The Scene - Local Entertainment News

S Sense

I blame my parents.

Unfortunately they instilled in me some morals. That's why the re-election of John Howard has destroyed my faith in the Australian electorate and made me a bit depressed.

When a government can make our country bomb innocents in another country which posed no threat to us, and do it without parliamentary debate, against the wishes of the majority of its citizens, against the rulings of international law, based on manipulative lying and consequently be returned to power with a increased majority, then I wish my parents hadn't believed in a different sort of Australia because I have passed those morals onto my son and now he will find his moral conscience very... well, unaustralian.

He'll probably blame his parents.

Ocean Rhythm

One of Vanessa Crisp's works, 'All Men Dream' on display at Evans Head.

The Rhythm of Life exhibition at the Paperbark Gallery in Evans Head is the latest showing of works by gallery director Vanessa Crisp and is an insightful selection. Her combination of calligraphic disciplines and traditional fine art techniques produces some thought-provoking art.

It's the first exhibition on the North Coast in over two years for Vanessa.

The exhibition runs until November 7. Go to Evans Head, have a swim and then be inspired by Vanessa's Rhythm of Life.

The Paperbark Gallery is located in the Arts and Industry Estate in Evans Head. It's open from Tuesday to Friday and Sundays from 10am-4pm. For more information phone 6682 5188.

A delicate precision

Helen Rengger-Thorpe's painting Self Authorisation is part of her exhibition at Caddies.

ition of delicate pencil drawings by Coffee Camp artist Helen Rengger-Thorpe is now on show at Caddies in Lismore.

Entitled We Are All Wild Orchids, the exhibition features a series of colourful and intricate drawings, each of which evolved from simple doodles while sitting by the phone.

"We all have a doodle that we draw while sitting on the phone, which is like your personal insignia," Helen said. "For me the journey has been about allowing myself to explore where those drawings take me. It's about learning to share your inner self and having the courage to love what you create without worrying about what others will think."

Helen's artistic journey helped rekindle her long fascination with wild orchids.

"I think that all beings are a lot like wild orchids - they cannot be tamed, but if you nurture them they will flourish and become more beautiful."

We Are All Wild Orchids is on show until the end of October.

A Gypsy treat

Fine music, fine clothes and fine food with Gypsy Things (l-r) Janelle Roworth, Cathy Mooney and Louise Vanstone.

The Lismore Show Choir will present Gypsy Things this Sunday, October 17, in the courtyard of the Lismore City Motor Inn. The courtyard will become a temporary outdoor theatre where fans of opera and musical theatre can feast on this rare musical treat. And music lovers can also feast on an afternoon tea prepared by the Fire in the Belly restaurant, with its famous wood-fired pizza oven, from 3.30pm. You can also book for an after-show dinner on 6621 4899. The concert, conducted and produced by Valerie Tamblyn-Mills, starts at 4pm.

Tickets are $12/$10 and available at Caddies Bean Shop in Carrington Street, Lismore. For more information phone 6624 6734.

Cup this

Previous Lismore Poetry Cup winner, poet, novelist and wine drinker, Christine Strelan.

The annual Lismore Poetry Cup will be metaphorically contested at the Rous Hotel in Lismore next Wednesday, October 20, at 8pm.

For over 10 years the Poetry Cup has been the main event in competitive performance poetry in Lismore and has been won over the years by some of the region's top writers - Christine Strelan, Catherine Stewart, Laurie Axtens, Robyn Scott and current Cup holder, Nimbin's Jane Treasure. (No, I haven't won it...)

The first prize of $150 is sponsored by Noah's Arc Bookshop, and the Live Poets! provide the $100 People's Choice Prize. Entries can be made on the night prior to the event. For more information phone David on 6688 8294.

Freebie: The Echo has one double pass to giveaway to the Poetry Cup. To go in the draw to win phone 6622 2888 on Monday, October 18, and tell us the name of the poet who wrote 'I love a sunburnt country...' (Well, I did before election day.)

Groovers in Reverse

Groove Dalley is on track for funky station.

They're big (nine piece), they're local and they're obsessed with the groove.

Groove Dalley will perform with Reverse World at the Campus Central UniBar in Lismore next Thursday, October 21, from 8pm.

Groove Dalley's delivery of brutally groovy and highly energetic live shows has earned them a large, diverse and devoted local fan base.

It is because of their successful live performances that Groove Dalley were chosen to play at the 2004 Splendour in the Grass festival in Byron Bay. The Groove Dalley family met at Uni in Lismore in 2000 and 2001, while studying contemporary music with some of the masters of the trade.

Groove Dalley have recently released their debut EP, Welcome to the Garden, which was funded, recorded, produced and distributed independently, and is available in local music stores, as well as at www.groovedalley.com.

Reverse World is also a Lismore-based band, formed this year, who perform original material. They are a rock band with melodic female vocals. That combination won them the recent Southern Cross Uni Band Competition. Congrats, rockers.

Over the mousemoon

The hauntingly beautiful ones are on day release in Lismore next Thursday.

The Hauntingly Beautiful Mousemoon are concerned with the creation of music, art and atmospheres which aim to inspire the release and celebration of the human spirit. Cool.

Every show, as they see it, is an opportunity to express, mystify, confuse and/or alienate. Upon the music scene they have imposed their own inimitable style of public activity, altering that same scene in a throbbing and tempestuous manner. Sexy.

Check out the Mousemoon activity at the Tatts Hotel in Lismore next Thursday, Oct 21.

The graduate

From Lismore girl to NIDA actor: Catherine Terracini

The NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) Spring Play Season, performed by graduating third year actors, includes the play Who's Afraid of the Working Class?, which is presently running in Sydney.

The cast includes Catherine Terracini, who was born in Como, Italy, and lived in Europe until she moved to Australia to begin school.

Completing her Higher School Certificate at Trinity Catholic College in Lismore, she then moved to Brisbane to study a Bachelor of Theatre Studies at QUT for a year. Catherine was then accepted into NIDA and is now graduating. Good on you, Catherine.

Guitar men

A reminder that the fabulous guitar duo of Slava and Leonard Grigoryan (pictured) will present some sublime guitar virtuosity at the Lismore Workers Club next Thursday, October 21, from 7.30pm.

This is the finale to a great Musica Viva season and the cabaret style seating arrangement makes an excellent way to enjoy this night with friends. Tickets are $28/24 and $14 for students from Dymocks in Lismore or phone 6622 4987.

I sphinx therefore I jam

The newly refurbished Sphinx Rock Café, at Mt Burrell, on the Kyogle to Murwillumbah Road, recently re-opened and has live music and great Asian-style food (catering for vegos as well) every Sunday afternoon from 1-4 pm.

The café is set in a pleasant garden offering a family friendly destination for a Sunday outing. Outing is a good word, eh? (You drive through Nimbin following the signs to Murwillumbah and it's not far.) You can hear Paddy Raleigh playing there this Sunday, October 17 (and 24), Murray from Uki on October 31 and Shakari on November 7.

Check out the website at www.sphinxrockcafe.com.

NORPA presents

Hello Kitty
A Footscray Community Arts Centre/Beaker production
Star Court Theatre, Lismore
Saturday, October 23, 8pm
Tickets: $22.20, $17.20
Bookings: 6621 5600 or www.norpa.org.au

NORPA, in association with Kultour, presents four Asian-Australian writers reading their own work and singing karaoke at the Star Court Theatre.

Hello Kitty incorporates the camp glamour of a literary event and a karaoke bar.

Hello Kitty is power ballads and spoken-word performances in an innovative manner that was accorded the accolade of the Melbourne Fringe Most Successful Spoken Word Show in 2000. This success has been repeated with sold-out tours to the 2002 Gay Games VI Cultural Festival and the 2003 Sydney Writers Festival.

The cast draws together some of the most innovative and creative Asian-Australian writers to offer their unique contemporary perspectives on Asian-Australian identity.

Under the production of Bernadette Fitzgerald and Natasha Cho Hello Kitty will feature Cho, Andy Quan, Cuong Nguyen, Ying Gilbert and mine-host Happy Ho.

Happy Ho, a board member of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, combines work in medicine, political activism and the arts - a profile that could easily make her an honorary member of the Northern Rivers community. She scripted and starred in the Christmas edition of Eat Carpet and the SBS sit-com Aussie Jokers.

Andy Quan was a featured reader at the 2003 Sydney Writers Festival and is the author of Calendar Boy (Penguin Books). He also dedicates much of his time to policy-writing in HIV/AIDS.

The producers of Hello Kitty have promised to maintain the tackiness of the Hello Kitty formula for a night in which stereotypes are subverted and literature becomes glamorous.

Star watch

Southern Cross Stars, on 2NCR FM, is becoming something of a hit, with avid listeners tuning in on Mondays from 3-4pm. World class astrologer Helen Hope, whose books sell all over the world, expertly and entertainingly delivers real-deal astrology.

As well as a useful look at the general celestial patterns for the week and political astrology (Helen's listeners knew what the result would be and were depressed days earlier than me), there is a comprehensive 'Star Report' for each sign for the week ahead. The breaks are filled with her choice of music... cool.

Surfing the music

Donavon Frankenreiter currently resides in Laguna Beach, California, among the things he loves - his wife, his son, his guitar, and the ocean. But when he was introduced to Australian audiences in 2003, Donavon became an honorary Australian in surf music circles.

Donavon makes a welcome return to this country with a gig at the Great Northern Hotel in Byron this Saturday, October 16, with his three piece band.

Loony Goons

A tribute performance to the Goons Show by the Lismore Theatre Company will be held at the Rochdale Theatre in Goonellabah this Friday and Saturday, October 15-16, at 8pm. Tickets are $10/8.

Freebie: The Echo has one double pass to give away to this show. To go in the draw to win phone 6622 2888 this Friday (Oct 15) between 11 & 11.15am and tell us the name of two of the original goons.

Youth Film

Silent Cells Youth Film Festival is a statewide film competition that showcases youth culture.

"The audience at this year's festival is guaranteed a raw and confronting perspective of the attitudes of today's youth," said Silent Cells organiser Kerrie McGrath.

Silent Cells will screen at the Hub Café at the Nimbin Community Centre next Thursday, October 21, from 6pm.

For more info phone 6689 1183.

Method-ical melodical

Having spent the best part of the winter in various stages of hibernation, Method will be bringing their rootsy funked up folk back to the North Coast with gigs at the Bangalow Hotel this Friday, October 15; at the Australian Tavern in Murwillumbah this Saturday, October 16; and at the Beach Hotel in Byron this Sunday afternoon, October 17.

Coming from the ranks of Floyd Vincent's Childbrides and the Bondi Cigars, this drum and guitar duo have been calling Method their "favourite bit on the side", moving from swampy grooves to trippy hillbilly funk and all points in between...

A taste of Music

Mirabel's Fancy is a new all female trio of professionally experienced music students from SCU. Mirabel's Fancy's tasty blend of delectable vocal harmonies and spicy repertoire can be savoured at the Taste of Byron Food Festival this Sunday, October 17, at 12.45pm.

Also featuring at Taste of Byron is Jim Kelly and Greg Lyon. These cowboys of jazz will be shooting semitones from 11.30am.

Tight Briefs

Revelations, works on paper by Zerin Dellal, is the latest exhibition at Armistead's Gallery in Lismore and runs until October 27.

The inaugural Dayspring Chapel Art Award, with prizes totalling nearly $1000, is open for viewing and voting at the Dayspring Chapel in Goodman Plaza, SCU.

Jazz & Blues at the Rous Hotel in Lismore features local jazz fusion band Little Flame next Tuesday, October 19, from 8.30pm at a $5 cost.

Dreamshifter, La Plunja and Rivers-End are three young Aussie bands that have hit the road on their La Forza Del Destino tour and will rock the Great Northern Hotel in Byron next Wednesday, October 20.

A fundraiser for the 60th Annual Australian Jazz Convention (happening after Xmas next year) will be held at the Italo Club in Lismore on Sunday, October 24, from 3pm with a $8/5 donation entry and featuring some great live jazz.

The Buddha Bar in Byron is featuring local Byron resident musician Eben McCrimmon this Saturday, October 16, from 6.30pm.

The winner of the Bangalow Outdoor Film Festival (BOFF) People's Choice Award is Frank Coorey's Meat Tray.