Column: News
| Date Published: Tuesday, 6 December 11
| Author: Julia Winterflood
| 1 year, 6 months ago
On February 23 last year, the SLAM rally saw 20,000 people march through Melbourne in protest against the Victorian Government’s misguided policy link between live music and violence. The SLAM rally was the largest cultural protest in Australia’s history. Now all of Australia has the opportunity to participate in a national event that celebrates our local musicians in our small venues. Music communities around Australia are now invited to unite in support of our thriving live culture by hosting their own National SLAM Day on Thursday February 23. Support your local artists and venues by getting out and experiencing the spontaneous excitement and intimacy you can only get at a small venue. For all the info head to slamrally.org .
Music folk must be taking the-end-is-nigh thing seriously, with seemingly every artist worth their salt choosing to release an album within the next 12 months.
2012 is shaping up to be a huge year for releases, for reasons both good and bad (we'll let you decide which is which).
We can expect new albums from The Shins, Leonard Cohen, The xx, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, Tool, How to Destroy Angles, Soundgarden, Paramore, Animal Collective, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, No Doubt (what?), Garbage (really?), Nicki Minaj, Cat Power, Andrew Bird, Grizzly Bear, The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac (possibly), Rufus Wainwright, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Mazzy Star, Black Sabbath (Ozzy Osbourne pictured, in one of his quiter moments), Rush, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, T.I., The Offspring, Metallica, Janelle Monae, The Killers, Phoenix, Morrissey, Leona Lewis, Usher, Green Day, Mumford & Sons, The Magnetic Fields, Big K.R.I.T., Ke$ha, Sleigh Bells, Slaughterhouse, Lana Del Rey, Linkin Park, Old Ideas and Anberlin.
2012 - Set to be one of the most exciting, or one of the most disappointing, in recent memory. Only time will tell.
Multi-platinum alt/funk rockers Incubus are heading our way in Feb in support of their seventh album If Not Now, When?. They’ll be playing the Royal Theatre on Saturday Feb 4. It’ll be a greatest hits affair with the likes of Drive, Pardon Me, and Wish You Were Here as well as songs from their latest offering. Frontman Brandon Boyd describes it as “darker, slower, more rich, more refined, and more involved than anything Incubus has birthed to date.” Tix go on sale at 9am on Thurs Dec 8 through Ticketek.
In what hopefully will be the beginning of many more of its kind, Canberra's wunderkind promoter Dave Caffery is at it again, using his newly appointed position as property developer Molonglo Group's Events Manager to stage an 'Ephemeral Exhibition'. Running for one week only starting today (Monday December 19), the exhibition will showcase 50 local artworks for sale, with 15% of proceeds going to Barnardos.
As Dave Caffery himself reveals:
"After 48 hours of promotion, no sleep and much haste, we launched an art exhibition in the most prestigious and largest apartment in NewActon. The place is a concrete shell (designed for the buyer to customise their own layout and fixtures) and so I've just managed to hold a warehouse-style art exhibition overlooking the entirety of Canberra in one of NewActon's most prestigious apartments. We've got over 15 local artists displaying over 50 artworks, ranging across sculpture, photography, furniture, painting, installation, live music and live artists. Our Saturday launch had over 200 people, and today we had another 100. The use of space, idea of being 'ephemeral', and the art have been generally received as exceptional."
The exhibition is located on Level 16, 19 Marcus Clarke Street. There are daily viewings from 1-4pm every day this week, with the exhibition closing at 4pm on Friday December 23. For more information you can join their Facebook page by clicking here.
OK, first question you have I'm sure is... What the hell is a Drunk Arena?
Well, my inquisitive friend, on this occasion it is a multi-faceted inflatable activity centre, including a velcro jump wall, horizontal bungee challenge, sumo suits, bouncy boxing and gladiator duel (with the pugil sticks). The picture on your left there explains all.
This will join the extensive hip-hop line-up, which now includes the newly announced Chamillionaire. The full line-up is as follows.
Tech N9ne (US) D12 (US) Crazy Town (US) Obie Trice (US) Chamillionaire (US) Koolism (ACT) Big Dave and Grantwho? (ACT) DJ Rush (ACT) Dopus And Roshambo (ACT) Kodak (ACT) N2W (NSW) Dlinkwnt (NSW) Kitty B (NSW) Bishop (ACT) DJ Skae (NSW) with Eitha, Deon and Collossuss (ACT) Hosted by the BRB
It’s an 18+ event, with first release tix on sale now costing $110 + bf, second release $140 + bf and VIPs $160 + bf from Moshtix.com.au (click here for tix), Landspeed Records and Co-op Bookshop in the city. For more info, details and messages from the artists head to kokyprik.com .
UC Live! regret to announce that due to scheduling conflicts outside of their control, Hermitude are no longer able to play O No! on Friday February 10. The silver lining however is that hometown heroes Koolism will be stepping in to keep the party going.
O No! follows O Yeah! on Friday February 3 and celebrates O Week at the University of Canberra. Koolism will be joining Australia electronic mash up stalwarts Bumblebeez, and the Sosueme DJs.
O Yeah! and O No! will be the first gigs presented by UC Live! in their new venue – Zierholz @ UC.For more information and to sign up for exclusive news and special offers go to www.uclive.com.au.
In the meantime, you can feast your eyes on the official press releases below to get you in the mood.
KOOLISM's footing as one of Australia’s favourite acts was cemented in 2004 when they won an ARIA award for Best Urban Release for their third album Random Thoughts Part 3. Together, DJ Danielsan and MC Hau have become an unparalleled force on the Australian hip-hop scene, pushing boundaries and blazing trails.
BUMBLEBEEZ have been described as a cut 'n' paste collision of noisy hip-hop and rock. The act is always known to bring a party to life and with the release of their latest hit single Summer Bum - a kind of post-carribean jiggy-beach baby - the trend is set to continue at O No!
Combine three of the scene’s best party DJs, add backup dancers, alcohol, a moshpit, shoulder fights, crowd surfing and dance-offs, you begin to get a visual of what the SOSUEME DJS are all about.
This year O Yeah! is set to feature some of Australia’s freshest indie pop talent in Hungry Kids of Hungary, Loon Lake and Atluk.
Recently dubbed by fans as one of the best live performances at this year’s Homebake festival HUNGRY KIDS OF HUNGARY are known to put on one of the tightest, strangest and downright entertaining live shows of any Australian band.
LOON LAKE is an indie pop 5-piece with a plethora of catchy tunes, great gigs behind them and a bright future ahead of them. Having just been announced for the Melbourne Big Day Out and Pyramid Rock Festival there is a lot of hype around this band, and deservedly so.
Rounding out the O Yeah! lineup for UC Live! are Canberra expats ATLUK, who have dubbed their style as Saccharine-Folk. A mixture of the narrative style of Belle & Sebastian and the light-hearted romance of She & Him, they also have the occasional group harmonies of Boy & Bear and the warm melodies of Angus & Julia Stone.
At the precise moment it’s no longer possible to walk across the bitumen barefoot, a ripple effect happens – mangoes fill the esky, seat belts start to scald and The Beautiful Girls hit the highwayto bring their summer glow to the South Coast. Join them for a chilli mojito at Narooma Golf Club on Wednesday December 28.
Now in its fifth year, The Footy Almanac is an institution. So when the final siren goes on the 2011 season, the fun fields of analysis spring eternal - there's plenty to tide you over to next year as the Almanackers take the reins, reliving every game, round by round.
Compiled and edited by revered sports journalist, former Manning Clark House Director and ABC Offsiders panel regular John Harms, and The Age/The Bush Telegraph/League News regular Paul Daffey, the book will be launched by Maurice Reilly at The National Press Club from 5:30-7:30pm on Wednesday December 14. All welcome.
'I like these writers; I love these stories. Accounts of folks who see this game for the beautiful, freakish theatre that it is.' Tim Rogers
'If standing in the outer with a frosty can of beer was a football book, it would be The Footy Almanac.' Sunday Herald Sun
'The Footy Almanac has it all; flawed analysis, dubious wit and all the melodrama of another footy season, captured brilliantly by these passionate devotees, who think they know what they are talking about!' David Parkin
The Canberra Roller Derby League gals will be doing their level best to tear up the shiny new skating surface that has jazzed up Garema Place since early this January.
The CRDL are using their off-season to entertain and dazzle every Wednesday evening from 8pm, January 11 to February 1. CRDL will host demonstration roller derby bouts at 9pm, all the while injecting Canberra CBD with a revitalising reminder of the finesse, aggression and excitement available on old-school quads.
Garema Place has once again transformed into an open-air roller rink to jazz up this city's summer days and nights. This rink is the first of its kind in Canberra and aside from the CRDL skaters the rink will play host to retro video discos, feature skate shows, and present outdoor movie screenings. Skates are included in the entry cost, which is only a tenner.
Skate in the City is on now and runs until February 5.
Long time BMA Mag family member Andrew Mayo snapped our cover shot of Iggy at the Sydney Big Day Out on Australia Day this year. Says Mayo, “It was close to 40 degrees and I was on the verge of vomiting from heatstroke… And there’s Iggy, at the ripe old age of 63, showing the young ‘uns how it’s done.” Mayo, we salute you. Thanks a million mate.
MusicACT is a new peak body providing a voice for Canberra’s music industry. Its current activities include standing up for small venues on the issue of liquor licensing, pushing for the inclusion of a music presence at the proposed Kingston Arts Precinct, professional development workshops in 2012 covering music production, touring, management and promotion, and delivering a comprehensive ACT venue directory. They’re accepting members from Jan 1 so head to musicact.com.au to get involvedand stay tuned to these pages for regular updates.
Cell Block 69 are back! Unbelievably, the band are reforming for the tenth year in a row to perform at ANU Bar on Friday December 23. Once a year Cell Block 69 return for a night of glorious pop rock complete with back-lit Venetian blinds, coloured-smoke machines, sax solos, stadium rock poses and audience members falling to their knees with fists clenched tight in the international rock language for “feelin-it”. Cell Block’s patented Last Ever Show will see the ANU transform into a Rock Stadium, as the band guide the audience through a cornucopia of hits that were ‘tragically stolen’ from them by other, more celebrated, artists. The band, whose stunning ‘80s musicianship is matched only by their wardrobes, will perform their new wave masterpieces, ‘90s mega-mixes and trash rock anthems. This will be a truly unmissable night of retro pop. Cell Block 69 will be joined by legendary Viking rock maestros Knight Hammer. Tix through Ticketek.
In sad news, rapper and beatboxer Rahzel has had to cancel his appearance at this New Year's Day hip-hop show at Transit Bar to be with family, after news his mother died overnight.
A statement has been issued by Randy Glazer of Joint Adventure, the group who were bringing the tour to Australia.
"RIP to our homie Rahzel's momma who sadly passed away last night. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this extremely hard time. May she find peace on the other side...
As would be expected, Rahzel and DJ JS1 will unfortuantely no longer be joining us for the upcoming New York's Finest Tour. We wish Rahzel an enormous amount of strength as he stays back home to mourn his loss and take care of funeral arrangements.??Gza, Pharoahe Monch, and Jean Grae are still coming here to make sure you get blessed by New York's Finest. We will party hard and keep Rahzel and his family in our hearts and minds every step of the way!"
Local promoters state that if this affects your decision in coming to the sold out show, and you have already purchased a ticket, you can contact Moshtix on 1300 GET TIX (438 849) or ticketsupport@moshtix.com.au to obtain a full refund.
Rest assured the might of Pharoahe Monch, Jean Grae (with Mr Len of Company Flow) and GZA of the Wu Tang Clan will still be, as they say, "in full effect".
Performing for the first time in Oz, Cavalera Conspiracy are peeling off a Canberra sideshow from their Big Day Out tour. Cavalera Conspiracy was created by Max and Iggor, the brothers who formed the legendarily trailblazing heavy metal band Sepultura. Across six albums they perfected the art of metal while exploring the underbelly of third world political issues culminating with the landmark Roots album in ‘96. Max left Sepultura and formed Soulfly in the late ‘90s, with seven albums under the studded belt. Iggor stayed in Sepultura for a few more albums before splitting himself in ‘06. Less than two years later the metal world was turned upside down by the debut album from Cavalera Conspiracy. You can see Max and Iggor Cavalera unleash Cavalera Conspiracy in Canberra at the ANU Bar on Friday Jan 27. Tix through Ticketek.
2012 could be the Year of Metal for Canberra, with yet another sideshow announced.
This time we see Lamb of God (pictured), In Flames and The Black Dahlia Murder peeling off the mighty Soundwave festival to grace the interior of the University of Canberra Refectory on Thursday March 1, 2012.
Lamb of God promise to hit "with the force of an invading apocalyptic army" and deliver "a crippling dose of pure metal" to live up to their reputation as one of the most savage live acts to grace the stage.
Pioneers of melodic death metal, Swedish metal giants In Flames have paved an enviable career spanning more than 20 years filled with millions of album sales and a slew of bone-crushing albums. Their 10th long-player Sounds Of A Playground Fading is their most ambitious offering to date.
And paving a path of destruction, terrorising audiences throughout the world with their unbridled passionate live shows, The Black Dahlia Murder deliver a barrage of brutal breakdowns and technical death metal with knife like precision. They have made a career out of being unpredictable, unclassifiable and uncompromising. Their new album Ritual is the perfect snapshot of their career with Metal Underground calling it an “absolute masterpiece of melodic death metal”.
Tix will go on sale 9am, Friday December 16, and can be purchased from www.ticketek.com.au / www.oztix.com.au .
