Canberra Music Arts thingy compiled by Allan Sko
BMA has lovingly gathered together some of the best and brightest music happenings the fair city of Canberra (and surrounds) has to offer.
Read on below, and get on out!
WHO: Lindy Morrison & Rob Snarski
WHAT: Power duo of Aus rock royalty
WHEN: Saturday, 4 March – 9pm – 11pm
WHERE: Smith’s Alternative
Wait… Is that Lindy Morrison? The Lindy Morrison, drummer with legendary Brisbane seminal post-punk-pop band The Go-Betweens? The other half of a great female friendship recently written about in the beautiful memoir My Rock n Roll Friend by Everything But The Girls’ Tracey Thorn? Oh yes. And here comes The Blackeyed Susans’ Rob Snarski! After a gig or two together, disagreements, chess, and the odd arm wrestle, they’re back. Not for the faint hearted, but for the romantic, the readers, the writers, the displaced, the misfits, the fanatical, the lovers, and the lost. 9pm, $35/$40 via venue
WHO: CBR GRRRLS To The Front
WHAT: Rockin’ way to tout Int Wom*n’s Day
WHEN: Saturday, 4 March – 7pm
WHERE: The Basement
Fours bands across three states/territories converge to observe and celebrate International Wom*n’s Day. QLD’s alt-indie four-piece VOIID give a voice to the voiceless; fresh from Bundjalung Country, NSW comes the socially conscious hardcore punk of Masochist; plus two homegrown heroes in the form of incinerating alt-punk trio (and BMA faves) Box Dye, as well as the fresh-faced Pretty in Punk. Plus art stalls, local band merch stands, education stations, and vendors galore. Canberra + Women = Awesome. 7pm, $10.20 conc/$15; $5 from every ticket sold goes to Girls Rock Canberra
WHO: The Wildfires
WHAT: Outlaw blues & soul outfit’s debut single launch
WHEN: Friday, 10 March – 7:30pm
WHERE: Live at the Polo
Outlaw blues and soul for outlaw hearts. Canberra based Wease Wade and CC Hall have come together with a deep and delicious desire to create heartfelt sounds and soulful moods. Their debut single Lovin’ Arms ticks all those boxes, and more. They surrounded themselves with the cream of local musicians and engineers, then finished things off with mixing engineer, Anton Hagop, who was inspirational on Silverchair’s Diorama album. Outlaw blues and soul for outlaw hearts… welcome to The Wildfires! With special guests Moondog, and Big Mama and The Hanged Men. 7:30pm, $25 via Trybooking
WHO: Alive In The Park 2023
WHAT: Epic free festival
WHEN: Sunday, 12 March – noon – 10pm
WHERE: Riverbank Park, Yass, NSW
Alive in the Park 2023 is back! With a backdrop of sweet summer air and towering trees framing the Yass River, what more could you ask for? Joining ten hours of incredible live music will be a variety of food trucks, craft beer and drinks by Kombi Keg, market stalls, and atmosphere. During the day is the time to get groovy to Will Kepa, The Burley Griffin, and Hope Wilkins, before the music ramps up in the afternoon with smartcasual, Muesli, and Jack Biilmann and the Black Tide. Then get your rock on, framed by the sunset, with Citizen Kay, and Redhook. Noon – 10pm, free event!
WHO: Gia Ransome
WHAT: A flavour of sultry dive bar rock
WHEN: Friday, 17 March – 8pm
WHERE: Transit Bar
Gia Ransome is a Canberra singer/songwriter who, with her band, will make you feel like you’re living a great romance in an old-school dive bar. Described as a marriage between Nick Cave and Lana Del Rey, you can expect an experience of suave, bluesy rock. Her debut single Boots will be released on 17 March (review next issue) and brings with it riffs and grit inspired by her time living in London. Even better, she is joined on the night by ARCHIE and Nina Leo! 8pm, $18.40 via Oztix
WHO: Wine Machine
WHAT: Tunes & wine & feelin’ fine
WHEN: Saturday, 25 March – 3pm – 11pm
WHERE: Commonwealth Park
Wine Machine is a full-bodied day of wine, food, and live music, showcasing both the splendour of our nation’s most picturesque regions, and the spectacular musical accompaniments borne from Australian soil. And they’re packing a mean line-up to boot! To whit: Bliss & Eso, Lime Cordiale, Grentperez, KLP, Vera Blue, Northeast Party House, Jimi Kween, the wonderfully named The Poof Doof Drag Jamboree and, of course, Hot Dub Time Machine. 3pm – 11pm, tickets $97.13 – $148.26 wine-machine.com/wine-machine-canberra/
