Deep in the American south, legends about crossroads abound. It is said that if you stand at a crossroads and wait there until midnight, a man (or the devil in the guise of a man) will appear who will imbibe you with phenomenal guitar playing abilities (and the women, money and fame that come with it). All that for the rather reasonable cost of your soul. Nowadays we know that’s not true, because there are plenty of people who have immense amounts of money, sex and fame that got gypped on the talented part.
Review: Lana Harris
[Image courtesy Brisbane Festival – Photo Credit: Hugo Glendinning]
Bodies twirling through the air, gravity defying leaps and rod straight limbs in perfect turns: the Shaolin monks have come to town. Part of a new contemporary dance performance, their fighting skills are being used to story tell and entertain in another’s vision.
Artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is the man who has married the martial with the contemporary, travelling to China to live with and learn from the monks. His involvement in the temple life must have been deep and overwhelmingly positive: not only has Cherkaoui managed to capture the monks centuries old, tradition honed skills and use them effectively in a modern, western performance style, he convinced them to leave their Buddhist temple and to perform as part of the Brisbane Festival. Continue reading Sutra @ The Playhouse (Brisbane Festival), 8th September 2010 – Live Review→
Bonfire Nights are relative newcomers to the Brisbane music scene, but they are truly carving out their own distinct style. Stephen Foster and Ruth Nitkiewicz took the step of joining forces musically earlier this year, with great results. This rocking duo makes music that’s a little bit different from the usual indie pop fare, with great boy girl vocal dynamics, switching with ease between slow harmonic pop and no holds barred indie rock.
“Own Worst Enemy” is pure dark rock, full of low, dirty-sounding intonations, edgy guitar riffs, a short
Formed amongst the heady days of the Gothenburg death metal scene in Sweden in 1995, Soilwork quickly became known as one of the most original and progressive bands in the genre. Their prolific work ethic has seen them release eight studio albums and tour the world relentlessly over the last 15 years. Their new album, ‘The Panic Broadcast’ continues to develop on their progressive talents by including elements of funk, pop rock and symphonic genres; yet the music never fails to pummel with sonic brutality.
Corey Taylor of STONE SOUR took time out from his recent press commitments to send Australian Soundwave Fans a greeting. Catch STONE SOUR at Soundwave Festival 2011.
Ladies and gents … CROW makes a welcome return to Notes Live, on Friday September 17, and requests the pleasure of your company to bond with them over a couple of hours of rollicking fine tunes. Expect to hear a selection of songs from their highly praised new release ARCANE, as well as a bunch of old favourites.
To kick off the night’s proceedings, support will come from one Mr Jason Walker, in solo mode, who will no doubt perform tracks off his critically-acclaimed third album Ceiling Sun Letters(and later see him return to the stage to join Crow for a little pedal steel action). Appearing also is Melbourne’s Princess 1.5, who shall serve up some of their delicious indie pop in support of their new album What Doesn’t Kill You.
The kind folks at Notes will remove the tables from the front of stage, ready for you to get into prime position. Don’t miss.
CROW + PRINCESS 1.5 + JASON WALKER – NOTES LIVE, Enmore – FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17. Tickets $15
Brisbane’s On The Pulse Festival is on the search for bands to fill the final two slots. We’re putting a call out to all bands to register their interest by sending us a MySpace link. Bands should head to the website www.onthepulsefestival.com.au to enter.
Six bands will be chosen which will then be culled to the final two via public voting.
Billy Connolly has enjoyed a longstanding career as one of the world’s best-loved comedians. His live shows have been enthralling audiences around the world for over three decades.
He has toured relentlessly, beloved by audiences in the British Isles, Australia, and New Zealand — all locations where he made a series of successful “world tour” documentaries for the BBC. His boisterous, animated physical style and off-the-cuff intensity also caught on with American audiences and he now tours the United States more regularly, becoming a familiar sight on late night talk shows. Continue reading BILLY CONNOLLY ‘The Man’ Australian Tour – 2011→
Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan will be joined on stage by drummer Mike Byrne, bassist Nicole Fiorentino and guitarist Jeff Shroeder – currently touted by the media as the best Smashing Pumpkins reincarnation yet.
‘The Pumpkins’s new lineup showed it may be the best since the original version in the ’90s made the band icons of the alternative scene. The musical interaction between the four was excellent, breathing new energy…’- Spinner.com
Last time Guttermouth visited Australia, New Noise Agency took them to the major capital cities, alongside a visit to Toowoomba’s Eidican festival. These depraved genius legends of California’s Punk community sold out shows, shocked newcomers and far surpassed the expectations of faithful fans. All in a day’s work for one of the hardest working – and hardest living – bands in their genre.
Thirsty Merc takes new single Tommy & Krista to the road for a second round of Australian shows this October/November. Tickets on-sale NOW.
One of Australias most loved bands, THIRSTY MERC, has announced dates for their national SPRING Tour, which will see them play twenty-four dates through seven states and territories this October/November. Kicking off in regional New South Wales, the
“I’ve used the oven manual for the air conditioner and I’m roasting myself alive!”
Tommy Murphy is one of Australia’s most impressive playwrights: canny, dangerous and very funny. His plays include Holding the Man, one of the great success stories of recent Australian theatre with a very successful season in London’s West End earlier this year.
We’re thrilled to be co-producing his terrific new play with the legendary Company B Belvoir, directed by Australia’s finest director, Neil Armfield. Neil is fresh from his Broadway triumph with Exit the King, which starred Queensland’s Geoffrey Rush.
Gwen is 90. She woke up to discover that purgatory is sitting in a new house in a new subdivision, trying to work out if the remote in her hand operates the TV, the air-con or the fan-forced oven. As she muddles her way through the baffling technology, her family gathers around to battle over what’s going to happen next. Father Ezekiel is on his way to bless the house, so things are looking up…
“Full of laughs but also extremely emotional, Gwen In Purgatory is the best play to hit a Sydney stage this year.” The Daily Telegraph
“9/10…Melissa Jaffer is hilarious as Gwen, a feisty senior citizen with selective hearing and prone to misunderstandings, both real and deliberate. The comedy is truly Australian, pitched close to vintage ABC sitcom Mother and Son…Highly recommended” Sun-Herald
“Gwen is the story, I suspect, of every family. Or is it just mine?…Funny, very funny…I can’t think of another playwright who’s a keener, more insightful observer of Australian suburban life, let alone one who can document it so redolently…Gwen In Purgatory is a play for and about all of us. It is warm, funny, sad, tragic, poignant, moving and unsettling. Just like our lives. Life on the page, or stage, doesn’t get any better than this. This is the (very) real deal. A+” – Curtain Call
“Neil Armfield’s production is just about perfect, and exceptionally well cast. Melissa Jaffer combines radiance and dodderiness as Gwen. The bemused and homesick Nigerian priest Ezekiel (Pacharo Mzembe) and Gwen’s knockabout grandson, Daniel (Nathaniel Dean), are warmly drawn. Grant Dodwell is spot-on appalling as Gwen’s son, Laurie, and Sue Ingleton exhibits brilliant timing as the self-flagellating Peg.” Sydney Morning Herald
Production Credits
Director | Neil Armfield
Set Designer | Stephen Curtis
Costume Designer | Bruce McKinven
Lighting Designer | David Walters
Sound Designer | Paul Charlier
Assistant Director | Cristabel Sved
With | Grant Dodwell, Nathaniel Dean, Sue Ingleton, Melissa Jaffer and Pacharo Mzembe
Venue
Roundhouse Theatre, 6 – 8 Musk Avenue,
Kelvin Grove Urban Village
PERFORMANCE DATES
Preview 29 September
Opening Night 30 September
Season 30 September – 24 October
After Show Discussion Night 8 October
PERFORMANCE TIMES
Tuesday – Wednesday 6.30pm
Thursday – Saturday 7.30pm
Sunday 5pm
Matinees 11am 5, 12 & 19 October
2pm Saturday 23 October
DURATION
1 hour 45 mins, no interval
TICKETS
Preview $25
Opening Night $63 (includes VIP party)
Full Price $46
Concession $39
30 years and under $26
Group discounts $40 for 5+ (excludes group booking fee)
Following a handful of sold out shows in Melbourne in April, after a 10 year hiatus, The Paradise Motel will embark on their first official Australian tour this September/October.
The recent release of The Paradise Motel’s critically-acclaimed album Australian Ghost Story – based on the events surrounding the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain in 1980 – will see the seven-piece outfit perform the
Review: Lana Harris
[Image courtesy Brisbane Festival]
Have you heard the one about the Spiegeltent? A girl and a guy walk into this travelling bar – a pointy topped sphere shaped by mirrors, wood and glass. Golden poles, blood red velvet curtains swooping overhead, low lighting and dancing shadows. Smoky. Drinks service on the curve, booths hugging the circumference. A big-top boudoir with an audience.
The girl and the guy start out cautious in this ringmaster’s playground. They clamber carefully onto the high wire – wobble and steady, wobble and steady. She wears a pair of lasciviously red heels as she teeters. The shoes return sporadically throughout the acts, as do the scene setting ukulele and tinkling pianola. Music through out invokes alternately past, present and future – offered in no particular order. Subject to whims and acrobatics, time periods depart and return often. Continue reading Cantina @ The Spiegeltent (Brisbane Festival) 5th September 2010 – Live Review→
