www.bmamag.

com

#375JULY20

TIM ROGERS FRENZAL RHOMB

Gives Canberra a good Play stupid songs with
rogering swear words in them

#374JULY06

ccc
Paul kelly songs AS
you’ve never heard them before

Meet me in the
Middle of the Air
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Foreshore Festival
2011
On Saturday November 26
Foreshore will again be held
in the Parliamentary Triangle.
Foreshore 2010 saw tickets
sell out in record time and the
“There may or may capacity crowd was treated to
stellar performances by The
not have been some
Temper Trap, Calvin Harris,
windmilling of our junk”. Tiesto, Cut Copy, Art v Science
To find out whose junk
and more. Foreshore 2011’s
turn to page 40. diverse line up of national
and international talent will
#375J U LY 2 6 be announced on Friday
July 22. Limited pre-sale
Fax: 02 6257 4361
reduced price tickets will
Mail: PO Box 713
be available exclusively to
Civic Square, ACT 2608
Foreshore website newsletter
Publisher subscribers from midday
Scott Layne Monday July 25. Subscribe
Allan Sko to the Foreshore newsletter
General Manager at foreshorefestival.com.au
Allan Sko
to score the first Foreshore
T: 6257 4360
tickets. Tickets go on sale to the
E: advertising@bmamag.com
general public 9am Thursday
Advertising Manager
Paul Foley July 28 and will be available
T: 6257 4360 online at the Foreshore site,
E: sales@bmamag.com Moshtix and Ticketek and in
store at Landspeed Records
Editor
and Parliament Clothing.
Julia Winterflood
T: 02 6257 4456 New Transit Bar site
E: editorial@bmamag.com
Transit Bar has a sexy new site,
Accounts Manager
transitbar.com.au. It’s the first
Yu Xie
port of call for all Transit gig
T: 02 6247 4816
listings, news, competitions and
E: accounts@bmamag.com
product info. They’ve also got a
Super Sub-Editor fancy little blog for interesting
Zoya Patel tidbits and fascinating
conundrums. If you’re keen to
Graphic Design
be alerted when new items
Cole Bennetts
are posted join the mailing
Exhibitionist Editor list through which they’ll have
Julia Winterflood weekly news and other bits of
The Maram with heavyweights
My Own True Love and Eyes to
the Sky on Saturday July 30.
Saturday Night Hop
Ever wanted to indulge in a
bit of nostalgia, show off a
pre-loved frock and pretend
that the world is a simple,
Christian, pre-pre-apocalypse,
post-war, optimistic, baby
booming wonder zooming into
a bright future and beyond?
Well now ya can, at Saturday
Night Hop. Get out your Bodgie
and Widgie gear, crank up your
Bill Hayley records, locate a
Brylcreem outlet, erase the last
50 years from your memory,
grow a moustache, stock up
on ultra thick frangers, refresh
your jiving skills (come an hour
early for a lesson), send your
sweetheart a corsage, burn your
Korea draft card, watch a few
episodes of Mad Men and in any
other way you feel suitable, get
ready for Saturday Night Hop.
Saturday July 30 is the date,
Corroboree Park Hall, Ainslie
the venue, and 8pm the start
time. See you there!
Skate in the City
a success
Now in its final weeks Skate
in the City has brought a much
need breath of fresh, and we
do mean fresh, air to Garema
Place. With many sessions
running close to capacity it has
exceeded all expectations of
the event organisers Canberra
CBD Limited. CEO Stephen
Gregory says, “The first year of
Skate in the City is shaping up
as a huge success. The skate
shows have been well received
and the school holiday shows
have had very strong demand.
Planning will commence almost
immediately for 2012.” Many
sessions are selling out so we
suggested you pre book at
inthecitycanberra.com.au/
skate .
Ice Cube Plays
Canberra
Rap legend Ice Cube, member
of the notorious West Coast
N.W.A crew and Hollywood
dabbler (he was in Three Kings,
remember?), will be touring
Australia this September, and
Canberra has landed a Friday
gig to boot. The tour is being
brought over by Hip Hop TV,
MTV Classic and the amusingly
named Kokyprik Records, the
same folk responsible for the
very well attended Canberra
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony gig mid
2010. The Cube will also have
fellow Westside Connection
member WC by his side and
there are unconfirmed rumours
that DJ Crazy Toones and one
of his sons will also perform (no
doubt he’ll be a chip off the old
block a yuk yuk yuk). It all plays
out at the AIS Arena on Friday
September 16. Tickets are on
sale now from Ticketek and will
set you back 88 ducats + bf.
“Now Cubey,” Ice Cube’s mother would tell him, “don’t pull faces or the wind
might change direction and you’ll be stuck like that forever...”

E: editorial@bmamag.com Transit info going out weekly.

Film Editor
Melissa Wellham
NEXT ISSUE 376 OUT AUG 03
EDITORIAL DEADLINE JULY 25
ADVERTISING DEADLINE JULY 28
Published by Radar Media Pty Ltd
ABN 76 097 301 730
BMA is independently owned and
published. Opinions expressed in BMA
are not necessarily those of the editor,
publisher or staff.
Mandala at The Maram
Fast emerging alternative rock
group Mandala are bursting
onto the live scene in 2011 after
much anticipation. The group’s
consistency in producing
big riffs, melodic vocal lines,
ambient and thought provoking
instrumental sections as well
as driving, intricate beats
establishes them as a potent
and memorable force. With a
highly energetic and hypnotic
live show, Mandala unleash at

10
 YOU
FROM THE PISSED
BOSSMAN ME OFF!
This Winter has been a cracker. It’s been proper cold (the Has someone yanked yer chain recently? Well send an email
mercury could beat Barbados Slim in a limbo contest); a vast to  editorial@bmamag.com and have your sweet vengeance.
grey canopy has perpetually stretched above us; and the air has a And for the love of God, keep it brief! [All entries contain
sharpness to it that makes everyone walk around with a face like original spellings]
a slapped arse. In short, it’s been the kind of Winter that actually Calling all members of the Borange Pants-less Brigade. Put
justifies the use of a capital W. some pants on, for all our sakes. I don’t want to see the crotch of
A lot of people don’t like the cold, and to be fair there’s a lot your knickers when you lean forward to peer in the door of the
to dislike. Any serious injury you’ve ever received in your life bar you’ve queued outside (although I guess I should be thankful
suddenly makes itself keenly known once again, as if it were that you remembered to put them on). Put your piss-flaps away!
only yesterday that Uncle Ron’s perfectly middled square cut Walking around in nothing but your jumper and a pair of stiletto
of a cricket ball gleefully introduced itself to your left testicle. ankle-boots in sub-zero temperatures has nothing to do with
Mornings are hard, having to begrudgingly peel yourself from female empowerment and everything to do with being a tragic,
the serene warmth of your bed into the icy crypt that is the rest attention-seeking bimbo whose self-worth is measured by the
of your house, only to embrace the crushingly inevitable kiss of number of free Stolis you can scam from metro meat-heads.
wrinkled feet flesh with icy bathroom tiles. And not to mention And quit whining that you’re cold. Of COURSE you’re cold -
that during these months one tends to be more mucus than man. bronze-orange might be a warm colour but it’s no substitute for
trousers. It was bad enough when you were getting about in only
But we need the cold to appreciate the warmth, to make mulled your tights but this is a whole new world of special. Even Lady
wine and hot toddys mean something. Juxtaposition after all Gaga wouldn’t nip down to the local in so little. Please. Please.
is the driving force of life; without sadness we wouldn’t know Use your brain. I know you have one (I almost caught a glimpse
happiness, without illness we wouldn’t know good health and of it through your clacker). Don’t ask your friends what they
without death blah blah blah art philo-wank you get the idea. In think about your outfit. They didn’t do you any favours last time.
short, all you need to do is approach the cold with a foolhardy So, before you head out tonight, step away from your fashion
Spirit of Adventure, because it makes simple everyday mundane magazine delusions and take a good, long look in a full-length
acts into feats of daring, heroic achievement. mirror. Right. Now turn around and lean forward…
I was reclining late one eve with the dear lady wife, when the
thought suddenly snapped into my head – as important yet half-
remembered thoughts are wont to do at the most inopportune
moments – that we had no milk for the morrow’s breakfasting. It
was a cold, dark, tempestuous eve, with an icy gale lashing a thin
layer of frost over anything it touched. It was enough to make
a grown man groan, but fortunately I am not one of those, not
mentally at least (massive balls, though… Ladies).
This was an opportunity to rug up as if preparing to battle the
South Pole and boldly stride into the cold climes of Canberra to
forage some vital milk supplies, and possibly some booze, for the
good of the family. I wasn’t Scott of the Antarctic, I was Allan of
the Scant Tar Pit (the roads near our house aren’t that great). In
summertime this would amount to a simple and, when we factor
in the booze, somewhat selfish endeavour. In Winter, it’s god
damn heroic. “I’m just going outside,” I said gravely to my wife. “I
may be some time.”
I was six minutes.
But what a six minutes it was. People at Skate in the City seem to
be embracing this policy. Despite wily winds whipping wickedly
at the extremities (occasioning 60kph with a -5 wind chill factor)
the rink arena in Garema has been selling like ice cakes. I would
argue those who embraced those Armageddon-y* climes can
attest to two things – a) the excitement and 2) how awesome it
was to get warm again, and feel the fiery embrace of a mulled
wine in the belly.
So go forth, my little Biggie Shackletons of Canberra. Take the
power back, embrace the chill, if only to appreciate how lovely it
will be to feel your fucking toes once again.
ALLAN SKO - allan@bmamag.com

*it’s a word, look it up…

Actually no, please don’t look it up just take my word for it.
11
 and
another
thing…
The following is part of an ongoing series. To catch up jump on the
BMA website, bmamag.com .
I’m struggling to believe what Bobby said 25 minutes later as we
enter the arrivals area at Copenhagen Airport. He’s refusing to
speak to me, so I can’t reason with him. I leave him at the baggage
carousel to await his Les Paul and head for a payphone. Rhona
needs to know what’s going on. “He’s fired me. I spilt coffee on his
trousers on the plane and he went ballistic.” Rhona is also now going
ballistic. The phone is eating up the only euros I brought with me and
all I’m getting is a level of abuse inversely proportional to the silent
treatment I’m being subjected to by the boss. I decide to bite the
bullet and just talk across her. “Rhona, I’m running out of money. I’m
going to find one of the TV people, get him in the limo, and then I’m
going to see if I can get an early flight home. I’ve had enough.”
“How will I contact you? How will I know if Bobby is doing what he’s
supposed to be doing?”
“You can’t and you won’t. We both left our mobiles at home because
we didn’t want to lose them somewhere. Look, I’ve got 20 euros
left. I’ll call you again once I’ve ensured he’s met up with the Danish
TV people.” When I go back and look for Bobby, he’s looking lost,
hunched up and frightened in a corner waiting for someone to take
charge of him. When he notices me he straightens himself up, and
12
his expression hardens. He joins me wordlessly and we make our
way out with a minimum of formality through customs and out onto
the concourse. As we make our way to the gaggle of chauffeurs and
cab drivers holding up signs with people’s names on them I notice
one girl who is clearly in the television industry at a low level. I hurry
away from Bobby towards her, grinning, I realise now, in a manner
that probably set her to thinking I was possibly less stable than my
charge. Still she’s a professional and she switches into job mode
with admirable swiftness as soon as she pulls herself together.
“Mister Strong! I am Lena, and I’ll be looking after you and Mr
Shrubbs today.”
Her accent makes my knees go week, but I rally admirably.
“Hello Lena. Look, there’s been a bit of a problem. Mr Shrubbs is not
feeling himself today - ” Her super-expressive face tells me she feels
Bobby’s pain. Not half as much as I do, but she feels it all the same.
“- the upshot of which is he doesn’t want me to come to the studios
with him. I’m afraid you’ll have to take charge of him on your own.”
I wouldn’t have thought it possible but her eyes have just got even
wider. Bobby is looking bewildered again, and she ushers him off
with the guy driving the people carrier, who tries to take the Les Paul
and is greeted by what can only be described as a snarl. I walk a few
paces behind whilst I give her the good oil on some of Bobby’s more
alarming foibles. This will be a good test for Lena, I’m thinking. I tell
her if anything goes badly wrong that she may be able to get hold
of me in the VIP lounge here if I can’t get on an early flight – beyond
that she’s on her own…
scott adams
thirtyyearsofrnr@hotmail.com
13
 WHO: Leo Joseph and Says Leo, “Percy Mayfield’s Specialty Records cuts from the early
Nightless Lovers ‘50s always hit me like lightning. That 1950s West Coast blues
WHAT: A Night of Percy sound and Mayfield’s lyrics about ‘50s America still ring true today.
Mayfield Tunes Maxwell Davis’ horn lines were gold then and still are today. As
WHEN: Sat July 23 a blues piano player I homed in on Willard McDaniel’s keys work.
WHERE: Tilley’s Nightless Lover was a great song and hit me as a cool name for a
band too. Nightless Lovers it had to be. Lost Love is our first CD of
Percy Mayfield tunes and we’re downright chuffed to be launching
it at Tilley’s.” Tix $15 from the venue. Doors open 6pm. No reserved
seating. Show starts at 9pm.
WHO: uniVibes So it’s easy to put on a gig these days. Find a venue, find a contact,
WHAT: Live tell ‘em you know some bands or DJs and voila: x presents y! No.
WHEN: Fri July 29 No more emptiness; real nights without pretence. Real nights
WHERE: The Clubhouse where people are alive, the music is live and the vibe is banging.
That’s what a gig should be. That’s the philosophy of Live: intense
activity though live art. Everything will be live: four fusion bands
of producers and jazz musicians, three VJs, eight painters. No
wall unmarked, no instrument idle, no person unengaged. Local
producers + School of Music + School of Art + uniVibes = Live.

WHO: Dizz1 Strictly Party and Mercury Switch present one of Australia’s illest
WHAT: Ill ambassador of ambassadors of bass and beats, Melbourne’s Dizz1. Starting off as
bass and beats a DJ he has worked and performed alongside the world’s best such
WHEN: Sat July 30 as Grand Master Flash, Jam Master Jay (RIP), Jazzy Jay, D Styles,
WHERE: Transit Bar A-Trak, Plus One, Melo D and JRocc (Beat Junkies). With his debut
solo album due to drop late 2011 keep an eye out for this man
from the land down under. Indeed, he’ll be dropping by Transit on
Sat July 30, supported by D’Opus, Faux Real, and DFP. Free entry
before 9pm, $10 after.

WHO: Lavers On July 30 Lavers will play their last headline show before heading
WHAT: Home-grown into Loose Stones Studios on the Gold Coast to record their
WHEN: Sat July 30 debut EP. The band will be joined by a range of special guests,
WHERE: The Basement including Cam McLennan, Acoustix and Activate Jetpack. LAVERS
is a melting pot of The Who, Crowded House and The Beatles,
and has a classic, anthemic sound with loads of guitars, powerful
drums, and sing-along melodies. The band spent the first half of
2011 honing their sound and growing a loyal fanbase, and are keen
to get their music to the masses. 8pm, $10.

WHO: Summernats Summernats is turning 25 in 2012, and even though “Australia’s

WHAT: Children Collide biggest horsepower party” might not be your bag, baby, Children
and Drapht Collide and/or Drapht surely are. They’re co-headlining the Friday
WHEN: Fri Jan 6, 2011 night concert, with Nat Col and the Kings supporting with their
WHERE: Exhibition Park unique blend of blues and classic rock ’n’ roll. Saturday night
will be headlined by iconic Aussie rockers The Screaming Jets,
making their second appearance at Summernats after rocking
the crowd in 2010. Summernats 25 will be held at Exhibition Park
from January 5-8 2012. For more information, visit the website at
summernats.com.au .
WHO: Comadre and Quiet Straddling the border of punk and hardcore, Comadre’s brand of
Steps music is fast and chaotic, though never at the expense of melody.
WHAT: US and Bris post- During July and August, the Californian five-piece is touring
hardcore Australia with Brisbane power-trio Quiet Steps, who trade in
WHEN: Thurs Aug 4 unbelievably anthemic post-hardcore – and, it must be said, are
WHERE: The Pot Belly, streets ahead of any other band in that realm. Their debut album
Belconnen Think Aloud remains a highlight of last year. In Canberra, the pair
of out-of-towners will be joined by locals Love Shy and Mammon.
Doors open at 8pm, entry is $15.

14
15
 ALL AGES
On Friday July 22, the Axis Youth Centre in Queanbeyan are On Friday July 29 or Saturday July 30, you can be witness to
playing host to some of Canberra’s finest metal and hardcore Untrained, a hilarious dance show coming to The Playhouse at
acts. You’ll have a chance to see Reigner, Ameliah Brown, Knives the Canberra Theatre Centre. Two highly skilled and experienced
To The Throne, Recreant, Immersion, Der Riese and Shinhan. $5 dancers will take the stage along side two with no dancing
at the door, 6pm. experience whatsoever. Untrained is guaranteed to be a great
laugh. You are going to “see dance from the inside out”. Tickets cost
You can take part in a mosh happy night of bumps, bruises and $25 (+bf) for people 15 years and under, and $35 (+bf) standard adult
sweat at the Woden Youth Centre on Friday July 29featuring price. Tickets are available from the venue. Both shows start at
Prominent local metal acts Na Maza, Friend or Enemy, Ameliah 8pm. On the Friday, whether or not you attend Untrained, at 9pm
Brown, Frostbite and Immersion. Tickets cost a cheap $5 at the you can also attend…
door, doors at 6pm. This is a strictly drug and alcohol free event.
BLAST - an exciting show celebrating the art of spoken word
poetry in all its forms, including
hip-hop, slam poetry and stand
up comedy. “Think poetry is
boring? BLAST will change this.”
This time around BLAST will
feature inspiring MC and spoken
word poet Omar Musa, poet Will
Small, actor/poet Adam Hadley,
poet Tasmin Hossein and DJ
Rush. It’s all happening at the
Link Bar in the Canberra Theatre
Centre. This is a free event for
anyone 15+.
On Tuesday August 2 you
can experience a marvellous
alternative/indie/acoustic
line-up at The Street Theatre
in the form of a triple album
launch featuring Melbourne
ambient/acoustic act Single
Twin, indie/alternative six-piece
Underlapper from Sydney and
Canberra’s very own From The
South. Tickets cost $15 for
concession and $20 full price,
available from the venue. Show
starts at 7.30pm.
Canberra fans are anxiously
anticipating Melbourne
alternative/hardcore six-
piece Dream On, Dreamer’s
Heartbound tour, in celebration
of their debut album released on
Friday August 5. The boys will
scale the east and west coasts
of the country with supporting
acts The Bride from Sydney and
Canberra’s very own Hands Like
Houses. This exciting line-up
will hit Canberra on Wednesday
August 24 at The Tuggeranong
Youth Centre. Tickets cost
$18.40 (pre-sale) from Oztix.
NAOMI FROST
allagescolumn@gmail.com

16
 LOCALITY
Easily the most popular forward in ACT history, the Public Service
Commission’s 1973 Hi! Come and join us in Canberra brochure had
the Bossman instantly trying to concoct a way to display it in full
on the BMA site. If you’ve not had the pleasure, it’s an ad to entice
young female professionals to the capital in the form of “A week in
the life of three young girls in Canberra – a typist, a stenographer
and a secretary”. A groovy ‘70s gal in flared high-waisted slacks, a
crocheted vest and chunky platforms giggles into the receiver of a
public phone under one of those now extinct clear plastic domes. It’s
Woden Plaza 38 years ago, complete with a dude in socks ‘n’ sandals
in the background. It’s hilarious. Every man has a massive moustache
and super sexy sidies, every gal has awesome bangs, and there’s
enough brown and orange to make even Justin Heazlewood jealous.
Sartorially the ‘70s is my favourite decade, and folk in the ‘Berra in
the ‘70s looked freakin’ hot, man.
Interestingly, Sydney Morning Herald reporter Jacqueline Maley
reckons It’s been more than three decades since Canberra was this
cool. This is the title of an opinion piece she wrote for the paper
published on July 13. On the cover of the brochure high-waisted slacks
gal stands on top of a pebble-crete bollard in front of Old Parliament
House. “All the better to get a view of the flat, feature-less landscape,
which is broken only by the Hume Highway, which will take them home
to Sydney,” writes Maley. Flat, feature-less landscape? The view of
the snow-sprinkled Brindabellas I got on my cycle to work the other
morning was pretty spectacular, Jacq. And it certainly wasn’t broken
by the Hume Highway, which is 50-odd ks away.
A wave of pro and anti-Canberra comments follow her piece on
the SMH site. Writes glocko from Canberra, “The journo is showing
her age here. Canberra bashing is pretty retro too – it pretty much
peeked (sic) around the time of those orange platform shoes and
crocheted vests.” Though one would actually fit right in in these retro
rags today, surely ragging on Canberra will, like snap pants, never
come back into fashion. Just as people seem to have finally grown
tired of the Sydney versus Melbourne squabble, bagging out the
‘Berra is now, I feel, a thing of the past as people have woken up to
how pointless it is.
In a piece on the same topic in The Canberra Times last weekend,
Judith Ireland wrote about how comparing Canberra and Sydney is
like comparing apples and oranges. It’s true; Canberra town and Syd
city are two completely different fruit. Some people like Pink Ladies,
some people like Valencias. Me? I like my Granny Smiths stewed
with cinnamon and cloves, dolloped on top of a bowl of steaming
porridge, devoured in the sun on my front steps while breathing in
deep the rarified air of Canberra. But just because I do doesn’t mean
I’m going to criticise a Sydney-sider’s citrus. Just as the brochure
says, “everything considered, it’s a good life in Canberra.” True then,
true now.
JULIA WINTERFLOOD
julia@bmamag.com

17

DANCE
THE DROP
What do a DJ and a jukebox have in common? If your answer was
“nothing” rather than “one takes money and the other takes drinks”,
then I think we are on the same page. The art of music manipulation
treads a perilous line between entertainment and education. On one
side of the assertion, the person lugging their well-worn record box
behind the turntables has probably been spending a great deal of
their week hunting down a bunch of exciting new records to try out
in the club, and on the other, their much anticipated set will probably
be interrupted by about 50 tipsy requests for throw-away popular
commercial cheese like Pitbull, Rihanna and David Guetta. This is
the gawky conundrum which club jockeys face up to on a daily basis,
whether to educate or to entertain.
Pred knows the correct answer to this question - both. The latest
edition to Academy’s Saturday night man-family has been given a
much lauded headline spot on the main stage on Saturday July 30
alongside regular ‘slashies’ Ashley Feraude and Jared De Veer. Fans
of exquisite facial hair and proper house music should be forming a
line already, so, what are you waiting for?
Even though we will never admit it, the InTheMix top 50 awards are
a very important time of year for all DJs. It is a chance to harness
the ostentatious glory of appearing more popular and well known
than our peers. There is something illiberally glorious about seeing
your name come up as one of the top five artists in your state that
18
facebook.com/
trinitybarcanberra
feeds the extrovert in all of us, and it is almost that time of year
again! To kick things off, Academy have solicited the services of
Victorian ‘smiley boy’ Andy Murphy to preside over the official
InTheMix awards party on Friday August 5. Don’t forget to log on to
www.inthemix.com/50 before Sunday August 14 to vote for your
favourite party starter. Last year’s national number one were our
own local lads The Aston Shuffle, it would be great if our sexy duo
were able to make it two in a row!
When the morning meander from your front door to your car incites
a severe case of facial frostbite, you know the ski silly season is in
full swing for our alpine neighbours. The Station Resort at Jindabyne
is one of the hottest venues for local and national DJ talent and
quasi-Irish pranksters The Potbelleez are appearing for an exclusive
midweek show on Wednesday August 10… I think I feel a sick day
coming on actually… *cough*.
Music wise, it’s been a mammoth month for new releases so I’ll leave
you with a few speaker busting selections for August. The Phantom’s
Revenge’s new Charlie EP is a smashing package of intense disco,
Marco V has belted out an awesome remix of Sharam Jey’s new
record More That I Do and Basskleph keeps it absolutely house-
gasmic with his new mix of fRew’s Under the Sun.
TIM GALVIN
tim.galvin@live.com.au
 together. Since then they have recorded Using synths
and drum
their debut EP, which will be released in machines, you’re
September, and they are about to embark never really sure
how a song will
on their first tour of the east coast. They’re turn out
hoping an album will also follow soon.
It’s been a huge relief to finish their EP. “It feels like we’ve been
saying for 12 months that our EP will be out next month!” says John,
“But it’s been pushed back for the right reasons and we’ve released
singles along the way.” And with more time, John feels Convaire has
developed a more thoughtful, layered sound. “We’ve developed

FLYING HIGH, SKATING LOW

from four friends just hanging out doing stuff off the wall; we don’t
rush things as much anymore, our songs are more thought out.” In
the meantime, they’ve had a lot of fun; they particularly enjoy the
zoe pleasants process of writing songs. “Using synths and drum machines, you’re
It seems that the clever folk organising UrbanIce have scored never really sure how a song will turn out!” John explains.
quite a coup. I’m not sure if they realise it, but by enticing Sydney’s
Looking back John says they are surprised at how far they’ve come
CONVAIRE down to play Canberra’s coolest music festival, they
since 2009, and “now we’re playing ice skating rinks in Canberra!”
are helping the band achieve two significant ‘firsts’– first gig at an
Back to that, what is John expecting? “Cold weather, a fresh young
ice skating rink (and really, what indie-rock-god doesn’t grow up
crowd, lots of falling over and plenty of sequins!” he responds. And
dreaming of playing ice skating rinks?) and first interstate gig. “This
of course, Convaire are the perfect ice skating sound track – “poppy,
will be the furthest out of town we’ve played, our first gig south of
great to dance to and not too in your face”, in John’s words.
Wollongong,” laughs John Towey, the band’s founding member.
But even though they’ve had early success, Convaire are not quite
Convaire are an indie-pop four-piece with a very listenable sound,
ready to give up on the real world yet. All four of them are studying
inspired by the likes of Talking Heads, Friendly Fires and Phoenix,
at university, with at least one of them studying something as
that seem to add a little bit of weekend to whatever you’re doing.
sensible as law. I, for one, hope this Convaire thing works out for
The band is made up of John on guitar, sisters Liz and Jane Slattery
them because I think the world probably has enough lawyers, but
on keyboards and synths, and Dan Talbot on bass. They formed in
there can never be enough great indie-pop groups! Check them out,
‘09, were unearthed by triple j last year and won a much-coveted
while they’re on their way up.
spot on the Parklife line-up. With eight weeks notice, Parklife
proved to be a powerful motivator helping them to bring everything Convaire play UrbanIce in Garema Place on Saturday July 23, at 10pm. For
more info head to inthecitycanberra.com.au/skate .

19
LIGHTNING ROGERS
Chiara Grassia
“It’s been a mixture of melodrama, want and revelry.” TIM ROGERS’
signature dry wit and self-deprecating charm is all there, surreally
crackling down my phone line, as he chats about his current national
solo tour. “It’s been good, been trying to make every night different.
The challenge is always... I mean, it’s just you and an instrument, and
you want to do something that is more than the sum of its meagre
parts, you know? And you
It’s like, why should throw some other elements
we spend time in there, whether it’s rouge
making music for our storytelling or physical
heads when we can comedy, and that’s been
make music for our working so far… Depending
gorgeous, middle- on my experiences during the
aged bodies? day, really.”
Rogers has recently written the music for the play The Story of
Mary Mclane by Herself, which will be performed in Melbourne
later this year. “I like the discipline of theatre. I’ve tried to discipline
myself in music at times, and try to create something more visceral
and nasty and joyous because often when you’ve got structure
around you it gives you, strangely enough, the opportunity to do
something wilder… I’m picking up little chords, little tricks, and often
when writing for myself I won’t do it as myself, I’m still in character.
Which is good – I’ve been sick of myself since 1995, so to write as
somebody else is liberating.”
With his forays into the world of theatre, Rogers has also piled his
plate high with contributions to a film soundtrack, upcoming acting
roles and even a bit of lecturing, as well as forming yet another
band, this time a honkytonk outfit. The Hillbilly Killers, consisting
of himself, Catherine Britt and Bill Chambers, will be recording
an album together in a few weeks, which Rogers enthuses about.
“We’re writing all our own songs, so that’s kind of a mixture of great
dexterous playing and down and dirty honkytonk music, so I’m really,
really, really excited about that. ‘Cause I’m not the guy, I’m not Tim
Rogers, I’m Lightning Rogers or something.”
And stepping back into full Tim Rogers mode, You Am I have plans
to tour and record in America later this year. You Am I’s new album,
Roger notes, is set to be “a high energy record more than anything. A
record that we can just go out and play the whole thing and not really
think about it, just down and dirty… We’re physically really capable.
It’s like, why should we spend time making music for our heads when
we can make music for our gorgeous, middle-aged bodies?” As far
as a new solo album goes, Rogers admits there is one already in the
works. “I might do some recording with a producer in the states. I’ve
done a lot of writing for it, particularly at the moment, a lot of really
good songs... Bit of a purple patch at the moment.”
Purple patch? I ask.
“Yeah, nothing like hard times to bring out good music.”
Tim Rogers will be rolling into town on Sunday July 24, to play Transit Bar.
Tickets are through Moshtix for $28.50.
20
THE WAY IT IS, NOW
JUSTIN HOOK
It’s not often you hear a musician admit they had no idea what they
were doing when their songs top international charts for months
on end, sell in the millions and produce a Grammy or two. And it’s
not that BRUCE HORNSBY (and his then-band The Range) didn’t
appreciate his massive 1986 album and title-track The Way It Is
ushering him into the public consciousness, it’s just that, well, it was
a fluke as Hornsby explains. “Yes, a wonderful accident. One BBC DJ
liked that one song and it then became a big hit in England… then
Holland… then the rest of the world.”
What made the experience even more perplexing for the talented
multi-instrumentalist was that the songs were not exactly standard
commercial radio fodder. “One
There was nothing song – Valley Road – was about a
like a Grateful Dead
concert. So much of girl who gets knocked-up and sent
that was just about to a school for unwed mothers and
the scene. Hell, just it has McCoy Tyner jazz solos over
the parking lot was rock beats. Then another song – The
amazing Way It Is – was about the civil rights
movement, and had not one but two
of these sort of solos. These were not formulaic pop records.”
Having chart-topping singles in the mid ‘80s meant you also became
part of that club – the middle-of-the-road club. It never sat easily
with Hornsby. “As a result, people who didn’t really know us just
typecast us as a Top 40 group when in reality we were much more.
But when you have such success in that area there’s a whole group
of people that write you off as that. And so frankly I spent my first
five years having those, then the next 20 years pushing back against
that perception and mindset.”
Pushing back for Hornsby meant disbanding The Range in the early
‘90s, collaborating with bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs, scoring
Spike Lee’s Kobe Bryant doco and playing with his old band mates
from Grateful Dead in the various reformed versions (The Dead and
The Other Ones) after Jerry Garcia’s 1995 death. Hornsby’s time
with Grateful Dead in the early ‘90s was fruitful for the band – they
became late-career stadium superstars in that era. “There was
nothing like a Grateful Dead concert. So much of that was just about
the scene. Hell, just the parking lot was amazing. It was the best
party you could go to. Now the children of the scene spawned this
jam band community and scene.”
In fact it’s that scene (Phish, Dave Matthews, Bonnaroo Festival, et
al) where Hornsby and his new band, The Noisemakers, feel most at
home. As he explains, soon after the release of a double live album
documenting their 2007 - 2009 tour, “We’re moving our scene a
little more toward the dancing community. We enjoy playing for that
crowd way more than the lime-green golf pants community crowd. It
just seemed like we were in the wrong place. That crowd were there
for a nostalgic night out, a stroll down memory lane and that’s not
what I do as a musician.”
Bride of the Noisemakers is out now through 429 Records, and available
from all good record stores.
21
SINGLE AND SOLO
peter krbavac
Though Marcus Teague has only just released his first solo album, he
has been operating as something of a lone creative force for years.
For well over a decade, he was the frontman, driving force and the
only constant member of Melbourne indie rock moodists Deloris,
who split in 2008. For the last six years, Marcus has been working on
a series of solo recordings, which were recently released under the
SINGLE TWIN banner.
Marcus Teague, the album, is based around an acoustic guitar and
a voice, occasionally augmented with strings, percussion and other
instruments. “Even though it’s about trying to set a mood with music,
part of the project is to focus
You might have the best on the lyrics,” Marcus says. “I
lyrics in the world … but feel like lyrics are at least a
if people listen to it and
they go ‘I don’t like the signpost to what people are on
beat, this song sucks’, about and if people aren’t on
there’s not much you can about anything, or in my mind
do about it it doesn’t suit the music that
they’re doing, then it really
annoys me. That’s not to say I don’t like a dance song which is just
someone yelling ‘Shake your arse’ over and over again. If that works
for the song, that’s great.”
This isn’t an arrangement that will suit every listener, he concedes.
“Especially with Deloris, I learnt that some people just don’t listen
to lyrics. You might have the best lyrics in the world … but if people
listen to it and they go ‘I don’t like the beat, this song sucks’, there’s
not much you can do about it.”
While his last Canberra performance as part of the Peking Spring
festival was a solo affair, this time around Marcus is presenting
Single Twin in full technicolour five-piece glory. “When I say a
five-piece, it’s not like we’re all bashing away at the same time,” he
clarifies. “It’s definitely not like a rock band or anything. It’s hard
not to sound pompous talking about this sort of stuff, but I guess
I approach it like a soundtrack. There are key atmospheres that
people are making behind the nuts and bolts of the acoustic song
that I’m playing. We’ve only done one proper show, which was just
before the album came out and that was one of my favourite shows
ever, so hopefully we can continue that through NSW and the ACT.”
Marcus is particularly looking forward to returning to The Street
Theatre, which has become one of his favoured places to play. While
he says the setting - pin-drop silence and the glare of the spotlight
- is confronting, he relishes the challenge. “It’s dead quiet between
songs and it forces you to assess what you’re doing on a stage with
performing or with your music. It’s like a job interview or something,”
he chuckles. “I don’t know about Deloris in the early days but I quite
like that now. It’s like a test. I’m looking forward to seeing how I deal
with it.”
Single Twin plays The Street Theatre on Tuesday August 2 with
Underlapper and From the South. Tickets are $20 or $15 concession from
thestreet.org.au. Marcus Teague is out now through Remote Control.
22
SOFTLY SPRUNG
ALISTAIR ERSKINE
Sydney band Underlapper were there on one of those nights you
never forget – a government changed, a community rejoiced, and a
famous film critic kissed me. This wasn’t unusual though as you would
normally get to see UNDERLAPPER three times a month without even
trying. Until they stopped. I didn’t get the memo, and just assumed
they must have gone touring or something, but I asked guitarist,
singer and keyboard player Greg Stone what was actually going on,
and it turns out they had their reasons…
“One of the main reasons
The hard thing is we stopped playing live
after such a long
was that one of the guys
went overseas – we
time, you have to had started the initial
get back into the recordings so we got
swing of playing Morgan to do all of his
parts before he left,
live again and we kept in touch
via email. [Taking the
break from playing live] was almost a blessing really as it did give us
time to focus on the recording, and not have to scramble to put a live
show together… But then I guess the hard thing is after such a long
time, you have to get back into the swing of playing live again, which
definitely took a little while.”
Softly Harboured is a record of dichotomies – from the electronic to
the mostly traditional instruments, from the soft to the screaming. It
takes concepts found in their early work, but adds a whole bunch of
elements too. “ Probably half the album was written whilst we were
playing live on the back of Red Spring, so any of the songs that really
have a kind of live band feel are the ones we wrote and were playing
live before we actually went in to record them. But with the other half
of the album, we would go into the studio, kind of like we did with Red
Spring, and really work on the electronics.”
One of the beautiful aspects of their latest album is that the vinyl
release comes in an array of four different sleeved, interactive
designs that have a layer you can scratch off. Your humble reporter
broaches the subject by telling Greg that as much as I love the
interactive element, the collector in me doesn’t want to scratch
anything off the cover.
Greg laughs, “I haven’t even done it to one, either! The initial idea
was to get some designers to create some alternate sleeves, which
was a successful proposal that I put to the Australia Council for
the Soundclash grant. Then when we got all the artists together,
one of the guys had the concept with the scratch off layer and the
interaction, and everyone thought that would be a great basis. Once
the concept was there, we all stood back and let them run with it and
we are really, really happy with the results.”
You will be able to get one of these glorious albums when Underlapper play
on Tuesday August 2 at The Street Theatre, with Single Twin and From The
South. For more info head to thestreet.org.au .
E X H I B I T I O N I S T
A MEETING OF
MUSICAL MINDS
BEN HERMANN
It takes a musician of great confidence yet great humility to entrust
their work to another musician for interpretation and re-creation;
to allow their songs to be reassembled, their stories re-told, and
the accompanying emotions completely reinvented. It’s no great
surprise then that one of Australia’s most beloved musicians, Paul
Kelly, did exactly that - handing over to acclaimed composer and
pianist Paul Grabowsky a collection of his most spiritual and biblical-
themed songs to be re-written by Grabowsky for performance by a
group of over 19 musicians. The result, MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE AIR, is a “secular revival meeting” (in the words of Grabowsky),
seeing Kelly’s songs, as re-written by Grabowsky, performed by
himself, Grabowsky, the Australian Art Orchestra, the Choir With No
Name and – sharing lead vocal duties with Kelly – the renowned Bull
sisters, Vika and Linda (pictured below).
Vika and Linda have worked with Kelly in various capacities for
over 20 years, and have performed both as backing vocalists (first
coming to prominence with Joe Camilleri’s band The Black Sorrows)
and singers in their own right. Collaboration on such a large scale,
however, is a first for them both. “We haven’t sung with an orchestra
before, apart from Carols in the Domain,” says Linda, “and this is
completely different. Their arrangements [the AAO] are dense and
the time signatures change a lot. You really have to concentrate to
know when to come in.” Vika continues, “Yeah, it’s definitely daunting,
but you just have to do your homework and learn your songs. At
first I thought I wouldn’t be heard, with that many people on stage,
but they’re such amazing musicians that nothing at all is lost in the
sound. One second it will be really loud, and the next, you’ll be able to
hear a pin drop.”
The production was first performed at the Adelaide Cabaret
Festival in 2006, and has since toured Melbourne’s Hamer Hall
and the Sydney Opera House – not a bad sojourn, for a concert
premised on spiritual and biblical songs written by an Atheist rock/
folk musician and subsequently infused with Cuban salsa, reggae,
dixieland and gospel arrangements.
“Paul [Kelly] took his songs to Paul [Grabowsky], and Paul [G]
rearranged them, and wrote the parts for the chorus and the
orchestras,” says Vika, explaining the writing and collaboration
process. “Grabowsky sent everyone a tape or CD with what he’d
written, then Vika and I came in and workshopped it with the two
Pauls. We all sat around Paul’s piano and decided how to attack it.”
Kelly is said to have baulked at some of Grabowsky’s arrangements
initially, but ultimately trusted his vision and that of the AAO, who
were not hesitant to make their opinions heard during the process.
“The first time we worked with them [the AAO] was at the Adelaide
Cabaret Festival, the first time we did the show,” says Linda. “They’re
really naughty but really fantastic. They’re rather mischievous and
certainly vocal about their ideas, but they’re extremely talented to
match. It’s one thing to have an opinion, and another to be able to
pull it off.”
“Worse than bloody rock musicians, I’d say!” adds Vika.
Vika and Linda first met Kelly when working with Archie Roach in
the late 1980s. They’ve since collaborated with Kelly in a variety of
forms, from singing as backing vocalists on his albums and on tour,
to having him produce their records, and performing his songs in
their own band. In Meet Me In The Middle Of The Air, however, the
girls share lead vocals with Paul, a role which has given Kelly’s songs
a new release, but which was also, understandably, a somewhat
scary prospect for Linda and Vika.
“We’ve worked with Paul a lot before, but normally we back him up
in his band. This is a bit heavier a role, it’s a little nerve-racking,” says
Linda. “Paul’s very good though, in that he’ll give you a song and let
you have a bash at it. We’ll have a conversation about where we want
the song to go, but he’ll let you interpret it in your own way, and give
you advice.” Vika goes on, “Sometimes I sit down and think ‘Oh shit,
I’m singing Paul’s songs and he’s right there. I better not fuck it up!’
But then, I remind myself that he wouldn’t have asked us to sing with
him if he didn’t think we could do the job.”
Despite their long relationship, neither Vika nor Linda can put their
finger on a standout memory of Kelly. Instead, it has been Kelly’s
influence on their careers and their own songwriting that has made
the greatest impression on the sisters. “He’s just been so open to
sharing his songs with us and giving us his beautiful music over the
years,” says Linda.
“It’s funny, the thing I love the most, and that I’ll always remember,
is sitting around a table and writing songs with him,” says Vika. “He
loves food, so perhaps that’s part of it; his kids running around the
table, us all eating
lunch, having a few
beers and writing
some songs –
that’s my fondest
memory.”
Meet Me In The
Middle Of The Air
plays out at The
Canberra Theatre
on Friday July 29.
Tickets, sadly, are
sold out.
23
E X H I B I T I O N I S T

A TRILOGY OF IDENTITIES
jess stone
This August, the award winning QL2 DANCE ENSEMBLE is back
again with their triple-bill Identify. Always a delight to watch,
QL2 Dance Inc (previously Quantum Leap with The Australian
Choreographic Centre) has become a Canberran institution over its
11 years, and is one of few youth dance companies in Australia. Past
‘Leapers’ have gone on to perform in some of Australia’s top dance
companies (from Bangarra to Australian Dance Theatre) and even
become Hollywood stars.
Unlike many creative endeavours aimed at youth, QL2 does not
patronisingly problematise the experience of teens, and focus
on sex, drugs and alcohol. Instead, it strives to find issues which
genuinely concern everybody, and youth no less than the rest of us.
As a result, QL2 is now renowned for tackling difficult themes, from
the history of Australians at war in their award-winning Reckless
Valour, or the complexities of a multicultural modern Australia in My
Sister, My Brother.
This year is no different, and Identify looks at how identity is
constructed and re-imagined throughout life, and particularly how
turbulent and changeable identity can be for teens. Intellectually
and creatively the pieces are shaped by dancers themselves, and
it is their stories and experiences which provide material for the
choreographers.
It opens with Jodie Farrugia’s The Land is Calling, which examines
how immigration has shaped Australia, from the genocide of the
Indigenous population to current racial vilification. Next is Adam
Wheeler’s Precipice, a collaboration between QL2 dancers and
Bangkok Dance Academy which debuted in Thailand this January.
It explores how young people deal with external expectations, and
the boundaries that they either challenge or accept. The final work is
Anton’s Digital Face, which looks at how identities are constructed
visually online.
The artistic director Ruth Osborne is adamant that contemporary
dance is accessible and interesting. She has made a career of
introducing young people to an art form that most adult Australians
feel is intellectually and creatively out of their reach. TV shows like
So You Think You Can Dance have popularised dance, but not beyond
high-kicks and back-flips. QL2 does not pander to the assumption
that audiences can only understand obvious movements performed
to popular songs which do all the work of explaining the message.
QL2 succeeds in expressing the power of dance as a medium, and
more importantly, the power of this art form to transform and
impact the lives of young people today.
Identify is showing at The Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre from
Wednesday August 3 to Saturday August 6. Tickets are from $20, and are
available from ql2.org.au .

24

LEADING THE JAZZ NATION
josh becker
Canberra’s strong but underrated jazz scene has slowly been
bubbling away and recently a partnership between the ANU School
of Music and The Street Theatre has produced an exciting nine
day jazz program. THE CAPITAL JAZZ PROJECT is brimming with
interesting performances that will showcase Canberra’s great
jazz scene alongside a stellar national and international line-up. I
met with Caroline Stacey, co-curator, who explained, “Why are we
doing it? Because we are excited by what happens here artistically
and we just wanted to bring it into focus. We have a high end jazz
educational institution and we have an audience that can appreciate
the complexities around the form.”
What is most interesting about the program is the deliberate blend
of ANU students with national and international jazz musicians.
There will be two artists in residence - John Riley, renowned jazz
drummer and educator as well as Bill Cunliffe, Grammy award
winning composer and arranger. Both will be working with the ANU
Big Band and Commercial Band to present a program of Cunliffe’s
work. Stacey says this integration is at the core of The Capital Jazz
Project from “the opening night which will feature Rachel Thoms
and Luke Sweeting who are launching an album and supporting
Australian jazz icon Vince Jones… It’s about creating a showcase
environment, it’s about students being able to make contacts and
it’s about audiences really extending their knowledge and their
intersection with a whole range of artists.”
The focus is not just on School of Music students - there will be
performances from faculty members and more than a few alumni
will return to Canberra to showcase their current bands, including
the super modern New York influenced Carl Morgan Band and the
rollicking jazz-a-billy of Zoe and The Buttercups. Capital Jazz will
reconfigure The Street Theatre to create a jazz club atmosphere.
Stacey explains, “The smaller and more intimate Street 2 will be
set up like a jazz club with tabled seating and a little bar to provide
a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere to watch a really diverse
range of artists, from the sort of kick ass Subterraneans to the
more ambient Misinterpretato from Brisbane.”
Stacey suggests while mainstream modern jazz is at the core
of the program, Capital Jazz does push in all sorts of interesting
directions including Inform, a cross platform work from Fran Swinn,
the APRA Composer Commission for the Melbourne Fringe Festival
in 2010. The piece combines the improvised jazz of the Fran Swinn
quartet with improvisations from Circuz Oz aerialist Rockie Stone.
This ambitious new festival is a celebration of jazz in Canberra
and around Australia. It has a strong and diverse line-up that could
become a great fixture on the national cultural calendar.
The Capital Jazz Project will run from Saturday July 30 to Sunday August
7. Tickets range from between $10 and $37, and can be booked through
thestreet.org.au .
25
E X H I B I
MELTING BARRIERS
glen martin
When discussing the future, often the promise doesn’t live up to the
eventual reality. As the saying goes, we should be commuting via
jetpack by now. Similarly, when it comes to art in a web environment,
the idea often trumps the reality – offers of accessibility, a
democratic exhibition platform and a new language for reading and
seeing how art works frequently end up being another disposable
web experience with no real substance. Which is why ART MACHINE
is a notable event, summoning the best of the physical and online
worlds to create a new kind of exhibition experience.
“The idea behind the Art Machine exhibition is to develop a show
that pits coded art machines against the text, image, video and
sound content submitted to the exhibition via the website,” says
curator Chris Fulham. The show, both a physical exhibition running
26
T I O N I S T
at the ANU School of Art Gallery and online at artmachine.tv, is
an example of the web and the physical world integrating, and
a comment on the increasing crossover between the ‘real’ and
the ‘virtual’. In a world full of imagery, Art Machine is a show that
embraces overload.
“Art Machine removes curatorial influence by accepting all the
digital content submitted and using it in the exhibition. The content
providers are not aware of the how the machines will operate and
the coders of the machines are not aware of the specific content
their machines will operate on,” says Fulham. “This situation will
continue to run live for the duration of the three week exhibition and
visitors will be able to contribute to and experience the Art Machine
as a constantly evolving and shifting experience.”
Fulham, an experienced curator and ANU academic, has built a
structure which challenges the traditional idea of exhibiting within
a gallery context – gone is the notion of the carefully constructed
narrative or uniting umbrella, replaced by the chaos of a continuing
stream of images. “I wanted to create an exhibition that would
both surprise and engage. I also wanted to develop a mechanism
for anyone to contribute digital content to the show. I am also
quite interested in the digital media that sits around unseen on
our hard-drives and will most likely never see the light of day. I
love that with Art Machine we can create new work and submit
it for exhibition anonymously or under our names. Art Machine
presents an opportunity to be surprised and engaged with every
visit. It also presents an opportunity for anyone to contribute
digital content and be part of the show. Art Machine is public based
artwork and represents a form of art that has a curious place in the
contemporary art landscape.”
Art Machine will be running at the ANU School of Art Gallery until Saturday
July 30. More information is available at artmachine.tv .
 ARTIST PROFILE: What’s your opinion of the local scene? There’s always something
going on and at the same time it’s easy to keep track of. On the other

Sacha Jeffrey hand I’d love to get caught up in it in a bigger city.

What are your upcoming performances/exhibitions? My work is
exhibited in perpetuity in cyberspace at www.sachajeffrey.com .
What do you do? I make graphic artworks on paper. My aim is to
interpret and provide comment on the world as I see it. I try to hide End transmission.
my work’s meanings in allegory until they’re almost unidentifiable. I
Contact info: sacha.j@live.com.au
work with collage, inks and prints.
When did you get into it? I think I’ve always communicated better
through drawing and making art. It’s an independent pursuit and
I think everybody should have their own; whether it’s drawing,
reading, walking, we all need a natural and cathartic way to wile away
a few hours in a day.
Who or what influences you as an artist? Satirists, modern design
aesthetics, artists; Picasso, Goya, Hodgkin, Basquiat, Daumier,
Bourgeois, Whiteley, Kara Walker, Clemente among many.
What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so far?
Maybe not proudest but probably biggest in terms of cumulative
years; turning a four-year degree into six years.
What are your plans for the future? To live and work as freely
as possible, creating my own work and also projects where I
collaborate with others. The dream is obviously to be sustained by
my work. I am also interested in conservation and restoration.
What makes you laugh? Costanza.
What pisses you off? The ‘red tape’.

27
28
29
E X H I B I
bit PARTS
WHO: Two pros and two non-pros
WHAT: Untrained
WHEN: Fri-Sat July 29-30
WHERE: The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre
Locals Allan Marc Raeyers and Richard Merzian have been
selected to perform in Lucy Guerin Inc’s acclaimed Untrained at
The Playhouse. Untrained, conceived and directed by Melbourne
based Lucy Guerin, brings together four men on a stage. Two
are highly skilled, professional dancers who have performed
in theatres across Australia and internationally, and two have
no dance training whatsoever. Not your average contemporary
dance experience, Untrained is a quirky and irreverent theatrical
exploration. Each performer responds to a series of written
instructions ranging from the banal to the hilarious. The complex,
refined movements one can do with ease another can only
approximate – but how they approach each task, even how they
walk and stand – reveals an intimate portrait of each man’s
character. Tix through the venue.
WHO: Students from ACT Government Schools
WHAT: Step into the Limelight
WHEN: Wed Aug 3, 7pm and Thurs Aug 4, 11am & 7pm
WHERE: Royal Theatre
The theme for 2011 is Seasons and will feature the premiere of
Seasons, a play written for Step into the Limelight by Jessica
Bellamy and developed in conjunction with Zen Zen Zo, DNA Aerial
Dance Studios, Ainslie School and the ANU School of Music. It will
also feature a strong line-up of instrumental and vocal musical
performances, energetic displays of talent across many dance
styles including hip-hop, aerial and contemporary, theatrical
performances including dramatic pieces created in conjunction
with Free Rain Theatre Company, digital media work from student
animators, filmmakers and photographers and much more. Tix
through Ticketek.
30
T I O N I S T
WHO: Corinbank
WHAT: Call for artists
WHEN: Now!
WHERE: corinbank.com
Corinbank is a music and arts festival held in the Brindabella
Mountains with an emphasis on active participation and the
environment, and the fourth instalment is from Friday-Sunday
March 2-4 2012. Corinbank is seeking expressions of interest from
visual artists keen to stamp their mark on the festival. They are
looking to adorn the stages, entertainment areas, bars, walk ways
and bushland with a broad range of locally produced visual art of
varying scales in a variety of mediums. They are also interested
in hearing from artists keen to host ‘crafternoon’ workshops
in advance of the festival to produce community works for the
site. Bounce your ideas and suggestions with Maria Koulouris at
visualarts@corinbank.com .
WHO: Hip-hoppers, actors and poets
WHAT: Blast
WHEN: Fri July 29, 9.30pm, 15+
WHERE: Link Bar, Canberra Theatre Centre
Blast, the coolest event to hit Canberra Theatre Centre this year
returns for round two, and this time it’s free! If you missed round
one, Blast is an energetic and high octane night of words, poetry
and hip-hop in the Canberra Theatre Centre’s Link Bar at the special
time of 9.30pm. Blast features a mixed line-up of hip-hop, acting and
poetry artists and Blast favourites Omar Musa, Adam Hadley and
DJ Rush will be returning, this time teamed up with MC and poets
Will Small and Tasnim Hossain. Punters can expect to see spoken
word performances that are more akin to an energetic narration,
which incorporate moving poems about consciousness, confession,
religion, politics, sex and gender. Do not miss.
WHO: Ash Keating
WHAT: Activate 2750 exhibition
WHEN: Now until Sat Aug 20
WHERE: CCAS, Gorman House
Rubbish is a daily part of our lives. We buy, we eat, we consume, then
we discard. Ash Keating is a Sydney based artist who is determined
to alert us to the whole process, including the negative parts we
tend to ignore, and the inevitable build up of waste which is kept out
of sight and out of mind. In early 2009 Keating undertook a large-
scale installation and performance project in Sydney’s Western
district. Where it had a direct affect on the local population, Keating
recorded the project in film and photography to reach a wider
audience, and it is this work which will be the focus of Activate 2750
at CCAS.
WHO: Mariana del Castillo and Paula Hilyard
WHAT: Exhibition Something and Nothing
WHEN: Now until Sun July 31
WHERE: ANCA Gallery
Something and Nothing is an exhibition by Mariana del Castillo and
Paula Hilyard, and is informed by their immigration from Ecuador
and Jamica and the history of the women in their families. Both their
mothers worked with textiles and sewing was a large component of
their lives. These cultural and personal associations permeate and
intertwine in their works. It is very much women’s business. Their
borderline obsession with finding the relevant found objects and the
never ending search for them plays a major role in the composition
of this exhibition. The opening is at 6pm on Wednesday July 20.
STILL SHINING
LAUREN BICKNELL
When life gave AUSTIN BUCKETT some unsatisfying lemons he
decided to make experimental lemonade. In 2009 he wrote an hour-
long piece of music for the Silo String Quartet based in Melbourne,
but something in the end result wasn’t quite sitting right. “I was
really quite depressed about it for a while and then I just got back
into it and I was like ‘there’s actually some ok material in here – what
if I just take the bits that stand out to me and try to intensify them?’”
he says. And so began a post-production process that gave his major
solo work new life.
Stuttershine was nearly two long years in the making and it’s now
just days away from being
I probably couldn’t released. While it could be
delve into exactly called ‘new music’ or, more
what genre I would generally, experimental, Austin
call it but it would be prefers to avoid giving it a
interesting to see category. “I probably couldn’t
what genre peo ple delve into exactly what genre
I would call it but it would be
thin k it is
interesting to see what genre
people think it is.” To give
you an idea, though, he referred to some of his influences such as
classical music, electronica, artists such as Flying Lotus, Autechre
and Chris Abrahams.
His classical influences mostly lie in string instruments but it was
Chris Abrahams’ approach to music that really shone through in
Austin’s album. “His work never sounds obliged to go anywhere
or sort of build to a particular peak… you begin to focus on the
momentum of the music and the quality of the sound as opposed
to being involved in the music going somewhere in this traditional
sense of building towards a climax.” He said he enjoyed being able to
simply explore ideas and sounds rather than feel like he had to take
them to a particular place.
While the album doesn’t follow some of the more traditional
approaches to music, emotion and romanticism were not entirely
removed from what you’ll hear. However, Austin said those emotions
will just be a bit more subtle compared to his other work and
compared to what most of us are used to hearing.
Austin is mostly known for his work with local groups Pollen Trio
and Kasha but he’s also got his finger in a few other pies at any given
time. As well as launching Stuttershine, he’s currently in the process
of writing something for Decibel – a band from WA who took the
stage with Pollen Trio during the Peking Spring festival earlier this
year. “This piece will be premiered [in] a concert called Camera
Obscura which is to do with the relationships with image and sound.”
The two-part gig launching Stuttershine will feature Austin’s solo
piano work and then piano, strings and electronic music featuring
excerpts from the CD.
Stuttershine will be launched on Thursday July 28 at The Loft in Dickson.
For more info, head to austinbuckett.com .
OUT OF THE GATE, INTO THE RACE
palimah panichit
Like their name suggests, DARKHORSE are an enigmatic force in
Canberra – an electronic psychedelic act that have seemingly risen
out of the ether to confound and coax audiences with esoteric
sampling and skuzzed-out progressive beats. It is immediately
possible to pick out parallels of duality in their image – their debut
double EP, Little Smoke, Big Smoke, and the fact that Darkhorse is a
duo, for two.
However, to delve deeper is to realise how far this duality goes.
A thorough listen to the EP will lead the listener down markedly
different terrain with each part, yet both divisions are able to
stand up on their own. Together, they reveal exquisite yin and
yang flavoured electronica with an organic soul – and their image
coalesces. Bayard Condon, the man
Not everyone is behind the boards and the inception of
going to see the Darkhorse, explains that the dichotomy
same thing or feel
the same way – but evolved naturally. “Basically the idea
some people get it is that both halves of the album are
spinning in time together. They’re
opposite but they’re also ultimately connected. It wasn’t something
that was planned from the beginning, but it emerged as the only
natural option. We spend a lot of time contemplating things,” he
finishes, laughing.
Louis Capezio, Darkhorse’s guitarist, says that most of their music
is based in improvisation, despite their electronic nature. “There’s
always some sort of vibe going around in a song, especially if you’re
making it up as you go along. I’d say there’re definitely times when
you’re thinking about something while you’re playing – you’re not
necessarily thinking about what you’re playing, but then maybe that
could transpose itself into the song. Not everyone is going to see
the same thing or feel the same way – but some people get it.”
Bayard agrees, with an addendum, “There are emergent things in the
creative process, and also specific things that we want to achieve.
I think samples helped us especially, because the way we use them
are like lyrics that we haven’t necessarily written ourselves.” Bayard
also recalls their landmark first gig with clarity – considering it
wasn’t that long ago. “Me and Louis met up a few days before and
we wrote the set in turbo. I decided I’d open the set with this two-
minute speech about the future of mankind and stuff. It purveyed
something that we wanted people to be thinking about while we
played. It kind of set us up and permeated the whole set with a
feeling. I painted a big wall that we were playing behind, that day. We
were playing behind this black pyramid with two giant hands with
lights coming out of them.
“Afterwards, it was like we’d been born as a band. We’d just played a
show and it was inordinately huge, so many people rocking out – for
a band, that’s really lucky, it boosts your confidence… Me and Louis
were like ‘I can’t believe we pulled that off’.”
Darkhorse are releasing Little Smoke, Big Smoke on Saturday July 23 at
The Front, with Teddy Trouble, East River, and Broadcasting Transmitter.
Doors open at 8pm, entry is $5.
31
canberra roller derby
league

JAZZ, BLUES AND JUJU

Sinead O’Connell
Despite many reviews and critics placing MOJO JUJU on par with
leads from the jazz age, she humbly denies any such acquaintances.
Instead she honours the heroics of the blues era and admits that
what she’s attempting to create is a derivative of that same frontier.
When I asked her if she really thinks we are on the front of a new
jazz age, she lyrically and articulately provided her opinion. “Blues is
now simply reinterpreted. It’s being done in a contemporary fashion,
taking the essence of jazz and blues, not necessarily in a purist
sense, and generating the atmosphere that people love the most.
It’s about wanting to create something that moves people.”
Although now
Jazz is what embarking on a
speaks to me solo music project,
an entity that
more than draws inspiration
anything else from film noir and
Latin American
Pachuco culture
of the 1930s and ‘40s, Juju talked briefly and fondly of the festival
experience with her Snake Oil Merchant friends who are basically
family. Performing at Woodford and Bluesfest with the Snake Oil
Merchants taught her “a lot about how to collaborate, compromise
and trust other people with your creations”. For her the “songwriting
and creative process…happens alone. Songwriting is such an
intimate process, so to hand it over to others to scrutinise can
be daunting”.
The singer-songwriter grew up on jazz as a kid, saying she
rediscovered her roots and her jazz soul after straying from it in her
teens. “For me, jazz is what speaks to me more than anything else.”
So coupled with a passion for Twin Peaks and Harlem in 1934, Juju’s
craft in the genre is certainly well refined.
The album name, A Horse Named Regret, tells an incredible tale
about a man who bets his life savings on a horse named Regret, only
to win, and then lose it all to the vultures of life’s enigma. In the end,
the only thing he is left with is the story of how he won a fortune on
a horse named Regret. Juju’s aptness for heartbreaking honesty
and lyrical prowess would place her comfortably in the company
of vocalists like Billie Holiday, Etta James and Bessie Smith. So too
could she hold her own at a poker table with eccentrics like Cab
Calloway and Jay Hawkins. A testimony to her incredible charisma
and fortitude for jazz music is only too recognisable in her incredible
songs. Expect a gin house cavalcade that will tell romantic stories
with morals, that have nothing to do with virtue, about lost and
confused souls and indifferent lovers.
A Horse Named Regret has been hailed as “A fine and soulful album
full of drama, vocal precision and musical variety”, which is what we
have all come to learn is the characteristic mystery of Mojo Juju.
Mojo Juju will be causing many a swoon on Thursday July 28, when she
plays Transit Bar. Tickets are $13.10 through Moshtix.

32
LONE FLOWER
alisha evans
A simple flower growing from the mud of the Queensland floods
in Brisbane would seem unremarkable to most but for CATHERINE
TRAICOS it was significant. Catherine was touring just two weeks
after the floods devastated Queensland and noticed the flame lily
or Gloriosa Superba, the national flower of her country of birth,
Zimbabwe. The songstress was so inspired she named her latest
album Gloriosa. “I saw the flower as a metaphor for art; it’s an
opportunity for regrowth. It was really inspiring to see the land
recovering so quickly.”
She is currently touring the
I saw the flower album with her band The Starry
as a metaphor Night and will be in Canberra
for art; it’s an on Saturday July 23. Life in
opportunity for Zimbabwe was sheltered for
regrowth Catherine. She went to an all-
girls school where art was not
allowed. She did, however, learn
piano from an early age and was introduced to Elvis, The Beatles
and Motown by her parents. “School in Zimbabwe was uptight and I
didn’t think it was possible to be a composer.”
After moving to Australia at 18, Catherine saw her friends in bands
and was really inspired. She taught herself to play guitar and started
singing and composing music. Catherine was also shocked to
discover the truth about Zimbabwe. She found out that just down
the road from her school, young boys were being taught to fight and
be guerrillas. “I found out all this stuff about Zimbabwe and it was a
complete eye opener. It made me feel an incredible amount of guilt,
shame and anger.”
These feelings have been channelled into her music and the songs
are often inspired by Catherine’s emotions, relationships with
herself, others and also places. Her favourite track on Gloriosa
is Magic Water, which is written to the rhythm of Tibetan heart
meditation. She used this mediation to work through her emotions
and relationships, and says the song is very personal. Her diverse
range of musical influences also forms a part of her compositions.
“The music crosses a lot of genres – folk, blues, a little bit of country
every now and then. It’s always very earthy even though we use a mix
of electric and acoustic.”
Catherine says their music is tactile and has a lot of warmth because
it was recorded to tape. Touring forms a big part of her life. “I love
visiting different places in Oz and contributing to the live scene.”
Catherine would love to tour internationally one day with Japan and
Norway on her wish list. She is also hoping to record a new album
next year with the band already working on new material. A few side
projects are also on the cards, one being working with a friend from
Zimbabwe on spoken poetry. The Canberra show is one of many free
gigs the artist and her band are performing.
Catherine Traicos and The Starry Night are playing at The Phoenix at 8pm
on Saturday July 23, with special guests Haunted Attics and James Fahy.

33
 the US. “My only real intention was to stay Nobody sells cassette
tapes anymore, so it
in this motel room one of my favourite took ages [to find]; a
lot of kids working at
singers used to stay in, and then actually audio stores didn’t
died in. And then it all started from there.” even know what
cassette tapes were –
Beeline-ing it to the famous Joshua Tree it was a nightmare!
Inn, where his beloved Gram Parsons
stayed, Lane then headed back to LA where he mucked around with
sounds in the depths of a cramped basement. “It was kind of like I
was trapped in hiding, and spent day and night there, writing new
songs and just experimenting.”

A ROAD WELL TRAVELLED

These environments fostered the sound of the album, as well as
Lane’s recorder of choice – the oh-so-vintage cassette tape. Its
technological restrictions provided a refreshing set of constraints,
Chiara Grassia which forced Lane to “be creative with how you’re going to get all
JORDIE LANE never planned on making an album during his travels, the sounds in your head off to that. Sometimes I was hitting a banjo
but traipsing across America provided inspiration for his second string and hitting a table top and singing a backing vocal at the same
album, Blood Thinner. Fuelled by rock ‘n’ roll phantasms sparked by time, to get them all into one track”. Due to the project’s spontaneity,
music docos and lured by iconic locations slathered in music history, Lane had to build an assortment of instruments along the way,
the Melbourne singer-songwriter packed his bags and set off for noting, “I had nothing with me when I arrived in America. First thing I
did was buy an acoustic guitar, a
custom-made one from Virginia
and that was when I started to
get into picking the guitar again,
and started writing songs. The
next thing I did was buy a banjo
on the way down to Mexico,
searching around everywhere on
the first day for cassette tapes.
Nobody sells cassette tapes
anymore, so it took ages; ringing
different stores and getting
tip offs from different places,
driving all the way there to find
out no, they didn’t have any.
A lot of kids working at audio
stores didn’t even know what
cassette tapes were – it was a
nightmare!” Last to be added to
his on-the-road collection was
a beaten up “harmonial-style
organ powered by a crappy little
electric fan” nestled amongst
the power tools in a second-
hand shop, which features
heavily throughout the album.
“It was fun to not stick to
conventional ideas of folk or
county music. Not that it’s like
some outlandish, experimental
record, but for me it was
definitely trying new things.”
The result is a richly layered
album, complete with Lane’s
gorgeous vocals and intriguing
storytelling. Lane will be
performing songs from Blood
Thinner on his massive national
tour, with Drones’ drummer-
turned-solo-performer, Mika
Noga, on board to help translate
the songs to a live setting.
Jordie Lane hits Canberra on
Wednesday July 27, and will be
showcasing his dulcet tones at The
Front. $15 on the door.

34
35

THE REALNESS
Out of the gate this issue, we check in with Fatty Phew who has just
dropped his second free mixtape entitled The Best Things in Life
are Free Pt. 2. You can download it from fattyphew.com. It features
five brand new tunes produced by Alter Ego with DJ Bogues on the
ones-n-twos. Guest appearances come from Luke Mac and Spit who
features on most tunes.
Also available for free download now is the new EP from Syntax and
Mules under the Death Stars moniker. With plenty of humour this
self-confessed “razzle dazzle” of an EP is “the ultimate synthesis
of rap and nerdish fixations”. Grab yourself a copy now from
badmeetsevil.com/deathstars . The big daddy Roots Manuva
is back wit anudda ting this September. His latest LP is called
4everrevolution and comes complete with guest slots from DJ MK,
Daddy Kope, Ricky Ranking and newcomer Rokhsan. The album is
dropping on the ever-reliable Big Dada imprint.
Everybody’s fave turntable nerd Kid Koala is releasing his
latest opus Space Cadet on Ninja Tune in September as an
accompaniment to his graphic novel Nufonia Must Fall, which hit
shelves many years ago. Each tune apparently coincides with a page
of his graphic novel and is meant to be played in accompaniment
as you read it. ‘Ding’ – now turn the page. Space Cadet is out on
Monday September 19. Nerds unite!
36
Four Tet has been drafted to mix the next FabricLive59, which
will feature a slew of unreleased material from the man himself.
Rumours abound at the lengths Mr Tet went to get some of the
tunes in the mix (with some artists themselves not even having vinyl
copies of the tunes). The mix features tunes from Floating Points,
STL, Burial, Villalobos, Persian, Manitoba and much more. It is out
Monday September 19.
L-Vis 1990 is set to release his debut LP in September. Entitled
Neon Dreams, it will continue his explorations of all things house
and bass music. Para One, Julio Bashmore and Teki Latex have
contributed co-production duties and vocalists Corey Black, Javeon
McCarthy and Samatha Lim lend their voices. L-Vis has stated that
his aim was to capture the late ‘90s album vibe from artists such
as Daft Punk, Chemical Brothers and Basement Jaxx. This one has
gotta be big. I’ve been digging the output of Cambridge’s Sully for a
couple of years and am excited about his debut record Carrier due
shortly on Blackdown’s Keysound label (an imprint synonymous with
quality). It’s a short ‘n’ sweet ten-tracker and builds on his two-step
riddims by incorporating the influence of Chicago footwork in a
number of tunes. It drops Monday September 12.
Finally this month, Apparat is back with another album called The
Devil’s Walk. It’s also out September (big month) and is his solo LP
since 2007, although since then he’s collaborated with Modeselektor
(Moderat) and with Ellen Allien of course. Should be suitably all
over the place in terms of sound and style, but with those trademark
beautiful Apparat sonics.
To hear music from all the above artists and much much more, tune
to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tues night from 9.30pm.
ROSHAMBO
roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au
37
 are the genre melding Melbournites Heirs, who are about to release
their second record, Fowl. The Bald Faced Stag on Parramatta Road
is the venue for the Friday October 21 show.
Don’t forget Slaughterfest IV at The Sandringham in Sydney on

METALISE
Saturday July 30, featuring a huge bill of mixed heavy flavours.
The full line-up is Fuck... I’m Dead, Looking Glass, Roadside Burial,
Summonus, Mother Eel, Deathcage, Mother Mars, Ether Rag, Red
Bee, Agonhymn (VIC), Burial Chamber, Arrowhead, Rock N Roll
RIP Michael ‘Wurzel’ Burston, Motorhead axe master from 1984 Weapon, Fat Guy Wears Mystic Wolf Shirt and Van. This looks to
through to ‘95 and the man responsible for decimating eardrums at be a ripper of a show. Summonus have just completed tracking their
the infamous Queanbeyan Raiders Leagues club in ‘91. Spinning the new full length down at Goatsound studios in Melbourne with Jason
under rated Rock ’n’ Roll album this week in your honour. PC of Blood Duster on the controls.
Boston’s Doomriders hit ANU Bar on Monday July 25, on their first If Sydney is too big a mission for you, don’t forget local metal
Australian tour along with tour buddies I Exist and local long time black-belts Live Evil will be putting on a MONSTER evening of
insanity merchants 4Dead. entertainment at ANU Bar with their special Big Four tribute
night, covering the works of ‘80s thrash titans Metallica, Slayer,
Alcest, French black-metal/shoegazers are heading out to
Megadeth and Anthrax. $20 for the thrashtacular and doors
Australian shores for five shows to promote their reissue of Le
at 7.30pm.
Secret and last year’s Ecailles de liune, and along for all five shows
Monster Magnet are heading
back after blistering through
a midday set at Soundwave
earlier this year, and they’re
going to be performing their
1995 album Dopes To Infinity in
full and you can catch their set
in Sydney at The Metro Theatre
on Wednesday September 14.
Church of Misery have
solidified their dates for their
first Australian tour, headlining
the Doomsday festival this
October. Playing Sydney’s
Doomsday fest (full line-up
announced soon) on Saturday
October 15 at The Sandringham
Hotel, a side show at the same
venue the following evening,
Wednesday October 19 at
The Patch in Wollongong
and right here in Canberra at
The Basement on Thursday
October 20. Doomtastic!
Aussie hard rocking band Mark
of Cain are coming out of
hibernation with a new album
Songs of the Third and Fifth
which is due to hit stores in the
coming months.
Unkle K’s band of the week this
week, keeping you appraised
of the underground delights
out there, is English doom
act The Wounded Kings, who
are about to release a new
record through Swedish label
I Hate Records on Thursday
September 1, entitled In The
Chapel of the Black Hand. For a
preview head to myspace.com/
thewoundedkings2 .
JOSH NIXON
doomtildeath@hotmail.com

38
FRENZAL FUCKWIT
Baz Ruddick
After half a dozen re-scheduled calls, numerous flakes and the
resulting threat of a Friday Fuckwit nomination on his head, Lindsay
McDougal, triple j’s The Doctor and FRENZAL RHOMB guitarist,
finally gave me a call. The darlings of Australian punk have been
a constant force in Australian music since their mid ‘90s success
selling their wares: crass humour, brilliantly crafted lyrics and
infectious punk riffs, or as Lindsay puts it “stupid songs with swear
words in them”.
Lindsay shares with me how Frenzal gigs have changed over the
years from perfectionist punk in which they “felt it really important
to get everything exactly right” to a nonchalant “40 minute set not
giving a shit because we just wanted to fucking rock”. Fans will now
be treated to a set stretching for around an hour in which, along with
showcasing songs from
Anyone who says the new album Smoko
live music is dead at The Pet Food Factory,
is just using it as they will be reviving
an excuse for them old favourites, taking
to sit at home and requests from the crowd
watch YouTube clips accompanied by shots of
Jamison’s whiskey every
three to four songs on bassist Gordy’s command. “We all fall about
our instruments in the right direction.”
Staying true to their heritage, Frenzal Rhomb’s latest album was
recorded in America with former Black Flag and Descendents
drummer Bill Stevenson. “He actually had a brain tumour removed
from his head a couple of years ago... we have listened to his albums
since then and it wasn’t the bit that contained his mixing ability.”
Lindsay shared with me an anecdote of Stevenson’s unorthodox
technique in which he could urinate and sell merchandise
simultaneously, effectively taking a fan’s money and “pissing on their
feet under the merch stand”.
Whilst the responsibilities of modern life and practicalities kept the
Frenzal boys from being able to play as many small pub gigs as they
would like to, they are still doing a thorough job of touring, jetting
it around the country to deliver a solid dose of in-your-face punk.
Whilst the gigs may lack the gritty pub vibe that used to be ever
present, Frenzal fans are still proving as hilariously hardcore as ever.
“At a gig we played in Brisbane I had so much shit thrown at me...
someone threw a big heavy steel bracelet at my head!”
Lindsay shares with me his optimism and hope for the dying pub live
music scene. “Justin Hemmes buys every pub in Sydney and turns it
into an arsehole bar... other stuff pops up too... there’s a record store
in Sydney called Black Wire Records that has gigs every weekend.”
He states that, “anyone who says live music is dead is just using it as
an excuse for them to sit at home and watch YouTube clips”.
Frenzal Rhomb will be ripping it up on Friday July 29 at ANU Bar with No
Use For A Name.. Tickets are a mean $35.95 through Ticketek.

39

LOOK MA, NO HANDS!
Naomi Frost
Locally made six-piece HANDS LIKE HOUSES are undoubtedly one
of Canberra’s most beloved alternative/experimental rock acts. The
boys have recently returned from a long, yet extremely rewarding
recording process in the US, and are currently preparing for the
release of their debut studio album, a huge tour covering the west
and east coasts of Australia, as well as an extensive tour of Europe
and the UK. Yes indeed, these Canberra boys are making quite the
name for themselves.
Good-humoured guitarist, Cooper, shares with us a little bit about
the band, their record and the highlights of the band’s musical career
thus far. Fans are on the edge of their seats, anticipating the release
of Hands Like Houses’ debut studio album Ground Dweller, which
was recorded in Florida with producer Cameron Mizell. In an act of
fate, this is where they happened to meet Melbourne band Dream
On, Dreamer, whom they are touring with in the coming months. “We
had a bit of a crossover at the studio, as they were finishing up their
album we were starting ours,” Cooper says.
40
There may or
As it turns out, the making of may not have
Ground Dweller was not the only been some
activity they participated in during windmilling of
their time abroad. “While we were our junk
over in Florida, it was pretty much
monsoon-ing outside, so we thought that gave us the excuse to get
starkers and run out in street,” Cooper reveals. “There may or may
not have been some windmilling of our junk.” According to Cooper
this was one of the more G-rated experiences by comparison. “We
like to show our mothers everything that gets printed about us so
they get heaps proud and give us sweet kisses on the cheek and
stuff, so we won’t dig very deep into the dirt.”
Refusing to share anything more explicit, Cooper explains, “Our
experiences are either a little too inappropriate to put into writing,
or super boring.” The boys are sure to face very little boredom when
they embark on an exciting tour of Europe and the UK in September
this year. “Getting to see some new countries and experience
our first international tour is something we’ve wanted since the
beginning,” claims Cooper. Although he also explains that much has
changed from the band’s beginnings as the common high school
band, which Cooper describes as “horrid”. “After some trade-ins and
upgrades with band members, we arrived a couple of years ago at
the line-up we are at now. Throw in some homo-eroticism, which
brings us to where we are today,” Cooper laughs.
When asked what the best thing about being a part of Hands Like
Houses is, Cooper does not think of inappropriate open-air free-
balling in foreign countries, or proud kisses from Mummy. Instead
Cooper says that “being able to create something with your best
friends and share it” is the best part of what he does.
Hands Like Houses will be playing the Tuggeranong Youth Centre on
Wednesday August 24. Tickets are through Oztix for $18.40 pre-sale.
41
 the
word
on albums
album of the issue
SAIGON
THE GREATEST STORY
NEVER TOLD
[Suburban Noize Records]
TGSNT opens with dialogue
between a prisoner and
a friend. It’s believable,
understated and genuine –
more so because one-time
inmate Saigon plays the
prisoner – and is a brilliant
introduction to his portrait of
the US. After 11 years, seven
mixtapes and four street
albums, there hasn’t been a
better debut studio hip-hop
LP since I don’t know when. I
could compare it to Kanye’s
College Dropout or Mos Def’s
Black on Both Sides, but
Saigon’s his own rapper and
that’s too beautiful to sully
with comparisons. Ranging
from the heavily political and
militantly racial to the genesis
of his soul, TGSNT makes
these topics so intensely
personal you find yourself
drawn into his story like a
book. It’s a tragically honest
appraisal of the country that
raised him and he does more
than just tear it to pieces – he
loves it as he does and it’s
this that makes his album.
His anger is never without
savage hope and the soul-
gospel influenced beats marry
perfectly with his impassioned
messages. In the same way
Tupac constructed his heaven
in Thug’s Mansion, Saigon
takes you to the real hells and
heavens of his life. If you’ve
ever loved hip-hop, buy this
album. ASHLEY THOMSON
42
balance 19
Mixed by henry saiz
[530db]
Balance is a force to be
reckoned with; consistently
brilliant and mesmerising even
after all this time. Much like
the equally revered Fabric
comps, the series’ strength is
self-perpetuating, with each
excellent release adding further
pressure on the incumbent
artist to not just avoid fucking
the whole thing up, but to create
something better than the last.
But unlike the multi-genred
Fabric, Balance remains firmly
in the prog-house pantheon,
tightening the vice even further
for the hapless starlets of the
sub-genre to deliver. Sheesh.
If Spain’s Henry Saiz was
nervous at the prospect, he
certainly hasn’t shown it,
delivering two mixes of sublime
beauty and purpose. With a
modus operandi of “exploring
how music has the power to
contain and store personal
emotional experiences”, Saiz
has created a modern yet
lo-fi sound through varying
analogue, 303 mixes and
edits that is both unique and
otherworldly.
The blending is seamless and
long, the pacing perfect, and
with such effort put into the
whole it seems unfair to track
select. But the stirring closers
encapsulate each respective
mix perfectly – CD1’s Uroboros
by Saiz & Pional and CD2’s Nodo
6 by Sistema (Saiz Rework)… If
the sound of a computer game
in medieval times excites you,
you’re in luck (and just wait for
those drums). The brilliance
is continued; I feel sorry for
whoever is lined up for Balance
20… But I sure as shit am
looking forward to it.
ALLAN SKO
catherine traicos & the
starry night
gloriosa
[an ocean awaits records]
The third album from Catherine
Traicos comes from the heart.
Gloriosa portrays the Sydney-
sider as a woman with an inner
strength that has been won
through trials. In doing so, it
follows in the same groove as
Catherine’s second album The
Amazing, which was about love,
painful breakups and inner
conflict. Catherine has the
gift of crystallising a diverse
range of emotions in an intense
manner, but in the most delicate
of voices.
There’s the thrill of flirting in
Walk Into The Stars and the pain
of love’s end in Don’t Leave Me
This Way. Contrast this with the
languid feeling of Australian
Sun, so laid back with its stoned
hippy vibe. The dark side of
relationships is expressed in
a soothing manner that says ‘I
understand’. Her waiflike voice
is at its finest in Stranger, about
the death of a loved one.
Catherine brought together
musos from such bands as The
Tucker Bs and Sketching Cato
to form The Starry Night, to
create the perfect mood for
her songs. Melodies emphasise
the tension in the lyrics, with a
cello denoting heartbreak and
a guitar expressing anger and
hurt pride. Most of her pop/
folk material has a slow tempo,
befitting the serious themes,
but the CD highlight is the
brighter Beg For Love, with its
skipping pace melody.
RORY McCARTNEY
Hannah Gillespie
All the Dirt
[Independent]
Canberra girl Hannah Gillespie
is just one of those artists;
disgustingly talented across
songwriting, guitar playing,
singing and just being a lovely,
rounded, down-to-earth
musician. We see and hear the
amazing talent hiding away in
our city as often as we make
the effort to catch a local live
band on a weekend, but only
sometimes there are those
special people that make you
say ‘this one’s going places’.
Her second album All the Dirt
takes Hannah back to her folk
and country roots, or ‘campfire’
music if you want a pretty
blatant image of where the
album will take you; a bonfire
on a country property with
happy, simple people enjoying
the organic sounds and setting.
In other words, Hannah will
make you feel warm and in good
company. Bliss. Produced by
The Posies’ Ken Stringfellow
(obviously lovingly), and with
a swag of emotions poured
into the 11 tracks of heart-
strumming tales, you’ll start off
dancing and smiling about then
end up just sitting with your
head too close to the speaker
listening to Hannah tell you
her tales of happiness, woe,
heartbreak, family and journey.
It’s strangely refreshing to hear
the simplicity of a good voice
being backed by some solid
piano and that old three-chord
strum of an acoustic, and that’s
exactly what Hannah has shown
us. That music can still be about
an inner journey of the artist’s
soul while the uncomplicated
instruments resound in support
of the storyteller.
DANIKA NAYNA

Jordie Lane
Blood Thinner
[Vitamin Records]
The follow up to 2007’s
Sleeping Patterns, Melbourne
singer-songwriter Jordie
Lane’s sophomore effort
Blood Thinner is a beautifully
crafted album which sits
comfortably in between the
genres of country and folk. The
songs were initially recorded
onto cassette tapes, and the
result is many layers which
build up onto each other,
producing a rich sonic texture.
However, the album sounds
quite polished, with each
layer clearly present. Blood
Thinner sounds paradoxically
classic and innovative; a direct
result of Lane’s rich vocals
and finger-picking guitar style
juxtaposed with intricate layers
of percussion.
Those with a keen ear can spend
the entire album picking out
the various percussion noises;
bass drum or Tupperware
container? The lyrics are strong,
but the real highlight of the
album is Lane’s voice, which is
consistently stunning; delicate
and deep, but never gruff. His
vocals inject a subtle fragility
into the songs, which adds to
the quiet intensity of the album.
There’s an overall sadness that
lingers throughout, evident in
its haunting atmosphere, and
lyrics which yearn and question.
Yet Blood Thinner isn’t dragged
down in melancholy. The album
explores different moods and
shades, yet still feels pulled
together. Highlights include Old
Time Spell, with its great use
of guitar finger-pickin’, and the
gorgeous vocal harmonies and
jumpy rhythm of Thin My Blood.
chiara grassia
Single Twin
Marcus Teague
[Remote Control/Inertia]
Marcus Teague, formerly
frontman of Melbourne
based and now departed
band Deloris, has named this
album after himself but with
Single Twin, his alter ego, as
the artist. Confused? I was
too. This highly personal
effort was lovingly made and
mixed by Marcus at home,
over six years, armed with
only one mic and Garageband
software. The authenticity of
the sound is attested to by
the occasional hiss and the
capture of background noise.
The finish creates the intimacy
of a living room chat. It’s a
delicate production, demanding
close concentration to truly
appreciate the engaging
melodies and the poetry in
the veiled lyrics. The music
is acoustic guitar centred,
with Marcus playing a bevy of
instruments including banjo.
There’s a hefty dose of black
humour in the songs which
comes across strongly in Came
Home Dead and Wandering,
a post apocalyptic tale about
being a survivor after nuclear
holocaust, complete with a
spooky wail. Brief instrumentals
Slow Down Soldier and Smoke
Trail on a Spring Day appear like
bookends, dividing volumes in a
library. Album highlights are The
Blow (Fell Out the Window) and
My Silken Tooth, a touching tale
of bereavement crowned by
the poignant lines “in my mind
you’re beside me and singing”.
Marcus plays at The Street on
Tuesday August 2.
rory mccartney
singled out
with Dave Ruby Howe
The Gloria Story
Shades of White
Discodeine
[Sound Pollution] Grace
[Dirty]
Pilooski’s Discodeine project
Christ on a bike. It’s rarely,
hit the right note with that
if ever, these days that a
Jarvis Cocker-featuring jam,
completely new (to me)
Synchronize, earlier this year
band manages to take such a
and though Grace doesn’t reach
complete and utterly ravishing
the same palatable heights with
grip on the ol’ lugs, but here I
an exploration of disco’s darker
am, looking like the bleedin’ FA
side on the cards, the looping
Cup in the grasp of this most
electronics and relentless piano
utterly astonishing album.
keep the groove feeling strong.
In just over one half of your
Bonus for the Gavin Russom
earth hours The Gloria Story,
remix on the back.
from Sweden, completely and
utterly wipe the floor with the
Duck Sauce
power-poppin’ opposition, in
Big Bad Wolf
the process writing those same
[Fool’s Gold]
hapless fools a new set of rules
for future reference. After Barbra Streisand spread
goofy disco vibes across the
Shades of White is a jaw- summer last year Duck Sauce
droppingly irresistible throw a spanner in the works
conflation of what made the with Big Bad Wolf. Sure it has
late ‘70s such an enticing period the same ear-grabbing novelty
for fans of the good stuff. factor and it would be cool to
Fusing the guitar dynamism hear bros howling along in a club
of Jailbreak/Chinatown/ at midnight but beyond that the
Renegade-era Lizzy to the lazy production is more boring than
class of the primetime Steve you’d expect from the combined
Miller Band would be a good minds of A-Trak and Armand.
enough starting point; but then,
And it’s also just kinda stupid.
just to make sure, these boys
slather on a bucketload of Gotye
sure fire winner ‘modern rock’ Somebody That I Used
attitude over the top of the To Know
cake to ensure that no-one – [Eleven]
make that NO-ONE – misses out
Wally’s back and still sounds
on what’s going on here.
in top form with Somebody
That I Used To Know - floating
The likes of Valentino and I
amicably by on some nice
Don’t Wanna Be Your Bet could
organic touches and some
easily have come from the
plinky marimbas. That’s all well
mighty pen of Lynott, whilst
and good but then he kicks the
if I Can Make You Run, with its
vocal into high gear and it gets
woozily familiar Foos feel isn’t
even better. And then bloody
a worldwide radio hit before
Kimbra comes in because this
the year is out then I’m not a
song wasn’t good enough. Game
slightly overweight man with
over, man. Game over.
hyperbole issues. Get out and
buy this bugger now! (Five stars
for the album, zero for the album
art - Ed.).
SCOTT ADAMS
43
 the
word
on films
WITH
MELISSA WELLHAM
It is difficult to define what
makes a film work. For
example: The Tree of Life
and Sleeping Beauty are
similar in many ways. Both
are art house, slow-moving
and contemplative. But the
respect in which the films
differ is quality. The first film
is fantastic; the second, not so
much. The difference perhaps
comes from films having a
soul; having some substance.
Where The Tree of Life has
something to say, Sleeping
Beauty is quite hollow. Having
something to say is important.
Although, ironically, I haven’t
said a lot in this spiel – feel
free to rate me out of
five stars.
quote
of the issue
“Where were You? You
let a boy die. You let
anything happen. Why
should I be good?
When You aren’t.”
Young Jack (Hunter
McCracken), The
Tree of Life
44
The Tree of Life
The Tree of Life (directed by
Terrence Malick) is a dreamlike,
meditative look at memories,
and the nature of mankind. It is
both a sprawling and intensely
personal film – and one that is
incredibly picturesque.
Jack (Sean Penn) is an
architect disillusioned with
the constructed, man-made
world, who reminisces about
his childhood (where he is
played by Hunter McCracken)
and the opposing forces of his
mother (Jessica Chastain) and
father (Brad Pitt) growing up.
This is merely the most linear
portion of the film, however,
and it is interwoven with an
extended montage depicting
the evolution of the earth, and
scenes from a dreamy afterlife.
The film is, essentially, poetry
on screen. With nothing
substantial in the way of
plot or dialogue, it is a series
of memories, indistinct
and atmospheric. The
cinematography is stunning,
from Malick’s conception of
the formation of the earth,
with swirling solar flares
and crushing tides; to the
constructed world of steel
and glass that the older Jack
inhabits, both beautiful and
claustrophobic. The film is a
testament to mankind, in all its
forms. From the beginning of
time, to the modern day.
It is also an incredibly observant
film, and its representation
of childhood is disarmingly
accurate. Watching Jack grow
up, it is at times as if you
are watching scenes from
your own childhood, barely
remembered. A beautiful,
haunting film, its images will
stay with you.
Melissa Wellham
Transformers 3: Dark
of the Moon
Engaging dialogue, you ask?
Um, Bumblebee is the most
eloquent character. Subtlety,
you wonder? This is a Michael
Bay film – get your head out of
your ass. Emotional depth? The
main romantic lead spends the
entire film pouting and looking
mildly unsettled.
Shia LaBeouf returns as Sam,
an ally of the Autobots who also
manages to constantly snag hot
tail (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
as Carly). Carly’s hot, and can
run in heels. There’s some weird
plot about the moon, Sentinel
Prime and the government…
but no one’s seeing these films
for the plot.
The effects are actually
pretty amazing, and the 3D
(deep breath) is well used and
awesome. However, parts of
the film are way too corny (and
not tongue-in-cheek), and both
the script and Huntington-
Whiteley are absolute rubbish.
Her and LaBeouf have as much
chemistry as two cabbages
rubbing together (less in fact),
and since they’re supposed to
be in love this is somewhat of
an issue.
While there are some
comic moments and great
fight scenes, at 157 mins
Transformers 3 just runs way
too long – and for no good
reason. That being said, there
are transforming robot aliens,
explosions and a hot babe – I
don’t think Bay is pretending
that this film is meant to be
anything else.
MEGAN McKEOUGH
Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty wants to be
a challenging, confronting
depiction about one young
woman’s detachment from the
real world. While it arguably
achieves this, it is also devoid of
meaning and dull.
Lucy (Emily Browning,
Suckerpunch) is a university
student who is unable to
engage with her life. Her
passivity is alarming. When
she answers an advertisement
to become a lingerie waitress,
she is drawn into a world where
money can buy men whatever
sexual fantasy they desire.
She eventually volunteers for
a job where she is drugged –
essentially put into a coma for
a number of hours – and rich,
decrepit old men pay to do
whatever they want with her
body during that time. When she
awakes, she doesn’t remember
a thing.
Some of these scenes are
unsurprisingly disgusting and
confronting, and I’m sure many
viewers will dislike Sleeping
Beauty because of it. However,
it was not the depictions of
depravity that ruined Sleeping
Beauty – because of course,
they are entirely the ‘point’ – but
rather how the point seemed to
lack any meaning, message or
emotional substance. It should
have elicited an emotional
response, and one can see what
writer/director Julia Leigh
was trying to accomplish, but
the film falls flat. Sleeping
Beauty is, as the name might
suggest, quite tiresome –
but unfortunately not even
particularly visually impressive.
Unless you’re inclined to be
outraged by this film, Sleeping
Beauty is a bit of a snorefest.
MELISSA WELLHAM
 the Hall Pass
[Warner Home Video]
word
on dvds Despite the large streak of
vile gross-out humour that
runs through every movie
they make, the Farrelly
Brothers are actually social
commentators. Naturally,
most writers are trying to
comment on something – but in
a genre where penis jokes are
the common currency, Bobby
and Peter Farrelly are cut
from a slightly different cloth.
Underneath all that juvenile
shock humour there is usually
a theme; that we should try
and accept people for who
they are and look past outer
superficialities.
In Hall Pass the brothers
tackle what is surely the most
vexing issue afflicting modern
society – husbands who look
at other women’s asses.
Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred
(Jason Sudeikis) are stuck
in sexless marriages. Aren’t
they all? Somehow their wives
(Jenna Fischer and Christina
Applegate) are convinced that
it would be a nifty idea to allow
their husbands a week off to
indulge however they want – no
questions asked, a ‘hall pass’.
This freedom results in a
degree of stage fright and
the pair spend most of the
week falling asleep early and
realising they are no longer
their younger selves. On the
other side of the equation, their
spouses – Maggie and Grace –
are effortlessly pulling the local
baseball team and straying
much farther than expected.
American author and sex
columnist Dan Savage was
the subject of a recent article
in The New York Times
where he argued the goal of
marriage should be stability
not monogamy and that our
expectations of the institution
are unrealistic and inflexible.
In a little under two hours Hall
Pass struggles hard to make the
same point. It’s an interesting
point to reflect upon but this
film settles for a safe ‘happy
families’ dénouement. That
really is the biggest shock.
justin hook
Reign Of Assassins
[Madman]
The Company Men
[Madman]
When Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon was released over a
The Company Men is a good
film. It had the potential to be a
decade ago – yes, it’s been great film but somewhere along
that long – famed Civil War the way it got lost, stumbled
nut, Abe Lincoln lookalike and and fell quite dramatically.
ex-Premier of NSW Bob Carr Bloviating, alpha-male sales
flew firmly in the face of public manager Bobby Walker (Ben
opinion by walking out of a Affleck) is arrogantly boasting
screening early and dissing the about his golf handicap one
film at a press conference soon minute and collecting his
after. Even though Honest Bob belongings in a box the next
wasn’t a fan of Ang Lee’s blades – the next faceless victim of
and highly choreographed fights a recession that obliterated
it was a runaway hit, introducing entire levels of management,
western audiences to a genre companies and communities.
that had long been associated On the face of it, it couldn’t have
(wrongly) with poorly dubbed happened to a better person.
chop suey flicks. The market
This is one of the first tranche
was soon flooded with films to
of films to deal with the
satiate an untapped market –
GFC and therefore has the
Hero, House of Flying Daggers
opportunity to pick the ripest
and er, um, New Crouching Tiger,
fruit. For the first half, it does.
Hidden Dragon. But audiences
Walker’s family live well beyond
are notoriously fickle and
their means; a situation familiar
besides, the Harry Potter films
to many of us I’m sure. So they
had just started coming out so
scale back. Dump the sports car.
interest waned.
Sell the house. This fall from
Those hoping for the next comfortable upper middle class
Crouching Tiger should probably affluence is played expertly
look elsewhere. Admittedly, the – you can sense the fatigue,
John Woo co-director credit confusion and seething anger in
might suggest a crossover Affleck’s performance.
all-swords blazing action film
The film then takes a ragingly
– but this isn’t it. It’s an elegant,
obvious detour into homily
rewarding and vibrant film with
territory where Walker is
its fair share of slashing and
taught the value of honest-to-
floating, but at its core is the
goodness, hands-on ‘work’ when
complex relationship between
he begrudgingly takes a job
an ex-assassin and a seemingly
with his carpenter brother-
simple man. Michelle Yeoh is
in-law, Jack (Kevin Costner
Drizzle/Zeng Jing, a swords-
in simperingly fine form). Of
master in a gang of assassins
course the desk monkey is a
who escapes her life of crime
useless carpenter but he sticks
and sells textiles at a rural
it out, proving he is a man of
market. Into her life comes
honour. Oh, brother. No, literally.
a man – bumbling and caring
After a hokey monologue about
Jiang Ah-sheng – looking only
the death of the American
for a life of suburban bliss, 15th
manufacturing industry you just
century style. Drizzle plays
know where it’s going to end up.
down every attempt that might
And sure enough it does, with
out her previous life, to wit – a
Walker donning his suit and
bank robbery scene where the
reverting back to the yapping
new couple are caught in the
jerk he was at the beginning of
middle is playful and tense.
the film. How odd – this journey
Things are never as they seem
seems to have taken us right
though and sure enough Ah-
back to where we started. On
sheng’s less straightforward
the plus side, the dependable
history emerges. Despite a
Chris Cooper and Tommy Lee
meandering start, an intricate
Jones are brilliant as always.
story unfolds and Reign
tightens up when it matters. justin hook
justin hook
45
 the
word
on games
L.A. Noire
Developer: Bondi Games Platform: 360, PS3
Length: 18 hours Rating: Try it, be disappointed
O, I wanted to love this game. How I
wanted to love this game. And for what
it’s worth, it seems everyone else out
there loves this game.
When the previews for L.A. Noire
came out months back – a hard-boiled
detective piece utilising ultra-slick
facial capture technology – excitement
was high. Start as a beat cop, chase
down perps, interrogate them, solve
crimes, move up the ranks, all whilst spit-balling with a variety of
partners, seemingly played by every actor from Mad Men minus
Jon Hamm, across multiple departments. It was going to be Broken
Sword with a Grand Theft Auto style free-roaming environment and
plenty o’ violence to boot. I mean shit, what’s not to love?
I tell you what’s not to love. Free-roaming environment? Pffft, that’s
a laugh. On the surface – and what a shiny, realistic surface it is – you
have the vast expanse of 1940s LA to explore, replete with all the
cars, stores and people of the era. But scratch away just an insy
bit and you have one of the most linear games I’ve played in years.
From the start L.A. Noire firmly takes you by the hand and leads you
directly where you need to go – pick up this piece of evidence, talk
to that man, go to this location, repeat ad nauseum. Yes, there are
side missions (street crimes) and trophies to be awarded (speeding
without crashing, tackling a perp on asphalt) but these are vanilla
compared to the bounty of treasures in the GTA series.
Collecting evidence is skull-fuckingly dull, and music cues tell you
when you’re done, thereby removing all challenge. The key feature
of the game – the interrogations – is undoubtedly a highlight, and
the facial capturing is startling (Micky Cohen in particular). But
even here a confusing system lets it down. After hearing an answer,
you can choose Truth, Doubt or Lie and you’re meant to read the
character’s facial cues to decide which it is. So often, a truthful
character’s face will spazz out as if a bee has suddenly entered their
private area, and it’s so hard to distinguish between Truth and Doubt
that you often get it wrong – “I may or may not have once maybe
kinda been near or not near the vicinity of the crime” – I choose
Doubt – wrong, asshole, it was Truth, now you’ve scared the witness.
Doesn’t matter though; you’ll still progress through the game.
And this is the main problem; you’re led so sternly from one scenario
to the next that if you fail, you’re hardly punished, and if you succeed,
it’s because you’ve been gifted the progress on a platter thus utterly
removing any sense of achievement for the player (which, last time I
checked, was one of the kickers of playing games).
I’m being so harsh because this could have been so good, one of the
great games of the decade. And while there is much here for future
developers to build upon – the acting and facial tracking for instance
– years in development hell has turned out a very disappointing
release. Give me Broken Sword any day. ALLAN SKO
46
BLACKBOX
As a foodie at heart (a pastime that can at least in part be enjoyed
slothing about in front of the telly with a pinot or three), the endless
gastronomic advice now available through digital TV channels was
welcomed, as long as it didn’t come from Masterchef (SCTEN,
Sun-Fri, 7.30pm). But now, the networks have gone into a time
warp flooding our screens with home reno shows – besides the
five nights a week of The Block (WIN) which is now casting for its
next season, there’s Jamie Drury’s Top Design (WIN, Wed, 8pm),
60 Minute Makeover (7TWO, Sun, 9.45pm) and repeats of Room
for Improvement (7TWO, Wed, 2.30am). If you really want to know
about home renovation, stick with the new series of Grand Designs
(ABC1, Sun, 7.30pm) where you might also learn a thing or two about
architecture, design and not looking like the CAD rendered drawing
on the real estate brochure.
The much promoted Hamish &Andy’s Gap Year (SCTEN, Thu Jul
28, 8.30pm) takes the intrepid duo to the US now that Spicks and
Specks has wrapped. Other new shows include the premiere of
pawn shop obdoco Hardcore Pawn (7Mate, Wed Jul 20, 8.30pm),
Off The Map (Prime, Thu Jul 21, 10.41pm), already cancelled medical
drama set in South America, the much awaited Friday Night Lights
(ABC2, Fri Jul 29, 8.30pm) and the one-off comedy show We ain’t
Terrorists (ABC2, Thu Jul 28, 9.30pm).
If you’re a fan, make sure you catch Spicks and Specks (ABC1, Wed,
8.30pm) – there’s only a few months left of this season, its last. For a
triple treat, it’ll soon be followed by The Gruen Transfer (ABC1, Wed
Aug 3, 9pm) and Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journeys Transfer (ABC1,
Wed Aug 3, 9.30pm), which put’s the comedienne’s spin on the topic
that spurned the John Safran and Father Bob phenomenon.
Collectors (ABC1, Fri Jul 22, 8pm) promises two not-to-be-
missed segments - a look at Boardgames and a chat with Justin
Haezlewood.
There’s a plethora of documentary series coming up including
Tropic of Capricorn (SBS1, Wed Aug 3, 7.30pm) which follows Simon
Reeve as he circumnavigates the southern hemisphere, Seduction
in the City (SBS1, Wed Jul 27, 8.30m) which looks at the history
of shopping, Sex: An Unnatural History (SBS1, Fri Jul 29, 10pm),
expertly hosted by Julia Zemiro.
Other docos to check out include Compass: Bali High Wedding
(ABC1, Sun Jul 24, 10pm), Secrets of Stonehenge (SBS1, Sun Jul
31, 7.30pm), James May at the Edge of Space (SBS1, Sun Jul 24,
9.30pm), and Final 24: John Belushi (7Mate, Thu Jul 28, 11.30pm).
There’s a weekend pyjama fest for fans of xtreme and death defying
sports including skateboarding with Drive (One, Sat Jul 23, 11.30am),
Pro Bull Riding (One, Sun Jul 24, 10am), Snowboarding: TTR World
Tour (One, Sun Jul 24, 11.30am), World of Free Sports (One, Sun Jul
24, 11am) and Cycling: UCI BMX World Championships (SBS2, Sun
Jul 31, 8.30pm).
Movies this fortnight include Juno (SCTEN, Fri Jul 22, 9pm), Cat on a
Hot Tin Roof (GEM, Sat Jul 30, 3.40pm), The Good, The Bad and The
Ugly (ABC2, Sat Jul 30, 8.30pm) and Mary Poppins (7Mate, Sat Jul
30, 1.30pm).
TRACY HEFFERNAN
tracyheffernan@bigpond.com
 the Optical Eyes

word
Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman House
Arts Centre
Friday July 8
on gigs
Walking in from the freezing cold into what sounded like a broken
air-conditioner amplified to 90db, I knew I was in the right place for
the Optical Eyes exhibition featuring emerging ANU School of Art
talent. Not being an air-conditioner technician I opted not to enter
the side room where the performance was taking place. There was a
good amount of people already in there and from outside the room
I could see a guy in a sweater painting the walls with his hands while
another guy generated the very sick sounding reverse-cycle. The
air-conditioner-that-could made its merry way to around 220bpm,
putting most Gabber music to shame, when just as it sounded like it
was about to explode, it stopped, possibly actually exploding.
Using the quiet time, I got a closer look at the artwork on display.
The most apparent piece was the projections that divided the back
wall into three abstract loops. My favourite was the panel that
displayed a spider making its way out of a high-vis themed jelly
desert. Being a relative outsider to the art scene it’s very likely that
I didn’t ‘get’ any of the displays, but they did make me feel confused
which, I’m told, is exactly the point of art, to elicit some sort of
reaction. In keeping with the Optical Eyes theme, eyes in various
forms, including helium balloons and foam balls, were thrown about
by eager crowd members throughout the exhibition.
A key drawcard for this event was the Horse McGyver set. As the
one-man band set up there were (joking) accusations of ‘sell out’ as
it appeared he had ditched his saxophone and trade mark bread tray
of gear. Nevertheless, it was evident that from the very first screwy
synth line that Horse McGyver was out to prove these sceptics
wrong with the witch house dropping like a 1692 Salem subprime
market. Horsey mumbled and crooned through reverb and distortion
while pacing around the room like he was hunted by a pitchfork
wielding mob. It was as if he was using his Micro Korg, Roland
sampler and a host of other ingredients to cast magical spells that
would scare Slytherin’s finest.
The next act made use of the three upside down cones that were
hung by ropes from the ceiling. The performance was by Emily
O’Brien, who dressed entirely in aluminium foil and looked like a
microwave unsafe alien, with accompanying performer Matthew
Brown providing the soundtrack. The sealed-for-freshness alien
filled each cone with fluoro coloured sand, cut the bottom tip and
sent them swinging. Like a pack of Stabilo highlighters put through
a food dehydrator and used as cake icing, the floor was decorated
with these swinging teats of technicolour frosting. The effect was
fascinating and pretty.
While this was all happening, the strobe light was getting a
thorough workout, several smoke machines were putting Bernard
Black to shame and a UV light was making the lint on everyone’s
clothing painfully obvious. It all combined for a disconnected and
disorienting experience.
At the climax of this performance, what sounded like an alarm was
seamlessly beat matched and brought into the mix by the artful
Brown. As it turns out this was actually the fire alarm for the whole
Gorman House centre. At this realisation confused Art School
students were told by the ‘space coyote’ staff to evacuate the
premises immediately. And so the exhibition ended as it had started
PHOTOS: Travis h heinrich
with loud repetitive industrial noise.
SEAN WILLIAMS

47
GIG GUIDE July 20 - July 21
wednesday july 20
Arts
Exhibition - That’s Life
Life Drawing by Marilyn Hutchison.
Open 9am-4.30pm.
BELCONNEN GALLERY
CCAS - One Place, Three
Exhibitions
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
GORMAN HOUSE
Elements: Glass
Celebrating Craft ACT: Craft and Design
Centre’s membership of leading craft
practitioners.
CRAFT ACT
Out of the West: Art of Western
Australia
A unique look at the art from Western
Australia from pre-settlement until
today.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA
Harvest - Annabelle Davidson
This exhibition highlights the work of
glass artist Annabelle Davidson.
CRAFT ACT
Exhibition - Re-Imagining
Nature
Installations by Mary Rosengren. Runs
‘til Aug 2. Free entry.
CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE
Tour de Force
‘In case of emergency break glass’
highlights the work of eight progressive
Australian artists.
CRAFT ACT
Exhibition - Art Machine
Digital files will be gobbled up and
turned into works of art by machines.
Until July 30.
ANU SCHOOL OF ART
JamFactory : 10 Good Stories
The tale of the diverse community of
artists working in the Glass Studio at
Adelaide’s Jam Factory.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
Exhibition - EarthWeave
Weave traces the history of Indigenous
art, craft and design.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
48
Play - The Pirates of Lake
Tuggeranong
An exciting and funny school holiday
attraction. 2pm & 8pm. Bookings:
62931443.
TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE
Play - The Jungle Book
Showings at 10.30am & 2pm. $17, tix
6257 1950 or canberrarep.org.au .
BELCONNEN THEATRE
Exhibition - Geoffrey de Groen
An exploration of the very essence of
the language of painting. Free entry.
Wed to Sun 12noon- 5pm.
ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY
Improvention 2011
7.30pm, $20.
THE STREET THEATRE
Bad!Slam!No!Biscuit! Poetry
Slam
THE PHOENIX PUB
Live
Hippo Live - Niels Rosenthal
4Tet
HIPPO LOUNGE
Kelly Menhennett
A hybrid of roots, jazz and soul, spiced
with rhythms from time spent busking
in Europe. $5, 7.30pm.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY
Sarah McLeod
Supported by Julia & The Deep Sea
Sirens. Tix $15 from Moshtix.
TRANSIT BAR
Something Different
Fame Trivia
Free entry, fantastic prizes, bookings
are essential. 6pm.
P J O’REILLY’S, CIVIC
thursday july 21
Arts
Exhibition - Preserved
Disintergration
Prints, drawings and artists books by
Peter McLean. Free entry.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY
Exhibition - That’s Life
Life Drawing by Marilyn Hutchison.
Open 9am-4.30pm.
BELCONNEN GALLERY
CCAS - One Place, Three
Exhibitions
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
GORMAN HOUSE
Elements: Glass
Celebrating Craft ACT: Craft and Design
Centre’s membership of leading craft
practitioners.
CRAFT ACT
Out of the West: Art of Western
Australia
A unique look at the art from Western
Australia from pre-settlement until
today.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA
Harvest – Annabelle Davidson
This exhibition highlights the work of
glass artist Annabelle Davidson.
CRAFT ACT
Preserved Disintergrations
Prints, Drawings and Artists Books by
Peter McLean. Free.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY
Exhibition - Re-Imagining
Nature
Installations by Mary Rosengren. Runs
‘til Aug 2. Free entry.
CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE
Exhibition - Another Body
An exhibition by Shellaine Godbold.
From July 21 – 31.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE
- MANUKA
Tour de Force
‘In case of emergency break glass’
highlights the work of eight progressive
Australian artists.
CRAFT ACT
Exhibition - Art Machine
Digital files will be gobbled up and
turned into works of art by machines.
Until July 30.
ANU SCHOOL OF ART
JamFactory : 10 Good Stories
The tale of the diverse community of
artists working in the Glass Studio at
Adelaide’s Jam Factory.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
Exhibition - EarthWeave
Weave traces the history of Indigenous
art, craft and design.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
The Pirates of Lake
Tuggeranong
An exciting and funny school holiday
attraction. 2pm & 8pm. Bookings:
62931443.
TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE
Play - The Jungle Book
Showings at 10.30am & 2pm. $17, tix
6257 1950 or canberrarep.org.au .
BELCONNEN THEATRE
Exhibition - Geoffrey de Groen
An exploration of the very essence of
the language of painting. Free entry.
Wed to Sun 12 noon- 5pm.
ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY
ARC - Ken Loach’s Route Irish
New film by the cinematic master, five
showings only. 7pm. Call ARC on 6248
2000 for info & bookings.
ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND
ARCHIVE
Dance
Jemist
HIPPO LOUNGE
Faux Real
Plus Knightsbridge’s $10 Thursday
cocktail list.
KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE
Day Play
DJs in the Beer Garden
Every Thursday, from 2pm onwards.
ANU BAR AND REFECTORY
Live
Crash The Curb, Dead Beat
Band & Pete Akhurst
THE PHOENIX PUB
The Bridge Between - Duo
From 6-9pm.
BELGIAN BEER CAFE
Chicago Charles
KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC
Something Different
Karaoke
8.30pm till 11pm followed by DJ Kiz
till 5am.
CUBE NIGHTCLUB
49
GIG GUIDE July 22 - July 24
friday july 22
Arts
CCAS - One Place, Three
Exhibitions
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
GORMAN HOUSE
Exhibition - Another Body
An exhibition by Shellaine Godbold.
From July 21 – 31.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE
- MANUKA
Exhibition - Art Machine
Digital files will be gobbled up and
turned into works of art by machines.
Until July 30.
ANU SCHOOL OF ART
Dance
Faux Real
HIPPO LOUNGE
Cheese (‘80s/Retro)
Everybody’s favourite night of ‘80s
classics, perms and happy pants. Free
Entry.
TRANSIT BAR
New Era Fridays - Dem Slackers
(Holland)
Dutch house. What more do you want?
Free before 10pm, $15 after.
TRINITY BAR
Xmas in July
From 9pm till 5am with DJ Matt and
local drag sensation Chyna Dahl. Free
entry.
CUBE NIGHTCLUB
Ashley Feraude
Spinning funk, soul, hip-hop ‘n’ house.
KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE
The Immigrant & Juan Kidd
ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB
Live
urbanIce – Nathan Frost
Nathan Frost has been supplying the
soundtrack to many of Canberra’s top
cocktail bars. 10pm.
GAREMA PLACE
50
urbanIce – Shifty Business
DJ Crunch, Harlequin MC and
Dubdecker Bus formed as Shifty
Business in early 2009. 11pm.
GAREMA PLACE
Victor Martinez
Born in Chile they all play six string
acoustic and electric guitar and bass.
$15, 8pm.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY
Our Last Enemy
With House of Thumbs, Inside The
Exterior, Boonhorse & Neanderthug.
$15, 8pm.
THE BASEMENT
saturday july 23
Arts
Exhibition - Art Machine
Digital files will be gobbled up and
turned into works of art by machines.
Until July 30.
ANU SCHOOL OF ART
ARC - Bill Hunter - Two
Homicides (18+)
A series of films honouring the late,
great Bill Hunter.
ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND
ARCHIVE
ARC - Bill Hunter - Gallipoli
(1981, PG)
A series of films honouring the late,
great Bill Hunter.
ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND
ARCHIVE
ARC - Ken Loach’s Route Irish
New film by the cinematic master, five
times only. 7:30pm. Call ARC on 6248
2000 for info/bookings.
ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND
ARCHIVE
Dance
Alex Carder
HIPPO LOUNGE
Vinyl Only
Get hypnotized to the rotating black
circle and represent for the Vinyl DJs.
Free Entry.
TRANSIT BAR
Darkhorse EP Launch
Electronic duo launch double EP,
with Teddy Trouble, East River &
Broadcasting Transmitter. $5, 8pm.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY
Solid Saturdays - Tittsworth
sunday july 24
(USA)
$15 before 10pm. We assume more
after, but Trinity doesn’t say (mysterious Arts
gits).
TRINITY BAR New Faces New Stories
Timber This display premieres a selection of
Tiiiiiiiiiiimbeeeeeeeeeeeeer! compelling newly acquired portrait
KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE donations, purchases.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
Academy Saturdays With Dept.
Out of the West: Art of Western
Of Defiance
ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB Australia
The Antidote A unique look at the art from Western
Local selectors dropping bass music Australia from pre-settlement until
as heard on 2XX 98.3FM’s weekly today.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA
program.
THE CLUBHOUSESATURDAY JULY 23 Exhibition - Re-Imagining
Nature
Live Installations by Mary Rosengren. Runs
‘til Aug 2. Free entry.
Brendan Drake Trio CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE
CASINO CANBERRA Exhibition - Art Machine
urbanIce – Convaire Digital files will be gobbled up and
turned into works of art by machines.
Convaire have perfected the art of
creating synth-happy, ‘80s inspired, Until July 30.
ANU SCHOOL OF ART
sticky-sweet pop songs. 10pm
GAREMA PLACE Exhibition - Geoffrey de Groen
An exploration of the very essence of
Beth n Ben
Mix their tongue in cheek writing style the language of painting. Free entry.
Wed to Sun 12noon - 5pm.
with a fusion of reggae, roots, blues &
soul. From 11am-2pm. ANU DRILL HALL GALLERY
GORMAN HOUSE ARTS CENTRE Music at the Gallery
Nightless Lovers Inaugural concert series hosted by
Emma Ayres, ABC Classic FM. From
All Percy Mayfield, all the time.
Launching Lost Love LP. $15, 6pm 2pm.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA
doors, 9pm show.
TILLEY’S DIVINE CAFE
Live
N J Edwards - Sydney Solo Hip-
Hop Artist
Sunday Best - Freyjas Rain
With Dub Seven, Domesticated Apes,
Rawlab Crew, Beat Theory + more. $11 5pm to 7pm, free of charge.
A BITE TO EAT CAFE
+ bf, $17 on door. 8pm.
ANU BAR AND REFECTORY Beth n Ben @ The Irish Club
From 2-5pm.
Catherine Traicos & The Starry CANBERRA IRISH CLUB
Night
Launching new album Gloriosa. With Irish Jam Sessions
Playing every Tuesday and Sunday
The Haunted Attics and James Fahy.
8pm. night, from 5pm.
THE PHOENIX PUB KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC
Oscar Tim Rogers
The incorrigible You Am I frontman
KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC
makes a welcome return to Transit Bar.
6pm, tix $28.50, Moshtix.
comedy
TRANSIT BAR
Open Mic Comedy
Plenty of funny for everyone! 8pm, free.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY
51
GIG GUIDE July 25 - July 30
monday july 25
Arts
New Faces New Stories
This focus display premieres a selection
of compelling newly acquired portrait
donations, purchases.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
CCAS - One Place, Three
Exhibitions
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
GORMAN HOUSE
Exhibition - Re-Imagining
Nature
Installations by Mary Rosengren. Runs
‘til Aug 2. Free entry.
CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE
Exhibition - Art Machine
Digital files will be gobbled up and
turned into works of art by machines.
Until July 30.
ANU SCHOOL OF ART
Live
Cardboard Charlie’s Last
Weekly Bootlegs
With Nick Delatovic, Bryony Wills, Rafe
Morris, Jacinta, Cherie Kotek & Ben
‘n’ Beth.
THE PHOENIX PUB
Doomriders
Wailing doomy tidings with local heroes
I Exist and 4Dead in support. $25,
doors 8pm.
ANU BAR AND REFECTORY
Something Different
Trivia @ King O’s
Every Monday night. 7pm, free entry,
$100 bar tab first prize.
KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC
tuesday july 26
Arts
Exhibition - EarthWeave
Weave traces the history of Indigenous
art, craft and design.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
New Faces New Stories
This display premieres a selection of
compelling newly acquired portrait
donations, purchases.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
CCAS - One Place, Three
Exhibitions
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
GORMAN HOUSE
Exhibition - That’s Life
Life Drawing by Marilyn Hutchison.
Open 9am-4:30pm.
BELCONNEN GALLERY
Exhibition - Re-Imagining
Nature
Installations by Mary Rosengren. Runs
‘til Aug 2. Free entry.
CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE
Tour de Force
‘In case of emergency break glass’
highlights the work of eight progressive
Australian artists.
CRAFT ACT
52
Exhibition - Another Body
An exhibition by Shellaine Godbold.
From July 21 – 31.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE
- MANUKA
Comedy
Green Faces Prelude: Open Mic
Comedy
See the comics competing in Green
Faces in August for free as they warm
up to claim comedy gold.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY
Live
Irish Jam Sessions
Playing every Tuesday and Sunday
night, from 5pm.
KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC
Something Different
Trivia @ The Phoenix
Enjoy a vague sense of
accomplishment. From 7.30pm, with
$10 cocktails from 9pm.
THE PHOENIX PUB
Karaoke Love
Every Tuesday, from 9pm. Free entry.
TRANSIT BAR
wednesday july 27
Arts
Exhibition - Art Machine
Digital files will be gobbled up and
turned into works of art by machines.
Until July 30.
ANU SCHOOL OF ART
CCAS - One Place, Three
Exhibitions
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
GORMAN HOUSE
Exhibition - Another Body
An exhibition by Shellaine Godbold.
From July 21 – 31.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE
- MANUKA
Live
Hippo Live - Ben Marston
Quartet
HIPPO LOUNGE
Jordie Lane
Jordie Lane returns from an extended
stint in the US to release his second
album. $15.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY
Something Different
Fame Trivia @ Transit
Every Wednesday, from 7.30pm
TRANSIT BAR
thursday july 28
Arts
CCAS - One Place, Three
Exhibitions
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
GORMAN HOUSE
Exhibition - Another Body
An exhibition by Shellaine Godbold.
From July 21 – 31.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE
- MANUKA
ARC - Ken Loach’s Route Irish
New film by Loach, five screenings only.
7pm. Call ARC on 6248 2000 for info/
bookings.
ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND
ARCHIVE
Dance
Wobble - Triptych & Jayo
Plus Knightsbridge’s $10 Thursday
cocktail list.
KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE
TOKiMONSTA (USA)
Brainfeeder’s shining female musical
genius. $15.
THE CLUBHOUSE
Day Play
DJs in the Beer Garden
Every Thursday, from 2pm onwards.
ANU BAR AND REFECTORY
Live
Fun Machine & Dub Dub Goose
THE PHOENIX PUB
Mojo Juju
Think vaudeville with a female Tom
Waits-ish vocals. Yup. With Clairy
Browne and Archer.
TRANSIT BAR
Joel Harrison
KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC
friday july 29
Arts
CCAS - One Place, Three
Exhibitions
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
GORMAN HOUSE
Exhibition - That’s Life
Life Drawing by Marilyn Hutchison.
Open 9am-4:30pm.
BELCONNEN GALLERY
Out of the West: Art of Western
Australia
A unique look at the art from Western
Australia from pre-settlement until
today.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA
Exhibition - Another Body
An exhibition by Shellaine Godbold.
From July 21 – 31.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE
- MANUKA
Untrained By Lucy Guerin
Four Canberra men dance off: two
trained dancers, two untrained dancers.
Bookings through the venue.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
Canberra Poetry Slam
Featuring ukulele tunes from Farida.
Free entry, register by 7.30pm.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY
Dance
Purple Sneakers Djs
Canberra’s hottest indie party. Free
Entry.
TRANSIT BAR
Jemist
Spinning funk, soul, hip-hop ‘n’ house.
KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE
uniVibes presents LIVE
Fusing acoustic and electronica in one
small grimy room.
THE CLUBHOUSE
‘90s Edition Volume 2
Fambiz presents R&B Heat the ‘90s
Edition.
ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB
Live
Heaven The Axe
W/ Chainsaw Mascara, Tranquil
Deception, and MTBA. 8pm, 18+ and
$10 entry.
THE BASEMENT
Dee Jay Gosper Trio
CASINO CANBERRA
Na Maza
W/ Friend Or Enemy, Immersion,
Ameliah Brown and Frostbite. 6pm, $5
entry. All Ages.
WODEN YOUTH CENTRE
urbanIce – Magnifik
Magnifik is the brainchild of Canberra-
based DJ and producer Ashley Feraude.
10pm.
GAREMA PLACE
urbanIce – James Curd
James Curd began his DJ career in
Chicago at age fifteen, and has only
gotten better with time. 11pm
GAREMA PLACE
Frenzal Rhomb and No Use For
a Name
Plus special guests. Tix through
Ticketek.
ANU BAR AND REFECTORY
Meet Me In The Middle Of The
Air
Paul Kelly and Paul Grabowsky with the
Australian Art Orchestra. Tix through
the venue.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
Something Different
Last Fridays Drinks
Exhibition viewings, entertainment
and drinks to kick-start the weekend.
5-9pm.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
saturday july 30
Arts
CCAS - One Place, Three
Exhibitions
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
GORMAN HOUSE
Exhibition - Another Body
An exhibition by Shellaine Godbold.
From July 21 – 31.
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ARTS SPACE
- MANUKA
ARC - Bill Hunter -Backroads/
Rate of Exchange
A series of films honouring the late,
great Bill Hunter.
ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND
ARCHIVE
Untrained By Lucy Guerin
Four Canberra men dance off: two
trained dancers, two untrained dancers.
Bookings through the venue.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
GIG GUIDE July 30 - August 03
Dance Out of the West: Art of Western Karaoke Love
sunday july 31 Australia Every Tuesday, from 9pm. Free entry.
Academy Saturdays with Pred A unique look at the art from Western TRANSIT BAR
ACADEMY NIGHTCLUB Arts Australia from pre-settlement until
Nathan Frost today. wednesday august 03
KNIGHTSBRIDGE PENTHOUSE ARC - Ken Loach’s Route Irish NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA
Solid Saturdays - John Course New film by Loach, five screenings only. Exhibition - Re-Imagining
(Melb) 4.30pm. Call ARC on 6248 2000 for Nature Arts
The Aussie house music veteran info/bookings. Installations by Mary Rosengren. Runs
returns. Free before 10pm, $15 after. ARC CINEMA, NATIONAL FILM & SOUND til Aug 2. Free entry. CCAS - One Place, Three
ARCHIVE CSIRO DISCOVERY CENTRE Exhibitions
TRINITY BAR
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Full Frequency Presents Dizz 1 Live Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype &
With D’Opus, Faux Real and DFP. Free Live
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750.
before 9pm, $10 after. Metal Night
TRANSIT BAR Julien Wilson’s Coathanger CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE -
A refreshing Metal @ The Phoenix Quartet GORMAN HOUSE
Womp night, with Reign of Terror, Immersion As part of the Capital Jazz Project. Quantum Leap - Identify
Featuring Canberra and Sydney Bass and more. 7.30pm, for tix call The Street Theatre Contemporary dance exploring who we
DJs. THE PHOENIX PUB
on 6247 1223. are and where we’re going. Bookings
THE CLUBHOUSE Sunday Best - Kooky Fandango THE STREET THEATRE 6285 6290.
5pm to 7pm, free of charge. Alister Spence Trio THE QUEANBEYAN PERFORMING ARTS
Live A BITE TO EAT CAFE CENTRE
As part of the Capital Jazz Project.
Live Evil Presents: The Big 4 Kidz Jazz - The World 9:30pm, tix from The Street Theatre on Step Into the Limelight -
Live Evil covers Metallica, Slayer, According to James 6247 1223. Seasons
Megadeth and Anthrax. $20, doors at Jazz for kids. 2pm. Visit www.thestreet. THE STREET THEATRE A smorgasbord of dance, theatre and
7.30pm. org.au for info & tix. visual arts. $32/$21.75 from Ticketek,
ANU BAR AND REFECTORY THE STREET THEATRE Something Different 7pm.
Tom Stone, The Thylacines... Irish Jam Sessions ROYAL THEATRE
Playing every Tuesday and Sunday Trivia @ King O’s
...Flat Earth & Confederacy. Every Monday night. 7pm, free entry, Live
THE PHOENIX PUB night, from 5pm.
KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC $100 bar tab first prize.
Vince Jones Live KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC Kaiser Chiefs
With Rachael Thoms & Luke Sweeting Rafael Jerjen Concept
With the Matt Thompson Quintet, as With special guests Papa vs Pretty and
Duo. 7pm, tix from The Street Theatre. Stonefield. Tix on sale through Ticketek
THE STREET THEATRE part of the Capital Jazz Project. 6pm, tix tuesday august 02
6247 1223. now.
Jane Sage THE STREET THEATRE UCU REFECTORY
A mix of folk and rock with a hint of Arts Fran Swinn Quartet With Corde
blues and country; sometimes pop, The World According to James
As part of the Capital Jazz Project. 8pm. Lisse
sometimes not. $10, 8pm. CCAS - One Place, Three Plus Inform Meets the Sirens Big Band.
THE FRONT CAFE AND GALLERY Tix from The Street Theatre on 6247
1223. Exhibitions 7.30pm, tix from The Street Theatre.
Mandala THE STREET THEATRE Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors THE STREET THEATRE
With My Own True Love & Eyes To The Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype & Misinterprotato
Sky. 8pm. Ash Keating’s Activate 2750. As part of the Capital Jazz Project.
THE MARAM, ERINDALE CENTRE monday august 01 CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - 9.30pm. To book tickets, call The Street
Mike Price Quartet GORMAN HOUSE Theatre on 6247 1223.
9.30pm, to book tickets, call The Street Arts THE STREET THEATRE
Theatre on 6247 1223. Live
THE STREET THEATRE Yurauna Centre Artists NAIDOC Something Different
Irish Jam Sessions
Matt Keegan Trio Meets Dave Week Exhibition Playing every Tuesday and Sunday
Ades Open 9am-4:30pm. Fame Trivia @ Transit
night, from 5pm. Every Wednesday, from 7:30pm
11pm, tix from The Street Theatre on BELCONNEN GALLERY KING O’MALLEY’S, CIVIC
6247 1223. TRANSIT BAR
CCAS - One Place, Three
THE STREET THEATRE Exhibitions Something Different
Jacqueline Bradley’s The Outdoors
Type, Andrzej Zielinski’s Prototype & Trivia @ The Phoenix
Ash Keating’s Activate 2750. Enjoy a vague sense of
CANBERRA CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE - accomplishment. From 7.30pm, with
GORMAN HOUSE $10 cocktails from 9pm.
THE PHOENIX PUB

REGURGITATOR
OUT
AUG03 THE PANDA BAND
ASH GRUNWALD
THE BEARDS
...AND MORE!

53
 FIRST CONTACT
Aaron Peacey Aaron 0410 381 306
Activate Jetpack activatejetpack@
hotmail.com
Adam Hole Adam 0421 023 226
SIDE A: BMA artist profile Afternoon Shift
Adam 0402 055 314
After Close Scotty 0412 742 682,
afterclose@hotmail.com
Alcove Mark 0410 112 522
Alice 0423 100 792
Allies ACT (Oxfam Group)
alliesact@hotmail.com/
myspace.com/alliesact
Amphibian Sound PA
Clare 0410 308 288
Amplif5’d Classic rock covers band
Joy 0407 200 428,
joybarac-heath@hotmail.com
Annie & the Armadillos
Annie 6161 1078/0422 076 313
The Ashburys
Dan Craddock 0419 626 903
Hannah Gillespie Aria Stone, sax & flute, singer/
songwriter (guitar) Aria 0411 803 343
Australian Songwriters Association
Group members? Mostly just (Keiran Roberts) 6231 0433
Arythmia: Ben 0423 408 767/
me and Matt Nightingale (guitar,
arythmiamusic@gmail.com
double bass), but I was lucky Backbeat Drivers Steve 0422 733 974,
enough to be joined by the www.backbeatdrivers.com
wonderful Aaron Peacey and Big Boss Groove Andrew 0404 455 834,
www.bigbossgroove.com.au
Kay Chinnery from Fire On The Birds Love Fighting Gangbusters/DIY
Hill for my CD launch at The Front. They’re cool, they can shows - bookings@birdslovefighting.com
definitely stay in my books! Black Label Photography
Kingsley 0438 351 007
Blister Bug Stu 0408 617 791
Describe your sound: Some say folk, some say country, Bridge Between, The Rachel 0412 598 138,
some say contemporary singer-songwriter. I’ve been thebridgebetween.com.au
compared to Marianne Faithful, Lucinda Williams and Bruce Stage mgr/consultant
6254 9857
artists like that so I guess I’m all about authentic, hopeful, Caution Horses Nigel 0417 211 580
heartworn folk kinda music.
Chris Harland Blues Band 0418 490 640
chrisharlandbluesband@yahoo.com.au
Who are your influences, musical or otherwise? Actually, Clear Vision Films rehearsals/film
clips/stunts - 0438 647 281
I’m a big fan of The Cure and The Smiths and guys like that.
wcoulton.clearvisionfilms.com
I’m a bit of an ‘80s alt-rock kinda girl, but really my influences Cole Bennetts Photography
are my family and the people round me. Dad was a founding 0415 982 662 /colebennetts.com
Cris Clucas Cris 6262 5652
member of the Majors Creek festival, so I’ve always had that Crooked Dave 0421 508 467
sense of the folk tradition in what I do. Danny V Danny 6238 1673/0413 502 428
Dawn Theory Nathan 0402 845 132
What’s your biggest achievement/proudest moment so D’Opus & Roshambo
far? Well, getting the album (it’s called All the Dirt, in case hifidelitystyles@yahoo.com
DJs Madrid and Gordon 0417 433 971
you weren’t too sure) together was a real achievement - I DJ Latino Rogelio 0401 274 208
had Ken Stringfellow (Posies, Big Star, R.E.M.) come all the DJ Moises (RnB/Latin) 0402 497 835
or moises_lopez@hotmail
way from France to produce it, then I had players strewn
DNA Vic 0408 477 020
all over Australia that I had to get - Matty, Kev Nichol from Drumassault Kate 0414 236 323
Noiseworks, Ben Gillespie from the Snappers/Hoodangers Easy Mode Daz 0404 156 482,
etc, but it all came together in the end! Also, having Mum, easymodeband@gmail.com
Entity Chris 0412 027 894
Dad and all my supportive family and friends turn out for the Epic Flagon band@epicflagon.com
album launch gig was great. It was a really special night. Fighting Mongooses, The
Adam 0402 055 314
What are your plans for the future? Gigs, promoting the Final Warning Brendan 0422 809 552
album, more writing. Fire on the Hill Aaron 0410 381 306/
Lachlan 0400 038 388
4dead Peter 0401 006 551
What makes you laugh? Things my Dad says. Freeloaders, The Steve 0412 653 597
Friend or Enemy 6238 0083,
What pisses you off? Things my Dad says. www.myspace.com/friendorenemy
Funk Shui Dave 0407 974 476
What’s your opinion of the local scene? A lot of good Gareth Hailey DJ & Electronica
stuff going on, some really great bands/acts. Would be 0414 215 885
GiLF Kelly 0410 588 747,
good to have a few more venues that knew what they were gilf.mail@gmail.com
doing around town. Putting on live music is an undertaking Groovalicious Corporate/Weddings/
and some venues don’t really understand the implications Private functions 0448 995 158
groovalicious@y7mail.com
before they go down that road. Fostering a musical scene or Guy The Sound Guy live & studio
venue takes a lot of effort and time. sound engineer, 0400 585 369, guy@
guythesoundguy.com
What are your upcoming gigs? Supporting the wonderful HalfPast Chris 0412 115 594
Hancock Basement Tom 6257 5375,
Jane Sage at The Front on Saturday July 30. hancockbasement@hotmail.com
Happy Hour Wendy 0406 375 096
Contact info: Get me on my website - hannahgillespie.com. Haunted Attics
au, or on facebook - facebook.com/gillespie.hannah band@hauntedatticsmusic.com
Hitherto Paul 0408 425 636
In The Flesh Scott 0410 475 703
Inside the Exterior Nathan 0401 072 650
54
Itchy Triggers Andrew 0401 588 884
Jacqui Seczawa 0428 428 722
JDY Clothing 0405 648 288/
www.jdyclothing.com
Jenn Pacor singer/songwriter avail. for
originals & covers, 0405 618 630
Jim Boots 0417 211 580
Johnny Roadkill Paulie 0408 287 672,
paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au
Karismakatz DJ Gosper 0411 065 189/
dj@karismakatz.com
Kayo Marbilus
myspace.com/kayomarbilus
Kurt’s Metalworx (PA)
0417 025 792
Little Smoke Sam 0411 112 075
Los Chavos Andy 0401 572 150
los.chavos@yahoo.com.au
Manilla Green Herms 0404 848 462,
contactus@manillagreen.com,
Mario Brujo Gordon world/latin/
reggae/percussionist and DJ.
0405 820 895
Martin Bailey Audio Engineer
0423 566 093
Words for You: writer/publicity/events
Megan ph 6154 0927,
megan@wordsforyou.com.au
Mercury Switch Lab Studios
mercuryswitch@internode.on.net
Missing Zero Hadrian Brand 0424 721 907
hadrian.brand@live.com.au
Moots aspwinch@grapevine.com.au
Huck 0419 630 721
MuShu Jack 0414 292 567,
mushu_band@hotmail.com
MyOnus myonusmusic@hotmail.com/
www.myspace.com/myonus
No Retreat Simon 0411 155 680
Ocean Moses Nigel 0417 211 580
OneWayFare Chris 0418 496 448
Painted Hearts, The Peter 6248 6027
Phathom Chris 0422 888 700
The Pigs The Colonel 0422 412 752
Polka Pigs Ian 6231 5974
Premier Audio Simon 0412 331 876,
premier_audio@hotmail.com
Rafe Morris 0416 322 763
Redletter Ben 0421 414 472
Redsun Rehearsal Studio
Ralph 0404 178 996/6162 1527
Rhythm Party, The Ross 0416 010 680
Rob Mac Project, The
Melinda 0400 405 537
Rug, The Jol 0417 273 041
Samsara Samahdi 0431 083 776
Sansutra J-Ma 0403 476 350
Simone Penkethman
(Simone & The Soothsayers,
Singing Teacher) 6230 4828
Soundcity Rehearsal Studio
Andrew 0401 588 884
Solid Gold Peter 0421 131 887/
solid.gold@live.com.au
Super Best Friends Matt 0438 228 748
Surrender Jordan 0439 907 853
Switch 3 Mick 0410 698 479
System Addict Jamie 0418 398 556
The Morning After (covers band)
Anthony 0402 500 843/
myspace.com/themorningaftercovers
Tiger Bones & The Ferabul-Zers
Danny feralbul@aapt.net.au
Tim James Lucia 6282 3740,
LUCIAMURDOCH@hotmail.com
Top Shelf Colin 0408 631 514
Transmission Nowhere Emilie
0421 953 519/myspace.com/
transmissionnowhere
Udo 0412 086 158
Undersided, The Baz 0408 468 041
Using Three Words Dan 0416 123 020,
usingthreewords@hotmail.com
Voodoo Doll Mark 0428 650 549
William Blakely Will 0414 910 014
Zero Degrees and Falling
Louis 0423 918 793
Zwish 0411 022 907
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