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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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 arri