman, Creative Producer for CemeNTworx Community Theatre says audiences are assured a high-octane night of laughs with this evergreen hit for contemporary theatre companies worldwide. “It’s a play that lets people vicariously enjoy a heap of relationship foibles, that really, we all get up to and can recognise.” “They see that all play out to a great resolution, with really fun characters.” WHEN At COST Info

THU 19 – SAT 21 OCT | 7PM DARWIN COMMUNITY ARTS $25 | $15 CONC

cementworx@ darwincommunityarts.org.au

MAN

MADE I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH TRACKS DANCE FOR THE PAST 13 YEARS over four Darwin Festival shows and six Milpirri performances in the remote Indigenous community of Lajamanu. Man Made was my first as an audience member and as the dusk settled over Frogs Hollow I had a flood of memories – we had performed The Cook, The Queen and The Kelly in this exact spot as part of Darwin Festival just a few years earlier and as I looked around the audience I could see many familiar faces from casts of previous Tracks shows. It felt like coming home. Man Made involved a number of short, concise dance pieces from various choreographers, interwoven together to create a whole. Connecting across ages, styles and concepts, the work asked the question ‘what makes a man and what does a man make’? The performance revealed a myriad of insights and answers, some individualistic and personal, others from a group perspective. Highlights included a piece involving the older

cast members, choreographed by David McMicken. The way they commanded the stage, the shared sense of fun and underlying humour, it seemed these guys had a ball making this section. Also interesting was the way male stereotypes were addressed – and then smashed through song and dance routines. Particularly exciting was Aaron Lim's choreographic work. Lim has been working with Tracks since 2007 and most recently was a collaborator and performer in Between Tiny Cities, a performance I choreographed. His work showed an insight into his practice, his connection to hip hop culture and to the young students he has taught and mentored over the past few years. Most impressive was his work

with the more established dancers, including Josh Mu. In this piece I saw an aspirational, new choreographic voice. Kelly Beneforti’s choreography shone in the contemporary sections. Tim Newth’s design was another highlight, inclusive of movable LED lighting bars. A row of fridges were put to great use, including a striking scene where the fridges were laid on their sides, the doors opened just a crack, revealing the light within, before closing again. Through Man Made, Tracks continued their long-term engagement with NT artists and communities through another superb inter-generational dance piece. INFO

tracksdance.com.au

Nick Power is a b*boy and choreographer with a strong connection to the Territory through Tracks Dance, D-City Rockers and Accomplice.

Malak Marketplace ORGANIC FARMERS MARKET

4-9pm Every Saturday Farmers Market, Food Stalls, Arts & Craft, Entertainment, Health & Education, Yoga & Market Tours

NORTHERN TERRITORY ARCHIVES SERVICE

Sat 29 April to Sat 28 October Chambers Crescent Car Park, Malak www.malakmarketplace.org.au 17

VISUAL ARTS ABOUT

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 19 Conacher Street, The Gardens | 8999 8264 | magnt.net.au | MON–FRI 9AM-5PM | SAT & SUN 10AM-5PM

Anwar Young, Unrupa Rhonda Dick and Frank Young, Kulata Tjuta, ‘Wati kulunypa tjukurpa (Many spears - Young fella story)’, 37 spears, digital print, wood, kangaroo tendon, kiti (natural glue); 34th Telstra NATSIAA, winner Telstra Art Award

Art &

MAGNT

Artwork clockwise from left: Felicity Martin, Liz Martin, Sarah Martin Bottom left: L-R Felicity Martin, Liz Martin, Sarah Martin

Sister, Mother, Daughter SISTER, MOTHER AND DAUGHTER TEAM FELICITY, ELIZABETH AND SARAH MARTIN hold their third family show this month. Off The Leash caught up with Sarah ahead of their exhibition. Where do you draw your inspirations? We are all really influenced by the landscape along with the unique wildlife that the Top End has to offer. There is so much change throughout the year due to the dramatic seasons – changes in the colours and textures or the different plants, animals and birds – all of which affect and influence our work. Did you all grow up in the NT? Mum grew up on the beautiful Vanuatu island of Santo and Liz and I spent our childhood on a farm in NSW, not far from the Murray River. It was a great place to grow up. What’s it like to work together, is there any competition?

No, not really, though as kids I felt that it was always a bit of a challenge for me as Liz was naturally gifted at everything she tried, so I had to work really hard to keep up! I guess in that sense there was a bit of healthy competition to motivate me to practise and improve. As adults I think we've all found our own style and niche so we're all just supportive of each other and genuinely enjoy each other's company. Has there been 'fights' for studio space? Well, I've actually just finished renovating a studio and office space and literally the day after I moved in, Mum and Liz had spread their gear everywhere and I had to fight to get some space back for myself! We've figured it out now so we all have a table each, so we can work on our pieces for our upcoming show in (relative) harmony. I get two tables because it's my studio!

Any other siblings in the mix? We have an older brother who is into photography. What are the best things about working and sharing art together? Having two supportive, likeminded women is so wonderful. Mum is really hard working and is always trying new styles and techniques, which is something I really admire. Liz has always been a natural talent but has grown so much artistically over the past few years and her work just keeps on getting better and better. We all bring something different to the table creatively and if something needs doing we all chip in and get it done. Occasionally someone will have a bit of a dummy spit but we forget about it straight away and then we get on with it! WHEN AT INFO

FRI 13 – SUN 29 OCT | OPENING FRI 13 OCT, 5.30PM TACTILE ARTS tactilearts.org.au

Recognising the important contribution made by Indigenous artists from regional and urban areas throughout Australia, The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) is Australia’s longest running and most prestigious Indigenous art award.

WHEN UNTIL SUN 26 NOV

A Ticket To Paradise This touring exhibition, from the National Archives of Australia, examines the rich diversity of Australian immigrants and the government’s ambitious plans after World War II to encourage mass migration. WHEN UNTIL WED 14 FEB

Tjungunutja From Having Come Together

Comprising more than 130 paintings, rare cultural artefacts and historical ephemera, this startling exhibition provides an extraordinary insight into the genesis of the contemporary Aboriginal art movement, revealing the largest and most important collection of early Papunya paintings in the world. WHEN UNTIL SUN 18 FEB

A Frontier Journey: Photographs by Otto Tschirn 1915-18

The photographs of Otto Tschirn give a remarkable insight into the social world of the changing Central Australian frontier during the early years of the 20th century.

Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre Stuart Highway, Katherine East | 8972 3751 | gyracc.org.au | TUE–FRI 10AM-5PM | SAT 10AM–3PM Ivy Ingkatji, 'Piti, Itara' (River Red Gum), c. 1995, 710 x 195 x 290mm

PUNUKU TJUKURPA An exhibition celebrating the stories and Law of Anangu culture told through intricate carvings and artefacts, Punuku Tjukurpa is the first touring exhibition of artworks from the Maruku Arts archive based at Mutitjulu, near Uluru. Accompanying the exhibition is a bespoke mobile app, providing a deeper level of engagement with the diverse works. WHEN

UNTIL SAT 21 OCT

WHEN UNTIL SUN 14 JAN

GYRACC

NATSIAA

FRAMED – THE DARWIN GALLERY 55 Stuart Highway, Stuart Park | 8981 2994 | framed.com.au MON-FRI 9AM-5.30PM | SAT 9AM-4PM | PUBLIC HOLS 11AM-3PM

Peter Hayes, ‘Book of Dreams’, timber, mixed media, 60 x 50 x 12cm

Secret Spaces AN EXPLORATION OF WHAT LIES WITHIN, what is concealed and what is overt. Peter Hayes’ mysterious creations offer an elegant and earthy hiding place for your secrets and your dreams, miniature pagodas and simple homes to collect your treasures, to store or display the memories that might otherwise slip away. WHEN

UNTIL MON 16 OCT

DVAA

Darwin Visual Arts Association Woods Street, Darwin | 8981 9351 | dvaa.net.au | WED–FRI 12-5PM | SAT

PAUL JOHNSTONE GALLERY

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

Lance James, Untitled, acrylic on linen, 20 x 46cm

BINDILICIOUS IN THE HEART LAND OF CENTRAL AUSTRALIA, LIES BINDI ENTERPRISES, a cross cultural organization providing opportunities for people with disabilities for more than 32 years. The Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists studio has been operating since 2000 for Indigenous artists with disabilities. Here the artists can nourish their practices, uphold their identity and culture while sustaining meaningful income. Each artwork is a wonderful reflection of the life and surrounds of the region as seen, known and loved by the artist. Artists include Lance James, Conway Ginger and Jane Mervin. WHEN SAT 7 OCT – SAT 4 NOV

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

10AM–3PM

COLIN

HOLT A Survey

FEATURING ALMOST 90 WORKS FROM A CAREER SPANNING 40 YEARS IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA, Colin Holt: a survey includes abstract paintings that shimmer with heat and energy, moody and ethereal land and seascapes, cowboys on horses imagined from early frontier days, commissioned posters and a complete series of not-so-flattering portraits of NT Chief Ministers.

A Combinatorial Explosion The newest in a series installation work by Darwin based artist Amina McConvell, the title of this latest installation is taken from a mathematical concept which describes rapid growth as an ‘explosion’; where one form builds on another, on another, on another. WHEN FRI 13 – SAT 28 OCT | OPENING FRI 13 OCT, 6PM

Colin Holt, Untitled (Broome), 2004, red pindan sand, PVA, bitumen, acrylic, and lime on found metal washing lid, 41.5 x 47cm; CDU Art Collection, CDU2416

WHEN THU 19 OCT – SAT 17 FEB

CALLING ARTISTS all

DON WHYTE - OFFCUTS

A MULTI-COLOURED HIGHLIGHT OF THE DARWIN ART SCENE, Don Whyte’s infamous annual charity fundraiser is back. The original concept lives on, taking off cut canvas’s from the previous year and turning them into works of art for everyone’s buying pleasure. The call out is now on for local artists to pop into Don’s, pick up a mini frame and get their creative juices flowing for a venerable cause.

WHEN AT INFO

SAT 11 NOV DON WHYTE FRAMING donwhyteframing.com

OUTSTATION

NOMAD ART GALLERY

2/3 Parap Place, Darwin | 8981 4822 | outstation.com.au

Vickers Street, Parap | 8981 6382 | nomadart.com.au MON–FRI 10AM–5PM | SAT 9AM–2PM

TUE 10AM-1PM | WED–FRI 10AM-5PM | SAT 10AM-2PM

New prints from Yirrkala Print Space: 2017 ETCHINGS AND COLOUR REDUCTION LINOPRINTS FROM YIRRKALA PRINT SPACE feature new works by established and emerging Yolngu artists including Nyapanyapa Yunupiŋu, Bawaka Yunupiŋu, Wukun Wanambi and Mulkun Wirrpanda.

Pennyrose Wiggins, 'Bat O'Clock', 2017, acrylic and oil on found car bonnet, 141 x 105 cm

Yirrkala Print Space is part of Buku Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre at Yirrkala in Arnhem Land and has a long and proud history as one of Australia’s premier Aboriginal printmaking studios. WHEN FRI 6 – SAT 28 OCT

left: Mulkun Wirrpanda, ‘Gurrumu’, 2017, etching, 32 x 49cm below: Rerrkirrwaŋa Munuŋgurr, ‘Ganybu’, 2017, linocut, 39 x 49.5 cm bottom left: Nyapanyapa Yunupiŋu, ‘Circles’, 2017, colour reduction linocut, 49 x 38cm

NeighbourHOODS FROM HOT DUSTY JOURNEYS ALONG THE ARNHEM HIGHWAY, to views from birds in flight, a tropical humid Wet season, to a land turned black in the Dry. Pennyrose Wiggins paints our Territory neighbourhoods and the life that inhabits them onto objects that transport us to these places. WHEN UNTIL SAT 4 NOV

Visaitp

Par ES I GALLER

NCCA

NORTHERN TERRITORY ARCHIVES CENTRE

Northern Centre for Contemporary Art Vimy Lane, Parap | 8981 5368 | nccart.com.au

Kelsey Crescent, Millner | 8999 6890 | naa.gov.au TUE–FRI 9AM-4.30PM

WED-FRI 10AM-4PM, SAT 9AM-2PM, OR BY APPOINTMENT

FACING TWO FRONTS

THE FIGHT FOR RESPECT THROUGH THE LENS OF MILITARY SERVICE AND THE STORIES OF THOSE WHO SERVED, learn about Indigenous soldiers' fight for social justice.

For one week only, this exhibition of photographic portraits by Therese Ritchie is presented in association with Pride Festival Darwin.

This digital exhibition features extraordinary images, stirring video portraits, and original records from the Archives’ Darwin collection and the Northern Territory Archives Service including identification photographs, maps and letters.

WHEN UNTIL SAT 7 OCT

WHEN UNTIL SUN 31 DEC

LOVE 20

Therese Ritchie, ‘Crystal’

Joe McGinness' service record ID photograph, 1942. NAA: B883, DX977

MUSIC DSO PRESENTS

DARWIN CHORALE PRESENTS Michael Kieran Harvey

CHESS in concert DARWIN CHORALE IS EXCITED TO BE PERFORMING THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED MUSICAL CHESS THIS OCTOBER.

With music by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA fame and lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, this musical explores American/ Russian relationships during the Cold War through the World Chess Championships and a romantic love triangle.

MasterSeries 2

Kakadu oin the Darwin Symphony Orchestra (DSO) this October as they continue their exploration of the music of Dmitri Shostakovich and welcome back regular guest soloist, pianist Michael Kieran Harvey. Described by DSO Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Matthew Wood as one of Australia’s most cherished instrumentalists, Harvey will perform Shostakovich’s 2nd piano concerto, one of his most jovial works. This MasterSeries performance also continues the DSO’s exploration and celebration of the music of the late Peter Sculthorpe. One of Australia’s greatest composers whose affinity with the Northern Territory played a significant role in the inspiration of his compositional work over many years, ‘Kakadu’ is considered by many as one of his greatest works.

“Sculthorpe’s ‘Kakadu’ explores the sounds of our own backyard,” says Wood. “A sense of place in music has been explored by many composers and here Peter has created a soundscape that infuses not just the sounds of Kakadu but also the landscape in both its breathtaking natural beauty and contradicting harshness.” Sculthorpe himself described the melodic material in the work as inspired by the contours and rhythms of Aboriginal chant, exploring his emotional connection with the landscape of Kakadu. “This enormous wilderness area stretches from coastal tidal plains to rugged mountain plateaux, and in it may be found the living culture of its Aboriginal inhabitants, dating back for fifty thousand years. Sadly, today there are only a few remaining

speakers of Kakadu or Gagadju. The work, then, is concerned with my feelings about this place, its change of seasons, its Dry season and its Wet, its cycle of life and death.” This MasterSeries concert once again showcases the remarkable depth of our NT musical talent, performing the work of one of Australia’s greatest ever composers alongside Tchaikovsky’s ‘Marche Slave’, Shotakovich’s ‘Ballet Suite No. 3’ and Harvey’s own ‘Homage to Liszt’.

The principal pawns are the loutish American grandmaster, the earnest Russian challenger, and the Hungarian/American female chess assistant who arrives at the international championships in Italy with the American and falls for the Russian - who is keen to defect to the West. From Tyrol to Thailand in 1986-7 the players, lovers, politicians, CIA and KGB make their moves to the pulse of this monumental rock score.

With more than 50 performers in the cast, plus a 20 piece orchestra made up of musicians from both Darwin and Alice Springs, this is a powerful and significant piece of musical theatre featuring hit songs ‘One Night in Bangkok’, ‘Heaven Help My Heart’ and ‘I Know Him So Well’. Chess Artistic Director Fiona Wake describes the show as a fast-paced love triangle, and says audiences will be amazed with the mix of rock music, classical music and ballads. “This is a rare opportunity to see and hear musical theatre in Darwin, and you will definitely be impressed by the Chorale’s ability to showcase local talent. But be warned: passion and pain involved!” WHEN SAT 28 OCT | 7.30PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $55 | $50 CONC | $40 3-15 YRS INFO darwinchorale.org.au

This is an event not to be missed.

WHEN SAT 21 OCT | 7.30PM AT DARWIN CONVENTION CENTRE COST $60/$55 PRESALE |$50 CONC/$45 PRESALE | $30 U 16/$25 PRESALE | $155 FAM/$135 PRESALE INFO dso.org.au

Saltwater

Reggae Festival Wildwater

HOT MUSIC, DELICIOUS FOOD AND A CHANCE TO DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY UNDER THE STARS – these are just some of the things to look forward to at the Saltwater Reggae Festival. Andrew Arthur is the Festival Producer and explains that while reggae’s roots might be elsewhere, it’s still right at home here in the Top End. “Reggae was born in Jamaica in the 1960s with greats like Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley and the Wailers. It gave a voice to the poor, the oppressed and dispossessed." Around the world, particularly in America, Europe and Africa, the local peoples idolised the music.

"Saltwater Reggae is a Top End idiosyncrasy, with the Jamaican feel sung in Aboriginal language - in fact, all over the Pacific local peoples have adopted this style as their own and the form has blossomed.” Featuring the West Papua Dancers with Uncle Hank, Wildwater, Robbie Mills Collective, the Yolngu Bungul Dancers from Elcho Island and introducing the amazing talent of Tez Gore – the festival celebrates the unique local flavours of reggae music, with help from our island neighbours. The festival is also excited to present PNG reggae sensation Justin Wellington, whose music has taken the Pacific by storm.

With his unique blend of reggae pop, R&B, dancehall and island music, and inspired by his travels across North America and SouthEast Asia, Wellington makes music with influences as diverse as traditional Solomon Islands tunes, country and western, and old New Orleans folk songs. Supported by an array of diverse local talent, the Saltwater Reggae Festival is the perfect way to add a cool island breeze to a sweaty Saturday afternoon in the Build Up.

WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 21 OCT | 4PM-MIDNIGHT PINT CLUB, MARARRA $20 | $10 CONC stickytickets.com.au

MUSIC NT PRESENTS

Tennyson

King

Shana RAY

WHEN AT COST INFO

HE DESCRIBES HIS MUSIC AS ROCK AND ROLL INFUSED WITH EARTHY ROOTS AND BLUES, LACED WITH PSYCHEDELIC EAR CANDY. Canada’s Tennyson King spoke to Off the Leash about his current tour, his musical influences and his guitar, ahead of his Darwin debut. I love this description of your music – it’s like all the best kind of music rolled into one! Can you tell us a little bit about the musical influences that have shaped this sound? At the time of writing and trying to find the sound for the last album I was listening to artists like Velvet Underground, Bon Iver,

M. Warde, Tim Buckley and Shakey Graves. They all ended up being big influences. Can you tell us a bit about where you are from in Canada? I grew up in the ‘burbs, in a city called Mississauga, which is about 45 minutes away from the big city Toronto, Ontario. Though like many Ontario folk, I spent a lot of time going up north to stay at our cottage in the forest by the lake. This guitar that you’re holding in the press shot – it’s just beautiful. Are you particular about your guitars? That guitar is definitely my baby. It’s a 1957 Epiphone Zephyr, one of

The

Faste Fiv

AT THE DAKOTA

the first batch of guitars made in Kalamazoo, Michigan when Gibson started the Epiphone plant. I've had my guitar tech at MJS Custom Pickups put in two beautiful hand wound pickups for me that articulate the style of playing for my music. So yeah, I guess you can say I'm just a little bit particular with my guitars. The Epiphone is my go-to tour guitar for sure. You’ve been touring Australia on and off since January, has there been a highlight? There have been many highlights on this tour! My van breaking down and being stuck in Airlie Beach for a week, playing the Yackandandah Folk Festival, and that crazy 15

THU 7 OCT | 7PM DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $10 | $15 DOOR darwinrailwayclub.org

hour ferry ride to Tasmania. I could write a whole page just about the amazing experiences I've had, but really what's been most amazing is just the wonderful people I've met through playing music and travelling. What kind of show can audiences expect from you at the Railway Club? I'm stoked to play at the Railway Club, it'll be my first time at the venue and in Darwin. I'll be playing solo so it'll be a nice cosy intimate vibe but still definitely lots of energy. Everyone there will hear more about my adventures in Australia paired with some storytelling tunes.

FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF THEIR DEBUT EP MELT EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND AN NT SONG OF THE YEAR NOMINATION FOR THE INFECTIOUS ‘ARROW HOLDER’, At the Dakota are busting to bring you their unapologetically groovy tunes. They will have you dancing, moving, shaking and celebrating local music with unabashed enthusiasm at the Rails this month, and newest band member, bassist Dan Prime, answered The Fast Five for Off The Leash. What's the first album you ever bought? Well the first album I owned was given to me – it was the original score to Star Wars: A New Hope. Love Star Wars! However, the first album I ever bought with my own money was 28 Days' Upstyledown. Every song was a banger! If you could see any artist – living or dead – this weekend, who would it be? It would probably have to be John Fogerty. He is an incredible artist and dead-set legend. Plus Credence Clearwater – so, enough said! Or… maybe Prince? Whose posters did you have stuck to the wall as a teenager? I had every poster from every Blunt poster mag on my walls. I was massively into punk and heavy music, still am! What song would you like played at your funeral? ‘I Will Follow You Into the Dark’, by Death Cab For Cutie.

PALMERSTON BASED SINGER SONGWRITER AND SALTWATER DIVA SHANA RAY recently performed to a crowd of 2000 music lovers at Bush Bands Bash. Music NT caught up with Ray to find out more about her experience. Tell us about your experience with Saltwater and Desert Divas? I have been part of the Desert Divas and Saltwater Divas programs since 2012. I had sent an email through to Music NT asking if I could participate in the Desert Divas program, as at the time it was really only for the girls situated in Alice Springs. Then the Saltwater Divas program was born for the Darwin girls. It was the best way for me to open up my career as an artist. Tell us about your Bush Bands experience? I loved it so much! It was a week of intense training by some of Australia’s top music industry professionals at the Ross River Resort in Alice Springs. We practiced all day, everyday to prepare us for the Bush Bands Bash Concert. The Bush Bands Bash was full of Indigenous talent from some of Australia’s most remote communities. I am so lucky to have connected with some very important names in the music industry and I’ve learnt so much from my experience. Who are your musical influences? One of my favorite artists is Amy Winehouse, her lyrics are so honest and emotional. What instruments do you play? Acoustic guitar. Would you recommend the Bush Bands and Desert Divas programs to others to get involved in? Yes! I would definitely recommend them – I cannot say it enough! The programs are amazing and you get so much help and support from everyone involved. Since participating in these programs, so many pathways have opened up for me and my confidence has grown.

Finish this sentence. The thing people would be surprised to know about me… is that I have an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of pop culture. I could rattle stuff off for hours about music and movies! Things that people don't have any idea about.

What's the plan now? To book some gigs around Darwin before recording and releasing my own album!

WHEN AT COST INFO

INFO facebook.com/shana.ray | soundcloud.com/ shannencubis

FRI 20 OCT | 7.30PM RAILWAY CLUB $15 | $10 PRESALE darwinrailwayclub.org

OCTOBER

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

/OTL.magazine

@OTLmag

King Social WHEN SAT 21 OCT | 7PM COST $21.50

Chosani Afrique

Taking you on an ecstatic journey with an eclectic mix of influences from latin to reggae, gypsy jazz to R&B and funk. Rooted in the Senegalese traditional Wolof language with original songs expressing proverbs and stories of peace, love and unity.

At the Dakota

With Basic Rocket Science and Max Fredericks Band. WHEN FRI 20 OCT | 7.30PM COST $15 | $10 PRESALE

Saltwater Reggae Festival

Darwin Symphony Orchestra MasterSeries 2 – Kakadu

SAT 21 OCT | 4PM-MIDNIGHT PINT CLUB, MARRARA $20 | $10 CONC stickytickets.com.au

WHEN SAT 21 OCT | 7.30PM AT DARWIN CONVENTION CENTRE COST $60/$55 PRESALE | $50 CONC/$45 PRESALE | $30 U16/$25 PRESALE | $155 FAM/$135 PRESALE INFO dso.org.au

Tennyson King

WHEN WED 13 OCT | 7PM COST $10 | $15 DOOR

TUE 17 OCT | 8PM DISCOVERY DARWIN $96.90 | $362.10 MEET AND GREET discoverydarwin.com.au

GENERAL

17 Somerville Gardens, Parap 8981 4171 | darwinrailwayclub.com

Constantina Bush

WHEN AT COST INFO

WHEN THU 28 OCT | 7PM COST $20/$18 PRESALE | $15 CONC/$12 PRESALE

RAILWAY CLUB

WHEN THU 7 OCT | 7PM COST $10 | $15 DOOR

Ne-yo

WHEN AT COST INFO

#OTLmag

With support act the Roy Boys.

WHEN WED 4 OCT | GATES 4.30PM AT DARWIN BOTANIC GARDENS AMPHITHEATRE COST $99.90 | $81.50 CONC INFO ntix.com.au

Midnight Oil with special guests Dan Sultan and Irrunytju Band From the northern beaches of Sydney to the streets of Manhattan, Midnight Oil has stopped traffic, inflamed passions, inspired fans and broken new ground. Experiencing Midnight Oil in full flight is to experience the transcendent power of live rock & roll – their music makes you feel, their lyrics make you think, and the combined impact live onstage makes you want to get involved.

Chess the Musical – Darwin Chorale WHEN SAT 28 OCT | 7.30PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $55 | $50 CONC | $40 3-15 YRS INFO darwinchorale.org.au

Hotel Darwin Live Music

Glen Forner sings favourite classic hits including songs from Fleetwood Mac, Cold Chisel and Red Hot Chilli Peppers every Friday. Fun loving solo artist Ange Coles plays Saturday nights, and catch the

talented Rachel Rachel in the Beer Garden on Saturday 21 October.

20 OCT 27 OCT

WHEN AT COST INFO

JAM NIGHTS AND OPEN MIC

EVERY FRI & SAT | 6PM HOTEL DARWIN FREE thehoteldarwin.com.au

TRACEY BUNN ANNA BOUSTEAD

HAPPY YESS

12 Smith St, Darwin happyyess.com

Rock for West Papua

With Wildcatter, Acid City, Ben Evolent, Summit and June Mills WHEN SAT 7 OCT | 9PM COST $10

We Burn Bridges and Tapestry WHEN SAT 14 OCT | 9PM COST $10

Lunch Buster and The So-called Friends WHEN SAT 21 OCT | 9PM COST $10

LOUD AT THE LIBRARY Enjoy free live music at your local library every Friday lunchtime. WHEN EVERY FRI | 12-1PM COST FREE INFO darwin.nt.gov.au/libraries

City Library 6 OCT 13 OCT 20 OCT 27 OCT

DAVID GARNHAM SCOTT MURHPY KEVIN MCCARTHY PHILIP SPENCER

Casuarina Library 6 OCT 13 OCT

WAYNE CRISTAUDO ALAN BEAZLEY

WHEN SUN 1 OCT | 2-7PM AT PINT CLUB, MARARA COST GOLD COIN DONATION INFO facebook.com/firstsunday blues

Monday Jam Nights WHEN EVERY MON | FROM 7PM AT DARWIN COMMUNITY ARTS, MALAK COST FREE INFO eo@darwincommunityarts. org.au

Darwin City Brass Band WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY TUE | 7.30-10PM 2 ABALA RD, MARARA $10 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP | $50 LEARNERS’ CLASS PER SEMESTER darwincitybrassband.org. au | 0418 857 744

Open Mic Night By The Sea WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY FRI | 7-10PM DINAH BEACH CRUISING YACHT ASSOCIATION FREE dbcya.com.au

Katherine Jam Night WHEN AT COST INFO

TUE 31 OCT | 7-9PM KATHERINE COUNTRY CLUB FREE eo@katherineregionalarts. org.au | 8971 0928

thursdaY 5-10pm sundaY 4-9pm

Free

live entertainm ent

Free

Fire show s 60+ intern ational Food stall s 100+ arts & CraFts BYo

Mindil VIP $15pp

Style! SunSet in ce d rve ViP spa · Private rese s & chairs · Styled table e · esky with ic ) ks n (ByO Dri