PAGE 2 @bmamag

facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 3
PAGE 4 @bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 5
PAGE 6 @bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 7
PAGE 8 @bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 9
PAGE 10 @bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 11
PAGE 12 @bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 13
 [CONTENTS]

[Canberra’s Entertainment Guide]

#496AUG/SEP

Say hi to your mum

for me

Mail: PO Box 713

Civic Square, ACT 2608
Publisher CAMP COPE p. 28
Radar Media Pty Ltd.
General Manager
Allan Sko
T: (02) 6257 4360
E: advertising@bmamag.com
Editor
Andrew Nardi
E: editorial@bmamag.com
Accounts Manager
Ashish Doshi
T: (02) 6247 4816
E: accounts@bmamag.com
Sub-Editor
Hayden Fritzlaff
Graphic Designer
Andrew Nardi
Film Editor QUEENS OF THE p. 22
PLACEBO p. 20 STONE AGE
Emma Robinson
Entertainment Guide Editor
Nicola Sheville
Social Media Manager
Sharona Lin
Columnists
Cody Atkinson, Dan Bigna,
Noni Doll, Leanne Duck, Cara
Lennon, Sharona Lin, Joshua
Martin, Josh Nixon, Peter
O’Rourke, Alice Worley
Contributors (This Issue)
Jeremy Edwards, Jasper
Hagan, Morgan Hain, John P.
Harvey, Belinda Healy, Blake
Howard, Sam Ingham, Pat
Johnson, Gabby Marshall,
Rory McCartney, Jarrod THE PREATURES p. 23 AJJ p. 34
McGrath, Andrew Myers,
Keren Nicholson, Patrick Ogisi,
Geoff Page, Matt Parnell,
Thomas Spillane, Claudia Tilley,
Samuel Townsend, Indigo Trail,
Kashmira Mohamed Zagor
NEXT ISSUE #497 OUT
Wednesday September 13
EDITORIAL DEADLINE
Friday September 1
ADVERTISING DEADLINE
Friday September 8
MICHAEL PUTTIN ON CELEBRATE

ABN 76 097 301 730 MOSLEY
p. 38 THE RITZ
p. 42 GHIBLI

p. 52
BMA Magazine is independently
owned and published. Opinions
expressed in BMA Magazine LITERATURE IN REVIEW p. 53
are not necessarily ALBUM REVIEWS p. 56
those of the editor,
FILM REVIEWS p. 66
publisher or staff.
ES
199 T THE WORD ON GIGS p. 68
2 ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE p. 72

PAGE 14 @bmamag
 FROM THE BOSSMAN
[CHEAT SHEET FOR APPEARING MORE
INTELLIGENT THAN YOU ACTUALLY ARE]
BY ALLAN SKO
[ALLAN@BMAMAG.COM]
Hello sexy readers! Good to have
you with us. That you’re reading
these cobbled together words
demonstrates at least a modicum
of devotion to this ‘ere rag (and,
he ventures with barely disguised
egotism, to me myself).
As a result, I believe you deserve
a reward. And that reward is, the
thing I wrote as the title for this
column. (It’s just up there, look.
Have a quick peek now. I’ll wait…)
As a so-called writer, occasional
editor, and definite magazine
owner, I oft encounter in my daily
life as a human a certain - shall we
say – “caution” when interacting
with my fellow human via social
media or email.
Y’see, people – perhaps due to my
role – tend to get nervous about
their words, spelling, grammar
and punctuation around me, and
tend to mistake me for some kind
of Intelligent Person.
Trust me; I am NOT Intelligent.
My ex-wife can fill you in on the
details there.
Now whilst I old fashionedly
refuse to indulge in the Orwellian
newspeak of modern texting (I
will forever write ‘you’ instead of
u, and ‘for’ instead of 4 … I get
the advantages of abbreviation, I
really do, but fuck that) as far as
your SPG goes? I couldn’t give a
toss. I am the very LAST person
in a position to judge anyone.
About anything.
This said, I do swim in the Scrooge
McDuck style Money Bin of
language and wordage as a job,
and thus have collected a couple
of little “life hacks” (as I believe
the kids say) to make you sound
more intelligent than you actually
are. To whit…
Tip #1 – Adopt the word ‘copacetic’
into your daily speech. Great
word, that. Copacetic. Sounds
like some kind of exotic health
condition, or a scientific term for
the structure of atoms, or even
the name of a moon for one of the
distant planets.
Know what it actually means?
facebook.com/bmamagazine
Fine. It means everything is fine.
It’s one of the wankiest words I
know and – through its execution
via your supple lips – instantly
gives you 25 more IQ points than
you actually have.
“How was the weekend, Allan?”
“Oh, y’know … Copacetic.”
Instant genius.
Tip #2 – Make up your own words
that have a clever meaning. And
if you can’t come up with them
yourself, steal them from others.
Good writers borrow; great writers
steal after all.
Par example (oh yes, Tip #2.5 …
Throw in some random other
language terms like French or
Latin; that always makes you
sound more intelligere) … The
word “forelog”. We all know about
going on holiday or having a sick
day and having a backlog of work.
The “forelog” is the tremendous
amount of work you have to
do BEFORE you go on holiday.
Cute, no?
There’s also this little beauty
– we all know about making
someone’s acquaintance. But
if you’re “meeting” someone
for the first time via email, then
say it’s a pleasure to make their
e-quaintance. E, get it? It’s equal
parts twee, smartarse and funny,
and will put you in good stead
as the learned person you’re
pretending to be.
Tip #3 – Your Mum jokes, the
phrase “that’s what she said”
and double entendres (there’s
that French again) will forever be
hilarious. Forever. (YOUR MUM’s
hilarious … See? Priceless). Do
not, however, utter one when
meeting someone for the first time.
They are to be reserved for people
who know you for the lovable twat
you are. For the first impression
meet, avoid at all costs.
Alrightey then; that should keep
you in good stead for now. I
hope you’ve found this column
copacetic whilst with a soupcon of
bon vivre and … Well … Yer Mum.
EDITOR’S BLAB
[GOODBYE MY LOVER, GOODBYE MY FRIEND]
WITH ANDREW NARDI
[EDITORIAL@BMAMAG.COM]
Yeesh. I didn’t think I’d actually If you feel like you can add
reach the point where I’d be something to your local street
completely satisfied with all press, go ahead and contact me at
the work I’ve poured into this editorial@bmamag.com.
magazine, that I can comfortably
Well actually, I would like to say that
walk away from it. They say you
you’ll be contacting me, but you’ll
should strive to leave your job in
really be contacting my successor,
a better state than you found it,
Hayden Fritzlaff, who will be
and I feel confident that BMA is
taking over that email address
in a healthy place at the moment.
and all my other responsibilities
Is it on track to becoming the
for the foreseeable future. Yes,
next Beat or The Music? I mean,
BMA goes through editors like
all we can do is try. Rolling Stone
Field Day punters go through a
or NME, then? Woo, settle down
bag of pingers, but all things run
there, pardner.
their course and sometimes you
But yes, in case you can’t infer it, just gotta know when to bow
this is my last issue at BMA. We out and let someone else put
had fun though, didn’t we? Like their own spin on things. Know
the time I printed that Tidbit on when to hold ‘em, fold ‘em, run,
The Hard-Ons, trying to fit as many et cetera.
dick puns as I could into it, only
Me? I’m off to Dublin, actually.
to receive an angry call from the
I landed an internship there with a
promoter the next day. Boy, did I
graphic design firm. Just a small
miss the mark on that one. I mean,
thing though, I’ll be back. Wouldn’t
tough crowd, right? Yowza.
want to miss our 500th issue (in
In all seriousness, there’s been December). Yeah, did you even
a fair number of changes made know? The big five-oh-oh. And
to the mag in recent months and in the same year as BMA’s 25th
I think Canberrans are actually birthday, too. Are you expecting
starting to notice, and even, some sort of party? Keep your ear
heaven forbid, care about their to the ground, sucker. There’ll be
live music and arts scenes. On details coming out soon, courtesy
the frontlines, myself and many of this mob.
others have started to pick up on
This mob being, my dear boss and
an increased number of attendees
friend Allan Sko. He’s had a few
at gigs; punters are starting to buy
rough patches here and there but
pre-sale tickets early on and most
he’s all right, and he’s got the wits
shockingly of all, people have
to keep this ship sailing a steady
been picking up and reading this
course. I have faith in him, and
little mag in the highest numbers
Hayden as well, and also in our
we’ve seen in ages. Sure, we’ve
awesome team of writers and
still got gigs and events drawing
photographers, who continue to
half as big a turnout as we’d
turn over some astoundingly good
hoped for or even expected, but
content every month. I’m grateful
it’s a slow process. Baby steps.
for you all, thanks a bunch for
Now that both our magazine and making this mag such a cool thing.
website have been given a facelift,
I suck at goodbyes, so smell ya
the intention is to keep finding new
later. Enjoy this issue as well –
ways to support live music, arts
some of my all-time favourite
and entertainment in Canberra.
musicians are littered throughout.
And hey, we’re always looking for
Peace.
volunteers who want to help out;
young or old, experienced or not.
PAGE 15
 [TIDBITS]
Bambounou / DJ Set / Fri Aug 18 / Mr Wolf
Bambounou is one of the two
French elements on Berlin-based
label 50 Weapons, skillfully led by
Modeselektor’s duet with whom
he has worked with since 2012.
At the age of only 24 and seven
EPs and an album behind him,
Bambounou has quickly risen
as one of the major acts of the
Sarah McLeod / Album Tour / Sun Aug 20 /
Transit Bar
It’s been 12 years since her first
solo work. Now, ARIA Award
winning, platinum-selling
artist Sarah McLeod is set to
release her highly anticipated
forthcoming studio album
Rocky’s Diner. The album marks
a radical change of creative
gears for Sarah. Following
Kuniko Kato / Workshop & Concert / Thu Aug 30–
Fri Sep 1 / Groove Warehouse
Kuniko Kato is a Japanese
soloist and one of the most
gifted percussionists in today’s
contemporary and classical
music scene. She is renowned
for her flawless technique when
playing both keyboard and
percussion instruments, which
blends seamlessly with her
PAGE 16
French and European house and
techno scenes. His productions,
widely inspired by the Chicago,
Detroit and London scenes, have
already proven the extent of his
talent. Support from Genie, Bob
Crane and Kangaroo Life Saver.
[10pm]
her achievements as the front
woman of South Australian
rock-band The Superjesus, she
made her first move as a solo
artist in 2005 with her debut
album Beauty Was A Tiger.
Support from Alana Wilkinson.
[6pm / $28.60 via Oztix]
profound musical intelligence.
Her two-day residency at Groove
Warehouse is part of her 2017
Australian national tour, and will
include an intensive marimba
Workshop as well as a concert.
[$35-$50 via groovewarehouse.
com.au]
Self Talk / EP Tour / Fri Aug 18 / The Phoenix
Melbourne indie pop/rock quintet,
Self Talk have just released their
new EP titled Almost Everything.
Wasting no time, the band has
already hit the road to tour their
new songs, co-headlining an
Australian tour with Brief Habits.
With a 90s influenced wistfulness,
punk energy and dash of pop that
The Ocean Party / Album Tour / Mon Aug 21 /
The Phoenix
Melbourne by Wagga Wagga
six-piece, The Ocean Party
are pleased to announce the
release of their seventh album,
Beauty Point. To celebrate, they
have announced an extensive
Australian tour. Recorded in two
parts, Beauty Point began to be
realised in a week of sessions at
Tex, Don & Charlie / Album Tour / Wed Sep 6 /
The Street Theatre
Following the release of their
third studio album You Don’t
Know Lonely, Tex, Don & Charlie
will hit the road en route to
Canberra this September, visiting
regional and metropolitan
locations with their fiery brand
of alt-country in tow. Tex, Don &
Charlie are masters of evocative,
UPCOMING GIGS
has become Self Talk’s signature
sound, the band are inspiring
through heartache and hindsight,
nostalgia and new beginnings.
With extra support from Slagatha
Christie and Helena Pop.
[8pm / $10 entry]
a house/studio in Stanwell Park,
N.S.W. The beautiful cliffside
location was contrasted by the
album’s final sessions, which
took place in the band’s inland
hometown of Wagga Wagga.
With support from Dog Name,
Territory and Danger Beach.
[8pm / $10 entry]
story-driven songwriting. You
Don’t Know Lonely’ follows on
from 2005’s Australian Music
Prize nominee All Is Forgiven, and
the 1995 Australian music classic
Sad But True. Support from The
Ahern Brothers. [7:30pm / $60
via thestreet.org.au]
@bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 17
 BMA BAND
PROFILE
[LOCAL ACTS TO WATCH]
VIDEO BREEZY
Group members:
James Roberson (vocals and
guitar), Eadie Newman (lead
guitar), Jonathan Corcoran
(drums)
Where did your band name
come from?
The name is a pun on the
former DVD rental store. RIP.
Describe your sound.
Emo / Shoegaze.
Who are your influences,
musical or otherwise?
We take influences from artists
including American Football,
King Krule, Explosions in the
Sky, Cloud Nothings, Arrows,
Sufjan Stevens, Smashing
Pumpkins, Slowdive and My
Bloody Valentine.
What’s the most memorable
experience you’ve had
while performing?
We played a show to a crowd
consisting mostly of the next
band’s mums. The other
band wasn’t even there. They
were proud.
Of what are you proudest of
so far?
See above.
PAGE 18
What are your plans for
the future?
We are currently recording our
first EP, which we are hoping to
release in the coming months.
What makes you laugh?
Truth or Dare.
What pisses you off?
People ragging on Canberra.
What about the Canberra
scene would you change?
More crossover between
different genres at shows.
What are your upcoming gigs?
To be announced, check
our Facebook.
Contact Info:
Facebook: facebook.com/
videobreezy
LOCALITY
[THE WORD ON LOCAL MUSIC]
WITH NONI DOLL
[NONIJDOLL@GMAIL.COM / @NONIDOLL]
If you’re feeling a bit down and favourites into jumpin’ tunes on
out, The Phoenix will be marking Thursday August 17 from 7pm.
the fact that sometimes no-one Entry is once again $15, or $10
told you life would be this way. for CMC members.
Maybe your life’s a joke, you’re
It’s been too long since we last
broke, or your love life’s DOA?
heard from Glitoris, so it’s a
Or maybe you’re upset because
delight to know that not only do
nobody wants to be your friend
they have new material in the
when you’re constantly quoting
works, they’re also playing their
90s TV themes. Whatever the
first ever all ages gig on Friday
reason, head down to the Pheno
on Wednesday August 23 from
8pm for Sad Old Bastard Night,
September 1 at the Pop-Up at
ANU. Their support line-up is
pretty bloody great too, consisting
where you’ll be able to drown
of Bleach It Clean and Slagatha
your sorrows in the melancholy
Christie, with MILF Camp playing
melodies of Tom Woodward,
the roles of MC. The loud music,
Evan Buckley and Jim Sharrock.
swears and “dangerous” political
Join in the depressed-fest, have
commentary starts at 8pm,
a mid-week tipple or three, and
but if you’re clever, you’ll be
you’re sure to be feeling better in
there when doors open at 7pm.
no time.
Because of the fact that the gig is
Feeling like something a little bit all ages, if you want to partake in
more upbeat that you can shake an alcoholic beverage, you’ll need
your booty to? Then the Friday to bring +18 ID. Entry is $20, with
Night Fiesta on Friday August 25 $15 concessions, and you can
at The Phoenix is just what the grab your tickets at TryBooking,
doctor ordered. You’ll be treated which is a particularly clever
to a set from Los Chavos, with idea, given that Glitoris gigs have
plenty of other surprises right a pesky habit of selling out, so get
across the night. It kicks off at on it!
9pm and goes as late as they can
The Food Co-Op’s Acoustic Soup
push it, which means the $10 that
is a beautiful joining of music
gets you in the door is going to
and a delicious hot meal. If that
stretch a long way!
concept appeals, head along
Jazz lovers have got some great on Wednesday August 30 from
little treats coming up for them 7pm, and for $12 you can grab a
at Smith’s Alternative. On Friday bowl of soup and enjoy sets from
August 25, Zackerbilks will bring ALOÏSE, Dom Lavers, Sebastian
a little bit of Gatsby glamour to Field and James Hamilton.
the cosy little venue, presenting
their dixie jazz from 9:30pm,
with an entry price of $15, or
$10 for Canberra Musicians Club
members. On Saturday August
26, it’ll be something with a
little more blues folded in, with
Key Grip taking the stage from
9:30pm, with entry again sitting
at $15 and $10 for CMC members.
For those who are fans of both
ragtime and something a little
bit outside the norm, The Parlour
Social will be back turning a
whole bunch of stuffy classical
@bmamag
 Reclink’s major fundraising singing the current and future
events, raising more than national anthems (‘Advance
$100,000 to help people get to a Australia Fair’ and the Go-
better place through sports and Betweens’ ‘Streets Of Your Town’
the arts. Reclink relies on the respectively).
hard work of volunteers to get
If you like music, footy or charity,
the Community Cup going, and
make sure you pick a side and
to provide for those people who
get down on the day. And make
need it most. Whilst the game
sure that side is the Noise.
may (will) be fun, raising money
JUST A LITTLE KICK to help others is the real purpose The first CANBERRA RECLINK
OF THE FOOTY of the Community Cup. COMMUNITY CUP will be played on
Sunday September 10 at Jamison
BY CODY ATKINSON Several bands have been lined Oval. There will be food and drink
PHOTO BY MEGAN LEAHY up to play on the day, including stalls there on the day, and plenty of
After over two decades opportunities,” local Community veteran local indie rockers, entertainment for the whole family.
of play in Melbourne, and Cup organiser Davey J (from Waterford, local rocksteady and Entry is $10, or $5 for under 12s.
recent expansion across the 2XX’s The Big Gee Up) said. ska warriors The Kingstons, and
country, the RECLINK the Mixtape Chorus, who will be
The Community Cup is one of
COMMUNITY CUP
has finally landed in Canberra
for the first time. Historically,
the Community Cup has
pitted members of the vibrant
Melbourne community media
scene (The Megahertz) against
the local music that they talk
and write about (The Rockdogs).
The game, whose proceeds go
to charity, features live music
and entertainment throughout,
including some of those who get
on the park as well.
In Canberra, the formula is more
or less the same, with the musos
donning the red, yellow and black
of the Lime Stones, and the wider
media (including The Canberra
Times, the ABC, The Conversation,
2XX and this fine publication)
proudly wearing the red and white
of the Noise. The Noise have even
roped in a recently elected MLA,
Mark Parton (formerly of 2CC).
Parton even managed to win the
raffle at the launch packed full of
2XX merch, which I guess we can
now expect to see on the floor of
the Assembly.
As one potential Lime Stone,
Waterford’s Glen Martin, told me,
the Cup will be fought between
the Lime Stones and “flailing
hacks from failing organisations.”
But while the day is ostensibly
a footy match between two
historically “rivalling” forces,
there will be one clear winner
regardless of what the scoreboard
says at the end of four quarters.
“Reclink Australia’s aim is to
enhance the lives of people
experiencing disadvantage or
facing significant barriers to
participation, through providing
new and unique sports and arts

facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 19
 PHOTO BY

PAGE 20 @bmamag
 P L A C E B O
20 YEARS OF
SURVIVING AND THRIVING
BY JARROD MCGRATH

It’s great when major international acts decide endorsements we believed that sunlight. It was some of the most
what we’re doing is not shit.” uncomfortable experiences that
to include Canberra on their tour schedule. we’ve had.”
They have released a new song,
Especially when it’s a milestone tour that’s ‘Life’s What You Make It’, to I think Canberrans have gotten
dedicated to giving the fans what they most celebrate the tour, so can we better at buying presale tickets
want. Fortunately for us this will be the case expect an album anytime soon? “I over the years (especially after
wouldn’t rule it out,” says Olsdal. we have had quite a few sell-
when London’s PLACEBO stops by to “I tend to focus on the day and out shows in the last few years).
give us their 20 Years of Placebo tour. Bassist right now what we’ve got is this Given my gratitude for such a
tour. I like to focus my energies major tour coming to us, and
Stefan Olsdal gave me the lowdown on what on today because you don’t really having previously had big shows
fans can expect from such an epic tour. know what’s gonna happen. being cancelled because of low
sales, I was curious as to whether
“The preparations began about a that we just kinda hold onto “As musicians you can’t stop,
ticket sales are something the
year ago,” says Olsdal. “We were dear life sometimes. It’s the it’s something that musicians
band get involved in at all.
faced with the fact that we had only thing that we know how to are cursed with. You can’t really
to go out on tour and play songs do. It’s crucial to our existence. retire as a musician, y’know, “Yeah, obviously we’re standing
that we don’t like. Basically So sometimes we just follow there’s always something going looking at the ticket sales every
because it’s the 20th anniversary that blindly and we sacrifice our on. It’s gotta mean something night on stage. It’s something
right, and it’s got a connotation mental wellbeing just to keep it and be something you stand by that we get used to. Some places
of celebration, it became clear going. Essentially we’re bound by 100 percent. The more albums are more popular than others; it’s
to us that this was probably this desire to just keep the band you do the harder it becomes something we gauge accordingly.
the only time in history that we alive. It’s basically what keeps us to fulfill all your own criteria for We’re used to playing in front of
would have to bring out these alive, so we can’t do without it.” what constitutes a worthwhile small audiences because we did
songs that we had previously album. In your 20s you’re kinda it for years and years back in the
The band has worked with gung ho and as you get older you 90s. So it’s a case of taking it for
killed off. So the preparation
some impressive names in the realise that you are mortal and what it is. We’ll put on as kickin’
was an attitude change, we had
music and creative world over you have to keep up the standard. a show as we possibly can, it
to approach the whole tour with
their career, from Brett Easton It kind of becomes more work. It doesn’t matter how many people
an attitude of celebrating all
Ellis through to Michael Stipe. just means that it might take a show up.”
things Placebo even if we didn’t
“I guess the most poignant one little longer for an album to come
personally like them, and to make
is the work we did with David For some reason I decided to try
the tour about the fans really, and out. We’re aware that we haven’t
Bowie, which has kinda become out my first dodgy, creative type
play the songs that are the fans’ had a new album out since 2012,
more poignant during this tour question to an artist, closing my
favourites; changing our attitudes so for me it’s starting to feel like
because we’ve been playing the interview with Olsdal by asking
to suit other people’s needs than a long time.”
track that we did together, and him, “If you are Placebo, what is
our own. It took a few shows to
The Cure?”
get into it but now that we have
toured it, it works, we’ve had “It’s one of the best bands
some amazing experiences with [Placebo is] basically what keeps around.” I kind of had an idea this
the crowd, so that has made it us alive, so we can’t do without it may be his response, and it was
all okay.” in formulating the question that I
realised the relationship between
Given the band have now been
the band names. Had anyone else
around for 20 years I took when we do so we’re projecting I didn’t realise this will actually
made the correlation? “We’ve
the opportunity to get some images of Mr. Bowie himself. So be the group’s second time in
had Robert Smith play on stage
relationship advice from Olsdal it was very emotional to perform our nation’s capital, and it seems
with us before so, ah yeah, we
about how he and Brian Molko it because of his recent passing. our wintery ways will suit them.
have.” Mmm, now to decide if I do
(singer/guitarist) reconcile It’s a reminder of how incredibly “We have, it was a long time ago.
those types of questions again.
any conflicts and keep the fortunate we are to have shared I think it was around the fourth
relationship going so long. moments with him and have album. We’re glad to be coming PLACEBO play with DEAF HAVANA
“Counselling maybe,” suggests him sing on one of our tracks,” back on our own accord because at the AIS Arena on Thursday the
Olsdal. “I don’t know. I think all Olsdal reflects. “We’ve also the last few times to Australia, it September 14. Tickets start at $101.85
relationships need a bit of advice shared stages with Robert Smith has been to do the Soundwave + bf, available through Ticketek.
now and then. We survived it, and Frank Black. Those are the festival and we just said that we
we’re survivors eventually ‘cos moments when you realise what cannot go to Australia and play in
there’s this thing called Placebo, we are doing is okay, with these 45-degree celsius heat in direct

facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 21
 LIKE THE WAY QUEENS USED TO DO
Before descending on Australia for a
headlining gig at Splendour at the Grass
(and several side shows), BMA got to chat
to QUEENS OF THE STONE
AGE bass player Michael Shuman about
the band’s upcoming Mark Ronson (I didn’t
stutter) produced VILLAINS, and joining
the band coinciding with the band’s biggest
record; 2013’s Like Clockwork (2013).
Shuman, a Los Angeles native had
no idea how his career was going
to go and fully expected to live
out of his van for the next decade.
By chance his band/project Wires
on Fire was produced by QOTSA
touring regular and bassist Alain
Johannes.
“I made the Wires on Fire
record with [Alain] and his wife.
He was kinda filling because
[QOTSA] didn’t have anyone for
the tour, and they were looking
for someone for real. He kinda
mentioned me…”
Getting the call from one of
his favourite bands was “life
changing,” in more ways than
one. “I don’t know what my life
would have been like without
these dudes and the family that
we have and that we’ve built. As
much as you get to be in a rad
band, play cool songs and tour
the world it changes everything,
every dynamic of your life.”
At the release of 2013’s Like
Clockwork, the creative force of
QOTSA, Josh Homme revealed to
listeners of Marc Maron’s podcast
WTF that he had been pushing so
hard for such a sustained time
on a myriad of projects that he’d
almost worked himself to death.
His recovery had finally adjusted
his unmatchable creative pace.
PAGE 22
“When we were meant to go
make Like Clockwork, and Josh
says, ‘so I got this call from Jon
Paul Jones and he wants to go
do this band so I’m really sorry,
we gotta postpone the record.” I
was like good for you, you know,
and years later I get this call, ‘Hey
man, I got this call from Iggy Pop
and ahhh, and he really wants to
make this record’. As a friend you
say, ‘You gotta go do it’.”
Shuman says the “lyrically
vulnerable” Like Clockwork fed
off some “tough shit” the band
was going through.
“It was just a rough one, not only
for Josh but for all of us, and
losing Joey [Castillo – in the band
from 2002–2012], it was a tough
record to make, although we
came out of it and there was light
at the end of the tunnel.”
If Like Clockwork fed off the
personal and professional turmoil
of the band, Villains is proof
that the newly minted line-up
has gelled and is, according to
Shuman, “the strongest” the
band has ever been.
“The first song that we kind of
discussed a couple of years ago,
Josh played us a really stripped
down version of ‘The Way You
Used To Do’ – just that riff and the
BY BLAKE HOWARD
claps – so that was kind of where
our heads were at.”
Villains, their latest album,
somewhat controversially sees
pop producer Mark Ronson
presiding over the record.
“I think bringing in Mark just
helped us be a band and play and
have someone, a sixth member to
kind of oversee. We knew that he
wasn’t gonna change our sound.
He may have been a little nervous
stepping into our dojo,” Shuman
says. “He’s a fan, he gets it. He
clicked immediately on a human
level but also he’s got a vast
knowledge of all types of music,
kind of just like us – the glossary
was all there.”
Villains begins with Ronson
taking you through an 80s/
John Carpenter synthetic portal
into a series of epic throbbing
rock tracks. Ronson brings
the technical precision in
the production. There’s not a
missed note or beat; but it feels
electrified. ‘Feet Don’t Fail Me’
explodes with the most chilling
bass riffs I’ve heard this year. ‘The
Way You Used To Do’ – the only
pre-released track – is not out of
place in a saloon; the toe tapping
flanged guitars are dripping in
bluesy cowboy cool. ‘Domestic
Animals’ is a song crying
out, being swallowed into the
wilderness and it rolls and teeters
unexpectedly one hiccup out of
time but somehow never misses
a beat. “Fortress” is the tent pole
of the album – connecting this
haunting arc but reducing the
tempo. It’s a melodic, throbbing
love letter where the synthetic
notes are like additional strings
to their unique set-ups.
‘Head Like a Haunted House’
picks up the tempo, a re-injection
of flamethrower energy. It’s
the purest punk since QOTSA
circa their self-titled (1998) or
Rated R (2000). ‘Un-Reborn
Again’ – the most Modest
Mouse track title possible – it’s
QOTSA signature percussive
rock transposed with a misty
psychedelia. ‘Hideaway’ is like
the candy house in Hansel and
Gretel, a honey tongued promise
that ends in being consumed.
‘The Evil Has Landed’ is a vodka
soaked seduction with a side of
f-you; Josh in his falsetto, versus
the steadily increasing heartbeat
of the song and leans into this
swinging flow. The chorus is like
a tractor beam – the pulse just
totally locks you in. ‘Here We
Come’ triggers the unstoppable
– come with us is the kindness;
if you’re not in – we’re coming
anyway. The final track ‘Villains of
Circumstance’ is a proclamation;
it’s a delicate epic, reverting in
what you imagine is some kind of
underground lair.
“The songs are long, we didn’t
expect that either, it goes to show
you that anyone who thought,
‘Oh, Mark Ronson is gonna make
them this pop band,’ I don’t think
pop songs are six minutes long.”
Villains is an epic and rowdy
stoner rock album. What was
Shuman’s goal; “to kinda play
my balls off.” From that opening
blazing bass funk in ‘Feet
Don’t Fail Me’, it’s clear that
he delivered.
The new album from QUEENS OF THE
STONE AGE, Villains will be released
Friday August 25 through Matador.
@bmamag
 GIRLHOOD AND IDENTITY
“Survival,” is Izzi Manfredi’s reply when
I ask her about the motivation for
THE PREATURES’ second album,
GIRLHOOD. The album explores the
contradictions of being a modern woman,
with each track representing a different stage
of womanhood. It is an intensely personal
record for Manfredi. One she felt an absolute
necessity to write or else she felt she would
not survive as an artist.
“It was the first record that I
learned about the craft of writing
songs,” says Manfredi. “This
record was about, ‘okay I’ve done
that, now what do I really want to
write about?’”
Blue Planet Eyes was the first
album released by The Preatures
in 2014. It peeked at number 4
in Australia and saw the band
nominated for an ARIA award.
But a part of Manfredi has been
put on hold. She described Blue
Planet Eyes as only exercising
one muscle in her body. “Girlhood
was really about exploring the
totalitarian of my identity.”
The record was inspired by
dreams Manfredi was having
at the time of herself as a
teenager when her parents were
divorcing. “I don’t know, I had a
really fucked-up adolescence,”
Manfredi says openly to me. “I
struggled a lot with mental illness
and I was not in a good place.”
The album opens with the title
track and first single, ‘Girlhood’.
Upbeat and messy, the song
introduces the idea of the modern
woman and the confusion
surrounding it. The music video
sees a young girl in her bedroom
watching a confident Manfredi
facebook.com/bmamagazine
perform on a small television,
singing the lyrics, “What ever
makes me a modern girl? Nothing
makes me a modern girl.” The
bold lyrics convey Manfredi’s
battle with the external pressure
to be confined to the stereotypes
of being a woman. “This idea
of feeling like you got to be
this natural beauty,” she says.
“Everything has to come easily
and you got to live simply and live
within your means.”
Although Manfredi admits that
she loves beauty and dressing
up, she explores the notion
deeper in Girlhood. Questioning
the line between self-expression
and narcissism. “I was really
drawn to this concept with the
record because I struggle with
it on a daily basis,” she admits.
“What part of this is me doing
as I please and what part of is it
sheer vanity?”
The Preatures consists of Jack
Moffitt (guitarist), Thomas
Champion (bassist), Luke Davison
(drums) and Manfredi. In March
last year, Gideon Bensen, a key
figure in the band, doubling as a
vocalist and key guitarist, left to
pursue a solo career. Mandfredi
thought he would stay with The
Preatures for the second album.
BY CLAUDIA TILLEY
“We were just going to smash
out this record and then that
didn’t happen,” she says. His
departure left a big space to fill,
but Manfredi was not afraid to
step up. Being the only woman
in the band, some artists would
have found it hard to explore
the theme of femininity. Not for
Manfredi, who views gender as
interchangeable. A relevant topic
given Trump’s recent transgender
ban in the military.
She strongly believes each gender
holds elements of masculinity
and femininity. At times a male
will find himself looking through
a feminine gaze, and vice versa.
It is important we acknowledge
this as an inherently positive
exchange of energies. The true
creative process contains a
genderless spirt. “Every time I
listen to any of the songs they are
a mix of feminine and masculine,”
says Manfredi. “To me it is a truer
representation of my identity and
the band’s identity than anything
I could have done as a purely
feminine concept.”
It is not just the concept in
Girlhood that curates The
Preatures’ identity but also
Manfredi’s use of three different
languages: English, Italian
and the indigenous language
of Sydney, Darug. Girlhood is
the first album in history to
feature songs sung in these
three languages.
‘Yanada’ in Darug means “moon”
and is the name of the third
track on the album. The journey
to use the Darug language was
not easy, but one Manfredi felt
extremely essential to pursue.
“It’s incredible, the indigenous
language is so vastly complex
and full of synergy,” Mandredi
tells me. She also makes a sad
point; we are brought up learning
little to nothing about indigenous
languages. “We only learnt
rudimental, anthropological
history of indigenous Australians
and for us that wasn’t
good enough.”
The creation of ‘Yanada’ was a
long process, it has been in the
works since January last year. It
began with Manfredi putting out
calls to the indigenous community
in Sydney. Through numerous
phone calls that spanned a time
of nine months the band began
forming connections. It was
Jacinta Tobin, a Darug elder,
that taught Manfredi part of the
language and gave permission to
use Yanada.
It’s undoubtedly rare to
hear indigenous language
in mainstream Australian
music. The Preatures’ drive to
understand the traditional identity
of our country should encourage
other Australian musicians to
do similarly. “We were adamant
we weren’t going to release the
record unless the song was done
right,” says Manfredi.
It is clear Girlhood has not been an
easy ride for Manfredi. The record
has demanded her to confront a
painful part of herself and expose
it. Some may argue this is the key
to a successful creative project.
And it has certainly paid off for
her. Manfredi has transcended
The Preatures into a band that
asks us to go deeper into the
exploration of our own personal
identities. Whether that be male,
female or both.
Girlhood, the long-awaited sophomore
album from THE PREATURES is out
now on Universal Music Australia.
PAGE 23
 DANCE THE DROP
[THE WORD ON DANCE MUSIC]
WITH PETER ‘KAZUKI’ O’ROURKE
[CONTACT@KAZUKI.COM.AU]

I’ve been listening to some old EDM created – remove the hype,
music lately. No, not returning to and boil it down to a repetitive
the same tried and true trance monotonous beat. Well, I guess
classics that Godskitchen or we’ll see…
Ministry of Sound seem to release
Speaking of repetitive beats (see
in a 3-CD special every three years
what I did there?), Bambounou
(do we really need another copy
(Paris, France) is coming to play
of Tiësto’s ‘Suburban Train’?),
some spacey, trippy techno at
but to older mixes that I’ve never
Mr Wolf on Friday 18 August – a
heard before – some of the Global
seriously cool booking, go check
Underground sessions, or Fabric
it out!
mix CDs. There are tracks that
might have been played a bit the Thursday August 24, The
year they came out, but they were Basement has a charity gig with
never really anthems, just good Sorry Mum, I’m Going Out And
tunes. And I know that every era I May Be Some Time – expect
has its music of massive build- reggae, house and assorted
ups and big drops, that’s not just beats. On Friday August 25, Dom
a recent thing, but wow, music Dolla and Torren Foot come to
from 15 year ago was CHILLED. Academy to spin some house.
As a DJ and producer, it’s really My crew Department of Late
started to inform my sets, and Nights has a few events coming
my production. Having hypnotic, up over the next couple of
trippy music that you can get lost months. First up on Saturday
in and just sort of bubbles away September 2, Late Night Studies
is truly awesome (I guess it was returns to the ANU pop-up venue,
called trance for a reason). If only with Dragonfruit’s Jay Berry
we could return to some of that… & Kyle Burchill coming down
from Brisbane – tickets available
And then, I look at the number
online – while Friday September
one selling tune on Beatport, and
15 has a new techno and house
it’s not an EDM banger or techno
night, Agency, at Kyte. This one
weapon or remixed bassline
features Melbourne’s Steve
house track – but a 27-year-old
Ward, which should be a treat!
tune, Age of Love’s ‘Age of Love’,
The night before, Kyte has a truly
revamped by progressive techno
(bass) heavy booking with Israeli
DJ Solomun. It’s pretty similar to
dubstep firestarter, Borgore on
the original, now with a beefier
Thursday September 14 – tickets
bassline, and some trippy acid
are selling fast, so get in quick.
trance sounds – but basically
Cube has done some renovations
the same song reproduced for a
too, so why not check it out at
modern sound system. No build-
Hard Envy on Sunday September
up, no real drop, it just grooves
24 with Sydney’s Khemist on
away. What does this mean? Is
headline duty. As always, more
that it, has dance music run out
stuff is always popping up – keep
of ideas?
your ears to the underground!
No, I reckon the complete
opposite. I reckon this is an
attempt to bring it back to basics,
bring it back to the actual trance
on the dance floor. And I think
DJs are relishing in it, excited to
not only rehear a classic, but to
torch the ground of what festival

PAGE 24 @bmamag
 DANCE, CRY,
CHANGE YOUR LIFE
BY HAYDEN FRITZLAFF & ANDREW NARDI
There aren’t many acts that
possess both the pulling power
and sense of humour necessary
to bring out Tina Arena for a set at
Splendour in the Grass. Actually,
there’s only one: CLIENT
LIAISON.
“It so easily could have not
happened,” says frontman Monte
Morgan. “It could’ve been, ‘oh
yeah, we played Splendour and
that was that.’ But no, we brought
her out and fleshed out our
connection and collaboration and
it’s been great. She’s now a close
friend of ours. Never thought I
could say a hero is a close friend
of ours, you know. Now she is.”
It’s the latest development in
Client Liaison’s rise from retro,
office-worshipping synth pop
enthusiasts to festival drawcards
and regulars on the international
touring circuit. The band are
all too aware of the image they
put forward.
“We like the idea that we create
this absurdist Australia,” says
Morgan. “There’s nothing
conscious about us trying to
capture Australia. I guess we’re
more just viewing it and taking
it in subconsciously. Canberra’s
also a bit of an absurd place,
which relates to us. Like my
father always used to say, ‘we
should shut down Canberra. It’s
the biggest waste of taxpayer
money going ‘round.’”
But far from just being a front,
Client Liaison’s mystical,
cosmopolitan aura stems from
the way Morgan and collaborator
Harvey Miller approach music
(and life in general). The two
respond impassionedly, almost
indignantly, to the suggestion
that it could be any other way.
“There’s lots of different facets
to Client Liaison,” says Morgan.
facebook.com/bmamagazine
“We’ve got the video clips, we’ve
got the kind of ongoing narrative,
we’ve got us as characters.”
“It’s also in the live show,” Miller
chimes in.
“Yeah in the live show, and some
lyrics too, but it’s more so. If
you listen to our music sonically
without a video clip I think people
are much less inclined to see
the humour. So it is there, it’s
supported by a lot of context. It’s
one element.”
It’s their steadfast loyalty to
good vibes that’s earned Client
Liaison such a devoted fanbase.
Expect that to continue now
that work has begun on the
follow-up to their 2016 album
Diplomatic Immunity.
“We’ve been going to a few
different settings,” says Morgan
about how things are taking
shape this time around. “About
two months ago we went to Byron
Bay. We tried to write a song a
day. It was a beautiful location
and we came out with kind of
fun-loving songs. We’d all go off
and create a beat. Our port of call
before we start writing melody or
lyrics is, ‘what is the real vibe?’”
“We’re just trying to write the
best songs we can,” says Miller.
“We’re not trying to do some
abstract kind of left-field thing
and alienate our fans. We just
want to make people dance.”
“Dance or cry,” says Morgan.
“That’s kind of our motto at the
moment. Make people dance
or cry.”
CLIENT LIAISON return to UC Refectory
on Saturday September 9 at 8pm.
Tickets are $39.80 through Oztix.
YOUR NEW FAVOURITE
OVERACHIEVER
When I was 17, I was writing sad
poetry. TKAY MAIDZA
was releasing her debut single,
‘Brontosaurus’. There aren’t
many people who look back on
their teenage creative attempts
with much excitement, but Tkay
is something else.
The first time I heard Tkay
Maidza was in the Hottest 100/
Taylor Swift furore of 2014 –
Tkay’s single ‘Switch Lanes’
made it in at number 100, with
Triple J pointing out the upside
of not letting Swift into the
poll with the cheeky hashtag
#TkayforHottest100. “I think that
being in the Hottest 100 really
helped,” Tkay muses. “Because
a lot of people are listening to
the first song, I think that was
a thing that exposed me to a lot
of people. I think I’m constantly
doing a lot of things, but I think
that was one thing.”
I don’t like, try hard
What has she learned in the last
few years making music, I ask
her. And is it strange listening to
music you made as a teenager?
“I don’t know!” She takes a few
moments to think about the
question, thinking out loud: “I
think that’s like for me, at the
start, I learned a lot about music
in general. Like it was just me
doing what I felt like doing and
how I thought it should sound.
But over the years, you meet a
lot of different people and adapt
your sound from other people. My
taste has narrowed a bit more,
and it’s like quality control. So I
just know if something’s bad. So
compared to the start, and I’d be
like, oh this is amazing! But now I
can tell if it’s bad.”
BY SHARONA LIN
Her confidence comes through
in all she does – her interviews,
music and fashion. Tkay’s
Instagram is impressive, and she
is regarded as something of a
style icon, with looks that most of
us could only dream of. But how?
“I don’t know! I kind of just dress
how I feel. I do whatever feels
right for me. I wanna have an
Instagram that looks nice, that’s
kind of like, goal. I guess everyone
has that goal to make sure their
Instagram is presentable. And
that’s sort of like a bit about
expressing yourself in different
ways, a bit of a way to have fun.
Like, colour, and wearing things I
never thought I would wear. Just
trying new things. I don’t like, try
hard,” she qualifies. “I don’t sit
there thinking of what will look
the best, but it’s just like, I want
to take a photo of this because I
think it’s a cool photo.”
Tkay will be performing at
Snowtunes soon. I ask her if she’s
going to be enjoying the snow –
perhaps snowball fights? Skiing?
“I’m excited to go snowboarding!”
she says. “I played Snowtunes a
couple of years back and I went
snowboarding then as well, it
was really fun.”
Catch TKAY MAIDZA at Snowtunes
alongside SAFIA, GANG OF YOUTHS,
RUBY FIELDS and more, Friday–
Saturday September 1–2. Single
day passes from $99+bf through
snowtunes.com.
PAGE 25

NO SLEEP FOR
THE WICKED
BY THOMAS SPILLANE
Rest doesn’t seem to be a
concept that sits well with
DZ DEATHRAYS. The
Queensland punk rockers toured
their sophomore effort, Black
Rat (2014), extensively for close
to two years. Following that
they released two new singles
in 2016, ‘Pollyanna’ and ‘Blood
On My Leather’. Off the back of
those tracks DZ Deathrays set out
across Australia as well the rest
of the western world.
“We did a tour with Violent Soho
and Dune Rats, and then we did
the Groovin The Moo tour as
well … and then we also went
to South By Southwest,” says
vocalist/guitarist, Shane Parsons.
“Then we went to Europe with
We were only really
a two-piece out of
necessity
Dunies and then America and
Canada with Dunies, and then did
our own headline tour.”
The band has since released a
new single, ‘Shred For Summer’,
earlier this month. DZ Deathrays
have decided to take a step back
this year and collect themselves,
but the band’s concept of
‘chilling’ still seems to be
unaligned with popular opinion.
The boys have already recorded
another album in their downtime
that they are just sitting on.
“We kinda thought, well let’s pull
back a bit this year, and we’ve
recorded another record so it’s
ready to go. So we’re just keeping
it pretty chill for a little bit,” says
Parsons. “We’ve got one tour in
UK/Europe … just waiting until
the time is right to put out the
new record. In the meantime
we’re trying to write another
record so that we have some
extra material ready to go.”
PAGE 26
Parsons claims the band gets
bored if they don’t keep moving.
Forming as a two-piece in 2008,
DZ Deathrays have since added
another guitarist to their line-up.
The band’s sound has developed
from brash, dark, punk rock
in their early days, to dance-
inflected beats married with
chunky riffs more recently. The
expansion to a three-piece has
apparently seen a change in the
band’s writing and recording
process.
“We were trying to inject a bit
of new spice into the band. We
were only really a two-piece out
of necessity,” says Parsons. “It’s
just an evolution of the band.
Gives us a bit more space in the
music. It’s cool to have someone
else to bounce off onstage and
give parts to and create a bit
more dynamics.”
Despite relaxing as best as they
can this year, DZ Deathrays are
already planning big things for
2018. With another album under
their belt and ready for release,
the band are set to hit the ground
running again next year.
“You can expect [the new album]
towards the end of the year. We
haven’t set a firm date yet. We
have a few things planned to roll
out,” says Parsons. “The next
album tour we’ll be making sure
to hit Canberra … we’ll be back
there, definitely.”
DZ Deathrays plan to roll out their
new album next year.
DZ Deathrays are playing Snowtunes
in Jindabyne on Fri–Sat September
1–2. Single day passes from $99+bf
through snowtunes.com.
METALISE
[THE WORD ON METAL]
WITH JOSH NIXON
[DOOMTILDEATH@HOTMAIL.COM]
We had a good chat with King last Blood Duster vocalist Tony Forde
issue and it’s timely to remind also fronts his new musical
you all that there is an absolutely endeavour King. The show on
killer show at The Basement Saturday August 19 is massive
this weekend, but there’s a bit with nine bands in between the
happening in Melbourne metal front and back rooms for a mere
20 bucks. The night will feature
circles worth mentioning as well.
performances by Blackhelm,
So King Parrot dropped the first Black Jesus, Mytile Vey Lorth,
video from their forthcoming Darkhorse, Claret Ash, Black
album Ugly Produce entitled Mountain, Somnium Nox and
‘5 Pounds of Shit in a 10 Pound The Plague. That’s a big night of
Bag’, which hit Rage and the metal for 20 skins.
interweb in the last couple of
weeks. Featuring bassist and In international news, the support
Australian metal’s best comedic for the Sydney show of thrash
actor Wayne ‘Slatts’ Slattery titans Kreator and Polish death
as the protagonist of a kinky metal lords Vader has gone to
visit to an S&M club, wearing a Daemon Pyre for the show at
strap on dildo on his forehead the Manning Bar on Saturday
throughout the clip, it’s some September 9.
depraved shit. The album is out
The Melvins have also
on Friday September 22 and you
announced a package tour
can pre-order now through Nerve
with Redd Kross hitting the
Gas online. The guys then head
off to tour the USA and Europe
Factory Theatre in Marrickville
with Superjoint, nee Superjoint
on Thursday November 9. I’m
still realllllllly keen to see The
Ritual.
Melvins’ documentary The
Former Triple J host of The Racket, Colossus of Destiny, as I have
Andrew Haug and his brother heard wonderful things about
Paul have been members of the it. They’re touring album #25
band Contrive for the better part (!!!) entitled A Walk With Love &
of 20 years. They had an extended Death.
hiatus following the death of their
Just want to drop a shout
father a couple of years ago, but
out to our departing editor
have used the experience as the
Andrew Nardi to say thanks for
catharsis that drove their new
putting up with my perpetually
album Slow Dissolve due out on
late backside and wish you all the
Friday September 1.
best in your exciting new job. All
As that door opens, another the best pal.
Melbourne journey is coming to
an end in a few months’ time.
The Brewtality festival was
headlined by Blood Duster a
couple of weeks ago and in the
press leading up to it, Jason PC
announced the end was nigh for
Australia’s long serving grind
rockers. This caused a bit of
confusion in the social medias,
with many reporting that the fest
gig at the Tote was it. This is not
the case. There will be one final
show in early December as a
farewell and I think that will likely
be mental.
This brings us full circle as
@bmamag
 REMEMBERING
CHESTER BENNINGTON
Celebrity deaths are a cathartic subject. They
are people we have never met but we have
grown up with their presence, influence and
as of the last number of years, a fly on the
wall perspective into their lives through
social media.
This year alone we have lost John
Hurt in January, Bill Paxton in
February, Chuck Berry in March,
Chris Cornell in May and Adam
West in June, among others.
On July 20th, we tragically lost
the talented vocalist Chester
Bennington of nu-metal band
Linkin Park. He committed
suicide at his house in Pals
Verdes Estates, Los Angeles. He
was forty-one years old.
The band formed in 1996 under
the name Xero as a rap-rock
act. Three years later in 1999
under the new name of Linkin
Park (not the actual Lincoln Park
in Chicago, Illinois) they were
signed to Warner Bros. Music and
nothing would be the same again
for rock in the early 2000s.
In 2000 and 2001 the boys stormed
the hard rock and heavy metal
scene previously dominated by
the likes of Korn, Disturbed, Limp
Bizkit and Slipknot, respectively.
Their hits included ‘One Step
Closer’, ‘In The End’, ‘Papercut’,
‘Faint’, ‘Crawling’, ‘Numb’,
‘Breaking The Habit’ and ‘New
facebook.com/bmamagazine
Divide’ from the Transformers:
Revenge of the Fallen soundtrack
that reinvigorated their mark on
the rock music. In 2004 the band
collaborated with Jay-Z for the
Collision Course EP that united
both rock and hip-hop fans alike.
Even if you were not a fan of
the music you could recognise
Chester from his signature flame
tattooed forearms, lip ring, tipped/
dyed hair, or even his blink-and-
you’ll-miss-it movie cameos,
such as in Crank as a sketchy
chemist customer or in Saw 3D
as an ill-fated victim. The band’s
latest album One More Light was
released in May, and the sextet
were in the midst of an American
tour before the shocking
tragedy struck … On the eve of
Bennington’s dear friend and lead
singer of Soundgarden Christ
Cornell’s would-be birthday, he
took his own life. Condolences
from celebrities including Jimmy
Kimmel, Justin Timberlake, Jared
Leto and Channing Tatum have
outpoured online.
For some, Bennington was just
BY ANDREW MYERS
another musician from another
band. For others, he was the
guiding light in a darkened
existence where only music
shone the way. Linkin Park’s
songs dealt with isolation, self-
doubt, alcohol and substance
abuse and failed relationships.
Everyone remembers their first
band obsession. I grew up in the
height of Linkin Park’s popularity.
They were my introduction to
heavy metal and gave me the
invaluable gift of self-expression
through music and art. My first
CD purchase was their multi-
platinum debut album Hybrid
Theory. I read the liner notes,
lyrics and thank yous of the album
booklet religiously. I engaged with
friends in playground debates
about favourite songs and when
their latest music videos featured
on weekend viewings of Rage
and Video Hits. Hell, I remember
when I was at least ten-years-
old blasting ‘In The End’ at
Christmas, that’s how much I
loved this band! I had a small
shrine of articles cut out from
those adolescent magazines of
interviews and Wikipedia-grade
biographies about the band. I
owed multiple Linkin Park DVDs
(some questionably bootlegged,
some not). I wanted to dress like
the band, I wanted to be Chester
Bennington, I wanted to be
Mike Shinoda.
I still remember receiving their
second album Meteora for
Christmas during one family get-
together. While my cousins were
drooling over NSYNC, my brother
and I were clambering over who
got to rip open the wrapping
paper first. When every relative
shambled out the door in various
degrees of alcoholism and food
comas I snuck the disk onto
the CD player in the corner to
quietly listen to ‘Numb’ on repeat.
Literally, that one single, over and
over again until it was bedtime.
Though years have passed and
my music taste has shifted and
morphed I still have a special
place for the album that started it
all for me. A deep fondness for a
simpler time and when life didn’t
seem so adult-y.
This invisible disease has
claimed another creative soul. A
veil of sadness has once again
shrouded the music community.
Bennington left behind a wife,
six children and a lifetime of
memories for loved ones and
fans worldwide.
If you are ever having doubts
about yourself or showing signs of
depression, please, seek help from
one of the provided numbers below.
Beyondblue – 1300 22 4636
Lifeline – 13 11 14
Headspace – 1800 650 890
PAGE 27
 I hope that people
who come feel safe
and supported and
represented, that’s ultimately
what we want.
— Georgia Maq

PHOTO BY IAN LAIDLAW

PAGE 28 @bmamag
 CAMP COPE
KEEP TRUE, KEEP GROWING
Melbourne-based trio CAMP COPE
have ridden a steady trajectory since they
released their debut self-titled album in
early 2016. Touting indie-punk ballads about
everyday demons like mental illness and
gender discrimination, the band have found
recognition not only for their brutally honest
storytelling and songwriting, but also as a
social justice movement within the Australian
music community.
The band find themselves in the
eye of the feminist storm that’s
sweeping the punk scene and
larger entertainment industry at
the moment, and I’m interested
to find out more about how they
came to be there.
I’m speaking with frontwoman
Georgia ‘Maq’ McDonald just
after she’s been tattooed. She’s
dedicated the fresh ink to two
bands she holds dear: a Tigers
Jaw branding on her chest,
and an Oasis tattoo – reading
‘Supersonic’, after the 1994
single – across her toes. It’s a
song for another generation, but
I can see why it resonates with
Maq; peddling the importance of
self-belief and self-expression,
Gallagher sings, “You need to be
yourself / You can’t be no one
else” and “You need to find a way
/ For what you want to say”.
“We have a platform and we’re
able to help and so that’s what
we’re doing.” Maq is confident
in Camp Cope’s purpose; it’s not
just an outlet for her creative
expression, it’s also a stage for
her and her bandmates – bassist
Kelly-Dawn ‘Kelso’ Hellmrich and
drummer Sarah ‘Thomo’ Thompson
– to address social issues that are
important to them. “I think that if
you have the platform and don’t
use it then you need to step down
and make room for someone who
can use it for good to help other
people, to benefit others. I feel like
if you’re climbing, you need to lift
as you climb.”
facebook.com/bmamagazine
At the forefront of Camp Cope’s
achievements is #ItTakesOne, a
movement taking aim at sexual
harassment and violence in
concert culture and advocating
for safe, inclusive and respectful
live music spaces. Taking off in
September 2016, the hashtag
went on to garner public support
from artists and personalities in
the music industry including Julia
Jacklin, Courtney Barnett, Frenzal
Rhomb, The Jezabels, triple j’s
Dom Alessio and many others.
Since then, Camp Cope have
launched their own safe-space
hotline to help fans report sexual
harassment at their shows, and
they’ve worked with St Jerome’s
Laneway Festival to create an
anti-harassment hotline for the
touring music festival.
That call for inclusivity and
respect is understated in Maq’s
dialogue with me. It’s clear that
she’s mostly unfazed by her
band’s success, rather it’s her
fans and the space she creates
for them in live music venues
that she cares about. “I feel like
it’s really easy [for bands] to talk
about, it’s really easy to be like,
‘yeah, we want our shows to be
safe spaces for everyone’ – but
they’re not? So we’re really loud
and we’re not afraid to call people
out, ever. And I think that’s why
our shows are …” she pauses,
and comes back to me with
something that feels heartfelt. “I
dunno, I like our shows. I hope
that people who come feel safe
and supported and represented,
BY ANDREW NARDI
that’s ultimately what we want.
We want everyone to have a
good time.”
Our conversation shifts to mental
health, a theme that features
heavily in Camp Cope’s music. At
the time of its release, the band’s
debut album was recognised for
its earnest lyrics, some of which
deal with anxiety, depression and
most poignantly, overcoming grief
following the death of a loved
one. On the closing track ‘Song
For Charlie’, Maq sings, “Still
hoping I’ll see him on the street
/ Or in the house he built around
me, my sisters, and my brother
/ For the strongest woman I’ve
ever known, my mother”.
“I’m going to get deep with you,
if you’re okay with this,” Maq
begins. “What ‘Song For Charlie’
is about is, my mum’s partner
killed himself. And he was my
family, you know? And because
he was brought up in a time –
he was a tradie – and he was
brought up in a time where, you
don’t talk about your emotions.
Like, you just don’t, that’s not
manly, y’know, ‘man up, be a
man’. And so that really made me
think a lot.”
I remark that ‘Song For Charlie’
has made me cry on more
than one occasion. “I feel
really strongly that men should
be able to express emotions
and cry and talk about their
feelings, because it’s all part
of the feminist paradigm,” Maq
explains. “Men are raised to be
disconnected from their feelings,
and so, we need to teach young
men and boys to be sensitive
and be vulnerable and … human.
Because we’re all human – we all
bleed, we all cry.”
The band are prepping to release
a new album soon, and I’m
wondering if we’re going to see
them adopt a new direction.
Maq’s answer reinforces a simple
truth about Camp Cope: they
do things on their own terms.
“Musically, I don’t feel like we’ve
changed directions at all,” she
says. “I feel like this album’s
just gonna be exactly the same,
production-wise, because that’s
just how we are. We want the
album to be a representation of
what we sound like live, I don’t
want to dress it up with anything,
I just want it to sound like us.”
There’s already whispers of a
new, unrecorded song that the
band have been playing at their
more recent shows, including at
the Sydney Opera House for Vivid
LIVE, where it was met with cheers
of agreement at the end of each
lyric. Refusing to compromise
their rightful place in the music
scene, the song deals with gender
discrimination in the industry
as Maq sings unflinchingly,
“It’s another man telling us
we can’t fill up the room / it’s
another man telling us to book a
smaller venue.”
“If you have a platform, you
should support [bands] who are
underrepresented in the punk
scene, instead of just like, ‘four
white men, four white men, four
white men and then maybe like
a female in the opening band,
y’know, just to like, fill that quota,
y’know’,” she relays to me, with
just a little bit of sass. “I think
that’s incredibly disappointing,
it’s really obvious and I think
that needs to change. That’s
not the norm for a lot genres
of music and a lot of venues.
But in the punk scene it is the
norm. Sometimes I feel like the
punk scene exempts itself from
real life, but it does mirror this
patriarchal structure that we
all live in, and we need to stop
mirroring that and make it a safe,
and inclusive, and representative
space for everyone.” Preach.
CAMP COPE play at The Basement
on Thursday September 17 at 7pm.
Support from WORRIERS (US) and
THE LAST EXPOSURE. Tickets are
$26.55 + bf via Oztix.
If this story has brought up any issues
that you need to talk about, please call
Lifeline on 13 11 14.
PAGE 29

PUNK & DISORDERLY
[THE WORD ON PUNK]
WITH ALICE WORLEY
[ALICE.WORLEY@OUTLOOK.COM]
I am so proud to hear the way that
out-of-town bands have been
speaking to me about Canberra’s
music scene. Cable Ties, The Last
Exposure, Carb on Carb, and
even the great Amanda Palmer,
have all been speaking highly of
our under-rated city.
Nick Brown from Cable Ties
approached me and a few friends
at The Phoenix just to tell us
about how special the scene felt
from an outsider’s perspective
and how lucky he felt to be
amongst us. Nicole from Carb on
Carb said at their gig at Transit
last month that, though New
Zealand is the greatest country
in the world, Canberra is the
greatest city. Chelsea and Hayley
The Punk
Gig Guide
Thu Aug 17 – Silver Linings EP
Launch @ The Front
Fri Aug 18 – Trent and Jaryd’s
Birthday Bash @ The Basement
Fri Aug 18 – Self Talk, Brief
Habits, Helena Pop, Slagatha
Christie @ The Phoenix
Sat Aug 19 – Paper Thin,
Speakeasy, Bleach It Clean, Elk
Locker, Sleeping Døgs
@ The Front
Thu Aug 24 – Trash Boat (UK)
@ Transit Bar
Fri Aug 25 – Major Leagues,
Moaning Lisa, Teen Jesus and
the Jean Teasers @ Transit Bar
Fri Aug 25 – School Damage,
California Girls, Passive Smoke
@ Lacklustre Records
Sat Sep 2 – Plyers, Shoeb
Ahmad, Sleeping Døgs
@ LoBrow Gallery & Bar
Thu Sep 17 – The Getaway Plan
@ Transit Bar
Thu Sep 17 – Camp Cope,
Worriers (USA), The Last
Exposure @ The Basement
PAGE 30
of The Last Exposure were so
elated by the crowd they drew
and support they received for
their gig at the Phoenix that they
even spoke to me of a growing
desire to move here! And punk-
cabaret goddess Amanda Palmer
told her audience at the Canberra
Theatre of the stern lecture she
gave a Melbourne crowd that
mocked our town and how very
wrong they were to do so. Cheers,
Amanda, we love you too!
The only blatant exception I’ve
experienced recently was seeing
Joyce Manor at Transit, and I’m
surprised it wasn’t written about
in the review of that gig. I could
only groan and roll my eyes at
how obviously they felt they were
[Destrends @ The Phoenix, Friday August 11. Photo by Alice Worley.]
too good to have a show here. Club, The Front, and LoBrow all
Their attitude earned them a bit had pretty huge gigs on with
of a heckling. It was awkward. really, REALLY good bands/
soloists playing. Having seen
By the time this issue is printed,
Jenny McKechnie’s other band,
Destrends will have just been
Cable Ties, I decided I needed to
and gone, but I hope you all went
see Wet Lips too. I spoke enough
to their show at Phoenix because
I know it will have been mind-
about Cable Ties in my review, so
I’ll just talk about Wet Lips now.
blowing. Their new music video,
Their songs are short, sweet and
‘Lousy Lover’, is currently floating
full of pep, reminding me of my
on the web and the album it
days listening to The Vines and
spawned from is also something
how all their songs were about
beautiful to behold. It reminds me
two-three mins long but still had
so much of The Horrors’ album
all the impact and punch that
Strange House, which has been
they required. Definitely got an
in regular circulation on my car
L7 kinda vibe from them, that
speakers for years now. While
90s-style girl punk; the kind of
you look up their new clip, I
band I imagine Daria and Jane
would also recommend listening
listening to in their bedrooms.
to ‘My Friend’, ‘Skin’, and ‘Papa’.
My legs were so hot and red from
Amazing tracks, every one.
how hard I’d been slapping them
to the beat of the drums. Come
Wet Lips played with Moaning
back any time, ladies! Canberra
Lisa and Violet Fahy at the
digs you!
Phoenix and I am so glad that
they drew such a decent crowd
considering how much there was
going on that evening. It was one
of those nights where there were
just way too many things to pick
from and it is simply too hard to
decide what to go to. The Polish
@bmamag
 NOT PART OF THE PLAN
THE GETAWAY PLAN
is the first band I ever saw live,
way back in 2007 – and then
again in 2008 for the original
Other Voices, Other Rooms tour. I
even have the t-shirt still. Almost
a decade (and three albums and
a hiatus) later, Other Voices, Other
Rooms is back for a second run.
“That was a long time ago,”
Matthew Wright laughs. The
Getaway Plan frontman has
come a long way since those
suburban Victorian days, through
early successes supporting emo
royalty My Chemical Romance
and rockers Taking Back Sunday,
to today. So have they changed
much since then?
That’s been our goal since day one
I guess, is to be the best band we
can be. Nothing else really fucking
matters to us
“Hugely. So much. I think the
biggest thing that changed us
is when we broke up slash went
on hiatus. That was a massive
realisation for us all, as to what
we had. And when we came back,
we were able to see things a bit
more clearly, and we’re way more
grateful for things these days.
Not that we weren’t appreciative
of the success that we had before
the breakup, but we sort of took a
lot of things for granted that we
don’t nowadays. We’ve also just
learned to manage to balance
the band and our personal lives a
lot better.”
So if I could somehow put the
two Other Voices, Other Rooms
gigs side by side, what changes
would I see? “Apart from the
lineup changes I think we’re
better musicians these days.
I’d hope so, given it’s been ten
years!” Wright says. “I think
that we’re way more proficient
facebook.com/bmamagazine
BY SHARONA LIN
as musicians, and that’s been
our goal since day one I guess,
is to be the best band we can
be. Nothing else really fucking
matters to us.”
While they have made a lot of
great music since those times,
there’s no denying that Other
Voices, Other Rooms was a
breakout album, especially in
those heady days of very skinny
jeans and excessive piercings.
Matthew admits that reminiscing
about that era can be a little
weird. “It just sort of evokes
emotions in you, maybe things
that were happening around you
at the time, or what certain songs
are about.”
The band are playing the album in
full, but also another set of songs
from other records. “Kind of for
fans, sort of for us too,” Wright
explains. “Because we really
like a lot of songs that aren’t on
Other Voices, Other Rooms. So
it’s nice for us to be able to play
those too.”
And what of the future? Dark
Horses has been out for two years
already, I point out. “Yeah, we
always try to get records out as
soon as possible, but it just goes
so quickly it’s hard to keep on top
of it,” Matthew sighs. But they’re
always writing music. “What
we’re going to do with that I’m
not really sure. But there’s always
something that’s happening on
the horizon with us.”
THE GETAWAY PLAN, supported by
ELK LOCKER and AUTUMN hit The
Basement on Sunday September
17 from 8pm. Tickets $29.60
through Oztix.
PAGE 31
 PLANET OF SOUND
Planet of Sound is our column celebrating the wide history
of music. In this month’s entry, Dan Bigna ponders on the
drought of live music venues in Canberra and considers the
Tuggeranong Arts Centre as a potential option.
Stuck in Canberra’s growing peak hour traffic dynamic history that travelled live music space. “We have been
from the grungy early days of programming music events since
on an icy winter day, I consoled myself by Sydney’s pub circuit to the grand 2014 and are continuing this
turning up the volume on a first-rate Kinks splash of the 1990 Exxon oil throughout 2017,” Ms Worm said.
protest in New York. “We are always interested in
compilation. When the instantly familiar other proposals; however there
chords of ‘Lola’ burst from the car speakers I With this in mind, I was happy
are operational and programming
to return to the TAC in early
recalled this song getting a regular spin on the February to see The Backsliders,
limitations that have to be
considered. The team here has
ANU Bar jukebox back in the day. The jukebox a band that includes Midnight Oil
a good understanding of what
percussionist Rob Hirst who let
itself is a cultural artefact of such importance loose great crashing sounds in
will work to fill the seats.” Ms
Worm added that, “benefitting
that it should be on permanent display in the the tiny TAC theatre. Afterwards,
financially from music gigs is
National Museum of Australia. I wondered whether thought had
always a challenge and every gig
been given to the TAC theatre
has different requirements and
Later that day I was reading a Looking further afield than becoming a regular live music
varying audience appeal to our
review of the recent Queens of the the inner city, I was pleasantly space and asked TAC Chief
region. Financial viability means
Stone Age show at the Hordern surprised earlier this year when Executive Officer Rauny Worm
we are able to cover our costs and
Pavilion in Sydney and became checking out rockin’ blues whether the TAC had a specific
also pay musicians and artists
somewhat annoyed that I had stompers Backsliders at the mission statement regarding the
appropriately. That’s our goal and
missed seeing them perform yet Tuggeranong Arts Centre (TAC). artistic ventures it promotes. “Yes,
we remain committed to this.”
again because I couldn’t travel A small ACT Government-funded TAC has clear strategic objectives
The ACT Government is the core
to Sydney in time. I wondered art gallery with an even smaller that focus on providing access to
funding body of the Tuggeranong
why Canberra had been left off theatre space allocated to live and developing a wide range of
Arts Centre and you would
the band’s touring schedule, in performance, the Tuggeranong art forms,” she said. “We aim to
therefore expect some effort
fact, why this talented, endlessly Arts Centre is situated in the attract a broad cross-section of
from the relevant authorities to
creative group had never played
better promote popular cultural
in Canberra (to my knowledge).
activities throughout Canberra. A
Surely Queens would have You would expect some effort from mini attempt to bring The Rolling
sold out the Royal Theatre. The
annoyance increased when I
the relevant authorities to better Stones to Canberra during their
was driving past the Canberra promote popular cultural activities 2014 Australian tour was really
not good enough. Bureaucratic
Theatre and noticed a large throughout Canberra speak like ‘operational and
banner advertising a forthcoming
programming limitations’ can be
appearance by Tina Arena. Is this
regularly trotted out to disguise
the best Canberra’s live music greater town centre overlooking our community and we try to be
inaction. Meanwhile, the number
scene can offer? In years past Lake Tuggeranong and provides a as diverse and innovative as we
of touring bands coming to
I have seen the likes of Sonic cultural haven in a precinct better can. Our program is influenced
Canberra continues to languish.
Youth, Nick Cave and the Bad known for the shopping mall, car by budgetary considerations
Seeds, Nirvana, Mudhoney and repair workshops and KFC. A and the nature of the building DAN BIGNA
Lou Reed at the ANU but now – major asset is the comfortable we operate out of. Bringing in
Tina Arena! I’m expecting the and bohemian vibed bar area theatre productions and music
University of Canberra and the that should be bustling on balmy performances is a tricky business
Transit Bar to put on more shows summer nights. with a small venue that doesn’t
now that the antique version of really provide a commercially
Backsliders had previously
the ANU Bar is no more, and we viable performance space, yet is
performed at the TAC during the
can only hope that the brand new gorgeous and comfortable.”
superb Midnight Oil exhibition
ANU Bar becomes a viable live
held there in 2016. That exhibition I agree with Ms Worm’s
music venue, considering that
had necessitated my first trip to assessment that the TAC
the total cost of the forecourt
Tuggeranong in many years even performance space is ‘gorgeous
development has been reported
though I happen to live in Weston and comfortable’, so wanted to
at $220 million.
Creek. The show was a first-class pursue the more specific notion
historical overview of the Oils’ of the TAC becoming a viable

PAGE 32 @bmamag
 SWISS ARMY BAND
After almost fourteen years of writing music,
MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA
have never looked back. Through line-up
changes and side projects, remaining original
members, vocalist/guitarist Andy Hull and
guitarist Robert McDowell have always
moved forward.
From their breakthrough
sophomore effort, Mean
Everything To Nothing (2008),
to the progressive rock inspired
Simple Math (2011), to their
ode to punk rock, Cope (2014),
Manchester Orchestra have
always kept the wheel turning
with a new style to inform their
sound. This year’s A Black Mile
To The Surface (2017) is yet
another chapter in the band’s
diverse catalogue.
“I try and look at our records sort
of like a filmography,” says Hull
when asked about the band’s
new record, “Cope was our ode
to making a punk rock record …
and it felt like the time to really
dedicate ourselves to doing
something like that. So [then] it
really came down to how do we
make a Manchester record we
haven’t made before.”
A Black Mile To The Surface is
more cinematic compared to the
band’s previous effort. Where
Cope was filled with chunky
guitar riffs and heavy drums,
the new record features more
space. Keyboards and strings
are primarily used to delicately
colour the record as opposed to
painting the canvas with guitars.
“We really just spent a ton of time
focusing on getting the songs to
a place where we were all very
excited and inspired from them,”
Hull says of recording A Black
facebook.com/bmamagazine
Mile To The Surface. “It was
basically everyday saying, ‘have
we done that before? Oh, we
have? Alright throw it away, let’s
do something different.’”
Hull and McDowell worked on
a side project together before
recording A Black Mile To The
Surface, which had a great
influence on their songwriting.
The two musicians were
approached by directing team
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
(a.k.a. Daniels) to score their
upcoming film, Swiss Army Man.
The two directors had worked
with Manchester Orchestra
before, directing the music video
for their single, ‘Simple Math’.
Hull and McDowell sent Daniels
a sample song (which ended
up playing during the film’s
credits) and it was all systems go
from there.
“That score [Swiss Army Man]
taught us how to utilise really
small bits of time and make
fifteen seconds still punch you
in the heart somehow,” Hull says.
“The second thing it taught us
was how to create atmosphere
and sonic landscapes instead
of just the song … there’s this
whole other blanket or clothing
you can put on a song. It really
taught us a whole new set
of tools.”
After listening to the score for
Swiss Army Man it becomes fairly
BY THOMAS SPILLANE
clear how it informed A Black Mile This has helped them explore
To The Surface. The film revolves new sounds within their indie
around a man (Paul Dano) finding rock style.
himself marooned on a desert
“When people realise that they
island. Dano’s character is
mentally unstable and suicidal
don’t want to [play in Manchester
until a talking corpse (Daniel
Orchestra], and then you have
the ability to replace that person
Radcliffe) washes ashore. The
with somebody that really wants
score does well to compliment
the feeling of isolation felt by
to do it, and who just so happens
to bring another element of
Dano’s character, as well as the
musicianship. That part of it
peacefulness of the desert island.
has even been relatively easy,”
The majority of the tracks consist Hull says. “For [A Black Mile To
of only Hull’s vocals. Recorded The Surface] in particular, our
and played back in various keyboard player had left the band
ways, Hull and McDowell use and that basically allowed Robert
the former’s voice to create an and I full uncharted territory of
ethereal space around the film. getting as weird as we wanted
Orchestration and synthesisers to with every keyboard we could
are used at parts of the score but find. It allowed us to create
always sparingly. The techniques another character for the album.”
for creating spacious sonic
Despite the cinematic aspect
landscapes exhibited by Hull and
of the new album, Manchester
McDowell on Swiss Army Man
Orchestra have not found it too
have clearly been carried onto
difficult to translate the songs
their new record.
to a live setting. Not comfortable
“There is something inside of me playing with tracks, Hull says he
and Rob where a certain thing would prefer to lose the “third
hits, and when we finally have keyboard part” of a song than
found it we can both look at sacrifice the rock show element
each other and go, ‘that is what of their concerts. Manchester
we were talking about.’” Hull Orchestra are currently touring
says of exploring new sounds, North America, but are planning
“I feel fortunate to have him to hit Australian shores midway
and the rest of the guys in the next year.
band … being so dedicated to
A Black Mile To The Surface by
putting in the really, really tough Manchester Orchestra is out now on
time of figuring out how to make Lorna Vista Recordings.
everything work.”
Manchester Orchestra have gone
through some line-up changes
over the years. Hull and McDowell
are the only original members left
in the band, but a revolving set of
musicians have seemed to help
the band progress. The departure
of members has forced Hull
and McDowell to approach new
areas of Manchester Orchestra.
PAGE 33
 HEROES MEETING THEIR HEROES
BY JARROD MCGRATH
PHOTO BY NANCY WALTERS
“It’s hard to tour with bands if you’re a casual the hugging machine that gives
process and I can see definite
fan, or even if you’re a big fan. It can be kind similarities between the ways containment and comfort to cows
of disheartening to reach out to them and that he makes something and and children.”
the way that I do. His process is
get ignored so I don’t do that anymore.” I felt very exploratory. He gets ideas in
The group have received a bit of
press coverage recently when
a bit the same when I found out I would be his head and then uses film as a
Aussie icons The Wiggles made
speaking to Sean Bonnette, vocalist/guitarist way to make those ideas happen
a comment admiring the clothing
and he chooses to make sense
of AJJ (formerly Andrew Jackson Jihad) of it after the fact. He’s not really
style of the group in their film clip
for ‘Goodbye, Oh Goodbye’. “God
as he is one of my favourite lyricists. I think I focussed on ‘I’m gonna make a
bless those guys,” says Bonnette.
movie about this.’”
contained my excitement just enough to get to “Our friend is trying to get in
I particularly enjoy the themes touch with them for us. Were
ask him all the things I wanted to know about of Bonnette’s songs. They often gonna try meet up with them
one of the most original bands returning describe triumphs over life’s when we’re there.” The film clip is
to Canberra. difficulties but in a somewhat actually a mock of clips by bands
quirky, creative way. One like OK Go, who do elaborate
The group were last here cover songs and then I would particular example that appeals filmmaking and stunts often in
supporting the Smith Street Band just turn those cover songs into to me, as a disability advocate, one take. Given the clip’s humour
at the now defunct Magpies Club, my own songs. That’s why every is their ongoing references to and creativity I assumed it may
where they put on a show that song I wrote sort of sounds like a Temple Grandin (if you don’t have been the band’s idea. “As
garnered many new fans. “Oh hell Smashing Pumpkins song.” know who she is, please go to her much as I wish it was our idea, it
yeah,” says Bonnette, recalling YouTube now, or take the cheat’s was the director’s.”
As to whether the lyrics or the
the show. “Canberra is like the way out and go watch the Claire
melody comes first, “They usually This tour sees the group on
political centre of Australia right, Danes movie about her).
come at the same time. The a national headline tour that
where the government is based?
shape and sound of the word will In ‘Temple Grandin’ AJJ reference includes the Yours and Owls
Oh yeah that club was weird and
generally influence the melody.” her amongst Stevie Wonder and festival and their first time
cool. I can see a place like that
Helen Keller in a song about headlining at Transit Bar.
not lasting for very long. I think I Their original, eclectic sound
overcoming adversity. In ‘Temple Bonnette is obviously also
had Nando’s for the first time and appears to draw upon a variety of
Grandin Too’, they sing, “a hug enthusiastic about his skating
a really fun skate, and the show influences. “Absolutely,” agrees
without a human is alright.” So and concluded our interview by
was cool.” Bonnette. “That is incredibly true.
where did this fascination come asking, “Do you know if the skate
Different influences come and
What makes AJJ original is from? park is nearby?” He was pleased
go, and come in with different
their mix of sounds from folk to with my local advice of the park’s
people. Currently one of my big “I first found out about Temple
punk to indie and many spaces proximity to Transit. “Fuck yeah,
influences – because I was so Grandin because I have a close
in between. Their songwriting it’s on. I almost died at that park.”
late coming to the game – was family member who is on the
is unique, but their lyrics are
David Lynch and I’m now playing spectrum,” Bonnette says. Catch AJJ at Transit for the show,
especially incredible. “I love
catch up. It took me a very long “Anyone who’s on the spectrum or at the skate park afterwards.
talking about that stuff,” says
time to appreciate the work of knows who Temple Grandin is
Bonnette. “I wrote my first song AJJ play Transit Bar on Saturday
David Lynch because I brought because Temple Grandin is the
when I was like 17. I definitely September 30 from 8pm. Tickets are
a set of expectations that ruined one who is able to be such a great $32.65 including booking fees through
wanted to write songs and music
the work for me and I didn’t really voice for those people and has Oztix.
but it didn’t really click until
see what was going on. been a major source of empathy
then. I think that was because
my first instrument was bass for people with autism. I love that
“Watching the new Twin Peaks
and I didn’t really have people about her and she seems like a
has rekindled my interest to
to play music with. It was when very cool, eccentric lady, a fellow
revisit his works and man, what
I got an acoustic guitar and that person from the southwest. My
a fucking badass. I read his
was when I learnt how to play favourite invention of hers is
book and he talks a lot about his

PAGE 34 @bmamag
 WE CAN ALWAYS
START AGAIN
BY KASHMIRA MOHAMED ZAGOR
The artistic process of writing
and recording an album is
unique to every musician. For
Australian singer-songwriter
KIM CHURCHILL, this
process included scrapping the
record he had spent 18 months
working on and composing a
collection of entirely new songs.
The result is a piece inspired
by honesty, simplicity and
experimentation.
“I called the album Weight_Falls
because it really felt like an
enormous amount of weight had
fallen away and I was finally
able to just speak and emote and
express myself clearly through
the music,” says Churchill. “I
don’t think I hadn’t done that
in the past, but it’s always a
challenge, especially when you
have a little bit of success and
your ego kind of kicks in … that
gets in the way.”
In Churchill’s own words,
throwing out an album can be
a very dangerous move for a
musician, but for him, it was
very grounding. “In that moment
I had this, I don’t know, oddly
liberating moment of clarity. I
think if you lie to yourself for long
enough, when you finally come
clean you have maybe this week
or two of seeing the world with a
really beautiful sense of clarity
and understanding of how to be
honest, because you’ve deprived
yourself of it for so long, and
that’s what I was chasing in the
songwriting for this album: a
certain level of honesty.”
Due to the short timeframe
he was left to work within,
Churchill tells me he turned to
GarageBand to help with the
initial establishment of his new
work. This allowed him to take
his naturally acoustic sound
and play around with it, cutting
up parts and developing vocal
harmonies. “I was really inspired
by Portishead, you know, twenty
years too late,” he laughs. “I think
facebook.com/bmamagazine
I just sort of stumbled across a
new sound.”
As a multi-instrumentalist, the
genesis of this sound came
quite organically, as Churchill
was able to create the parts
himself. But for live shows, he
tells me he will be playing with
two other drummers, who will
also provide the vocal harmonies.
“The result has been kind of
exciting, because now, rather
than just me being onstage, I’ve
got two drummers, a carousel
of craziness.”
Churchill is keen to represent all
the intricacies of recordings in a
live environment, and has found
the best way to achieve this is by
giving his band members agency
to be playful and inventive.“I
made the music in a very relaxed,
not serious way. Although it took
a lot of rehearsal to bring it to life,
now it’s very much about fucking
around with it, having fun.”
Churchill mirrors this opinion
when asked how he would
categorise the Australian ‘sound’,
and his role in its development.“I
think there is a certain simplicity
to what I do which is inherently
Australian and I think that’s what
we have to offer the world, in
a sense.”
This attitude, he believes,
creates an encouraging climate
for young, emerging artists. He
applauds platforms – like triple
j and triple j Unearthed – that
give a place for new music to
be explored in a supportive and
accessible way.
“I feel like seven or eight years
ago it was a lot tougher. [Now]
it’s nice to see bands being kind
of lifted up and loved. It’s a good
time for Australian music.”
Weight_Falls will be available
worldwide on August 25. KIM
CHURCHILL brings the Weight_Falls
Australian Album Tour to The Street
Theatre on Saturday September 16
from 7:30pm. Tickets $35 + bf through
thestreet.org.au.
PAGE 35
 your average one hit wonder act
on Triple J, this format would
be a cinch. But Kuepper resides
in a world of transformative
creation far removed from
mainstream mediocrity.
This consistently engaging artist
has recorded an impressive 50
or so albums, stretching back
to the raucous garage chords
announcing opening cut ‘(I’m)
Stranded’ on The Saints’ 1977
ED KUEPPER DOESN’T explosive rock ‘n’ roll debut
F*CK AROUND album of the same name. The
BY DAN BIGNA way forward was the post-punk
reinvention of popular music as
Ever evolving Australian Street Theatre later this month performed by Laughing Clowns
musician ED KUEPPER to reprise a themed ‘by request’ that turned into a long and
is a regular visitor to Canberra show, last performed here in rewarding solo career comprising
and will be returning to the 2013. If we were talking about atmospheric, emotive tunefulness
PAGE 36
with unexpected detours like the
three albums Kuepper recorded
with The Aints – a 1990s noise
group equally influenced by
The Stooges and John Coltrane.
He explains that revisiting
the request show provides an
opportunity to perform in places
that he doesn’t ordinarily get too,
adding that the format, “adds an
air of completely spontaneous
interaction and keeps everyone
on their toes.” So, we are dealing
with an artist who cares enough
about his work in a David Bowie
kind of way to keep pushing the
boundaries of self-expression.
Kuepper is equally comfortable
performing songs solo or in
a band arrangement, and the
overall feel of a solo show shaped
by the request theme is largely
dependent on how the audience
responds to an artist transforming
a large body of work into a unique
event that might or might not
come off. “Without going into
individual songs, I tend to like
and/or dislike each period pretty
much equally depending on my
mood,” he says. “But regardless of
how I’m feeling, I’m a loyal person
and stand by my creations right or
wrong.” Dropping preconceptions
is the key to arriving at a better
place for artist and audience, and
in a wide-ranging conversation
I sense a recurring twinge of
humorous cynicism that draws
a fine line between everyday
existence and a restless need to
seek out something more.
Later this year, Kuepper will
revisit the wild mercurial sound
of The Saints with the present
day line-up of The Aints and I
wondered about the decision
to bring together two past
incarnations. “2017 falls smack
dab in the middle of the three
40th anniversaries we could
celebrate for the first three Saints
albums,” he says. “So it seems a
good time to do it then. I took a
bit of persuading, to be honest,
because I wasn’t sure there’d
be all that much interest after
all this time. But the response
has been terrific, which has
been humbling and exciting at
the same time. We’re all looking
forward to it, it’s a great band.”
A request for The Aints from The
Street Theatre audience might
happen as a suitable prelude for
these forthcoming shows and as
for firing up the guitars, Kuepper
is suitably blunt. “The Aints don’t
fuck around my friend.”
ED KUEPPER will perform solo and
by request at The Street Theatre on
Thursday August 24 at 8pm. Tickets at
thestreet.org.au.
@bmamag
 like old buildings and they get me mixed the record. While he had
imagining what kind of people considered going elsewhere for
once lived there and what their a change, Rowe found that he
lives might have been like.” was ready to dive in and record
while the songs were fresh in
Rowe finished his songwriting
his mind, and Lang’s studio
while touring in Germany. “I had
provided a ready-made, one stop
all these half-finished song ideas
solution. “I have a really good
I was kicking around,” he says.
working relationship with Jeff.
“So when I had downtime in
He’s always got really good ideas
hotels, I worked to finish off these
for supporting guitar parts and
songs. Touring in general frees
SONGS BORN OF up your perspective. If you are
other instruments.”
RURAL ROADTRIPS surrounded by your day-to-day JED ROWE, supported by EMMA
BY RORY MCCARTNEY DRYDEN and WAYNE KELLY, plays
all the time, it can be hard to see
outside your own little world.” at Smith’s Alternative at 9pm on
Melbourne based singer- The track ‘Tailem Bend’ was Thursday August 31. Tickets a steal
songwriter and guitarist JED inspired by an abandoned Rowe’s album was again laid at $10 through smithsalternative.com.
ROWE creates wonderful sandstone house, with rabbit down at the home studio of Jeff
songs of elegance and emotion holes and a collapsing roof. “I Lang, who also co-produced and
that traverse the blues, alt-
country and folk boundaries.
BMA caught up with Rowe, who
also teaches guitar to primary
aged students, as he was
about to embark on a tour to
promote his fourth long player
A Foreign Country.
Rowe’s earlier album The Ember
and the Afterglow carried a
bushman vibe, while his most
recent release The Last Day of
Winter embraced a broader range
of styles. Asked how A Foreign
Country compared with these
stylistically Rowe said, “It is
more of a solo oriented record. I
was finding that at gigs people
would ask which of my albums
was closest to what they’ve just
heard, performing with guitar and
voice, and I didn’t really have that
album. So, I set out to make that
album, with a bit of storytelling,
with some folk stuff, a country
thread and some songs with an
eastern musical flavor as well.”
Rowe was inspired by listening
to Indian music, and found that
sound could be captured with the
slide guitar, which enables the
playing of the quarter tones and
notes between notes that Indian
music includes. “It’s a great
sound, I love that stuff.”
There was a hint of Americana
in some terminology in the lyrics
of his last record but, despite its
title, A Foreign Country has an
Australian focus. “I was doing a
lot of touring in Australia between
finishing the last record and
writing this one, and a lot of the
songs came about on long drives
between gigs and States. Lots of
little towns in South Australia and
regional NSW pop up in the songs.”

facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 37
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT

THE HERO WE A TAPEWORM

DESERVE A DAY KEEPS
THE DOCTOR
AWAY

Science communicator, diet innovator and BBC
television producer DR. MICHAEL
MOSELY has the curious energy of a
prodigious young science graduate: clear
speaking, hilarious and willing to put his body
on the experimental line to extraordinary
cringe-inducing lengths – all of which makes
it so hard to believe that the man is sixty.
From the very beginning, Mosley
has been singularly motivated
by “pure curiosity”. Having
graduated from his A Levels
in sciences, he decided to
broaden his horizons and began
studying politics, philosophy and
economics at Oxford. Despite
“hugely” enjoying his study, the
world of finance was not quite
the same sort of inquisitive
environment, lamenting, “I could
have been very rich if I stayed
there I suppose.” Following his
medical re-training, he found
himself at the BBC in 1985, from
where he has never left.
Despite twenty years of directorial
prowess, Mosley was housing an
extraordinary presentation talent
that only began to reveal itself in
2005. He quickly became known
for his guinea pig approach to
medical programming, exposing
himself to tear gas, extreme
sleep deprivation and magic
mushrooms. Mosley is governed
by a stringent philosophy to
prevent the occasion of grievous
bodily harm in the process of
such activities. “I don’t mind
doing things which are painful or
unpleasant but I am reasonably
confident are safe.”
The doctor has another doctor’s
judgement to contend with
however: “My wife, who’s a
doctor, vetoes some of the more
extreme things.”
This came into play on one
particularly revolting occasion:
“The producer was quite
keen that I inject myself with
hookworm. It drills through
your skin and goes into your
lungs, and makes you cough a
lot. I chose to go for tapeworm
instead, although it sounds much
nastier, it’s much less unpleasant.
One of the agreements with
the tapeworm experiment
was that I would get rid of the
tapeworm, before it grew to full
maturity, because when it does,
segments break off, and crawl
out of your bottom and she
[Mosley’s wife] wasn’t too keen
on sharing the marital bed with
tapeworm segments.”
It is Dr. Mosley’s fascination
with diet over the past five years
however that has solidified him
as the leading popular medical
journalist in the world. Following
his shock diabetes diagnosis
in 2011, the health innovator
rejected traditional advice in
BY JOSHUA MARTIN
favour of his own research, which
astoundingly led to a diagnosis
reversal and the formulation of
his 5:2 diet; two days of heavily
reduced calorie intake and five
of unmoderated eating. The oft-
touted Mediterranean diet forms
the basis of this, but it’s not
the one that turned up in your
primary school food pyramid.
“Full fat yoghurt, modest
amounts of red meat, plenty of
oily fish, vegetables, fruit, some
dark chocolate, and a bit of
red wine, particularly with the
evening meal and wholegrains. It
is a low-ish carbohydrate diet but
not low. Quite a lot of fat but in the
form of olive oil and fish. There is
what we call the blue zone, which
is the areas of the world where
people tend to have very high life
expectancy, there is an area up in
the Bulgarian mountains where
people live a surprisingly long
time, and it seems to have to do
with the fact that they consume
an awful lot of yoghurt [laughs].”
The growing veganism movement
and its assertion of health
dominance Mosley does not
rave quite so much about. “I
think morally I can understand
vegetarianism. Veganism is much
harder to sustain. You have to
make sure that you are getting
the right nutrients, which means
you have to supplement, because
they are not getting it from their
diet. One of the biggest problems
we have is iron deficiency,
typically like twenty percent of
young women are iron deficient
and one of the best sources of
bioavailable iron happens to be
red meat. If you’re eating red
meat once or twice a week, your
health risks and life expectancy
are no different to that of a
vegetarian or vegan.”
Considering Mosley’s dual
expertise in the fields of diet
and finance, I saw no greater
opportunity now to finally settle
the interdisciplinary Australian
debate of the relation between the
millennial generation’s inability
to enter the housing market and
their predilection for exorbitantly
priced smashed avocado.
“I saw that, quite ridiculous
[laughs]. I think the amount of
money for a house, you would
have to eat an awful lot of
avocados. Avocados are very
good though, full of very good fat.
They fill you up too, and are full
of nutrients.” While millionaire
moguls are evidently still missing
the point, Mosley offers breakfast
alternatives for those wanting to
avoid twenty-two dollar brunch
dates. “I am a big fan of eggs, and
they’re pretty cheap so it doesn’t
have to be smashed avocado!”
Dr. Mosley’s first trip to Canberra
is a long time coming and co-
hosting what can only be a
wildly entertaining evening is
the ever brilliant Julia Zemiro,
who will no doubt have Mosley
spill both his metaphorical and
likely his physical guts on stage
come September.
Catch MICHAEL MOSELY: LIVE ON
STAGE! with co-host Julia Zemiro
at Canberra Theatre Centre on
Saturday September 9 from 7:30pm.
Tickets $74.90-84.90 + bf through
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

PAGE 38 @bmamag
 [Talks]

INSUFFICIENT INTENT
BY MATT PARNELL

“It’s the job of a satirist to point
out the difference between the
words and the reality,” says
TITUS O’REILY, in our
chat ahead of his stand-up tour.
O’Reily, who made a name for
himself with his written blog,
is branching out into stand-up
and hits the Street Theatre in
September. “We’re doing six
shows in six nights – we’re trying
to do it all in the bye week, having
to cram it in,” is how O’Reily
approaches it – a fast paced
tour that’s packed in to the one
week before the AFL finals series
starts. This is fitting, of course,
as O’Reily’s self-titled blog is all
about taking the piss out of the
weekly goings on in the AFL.
footy fans say all the time when
they’re watching sport. I found it
was an ability to convey a fan’s
view of how we all feel about
the sport.” Being able to write
as informally as he does benefits
the writing, as he isn’t required to
present a viewpoint that is at all
times positive.
“I do about an hour of stand-up,
which is usually all AFL related,
and then Sergio Paradise, who
I do my podcast with, joins me
for the last half hour and we talk
about other sports as well, and
we talk about the silliest stories
of the year,” is how Titus outlines
his show to me. Describing it as
a script he writes up, vaguely
memorises and then riffs on

A lot of what I say is what footy

fans say all the time when they’re
watching sport

“I sort of occasionally talk about the night, it promises to be a

current affairs as it links to the fascinating show for people who
AFL. I figured early on that people are even vaguely interested in
want to get away from that for AFL. “My style of stuff is often
a night, there’s only so much just making fun of sport, the way
Donald Trump or parliament that it applies to the workplace and
people want to cover off. There’s our general lives. It works with
links, I guess, but sometimes you people who don’t have this sort of
want to give people a night off.” intense knowledge.”
He seems to be aware of the fact
TITUS O’REILY hits The Street Theatre
that, particularly in Canberra, on Monday September 4, from 7:30pm.
there’s a huge political focus and Tickets from $49.90 + bf through
O’Reily uses his satire to give thestreet.org.au.
people a lens through which to
see other things.
As in most satire, his writing has
a slightly biting note and one of
the most common recipients of
his words are the AFL media and
commentary. “Sports coverage is
ex-players, and it’s a closed shop
and they’re all mates and don’t
like to criticise each other, or the
media. A lot of what I say is what

facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 39
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT
THE REAL MONSTERS INC.
BY KEREN NICHOLSON
PHOTO BY LISA TOMASETTI
Yaron Lifschitz, artistic director
of Brisbane’s CIRCA, has built
seven-strong, tight-knit circus
troupes like no other – conquering
danger, forging families and
establishing contemporary
circus. In 2017, Lifschitz returns
to Canberra with his post-
industrial LANDSCAPE
WITH MONSTERS.
Landscape is a world of tall metal
structures, wooden boxes and
a hard floor where audiences
experience the connections
between ourselves and a built
landscape in decay. Intense
hand-to-hand acrobatics collide
with hard objects to expose all
that is dark, humorous, brutal
and beautiful.
Performer Tim Fyffe has already
travelled throughout Australia
and Europe with CIRCA after he
and his partner accepted an offer
to join in 2016 when graduating
from the National Circus School
of Montreal. Originally from
Melbourne, Fyffe now lives in
Brisbane, working for CIRCA
full-time, and while we talk he
sits on scaffolding working on
his house surrounded by three
dogs playing.
In Fyffe’s opinion, CIRCA is
unique in its inception and
creation of work. “They have a
very involved process of creation
with the artists,” he says. “Our
opinion and input is valued.
With Landscape we were told to
improvise around sharp edges,
we discussed it and jumped into
it. All the artist’s ideas get thrown
into the space. We go away to
create on our own without the
director, then he’ll return to work
with us. It’s less choreographed
and more organic in process.”
While Fyffe was not there
PAGE 40
at its inception, his troupe
have remodelled Landscape,
complementing the strengths of
the current performers. Over time
CIRCA’s small troupes become
in sync and improvisation leads
to a strong repertoire together.
While cues remain and there is
choreography, Landscape is a
growing organism with the artists
always alert and open to what
can happen. Fyffe says, “I know
my cue. But every night I choose
my entrance to the stage. Every
audience is a unique transaction.
They deserve the best show that
you can give.”
Landscape with Monsters is
one of CIRCA’s most dangerous
works, Fyffe tells me. “It’s very
challenging. I do mental prep side
of stage. Near misses happen and
we always need to connect as a
group. While we’re performing
the danger, it’s real for us.
“Landscape pushes the
boundaries with risk. There are
lots of sharp hard edges. The
projections and soundscape are
heavy. Audiences can expect to
feel the bold danger. It is delicate
at the same time as powerful.
Slow and dark at the beginning,
but there are lighter moments
and it can be quite comical,”
he concludes.
Landscape with Monsters is full
of the thrills that are hallmarks of
CIRCA – an Australian company
stretching the practice and
perceptions of circus, creating
work that keeps audiences and
critics enthralled.
CIRCA brings LANDSCAPE WITH
MONSTERS to The Playhouse,
Wednesday-Saturday September
6-9. Tickets from $45 + bf through
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
LAUGHS WITHOUT FEAR
BY SAMUEL TOWNSEND
It goes without saying that there
is nothing funny about domestic
violence, which begs the question:
how does a format like the
FEARLESS COMEDY
GALA, an event designed
to raise money and awareness
for those affected by domestic
violence, prove so successful?
“[The audience are] there for what
laughing does. It makes you feel
good! It can give you courage and
it can make you physically feel
stronger, and able to cope. It can
give you hope.” That’s JEAN
KITTSON talking about the
transformative power of comedy.
In a face-to-face interview with
the comedy veteran best known
for her work on The Big Gig and
Let The Blood Run Free, I wonder
how Kittson prepares for an
evening like this.
“That’s the most difficult part
of doing a comedy night about
any serious topic. How do you
introduce it, what do you say
about it, how do you make people
feel good without trivialising it?
Then trying to think of what I
did last year and not doing the
same thing!”
Last year the initiative raised more
than $30,000 for the Domestic
Violence Crisis Service in the
ACT, an organization that Kittson
applauds for its efforts, “I love this
Fearless Comedy night because
the money goes to the DVCS,
which is for both perpetrators
and the subjects of domestic
violence. If you find yourself doing
something that you can’t believe
you’ve done, they (DVCS) will also
help you.”
Juliet Moody, one half of Sparrow-
Folk (‘Australia’s sirens of satire’)
and family violence survivor,
established the Fearless Initiative
in an effort “to unite comedians
against family violence.”
Kittson unpacks this sensitive
topic further.
[Entertainment]
“You’re introducing the topic
of domestic violence, you’re
reminding people that that’s
what the night is about, but you
want people to celebrate what
each other are doing by raising
awareness and celebrating
the courage it takes for people
to admit that its happening in
their lives.”
Does Kittson consider herself
‘fearless’? “No! I’m the worst.
I almost have to ask people to
support me onto the stage.”
This confession may come as a
surprise, especially since Australia
first came to know Kittson as
‘Candida’, the Lyrca-clad new-age
gym junkie who was usually found
swinging from roman rings. “Every
single performance I do I am really
nervous beforehand. I’ve emceed
three Mid-Winter Balls and I used
to get heart palpitations. They
wouldn’t even start ‘til ten o’clock
and everyone was pissed and I’d
be standing there going ‘holy f**k’,
and I’d think I was going to have a
heart attack before I went on. Now
I have different techniques where
I can keep a lid on it.”
This year’s lineup has again
attracted some of the biggest,
brightest and most generous
Australian comedians; Denise
Scott, Susie Youssef, Catherine
Deveny, Dane Simpson, Jordan
Raskopoulos and Canberra export
Kirsty Webeck. Kittson isn’t at all
surprised that it draws such an
impressive bunch, “It’s a great
cause, and the other thing is, it’s
in a fantastic venue, a beautiful
venue and the perfect place to
perform! It’s like a performer’s
dream. It’s a privilege to be a part
of the cause, and it’s a pleasure
to do it.”
The FEARLESS COMEDY GALA is on
Thursday September 7 at 7:30pm.
Tickets from $50 + bf through
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
@bmamag

FOOD JUNKY
[THE WORD ON LOCAL FOOD & DRINK]
WITH SHARONA LIN
[SHARONA@POPCULTURE-Y.COM]
Everyone knows I have a sweet
tooth. When I moved out of
home for the first time, I often
ate cheesecake for breakfast.
And when I started working at
a chocolate shop, it was game
over – I was drinking Belgian hot
chocolates every day.
These days I try to hold off
on cheesecake until at least
morning tea, and hot chocolates
for when a coffee isn’t cutting it.
Still, I think I’m a good person to
give some dessert tips. Prepare
yourself for a sugar rush.
The chocolate shop I used to
work at was Koko Black, and
their desserts continue to be
some of the most delicious, but
facebook.com/bmamagazine
most deadly, I’ve eaten. Most
people struggle to even finish
a rich, creamy hot chocolate
(hazelnut if you’re brave), but
you should work your way up to
a dessert degustation, because
you’re worth it.
We aren’t out of winter yet,
but if you have a hankering for
something cold, try out Frugii for
some creative flavour creations
as well as the classics, Via
Dolce Pasticciera (which also
has a delightful assortment of
beautiful pastries and desserts)
or Goodberry’s in Erindale
or Belconnen, who do frozen
custards with mix-ins, as well as
a host of other desserts.
[Food & Drink]
I feel like I’ve talked about Sunday, 2–4pm, $39 per person.
how much I love donuts, but I’ll Bookings essential.
mention it again. I definitely have If you’re after a nice Saturday
expressed my love for Patissez’s lunch, who better to host than
donuts so I won’t rehash (I buy Parlour? Saturday August 19, you
them five at a time), but it’s also can chow down on tapas provided
worth taking a trip to the Capital by Parlour, matched with wines
Region Farmers Markets or
Southside Farmers Markets
from Beechworth Wine Estates.
$75 + bf, book online.
for a donut from Bombolini
Eat Canberra is running a host
– light, fluffy and filled with
of food tours, including the
deliciousness. Ricardo’s in
Braddon/City Walking Food
Jamison Plaza is also a must.
Tour. $135 gets you all food
And finally, if you’re lazy, there’s and drinks and the tour guide –
Sugar Deli. It’s not exactly Saturday August 26 and Saturday
cheap – the minimum four treats September 2. And in keeping with
plus delivery generally works our sweet theme, there’s even a
out to around the $40 mark, but Sweet Tooth tour on Saturday
hey, sometimes you need to September 2, $80.
treat yourself.
Now, some foodie events
happening in the next month.
Afternoon Tea in the
Conservatory, National
Arboretum. The Arboretum
is one of my favourite places
to visit in Canberra, and even
better is getting to eat while
I’m there. The afternoon tea
menu is designed to showcase
seasonal, regional produce. Every
PAGE 41
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT
RITZ AND GLAMOUR
ROB MILLS, Australian Idol finalist and
musical theatre star, really loves celery. It’s a
crisp morning in August, just before he’s due
to go into rehearsals for the new concert show
PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ, and Mills
is making himself a stir-fry lunch.
“I’ve got broccoli, carrots and
kale,” he says. “But I’m cutting
up celery as we speak. And I’m
also leaving the leaves in. There’s
a tip – put ‘em in your cooking.
They’re like spinach anyway.
So good.”
He’s on a no-sugar diet – “well,
it’s day one. Ugh,” he interjects –
in order to prepare for the rigorous
demands of touring a singing,
dancing extravaganza around
Australia. Puttin’ On The Ritz is a
show made up of dazzling golden
age showbiz tunes. Mills got the
call about coming on board a
couple of months ago:
“It’s so weird and exciting to get
to a point in your career where
someone asks you if you want to
have a job. They called me up and
asked, “Hey, Rob, we think you’re
good enough to do this job. Would
you like to do it?” And I’m there
like, “Sorry, mate, what songs
are they? Irving Berlin, Gershwin,
Cole Porter? Yeah, I’m in. And with
a dance troupe from the West End
… I just couldn’t say no.”
The opportunity to sing such
iconic music has elated Mills.
What is it about these great
composers that he loves so
much? “I’ve never been able to
totally put my finger on what it
is. The lyrics are timeless. They
wrote love songs, obviously, but
PAGE 42
they also wrote a lot of storytelling
songs, and they wrote them all
for a 70 to 30-piece orchestra.
One of my favourites is,” he starts
singing a few bars of ‘They Can’t
Take That Away From Me’, a
Gershwin classic. “Just golden.”
Imagine being able to just
walk up and go, ‘wanna have
a dance?’ You’re instantly
connecting with someone, with
their hand and their body
Aside from the songs, Mills
seems particularly thrilled about
the dancing in the show. “From
what I’ve seen from videos, the
dancers in this show work very,
very, very hard,” he says with
a blend of awe and kid-like
excitement. “The way the show
is structured, it’s like: song,
song, song, maybe a little bit of
chatting, song, song, song. And
in every song, there’s incredible
dancing happening. Everyone
gets their chance to shine.”
Mills then seamlessly launches
into a passionate campaign:
he wants to bring back casual
dancing. He won’t outlaw the
“dirty nightclubs with a beat
where you just go to sort of …
bop,” but he’d welcome back
classic moves into the modern
BY INDIGO TRAIL
era with open arms. “Dancing is
so cool!” he says with so much
energy the phone crackles.
“Imagine being able to just walk
up and go, ‘wanna have a dance?’
You’re instantly connecting with
someone, with their hand and
their body. It’s beautiful. It really
is beautiful.”
Mills would know. He’s had a
lucrative career in Australian
musical theatre for over a
decade, starring in productions
of Grease and Wicked to name a
few. But he’s particularly keen on
this production, because, “when
you’re doing a normal musical,
you’re in the dance number. Most
of the time, I’ve been up the front,
so I don’t see any of it. I just see
the spotlight and the dark crowd.
But in this, because it’s set out
more like a concert, I get to stand
and turn around and look at the
dancers. I’m going to experience
watching that incredible
movement at the same time as
the audience.”
I ask what he thinks it is about
musical theatre that’s led not
only to its longevity, but its ever-
expanding innovation. Mills is
silent for a long moment.
“For me, good musical theatre
is quite possibly the best form
of storytelling. Not only are you
telling stories through words, but
you have the amplified emotion of
[Music & Dance]
music that comes in, and you sing
that yourself. And on top of that,
you have dance. It’s primal. It’s a
way of communicating, it always
has been, to celebrate things or
tell stories. So when those three
elements come together … you
just feel more than you would’ve
felt if it were just people talking.
“Yeah. Good musical theatre
heightens the emotion at the
same time as it heightens all your
senses.” And of course, it’s all
about the story being told too. “I
managed to see [massive musical
sensation] Hamilton in Chicago a
few months ago. It was one of the
best things I’ve ever seen. The
music is brilliant, and new, but it’s
also a really powerful, uplifting
story. Rags to riches – but you
gotta work hard. The American
dream. Or the Australian dream,
whatever you wanna call it.” He
pauses again, grinning audibly.
“Yeah. The dream.”
Still, it’s not all dreams all the
time. I mention that when a
friend Googled the show, up
popped a photoshopped image
of the Russian President, riding
bareback on a certain American
cracker: Putin On The Ritz. “This
is gold! That’s it, that should be
the tour t-shirts for everybody.”
Mills laughs, then pauses. “No.
Wait. It’s the Australian tour, so
it’s gotta be Putin on a Savoy.
Done.”
PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ is showing at
the Canberra Theatre on Sunday
September 3 at 7:30pm. Tickets
from $81.90, available through
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
@bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 43
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT
LIVING LIFE
A QUARTER
MILE AT
A TIME
DEBBIE EVANS is sitting in a
hatchback disguised as a car seat, about
to crash into a pile of cars dropped from a
parking garage, alongside 48 other cars.
Together, using skill and planning, they’ll
create the effect of utter chaos caused
by technology run amok. For this scene
in FATE OF THE FURIOUS,
the villain Cipher (Charlize Theron) has
commandeered hundreds of cars via remote
control and is smashing them into a
diplomatic limo.
Debbie Evans, a long-time
stunt driver, is used to doubling
for people, being Michelle
Rodriguez’s stunt driver in this
particular film, playing an empty
car is a less common request.
Though, with a career as long as
Evans’, she’s heard everything.
She’s been doing this a long time,
since the early 70s, working on
everything from soap operas
(one of her first jobs was on The
Young and the Restless) to big
films. She tended to be used for
motorcycle stunts, as she was
on, for instance, The Dukes of
Hazzard. She was, after all, an
accomplished competitive rider,
but she did everything, including
doubling for things too dangerous
to let a movie star do.
In 1991, she was Linda Hamilton’s
stunt double in the classic,
Terminator 2. After dashing
through simulated gunfire and
real (albeit controlled) explosions
in the Cyberdyne headquarters,
James Cameron voiced his
displeasure forcefully. She
PAGE 44
politely asked what the problem
was, and what she should do
next time. From that point on,
she had his respect and courtesy.
She describes the infamously
demanding ‘Jim’ as a fun guy.
Through the 90s, she doubled
for people as varied as Sandra
Bullock (in Demolition Man) Cindy
Crawford (in Fair Game) and
even Pamela Anderson (in Barb
Wire) but as the decade ended,
there was a shift. CGI, pioneered
ironically by James Cameron
in a movie about humanity
fighting against machines, was
becoming ubiquitous, and there
was a rush to see how much
could be replaced. It even looked
like car crashes might become
computer-generated. The year
2000 found Evans working on
What Lies Beneath, a fairly
sedate paranormal thriller. She
tells a story about pulling up in
an SUV towing a boat on trailer,
and having to hit a very specific
mark. She struggled to do so
since the director of photography
was working with even smaller
BY JASPER HAGAN
margins of error than her. It among many, many others. She
would have been easy to wonder does less physical work now,
if this was where it was going for but good drivers are back in
her now. high demand, especially in The
Fast and the Furious. The series
Luckily, the following year, the
has done multiple massively
real thing came roaring back.
elaborate sequences involving
Evans worked on the first Fast
and the Furious movie, doubling
tanks and bank vaults for real,
and continues to do so, the pile
for Michelle Rodriguez, just as
up being a perfect example.
she does now. She performed
the film’s best stunt, the one they
However, the hardest stunt,
according to her, was a relatively
made sure was front and centre
simple one, as a fellow driver
in every trailer. Performing the
had to get alongside her as a
first of many daring heists in
the series, she swooped under
road broadened right before
flying through a hole in the
a speeding truck’s trailer, barely
wall. She could barely see her
fitting. It was a perfect epitome
colleague, and had to trust him
of the sort of work she’s best at,
to hit his mark, unable to slow
requiring skill, trust, coordination
down herself. He hit it, and they
and nerves of steel.
performed the stunt looking like
Two years later, she was in only one car, a photo finish.
another film about humanity
Fittingly, the latest film, the
fighting machines. In 2003’s The
biggest and craziest, the climax
Matrix Reloaded she doubled for
of the series (at least until the
Carrie Anne Moss in the massive
next one) also features two
car chase that dominates the
relatively small-scale chases
film’s second act. Just as the
that are just skilled drivers and
Terminator, despite having great
their machines. Evans drove a
stunts, pioneered CGI, The Matrix,
Corvette Stingray (her favourite
despite having groundbreaking
car she’s gotten to drive), in one
CGI, restored real car crashes to
of them, weaving in and out of
their place of pride. In the same
traffic, performing tight turns and
film where a CGI Keanu Reeves
balancing the car on its left two
got a close up, hundreds of real
wheels in a classic, old school
cars were smashed up in glorious
stunt, recalling classics like
slow motion, shots that dared the
Bullit. It’s in the same movie as a
audience to find the seam. There
30-minute, explosion-filled chase
wasn’t one. It’s Evans’ favourite
across an ice field. For a driver
sequence of hers, a harmony
like Evans, whose career has been
of stunt work, filming, editing
full of amusing contradictions,
and score.
the balance is perfect.
Since then, she’s been working
FATE OF THE FURIOUS is available now
continuously. She’s worked
on digital, Blu-ray and DVD.
on almost every Fast and the
Furious, Wanted, Captain America
2 and the TV show Banshee,
@bmamag

LIGHTS! VESPAS! ACTION!
BY RORY MCCARTNEY
Sick of that burger and fries
aftertaste from your movie
diet? Why not try some
shaved parmesan at the 2017
LAVAZZA ITALIAN
FILM FESTIVAL! 28
flicks selected by Festival
Director Elysia Zeccola are hitting
town soon at Palace Electric
Cinemas and BMA spoke to
her to get the highlights of this
year’s lineup.
Italians love their own cinema,
with both the first and second
biggest box office hits in 2016
being locally-made movies. As
to what makes them special,
Zeccola says, “When you see
an Italian film, you don’t always
know what you are going to get,
or how it’s going to end. I love
the non-formulaic, unpredictable
way of watching films.”
From the 12 films announced so
far, there is a strong emphasis
on comedy including the film
Let Yourself Go. “We haven’t
screened a screwball comedy
in a while,” says Zeccola. “And I
think this is really fun and will be
a great opening night film. There
are also fantastic dramas, with a
really chilling film based on a true
story called Sicilian Ghost Story.
I think there’s a real balance
between comedies and dramas.”
The range also embraces social
drama, romance, crime drama,
and even a sci-fi comedy hybrid in
Wife & Husband (Moglie e Marito).
In this film, a botched experiment
sees the male and female bodies
irreversibly swapped, so they are
forced to live as each other. How
the famous Italian machismo
deals with such a situation will
be something to see!
Don’t like reading subtitles?
Then the war doco Naples ’44,
narrated in English by Benedict
facebook.com/bmamagazine
Cumberbatch, may be for you.
There is even a franchise film,
with I Can Quit Whenever I Want
2: Masterclass as the second film
of a trilogy, following the 2014
film I Can Quit Whenever I Want.
Various regional differences are
embraced by the range of films.
“There are definitely dialects
throughout the different films,”
says Zeccola. “The standout film
Indivisible, about conjoined twins
with the parts played by real
life twin sisters, is set in Napoli,
and I definitely heard a lot of
Neapolitan dialects in this film.”
(Indivisible was also nominated
by Zeccola as her pick of
the Festival).
There is an Australian connection
to this year’s festival, as Greta
Scacchi (who grew up in Perth)
appears in the film Tenderness.
Scacchi will also be traveling
here to appear as the Festival
Ambassador and will be doing
Q&A sessions about her film.
There will be special events
too, including the opening night
Let Yourself Go with pre-flick
drinks and an after party with
munchies and surprises from
the sponsor. Mid-festival, there
will be cocktails to celebrate the
biopic Dalida about the Italian-
Egyptian disco singer, and more
drinks on closing night, marking
the 20th anniversary of the film
Life is Beautiful.
The LAVAZZA ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL
2017 is on at Palace Electric
Cinemas from Thursday September
14 to Sunday October 8. For details
of films, sessions and prices see
palacecinemas.com.au.
IN REVIEW
VOLVO SCANDINAVIAN
FILM FESTIVAL
PALACE ELECTRIC
TUE JUL 18–WED AUG 2
As I write, the final few films
of the Scandinavian Film
Festival are enjoying additional
screenings by popular demand.
If you can make it to these, you
won’t be disappointed.
Scandinavian film
characteristically are quirky. The
storylines in recent Scandinavian
films tend to be character-
driven, focusing more on the
process of becoming more (or
occasionally less) human rather
than driving inexorably toward
outcomes and resolutions. This
imbues them with a rather quiet,
introspective feel, and a lifelike
unpredictability.
But the strongest characteristic
of the Scandinavian mode
of filmmaking may be its
understatedness: the absences
and silences that the filmmakers
allow to speak for themselves.
Rather than give the listener an
abundance of words from which
to draw conclusions about the
speaker’s inner life, the films
from the cold north call upon
our imaginations to draw the
meaning of these silences and
non-reactions. In that sense, they
are more like novels than many
other feature films are.
An aspect that I’ve noticed
repeatedly is a tendency toward
cool rather than warm lighting,
undoubtedly reflecting the
commonest natural lighting
conditions in that part of the
world. Besides purely physical
coolness, this suggests,
interestingly, emotional coolness
rather than warmth in the film’s
characters too. Together with the
silences, this can distance the
viewer from the films’ characters’
inner lives.
That’s not to suggest that the
films’ quietness leaves them at
all lacking. On the contrary, this
year’s films offered some rich
[Film]
pickings indeed. Let me try to
convey the briefest snippet of
four films.
Little Wing portrays, through
subtle acting, a 12-year-old
girl who, taking responsibility
first for her mother and then
also, once she finds him, for
her father, attains victories that
reflect impressive competence in
navigating decisions that matter.
4.5/5
Rosemari tells the story of Unn
Tove and Rosemarie, whose
lives intersect minutes after
Rosemari’s birth and again
sixteen years later, when they
meet again and begin a moving
and entertaining journey to
find Rosemarie’s birth parents.
Discovering more than they’d
bargained for unfolds a reality
infrequently considered in film.
Beautiful acting reveals its
effects on each of their lives and
leaves us pondering acceptance,
forgiveness, and the pain to
which the love between parents
and children can give rise. 4/5
One–Two–Three–Go!, though
not without plot weaknesses, is
a truthfully rendered character
study of half a dozen very
likeable people caught up in the
female lead’s first and last love
affair, in which she decides to live
and appreciate the moments in
her life. 4/5
Finally, The Man, again superbly
acted, is a family drama
offering up some mystery in the
relationship between a successful
artist and his mysteriously
successful 30-something-year-
old artist son whose mother he
long ago abandoned. 3.5/5
But if you’ve missed everything
this year, don’t fret; there’s
always next year!
JOHN P. HARVEY
PAGE 45
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT
ROCKIN’ THE GOLDFIELDS
BMA asked director Moira
Funicane what it was about Lola
Montez, that made herself and
creator Jackie Smith decide
that Lola’s life story had to be
brought back to a stage show 162
years later.
“In 2012 we toured Caravan
Burlesque around Australia,”
says Funicane. “And when we
performed in the goldfield towns
people often said: ‘you’re the
wildest thing to come through
this town since Lola Montez!’
Well, we had to find out more
about this fascinating woman,
and Ballarat and Lola have a very
special relationship; she even
horsewhipped the editor of the
Ballarat Times for giving her a
bad review!”
Whilst Funicane and Smith are
well known for the way they
redefine burlesque performance
genres and expectation, this
theatre production will present
something else completely.
“THE EXOTIC LIVES
OF LOLA MONTEZ is
a rollicking mix of storytelling,
burlesque, dancing and song
with fantastic sensibility,” says
Funicane. “Very appropriate for
Lola herself who ripped through
the colonies with a variety show.
Featuring stories and songs
and mayhem, and of course the
highlight of her repertoire was
her notorious Spider Dance. The
show is such a wild adventure
– a swashbuckling cocktail of
song, dance, story and dazzling
costumes, and when we kick
back in the Lola Lounge with
our audience the party just
keeps going!”
When asked about the key
performers, actor Caroline
Lee and dancer Holly Durant,
Funicane states, “Holly is a kind
PAGE 46
BY SAM INGHAM
PHOTO BY ALDONA KMIEC
of modern day avatar for Lola in
this production. Lola introduces
Holly as her natural heir apparent
and yes, she does a couple of
spectacular turns as well! Caroline
Lee is a brilliant and commanding
actor and has fully embraced the
text and physical world of The
Exotic Lives of Lola Montez. We
have worked with her in previous
productions – including Jackie
Smith’s play The Flood which
toured nationally and last year
it was the first Australian Drama
to be presented at the Shanghai
International Theatre Festival.
Thrillingly Caroline Lee is also a
direct descendant of Lola herself!”
After opening week in Melbourne,
Finucane, Smith and cast are
travelling to over 25 towns and
cities in just ten weeks with a
couple of major cities (including
Canberra) being lucky to have
the production presented in local
art centres.
“Our experience of travelling
nationally has always been such
a rewarding one,” says Funicane.
“Every town is a new experience
and every audience have their
own stories to tell. Lola is an
inspiration for so many people;
an uninhibited, bawdy fierce
woman who took on life with
lusty passion. Her touring style
might not have been sustainable
in modern context; with near
arrests and scandal following in
her wake but like Lola, touring
with passion for our show and our
audiences, and with a sense of
adventure and joy is paramount.”
Canberra – get ready, THE EXOTIC
LIVES OF LOLA MONTEZ will be in town
at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre for one
night only on Wednesday September
13 from 8pm. Tickets $40 through
tuggeranongarts.com.
@bmamag

IN REVIEW
JAZIDA PRESENTS:
HI BROW AT THE LOBROW #2
LOBROW GALLERY & BAR
SATURDAY JULY 22
PHOTO BY DAVID MACKIE
The second of Jazida’s quarterly
variety shows featured burlesque,
belly dance, salsa, fan dancing
and boylesque. 80 very happy
patrons packed themselves into
the sold-out small venue to settle
in with their drinks and enjoy the
two hours of performances.
Emcee Jazida was elegant
and chatty and looking utterly
glamourous in her $12 “second-
hand shopulence” black
gown. The first set opened
with Kokoloco Dance School
presenting an American style
cabaret showgirl group routine
in a salsa styled Charleston that
This sold-out show by Miss Kitka’s
House of Burlesque was themed
on Grindhouse; the old-style
American exploitation movies
from the 1970s. 100+ attendees
settled comfortably into group
tables, whilst snippets of movies
played on the projection screen to
give those that didn’t know what
they were about to see some idea
of the theme.
Emcee Garnet Martini (as Chesty
Morgan) was very coy and witty.
Introducing each act with a
history for each performance, she
also performed a hilarious scene
from Deadly Weapons, using her
73-inch bust to kill the mobsters
that murdered her boyfriend.
Drugging the men she then
smothered them to death with
her ample bosom. The crowd’s
hilarious reaction was fantastic.
Other Grindhouse performances
included a Tura Satana tribute
from Faster Pussycat Kill Kill that
morphed into a Cherry Darling
Planet Terror sequence. With
leather, chains, a shotgun fake
leg and a zombie baby wielding
a shot gun, it was in-your-face
Kapow! and as sexy as Tura
was. There was also a Barbarella
routine with lots of silver spandex,
lava lamp lighting, laser gun and
facebook.com/bmamagazine
was flirty and fun. They later
performed a second routine full
of bumps and shimmies and their
almost perfect timing was a real
pleasure to watch.
2017 Burlesque Idol winner
and Canberra local Rainbow
performed twice, starting with
her well-known ‘cheap wine’
cold chisel routine and her
second act as Patsy from Ab Fab
was insanely funny and over the
top. Pulling a cigarette and phone
from her underwear, she ended
the routine by pulling out one tit
and doing this insane backbend
to tassel twirl. It was spectacular
MISS KITKA’S HOUSE OF
BURLESQUE: GRINDHOUSE
CANBERRA IRISH CLUB
SATURDAY JUNE 24
PHOTO BY BRETT SARGEANT, D-EYE PHOTOGRAPHY
star pasties, and a gender queer
strip performance to a spoken
poem, ‘Two Loves’ by Lord
Alfred Douglas.
More performances included a
flapper routine, a biker chick
fight over a man featured a real
Harley Davidson motorcycle as
a prop, a flirty striptease behind
a lace curtain, a fan dancer who
and hilarious and the crowd
loved it.
Lilith Von Dahlia (Newcastle)
also performed twice; her gothic
costuming, large black feathered
neck pieces and sequinned
gloves matched beautifully with
the painted ram skull prop in her
first routine. Her second routine
in a giant organza ball gown was
stunning and with lots of poised
floor work, her routines were
sultry and very pretty.
Local Chocolate E Claire
performed three times; two
routines featuring classical
bump ‘n’ grind, striptease, boa
work, bunny hops and a great
amount of tassel twirl at the end.
Her third performance was her
hilarious ‘Under the Sea’ act, with
hand-painted silk wings, and
very clever costume gimmicks
that included floating jellyfish
fans, octopus that crawled over
her body, hidden silk fans and a
strategically placed oyster shell
with a hidden pearl.
Maple Rose (Melb) was a standout
in all three of her performances;
her clever costuming gimmicks,
sassy facial expressions, crowd
interaction and dance moves
IN REVIEW
morphed into a PVC-clad rock
chick, a house wife bump ‘n’
grind routine that revealed a
suitcase full of fetish sex toys,
a Dita Von Teese lookalike that
wore a strap on AK47 gun and
an epic three-minute tassel
twirling group routine with light
up LED tassels and shimmying
go-go dancers.
[Burlesque]
absolutely wowed the crowd.
With large amounts of butt
shimmying, tassel twirling, fan
tossing, and classic strip tease
– Maple Rose bought high class
burlesque to the Canberra stage.
My favourite routine was
Canberra local Robbie. He
performed a very simple but
highly quirky undress routine;
removing his three-piece suit
in a naughty and camp style, he
stripped completely nude using
his briefcase for modesty and
it then ‘accidentally’ falls open
to reveal a sketched portrait of
his genitals. The crowd roared
their applause.
Other performances included
Jazida’s fan dancers and
an emotional tribute song
‘Starry Starry Night’ sung by
Tammy Paks whilst Jazida and
Rainbow’s delicate fan dance
brought emotional attention to
the ongoing pain that suicide
leaves us with.
Thank you Jazida – myself and
the crowd were very entertained
and I think that was your best
show yet.
SAM INGHAM
It was sassy, sexy, high impact
and utterly brilliant. The
crowd loved it and performers
presented routines that were
controversially oversexualised
and wow this show did not
disappoint! Excellent work
Miss Kitka.
SAM INGHAM
PAGE 47
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT
Geoffrey Dunn
[ARTIST PROFILE]
Describe your art practice.
I am a photographer fascinated
with all things visual. I strive to
create images inviting a viewer
to see something of what I saw
when I created the picture. I
achieve this through digital and
film-based photography and
post-processing techniques.
When, how and why did you get
into it?
I have loved photography since
I was a boy. I received my first
Kodak Instamatic when I was
about eight or nine and have
enjoyed taking photographs ever
since. Why did I get into it? Mostly
because I like looking at pictures!
I find photography an artistic
medium in which I can express
things that I am unable to express
in words.
What ideas do you explore
through your art?
I am a trained biological scientist
and have a fascination for natural
phenomena and much of my
work and exhibition history
reflects this.
I have also spent 15 years as a
semi-professional musician and
so I enjoy capturing musicians
PAGE 48
and performing artists either
during a performance or working
with them to create promotional
images or album covers … I love
making album covers!
My art documentation practice
sees me working one-on-one
with artists to create images of
their work that inspires people to
want to experience the original.
I am increasingly drawn to
portraiture and using an image
of someone to allow a viewer to
have even a glimpse into that
person’s life and experience.
My current solo exhibition
Provenance explores the faces of
eight Canberra artists with just
this aim.
Who/what influences you as
an artist?
Oh my goodness where to start?
Light is probably the biggest
single influence for me. The way
it reflects and refracts and its
ability to describe something
or someone beyond words is
crucial to how I see the world
around me. Artist-wise I would
have to list Richard Avendon and
Robert Mapplethorpe as portrait
photographers I admire greatly.
Of what are you proudest so far?
What a question! I am perhaps
proudest of the fact that I am
still pursuing photography as an
artistic expression as an entirely
self-taught photographer … that
I am continually improving my
practice and that every piece is
an improvement on the previous
work. Working with my subjects
and them telling me that I’ve
made a positive change in their
lives through my photography
also makes me feel a sense of
pride. Receiving my accreditation
as a professional photographer
with the Australian Institute of
Professional Photographers was
also pretty good.
What are your plans for
the future?
Keep producing better images
and exhibiting! I would like to
continue working with artists
and musicians and promoting
their endeavours by capturing
their live performance or creating
album art. I have a number of
projects coming up including
portraiture highlighting social
justice issues and another
working with dancers to capture
movement and exquisite
human forms.
What about the local scene
would you change?
I would be outrageously famous!
I’m not sure I would change too
much. The arts community is
very supportive and there are
a whole range of opportunities
to showcase your work. There
are lots of people willing to
help out with projects and their
unique skills and willingness
to try something new is truly
heartwarming.
What are your upcoming
performances/exhibitions?
My current show is called
Provenance, on at the Huw Davies
Gallery at the Manuka Arts Centre,
Thursday August 17 until Sunday
September 10. Provenance is an
exploration of “Artists behind the
Art” and features eight portraits
of eight Canberra artists I admire
and respect: Lori Cicchini, Paul
Summerfield, Sarah Rice, Byrd,
Thea Katauskas, Hanna Hoyne,
Stephen Best & Duncan Lowe.
I am also working on a project
with a more documentary focus.
I will be exploring a social justice
issue that’s close to my heart and
hope to raise awareness about it
through my photography. Watch
this space.
Contact info:
geoffreydunn.com.au
Instagram: @geoffrey.dunn
geoffrey@geoffreydunn.com.au
@bmamag

Nicola Dickson
[ARTIST PROFILE]
Describe your art practice.
I am primarily a painter who
paints onto the traditional
support of linen stretched onto
a wooden frame. I also make
drawings and incorporate print-
making procedures like screen-
printing into my paintings.
However, I really enjoy ‘going off-
piste’ when an opportunity arises
to expand my usual practice by
painting onto objects instead and
developing unusual installations
for my work.
When, how and why did you get
into it?
Drawing and painting has been
something I have enjoyed doing
since I was a child. During my
twenties, I did as many courses at
TAFE or CIT as I could to develop
my skills and began making more
and more paintings. I was looking
at paintings during a visit to the
National Gallery and I was very
aware in the gap between what I
was doing at that stage and the
works on the wall of the NGA.
[‘Eastern Spinebill and Anigozantho rufa I’, acrylic and oil on linen, 46 x 38.5cm]
facebook.com/bmamagazine
I decided then that I wanted to
make paintings that could ‘move
me’ like many of the paintings I
was looking at. Determined to
learn how to make work that
could communicate aesthetically
motivated me to commit fully to
an art practice and I began full-
time study at the ANU School of
Art, completing a Bachelor of
Visual Art in 2003. For me this
was a great choice, studying
there opened a door to a big,
bright world of ideas that gave
me a context for my work and a
network of peers.
What ideas do you explore
through your art?
Fundamentally I explore the
sense of wonder that can be
experienced when you look and
think about animals, birds and
plants. Wonder being a sensation
experienced when you encounter
something new – or perceive
something familiar to you in
a different way. Experiencing
wonder lets me ‘see’ how odd,
bizarre, beautiful or even repulsive
these living creatures are. I try to
convey this in my paintings so
others may have the pleasure
of seeing or considering them
differently too. Using painting to
offer a fresh look at animals and
plants allows me explore other
ideas too. These include how our
ideas about animals impacts on
our own sense of what it is to
be human and how the presence
of native animals and plants is
fundamental to our experience of
‘place’ and even national identity.
I have been concentrating lately
on conveying how the existence
of plants, birds and animals
endemic to Tasmania impacts
greatly on the unique sense of
place experienced in this location.
Who/what influences you as
an artist?
Studying the historical
illustrations and prints made
during European voyages to
Australia and the Pacific in the
18th and 19th centuries has been
a big influence on my art making.
The artists who made these
images were seeing Australian
plants and animals for the first
time. They were amazed by
what they saw and their images
convey the wonder they felt.
Their strange and often awkward
images give me clues on how
I can make paintings to do the
same thing.
Of what are you proudest so far?
Tricky question! Every time I
realise a solo exhibition after
months of quietly working in my
studio I am excited to see the
works installed on the gallery
wall. This is always the first time
I get to see all the work together
after imagining it for so long. What
has given me the biggest buzz
so far though must be a couple
of years ago when I worked on
the Enlighten Canberra festival.
I designed several projections
that incorporated paintings I
had done. It was amazing to see
them projected onto the National
Library and the National Portrait
gallery walls.
What are your plans for
the future?
I am still fascinated by the ideas
I have been working on. The
[Canberra Artists]
historical images available in
archives for me to study are a
rich treasure trove that I will
be immersing myself in for
a while. Excitingly, I’m off to
Paris in October to undertake
a three-month residency at
the Cité Internationale after
being awarded a residency
with the Institut Français. I
will be making work about the
exchange of plants between
Tasmania and the garden of
the Empress Josephine at
Malmaison around the beginning
of the 19th century. Maybe this
sounds dry but it opens up a
dialogue with the concepts of the
Enlightenment, colonialisation
and the development of the
natural sciences, concepts that I
will try to convey in my paintings
with lots of delicious, French
decorative imagery.
What about the local scene
would you change?
Mostly, I think the Canberra art
scene is fantastic, populated
with a supportive, varied
bunch of artists with a range of
opportunities on offer. The main
thing that I would like to change
would be to increase Government
and public recognition of the
value and richness of the local art
scene to the quality of their lives.
What are your upcoming
performances/exhibitions?
My next exhibition is called
Voyagers’ Tales: Labillardiere
and it will be at Beaver Galleries,
Deakin starting Thursday
August 10 and running until
Sunday August 27. The paintings
are the result of period of
fieldwork in south eastern
Tasmania supported by ArtsACT
project funding.
Contact info:
Nicola Dickson is represented
by Beaver Galleries, Canberra.
For all enquiries, please
contact the gallery on 02
62825294 or via email at
mail@beavergalleries.com.au.
PAGE 49
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT
Akka Ballenger Constantin
[ARTIST PROFILE]
Describe your art practice.
I am an emerging artist with
special interest in visual art
and poetry.
My current body of work has a
minimalist approach whenever
possible, eliminating superfluous
details and focusing on the
essential that is often unseen.
I concentrate on the movement
fluidity, transformation and use
of colours through a synaesthetic
process, employing various
senses to enhance an artistic
experience. My work is never
unilateral; words and/or music
complement images most often.
When, how and why did you get
into it?
My father gave me my first camera
when I was six: it was love at first
sight. Later on, learning to write
and draw, I found new ways
of expression.
What ideas do you explore
through your art?
Several themes occurring in my
[Above: Permission to despair disappear]
explorings are:
- Transience and the many ways
we transform in a lifetime.
- Temporality and connection (or
disconnection) with our place.
- Belonging versus feeling
displaced.
Who/what influences you as an
artist?
Nature. I need to be close to nature
– trees especially – and explore
that particular interaction, finding
beauty in the mundane.
Freddie Mercury has been a
lifelong influence; I could possibly
quote a song for any life situation
or working mood.
Of what are you proudest so far?
Re-emerging in a new country,
a new language and a new
discipline. I am just finding my
feet; therefore I remind myself to
stay humble. Looking at what I
achieved, I look instantly at ways
of improving too.
The most difficult project (most
rewarding, too) involved writing
and recording about 60 poems
for Art Sound FM. It was delivered
in four languages within a very
PAGE 50
short timeframe – just over
two months.
I am also very grateful to be an
Artist in Residence at Playing
Field Studio next year.
What are your plans for the
future?
Dream more, write more, make
more images. Collaborate with
other artists.
My biggest dream at the moment
is to publish a book with the
Stories from my Grasslands
poems and images.
I have started collaborating with
a very talented composer, Harvey
Welsh, and we are looking at
having a CD out in the near future.
I am working on Permission to
despair disappear – a project
tackling estrangement as a result
of feeling overwhelmed in a fast
paced, changing world.
I’d love to see this project
commissioned, or in a
future exhibition.
What about the local scene
would you change?
I find other artists very supportive,
but in terms of institutions, if I
could change something, it would
be providing more opportunities
for ‘late bloomers’. There aren’t
many options or opportunities
for individuals emerging past a
certain age.
What are your upcoming
performances/exhibitions?
For the last two years I have been
working on A Hat of Many Dreams
– a contemporary collection of
portraits and interviews aiming
to document our moment in time
for the future generations. The
first stage of the project is an
individual photography exhibition
next year. I would love this to
eventuate in a book, too.
In a couple of months, I am
going to be part of Anthology
– a collective alternative
photography exhibition at
Belconnen Community Services
(September 18 – 29).
Contact info:
planetakka.blogspot.com.au
Instagram: @drommeren
@bmamag

Heidi Lefebvre
[ARTIST PROFILE]
Describe your art practice.
When I can, I get the best quality
paper I can afford and I take a
breath and then I draw on it. I
can draw things so they look like
the object in front of you but I
am more interested in drawing a
little to the left of that. Sometimes
I will experience something and
it will get me outraged and I will
draw about that. Sometimes I get
frustrated, sometimes touched.
Sometimes excited. Then I will
look at my drawings and I go –
ohhh, I see what I was trying to
do there. Then I have to write
proposals for exhibitions and
try and articulate the ideas and
process and make it appealing
and sensible. So my art practice
skids between wrestling it to
the ground and chucking it up in
the air.
When, how and why did you get
into it?
It was inevitable. I first got into
art when I was four and I made
Christmas presents for my family.
I remember I sewed three buttons
onto a piece of shiny yellow satin
for my sister and in that moment
I realised I was having a great
time. I grew up in a small country
town on a little farm so I had to
do something? So I made things –
my best friend and I used to make
satirical magazines and record
the top 40 and then re-record
it with us as DJs. Then I was a
teenager and that was pretty bad.
Then I went overseas and that
was pretty good. Then I came to
art school in Canberra. I worked
really hard because I loved it. It
was like sewing buttons onto
shiny fabric but, everyday!
What ideas do you explore
through your art?
I explore the idea that art is
important. I try to look at the
world around me and reflect my
experiences. I try to make art that
is about my thoughts and feelings,
not expectation. I try to make art
that challenges hypocrisy including
my own and I try to make art that
is a bit funny. Because really it
is both funny and hypocritical to
think that art is important? But it is
important. Really!
facebook.com/bmamagazine
[Canberra Artists]
Who/what influences you as
an artist?
Every single thing in the whole
wide world and time and space.
But some specific artists who
I really love are Marvin Gaye
Chetwynd’s performances.
Jockum Nordstrum’s collages.
I really like Tony Albert’s
assemblages, Glenn Barkley’s
ceramics, Charlie Sofo’s videos,
Kenny Pittock’s everythings, Noel
McKenna’s paintings, Ali Jane
Smith’s poetry, Oliver Smith’s
silver smithing. I love Cathy
Petocz and Patrick Larmours’
daring exploits and I also enjoy
Katy B Plummer and Kuba
Dorabialskis’ brave new worlds.
There are lots more … I also
really like old clothes. Especially
jackets?
Of what are you proudest so far?
I am proud to still be making art.
I am proud to be able to share
ideas with people and talk about
creativity and how important it is.
This year I have had three shows
and with each one I feel more
pride. It’s gradual. I have been selected by The
Curators Department and
EXHIBITIONS
What are your plans for the AROUND TOWN
the University of Queensland
future?
Museum and Gallery to make
My plans for the future are to get a work for The National Artist
a day job that pays me enough to Self Portrait Prize. I’m making a
provide safety and security for time machine so my children can
my family while also allowing me meet their great grandparents.
time to make art while listening to I’m also in a group show with
records. I have a few projects on local and interstate artists and
the simmer that will potentially writers exploring the idea of
marry my love of day jobs and Next Generation: Solomon
Confabulation through looking at Islands After RAMSI by Sean
records, so watch out. Yes, I’m old slides and the technology that Davey depicting daily life in
starting an art band. supports them. This show will be Honiara at the end of RAMSI.
exhibited in Feb 2018 at ANCA PhotoAccess, Aug 17–Sep 10
What about the local scene
would you change? with a view to tour the works to
Indonesia. Tributary Projects is
I would give everyone amnesia so also a great place where I have
we could start again. my studio, so I perform there
most days. And the art band
I think we are doing okay. I think
with Katy B Plummer is going to
people with initiative will always
happen. Or maybe we will write a
find ways to operate and create
rock opera where the performers
interesting things. I think we
will wear shiny yellow button
should have free parking and
covered jackets. Full circle.
everyone should have a safe
place to live, healthcare and Contact info:
employment. Once you have that
stuff sorted out you can have heidilefebvre.com
Lines of Site: Finding the
more energy to show initiative? Instagram: @heidilefebvre Sublime in Canberra. Curated
by Grace Blakeley-Carroll. M16
What are your upcoming Artspace, Gallery 1. Opening
performances/exhibitions? Aug 17.
PAGE 51
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT
IN REVIEW
I saw a Storm Trooper, Ash
Ketchum, Crash Bandicoot, Heath
Ledger’s The Joker, Rorschach
of Watchmen, Spider-Man,
an Ewok, Eleven of Stranger
Things and five different
Harley Quinns … No, I was not
hallucinating after a sick night
out at Civic. I was standing within
GAMMA.CON, the ACT
and Southern New South
Wales region’s biggest pop
culture event!
Dozens and dozens of stalls set
up selling merchandise of Rick
and Morty, Deadpool, Nightmare
On Elm Street, Star Wars, every
Pop Vinyl figurine imaginable
and even Battlestar Gallactica
lunchboxes. GAMMA.CON was
about inclusion, and it was hard
to pass by a couple of cosplayers
without overhearing an exchange
of compliments, small talk of
thread counts and how many
sleepless nights it took them to
create such lifelike costumes.
A string of ancient video game
consoles were set up in the free
play area including Nintendo
64, Sega, Super Nintendo and
GameCube for all who wanted to
take a trip down 8-bit memory
lane; or for the futurist gamers
we were treated to VR headset
displays. It is always sadistically
fun watching kids jolt and jump
in their seats as 3D sharks and
monsters pounce at their lenses.
The special guests included
Spawn Point hosts Bajo, Rad and
Goose who provided a lengthy
Q&A session. Workshops were
conducted by professional
cosplayers Henchwench and
A.K. Wirru, who have both
won multiple awards for
their elaborate costumes and
dedication to their fictional idols.
PAGE 52
GAMMA.CON
AIS ARENA
SAT-SUN
AUGUST 5-6
PHOTO BY
CLIFF DORIAN
A staggering amount of home
grown comicbook writers, artist
and illustrators attended including
Matt Kyme (That Bulletproof
Kid), Angie Spice (Courier: The
Adventures of Geraldine Barker)
and Darren Close (Killeroo) just
to name a few. There were panels
discussing video game movies
and anime features of yesteryear,
or if you just wanted to kick your
feet up there were screenings
of Rick and Morty season two,
Venture Bros season six and
numerous animated movies.
GAMMA@Night provided the
adult’s entertainment at 4:30pm
onwards, kicking out all the
younger patrons and allowing
us over 18-ers to let loose. The
entrée was the superb ACT
Comedy Showcase, giving us a
taste of young stand-up talent.
The main course was the alluring
performance of Nerdlesque –
Canberra’s leading burlesque
with a hint of nerdy outfits and
routines. Can you really resist
some Star Trek or DC Comics-
inspired hip shaking and sultry
winks? If you love all things
gaming and ‘nerdy’, this is the
place to be.
ANDREW MYERS
WHERE IMAGINATION
BEGINS
Studio Ghibli is one of the most
beloved animation studios in the
world, second only perhaps to
Disney. Works like My Neighbour
Totoro and Spirited Away are
iconic, while Ocean Waves
has never been screened in
Australia. This year for the first
time, the entire Ghibli catalogue
will be coming to Australia
with CELEBRATE
STUDIO GHIBLI.
Tim Anderson is the founding
father and Managing Director
of Madman, who is bringing
Celebrate Studio Ghibli to our
screens. Understandably, he has
a lot of strong feelings about
Studio Ghibli, and why people
love their movies. “They have a
vision and talent that is uniquely
their own. They’re a creative
phenomenon, able to build worlds
that feel timeless and strange, yet
also warm, beautiful and filled
with emotion.” They’re strongly
rooted in Japanese culture,
while eschewing many of the
associated pop culture tropes.
And of course, “there’s also the
fact that the majority of their
works are extremely well-refined
and crafted.”
Reason enough for a celebration
of Studio Ghibli. It has also been
two years since the last Ghibli
film hit our shores – “the public
have been pining for more ever
since,” Anderson says. “We
naturally started to talk about
the possibility of maybe bringing
older films back, or even another
showcase. Then, I guess we
just got excited by the idea and
started adding more films until
we had everything and it became
more or less a small film festival.”
There are some really popular
Studio Ghibli films, and also other
films that aren’t as well known.
Given the whole collection will
[Pop Culture]
BY SHARONA LIN
be available, what are the dark
horses we should be booking
tickets for, I ask Anderson.
“Ocean Waves has never
screened here before, so that’s
very much one worth seeing for
the Ghibli completist,” he says. He
also lists many more: Nausicaä of
the Valley of the Wind, Laputa:
Castle in the Sky, Only Yesterday,
The Cat Returns and Whisper of
the Heart. “And anyone with an
interest into how Studio Ghibli
operates should absolutely
see The Kingdom of Dreams
and Madness.”
The mini film festival will open
with a classic: My Neighbour
Totoro. “Totoro was a natural fit,
as we picked him as our mascot/
icon for the festival. Who better
to represent, really?” It will be
preceded by short film Ghiblies:
Episode 2 and music video On
Your Mark. Both of these are a
little more obscure, which will
give the audience something
new to see. And if that’s not
enough, ticketholders will receive
a print designed by Shaun Tan.
“We’re really thrilled with what
he’s come up with, and we’re
sure those opening night ticket
holders are going to leave the
event very happy with their
print. We can’t wait to reveal it to
the public!”
CELEBRATE STUDIO GHIBLI brings all
22 Studio Ghibli films to Canberra from
Thursday August 24 to Wednesday
September 20. Check out Dendy
Canberra and Event Cinemas Manuka
for ticketing.
@bmamag
Exhibitionist | Arts in the ACT
Draw Your Weapons
Sarah Sentilles
[The Text Publishing
Company; 2017]
“Critics insist pacifism
results from an internal
contradiction … how
can you claim that life
is an absolute good and
then be unwilling to
defend lives threatened
by aggression?”
Draw Your Weapons
shines a light on the
overlaps between
art, violence, torture,
pacifism and politics.
It’s a book that was
written over the
course of a decade by
Sentilles, a theologian
who veered away from
being ordained after
seeing photographs of the
notorious Abu Ghraib prison.
In part autobiographical, Draw
Your Weapons asks why our
species treats itself so badly, and
documents Sentilles’s attempts
to tease out an answer.
“Advocates of pacifism point
out that pacifism is no more
contradictory than the idea that
you must kill life to defend life.”
Presented as a flow of vignettes,
Sentilles probes the lives of a
war veteran and a conscientious
objector who are brought into
her orbit through art. This is
interspersed with snippets of art
history and theory that address
what photography does to make
concealed atrocities visible, and
whether our default responses
to seeing outrageous violations
– despair, anger, sympathy – are
anything more than a mechanism
to restore our own sense
of wellbeing.
Draw Your Weapons contains
confronting descriptions
of torture, and the equally
confronting indifference of
torturers, examining what
disconnects ordinary people from
the horror of what they’re doing
and seeing.
It’s easy to see the writing of
this book was a very personal
journey for Sentilles. There is
a warm, accessible spirituality
wound throughout that steers
facebook.com/bmamagazine
LITERATURE IN REVIEW
WITH CARA LENNON
well clear of proselytising.
Sentilles appears to be someone
to whom violence is so alien that
the question of how anyone could
perpetrate it presents an almost
insurmountable stumbling block
right from the get-go.
The stop-start nature of the
prose works intermittently.
Often it’s a sharp and
effective way of highlighting
complicity, contrasting a If you grew up in a town like
victim’s degradation with some
unconvincing governmental
waffle, or with scenes of domestic
life in the perpetrating nation. In
other places however, it feels like
there’s just too much going on.
Sentilles’s experiences teaching
art, interacting with the war
veteran and the conscientious
observer are strong enough
to carry the book forward.
Frequent cutaways to esoteric art
theory or topics that seem only
superficially related to the thrust
of the chapter sometimes hurt
the book’s coherence more than
they help it.
Finally, for a book that spends
a lot of time describing images
and asking us to analyse our
reactions to them, it seems an
odd choice not to include any
photographs. Or to put it another
way, Sentilles spends thousands
of words arguing effectively that
images argue effectively. On the
whole though, these are niggling
complaints about a sincere and
intelligent read.
The Town
Shaun Prescott
[Brow Books; 2017]
If there’s such a thing in fiction
as an ennui genre (‘gennui!’ I’m
coining it!) The Town sits neatly
within it. A commentary on
shrinking regional NSW towns,
The Town depicts jingoistic
commitment to celebrating
somewhere just because it exists.
this and got out at some point,
parts of it will be eerily familiar.
If you never got out, it might be
depressingly familiar.
It bears all the hallmarks of
gennui (shut up it’s a real
word now). Passages that sift
through feelings of lingering
unrest. A frustrated author as
the protagonist. An environment
so comically unremarkable
our hero can’t help but be
alienated. Characters self-
escalating emotionally in the
vacuum of sweet bugger-all
actually happening.
Writing about ennui is a tricky
business. When your core subject
is boredom, how do you avoid
being boring? Something in the
unremarkable world has to go
weird, if only for a bit of relief.
Have the hero shoot a random
dude on the beach, turn into a
giant cockroach, whatever.
Prescott does the kind of weird
that sneaks in the side-door and
is not immediately noticeable,
[Literature]
leaving you wondering
how long it’s been in the
room. The Town layers in
surreal elements until the
weirdest thing becomes
the townspeople’s
dogged rationalisation of
the Alice in Wonderland
shit that’s going down.
It seems like such a
brilliant idea. Where
better to set a novel
about ennui than
Woolworths and the car
park at McDonalds?
Prescott points out in The
Town how satisfying it is
to read about locations
you recognise, and he’s
right. Imagine Nausea’s
Antoine Roquentin trying
to philosophise at the
local pub-TAB, getting
up the nose of Jenny the
rough-as-guts bartender.
However, while he may be
consciously referencing
classic ennui protagonists like
Roquentin, Prescott has given
us such a realistically bad writer
for our main character that
his internal monologue reads
exactly like bad writing. He’s the
kind of guy I imagine wears his
fedora indoors, and the whole
story is told through his first-
person narrative. So we’re stuck
with his abuse of anachronistic,
vaguely literary words, stilted
dialogue and snobbery towards
other people.
It pervades most of the book,
and it makes for pretty rough
going. It’s a shame, because
otherwise The Town is a creative
effort, with quietly funny ideas
and other characters whose
faults are better balanced with
their likeability.
The Town. It’s an interesting
experiment, but gird your loins
for a hero who overuses the
word ‘oneself’, throws around
sentences like “I hoped she
would feel unqualified to fathom
my book” and refuses to use
contractions like a normal human
person. And don’t be surprised if
you end up siding with Jenny
the bartender.
PAGE 53
 WARNING: SLOP OF THE POPS
GRAPHIC WITH JOSHUA MARTIN
CONTENT
Exploring the murkiest, most absurd and
☺ experimental corners of music, that you’ve probably
never heard of, and may never want to hear of again.
POLITICALLY INCOHERENT Whenever perusing the ever so Showa, a recording of a couple
[DRUGS, SEX & COUNTERCULTURE] ambiguous ‘Indie Rock’ section having sex to the Japanese
of your local record store, one National Anthem, supposedly
WITH DONNIE DANKO may find that perhaps the only commemorating the death of
As the years march on, I often is reiterated that intoxication definitive quality of the bands wartime Emperor Hirohito. (I
compare life to the Harry Potter doesn’t equal justification, there contained therein is their think their heart is in the right
films as with each one not will always be a percentage penchant for band names which place?) Worse still, the ‘Most
only do the plotlines become of people fumbling feebly for have approximately nothing to Epic Bowel Movement Ever’ in
more tenebrous, but the colour an excuse. do with the music they play. which they provide a 1-2-3-4
grading becomes increasingly Queens of the Stone Age – that’s count in to a man defecating for
Not even Harry Potter had to worry a bit of historical posturing isn’t four minutes.
desaturated. This is particularly
about an unconsenting finger it? If you’re like me, and are
noticeable with a side-by-side The quintessential Gerogerigegege
massaging his prostate while he longing for some moniker-music
comparison. I’m only reminded aural diarrhea however, and their
was waiting for his butterbeer at equivalency, you can’t look past
of this when I read survey results most cohesive recording (a rather
the Three Broomsticks. He was seminal Japanese harsh-noise
alarming thought), is 1990’s
by the Australian Human Rights group The Gerogerigegege;
too busy calculating various ways Tokyo Anal Dynamite, a 75-track
Commission. More specifically, literal translation being
to defeat Voldemort. There was mess of grindcore and muffled
the recent statistics released “Vomitdiarrheackackack”. Their
no allowance for such nonsense. screams. Each song commences
about the prevalence of sexual psychotic yet endearingly honest
It shouldn’t be necessary, but if a with Yamanouchi yelping a
assault on university campuses ‘music’ (in heavily inverted
garbled track name, occasionally
stranger offers to buy you a drink, commas) is the closest auditory
within Australia. indistinguishably mirroring that
whether you’re a male, female or correspondent to simultaneous
of a classic rock song, followed
It revealed that fifty-one percent a sophisticated sex robot from vomit and diarrhea.
by another screeched 1-2-3-4.
of students were sexually the future, ensure that you’re Founded by Juntaro Yamanouchi Heinous frequencies twisting into
harassed at least once in 2016, watching them constantly. This and Gero 30 in 1985, the pair howling industrial distortion over
while one in four students was can be difficult in an environment were dishwashers in a Tokyo barely audible frenzied drumming
sexually harassed in a university of strobing lights and various S&M club and decided that true ensued. The Gerogerigegege
setting on at least one occasion appealing visuals but it pays to performance obscenity was decided that their very existence
in the same year. A “university be cautious so you don’t end up sadly fading into obscurity. They still wasn’t lampooning music
took it upon themselves to light enough, and thus followed up
setting” can be defined as on getting bummed in a back alley
up stages across gay clubs in with their ART IS OVER cassette.
campus, travelling to and from with no memory of the incident. Japan, and were an apparent Except there was no cassette –
the university and off-campus I mean, different strokes for success, selling a few thousand inside was a severed octopus
functions organised or endorsed different folks. If that type of records. In a rare interview with tentacle, and a lift-out reading
by the institution itself. Out of 39 activity gets your engines roaring, a U.S. magazine from 1991, “Fuck Compose, Fuck Melody,
universities that have released roam freely. Heck, date rape nail Yamanouchi delineated how Dedicated to No One, Thanks to
individual data, the figures varnish is set for release later many of their early performances No One, ART IS OVER.”
associated with the Australian in 2017. Although it’s marketed occurred:
By 2001 however, the group had
National University were towards women, I know plenty “Gero 30 and I have eaten each reached an apparent existential
significantly higher than those of guys who indulge in this other’s shit and the audience’s crossroads: continue to plow
recorded nationally. Although it fashion statement. shit. The audience was watching their salacious art for their
must be noted that ANU had a us eat shit seriously and we were small but dedicated shit-eating
I feel as if the word ‘consent’ also serious. There was not any following, or kick the bucket.
very high participation rate for
is used so often that it’s lost all music playing while we were Many assumed following their
the survey, of 1,477 students, one
meaning in our society. People eating shit, and we could even puzzling disappearance that
of the highest response rates in hear their breathing.” Gero 30 and Yamanouchi had
hear it and their eyes seem
the nation. finally been institutionalised. For
to glaze over. It needs to be It is also particularly noted that
fifteen years, The Gerogerigegege
ANU announced earlier in reinvented or supplemented Gero 30’s apparent live signature
gestated in avant-garde memory,
August that students would with a new term to exemplify was masturbation, providing
to inspire generations of
have access to a full-time the importance. Perhaps we assurance that you wouldn’t miss
performance artists that no bodily
on-campus specialist sexual should just employ the Ludovico out: “Wherever we played, we
function is off limits. That is until
assault counsellor, which is all Technique to re-educate the always did masturbation.” This
last year, when astoundingly,
was not a modest display either;
well and good. But what actual entire populace as it feels like The Gerogerigegege rose from
it was most often performed
preventative methods can be we’re living in a dystopian the sewers to throw down a
with the assistance of a vacuum
taken? Alcohol and university universe already. harrowing explosion of harsh
cleaner, as can be viewed on the
culture go hand in hand. It noise, Moenai Hai. And so, the
internet at your leisure.
self-proclaimed “Japanese Ultra
stupefies and enrages people
Their visual assault of nauseating Shit Band” lives on to produce
if they’re not aware of their obscenity was appropriately music that you can never claim
limitations. It can bring out the paired with an onslaught of they didn’t warn you about from
best and worst in the human race dizzying industrial noise and the moment you spot their label
simultaneously, depending on the (very) vaguely Ramones-inspired in JB Hi-Fi.
way your body processes booze. punk. Many early releases defy
No matter how many times it general decency, like 1989’s

PAGE 54 @bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 55
 [ALBUM REVIEWS]
ALBUM IN
FOCUS
ARCADE FIRE
EVERYTHING NOW
[SONY]
[ ]
As far as salivating in anticipation with
starry eyes and very anxious comportment
goes, any new Arcade Fire release will
always cause an excited and frenzied
kerfuffle in the vegan cafés and indie
bookstores around the world. After
three and nine-twelfths years, Reflektor
has a successor at last – a successor
that stands in stark opposition with its
stylistic differences.
Thankfully (in my opinion and absolutely
no one else’s, it seems), Arcade Fire have
continued to move away from the indie
mope and strum that they started out
with on 2004’s critically beloved Funeral
and continued to obambulate into the
spherical confines of the pseudo electro,
much like what you would hear with
LCD Soundsystem with that dance punk
crossover melange. This should be seen
as an inevitable blossoming as James
Murphy, the nucleus of that aforementioned
group, helped produce the album prior
to this and has no doubt araldited his
influence onto this one too, albeit in a more
surreptitious way.
Everything Now is a title that has come
from the perceived shift in the Matrix as
observed by bandleader Win Butler towards
a society that has continued to speed up
in the way media is delivered these days
(think Crunchyroll and Piratebay). Society
has been on this path for some time, so
I guess you could imagine the pace of
life ramping up from Cheetah to African
Swallow in the cosmic game of Sim City
being played through the gaze of an already
PAGE 56
frantic saccade. This whole concept is
subtly alluded to throughout and alluded
to with the subtlety of a tidal wave in a
bathtub during ‘Infinite_Content’ and its
very close relative on the album ‘Infinite
Content’ and the former is totally a cover of
the latter. That was not a typo. The title track
also receives the same treatment, although
thankfully without the misleading typos that
were once so commonplace on Napster and
Limewire. Punk goes pop? Old hat. Arcade
Fire goes Arcade Fire? Innovation!
I’ve always held the songs where Butler’s
wife and fellow band member Régine
Chassagne purloins the limelight up high,
like a caryatid propping up an Ancient
Greek temple in the Acropolis. That theme
continues on this album. ‘Electric Blue’ is
a high-pitched standout track. Along with
other songs where she proudly stands front
and centre like ‘Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond
Mountains)’ from The Suburbs, it makes me
wonder, internally and out loud, why we’re
yet to see a solo project from her. I have
no doubt that it would be received with an
intense level of mafficking and elation. The
potential is huge. ‘Electric Blue’, along with
the title track and also ‘Signs of Life,’ stick
out in my mind as the shining stars. Perhaps
also ‘Creature Comfort’ makes it onto the
team too.
This fresh batch of otic fruit that Arcade Fire
has brought in from years of being tended
to in the creative orchard does seem to
be slightly modified in terms of the usual
genetics. But the plump shape of sound
remains in the same recognisably bulbous
form. Being a little bit less ambitious than
its predecessor, Everything Now acts as
though it’s shuddering and stalling its way
through its duration. As if it’s a train that
keeps stopping and starting without really
picking up any speed. Maybe it’ll grow on
me, many albums do after varying periods of
time. iTunes tells me I’ve listened to this in
full seven times in the past few days. Maybe
I’ll be more effusive with my praise once I
get to fifteen listens.
PATRICK OGISI
HAIM
SOMETHING TO TELL YOU
[POLYDOR]
[ ]
The Pointer Sisters Haim sisters are creating
a future that I want to be a part of. The three-
piece have returned with a sophomore effort
after a three-year gap from their last album
Days Are Gone which I think still reigns as
their high watermark. Something To Tell You
seems to me as if it was written by an ornate
quill festooned with a peacock feather and
also made of tightly compacted emotional
pain and longing that weeps ink of the most
stygian black. The recurring themes tend to be
the rotting façades of doomed relationships
and the forlorn feelings that such a
lachrymose demise will ultimately bring with
the subsequent fallout.
If you listen closely, you can hear all kinds
of random animal and machine sounds
interspersed into various tracks on each song.
Listen to ‘Want You Back’ a few times and you
won’t even need noise-blocking Sennheisers
to hear those bastard seagulls guffawing in
the background. The funky choreography in
the music video also needs to be seen to be
believed. The random samples are kind of like
what you get if you listen to Dark Side of The
Moon, or that solo on Talking Heads’ ‘Born
Under Punches’ that sounds like a dial-up
tone in a concupiscent frenzy. And this is an
eccentricity that, despite looking like it was
picked up off a dinner plate and thrown at
a wall, sounds like something that belongs.
Something that had thought and effort
put into it.
If you’ve been recently scorned or something
similar, this deviation into emotive songwriting
will probably arrest your attention and keep it
held firmly in place for the 42-minute duration.
It’s a fairly consistent theme throughout.
This may come across as overly soppy and
schmaltzy to some, especially when compared
to what has come before it, but I am content
with Something To Tell You as a successor to
their previous work.
PATRICK OGISI
@bmamag

ILUKA
BLUE MY SOUL
[INDEPENDENT RELEASE]
[ ]
Sydney-based indie pop artist Iluka first hit
the airwaves with the bouncy ‘Paper Doll’,
with her squeaky vocals sounding not unlike
Lanie Lane. This was followed up by the
smoother ‘12th of July’, which gave just a hint
of the wider range of tones of which her voice
was capable. Her new EP Blue My Soul goes
much further in showcasing the full extent of
her singing.
Iluka took a curious route in the development
of her latest release, abandoning the busy,
materialistic focus of our everyday world.
Instead, she drew inspiration from far flung
places including India, a Buddhist monastery
and the empty silence of a desert in the USA.
It was as though she cleared the air to get
closer to physicality, nature and a purer form
of emotion. True to the EP and track titles,
the results see a move to a more soulful vibe.
‘Blue Jean Baby’ keeps a firm hold of the fast
slapping beat of ‘Paper Doll’. It is a tale of two
voices. In a sort of Jekyll and Hyde manoeuvre,
Iluka drops her pitch, slipping easily from
a little girl tone to a deeper, sultrier sound.
‘Visions of Cody’ adopts a more languorous
mood, drawing out the words, with more shifts
in the shading of her voice. In ‘Blue My Soul’
she mixes a tone approaching the fragility of
Gossling with the fiery, emotional build-up
of Melody Pool. Her soulful side comes out
strongly in ‘The Fools’ with Iluka showing
she is capable of Janis Joplin-like surges
of power. The combination of thick, syrupy
and floating vocals, plus the spoken word
backdrop make closer ‘In the Heat’ her most
atmospheric track.
RORY MCCARTNEY
facebook.com/bmamagazine
EDITOR’S
CHOICE
THE PREATURES
GIRLHOOD
[UNIVERSAL]
[ ]
For an indie, alt-rock band, The Preatures sure
are ahead of their time. The four-piece rock
group from Sydney have recently released
their fourth album Girlhood, which is a more
exciting and upbeat departure from their
previous music.
Upon first hearing the album there’s
something different about this band. Standing
out amongst other alt-rock bands and sounds,
Girlhood has a very original take on alt-
rock. Forget that dream-like state that most
alt-rock or indie music provides. This is so
much better.
70s glam rock vibes from the acoustic guitar
over the top of electric guitars and rock and
roll drumming, is quickly juxtaposed with a
melody that sounds as though it was written
at the peak of pop rock in the early 2000s.
There’s something mellow and calming about
this album. Not that it’s an easy listening
album, it still has its moments as a rock
album. One track by the name of ‘Yanada’
sounds like it was made in a totally different
decade. The airy vocals float over the top of the
twanging of an electric guitar. It is extremely
reminiscent of 70s Australian rock music,
surely claiming some new fans for the band.
The simplicity of lyrics in ‘Girlhood’ linked
with the Bowie-esque music has created an
incredibly catchy track that one simply needs
to listen to on repeat for days at a time.
The clarity of sounds creates an upbeat and
happy mood to blanket the album in. These
happier melodies are juxtaposed with alt-
rock stylings which has given The Preatures
an upper hand in making an interesting sound
that hasn’t really been heard before.
MORGAN HAIN
LANA DEL REY
LUST FOR LIFE
[POLYDOR]
[ ]
The queen of subliminal Daddy kink anthems
and the self-proclaimed “gangster Nancy
Sinatra” brings her fourth album to the
table, Lust For Life (not a cover album of
Iggy Pop, sorry).
Lead single ‘Love’ is ethereal, carried by a
palm-muted bassline and Del Rey’s signature
sleepy vocal delivery. Second single ‘Lust
for Life’ offers a cameo by The Weeknd, a
throbbing synth and Del Rey’s best phone sex
hotline impersonation during the chorus. Low
points are ‘Summer Bummer’ accompanied
by A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti (for some
unknown reason), wrapped around trap-
tinged melodies, and ‘Groupie Love’ has A$SAP
Rocky again. This might be the weakest and
most out of place guest offering on the record.
‘God Bless America – And All The Beautiful
Women In It’ is empowering with a flamenco-
styled guitar in the background. ‘Beautiful
People Beautiful Problems’ features the Stevie
Nicks with her now-matured velvety vocals.
Melodramatic string sections and hip-hop
drums are sprinkled throughout most tracks,
often making them indistinguishable on
first listen. Lust For Life follows the same
formula and sound of her past two albums
Ultraviolence and Honeymoon that, to some
fans, came off as records filled with slow
burning ballads of forbidden love, misplaced
drugs, repeat. Not essentially a bad thing
because, if it ain’t broke, why fix it? Sad-
girl diva Del Rey encapsulates the essence
of vintage summer memories and doe-eyed
fantasies and pulls it off well. If you are a die-
hard Lana fan you will love this seventy-one
minute offering to listen to in your darkened
bedroom on a rainy night after half a bottle of
cheap whiskey.
ANDREW MYERS
PAGE 57
 [ALBUM REVIEWS]
FOUNTAINEER
GREATER CITY, GREATER LOVE
[1825 RECORDS]
[ ]
Started by brothers Anthony and Francis
White, indie rockers Fountaineer formed in
Bendigo in 2013 and won the 2015 Triple J
Unearthed competition to open at Groovin
the Moo. Events and lineup changes delayed
recording, but the band has finally released
its debut long player. Greater City, Greater
Love is a concept album highlighting the good
and bad sides of rural city life. While based
on experiences in Bendigo, song themes are
intended to reflect issues common to small
towns across the land.
Fountaineer projects a big sound, with bold
vocals, fast beats and keys tumbling over
themselves. The vocals are often veiled by
effects creating something of an aura of
mystery and hinting at small town secrets.
The concept approach witnesses the
appearance of names and key phrases in
more than one track. While different in sound,
the LP captures some of the melancholy air of
Crystal Theatre by Belles Will Ring, another
record with country town themes.
The title of the track ‘Still Life’ speaks
volumes about rural insularity and ‘Wide
Awake Library’ deals with the anti-mosque
rally held in Bendigo. Album highlights
include the post-punk ‘The Cricketers’, a song
which descends in an electronic wave with
syncopated percussion and the deep vocals of
Anthony White which have a tone reminiscent
of The Dead Leaves’ Matt Gow. Another winner
is ‘Lights Beyond the Edge of Town’, with its
bright guitars stretching to the horizon and
one phrase repeated over and over. With a
combination of hypnotic beats, an arresting
melody and swelling backing vocals to fill the
gaps, it projects a flickering film noir image.
The power of the repeated word is used again
in the moody, poetic ‘Onomatopoeia’.
RORY MCCARTNEY
PAGE 58
DIZZEE RASCAL
RASKIT
[ISLAND RECORDS]
[ ]
In a year where hip-hop has become arguably
the world’s most listened-to genre, it is
somewhat of a surprise that two of grime’s
traditional dons have released albums after
a mild exodus, but that’s exactly what’s
happened with the release of Dizzee Rascal’s
Raskit, along with the earlier release of
Godfather, by Wiley. These two, who have
formed a large part of the UK grime scene
over the last 20 years, show us what grime
has to offer that differs from hip-hop in these
two albums.
Raskit is the closest Dizzee Rascal has come
to a self-titled album. Historically this has
been a term he’s used to refer to himself,
and could be seen as a nod to his earlier,
Boy in da Corner-era work. It somewhat is –
the production and delivery are closer to his
work in that era than it has been for previous
albums, particularly The Fifth. The biggest
difference is that Raskit has Dizzee sounding
more mature and less divisive, where his
earliest work was the sonic equivalent of a
Jackson Pollock painting – eye-catching,
stylistically interesting, but all over the place.
The album suffers from monotony and length,
and at 16 songs ranking in at just under an
hour, the album is at times tedious to listen
to. Dizzee has clearly taken some inspiration
from American hip-hop and modern day grime,
such as Stormzy, but the album muddles these
modern influences with traditional acid house
grime and gets lost in the middle somewhere.
This is an album that comes across as
confused and slightly watered down. There
are high points, such as the high energy
presented in the opening two tracks, but all
in all the album doesn’t quite work out what
it’s going for, and suffers resultantly. There’s
a cohesive album somewhere here, it just isn’t
what’s been presented.
MATT PARNELL
AMINE
GOOD FOR YOU
[REPUBLIC RECORDS]
[ ]
Put bluntly, Amine’s recent album Good
For You isn’t an album for people who need
qualifiers to enjoy music. It’s uncomplicated,
no holds barred, fun to listen to music, in
short. It isn’t intellectual nor is it especially
sophisticated, but at its core, Amine has made
an album that is hedonistically pleasing before
anything else.
This in no way detracts from the quality of the
album. From start to finish, Amine presents a
polished, cohesive piece that is entirely aware
of what it’s presenting to the listener. This
is established from the get go – on the first
track, Amine raps that he is “André’s prodigy”,
a clear reference to iconic OutKast frontman
André 3000, who is known for his music that
is similarly innately pleasing to listen to. With
this comparison laid out from the beginning,
Amine has no choice but to continue to live up
to the standard he’s set for himself.
If you were to label it, the album is about
Amine’s experience with women, with the
infectious lead singles ‘Caroline’ and ‘Wedding
Crashers’ among the best examples. With that
being said, the album is at its best when it
escapes categorisation – at times his lyricism
is confusing, bordering on absurdist, but at
all times keeping those fun notes. In this way,
and with the criticism often attached to him,
he’s in a group with artists like D.R.A.M and Lil
Yachty – artists who are creating interesting,
progressive, non-traditional hip-hop.
Good For You is an album with something
for everyone, with some of the tracks on the
back end of the album managing to border on
introspective while maintaining the loose fun
that abides throughout it. With Good For You,
Amine has created a unique album that is best
enjoyed with no reservations, and imbues a
sense of good times. Good for you, indeed.
MATT PARNELL
@bmamag

UNDERGROUND LOVERS
STARING AT YOU STARING AT ME
[RUBBER RECORDS]
[ ]
Yes folks, ‘The Undies’ are still in business!
Formed in Melbourne in 1989, indie band
Underground Lovers released six LPs before
going into a long hiatus in 2002. The drought
broke with the outfit coming alive again in
2009, followed by the release of a new LP
Weekend in 2013. Having gone through pop,
experimental and atmospheric phases in their
early LPs, the band drifted towards a more
rock/electronic sound in Weekend but their
latest release Staring At You Staring At Me is
a pleasing mixture that samples the full range
of their stylistic offerings.
Though simple, with only a subtle metallic
tapping for decoration, the bright indie pop
tune of opener ‘St Kilda Regret’ creates a halo
vibe, with the vocals of Philippa Nihill carrying
an atmospheric echo in a song with a dash
of local colour in its lyrics. Nihill, who left the
band in 1996 but returned in time for Weekend,
also adds a special touch to the dream pop
‘Seen it All’, her voice echoing out while the
bass burbles along playfully underneath. ‘You
Let Sunshine Pass You By’ comes with a light
touch of shoegaze while in ‘The Rerun’, a deep,
crunchy rumble, jousts with bright, prickly
keys. The strong rhythm makes it a song to
move to.
The disk closes with the folk pop of
‘Unbearable’, its acoustic welcome and
cheerful vocal hooks braced by bright electric
guitar, to give it some heft. The experimental
side is well represented by the epic firestorm of
‘Glamnesia’. Furious synths are supercharged
by guitars, creating an increasingly thick
curtain of sound, through which the lyrics
must battle. The dominant angry hornet whine
is invaded by vocal effects and jarring sounds,
creating an impenetrable sonic web.
RORY MCCARTNEY
facebook.com/bmamagazine
ALBUM IN
FOCUS
TYLER, THE CREATOR
FLOWER BOY
[COLUMBIA]
[ ]
Every Tyler, The Creator album is
distinctively a Tyler, The Creator album. The
Odd Future founder has a distinctive sound
that can be traced from what makes up the
beats to his unique, captivating, gravelly
voice. Flower Boy is a Tyler album in the vein
of his previous four releases. So where’s the
plethora of praise for Flower Boy coming
from, considering Tyler’s mile-long track
record, including a ban from Australia and
the United Kingdom?
Make no mistake, previous criticism of Tyler
and what he’s represented is warranted.
Any Google search for his lyrics will make
even the most seasoned rap listener cringe,
and without going into any intricate detail,
it’s the recurring – and graphic – violent
lyrics that can be both sexually and
ethically questionable, to the point where it
makes the listener question whether or not
they should be listening to it. Attempting to
remove Tyler from his own controversy is
futile, as it has been so instrumental to his
success. The controversy brought the fans,
the fans brought the success, and at that
point it seemed like Tyler was struggling
with attempting to strike a balance between
making the music that dealt with his inner
self and continuing with the controversy
that brought him the success in the
first place.
Emotional openness has been a huge
part of Tyler’s music since his debut 2009
release, Bastard. On the record, structured
like an interaction with a psychiatrist, Tyler
is open about his personal issues, and his
bastard side, including the introduction of
oft-recurring other personality Wolf Haley,
which seems to be the persona used when
delivering these particularly violent lyrics.
Through these means, Tyler could address
themes such as depression and mental
instability in a way that still appealed to his
target audience, though the choice of lyrics
was always in question.
Flower Boy is unquestionably about growth.
It’s implicit in the album title, as well as
devices used throughout the narrative to
deliver the point to the listener in a way
that is none too subtle. Flower Boy, in and of
itself, is a title that paints Tyler as someone
who has grown and blossomed. In addition
to this, references to plants and gardens are
littered throughout the album, with tracks
‘Droppin’ Seeds,’ which as a title is likely
as much about Tyler creating a fan base,
as well as ‘Garden Shed,’ which seems
to be used metaphorically for a place to
come out of.
Additionally, Tyler uses frequent vehicles to
reference going places, both literally and
metaphorically. This is established early
in the album, on the first track with, “How
much drive can I have, until I run out of
road? How much road can they pave until
I run out of land?” This is the first indicator
of Tyler looking at his personal growth, as
in, he’s looking to see just how far he can
go. This theme is constantly referenced
throughout the album, most obviously on
‘Potholes’, which discusses the obstacles in
Tyler’s life that he needs to swerve around.
At other points on the album, Tyler uses the
car motif to reference driving away from
problems, almost crashing, and switching
gears allegorically to represent his life.
This album does show a new, improved and
mature Tyler, The Creator. The key difference
between his previous releases and Flower
Boy is that on this album, he channels his
significant creative ability in a positive, not
controversial manner and ends up creating a
stellar album. Towards the end of the album,
he starts referencing the car breaking down,
and the fact the album is titled Flower Boy
gives the impression that Tyler might have
finished growing, or reached his destination,
whether he likes it or not.
MATT PARNELL
PAGE 59
 [ALBUM REVIEWS]

ALBUM IN Regardless, when you are talking about

a band this musically sublime, it seems

FOCUS pointless to select individual songs as

highlights, because every song is a winner.
Assessing musical progression is therefore
the key, as Big Star refused to remain static.
This collection opens with ‘In the Street’
from the debut masterpiece #1 Record
recorded in 1972 at Ardent studio in
Memphis, a classic rock album that only
hit the shelves after each song had been
painstakingly worked over by the group’s
two principal songwriters, Chris Bell and
Alex Chilton, both obsessed with getting the
lush sounds in their heads onto tape. This
RAMONES
song embodies some of Big Star’s most
LEAVE HOME
worthy characteristics – a tight, driving rock 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
‘n’ roll rhythm wrapped in transcendent [RHINO]
melodics and intensely intimate
vocal harmonies. [ ]

BIG STAR
THE BEST OF BIG STAR
[CONCORD]
[ ]
Big Star should have been as big as The
Beatles but a lot of bad luck intervened.
The outcome was ‘cult’ group status –
generally defined as adoration from a
small, devoted audience comprising music
fans and astute critics. This is detailed to
a sometimes painful degree in the superb
2013 documentary Nothing Can Hurt Me.
A significant reappraisal of the band’s
legacy did take place in the 1980s, resulting
in a slight broadening of the fan-base but
the ‘cult tag’ would prove difficult to shake.
Not that record companies didn’t get the
music out there when attention struck. Poor
distribution deals plagued the band in those
critical early days. But since then, the most
substantial part of Big Star’s small body of
work – comprising a mere three albums
recorded between 1972 and 1978 – has
been consistently repackaged, including
a number of thoughtfully assembled
compilations such as the thorough overview
Keep an Eye on the Sky and Nothing Can
Hurt Me documentary soundtrack. It is
therefore worth considering whether the
world needs another Big Star compilation.
But as a concise primer for the uninitiated
– with yet another remastering effort for the
converted – this latest 16-track survey of
those essential three albums will do nicely.
The other selling point for the well versed
Big Star fan is the inclusion of non-album
versions that in some cases abbreviate
song lengths – most noticeably on ‘O,
My Soul’, the opening power-pop nugget
on 1974 album Radio City – and don’t
really contribute anything amazing other
than offer a teaser for the true fanatic.
On that first album Bell and Chilton sang
about teenage love and desire, redemption
before God and hanging out with mates in
cars wishing “we had / a joint so bad.” Great
art was created right then and there. But
Chris Bell, understandably baffled that the
record didn’t sell, left the group shortly after
and commenced a downward spiral that
culminated in a tragically early death.
Chilton kept on going and the second
masterpiece Radio City appeared in 1974 –
an outstanding collection of rich sounding
power-pop. Two standouts featured here
are ‘Back of a Car’ and ‘September Gurls’,
both honeyed pop tunes evoking the tasty
feeling of being young and in love. So good
was this stuff, it is almost beyond belief
that Radio City failed to ignite the charts.
Disillusionment then set in, with the band all
but finished. However, one final masterwork
would emerge.
Third/Sister Lovers was recorded in the
mid-1970s but remained unreleased until
1978 when Chilton had relocated to New
York. In a somewhat cynical move designed
to blow off the mainstream record industry,
he immersed himself in the burgeoning
New York punk scene by recording a series
of increasingly eccentric solo albums
and producing sleazy retro-rockers The
Cramps. Third/Sister Lovers, a solo Chilton
album in all but name, further explored
the succulent melodies of the preceding
albums, but combined these with a stark
melancholy and the four selections featured
here succinctly illuminate its dramatic
combination of light and shade. To fully
savour the many musical delights of Big
Star you really need to hear every song on
every album, but this collection makes for a
rewarding introduction.
DAN BIGNA
It has been fourty years since the sophomore
album Leave Home was released under
Sire Records and three years since the last
original Ramone, Tommy past away. The
moody foursome influenced the likes of Black
Flag, The Misfits, Metallica, The Offspring
and Green Day and forever changed the
face of punk music and what it meant to be
a misunderstood teenager in the 1970s and
1980s. You cannot listen to the Ramones
without conjuring up grainy images of the
foursome, arms folded, matching DIY haircuts,
acid wash jeans and leather jackets. A uniform
for the forgotten, the anti-Vietnam-ers and the
just plain different.
Luckily, we now have the 40th anniversary
of Leave Home spread across three discs,
including two different mixes of the album,
rare and previously unreleased material and a
live show from 1977 in New York. In short, that
is eighty fucking songs of original punk rock
at its finest and most pure form. Leave Home
featured the original lineup with angsty, fast
paced classics delivered by Joey’s deadpan
vocals, Johnny’s crunching guitars, Dee Dee’s
count in and Tommy’s pummelling drums on
classics like ‘Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment’,
‘I Remember You’, ‘Swallow Your Pride’,
the infamously controversial ‘Carbona Not
Glue’ and a cover of The Rivieras’ ‘California
Sun’ (that riff is still iconic!). Known for the
faster tempos and literary progression from
their previous debut album, Leave Home
was ranked in NME’s ‘Album of the Year’ list
for 1977.
Leave Home stills makes you want to break
out the stained Converses, thick sunglasses
and the leather jacket that’s two sizes too
small and march around your room.
ANDREW MYERS

PAGE 60 @bmamag

BEACH HOUSE
B-SIDES AND RARITIES
[SUB POP]
[ ]
Beach House’s music has always been
enveloping – regardless of the despair
imbued in their words, there is an effortless
and irresistible warmth in their sprawling
synth plateau. The duo twirl the faded DNA
of the Cocteau Twins into something wistful;
dream pop for the millennial generation that
will never quite have what they want. Their
decision to release a collection of B-sides and
rarities this year feels timely, after a prolific
nine years. Across these fourteen lost tracks,
the duo strip down their iconic synthesiser
slowmo drones to reveal their stoic penchant
for the dramatic is always meticulous.
Vocalist Victoria Legrand’s lyrical frame
throughout is panoramic; employing
ambiguity as purposeful as it is beautiful.
Legrand refuses to be flippant when singing
of love; using the word sparingly, instead
choosing to wallow in its deep shades and
utter profundities (“The beast he comes to
you, a hunter for a lonely heart”). Unreleased
track ‘Chariot’ is a majestic introduction,
splattered with cryptic lamentations upon
marital rituals in shimmering minimalism.
Ethereal number ‘I Do Not Care For the Winter
Sun’ drives on Alex Scally’s wiry guitar as
Legrand profoundly paints a despondent
emotional canvas. ‘Saturn Song’ furthers this
virtuosity, a tinkering of loneliness spinning
through a dizzying celestial atmosphere.
The galaxial background to this collection
does however occasionally slip into a gear that
almost feels automatic, as synth leads and
drum machine shakers become irritatingly
familiar. Some tracks scattered throughout
don’t reach more than curiosities, as the
tedious piano balladry of ‘The Arrangement’
and very literally sluggish Cough Syrup
remix of ‘10 Mile Stereo’ are fatiguing. To
many however, what is truly disappointing is
that these rough spots are not truly rough.
Rather, these are perfectionist throwaways
– gorgeous in their own right, but firm in the
Beach House mission statement: “your state
of infinity.”
JOSHUA MARTIN
facebook.com/bmamagazine
ALBUM IN
FOCUS
THE BEACH BOYS
1967: SUNSHINE TOMORROW
[CAPITOL]
[ ]
A decent amount of quality music was
recorded in 1967, including The Beach Boys’
albums Wild Honey and Smiley Smile and
this fertile year in the history of the band
is the focus of this beautifully compiled
two-disc set. But a number of recent stories
in popular music magazines mentioned
that The Beach Boys did not perform at
the lauded counterculture Monterey music
festival in what turned out to be a significant
year for popular music innovation. The
group was subsequently lumped in the
perennially ‘uncool’ category, as on stage
they seemed more interested in maintaining
the striped shirt look and fun-in-the-sun
pop tunes that had taken them to the top of
the charts earlier that decade. Meanwhile,
Brian Wilson sat at a piano planted in a
sandbox in his living room and plotted some
of the greatest music ever recorded.
In retrospect, this falling out with the hippie
counterculture is somewhat amusing, as by
1967 Brian Wilson had not only conceived
and written sublime pop music masterpiece
Pet Sounds but had also been working hard
on the strange, psychedelic follow-up Smile
that was ultimately abandoned when it
became clear that certain other Beach Boys
and the group’s record company Capitol
were only happy if Wilson continued to
churn out endless variations of ‘Surfin’
Safari’ and kept any greater creative
ambitions to himself – never mind that The
Beatles’ universally acclaimed Sgt Pepper
was directly influenced by Pet Sounds. The
general lack of support Wilson received for
the Smile project contributed to his well-
documented breakdown, but his capacity
for writing transcendent pop music never
diminished, and shortly after Smile was
shelved he reignited collaborative work
with Beach Boys’ vocalist Mike Love that
resulted in reworked Smile tracks for the
album Smiley Smile and first rate rhythm
and blues tunes on Wild Honey – many
sessions from both appearing here.
These days, much fuss is made when mono
mixes from 1960s bands see the light of
day, but this was a standard format for
The Beach Boys as Brian Wilson had been
hugely influenced by auteur producer/
songwriter Phil Spector and it was therefore
inconceivable that the music could be
presented in any other way.
So, the selling point here is Wild Honey
remastered in stereo which does illuminate
musical details otherwise unheard and
it still sounds great. The inclusion of
previously unreleased sessions from this
era are the icing on the cake and it would
seem that despite the onset of personal
difficulties, Brian Wilson remained on top of
his game when it came to composition and
arrangements. These had been elaborate
when Smile was coming together – simple
melodies with weird and wonderful harmonic
flourishes – but Wild Honey marked a return
to the rhythm and blues roots of the early
days with tasty soundbites such as ‘Darlin’
and ‘I Was Made to Love Her’ that dropped
psychedelic ultra-awareness in favour of
short, sharp honey-coated pop bombs that
sounded bang-on every time.
The second disc includes unreleased Smiley
Smile sessions that provide an insight into
the harmonic complexity of what could have
been the most musically creative album
The Beach Boys ever recorded if only the
progressive experiments conjured by Wilson
and collaborator Van Dyke Parks had been
allowed to develop. Nevertheless, what we
find here is a group that at times allowed
themselves to interact with a heightened
melodic vision, and the alternative versions
and backing tracks on offer reveal an openly
creative playfulness that is often satisfying
for committed listeners wanting that little
bit more. The bonus live material is an added
delight and had fate not intervened there is
little doubt that The Beach Boys would have
been applauded for creating the sound of a
brave new world if only they had appeared
alongside the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis
Joplin and The Who on the Monterey festival
stage all those years ago.
DAN BIGNA
PAGE 61
 [ALBUM REVIEWS]
ALBUM IN
FOCUS
JAY-Z
4:44
[ROC NATION/UMG]
[ ]
This year, for the very first time, hip-hop
has overtaken rock music as the biggest
genre in the United States. This has many
implications, all of which are exceedingly
obvious to anybody who has paid attention
to the industry over the last decade. “We
the new rock stars,” is what Kanye West
babbled in 2013, and surprisingly he wasn’t
wrong. No longer a subculture struggling for
breath in a whitewashed world, hip-hop is
everything rock music was – glamourous
and insolent, innovative and offensive,
mysterious and socially passionate. Until
we start hearing the phrase dad-rap,
releases like Jay-Z’s 4:44 are the musical
blockbusters of today.
Jay-Z’s latest LP is only partly the apologetic
reflection of Beyoncé’s Lemonade; it’s also
the return to form that Jay-Z fans have been
praying for. Gone is the lazy billionaire rap
of 2013’s aspirationally-titled Magna Carta
Holy Grail and in is a tight focus never seen
before from the rapper. The record benefits
hugely from its tight 36-minute running
time, with many tracks burning less than
three minutes. Jay has a subject agenda
to run through and he kicks off ‘Kill Jay
Z’ by ticking off his number one priority –
himself. The self-examination is enhanced
by its clarity; list off the guilt and kill the ego
(“You can’t heal what you never reveal”).
Briefly, but oh so tantalisingly, a strong hint
is also given to his former brother in arms
Kanye West (“‘Fuck wrong with everybody?’
is what you sayin’, But if everybody’s crazy,
you’re the one that’s insane”).
The egotistical conception of the self is
PAGE 62
LOCAL
touched on many more times throughout:
in the reggae bounce of ‘Caught Their Eyes’,
MUSIC
Frank Ocean’s chorus is likely the only
mainstream reference to solipsism you’ll
hear this year, while Jay-Z spits a keen
awareness of the savagery of the business
(“Round friends who kill they friends, then
hug their friends’ mothers”). But that’s not
to confuse Jay-Z’s full position on ego. The
dancehall of ‘Bam’ bombastically reinforces
that “Sometimes you need your ego, gotta
remind these fools, who they effin’ with,
and we got FN’s too.” What differs here is
a confidence of identity, not arrogance. The
beats on this record, produced solely by
long-time collaborator No I.D. (an unusual BRENDAN KELLER-TUBERG
choice in the era of production lists as long BRENDAN KELLER-TUBERG
as Crime and Punishment) are superlative [INDEPENDENT RELEASE]
yet misshapen fragments of chipmunk soul, [ ]
spinning choppy spoken word on race and
adultery as contextual triggers. Highlight The piano, bass, drums trio has a long and
honourable place in jazz history. To judge
‘The Story of O.J.’ plays off tangled ivories
from this new, eponymous CD by young local
and a jagged Nina Simone sample while
bassist Brendan Keller-Tuberg, its possibilities
Jay-Z’s voice lilts and pauses: “O.J. like, ‘I’m
not black, I’m O.J.’ … okay?” are far from exhausted. It features seven of
Keller-Tuberg’s own compositions, written
Drawing from this honest and unhurried explicitly for this format – and plainly with
flow, the title track and lyrical centrepiece musical companions, Tate Sheridan (piano)
is his apology to his loving but scorned and Daniel Faber (drums) in mind. The bassist
wife, Beyoncé. Fascinatingly, ‘4:44’ dodges credits the Swedish trio EST, the Vijay Iyer trio
contrivity as Jay-Z drags himself through a and the Bad Plus trio as influences but it’s also
field of broken glass, languishing in alleged easy to hear traces of Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett
infidelity and chronic underappreciation and perhaps some alt-rock influences.
of his partner (“What good is a ménage à
The dominant mood, however, is Scandinavian.
trois when you have a soulmate?”). The
Most of the pieces start with tentative,
song carries rare and affecting nuance,
repeated figures that build through various
traversing the most public relationship in
iterations to powerful chordal sequences
the world with proverbial remorse (“Like the
before fading to thoughtful endings which
men before me, I cut off my nose to spite
imply further possibilities. The dividing line
my face”).
between the written ‘head’ and solos is often
Where the record fails however is in its old- hard to detect. The pieces evolve organically
school attitude toward a new generation but always with a firm harmonic foundation.
of artists, patronising their approach to
Keller-Tuberg’s soloing has many of the
finance and racial identity. Taking potshots
virtues of the late American master, Charlie
at the younger class as Jay does with great
Haden – big tone, not too many notes and
frequency on flailing cut ‘Family Feud’ isn’t
a strong singing quality. Sheridan’s piano
flattering, and highlights the glass echo
playing is intriguingly similar to, but also
chamber in which the middle-aged rapper
different from, that on his own two earlier CDs
find himself.
i.e. impressionistic, strong left hand and clear
On 4:44, Jay-Z kills the ego to shock it articulation. Faber’s drum solos, arguably
back into life with new-found gratitude influenced by alt-rock, are all taken in a vamp
and relaxed consideration, but nevertheless context and frequently provide the emotional
maintaining his position as the man of his climax to the piece.
own affluent and grandiloquent dreams.
Each track has its own story to tell but two
JOSHUA MARTIN of the most memorable are ‘Sophomore’ and
‘6 Months’. The former nicely catches the
jaunty, if sometimes misplaced, confidence of
the second year university student. The latter
traces recent formative musical experiences
Keller-Tuberg had in Bloomington, Indiana.
GEOFF PAGE
@bmamag
 THE PINK TILES
#1 FAN
[INDEPENDENT RELEASE]
[ ]
Melbourne garage pop band The Pink Tiles first
launched their signature sound with a self-
titled LP in 2014, employing an appealing mix
of a 60s pop vibe with a more contemporary
edge (courtesy of fuzzy effects). The band
has continued that image of sequins crossed
with black rock attire in its sophomore album
#1 Fan.
Album themes range from the usual
relationship issues, to events affecting the
band, to technological overload via the
internet. There are lots of winners in the
track list, with the band exuding an infectious
energy all the way. A playful buzz launches
‘Time for Love’, which grabs attention with
its catchy tune and vocal harmonies. Take
away the fuzz which shadows the singing,
and it could be a 60s love song, but the effects
present it firmly as a 21st century artwork.
‘Tell it to Her Straight’ appeals with its riffs
and a great melody, with voices circling each
other in the powerful chorus. There is a rockier
edge to ‘Sammy’ (a band bio song) with licks
pouring forth in a torrent, while ‘For the Road’
employs a shoegaze approach. ‘Writer’s
Block’ comes across well with the floating
melody in the vocals, dressed up with tinkling
percussion highlights, while ‘Internet’ draws
on the Sex Pistols for inspiration, with the
song starting up with a nod to ‘Pretty Vacant’.
The distorted vibe to the album is emphasised
by ‘Expensive Hobby’, which sounds like a
song on the radio, where the tuning is slightly
off the exact station frequency. Closer ‘Weird
and Strained’ lives up to its title, with slow,
funereal keyboards announcing the passing
of a relationship, with fuzzed-up electronic
sounds as its death knell.
RORY MCCARTNEY
facebook.com/bmamagazine
SILVERSTEIN
DEAD REFLECTION
[RISE RECORDS]
[ ]
Silverstein, 17 years and eight full-length
albums into their career are still going stronger
than ever. The new record Dead Reflection is
the painful story of the last year for singer
Shane Told. This raw emotion and inability to
hold back has created an album that is both
lyrically and musically one of Silverstein’s
best. This album is a perfect story of losing it
all and still being around to tell the tale. Shane
Told sums it up: “The record tells a story of
self-destruction, and how I got my sanity
and happiness back.” This album is relatable
to everyone going through heartbreak and
shows the light at the other side.
The first release from the album, ‘Ghost’ is an
excellent introduction into what the album is
about. Vocally and lyrically, ‘Aquamarine’ is
easily some of Told’s best work, delving into
details of his breakup. When the band heard
the lyrics for this track they are quoted as
saying, “you won’t be making any friends
with this.”
‘Mirror Box’ and ‘Secret’s Safe’ show how
dark things got with lyrics like, “Old glass,
new scene, same face / Bad blood, deep cut,
same place / I just wanna be okay.” If you are
looking for a catchy track you can’t go past
‘Afterglow’. This song has a more upbeat feel
than the rest of the album. The pace is faster
and the melodic guitar parts show what fans
have come to expect from the new Silverstein.
Dead Refelection is one of Silverstein’s most
mature sounding records to date. The lyrics
don’t hold anything back with Told pouring his
soul out. Musically, this is one of the tightest
and better put together albums they have
recorded. Whether listening to the story of the
entire album or as standalone tracks, Dead
Reflection is set to be in my opinion the best
post-hardcore album of 2017.
GABBY MARSHALL
KINGS OF COUGH SYRUP
KINGS OF COUGH SYRUP
[RUBBER RECORDS]
[ ]
Melbourne musos Nick Batterham and Hamish
Cowan travelled the well-trodden path of
playing in bands various before deciding they
would do better as a duo, having reignited an
artistic bond which stretched back to their
teens. Batterham is the inspiration behind
the tunes while Cowan provides the vocals. In
doing so, Hamish Cowan is returning to a role
he played with the band Cordrazine, an outfit
which began in the late 90s, faded away until
a brief reappearance in the late noughties,
before vanishing into the ether.
This self-titled debut EP, under the moniker
Kings of Cough Syrup, is an atmospheric
piece of work. Cowan’s fuzzy vocals carry a
beguiling tone, with a strong falsetto capability,
while Batterham’s music is indie pop, with
a prominent electro emphasis. Opener ‘You
See in Me’ is really a brief whimsical intro, in
which an assortment of gentle keys, pierced
by sharp edged buzzes, accompanies sleepy
vocals, telling tales of dreams.
The soulful CD highlight ‘Brittle’ advances
slowly on stalking keys and a burbling bass,
until harsh metallic sounds and vibrations
announce the death rattle of the relationship.
Emotion rises with repeated despairing cries
of “Your hollow love is so brittle.” In ‘Hey
Man’, a rough buzz throbs away, advancing
and retreating until it assumes an almost
didgeridoo tone. Although exerting a brooding,
menacing vibe, it is broadcasting a message of
hope “Don’t you know that the sun will rise?”
The EP springs to life in the rapid heartbeat
rhythm of ‘Take Me Out’. Little electro hooks
flash briefly, in a song containing the sweetest
melody in the CD. The aura of the vocals and
the inventive, finessed application of effects in
the music mark this out as a special debut.
RORY MCCARTNEY
PAGE 63
 [ALBUM REVIEWS]
SINGLES IN
FOCUS
WITH CODY ATKINSON
BEACHES
‘VOID’
[ ]
Everyone should
extremely hyped for new
Beaches. The Melbourne six-piece is back
with another riff-laden dirge through rock,
with touches of krautrock shining through
as well. This is a sonic overload, a brilliant
bit of noise that merits repeat listens. Get
on it.
KELLIE LLOYD
‘SCENE OF THE
CRIME’
[ ]
Kellie Lloyd, perhaps best
known from her time in Brisbane rock
stalwarts Screamfeeder, has released
a couple of under-the-radar albums in
recent years. ‘Scene Of The Crime’, the
standout from the most recent of these,
has elements that flash back to her
earlier work, but still sounds relatively
fresh. Also that damn guitar riff has
been stuck in my head for days – a good
bloody sign.
FOREVR
‘COLUMBUS’
[ ]
FOREVR, a four-piece
from Brisbane, have found
something interesting on ‘Columbus’. The
track sits somewhere between pop, glitch,
shoegaze and dance; sharing and stealing
elements at will without committing to
anything in full. The result is something
that sounds expansive whilst containing
relatively minimalist elements – an
admirable feat, and an enjoyable one to
listen to.
MACKLEMORE FEAT.
SKYLAR GREEN
‘GLORIOUS’
[ ]
Why? Why would anyone
listen to this willingly? I know taste is
subjective, and each to their own, but
people know that there is so much better
hip-hop out there than this, right? This
is one of those seemingly bold-faced
aspirational hip-hop songs, but it lacks
any semblance of guts or determination. At
least he didn’t rip off Le1f on this one.
PAGE 64
be
FLYNN EFFECT
OBSIDIAN
[INDEPENDENT RELEASE]
[ ]
Due for release two days before their fourth
birthday, Obsidian is the second full length
release from Brisbane alt-rock quartet, Flynn
Effect. They’ve chosen the perfect title for this
album for a couple of reasons.
A band can be considered ‘obsidian’ if they
tread the line between rock and metal while
throwing in some other non-related genres
as well. As you listen through Obsidian you
may find it difficult to pinpoint a genre for
Flynn Effect. I’ve never really subscribed to
sub-sub-sub-genre discussions so it’s great
to be unable to easily pigeonhole a band’s
sound. There’s the ever-present Rammstein-
esque feel effectively coupled with Eastern
melodies, Western slide – blues and
symphonic orchestration.
Guitarist Jesse Higginson provides solid riffs
and some fine lead-work, strengthened by
the sublime bass playing from Matt Cuff. The
hard rock/metal drumming from James Laurie
works symbiotically with orchestral string,
piano and harpsichord parts. Then there are
the powerfully dynamic and ethereal vocals
from the indomitable Tomina Vincent to
complete the Flynn Effect sound.
The first single ‘Fade’ was released with a film
clip in late June and the second single ‘Give In
To Me’ was premiered on Andrew Haug Radio
on July 17. The opening track ‘All For Love’ is
an early standout as well as ‘Eastwood Blues’,
but each of the ten songs are noteworthy from
the first spin.
Obsidian was recorded, mixed and mastered
by guitarist Jesse Higginson at his home
studio. In fact Flynn Effect do it all themselves:
perform, record, produce, manage, promote,
book, THE LOT! They know what they want,
they know what they’re doing and nothing is
stopping them.
JEREMY EDWARDS
LUCY ROSE
SOMETHING’S CHANGING
[COMMUNION RECORDS/CAROLINE]
[ ]
No relation to ‘Dolly’, English indie folk singer-
songwriter Lucy Rose Parton has released
three studio LPs under the Lucy Rose moniker.
The latest, Something’s Changing, was made
after a Latin American tour which boosted her
confidence and ability as a performer, to the
point where she was able to lay down some
tracks in just one take.
Lucy Rose favours soft, relationship-focused
songs with a gentle pace and minimalist
arrangements which showcase her beguiling
voice. At the end of a line of lyrics, her vocals
can melt into thin air, vapours disappearing
on a winter’s morning. ‘Intro’, with its
elegant harp and big air gaps between notes,
witnesses both the great wavering tone she
can use to add feeling, and her ability to
suddenly shoot up to a sustained, high note.
‘Is This Called Home’ uses an electric guitar
as its core, with strings to add depth. ‘Floral
Dresses’ employs only an acoustic guitar,
with the vocals swelled by the female folk-
rock trio The Staves, while the piano-centred
‘Second Chance’ is a disk highlight with an
alluring chorus melody. The soulful whine
of a pedal/lap steel adds a subtle country
undertone to ‘Love Song’ which ends, after a
consistently sedate pace, with a sprightly tune
which surprisingly bubbles up at the close.
The soulful ‘No Good At All’, with its collage
of keyboard sounds, is one of Lucy Rose’s
more up-tempo tracks, while she saves her
strongest delivery for closer ‘Can’t Change It
All’, a song through which soft horns blow a
warm breeze.
Lucy Rose can express the deepest emotion
with the softest touch, spinning songs with a
quiet beauty.
RORY MCCARTNEY
@bmamag
 ? Questioning
[Maniacal cheering] Alright, this is going to be our last paragraph of sentences here, thanks for
reading BMA so far. We’re going to finish up with a classic, you should know this one [Motions to
writing team]. OK, thanks for reading, and if you want to grab some merch head towards the back
after the show, and yeah I’ll be there selling stuff. Just over there, near the bar.
[Paragraph finishes, non-existent crowd starts chanting for an encore]. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[Turns around, looks at the remaining writers] Yeah, I think we have a few more pages for you!
WOOOOOO! First up, Cody Atkinson with Questioning Encores, let’s keep the noise going!
OK, what’s the deal with
encores?
You guys all know encores – a
band pretends to finish up, they
(either actually or metaphorically)
go off stage and punters cheer
until they come back on and
play a couple more TUNEZ. The
chant for the encore is nearly
a ritualistic way to finish a gig,
regardless of whether the encore
is actually performed or not.
Bands seem to love it because it
is the raw expression of gratitude
for what they pour their energy
into, and fans love it because they
feel like they are GETTING FREE
MUSIC WHICH IS THE BEST THING.
That sounds weird … Where do
they originally come from?
It’s a bit contested, but there’s a
thought that it might trace back to
ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. I
can practically imagine Socrates
busting out a mad monologue
before a local Athenian yelled
out for him to philosopher
another one.
In a slightly, but not a whole lot
more modern sense, encores
date back to an operatic tradition
where if a particular aria (song,
not the music charts) was
applauded enough they’d run it
back right again, straight away.
REPEAT!
Yep, instead of waiting until
the end of the show, they’d just
go again like the rest of the
show didn’t matter and the only
important thing in the world was
playing that same damn song
again, right away.
Then in the late-16th Century
a freaking Austrian Emperor
banned encores, due to too many
people wanting to hear encores
facebook.com/bmamagazine
with Cody Atkinson
during Mozart’s The Marriage
of Figaro. Emperor Joseph II
went all ‘mayor from the town
in Footloose’ on the Austrian
Empire, and there was nothing
they could do. From that point
on, encores became notorious,
especially in the cutthroat world
of opera and classical music.
You gotta have a couple of more
memorable encores that you
can mention?
Perhaps the most intriguing
one, blending in the tradition
of the encore and the modern
adaptation, occurred when
Kanye West and Jay Z’s Watch
The Throne side project played
in Paris back in 2012. During
the tour, Watch The Throne
had made a point to close the
set with arguably the duo’s
signature track ‘N****s in Paris’,
in increasing quantities. For their
final Paris show, they upped the
ante by playing it a dozen times
straight, over the course of about
an hour. This harks somewhat
back to the Austrian days of the
encore, with a particular track
getting played back over and over
again. With one twist.
What’s that?
Well, according to ENCORE
TRUTHERS the WTT encores
aren’t really encores, because no
one had requested them. There
was no clear cheering for more
of the same particular song, or
any. They just decided to keep
it playing, again and again and
again. In fact, Kanye introduced
the bit by saying:
“Y’all have to remember this
moment for the rest of your life.
This will be the most times this
song has been performed and
the most times anybody ever
Encores
performed a song at a concert,
and y’all here tonight to be a part
of it, Paris.”
I mean the truthers might have
a point?
At best, it’s an evolved version of
the encore, at worst it’s a blatant
attempt to chase pointless
records from someone who
has form (Jay-Z held a record
for most live shows in different
cities in a 24-hour period). To
encore aficionados, of which we
are now some, this doesn’t really
pass muster.
So what’s the minimum
requirement then?
The band has to at least stop, and
either go off stage or at least turn
around. There has to be some
break in the music. There also
has to be a call for more songs, or
some form of lengthy continuous
applause. Otherwise it is just a
continuous or second set. These
aren’t hard and fast rules, if it
feels in your heart like an encore
then it probably is hey. Stop being
so judgemental.
OK, give me a memorable real
encore then.
Well I wasn’t there, but
apparently for Robert Smith’s
54th birthday in 2013, The Cure
dished up a long-ish 25-song set
in Mexico City. Not bad. But they
weren’t done. I guess they had a
few more left in them, because
they decided to come back for a
three-song encore. And another
three-song encore. Then a seven-
song encore. And finally, one last
eight-song, final call encore. One
25 song set, and 25 songs worth
of encores. Smith & co. seemed
to have an idea about this in
advance, as they saved some
of their best (‘Lovecats’, ‘10:15
Saturday Night’ and ‘Killing An
Arab’) for last.
How about the one that you
remember the most?
I remember seeing a Lou Barlow
gig on a Sunday night in Brisbane,
and he played so long that I
missed the last train to my mate’s
place where I was crashing.
All the Sebadoh classics, and a
couple of solo ones chucked in
for good measure. It would have
been about a $70-$100 taxi fare,
so we just walked around the
dead city, looking for any signs
of life. It was Brisbane; there
were few. But walking around
a partially abandoned city isn’t
something you get to do every
day – and coupled with a set by
someone as talented as Barlow it
stands alone.
But are encores really worth it?
To be honest: maybe not. An
encore is just an illusory end of a
show; a fake ending to end them
all. It is both performative on
behalf of performer and crowd,
a ritual set out ahead of time.
Generally, a band/venue/sound
curfew will decide if an encore
can or will happen ahead of time,
as demonstrated by Messers
West and Z above. The key
determiner is whether the crowd
will care enough to chant for
more, which often is a given for
bigger, more expensive shows.
So encores, hey?
Well, you are basically getting
free pages here. And don’t point
out this is a free mag, THESE ARE
BONUS PAGES FROM HERE ON
OUT. Everyone is a winner people.
Enjoy the freebies. BONUS PAGES
FROM HERE ON OUT. Everyone is a
winner people. Enjoy the freebies.
PAGE 65
 [FILM REVIEWS]
LITTLE WING
[ ]
Selma Vilhunen’s debut feature
film depicts twelve-year-old
Varpu (Linnea Skog) as more
emotionally mature than her
mother, more capable of dealing
with everyday life, and admirably
steady in approaching life’s
problems. Circumstances
conspire to lead Varpu to decide
to seek out the father who has
been absent from her life since
she was a baby. Her search has
mixed and far-reaching results.
Varpu’s winning responses to the
challenges and disappointments
of her lot – subtle facial
expressions revealing the
processes she chooses to keep
inside – reflect acting talent that
undoubtably will make Linnea
Skog a star. Offering her mother
the help and comfort a mother
more usually offers her children,
and responding with emotional
insight to some of life’s most
difficult realities, Varpu effectively
takes some responsibility for
both her parents and in so
doing helps them and herself
achieve changes at home, at
school, and with her horseriding
companions that, though small,
mark her success in navigating
unpredictable obstacles.
The film’s pace is gentle,
allowing the viewer to live
Varpu’s days and nights with her,
to feel the effort to maintain the
everyday in her slightly chaotic
home environment and at horse-
riding school.
This small tale, shot with both
vision and intimacy in several
small settings in a small country,
highlights a necessity to be the
best we can be for our loved
ones. Beautifully portrayed on the
big screen, it’s a film you won’t
regret seeing.
JOHN P. HARVEY
PAGE 66
ONE–TWO–THREE–
GO!
[ ]
Jeppe and Cecilie meet on
Cecilie’s first day at her new
school and are instantly attracted.
When Cecilie’s unwillingness
to risk losing Jeppe’s love by
revealing her life to him leads her
to push him away, a combination
of persistence, luck, and
reflection is necessary for her to
find the courage to take that risk.
The film serves as an audiovisual
novel, allowing the viewer to
explore how the characters deal
with serious life challenges,
including the effect of teenagers’
transitions to adulthood on
themselves and their concerned
parents; and in that sense it
offers a great deal to viewers
without a great deal of life
experience. Admittedly, its gloss
over some practical realities
in the cause of a good story
will give viewers with more life
experience pause; but this is
a film less about solving life’s
tougher problems than about
appreciating its moments, living
with and learning to accept the
senseless, appreciating others,
recognising their realities, and
recognising opportunities to
live well.
This film’s clear target market
is older teenagers and young
adults, but in many senses it
deserves a wider audience, not
least because of the profound
decency of its seven chief
characters: basketball hopeful
Jeppe and new student Cecilie,
their respective parents, and
Jeppe’s best friend, Jack, all
honourable and likeable. As
well, the soundtrack includes
some beautiful songs; the
cinematography is simply
gorgeous; and the acting was
very well executed. It amply
repays viewing.
JOHN P. HARVEY
ROSEMARI
[ ]
Having lived with her foster
parents for the past ten years
and known that she was found
as a newborn in a hotel restroom,
16-year-old Rosemari (Ruby
Dagnall) is keen to find her birth
parents. Official documents
identify the person who found
her as television journalist Unn
Tove (Tuva Novotny). When
Rosemari makes contact with
Unn Tove, the two join forces to
search for Rosemari’s biological
parents, aiming to use Unn Tove’s
television programme to assist.
Rosemari’s journey of discovery
from there takes some odd twists
and turns, forcing her to question
the wisdom of the undertaking,
and it illustrates how challenging
it may be for adopted children
to reconnect with their birth
parents and discover their own
beginnings. The journey is in fact
life-changing for both Rosemari
and Unn Tove, each having a
chance to accept her past with
grace and love.
The variety in Dagnall’s
understated facial expressions
alone, marking turning points in
her increasingly fraught journey,
contrasted nicely with the
casual way Unn Tove’s television
producer, Hilde (Laila Goody),
used Unn Tove as a foil for some
very funny ribald jokes.
Leaving aside some hand-held
shots, representing Unn Tove’s
camera work in documenting
Rosemari’s journey, the
cinematography helped the
viewer feel how Rosemari (and,
at times, Unn Tove) felt it its
intimate depiction of the effects
on them and others of their
individual journeys.
Paced well, entertaining,
enlightening, and moving,
Rosemari is a film
worth watching.
JOHN P. HARVEY
THE MAN
[ ]
Simon is a successful visual
artist whose income from
his large works supports his
employment of an entire team
that assists in production and
administration. He is also utterly
self-absorbed and ungenerous
in nature, even toward his long-
term live-in girlfriend, Darling.
And he demonstrates especially
clearly his uncharitable attitude
to others as soon as he meets
the 30-something-year-old
son, Casper, whose mother he
abandoned many years earlier.
Though this unprecedented visit
comes as no surprise, Simon
stays distant from him, failing
to greet him or even offer him
refreshment, and leaving to
Darling the task of being making
his son feel comfortable. And
Simon increasingly questions his
son’s motives in making the visit.
As it turns out, Casper, whose
motives remain unclear till the
story’s climax, is something of
an enigma. Amongst those of
his own generation, he has cult
status as an artist in his own
right; and, rightly or wrongly,
Simon soon feels his own
status as a unique artist to be
under challenge.
Despite being billed as a drama/
comedy, The Man induces too
few laughs to qualify it as
comedy; and its cinematography
is not particularly special. But
the acting in it was superb,
and, its drama being generally
understated and somewhat
ambiguous, the film makes an
interesting study of relationships:
its depiction of misinterpretation,
misrepresentation, subterfuge,
and betrayal in art and in
relationships repays thought and
is worthy of discussion.
JOHN P. HARVEY
@bmamag
 THE BIG SICK
[ ]
You could be forgiven for
thinking, “oh look, another quirky
rom com” from the creative hub
headed by Judd Apatow, when
perusing the flyer for The Big
Sick. But you’ll see it anyway
because even the beige offerings
from the Apatow hive are at least
borderline entertaining. And then!
You’ll be pleasantly surprised to
find yourself watching a film that
is neither predictable nor twee.
Instead, you’ll be treated to the
real life experience of Pakistani
born Kumail negotiating
obstacles around love, cultural
identity and familial pressure.
When Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani)
meets Emily (Zoe Kazan) he
swiftly falls in love with her. As
with all love affairs there are
things that get in the way of
their happily ever after, namely,
Kumail’s legitimate concern
that his Muslim parents will not
approve of their relationship.
When Emily becomes
catastrophically ill Kumail
realises what he wants and
needs, i.e. his family, his career
as standup comedian and a
‘love’ marriage (not an arranged
marriage), are all completely at
odds with each other.
There has been backlash against
this film – many people have
expected The Big Sick to be
representative of a wider cross-
cultural experience. It’s not and
it doesn’t need to be in order to
be good. Instead it tells a semi
autobiographical story of one
man’s legitimate and interesting
experience – a snapshot of a
wider cultural experience.
If for no other reason, see it
because it is hilarious.
EMMA ROBINSON
facebook.com/bmamagazine
A GHOST STORY
[ ]
You walk into this film fifteen
minutes late, because, hell, you
bought your ticket and you’re
going to get your money’s worth.
Clambering through dark and
over patrons, you thunk down
in your seat. Making yourself
comfortable, you turn your
attention to the screen.
It’s the late afternoon, Rooney
Mara is walking around a
darkened kitchen. It’s a modest
house; dusty windowsills, paint
stains the edges of the glass.
Dappled sunlight rests gently on
the outdated plywood cabinets.
Mara is silent as she approaches
the dining table, picks up a note
left next to – what is that? – a pie.
She turns, grabs a knife from
the drawer, and tentatively cuts
herself a slice. Then she grabs
a fork and suddenly plunges it
into the middle of the pie, and
helps herself to mouthful after
mouthful of the dish.
She takes it in her arms, steps
backwards and slides down the
counter behind her, bite after
bite. She’s curled up in the corner
of the kitchen, eating. You hear
the clink of the fork against the
porcelain.
Bite. Fork. Carve out pie more
with the fork. Bite.
Your eyes stray to the empty
hallway behind her. The dust
hangs in the air, and time softly
distorts.
Rooney Mara is eating a pie on
the floor of a darkened kitchen.
She sniffs.
There is a tear hanging from her
nose as she eats.
You are enraptured.
PAT JOHNSON
PAGE 67
 [THE WORD ON GIGS]

I’m not much for clubs, so I hadn’t to take the stage, to rapturous
stepped foot inside Academy applause. A club seems like a VERA BLUE
before Friday night. “It’s nicer strange choice for Vera Blue, but ACADEMY
than I imagined it”, I thought as let’s be honest – she could play FRI JUL 28
I descended down the staircase any venue, really.
into the main venue. There are
She was completely magnetic
little alcoves that enterprising
– ethereal, charismatic and it’s
gig-goers had already snapped
impossible to take your eyes
up, while the back half of the
off her as she shows off her
room is a step up from the front,
impressive vocal range, busting
meaning those at the back have
out enough songs to please old
a surprisingly good view of the
and new fans alike – particularly
stage, even if you’re not the
new single ‘Mended’, which the
tallest.
tour is in support of.
The night was ably kicked off
As she performs, she gets lost in
by Lakyn, who played a mellow,
her own music, and it’s easy to
vibey set for the earlycomers.
follow suit. ‘Mended’, like many
It’s Thandi Phoenix who really
of her songs, is imbued with such
got the party going though, with
intensity and passion that you
a wonderfully paced, vibrant set
can’t help but lose yourself. The
that had people cheering between
sold out venue was packed to the
songs. She and her band have a
brim with punters singing along,
charming rapport going, and it’s
dancing and having a close-to-
a lot of fun to see her take over
spiritual experience.
keys for a song, before taking her
place back at the microphone. SHARONA LIN
The smoke machine kept
pumping, the disco balls kept
spinning, and the audience kept
pressing as close in as possible
until Vera Blue finally arrived PHOTO BY DAN LUTON

“Not that it’s a competition or too. It was great to see people

anything,” Tim Rogers made up front of stage early as their
the call during You Am I’s set. set really did feel like you should
With two classic Oz rock bands have been in a pub getting beers
on the bill it was enticing to spilt on you.
make comparisons over the
This continued for the Hoodoo
evening. Rogers was again in
Gurus as the crowd front of stage
fine form with his banter between
and in the aisles grew like tall
songs enhancing the show and
grass around the seated. The
continuing to prove himself as
sludge rock continued but now
one of our nation’s finest front
with a surf tinge to it. The hits kept
people. “I bumped my head
coming as the set went on and by
backstage on a prostitute and
the time they gave us ‘My Girl’
stole her heels,” was how he
and ‘Come Anytime’ there wasn’t
explained his choice to adorn
much room left front of stage.
golden heels. “I spilt my glass,”
One front row fan’s passionate
his explanation for swapping
singalong to ‘Bittersweet’
from a glass to a bottle as he
demonstrated how much this
swigged his white wine between
band means to dedicated fans.
songs, exchanging his Batman-
Encore tunes ‘What’s My Scene’
shaped guitar with the roadie
and ‘Like Wow Wipeout’ ensured
before launching into ‘Friends
they had the majority of us out of
like You’.
our seats. Both groups, and the
Their set tonight contained a crowd, proved tonight may have
few lesser-known tunes but as been more suited to a less seated
a live act who aim to please they venue. In the end, great live rock
HOODOO GURUS pulled out ‘Mr. Milk’, ‘Cathy’s was the winner.
& YOU AM I Clown’ and ‘Berlin Chair’ in the
JARROD MCGRATH
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE second half (no ‘Purple Sneakers’
FRI JUL 21 though). His shoutout to Smith’s
Alternative and ANU’s Toad Hall
PHOTO BY JUDY SCHULZ
ensured we got a locals show

PAGE 68 @bmamag
 The chilly nights of Canberra
call for warm, cosy venues with
warming drinks like red wine
and whisky and, of course, music
to jolt and warm the soul. Phia
and Georgia Fields ticked all of
these boxes, and while Smith’s
Alternative was not the best fit
for their music, they took it on
with gusto and enormous smiles,
and the small audience did
the same.
Melanie Horsnell kicked off the
gig with some dark and broody
tunes, her clever lyrics woven
through sweet and sorrowful
melodies. She was softly spoken
but kept the dialogue going
between songs. The story goes
that she and Phia met in Europe
in a ridesharing adventure, and
made a promise to do some gigs
together back on home soil.
Phia and Georgia Fields also
met in Europe and this tour was
showcasing their collaborative
sound, where they each added
their distinctive sound to
each other’s songs. It sounds
complicated, given they are
adding to existing material,
but the result was unique, full
of luscious layers of sound,
harmonies and a journey in pop
PHOTO BY MEGAN LEAHY
CABLE TIES
THE PHOENIX
SAT JUL 8
Cable Ties are the best band
I’ve seen at The Phoenix since
Destrends last visited us. This
was proper punk, fuelled by fury
and executed with a very pure
passion. Jenny McKechnie’s
energy was so ferocious and
gripping. So happy to have been
right up the front for this, and
better yet, I was standing in
between Hayley of Moaning Lisa
facebook.com/bmamagazine
PHOTO BY LEHAN ZHANG
GEORGIA FIELDS + PHIA
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
THU JUL 13
and folk with electronic twists.
Their music is distinct largely
because they both experiment
with unusual instruments.
Phia’s signature instrument is
the African kalimba, a small
wooden instrument with metal
teeth which she had hooked
up to a microphone. She made
beats by tapping the wood and
and Kate of Slagatha Christie
who were just dancing their rock
‘n’ roll butts off with me after
starting the night off with such
a bang.
Slagatha Christie have now
acquired a beautiful new guitar
(R.I.P. Spongebob), but now you
can actually hear their songs
being played how they were
intended. Every time I see them
then looping them to create the
rhythms in her songs. Classically
trained, her voice is akin to Alice
Russell’s or Lenka’s, and simply
joyous to the ears.
Georgia Fields created her quirky
sounds with several instruments,
including the omnichord,
which is a cross between casio
and autoharp.
someone says to me, “these guys
are just getting better and better,”
and it’s completely true. Shoutout
to drummer Stephen Watson’s
denim shorts! I don’t know how
you got them on but it deserves
recognition. Bravo!
Moaning Lisa debuted a new
song that Charlie Versegi has
lovingly written about her
partner (yeah, they’re that
Highlights of the show included
Field’s song ‘Open Orange (a
dreamy song with lullaby sounds),
Phia’s ‘Do You Ever’ (which was
a pop-inspired song with catchy
lyrics and beatboxing), and their
fun finale, a cover of ‘Try Again’
by Aaliyah.
BELINDA HEALY
couple now, and it’s disgustingly
beautiful). It’s called ‘Good’,
and it’s not good. It’s great. You
could definitely feel something
personal being imparted from the
band to the crowd, particularly
from Versegi. The only thing I
wished for was for them to play
‘Time’, because it’s my absolute
favourite and I haven’t seen them
play it in forever. C’mon guys, it’s
a masterpiece and I want it!
But back to Cable Ties. Jenny
McKechnie is one of the most
intense performers I’ve ever seen.
Perfect amount of aggression and
technicality in her vocals and
every lyric just punched you right
in the gut. We were all just picking
our jaws up off the floor for the
entire set, listening intently to the
words being screamed at us and
screaming back “Fuck yes!” as
we were completely consumed.
Listening to their album in my car
takes me back to listening to The
Slits, Siouxsie & The Banshees
and X-Ray Spex albums
enthusiastically plucked from my
dad’s vinyl collection and spun to
my tween self. Thank you for that
sensation, Cable Ties. Your LP will
never ever leave my car.
ALICE WORLEY
PAGE 69
 [THE WORD ON GIGS]
PHOTO BY GABBY MARSHALL
TOXICON
THE BASEMENT
SAT JUL 8
Presented by Shananigan’s
Entertainment, six local and three
interstate bands performed to an
intimate crowd of 75 attendees.
Primitive (Melb) performed
first; they are a fresh new
thrash metal band with their
song ‘Carved In Stone’ available
online. Influenced by L.O.G. and
The night began, unlike almost
any other gig review in these
pages, with a panel discussion
involving the three bands on the
bill. Often panel discussions are
merely the public reproductions
of previously stated views,
but this panel forged genuine
conversation around the ideas
of identity representation,
community and the arts.
Sydneysider Naif, formerly of
Hannahband, was the first to hit
the stage, armed with a guitar
and drum machine. Naif’s set
provided the tone for the night
with personal, confessional,
emotional takes on times past
and present. With elements
of folk and punk rising in the
set, Naif’s voice provided the
focal point, cutting through the
surrounds of the theatre.
After three-ish years of playing
consistently around Canberra,
Wives are slated to take their
first extended break. They
couldn’t have entered it in better
style. The band, which has slowly
shifted in size and sound over
this time, has firmly become a
must-see live band for those in
the know around town. The trio
PAGE 70
Machine Head, this was only their
third gig and first interstate trip.
Very energetic on stage, their
dedicated groupies travelled
from Melbourne and they all
thrashed hard.
Toxicon (Melb) are high up on
my list of must-see progressive
metalcore bands. Influenced
PHOTO BY MEGAN LEAHY
demonstrated their own brand of
acerbic post-punk, with enough
diversity in sound to keep it
engaging.
Shoeb Ahmad has played in a
multitude of projects over the
years, but watching the set in
the confines of the theatre you
couldn’t help but feel that this
by Mastodon and Pantera, lead
singer Wayne Clarris has a really
professional and versatile vocal
range. Their brand-new song
‘Circling’ already has a large
number of views in just a few
weeks and my favourite song
‘Wall of Mirrors’ was also a
crowd favourite. Look them up
on YouTube.
SHOEB AHMAD
AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE
was the most personal of them.
Surrounded by a band composed
of parts from other prominent
local bands (Cracked Actor,
Honey, Pocket Fox, Helana Pop),
Ahmad embarked on a set of bold
indie pop with plenty of melodic
flourishes. Throughout the set
Ahmad directed traffic from the
front, and the band responded in
Azreal (Gold Coast) performed
for the first time in Canberra
and if you love old school thrash
metal you will like this band.
Sounding like Rob Zombie and
Pantera and L.O.G. combined,
and they have just returned
from touring The USA and their
album Premonition has 12 epic
tracks and is definitely worth the
listen. I hope they come back to
Canberra again.
With support sets by locals Kid
Presentable (hardcore punk),
Finding Eve (alternative prog
rock), Escape Syndrome (punk
metal) Maris King (metalcore/
groove) Chud (black industrial)
and Na Maza (metalcore), it was
a great night of diverse original
metal and it’s a real pity the
majority of Canberra punters
weren’t out to support their
local bands.
The best highlight for the night
was Izza (Na Maza) thrashing
so hard he split his pants and
for those that are keen to see it
you can check out their live feed
Facebook post – time point 11:50,
haha!
SAM INGHAM
SAT JUL 8
kind with an extremely cohesive
display. On a night that often
focused on identity, and the
perceptions of it, Ahmad’s set
was a display of someone who is
not just comfortable in their own
skin, but proud of the person that
they are.
CODY ATKINSON
@bmamag
 CLARE BOWEN
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
WED JUL 5
PHOTOS BY JOHN P. HARVEY
Timothy Bowen’s appearance on
the stage on the dot of 7:30pm
was low key. This unassuming
young man, brother of Clare
Bowen, sang half a dozen songs,
joined for the last several by
his fiancée, Christina Mullany,
who, while singing on tour with
Timothy and his sister Clare and
her five-piece backing band and
studying for her medical degree
(since completed), cared for
Bowen and helped him overcome
lymphoma diagnosed as terminal
and now pleasingly in remission.
Timothy Bowen introduced
Christina Mullany to the
audience, crediting her as his
strongest support through this
crucial period in his life. Amongst
Bowen’s repertoire were some
very personal songs that he
had written to her. The songs
were consistently heartfelt and
really well played and sung, and
Mullany’s singing harmony on
some of them, brought a lovely
poignancy to them.
Following the interval, and the
sounding by Clare Bowen’s band
of a few chords and drum beats,
facebook.com/bmamagazine
came Clare Bowen’s entrance
to the stage. Throughout the
evening, Clare Bowen told the
tales behind her songs, including
her brother’s story, just prior to
welcoming him and Christina
Mullany back on stage to perform
with her at the end. Highlighting
that their parents were in the
audience, she spoke at length
about the support and influence
her parents had had in making
her the person she is today,
especially in relation to how they
had enriched her life when, as a
young child, she’d spent much
time in hospital under treatment
for cancer. She and her brother
performed a moving piece written
for their parents.
Clare Bowen also performed a
song she had written to one of her
dearest friends since childhood,
who was also in the audience,
about her friend’s early struggles
with heartbreak and consequent
low self-esteem. The song was
an affirmation of the worth of
every person, a theme Clare
Bowen returned to a number of
times throughout the show.
Clare Bowen connected well
with the audience, and, when
she performed a medley of some
of the great country songs, she
invited the audience to sing
along. The audience obviously
had fun joining in.
Clare Bowen’s young-girl voice
suits very well much of the
material she writes and sings: it’s
essentially country music, with
simple themes and narratives,
and she and her band put on a
good performance, with two and
three parts of harmony backing
Bowen that was straightforward
but accurate. Strangely, Clare
Bowen herself sang out of
tune much of the time. Since
her live performances are
usually immaculately in tune,
this suggests that she wasn’t
receiving adequate foldback,
which, given the increasing
imbalance in front-of-house
sound as the instrumental
volume steadily increased and
gradually overwhelmed all the
voices, seems likely. In fact, in
certain songs, both Clare Bowen
and Timothy Bowen were barely
audible, and Christina Mullany
was utterly inaudible. Toward the
end, the balance was, in a word,
dreadful.
Bowen’s entire band, despite
the somewhat excessive
volume, was utterly polished
and professional and a pleasure
to hear. Bowen’s fiancé, rhythm
guitarist Brandon Robert Young,
who penned some of the songs,
had the most amazing voice and
vocal range, and I was sorry that
he sang lead on just one song.
Disappointingly considering
the quality of her voice and her
evident musicianship, Christina
Mullany sang lead on none.
Visually, the band had a
professional casual look to
suit its playing. And the show’s
lighting was done equally
thoughtfully; though neither
overly bright nor dramatic, it was
brilliantly executed, adding to the
feel of an evening well spent.
JOHN P. HARVEY
PAGE 71
 [ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE] AUG 16 – AUG 23

LIVE MUSIC Matt Dent SOMETHING DIFFERENT

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 16
ART EXHIBITIONS
Empire Global Art Award
Exhibition
Exhibition continues of animal themed
works in the Empire Global Art Award.
Free.
TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE
SAGA SAGA: Imagination Time
Machine
Artist Heidi Lefebvre explores optimism
and her utopian vision where art is
valued above all else.
ANCA GALLERY
Voyagers’ Tales: Labillardière
Nicola Dickson explores the rich history
of Australian flora and fauna through
her exquisitely detailed paintings. Free
entry.
BEAVER GALLERIES
Wanderlust
Language, art, history and spirituality
emerge within the contemporary
ceramic forms of Avital Sheffer. Free
entry.
BEAVER GALLERIES
Imagine If…
Exhibition presented by the National
Centre for Australian Children’s
Literature and The Children’s Book
Council of Australia. 10am – 2pm.
CLIVE PRICE SUITE
Chances With Glass
An exhibition focusing on Neil Robert’s
relationship with glass as object,
medium and signifier. Opening 6pm.
Entry by donation.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
FILM
Samson and Delilah
$14/12. Book online. 7pm.
NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Hedy Lamarr – Hollywood
Inventor
Free entry. No booking required. 6pm.
NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE
THEATRE
Blue Love
Blue Love is a delightful infusion of
intense physical theatre, film and
dance. From a fantastic place where
TV soap meets art-house film, the
two characters take the audience on
an expedition in search of the perfect
relationship. 8pm.
THE PLAYHOUSE
THURSDAY AUGUST 17
ART EXHIBITIONS
M16 Exhibition Opening
Lines of Sight, Transit Lane, Al Munro.
Free. Opening at 6pm.
M16 ARTSPACE
Next Generation: Solomon
Islands After RAMSI &
Provenance
Two exhibitions presented by
PhotoAccess. Opening at 6pm.
PHOTOACCESS
KARAOKE
Piss Weak Karaoke
Karaoke at the Phoenix. 9pm.
THE PHOENIX
Woodface
Free. 9pm–12am.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
WYLD Thursdays ft. ATLiens
Atlanta trap duo ATLiens are set to head
back to our shores this winter, with a
run of 11 shows around Australia and
New Zealand. $15. 9pm.
KYTE NIGHTCLUB
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Waving the Red Flag: Chinese
Posters 1949-1976
See the colourful propaganda
posters that promoted the vision of a
prosperous world led by a communist
China. 10am-5pm daily.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA
TALKS
Portrait Encounter: Derek
Denton
By Evert Ploeg. Meet for conversations
and sharing of ideas around selected
portraits, facilitated by members of the
National Portrait Gallery Access and
Learning team. $7 (includes tea/coffee).
Bookings essential. 1pm.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
THEATRE
Poem Every Day
Canberra Youth Theatre’s (CYT)
Company Ensemble presents an
arresting new work shaped by the
poetry of Canberra poet, Joshua Bell.
Using physical theatre and drawing on
the practices of Pina Bausch, Omar
Naharin and Bertolt Brecht the work will
be highly theatrical. 7pm.
GORMAN ARTS CENTRE
Blue Love
Blue Love is a delightful infusion of
intense physical theatre, film and
dance. From a fantastic place where
TV soap meets art-house film, the
two characters take the audience on
an expedition in search of the perfect
relationship. 8pm.
THE PLAYHOUSE
FRIDAY AUGUST 18
LIVE MUSIC
Mitch Canas/Special K
5pm/10pm. Free.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
Nucleust
Trent & Jaryd’s B’day Bash. With Jay
Whalley (Frenzal Rhomb), The Neptune
Power Federation, Rick Dangerous
and the Silkie Bantams, Wolfpack,
Flangipanis, Sketch Method, Dropbear
and Cockbelch. 7pm. $20 + bf via
Moshtix.
THE BASEMENT
WSTRN Live
Presented by Academy & UMG Allstarz.
9pm. $21 + bf via Moshtix.
ACADEMY
Awesome Aussie roots music. 3pm.
ERINDALE TOWN CENTRE
Friday Night Live
Blues, rock and much more with
weekly gigs. For more information visit
harmonieclub.com.au. 8pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Self Talk
With Brief Habits, Helena Pop, Slagatha
Christie. 8pm. $10 on the door.
THE PHOENIX
The Montgomery Brothers
Free entry. 8pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
THEATRE
Poem Every Day
Arresting new work shaped by the
poetry of Canberra poet, Joshua Bell.
7pm.
GORMAN ARTS CENTRE
SATURDAY AUGUST 19
ART EXHIBITIONS
Chances With Glass
An exhibition focusing on Neil Robert’s
relationship with glass as object,
medium and signifier. Gallery floor talk
2pm. Entry by donation.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
COMEDY
Neel Kolhatkar
Sharp, young, rapid fire, accent slinging,
with a hint of boyish-charm comic.
Tickets $35.50 at thestreet.org.au.
8pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
Tom Gleeson: Cheer Up
Tom Gleeson has added a second show
in Canberra after tickets to his brand
new hour of comedy were snapped up
quickly by the nation’s capital. 8:45pm.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
LIVE MUSIC
Slim Fits
Free. 10:30pm–12am
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
Underachiever / Capes /
Antonia & The Lazy Susans
Canberra’s Capes are teaming up with
Newy boys underachiever for a couple
of rowdy shows over the weekend!
Being joined by Antonia & The Lazy
Susans from the Blue Mountains for the
Canberra Leg. $5 for students, $10 g/a.
LOBROW GALLERY & BAR
Pete Murray
Camacho tour. 7:30pm. $61.90 + bf
via canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
7:30pm.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
King
Cold Winds Across Australia Tour
2017 with special guests Blackhelm,
Somnium Nox, Claret Ash, Black
Mountain. 8pm. $20 on the door.
THE BASEMENT
The Gypsy Scholars
With Tate Sheridan & Aloise. $10. 8pm.
THE PHOENIX
Matt Dent
Awesome Aussie roots music. 8:30pm.
TOP PUB QUEANBEYAN
Draw Life: Sip and Sketch
Let loose your creative urge. Bring
paper, pencils & creative urge – we
provide the model. Check website to
see who’s featured this time.
POLIT BAR
Canberra Roller Derby League
Double Header Bouts. 6pm. Info and
tickets at www.crdl.com.au.
SOUTHERN CROSS STADIUM
THEATRE
Poem Every Day
Arresting new work shaped by the
poetry of Canberra poet, Joshua Bell.
7pm.
GORMAN ARTS CENTRE
SUNDAY AUGUST 20
LIVE MUSIC
Irish Jam Session
Traditional Irish musicians in the pub
from late afternoon. Free.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
Canberra Blues Society Monthly
Jam
With the Bundah Blues Band from
Narrabundah College and closing with
Leaving Reality from Goulburn. $3/$5.
2pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Matt Dent
Awesome Aussie roots music. 3pm.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
Elbury
Haunting Ground album launch. Support
from Lavers. 7pm. Tickets $10/$7.
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
WORKSHOPS
Poetic Portraits: A Workshop
with Sarah Rice
Join poet and scholar Sarah Rice for
a special masterclass on poetry and
portraiture. 10am. $75. Bookings
essential at portrait.gov.au.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
MONDAY AUGUST 21
LIVE MUSIC
The Ocean Party
With Danger Beach, Territory & Dog
Name. $10. 8pm.
THE PHOENIX
TUESDAY AUGUST 22
TRIVIA
Rick & Morty Trivia
With Chris Endrey. 6pm.
THE PHOENIX
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 23
ART EXHIBITIONS
Chances With Glass
An exhibition focusing on Neil Robert’s
relationship with glass as object,
medium and signifier. Entry by donation.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS

PAGE 72 @bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 73
 [ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE]
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 23
ART EXHIBITIONS
Empire Global Art Award
Exhibition
Exhibition continues of animal themed
works in the Empire Global Art Award.
Free.
TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE
M16 Exhibition Opening
Lines of Sight, Transit Lane, Al Munro.
Free. Opening at 6pm.
M16 ARTSPACE
Next Generation: Solomon
Islands After RAMSI &
Provenance
Two exhibitions presented by
PhotoAccess.
PHOTOACCESS
Voyagers’ Tales: Labillardière
Nicola Dickson explores the rich history
of Australian flora and fauna through
her exquisitely detailed paintings. Free
entry.
BEAVER GALLERIES
Wanderlust
Language, art, history and spirituality
emerge within the contemporary
ceramic forms of Avital Sheffer. Free
entry.
BEAVER GALLERIES
We Collapse, We Build New
Cities
An exhibition of work curated by Angus
McGrath about the intersection of the
human body with buildings.
ANCA GALLERY
SAGA SAGA: Imagination Time
Machine
Artist Heidi Lefebvre explores optimism
and her utopian vision where art is
valued above all else.
ANCA GALLERY
Imagine If…
Exhibition presented by the National
Centre for Australian Children’s
Literature and The Children’s Book
Council of Australia. 10am – 2pm.
CLIVE PRICE SUITE
KARAOKE
Karaoke SMACKdown
Think you’re pretty hot with a mic? Try
this for size. Not your average karaoke.
It’s duelling duets with Braiden. (Yeah,
okay you can do normal karaoke too if
you insist…) Free entry.
POLIT BAR
LIVE MUSIC
Vanishing Shapes
Be swept away in an imaginative
take on the folk idiom as Newcastle’s
experimental folk mainstays, Vanishing
Shapes, appear in Canberra as part of a
weekender mini tour. 4:30pm.
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Sad Old Bastard Night
With Tom Woodward, Evan Buckley &
Jim Sharrock. 7:30pm.
THE PHOENIX
Water Pushes Sand
In Water Pushes Sand, composer
Erik Griswold and the Australian Art
Orchestra fuse Sichuan melodies
and rhythms with modern jazz
improvisation, and video projections
that evoke the vibrant landscape of the
Chengdu Provence. $40-$45. At the
door or online. 7:30pm.
AINSLIE ARTS CENTRE
PAGE 74
THEATRE
Ranters Theatre: INTIMACY
Why is it sometimes easier to be honest
with a total stranger than with someone
we know? Tickets $29-$39. 7.30pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
THURSDAY AUGUST 24
KARAOKE
Piss Weak Karaoke
Karaoke at the Phoenix. 9pm.
THE PHOENIX
LIVE MUSIC
Trash Boat
After touring with New Found Glory, and
playing Download Festival, Trash Boat,
(hailing all the way from the UK) will
make their maiden voyage to Australia
this August. With Stand Atlantic, Sketch
Method, Elk Locker. Free. 8pm.
TRANSIT BAR
Ed Kuepper
Solo and By Request. 8pm. Tickets start
at $45 via thestreet.org.au. 8pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
Chicago Charles & Danger Dave
9pm. Free.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
TALKS
Crystal Clear: Talking
Residencies
With Zoe Woods: Ausglass Artist in
Residence. Entry by donation. Light
refreshments will be provided. 4:30pm.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
THEATRE
Ranters Theatre: INTIMACY
Why is it sometimes easier to be honest
with a total stranger than with someone
we know? Tickets $29-$39. 7.30pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
FRIDAY AUGUST 25
LIVE MUSIC
Dom Dolla & Torren Foot “Team
Effort Tour”
Two of the biggest house acts in
Australia are heading to Academy for
the first show of their tour ahead of
their new Aria #1 ‘Be Randy’ and it is
going to be massive! $16.50 + bf at
Moshtix. 9pm.
ACADEMY
Matt Dent/Woodface
5pm/10pm. Free.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
School Damage
Join School Damage as they head to
Canberra to launch their new LP with
very special guests California Girls and
Passive Smoke. 8pm.
LACKLUSTRE HQ
Little Georgia
Folk/grunge duo. Tickets $15/$10 via
smithsalternative.com. 7pm.
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Friday Night Live
Blues, rock and much more with
weekly gigs. For more information visit
harmonieclub.com.au. 8pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Guyy
With Richard Perso. Free. 8pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Major Leagues
With Moaning Lisa and Teen Jesus and
the Jean Teasers. 8pm. $15 + bf at
Moshtix. 8pm.
TRANSIT BAR
Matt Dent
Awesome Aussie roots music. 8:30pm.
GOULBURN RAILWAY BOWLING CLUB
Friday Fiesta
With Los Chavos. $10. 9pm.
THE PHOENIX
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Canberra Writers Festival:
Power, Politics, Passion
Join us to celebrate the literary life of
the National Library! Tickets available
at canberrawritersfestival.com.au.
9am–9pm.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA
THEATRE
Ranters Theatre: INTIMACY
Why is it sometimes easier to be honest
with a total stranger than with someone
we know? Tickets $29-$39. 7.30pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
SATURDAY AUGUST 26
LIVE MUSIC
Lostkeyz Self Titled
EP Tour
Lostkeyz will be heading out on his first
national tour to celebrate the release of
his self-titled EP. The tour, presented by
Wonder Thunder, Honeymoon and Good
Stuff Co. will include special guests
imbi the girl, Brad Michael and local
supports Genesis Owusu, Kirklandd &
The Wumpaz. $5 entry. 7pm.
LOWBROW GALLERY & BAR
Napoleonic
Support from Betty Alto, Bleach It Clean,
The Postmasters. 8pm.
THE BASEMENT
Marlon Bando
With Needledick, Flight To Dubai,
Sleeping Dogs, Dalmacia & Bo Loserr.
9pm. $10.
THE PHOENIX
Hard Cover
Free. 10:30pm.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Canberra Writers Festival:
Power, Politics, Passion
Join us to celebrate the literary life of
the National Library! Tickets available
at canberrawritersfestival.com.au.
9am–9pm.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA
THEATRE
Ranters Theatre: INTIMACY
Why is it sometimes easier to be honest
with a total stranger than with someone
we know? Tickets $29-$39. 7.30pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
AUG 23 – 30
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
One of the most-read and famous
children’s books of all time, The Very
Hungry Caterpillar emerges off the page
in a masterful theatrical experience
for the whole family. 10am, 12.30pm
and 3pm.
THE PLAYHOUSE
SUNDAY AUGUST 27
ART EXHIBITIONS
Empire Global Art Award
Exhibition
Exhibition continues of animal themed
works in the Empire Global Art Award.
Free.
TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE
LIVE MUSIC
Matt Dent
Awesome Aussie roots music. 3pm.
WALT & BURLEY
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Canberra Writers Festival:
Power, Politics, Passion
Join us to celebrate the literary life of
the National Library! Tickets available
at canberrawritersfestival.com.au.
9am–9pm.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA
Waving the Red Flag: Chinese
Posters 1949-1976
See the colourful propaganda
posters that promoted the vision of a
prosperous world led by a communist
China. 10am-5pm daily.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA
Drawn In: Carl St Jacques
Draw while listening to music. All
materials provided; for all ages and
abilities. Free. 1pm.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
THEATRE
Ranters Theatre: INTIMACY
Why is it sometimes easier to be honest
with a total stranger than with someone
we know? Tickets $29-$39. 4pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
MONDAY AUGUST 28
LIVE MUSIC
CIT Presents The Bootleg
Sessions
With Short Wave Love Remedy, The
Kaemans, Partly Cloudy & Bridgette
Kutcher. Free entry. 8pm.
THE PHOENIX
TUESDAY AUGUST 29
TRIVIA
ANU Film Group Presents
Movie Trivia. 6:30pm.
THE PHOENIX
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 30
ART EXHIBITIONS
Chances With Glass
An exhibition focusing on Neil Robert’s
relationship with glass as object,
medium and signifier. Entry by donation.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
@bmamag
 [ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE]
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 30
ART EXHIBITIONS
M16 Exhibition Opening
Lines of Sight, Transit Lane, Al Munro.
Free. Opening at 6pm.
M16 ARTSPACE
Next Generation: Solomon
Islands After RAMSI &
Provenance
Two exhibitions presented by
PhotoAccess.
PHOTOACCESS
We Collapse, We Build New
Cities
An exhibition of work curated by Angus
McGrath about the intersection of the
human body with buildings.
ANCA GALLERY
Imagine If…
Exhibition presented by the National
Centre for Australian Children’s
Literature and The Children’s Book
Council of Australia. 10am – 2pm.
CLIVE PRICE SUITE
COMEDY
Open Mic Comedy at The
Phoenix
Free entry. 8pm.
THE PHOENIX
LIVE MUSIC
Acoustic Soup
ALOÏSE, Dom Lavers, pop songwriter
Sebastian Field and guitarist James
Hamilton. Hot delicious soup included
in the price, plus home-made chai and
an assortment of desserts for sale.
All vegan and gluten free. Doors open
7pm. Students and members $8 and
general public $12. Free Admission
through volunteering!
ANU FOOD CO-OP
TALKS
The Sustainable Wardrobe
A discussion about the environmental
costs of the garment industry and
slowing down in the era of fast fashion.
6pm.
DRILL HALL GALLERY
TRIVIA
Movie Trivia Night
To support the Canberra International
Film Festival – a not-for-profit
community event. Light supper, great
prizes and fun for all. Drinks can be
purchased at the bar. Plenty of raffle
prizes too! $20 per person, or $150 for
a table of 10 ($15 per person). 6.30pm.
Tix at Eventbrite.
AINSLIE FOOTBALL & SOCIAL CLUB
THURSDAY AUGUST 31
FILM
2017 Alliance Française Classic
Film Festival
In celebration of the enduring cinema
of France, The Alliance Française
Classic Film Festival is returning for its
anticipated third edition. More info at
afclassicfilmfestival.org.
PALACE ELECTRIC
facebook.com/bmamagazine
KARAOKE
Piss Weak Karaoke
Karaoke at the Phoenix. 9pm.
THE PHOENIX
LIVE MUSIC
Jed Rowe
A Foreign Country tour. Supported
by Emma Dryden and Wayne Kelly.
9pm. Tickets a steal at $10 through
smithsalternative.com.
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Special K Duo
Free. 9pm.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 1
COMEDY
Rosie Waterland
After selling out the Melbourne
International Comedy Festival and a
national tour with her very first one-
woman show last year, Rosie Waterland
is back with her brand new offering,
Crazy Lady “describing in detail, every
lie I ever told”. 8:30pm. Tickets at
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
FILM
2017 Alliance Française Classic
Film Festival
In celebration of the enduring cinema
of France, The Alliance Française
Classic Film Festival is returning for its
anticipated third edition. More info at
afclassicfilmfestival.org.
PALACE ELECTRIC
2017 Arab Film Festival
Australia
The Arab Film Festival Australia (AFFA)
proudly presents its 14th edition from
August to September, bringing together
the best in contemporary Arab cinema
to Australian audiences. Full program at
arabfilmfestival.com.au.
NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE
LIVE MUSIC
Bill Olsen/Oscar
5pm/10pm. Free.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
Coin Banks
Acclaimed Perth MC has announced a
national tour kicking off in support of
his Outside Looking In EP. Tickets $12
+ bf at Moshtix. 8pm.
TRANSIT BAR
Cyril B Bunter Band
Australia’s premier exponents of the
Real Good Boogie. Free entry. 8pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Friday Night Live
Blues, rock and much more with
weekly gigs. For more information visit
harmonieclub.com.au. 8pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
The King Hits
With DJ The Professor. $10/$5. 10pm.
THE PHOENIX
ON THE TOWN
Run In
Feat. Zeke Beats.
ACADEMY
THEATRE
Prada’s Priscillas
Flanked by gorgeous men, Prada Clutch
and her ‘girls’, take you on a journey
from where it all began with Les Girls
in the 60’s, across the Aussie outback
with Priscilla Queen of the Desert in the
90’s, and into 2017 with a celebration
of today’s music icons! 8pm.
THE PLAYHOUSE
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 2
FILM
2017 Alliance Française Classic
Film Festival
In celebration of the enduring cinema
of France, The Alliance Française
Classic Film Festival is returning for its
anticipated third edition. More info at
afclassicfilmfestival.org.
PALACE ELECTRIC
2017 Arab Film Festival
Australia
The Arab Film Festival Australia (AFFA)
proudly presents its 14th edition from
August to September, bringing together
the best in contemporary Arab cinema
to Australian audiences. Full program at
arabfilmfestival.com.au.
NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE
LIVE MUSIC
Mass in Blue & Misa Criolla
Each of the major pieces combines two
very different musical traditions: in Will
Todd’s Mass in Blue, the sung Mass
meets the blues; and in Ariel Ramírez’
Misa Criolla, the Catholic Mass meets
the rhythms and traditions of Hispanic
America. 7:30pm.
HUGHES BAPTIST CHURCH
Plyers ‘Clear’ LP Launch’
Plyers (Melbourne) return to Canberra
once more for the launch of their long
awaited LP Clear (TRAIT Records / Art
As Catharsis). Joining them on the
night are special guests Shoeb Ahmad,
Sleeping Døgs and more TBA. $5. 8pm.
LOWBROW GALLERY & BAR
Flowertruck
With Big White & Noir. $10/$5. 9pm.
THE PHOENIX
4th Degree
Free. 10:30pm.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 3
ART EXHIBITIONS
Chances With Glass
An exhibition focusing on Neil Robert’s
relationship with glass as object,
medium and signifier. Entry by donation.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
M16 Exhibition Opening
Lines of Sight, Transit Lane, Al Munro.
Free. Opening at 6pm.
M16 ARTSPACE
Next Generation: Solomon
Islands After RAMSI &
Provenance
Two exhibitions presented by
PhotoAccess.
PHOTOACCESS
AUG 30 – SEP 5
We Collapse, We Build New
Cities
An exhibition of work curated by Angus
McGrath about the intersection of the
human body with buildings.
ANCA GALLERY
DANCE
Puttin’ On The Ritz
The most famous songs of the Golden
Age of Hollywood are recreated live on
stage with award winning singers and
dancers in glittering costume – with
special guest Rob Mills. 7:30pm.
Tickets from $81.90, available through
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
FILM
2017 Alliance Française Classic
Film Festival
In celebration of the enduring cinema
of France, The Alliance Française
Classic Film Festival is returning for its
anticipated third edition. More info at
afclassicfilmfestival.org.
PALACE ELECTRIC
LIVE MUSIC
Irish Jam Session
Traditional Irish musicians in the pub
from late afternoon. Free.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
Vices
I Am Responsible Tour. With guests
Conveyer, Homesick, Snakepit and
Brainfreeze. 8pm. Tickets $20 on the
door.
THE BASEMENT
THEATRE
The History Boys
Everyman Theatre, producers of last
year’s critically acclaimed production of
The Normal Heart are back at Canberra
Theatre Centre with another Tony
Award winner – Alan Bennett’s The
History Boys. Tickets and more info at
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
THE COURTYARD STUDIO
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 4
COMEDY
Titus O’Reily
Frontier Comedy are thrilled to
announce a national tour of popular
sport satirist Titus O’Reily’s new show
Insufficient Intent. 7:30pm. Tickets
$49.90 at thestreet.org.au.
THE STREET THEATRE
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5
WORKSHOPS
It’s A Gin Thing
Masterclass: Liquid Learning & Laughs.
Like to make some gin, just for you?
Award winning Canberra Distillery
founder and master distiller Tim
Reardon will show you how.
POLIT BAR
PAGE 75
 [ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE]
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 6
ART EXHIBITIONS
Chances With Glass
An exhibition focusing on Neil Robert’s
relationship with glass as object,
medium and signifier. Entry by donation.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
Next Generation: Solomon
Islands After RAMSI &
Provenance
Two exhibitions presented by
PhotoAccess.
PHOTOACCESS
We Collapse, We Build New
Cities
An exhibition of work curated by Angus
McGrath about the intersection of the
human body with buildings.
ANCA GALLERY
LIVE MUSIC
Direct Hit!
Milwaukee-based punk. With The
Decline. 8pm. $23.50 via Oztix. 8pm.
THE PHOENIX
THEATRE
The History Boys
Everyman Theatre, producers of last
year’s critically acclaimed production of
The Normal Heart are back at Canberra
Theatre Centre with another Tony
Award winner – Alan Bennett’s The
History Boys. Tickets and more info at
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
THE COURTYARD STUDIO
Landscape With Monsters
The fearless Circa ensemble have
forged a new type of circus. There are
no traditional circus acts, no trapezes
and not a red nose in sight. Tickets and
more info at canberratheatrecentre.
com.au.
THE PLAYHOUSE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Waving the Red Flag: Chinese
Posters 1949-1976
See the colourful propaganda
posters that promoted the vision of a
prosperous world led by a communist
China. 10am-5pm daily.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 7
ART EXHIBITIONS
M16 Exhibition Opening
Internationalist, Tony Curran, Kerry
Shepherdson. Free. Opening 6pm.
M16 ARTSPACE
COMEDY
Fearless Comedy Gala 2017
A night of hilarity for charity – The
Fearless Comedy Gala returns in 2017
with a bigger line-up and the guarantee
of an outrageously “feel-good” night
of fun. 7:30pm. Tickets from $50 + bf
through canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
LIVE MUSIC
Dos Locos
Free. 9pm.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
PAGE 76
THEATRE
Landscape With Monsters
The fearless Circa ensemble have
forged a new type of circus. There are
no traditional circus acts, no trapezes
and not a red nose in sight. Tickets and
more info at canberratheatrecentre.
com.au.
THE PLAYHOUSE
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 8
ART EXHIBITIONS
M16 Exhibition Opening
Internationalist, Tony Curran, Kerry
Shepherdson. Free.
M16 ARTSPACE
LIVE MUSIC
Dana Hassall/Live Band
5pm/10pm. Free.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
Hugo Race &
Michelangelo Russo
Hugo Race (founding member of
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds) and
Michelangelo Russo are excited to
be bringing their performance to
Smith’s Alternative in Canberra. Their
e-imagining of the music of John
Lee Hooker is simultaneously blues,
electronica, avant-garde and ambient,
an homage to one of the greats of rock
and roll prehistory. 9pm. $20/$15.
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE
Lincoln le Fevre &
The Insiders
The Insiders are enjoying a warm
reception to lead single ‘Undone’
– a gorgeous yet gritty singalong
punctuated by le Fevre’s caramel
vocals – which was recently added to
rotation on Double J. The new album
was lent some Aussie rock chops via
producer Mike Deslandes but amongst
the rock roots still boasts the warmest
songwriting to emerge from south of
the ‘Strait in years. With Suds, Keyring
Jeans and Jim Dusty. 7pm.
TRANSIT BAR
Chase The Sun
Australian heavyweight champions of
blues-rock shred. Tickets either pre-
sales: CBS $15/Gen $22 or at the door:
CBS$20/Gen$25. 8pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Friday Night Live
Blues, rock and much more with
weekly gigs. For more information visit
harmonieclub.com.au. 8pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
ON THE TOWN
Run In
Feat. Lude.
ACADEMY
THEATRE
Landscape With Monsters
The fearless Circa ensemble have
forged a new type of circus. There are
no traditional circus acts, no trapezes
and not a red nose in sight. Tickets and
more info at canberratheatrecentre.
com.au.
THE PLAYHOUSE
The Song Compnay: Dreamers
of the Day
A kaleidoscopic ride through states of
semi-consciousness. Tickets $20-$65.
7pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9
ART EXHIBITIONS
M16 Exhibition Opening
Internationalist, Tony Curran, Kerry
Shepherdson. Free.
M16 ARTSPACE
COMEDY
Dykeside
A comedic collaboration between three
of Australia’s hottest queer comedians,
Lori Bell (Adelaide), Bobby Macumber
(Melbourne) and Kirsty Webeck
(Melbourne). Bloody funny content.
POLIT BAR
Josh Wade
Shocking, crude, uncomfortable, but
most of all – the truth. Tickets $34.90
at thestreet.org.au. 7:30 pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
LIVE MUSIC
Troldhaugen
8pm. Tickets $13.30 via Oztix.
THE BASEMENT
Client Liaison
Client Liaison are coming to Canberra
as part of their ‘Foreign Affair World
Tour’. Tickets $39.90. 8pm.
UC REFECTORY
Grieg and Beyond
Kraggerud will join the ACO in
September for a national tour – Grieg
and Beyond – that celebrates the music
of Norway’s most distinctive composer.
New music by Australian composer
Ross Edwards and Kraggerud himself
will also feature in the program. 8pm.
LLEWELLYN HALL
The Cool
Free. 10:30pm.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Society of Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators: Level
Up Conference
Take your career to the next level.
Tickets and info at scbwiact.com.
ALIA HOUSE
SEP 6 – SEP 10
TALKS
Dr Michael Mosley
In his live show, Michael Mosley,
the man behind the iconic 5:2 Diet,
will take you on a journey exploring
fascinating health myths and facts with
exciting experiments and an interactive
Q&A. 7:30pm. Tickets and more info at
canberrathreatrecentre.com.au.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
THEATRE
Landscape With Monsters
The fearless Circa ensemble have
forged a new type of circus. There are
no traditional circus acts, no trapezes
and not a red nose in sight. Tickets and
more info at canberratheatrecentre.
com.au.
THE PLAYHOUSE
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10
ART EXHIBITIONS
Animastructions Exhibition
ANU School of Art & Design Nature/
Culture Research Group presents
Artworks by Students, Alumni, and Staff
appropriating animals as metaphors for
our relationship with the environment.
Free.
TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE
Chances With Glass
An exhibition focusing on Neil Robert’s
relationship with glass as object,
medium and signifier. Entry by donation.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
M16 Exhibition Opening
Internationalist, Tony Curran, Kerry
Shepherdson. Free.
M16 ARTSPACE
Next Generation: Solomon
Islands After RAMSI &
Provenance
Two exhibitions presented by
PhotoAccess.
PHOTOACCESS
We Collapse, We Build New
Cities
An exhibition of work curated by Angus
McGrath about the intersection of the
human body with buildings.
ANCA GALLERY
DANCE
Enter the Vortex
Founded and directed by one of
Australia’s most esteemed creative
directors Marko Panzic, The Dream
Dance Company invites you to Enter the
Vortex. 8pm.
THE PLAYHOUSE
LIVE MUSIC
Irish Jam Session
Traditional Irish musicians in the pub
from late afternoon. Free.
KING O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
3rd Australian Chopin
Competition
This biennial competition will see
entrants from all over the world come
together to perform works by Chopin.
9am.
ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC
@bmamag
 [ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE]
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Reclink Canberra Community
Cup
Big day of entertainment, sport and
fun. With bands, footy and more. Adults
$10. Kids under 16 $5. Food and
beverages on sale on site.
JAMISON OVAL
THEATRE
The History Boys
Everyman Theatre, producers of last
year’s critically acclaimed production of
The Normal Heart are back at Canberra
Theatre Centre with another Tony
Award winner – Alan Bennett’s The
History Boys. Tickets and more info at
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
THE COURTYARD STUDIO
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 11
ART EXHIBITIONS
M16 Exhibition Opening
Internationalist, Tony Curran, Kerry
Shepherdson. Free.
M16 ARTSPACE
COMEDY
Dykeside
A comedic collaboration between three
of Australia’s hottest queer comedians,
Lori Bell (Adelaide), Bobby Macumber
(Melbourne) and Kirsty Webeck
(Melbourne). Bloody funny content.
POLIT BAR
LIVE MUSIC
Jeff Rosenstock
No stranger to Australian shores, Jeff
Rosenstock is bringing his full band
back for what will be his sixth time to
the country. Since last touring Australia
in 2016, supporting The Smith Street
Band’s Wil Wagner, Jeff Rosenstock
has gained attention in places he never
expected. His latest album WORRY., out
through SideOneDummy Records, was
called album of the year by USA Today.
In addition to his own musical career,
Jeff Rosenstock has produced the last
two albums by The Smith Street Band.
TRANSIT BAR
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
3rd Australian Chopin
Competition
This biennial competition will see
entrants from all over the world come
together to perform works by Chopin.
9am.
ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC
facebook.com/bmamagazine
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12
ART EXHIBITIONS
M16 Exhibition Opening
Internationalist, Tony Curran, Kerry
Shepherdson. Free.
M16 ARTSPACE
COMEDY
The Wharf Revue
From the highs to the lows, Canberra’s
most trusted fake news source will
proudly parade the year’s most
memorable moments our nation’s
political and cultural leaders would
prefer to forget. Tickets and more info
at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
THE PLAYHOUSE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
3rd Australian Chopin
Competition
This biennial competition will see
entrants from all over the world come
together to perform works by Chopin.
9am.
ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC
THEATRE
Erth’s Prehistoric Aquarium
The team at Erth have spent years
collecting playful prehistoric creatures
of the deep in their giant aquarium. For
the very first time, you are invited to
dive in and meet these aquatic critters
in person. 6pm. Tickets and info at
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 13
ART EXHIBITIONS
Animastructions Exhibition
ANU School of Art & Design Nature/
Culture Research Group presents
Artworks by Students, Alumni, and Staff
appropriating animals as metaphors for
our relationship with the environment.
Free.
TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE
Chances With Glass
An exhibition focusing on Neil Robert’s
relationship with glass as object,
medium and signifier. Entry by donation.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS
Dreaming of Remembering
Curated by Grace Blakely Carroll this
exhibition reflects on imagination,
memory, tradition and nostalgia.
ANCA GALLERY
M16 Exhibition Opening
Internationalist, Tony Curran, Kerry
Shepherdson. Free.
M16 ARTSPACE
COMEDY
The Exotic Lives of Lola Montez
From the creators of the smash hit
Caravan Burlesque, Finucane & Smith,
comes the story of the wildest showgirl
of the nineteenth century, Lola Montez.
8pm. Tickets $35-$50 at
tuggeranongarts.com.
TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE
The Wharf Revue
From the highs to the lows, Canberra’s
most trusted fake news source will
proudly parade the year’s most
memorable moments our nation’s
political and cultural leaders would
prefer to forget. Tickets and more info
at canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
THE PLAYHOUSE
Erth’s Prehistoric Aquarium
The team at Erth have spent years
collecting playful prehistoric creatures
of the deep in their giant aquarium. For
the very first time, you are invited to
dive in and meet these aquatic critters
in person. 6pm. Tickets and info at
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
CANBERRA THEATRE CENTR
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
3rd Australian Chopin
Competition
This biennial competition will see
entrants from all over the world come
together to perform works by Chopin.
9am.
ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC
THEATRE
The History Boys
Everyman Theatre, producers of last
year’s critically acclaimed production of
The Normal Heart are back at Canberra
Theatre Centre with another Tony
Award winner – Alan Bennett’s The
History Boys. Tickets and more info at
canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
THE COURTYARD STUDIO
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15
FILM
18th Lavazza Italian Film
Festival
Presented by Palace, the 18th Lavazza
Italian Film Festival screens nationally
in September presenting over 30 of the
best films from cinema masters and
ground breaking new talent from Italy.
More info at italianfilmfestival.com.au.
PALACE ELECTRIC
Canberra Short Film Festival
An evening of selected short films
including the inaugural Indigenous
filmmakers category. Tickets $15 online
at tuggeranongarts.com or $20 at the
door. 6pm.
TUGGERANONG ARTS CENTRE
Listings are a free community service.
Email editorial@bmamag.com to have
your events appear each issue.
For up-to-date listings, visit
bmamag.com/gigguide.
NEXT ISSUE: #497
OUT SEP 13
SEP 10 – SEP 16
LIVE MUSIC
Floriade Twilight Concert
Featuring an open air musical
performance by The David Bowie
Tribute band supported by the Canberra
Symphony Orchestra. Tickets available
at floriadeaustralia.com.
COMMONWEALTH PARK
Catfish Voodoo
Catfish Voodoo are one of Melbourne’s
hot new electric blues party bands.
Free. 8pm
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
Friday Night Live
Blues, rock and much more with
weekly gigs. For more information visit
harmonieclub.com.au. 8pm.
HARMONIE GERMAN CLUB
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Kath ‘n’ Kim
The Party with Drag Queen
Extraordinaire Ms Tammy Paks. 8pm.
$20 on the door.
POLIT BAR
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16
COMEDY
Dykeside
A comedic collaboration between three
of Australia’s hottest queer comedians,
Lori Bell (Adelaide), Bobby Macumber
(Melbourne) and Kirsty Webeck
(Melbourne). Bloody funny content.
POLIT BAR
FILM
18th Lavazza Italian Film
Festival
Presented by Palace, the 18th Lavazza
Italian Film Festival screens nationally
in September presenting over 30 of the
best films from cinema masters and
ground breaking new talent from Italy.
More info at italianfilmfestival.com.au.
PALACE ELECTRIC
LIVE MUSIC
Blind Man Death Stare
It’ll Grow On Ya album launch tour.
THE BASEMENT
Kim Churchill
Intricate guitar work, intuitive vocal
melodies, disarming lyrical honesty.
Tickets $35-$40 at thestreet.org.au.
7:30pm.
THE STREET THEATRE
PAGE 77
 FIRST CONTACT
Aaron Peacey 0410381306
band.afternoon.shift@
gmail.com.au
Adam Hole 0421023226
Afternoon Shift 0402055314
Amphibian Sound PA
Clare 0410308288
Annie & The Armadillos
Annie (02) 61611078/
0422076313
Aria Stone sax/flute/lute/
harmonica, singer-songwriter
Aria 0411803343
Australian Songwriters
Association
Keiran (02) 62310433
Back to the Eighties
Ty Emerson 0418 544 014
Backbeat Drivers
Steve 0422733974
backbeatdrivers.com
Birds Love Fighting
Gangbusters/DIY
shows-bookings@
birdslovefighting.com
Black Label Photography
Kingsley 0438351007
blacklabelphotography.net
Bridge Between, The
Cam 0431550005
Chris Harland Blues Band, The
Chris 0418 490 649
chrisharlandbluesband
@gmail.com
PAGE 78
Cole Bennetts Photography
0415982662
Danny V Danny 0413502428
Dawn Theory
Nathan 0402845132
Danny 0413502428
Dorothy Jane Band, The Dorothy
Jane 0411065189
dorothy-jane@dorothyjane.com
Drumassault
Dan 0406 375 997
Feldons, The 0407 213 701
Fire on the Hill
Aaron 0410381306
Lachlan 0400038388
Fourth Degree Vic 0408477020
Gareth Dailey DJ/Electronica
Gareth 0414215885
Groovalicious Corporate/
weddings/private functions
0448995158
Guy The Sound Guy
Live & Studio Sound Engineer
0400585369
guy@guythesoundguy.com
Haunted Attics
band@hauntedatticsmusic.com
In The Flesh Scott 0410475703
Itchy Triggers
Alex 0414838480
Jenn Pacor Singer-songwriter
avail. for originals/covers
0405618630
Johnny Roadkill
Paulie 0408287672
paulie_mcmillan@live.com.au
Kayo Marbilus
facebook.com/kayomarbilus1
Kurt’s Metalworx (PA)
0417025792
Los Chavos Latin/ska/reggae
Rafa 0406647296
Andy 0401572150
Merloc - Recording Studio,
Watson. Sam King: 0430484363.
sam@merlocrecords.com
Missing Zero
Hadrian 0424721907
hadrian.brand@live.com.au
Morning After, The
Covers band
Anthony 0402500843
Mornings Jordan 0439907853
Obsessions 0450 960 750
obsessions@grapevine.com.au
Painted Hearts, The
Peter (02) 62486027
Polka Pigs Ian (02) 62315974
Rafe Morris 0416322763
Redletter Ben 0421414472
Redsun Rehearsal Studio Ralph
0404178996/
(02) 61621527
Rock Doctor Industries
musical amplification/sound
reinforcement/public address/
hi-fi/DJ equipment
rockdoctorindustries@gmail.com
0432 675 934
Rug, The Jol 0417273041
Sewer Sideshow
Huck 0419630721
Simone & The Soothsayers
Singing teacher
Simone 62304828
Sorgonian Twins, The
Mark 0428650549
Soundcity Rehearsal Studio
Andrew 0401588884
STonKA Jamie 0422764482
stonka2615@gmail.com
Strange Hour Events
Dan 0411112075
Super Best Friends
Greg greg@gunfever.com.au
System Addict
Jamie 0418398556
Tegan Northwood (Singing
Teacher) 0410 769 144
Top Shelf Colin 0408631514
Undersided, The
Baz 0408468041
Zoopagoo
zoopagoo@gmail.com
@bmamag
facebook.com/bmamagazine PAGE 79
PAGE 80 @bmamag