The Scene - Local Entertainment News

S Sense

A lad walks by pushing a pram. He's young. No razor has ever scraped this face.

He wears a black Metallica T-shirt and jeans. His shoelaces drag behind him as he leans towards his destination. The pram rattles and rocks across footpath and gutter. The smoke from his fag streams behind him like smoke from a steam train. There's an urgency that fuels this train. Puffing Billy is off to town, the shops already reflecting on his wraparounds.

A girl, his girl I guess, stomps behind him, her belly exposed above over-tight jeans (from happier times) with unnatural fades down the front. She smokes too, a huge packet of Horizons in her other hand. She's wears a sullen look that was once an affected one that boys found attractive.

Now it's not. Boys.. she's over it.

Her eyes never leave the Horizon.

Every now and then a glint from her navel exposes a jewel - or glass at least. But good quality glass. And there's a tattoo spider appearing from her belt line. It's leaving.

Puffing Billy had once been a fly attracted to the spider's nest. The giddying fun of adults. How strong the need for love. How loaded the joy of sex.

He turns and tells her to hurry, stumbling momentarily, the pram sideswiping an elderly gentleman with a cardigan and pyjama pants inching along with his walking frame. She says piss off in smoke puffs but shuffles faster anyway.

Theirs is a shared urgency.

In the pram, is a kid. It's a fat boy sucking on a Popper. Snot jiggles with the bumps.

Three kids off to the dealer; two of them to play spider and fly just once more. Just today.

Camilleri's Bakelite Tour

Joe show with no Sorrows.

Joe Camilleri has been making fine music for three decades now. Founder and front man of Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, The Black Sorrows and The Revelators, Joe is an Australian music icon with songs that are part of our lives - like Shape I'm In and Chained To The Wheel.

Beat magazine, Melbourne, wrote recently, "The term 'national treasure' would probably piss him off, so let's just know it without saying anything."

In 2003 Joe and the Bakelite Radio Trio played a two-week Australian tour with Joe Jackson. The full houses and media raved about their performances. So they released a CD, Bakelite Radio, which is a worthy addition to Joe's huge discography.

Tune into Joe's Bakelite Radio this Friday, September 10, at the Casino RSM Club and this Saturday, September 11, at the Yamba Bowling Club.

The Sweet to blitz the ballroom

The Sweet bring glam (and hair) to Lismore, this Saturday.

Remember a time before pre-emptive attacks, mobile phones with cameras and houses with two toilets? Remember back even before computers, DVDs and eyebrow piercings? If you can't (because you weren't born or you were there but were, you know, mindless) then there is a way you can recapture the spirit of the 70s.

The Sweet, one of the glamest of the glam bands of the 70s, will blitz Lismore at Lismore Workers Club this Saturday, September 11.

This is a great opportunity to slip on the glam rags (platform shoes, tight flares), do the hair thing (big hair is required) and bounce along to The Sweet's great hits like Ballroom Blitz, Fox On The Run and Love Is Like Oxygen.

You'll relive the 70s - and that has got to be a good thing, right?

The Sweet have been around since 1968 and during their early days produced bubblegum hits and caused quite a sensation with their overtly sexual stage performance (tight pants will do that), eventually being arrested in Belgium for indecency.

But it was when the quartet decided to camp things up via the outrageous hits Hellraiser, Teenage Rampage and Blockbuster that they really began to get noticed and their particular identity was established. The Sweet legend was born.

With original guitarist Andy Scott now at the helm, The Sweet will raise some glam hell in Lismore this Saturday. Tickets are $29.50.

Go see a Garcia

Anthony Garcia seems very happy about his North Coast gig.

Outstanding Australian guitarist, Anthony Lamont Garcia, will give a concert at the A&I Hall in Bangalow this Sunday, September 12, as part of his Skyflyer tour. The gig starts at 3pm and costs $12/8. Tickets are available at Barebones Artspace in Bangalow or phone 6687 1393. Or get them at the door.

He will also hold a masterclass/workshop for the reasonably proficient at the A&I Hall this Saturday, September 11, from 2-5pm. The workshop is free but bookings are essential. Phone 6687 1081.

Freebie: The Echo has two double passes to give away to Garcia's Saturday concert. To go in the draw to win phone 6622 2888 between 11.45am & 12pm tomorrow, Sept 10, and tell us how many flats and sharps there are in the C major scale.

Hart and soul

World acclaimed roots music artist, Mick Hart (pictured), will play at the Campus Central UniBar next Thursday, September 16.

Mick Hart began playing solo in early '97, touring up and down the east coast of Australia attracting rave live reviews and establishing a healthy following for his wildly emotive and deeply spiritual live performances.

Storming the Australian East Coast Blues & Roots Festival in April '99, Mick Hart became the talk of the festival, attracting a multitude of new fans including visiting musician Ben Harper, who spent time extolling Mick's talent to the attending media.

Since then his star has risen with the EP, Kill Yourself and his new album, No Compromise. For the last two years Mick has been based in Paris, the artist's city, where he worked on the new album and played throughout Europe with the very best musos.

Recently he has been touring Australia and has come to the North Coast with his new sound. Joining Mick as support will be North Coast troubadour, Jez.

Tickets are free for students and only $5 for guests. Doors open at 8pm.

Noises Off goes off

Even actors need a little lie down sometimes...

Ballina Players is poised to present its next production, Noises Off, written by Michael Frayn.

There are many who think Noises Off is the funniest play they've ever seen. People have said they laughed so hard they thought they were going to do themselves an injury. Well, that's what they said...

Noises Off is a play within a play. The audience sees the machinations and stress of rehearsal and the developing and disintegrating of relationships during the play's run. Heaps of fun.

Eventually, you see a performance with the actors ploughing on regardless, still delivering their lines while the set falls apart around them and the director has a nervous breakdown.

Just like real theatre.

Noises Off is directed by Paul Belsham (Big River, Guys and Dolls, Jack the Ripper), assisted by Mary Richards and features a local cast of great talent and experience.

Performances are on Friday and Saturday, September 10-11; Thursday to Saturday, September 16-18; and Thursday to Saturday, September 23-25. Shows start at 8pm.

There'll also be a matinee performance this Sunday, September 12, at 2pm.

Tickets are $16/14 ($10 for kids under 12) and bookings can be made at La Boutique in Ballina or phone 6686 2662.

Look for the Brant name

Brant Bjork is not from Iceland.

Brant Bjork & The Bros, from the USA, will play the Great Northern Hotel in Byron Bay next Wednesday, September 15, with local band Fort.

Brant Bjork hails from Palm Desert, California, where he began playing live gigs at 13. A rock prodigy.

He has been the rhythmic pivot and inspiration behind such outfits as Queens of the Stone Age and Fu Manchu, but in later times he has concentrated on his own musical inclinations, expanding his musicality to involve his playing most instruments and developing his distinctive vocals.

His latest album, Local Angel, reminds us with bittersweet lyrics that while Brant is still a stoner he is also a lover. If Cheech & Chong and The Cars had a love child - it'd be Brant Bjork.

Bonnie Billy's Byron Bash

Is it a pirate? A hippie? No, it's Will Oldham from Bonnie 'Prince' Billy.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy is the band of Will Oldham, the man behind Palace Brothers, Palace Music and Palace Songs. Oldham started to make music in the early 90's under the name Palace Brothers and has since gone on to make nine albums and many singles.

Will Oldham's musical influence seems everywhere.

Nick Cave nominated Bonnie 'Prince' Billy as a major influence on his 2001 album, No More Shall We Part. Johnny Cash has covered and performed a duet with Oldham and recently Cat Power shows have had her performing Bonnie's Wolf Among Wolves.

Apparently, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy puts on a hell of a live show. Catch the band when they play the Byron Bay Community Centre next Wednesday, September 15. Tickets are $31 from the centre or phone 6685 5659.

Peace rules, okay?

The sky will be filled with the colours of the rainbow as a huge peace flag descends to earth signaling the opening of the Byron Peace Carnival next Sunday, September 19. The spectacular, 20-metre flag will be borne by parachutists from Skydive Byron Bay.

The carnival will commence at 10am with a procession through the streets of Byron.

This festivity is a celebration of the spirit and culture of peace in the Rainbow Region. The carnival coincides with the United Nations International Day of Peace, a day when all peoples of the world are called to acknowledge the devastating effects of war and reflect on the universal goal of peace.

A peace forum, it will feature Herald journalist and author of Not Happy, John, Margo Kingston (pictured) and common law specialist Malcolm McClure. Speak-up 4 Peace, will be held at Byron Bay Community Centre at 7pm next Thursday, September 16, as a prelude to the celebrations. Tickets are $10, available from the centre on 6685 6807.

Individuals and community groups are encouraged to participate in the Peace Carnival through offerings of song, dance, stalls, presentations, artwork and so on. Volunteers are also needed to assist with carnival preparations. Anyone who would like to be involved should contact Anne at info@byronpeacecarnival.com or phone 6672 3152 or 0427 120 729.

Young Drums and Thongaphone

Artist in Residence Steve Langton (centre, left) and Young Drums director Peter Jaggle (back, left) with members of Peter's adult class and the Young Drums players (clockwise) Richard Nagle, Maureen Jaggle, Scott Barker, Cynthia McDermott, Steve Donovan, Shaun Edwards, Adrian McCormack, Hannah Jaggle, Sai Barker, Jarrod Elliott, Sigi Klar and Murray Wade.

Steve Langton has been Artist in Residence with the Young Drums in Lismore and will celebrate that experience in a free performance entitled Rhythm/Music Immersion on Friday, September 17, at Lismore City Hall.

Steve makes 'sound playgrounds' using poly pipe of different lengths to create different pitches. People may remember his 'thongaphone' (the pipes are hit with that most venerable of Aussie icons, the thong) used as part of Norpa's production of The Flood, earlier this year.

"The thongaphone produces the best funk bass sound of the 70s," said Steve.

Having visited Korea earlier this year, Steve and the Young Drums will be assembling a huge array of percussive instruments, including Korean gongs, to produce an evening of world percussive music.

Langton worked with both the Young Drums and the Young Drums Percussion and Performance School adult class to create a number of instruments, including a 'baxterphone'. (I don't know either...)

Following the Artist in Residence gig, Steve hopes to get the baxterphone into the Baxter Detention Centre for the children to use. If that's not possible he will give it to Port Augusta Public School, where ordinary students, as well as young detainees who are sent there for study, will be able to use it.

The show on September 17, with Steve Langton and the Young Drums, will feature original music pieces using ethnic instruments and the sound playground.

Mega Metal Muse in Lismore

Bloodthirsty System takes revenge.

Briz Vegas dissidents, Bloodthirsty System, bring their sounds of urban battle to the Canberra Hotel in Lismore next Thursday, September 16, for the Lismore leg of their east coast tour.

Joining them will be Bulan Darah, featuring members of Proem 3 and The Box Monsters (great gig on Saturday last at the Italo Club).

Also playing will be locals, Seshjuan, who will attack life and music ferociously with a new-look line up. The gig is free and starts at 9.30pm.

NORPA & Southern Cross University present

Sydney Symphony
Lismore City Hall
Wednesday, September 29
Tickets: $47.20/ $22.20
Bookings 6621 5600 or www.norpa.org.au

Beethoven Triumphant

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is performing for the first time outside of Sydney with new artistic director and chief conductor, Maestro Gianluigi Gelmetti (pictured), on a regional tour of NSW that kicks off with a concert at Lismore City Hall on Wednesday, September 29. The program for the evening will feature Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, Mascagni's stunning intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana, and Bottesini's Concerto for Double Bass No. 2, showcasing the talents of the Symphony's own co-principal double bass, Alex Henery.

"Gianluigi Gelmetti's interpretations of Beethoven symphonies and concertos are hugely acclaimed by both critics and audiences alike and we're very excited to be bringing such a wonderful program of music to Lismore," said Sydney Symphony managing director, Libby Christie.

Maestro Gianluigi Gelmetti took up his position as chief conductor and artistic director of the Sydney Symphony in January 2004, a position he will hold for five years. He was already well-known to the Orchestra having appeared as a guest conductor since 1993. Gelmetti has conducted all the leading orchestras in the world and appears regularly at international festivals. Highlights of recent seasons include engagements in France, Germany, Great Britain, America, Australia, Japan, Switzerland and Italy, where he conducted Mascagni's Iris and Respighi's La Fiamma at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome.

Whether you're a classical music aficionado or just a regular lover of good music, this concert provides a rare and exciting opportunity to see one of the biggest and best Australian orchestras right here in Lismore. And at half the cost!

Coming soon

HSC Drama Works
Star Court Theatre, Lismore
Today, September 9, 11am & 7pm

Since its inception in 1997 Drama Works has become a firmly established annual event.

North Coast schools are invited each year to submit their best individual and/or group performances from their current HSC Drama class to allow their students an opportunity to perform these outstanding examination pieces for the general public. For matinee bookings, phone Genevieve Lewis at Trinity Catholic College on 6621 8155. For evening bookings, phone Caddies Coffee on 6621 7709.

Cost: $6 (matinee) $10 (evening) + party bookings of ten $8.

92nd Lismore Festival Eisteddfod

Lismore City Hall
September 12 to October 1

The 92nd Lismore Festival Eisteddfod is a showcase of talent in woodwind, brass, vocal, spoken word, piano, string and dance. Competitions commence September 12 and conclude October 1. All sessions are open to the general public to attend and are most entertaining. A small admission fee is charged. For more information phone 6621 6015.

Ballina Big Band Birthday

This year the Ballina Shire Concert Band celebrates 121 years of continuous music making. Bravo!

To mark the occasion the band is giving a concert in the Ballina RSL Club's auditorium this Sunday, September 12, from 2pm. The cost of admission? $2, which is probably how much it cost 121 years ago.

The band was formed in 1883 and first performed aboard the M.V. Florrie, which was anchored in the Richmond River.

If you're interested in joining the band, phone 6628 0785. Rehearsals are weekly at the Wigmore Hall in Ballina on Wednesdays from 7.30pm and Thursdays at 10am.

The concert on Sunday will cover a broad musical spectrum with composers like Henry Mancini, Hogey Carmichael, Ray Charles - even Buddy Holly and Blood Sweat and Tears are part of the program.

Dolphin Award deadline Wednesday!

The entry deadline for the 2004 North Coast Entertainment Industry Association's Dolphin Awards has been extended to next Wednesday, September 15. So hurry!

"We have received a flood of entries into the office over the past 48 hours," said NCEIA judging coordinator Fortesque. "But we do need them in by the 15th - that's our absolute deadline."

The Dolphin Awards night serves as the industry's annual showcase and get-together, and will be held at Lismore City Hall on Tuesday, November 16.

Entries can be made in person to the NCEIA office in the ACE Building, Magellan Street, Lismore, or by mail to NCEIA, PO Box 6275, South Lismore, NSW, 2480.

For further details phone NCEIA on 6622 0222, visit the website at www.nceia.org.au or email nceia@nceia.org.au.

Dangerous poetry week

National Poetry Week has recently finished and Dangerously Poetic is honouring the occasion with a panel talk/reading on Why Poetry Matters at the Bangalow Catholic Hall (not at the usual RSL) from 3-5pm this Saturday, September 11.

Dangerously Poetic has invited a panel of poetry lovers to discuss why poetry matters.

They are Margaret Bradstock (editor of Five Bells, the Poet's Union magazine and author of The Pomelo Tree), Melissa Lucashenko (a Murri woman whose novels of urban Aboriginal life include Steam Pigs, Hard Yards, Killing Darcy and Too Flash) and Laura Jan Shore (president of Dangerously Poetic Inc and author of Breathworks).

This will be followed by an open reading in which the audience is invited to share poems that really matter and to briefly tell why.

To add a musical touch, Alison Mackay and David Hall will sing. Cost is $5/4.

Slammin'

The Live Poets!, Lismore's iconic poetry gig, is on again at the Rous Hotel next Wednesday, September 15, from 8pm.

With your host David Hallett, poetry lovers can sample some of the region's best and aspiring poets in the open readings section and then can see the competitive sparks fly in the two-minute poetry slam where serious money (no, there's money, serious) is up for grabs.

Last month saw the Nimbin World Performance Poetry Cup and next month it's the Lismore Poetry Cup. It's poetry madness. Join in.

Entry is a metaphoric $6/4.

Freebie: The Echo has two tickets for the Live Poets! gig. To go in the draw to win phone 6622 2888 between 10 & 10.30am on Monday, September 13, and tell us who won the recent Nimbin World Performance Poetry Cup.

Eisteddfod #92

When the Lismore Musical Festival Society held its first eisteddfod in Lismore in 1908, the Northern Star wrote, "May the modest attempt of 1908 gather into a great annual gathering and our city become a musical centre."

Thus has it come to pass.

With only five festivals missed due to WWI and its consequent flu epidemic, the Lismore Musical Festival Society Eisteddfod is the fifth oldest eisteddfod in Australia.

The 92nd Eisteddfod competitions begin this week with vocal and instrumental sections on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, September 12-17, with three sessions daily - 9am, 2pm and 7pm. The vocal and instrumental competitions will be held in the Churchill Auditorium at the Lismore City Hall.

The spoken word section will take place from September 18-19 at Wilson Park Public School in Lismore.

These sessions cost only $5 and highlight the artistic creativity of the area's youth and the tenacity of the Lismore Musical Festival Society.

For more information phone 6625 2369.

Fair Dictum

Dictum is an exhibition that profiles the first three PhD research projects successfully undertaken in Visual Arts at Southern Cross University.

The School of Arts is proud to offer this exhibition as part of Southern Cross University's 10th anniversary celebrations and to highlight the contribution of visual arts to the University's unique regional identity.

The exhibition includes work by Maree Bracker, Shelagh Morgan and Murray Patterson, all of whom completed their doctorates within the last 10 years.

Dictum opens at 5pm today, September 9, at the newly established Next Contemporary Art Space in Southern Cross University's Goodman Plaza. The exhibition runs until September 24.

Pictures at Hanging Rock

The beautiful Hanging Rock Hall in Williams Road, Cawongla, becomes the bush picture theatre this Saturday, September 11, when the 16mm Film Society presents In Fading Light, a G-rated teenage film. There will also be a short comedy.

Show starts at 6.30pm.

For more information phone 6633 7015.

Filming workshop happening soon

Cut to the Creative, a one-day workshop in basic filming techniques, will take place on Saturday, September 18. Run by North Coast CAMERA, this workshop is designed to help up-and-coming video makers get their creative mojo happening by teaching the skills of scripting, meaning creation, camera techniques, shooting to edit, lighting and many other aspects of this craft.

For more information and bookings phone 6688 0031.

Sing in the spring

The Lennox Headliners, an all-women's a cappella chorus, are calling for all women who love to sing to join them as they "sing into spring" on Monday, September 13, at 7.30pm.

An evening of song, laughter and fun has been organised by the Headliners (who have quite a reputation for musical partying), so come along to their new rehearsal venue at St Mary's Anglican Church Hall in Burnett Street, Ballina.

A free supper will be provided. For further information phone 6682 5188 or 6680 7058.