All good things must come to end and unfortunately that is the case for Melbourne band 28 Days. Their website quotes it as being “The End Of An Era” and what better way to go out than with a massive 42 date tour and a greatest hits and memories compilation aptly titled 10 Years Of Cheap Fame, which captures all the best bits of their stellar career. Like most bands, 28 Days have ridden the highs and lows and experienced everything else in between, proving to be far more than just survivors in a very tough industry that chews up and spits out bands at a drop of a hat, crushing their spirit forever. Even after 10 years, 28 Days are still on top of their game and picked the perfect time to pull the plug - no one can deny them that. For me, I’ll remember them as a band that were always able to pull out a hit, with the most obvious being Rip It Up, Sucker and Say What. These tunes always went down a treat at their shows and even some of the bigger festivals like the Big Day Out. Their music was predominantly punk but they did venture into new territory, flirting on the edges of hip hop, metal and pop. One thing is for sure, this band was always in control and maintained independence by releasing their material under their own steam. Some of the highlights from this CD include remastered cuts of Kool from the early days through to later efforts such as Use It and the undeniably popular Song For Jasmine. For those who missed the Adelaide show recently, get on a bus, boat or a train and experience the hits from 10 Years Of Cheap Fame one last time.
Rob Lyon

As the popularity of digital music rapidly increases, electro-gangster duo 3OH!3 are tearing up the streets with their white-hot debut album Want, and their white-hot attitudes to match it. After experiencing the insane crowds of the Warped Tour and sharing the stage with artists such as Katy Perry, they are now hitting the roads for the AP Tour throughout the States to share their latest creation - a crazy mix of hip hop, electronic, rock and dance music that’s unlike anything you’ve ever heard before.
3OH!3’s introduction to the music world came with the release of their self-titled EP, presenting who they are and how they roll. Want sees the development in their attitudes, creating a reputation for themselves as hardcore, sexual, sexist MCs. Don’t Trust Me has become one of the band’s most recognised trademarks to date with its catchy, upbeat rhythm and sing-along, stuck-in-your-head lyrics that add an aspect of pop to the band’s list of genres.Many of the songs on this album reveal the judgemental, discriminatory attitude of the duo, with the exception of Still Around, which shows a slower, sentimental side of 3OH!3 that is generally more likable.
In one way or another, 3OH!3 take bits and pieces from an extremely wide range of music and transform them into a radical blend of styles. Want has morphed the dynamite duo from dorky Colorado kids to international superstars, destined for greatness in the music world. Prepare to have your speakers blown and your house trashed, because it’s time to party with 3OH!3.
Kirsten McGregor

If you can imagine something sounding like an eighties synth pop soundtrack being a good thing, A Mountain Of One might be worth waving your ears at. A debut album of sorts, Collected Works takes all 10 tracks from the band’s pair of well-received EPs and tacks on a couple of pretty impressive exclusive newies. While dedicated fans might weep at the inconvenience of shelling out for a mere two new songs, newcomers and completists will have plenty of reason to smile.
Given that the material has been assembled from three separate recordings by a mile long list of contributors, the result is a surprisingly coherent and interesting album. The use of synthesisers is judicious and the sound is more eighties than an empty flux capacitor. The feel hovers around atmospheres like those found on Ryuichi Sakamoto’s soundtrack for Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence while on tracks like Can’t Be Serious things get a bit livelier with echoes of Madonna’s early pop vibe. There are also plenty of moments of intriguing invention to keep things sounding relatively fresh.
Of course, there couldn’t be this many references to the decade that good taste and fashion largely ignored without occasional moments of folly, but these are thankfully few and largely forgivable in the overall context of the record. The group maintain a fairly stern measure of seriousness throughout that tends to manifest in a reasonably forgivable sincerity.
Cheaper and easier than diving into an old DeLorean, Collected Works is a fairly good ticket back to the motion picture soundtrack sounds of 1985, with just enough of a modern edge to remind you to fire up the flux capacitor for the trip back.
Troy Foster

For about five years the amount of hardcore music that was being produced was pleasantly abundant. These days the trend is to lean towards the emo side of music to attain radio play and be successful, which is fair enough. A Static Lullaby isn’t one of the bands that are leaning towards radio friendly songs and Rattlesnake! is proof of that.
From the very first song of the album you know what you’re in for, exploding from the speakers and hitting you with an aural assault that doesn’t let up anywhere during the album. The guitars riffs are fast and crisp, the percussion doesn’t sound out of place and complements everything and the vocals are brutal when they need to be but also melodic when the song calls for it.
The standout song on the album is Underwater Knife Fight; it is just as hard as all the other tracks but has more clean singing to complement Joe Brown’s shouting throughout the song. It is a good mix that sounds a lot like Atreyu’s album The Curse. It would be remiss to ignore the final track of the album where they cover, of all people, Britney Spears’ song Toxic. It is actually a very good cover and if anyone didn’t know that Spears had done it first it would just be another good hardcore song.
Rattlesnake! is a very enjoyable album to listen to; it has all the elements that make a good hardcore album and unlike a lot of hardcore releases the songs all sound different. That means that it is interesting to listen throughout, rather than merely including three or four standout songs.
Michael Wickham

Vocalist and guitarist Josh Graham (ex Neurosis visual director and former member of Red Sparowes and Battle Of Mice) has teamed up with bassist and vocalist Domenic Seita (ex member of Tombs and Asea) and Satanized’s Pete Angevine on drums to form the band A Storm of Light. During the recording of their debut album, And We Wept the Black Ocean Within, A Storm of Light enlisted the talents of Unsane’s Vinny Signorelli as a second drummer. As the members of the band all belonged to doom metal bands at one point or another, it would be a safe bet to assume the music on this album would be slow, melancholy and introspective. This is some pretty dark, black music, and some good dark, black music at that. 
The album begins with the mood piece Adrift (The Albatross Part I), which segues into the seven-minute track Vast And Endless.  Despite some hoarse and moaned off-key vocals, all of the instrumentalists work well with each other, blending their various sounds into a towering colossus of sound. The welcoming of a second drummer into the fray helps create the multi-layered, ominous, crushing and hypnotic soundscapes this band seems to aim for.
While the mammoth heavy sections serve their role exceptionally, it’s the quiet sections, where strings, pianos and synths are employed, that really make this album stand out from the crowded post-metal genre of Isis copycats. Some of the quiet, delicate sections of And We Wept the Black Ocean Within are beautiful. They are not only great to listen to by themselves, they also the songs become more textured and powerful.
And We Wept the Black Ocean Within is some of the finest doom/post-metal I have heard in a while. A difficult yet rewarding album.
Jack Cuthbertson

A Wilhelm Scream are often compared to Strung Out, as both play highly technical, metal-influenced hardcore punk, but it’s a superficial resemblance – A Wilhelm Scream are in a class of their own, and their third full-length on Nitro Records proves it, showcasing yet another step up in the US quintet’s already incredibly tight musicianship.
The band promised that this album would be extremely fast, and the minute-long breakneck opener I Wipe My Ass With Showbiz leaves no reason to doubt them. There’s barely any letting up for the remainder of the record – the bass and drums intro of Die While We’re Young promises a respite but it’s only seconds before the frenzied guitars kick in. While the prog-influenced The Horse and closer We Built This City! (On Debts And Booze) hover around five minutes and Get Mad, You Son Of A Bitch! pushes four, allowing room for the pace to drop from light speed to just fast, the other 10 songs come in one and two-minute bursts of white hot ferocity.
The band dazzles as guitarists Chris Levesque (who left the band shortly after recording) and Trevor Reilly trade solos and razor sharp riffs, vocalist Nuno Pereira sings and screams catchy vocal lines (with harmonies from Reilly), new bassist Brian Robinson provides jaw-dropping licks (check out his solo on Jaws 3, People 0) and drummer Nicholas Angelini shows his stamina by driving the blistering tempos.
The complex interplay of 5 To 9 (the first song released from the album) is indicative of the record, but despite the intensity there is also enough variation to differentiate the songs, from the vocal harmonies of Cold Slither II to the melodic chorus and tempo changes of These Dead End Streets or the musical dexterity of stand-out The Horse.
Career Suicide? Career highlight, more likely.
A Wilhelm Scream play Fowler’s Live on Mon Jun 9.
Owen Heitmann

He Died With A Felafel In His Hand
Queen’s Arms Hotel Annex
John Birmingham’s cult novel (also filmed in 2001) is tackled by a game but shrill cast (seven multi-taskers in all) in this pretty sloppy attempt at capturing the oddly Aussie spirit of his share house horror/comedy. Birmingham himself (Joel Allan in a Mello Yello T-shirt) leads us through a chronologically askew story as he proceeds cross-country through a series of nightmarish share houses as bizarre (but not funny enough) characters drift in and out: sad junkies, a leggy dominatrix, a crazed yuppie, a Latvian pervert (who reads a copy of Rip It Up) and many others, as our ‘hero’ looks on dazedly (and druggily). The fluffed, too loud line-readings, wobbly spotlights and dead patches could have been due to opening night nerves, but perhaps not - and, dammit, the felafel was in his lap!
Mad Dog
He Died With A Felafel In His Hand will be performed at Queen’s Arms Hotel Annex until Sun Mar 25.

Dave Callan - Dance Of The Flame Retardant Monkey
Fringe Factory Theatre
It’s shows like this that make the Fringe for me. It’s hard to explain and the description in the guide doesn’t explain much, but those who find it are so richly rewarded they can’t wait to tell their friends. Over the course of an hour, the highly amusing Callan (who some may know from the 1999 version of Rove) presents his audience with much to laugh about, lots to think about, and heaps to watch as two video screens compete with Dave for your eye. He makes a deal with the devil and spends the rest of the show finding his way back. It’s a journey that makes the audience ask themselves a lot of questions and doesn’t skimp on the belly laughs. Fantastic use of lyrics as social commentary, this show is intelligent and hilarious and is one of the best shows this Fringe! A must see.
Ian Bell
Dave Callan - Dance Of The Flame Retardant Monkey takes place until Sat Mar 31 at Fringe Factory Theatre.

Clash Of The Theatre Titans
Higher Ground, Mon Mar 12
Impro shows have the potential to be brilliant, to be diabolical or – more likely – to fall anywhere between. But they shouldn’t fall flat due to poor production, as is the case with this first Clash of the season. Tonight’s elimination round is allowed to drag and as a result rather too much time is given to obviously and predictably weaker teams (which include some first-timers). After a belated interval, an announcement tells us that only 15 minutes of the 95 are left and due to licensing restrictions we can’t overrun.
Those competing all do their best, but Eric & Derek, good enough to perform regularly at the Festival Centre during the Fringe, eventually win by the simple expedients of being far funnier, and far more professional, than the other three teams. Though enjoyable, the evening is ultimately a far better ad for the two Canadians than it is for Impro Now.
Gary Cockburn
Clash Of The Theatre Titans takes place at Higher Ground on Sun Mar 18, Mon Mar 18 and Mon Mar 26.

Fiona O’Loughlin
Nova Cinema 2, Sat Mar 10
Seasoned campaigner Fiona O’Loughlin makes another return to the Fringe, putting a fresh spin on that bad wife and bad mother routine. There is no doubt Fiona O’Loughlin has more front than David Jones – does she care? Hell no! With a full house lapping it up, O’Loughlin couldn’t put a foot wrong as she rattles off some great warts and all gags about her five kids who seem to be an endless source of material and deserving of some royalty payment. There are plenty of lives and you could see the parents in the crowd laughing and acknowledging every word that came out of O’Loughlin’s mouth. I’m not sure about the sing-song ditty at the end but nevertheless this is a solid performance.
Rob Lyon
Fiona O’Loughlin performs at Nova Cinema 2 until Sat Mar 31.

Scott John: Back To The ‘80s
Belgian Beer Bar, Fri Mar 9
Scott John tells us we are getting bonus material on opening night because he’d find which gags didn’t work and cut them out for subsequent shows. There wasn’t much to edit as it happens, but I suspect by the time you read this some aspects will have been ‘tweaked’. His material is good, his character voices (and singing) somewhat limited, but this strangely made them funnier. This look back at mullets, New Romantics, bogans, big hair, pop music and fashion is nicely put together with good use of video and audio. It is an entertaining show, well presented with lots of solid laughs. Highlights include an emotional farewell to Magic Mountain and a hilarious moustache-only version of We Didn’t Start The Fire by Billy Joel. Apart from a couple of nitpicky things from my own ‘80s tragic background (Spandau Ballet is pronounced Span-dow not Spandoo; Gary Numan was not a New Romantic and technically Cars was released in 1979), but that’s just me being anal.
Ian Bell
Scott John: Back To The ‘80s at Belgian Beer Bar until Sat Mar 31.

Dan Willis: Radio Head
Til March 31st - Bull & Bear – 9pm
Fringe shows in tiny rooms can be intimidating depending on the comic. UK’s Dan Willis involves the audience in good-natured banter while telling his autobiographical stories with the aid of an MP3 player and a quick wit. There is a rather good ‘name that tune’ motif, where the audience can win prizes (he will be dead impressed if you know the first one is Shed Seven!). Having only ‘Aussie-fied’ some of the music the day before, Willis tells amusing stories and looks for input from the crowd, which can lead in many directions. Be warned however that as there are no other shows after his in this venue, this one hour show can run long (nearly two hours on opening night), but it is a highly entertaining ride.
Ian Bell
Dan Willis: Radio Head at Bull & Bear until Sat Mar 31.

Brilliant Young Thing
Bakehouse Theatre, Fri Mar 9
Brilliant Young Thing is an edgy, modern comedy which deftly analyses the search for meaning and identity in young adulthood, while recognising that for many people, this stage now extends to the age of 30. Rohan Holt's Carl and Daniel Hall's Bernie play the eponymous Brilliant Young Things, staring at each other from either end of the youth demographic - Carl is struggling to regain his brilliance while Bernie tries to find his feet. Playwright Katie Dirks plays Nina as the kind of best friend you wish you had, while Damien Gibson (Barman) and Mel Bennett (Lucy) provide strong support to the action. There are some very funny moments and a couple of "too-close-to-home" truisms that made me wince in recognition – a fantastically absurd scene between Nina and Bernard where they debate the merits of leaving him tied to a chair was particularly strong.
Jordan Roberts

Casio Brothers – Kid-Hop
The Piano Bar, Festival Centre, Sun Mar 11
A happy audience of kids and their families were grooving to the beats laid down by the Casio Brothers during their first ever Kid-Hop show. With songs about healthy eating, staying active, showbags and dancing, the exciting high-energy show introduced the fundamentals of hip hop in a fun, interactive way. Teaching the audience beat-boxing, call-and-response and funky choreography, Fabio, Mario and Coco ensured that everyone had a great time. The Casio Brothers are doing Kid-Hop next at the Fringe Family Fun day, so grab your little sister, your nephew or your neighbour's kids and get along to it!
Jordan and Jacob Roberts
Kid-Hop takes place at Piano Bar on Sun Mar 18 and Sun Mar 25.

The Adventures Of Snugglepot And Cuddlepie And Little Ragged Blossom
Dunstan Playhouse, Tue Mar 6
The endearing stories, by May Gibbs, come to life in the Windmill Theatre Company and Company B co-production, The Adventures Of Snugglepot And Cuddlepie And Little Ragged Blossom. The musical, written by Allan John and John Clarke with Doug McLeod and directed by Neil Armfield, takes us on the pair’s journey of personal growth and self discovery as they travel to see the city of the humans. Tim Richards, as Snugglepot, and Darren Gilshenan, as Cuddlepie, are a great double act and Ursula Yovich, as Ragged Blossom, is a delight. A strong cast, great music, plenty of colour and movement, with a few clever effects and a snappy set make this a top show for all the family. The children’s chorus of nuts and blossoms is spot on, thanks to their through rehearsing by Timothy Sexton, and Tess Schofield’s costumes look a million dollars.
Barry Lenny

Jet Of Blood
The Space, Wed Mar 7
Antonin Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty is revisited in a new version of his play, Jet Of Blood, created by Ignite, under the direction of Olivia Allen. A young man and woman, Simon Corfield and Amelia Best, express their mutual love and fall asleep. Nightmarish visions from the edge of his subconscious await him where he encounters a group of bizarre characters, the Nurse, Lara Tumak, The Knight, Austin Caglione, The Whore, Katherine Tonkin, The Sexton, Mark Treggoning, The Priest, Roderick Cairns, and Death, Grant Cartwright. He is faced with a series of surreal episodes that seem to drive him further from his partner with every passing phase. Artaud’s work was considered impossible to perform but this group have taken up the challenge and succeeded.
Barry Lenny

Sakura Sayer
Holden Street Theatres, Fri Mar 9
Gumbo Theatre Group, under its director, Kayo Tamura, is presenting a season of extremely energetic, absurdist comedy with their production, Sakura Sayer. Combining dance, martial arts, physical theatre, some clowning and a good dose of dark humour, this is a winner of a show. A group of people, failures in early life, are part of the elite of the Sakura Company, and the company looks after its own. The company does not, however, like to lose its people. When one of the group, Shogun, meets and falls for Ura he is discouraged by his peers, his enforced recovery being assisted by the ‘medicine’ provided by the company. His struggle to escape the insular world, with some audience involvement along the way, is the basis of the work, and plenty of hilarity results. A bright set and even brighter constumes and freat performances make this a show that should be on your list.
Barry Lenny

Animal Farm
Holden Street Theatres, Fri Mar 9
George Orwell’s critical attack on Stalinist Communism, Animal Farm, has been adapted for the stage by Guy Masterson, neatly showing that it is not just that particular ideology that bears closer examination but current regimes. Directed by Tony Boncza, Gary Shelford takes on the huge task of telling the story, playing all of the characters along the way. Shelford does a sterling job of it, creating individual identities for all of the farmyard animals, both vocally and physically. With a stage that is bare, except for a box to stand on, a lot is asked of a performer, and Shelford delivers with a captivating performance. Lighting and, in particular, sound effects play a most important role in this work, assisting Shelford in his creation of mental pictures of the farm under the pig’s regime. We could see the animals and the farm clearly, a tribute to an excellent script superbly interpreted.
Barry Lenny
Animal Farm continues at Holden Street Theatres until Sat Mar 31.

A Prisoner’s Dilemma
Higher Ground, Sat Mar 10
This production, from Bohemian Productions, is based on Game Theory, a branch of applied mathematics developed in 1944 and quickly adopted by economists and, later, by social scientists, who used it to study human interaction. Where economists studied non-cooperative theory, where each player is out to gain as much as possible for themselves, social scientists studied cooperative theory, where players needed to work together. The audience is involved in a number of the games played during the course of the performance, which itself centres around the game from which it takes it title. Two men find themselves inexplicably imprisoned and seek the cooperation of each other to escape. The games tend to get in the way a little as the characterisations and emotional levels never reach any great depth, but it is still a fascinating piece of work, especially as the course of the play depends on the interaction of the audience.
Barry Lenny
A Prisoner’s Dilemma continues at Higher Ground until Sat Mar 18.

Kissy Kissy
Bakehouse, Sat Mar 10
This production, by Black Lung Theatre (possibly so named because they permit smoking in their crowded foyer, encouraged by the person selling tickets puffing exhaled smoke into your face), had all the hallmarks of a self-devised high school drama piece. Sarah-Jane (St. Clair) and Mark (Winter) meet, find a strong physical attraction in each others dancing, eventually get around to that first kiss, roll around under the covers and then, over time, as the physical novelty fades, the relationship falters, all to a backing from a set of mix tapes. It is rather clichéd and there is little character development. Worse, much of the humour is lost if you do not happen to listen to the same music as the performers, since never having heard the music before causes it to have no significance. The production is really aimed at a limited market and left this reviewer cold.
Barry Lenny

Under Milk Wood
Holden Street Theatres, Sun Mar 11
Guy Masterson returns to Adelaide to reprise his acclaimed one man version of Under Milk Wood. Following his highly successful season last year, popular demand has brought him back, and a full house showed that his return with the same production was fully justified. If anything, I felt it worked even better in the more intimate venue than in the large theatre last year. Masterson skilfully portrays each of Dylan Thomas’s quirky characters, initially in their sleep and then during their day, bringing them alive before us. The many characters appear and vanish like the waves on the sea by Llareggub, the little Welsh fishing village we are visiting, and Masterson flows from one to another just as smoothly. His excellent interpretation of this work surpasses many I have seen with full casts. This should definitely be on your list of things to see this Fringe.
Barry Lenny
Under Milk Wood continues at Holden Street Theatres until Fri Mar 30.

Tom Crean – Antarctic Explorer
Bakehouse, Sun Mar 11
The Irish have a long tradition of being great story tellers, a tradition carried on by Aidan Dooley in his warmly humorous depiction of Kerry born Petty Officer Tom Crean, a man who thrice went to the Antarctic, with both Scott and Shackleton on their famous expeditions, and yet who is almost unremembered. He was not, of course, born into a well to do family, he was not a ranking officer in the Royal Navy, nor did he keep a diary, all of which contributed to his anonymity. He was, however, a decorated hero, saving the lives of several of his fellow explorers. Dooley’s amiable interpretation of Crean captures the attention and sweeps the audience along, caught up in the fascinating narrative and his superb characterisation. This has to be included in the list of the best shows in the Fringe and it should not be missed.
Barry Lenny
Tom Crean – Antarctic Explorer continues at Bakehouse until Sat Mar 24.

Die Roten Punkte
The Garden Shed, Fri Mar 2
Mimicking the White Stripes via snappy musical creations, stage props and daft fashion combinations, pseudo-siblings and quasi-Germans Otto and Astrid bumble through slapstick and eccentric tunes that sometimes sound like the Rocky Horror Picture Show covered by The Ramones. Although the two ‘fellow’ Germans in the crowd seem perplexed by these Krautrockers as their accents slip in and out (Otto borders on Frank Spencer on some occasions, while Astrid laughably loses interest in even trying for Berlin intonation after about 10 minutes), the moments dealing with the pair’s repressed feelings of forbidden love leave the greatest mark. Moving genres between a Fisher Price Hives and a glockenspiel Carpenters – and even adding a stirring Bowie moment – Die Roten Punkte’s show has a few black spots, but unless Maeve Higgins improves, these will be the best incest jokes you’ll hear all Fringe.
Scott McLennan
Die Roten Punkte continues at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Garden Shed until Sun Mar 18.

Best Of The Edinburgh Festival With Stephen K Amos, Maeve Higgins And Asher Treleaven
Governor Hindmarsh, Wed Mar 7
Without question, UK comedian Stephen K Amos is the funniest act I’ve caught live. Smooth, casual yet with an air of flamboyance; I’ve never seen a comedian control the stage and an audience with such masterful casualness. As the headliner he came on last after the MC for the night Asher Treleaven got the crowd going with his endearing twisted romantic geek boy routine and Maeve Higgins pleased the crowd (without causing bellyaches) with her Irish girl shtick. But the night belonged to Amos. He had the crowd eating out of his hand from the moment he graced the stage and did not let up for a second. Smart and cheeky, when he paid out Adelaide he was ridiculously spot on. Still laughing on the drive home, there will be repeat visits to Mr Amos’ show this Fringe season.
David Knight
Best Of The Edinburgh Festival continues at the Governor Hindmarsh until Sun Apr 1.

Titters!
Distill, Wed Mar 7
One of the best things about the Fringe is that it shines a spotlight on some of the brilliant talent that exists right under our noses. Not being a regular on the Adelaide comedy circuit, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that we have some very funny female comedians in this city when I went along to Titters!, an all-girl gag-fest being staged in the salubrious surrounds of Distill on Rundle Street.
Compered by local radio queen Sheridan Stewart, the line-up spans generations – from 29-year-old Canadian optometrist Rachel Sommer (who ever knew optometry had so much comedic potential?) to 50-something Hawaiian Kehau Jackson (who has some side-splitting gags on mammograms and penis transplants). Ex-Port Lincolnian Kate Burr is the token Aussie chick, while Scottish humourist Maggie Moore amuses with tales of grim Glasgow. New Zealander Michele A’Court – the only performer not based in Adelaide – tops it all off with anecdotes on the shitness of all things Kiwi.
Charlotte Chalklen
Titters! continues at Distill until Sat Mar 31.

Best Of Adelaide Comedy
Rhino Room, Wed Mar 7
Best Of Adelaide Comedy offers a rolling line-up of up-and-coming Adelaide comedians as well as a nightly ‘legend’ spot from an established Adelaide comic. The opening night featured the extremely funny Craig Egan talking about nightclub MCing and breaking up at the Big Day Out; Hannah Gatsby, whose droll delivery illustrated how she won the national Raw Comedy finals and came second in the world contest in the UK; Scott John, with his classic stand-up style; and ‘legend’ Ben Dawson, who was gregariously funny. Jarrod Fitch sadly ruined his otherwise excellent set with a joke so tasteless it derailed my enjoyment of his time on stage. There is such a thing as ‘too soon’, but some things just ain't funny. That aside, Best Of Adelaide Comedy is an excellent way to start your Fringe evening (it's on at 6pm) and to support your local Joke Slinger.
Ian Bell
Best Of Adelaide Comedy continues at Rhino Room until Sat Mar 31.

Over The Hill
Maxim’s Wine Bar, Wed Mar 7
Benny Hill’s career was defined by a television show that ran for 14 years on the BBC and another 20 on ITV, pulling in as many as 18 million viewers. Yet in 1989 the show was cancelled and Hill’s long career ended there and then, his old-fashioned and rather crude mix of slapstick, double entendre and sight jokes suddenly out of favour. He died, alone, less than three years later, and the comeback that many expected never came.
Matt Byrne is clearly still aggrieved by this, and Over The Hill is an attempt to rehabilitate Hill’s memory while presenting a meticulously researched version of his life. Byrne captures some small part of Hill’s genius but is hampered by the fact that all of his hero’s best work was made for the small screen, often with demands that are impossible for two people to meet on stage. For Hill fans only.
Gary Cockburn
Over The Hill plays at Maxim’s Wine Bar until Thu Mar 29.

Andrew McClelland's Mix Tape
The Garden Shed, Wed Mar 7
His previous Fringe investigations of pirates and secret societies revealed Melbourne's Andrew McClelland to be a unique talent, delivering his highly entertaining slant on each topic with wit and foppish humour. Mix Tape continues these qualities with a thoroughly charming look at his obvious love of all forms of pop music. Encompassing soul, indie pop and even heavy metal, McClelland equips us with the finer points of the dying art of how to make the perfect mix tape and how to do that booty shaking dance without looking creepy. Turning into Rumpole Of The Bailey investigating gangsta rap at one point, he sings, he dances and he quotes Belle & Sebastian. Mix Tape is quite marvellous.
Ian Bell

Mix Tape is on at The Garden Shed in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights until Tue Mar 20.
Sam Simmons - The Sex & Science Of Boredom
The Bosco Theatre, Wed Mar 7
One of the great things about seeing Simmons is the feeling that his abstract, dada-ist humour is just as bewildering to him as it is to his audience. At one point a bottle was broken by somebody in the audience and he immediately exclaimed, "Oh no, I'm being heckled by glass! Your mother was a sandpit". He is a peculiar chap and while there are plenty of hilarious laugh out loud moments (you'll never feed seagulls the same way again), it is his sincerely bizarre take on life, conveyed through words, video, song and some very funny dancing, that makes this show.
Ian Bell
The Sex & Science Of Boredom is on at The Bosco Theatre in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights until Sun Mar 18.

MAD DOG MALCOLM CUMMINGS
The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Mon Mar 19
Taking on a character for a comedy show means you can get away with things you wouldn’t even consider doing otherwise. And so it is for local singer and comedian Gerry Masi, who becomes Mad Dog Malcolm Cummings, a Sydney street-fighter turned cabaret artiste. Mad Dog is stuck in the ‘70s, every bit as sexist and racist as you might imagine, and his one-liners are as old-fashioned as his kipper tie: few would raise anything more than a groan if they were written down rather than told. Masi’s performance and timing are essential components in making it all work as well as it does. Though the jokes often depend on breaking taboos, any offensiveness is tempered by the fact that the top dog is typically the butt of the joke, and that’s often Mad Dog himself. The main purpose of the songs seems to be to add some length to the show but, again, the performances lift them.
Gary Cockburn

SUPERNOVA: A TRIBUTE TO STEVIE WONDER & EARTH, WIND & FIRE
Governor Hindmarsh, Mon Mar 19.
Supernova got off to a funky start that warmed up as the hits rolled on. From Sunshine Of My Life to a huge Master Blaster, this band rocked in all the right places. Peter Noble is both energetic and plain good fun, with a voice that did full justice to his line-up. Lee Pfitzner has a jazz voice to die for while Charmaine Jones’ powerhouse vocals were a hugely well-received surprise. Of course, Matt Noble was a bit of a favourite, with a voice as trim, taut and terrific as his very tight shirt - singing Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I was pretty much his… but seriously, this is a stellar mix of talented funk musos that rocked The Gov for a couple of hours of solid entertainment. Wonderful stuff.
Rosie Toomer

TRIPOD - HOW TO TRAIN AN ATTACK DOG FROM SCRATCH
Royalty Theatre
Let me just say right off the bat that I love Tripod (well, why don’t I marry them then?), they can do little wrong in my book I will go and see them every time they come to town. Which is why it causes me a great deal of pain to say that this time round they were not up to par. The premise of Attack Dog (a history of the funny song - or fong), was not a bad one, but whereas previous shows (such as the excellent Tosswinkle The Pirate) had super strong writing and characterisation, Attack Dog just didn’t have any teeth. In fact the extended video montages (photos of fake comedy song pioneers) with commentary came off looking like lazy links between songs. In particular a lengthy piece with Tripod dressed as grannies on a couch left me thinking ‘I know you guys are better than this'. They were still good. There were some great songs; Gatesy in his glam outfit singing Tammy and the closer of the title song of the show, but as a show it seemed a little under cooked. Sorry guys… I still love you, but the ceremony is on hold.
Ian Bell

CHOPPER - HARDEN THE FUCK UP
The Umbrella Revolution
Two words: fucking funny. Comedian Heath Franklin has donned a blue shirt, a fake mo and the aviator sunnies to channel Mark ‘Chopper’ Read. You might’ve seen the hilarious Chopper on the Channel 10 sketch show The Ronnie Johns Half Hour, or floating about on <YouTube.com>, but now Uncle Chop Chop comes to the Fringe in an unprecedented show. He instructs Australia to take off its skirt, cancel its manicure, grow a moustache and… harden the fuck up. And so begins the show, complete with mini Chopper; a video screen reeling off hilarious images and footage including Nazi Swans and Paedophile Magpies (don’t ask!), emo jokes: “It’s not down the road but across the street,” he says, some obvious Neville Bartos gags and a whole lot of swearing. One hour of pure side splitting, tear rolling, belly aching laughter.
Belinda Pappalardo
Chopper - Harden The Fuck Up continues at The Umbrella Revolution until Thu Mar 29.

THE BEDROOM PHILOSOPHER
Bosco Theatre
The Bedroom Philosopher, AKA Justin Heazlewood, turns in a cracking performance at the Bosco; sparklingly funny songs, stage banter that provoked audience responses from chuckles and belly-laughs to "deep growls", and an increasingly sophisticated musical repertoire combined to form an excellent show. In another country Justin might be the driving force behind a Belle & Sebastian-style indie pop group, which combines humour, delicate pop melodies and sensitivity. Clearly in this country that would make you a bloke of questionable manliness and when one is so gifted with actual wit, fey and foppish abilities as BP, you’d better put yourself out there as a ‘funny guy’. He is extremely funny. Of course there was I’m So Post Modern, which he almost seemed embarrassed to play, it being as close to a ‘hit’ as you could expect to hear tonight. At one point he described the best alien economy I've ever heard of: they buy things with hugs, "and make change in kick-boxing". Endearingly sweet, hilarious and occasionally heartbreakingly sad in a glitteringly beautiful way.
Ian Bell and Jordan Roberts
The Bedroom Philosopher continues at Bosco Theatre
until Wed Mar 21.

K&N BRASS - HOT AIR
Osmond Terrace Function Centre, Wed Mar 14
K&N Brass, deservedly, have been awarded a number of state and national titles, including the Champion Band Of Australia three times. Astoundingly, in its 109 year history the band has had only 11 Musical Directors. Longstanding and current MD, Mr Bruce Raymond, ably led the band through some classic, as well as modern, stage and screen themes. The program consisted of some fine arrangements of music from The Wizard Of Oz, Vicar Of Dibley, Harry Potter, Pirates Of The Caribbean and many more. Helium ‘hot air’ balloon decorations provided a nice touch, and a large screen behind the band projected live close-up footage from a roving ceiling camera. It is an honour to hear a live brass band of this calibre and if you’re a fan of big band music be sure to attend the next concert to be treated to sounds of one of the Australia’s finest!
Jenna Bonavita
K&N Brass - Hot Air continues at Osmond Terrace Function Centre until Wed Mar 28.

THE ART OF COMMUNICATION
Star Theatres (Theatre Two), Hilton, Thu Mar 15
This short performance (45 minutes) comprises two simple, expressive and humorous portrayals of communication energetically performed by up and coming dancers. Alice Wagstaff, explores the world of verbal communication using props such as white phones, duct tape and bananas to create a concise and witty piece. The naturalistic movement was effective, and the group work evoked the frenetic, desperate human need to say something. The only real jar was the dancer answering the phone. Not needed. Chris Hewitt's piece was more complex with a terrific performance by Jay Mullan both as convulsive portrait of man to passive man in the middle of two women. Though predictable there was greater depth in the idea and movement with some interesting work on the floor and stronger female moves. Worth checking out.
Wendy Campbell

OLD FLAMES
Bliss Café, Thu Mar 15
In Old Flames we meet Edward, his two ex-wives, his potential new girlfriend and his mother all together. This situation is the basis for considerable social comment on love, sex and relationships. It’s certainly not for the faint hearted, and I don’t just mean the language, as we discover the stories of virginity lost, lack of fulfilment in life and love, domestic violence, infidelity and the ugliness of when things go wrong. The girl’s pillow talk on sex, blokes, masturbation and orgasm is also not for the squeamish.It does hit the points that the playwright has aimed at, though in a couple of parts it would have been nice to have freshened up the language; ‘shillings’, ‘quid’ and ‘gay spinster’ not really communicating the author’s intent. The cast does a solid job bringing the play out, though Muriel (the Mother) is a little too quiet and the back rows would have struggled to hear her speaking.
Clayton and Sandy Werner
Old Flames continues at Bliss Café until Sat Mar 24

MADVIOLET
Church of the Trinity, Thu Mar 15
Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac comprise the Canadian duo, Madviolet, a delightful match both musically and personally. In the superb acoustic setting of the Church these charismatic songstresses presented folk, pop and country influenced songs ranging from personal journeys to cheeky life observations on the road. Interweaving traditional ceilidh tunes with their well-crafted original material, and changing instrumentation throughout their two sets from guitars to fiddle (Lisa) and tenor guitar (Brenley) their set was rich and diverse: sometimes a challenging task for a duo. Both talented musicians and songwriters, their contrasting voices complement each other beautifully, as they phrase and harmonise with heartfelt emotion and good humour. Check out < www.madviolet.com > for tour/news updates or purchase their latest CD, Caravan, available through MGM distribution.
Jenna Bonavita

CARMEN THE MUSICAL
Annesley College (Gillingham Hall), Wayville, Thu Mar 15
Bizet’s opera is given a few tweaks here and there for Studio 89’s Fringe 2007 production. This version incorporates simple dialogue to make the story easy to follow, and the scenes are punctuated with flamenco-style dancing. The cast seem to be enjoying themselves as they present their performance. The music is performed by a seven-piece band, and the singing is fine – if a little difficult to discern at times. Many of the songs will be familiar - even for folks who have no knowledge of the famous opera. All in all, this presentation is a fair effort by a young troupe. It has much more in common with a school production than a Fringe show, but it’s here nonetheless!
David Robinson
Carmen The Musical continues at Annesley College until Sat Mar 24.

FAI’A KE VAVINE
Nexus Cabaret Space, Fri Mar 16
Part traditional, part modern choreography, story telling of life and culture, art, filled with the smiling faces of dancers enjoying what they do – it can only be infectious! The performance, while carried out largely on the stage, also has elements around and in the audience.  The narration and accompaniment is pre-recorded, but there are elements of clapping, singing and laughter and the wisdom of the cultures incorporated. The performance space was well used, lighting effects and changes helped to keep the audience focused on the action. The performance is based on the Papua New Guinea story of Vavine, but incorporates elements from the South Seas and is presented by a troupe based in Darwin – as multi-cultural as you are! A variety of elements are drawn into the performance, from marriage and dowry, to in your face Samoan warriors, the fun and socialising of coconut scraping, to swinging grass skirts and elegant scarf dances.
Clayton and Deanne

EMILY DAVIS & THE SUNDAY BRIDES
Wheatsheaf Hotel, Fri Mar 16
Special guests Nereeda (rock/funk) and the Emily Smart Band (pop/light rock), started the evening and showcased the talents of two highly capable, diverse original bands. Emily Davis & The Sunday Brides, fresh from their weekend gig at WOMADelaide, played to a supportive and enthusiastic Wheatie crowd. Emily’s songs not only contain sensitive, well-constructed lyrics and catchy melodies but they are made even more pleasurable by her exquisite voice and charming stage presence. Her live performance exudes a grounded-ness and sincerity that is totally absorbing. Beautifully supported by the Brides (Zac Kingston, Steve Pederson, Brian Ruiz and Mel Bonham), performances by this ego-free ensemble are an absolute delight. Visit < www.emilydavis.com > for gig updates or to purchase the debut CD, Moving In Slow Motion, a must for any lover of quality, original songs from the heart.
Jenna Bonavita

THE FABULOUS ADAM RICHARD
Belgian Beer Café, Fri Mar 16
Adam Richard managed to provide his audience with an hour of fun entertainment with a comedy act that relied on campy quips as much as comedic skill. Jokes that should have evoked a belly laugh response didn’t always hit the mark, although he never failed to raise a grin and giggle. Richard was at his bitchy best when sharing his “famous people I’ve met” stories, while his impersonations of Cher and Anthony Hopkins a la Hannibal Lecter were absolute gems. Richard would do well to concentrate his comedy in these areas as it was in those moments that his talent as a funny man really shone.
Rosie Toomer
Adam Richard continues at Belgian Beer Cafe until Sat Mar 31.

HIGHWAY 31 - ZAC KINGSTON, STEVE PEDERSON, MEL BONHAM AND BILLY
Wheatsheaf Hotel, Fri Mar 16
The style is Cold Chisel in their quieter moments or Goanna. Zac Kingston has been in a number of local bands and draws on mostly original music written over time in the story telling, country/folk genre. His vocals are warm and throaty and the back up band of drums, acoustic bass and slide/mandolin/acoustic guitar provide a steady and sweet accompaniment. They‘ll be playing at The Wheatie for the next two weeks on Friday nights, as part of the Fringe. A very easy way to end the week; kick back and enjoy some local talent.
Kathy Gibbings
Highway 31 continues at Wheatsheaf Hotel until Fri Mar 30

SALT
Bar On Gouger, Sat Mar 17
This four piece band offers mixed grains of salt in terms of style! From blues and jazz (with a hint of reggae) to just rocking it out, they serve their purpose to entertain by catering for the wider audience. The songs are versatile with well thought out lyrics and catchy hooks, and they even like to throw in the odd sleazy number too! The vocals are powerful with two lead line singers - both male and female, which offers great variation and contrast in harmonies. The rhythm section sets some soulful grooves and very cool riffs but the pianist is definitely the focal point and highlight of the night! Their sensitivity with the music and created dynamics is most effective in changing up the moods and overall, these guys simply put out a great sound. My rating – eight of 10.
Gloria Albanese
Salt continues at Bar On Gouger until Sun Mar 25.

SELECTIONS FROM LCUK/DEATH TO YOUR DREAMS
Jade Monkey, Sat Mar 17
An utterly mesmerising combo of music and word – ethereal vocals from Sam Wareing swirl amongst the spoken thoughts of Sean M Whelan in a magical performance that can only be described as ‘Word Art’. Rich and textured, word and sound seem to meld and float to the point where you begin to wonder where one finishes and the other starts. Whelan transforms the everyday into the surreal, while the mime set lift his words and sends them soaring with Andrew Watson’s amazing guitar echoes. Jade Monkey was a perfect venue for this mind-blowing experience, where music speaks and poetry paints emotion.
Rosie Toomer

STEVE SHEEHAN’S LITTLE COMEDY PROJECT
SA Writers Centre, Sat Mar 17
A true comic minimalist, watching Sheehan is a bit like watching Sheehan watching paint dry while drinking Pine-O-Clean straight from the bottle. His sense of humour is curious and weird, there’s no doubt about it, with a touch of the bizarre evident in his “chicken fetish” confessions. At times he struggled to maintain focus, allowing for a few pregnant pauses that confused his audience into wondering if the Pine-O really was just a prop. At other moments he came out with some absolute gems that were worth waiting around for. An interesting experience worthy of 40 minutes of your Fringe time.
Rosie Toomer
Steve Sheehan continues at SA Writers Centre until Sat Mar 31.

THE ZOOMA ZOOMA LATE SHOW
Caos Cafe, Sat Mar 17
As high energy performances go, Zooma Zooma is up there with the best of tribute bands. Playing the music of Louis Prima and others, this show was a jazz experience not to be missed. Including the major sax talent of Mike Stewart, Zooma Zooma rocked the Caos Café with a pile of classics such as That Ole Black Magic, Lazy River and I Got You (Under My Skin). Anthony Leppa oozed charm and personality, his high energy antics ensuring the audience had a fabulous time from the moment he hit the stage. Demonstrating a rich vocal talent, Leppa’s voice never faltered and was beautifully supported by Sally Gorley who deserved a much a higher profile on stage. This is a sweet combo outfit, tight and talented – we’re talking swinging, jumping, pulsating jazz that’ll raise your heart rate and get those ol’ feet moving.
Rosie Toomer
Zooma Zooma continues at Caos Café on Saturday nights only until Sat Mar 31.

NICK PARNELL - PERCUSSION SPECTACULAR
Flinders Street Baptist Church, Sat Mar 17
Winner of the 2001 International Melbourne Percussion Competition, Nick Parnell presented a diverse selection of original and classical compositions in the resonating acoustic setting of the Flinders St Church. The evening’s performance commenced with an exciting African influenced piece featuring bongos, djembe, gong and various woodblocks and proceeded with selections from Gershwin, Chopin and Bach. Joined at various times by complimentary guest pianist, Graeme Burgan, arrangements for vibraphone/marimba and piano gave the performance great dynamic interest. A consummate professional, Mr Parnell made passages that would have been highly challenging for any percussionist look far too easy. Every note was played with intent and during one of the marimba pieces a refreshing touch of humour was added with quotes from The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Ah Wimaweh!). Nick Parnell is signed with ABC Classics and has a number of recordings available. Visit < nickparnell.com > for further information and performance listings.
Jenna Bonavita

HIDING THE ELEPHANT
Rhino Room, Sat Mar 17
Frehd Aastar and Tim Eee Presley, clown magicians extraordinaire (well, almost) present a show aimed at the children’s set, probably under 10s, that can be enjoyed by their parents also. So if you’re a parent with the guilts about all the shows that you have been going to see and want to introduce your kids to performance, Hiding The Elephant is a great opportunity! Certainly Frehd and Tim Eee quickly develop a great rapport with audience old and young alike and, to the performers’ own surprise, some of the magic actually works. You’ll giggle and laugh and participate in this show, with some children selected from the audience get to dress up and one becoming the costume assistant. Tim Eee does rope tricks, Frehd manages to make the sauce bottle disappear, and the audience helps by chanting the magic words – great fun all round.
Clayton and Sandy
Hiding The Elephant continues at Rhino Room until Sat Mar 31.

ALL THAT IS SOLID MELTS INTO AIR
Jade Monkey, Sun Mar 18
The Kurrawong Ensemble is dedicated to presenting Australian chamber music and this performance encompassed flutes, clarinets, saxophone with piano backing (one track had bells also, somewhat inflated to be percussion), typically in duo, occasionally in trio mode. The works, by Australian chamber composers, encompassed a range of classical styles. There were pieces and movements that I found very enjoyable, others that I struggled to connect with. That can be the nature of this type of music, especially if you are not familiar with particular works presented. In all of them, the players themselves proved well up to the task before them and reading through the notes on the pieces, played according to the composer’s instructions. The Kurrawong Ensemble will be back in Adelaide for a November performance.
Clayton and Sandy

DANNY BHOY
Royalty Theatre, Sun Mar 18
Scottish comedian Danny Bhoy has made a triumphant return to the Adelaide Fringe, opening his show in a smoke filled silhouette with him playing the bagpipes – or did he? Danny Bhoy has a gift; a comedy mind that just can’t stop thinking that everything is funny, and when he presents it, it is! He does an amazing Aussie accent, and his impersonation of our childish politicians and their overdramatic parliamentary language was absolutely spot on. His comedy was largely about Aussies, relatable by Aussies and funny to the core. Billy Connolly stands alone as a comedian, but his fellow countryman Danny Bhoy comes in as a close second; even losing track and eventually returning to the point in the same way Billy does. I’m more than impressed with how much I, and the packed Royalty Theatre audience, enjoyed the show. More laughs that you could possibly cope with in one night!
Catherine Blanch
Danny Bhoy continues at Royalty Theatre until Sun Mar 25.

THE DOORMATS
The Hard Rubbish Café, Thu Mar 15
Being confronted by four men in green leopard-print two-piece cowgirl outfits, hairy bellies exposed and white tissue paper protruding from their brassieres, is an experience in itself. Add to that some Eastern European flavour, the Village People and a cowgirl fetish and you have yourself one of the potentially strangest shows at this year’s Fringe - The Doormats. With aspirations to headline WOMADelaide 2008, the four Bulgarian ‘cowgirls’ known as The Doormats have heightened expectations. Somehow I don’t think their off-key harmonies and occasional breaks of baritone voice in amongst an attempt at high pitched femininity will be looked upon by the WOMADelaide committee as musical genius. Rather, this cabaret slash country musical slash drag queen show is bizarre and tacky. But, it is knowingly so and somewhere through their flawed accents and corny acting, you can’t help but sit with the smallest of smirks. Hardly a show to queue up for, but certainly an experience, you’ll truly feel as if you have stepped into an outlandish parallel universe.
Kerry Loyson
The Doormats continues in The Hard Rubbish Café on Thu Mar 22, Fri Mar 23 and Sat Mar 24 at 10pm.

THE RAMBUTAN CIRCUS COLLECTIVE – MENAGERIE
Higher Ground, Wed Mar 14
If you’ve always had a fetish for the mystery and wonder of early 1920s sideshow performance, then be sure to step into the Menagerie of the Rambutan Circus Collective for an amazing experience. These four talented young performers create myriad exciting and sometimes dangerous sideshow performances, combining contortion, juggling, clowning, flame swallowing and more, all set amidst a delightful 1920s with a groovy jazz soundtrack. Rather than just being a series of disjointed tricks however, the Rambutan Circus Collective manages to bring everything together in a clever theatrical performance that will have you laughing, clapping, cheering and sitting on the edge of your seat, often all at the same time! A fine collection of performances from some very talented people; this is definitely circus at its best!
Luke Balzan
Menagerie continues at Higher Ground until Sun Mar 25.

JASON CHONG – MINORITY RETORT
Belgian Beer Café, Thu Mar 15
Generally, modern Australia is regarded a reasonably egalitarian society (albeit letting the occasional Pauline Hanson or John Howard through the gaps), but I think at one point or another, most Aussies like to have a bit of a laugh at some of the minority racial groups. Austral-Asian comedian Jason Chong (who was awesome in last Fringe’s Sort Of The Rings) has decided to pick up on those slight racial tendencies to bring us Minority Retort, an hilarious show that has a fun laugh at the small differences of our multicultural society. No one is left unscathed, from Asians to Wogs (like me!) to Germans to Jews, Jason cleverly turns what is usually a touchy subject into a laugh-fest, complete with audience participation and all (I was lucky enough to become Jason’s model immigrant!). Whether you’re an Asian like Jason, an Aussie with a foreign background, or a good ol’ white Skippy, you’ll get a Bruce Lee style kick out of this one!
Luke Balzan
Jason Chong brings his multicultural feast to the Belgian Beer Café until Sat Mar 31.

DUDE, I’M A UNICORN
The Garden Shed
Sat Mar 18
“Thanks for taking a chance on a show you know nothing about,” Derek Flores offers by way of introduction. Best known as one of The Three Canadians, Derek’s opening words are both a genial welcome and a concession to this show’s ‘under construction’ status. Filling a schedule left empty by the absence of Greg Fleet, Derek’s solo stand-up show is a strange mix of superheroes, cruise ships and, of course, a unicorn. The mythical being, zealously played by Derek somewhere between Snagglepuss and Donkey from Shrek, links surreal vignettes that offer the funny man the chance to play to his effervescent strengths. Mexican wrestlers quoting Whitney Houston and toffy monocle wearing balloonists make absurd appearances before the show combusts in a fast-paced ending of improvised audience-assisted storytelling. Derek’s eager demeanour ensures this bizarre tale is fun, if not side-splitting.
Scott McLennan
Dude, I’m A Unicorn continues at The Garden Shed until Sun Mar 24.

Mickey D – Shame 101
Rhino Room Downstairs, Adelaide
Tue Mar 13
If you have a problem with jokes about bodily functions, the only advice you need is to stay away from Shame 101: you aren’t going to enjoy yourself. Almost everyone else, however, can expect something of a treat. Mickey D takes on some of the things that have shamed him over the years – of which being caught masturbating by his dog is just one – and it’s an entertaining but earthy list with plenty of funny asides.
Along the way he works in plenty of social observation, and since he’s an Adelaide boy himself, back from London for the Fringe and seeing things with fresh eyes, he has plenty to say that’s of interest to the audience. The rude humour is what gets most of the laughs, but it’s the observation – including some stories about his family and how they’ve changed while he’s been away – that proves just how good a comedian he is.
Gary Cockburn
Mickey D – Shame 101 continues at Rhino Room until Sat Mar 31.

Fri Feb 27
The Sam Simmons Experience
Le Cascadeur, Thu Feb 26
Usually greatest hits packages are reserved for pop tarts past their prime or rich old rockers who need some extra cash to build a new crystal healing room in their atrium. Sam Simmons is neither of these things, yet The Sam Simmons Experience finds him collating the best of the old (dead cats and potty-mouthed grandmas from Tales From The Erotic Cat) and the new (a cool take on Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ I Put A Spell On You dedicated to his KFC crush, taken from his forthcoming rock opera The Net) for a romp that’s more warped than a microwaved cassingle. Dressed in a Starlight Express T-shirt to enforce its rum musical nature, Sam’s new material finds him musing about his teenage employment at Coles Marion: sex fumblings with Stella from Price Attack, Chad from Tandy’s evil tricks and Gavin the down syndrome trolley boy who liked to hold his dick a lot. Irrational, fearless, bizarre, funny.
Scott McLennan
The Sam Simmons Experience, Le Cascadeur until Sun Mar 8.

Emma Hack – Panoramic Bodies
Adelaide Airport, Thu Feb 26
Shot amid extreme temperatures, this exhibition highlights the fragility of ecosystems in remote South Australia asking us to think about human influence and neglect. In Arterial landscape, red humanoids stand casting their human shadows as sundials across a huge salt lake. At Pildappa Rock models, spattered with red, reach for help from a higher source. A standing ovation prayer. Nukey Valley holds Synthesis, stark contrast; dry, barren trees and acrobatic sculpture forming a human tree; lush, moist, alive. Earth Corp: yellow, red and green plastic figurines, soldiers marching in a child’s game tug at our beliefs about war. The Drop: where has he fallen from? Unity depicts human beings in ritual with the rock moving towards harmony with the landscape. This series opens the larger conversation about our effect on nature. Part proceeds go to Trees For Life.
Angie Starr & Kimberley Mann
Emma Hack – Panoramic Bodies continues at Adelaide Airport until Sun Mar 22.

Best Of Adelaide Comedy
Rhino Room, Thu Feb 26
Walking out of the Rhino Room, I am happily, though guiltily, gratified at the comedy that has just had me alternately cringing and laughing out loud. Maybe I’m just a bit sensitive; it’s definitely not all about the wanking jokes and the sperm donation jests. This night had plenty to offer; puns, childhood anecdotes on life in the north-eastern ‘burbs and songs of Adelaide patriotism.
Each night there’s a rotating feast of comedians, so you don’t know exactly who you’ll get. On this particular evening, Ben Darsow bounded in as our excellent compere, warming us in turn before Adelaide comedians Michael Bowley, Jason Pestell, Gerry Masi and brilliant special guest Craig Egan.
If you’re loyal to Adelaide comedy and not averse to a little grot, check this out. Any show with references to the movie The Dark Crystal gets my affectionate vote every time.
Jenny Smith
Best Of Adelaide Comedy continues at Rhino Room until Sat Mar 21.

Miss K In Il Mio Amore
La Boheme, Tue Mar 17
The saucy singing Miss K and her charming Captain Funk dish up an entertaining original cabaret at the exquisite La Boheme. Miss K is on the run from the law in Australia and decides to flee to the picturesque northern Italian city of Trieste. There she meets her dream man (for this week), sips café lattes, persists through embarrassment to purchase condoms and even cooks spaghetti (eat before you go – she actually cooks throughout). The entire show is appealing, deliberately tacky and blends together suitably in the end. Miss K’s character has been well developed and is backed up well by the sexy, strong Captain Funk on guitar and vocals. Some workshopping would be beneficial to ensure it is tighter and more amusing in the future.
Bobby Goudie

Harley Breen – The Kingswood And I
PJ O’Brien’s, Wed Mar 18
If there’s one thing that most people can empathise with, it’s the love of a first car. For rural Queenslander Harley Breen, his first car, a poo-brown two-tone HZ Kingswood named Marjory, was the love of his life, and his tales of her certainly make for some hilarious commentary! Brushes with the police, give-way rules in a pub and the essence of being manly all form humorous anecdotes in this true love story, while interludes and asides covering topics such as freaky people on public transport, the importance of health and fitness and even tips on how to avoid road-rage keep the laughs coming in a continuous stream. Harley’s aloof, somewhat bogan motif matches the iconic Aussie legend status of his subject material, the faithful Kingswood, and no matter how dedicated you may be to your vehicle, Harley will certainly make sure you laugh out loud!
Luke Balzan
The Kingswood And I continues at PJ O’Brien’s until Sat Mar 21.

Die Roten Punkte – Robot/Lion Tour
Theater Bosco, Tue Mar 17
Teutonic siblings Otto and Astrid Rot hit the stage looking like the offspring of some unholy union between The White Stripes and the cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Otto is all sincere emo straight-edged angst, while the long-suffering yet jolly Astrid nurses a not-so-quiet drinking problem. The result is a psychotherapy drama grand enough to give Metallica’s epic documentary a run for its money. Between spats the pair rock out on their three-quarter sized instruments. Everything from Krautrock to polka gets Punkte with the energy of a couple of children living out a desperate rock and roll fantasy. Their accents may come and go like stations on a broken radio, but there’s an endearing straight-faced sincerity to Otto and Astrid that makes the gentle suggestion of incest that much creepier. A hilarious rock-banging good time that’s an absolute smorgasbord of not-so-subtle musical references. Danke Adelaide!
Troy Foster
Robot/Lion Tour continues at the Theater Bosco until Sat Mar 21.

David O’Doherty – Let’s Comedy
Nova Cinema, Wed Mar 18
Blessed with a helmet-head of hair and the mournful look of a bloodhound, David O’Doherty’s mix of slackadaisical stand-up comedy and dinky, plinky comedy tunes is effortlessly hilarious. The live voiceover at the beginning asks the crowd if they’re ready for laser beams of David O’Doherty shaped comedy from the comedian who puts the ‘aha’ into ‘Small Yamaha Keyboard’. The fact that the voiceover is by O’Doherty unsuccessfully attempting to hide behind a stage curtain sums up the Irishman’s casually hapless but awesomely hopeless stagecraft. The absurdism finds O’Doherty’s new keyboard tunes deliberately regressing to a Bubble Bobble level of skill, but it’s his stand-up on this night that really rocks it. Rolling around the stage like it’s his favourite couch, the Dubliner talks about his pervy sat-nav, dreams of an O’Doherty fragrance and board game murder weapons. Living by the personal mantra ‘Don’t be a dickbag and everything will be fine’, O’Doherty is the epitome of charmingly shoddy hilarity.
Let’s Comedy continues at Nova until Sat Mar 21.

The Vâices That Be Gone
Ira Raymond Room, Barr Smith Library, Tue Mar 10
William Barnes (1801-1886) first collection of poetry Poems of Rural Life In The Dorset Dialect was published in 1844. Tom Burton reads from this collection using, as closely as research permits, the original 19th century pronunciation. He began, after a brief introduction to the poet and his life and times, by reading two poems related to each of the four seasons. With each poem he explained any unfamiliar words and pronunciations. He then ended with three miscellaneous poems, the final one being the poem from which this performance took its title. Burton’s enthusiastic approach to the poetry of Barnes, coupled with a great sense of humour, resulted in a very enjoyable hour that left one wishing for more. This is a fascinating glimpse of times and voices long gone, and a rare opportunity to experience them, so do try to catch a performance.  
The Vâices That Be Gone concludes at the Ira Raymond Room on Sat Mar 14.

Hitlerhoff
Queens Theatre, Tue Mar 10
Hitlerhoff, writer Tom Doig’s enigmatic fusing of pop culture hero David Hasselhoff and history’s greatest monster Adolf Hitler, is a theatre experience that is somewhat akin to a herd of charging rhinoceros. It’s loud, it’s constantly in your face, it’s more than a little bit evil and to top it off it’s also sickeningly hilarious. Tobias Manderson-Galvin, who plays the production’s titular hero, is relentlessly funny at times and soiled-underpants-scary at others, bringing an intensity to the role that such an over the top character begs for. Georgina Andrews and Joel Davey do not disappoint either, each of them breathing life into a ridiculous horde of characters throughout the production’s hour-long runtime. Hitlerhoff is offensive, sure, but it also features an unflinching and important message that’ll hit you like a verbal kick to the genitals. And call me a Commie thespian if you must, but I loved every second of it.
Liam Sharrad
Hitlerhoff continues at the Queens Theatre until Sun Mar 22.

Bec Hill – If You Can Read This, My Cape Fell Off
The Pod, Tue Mar 10
A local amalgam of Cal Wilson’s chirpy spark and Josie Long’s unpretentious and homemade style, what Bec Hill lacks in ROFL moments she makes up for in cheery panache. Kicking off with a fun video featuring slapstick tomfoolery in the style of The Goodies and a prop joke about Adam Hills’ fake leg that’s so bad it’s good, Bec effortlessly delivers an hour of comedy investigating how to become a superhero. Her DIY cartoons are cute in their hopelessness, the Pimp My Ride video is a good laugh and Bec’s cheese on toast skills all make for a Marvel-lous additions. A bit more Biff! Pow! Thwakkk! in her chaptered presentation could potentially lift Bec to a dynamic conclusion, but the fact she’s donating 50 cents to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal from every ticket sold proves she’s already a comic wonder woman.
Scott McLennan
Bec Hill continues at The Pod until Sat Mar 21.

James Galea – I Hate Rabbits
Cinema Nova, Tue Mar 10
If you like your conjurors to be fat, sweaty and sporting facial hair that looks like a greasy rodent, you’ll be disappointed when illusionist James Galea bounds on stage. Possessed with boundless energy, Ksubi style, a serious tan and teeth as white as a Ku Klux Klansman’s laundry pile, Galea elevates familiar tricks to a new level thanks to charming showmanship and audience interaction. Actively challenging the crowd to unmask his tricks via the use of a live HD camera feed capturing his every move, James revels in breaking his own rules, mingling with the crowd and delivering more card tricks than a credit scammer. As the Russell Brand of magic it seems James would have no trouble making young women’s pants disappear either, but tonight he simply takes sleight of hand to a cunningly dynamic level. Eat that, David Blaine.
Scott McLennan
I Hate Rabbits continues at Cinema Nova until Sat Mar 21.

The Adventures Of Stoke Mandeville - Astronaut And Gentleman.
Union House, Adelaide University, Wed Mar 4
Cricket, space machines, spies, empires and anything else you can throw in will ensure you have a deep belly laugh. Brace yourself as you’re taken to a whole new dimension. This is a parallel universe where the British Empire conquers the galaxy (sound familiar?). Stoke and his fellow Castersen, by default, are steaming their way through time and space. Meeting, greeting and conquering all who get in their way. Graham really has no idea. A lowly lawyer, shy and reserved is suddenly taken by Stoke Mandeville to this parallel universe where he is Castersen and is the envy of all; a legend. Graham is so adaptable to his new alter ego! French spies infiltrate the mechanism of the empire. Stoke will catch these dastardly spies by showing them up; weed them out and those who can’t play cricket must be the French spies. Who do you think showed up whom? Funny and witty.
Edel Perth & Kathryn Barclay

Singin’ A Cappella Workshop
Flinders Street Baptist Church – Mead Hall, Thu Mar 5
Now sing from 1-8. All easy so far? Try singing from 1-8 in syncopated, four-part harmony. Such was the challenge issued by The Idea Of North as they led over 100 singers of wildly varying ability through a 90-minute workshop in the fine art of Singin’ A Cappella. Naomi Crellin (alto), Sally Cameron (soprano), Andrew Piper (bass) and Nick Begbie (tenor) are Idea Of North. This incredibly talented vocal quartet put aside performance in favour of instruction, taking us through drills in posture, breathing, vocal warm-ups, tone and pitch. By the end of the workshop, Idea had managed to create such a sense of connection and (dare I say it) harmony in the group that our voices soared in a stirring four-part gospel chorus. One word of warning - this fantastic workshop will leave you believing you can sing like a pro. Get ready for much humming and harmonising in the car or shower after an encounter with this talented quartet.
Sereyna Jolly & Edel Perth

Not The Boys Next Door
The Promethean, Fri Mar 6
If you desire a relaxing, non-invasive night out, in a comfortable stylish venue with a few wines, great company and soothing musical tunes, then Not The Boys Next Door can provide. Chris Eaton (vocals) and Gordon Combes (piano/vocals) present a traditional ‘jukebox cabaret’ full of mainly musical theatre tunes from shows including Pippin, Wicked, The Boy From Oz and Gypsy. The show was particularly memorable when Combes joined Eaton on vocals on Lily’s Eyes from The Secret Garden and Pretty Women from Sweeney Todd. Both Eaton and Combes have excellent, strong voices and are comfortable, talented performers. There was little variety in the show though and it was easy to become slightly disengaged. Some more comedic or famous show tunes might have improved this.
Bobby Goudie
Not The Boys Next Door perform at The Promethean until Fri Mar 13.

Mahdu – Sweet Diversity
Holden Street Theatres (The Studio), Sat Mar 7
Mahdu – Sweet Diversity is a unique and interesting show performed by Niki Shepherd. A culturally accurate performance showing three very different stories: Gajavadana Beduvei, Krishna Shavdam and Guide & 4 Harmony. Telling each story, Niki dances to the music using facial expressions, complicated movements and entrancing steps. Traditional clothing were used as costumes to create a realistic scene for each tale. The stories lead into a world of ancient traditional dance, leaving you intoxicated by her unique movements. After 15 years of experience in studying, performing and teaching this unique style of dance, it shows in this elaborate performance, highlighting Niki’s talents for Kuchipudi; the ancient art form of Indian-style dancing. It will leave you fascinated and wanting more. The hour-long show gives you a taste of cultural dancing that is not normally seen in Australia.
Rebekah Shepherdson

A Mariarsis Musical
Higher Ground Theatre, Sat Mar 7
High school drama teacher, Mr Mariasis strives to inspire four of his most gifted students by setting them a specific task. Their challenge is to work out their differences and collaborate for the sake of the project and develop their communication process. Andy is the ‘hot’ one, a typical Aussie, who isn’t into the ocker things his dad wants him to be. Courtney, an American girl obsessed with her beauty, talent and her ability to manipulate situations to suit her is the polar opposite to Penny, an intelligent and modest ‘emo’. Finally Brooke is the nerd with negotiating skills and dance capabilities. Vocally the performances were delivered with strength and confidence, enhanced in spots by live guitar and graceful dance moves. The play, while having moments of genuine amusement, overall would benefit from further reworking of the script and a fresh approach to stage direction.
Jenna Bonavita
A Mariarsis Musical continues at Higher Ground Theatre until Sat Mar 14.

Nunga Funny
Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute (Theatre), Tue Mar 10
There’s double the value in a Tandanya gig – the foyer is a spectacular art gallery. Kevin Kropinyeri is a talented MC and comic in his own right. There’s raw talent on show and some jokes that, well, a black fella might tell that would make a white fella blush. Standout is the launch of Aunty Betsy and Elsie’s new range of Aboriginal undergarments; the hottest grannies in Adelaide entertained us as they tried to seduce every man in the audience. Then Warren Millera’s idea of Australian native animals with Tourette’s syndrome is one that should be developed into its own five-minute routine – there is some pure gold in there! Kevin then finishes the gig with a very unique way to solve domestic, group and all sorts of violence – something to be seen to be believed.
Clayton Werner & Darren
Nunga Funny continues at Tandanya NACI until Wed Mar 11.

In The Arms Of A Lion
Fringe Factory at Queens Theatre (The Parlour), Tue Mar 10
This exploration of growing up queer in apartheid South Africa is one man’s developing awareness of his society, his sexuality and the potentially lethal implications of both, compiled through sketches of family members and his younger selves. With the politics of fear as central motif, parallels are drawn inevitably between racism and homophobia. Convincing vignettes are the preacher uncle ‘explaining’ why God supports apartheid, and the overt violence of the protagonist’s savage beating outside the family home without mother’s intervention. But the actor’s palette is limited. We are less convinced by his portrayal of subtler emotions – tenderness, despair, love – so that it was more like a therapy session to which we never accepted an invitation. Too much anger, too little comprehension, no sense of how to help.
Kate Battersby & Ian Newton
In The Arms Of A Lion continues at Fringe Factory at Queens Theatre until Sun Mar 22.

Imogen Kelly – The Undressing Room
Fringe Factory at Queens Theatre (The Big Room), Tue Mar 10
A lot goes on in The Undressing Room… and a lot comes off! A one-woman show in the burlesque tradition of short segments either about or involving striptease. A pink flamingo routine and an amusing neon Muppet dance make for a promising start. A nouvelle Little Red Riding Hood has the Big Bad Wolf meeting his fate, soundtracked by The Killing Moon. Some Terry Gilliam-style animation shows Princess Diana extracting revenge on the royals. Imogen wickedly demonstrates what a wonderful future as a stripper awaited Diana had she survived. Fabulous elaborate costumes culminate in a signature Marie Antoinette piece. Clever stuff, but ultimately this show feels overly busy, with some timing issues on the first night despite having previously performed this show in Melbourne. Oddly, given the content, the show seemed to drag longer than its allotted hour.
Adrian Miller
The Undressing Room continues at Fringe Factory @ Queens Theatre until Sun Mar 22.

Up Skit Creek…
The Little Theatre at The University Of Adelaide, Tue Mar 10
Silly, ridiculous, often senseless and occasionally tasteless, Up Skit Creek is an evening of delightful entertainment from a talented performing group. Original skits explored topical themes of the day including the global financial crisis, Pauline Hanson’s return to politics, Mike Rann and that river, just to name a few. The show was well rehearsed and presented, making good use of the theatre space available. Despite a few shaky moments, Up Skit Creek was great fun for most but especially appreciated by the younger audience members. Definitely worth a look.
Rosie van Heerde
Up Skit Creek… continues at The Little Theatre until Sat Mar 21.

Phill Cowie In Lower Ur IQ
Griffins Head Hotel (Lounge Bar), Tue Mar 10
After requiring his audience to take a pledge to think childish thoughts for the next 40 minutes, Phill Cowie proceeded to entertain the small yet appreciative crowd with stories of what must have been a delightful childhood. He is engaging and easy on the eye, neither of which hurts an up and coming comedian. He is also very funny, a talent highlighted by his ability to make eating his own poo sound genuinely amusing. With a little help from ‘the sound guy’ and guest appearance by his mum, Cowie explores childhood and the pure delight to be found in simply being silly. There needs to be a bit of tightening here and there to ensure the flow is maintained, but overall, not a bad effort for a relative ‘newbie’.
Rosie van Heerde
Phill Cowie in Lower Ur IQ continues at Griffins Head Hotel until Sat Mar 21.

Geraldine Quinn – Hex And The City
Tuxedo Cat, Sun Mar 1
If a Fringe Award existed for Funniest Muff Euphemisms Delivered In Song, Melbourne comic Geraldine Quinn’s ode to being burnt at the stake by witch-hunters would be the unanimous victor. Although the firecrotched funnywoman fears having her strawberry field razed and ginge minge singed by a scatological, anti-heretic mob, her anxiety at being part of a Salem barbecue doesn’t stop her from delivering a blazing hour of comedy. Swapping her idolatry from Bowie to Bradshaw for Hex And The City (a brief Tin Machine reference creeps in), Quinny’s witty assessment of being a single woman in her mid-30s also finds time to send up self-absorbed artistes, bad housemates and dud boyfriends (via a pastiche resembling Phil Spector soundtracking Shaun Of The Dead). Ditch your Jazz Hands And Spirit Fingers Class on Thursday nights and check out Geraldine instead. Quinn t’ essential.
Scott McLennan
Hex And The City continues at Tuxedo Cat until Sun Mar 8.

Quiz Meisters Trivia: Entertainment Extravaganza
PJ O’Brien’s, Sun Mar 1
If you’re one of those quiz fiends who can name nine heirs to the British throne or know the annual GNP of Ecuador, chances are Quiz Meisters isn’t for you. If you’re more inclined to enjoy a beer and a laugh on a Sunday afternoon while answering bizarre audiovisual questions about Nicolas Cage, it’s a fair bet you’ll have fun at this good-natured two-hour show mixing competition and comedy. The prizes might be a bit shit (a Nasser Hussein DVD, anyone?) and some of the topics genuinely bizarre (be prepared to lick random items such as a light bulb), but the rounds are broken up with laughs from genial host Danny McGinlay (also handy for a clue if you’re a bit stuck) and guest comics. To quote McGinlay’s amusing Tupac rip-off music clip, Adelaide knows how to party!
Scott McLennan
Quiz Meisters Trivia continues at PJ O’Brien’s on Sun Mar 8 and Sun Mar 15 at 4pm.

Unit 46
Crown & Anchor, Sun Mar 1
A burst of entertainment, Unit 46 is a single-set production played out in the bowels of the Crown & Anchor. The modest stage and tightly packed audience contribute perfectly to the subject matter of the next hour: flat life. The story centres on two characters in vertically adjoining but otherwise identical flats, exploring the themes of loneliness, regret and paranoia in blunt but humorous ways. These people live with tension – both from their lives and past mistakes, but also with the amusing yet annoying traits of each other, and it immediately draws you in. The most intriguing aspect is that the two are able to inhabit the same stage for the hour without directly interacting or colliding. It’s monologue heavy and communication is appropriately indirect, involving loud music, vacuuming at odd hours and muted screaming. This creative use of space is definitely a highlight, making its choreography as good as the writing.
Brad McNaughton
Unit 46 continues at Crown & Anchor until Sun Mar 22.

Crime And Punishment
Irish Club, Mon Mar 2
The human mind is a captivating hive of activity, often walking a delicate balance between normalcy and insanity, between virtue and vice. Crime And Punishment explores such a journey, humanising the philosophical proponents and captivating the audience along the way. Set in 1860s Russia and based on a novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the play tells the story of a free-thinking but destitute former-student, an ironically pious prostitute and a reflective, intellectual police inspector investigating the brutal murder of an old lady moneylender and her sister, who individually assist the protagonist on a journey through his own psyche. Cleverly using a series of flashbacks and inner thoughts alongside current action, and with some amazing performances, Crime And Punishment dissects psychological conflicts, questions existentialism versus the saving power of God, explores the eternal quest for answers why, and examines the ultimate quandary of whether there will ever be redemption. Brilliant!
Luke Balzan
Crime And Punishment continues at the Irish Club until Sat Mar 7.

Arj Barker
The Arts Theatre, Sun Mar 1
The Arts Theatre was a nice venue for Arj Barker, a regular visitor to our shores, with the room large enough for a big crowd but small enough that the comic’s use of his voice and the microphone both separately and together gave full impact. This year’s show is Bits And Pieces is a collection of material old and new. For an Arj fan it’s disappointing he hasn’t brought us a show of entirely new material for a few years now, but the show was still enjoyable, it’s hard not to get caught up in a room full of booming laughter. Of the new material the off-the-cuff local references proved the best, while the death of a joke based on alien life proved an unintentional highlight. Not for those looking for something brand new, but plenty of laughs to be had.
Shane Scott
Bits And Pieces continues at the Arts Theatre until Sat Mar 21.

Planting The Dunk Botanic Gardens
Holden Street Theatres, Mon Mar 2
David Malikoff takes environmental poet Mark O’Connor’s evocative and beautiful poem about his efforts to plant a garden on Dunk Island, against all odds, and creates a visually and aurally fascinating piece of theatre. There are moments of humour, pathos and frustration as O’Connor battled hurricanes, limited time and, worst of all, those around him. He looks back sadly on the slow demise of the garden through neglect and the expansion of the holiday resort after he left the island. As an added bonus, Mark O’Connor was present at the performance and answered questions about his time on Dunk Island and his life since then. Malikoff does a superb job in telling this warm and gentle story that will touch you deeply.  
Barry Lenny
Planting The Dunk Botanic Gardens continues at Holden Street Theatres until Sat Mar 7.

Nik Coppin: Loquacious
Tuxedo Cat, Mon Mar 2
‘Personable’ would be an appropriate adjective to describe Nik Coppin. Loquacious too, of course, or ‘gobby’ as this Londoner would have it. Appearing on stage in a mock Spider-Man hoodie, Coppin proceeds to talk incessantly until his hour is up. There are no set pieces here, but a spontaneous and rambling chatter, feeding off the audience and going where he may, cracking jokes, telling stories and showing a great command of accents. His riff on superheroes goes on perhaps too long for those not brought up on a diet of Marvel and DC comics (most of us?) but if you ever wanted to know the connection between Spider-Man and The Sound Of Music, this is your show. A brilliant leprechaun tale leads into the true highlight, a cracking story linking dolphins and Stephen Hawking – and all this with virtually no swearing. Often hilarious, great fun and highly recommended.
Harry Starboard
Loquacious continues at Tuxedo Cat until Sat Mar 21.

Boomerang Returns
Higher Ground Theatre, Wed Mar 4
The Fringe guide promised a “bridge between Aboriginal Dreaming and contemporary indigenous Australia” and “an amazing journey with a feast of dance, song and music”. But leaving the theatre I was left with the distinct impression that what I’d seen was more akin to an end of year school showcase than a “fast moving, rich and complex journey”. A disjointed series of traditional song and dance, intertwined with contemporary choreography and music, Boomerang Returns fails to convey a clear message, instead, leaving me with an uneasy confusion. Industry veteran Caroll Karpany is the standout performer among an otherwise young and inexperienced cast. His onstage presence, easy and energetic, smoothes the transitions and enhances the youngster’s performances, but is not quite enough to make up for the show’s lack of clarity and direction.
Inés Reid
Boomerang Returns performs at Higher Ground until Sat Mar 21.

Topsy Turvy
Theater Bosco, Sat Mar 7
If it’s true that the audience is 50 percent of the performance, then circus shows like Topsy Turvy will never be performed better than with an audience full of noisy, sugar-hyped under fives. Clearly aimed at this particular age bracket, Topsy Turvy may have left me a little indifferent if not for the crowd of excitable youngsters giggling, gasping, cheering and jeering in all the right places. Without breaking new ground, the show presents a solid set of standard circus skills, basic illusions, and slapstick clowning with a simple connecting story. The most impressive performances being the dexterous hula hoop display by Jeseeka and the Clown’s playful, emotive performance throughout. The latter being so effective as to elicit a spontaneous, conciliatory hug from a small audience member. Further proof that a show of this nature is most wondrous when seen through young eyes.
Inés Reid

Kiss Me Quick… I’m Full of Jubes
Rhino Room, Tue Mar 10
Squeezing into the cramped room, I am immediately aware of being awkwardly close to both performer and other audience members. This feeling sets the tone for the rest of this cathartic show, the subject of which is the comic’s own mother. Specifically, exactly why she’s single-handedly responsible for her daughter’s problems. Hannah Gadsby’s storytelling is so forthright and self-deprecating that the audience soon begin to squirm; uncomfortably longing for the punch line, doubtful there could possibly be one. So, when the skilful delivery finally comes, sheer relief makes the ensuing laughter all the more sweet. The initial awkwardness soon dissipates however and a kind of camaraderie settles over the group as we place our trust in the comedic abilities of our host and enjoy the ride down her laughably, embarrassing memory lane.
Inés Reid
Kiss Me Quick… I’m Full of Jubes continues at Rhino Room until Sat Mar 21.

Redhead
The Spiegeltent, Tue Mar 10
Susie Keynes delivers her distinctive compositions with impressively powerful voice and rock chick vitality, coaxing and engaging an appreciative audience. Not only are the melodies instantly memorable, the lyrics imprint images with depth of emotion equal to the range of colour in an artist’s palette. The band is astonishingly tight and there is a sense of total trust, both musically and personally, from years of touring together in Fruit. Enhancing the diverse arrangements with harmonious backing vocals, Yanya Boston and Brian Ruiz (drummer and bassist respectively) complete the psychically linked Redhead line-up. These catchy songs will be lodged in your brain long after the gig. Deeply respected on their home turf and deservedly revered on the international arena, Redhead’s outstanding debut CD offering Ordinary Girl (featuring the extraordinary bass playing of CJ Rhodes) is out now. If you haven’t already purchased it, wait no longer!
Jenna Bonavita

YouTube Your Own Adventure
The Pod, Thu Mar 12
Brisbane’s Hooray For Everything (charming trio Matt Emery and brothers Steve and Phil Driver) are comfortable and naturally hilarious comedians that have created an enjoyable interactive way of connecting their hilarious skits, songs, puppetry, dance and parodies. The audience has the power to click from over two hours of hysterical content ‘YouTube style’ within the 60 minute show, ensuring the performance is always different. Highlights tonight included Steve’s Wiggles audition, Puppetry Of The Pee Pee (penis education for boys aged seven to nine) and Good Vibrations (choose this if you’re feeling mean). Best suited to the younger generation and night owls due to the late time slot. Best comedy I’ve seen for a long time! Can’t wait to go back!
Bobby Goudie
YouTube Your Own Adventure continues at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ The Pod until Sat Mar 21.

Dallas Frasca
The Spiegeltent, Thu Mar 12
Gremlins of the full moon came out to play, disappointingly wreaking havoc and plaguing the set with technical issues throughout. The already suffering sound system, pushed to capacity by Dallas’ belting, untamed vocals, created nasty distortion much of the time. Problems aside, Dallas and superb dobro/guitarist, Jeff Curran, performed with abandon regardless. Goading a little anarchy, Dallas insisted the audience firstly move tables closer to the stage, then eventually shift everything out the way and get on their feet. Giving the performance an extra edge of spontaneity, Dallas invited up guest freestyler, Triplenip, who treated us with some insanely fast and furious rhymes. Dallas Frasca’s musical style could be described as having elements of roots, blues or even swamp. However, her performance involves a bizarre channelling of Bessie Smith meets Janis Joplin meets the frantic death metal vocals of Opeth! Dallas has an enthusiasm that is infectious and a pure delight.
Jenna Bonavita

Capture
Colour Cosmetica, Thu Mar 12
Playground presents three diverse, passionate pieces of contemporary dance ensuring the audience is always fascinated and engaged. The night begins with an energetic piece depicting superhero characters, followed by an intense theme of capture and manipulation of a man by a young girl (think Book Of Revelation) and ending with a nostalgic glimpse at memories evoked by photographs. Tess Appleby, Danny Hales and Melissa Stupel give vigorous, solid performances to intriguing choreography. The simple, unpolished video projection complemented Capture #2, but was superfluous in Capture #1. The venue (a hairdressing teaching room) was too small and claustrophobic for the dancers (and audience) to move comfortably in, too well lit and an overall bizarre choice. If you don’t mind excellent contemporary dance in random, confined spaces, then definitely have a look.
Bobby Goudie
Capture continues at Colour Cosmetica until Sat Mar 21.

Down & Out
The Ringbox, Thu Mar 12
Do you ever, while watching a show, suddenly catch yourself with a silly half-smile on your face and a starry gaze in your eyes? Then turn around and notice everyone else has the same look on their faces too? In the 60 minutes Down & Out were onstage, that look never left my face. Acts like Teeter-board, Russian bar and a synchronised hand-balancing routine leave you in awe of the capabilities of the human body, while the circling dance of the Roue-cyr (wheel) leaves you breathless at the beauty of it. Grin stupidly at the slapstick ladder routine, performed with an energy, athleticism and inventiveness not seen since Donald O’Connor and Gene Kelly graced our screens. Highly theatrical, visually stunning and physically inspiring, Down & Out captured my imagination and I didn’t want them to let it go.
Inés Reid
Down & Out perform at The Garden of Unearthly Delights’ The Ringbox until Sat Mar 21.

The Subterranean Song Sessions - Bill Chambers, Kevin Bennett, Huckleberry Swedes
The Lion Hotel (The Tunnels), Thu Mar 12
It turns out that all these years (pre-Kasey fame) Bill Chambers has been carving out his own fine reputation as a country player. And seeing him partner up with Kevin Bennett was a real treat. Bennett has a great voice and writes fine songs. So does Bill, who also plays a mean lap steel as well as sundry guitars. For the last three songs of their set they were joined by local mandolin legend Trev Warner and the place rocked! They were a hard act to follow for the Huckleberry Swedes, who competently delivered their own inventive treatment of songs old and new. A very enjoyable night at a great venue. This was modern country music, but still with that cosy, loose, family feel that seems to typify country music events.
Michael Coghlan

Mark Atkins & The Choir Of Didgeridoos
Westcare Karpandi Arts Centre, Fri Mar 13
Well, firstly, the title is a little misleading. This show is not so much Mark Atkins & The Choir Of Didgeridoos as it is Mark Atkins. However, give Mark Atkins a chance and this need not be a disappointment. Tucked away in a small community centre on the type of vinyl seats that stick painfully to your legs, I sit mesmerised as the sound of one didgeridoo transports me, via my imagination, to a car on the open road. Flying along through outback Australia I can feel the hum of the engine and the wind in my hair as the scenery rushes past. Such is the descriptive power of Mark Atkins’ didgeridoo. Adding to the sound with vocals, harmonica and a rich slide guitar sound he explores the art of storytelling through music in a way that is both very old, and very new.
Inés Reid

Shaggy Doo Beats’ Book Launch
Imprints Booksellers, Fri Mar 13
Charles Crompton launched his book Readings From The Little Yellow Book at Imprints on Friday night, realising an ambition he has held ever since hosting Beat Route in the late 1990s. Introduced by Geoff Goodfellow, Crompton began the reading with his poem Adelaide, before handing over the reins to his alter ego, Shaggy Doo Beats. Dressed to impress, Shaggy took us through passages from the book, all delivered in a familiar, yet fresh, bop style. The prose was dotted with humour and delivered in short staccato bursts. Jazz trio The Jazzcateers provided some cool vibes throughout the evening, supporting the readings and adding to the ambience. This medium is ideal for the work, arguably better than simply reading the words from a page. We had wine, we had jazz, and we had beat poetry. I had visions of Cody. Cool.
David Robinson

Room 4.09
Studio 89 Café And Venue (Main Room), Fri Mar 13
Restaurants make interesting venues and this one is well set up for music. Room 4.09, in three-piece mode, Simon Basey (guitar, pedal bass), Ben Roberts (guitar, blues harp and tin whistle) and Mike Heath (drums) certainly filled the space (though it is difficult for the musicians to mix themselves). The performers write some pretty cool songs and deliver them with energy. Though it was a small audience, there was dancing and rocking along. Having had a song picked up and put on a compilation in LA recently is indicative of their class. There was a good mix, some rollicking rock, some mellow numbers and a couple of covers. If these guys keep on rocking like they do, then they’ll be going places – make a date to catch them.
Clayton Werner & Darren

Ca Va?
Fringe Factory at 151 Hindley Street, Sat Mar 14
Magnifique! As the quintessential French maid, feisty Joanne O’Callaghan gives the audience her all; French lessons, flirtation and stirring old favourite French songs. A manic character, this clumsy waitress, always the new girl in cafés, hilarious Helène discloses trade secrets; what the chef really does with your steak if you send it back, laments unrequited love of chefs and sings the story of her day of debacles on the Paris roundabout. She’s a dynamic performer with good vocal contrast, accentuated well by the subtle presence of pianist Luke Hales. Wiping her sweaty face with the French flag between renditions, this French maid confidently leads you through the night. Highly original, this is authentic, fast-paced comedy that is both endearing and poignant, each song a treat. The best of intimate theatre. Enjoy s’il vous plaît.
Angie Starr & Kimberley Mann
Ca Va? Continues at Fringe Factory until Sun Mar 22.

Bogan Bingo
Electric Light Hotel, Sat Mar 14
Old school air-drummer DJ Macka and host Dazza strut the stage for a big night of Bogan Bingo Mania taking the audience on a “spiritual journey to get in touch with their inner bogan”. Packed with expletives, this is cathartic. It’s so wrong, so un-PC, it’s worth it! Complete with trademark two-finger-horned salutes, mullets, flannies, Stubbies shorts, Bogan Idol air guitar, nasal-twang bingo called to shit-hot music by the legends of bogandom - Bon Scott, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, KISS and the Gunners. Each number has its bogan slogan, 18 – Keys To The Commodore, Fuck All Number 4, 31 Up Your Bum... No Babies…, Sweet 16 – Pig’s Arse! The heckling crowd loved it! A big bogan 10 (Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again) for audience participation. Noelene from Wallaroo took home the meat tray; a can of spam.
Angie Starr & Kimberley Mann

The Holy Sea
The Spiegeltent, Sun Mar 15
Midnight on a wet Sunday night in Adelaide and another late start at the Spiegeltent. At the advertised time the Garden is fairly deserted and a queue non-existent. Somehow by the time the band is ready to start a face-saving audience is assembled. By the end of their thoroughly entertaining set the band has them screaming for more. Originally from Perth, and claiming to have been handed the baton by The Triffids (they must have been underage drinkers if they watched The Triffids play live), songs like Paddy, There’s Got To Be One More Bar Open also reminded me of Weddings Parties Anything. A rollicking set of acute observations about Australian life that deserve to be better known. They will be back in Adelaide in November to promote their new album. Perhaps they need to come more often to build up that elusive audience.
Adrian Miller

The Bad Orfun Musical
Star Theatres, Sun Mar 15
This is funny. Opening with live music, these fresh out-of-schoolers go for it. Prisoner of his parents’ home-schooling and glib jokes, Timmy struggles to get into the normal world: “It’s not that we don’t want you to be happy, it’s just that we’re going to keep you here until you’re 35”. When they’re killed he’s sent to an orphanage run by a dominatrix executioner with a whip. Timmy is adopted by bogans, then by ‘the goat people’. A parody of High School Musical, envisioned by Luke Bartholemew, the co-written script is absurd and quirky, the characters well developed. Led by a piano-playing narrator it features strong passionate performances by the energetic, young and talented cast, notably Simon Moorcroft. Standout vocals by Anna McInerney and Emily Cousins. Corny song-and-dance well done. It’s kinda beautiful but scary, like a leopard covered in sequins.
Angie Starr & Kimberley Mann
The Bad Orfun Musical continues at Star Theatres until Fri Mar 20.

Abby Dobson
The Spiegeltent, Fri Mar 13
Softly spoken Abby Dobson has a singing style which is slightly nasal, close-mouthed and quite endearing. Her unique tone is easily recognisable as the voice from Leonardo’s Bride or from songs featured in the cult TV series The Secret Life Of Us. She has collaborated with Paul Mac and even appeared on Neighbours. Performing songs from her new album, Rise Up, Abby spoke very little between song offerings, occasionally telling a brief story of the song origin but generally choosing instead to allow the songs to montage together and create a layering of beautiful sounds. Mal Pinkerton ably accompanied Ms Dobson with some delicate cello playing and doubled as pseudo bassist on some songs. Mal capably switched to guitar for the Dean Manning penned (and personal favourite) Even When I’m Sleeping. Very much suited and no stranger to the Spiegeltent setting, Abby Dobson created a panoramic aural sensation.
Jenna Bonavita

The Daniel Brunner Pretty Big Band Featuring Mark Oates
Queens Arms Hotel (The Annex), Fri Mar 13
All you cool cats out there who dig groovy jazz and swing, get down to the Queens Arms’ funky pad - it’ll flip your lid! And… I’m out of jazz slang. All the swing favourites (Come Fly With Me, Sunny Side Of The Street, Georgia On My Mind) are tightly performed by the talented toe-tapping nine-piece band. The charming Daniel Brunner has prepared many fascinating original arrangements - Superstitious was particularly enticing. The talented Mark Oates took a while to become comfortable, but was soon belting out jazz tunes in his cool, casual manner, evoking the appropriate emotions from the appreciative audience along the way. Great night out, Daddy-o!
Bobby Goudie
The Daniel Brunner Pretty Big Band Featuring Mark Oates continues at Queens Arms Hotel until Sat Mar 21.

The Intergalactic Journey Of Hans The Photographer
Royalty Theatre, Fri Mar 13
Be ready to be taken on a journey through the enormous void that is our universe. This show has fine musicianship, multimedia and dramatic choreography; sit back and let yourself enjoy the ride. Hans the narrator tells of his epic voyage in search of the rare Quantum rose. He finds himself marooned on Zee-Leon where his passion for the rose gets him captured by the queen of the Gooloths. A tyrannical woman whose vanity saves his life as Hans is ordered to take her portrait daily. After the extinction of the last Quantum rose the queen showed great sadness and remorse, her people turned on her. During the revolution Hans escapes to his spaceship, where he longs for the day to show his treasured photos. If you like a rock musical you will love this.
Edel Perth & Kathryn Barclay

Waiting For Botox
Comix Comedy Cellar, Fri Mar 13
If you’re in the mood for a fun night out with the girls, you can’t go wrong with this entertaining and very funny tribute to the wonderful world of women over 40. Three gorgeous gals meet in a surgery waiting room and ponder their place in the world while sharing those thoughts with the predominantly female over-40 audience. Through hilarious song parodies and more than a few bitchy jibes, the characters explore both themselves and the female experience in general while waiting for that magical little injection they are convinced will somehow change their lives… Of course we all know that’s a load of BS, but the fun is in the anticipation. A clever concept, superbly delivered by three very talented ladies.
Rosie van Heerde
Waiting For Botox continues at Comix Comedy Cellar until Sat Mar 21.

Underground Wrestling & Karate - Exit - 8 Body
The Garage International @ Najjars, Fri Mar 13
Is it a demonstration? A play? A spectacle? The crowd waits in anticipation, not knowing what to expect from the Japanese underground wrestling show. Then bang! Out of nowhere, it erupts with pure force as the five-man team explode into frenzied mayhem! Thunderous chants roar through the room as we are enlightened in wonder as legendary Nunchaku master Hiroki displays speed and agility that will blow your mind. Precision and accuracy is colourfully displayed, leaving no room for error with these dangerous weapons. The fantastic crowd encouragement welcomes Fugofugo Yumeji battle Munenori Sawa in a truly brutal yet comical at times fight highlighting true Japanese artful chaos. A fierce night of hardcore martial arts that will shock, make you wince and leave you pumped full of fascination, admiration and respect. Not for the weak!
David Wright

Qawalli & Ghazal Night
SA Folk Centre, Fri Mar 13
Seated on a bare, lit stage, musicians Inderjeet Singh (vocals. harmonium), Jay Dabgar (tabla), Josh Bennett (guitar, sitar) and Keith Preston (bouzouki, charming introductions) begin to play, taking us on a journey into Qawalli devotional music and Ghazal love poetry. With virtuosic, undulating vocals and rhythmic, melodic tabla interspersed with bursts of guitar and bouzouki, the music is trance-inducing, transporting, mesmerising. The second act was a study in perfect onstage communication: a sitar and tabla raga recital (duel?) between Jay and Josh, dazzling and disciplined, each at the top of his game. For the third part Farid Drokshan (vocals, harmonium) replaced Singh, bringing an Afghan flavour and a surprise or two to the performance. The performance, full of synergy and sympatico, energised and relaxed us, filling the room with a joy visible in musicians and audience alike.
Kate Battersby & Ian Newton

The Bremen Town Musicians
Fringe Factory at Queens Theatre (The Big Room), Sat Mar 14
Based on the Grimm Brothers’ famous fairytale, puppetman Mike and his sidekick deliver an interactive and musical puppet show of The Bremen Town Musicians. Mike, as the bicycle-riding donkey, leaves his axe-welding owner to head to Bremen Town to become a musician. On his travels, he meets the Hush Puppies-wearing dog, the scat cat and the opera-singing rooster, err… hen. On the way, they come across a house in the forest where they decide to live, but not before eating a good meal and chasing away the robbers – for which they are so proud of themselves. The minimal sets make for great imagination work and the children who got up on stage to conduct the ‘audience orchestra’ all had a great time. A fun show for children and adults alike.
Catherine Blanch

Jeanette Wormald – Songs Of The Inland
Tandanya, Sat Mar 14
Jazz, lush pop, three-part harmonies and some fine musicianship by Michael Christiano (guitars) and Ben Fuller (double bass) all added to a very pleasant Jeanette Wormald experience. The Tal Kin Jeri Dance Troupe opened proceedings, providing some real inland Narrandjeri ambience. The show also featured a multimedia backdrop of scenes of the outback and particularly of inspiration to the songs presented. Jeanette was sultry, sexy and in fine form with both her voice and guitar. As a band, the musicians knew their stuff, but were also able to bounce of each other with a little improv happening in featured solos. All up, a damn fine performance! It might be too late to catch this show at this year’s Fringe, but look out for Jeanette and co about the place – well worth catching up on.
Sandy Klose & Clayton Werner

Global Comedy Club
Nexus Cabaret, Sat Mar 14
Global Comedy Club is a mishmash of comics coming together to share observations of their ‘Australian experience’, among other things. Adelaide’s own Muj Ahmed delivered 10 minutes of one-liners that were clever and oh-so politically incorrect. He seemed nervous but managed to make it through his short set with aplomb. UK’s Gordon Southern was delightful – with a local’s knowledge of all things Adelaide, shared with a dry and sharpened wit, it was a shame his set ended so soon. Daniel McGinlay, a breath of fresh air, easily had the crowd eating out of his very funny hands. Jarrod Fitch was funniest when working with accents, however his potty minded jokes weren’t always appreciated by the mostly ‘mature’ audience. Disappointing, because the advertised 90-minute show barely lasted 60.
Rosie Van Heerde
Global Comedy Club continues at Nexus Cabaret until Sat Mar 21.

Bonza & LJ
Puppet Palace, Sat Mar 14
What was meant to be 40 minutes of Australia’s leading female ventriloquist Linda-Jane, her large canine friend Bonza and other puppet guests ended up being 25 minutes of just Bonza and LJ, with no ventriloquism, videos watched off a laptop and no puppetry, which I assumed was the fundamental prerequisite of a puppet show. It was an ‘adults only’ show presented in the cheesy, animated style used to perform to children. Highlights included the songs Packet Of Smack, which was found in Bonza’s school backpack, and Grandma Is A Prostitute On Weekends, sung after discussing what us ‘boys and girls’ could do when we grow up. The show was a nice idea and occasionally well executed, but was way too short - I spent longer trying to find a park to see the performance.
Bobby Goudie

Juke Baritone & The Swamp Dogs
The Spiegeltent, Sat Mar 14
What an amazing assortment of raucous, beer swilling, whiskey shooting musicians! They love nothing more than watching you dance your butt off while having a rip roaring, boot stomping, hootenanny of a time. Their music is contagious and sweeps you down to the deep, dark, dirty south and Juke leads the Swamp Dogs in an awesome night of original, fast moving, hardcore rhythms. This is music with intelligence; bringing melodies from around the world before twisting and turning them into political songs with attitude. Juke describes himself and the Swap Dogs as ‘Tom Waits with a hangover’, but they are so much more; Tom Waits has nothing on these guys! We danced because we just couldn’t help ourselves. Whatever your musical bent, age or style you can’t help but love the Gypsy pirate mayhem that Juke Baritone & The Swamp Dogs bring to their cabaret show.
Edel Perth & Kathryn Barclay.

Nik Coppin – Hybrid
Electric Light Hotel, Sun Mar 15
It was a particularly non-festive night in Adelaide. There was rain and it was cold when Nik Coppin – a Brit who would be used to the weather – appeared on stage at the Electric Light Hotel. As a comedian Coppin has been all over the world, but happy enough to perform three different shows in this year’s Fringe. He’s not the most hilarious comedian going around but he is certainly one of the most endearing, getting to know the audience and tailoring his material to their interests in his fast-talking yet lovable style. His knowledge of Adelaide was better than the audience as he filled us in with more intricate details of Hindley Street gossip. When the weather is finer Hybrid is held in the beer garden and I imagine that would only enhance the warmth and experience of probably the most relatable comic at the Fringe.
Brad McNaughton
Hybrid continues at the Electric Light Hotel until Sat Mar 21.

Other People’s Problems
The Tuxedo Cat, Sat Mar 14
Everyone’s got problems, issues, insecurities bubbling underneath the surface. Other People’s Problems is a snapshot of these in a remarkable hour of indie theatre. It contains within it three short plays presented and performed entirely by the dynamic actress and playwright Sarah Quinn. Quinn is an all-round performer, portraying many distinctive characters in the same evening. Showing in the tiny Tuxedo Cat Theatre just off the rooftop bar, there’s nowhere to hide on stage and very few props to lean on yet Quinn manages each role with aplomb. Both dramatic and constantly hilarious each short tale follows the same trend of intelligent humour and narrative twists. By the end you will have witnessed three dark yet enlightening perspectives of some seriously funny issues. Showing at 5pm just off Rundle Street, Other People’s Problems is perfect pre-dinner entertainment.
Brad McNaughton
Other People’s Problems continues at The Tuxedo Cat until Sun Mar 22.

CW Stoneking
The Spiegeltent, Sat Mar 14
The intimate, antique Spiegeltent couldn’t have been a more appropriate venue for CW Stoneking’s renowned hokum blues croon. Taking to the stage, along with his dynamic band the Primitive Horn Orchestra, in a brilliantly white ensemble and a delightful red bow tie, his witty southern-accented introductions to each ‘toon’ were worthy enough of a trip to the Garden’s famous marquee in itself. Transporting his age-varying audience members into a 1920s-esque era, along with a little help from the antique tent itself, he bustled his way through Early In The Morning, Jungle Lullaby, Handyman Blues, Love Me Or Die and an insightfully comical Don’t Go Dancing Down The Darktown Strutter’s Ball, with the class and soul of the legends themselves. With one avid fan of this sensational musician enthusiastically stating prior to his performance, “What goes on in the Spiegeltent, stays in the Spiegeltent,” it seems he was on the money. It certainly did. Brilliant. 
Kerry Loyson

Damian Callinan Calls Last Drinks
Rhino Room, Tue Mar 10
Upon entering a Fringe show, which categorically falls under the comedy genre, one doesn’t hold much expectation other than the occasional chuckle here and there. While Damian Callinan’s narrative of the local Criterion Pub, which becomes overrun by underworld ‘Underbelly’ gangsters, is amusing and theatrically admirable enough, it definitely lacked in the laughs department. Shifting between the tales of a few lively frequenters of the pub, ranging from a Scottish gambling-loving lass to Liam, the slightly queer, peripheral Irish dancing barman, Callinan’s thoughtful and considered creation of each of his characters, along with his ability to flawlessly and effortlessly slip between each one, is splendid. So, if you’re keen to discover a great actor, rather than a great comedian, head along.
Kerry Loyson
Last Drinks continues at Rhino Room until Sat Mar 21.

Potted Potter
The Pod, Wed Mar 11
It seemed like a testing feat – all seven Harry Potter books in a mere 70 minutes? Well, these two UK boys definitely pulled it off. Armed with brilliantly inventive props, ranging from stuffed toys to skateboards, a delightfully golden Tweedledee and Tweedledum-inspired quaffle outfit and some high-tech Nimbus 2000 broomstick interpretations, both John and David’s intelligent and witty interpretation of JK Rowling’s novels is sure to impress even the most devoted Harry Potter fan. While the affectionate parody is principally aimed at younger lovers of the books, it will still charm those older enthusiasts of the phenomenon, as well as those who have the slightest grasp of Harry Potter and his clan. Delightful. 
Kerry Loyson
Potted Potter continues at The Pod until Sat Mar 21.

Randy’s Postcards From Purgatory
Le Cascadeur, Thu Mar 12
Ever watched an episode of a teen drama and wondered just when 14 year olds got so urbane, verbose and witty? Turns out puppets have undergone the same transformation. Well, Randy the bong smoking, vomiting, drinking, swearing, cheating and lying puppet has at least. His phallic pink head, tucked away behind a simple black set, swigs from a hip flask and takes the audience through a sordid tale of love gained and lost, career triumph and tragedy and a whole lot of pop culture schlock. His observations are at times witty – especially when parodying slick magazines, 20-something experiences and student life – but really are no funnier than Friday afternoon office banter. This reviewer counted three people walking out through the show – and manners aside, wished she could too. Randy talks at a mile a minute, but like those teen dramas, doesn’t say much at all.
Michelle Read
Randy’s Postcards From Purgatory continues at Le Cascadeur until Sat Mar 21.

Sammy J – 1999
Theater Bosco, Sat Mar 14
Get ready to wind back the clock as Sammy J recounts a time of innocence, floppy disks and awkward erections. He’s a nerd’s nerd sharing gawky teen moments from year 10, when all he wants to do is feed his Tamagotchi, play the flute and maybe, just maybe, get to first base with a girl who doesn’t hate him. But as time goes on he finds himself drawn into kidnapping, a porn racket and too-soon sex. Which is at times funny and at times confusing, depending on how far you’re willing to suspend reality and how much you enjoy musical theatre. Sammy is at his strongest when playing out those teen loser scenes that pretty much everyone can relate to – an unwanted boner musical scene is surely one of the funniest gags at the Fringe – and at his weakest when battling a convoluted storyline and inevitable plot problems within a one-man show (ever seen one man enact a love scene?).
Michelle Read
1999 continues at Bosco Theater until Sat Mar 21.

Swan Lake
The Garage International at NACC, Fri Mar 13
Sounded intriguing. A one-woman performance of Swan Lake. Wasn’t there more than one swan? Some sort of comical spoof? And an 18+ rating. Burlesque perhaps? But from the opening strains of the classical score and the defiant confidence of the dancer on stage it was clear that Shakti is serious about her art. (So is Yoko Ono and Shakti can divide audiences in a similar way.) A beguiling mix of Japanese and Indian (Shakti is both) stylings means that we were never going to get a traditional Swan Lake. Two other dancers joined a gowned Shakti to represent the black swans. The gown removed to reveal a white bikini representing the white swan. Ending with a mildly erotic scene best left to a strip club. Some explanation from Shakti at the end about her interpretations of the swans, but I still have no idea why this bore an 18+ rating.
Adrian Miller

Brad Mehldau Trio
Stage One, East End International Jazz & Blues Festival, The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Fri Mar 13
As a newcomer to the East End International Jazz & Blues Festival, it stands to reason that I wasn’t sure exactly to expect from Friday night’s headline act The Brad Mehldau Trio. I needn’t have worried. The US trio, comprising Mehldau himself on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass and Jeff Ballard on drums, played a performance that left me feeling I had witnessed something special. It was that rewarding feeling of having been in the right time and place; a sensational evening of professional jazz in amicable (if slightly underlit) surroundings, in Stage One at the back of the Garden of Unearthly Delights. Each note was played to perfection and drew strong applause from the keen, near-capacity audience.
Jenny Smith

Dances Of India
The Garage International at NACC, Sun Mar 15
This is performer Shakti’s unashamedly joyful display of Indian dance. All ‘rhythmic footwork, elegant hand gestures, seductive glances and sculpturesque poses’. Shakti tells us at the end that her mother had been responsible for introducing Indian dance to the Japanese audience, and she was continuing this tradition. Joined on stage for much of the time by two other dancers, and sometimes alternating with them, allowing for costume changes to show off some brilliantly coloured outfits. Much less controversial than some of her other performances, at times the dancing and music became Gypsy-like, exuberant and perhaps slightly immodest for what we have come to expect from traditional Indian dancing. Was it great dancing? In Shakti’s words, “Anyone can do it”. Was it entertaining? Yes it was.
Adrian Miller

TinPan Orange
Theater Bosco, Mon Mar 16
Sweet, sweet, sweet… An absolute delight to behold. These are beautifully crafted original songs with an old time feel. Their gorgeous melodies are interwoven with guitar, ukulele and violin. Which give these songs a diverse, might I say world music, feel. Emily is a natural storyteller with an exquisite voice. Her brother Jess takes the lead in some tunes and adds to the beauty with his beautiful harmonies. Alex? Well I hear Alex can play anything with strings. He proved this tonight with his finger picking of the violin, mellifluous Latin guitar and what looked like an electric ukulele. The adoring crowed added to the atmosphere of the Theater Bosco. We tapped and clapped our way through the hour-long set, each song leaving us yearning for the next. A fabulous night indeed!
Edel Perth & Kathryn Barclay

The Baker Suite
The Spiegeltent, Mon Mar 16
There has been some great music presented at this year’s Fringe and this show proved to be a highlight. An augmented version of the band formerly known as The John Baker Duo used the occasion to present songs from their soon-to-be-released second CD. At the core the songs of quietly spoken guitarist and singer John Baker and the lyrical accordion of Gayle Buckby. Add to this their now regular accompaniment of drums and upright bass, as well as some tasty sax and viola. And a special guest appearance by the CD’s producer, pianist and all-round legend Paul Grabowsky. He cannot be complimented enough for his sparkling contributions which lifted the songs to a new level without ever trying to dominate proceedings. The main event remained the new songs, which were a delight; beautifully arranged, exquisitely presented. Clearly a labour of love. Can’t wait for the CD release.
Adrian Miller

I Love You, Bro By Adam JA Cass
The Spiegeltent, Mon Mar 16
Utterly mesmerised, I was unable to take my eyes from the scarily talented Ash Flanders as he held the stage solo for well over an hour. In a piece of writing that explores the dark side of chat room fantasy, writer Adam JA Cass represents the increasingly out of control world of teenage Johnny, an at times vulnerable, yet increasingly manipulative slave to online ‘love’ and sexual desire. As the young, emotionally disturbed teen, Flanders creates a disturbing picture of a young mind spiralling out of control. The use of projected computer imagery across actor and stage highlights the intensity of the character’s immersion in his own created hell. Based on real events and a monologue of the greatest depth, the only disappointment is that this amazing work is presented at the Fringe for one show only.
Rosie van Heerde

Animal Farm
Royalty Theatre, Mon Mar 16
George Orwell’s 1945 novel Animal Farm has been filmed before (twice) but doesn’t immediately seem surefire theatrical material, yet Guy Masterson (also in town in Oleanna) didn’t let that get to him when first working on this one-man, one-night-only performance in 1994. A genuinely brave tour-de-force wherein Masterson plays every character (on a farm where rebellion satirically mirrors the scariest aspects of human society and history) via careful bodily movement and contortion with striking vocal characterisation - from Napoleon the domineering pig to Boxer the hardworking horse to the unnamed, apolitical puss - this is always engrossing, daring and hugely entertaining, with Guy’s smooth, unpretentiously subtle style a true joy to behold. At two hours plus (with an interval) it might have seemed a daunting prospect to some members of the sell-out crowd prior to the show – but this proved one of the true highlights of the entire Fringe, and certainly one of the most extraordinary theatrical performances this reviewer has ever seen.
Mad Dog Bradley

A Carnivale - Cirque De Gymnastique,
Marion Leisure & Fitness Centre, Sat Mar14
In a family show to stir the heart of anyone whose little one has done Cirkidz or the like, the 17 performing groups from South Australia and Queensland demonstrated superbly the wide, creative realm of display gymnastics. Individually themed, with luscious style, the groups entertained and dazzled with tumbling, acrobatics, coordinated gymnastics, ribbons, trampolining, stilt work, German wheels and more. Confidence in movement highlighted the quality choreography. Well-trained, disciplined and dedicated, the performers had fun too, especially in the comedic moments. Varying ages of the performers highlighted the possibilities of the human physique, bringing inspiration to all. Good lighting brought out the vibrant colour of the costumes as well as some fabulous silhouettes. Highly professional solo spots ensured that interest was maintained, and the bumbling MC/clown kept it all good-naturedly rolling along.
Ian Newton & Kate Battersby

The Dirty Brothers Side Show – The Dark Party
Le Cascadeur, Mon Mar 16
Just when you think it’s safe to pry your fingers away from horrified eyes, masochists extraordinaire, The Dirty Brothers, slap them back with their all-out assault on all things ‘normal’. The act is outrageous, macabre and entirely bizarre with a good deal of fun thrown in. Think mouse traps, angle grinders, maggots, staple guns and car batteries – an eclectic mix of implements in anyone’s language yet pure poetry (albeit rather deranged) in the hands of these experts of the very extreme. Theatrical, physical and completely disturbing, this is one show that will be hard to forget. Oh, and beware inviting them to your birthday party.
Rosie van Heerde
The Dirty Brothers Side Show performs The Dark Party at Le Cascadeur until Sat Mar 21.

Jason Pestell Jumps The Shark
Griffins Head (Lounge Bar), Tue Mar 17
Note that this show is rated PG, and true to his daytime persona as a high school teacher, this show doesn’t use vulgarities – quite unusual for a stand-up comic these days, in some ways refreshingly so (though there are a number of slightly blue references along the way). Some interesting and amusing video reminded us of both Happy Days and the idea of jumping the shark. Of course, as well as some quite good puns, there are plenty of amusing jokes and stories and of course some of them do feature bodily fluids and the not-so-fluids. The Griffins Head Lounge Bar was packed to the rafters and interestingly the audience in the front row was relatively safe throughout proceedings. One to take your high school aged children to. Enjoy.
Clayton Werner & Darren
Jason Pestell Jumps The Shark continues at Griffins Head until Sat Mar 21.

Rough For Theatre II
Holden Street Theatres (The Studio), Tue Mar 17
Rough For Theatre II, a one act play, is Samuel Beckett’s simple yet powerful look at the apparent worth of a human life. Two unearthly auditors determine whether or not Croker, a man contemplating suicide, should jump. Guy O’Grady and Kym Begg do a fine job as Morven and Bertrand respectively, demonstrating the characters’ perfunctory approach to their work and lack of insight into the plight of Croker (played by John Ho). The dialogue is, in the main, delivered with a sense of familiarity with the work. The serious undercurrent is still apparent despite the often comic interchanges. The minimalist sound and lighting effects are well managed and the simple set perfectly suits the mood of the play.
David Robinson
Rough For Theatre II by Samuel Beckett continues at Holden Street Theatres until Sun Mar 22.

A Dingo Stole My Latte
The Duke Of York, Sat 28 Feb
Dingo…’s humorous stand-up comics John Lattin, Craig Zee and Phil Denson - all from Australia’s top end - have returned to Adelaide after their successful 2007 Fringe season. John kicked off the night with his amusing investigation into the drug use of Sesame Street characters. Craig, who clearly does not work for Tourism NT, followed. Both were entertaining, but the stand-out was Phil, who sings about some ridiculous yet hysterical topics including his hermaphrodite Aphrodite and men menstruating. Phil is extremely charming and memorable. The three comedians unfortunately had nothing to tie the show together; an MC would have been beneficial, especially to introduce the content of the evening. Although an enjoyable night out, this is certainly not the best comedy around at this year’s Fringe, but “you’ll never never know if you never never go”!
Bobby Goudie
A Dingo Stole My Latte performs at The Duke Of York until Sat Mar 21.

Dark Side Of The Choir
Cavern Club, Sun Mar 1
How to ensure a full house on opening night? Be a hometown choir with 70 members. From the first spine-tingling, joyous crescendo, our charming MC/conductor led audience and choir through thrills and spills in a who’s who of rock classics, a cappella or with band. Ambitious centrepiecemedleys from Dark Side Of The Moon and Jesus Christ Superstar (Michael Gehling’s solo particularly well-handled) were satisfying, sometimes sublime. Beatles’ Blackbird, Cohen’s Hallelujah and Seal’s (strangely Medieval) Kiss From A Rose were perfectly blended, emotion soared with Nic Lock’s solo on Queen’s Teo Toriatte, Fix You made Coldplay sound like the cover band. Balance issues (band/choir and between sections, particularly where tenor melody was overwhelmed by on-mic soprano harmony) and first-night synch wobbles were largely resolved by second set. A wild and haunting show that simply rocked.
Kate Battersby & Ian Newton
Dark Side Of The Choir continues at Cavern Club on Sat Mar 7 and Sun Mar 8.

Marmalade Trio Meets Songbook Trio
The Promethean, Sun Mar 1
Mark Ferguson’s Marmalade Trio is grooving world jazz. Songbook Trio’s Mike Stewart’s swinging saxophone are standards with harmony. This is a duel not to be missed. The difference is jazz styles ensure there is something for everyone. Mark Ferguson’s extraordinary mastery of the piano and the melodica will have you smiling and grooving in your chair. He really does reveal his heart through the music. Conversely Mike Stewart’s trio play the songbook jazz standards with an amazing depth and aptitude. His extraordinary alto saxophone will also get your toes tapping and feet moving. This is music with pure intelligence. Both trios present an awe-inspiring performance. These are some very talented artists, the best which the Adelaide jazz scene has to offer.
Kathryn Barclay and Edel Perth
Marmalade Trio Meets Songbook Trio continues at The Promethean on Thu Mar 5 & Thu Mar 19.

Mark Butler – Let’s Talk About Sex
Electric Light Hotel, Mon Mar 2
Being a sex-ed teacher must be one of the hardest jobs to pull off (no pun intended). But in this instance it’s a rowdy romp, as it’s taught by a Catholic school substitute teacher unsuspectingly thrown into a class of 11 and 12-year-olds. It’s part frank instruction, part nonchalant discussion and part classroom antics. Butler’s persona muses on such titbits as virginity, waxing, nipple hairs and sexual fantasies and intermittently throws in some poignant gender hypocrisies and insecurities for good measure. A stronger sense of impromptu with the audience would just wrap it up nicely, but this is definitely recommended if you’re looking to find out just why a Brazilian rightfully should be named a Chilean and to have a laugh in a forthright classroom.
Jenny Smith
Let’s Talk About Sex continues at Electric Light Hotel until Sat Mar 14.

Old Man River
The Spiegeltent, Sat Feb 28
Rosie Henshaw opened the eclectic set with solo sitar, gradually morphing into the dancey Where Is The Sunshine. Old Man River’s lyrics are simplistic, with almost predictable rhyming but there is an innocence and purity in his performance that is thoroughly engaging. Technical difficulties taken in stride, Old Man River (AKA Ohad Rein) chose to simply abandon the microphone to perform a totally charming rendition of The Wedding Song with Rosie, on a chair, in the middle of the audience. Definitely influenced by the sounds, layering and textures of The Beatles, a tongue-in-cheek Blackbird quote snuck into the end of the bass-driven I Like It Like This. Treating us to a smattering of new songs but including obligatory favourites as the swinging La, Old Man River and band perform as if they are in the midst of a singing meditation with an immense amount of love and joy.
Jenna Bonavita

Scattered Tacks
Theater Bosco, Tue Mar 2
Maybe it’s the lack of soundtrack, inviting distracting babble from outside, the narrow bench seat I’m perched on, or it might be the strained presentation or that my eyes are straining to see the show; lit solely by torchlight. Whatever the cause, Scattered Tacks falls disappointingly short of brilliance. This self-devised piece by Skye and Alex Gellman and Terri Cat Silvertree is a dark, theatrical circus, stripped bare of the sequins and spectacle. The performers pace through a series of absurdist, emotional explorations with an intensity that’s both mesmerising and off-putting. All three performers are clearly talented, and Scattered Tacks is an intriguing and original concept, which could, perhaps, with a little more direction, be a brilliant show. Certainly, I look forward to their future works, but this year’s offering is just slightly too under-cooked to be completely enjoyable.
Inés Reid
Scattered Tacks perform at the Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Theater Bosco until Sun Mar 8.

Abbie Cardwell & Her Leading Men
The Spiegeltent, Mon Mar 2
The trend recently has seen performers taking themselves way too seriously or attempting to look cool and virtually aloof on stage. It seems a rarity to find an artist who is willing to engross themselves in the music and expose a little of their personality. Ms Cardwell is definitely of the latter. Her ‘Leading Men’ consisted of brother, Jeb Cardwell, who treated the audience with superb dobro backing, and tasteful drummer Ashley Davies. Notably, Ashley’s sensitive mallet work helped provide a beautiful build on The Devil In Me.
Obviously enjoying being back in front of a hometown crowd, Abbie returned with a swag of inspired songs and experiences. These fine songs, with a slight country/bluegrass lilt, were delivered with a delightful voice and genuine charisma. Abbie returns to share some insights at a songwriting workshop at the Wheatsheaf Hotel on Sat Mar 18.
Jenna Bonavita

Idea Of North – Up Close And Personal
Higher Ground, Tue Mar 3
An audio feast of sweet luscious voices! Choose your entrée, mains and then wait in anticipation for the dessert. This quartet will delight your sense of taste, as you, the audience, choose the repertoire for the evening. These delicious four part harmonies will entice you, leaving you hungry for more. The recipes are arranged in a way that will make you wonder where they got their ingredients from. A fragrant dish from Korea encourages you to partake in the making of this memorable dish. The Idea Of North takes their name from a 1960s Canadian radio show; they’re witty, inclusive, fun and above all exceptional vocalists. You choose the songs from the menu and leave the rest up to them. You’ll not be disappointed; be prepared to be blown away. Moving and memorable, beautiful a cappella is The Idea Of North.
Edel Perth & Kathryn Barclay
The Idea Of North perform at Higher Ground until Sat Mar 7.

The Revolution Starts Here
Fringe Factory at Queens Theatre (The Big Room), Tue Mar 3
The revolution kicked off right on time. Among dead washing machines sits the squatter, skinny, angry, twitching and disempowered. A journalist and photographer arrive. Casting himself as heroic revolutionary leader, Christopher Saint James waves his manifesto in the air. Profanities fly as other characters make a toilet-bowl-bomb, the space metaphoric for the world stage. Democracy, apathy, dissent, anarchy, middle-class anaesthesia. It’s all corrupt! A sharp, witty, well-crafted play making good use of caricature, the script contrasts the victim, crusader, the undecided and the fair-goer. Players act out the dynamics, manipulations and hierarchies that new political systems develop. A confronting send-up of overzealous activists and just about every group in society. A short, snappy satire of world politics. If you don’t go, “You’re unAustralian. That’s what you are!”
Angie Starr & Kimberley Mann
The Revolution Starts Here continues at Fringe Factory until Sun Mar 8.

Mother, Wife And The Complicated Life
The Promethean, Tue Mar 3
A one-woman (with piano accompaniment) show of songs about marriage, childbirth, motherhood and the whole damn experience told in a down to earth and amusing way. Who’d have thought that sleep deprivation, morning sickness and renovations would be the stuff of fine cabaret? A capacity, mainly female audience (I counted only a dozen blokes) laughed along in recognition as romantic dreams turned to the reality of married life. I reckon the blokes laughed just as hard. Clever parodies of songs like Baby Love and All By Myself kept the laughter coming. Only problem was I couldn’t work out whether the songs I didn’t recognise were originals or just parodies of songs I didn’t know. Professional and engaging, there is a big enough audience out there for this show to be a hit.
Adrian Miller
Mother, Wife And The Complicated Life continues at The Promethean on Wed Mar 18 and Fri Mar 20.

Robyn Habel
The Spiegeltent, Tue Mar 3
The Fool Is Me is the first original-penned track from Robyn’s long awaited third solo CD offering Sun Come Shine. It also kicked of this live set of heartfelt, well-crafted songs with catchy hooks, solid melodies and strong pop sensibilities. Damien Eldridge, one of Adelaide’s finest drummers, anchored grooves throughout the night with dynamic attacks and contrasting delicate playing when needed. Ms Habel’s band of merry men, The Rain, were generously all given feature solos but more importantly leant support and arrangement diversity to some cracker songs. Robyn’s good humoured performance ranged from the emotionally tender, piano accompanied Dear Abby to the poignant and cathartic Air And Time to a straight up rock chick belting of Good Friday and culminating with a gritty, near psychotic Patti Smith intensity for the most enjoyable Beatles encore selection Oh! Darling. Robyn Habel, the dynamo, is back! For more goss, gigs and updates visit <robynhabel.com.au>.
Jenna Bonavita

Classical Indian Hindu Temple Dance
The Garage International at North Adelaide Community Centre, Tue Mar 3
45 minutes is not long to traverse the cycle of life, but Shakti does a convincing job of it in her program of four dances. The opening temple dance from Orissa invokes the powers of the universe and invites them into the soul. We are quickly mesmerised by dynamic footwork, intricate arm/hand movements and graceful strength in classical poses, accompanied by tabla-driven recorded music. Against a bare backdrop, clever lighting provides a troupe of twirling, leaping shadow dancers. Shakti’s spoken introductions are perfectly chosen to bridge any cultural divide. A frisky dance of spring followed by a seductive dance of love set the scene for the glorious ‘final dance of ultimate liberation’ signifying an ending – to a night of dance, or perhaps a life – and we are left breathless and uplifted.
Kate Battersby & Ian Newton
Classical Indian Hindu Temple Dance performs at The Garage International on Sat Mar 21.

Pie Charts And Panties
Holden Street Theatres, Wed Mar 18
This is a program of two superb works of text, dance and physical theatre, the first of which, 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Pie Charts, takes us into the business world, where two suited men are at war, competing for the next rung up the corporate ladder. Adam Jackson and Josh Mitchell created and performed the work, opening with one speaking in distorted jargon to the audience, as if at an investment seminar, the other changing the slide on an overhead projector. They take us through a hilarious, knockabout day in the office. The second piece, Frilly Knickers, adds Kathleen Skipp and Ben Leeks, who co-choreographed the work, and Emma Vaiano. The five performers bring the can-can into the 21st century via a marvellous series of contrasting episodes. Together, these two works add up to an enjoyable and satisfying performance filled with energy, excitement, humour and considerable talent.
Barry Lenny  

Virus
Adelaide Centre For The Arts, Wed Mar 18
This work, choreographed by Aidan Kane Munn, is inspired by Japanese anime and set in the remains of a distorted city, where the mutated citizens have been exposed to a virus and finally saved from extinction at the last moment by an engineered antivirus. Ninian Donald and Rachel Mendham interact with, and reflect, the rear projected visuals in an intricate synergy. Costuming and, in particular, hairstyling that you have to see to believe, adds greatly to the anime feel. The movements of the dancers have been contrived to give that same cartoon effect and they often adopt poses matching those of the characters projected on the screen behind them. This excellent and innovative work could benefit from, and deserves, more development time to consolidate and critically edit what is extant and to expand on its thematic material. This is already a terrific piece and has the potential to be even better.
Barry Lenny  

The Shouting Fence
Opera Studio, Thu Mar 19
Operatu, partnering Tutti Ensemble and State Opera, is presenting its first production, a cantata for professional singers and community choirs written by Richard Chew and Orlando Gough. The community of Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights, was divided by a fence during the war, trapping villagers on either side and isolating people from their workplaces, schools and other family members. Every Friday, families assemble on either side of the fence and shout their news to one another through loudhailers. A strongly evocative set recreates this division, dividing both performers and audience. Eleven songs tell true stories in this poignant and emotionally disturbing work. What is almost a theatrically powerful ending leads on to a defusing of tension and a tiny glimpse of hope. There are wonderfully committed performances from the many singers and all involved are to be congratulated on their courageous efforts in presenting this powerful and difficult piece.
Barry Lenny

The Twoks
The Spiegeltent, Tue Mar 17
Both musical precision and job satisfaction were on show in the Garden’s lovely Spiegeltent on this particular night, when the enthusiastic and professional duo, The Twoks, quietly hit the stage. The pair, comprising Xani Kolac on electric violin and drummer Tom Gannon, clearly delight in their world music, and deserved greater numbers than the half-full tent who showed up. The pair’s sounds were as diverse as their themes, from a spine tinglingly gentle cover of Prince’s Little Red Corvette to an angrier Here Come The Sharks. Gannon was the perfect gentle complement to Kolac’s gorgeous voice and red-skirted, red-haired, electric strength. Neither too greedy for attention, nor too shy to demonstrate his diverse talents, he was easy to watch and listen to; especially during his solo when he caught the crowd up in the fun.
Jenny Smith

Free Man Of Colour
The Odeon, Wed Mar 18
This is no smash-and-grab cavalcade of lights, sounds and action; this is a play for people willing to sit down and listen. Rob Croser directs this tale of the first African-American to attend the University Of Ohio. John Newton Templeton is an ex-slave who, under the mentorship of university president Robert Wilson and his wife Jane, gradually discovers the true reason for his being there. Free Man Of Colour runs for over two hours and is driven almost exclusively by dialogue. The three actors do a great job in moving towards the climax of the story, delivering incisive and moving performances. The effective costumes and attractive set help paint the full picture, but ultimately it is the strength of the principles that carry this work off. Free Man Of Colour deserves to be watched by attentive audiences.
David Robinson

Death In Bowengabbie
The Tuxedo Cat, Wed Mar 18
Not one death but several. The remaining residents of Bowengabbie are mostly elderly – the young ones have almost all left, including Oscar, who returns for a funeral. This one-man short play finds Oscar confronting all that he left behind. This could have been the stuff of serious soul-searching drama, but is instead a rich, dark, hilarious comedy! Much of the humour comes from the residents choosing to celebrate each funeral as a theme party, depending on the hobbies or interests of the deceased. Such as a nautical theme, even though Bowengabbie is nowhere near the sea. Oscar finds himself bewildered but increasingly drawn to the place. A rekindled love interest from school days, though he is engaged to be married within weeks. An ambitious rival. A suspicion that the deaths may not be natural. It’s all there in a brilliant mix. The only thing missing is a dull moment.
Adrian Miller

Greg Fleet – Where’s My Pony?
Rhino Room (Upstairs), Wed Mar 18
Greg Fleet has always been a monologue man – a storyteller, as his 21 years of the Adelaide Fringe will attest. Where’s My Pony? had no theme, but there were plenty of stories to be had. Much of his time was spent praising Adelaide, dull as our little town may seem to outsiders, and rejoiced in bogan conversations that makes an Aussie an Aussie. We also discovered some hidden ‘Fleety’ talents; he’s the voice of the yellow dog in the Home Hardware ad, not to mention his part in the Cornetto ad, but he also has a hand in singing. Mick Moriarty (The Gadflys/GUD) played guitar for two Fleety tunes – The Tree Frog Song and My Emphysema Girl – giving a cabaret version of the show only to be seen at this evening’s performance. Tech guy and fellow comedian, Michael Bowley, also put in an impromptu five minutes of hilarious stand-up. As for Fleety, it’s not knowing where his stories may be heading; it’s how he gets there that’s so funny!
Catherine Blanch

AC Arts Dance
Main Theatre (AC Arts), Thu Mar 19
The third year graduating dancers from the Adelaide Centre for the Arts present an energetic and dedicated contemporary dance performance for this year’s Fringe. These dancers dispel the myth that you need to go interstate to obtain excellent dance training. Choreographed by Brooke Stamp, it begins in an intense and enigmatic manner and moves on later to a more joyful childlike experience. The latter concept was intriguing and vulnerably displayed each of the nine individual dancers’ character. The sound composition and lighting design is proficient, but it is the quality of the dancers and their amazing physical fitness that deserves the ultimate praise.
Bobby Goudie

All Nude Dolphin Love Energy
Jade Monkey, Thu Mar 19
Brett Stokes provides a welcome musical alternative to the normal and mundane. As he puts it, he is “on the fringe of the Fringe”. Stokes songs are thoughtful, sometimes gentle, often meandering and always engaging. Unconsciously, I am sure, Stokes reprises the vocal and musical sound of Ian Curtis and Joy Division, if not the mood. For this series of performances, Stokes is joined by regular on-stage partner Costa, who provides percussive encouragement for each song. Djembe and bongos are the perfect accompaniment for Stokes’ innovative acoustic guitar and vocals. All Nude Dolphin Love Energy is an hour of Stokes’ aural soundscapes. Set in the comfortable surrounds of the Jade Monkey, this show provides an ideal kickstart to a night’s entertainment.
David Robinson

Howard The Musical
Sugar, Thu Mar 19
In exploring the life and times of John Howard, the team that brought you Skit Shared are back once more with a song and a romp down memory lane. From his birth as a bushy-browed babe to (not) playing nicely with Peter Costello in the sandpit, the send ups come thick and fast. The satire is clever, the songs are amusing, yet their seemed something very amateurish about the whole evening. Links between skits seemed clumsy and some characterisations were less than they could have been (imagine giving a guernsey to Alexander Downer and NOT including those fishnets!). Highlights were the SBS presenter with her ‘cheesy’ comments and Howard himself was rather delightful. Witty moments for sure.
Rosie van Heerde

Reflections - Zephyr Quartet
Art Gallery Of SA, Fri Mar 20
It is hard to believe that the Zephyr Quartet are celebrating their first decade, but that is what this concert is about, revisiting some of their past works. Zephyr is not your average string quartet, performing works from the standard repertoire, although that is well within their capabilities. This is a vibrant, exciting group that goes much further, pushing boundaries, exploring new ways of working and writing their own music, as this concert revealed. The quartet - Belinda Gehlert and Emily Tulloch, violins, Anna Webb, viola and Hilary Kleinig, cello - worked in this concert with artist, Jo Kerlogue, painting to the music of Philip Glass, poets, Yahia Al-Samaway and Rob Walker, and they also presented works by Australian composers Zoë Barry and Fiona Hill, as well as pieces by Gehlert and Kleinig. The performance was, as expected, superb. The quartet has also established a younger audience for chamber music, for which they must be congratulated.
Barry Lenny

Facing Death
Mercury Cinema, Sat Mar 21
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross described five phases through which people go when suffering grief. This work is based on those steps; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Devised by Mary Walker the work is, as one would expect, poignant and full of emotion. To a percussive musical background, played live on stage, the seven performers combine drama and dance to convey these steps in the grieving process. For the most part, this is successful but, with such a young cast and production team, one cannot help feeling that some more experienced, professional advice would be useful in clarifying some sections and helping to overcome some less engaging sections. It is a worthy project and certainly deserves to be more fully developed and polished. The performers offer some excellent work and are clearly dedicated in their efforts. A little refining would make this an even more important work. A brave effort by this new group.
Barry Lenny

Not-So-Secret Bridesmaid’s Business
Fringe Factory at 151 Hindley Street, Sun Mar 22
Cliché is piled upon cliché as Hayley Ramsay appears as the eternal bridesmaid and wedding singer, now left alone on the shelf as her best friend marries. The bridesmaid’s speech is followed by the bride’s gloating response. As the bridesmaid, once again, catching the bouquet easily as the only remaining single girl at the wedding, she cries into her rapidly vanishing drink and gorges on wedding cake before passing out. Her piano accompanist, Like Hales, finally finds the courage to express his love, only to find she was comatose. If your show revolves around songs, being able to sing would seem to be a prerequisite. It would also seem necessary to understand comic timing. Ramsay falls rather short in both areas. Her voice is soft, barely filling the small venue, and her intonation is inaccurate. The spoken sections lack pace and, again, her voice needs more projection. This has unfulfilled potential.
Barry Lenny

Chillie Files
Queen’s Arms Hotel, Sat Mar 21
I arrived early at the Queen’s Arms and queued for ages in order to get a seat close to the stage, only to find that the front half of the venue was covered with ‘reserved’ signs. Shortly after, a group of pig-ignorant women filed in and decided to stand to watch the show, blocking the view of half the audience. Several appeals to management and staff did no good. One critic said quite loudly, “I have written my review” and walked out, about five minutes into the performance. My guest and I did likewise. Speaking to staff on the way out resulted in a sad attempt at passing the buck. Add to this the dreadful squeaks and squawks from the sound system, that was hovering between bursts of ear-splitting noise and inaudibility, this amounted to the worst thing that I have encountered in 15 years as a critic. What little I did catch of the performances was as bad as the venue and the sound system but by this stage, I was furious and hardly in a receptive frame of mind. Hell hath no fury like a critic who can’t see or hear.
Barry Lenny  

JesuzTones - Humorous Is Maximus
Skycity Casino (The Loft), Fri Mar 20
A most unusual Fringe venue. Anthony has the makings of a comedian. He is careful to try to interact with his audience and to develop some rapport, but I don’t know why it was the end of the show before he brought out a couple of song parodies. He has a good voice, could easily sexy these up and a bit more work on making the lyrics punchier could easily see this part of his show as quite memorable. I’d suggest a bit more preparation to the show than just chucking some funny stories into his little bag and remembering that many of the audience will live in or have friends, relatives and work colleagues who live in the local suburbs that he belittles - or possibly even be grey or gay. Better value than the pokies nearby.
Clayton Werner

Ménage À Trio Do Stravinsky
The Promethean, Fri Mar 20
The Promethean is a gem of a small venue, stylishly and simply renovated, that reopened some 18 months ago to host special music events. And special this performance was, by rising stars Anna Coleman on clarinet, Holly Bennett on violin and Christopher Lian-Lloyd on piano. Their opening offering – a Khachaturian trio for clarinet, violin and piano – could have been written for them and was this reviewer’s pick of the night. The playing was tight, sensual, vibrant, absolutely precise and simply thrilling with wonderful dialogue between clarinet and violin. The following suite from Milhaud showcased to perfection the surprising range of these young musicians. The finale, comprising five selections from Stravinsky’s Histoire Du Soldat, was naturally brilliant, culminating in a Danse Du Diable as exciting as one could wish. Program notes were helpful, occasional submergence of violin beneath resonant piano forgivable. We loved it.
Kate Battersby & Ian Newton

Bobby Flynn & The Omega 3
The Spiegeltent, Fri Mar 20
A near capacity crowd was treated to the soulful sounds of Bobby Flynn and his four-piece band The Omega 3 (so enthusiastic they started without him!). I was impressed by the quality of his voice and he sings with a shit-load of soul. The kookiness seems to have been left behind, but the sight of Bobby in a smart dark suit and tie seemed a little dour. Despite extensive touring he appeared uncomfortable talking to the audience and this was sometimes left to other band members. The band provided excellent support; tight, enthusiastic and adventurous. The setlist was taken from his current album Out Front, some fine songs limited only by a slight sense of sameness. Having started early, the rest of the band also left early, leaving Bobby and guitarist Zac Armytage to end proceedings with some tasty guitar soundscapes.
Adrian Miller

Dave Hughes Is Handy
Thebarton Theatre, Sat Mar 21
Sporting a cut on his forehead, Dave Hughes explains the cons of going to the toilet in a hotel room that he didn’t navigate so well in the dark. Ouch! Hughesy starts his show by ranting about all the things that are on his mind and all the things that piss him off – in true Hughesy Loses It-style as he does on Channel Ten’s Rove Live. From where I sit, I can see veins bulging from his neck and one could be forgiven for thinking that he is close to having a coronary! However, for all his hilarious ravings, his humour remains up-to-the-minute. The best thing was seeing Hughesy get spooked. He was about to give SA bikies a serving when a cheer came from the audience – from a bikie – and Hughesy stopped in his tracks, stirred nervously, and promptly moved onto something else. No amount of coaxing could get him to go back to it. Hughesy – always good value for your laughing dollar!
Catherine Blanch

Adam Hills – Inflatable
Thebarton Theatre, Sat Mar 21
Easily one of Adelaide’s favourite adopted sons, Adam Hills, complete with AUSLAN sign interpreter Leanne Beers, performs to a capacity crowd and you know people are there simply because he is Adam Hills and you know it’s going to be a fantastic ride. Complete with 24 large purple balloons behind him, Adam shares all the things he has learnt over his years of touring overseas, including the importance of Bon Jovi music in helping the World Peace Crisis and the real reason Starbucks closed in Adelaide: because nothing can complete with Adelaide’s own Farmers Union Iced Coffee! Adam also explains why Red Bull and Panadol is no way to treat appendicitis! However, mostly Inflatable was about those people in his world – the world – that inflate the people around them and make them happy. He, himself, is an Inflator: bringing fun and laughter to people in all the mediums of his media and comedy career. The show was dedicated to three other Inflators; two close friends that have passed over and Adelaide’s own radio legend John Vincent AKA Ken Oath who is currently ill in hospital. Go you big red inflatable fire engines! And, thanks for the laughs!
Catherine Blanch

Jay Hoad Band
Cafe Komodo, Fri Mar 20
Listed as being a mix of funk, blues and world music sounds, I must admit that I ventured out to the fantastically groovy setting of Prospect’s Cafe Komodo with a certain level of anticipation. While I’m quite open to share my excitement about good music, I’m actually not much of an excitable person and for something to impress me indicates it is extra special. With that fact in mind, it’s with a certain level of gravity that I say Jay Hoad Band blew me away! Local lad Jay Hoad has been working his craft nicely around the world and, now based in the US, only makes it home once a year. But I’m sure glad he and his band did! Their mix of super-tight funky grooves, jazzy interludes with plenty of sax solos, brilliantly fat basslines and excellent punchy drums and percussion won me over instantly. Add to that the occasional use of instrumentation like didgeridoo, lap-steel guitar, flute, and djembes, and you’re really on a winner. From rock to reggae, blues to funk and everything in between, this is raw talent at its best!
Luke Balzan

Mujahid Ahmed Is On African Time
Nexus Cabaret, Sat Mar 21
As a world music aficionado, I must admit that I am a bit partial to things coming from Africa. From food to fashion and obviously music, I certainly have an affinity for African culture. Now, I can add comedy to that list of African loves. Mujahid Ahmed is an immigrant from Sudan, who, after living in Australia for eight years, considers himself a mix of both African and Aussie culture. While this seems unassuming, it certainly has laughable consequences. Muj’s (as he prefers to be called) stories about settling into the Australian way of life are guaranteed to leave you in stitches! The laughs keep coming as stories about Muj’s fellow African friends and family abound and brilliant use of visual aids and slide shows keep the momentum flying. Facing a packed house, Muj was on fire and showed no signs of stopping! His interesting Q&A session at the end of the show was also great, being both educational and rather humorous. Muj is definitely a rising star; be sure to check out his take on black comedy soon!
Luke Balzan

BrotherSister
Ed Castle, Fri Mar 6
Adelaide sibling duo Dante and Xavia Nou, aptly named BrotherSister, seem to have the atmospheric experimental indie folk genre down to a fine art. So to do something a bit different for the Fringe, the pair eschewed their traditional instruments in favour of a computer, a sampler and a keyboard. And it turns out that not only are they talented musicians and singers, but truly gifted producers and electronic artists as well. The songs themselves were beautifully realised live remixes of BrotherSister tracks, the resulting marriage of electronica and their atmospheric folk rock turning out like early Massive Attack and Portishead, only prettier. All the while, Dante’s mesmerising yet constantly shifting landscape animation was projected on the wall behind the two, offering the perfect complement to the duo’s breathtaking aural soundscape. While the electronic set was a one-off, the following two shows promise to be just as special, with the series culminating in an epic full band finale.
Liam Sharrad
BrotherSister play the Ed Castle on Fri Mar 13 and Fri Mar 20.

Being Rich
Sugar, Thu Mar 5
Adelaide stand-up comic Rich Naberhood grew up in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, so as predicted his routine was comprised of all the usual bogan stereotypes. Rich provided an insight into being born and bred in the ‘posh’ northern suburbs of Adelaide. Only a few people raised their hands when Rich asked if anyone lived in the north, but these were the folks who laughed the hardest. His repertoire was based around the expected: different types of drunks, Munno Para Shopping Centre, single mums, prison, unemployment, inbreeding, the TAB and crime. Yet he also addressed other relevant issues in day-to-day life. While much of his material was on the familiar side, he is a likeable, down to earth Aussie with a certain bogan charm who had no trouble laughing at himself and his suburb. He simply took ordinary, everyday situations and added a spin of humour and lightheartedness to them.
Alexandra Nowak
Being Rich continues at Sugar until Sat Mar 21.

Oleanna
Fringe Factory (The Big Room), Fri Mar 6
Massively-acclaimed if mean-spirited playwright David Mamet’s theatrical works are often hard to watch for audiences but sensational stuff for actors, and his Oleanna (penned in 1992) was certainly given much heart and venom by Guy Masterson and Joanne Hartstone. Barely-named in the minimalist action, Carol and John are student and uni lecturer, and we proceed through three phases in their disastrous academic interrelationship: the initial meeting, as she freaks about not understanding the intellectual pomposity of tertiary study (and John’s book); the resultant get-together, as she discusses the charges she’s laid against him and Mamet’s favourite topics come nastily to the fore (the perils of political correctness, intricately harmful games played with sexuality, and how men and women utilise power); and the very satisfying - if deeply unpleasant - resolution. Arguably already somewhat dated and with evidence of DM’s characteristic misogyny - but Hartstone and, especially, Masterson are fine and fabulously fraught.
Mad Dog
Oleanna continues at the Fringe Factory until Sun Mar 22.

George Kapiniaris: Rockstar
The Cavern Club, Sat Mar 7
For those dismissing a George Kapiniaris show as being just like an RAA advertisement stretched out over an hour, you’re wrong. It’s actually like an RAA ad stretched out over two hours, and with much higher levels of profanity. Which is obviously brilliant! Playing to a packed out Cavern Club, George proved Adelaide is still in love with the comedic scamp, delivering laughs over the course of a marathon performance. If you have tickets, arrive early because these are capacity performances. Portraying a man’s battle between midlife crisis and responsibility, Kapiniaris’ latest show is still primarily ethnic jokes and simple, delightful word play. A few of his jokes are in musical format and the stories of his plummet into fatherhood are fantastic. For those simply wishing to immerse themselves into the George Kapiniaris experience you will not walk away disappointed.
Brad McNaughton
George Kapiniaris: Rockstar continues at The Cavern Club until Sat Mar 21.

The Best Of The Fest Late Show
The Gov, Fri Mar 6
Starting at 10.30pm and lasting well beyond midnight, Late Show at the Gov continues its reputation for showcasing the funniest array of comedians in a night. No one came away disappointed with Mike Klimczak, Trevor Crook, Sam Simmons and headliner Harley Breen, plus - host for the evening - the talented Geordie Jason Cook. A satisfying variety of comedy was dished up ranging from dry observations to the occasional full-blown musical. Being the Late Show there was of course plenty of questionable material. Cook played the role of host outstandingly: ensuring energy levels remained high, getting the audience involved and being hilarious to boot. Although, he did stop short during his joke about fingering a midget because “there’s reviewers in”. Alas... Overall Late Night is great value. In two hours you’re guaranteed laughs, or at least some new facts about genitals.
Brad McNaughton
The Best Of The Fest Late Show continues at The Governor Hindmarsh, Fridays and Saturdays until Sat Mar 21.

Shaggers
Tuxedo Cat, Sat Mar 7
Shaggers gets going well after midnight, but the audience doesn’t mind. The show is naturally about shagging, but the collected comics also cover bad relationships, bad art, family embarrassments, sex shows, sex toys, cartoon characters and strippers. The cast can vary; on this night host Nik Coppin is his amiable, hilarious self, mixing it immediately with the crowd. On comes Bart Freebairn (Doppelganger), with some superb characterisations and whippy one-liners. Dave Bloustein suffers by comparison; nothing could prepare us for the superb Marcel Lucont. He is devastating in his smooth, laconic French dismissal of Australian lack of sexual sophistication, and gives a withering review of the sculpture show Cunts. Finally John Burgos (from A Dingo Stole My Latte) takes the stage for 10 minutes of high-octane, no-bullshit Ocker humour. Yet another top show delivered by the crew at Tuxedo Cat – no frills, intimate and possibly the best comedy venue of the Fringe. Go shag – it’s highly recommended.
Harry Starboard
Shaggers continues at Tuxedo Cat until Sun Mar 22.

The Rhino Room Late Show
Rhino Room, Fri Mar 6
On this night, host and MC Justin Hamilton outshone his collected guests. Dave Thornton was very good; Adam Richard verged on tedious. Tom Gleeson’s spot ground to a halt after a few minutes as he was heckled. Nothing strange about that, and he responded with some withering put-downs, but as the whole episode dragged on and on, one felt Gleeson became a bit too precious about it all and should have just got back to his routine. Mickey D came with an enormous reputation as raw and edgy, but his comedy didn’t live up to the billing. After all, how many gags can you tell about incest and child sexual abuse before it just becomes plain dull? The answer is a lot fewer than Mickey D subjected us to. Get some new material son. Lehmo has one or two decent gags but one wonders if we might not all have been better off had he not given up that day job.
Harry Starboard
The Rhino Room Late Show continues until Sat Mar 21.

The Cagebirds
The Theatre On Ifould, Fri Mar 6
Entering the theatre courtyard one begins the journey into the world of the gilded cage. Subtle guitar and drum music sets the mood while three murmuring actors move amongst the assembling crowd with an air of sinister seduction. Inside, we plunge straight into the world of The Mistress and her pampered ‘bamboles’ living in their cage of luxury, breathtaking set design using the cage motif to full potential. Fantastically costumed (except the mostly-unclothed Regular Thump), characters reveal their total self-obsession in witty dialogue and set-piece choreography. The Wild One’s naive idealism (dramatically underplayed by Julia Battistella, contrasting with the constructed camp of her fellow creatures) demands the cage’s inhabitants confront the corrupt sleaze of their satiated, decaying personalities, culminating in a violence chilling in its casualness. The ensemble gelled, Ormsby’s Medicated Gloom, Rice’s Guzzler and Amodeo’s Constant Twitting were standouts. Entertaining, political, recommended.
Ian Newton

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience
Quality Old Adelaide Hotel, Fri Mar 6
The evening began with the audience being herded upstairs to dinner by a screaming Sybil, confused Basil and utterly clueless Manuel – a fantastic start to one of the funniest shows you’ll see at the Fringe. Sybil was shrewish, shrill and completely delightful as she spent the evening serving food while attempting to keep Basil and Manuel under control. As diners tucked into their three course meal, it wasn’t long before mayhem reigned via false fire alarm drills, missing dentures a la soup, wayward rats etc. The wonderfully bewildered Manuel was a walking disaster, while Basil managed to remain brilliantly rude whilst fawning over his guests. Skilfully performed, this is an experience not to be missed.
Rosie van Heerde
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience performs at Quality Old Adelaide Hotel & Strathmore Hotel until Sun Mar 22.

Jason Chong’s Why The Bloody Hell Aren’t Ya?
Rhino Room Downstairs, Fri Mar 6
Jason Chong’s goal to encourage people to donate blood is highly commendable and well supported by a show that is both funny and fact-laden. Using a mixture of song, PowerPoint and personal anecdotes, Chong easily entertains and engages his audience in his drive to make a donor out of everyone. Descriptions of his various ‘donor’ experiences could have been scary but such is his ability to convey the funny in just about anything, that one isn’t put off in the slightest. Testament to this was the number of people lining up after the show to add their names to his ever-growing donors list. A bloody brilliant show for a great cause.
Rosie van Heerde
Jason Chong’s Why The Bloody Hell Aren’t Ya? performs at Rhino Room until Sat Mar 21.

The Planets
Pilgrim Uniting Church, Fri Mar 6
Despite the piano duet score being the original version of English composer Gustav Holst’s best-known work, I took my seat wondering just how two instruments could possibly convey the myriad aspects of the orchestral work. I needn’t have wondered; Thomas Saunders and Andrew Georg played beautifully; the mood of each of the seven movements was effectively conveyed. I was amazed that the nuances of the orchestral suite could still largely be found in this performance. It is a credit to Holst as a composer, and to the two gentlemen playing on Friday evening, that the full majesty of the piece was readily apparent. The house lights could have been turned off to enhance the ambience, and those who chose to bring young children might have been better advised to stay home, but the music won the day.
David Robinson

Renee Geyer
The Spiegeltent, Sat Mar 7
Renee Geyer, by her own admission, has been performing to appreciative crowds for the best part of four decades. I could feel the crackle of anticipation in the air as a tightly-packed Spiegeltent awaited her arrival. Backed by the accomplished Jeff Burstin and Bruce Haymes, Geyer delivered a solid set of eight songs that showcased what she does best – sing! Geyer possesses a great voice and she used it well, presenting a range of standards and a couple of her hits to keep the punters happy. There was plenty of banter, and a little audience participation, but it was the presentation of the songs that remained the key to the evening’s success. The band built their sound around Geyer’s soulful vocals, while still allowing themselves to show their musical worth to the audience.
David Robinson

Chopper’s Fuckin’ Bingo Starring Heath Franklin
The Spiegeltent, Sat Mar 7
Not one for the blue-rinse set, Heath Franklin as Chopper (from TV’s The Ronnie Johns Half Hour) does a ripper job of calling bingo, along with some musical assistance from a neck-braced Sammy J (see Sammy J – 1999 in Theater Bosco). Also lending a hand is his drug addict niece Jenny (Felicity Ward’s Ugly As A Child Variety Hour in The Pod) whose job it is to have a bong every time a double number is called. There’s no “Two Little Ducks – 22” here, expect something more like “Dinner For Two – 69”, while the winner of the round has to shout “A bingo stole my baby!” There was plenty of banter, some fun and games with audience members, and more swearing than you’ll ever hear on a building site – even if all of them had slammed their hands with a hammer! Fuckin’ hilarious!
Catherine Blanch
Chopper’s Fuckin’ Bingo’s final (non sold-out) show takes place at Royalty Theatre on Sun Mar 22 at 5.30pm.

Wil Anderson - Wilosophy
The Spiegeltent, Sun Mar 8
For Wil’s final evening at The Spiegeltent, and actually the very final show of his entire Wilosophy tour, there was barely breathing room to be had, but that didn’t bother the enthusiastic audience who crammed in there to see Wil speak his Wilosophy on life, love – or the loss of it – and the very bizarre concept of Intelligent Design. As always, Wil was fast-talking, witty, clever and yet unusually open about his private life. He even cracked himself up a couple of times with his personal admissions. Wil Anderson is his own review really – the laughter and the atmosphere within The Spiegeltent would have shown everybody standing outside how much fun we were all having! If you weren’t in the audience of this laughter-packed show, then like The Court Of King Caracticus, it’s just passed you by. However, have no fear; he’ll be back with a new show one day.
Catherine Blanch

Frente
The Spiegeltent, Sat Feb 21
On the second of a two-night stint, mistakes, nerves and forgotten words could only add to the magic of an evening with Angie Hart and Simon Austin. After a four-year break the two made the most of the cabaret intimacy of a crowded Spiegeltent, enticing an adoring audience to participate in Frente’s quirky and endearing pop. In a set littered with gems Bizarre Love Triangle was a predictable show stopper, the simple and delicate arrangement still capable of raising goose bumps. Between-song chat was mostly lively and light, such as claims of being locked in a room and forced to write graceful pop ditty Ordinary Angels. Hart ended the night by introducing Accidentally Kelly Street as a song “I still fucking hate”, proving that while she still has the voice of an angel, she really doesn’t feel the need to wear those wings.
Troy Foster

Last Bucket Of Water
Le Cascadeur, Fri Feb 20
It has come to this. The last remaining water anywhere, contained in a single bucket. Sadly the task of preserving the last bucket of water and therefore the future of the race rests with a trio of idiots who are frankly a bit of a worry.
A flimsy pretext perhaps, but plenty of scope for antics ranging from slapstick to a more cerebral, gently absurd humour and improvised silliness. Chaos abounds as Robby, self-appointed then democratically elected leader, takes seriously the task at hand, but must be ever vigilant against Adam and Tegan, who seem hell-bent on using the water for their own purposes. Adam gets many laughs with his sense of the ridiculous, while Tegan appears at times to be a voice of reason, but not always! I sensed that they would prefer more interplay with the audience than they managed on this first night, but this should pick up as the season continues.
Adrian Miller
Last Bucket Of Water continues at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Le Cascadeur until Sun Mar 8.

There.
There, Sat Feb 21.
As one climbs up and inside the cramped little shipping container that is ‘There’, one could be forgiven for thinking something bizarre was probably about to happen. With instincts clearly well honed, I spent the next 40 minutes being mostly confused yet more often amused by the weird storyline(?) and the manic physicality of its two fine actors. From the outset, where two pairs of fingers appear to meet under torchlight (think Thing Finds A Friend), it was always going to be a challenge to figure out what the hell was going on or indeed, what was going to happen next. From Department Store Homer to Method Miming Gone Mad, perhaps this is a glimpse inside the tragic turmoil of the actor’s mind. Probably not, but who cares if I didn’t really ‘get it’?
Worth a look just to witness superb stage skills in action.
Rosie van Heerde
There. continues at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ There until Sat Mar 21.

The Amazing Drumming Monkeys – Go Bananas!
Puppet Palace, Sat Feb 21
Bongo and Congo are two lovable drumming monkeys who have no trouble getting into the hearts of kids who sit wide-eyed at the front of the stage. With rhythmic beats on their djembes and repetitive song words that are easy for young minds to learn, the musical monkeys had everyone clapping, drumming, dancing and jumping around like kangaroos and monkeys. The kids loved the frog leaping into the pond – even more when it actually made it – and couldn’t wait to see what the little white monkey was hiding in his cane basket. Put that together with a little magic and some fine positive messages and you've got yourself 30 minutes of high-energy fun for young and old alike.
Catherine Blanch
Go Bananas! continues at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Puppet Palace until Sat Mar 21.

The Boy With Tape On His Face
Theater Bosco, Sat Feb 21
It’s easy to see why this boy (Sam Wills from New Zealand) was nominated Best Newcomer in Melbourne’s 2008 Comedy Festival. Without a word, he manages to be cheeky, endearing and engaging; his antics backed by a funky French-influenced soundtrack to keep the show rolling. A silent shrug of his shoulders, exasperated roll of an eye or twitch of the head is all he needs; he’s understood perfectly by his audience. When he wants to sing, he brings to life instead the most innocuous objects; by the end of the night he’ll strew shoes, wigs and jackets over the floor, but he won’t let go of your attention.
It’s no small feat with not a word uttered, but one this boy controls with a very capable blend of charm and cheek, leaving you feeling entertained, engaged and endeared to him.
Jenny Smith
The Boy With Tape On His Face performs at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Theater Bosco until Sun Mar 8.

Puppets Break Out!
Puppet Palace, Sat Feb 21
Quashed by the evil and somewhat smelly puppet-maker, five marionettes escape from the crowded box where they are carelessly strewn together to find a new life. Tiny Poppy is the first to break free, closely followed by the others. Some flee to the beach to take in the sunset and fresh air, others head for the city to soak up the atmosphere; all of them are in awe of the new sights they see. Soon they are re-captured, but Poppy helps the puppet-maker to see the erring of his ways.
Puppets Break Out! is a heart-warming story with a happy ending. The marionettes are finely made and the live score by Jess Ribiero is a great storytelling tool. Bringing the musicians out front would really tie the whole performance together nicely.
Catherine Blanch
Puppets Break Out! continues at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Puppet Palace until Sat Mar 1.

Gothic Punch & Judy
Puppet Palace, Sat Feb 21.
Want a tip on how to spend a fabulous 30 minutes of Fringe time? Check out the puppet shows, especially those of the adult variety. There is just something about puppetry that can take a seriously dodgy storyline (by modern standards of course) and use it to thoroughly entertain a room full of supposedly mature adults. Who would have thought a 21st century audience could still find laughter in themes of domestic violence, capital punishment and cop bashing? (All very popular in medieval times, apparently.) Only a really good Punch & Judy could get away with it, and this is exactly what delights the mind and tickles the funny bone in us all.
It is quite mind-boggling to imagine the level of skill required to operate numerous puppets, not to mention switching voices simultaneously, while maintaining the comic timing necessary to induce in grown adults the uncontrollable giggles. The Puppet-master delivers a masterful performance.
Rosie van Heerde
Gothic Punch & Judy continues at Puppet Palace until Sat Mar 21.

The Barons Of Tang
The Spiegeltent, Sat 21 Feb
Starting an hour later than advertised due to earlier programming delays meant that people in the queue got frustrated and left. They missed a great show. The delay didn’t seem to bother the band - in fact they looked as if they were entirely at home shaking down the early hours of the morning. And a floor full of fans remained to get the sweatfest started from the first note. The music is a raucous mix of tango and Gypsy rhythms mangled by a punk attitude (think Pogues belting their way through a repertoire of Reinhardt and Piazzolla!). An array of tasty instruments includes accordion, upright bass, tuba (yes tuba!), sweet violin interchanged with hard-edged guitar, clarinet with sax, drums and energetic percussion. Lurching between moments of blissful ambience and frenetic hyperactivity, all seven performers remained very busy throughout, clearly enjoying themselves. Dizzying to watch. Sensational to dance to. Great fun.
Adrian Miller

Club Cascadeur
Club Cascadeur, Sat Feb 21
Welcome to a playground for a variety of Garden performers to try new skits and entertain in a venue separate to their assigned Garden acts. It’s bawdily compered by a sultry drag-queen from Samoa and a skinny guy from the sixties; their competitive comparing increase as the night rolls on. You can imagine actors adorned with very big afro wigs, lots of sparkly eye shadow, drag queens in obscenely tight red body suits with feather boas singing to Sinead O’Connor, lustily performed operatic performances and a scantily-clad sailor man with hoops a very nice body. This is the world you will step into, with more performers waiting in the wings, but not to be given away here. Where comedians follow plate spinners and macabre clowns.
Sometimes it succeeds, sometimes it fails, but the hearty enthusiasm for experimentation is there.
Jenny Smith
Club Cascadeur continues at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Le Cascadeur until Sat Mar 21.

David Quirk – Feeling Steve Breathe
The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, The Pod, Sat Feb 21
As Quirk himself notes, early in the evening when things are still light and unlubricated is not the greatest time for stand-up. Yes David Quirk is quirky. He’ll have you believe he’s a nice guy who cares about the state of the world as he takes you down the risky path of extracting laughs from things that should not be funny – like death and suicide. Self-effacing and disarmingly honest, his engaging original style hovers in the area where ‘truth and shallowness collide’. But, it’s not all about the dark side, and you do leave the show feeling good. My guess is David Quirk will be a headline act in the later slots on the program in a year or two. In the meantime go along and help him do something amazing.
Michael Coghlan
Feeling Steve Breathe continues at The Pod until Sun Mar 8.

Sticks, Stones, Broken Bones
Puppet Palace, Sat Feb 21
How many fabulously crotchety characters can one personable puppeteer present? The answer lies within the Puppet Palace. Shadow puppeteer Geoff has come all the way from Montreal to introduce his black and white characters into the Puppet Palace at this year’s Fringe. With huge sideburns and tiny beanie, his own good-natured real-life character needs few words to capture audience attention, but the real stars of the show are evident when he starts to silhouette his innocuous props.
Geoff transforms a selection of odd-looking objects into fabulously tousled, wild and bushy characters that are in love, in trouble, indifferent, in surgery… and fighting UFOs.
The comic antics on and off-screen are a refreshing change from big-budget blah special effects and highlight a personable character that’s just having fun showing off his personable black and white delights.
Jenny Smith
Sticks, Stones, Broken Bones continues at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Puppet Palace until Sun Mar 8.

Sharon Mahoney In The Last Steel Body
The Pod, Sun Feb 22
Tough gig performing to a small audience late Sunday night, but Sharon Mahoney took up the challenge with admirable gusto. Being Canadian she found it essential to apologise for Celine Dion, with an amusing send-up of that scene and that song from Titanic. But, standard comic fare until she touched on the promised ‘joyride around her dysfunctional family tree’, with the topic turning to her father, a high achiever until becoming an alcoholic (even the AA meeting from which she draws her comedy suggesting he may have been the sanest one there).
The ‘last steel body’ refers to a car once owned by her senile 99-year-old aunt, one of the few things she remembers. Sharon’s own claim to being dysfunctional relates to her being a sufferer from Crohn’s Disease; more educational than hilarious.
Some video footage of her elderly aunt (which is both touching and funny) and some family snaps reveal more about her love for her family, particularly her father, than any real dysfunction.
Adrian Miller
The Last Steel Body continues at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ The Pod until Sun Mar 8.

Sound & Fury – Sherlock Holmes And The Saline Solution
Le Cascadeur, The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, Sun Feb 22
Here are three things I know about Sherlock: his last name was Holmes; he lived on Baker St; and he wore a funny hat (oh, and he’s not real). Turns out that’s about what American trio Sound & Fury know about the famous detective too, but that hasn’t stopped them from putting together a one-hour romp featuring Sherlock, his good friend Watson and a bunch of other gender bending characters. Sound & Fury’s Richard, Shelby and Vinnie bumble through a silly whodunit that makes as much sense as manly nipples with Sherlock, who has a knack for knockers, slipping in more double entendres than Watson can poke a pipe at. It’s a clever, high energy show with more than a few laughs. Forget your numb bum (damn those tent benches!) and the ridiculously convoluted plot - just get ready to ooh, ah, sing along and enjoy the ride.
Michelle Read
Sherlock Holmes And The Saline Solution continues at Le Cascadeur at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights until Sat Mar 21.

Sort Of The Rings
The Pod, The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, Sat Feb 21
After selling out at the 2006 Fringe, Mike Klimczak and Jason Chong’s spooftastic Sort Of The Rings production is back, bigger, better and… well, maybe just sillier than ever. The pair rip through the film version of JRR Tolkien’s fantastical tale, slaying horrific orcs (uh, balloons), staging elaborate slow mo fight scenes (is any theatre spoof complete without a Matrix reference?) and switching between crappy costumes faster than Gollum switches allegiances. Parodying Mount Thebarton, Rove, Clipsal 500 bogans and Dave Hughes (Chong does a better Hughes than Hughsey, although that’s not too hard), together Klimczak and Chong are greater than the sum of their parts, creating a show that is absurdly funny and likeable. Sort Of The Rings is as cheesy as the Cheezel that passes as the prop for the magic Ruling Ring Of Power, but thankfully not as stale.
Michelle Read
Sort Of The Rings continues at The Pod at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights until Sun Mar 8.

The Devil’s In The Detail
Theater Bosco, The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, Sat Feb 21
It probably shouldn’t be possible to find likeable a guy who likes to insert neon tubes down his mouth, past his gag reflex and into his stomach – especially when he puts a mic on the tube so you can not only see, but hear the tube go down in all its gaggy glory. But it is. The Space Cowboy is such an unflappable character that you can’t help but like him as he performs crazy physical feats, bends spoons à la Uri Geller and gets the crowd involved in a little mind reading. In his seventh year at the Adelaide Fringe he’s crying blood, performing “psychic surgery” in a patent pleather apron and living up to his Guinness World Records by swallowing longer swords than ever before. Too bad those sceptics who sit up front at certain angles might find some of the Space Cowboy’s paranormal secrets are exposed - the devil is in the detail indeed.
Michelle Read
The Devil’s In The Detail continues at Theater Bosco at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights until Sun Mar 8.

After The End
Bakehouse Theatre, Thu Feb 26
Dennis Kelly’s play, directed by Daniel Clarke, is set in a personal nuclear fallout shelter owned by Mark, one of many things that cause his acquaintances to laugh at him. This time, it seems, the laugh is on them. Mark has rescued Louise, a girl he loves, but who has no interest in him, and has carried her into the bunker. They continually engage in a series of power struggles and elaborate mind games as the days slowly pass. Nick Pelomis and Hannah Norris, as Mark and Louise, keep the tension high in this fine piece of theatre. Try to catch it.
Barry Lenny
After The End plays Bakehouse Theatre until Sun Mar 22.

African Cultural Party
SA Folk Centre, Sun Mar 1
It’s always good value to check out a variety show. A collective of African migrants decided to rally together and put on a Fringe piece that showcases the variety of talent these new members of our society bring. Opening with a comedic stint from a young guy named Charles, the crowd was quickly warmed up for the remaining string of performances. The group of performers worked their way through the next two-and-a-half hours, featuring modern African dancers, a Zulu warrior dance, a Liberian dance troupe, djembe players from Senegal, hip hop dancers that really worked the crowd (and got most of them on stage!), and a hot new hip hop act called Rhymeworks. Many of the artists featured were making their performing debuts or were very early in their show careers, yet the warm response from the enthusiastic crowd highlighted the clear and obvious talent on offer. The collective of artists plan to perform again in the near future and will definitely be worth a look.
Luke Balzan

Moore Black & The Organic Roots And Kotodama
Crown & Sceptre, Sat Feb 28
I couldn’t think of a better way to start my Fringe attendance program for 2009 than catching a bit of very good reggae. Venturing down to a healthily packed Crown & Sceptre, I caught the sensational sounds of local act Moore Black & The Organic Roots. Their fantastic reggae sound, mixing elements of dub, rock steady, calypso and African highlife, filled the room and got everyone on their feet instantly! Led by charismatic Nigerian Moore Black, and joined by a stellar six-piece band, the music made for a brilliant night. In addition, the band was supported by brand new world act Kotodama, led by Organic Roots member Mika El, in their very first performance. Blending blues and roots, rock, funk, African, Latino and some reggae too, these guys reminded me of the diversity of something like Ben Harper! I’m definitely looking forward to seeing them again! All in all, a fantastic night!
Moore Black & The Organic Roots and Kotodama play at The Wheatsheaf on Sun Mar 22.
Luke Balzan

JP
Holden Street Theatres, Sat Feb 28
This group, returning for the third consecutive year, has developed a strong following, and the reasons are obvious. They present very high energy, physically based theatre that draws on the vast and rich history of Japanese theatre and culture, from Noh to Kabuki, Banraku and beyond, with a unique blending of western theatrical ideas, giving them great appeal to just about everybody. Surreal comedy, stunning costumes, martial arts, dance, music, light and superb performances, combine to create a completely captivating show. Three androgynous wood spirits, led by their fiery queen, seek to discover what a couple really mean when they say “I love you”. In the Forest Of Truth, “open 24/7, no days off”, this is easily accomplished. The truth is out there, and so is this show. The hilariously distorted views of love, however, have an underlying message that will have you talking long after the performance. You’d be mad to miss it.
Barry Lenny

Oleanna
Queens Theatre, Sun Mar 1
Guy Masterson and Adelaide actress, Joanne Hartstone, have revitalised David Mamet’s play of the destructive relationship between a struggling undergraduate student and the university professor whom she accuses of sexual harassment. This controversial play was inspired by, and written at the time of, the Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas sexual harassment scandal. Distanced now from the newness of sexual harassment legal cases and the extreme levels of political correctness of the time, this play needs a clarified direction to make it relevant to current audiences, and this is precisely what we find in this production. The focus is shifted to an investigation of underlying issues and questions the thought processes behind the words and actions of the protagonists. Magnificent performances by both performers, and incisive direction, make this an essential addition to your list of shows not to be missed. Brilliant!
Barry Lenny
Oleanna continues at Queens Theatre until Sun Mar 22.

The Seriously Big Show
Ringbox, Sat Feb 28
Featuring more Garden stars than a Burke’s Backyard reunion special, the late night Seriously Big Show is a showstopping finale for the Unearthly Delights program every Friday and Saturday. On this occasion, MC Sam Willis of The Boy With Tape On His Face kept the sold out audience on the edge of a full-scale riot in between the rotating guests’ performances. Le Gateau Chocolat combined with Mark Winmill from Poly Hood for a run through Radiohead’s Creep backed by extraordinary trapeze feats. Michael Clarke and Anna Pocket Rocket blitzed the audience trapeze dirty dancing, while wine lover Molly Bashful put the ‘vag’ back into extravaganza. MC Sam Willis was excitable and energetic throughout, with his pants dropping performance including latex gloves, tennis rackets and a hapless audience member with a forest of chest hair like the 40-Year-Old Virgin straddled for a lovin’ rubdown. With a screamer of a finale, it ain’t serious but it sure is big.
Scott McLennan
See The Seriously Big Show at the Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Ring Box on Fridays and Saturdays at 11.59pm.

Mr Wilson
The Garage International @ Najjars, Thu Mar 12
The image of the character clown has been somewhat obscured by stereotypes of big floppy shoes, curly wigs and red noses. But if you’re keen for something that goes beyond the colloquial prototype, then France’s Mr Wilson is definitely for you! Having arrived under the guise of providing some French culture, Mr Wilson proceeds to patch together a show that he created on his long journey here. Unfortunately, due to this short time he had to put the show together, there are hilarious consequences to his tricks that will have you in stitches! There are interestingly botched magic tricks, bottles of beer, a retro pressure cooker, apples, crackers and a bit of bullet ping-pong, threaded together by an extremely talented clown with some fantastically funny facial expressions. If stars like Peter Sellers, Mr Bean, Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton bring a smile to your face, you’ll love the brilliant physical comedy of Mr Wilson! I’m still laughing!
Luke Balzan
Mr Wilson continues at The Garage International @ Najjars until Sat Mar 21.

Garida
Jade Monkey, Thu Mar 12
Four young people of considerable talent (Jeri Foreman on fiddle, Lucy Langham on flute and whistles, Matthew Lykos on guitar, mandolin and vocals and Paddy Montgomery on bouzouki and mandolin) make up the folk band, Garida. Individually, they have won numerous awards and, in February 2008, just after forming this group, they won the Coopers Folk Award for Best Band and were also ‘Folkwizz’ champions. Their music is an eclectic mix, based mainly in Celtic and English folk music and song, but with other influences adding to the interest. This concert had music from Denmark and Bulgaria, as well as some fine new pieces written by band members. From screamingly fast reels to lilting jigs and gentle ballads, they cram a wealth of great music into the performance. This is a vibrant new band, a quartet of rising stars, that is going places fast. Catch them while you can.
Barry Lenny

Salome
The Garage International at NACC, Thu Mar 12
Inspired by the play by Oscar Wilde, based on the story in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Shakti interprets in dance the role of Salome, a princess of Judea who asked for the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter as a reward for performing the Dance Of The Seven Veils. The performance is divided into three contrasting sections; Eros, Insanity and Thanatos, each building the tension and compounding the emotional content. Shakti offers a performance grounded in traditional Indian dance and filled with sensuality and passion. It was, however, highly inappropriate to have a photographer sitting in the second row on the centre aisle, distracting the entire audience with the constant, loud clicking of the shutter and the flickering images on the display. This should be done at dress rehearsal. That aside, this was a most moving performance.
Barry Lenny  
Salome will conclude at The Garage International on Fri Mar 20.

Dreamer In The Deep
Puppet Palace, Wed Mar 11
This is an engaging and original tale of the love that happens in the big blue sea. The story is beautiful and tells the tale of the endemic South Australian leafy sea dragons and their life long partners. This story engages you in the magical underwater world. Gorgeous puppetry, beautiful lighting and magical music will captivate you. The lighting front and rear was awesome, providing a gastronomic feast for the eyes while the funky rhythms exaggerated and intensified the emotion of the story. With anticipation and dramatic upbeat music this tale was told though the exquisitely detailed puppets that were amazing pieces of art themselves. The gasps of delight from the children as the story unfolds added to the atmosphere as the adults giggled along also. Expect to be delighted and excited with this colourful and entertaining show that is fun for all the family.
Kathryn Barclay & Edel Perth
Dreamer In The Deep continues at Puppet Palace until Sat Mar 21.

Simon Palomares: It’s Complicated
Comix Comedy Cellar, Wed Mar 11
From the moment he hit the stage, Simon Palomares had the audience eating out of his hand. A talented storyteller, Palomares’ anecdotes about life with two emo sons were nothing less than hilarious – all the more fun when you realise he isn’t making cheap jokes like some comedians, but really does live this particular parental experience. His Ikea observations were both amusing and ‘oh so true’ when you think about things, as was his very entertaining ‘rant’ regarding know-it-all friends with dogs instead of children. Palomares was both appealing and entertaining, providing a really enjoyable comedy experience.
Rosie van Heerde
Simon Palomares: It’s Complicated continues at Comix Comedy Cellar until Sat Mar 21.

Obsessions By Col Cameron
Comix Comedy Cellar, Wed Mar 11
An inoffensive and affable bloke, Col Cameron was quickly able to earn the goodwill and attention of the crowd. This was needed as he laboured through a too-long digital presentation that was indeed rather obsessive – worth a few giggles but needing to move on to the punch-line much sooner than it did. While his jokes didn’t always hit their mark with some, others were clearly delighted with Cameron’s many observations, shared in his own amiable, likeable style. This show delivered a few laughs, but that’s pretty much as far as things went.
Rosie van Heerde
Obsessions By Col Cameron continues at the Comix Comedy Cellar until Sat Mar 21.

Judith Lucy’s Not Getting Any Younger
Arts Theatre, Thu Mar 12
Stepping out in a long black strapless dress, Judith Lucy entered stage right and entertained from the word go. She’s a no-holds-barred kind of woman, but by no means confronting. Everything from yoga, Rolf Harris, Generation Y, sex – or the lack of it, Nicole Kidman and her botoxed face, Italy and pubic hair removal rated a mention. The only time that there wasn’t laughter to be heard was when she paused for a moment to take a breath. She is both obscenely hilarious and hilariously obscene. If you don’t mind the occasional fuck – word that is – then you are going to love the witty and sassy Ms Lucy. She finished the show with a song and a dance to Send In The Clowns; very animated and theatrical. What an absolute crack up!
Catherine Blanch
Judith Lucy’s Not Getting Any Younger continues at Arts Theatre until Sat Mar 21.

Trevor Crook In Crookwit
Fringe Factory at 153 Hindley Street, Thu Mar 12
Trevor Crook’s comedy is based on his life lived as a laid back Australian bloke. He can tell a good yarn, can be genuinely funny and is engaging. He has accompanied Steady Eddy touring Australia and played numerous tours in England and throughout Europe and Asia. When we were there the crowd was sparse to put it nicely – this must be the most difficult kind of gig to play. And Trevor was able to engage and entertain his audience, at one stage even addressing the question of playing to almost no audience. Laughing yourself silly would be unlikely even with a full house, as Crook’s wit is more subtle and wry than that and like a fine wine, age has mellowed and matured.
Lauren and Clayton Werner
Trevor Crook In Crookwit continues at Fringe Factory until Sun Mar 22.

Koto Music Concert – ‘Shiki – 4 Seasons’
The Garage International at NACC, Thu Mar 12
Summer, autumn, winter and spring are beautifully expressed with traditional excellence through musical splendour. This beautiful evening is presented by Etsuko Kawaguchi and Akemi Kawada, a Japanese duo that have performed all over the world and grace Adelaide for the first time. Clad in traditional kimono and playing with virtuosity and flexibility, these graceful ladies expose us to the contemporary and traditional Japanese songs dating from the 17th century to the present day. The four seasons are awoken through the melodic sound of the koto, a seventeen string Japanese lute transporting pure elegance and serenity with sound. The koto is a wooden harp-like instrument where the musicians can adjust sound pitches by movable bridges as well as plucking the strings, which was also used percussively during their representation of winter by hitting the strings. My only disappointment was that it had to end.
David Wright

Black Coffee
Marion Cultural Centre, Thu Mar 12
For a company whose declared raison d’être is to promote lifelong dance for adults, it is hard to imagine a more convincing argument than this joyous, surprisingly large-scale, jazz cabaret production from the Move Through Life Dance Company. The lights go down and the club comes alive with recreations of fabulous ’50s numbers as the Charlie Horst Jazz Orchestra plays up a storm behind three featured singers. This beautiful show-within-a-show challenges conventional notions of how a dancer is supposed to look, and wins. Dance showpieces are interspersed with touching dramatic moments and radio voiceovers to provide a glimpse of the changing world outside the club in conservative contrast to the relative freedom of dance and club-scene bohemia. This imaginative piece gives insight into post-war Australian society and two of the 20th century’s greatest art forms.
Kate Battersby & Ian Newton

Deanne Smith Lacks Focus
The Tuxedo Cat, Thu Mar 12
The intimate atmosphere of the Tuxedo Cat is an ideal spot to witness the talent of DeAnne Smith. For starters it’s small enough for her to keep whatever focus she has on how the audience is responding. Whether she actually does or not, you get the impression she tailors the material each time depending on how far she thinks she can go without alienating the audience. If you’re willing to go with her the punchline is only the beginning of the joke. She doesn’t spend a long time building up to a punchline – everything she says is funny. There’s a lot of dyke humour, but you don’t have to be of that persuasion to enjoy it. She will nudge it towards the crude if you let her, but is just as comfortable with safer topics. Fast, funny and highly original.
Adrian Miller
Deanne Smith continues at The Tuxedo Cat until Sun Mar 22.

Going Ape At The Zoo
Adelaide Zoo, Thu Mar 12
It’s hard to imagine a better way to spend a Thursday evening; surrounded by the sounds – and smells - of various zoo residents, the 900-strong crowd were well primed for fun after being welcomed by MC (and very funny comedian in his own right) Harley Breen. Lori Bell was able to raise a few giggles but perhaps spent too much time on the ranga jokes and Big Al was ‘hugely’ funny in a very John Candy kind of way. Simon Palomares’ observations of life with emo children were hilarious and Akmal again reminded us why he is so popular – his innate good nature and ability to include his audience in the fun is a delight to behold. A great night out. With different artists performing each night, you could go twice and enjoy an entirely different show.
Rosie van Heerde

Two Old Farts & A Tart - Revenge Of The Night Owls
Glenelg Bowls Club, Thu Mar 12
Perhaps I have been spoilt by the calibre of other acts in the Fringe. Perhaps I am too young to appreciate the blatant sexism of the Carry On era, but crude jokes centring round tits, bums, Viagra use and ‘pussies’ delivered woodenly by amateurs were just not funny. While the humour seemed to be enjoyed by the rest of the audience, mainly composed of grey nomads, it came off as amateurish and banal. The link between the first and second act was tenuous at best. I am glad that the Fringe caters to wide audiences, but unless you are an old fart or a tart, then this performance will probably not tickle your ‘fancy’.
Kathryn Barclay and Anthea Brotherton
Revenge Of The Night Owls continues at Glenelg Bowls Club until Sat Mar 21.

Tim Minchin: Ready For This?
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Fri Mar 13
Tim Minchin is a bog-standard stand-up with a silly voice. At least, that’s what Guardian reviewer Phil Daoust suggested in 2005. This malicious review has resulted in the nasty Mr Daoust having a scathing Minchin song penned about him, but just why he’d have needed to slag Minchin in the first place is impossible to fathom tonight. Minchin has the melodies of Elton John and the comic venom of Bill Hicks, spinning two hours of gold with nothing but a grand piano, a wind machine, a cowboy boot and a bear suit. While his tunes generally begin earnestly, their delicious twists reveal the sly intelligence Minchin hides under a rat’s nest of hair. Songs investigating Fantapants racism, Christian hypocrisy and the brilliance of boobs have all been heard before, but no one covers heathens, hooters and homos like this former Perth lad. With his pacing, calculated awkwardness, mad professor hunch and rich wit, Minchin makes all other comedians look like trolley boys. The best show of the Fringe.
Scott McLennan

The Paradoxical Adventures Of Lawrence Leung & Andrew McClelland: Time Ninjas
Theater Bosco, Thu Mar 12
Time Ninjas? More like Died-In-The-Arse Bandits. After notching up half a dozen hit Fringe shows between them, discovering Lawrence Leung and Andrew McClelland’s new show is an undercooked schemozzle is thoroughly disappointing. The pop culture jokes are still here (a quick laugh about Back To The Future’s Doc Emmett Brown makes an obvious appearance, but a reference to Radiohead’s Fitter Happier appears to baffle the audience), as are the links to the pair’s childhood friendship, but although the premise of time travel sets up some marvellous options for this dweeby duo, this is a shoddy show even by the pair’s regular low budget Clag-and-glitter standard. Seducing Hitler’s mum to prevent World War II is somewhat amusing, but it’s sadly not enough to prevent this looking like a quickly thrown together effort.
Scott McLennan
Time Ninjas continues at Theater Bosco until Sat Mar 21.

Adam Page Solo
Wheatsheaf Hotel (Tin Shed), Thu Mar 12
What do you do when you’re the bloke who can play all of the instruments? If you’re Adam Page, the answer involves cavorting around in a sumo suit, break dancing in inflatable bull trousers and punching a rockmelon. Such shenanigans are extremely entertaining, but this show is no mere amusing novelty. Page’s sublime musical genius elevates his performance into one of the absolute must-see shows of this year’s Fringe. For opening night, Adam plucked sounds from a never ending collection of instruments, fruit, vegetables and members of the audience, then looped and warped them to create a series of spectacular sound collages. The highlight of a brilliantly paced and entertaining show was the slightly more serious musical performance that started and ended with an African thumb piano and absolutely blew this humble reviewer away. This is a show not to be missed.
Troy Foster
Adam Page Solo continues at the Wheatsheaf Hotel from Thu Mar 19 until Sat Mar 21.

Anthony Salame – One Night Stand
PJ O’Brien’s (Upstairs), Sat Mar 14
Low-key and absolutely unpretentious, local boy turned Sydneysider Anthony Salame’s stand-up routine follows the well-worn fare of the Australian child of Lebanese/Middle Eastern origin: the oddly ‘ethnic’ school lunches, the mad parents, the incestuous cousins, the excessive body hair and all the misadventures of an overly-sexed teenager. Despite all those clichés, his gags are refreshing and often genuinely funny. Every possible racial stereotype is given a run too, yet Salame reveals the uncomfortable but hilarious truths lying behind those same stereotypes with a generous honesty. His takes on Home And Away, Sean Connery, Sly Stallone, Mike Tyson and a host of other ‘celebrities’ are clever and well delivered; his take on Jamie Oliver brings the biggest laughs of the night. This is a straightforward show of simple home truths that reveal much of the comedy and absurdity surrounding ‘Australian’ life and identity. Very warmly received by a small crowd. Recommended.
Harry Starboard
One Night Stand continues at PJ O’Brien’s until Sun Mar 22.

Vivaldi: Four Seasons (Painting, Body Painting & Dance)
The Garage International @ NACC, Sat Mar 14
A slightly awkward execution doesn’t diminish the intriguing, even enlightening nature of this brisk celebration of life, the passage of time, the beauty of classical music and the intricate complexities of Japanese culture. Two women, one clad in black and the other in swimsuits and less, take to the stage to the tune of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and beyond, the former rapidly painting representations of spring, summer, autumn and winter on silk as the latter drapes herself in the cloth and dances expressively. Japanese characters are then painted upon a series of sheets of white paper and flung into the air and/or handed out to members of the audience until the finale, wherein Woman#1 paints Woman #2’s back and, finally, the latter turns to explain some of the show’s mysteries to the audience. Unfortunately it was hard to hear what she was saying, leaving the assembled viewers in a state of pleasant puzzlement.
Mad Dog Bradley
Vivaldi: Four Seasons concludes at The Garage International on Fri Mar 20.

Nicholas Tweedy Is The Reality Bender
The Cavern Club, Fri Mar 13
I would happily regard myself as a sceptic of most of the so-called paranormal that seem to excite popular culture. Despite this I knew I’d be in for a visual treat when I saw Las Vegas native Nicholas Tweedy literally twist the laws of nature that I’m generally quite happy to accept. This was actually the third time I’ve managed to witness the infamous Nicholas Tweedy and his incredible feats into the unusual, and I still find myself amazed and thoroughly confused; I’m definitely quite happy to leave my scepticism at the door. And so it was that I saw Nicholas perform on the eerily aesthetic night of Friday the 13th and witnessed some truly mind-boggling acts: dead-accurate predictions, levitations and the utterly amazing manipulation of metal and glass objects! This one’s so much more than a magic show and I guarantee you’ll walk away both smiling in awe and scratching your head with the eternal question: How?
Luke Balzan
The Reality Bender continues at The Cavern Club until Sun Mar 22.

Going Ape At The Zoo
Adelaide Zoo, Sat Mar 14
The excellent Going Ape At The Zoo series sandwiches a bunch of great comedians into a massive three-hour set. The night was hosted by the hilarious albeit extremely bogan Harley Breen, who warmed the crowd nicely on this chilly evening. First up, we had the sensational Mickey D, who, as usual, was on fire with his conversation on some of the most random and deliciously uncomfortable topics imaginable. Next up saw rising local comedy star Sudanese-born Aussie Mujahid Ahmed with some truly classic material, including noted differences in Aussie and African culture, that had me in stitches! Fellow local boy Ben Darsow was also on the ball with his commentary on life and sport and suchlike, before the headliner Fiona O’Loughlin took the stage. While she was truly hilarious, I had unfortunately heard much of the material last year, though still saw myself having a chuckle. It was a huge night of laughing out loud!
Luke Balzan

Free Man Of Colour
Odeon Theatre, Sat Mar 14
Rob Croser directs this fictionalised account of John Newton Templeton, a freed slave who, in 1824, was the first African-American to attend Ohio University. Although there was considerable merit to the work, I found the play a little long, driving home its point a bit more than necessary, and the several false endings were irritating. The performances, however, were exceptional. Shedrick Yarkpai portrayed Templeton with great sensitivity. David Roach, as Reverend Robert Wilson, turned in a thoughtful interpretation of a complex individual and Lyn Wilson, as his wife Jane, the catalyst for Templeton’s enlightenment, gave a powerful and moving performance. Roach and Croser have created a stylish and uncluttered set, with sympathetic lighting by Matthew Marciniac, and Sarah Love’s costumes are spot on. Playwright Charles Smith, visiting from Ohio, attended the opening night of this Australian premiere and spoke afterwards.
Barry Lenny
Free Man Of Colour continues at Odeon Theatre until Sat Mar 21.

Chill Out Sessions
Promethean, Fri Mar 13
Vibraphonist, Nick Parnell, with guest, Ed Kriek, accompanying at the piano, presented an hour of arrangements of piano pieces in a mellow mood. Most of them were familiar works, but there were a couple of surprises. Bach’s Prelude And Fugue In G Major, Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Chopin’s Nocturnes In E Flat Major and C Sharp Minor got an airing, but the music came primarily from the 20th century. The evening opened with Massenet’s Meditation, the orchestral interlude between the second and third acts of his opera, Thais. This gently haunting piece nicely established the atmosphere of calm and peace intended, reinforced immediately by one of my favourites, the Gymnopédie No 1 by Eric Satie. Parnell exhibits a complete mastery of his instrument and a subtle interpretation of the works. The interplay between him and his excellent accompanist, Kriek, is superb.
Barry Lenny

Mark Trenwith – Express
Rhino Room, Wed Mar 11
If the posters are anything to go by, then Trenwith’s show was to be a highlight of my comedic year. Express is the comedian’s take on what would happen if we expressed ourselves the way we could: an interesting premise, but sadly the end result is the bastard child of The Wedge and Toni Pearen. The show is made up of a mix of dad jokes (heartily laughed at by the comedian himself) and pre recorded videos. The videos were particularly painful - skits that would make Wedge fans cringe, mixed with stuff that would be a big chance at a prize on the quality entertainment that is Funniest Home Videos. The fact the room was repeatedly impressed with this blatantly unfunny show makes me fear for our future more than any climate change report.
Shane Scott
Express continues at Rhino Room until Sat Mar 21.

Vixens And Villains Of Kreepy Kensington
Streets Of Kensington, Mon Mar 2
The first night of Shannon Norfolk’s brainchild was fittingly steamy and drizzly, and the lady herself (clad in appropriate period dress but, rather oddly, without a personal introduction) met us ‘modern dayers’ for an hour or so’s worth of investigation into the stranger - and occasionally scarier - sights of darkest Kensington (perhaps a little too dark towards the end). Leading a group of 20+ participants through what used to be bustling streets complete with horse-drawn trams and colourful characters aplenty, we were treated to inside information that ranged from the nice and kreepy/creepy (a ‘Suicide Corner’ and a possibly cursed roundabout, plus at least two spooky-spooky ghost hot-spots) to the vaguely underwhelming, as Norfolk at times strained somewhat to find suitably striking information concerning certain locales. Still, an intriguing, even eerie way to spend an evening - but, Shannon, please: next time introduce yourself!
Mad Dog Bradley
Vixens And Villains Of Kreepy Kensington continues on Fri Mar 13, Wed Mar 18 and Sat Mar 21.

Owen O’Neil – Chasing My Tale
PJ O’Brien’s, Wed Mar 4
Upstairs at PJ O’Brien’s, Irish comic Owen O’Neil was up against it – a small, unresponsive crowd, as well as an appalling venue that is an enclosed section of balcony letting in all the traffic sounds and noise from the nearby Garden. O’Neil is a stand-up who would fare much better in closer proximity – his tales, following the standard Irish routine of the poverty-stricken childhood, dodgy priests, religious violence and too much drinking are standard fare, but need more audience to feed off. While engaging, O’Neil on this night is rarely laugh-out-loud funny. His tales of bit-part acting with Liam Neeson are the funniest point in the show, after which he reverts to an overlong, multimedia-based skit revolving around a campaign to have Mick Jagger retire from singing. This part is neither interesting nor funny, and falls flat on its face with a dull video cameo from Jagger himself. Blame it on the venue or the material, but this night let off very few sparks.
Harry Starboard

The Adventures Of Dead Jim/This Place
Bakehouse Theatre (Studio), Tue Mar 3
Two great short plays presented by local group Bad Company. Dead Jim is a black comedy that involves some superb physical manoeuvres with a corpse, while drawing attention to substance addiction and mental illness. Fake bravado, agitation and fragility are played out beautifully by the two ‘living’ actors. This Place is perhaps the stronger piece of the two. Its effective split set reinforces the thin line between madness and sanity as a psychiatrist watches the charade of a stable home life descend into confusion and paranoia at the same time that the patient he is treating at work recovers. Great performances by the cast of three. Decidedly good company for 90 minutes of excellent theatre.
Michael Coghlan
The Adventures Of Dead Jim/This Place continues at the Bakehouse Theatre until Sat Mar 21.

Gordon Southern: The Unofficial Annual
Rhino Room Downstairs, Tue Mar 3
Gordon Southern is always going to deliver a value-for-money show. He’s sufficiently at ease to try gags that may or may not fly. There were a few curious moments when it felt like the audience was being auditioned for some of his newer material. But mostly he just cruised through entertaining routines that included stories, one-liners, jibes, jingles and a couple of ads. An obvious affection for Adelaide and Australia gives him license to target Australians, but everyone has fun while he assails airlines, Americans, Singapore and of course the hapless George W. Highlights include a wonderful send-up of Australian pollies and a hilarious take on eastern European immigrant workers in the UK. Great stuff!
Michael Coghlan
The Unofficial Annual continues at Rhino Room Downstairs until Sat Mar 21.

The Grimstones – Hatched
Le Cascadeur, Wed Mar 4
The Gothic fairytale of The Grimstones comes to life via two dark-eyed puppeteers; one woman communicates with Signed English while the other translates - though sometimes far more effervescently than the signer intends. Giant storybooks open up to reveal exquisite scenes; the gravesite of Mortimer, the delicate sewing room of Velvetta and the shop of Grandfather who heals with his magical concoctions. It’s within this shop that the lonely child Martha magically creates a baby brother for her grieving mother; hatched from an egg, born with three legs. For Martha, it’s love at first sight. All the stunningly beautiful yet corpse-like marionettes are as intricately designed as the storybook rooms, and the attention to detail of the puppets’ movements and expressions is genuinely amazing. The adults were as fascinated and engrossed as the children. Enchanting and captivating, this is truly the best puppet show on offer at the Garden!
Catherine Blanch
The Grimstones - Hatched continues at Le Cascadeur until Sat Mar 15.

My Significant Other Is A Mobile Phone
La Boheme, Wed Mar 4
Gadget Girl meets Chakra Chick: a chance meeting of two 30-something women leads them to explore the world of love, men and self awareness in this musical theatre. The writers Nikki Aitken and Sidonie Henbest double as the actors and both pack a punch as vocalists. They are backed by the talented piano work of Adam Lutley. This show works as a piece of theatre, the songs seamlessly fit and reinforce the story and include some originals. There is plenty of well-placed humour along the way. The audience soon connects with both characters; these are people we know from the real world and an unusual relationship grows. We can laugh and empathise with them and in the end we are ready to journey with them further. Highly recommended.
Sandy Klose & Clayton Werner
My Significant Other Is A Mobile Phone continues at La Boheme until Wed Mar 11.

Accordion Boys Do It Better
Mars Bar, Wed Mar 4
Germany has provided Adelaide with a host of influences - pretzels, bratwurst, Hahndorf - but none more pleasurable and stimulating than Nova 919’s Hans. Following his 2008 sell-out Showpony Tour and with a world record under his hotpants, Hans is back to his bitchy, sexy, audacious best! Hans begins in floral lederhosen (matching his curtains), fishnet stockings and dazzling make-up accompanied by his gorgeous back-up dancers riding exercise bikes singing Do Re Mi. The tackiness has only just begun! Hans solidly sings and dances camp hits from Kylie, ABBA, Beyonce and of course Madonna. His comfortable and quick-witted interaction with his audience provides hilarious and memorable moments. Hans dishes up a thoroughly entertaining performance, showing us that this accordion boy certainly does do cabaret better.
Bobby Goudie
Accordion Boys Do It Better continues at Mars Bar until Sat Mar 14.

Best Of The Edinburgh Fest
Governor Hindmarsh, Wed Mar 4
Furiously fast-talking UK comic Jason Cook began the evening as our compere, warming the room with his ability to involve the audience and ad-lib with the very best. Enter softly spoken yet no less hilarious Jarlath Regan for some Irish humour; his story about fathers, phone calls and video players a real delight. Eddie Ifft (US) is hard to beat, especially if you enjoy your comedy offensive with a capital ‘O’. Having done his research, Ifft included some local references, which delighted his audience and kept them onside even throughout those ‘awkward’ moments when one laughs and then feels guilty since the joke was so politically incorrect it shouldn’t be funny but bloody well is anyway… Awesome fun, too good to miss.
Rosie van Heerde
Best Of The Edinburgh Fest continues at the Governor Hindmarsh until Sun Mar 22.

Ava’s Grá
Carclew Youth Arts (Ballroom), Wed Mar 4
A story of Irish immigration to Australia in the 1850s by Canberra College high school students Ava’s Grá (love) follows three sisters’ journey towards acceptance in a small community. The sisters must prove their honesty at every stage. Yes, I’m Irish. Is that a problem? In their search for a place to stay they are turned away until an English woman takes them in. No-nonsense Bryony is the eldest, Ava the dreamy middle-child. The youngest Olive has the unfortunate habit of ‘borrowing’ silver cutlery. The play looks at trying to fit in, being Irish in an English-Australian colony. The bittersweet grief/hope of migration soaks through. Strongest is the young people’s ability to connect to the story through experiences of childhood and adolescence. Their portrayals of teenagers’ crushes and flirts had the audience snickering. Irish accents and costumes were well-handled. Open forum enriched the experience.
Kimberley Mann

Best Films From UNLV
North Adelaide Community Centre, Wed Mar 4
If I hadn’t alredy known this screening was a series of short student films, I certainly wouldn’t have guessed just from watching. The problems that plague your average student film - poor production values, convoluted plots, and actors who look ready to burst into laughter in every frame - were all notably absent. Instead, I was greeted with moments of inspired cinematography and some truly beautiful stories. The stories themselves range from quirky indie comedies all the way through to a sickeningly visceral take on the zombie genre. Perhaps the most inspiring short was director Jeremy Cloe’s award-winning piece Thin Walls. A carefully layered drama reminiscent of Crash, Thin Walls weaves the stories of six seemingly unrelated individuals together before exploding in a brief moment of tragedy. These shorts should be required viewing, not only for film students short on inspiration, but for any lover of cinema who wants to see where great directors are truly born.
Liam Sharrad

Beyond The Valley Of The Spool Snatchers: Unmasked - The Secret World Of Pro Wrestling
Mercury Cinema, Wed Mar 4
Just one of the seven Spool Snatchers events, this romp through the particularly bizarre world of pro wrestling (ie the carefully choreographed, frequently homoerotic stuff) commenced with the wonderfully laconic Jaimie Leonarder taking to the stage for a few jokes and a rundown of the evening’s activities - and a surprise cameo by real bare-chested he-men for some rehearsed but funny flips and somersaults. Then it all began, with selected visual highlights including: a glimpse of ‘bloody bloody’ Puerto Rican fighting, a B+W bit featuring Aussie wrestlers with boomerangs, and a few trailers (the ad for Hell Comes To Frogtown is vastly preferable to sitting through the whole damn pic). And after two intervals, some sweet JL gags and a raffle the 1971 classic Champions Of Justice was screened in its full, preposterous, see-it-to-believe-it glory. Like loco, man!
Mad Dog

Orpheus: A Rock Storytelling
Electric Light Hotel (Producer’s Bar), Wed Mar 4
The classic tale of Orpheus, Eurydice and the Underworld is captivatingly updated by Melbourne-based actor/musician Simon Oats in a passionate narrative journey through love, lust, tenderness, grief, fear, confrontation and sheer bloody-mindedness. Despite irreverent appearances, this production delivers with a great deal of sensitivity and human insight. Capably self-accompanied with electric guitar hinting of Hendrix, Tim/Jeff Buckley, Georges Clinton and Benson and Robert Cray, Oats structures each of nine original songs around a simple hook or riff to reinforce a theme. Standouts were the comically sinister Ferryman’s Rap – masterfully structured and delivered, deeply rhythmic, utterly absorbing – and three-headed Cerberus in dazzling synthesis between man and guitar. Slight patchiness in emphasis and pacing (did the sleazy goat need that much airspace? Did we get how Eurydice died?) were notable only by contrast against otherwise pure theatrical intelligence. Don’t miss this treasure of a show.
Kate Battersby & Ian Newton
Orpheus continues at Electric Light Hotel until Sun Mar 22.

Concrete Solace
Holden Street Theatres, Fri Mar 6
Amy McPherson and James Welsby created, and now perform this work, choreographed to music by Christian Ferensz. McPherson and Welsby are co-directors of the company and both are graduates of the Victorian College Of The Arts. They attempt to condense a city, its population and their relationships into two people and then explore the way in which they interact, how they connect and their dependency upon one another. Not surprisingly this manifests itself in intricate movements that variously duplicate, mirror, dance in canon or have a ‘call and response’ form. Central to the work is a miniature city, eight tower blocks that they manipulate into changing patterns and finally wear as arm and leg armour, acting as automatons, before lighting the city to depict passing time and the return of humanity. This was an excellent work, but could benefit from having an external choreographer tidying up a few uneven scene changes.
Barry Lenny

Fuse Explode
Rymill Park, Wed Mar 4
Adelaide’s very own South By South-West festival kicked off in the ghostly surroundings of Rymill Park to a throng of industry heads, indie kids and cheap bastards who couldn’t afford the $10 entry and so sat and watched on the hill. The Explode leg of the Fuse Festival welcomed up-and-coming artists from all over Australia to showcase the best they’ve got to offer. As a bonus incentive for the four Adelaide bands playing, a spot in the UK’s Great Escape Festival was up for grabs. The competition was between Poetikool Justice, The Sundance Kids, The Touch and The Shiny Brights, who always looked favourites to win. They did. From elsewhere in Australia, Cloud Control demonstrated their happy-go-lucky angular pop in an abbreviated set, while Behind Crimson Eyes, who closed the night, gave a definitive example of ear-melting screamo rock.
Jimmy Bollard

Boiled Cabbage
Jah’z Lounge, Sat Mar 7
Writer and director Tony Moore has condensed the Second World War into 40 minutes, from Hitler’s moves on Czechoslovakia and Poland through to the atomic bombs falling on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We even get a glimpse of the beginnings of the Cold War. It is all seen through the lives of one universal family; Dad, who reads the progress of the war in his newspaper, Mum, who works at the stove, keeping the home fires burning, their son, John, who fights in every theatre of war, and their daughter, Janet, who helps the war effort at home and takes the first steps on the journey to female emancipation. Moore and his actors make learning about the war a fun experience so enlist today.
Barry Lenny
Boiled Cabbage continues at Jah’z Lounge until Fri Mar 20.

Vespers
St Peter’s Cathedral, Sat Mar 7
Russian born composer and pianist, Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943), composed a vast quantity of music, with considerable emphasis on works for the piano. He also produced many fine choral works and Vespers is considered by many to be his finest. It was written in 1915, two years before he left Russia to settle in Switzerland, shortly after the Soviet revolution. He eventually migrated, in 1936, to America, where he lived for the remainder of his life. Influenced by Tchaikovsky, he wrote in the Romantic style, with flowing melodic lines and rich harmonies, evidenced in the Vespers. Eight-part harmony is not uncommon and he even divides the choir into eleven parts in one movement. Carl Crossin, musical director of the wonderful Adelaide Chamber Singers, has done a superb job with this extremely challenging work, producing a polished performance that lifts the spirit of the listener and promotes a meditative mood.
Barry Lenny

Lutoslawski & Ives
Promethean, Sun Mar 8
Professor Charles Bodman Rae gave a fascinating introduction, telling how he had found the manuscript for the first work on the programme, the Piano Sonata, written in 1934, while visiting the composer, Witold Lutoslawski (1913-1994). It had been left unpublished as the composer had written it as a student and only he had ever played it, just a few times. It is, therefore, a new work in the repertoire of piano music. Pianist, Mark Kruger, coupled this astounding work with Two Etudes by the same composer, these written in 1941. Influential American composer, Charles Ives (1874-1952), wrote his four movement Piano Sonata No 2 in tribute to several authors and this formed the second half of this marvellous concert. Kruger displayed incredible technical mastery coupled with a thorough understanding of the music. His insight into the music made for a captivating performance. This was definitely a concert well worth repeating.
Barry Lenny

A Spoonful Of Reflections
Higher Ground, Sun Mar 8
HartBEAT’s artistic director, Vikky Wilson, states that she is attempting to create dance in the manner of an art exhibit. This did not seem to be clear to the audience, as people stood in the same positions for two long hours watching an endless parade of dance sketches that quickly started to look all the same due to the repetitive nature of the dance moves. In an art gallery people arrive and leave whenever they wish and stay only as long as their interest is held. Certainly, quite a few audience members left at various times. Wilson also tells us that the many sketches reflect a decade of her love life. One cannot help but think it must have been rather dull. There were some good moments, and some of the performers were very skilled, but the work was far too long and limited in material.
Barry Lenny

A Restaurant Like Alice – Songs of Protest, Peace And Draft Dodgers
The Tin Cat Café (Garden), Fri Mar 6
The Angry Penguins performed a soundtrack to the events that shaped the 1960s. It was a set which had fun with the big events of those times. The Tin Cat Café’s garden was packed with a rosy-cheeked audience which almost overshadowed the band with its energy. This venue couldn’t have been better suited to this energetic four-piece as it matched the care-free nostalgic theme. The Penguins sang and yelled classic political songs such as Blowin’ In The Wind and Eve Of Destruction: songs that were formed by historical events and can still ring true today. However, this was more a fun caricature of those times than a scholarly history lesson. A Restaurant Like Alice is a good time for anyone who marched against the Vietnam War or simply enjoys the music of that era. Rose coloured glasses are not supplied, but definitely recommended.
Jason Pitt
A Restaurant Like Alice plays at The Tin Cat Café (Garden) on Fri Mar 13 and Sat Mar 15.

Adelaide Comedy Debate: Is SA Heaps Good?
The Highway (Function Room), Sat Mar 8
You would’ve all seen the T-shirts and either love or hate them but what may well be the comedy debate of the year proved to be so much more. Eight comedians, including Lehmo, Mark Trenwith, Craig Egan and Gordon Southern, Mickey D, Rob Hunter, Big Al and Greg Fleet provided articulate, witty and logical arguments that caused the audience to erupt in laughter over and over again. The excellent blend of comedians allowed for some feisty but friendly competition that was nothing short of smart, brave and edgy. After three hilarious hours of anecdotes about beer, Rundle Mall, the Torrens and pie floaters, a fitting ode to the state was sung to the tune of I Still Call Australia Home, with plenty of crowd participation, and the evening saw the negative team come out as winners for arguing that South Australia isn’t just ‘heaps good’, it’s great. 
Alexandra Nowak

The Year I Got Younger - Aindrias De Staic
Fringe Factory @ 153 Hindley Street, Fri Mar 6
Galway’s Aindrias De Staic has energy. Lots of it. I feel exhausted listening to his tales of surviving Australian shores - or surviving himself in Australia to be sure. It might be from his wild eyes or it might be the tales of ecstasy sales, going walkabout and drying out. Either way it doesn’t really matter. Thankfully for the sell-out audience it’s more of an adventure than an ordeal as the bohemian De Staic recalls throwing himself through some alarming Australian states – mentally, physically and geographically. He’s got Irish charm, a strong jaw-line and a stronger story, but the real stars of the show are the potent tunes he draws from his fiddle and microphone, which one senses he just wouldn’t be himself without.
Jenny Smith
The Year I Got Younger continues at the Fringe Factory @ 153 Hindley Street until Sun Mar 22.

Harley Breen - The Kingswood And I
PJ O’Brien’s (upstairs), Sat Mar 7
Harley Breen appreciates a good, honest Adelaide audience. One which, on this night, was proud to declare its bogan roots. Though Breen fits in just nicely wearing his all-black outfit (as he says, it’s a step up from flannelette), he’ll reveal a lot more of himself by show’s end than perhaps might be expected of a boy originally from country Queensland. Breen’s comedy is primarily about his love - his first car - and the abundant trouble it got him into while surviving said country Queensland characters. But, it’s unexpectedly touching too, with treasured stories of close shaves, identity crises and defining life moments. Anyone who’s ever sensed freedom through driving will feel lucky to relive it. Anyone who hasn’t should feel privileged to relate, through Breen’s affectionately absurd renditions of Kingswoods and humanity.
Jenny Smith
Harley Breen - The Kingswood and I continues at PJ O’Brien’s until Sun Mar 22.

Sin City In The Vines
Paxton Vineyards, Sun Mar 8
Despite a great story idea – the on air/off air antics of a variety show cast who have just found out their show has been axed – Sin City: ‘67 On The Air simply didn’t have the polish needed to drive what could have been a terrific show. Lines were overly rehearsed in their delivery, even the ad-lib moments seemed tired, and the ‘off air’ banter disappointing and tedious. The band, The Moonlighters, were competent, if less than energetic and the dancing showgirls, namely the Vegas Vixens, injected a much needed spark of colour and fun into the evening. The highlight came in the form of a diminutive Phoenix Toliver, whose voice alone lifted the show to an improved level. Ignoring the crowd’s polite calls for an encore, this show definitely left its audience wanting something more.
Rosie van Heerde

Mediocrity
Bakehouse Theatre, Mon Mar 9
In his mediocre, hen-pecked life Norman’s got a bad case of the stares over his morning coffee. Norman makes his submissive way to the doctor. In Norman’s world everything is mediocre, even his backing music is the narrator’s whining voice instead of real violin. Bullied by his wife, his boss and the local brute, the victim/oppressor dynamic repeats itself in every area of his life until the doctor’s brutal news that he will die in three days. The shock diagnosis spurs him on to leave his job and sock it to the old bully. We witness his transformation from oppression. Acting and projection are well-done. A tiny white chair and giant toast show good use of proportion. This play highlights the inane routines, mediocre lives and poor relationships we find ourselves in when we choose to ignore the call for change and settle in stagnant places.
Kimberley Mann & Angie Starr
Mediocrity continues at Bakehouse Theatre until Sat Mar 14.

Holy Guacamole
Holden Street Theatres (The Arch), Mon Mar 9
The Good Room presents a scrumptious black comic tale of Eustace, half boy/half avocado, in the classic story of ‘fitting in’ in the apparently ‘normal’ suburbia. There are some intriguing characters in suburbia: the strong, selfish mother (think Desperate Housewives), the nervous stuttering father, the grandma who has lost her marbles, the impressionable best friend and the bitchy sisters down the road. Daniel Evans has cleverly written and directed a wonderful quirky piece of theatre that is not just for us avocado lovers! The performances were outstanding, especially avocado boy, Eustace, played by Daniel White, together with Natasha Yantsch (Fern) and Margi Brown-Ash (Mavis) who provided the audience with some hilarious, very real memorable moments. The costumes, lighting, set and sound were all creative and astute. Highly recommended.
Bobby Goudie
Holy Guacamole continues at Holden Street Theatres until Sat Mar 14.

A Bit Of Swing, Blues And Broadway
The Promethean, Mon Mar 9
Vocalist, Chris Eaton, presented a mixed bag of songs in an enjoyable evening of old and new works. Eaton’s pleasantly modulated voice was backed by a sextet led by musical director and fine pianist, Daniel Brunner, who also contributed as a composer. A big asset to the band is Anna Butterss, whose walking bass lines added a solid rhythm and who forms interesting solos. Gerard Spalding’s metronomic precision and tightly controlled four bar exchanges were notable. Matt Kaesler produced some fine saxophone solos, with a particularly sensitive contribution on Body And Soul. The one weak link was trumpeter, Scott Merchant, whose intonation was inaccurate and who often cracked on high notes, while offering rather aimless solos. Eaton’s easy going manner, choice of great songs and his warm interpretations had the audience in the palm of his hand. Watch for his other upcoming concerts during the Fringe for a good night out. Barry Lenny
A Bit Of Swing, Blues And Broadway continues at The Promethean until Mon Mar 16.

Would a major label take a chance on signing a fat glum teen lass from South London? It often seems that unless you’ve got legs like Beyonce and a head like Rihanna - and are willing to show plenty of skin in between the two - you’ve got as much chance of being snapped up by a record company as Gary Glitter snaring employment as a nanny. Adele Adkins looks a little like Sophie Ellis-Bextor – albeit after a strict diet of meat pies and sausage rolls – but her vocal skills have seen the ruddy-cheeked youngster shatter the UK’s glossy tabloid logic with this number one debut album.
Avoiding the cheeky, clunky lyrical twists of Kate Nash in favour of something far more mature, the 19-year-old Brit’s taste in elongated syllables, sweet vocals and unrestricted production has earned her comparisons to soulless soul diva Amy Winehouse. Right As Rain makes good on the Winehouse comparisons, yet while the girls share talented producer Mark Ronson (responsible for the Unfinished Sympathy sounds of Adele’s Cold Shoulder), there’s more life to 19 than beehives and blow.
Current single Chasing Pavements shows just how the smart production of Ronson and Jim Abbiss has given Adele a boost, with its grey and detached verses giving way to a rainbow wash of strings in the chorus. The music box simplicity of First Love, the beautifully refined cover of Bob Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love and the emotionally stirring sounds of climax Hometown Glory prove there’s no time for hair extensions, fake tans and melisma here – it’s all about an emotion that pulls you in like an ocean rip .
Adele’s no goddess, but she sings like a saint.
Scott McLennan

It’s an interesting move for London based, Turkish born Adem to make his third album one of covers; the one time Explosions In The Sky tinkerer deciding last year to transfer his unassuming, acoustic blend of pretty folk into an assortment of songs that influenced him as a musician. The 12 chosen tracks on Takes come from a developing period in his life and are picked from all over the spectrum, with versions here of The Smashing Pumpkins and Low sitting alongside Aphex Twin and Björk.
It's titled Takes because the songs are another attempt on an existing song. However, it’s also an appropriate name because Adem takes so much from each, stripping them down to just guitar, singing and feeling. Well, that’s not entirely true. Despite holding only a guitar during his solo shows Adem compiles an intriguing collection of instruments and sound effects to feature as back-ups in these recordings. Appearances include glockenspiels, harmoniums, vibraphones, ukuleles and an E-bow. You might just think he chose the instruments with the funny names, but when hearing them on the album each bring their own timbre to their chosen song. His production skills are class as on every track he gives each arrangement unique character.
On a personal note, the song selection is kind of worrying. There are a maybe just a few too many songs originally by female artists singing about loneliness and wanting their man back. So, well, it’s obvious Adem’s a sensitive lad. But even in the lady-loneliness field he redeems himself with a beautiful cover of Björk’s Unravel where he, as he so consistently does, injects subtle emotional touches into everything he sings. So, while the album is named Takes, it won’t be said that Adem doesn’t also give something as well.
Brad McNaughton

With the steady flow of quality doom bands coming out of the US, Japan and Europe it’s not surprising that acts of a similar nature have been popping up here in Australia. The likes of Melbourne’s Whitehorse, Dad They Broke Me and The Grey Daturas (and, going back a little, Sydney’s The Stockholm Syndrome) have been crafting fine doom and sludge tunes for several years and Doom Jazz is the debut from Melbournian two-piece Agonhymn, an act comprised of a pair of sound engineers.
Musically the band lies towards Khanate or Sunn)))0 in that they create a noisy and atmospheric sound with a strong focus on deep, rumbling bass and thick guitar. The CD is broken into seven parts and part one opens in a tranquil manner before bruising guitar sounds and dense, down tempo riffs enter the fray in the second. The third part is one of the most dynamic and incorporates slow, brutal sections and jazz elements, while the following few parts break into more up tempo material akin to Eyehategod, which are also one of the few to feature vocals.
The last 10-minute long part drags a little bit too much and while Doom Jazz isn’t up to the musical standards of The Grey Daturas, it’s still certainly a good debut likely to interest fans of Sunn)))0, Pelican, Boris and doom in general.
Shayne Charlesworth

Ever wondered what Al Green would sound like if The Roots produced him? Well, wonder no more as Green’s latest release sees him teaming up with The Roots’ ?uestlove to revive the magic of 1974. Mixing the classic soul template he perfected in the ‘70s with a distinctly modern R&B flavour, The Rev’s latest offering is refreshingly decent in a world of overproduced rubbish. Too often artists we love taint their own legacy by releasing tasteless and obvious pop trite but Green has managed to record an album that is true to his classic soul roots without being boring or predictable.
Remarkably, Green’s vocals have not aged a day beyond 1971’s Let’s Stay Together. His voice caresses the ear with every luscious falsetto moan and husky growl. Green’s vibrant vocals carry every tune to another place. The standout is the simmering soul ballad Take Your Time with Corinne Bailey Rae. ?uestlove’s in the pocket groove, the Motown-esque vocal harmonies and string section create something reminiscent of a Donny Hathaway/Roberta Flack duet. The all-star line of collaborators including ?uestlove, John Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae, Gabe Roth and the Dap King Horns make for an authentic Memphis soul sound, yet the album does come off a little too polite. I was left yearning for a touch of the rawness that made the classic Al Green records so good.
There is nothing particularly original going on here but it doesn’t matter, because the album contains everything I love about soul and R&B. You listen and you know it is doing your soul some good!
Tara Lynch

Even if Yours To Keep turned out to be rubbish, Albert Hammond Jr would still have been worthy of recognition simply due to the fact that he had the guts to release a solo album that his Strokes colleagues allegedly howled down. Contrary to modern historical equivalents (such as Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood’s percussive nuttiness Bodysong, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ John Frusciante’s winding epics recorded solely for drug money and Blur’s Graham Coxon’s lo-fi anxieties), New Yorker Hammond has recorded an album that neither slips into narcissistic musicianship nor forgets about the importance of a humble melody.
In fact, with The Strokes’ third album First Impressions Of Earth dropping in early 2006, Hammond has found himself book-ending the year with two excellent recordings. Although it’s been suggested that Yours To Keep was merely the guitarist’s dregs which his uber-cool bandmates turned down as potential Strokes numbers, Hammond has done a fine job building Yours To Keep into a solid pop album in its own right. Less abrasive than The Strokes at full power, Hammond’s debut has more in common with acoustic John Lennon numbers or Noel Gallagher solo. There’s unmistakeable traces of The Strokes’ sound on In Transit, Everyone Gets A Star and Call An Ambulance, but the mood is brightened by vibrant additions of horns and guitars that sound like they’ve been recorded on a Caribbean holiday isle. Although there’s the small matter of some rum lyrics to deal with, the new wave charm of tunes such as Scared are gutsy retreats from The Strokes’ rock chops.
Yours To Keep is a triumphant debut in the face of Hammond’s band’s indifference to the project. They’ll be sorry, old mate Albert.
Scott McLennan

In life some people get gifts. If you find a copy ¿Cómo Te Llama? and skip a few tracks to lead single GfC you'll recognise the one given to Albert Hammond Jr. Instantly you'll hear The Strokes guitarist massage the strings of his Fender Stratocaster with angelic dexterity, playing notes and hooks of such beauty that would make you feel a strange guiltiness if you tried replicating them on a Fisher Price in Guitar Hero. Then, after the harpy introduction has drawn you in, the chorus and Hammond's other gift – his voice – deliver.
A great vocalist plus covetable guitar skills makes the formula for a damn good album. The rest of the band are all rock solid, but there are parts - such as the bridge on Bargain Of The Century - where I think I'm listening to a lo-fi rock band until a high fidelity guitar solo makes me realise that everything else just seems scabrous in contrast.
There are still times where the fact it's a solo album are obvious. Like most geniuses, Hammond has trouble resisting temptation. Several times he indulges in his own skills a little too much. For all the repeatable hit tracks like the chord powered Boss Americana and soldier's drum pounding of Rocket there's a skippable Spooky Couch. However, it's his record and you can still feel privileged just to hear the brilliance he can produce on six strings. Hammond recently cancelled his Australian tour at a time I was listening the shit out of this album, citing a throat infection. I felt bad, but now when I think about it I'm pretty sure people would go even if he couldn't sing. As long as he could play guitar.
Brad McNaughton

For fans who loved Alex Lloyd’s earlier work and know his style, you will more than likely enjoy his latest offering if you approach it with an open mind. Laidback, nostalgic and creative describes Alex Lloyd’s Good In The Face Of A Stranger down to a T. Yet this album also sees him at his most exposed and honest, as he candidly sings about patience, love, love, love, drugs, politics and having no regrets. Face Of A Stranger’s lyrical content really exemplifies the overall angle of the album and Lloyd’s perspective, which can be attributed to his change of lifestyle and new outlook on things.
In comparison to his second release, Watching Angels Mend, which forced Lloyd into the routine of cracking it overseas and meeting a release schedule, this album sees his aspirations have changed. Clearly, making the mainstream and being popular is not a priority anymore; the relatively simple structures and melancholy overtones in his songs are of more significance on this album.
The instrumentation plays a major part and other than producer Stuart Miller’s contribution on lap steel, omni chord, harp, accordion, percussion and melodica, Lloyd plays most of the instruments himself, which sees him expand musically and provide an uninhibited and open feel on each song.
Something For Nothing, Hollywood and The Same Day are standout tracks with moving harmonies, infectious piano and guitar patterns and melancholy lyrics which reveal a creative and touching side to Lloyd’s craft. Last Drinks, which is a one minute-long interlude of the repeated lyrics, ‘I’ve always loved you’, offers a pleasant relief between the relaxed and slow tunes.
Good In The Face Of A Stranger ultimately provides beautiful melodic lines with a blend of refined and delicate vocals, ultimately presenting a basic yet artistically original album.
Alexandra Nowak

Gloom-rockers Alkaline Trio’s sixth album is full of the band’s trademark elements: Gothic melodies, solemn harmonies shared between co-vocalists Matt Skiba (guitar) and Dan Andriano (bass) and black-humoured lyrics preoccupied with misery, death, heartbreak and dismemberment (‘A farewell to arms... and legs, and heads and all’, as first single Help Me has it). The songwriting offers a mix that returns the focus to their punk roots (with tracks like the potent Lost And Rendered and In Vein, the staccato opening of which stabs at you like Norman Bates) while maintaining a few nods to more produced, expansive palette of their last full length, Crimson, such as the down-tempo bigscale melodic rock of Do You Wanna Know? and the shimmering keyboards of Over And Out, which sounds like Depeche Mode meeting The Damned in a hospital ward.
There’s not a bad chorus or a forgettable song on the album, but at the same time there are only a few cuts that push beyond ‘enjoyable’ into ‘classic’ territory. The two strongest contenders to stand the test of time and become as essential as earlier material are Skiba’s typically morbid handclap-laced opener Calling All Skeletons and Andriano’s bitterly cynical Love Love Kiss Kiss, which features pitch-black anti-romance lyrics tied to irresistible pop hooks.
While the album isn’t their most compelling work, it has plenty of urgency, and even with the band not quite at the top of their game, this record is still far from an Agony.
Owen Heitmann

Remains has spent little time out of my stereo in the weeks since I received it – so much so that it’s been difficult for me to review other CDs. And it’s not even an album per se, but rather a collection of 22 of Alkaline Trio’s 7” singles, contributions to compilations, b-sides, cover songs, tracks originally found on split releases, and unreleased live versions.
As such, it includes the three songs from their split with Hot Water Music that constituted my first exposure to the Trio, one of which (the atmospheric While You’re Waiting) remains possibly my favourite of their songs. But several other tracks here have now been added to the shortlist vying for that title, in particular opening punk rocker Hell Yes and the agitated Jaked On Green Beers, a savage evisceration of a former friend.
The songs on offer cover practically the band’s entire career, and their chronological order documents not only a change in drummers but also the group’s evolution from the morbid gothic punk of Dead End Road et al to the less urgent but still gloom-infused melodic rock of their later material.
While I favour the first half of the album, the second half does have some interesting experiments such as the string section of Sadie, the atypical shimmering sounds of Don’t Say You Won’t (which evokes The Cure) and the gradually increasing tempo of Buried.
The covers consist of songs originally by Berlin, Hot Water Music and The Damned, and the three live songs include an acoustic version of My Standard Break From Life.
The CD also comes packaged with a DVD, the best part of which is the music videos for five previous singles. The other bonus features also prove marginally better than the main feature documentary, in which the live performances look great but sound sub-par. But while the DVD may not be essential, the elaborate packaging (with liner notes from the band for each track) definitely is.
One of my favourite releases so far this year.
Owen Heitmann

Yeasayer are eclectic to say the least. And they hail from perhaps the world capital of eclecticism, New York City. Their debut LP, All Hour Cymbals, experiments with some very diverse and exotic sounds while taking the listener on an aural trip around the globe. No doubt that Yeasayer are taking a bold step in a strange new direction for music.

All Hour Cymbals can be broken up into two parts. The first half of the record has a distinctly global perspective, borrowing styles and themes from across the planet. Opening with Sunrise, a post-rock, sub-groovy number that’s as much African tribal dance as it is trendy lounge bar, very much sets the mood for the album. The next four or five tracks take in sounds and impressions from various parts of the world, from India (Wait For The Summer) to the Mediterranean (Germs). It’s all very easy listening, with a number of soft elements, such as pan pipes, various stringed instruments and barely audible chanting, all combining to create a rich melody.

From No Need To Worry on however, things take a bit of a turn. The mood is less world music and more rocky and industrial, almost like a mix of TV On The Radio and Sigur Ros. Wait For The Wintertime is explosive and gargantuan, completely unlike its summer counterpart, while the distorted vocals and sub-continental electrics of Worms makes the band sound like an angelic, modern day Stone Roses

Yeasayer represent the globalisation of music. Never before has a band been able to blend so many elements of world and popular music and made it sound so fresh and exciting. All Hour Cymbals was a brave concept, but Yeasayer’s sheer musical prowess has more than pulled it off.

Jimmy Bollard

Multi-talented songstress and one half of Boston’s punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls, Amanda Palmer, has released her first solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer? and it is one of the most fascinating things I have ever heard.
By experimenting with broader musical stylings than previously exhibited with The Dresden Dolls, Who Killed Amanda Palmer? showcases Palmer’s endless creativity, exposing her as a woman whose artistic endeavours have no boundaries. Mixing the magical and the macabre, the mundane and the sentimental, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?  is a musical masterpiece and the result of nearly 10 years’ worth of songwriting.
With piano pop guru Ben Folds contributing to and producing the album and recording it in his Nashville-based studio, it’s easy to hear his unmistakable musical influence and crisp production.   
From the gigantic opener Astronaut to the soaring orchestral finale Another Year, the album assaults listeners with a combination of rage, black humour, passion and despondence. Featuring guest vocals from the likes of The Dead Kennedys’ East Bay Ray on Guitar Hero, St Vincent’s Annie Clark on What’s The Use Of Wond’rin’?, cellist Zoe Keating and string arrangements by master composer Paul Buckmaster, Who Killed Amanda Palmer? gives Palmer’s incredible compositions new colour via expansive instrumentation and glorious arrangements.
Songs skip relentlessly between polar opposite moods: beautiful and weird, dark and radiant, slow and racy, but Palmer somehow strings it all together with her theatrical persona and highly emotional singing style.
It’s hard not to smile at its quirks and gasp in delight at its ceaseless energy. Yet there’s a darkness here that surrounds it all. Some will be turned off, others will embrace it, but either way, the album sees the fearless heroine weaving together the many threads of her life into a dynamic record that pushes emotional boundaries while staying true to its genius creator.
Alexandra Nowak

Anberlin’s fourth studio album isn’t quite as sonically ambitious as their last full-length, Cities, but that doesn’t mean it’s a backwards step. Rather, on their first major label outing the quintet continue to refine their intense melodic rock, sounding bigger than ever – from start to finish almost without exception, New Surrender is filled with tunes so immense that it seems like they could only be comfortably housed in stadiums (or perhaps cathedrals, given the band’s religious affiliation).
Tracks like Breaking and the poppy Younglife swell and soar, adjectives that also apply to frontman Stephen Christian’s voice. As always, his vocals embrace the listener completely, to such an extent that his delivery preserves a soft, soothing element to the songs even when (as on opener The Resistance) guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney are attacking you with their hardest and most abrasive riffs.
Throughout the album, rockers like Feel Good Drag (a re-recorded track from their second album, Never Take Friendship Personal) and ballads such as Breathe and Retrace are somehow made equally hypnotic, and despite the consummate musicianship I’m sure it’s largely thanks to Christian. As an agnostic myself, even his occasional evangelism (like on Burn Out Brighter [Northern Lights]) still manages to draw me in, his voice and humble persona making this succeed as an album to immerse yourself in. Surrender yourself.
Anberlin play Soundwave’s Stage One at 3.25pm, Bonython Park on Sat Feb 28.
Owen Heitmann

Having been a fan of Irish family band The Corrs for a long time (they do play Celtic world music, after all!), I was eager to listen to what Andrea Corr was capable of for her first foray into solo-dom. I am actually quite impressed with what Ten Feet High has to offer. I was lucky enough to see The Corrs live in Dublin a few years back and any misgivings I’d developed over the years on the basis of them being a pop band were very quickly blown away by a fantastic performance. Andrea has brought that sensational musical prowess to this album, and it works very nicely indeed. There is a nice pop sensibility overriding the album, though there’s nothing sickly sweet or pretentious about it. Andrea manages to capture a vocal sincerity that eludes the vast bulk of the pop world; perhaps it’s her organic folk background. Either way, Andrea’s delivery is naturally beautiful.
Thematically and stylistically, Andrea covers a lot of ground on Ten Feet High. There are some tunes on the raunchier end of the pop scale, while others ooze great folky ideals. Andrea wrote most of the album on the piano, which has obviously lent itself nicely to organic production values. Songs like the title track, the jazzy bossa nova-influenced This Is What It’s All About and happy Champagne From A Straw are all great tunes, while the first single Shame On You (To Keep My Love From Me) is a brilliant politically-charged statement against the reality of war. However, my favourite is the beautiful and simple love tune I Do. Yep, below my political motivations, I’m a softie deep down!
All in all, Andrea Corr has done a great job with this one. It’s definitely a side-step from previous Corrs material, but is equally as great. Nice one! There, and I’ve said all that without mentioning how beautiful Andrea is!
Luke Balzan

Andrew Bird is one of the world's best whistlers. I mean, he is more than just that: talented with the guitar and glockenspiel; nurtured on the violin from birth, but it's the world's most primitive form of melody where he is revered. So it’s apt that he’s built up his fourth solo album from the tunes he magicked from wind on his lips. And from it he has produced another masterful record of folk tales for listening to around crackling fireplaces, infused with warm, acoustic tones and earthy spirit.
Bird is a prolific composer and takes inspiration primarily from American and European folk, but he is also aroused by a long month’s worth of Discovery channel material, finding feeling in eastern European circuses, Egyptian marketplaces and deep sea gardens. Anticon's Martin Dosh - one of hip hop's most organic sounding producers - returns in his production role from Bird's Armchair Apocrypha album and again he assists with woody percussion and keyboard melodies painted into Bird's lush cacophonies.
As Noble Beast grows and plods through its lifecycle it’s evident that instrumentally and even lyrically Bird manipulates instrument and language for its texture rather than meaning. Track titles like Anonanimal at least forewarn of the tongue twisting to come. 'Underneath the stalactites, the troglodytes lost their sight, oh’, he sings with dreamy smoothness. ‘The seemingly innocuous plecostomus though posthumous they talk to us, they talk too much.' The words have no sharp edges, sing-songed about with charming casualness. Everything he plays shares the same relaxed breeziness, fluttering about with simple complexity much like nature itself. All inspired by some fanciful whistle.
Brad McNaughton

Andrew Morris is definitely the quiet achiever flying under the radar, going about his business of releasing quality album after quality album. It’s no different this time around, with album number four Needs And Wants proving to be another quality affair. If you compare all his records to date they all have their subtle differences and from a fan’s perspective it’s pleasing to see him progress his music to a new level.
Needs And Wants is a step forward, favouring piano ballads and soulful vocals instead of the trusty ol’ acoustic guitar and alternative country vibe we’ve become accustomed to. There’s no denying the influence from mentor and touring partner Bernard Fanning on this record, adding a little more spit polish to make this one shine. Hilltop is a great opener, starting from a rather conservative intro and building into a kaleidoscope of instrumental sounds, with organs coming to the fore and cymbals crashing in the background. The horn section in Don’t Know What I Want is classic and Morris shows great vocal range on Domino.
The big album moment and possible lead single comes by way of Lover, which has an instant attraction to it despite it being the shortest song on the album. Overall the album hangs together well and songs such as Alone Without You and A Lonely Goodbye show the depth and versatility of Morris. Morris has delivered a great album, but it’s time he starts making a bit noise and starts telling the world how good he is.
Rob Lyon

The 14 songs for garageband, the latest offering from Belfast-born singer songwriter Andy White, were written over a 10-day period using an Apple computer program and then recorded in studios around the world with various musicians. The album was then mixed by noted UK producer John Leckie (Radiohead and The Stone Roses).
Given the relative simplicity of the computer program, the resultant offering is awash with glorious pop songs such as the delightful You Walked Back Into My Heart, Waiting For Someone and No Way Out. It also boasts a rather big sound and is best played on high volume. Repeat listens also bring out further details; the album is quite bold on first hearing and little things such as Gerry Hale’s mandolin and Rad Lorkovic’s barrelhouse piano are not all that evident until a few spins later.
Letter From T/Don’t Choose The Wrong Way – a song about an e-mail to White and his response with the e-mail’s writer, Torri Higginson, delivering a spoken-word section at the beginning - also boasts a strong world music flavour which is not all that surprising given that the musician has played at WOMAD festivals around the world including WOMADelaide.
If garageband was an experiment, it’s one that’s worked rather well and longtime fans will find much to enjoy. The CD booklet also features many more of the musician’s whimsical drawings as well as the lyrics to each song and photos of all those involved, including Melbourne-based singer songwriter Monique Brumby, whose vocals can be heard on three songs.
Andy White will now launch garageband at the Grace Emily on Thu Mar 8.
Robert Dunstan

Angels & Airwaves’ second album is practically We Don’t Need To Whisper Part 2: despite the critical mauling Tom DeLonge’s post-Blink-182 outfit’s debut received, he’s stuck to his guns, creating more densely layered, grandiose, eighties-sounding rock that combines Joshua Tree-era U2 guitar riffs, sweeping space-rock keyboards, bombastic chiming choruses and effects-laden whining vocals.
So, if you liked the first album, you can expect much of the same. If, like me, you hated the first album, however, there is some hope: there’s more excitement in the opening of Everything’s Magic than in the entirety of …Whisper, with its whip-snap tempo and DeLonge actually spitting out the lyrics instead of droning on and on. Likewise, Sirens goes some way towards recapturing his past knack for a hook and Secret Crowds actually has a bit of punch to it, initially at least. Meanwhile, the autobiographical Rite Of Spring seems out of place, sounding (ironically) like +44.
However, the rest is often repetitive. First track Call To Arms is a virtual rehash of everything that made the last album so bland, and Love Like Rockets struggles to capture the euphoria DeLonge expresses in his lyrics. Breathe, which offers a quieter interlude, still suffers from being overlong, a problem which plagues the album. Five and six-minute songs are the norm – even the two-minute instrumental Star Of Bethlehem is essentially just a preface to the six-minute True Love.
DeLonge is still a megalomaniac – on Secret Crowds he muses about what he’d do if he had a world of his own – but at least he’s a benevolent one (‘There’d be no more war, death or riots’). Similarly, I still don’t like Angels & Airwaves, but at least I-Empire is a small improvement.
Owen Heitmann

Grounded Bird is Angie Hart’s first solo album and was recorded in a warehouse in Brunswick. Melbourne. This debut is both lovely and strange; it is simple, unique and gentle. Angie began her career in Melbourne pop band frente! at age 17. They were hugely successful and young Angie proved herself as a natural and talented musician.
This record opens with a Ben Lee-esque remake of the Splendid song Asleep. Lee initially collaborated with Hart on this album and the slow and deliberate way in which Asleep is sung reminded me instantly of Lee’s Awake Is The New Sleep, which is not necessarily a bad thing (but not necessarily a good thing, either). By track four, Grounded Bird was starting to sound more Hart and less Lee. The song Sand is a definite stand-out with beautiful, simple lyrics – “I’ve been doing the best I can and now I’ve got to start all over again”. It captures your attention and its honesty draws you in. My Year Of Drinking begins with the guitarist hitting a dodgy chord and saying, “Oh for fuck’s sake... sorry”. The rest of the song follows smoothly, however, as does the rest of the record.
As an Angie Hart virgin, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. And despite its obvious Ben Lee influence, I found Grounded Bird to be a really beautiful record. The honesty and simplicity of the whole album drew me in; particularly on tracks like Sand and Don’t Be Shy. For a first solo album, Grounded Bird is a brilliant effort.
Grace Goodfellow

Those talented Stone siblings have done it again and created another gem, in this, their second EP. With arrangements consisting at different times of Angus’ delicate acoustic guitar and vulnerable vocals, Julia’s expressive voice and simple but effective harmonica, plus a subtle rhythm section with Mitchell Connelly on drums and James Perryman on bass, the Angus & Julia Stone sound is somehow richer than the sum of its parts.
Most of the songs are slow and sad, but with the Stones’ soulful delivery, it’s an uplifting kind of sad – the type of slow songs that you can’t help but stop and listen to.
All the six tracks are great, with standouts including What You Wanted (where Julia’s Melanie-esque voice builds to a wonderfully raspy climax), Heart Full Of Wine (a pared-down track with Angus’ vulnerable vocals and a spot of cello by Bethany Porter) and Sadder Than You (where the siblings’ subtle harmonies are sublime.)
Charlotte Chalklen

The cover artwork serves as a beguiling invitation. It inspires intrigue. Angus & Julia Stone’s debut album’s visual journey, comprised of a fork in the road leading to either shadow-infested, sinister-looking forestry on the right or a notably brighter and jovial world to the left, is littered with potential analytical promise. Does it merely serve as encouragement to join them in the left-hand side world of acoustic lustre or, if you dig a little deeper, does it serve as a representation of the musicians themselves – ‘Tegan & Sara-like’ siblings with entirely individualistic and distinctive styles who merge together to produce luscious, organic, acoustic goodness? If anything, their attention-grabbing cover artwork stirs up a desire to slip your fingers inside the plastic cover, remove the circular disc housing their tales and immerse yourself in their story.
The Stone siblings have become synonymous with simple but gorgeous acoustic arrangements fused with layered, sweeping sounds of piano, guitar and drumming rhythms underpinning their lyrics. And for this debut album entitled A Book Like This, they’ve upheld their reputation and adopted an unwavering stance. The Sydney-spawned musicians intertwine their distinctive styles and with Julia’s husky, quirky Joanna Newsom-like sound, unusual cracked phrasing and soft, gentle pitch and Angus’s sweet, stable tone, the album enchants. Particularly appealing is this concept of two distinct and separate entities merging within one song, which creates anything but what could have become recycled acoustic deja vu. Housing gems like Just A Boy, Wasted, The Beast and the stand-out title track A Book Like This, their album is a gorgeous and delicate listen. It’s stripped bare, leaving graceful acoustics and intricate sounds ideal for an evening listen. A beauty. Turn their page…
Kerry Loyson

Sculpted over the course of two years and co-produced with her partner Mike Napolitano, Red Letter Year is Ani DiFranco's first studio release since she relocated from Buffalo, NY, to New Orleans, LA and became a mum. During this period, DiFranco continued to perfect her songwriting, performing and recording skills and the end result is an album of focused, layered and panoramic music. It celebrates existence, professes love and tackles thorny political issues with an infectious sense of empowerment. The artwork alone is worth the purchase; the lovely, earthy design and liner notes feel so tangible in a time of digital downloads.
Both location and baby had an impact on this recording but while it’s certainly not a soppy ode to her newborn, Red Letter Year embodies an overall appreciation for new life, love, truth and hope. DiFranco’s songwriting reflects her place in life with warmth and clarity while her band is a major source of Red Letter Year’s unique personality.
Highlight tracks include Smiling Underneath, a reflection on love’s power to make everything better, the achingly beautiful ballad Way Tight and Alla This, an anthem full of brave statements about the military campaigns in Iraq and religious fundamentalism. Although the title track may start with mushroom-induced dancing on New Year's Eve, its early glee is swept away by DiFranco’s reaction to the devastation wreaked on New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.
Through her folksy tunes, DiFranco reminds us that another type of radical life for individuals is possible now. Her life and work is all about putting forward ideas for radical action, and this album is no different. It finds our indie heroine a little older, wiser and a bit more hopeful. It’s no secret Red Letter Year is an artful celebration and one of DiFranco’s most joyous records to date.
Ani Di Franco plays Thebarton Theatre on Wed Jan 28.
Alexandra Nowak

If we learnt nothing else from 2008, it was that Animal Collective were destined to be one of the most diversely influential and important bands of this decade. We saw their influence in the tribalistic vocals of Vampire Weekend, the hypnotic rhythms of Fuck Buttons and the looping psychedelica of El Guincho. Now in 2009, it’s well and truly time to release the album that will knock down the mainstream barrier as well as once again leaving the critics floored. That album is Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Anyone who’s ever come across an Animal Collective record will know that these guys aren’t exactly run-of-the-mill. Their experimentation into tribal folk music and psych-prog has traditionally abandoned the realm of pop music completely. While retaining these elements throughout Merriweather (there’s the swampy, marsh aesthetic of Lion In A Coma and the trippy fuzz rhythm of Also Frightened), what sets this record apart from their others is the organisation of it. The random layers of sound have been replaced with a slightly firmer structure and it all connects from one part to the next with less head-scratching and dumbfoundedness. It’s this that makes Merriweather their most accessible record to date.
The opening one-two punch of In The Flowers and My Girls sets the bar ridiculously high for anyone aspiring to make end of year lists in 2009. Mystical guitars fused with surprise attacks of bassy electronica and powerful vocals steeped in grandiosity and purpose instantly set the scene for the remaining 45 minutes which do not fail to astonish.
If you’ve been put off by previous outputs from the New York duo, you are implored to give them a second chance. Merriweather Post Pavilion is an exquisitely divine record that will both test and gratify your senses.
Jimmy Bollard

Anti-Flag’s first album back on an indie after two records with a major label perpetuates many stereotypes about the difference between the two. Gone are the big name producer (Tony Visconti) and embellishments (brass, strings, choir) of The Bright Lights Of America. In their place are a self-produced bunch of fast, snotty, angry punk blasts like the anti-religion Sodom, Gomorrah, Washington DC (Sheep In Shepherd’s Clothing), music industry-baiting You Are Fired (Take This Job, Ah, Fuck It) and self-explanatory No War Without Warriors (How Do You Sleep?).
However, the four-piece have taken on board a few lessons from their recent experience, retaining just enough variety to give the record an appealing depth. The uplifting posi-punk lyrics of The Gre(A)t Depression are based on quotes from Joe Strummer and Woody Guthrie, and they’re two valid reference points, given the anthemic, Clash-like feel of that track and the folk punk of This Is The First Night.
The album’s lyrics are typically political, hypercritical, and kind of dumb. ‘When the cities burn down, we’ll all keep warm’ exemplifies their shortsighted philosophies, but it’s still hard to keep from singing along.
If you used to like Anti-Flag but then grew up, you’ll hate this album. If you used to like Anti-Flag but didn’t like the direction their last record took, you will probably like this album. If you’re comfortable with the fact that Anti-Flag possibly aren’t that smart but still know how to write ridiculously catchy, fun songs, you’ll enjoy this album as much as I do. (And if the half-hour running time is too short for you, get in early for the limited edition three-track bonus disc.)
Owen Heitmann

While many of the finer exponents of the grindcore sound haven’t widened their audience beyond the their traditionally underground fan-base, Nasum has helped take these sounds to new levels of popularity. It’s hard to do something completely ‘new’ in terms of creating a brutal grind sound, but the Swedes continue a quality musical path a la Napalm Death, early Terrorizer and Pig Destroyer.
Nasum play a ferocious and intense form of grindcore which harnesses an element of groove and dynamic, at times making for an unusually catchy listening experience. Nasum have created top-notch releases from their debut Inhale/Exhale through to their last studio release Shift in 2004, all incorporating an intelligent lyrical stance of a socio-political nature.
Unsurprisingly, the band came to halt after guitarist/vocalist Mieszko Talarczyk’s death in the 2004 tsunami, with this Japanese live show one of his last live performances. As with any of the previous Nasum releases, Doombringer is a fast and furious affair and the whole live set clocks in close to 25 minutes. The CD features 16 tracks encompassing all of their four full-length releases, ranging stylistically from the short and brutal (the likes of Inhale/Exhale, I Hate People, Relics, Mass Hypnosis and The Masked Face) to the slightly longer and grooved out (Scoop, A Welcome Breeze Of Stinking Air, Corrosion and Den Svarta Fanan).
The emphasis of the set is on flat out, noisy and pulsating grindcore and not as representative of their entire catalogue as it could be, but all the same it marks a great live show and a fitting tribute to Mieszko Talarczyk. Sure, Doombringer could be a bit longer, but it’s an essential release for grind and extreme metal aficionados and a good introduction to the musical brutality that is evoked by Nasum.
Shayne Charlesworth

It’s not the first seconds of The Crying Light - a sad, single violin and Antony’s equally mournful warble – that first testify to its message of artistic beauty. It starts with the cover, a black and white photo of the Butoh dancer Kazuo Ohno posing head back, arms out in a way that art critics might discuss as ‘portraying the balance of energy between life and death’ or as a layman might put it: beautiful but weird.
Antony is an artist first, musician second. He has an amazing, stirring voice that is itself like a contemporary dancer, moving slowly but deliberately through the soundscapes he composes with the musicians encapsulated as ‘The Johnsons’. Beware that generic sounding label, as 25 of New York’s finest musicians provide the talented supporting cast that swells around Antony.
While that’s a huge number of contributors the orchestra is essentially understated throughout The Crying Light. Instrumentation is cut to piercing minimal. The opening minute of afterlife pining Another World is only melancholy piano as he reflects on what he’ll leave behind, before a rusty violin creeps into its climax. The single truly upbeat track – Aeon – features a tale of a new child being born and is set to a simple guitar melody and warm bass, with only occasional strings to add to the atmosphere. Kiss My Name, a song of lifecycles, is the album’s microcosm. Not only lyrically but instrumentally as Antony’s voice crawls, staggers and flies over the stripped percussion, strings and piano. But it’s the rest of the orchestra that completes the brilliance, the single, subtle electric guitar note between opening verses, Antony’s escalating pitch, and the pan flute that concludes it all. Such attention to detail is what makes this a masterpiece.
Brad McNaughton

Normally when you listen to band you can distinguish who some of their influences might be and what direction they wish to go with their music. New Melbourne-based rockers Aprocessof don’t fit into this category; it is very tough to categorise what style of music they play and you can hear so many different inspirations they are too numerous to mention. When you listen to their self-titled debut album, every song on it sounds a bit different than the last – a different genre, a different speed and even different vocal patterns. It is very interesting to listen to and work out who and what influenced each track – it’s kind of like a musical Where’s Wally?.
With all the genre hopping that occurs throughout the album it helps to showcase how talented and versatile they actually are - none more so than the performance of singer Peter Alexander, who has to adapt his vocals to various styles of music. During the course of the album he sings, shouts and screams, with the beautiful singing voice of bass player Brad Mackenzie complementing him perfectly.
The main problem with the progressive style that they mostly play is that quite often it can take a while to actually get into the song. This is no more evident than when you get to the end of the album and the songs becoming six to seven minutes in length. This is understandably mostly by design, because normally after the quiet melodic segments of the song the music and vocals explode into a much heavier and energetic style that blows you away. A perfect example of this is Skeletal, which is comprised of several different segments of melody and anger that interchange and build into an explosive crescendo of sound.
Michael Wickham

I’m always intrigued when handed a CD from an unfamiliar artist; Aquedect is no exception. From first track Lying In The Bed I’ve Made there is a certain undercurrent of angst and melancholic sadness that is fighting an uphill battle against synth pop lines and David Terry’s unique vocal styling. Initial listens reminded me of the first time I heard the almighty Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse, but David Terry’s strength is hooks reminiscent of Brian Wilson pop that swallows you up before the vocals can overpower them.
Don’t get me wrong, there are moments of madness. Take first single Living A Lie, a chasm of electronic synth with stalwart guitars that pushes Terry’s vocals towards punk rock, leaving the sunshine pop in his bedroom where I imagine these pop dreams of his came to fruition.
We are soon dragged back in with further summery bliss that still carries that dark undertone I mentioned. By this time you have succumbed to the hooks; quite frankly by track six this guy could be singing about how much he bears a resemblance to director Kevin Smith for all I care.
Formed in 2003, the one-man band moved to Seattle and only 12 hours later Aqueduct was opening for Modest Mouse. This sums up Aqueduct in a nutshell; they are instantly convincing with their melodic tunes. If you’re all for giving new bands a try, jump into Aqueduct for some (un)conventional pop.
They no doubt will take you to a parallel world where Brian Wilson fronts The Rentals and those California girls dumped your ass.
Sam Kelton

The familiarity of many tracks on Neon Bible and their evolution from hugely popular 2004 release Funeral’s dark tones ensures it’s almost like Arcade Fire never went away. In some ways they didn’t. Funeral’s slow-burning acclaim found the band popping up in such obtuse realms as the cover of Time magazine, the Six Feet Under soundtrack and as the walk-on music for the entire U2 Vertigo tour throughout 2005 and 2006.
When the cavernous, ominous threatening swells of Black Mirror kick in on Arcade Fire’s follow-up to Funeral, it’s like a threatening sky of storm clouds frightening a superstitious middle ages village. It’s not the only time Neon Bible evokes Christians fearing vengeance from above, with a number of the tracks treading a path that either renounces or re-announces lyricist Win Butler’s faith. Intervention and My Body Is A Cage incorporate the sounds of a Gothic church organ to gargantuan effect, with lyrics appropriately rebelling against a church upbringing and rallying against religion. Title track Neon Bible similarly chastises organised faith, while Windowsill contains Biblical references before Win pleads ‘MTV, what have you done to me?’ like a man crushed by the pace of the 21st century.
No Cars Go, a track which first appeared on the band’s 2003 self-titled EP and originally sounded like it was recorded in a shipping crate, has been expanded with flutes, horns and exciting yelps of glee.
While there’s a wealth of touchstones here (Ocean Of Noise’s tempestuous croon could have been Chris Isaak were it not for the sinister suggestion of an ‘Ocean of violence’, while Antichrist Television Blues harnesses a blue collar desperation in Win’s voice akin to Bruce Springsteen), it’s hard to imagine anyone but this quirky Canuck collective making it work.
In another age, Arcade Fire would be crushing millet, building barns and living life as noble puritans. Thank baby Jesus that they’re in the here and now, offering us these emotionally charged songs rich in texture and vision.
Scott McLennan

There is a perverse delight in backlashes. If nothing else, it allows people to divorce themselves from disappointment when things turn sour. And you can always move on to the next Next Big Thing. Today’s divinities are tomorrow’s dustmen and that’s the way it has been since time immemorial. It’s into this entirely unforgiving world that Favourite Worst Nightmare stumbles.
After repeated listens, it becomes obvious that Arctic Monkeys have changed tack in much the same way The Smiths did on Meat Is Murder. For The Headmaster Ritual read Brianstorm - Jamie Cook’s riff is as jolting and woozy as Johnny Marr’s playing on The Smiths‚ second long-player. Teddy Picker, D Is For Dangerous and Balaclava prove that months in perma-transit have not diminished prickly Alex Turner’s talent for surveillance of social situations. While the songs may not be as immediate as Whatever People Say I Am…, where that album was naked, wet and screaming, this one is considered, meatier and somehow still sussed. Whether that’s down to the presence of Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford at the knobs is a matter for sad folk sat in internet chat-rooms. Nevertheless if this album is a different kind of triumph then it has surely come at a price: Only Ones Who Know and 505 suggest the dissolution of Turner’s relationship with Victoria McDowell. The latter essays a hitherto unknown talent for tragicomedy while the former’s psychedelic melancholia is enough to make a man jaded. If you’re not in floods, there is a lump of coal where once your heart existed. But nothing here should make you believe Sheffield’s finest have gone soft (the one-two punch of The Bad Thing and Old Yellow Bricks is nothing short of spectacular). Favourite Worst Nightmare is the sound of a band holding their nerve and showing that following up the fastest-selling debut album in British history is a complete doddle.
To win a copy of Favourite Worst Nightmare, email <scottmclennan@ripitup.com.au> with your details and discuss your favourite worst nightmare.
Chris Scutt

The phrase “big in Germany” is an adjective often levelled at bands who are, let’s be honest, a bit shit. The reasoning probably goes something like this: the avowedly dull David Hasselhoff has carved out a niche for himself in Germany and he’s not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. And it’s difficult to argue with such watertight logic. Except when faced with the prospect of English art rockers Art Brut who are, you guessed rightly, big in Germany. Art Brut, you see, are wonderful.
Borne of the New Cross scene that furnished the world with The Libertines, Razorlight and lately Patrick Wolf, Art Brut have taken a noticeably less dramatic career route and eschewed the fiery death, faux-stadium-rock styling and self-conscious artiness options in order to create 2005’s superb Bang Bang Rock & Roll and this year’s It’s A Bit Complicated. The swagger’s still there, mind you, and while they might find themselves big in Germany, their humour remains intact: Eddie Argos keeps the good ship Art Brut on as witty a keel as possible. Album opener Pump Up The Volume is smarmier than a boxful of Bryan Ferrys. People In Love charts a relationship’s decline and finds Argos musing that “people in love lie around and get fat”. The wordy Late Sunday Evening keeps this year’s Britpop revival bubbling away, recalling Blur when they inhabited their Country House – for God’s sake, even The Kick Horns make a guest appearance. Although, in an album full of lyrical astuteness, the punchy Direct Hit showcases the album’s most inspired moment: “What’s wrong? Scared to commit? Get on the dancefloor it’s a direct hit”. Blinding. They even reciprocate all of Germany’s love is on St Pauli – a tribute to the German city and the more discerning Leftists’ district du jour.
And when it’s all over, you press play again. Because that’s what one does with albums of the year. Regardless of whether they’re big in Germany or not.
Chris Scutt

For those who watched, and sang along for that matter, to Disney’s High School Musical, you may be familiar with this blonde beauty. Leaving the character of Sharpay Evans behind, Ashley Tisdale has released her debut album. While some may be expecting a dose of sickeningly sweet bubblegum pop, with the help of some slick produces, the cringe factor is surprisingly kept to a minimum.
After one listen, it is obvious that Headstrong is no Disney album. Featuring more mature lyrics, Headstrong is an attempt to break Ashley free from her High School identity. A killer intro kicks off the album and is followed by So Much For You, a strong pop track with some added funk. He Said She Said should prove to be a successful single; a slightly sexy track destined for the dance floor. Be Good To Me has an urban feel, proving Ashley can move away from the pop arena. Not Like That has an infectious beat while Goin’ Crazy sounds oddly familiar to Britney Spears’ Crazy, insuring it to be a hit among the youngsters.In fact, Tisdale’s voice sounds somewhat similar to Spears’, and while her voice is not really that different, it is pleasant and she produces a sound that works.
The strongest point of Ashley’s debut is that its appeal is broader than just the youngsters – she has managed to create an album that connects with audiences above their teens. However, that is not to say that the youngest won’t be impressed, as Headstrong delivers on all levels. The final result is an album full of fun that will have you singing along in no time.
Cherie Herrmann

A concept album is always an interesting thing to listen to, especially as they must be tricky to record. The problem with a concept album is that there really isn’t a middle ground; they are either good or bad, never simply decent. Adelaide band Ast Voldur, which translates to ‘abandon all reason for madness’, have recently released their own concept EP. Psychoacoustic Trauma Asylum is apparently about the time that founding members Njala and Azrehan spent together in a government mental health facility.
Ast Voldur are really committed to their theme, with a lot of talk about no escape, crazy sounding shouting and electronic samples that give the feeling that they are in a mental asylum. The problem with the release is that it fails to really choose a direction to go in: half of the songs are black metal and the other half are just really ambient noise. By that I mean they are just an electronic beat with someone whispering, if that, for five or so minutes. That just doesn’t cut it.
The heavier songs on the album are decent enough to listen to, but with the strange back-story and general theme of their music they have chosen it may never work. There is no need to make music so out there that it just becomes weird.
Michael Wickham

It would be a big surprise to me if the members of Canada’s Attack In Black didn’t own multiple copies of Uncle Tupelo’s discography between the four of them. Their first album for Dine Alone is steeped in a similar mix of alt. country with a punk rock influence – covering ground ranging from the twangy, finger-picking acoustic first three-quarters of Footprints and the down-tempo, heavy-hearted If All I Thought Were True to the explosive Broken Things and the stirring melodic punk of the title track – and singer/guitarist Daniel Romano’s vocals seem almost lifted from Still Feel Gone, especially on opening track Come What May. Still, the parallels don’t stop them delivering a great set of songs.
The bittersweet Inches And Ages also draws comparisons to Wilco, but not all their inspiration comes from bands featuring Jeff Tweedy, as the addition of E-Street Band sax and trumpet to many of the tracks indicates. This extra instrumentation is used more to embellish than expand their sound, leaving the record firmly entrenched in trashcan Americana.
However, the fact that Daniel Romano played numerous instruments on Dallas Green’s last City & Colour album (and a cover version of If All I Thought Were True has been recorded by a supergroup featuring Dallas Green, Sparta’s Jim Ward and Wade McNeil of Alexisonfire) may bring Attack In Black attention from kids who’ve never heard of the No Depression movement. It shouldn’t matter: well-crafted tracks like the catchy Young Leaves mean that this Marriage is a strong one, regardless.
Owen Heitmann

It’s a rare artist that shows a willingness to tear themselves to pieces to spite the less discerning members of their audience. Like a post-Newport Dylan, Augie March have again shown that they’re prepared to chance their luck. So those hoping to be presented with obvious moves like One (More) Crowded Hour or Just Passing Through (Again) might need to take their search elsewhere. On Watch Me Disappear the goose has laid eggs resembling a slightly different range of precious metals.
This isn’t the Augies’ first trip down this path. Less transient fans might recall the commercial awkwardness of the group’s appropriately titled sophomore release, Strange Bird. Like that album, Watch Me Disappear largely relinquishes its grasp on the coat-tails of its predecessor. Rather than hanging its hat on a few well-placed gems, the follow up to Moo, You Bloody Choir works its magic progressively, track-by-track, across the album’s entire duration.
This impression is augmented by the choice of first single. While the title track is probably the most immediately accessible and obviously radio friendly song on the album, the grim but powerful opener has been passed over in favour of the slightly more optimistic brightness of Pennywhistle. The cute melody and bush balladry of Pennywhistle are a fair indication of the overall tone of the album, which also features song titles like The Glenorchy Bunyip, putting an exclamation point behind their Australian-ness.
But long time fans need not fret, it’s still Augie March. The group’s familiar jamboree sound remains intact, and he who be Glenn has included enough grim poetry and shades of darkness to ensure that there’s plenty to latch onto for everyone. While it’s not the follow up many might have expected, it’s all the more impressive for that.
Troy Foster

The View From Afar may not be the full-length album that was expected from Avalon Drive, but their new EP shows just how far they’ve come.
After independently releasing two EPs, winning the Toohey’s Uncharted competition in 2008 and gaining the support of company heavyweight Sony/BMG, the Brisbane rockers have delivered a lyrically mature and musically progressive record that is an all-round polished release. After starting off as Rove’s house band then touring with the likes of The Veronicas, Yellowcard and Fall Out Boy, Avalon Drive can definitely be seen as a band that have come a long way.
The first three tracks touch on similar themes and vibes, yet each deliver unique stories and emotions. The EP was recorded and mixed with the guys from The Butterfly Effect, Karnivool and Mammal, so the quality of production is at a decent level.
Life Support is an excellent opener, as it varies the pace and builds to a powerful chorus that oozes sincerity. Last One Standing is a reflective tune about the band’s triumph over their competition and how they’ve continued to defend their craft. The fourth and final track Make Your Move, which was previously released as a single in 2007, doesn’t really fit in with the other tracks but is a breath of fresh air with its meaningful lyrics, passionate vocals and catchy riffs and in some ways is the band’s signature track.
Overall, this EP showcases four well-crafted and produced songs that could have set Avalon Drive up for a fine debut album. But with the shock announcement of their break-up just prior to heading out on tour in support of this CD, The View From Afar will now have to stand as the final release for Avalon Drive.
Alexandra Nowak

Have nappies, will rave!
By pk

Baby Rave
Sat Mar 10
Adelaide Festival Theatre Banquet Room

Armed with glow sticks, plenty of water and a happy go lucky attitude, a bunch of kids and I went to a massive sold out rave the other day. And the kids went off! Literally!

Yes it was the much talked of Baby Rave, the sensational concept direct from Belfast, appearing for four sold out sessions as part of the Adelaide Fringe’s well curated Family program. The talented Andy Packer had told me of a mystery Fringe Family event back in ‘06 that he knew I was just gonna love (having 2 girls under 4) and he was damn right. The smile on his dial on the day said it all – a successful ‘find’ from abroad for us lucky parental punters.

I’ll just press pause on the decks for a mo’ here and let its creators tell us more… “Baby Rave was developed by Young at Art for (our) annual festival, Belfast Children's Festival in 2005. It was conceived to fill a gap in events for very young children while also meeting the needs of their parents whose enjoyment of the contemporary music scene and club life is temporarily suspended.” On their MySpace profile (!) they also state that some of the ideals behind the Baby Rave are… “to demonstrate that children can enjoy contemporary beats and grooves and not just nursery rhymes; whilst encouraging families to use dance and music as physical exercise, creative expression and as a fun activity to do together.”

Now I keep my girls’ musical knowledge alive with a steady diet, combining the soul of Marvin Gaye with the funk of Jamiroquai; adding a sprinkling of random reggae vibes and mad dance beats when I can get away with it. So this was always going to be a treat for both Ava (aged 3.5) and me (ageless).

The room full of eager kids and intrigued parents was soon awash with easy grooves, a multi-coloured light show and crazy graphics on big screens. The rave was on. It didn’t take long for kids to pick up the balls or play with the parachute material or simply start dancing… for those still unsure there were dance instructors moving amongst the ravers (young and old) encouraging them to try a new move or flow with the vibes.

And the music? Well I can squash all those rumours that it would be The Wiggles Remixed or Playschool On Acid. It was in fact a clever mix of house, electro, big-beat, soul and some pop… All seamlessly concocted and swinging along so that it didn’t really matter if you knew the tune or not. I knew some tracks (the remix of Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes was gold), recognised a few others, and overall was pleasantly sated by all that was thrown carefully into the mix. And you could tell the DJ (Lyndon Stephens) was having a great time too: a contemporary Pied Piper leading his troupe on a merry dance.

Put simply Baby Rave is a fun dance party where kids can run wild, dance their crazy jigs and hopefully become enlightened by the wonder of modern music. I asked Ava the next day what she thought of the whole experience and she said “I liked the big ‘tele’… and the big music…!” I’d say that’s a job well done by the clever crew at Young At Art. May we see more of their Baby Raves and other fine events for our children in the years to come!

You can find out more about Baby Rave at the following sites…
<www.youngatart.co.uk>
<www.myspace.com/belfastbabyrave>

How to rate a recording by Pete Doherty, once of a comfortably middle-class existence and lately of a thousand celebrity magazines, through a Shoreditch squat and well publicised love affair with Class A drugs? More to the point, how to rate Shotters Nation objectively? Because it seems as if all of Doherty’s musical output is bound to be encumbered by baggage. Not entirely fair but you play with fire… you know the rest.
As to the question of whether it’s any good, well, when compared to 2005’s practically unlistenable Down In Albion, yes it is actually. That’s maybe down to the presence of Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur) at the reins; if he can’t clean out his veins, at least Doherty can find some solace in a purer sound.
Forewarned is forearmed and, make no mistake, this album encapsulates the best and worst of Doherty, at times veering from life-affirming brilliance (Delivery) to sheer petulance (Delivery). If that’s confusing, it’s because the first single is a real diamond of a tune wedded to some of the most self-pitying lyrics you’ll ever hear (“Here comes a delivery straight from the heart of my misery”). When you consider it was probably penned in St John’s Wood with a guitar in one hand and Kate Moss in another, it’s not difficult to lose sympathy. In reality, it’s hard to be disingenuous about a record when tunes are in such plentiful supply, even if they are pilfered from Billy Bragg (Unstookie Titled is basically The Milkman of Human Kindness) and The Cure (There She Goes is only a court case away from Love Cats).
It’s plainly obvious that most would like to engage in a bit of reverse snobbery and write Doherty off as a shameless chancer. The truth is somewhat more complicated and quite a bit different.
Chris Scutt

Bachelor of Arts is such a brilliant name for an Australian rock band simply because it's so vividly imaginable how they came up with it.
"What about the name of our course?"
"Hey, yeah... Nice."
Though - despite their debut LP being called Infinite Jest - that's where the laughs end and the seriousness begins.
…Jest is a strong debut, a packaging of post-punk and experimental rock. The Melbourne trio have toured recently in support of UK art rockers These New Puritans and New Zealand punks Die! Die! Die! with a sound that has no trouble meeting with either of them. There's all the vocal intensity, angry hooks and antagonistic bass of the punk side and the calculated guitar stabs, complex rhythms and looping noise that are math rock staples. It's only a little poppy, probably about the same consistency overall that you'd get if you blended experimentalists The Fall with Black Flag. A lofty but earned comparison; while everyone interjects with vocals and all are no Rollins the bassist Kevin McDowell could play a worthy Chuck Dukowski. It's his rhythms that are the strongest point of Infinite Jest and really dominate songs like Running For The Sake Of It and lead single Apathy.
The liner notes claim …Jest is a "snapshot of Melbourne, Australia" and having popped over there a couple of times recently I find they captured the pretentiousness quite well. They maintain through the whole album an understandable amount of anger and confusion. It's relatable to, say, the time you couldn't get into that bar on Collins St with normal shoes while the unshaven guy wearing 10-year-old Pumps and flannel didn't even have to pay the cover charge. Infinite Jest is the right soundtrack to get that generational rage out.
Brad McNaughton

With the words “punk rock show” mentioned in the lyrics of two of the first three tracks on Ballpoint’s debut album, it’s pretty clear what style of music they play, even to those who aren’t aware that the Tasmanian four-piece also had a song of the same name on their previous EP. Specifically, with the mix of snotty attitude, lowbrow humour and melodic aggression, it’s not hard to hear the best parts of the mid-’90s output of Frenzal Rhomb and Bodyjar.
The press sheet refers to a new found lyrical maturity, but that's not the description I'd use for classy lines like ‘He flopped out her titty bags, yeah’ (from the Hot For Teacher-themed Dirty Miss Johnson), not to mention the entirety of album closer Dave The Cunt. However, Hang Van and Juba do address heavy topics (Singapore’s death penalty for drug smugglers and the war in Iraq, respectively), although neither are Riots And Wrongs, which is genuinely thought-provoking.
Generally, though, bigger issues seem out of place amongst the vulgar schoolboy humour and beer-punk attitude – Ballpoint are utterly unpretentious and unafraid to let you know what they think (‘Most of Australia’s ‘A’ list bands are shit’, proclaims the title track, and Wolf Man Dingo is a barely disguised swipe at Wolfmother).
But while the lyrics are a variable quantity, the music is top-notch throughout. Keeping It Real isripping, the utterly rifftastic Hobart Rock City is a highlight, Beer Song’s melody is jubilant and Riots And Wrongs’ mid-tempo chorus lends its message an appropriately anthemic quality.
With energy in abundance, Get Loose! is an album more than a few skate punks will dig.
Owen Heitmann

“On Bat’s Mouth, what you can hear in the background is actually me and my girlfriend running up and down a gigantic field and shouting, laughing, shaking bells, screaming and dancing in the rain,” England’s Natasha Kahn, AKA Bat For Lashes, told Rip It Up recently. “You can hear us weeping in jubilation and just being really high on whisky and feeling really loved up and happy.”
It’s quite obvious from such revelations that Bat For Lashes is no ordinary top 40 poppet. Her recording techniques, animalistic lyrics and friendship group including Devendra Banhart, CocoRosie and Bjork are a good indication that, despite her cute features, Natasha won’t be mistaken for Rihanna any time soon.
Fur & Gold is a majestic debut that couples Natasha’s love of animalism and earthy spirituality with arrangements comparable to Cat Power or Tori Amos. Indeed, the organ which announces Bat For Lashes’ entrance on Horse & I (a track endorsed by no less than Thom Yorke) is straight out of Tori’s Boys For Pele era, with Natasha’s pastoral urgency and breathy delivery Feist-like in fragility.
Elsewhere Natasha inhabits the spooky yet English habitat of Black Box Recorder on the ghostly What’s A Girl To Do?, delivers the emotional yet sparsely arranged piano ballad Sad Eyes and duets with the ominous Josh T Pearson on the haunted Trophy.
While Tahiti recaptures the beauty of Tori’s Bells For Her and Prescilla is filled with the plucked strings of Bjork’s Pagan Poetry, Natasha has her own mystique without relying on maternal benefactors. Her witchy creations sound like they’ve been written by candlelight in dusty attics, demoed during a pagan feast and recorded while dancing naked with wood nymphs.
Bat power.
Scott McLennan

This split release from Western Australian punk bands Battletruk and Pillar Of Hope is somewhat unusual in that while each group contributes ten songs, the tracklisting alternates between the two bands in clusters of two and three songs at a time. However, the complementary nature of the two bands ensures that the listening experience is nonetheless a cohesive one – in fact, on first listen it’s difficult to tell the two apart stylistically.
Repeated spins reveal Battletruk to be the more guttural and extreme of the pair, although the slightly cleaner sounds of Pillar Of Hope can’t be said to be lacking in aggression. Both bands’ first offerings are brief statements; Battletruk’s Hated finds vocalist Coszar yelling, ‘I want to be hated’, for the song’s duration, while Pillar Of Hope’s Yuppie Cunt is equally blunt, if not moreso – there’s no mucking about here!
Battletruk’s What’s Done Is Done is hard-hitting, and their songs like 6am showcase a decidedly heavy edge, although Say It To My Face has a stronger punk influence. The imagery evoked by the band’s moniker is an accurate representation of the power of their music.
Pillar Of Hope’s This City has the feel of The Clash circa 1977, but the faster tempos of many of their other tracks suggest more of an ’80s hardcore influence. Oi! I Got A Tattoo reveals a sense of humour, but Won’t Pay The Rent proves to be the pick of their offerings thanks to the ardent chorus, featuring dual vocalists.
The unlisted 21st track is also a cracker, although I’m not certain who it’s by.
Lovers of the thrashier, less melodic side of punk will find Battle Of Hope to be a satisfying half-hour slice of abrasive, skate-oriented punk rock.
Owen Heitmann

It must be the season for live records – in recent months there’s been a bunch of them, including albums from My Chemical Romance and Unwritten Law. Where downbeat melodic rockers Bayside’s offering differs from the aforementioned is that (A) it doesn’t come with an accompanying DVD of the show and (B) it coincides with the release of a brand new studio full-length, meaning it can’t be viewed as a stopgap stocking filler. Like almost any live album, though, it’s mainly a keepsake for existing fans (particularly those members of the Bayside fan club lucky enough to make up the intimate audience), and given that the setlist has a fair bit of overlap with the live DVD component of 2006’s Acoustic release, obsessives will be able to compare those performances with the full band treatments found here (although frontman Anthony Raneri reprises the acoustic approach on Don’t Call Me Peanut). The tracklisting spans their career, with the highlights being the maudlin Masterpiece from their debut and the optimistic I And I from The Walking Wounded, their most recent album prior to the new Shudder.
Owen Heitmann

Danger Mouse is a whore. In the last 12 months, he’s worked on albums from The Black Keys, Martina Topley-Bird, The Shortwave Set, Sparklehorse, Ghetto Pop Life, Ike Turner and Gnarls Barkley. Not bad for a New Yorker who’d barely made a ripple in the music world before his cavalier mash of Jay-Z and The Beatles created an internet sensation in 2004.
Can Danger Mouse’s production skills return Beck to the zeitgeist appeal of his recently re-issued Odelay! project? It’s unlikely, but over Modern Guilt’s 33 minutes the duo certainly push the rock Scientologist through a treasure trove of sounds.
Released on his 38th birthday, the succinct sounds of Modern Guilt distil the sounds of the ‘90s indie prince and limit his excesses. While it’s a smart move to curb Beck’s Spanish fixations and rambling raps, Modern Guilt’s half hour of music flies by so quickly you almost have to wonder if Danger Mouse and Mr Hansen had a plane to catch. Some good ideas are delivered as mere sketches of greatness, but Beck’s headstrong spirit remains intact.
Chemtrails offers the first spoils, brimming with psychedelic waves of wonder, while Youthless sounds like Beck’s Cellphone’s Dead hijacked by the synths from Madonna’s Lucky Star. Although most of the tracks here are minimalist compositions featuring just Beck and his Mouse sidekick, Cat Power’s Chan Marshall is under-utilised as a backing vocalist on the acoustic zip of Orphans and the oriental glide of Walls.
When it’s all starting to sound half-baked, closer Volcano takes Modern Guilt over the line in winning style. Ditching the spirited freeform lyrical eccentricities in favour of a tired parable, it’s a subtle finale for a songwriter closing in on 40. A guilty pleasure.
To win a copy of Modern Guilt, email your details to <scottmclennan@ripitup.com.au> and tell him what Michel Gondry music clip Beck made a cameo in.

Before Odelay, Beck Campbell was widely known as the slacker guy with the Loser song. While 1996’s Odelay contained elements that harked back to Loser’s acoustic-rambling-weirdo-drifter ethos, its fresh sound collages, ingenious grooves and cut’n’paste techniques cohesively blew Beck’s waster status out of the water.

Odelay’s lyrical world of fiery barns, garbageman trees, plaid bartenders and vomiting whores (not to mention multiple references to suicide, pants and gasoline) might sound like the detritus of a deranged mind, but Odelay is sporadically genius.

The influence of producers The Dust Brothers on this album shouldn’t be underestimated. John King and Mike Simpson not only earned writing credits on Odelay’s biggest hits (such as the mellow gold funk of Where It’s At and the summer grooves of Deadweight), they also offered up the crate-digging samples which often acted as the flashpoint for Beck’s devastatingly creative results.

This Deluxe Edition not only offers a reassessment of lesser known tracks such Sissyneck’s country slide, Inferno’s funky Tetris beats and the fizzy folk of Hotwax, it also adds unreleased songs, remixes and B-sides from the era to the mixed-up affair.

Gold Chains offers cool acoustic pluck, Feather In Your Cap is a marvellous cast-off and Aphex Twin’s remix of Devil’s Haircut delivers the obligatory sinister freak-out.

Pointing the way towards his lovely Sea Change folk, highlights of Odelay remain the drifting beauty of Jack-Ass, the B-side glory of Strange Invitation and the humble acoustic sounds of Ramshackle.

Like a musical version of On The Road for the beatbox rather than Beatnik generation, Beck takes listeners on a junkyard journey through lyrical locations including Frisco, Kansas and Houston. With his deliberately(?) detuned guitars, dated analogue equipment and cunningly hazy aesthetic it’s rarely a straightforward trip.

Scott McLennan

The Bedroom Philosopher is becoming a favourite among Australian indie music fans and early afternoon music festival attendees. He won his first legion of admirers when I’m So Post Modern made its unsigned way to 72 in the Triple J Hottest 100 three years ago. Brown And Orange comes as his most polished work to date, signed to a helpful record label and cataloguing the best of his work since then.
When it comes to his music Justin Heazlewood’s main ambition is comedy and here he proves there’s more to his canon than streams of non sequiturs. The weird and random are still a theme, shining through clearly in the now 18 month old Happiest Boy In The World and its narrative about being abducted by aliens before breakfast and then answering their questions about ‘90s TV shows. However others show particular cleverness such as the more recent single Party In My Head, which intelligently personifies all his traits and emotions as guests at a party. Not a track goes by without a wry smile from something wacky or clever, be it the mental image of a woman giving birth to a swan or the lyric ‘Bible Sales reached biblical proportions’ during Jesus On Big Brother.
Musically - the key to the album’s long-term listenability - The Bedroom Philosopher provides light, flawless pop primarily through acoustic strummings. His singing voice is reminiscent of an untroubled Ben Lee that’s easy to swallow and frees this listener to enjoy without having to always concentrate on all the lyrics. Not to mention that the album cover is a piece of brilliance, easily the current front-runner for cover of the year.
Brad McNaughton

Ben Harper often treads on Derek Zoolander’s territory. Creating ‘magnum-look’ after ‘magnum-look’, many of his creations often echo the same stance, pout and eye glimmering stare as Zoolander’s ‘ingenious’ talent. While utterly beguiling, they are often spun using matching thread, corresponding colour schemes and related needles; producing a hefty back catalogue of ‘category-specific’ tracks. From this perspective, Ben Harper does not challenge his fans.
However, he still manages to do this while holding your attention in the palms of his hands and stirring a desire to press the repeat button. That’s some talent. What really speaks on a Ben Harper album are his lyrical confessions. Wearing his emotive truths on every slur and lick of each word, he compels you to listen and on this, his 11th album, which was recorded in a mere seven days, he - along with The Innocent Criminals - does not detour from this trend.
While still generally upholding the magnum pout, Lifeline sees Zoolander donning a James Brown outfit, 1960s hairdo and channeling The Blues Brothers’ rhythms as a principle underpinning. Expect soul, blues and funk along with the elements of singing and songwriting that Ben Harper has become so renowned for – natural, heartfelt and honest confessions. It’s clear, simplistic and uncomplicated, allowing for his rich, stripped down marksmanship to become transparent. Highlights include Fight Outta You, In The Colour, Say You Will and the stand-out title track, the raw and earthy Lifeline.
If you enter in this musical agreement with Ben Harper, do me one favour. Don’t anticipate anything fresh. His prowess is cemented in everything espoused on this and past albums and Lifeline is an emblematic and timeless collection, similar to its predecessors. All I can say is - I’m a sucker for Ben Harper.
Kerry Loyson

Without a doubt, Ben Harper would have to be one of my all-time favourite artists. It was therefore with mixed feelings that I’d heard he’d decided to shelve his status as an Innocent Criminal in favour of pursuing a new rock act called Relentless 7. After a non-stop listening weekend, I’m pleased to acknowledge that Ben’s latest offering White Lies For Dark Times definitely stands up to my lofty expectations. The album is brilliant!
Before I go any further, it is important to note that Relentless 7 sees a new chapter in Ben’s musical career, and as such the material presented here is quite a distance from the great music he’s produced in the past. But that certainly doesn’t mean that this is any less quality. In fact, this album bears witness to a great deal of Ben’s previous Innocent Criminal work, notably the rockier tones of his Burn To Shine album. The guitars are more distorted, and have a harder edge, while still owing a lot to the blues.
Lyrically, he’s even more on fire than his last couple of Innocent Criminals releases, with the content often pointing inward, but with the themes often taking on a larger poetical impetus. Beginning with the killer riff-laden Number With No Name, you just know this one’s going to be great, and it follows through beautifully with the rhythmically pumping Shimmer And Shine, ultra-bluesy Why Must You Always Dress In Black, and foot-tapping Boots Like These. The contrast between light and shade is well represented too, with a few mellower tunes rounding things out nicely.
I am definitely smitten with what’s on offer here. White Lies For Dark Times is a quality release, and yet another feather in the vastly talented hat of Mr Harper. Now, if only Ben and crew would come back to Adelaide sometime soon…
Luke Balzan

Ben Kweller really does seem to have come into his own as a singer songwriter and performer, releasing quality music album in album out. This time around with album number four there is an obvious country influence, which seems like a natural fit for Kweller.
If you analyse the journey so far for Kweller some would say that this style of album would be a huge risk, but what it does show is how versatile and talented he really is. His previous records are generally straight-forward indie guitar rock with genuine lyrics, so whether fans take to this one is an interesting proposition. Overall, it’s a solid listening experience and my only criticism, which is being a little picky, is the lack of variation.
Gypsy Rose opens proceedings, followed by Old Hat - both are bona fide country ditties but it’s what Kweller has done with them that makes them so good, from his vocal twang to the pedal steel guitar to the saloon-style piano and the soft drum brushes. Hurtin’ You and the bittersweet love lament of Ballad Of Wendy Baker are respectable numbers with the poetic descriptions giving greater insight into the world Kweller sees. There are plenty of other surprises to enjoy with Sawdust Man, Fight and Wantin’ Her Again, which are catchy and quite infectious. Homeward Bound seems like a fitting way to finish the album off.
Bring on the live experience!
Ben Kweller plays the Governor Hindmarsh on Fri Apr 17.
Rob Lyon

Love him or loathe him, there’s no avoiding the fact that Ben Lee is back with his seventh album The Rebirth Of Venus and that once commercial radio catches wind of this one you’ll be hearing a hell of a lot more from him. This album is dedicated to Venus, the Roman Goddess Of Love. In this day and age it’s a bold move for a ‘bloke’ to recognise the strongest feminine qualities (as per the liner notes) “compassion, nurturing, creativity, spontaneity, intuition, playfulness, tenderness and warmth”. Just with this alone I think it is easy to see that as Ben Lee matures he is definitely starting to think and ponder life far too much. All his philosophical mumbo gumbo gibber jabber idealistic tones running through his songs are getting lost in translation.
Awake Is The New Sleep had some clever and well-written pop tunes, with the likes of Catch My Disease and We’re All In This Together striking a chord with listeners and proving to be real hits, but I’m not sure if Ben will have the same luck this time round. Lee is at his best when he keeps it simple and for me the better songs on the album are Surrender, Rise Up and Sing,with first single I Love Pop Music being more of a grower. Nevertheless, there a couple of reasons to buy the album with the biggie being that a portion of the proceeds go to supporting the FINCA Village Banking program, which helps to create jobs, build assets and improve the standard of living in third world countries. Plus for a limited time a bonus CD of covers (of acts include The Grates, Against Me!, The Ataris, John Lennon, MGMT and Hunters & Collectors) is included with The Rebirth Of Venus, making for an interesting listen.
To win a copy of The Rebirth Of Venus, email <scottmclennan@ripitup.com.au> with your details and tell him a reason why he should stop hating the little twerp.
Rob Lyon

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO) are smoking guns and if you throw Ben Lee and a bag of pop songs into the mix it makes for an interesting night’s entertainment. There is no doubt that working with a symphony orchestra is one of the biggest challenges in music when you have someone else interpreting and re-arranging what was originally conceived, but Lee’s music lent itself to it well. I was pleasantly surprised with how good the show was; the first set flew past and the next thing you know it was intermission (something which “happens in adult shows”). Brett Kelly is one of Australia’s leading resident conductors and did a splendid job keeping everything in check, starting with the odd Overture To A Cloudless Night. The set featured old and new, from the new album The Rebirth Of Venus anddelving through the back catalogue to Breathing Tornados. Even if you didn’t know the songs there were plenty of catchy choruses to join in on, especially with the likes of Catch My Disease which closed the night. Other highlights included Gamble Everything For Love, Tornados, Nothing Much Happens, Something Borrowed Something Blue and Love Me Like The World Is Ending. Chances to see shows like this don’t come up often and it’s too bad if you missed it.
Rob Lyon

Everything I’ve seen and heard about Nash Edgerton’s acclaimed first crack at directing, The Square, suggests a moderately violent noir-thriller. So it’s surprising how little Ben Lee seems to have strayed from his usual fare of shiny-happy pop rock for the soundtrack. Even with ex-Home & Away star Jessica Chapnik taking over for the vocals, Lee’s musical fingerprint retains much of its characteristic optimism. Only a mild restraint and the odd fleeting moments of darkness find a way of seeping through.
When they seep, however, these darker moments are the album’s highlights. Despite retaining an almost cheerful philosophical edge, the cacophony that erupts toward the end of key track Let Go Of Everything provides a suitably cinematic climax shrouded with shadows. Even defanged for a reprise as Let Go the song retains a powerful sinister edge. Another track that flirts with similar shades is the slow burning Feed The Fire, though rather than climaxing with violence it seems to gradually, and a little disappointingly, cheer itself up.
This is probably the most disappointing aspect of this collection of songs; they’re just a bit too bloody cheerful. Given the raw material of Edgerton’s film, one could justifiably have hoped for Lee to unleash a bit more anger and negative emotion. Instead, even the darkest and gloomiest moments are quickly rescued with extra doses of optimism and light. I don’t know how the film ends, but the soundtrack certainly gives the impression that everything will eventually sort itself out.
What Ben Lee does, he does pretty well. But while Jessica Chapnik has done an excellent job of channelling Lee’s vision, ultimately this feels like an artist missing an excellent opportunity to be just a little bit daring by venturing out of the light and into the darkness.
Troy Foster

It seemed just a few years ago that emo music was going to take over the world. While that trend died, it did clear a path for a lot more melodic hardcore music, with emo kids everywhere looking for new music to brood to.
Queensland youngsters Benneson Theory are right at home in this niche; their debut EP, Heavy Burdens Make Light Of This, is heavy enough that it will be taken seriously by seasoned vets and melodic enough that it won’t scare new listeners off.
Even though it is an EP and is a short five songs long, it is very energetic and exciting to listen to. All of the instruments play in a very fast, clean American hardcore style and then seamlessly blend into melodic hooky choruses that draw you in. There are times where the music drops into a very melodic and soft breakdown, reminiscent of bands like Misery Signals and Shai Hulud. The vocals on the other hand are a lot slower, with long drawn out words and phrases. The juxtaposition of these two factors create a very interesting sound and help the vocals stand out a bit more.
Like all true showmen Benneson Theory keep their best till last, with Discordance definitely the standout track. It begins with a very soft acoustic introduction before the drums kick in and a very nice intricate riff is offered. It creates a very peaceful and soulful introduction that is quickly blown into oblivion when singer Adam Brookes begins his vocal tirade. It is also a lot faster than the other songs, with the chorus utilising a combination of clean and shouting vocals to really get the emotion of the whole song across.
Benneson Theory play Syke at Electric Light Hotel on Fri Mar 13.
Michael Wickham

Where does the rage in Bertie Blackman spring from? A rebellion against size eight models and the conceptions of the perfect female in the western world? Anger at the dominant position of major labels in the Australian music industry? An attempt to prove to her elderly artist father Charles Blackman that she can be as provocative as him in a different medium?
She masks her real name and her true hair colour, so just how believable is this enigmatic Australian’s musical output? It may simply be a clever characterisation over the course of 11 magnetic tracks, but first impressions indicate Ms Blackman has the potential to be a mood-swinging social outcast who can tear your life apart like a destructive typhoon. Opening powerhouse Hold Me Close sounds as dangerous as a stick of gelignite with a sparking fuse, Television is like Magic Dirt with a death wish and One Day is atmospheric and breathy, but as delicately deadly as a cyanide kiss.
Rats is so murky that it visually conjures images of Bertie living on the street, suffering a beating at the hands of her pimp and being left in the gutter to bleed away the pain. Take Me Away is less abrasive and finds Bertie working through her uncertain temperament via overt lyrical disclosures in favour of psychotherapy sessions.
One strange conundrum between the fictions and facts of Bertie Blackman lies in the fact that she seems so exposed on record yet only offers a handful of her lyrics for dissection in the accompanying CD booklet.
While Black often finds Bertie preaching from The Gospel Of Saint Polly Jean, this disciple of PJ Harvey still produces a powerful and dark wonder of her own doing.
Scott McLennan

Like Lewis Carroll collaborating with Guillermo Del Toro on a sequel to Labyrinth, it’s a strange and amazing wonderland that Bertie Blackman has created on Secrets And Lies, drawing equally on dreamscapes and nightmares. After rocking the pain away on her second album Black, the Sydney artist this time delivers her darkness via stealthy pop with a lush ‘80s aesthetic. Created with help from producers Francois Tetaz (Gotye) and Lee Groves (Goldfrapp), the result is as mysterious and fanciful as the cover art suggests.
Sky Is Falling opens the album with sweeping strings creating an immediately tempestuous mood, with Bertie’s hushed vocals existing in the eye of the hurricane. Like Kate Bush re-imagined as a disillusioned streetwalker, Bertie’s metamorphosis from PJ Harvey snarler to cloudbustingly awesome pop act is stirring.
Using a barnyard full of animal metaphors, Bertie sings of bats on the towering Jurassic swoop of Byrds Of Prey, sharks on the Knifey swirls of Black Cats and birds and bees on the reflective Shout Out. Away from the animalism there are plenty of climactic, climatic visions and topographic twists, with Bertie’s multi-layered opus presenting heaving skies, whirlwinds and black holes.
Latest single Thump harnesses the fist-pumping thrill of a Pat Benatar hit, suggesting that life is the battlefield. Initial Secrets And Lies taster Heart glides along like a serpent, but it has far more bite than most hits you’ll hear on Australian commercial radio.
A confident melding of Enya textures, Talk Talk atmospherics and Portishead’s more pastoral moments, Bertie allows electro pulses to accentuate her latest collection without ever overloading the listener. A deeper and darker counterpoint to Ladyhawke’s ‘80s cool, Secrets And Lies is a strategically crafted wonder that sets Bertie up for a global respect.
The smartest Aussie pop album in years.
Bertie Blackman plays the Governor Hindmarsh on Thu Aug 27.
Scott McLennan

Soulful, sophisticated and with a vintage feel, this 11-track debut from Peru born, Bristol raised Beth Rowley is certain to grab your attention. Discovered at an open mic night in London, Beth trained at Brighton’s Institute Of Modern Music and has previously released just one EP. Inspired by bluegrass, gospel, soul and country, the album is a melting pot that could just as easily be at home in a New York gospel choir rehearsal as it would be at a country music festival. Highlight tracks include Nobody’s Fault But Mine, Bob Dylan’s I Shall Be Released, Willie Nelson’s Angels Flying Too Close and the first single, Oh My Life.
Rowley’s voice has those old school qualities that seem to have come back in fashion. Soaring first track Nobody’s Fault But Mine screams bluesy elegance while Angels Flying Too Close To The Ground, featuring Ireland’s Duke Special, is a duet drenched in whimsy. I Shall Be Released not only does justice to Dylan himself but also introduces a happier, poppier side to the album. Unfortunately while the good tracks are above average there are a few songs that let the album down, as country style songs don’t suit Beth’s voice as well as the blues and gospel tracks. However, upon reaching the last few tracks you are reminded why you enjoyed this album in the first place, with the powerful closing blues ballads Almost Persuaded and Beautiful Tomorrow.
Little Dreamer is an album that could be used to wind down after a hard day as much as it could to get revved up for a big one. This album will appeal to a wide audience as it draws from a broad inspiration of genres. Although Beth Rowley doesn’t have the same exposure or following as her soulful British counterparts Amy Winehouse and Duffy, she certainly has the talent.
Cristina Blumberg

Big Day Out
Adelaide Showground
Fri Feb 1
Here’s some maths for you before we discuss the music at Adelaide’s biggest day of rock on the calendar. Have you ever tried to work out how much money has been spent on tattoos by the audience at a Big Day Out? As a rudimentary estimation, even if just one in three people has $200 worth of body art, that’s $2.5 million bucks worth of ink wandering around the Showgrounds today. Friends, it’s time to invest in a giant squid farm.
On the V Energy Local Produce Stage, local boys Skeletons have seen impressive word of mouth surrounding their show translate to a crowd of about 400. Their combination of drone rock and the double punch of percussion on songs such as Tribesman ensures that they’re not going to be competing with Delta Goodrem in chart showdowns any time soon, but once they make up their minds as to whether to dedicate their tunes to STDs, new guitars or cannibals (and all the crazy shit they get up to) they’ll be Adelaide’s version of The Bad Seeds.
One way or another, Skeletons could wipe the floor with Faker, whose frontman Nathan Hudson is doing his pathetic Bono ’83 moves on the Blue Stage as Kate Nash commences her set in a showbag pavilion masquerading as the Converse Essential Stage. It’s hard to tell whether her audience is there to hear quirky tales of British teen life or if they’ve just retreated into the dark and cool surrounds to escape the heat, but after suffering from a diabolical mix during her Melbourne BDO appearance it’s a relief that Kate can at least be heard over the bass drum here in Adelaide. The NME favourite welcomes Billy Bragg to the stage to perform a duet on A New England before reeling out her own best tunes Mouthwash, Merry Happy and Pumpkin Soup, but the crowd has already begun drifting away to sample other musical flavours.
On the Blue Stage, Regurgitator are dishing out an impressive set of old favourites despite latest single Romance Of The Damned being their finest moment in a decade. Unit’s holy trinity of Black Bugs, Polyester Girl and Song Formerly Known As prove that Regurgitator had mastered the art of the cheesy synth hook before everyone started pursuing such sounds. While Quan adds a snatch of Guns N’ Roses’ Sweet Child O’ Mine riffery to the fun, backstage Tony Mott is taking photographs of Anti-Flag and Billy Bragg is walking around with an empty mug and seeking out a well-brewed cup of tea.
Hilltop Hoods? You might have heard of them once or twice. The writhing Orange Stage crowd makes the local trio’s Optus MySpace Secret Show last fortnight look like a lounge room showcase, but An Audience With The Devil, What A Great Night (“A love song I wrote about whisky,” explains Suffa) and closer The Nosebleed Section are all impressive enough to keep the heavily blinged Dizzee Rascal watching intently from the side of stage for the whole set.
While a Dizzee/Hoods friendship isn’t that unlikely, the friendships that develop on the Big Day Out make for some interesting match-ups. Monaro-driving DJ Carl Cox today watches Grinspoon’s rocking set from the wings, Win Butler from Arcade Fire makes a guest appearance during LCD Soundsystem’s set and Tom Morello sits bedazzled on the side of the stage as Arcade Fire craft their frenetic musical hurricane of emotion.
Arcade Fire’s opening song Wake Up might not be as politically potent as Rage Against The Machine’s song of the same name later in the evening, but it’s a gorgeously uplifting tune. As the expanded band shift through instruments like a bizarre game of musical Twister, the setlist throws up impressive songs such as the gleeful No Cars Go, Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) and even a snatch of the Pixies’ Wave Of Mutilation.
In the Boiler Room, UNKLE are serving up the sort of brooding dance rock that New Order should have created after the demise of Joy Division. Hold My Hand offers a massive Depeche Mode sound, REIGN and Burn My Shadow are powerful (despite Ians Brown and Astbury’s vocal additions occurring remotely via DAT) and Lonely Souls is as intense and heavy as a fat Goth.
Dressed almost conventionally after her ‘golden coral’ BDO outfit in Melbourne, Bjork’s Grecian goddess attire neatly offsets the colours of her lavish stage production and rainbow hues of her all-female band. Although some Volta tracks lack hooks, the addition of Pagan Poetry, Army Of Me, Hunter and Who Is It? break up the set nicely with trademark Bjork yelps, while a musical instrument resembling a game of mah jong played on an air hockey table also makes a bizarre appearance.
Back in the Boiler Room, LCD Soundsystem are proving impressive despite their small crowd. Us And Them features Jeremy Gara from Arcade Fire on drums (“He’s so sexy, he’s like a clothes horse,” chubby LCD frontman James Murphy suggests), Daft Punk Is Playing At My House and Time To Get Away sound great, but it’s not enough to curb the audience slowly slipping away.
It’s pretty easy to guess where they are heading. After fracturing in 2000, Rage Against The Machine have returned, packing the same level of political agitation and musical fire as their eponymous debut of 1992. In some ways these musical mercenaries are The A-Team of the industry, helping those who don’t have a mainstream voice such as Mumia Abu-Jamal (on the bile soaked Guerrilla Radio), Peruvian guerrillas (on the confrontational Bombtrack) and the Zapatistas (on Calm Like A Bomb). Away from the lyrical motivators such as Black Panthers and Mexican liberationists, the LA quartet still creates a thunderous live sound. While the ground doesn’t shudder to the Richter levels of their Melbourne Big Day Out set, Renegades Of Funk, Sleep Now In The Fire and Bulls On Parade find Zack De La Rocha stalking the stage with Biblical fire while Tim Commerford’s sturdy bass backbone, Brad Wilk’s militant drumming and Tom Morello’s extraordinarily distinctive guitar licks anchor their frontman’s vocal barbs.
Killing In The Name is a logical finale; Rage Against The Machine’s debut single remains a knock-out more than 15 years after initial release. With their Big Day Out commitments almost at an end, can this discordant act re-create the passion in a studio one more time?
On the back of tonight’s performance, you’d be ready to bet that all Hell can’t stop them now.
Scott McLennan

This year’s Big Day Out was one of the most enjoyable I’ve ever been to.
Punkers Anti-Flag put on a pretty average late-morning performance on the Orange Stage, brought down mainly by poor song selection. I also realised I’m no longer able to take seriously their empty rehearsed sloganeering. “Let’s see some unity in the crowd!” What, you want us to form a housing co-op? Turncoat was good though, probably the set highlight.
Aussie mainstays Regurgitator on the Blue Stage played a populist set of hits that brought back memories with old songs like Kong Foo Sing, FSO and even Track One off their second EP, plus Unit tracks Black Bugs, Polyester Girl and The Song Formerly Known As.
Hilltop Hoods then played the Orange Stage with locals Lowrider as backing band (plus a live string section) for most of their set and got their hometown crowd moving with hip hop party anthems like What A Great Night and The Clown Prince.
When I was looking at the line-up before the event, one of the bands that added to the general anticipation was Grinspoon – then I realised that the most recent album of theirs that I own was released in the ‘90s. Their first three or so songs of bogan rock on the Blue Stage reminded me of why that was the case, so I headed over to The Nightwatchman (Tom Morello acoustic) on the Essential Stage.
Morello’s anecdotes (including an aside about Chris Cornell breaking up Audioslave) were more interesting to my ears than his half-spoken semi-folk numbers but for the final song he brought out Billy Bragg and half of Anti-Flag and they all did a cover of Midnight Oil’s Beds Are Burning which got the room singing along.
The Essential Stage was also the setting for folk rocker Billy Bragg’s own set, which proved to be a highlight. It was just one man with an electric guitar (and occasional guest vocals from Kate Nash) banging out tracks like There is Power In A Union, New England and the earnest Old Clash Fan Fight Song (written under the guise Johnny Clash), but he really succeeded at engaging the audience. And his political between-song banter was nothing like the hollow rhetoric of Anti-Flag – it may have been just as rehearsed, but it felt more real, was more specific, and was genuinely inspiring.
Next I heard a few songs from Silverchair, including Straight Lines and Freak. Daniel Johns seems obsessed with telling everyone he’s not gay; I don’t care, either way I still don’t like them enough to pay much attention.
There had been rumours circulating all day that Icelandic weirdo Bjork had pulled out, but when the Orange Stage was invaded by what looked from my distance like a conga line of 40 dancers with flugelhorns and capes, I knew it had to be the beginning of her set, because no one else is that crazy. I was more interested in watching indie rockers Brand New, so I went back to the Green Stage. The band took to the stage in front of quite a small crowd with a staggering four guitarists, two drummers (!) and one bassist, although the number of players onstage fluctuated throughout the set. They focussed on songs from The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me like Jesus and The Archer’s Bows Have Broken, but they did play Sic Transit Gloria ... Glory Fades (even more amazing live) and Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don’t from Deja Entendu. I was in awe.
Towards the end of their set I had to drag myself away in order to see Rage Against The Machine – the small overlap between Brand New and RATM was the biggest disappointment of the day for me. Arriving at the Blue Stage after the rap metal pioneers started guaranteed that I was never going to get in the D barrier, but I did get close enough to be at least able to see some human shapes on stage. Thank God for the stage side projection screens.
It was amazing to finally get to see Zack De La Rocha leaping around the stage with all his energy I’d heard so much about, and hear songs that occupy a major part of my subconscious played live. They pulled out just about every track I could have hoped for, notably Know Your Enemy, People Of The Sun and Renegades Of Funk, before the encore of Freedom and (of course) Killing In The Name. I wish I could have been closer but I still was transfixed. Definitely a very memorable show for my inner 16-year-old.
Owen Heitmann

Photos by Halie Czapa, Michelle Rodgers, Scott McLennan.

Big Day Out
Adelaide Showground
Fri Feb 2

The musical version of a chocolate assortment box has arrived in town for its annual stopover, with sweltering fans ready to pick through the nougat goodness of The Killers, the dark chocolate flavours of Tool and the minty taste of Evermore as they arrive at Wayville. The Aussie contingent on this year’s bill is heavily weighted towards Western Australia, with the cliquey trio of Eskimo Joe, Little Birdy and The Sleepy Jackson all featuring during the afternoon’s line-up. The first Sand Gropers to step into the wretched 37 degree heat are Snowman, who all diligently dress in black despite the searing temperature of the Green Stage’s asphalt base. Frontman Andy Citawarman’s simian antics are book-ended on stage by the subtle sways of guitarists Olga Hermaniusson and Joe McKee, who both hide behind their lengthy fringes as they dish out both ragged, instrument-defiling noise that makes them sound like the bastard spawn of the Bad Seeds as well as their awesome singles You Are A Casino and Smoke & Mirrors.
Over on the Blue Stage, Evermore are offering a more polished and radio friendly musical creation, with D barrier sing-alongs finding the audience drowning out singer Jon Hume on tracks such as For One Day and their current number one hit, Light Surrounding You. The New Zealand trio’s rendition of Stand By Me remains a miscalculated addition to their live shows, but the teen audience at the front of the Blue Stage awaiting My Chemical Romance’s appearance don’t seem too troubled by Evermore’s easy-going anthems.
My Chemical Romance arrive on the Blue Stage with Drive By guitarist Todd Price ably replacing sidelined member Frank Iero, who is said to be at home in the US recovering from the side-effects of wisdom teeth removal. Frontman Gerard Way’s wild-eyed salutes to the crowd are almost Hitler-esque in the fervour which they create, with Way’s orderly outfit of suspenders, black Doc Marten’s and waistcoat a regimented counterpoint to his guitarist brother Mikey’s more casual Morrissey T-shirt. Gerard makes note of the bananas thrown on stage during I’m Not Okay (I Promise), with his the hand-written message on his left arm also warning the crowd to be ‘Careful’. The precision military drumming of Bob Bryar announces Welcome To The Black Parade’s arrival, while final track Famous Last Words is dedicated to Craig Nicholls from The Vines.
While Evermore’s Peter Hume takes to a jumping castle backstage, Little Birdy are kickstarting their set on the Green Stage with a version of Come On Come On marred by a few sound troubles. Keyboard problems are quickly overcome and by the time of Tonight’s The Night and Beautiful To Me the performance is running smoothly. As frontwoman Katy Steele diligently checks that the crowd are okay for water, Eskimo Joe are ripping into their Hottest 100 classic Black Fingernails, Red Wine on the Orange Stage. It’s a winning performance from the fellow Western Australians, with singer Kav Temperley having perfected his move from awkward pop gimmick to fully-fledged rock star.
Another winning Aussie act are The Vines, who were cruelly written off at the 2003 Big Day Out before their troubled singer Craig Nicholls was diagnosed with mental illness. While 2006 album Vision Valley was disappointingly overlooked by most critics and music fans, their Essential Stage appearance today marks a victorious return to the live game. Showing none of the distressingly contrived mood of previous shows, The Vines offer a spirited show that has made them one of the band picks of the 2007 Big Day Out. Tracks such as Highly Evolved, Don’t Listen To The Radio and Outtathaway offer the same zeal as early gigs, yet now comes with less of the Craig’s facial contortions and out of control stage darting and far more grins. Looking a little porkier since we last saw him on stage, Craig counters the crowds pleas for water with his own Coke chant, indicating the funny fellow still has a sweet tooth.
Over on the Blue Stage, Gerard Way is madly snapping photographs of tour pals The Killers while his overheated fans await his appearance at the Signing Tent. Brandon approaches Gerard side of stage after opener Sam’s Town to make note of the temperature before leading the crowd through a sing-along of impassioned single When You Were Young. One of the hardest working members of the Big Day Out entourage proves to be The Killers’ shadowy additional musician, who moves about behind the speaker stack adding additional guitar riffs and keyboard sequences to seamlessly bolster the live sound of the Las Vegas quartet. While often depicted as a po-faced peacock, Brandon giggles when the crowd’s out of time clapping disrupts his cool demeanour, while a quick Thunderstruck lick from guitarist Dave Keuning adds a local flavour to the introduction of Mr Brightside. It’s another impressive show from the showmen, who even add Sam’s Town highlight This River Is Wild to their Adelaide set to mix it up a little.
As Muse take to the Blue Stage, Kasabian’s Serge Pizzorno is in the wings chuckling at drummer Dominic Howard’s choice of tight red footy shorts for tonight’s performance and makes a note to pay the tiny sticksman out about his fashion later on at the after-party. Wandering off to find a toilet, the casual Brit guitarist’s viewing spot is taken by Adam Jones, member of enigmatic Big Day Out headliners Tool, who watches Muse burst through Knights Of Cydonia and New Born before retreating. Invincible and Time Is Running Out are executed with little in the way of crowd interaction but plenty of massive moves from quirky frontman Matt Bellamy, while sci-fi lovesong Starlight is greeted with a huge roar. You’d think from Muse’s lyrical content that it was the end of the world. If it is, then this is a pretty cool way to go out.
Tool eventually emerge to kick through Stinkfist and Forty-Six & Two, but many at the Big Day Out have already decided that the day has reached its emotional climax. As I plan my escape from the Showground with a steady stream of sweaty music fans, Brandon Flowers walks by and compliments me on my cool T-shirt. Coming from the man who can make pink leather Dior jackets look good, it doesn’t get much better than that.
Scott McLennan

This year’s Big Day Out (which marked 10 years since my first attendance at the festival) featured no standout act whose back catalogue I knew intimately (such as Weezer, eels or Rancid) but rather a plethora of bands I had taken a liking to thanks to exposure to one or two songs via radio. Consequently, I didn’t see a whole set from any band, but instead sampled constantly from what was on offer throughout the day.
My habitual tardiness meant that I began the day by hearing the Ramones-loving Spazzys (ironically one of the bands I was most familiar with) while approaching the Wayville Showgrounds on foot. The only song I could really make out from that distance was My Car Doesn’t Brake (an odd choice to close their set with).
Once inside the venue, I began the day proper in the Boiler Room (which, despite its name, proved to be cooler than the scorching temperatures outside in the sun) to see Aussie hip hop act The Herd. I caught an unpredictable version of Unpredictable and John Schumann joining them on stage for their version of I Was Only 19.
On the Green Stage, Snowman might have incorporated violin and saxophone into their instrumentation at various points but still belted out some noisy discordant rock regardless. Then NZ MC Scribe hit the Orange Stage, opening with his hit single Not Many, which allowed me to then get a bite to eat. Back on the Green Stage, The Sleepy Jackson’s Luke Steele took to the stage while taking a Polaroid of the audience, which he then threw into the crowd, but I only had time for a couple of their numbers (including Devil Was In My Yard and I Understand What You Want But I Just Don’t Agree) before heading to the Blue Stage for My Chemical Romance, who played most of their impressive new album Welcome To The Black Parade, along with a handful of older tracks. The more devoted and insane of their fans stuck to the black T-shirt uniform despite the heat.
I haven’t been passionate about Eskimo Joe since they stopped playing Sweater live, so I caught a few songs from a distance (including Forever Young AKA Setting Sun), paid my respects to the chirpy Katie Steele following her brother Luke’s band with her Little Birdy bandmates on the Green Stage (enjoying Come On Come On in the process), then checked out electro-punk agent provocateur Peaches in the Boiler Room with her live band Herms, sticking around long enough to hear Boys Want To Be Her and witness the crowd’s fanatical devotion.
The Vines’ stock as Aussie rock darlings seems to have dipped a bit in recent years judging by their position on the Converse Essential stage, but they still attracted a sizeable crowd. I heard Don't Listen To The Radio, which reinforced the fact that the sound on that stage is terrible if you’re not at the front, then took off for Brit rockers Kasabian on the Green Stage. I caught the tail end of Shoot The Runner and stuck around for the majestic Empire, before heading over to The Killers on the Orange Stage. From the closest vantage point I could easily secure as a late arrival (it was the first really massive crowd of the day), the mix sounded like a badly tuned radio, particularly on Somebody Told Me, although Bones sounded okay.
I was one of the relatively few who caught The Drones’ brand of feedback-drenched rock on the Converse Essential Stage, but heard nothing that I was familiar with before heading back into the Boiler Room to witness The Streets’ geezer raps and crowd interaction, closing with Fit But You Know It.
I walked past Something For Kate on the Green Stage on my way to get more food and barely recognised them, then caught the first half of Muse’s set on the Orange Stage, struck by the giant video screens mirroring the bombastic rock on offer. Back on the Green Stage, Aussie stalwarts You Am I played latest single Gunslingers early, but it was the likes of the perennial Cathy’s Clown that I was there for. Frontman Tim Rogers got pretty passionate towards an audience member who requested Berlin Chair, advising them to “go home and write a better song”.
The bulk of the 35,000 people in attendance did their best to get a good view of Tool on the Blue Stage, but to get within the D barrier in front of the stage would have required several hours’ forethought. Their first song took me back almost a decade to when I was most interested in their intellectual heavy rock, but I gradually lost enthusiasm over the next hour as they seemed to studiously ignore tracks that casual listeners would be familiar with, and so I headed over to co-headliners Violent Femmes on the Green Stage. Sensibly, the Femmes’ set largely reflected the tracklisting of their 2005 Best Of collection, with Blister In The Sun appearing surprisingly early, and other gems such as Gone Daddy Gone, American Music, Kiss Off and Add It Up making for my highlight of a very long day.
Owen Heitmann

 photos by Ian Bell and Scott McLennan

Big Day Out 2009
Royal Adelaide Showground
Fri Jan 30
Hot? Hot enough for my car to sit there gurgling its favourite new impression of a boiling kettle…
The elegant pop sounds of Sparkadia waft across Wayville and I’m already well on my way to becoming a walking puddle. As I join the throng converging on the showgrounds, the strains of Jealousy are more than doing the recorded version justice.
The early Birds Of Tokyo arrive at the Orange Stage not long after I do, Ian Kenny squirting a pair of yellow water pistols. “Holy shit it’s hot!” says Kenny, an understatement that will be repeated throughout the day. Lapping up the likes of Wild Eyed Boy and Wayside, the crowd reaches a climactic frenzy during a sincere blast through Silhouettic.
The arrival of The Grates on the Blue Stage signals the arrival of the inevitable and dreaded timetable clash. Patience Hodgson looks great in the shorts, funny hat and knee-high socks of a band majorette, and bounces across the stage with a lively Trampoline before I scurry away.
Adding shorts to trademark gloves and golfing cap means Eddy Current Suppression Ring land on the Converse Essential Stage looking like they just flew in from a nearby country club. Guitarist Eddy Current holds the fashion trump card in the semi-darkness of the shed with his decision to tuck his sunnies into the collar of his polo shirt. Cool Ice Cream seems like a reasonable suggestion as the heat closes in and the lads punch out their raw punk-tinged rock. With a growing live reputation to live up to, the band holds the stage with a calm authority. Vocalist Brendan Suppression slides offstage for one of the day’s more casual strolls into the crowd, before returning to look genuinely distressed as he pleads for some advice about Which Way To Go. Sounds good on record, sounds bloody amazing live.
Over at the V Energy Hot Produce Stage, local every-core-you-can-think-of upstarts Robotosaurus throw caution and a couple of their shirts to the wind and stomp around with brutal authority. Monstrous droning doom jams are interspersed with bouts of larynx shredding screeching. Singer Izzy strides across the crowd Iggy Pop-style until he’s swallowed by the mosh and hands the vocal duties over to members of the crowd. A brief intermission is followed by a burst of intense and uncompromising brutality. Scissor kicks, more trips into the crowd and wrestling with the audience for control of the microphone take audience participation to a whole other level as the boys turn in a bone-jarrer.
Then with a Kick Push and a full backing band, Lupe Fiasco converts the Boiler Room tent into his own place of worship. Like several members of the band, Lupe quickly dispenses with his shirt and plunges into a blistering set of energetic hip hop. These guys make looking cool an artform, with low-slung bass guitars, straw hats and the day’s grooviest selection of designer eyewear. The announcement that “This song just got nominated for two Grammys” is followed by the opening bars of Superstar and an enormous cheer from the “brothers and sisters of the congregation”. Going from church revival to militant uprising and back again, Lupe and the band linger, wringing every last moment out of an ecstatic crowd.
Over on the Orange Stage, Serj Tankian rides out on a suitably rampaging rumble. While the mercury boils, Serj is in long black pants and a white long-sleeved shirt. The band has it even worse, all in black and all but the drummer in long pants. This doesn’t stop them from helping the boss put together a charming set of his thoughtful acoustic crooning and bone-rattling bellowing. There’s a mutated mangling of ABBA’s Money Money Money, and a rapid-fire rant launches Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition.
Back at the Converse Essential Stage, it’s time for one of my favourite bull goose looneys as Zeke Ox and the lads from Mammal take over. These guys burn with the kind of fire that’s fuelled by the oxygen of a big stage and a big crowd and today they’re absolutely blazing. Pete Williamson confidently tosses in his bid for guitar hero honours but, as always, it’s all about Zeke. Today he’s sporting a set of horns attached to some smelly-looking wig. “You gotta get involved, this is not a spectator sport. This is a participation sport,” and Zeke’s not about to take no for an answer. He dashes off for a costume change and then welcomes the assistance of Cog’s Lucius Borich on percussion. Zeke dives into the crowd to dance with the folks at the back, then returns for some supercharged Inciting. Hell Yeah! gets the appropriate response, despite most of the crowd admitting that they’re seeing Mammal for the first time. Not the biggest crowd, but one of the bigger responses.
And suddenly it’s all about the Blue Stage and the Godfather of grunge. Many may have questioned the appropriateness of wheeling out Neil Young to headline a Big Day Out, but the old Canadian hits the stage with obvious authority. Dressed like he just got back from a spot of fishing, Young reminds us of his credentials by belting out Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) with its reference to Johnny Rotten and tragic connection to Kurt Cobain. “Like to do this next song for the Young Alcoholics of Australia. Sorry the potheads were not allowed today,” is the cheeky introduction for Spirit Road and then it’s onto the howling guitar jam of Cortez The Killer. There’s a rampaging Cinnamon Girl and then it’s an abrupt gear change as gentle harp and organ piece Oh Mother Earth teases out a rumble of approval. Neil dons the acoustic for The Needle And The Damage Done, and remarks that “someone yelled out ‘Play some rock‘n’roll!’ Thanks Mum.” Instead, Neil plays Heart Of Gold and then there’s a massive sing-along for the contextually intriguing Old Man. As things appear to be wrapping up with a barn-storming Rockin’ In The Free World, young ‘uns dance, old ‘uns reminisce and everyone seems to be singing along. The band vacate the stage and the crowd starts to drift, but Young’s quickly back out for an encore. The band cap off a spectacular set with a mind-bending version of The Beatles’ A Day In The Life. Ripping the strings from the guitar and bashing them on the pick-up, 63-year old Young has more than proved another bunch of knockers wrong.
Access to the Boiler Room tent makes it possible to enjoy the headline act and still get over to catch a bit of The Prodigy. Maxim is in full flight and, as the punters hold aloft their light sabres, The Prodigy storm through a riotous Firestarter. They pretend to leave with an outstanding balance of about 20 minutes, and then return to the stage for an encore. No one minds the conceit as the live drums boom out the beat to Smack My Bitch Up and the tent erupts. The bloke standing next to me jubilantly declares that Take Me To The Hospital is “sick shit”, and I have to agree. Things wind down with the reggae tinged Out Of Space and then it’s all over for another year.
After an epic Big Day Out courtesy of a living legend and a legendary heat, all that’s left to do is find out if there’s any water left in the kettle for the drive home…
Troy Foster

Big Day Out
Adelaide Showground, Fri Jan 30
In the middle of a record heatwave, waterslides would have to be one of the perfect ways to keep cool. Adelaide’s The Waterslides are a completely different matter though, with the excitable troupe creating an energetic and sweaty performance while the sun is at its peak. Despite suffering the act suffering the indignity of being branded The Watersliders on their backstage area erected in a goat pavilion, Big Day Out organisers redeem themselves by having signed The Waterslides among their local roster. Dancing about the Hot Produce stage, the boys create a sound that finds The Avalanches smashing into Lemon Jelly, with obtuse pop culture references including Arnold Schwarzenegger samples, Jay-Z freestyles and Marty McFly’s 1955 gig at the Enchantment Under The Sea Ball.
Shortly after, Rip It Up are standing backstage at the Big Day Out and are given an important task. I’ve talked up the quality of the local product to The Ting Tings and now their drummer Jules De Martino is keen for a taste. So now I’m scouring the Adelaide Showground site for a dealer who can provide me with the golden brown which I’ve promised him before he hits the stage. Unfortunately, it seems like this is Mission: Impossible. Farmers Union Iced Coffee appears to be banned from the Big Day Out – damn you Coca Cola and your exclusive deal disallowing such milk delicacies! Sorry Jules – next time, I promise.
Nonetheless, Jules doesn’t look too perturbed an hour later when he hits the Green Stage, deftly delivering guitar, drums and sequencers simultaneously like a 21st century Bert The Chimney Sweep one-man-band. The biggest problem for Jules and his partner in pop crime Katie White proves to be the explosive roar of the crowd: after kicking through We Walk, Fruit Machine and Great DJ, Jules demands some in-ear monitors so he can hear what’s going on. With Jules stuck behind the drum kit, Katie races about the stage, smacking a cowbell, toying with a keyboard and awkwardly banging out guitar on hits such as Shut Up And Let Me Go and That’s Not My Name. Despite just eight songs long, The Ting Tings’ set proves they’re Manchester’s most perfect pop pairing since Morrissey and Marr.
While The Ting Tings play their hot little heads off, New York’s TV On The Radio are dicking about backstage preparing for their own set on the Green Stage. Announcing their arrival via early song Young Liars and delivering a setlist covering each of their lauded albums, frontman Tunde Adebimpe’s rubbery limbs flail about like an octopus evangelist. Guitarist Dave Sitek uses various implements to smack at his guitar strings for the necessary frenetic sounds, while windchimes hanging from his guitar head offer an ambiant juxtaposition. Dancing Choose and Golden Age provide back-to-back hits from 2008’s Dear Science before Staring At The Sun finalises the energetic, exhilarating set.
The surreal sounds of P!nk’s ‘Cuz I Can waft from the speakers as the ebbing Green Stage crowd await My Morning Jacket, but frontman Jim James and his Kentucky clan soon change the musical accompaniment to something far less commercial.
With Jim’s curly hair billowing like Jerry Garcia, it seems that hippie overlords The Grateful Dead are an easy comparison to make. The portentous opening tunes don’t do much to live up to the claims that My Morning Jacket are one of the world’s finest live bands, but by the time they perform Off The Record it’s all starting to make sense. For something a little different from your regular Louisville rock outfit, Jim dons a vampire’s cloak for Evil Urges before it’s safely handed back to the official cape roadie at the song’s Benny And The Jets-style finale. Even with Hammer Horror costumery and flying V guitars it seems that the Australian audience remains a little cool towards My Morning Jacket – but at least they’re not too highly suspicious.
The Living End are as Australian as a knobhead with the Southern Cross tattooed across his sunburnt back, but that doesn’t really mean you need to see them at every Big Day Out. Even so, they’re a top festival drawcard despite their version of Waltzing Matilda putting the ‘jism’ back in jingoism. With the temperature still skirting 40 degrees, the arrival of The Living End on the Blue Stage creates a frenzy as the audience bounce and air guitar to White Noise. Prisoner Of Society, Who’s Gonna Save Us and What’s On Your Radio? are all punctuated by Scott Owen’s bass tricks and flashes of vocalist Chris Cheney’s white leather loafers, but it’s drummer Andy Strachan who catches the eye today. Maybe it’s the thumping sounds of How Do We Know that have caused it, but Andy’s arms appear to have grown to the girth of tree trunks – his ferocious pounding of the skins for 2008’s White Noise album perhaps accounting for his bicep expansion.
A perfect antidote to the masculine Aussie sounds emanating from the main arena, in the Boiler Room Hot Chip look like they’ve just arrived from a World Of Warcraft convention. With the Boiler Room having been almost empty during Holy Ghost!’s set prior to the Londoners’ set, it’s no surprise that the awesome sounds of Shake A Fist, And I Was A Boy From School and Over And Over have the crowds flocking back to the tent. Even better live than on record, these dancin’ dweebs kick arse. Strap yourself in for the film version - Revenge Of The Nerds III: Poindextrous.
Hot Chip might have a monkey with a miniature cymbal, but that’s no match for Shakey with an electrified guitar. Dressed in an airy white shirt and shorts, these days Neil Young’s hair may be thinning but his songs remain as solid as ever. Cinnamon Girl and Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere belie their 40-year-old vintage. Big Day Out founder Ken West is in the D section taking in selections such as Only Love Can Break Your Heart and Spirit Road, looking somewhat proud that the festival not only booked Young but also convinced the unflinching Canadian to deliver a wall-to-wall greatest hits set – the very same greatest hits he’s always refused to compile on CD! Exactly what sweetener West and his partner Viv Lees offered the Canuck curmudgeon is unknown, but to hear the atmospheric and epic sounds of Cortez The Killer as a cooling breeze blows across the Adelaide Showground is priceless. There’s no Arc guitar histrionics, Greendale politics or Trans vocoder here tonight, just classics such as Hey Hey My My, Old Man and Heart Of Gold in all their ragged glory.
It might sweat, swelter and succumb to heat on occasion, but Neil’s craggy reassurance that rock‘n’roll will never die sounds like a fitting manifest for today’s festival-goers to live by. Long may you run, sir.
Scott McLennan

COUNTDOWN TO STAGETIME
How the various members of TV On The Radio spent the half hour before they hit the Big Day Out Green Stage.

1. Tunde Adebimpe (vocalist): voice warm-ups.
2. Dave Sitek (guitarist): applauding tour manager when she ties a knot in a cherry stalk with her tongue.
3. Jaleel Bunton (drummer): drumming on his leg and checking out the TV On The Radio Rip It Up cover – “I look younger there and it was only three months ago – I must have been airbrushed.”
4. Kyp Malone (guitarist): Sitting quietly by himself tuning his guitar.
5. Gerard Smith (keyboardist): Dispensing grapes with militant precision to band members – “Tunde, you can have three”.

BIG DAY OUTFITS
The best and worst of the cosmic costumery on display.

1. Jim James from My Morning Jacket’s vampire cloak.
2. Katie White from The Ting Tings’ ridiculously redundant shoulder cardigan.
3. Crowd dude dressed as Jesus. Hot for preacher!
4.  Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip’s Vision Street Wear T-shirt circa 1989.
5. Patience Hodgson from The Grates’ marching girl outfit.

It was one of the biggest albums of 1983, spent more than 30 weeks in the top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic and commemorated the start of his decade-long romance with supermodel Christie Brinkley, so how could Billy Joel completely skip over his magic album An Innocent Man at his Adelaide Entertainment Centre? While many fans were miffed at the no-show of classic singles such as The Longest Time, Tell Her About It, Uptown Girl and the title track, this slight blip in set choices indicates the entertainer is doing more than simply wheeling out a tired hits collection every night. The inclusion of lesser-known tracks such as Zanzibar over All About Soul or Leningrad implies that by restlessly toying with each night’s set Joel is able to keep his own interest levels high. It pays off, with his cheery bonhomie and playful interaction with the audience an unexpected bonus from an artist who hasn’t released a new album in 15 years. Noting that the rotating stage allows Joel to “spread the shit seats around”, the 59-year-old is engaging and shows no signs of listlessness when trawling through the back catalogue. 
Anthony’s Song (Moving Out) from 1977’s The Stranger still sounds potent, We Didn’t Start The Fire triumphantly overcomes its ‘80s production and roadie Chainsaw takes the mic and stalks the stage’s underutilised ramps for a surprisingly impressive take on Highway To Hell.
One misstep is Billy’s remarkably rocking but inevitably inane new track Christmas In Fallujah: while it’s all very well for privileged artists to offer thoughts on the conflicts of the Middle East, as Roger Waters proved at this same venue two years ago with his dire Leaving Beirut, it’s tricky terrain for millionaires to ascend.
Nonetheless, with a two-hour show culminating in the overplayed but under-respected Piano Man, Joel and his terrific backing band leave the packed Entertainment Centre begging for more. An Innocent Man might have been skipped over tonight, but it merely leaves more to look forward to for next time. Joel sang in The Entertainer, “after a while and a thousand miles, it all becomes the same”, but his energy in Adelaide indicates he’ll be the piano man for many years to come.
Scott McLennan

There have been a lot of great Australian releases this year but none deserves more accolades than Birds Of Tokyo. Just wait for this bandwagon to pull up and for everyone to jump on - a sold out show at the Governor Hindmarsh will be just desserts for these lads from Western Australia.
Birds Of Tokyo have only been going a short time, having formed as a collaboration between members of other well-known Perth acts such as Karnivool and Tragic Delicate. Now this band has reached a point where it can’t really be considered as a side-project any longer, as things have taken on a life of their own and mainstream success is just over the horizon.
The album opens with a one minute intro called Uno which sets the scene for what’s about to unfold. The trademark style of the Birds Of Tokyo is on show for one and all, with soaring vocal melodies combined with some awesome catchy rock based guitar hooks with a driving rhythm section which penetrates like a stake through the heart. The production values are top notch, capturing all the energy and rough edges of this fine band. The favourite track for me is Silhouettic - one of few songs at the moment that I actually know the words to. Broken Bones and White Witch are also standouts and should be turned up loud. Ian Kenny’s vocals are amazing and emotional - especially on the closer Medicine, which is enhanced by strings and piano. Wild Eyed Boy and Head In My Hands will no doubt emerge as live favourites on an album which has already soared up the charts.
Birds Of Tokyo play the Governor Hindmarsh on Sat Sep 27.
Rob Lyon

Birthday
Bakehouse Theatre, season concluded
by DB

For some punters, Birthday could have proved a truly confronting experience: the intimacy of The Bakehouse Theatre, with its lack of a formal stage (the actors are on the same floor as the front row) meant that if anyone in the audience had taken offence from the ‘adult themes’ and ‘bad language’ and stormed out, they would have bumped into the cast. As directed by ‘Sarah Kate’ (aka Sarah Harkness, also co-Artistic Director of Flip Stage & Screen) and penned by J. Harkness (the creator of the Adelaide-produced Shot Of Love in his first play-writing effort), this minimalist four-character piece opens with would-be-jaded sex-worker ‘M’ (Natalie Eleftheriadis) quietly singing Happy Birthday to herself, then discussing the evening’s forthcoming clients with her younger, slightly goofy colleague Lily (Fleur Murphy), a dialogue-exchange that mentions Adelaidean trimmings (Stormy is name-checked) and paints a potentially-disquieting - but pretty spot-on - portrait of how such professionals operate. When M deals with client Father (!) Philip (David Spencer Gardener) and, later, Lily attempts to steal Joey (Chris Saxon) from her (she needs the money), Birthday becomes an ambitious study of critical conflicts and age-old arguments: the messy horrors of sex and sexuality (especially sex without love - and love without sex), religion (lapses of faith, sin, the need for forgiveness and redemption) and the formation and disintegration of family (the families the girls - and indeed Philip - could have had, the odd mother/daughter vibe between M and Lily, and the parents M’s escaped - although the Harknesses don’t fall into the clichéd trap of suggesting that any possible sexual abuse was what forced her into prostitution).
Transposed from a larger stage in Melbourne (where it enjoyed a similarly strong season) to a small, symbolic set-up where two beds (and a minimum of props) signify two rooms, Birthday does feature the occasional stilted line-reading, especially in the middle, and maybe (gulp!) wear its heart on its sleeve perhaps once too often - yet the unerring honesty of the piece combined with fearless performances (especially by Eleftheriadis, whose world-weariness could have been a stereotype, and Murphy, a character who could be seen as either infuriatingly naïve or infuriatingly realistic) make it compelling (and, just possibly, liberating). And if the ‘shocking’ profanity and ‘raw’ emotions upset you (is it really so appalling anymore for a woman to reclaim the word ‘cunt’?), well, chances are you fucking well needed it.

When the first three words of a CD are all ‘die’, you kind of get an idea of what you’re in for. This, however, isn’t the case with Black Asylum’s debut release Truths Of The Dead. While there is no denying that they are a group of angry men with lyrics such as ‘Broken now you grovel’ and ‘You’re nothing now, just a dead man walking’; there is something more to Black Asylum’s music than just anger.
Probably the best way to describe Black Asylum is as Australia’s answer to Trivium; they are young and ambitious with an obvious Metallica influence. For the most part, singer Troy Harris sounds a lot like Metallica’s frontman James Hetfield. Where Black Asylum differs from Trivium is that they change up the vocal pattern and songwriting procedure a lot more often than Trivium did early in their career. There are heavy songs that are fuelled by anger from start to finish, there are softer, mournful songs and then there are even songs that have a very effective spoken word section that really highlight sections of the tunes. This is no more evident than in the first song of the album Beg For Mercy, where the band utilise spoken word to great affect at the start of the song. They seem to hop through a few different genres throughout, with a lot of technical riffs and a simple but effective solo in the middle of the song.
Truths of the Blood is a fantastic debut release and Black Asylum seem to have a bright future ahead of them. If they can get rid of the Hetfield-esque singing and forge their own identity they will definitely shine - not only in Australia, but hopefully around the globe.
Michael Wickham

Essentially a two-piece, Black Diamond Heavies set themselves apart by their choice of instruments, with gruff-voiced singer James Leg opting for an unusual mix of keyboards, organ and piano to complement Van Campbell’s drum kit. Consequently, despite this album being recorded and produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys at his Akron Analog studios, its sound is markedly different to the blues rock of his own outfit or that other famous duo, The White Stripes.
Sure, a blues stomp drives Numbers 22 (Balaam’s Wild Ass), and there’s a similar influence apparent in their cover of T-Model Ford’s Take A Ride, but an equally strong stimulus comes from the world of soul music, as hinted by the opening cover of Nutbush City Limits, but most evident on Bidin’ My Time, one of the rare tracks to employ other instrumentation – in this case, horns and bass guitar (as well as the backing vocals of The Tour-ettes). Alongside their take on Nina Simone’s Oh Sinnerman, it’s also a rare moment of restraint – most of the recordings are fuzzily distorted and dirty (even the drums sound gritty). A further soul influence also informs Solid Gold, albeit in a much more hectic context, while highlight Smooth It Out recalls the punk‘n’soul of The [International] Noise Conspiracy.
The use of distortion and overdrive to thicken their sound does compensate to some extent for the absence of guitar (although Auerbach does add guest six-string to Happy Hour), but ultimately it still feels like there’s something missing after listening to the record as a whole, even though taken on their own individual cuts such as the heavy groove of Lose Yourself are stellar.
Owen Heitmann

Following the initial dissolution of The Pixies over a decade ago, the persona of Black Francis was shelved and Frank Black emerged. He was straighter – in both name and musical styling – than the old Pixies frontman and the sounds of roots rock replaced the weird wildness of Black Francis’ guitar. But this satiated neither critic nor fan and thankfully The Pixies reunion of 2004 seemed to unsettle the dust and raise the dormant Francis to life. Last year’s Bluefinger was a rusty return and Svn Fngrs continues the progression, spawning from one of Bluefinger’s B-sides.

While it only lasts 20 minutes, this mini-album still manages to be a detailed chapter in Black Francis’ ongoing evolution. The music is raw and unprocessed, which can be expected given it was recorded in just six days and the artwork was done on the seventh. After opening with The Seus – an experimental, mutant song that doesn’t seem likely to survive and produce offspring – Svn Fngrs pulls out Garbage Heap and later Sent Away, which sound like classic Pixies. All well and good, however, the true gold on this album is found in Seven Fingers and the finale When They Come To Murder Me. Along with the album title they make up a part-tribute, part-investigation into the mythical Irish hero Cúchulainn. This legendary man, of the aforementioned amount of fingers and equal toes, was revered for his ability to be overcome with fury during battle and massacre all who opposed him. On Cúchulainn’s songs Black Francis combines his resurrected Pixies sound with raging hooks and appropriate spits and growls. They’re the most complete sounding and undoubtedly relevant songs Francis has released since 1993.

Brad McNaughton

Upon first glance, you wouldn’t think Black Kids have the ability to produce such a diverse and advanced album like Partie Traumatic, but the indie pop quintet from Florida subvert many preconceptions. Formed in 2006, Black Kids began as a support act for more well known indie bands and have toured with acts such as Kate Nash and Sons & Daughters.
Their debut EP, Wizard Of Ahhhs, was released in August of 2007 to responsive audiences and excitable reviewers. The EP scored well with Pitchfork Media and was released via free download on their MySpace page.
Their latest release has drawn even greater attention and hyped up critics around the world with their provocative name, multi-racial line-up and witty lyrics. The opening track, Hit The Heartbreaks, flourishes into an unstoppable synth pop juggernaut of bubbling fun, while the title track is brilliantly audacious and opens in a bizarre way - a call and response between the boys and girls.
Interestingly, most songs on the album appear to be about sex and desire. In the case of radio single I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You the song glistens with such an optimistic gloss you barely notice the darkness stewing underneath.
There is an unmistakable flavour of ‘80s pop sprinkled throughout this album, especially on Hurricane Jane and I’ve Underestimated My Charm (Again), where electronics and wailing harmonies dictate most of the sound and feel of the band.
Behind their geeky indie kid smiles and colourful and zany attire is a band that has more musical maturity than they know what to do with. Let’s hope they don’t burn out too fast, because that would be a real shame.
Alexandra Nowak

The second Alexisonfire spin-off band – guitarist Wade MacNeil’s side project Black Lungs – will likely be overshadowed by the established success of Dallas Green’s City & Colour, which is a shame, as this gem is more deserving of attention. MacNeil’s guitar and gravelly voice are complemented primarily by Sammi Bogdanski’s upright piano and Ian Romano’s drums, and this combination is so effective that it could be argued the occasional sweep of strings are superfluous.
The album’s not an instant winner – opener A Blessing And A Curse frankly doesn’t promise much, consisting mainly of a heavily echoed vocal chant, and the following Fire And Brimstone, while more fully developed, might still have seen me go either way. But with track three, When It’s Blackout, the various elements of the group’s sound coalesced to produce a stirring folk rock anthem and from that point on I was sold.
Although the album takes those few songs to find its footing, once it establishes its niche it doesn’t slip up. While leaning at times towards punk and hard rock, the folk rock core of guitar riffs and piano melodies holds strong, completed by strong lyrics and raw, honest vocals. Hold Fast (Sink Or Swim) incorporates an expansive, affirmative chorus alongside jittery verses, These Moments Define Us is rollicking, and the contrast between the buzzing guitar and crystal clear piano is at its peak on So It Goes, a yearning and heartfelt standout.
I don’t know if Black Lungs have the marketability of City & Colour’s sensitive heartthrob image but on the strength of songs alone, MacNeil will be able to hold his head high when he regroups with Alexisonfire for their next album.
Owen Heitmann

Genre is an important factor when deciding a name for your band. So what the hell do you call your band when your genre of choice is something akin to the music psychedelic hippie robots would make if they were tripping on some as-yet uninvented form of electronic acid? You call yourselves Black Moth Super Rainbow. And you then proceed to kick inhuman amounts of arse.
Eating Us is the fourth full-length album from Tobacco, Father Hummingbird, Iffernaut, Power Pill Fist and The Seven Fields Of Aphelion, the five members that make up this Pennsylvanian pop oddity. Eating Us is also the first Black Moth Super Rainbow album to be recorded and produced in a studio. David Fridmann, famous for producing The Flaming Lips, MGMT and Weezer, appears to have been the perfect choice for the massive step from lo-fi to hi-fi, preserving all the psychedelic vocoder vocals and freaked out synth melodies. Black Moth Super Rainbow don’t sound like they were recorded in a shed anymore, and that’s certainly a good thing.
The first single and album opener, Born On A Day The Sun Didn’t Rise, storms out the gates, blasting you with an avalanche of rainbows and candy-coated robot grooves. Iron Lemonade is a slow burning jam that would have been an anthem from the ‘60s if androids had been around to play Woodstock 40 years ago, and Twin Of Myself is a futuristic existential fairytale dressed up as a relaxed pop song.
Black Moth Super Rainbow have never been the most accessible band, but if you’re after some real psychedelia after the intro to psych-pop that everyone got last year from MGMT, then Eating Us should be at the top of your list.
Liam Sharrad

Genre is an important factor when deciding a name for your band. So what the hell do you call your act when your genre of choice is something akin to the music psychedelic hippie robots would make if they were tripping on some as-yet uninvented form of electronic acid? You call yourselves Black Moth Super Rainbow. And you then proceed to kick inhuman amounts of arse.
Eating Us is the fourth full-length album from Tobacco, Father Hummingbird, Iffernaut, Power Pill Fist and The Seven Fields Of Aphelion, the five members that make up this Pennsylvanian pop oddity. Eating Us is also the first Black Moth Super Rainbow album to be recorded and produced in a studio. David Fridmann, famous for producing The Flaming Lips, MGMT and Weezer, appears to have been the perfect choice for the massive step from lo-fi to hi-fi, preserving all the psychedelic vocoder vocals and freaked out synth melodies. Black Moth Super Rainbow don’t sound like they were recorded in a shed anymore, and that’s certainly a good thing.
The first single and album opener, Born On A Day The Sun Didn’t Rise, storms out the gates, blasting you with an avalanche of rainbows and candy-coated robot grooves. Iron Lemonade is a slow burning jam that would have been an anthem from the ‘60s if androids had been around to play Woodstock 40 years ago, and Twin Of Myself is a futuristic existential fairytale dressed up as a relaxed pop song.
Black Moth Super Rainbow have never been the most accessible band, but if you’re after some real psychedelia after the intro to psych-pop that everyone got last year from MGMT, then Eating Us should be at the top of your list.
Liam Sharrad

Peter Lanyon

From the very first strains of album opener Shockwave, it’s clear that Black Tide are light years ahead of where they should be for their age. Hailing from Miami, the group shows a maturity which almost seems in contrast to their ages. All band members currently under 21, with two of them still attending high school.
Aside from being booted from the Jägermeister Stage at Ozzfest for being under the legal drinking age, youth hasn't slowed down the progress of these well-respected metallers. The band have garnered a fair bit of experience in their short time together, touring alongside more seasoned acts like Avenged Sevenfold and Ozzy. This experience shines through on Black Tide’s debut album, Light From Above.
Influences of Megadeth, Metallica, Iron Maiden and many others are evident throughout the album. Black Tide rip through 11 rocking metal tracks, moving from thrash to balls-out metal and epic Maiden-style rockers, such as Warriors Of Time. Repeat listens confirm there is not a weak track in sight.
The aforementioned Shockwave proves to be the perfect album opener, with old school riffs powering out behind lead singer Gabriel Garcia's almost Sebastian Bach-style vocals.
Other standout tracks on the album include riff-fuelled Hit The Lights, Live Fast Die Young, Shout and Show Me The Way.
Light From Above is one of the most impressive debuts in recent history and if it’s any indication of what lies in store, then Black Tide will be a major force in the metal scene for years to come.
To win a copy of Black Tide’s new album thanks to Universal, email <scottmclennan@ripitup.com.au> with your details and tell him your favourite ‘80s metal moment.
Peter Lanyon

Sometimes the best new bands are right on our doorstep and it takes a little while for the average punter to stand up and take notice. Blackchords from Melbourne are one of the finds for 2009 and just about everyone agrees, with most critics saying they’ll be huge and it’s only a matter of when. I seriously hope punters get on the bandwagon well before they disappear overseas, since that will only prove what a few of us already know – they’re fucking brilliant!
The comparisons to the likes of Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and Coldplay are all on the mark, but don’t take anything away from these lads as they’ve worked hard to carve out their own niche. Having said that, the voice of Nick Milwright is very reminiscent of a very young Chris Martin and the melancholic tones are just superb. These Lights is pure gold, starting as a relaxed piano ballad that continues to build and build with strings in the background. At World’s End is the initial lure that gets you in for the journey, before rolling into the moody and spirited 22. Broken Bones is a stunner (even nominated for an international songwriting competition) and so too is Raise My Hands.
The first time I heard this self-titled album I sat there in total amazement wondering how could such a young band sound so great. Remember the name Blackchords, as it will only be a matter of time before you’ll be hearing a lot more.
Rob Lyon

Bleeding Through are back and have modified their line-up, adding I Killed The Prom Queen’s own Jona Weinhofen to the mix. Declaration improves their sound, developing a heavier vibe by adding angrier, deeper and darker sounds to their music. With the growling vocals of Brandan Schieppati layered on top of the intricate guitar workings of Jona Weinhofen and Brian Leppke, Marta Peterson’s complexity on keyboard and their aggressive lyrics telling tales of heartbreak and destruction, what’s not to love?
Opener Finis Fatalis Spei, is an instrumental piece displaying a classical feel to the music, with a harmonious melody which reflects the diversity of Bleeding Through’s work.
Orange County Blonde And Blue hits hard with the sound we have come to recognise from this six-piece - an aggressive mix of hardcore which takes you straight into the wild world of Bleeding Through. French Inquisition discusses loneliness and heartache while laying out heavy beats and enriching riffs, giving off huge amounts of energy their fans will love.
The band slows it down once again for the evocative The Loving Memory Of England. Lasting just over a minute, this track is full of emotion despite the absence of vocals, as the naturalistic sounds complete the song and once again show how diverse this group can be.
Closing the album is the bonus track, Self Defeating Anthem. It’s a song full of angst and hostility, slowing down and changing tempo briefly at the song’s close before beating out the chords one last time to finally wrap up the album and leave a lasting impression.
This album is definitely a declaration to the ongoing success of a band that came from the underground and is here for the long run. Bleeding Through are a band who should be commended for their endeavours on this album - one which should be added to everyone’s collection.
Danielle Rentis

Their name hints at an attempt to kidnap one of Santa's reindeer and their logo has all the sharp edges and pointy bits of your typical eighties hair metal band. While the Oregon-based sextet’s plans for Christmas Eve remain unclear, I can report that an eighties heavy metal sound is one of the few genre excursions you won't hear on Blitzen Trapper’s latest release. Furr marks the group’s fourth full-length album, and whether it’s this milestone or the extensive touring behind last year’s acclaimed Wild Mountain Nation, it’s an album that bristles with confidence and purpose.
It’s impossible to reduce all of the genres visited on this audacious collection of songs to a single meaningful description. On plinky-plonk piano ballad Not Your Lover the group manage to out-Neil Neil Young while Lady On The Water would sound at home on either disc of The Beatles’ White Album. There are ample echoes of early Dylan, too, but that’s not to suggest that Blitzen Trapper are just a bunch of talented copyists. While Crosby, Stills & Nash might be tempted to go looking for the group to retrieve their vibrant vocal harmonies, tracks like the stomping howling meltdown of Love U suggest that distinct associations are merely passing acquaintances along a long and complicated musical road.
It’s a little like listening to the freak-out magic of Frank Zappa at the height of his powers. They don’t just do the genres, they do them well. Strange new sounds have been added, too, yet somehow made to sound completely at home.
Like Santa and his reindeer, you’d be well served to keep an eye out for Blitzen Trapper.
Troy Foster

More than 20 years ago a homosexual social outcast with grand dreams and a knack with cynical, humorous and outwardly bleak lyrics turned the UK music on his head when he paired with three gifted musicians and created passionate paeans to various iconic locales of England, the demonic nature of government rule and the absence of love in his life. While Bloc Party don’t outwardly hold too many links to The Smiths, the lineage between Morrissey and Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke remains of interest thanks to both experiencing torment due to their sexuality, their denouncement of authoritarian social structures and a brooding sense of humour that is often dismissed as dismal rhetoric.
With second album A Weekend In The City, Okereke and his London pretty boys have trimmed the fat, added some studio flare and, best of all, gathered together some prime musical cuts that rely less on a yelping angular dimension and more on catchy beats, strapping guitar hooks and a feeling of longevity that debut Silent Alarm ultimately lacked.
While early single Helicopter found Kele denouncing George W Bush with peculiar idioms targeting his disinterest in chocolate, A Weekend In The City delivers a stronger calibre of political and social loathing. Hunting For Witches draws parallels between the totalitarian fallout of 9/11 terrorist attacks and the fervent attack of suspect heathens in the 1700s, Song For Clay (Disappear Here) sneers at celebrity society revelling in excess while our civilisation sinks and Waiting For The 7.18 gives the deliciously black view that the modern void can be escaped via crosswords and Sudoku.
Not only have the lyrics become disciplined and astute, Bloc Party’s music and production now includes perfect flashes of synthesisers, strings and production flourishes that strengthen the overall dynamic of the quartet.
Some albums are bigger than others: Kele, this is really something.
Scott McLennan

His Two Cents: One of producer/director Edward (sometimes just Ed) Zwick’s better epics - but no less chaotic - the most damaging problem with this social-conscience-saga is that, after two-hours-plus of murder, mayhem, sweaty authenticity and hand-wringing angst the only response from many will be, “Yeah, well, so what?”. Set in the danger-zone of early-‘90s Sierra Leone, this begins with the happy life of Mende fisherman Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) torn apart when bandits destroy his village but spare him from death and set him to work in the diamond fields where he finds a supremely rare pink diamond - and (rather improbably) hides it. When this secret becomes known by Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio putting on a wobbly Afrikaans-ish accent), a formerly Zimbabwe-based mercenary, he promises to help Solomon locate his family if he also assists in the location of the jewel, and the pair set about a drawn-out and awfully hazardous trip cross-country with snooping journo Maddy Brown (Jennifer Connelly resisting too many layers of make-up) in on the dubious deal (and falling for Leo’s Danny despite the fact that he seems to have had the same grimy shirt on for weeks on end).
Meant to make (rich) audiences question just how many died for their trinkets (and not above making the reasonably daring point that ‘civilised’ countries profit from all this bloodshed and horror), Zwick’s bombastic brainchild ultimately tries too hard in its soapboxing and turns rather objectionable - especially as, for example, DiCaprio made more money to appear here in one hit than certain Third World economies manage in several years. Nevertheless, Blood Diamond is insurmountably better than Zwick’s worst movie - Legends Of The Fall (now where did we put that machine gun?).
Mad Dog
Her Two Cents: A wake up call to the world as to the tragic consequences of greed, lust and pure vanity. Leonardo DiCaprio excels as 31-year-old Danny Archer, opportunist extraordinaire, scraping a living in civil war torn Sierra Leone, where illegally mined diamonds are used to buy weapons and fund the ongoing conflict. Archer smuggles ‘conflict’ or ‘blood’ diamonds into the world market. He has powerful connections but smokes heavily because he believes his work will kill him before smoking can. His world is one of unending brutality, indiscriminate massacres and child soldiers (putting the ‘infant’ into infantry)… yet with peace it could be a paradise. The stunning landscape and picture book African animals provide the backdrop to Archer’s journey to recover a large diamond hidden by Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou). Vandy was a fisherman who, after a raid on his village, was allowed to keep both his hands only so he could work better in the diamond mines. In his desperate quest to reunite his family, he finds he must work with Archer – who naturally has his own selfish agenda. American reporter Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) both facilitates and complicates Archer’s task. A searing drama and devastating expose of the illegal diamond trade.
Ms Fit

There seems to be no stopping the New York music scene, as so many top bands keep being found there. Not that Blood On The Wall have just come off the production line – Liferz is the trio’s third full-length release – but they’re indicative of an artistic culture where anyone can get a break if they’re good enough.
Pointless blather aside, BOTW are an explosive, loud-mouthed experiment in how much they can wear their influences on their sleeves without being accused of ripping off past greats. Liferz claims to be the more diverse, branched out albums of their three, but having never heard the other two, I can only judge this one on its own merit. And it’s not half bad.
The really good thing about this record is that it doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. BOTW are a punk band who’ve grown up listening to Sonic Youth, Pixies and all the other forefathers of edgy rock music; and Liferz reflects this pretty accurately. Take Junkeee…Julieee… for example: it sounds like the forgotten collaboration between the Sex Pistols and Led Zeppelin. There’s nothing really new there and BOTW know that, but they play with such an ‘up yours’ punk attitude that it works.
They do mix it up a bit though. The Ditch is a Von Bondies-type droney number, while the hooky Rize will almost certainly get your toes tapping. Maybe it is their diverse, expansive album after all.
There’s not much nonsense about this New York three-piece and you certainly get a feel for that on this record. It’s good output, but three albums into their career, is Liferz going to be enough to take them from American scenesters to international stars? Probably not.
Jimmy Bollard

Nashville, USA, was where this album was conceived and has had a profound influence on the tone. There is a sense of confidence in the music that the sky's the limit but at the same time keeping his feet well and truly planted on the ground. The first single, Don't You Think It's Time, embraces the whole gentle and subtle alt-country vibe. I'm Coming Around and Don't Walk Alone are classic moments on Suburban Notebook backed by horn arrangements that keeps these gems rollicking along.

The pedals and strings highlighted on Battle Of 2004 really take this song to new heights and, similarly, Flame stands head above shoulders proving to be the real match winner on this one.

Evans is definitely in synch with what's going on in the suburbs and is optimistic about love, life and friendships which is reminisce of the life that everyone else out there strives for also. There's no bluff but honest music and that's more than enough to win me over.