The Scene - Local Entertainment News

S Sense

My hayfever is getting worse. I mean it's not life threatening but really, I spend up to a month with a nose that runs like Minyon Falls when we had wet seasons and is worn red from being wiped by my wearable hanky (a sarong which is now so heavy it's come undone... but somehow, magically, still sticks to me). And I have eyeballs that feel like they're rotating on gravel and are so red that the gas man thinks you've been smoking before ten. Not fun.

And then there's the sneezing fits.

Excuse me while I have one now.

(Three minutes later.)

I thought it was just me - getting weaker or something. But it isn't. It's global warming. That's right, global warming. A US report has found that the 30 per cent extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere since the start of the industrial revolution has doubled the pollen level of ragweed.

That's bad news for Hay Feverlings. Of course it's not the ragweed's fault. It's humans (homo greedyguts). Bloody oil - not only does it make its minions bomb innocents in foreign countries, it's changing the weather. Even the Antarctic glaciers are melting. (I'll have to sell my Belongil spit property before investors twig.)

What will the kids think of me if unpredictable climate change is my legacy?

I'm going to work out a way to run the Camira on cleanskins. I'll fit a solar panel to my brushcutter. I'll buy a carbon sink...

The lack of inspired leadership on this issue from Bush and our own little fella (the duo called Global Dimming) would normally get me started on an angry social-justice diatribe that would bore even Bob Brown - if it were not for the imminent onset of another sneezing session. Ecthcuthe Thme.

(Three minutes later.)

They reckon a sneeze is like an orgasm. If it was, hayfever would be like the 70s all over again. I feel shagged but....

What I've got now is not an orgy but an attack from a man-induced super allergy. I am a direct victim of a cynical lust for capital that is anti-life. Long-term vision has become one financial year.

And that's not all. What if the rains fail to come and the levee becomes a waste of money? Or what if a lot of rain comes and the levee becomes a waste of money?

And who is going to clean up the mess on my keyboard after that last sneeze fest?

Stand up for Glover

Alan Glover, brilliant comedian and dodgy masseur, puts up posters for his other job.

Alan Glover is a comedian who identifies with small town communities. Although he has spent much time touring extensively in the UK and the US, he lives in Wollombi, a small town in the Hunter Valley, where he is very involved in community activities ranging from starting a very successful theatre company, directing a folk festival and trying to preserve the environment.

This lifestyle is reflected in his comedy. He is a master impressionist, loves funny walks and his theatre skills make his stage presence bigger than John Howard's ego.

Alan will be on the North Coast for a week doing gigs.

This weekend, April 30-May 1, Alan will be enjoying the Nimbin MardiGrass. On both days, he'll commentate the Hemp Olympix (with me) at the MardiGrass - the funniest gig on the planet.

Then on Saturday and Sunday nights Alan will join funny forces with Mandy Nolan, Akmal Saleh, Mark McConville, Brendan Lovchild and others (me!) in some spacious late night comedy at the Oasis Café in Nimbin from 9pm.

Following MardiGrass, Alan will feature at Mandy Nolan's comedy night at the Byron Bowling Club next Monday, May 2, from 8pm. Mandy will of course be MC and Robert Grayson is support. Tickets are $15 and available at the door but better still, make a booking by phoning 6685 045.

Alan's last gig on the North Coast is at the beautiful Federal Hall on Saturday, May 7, at 7.30pm, where he will headline a stand-up spectacular that will also feature Brisbane's Fiona McGary, local Sharon Fraser and the wonderful yours truly in a big night of laughs. Tickets are $15/12 prepaid or $18 at the door. For bookings or more info phone 6688 2450.

Master of the bamboo flute blows in

The sound of the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) being played is a most hauntingly beautiful experience - when it's played well. When it's played by a master, like Riley Lee, the experience can be sublime.

Riley Lee is Australia's only Grand Master of the shakuhachi and only one of a few outside Japan. He will be playing with Karak Percussion at the A&I Hall in Bangalow next Friday, May 6.

Karak percussion is a virtuosic percussion duo. It features styles of drumming inspired by Japanese traditional music - but this duo will play anything from vibraphones to djembes.

Together with Riley Lee, the music is unique.

Tickets to this special concert are $15 and available from Barebones Artspace in Bangalow or at the door.

Freebie: The Echo has a double pass to give away to a lucky reader. To go in the draw to win, phone 6622 2888 between 10.30 & 10.45am next Monday, May 2, and tell us what part of the body is used to blow the shakahuchi. Serious.

Hey, hey, it's the monks' auction

A Tibetan monk from Sera Mey Tibetan Monastery in India carefully connects the dots.

The Saraswati School of Yoga and Arts, in conjunction with the Sera Mey Tibetan Monastery, invite artists to participate in a charity art exhibition on June 23 at the Saraswati School of Yoga and Arts in Lismore.

It goes like this - call Kriyavidya and she will give you a canvas supplied by Northern Rivers Drawing Supplies. Then create your own artwork based on the theme of 'freedom'. All canvases are the same size. The paintings will then be exhibited and auctioned with all monies going to support the Sera Mey Monastery.

These monks visited Australia for the first time in 2003 on their Touch The Sky sand mandala tour, spending a week in Lismore at the Saraswati School of Yoga and Arts creating a Medicine Buddha.

Tibetan Lama Geshe Ngawang Gedan from Sera Mey will be the special guest of honour opening the show. For more info or to be an exhibitor phone Kriyavidya on 6621 2649 or email kriyavidya@yahoo.com.au.

Fair Dinka dance

Born in Southern Sudan, Ajak Kwai (pictured) grew up learning the songs of her Dinka heritage by singing at village ceremonies and celebrations.

In 2001 Ajak formed her band Wahida (Arabic for 'unity') - presenting original songs in a new Afro-Dinka blues style.

With the current line-up of keyboards, oud, bass and traditional African percussion, Wahida blends strong north African rhythms with Sudanese/Arabic orchestration. Combine this with Ajak's powerful voice, and you have a wild tribal dance night. Wahilda plays at Coorabell Hall this Friday, April 29, from 8pm. Doors open at 7pm for munchies and tickets are $16/14 at the door.

Mothers of the stoner age

Wolfmother (pictured) is an Australian trio that has taken the rock world by storm. After recording their first EP, Wolfmother had sold out shows in Australia and then jetted overseas for big gigs in New York, LA and in London.

NME said this of Wolfmother: "If you want to be rocked so hard that your teeth shatter, your eardrums prolapse and you vomit... then discover these new kings of the stoner age." Wow.

So vomit hard at the Great Northern Hotel in Byron this Friday, April 29. Tickets are available at the ABC Shop in Ballina, Music Bizarre in Lismore or at www.byronbayentertainment.com.au. Bring your own plastic bag.

Nimbin art great

This drawing, Evolution of Freedom, Through Flight, by Marissa Egan, is part of an exhibition of graphic and ceramic art by senior students from Nimbin Central School.

Students from Nimbin Central will turn on the artistic expression with a fine exhibition of artworks called Positive Charge, which opens at the Nimbin Regional Gallery this Friday, April 29, at 2pm, with a poetry performance by Nimbin poet Fiona Pierce (who is also a ceramics student). A drawing by Jenni Mann will be raffled as a school fundraiser.

Incredibly, all of the 2004 Nimbin HSC art students' artworks were chosen in the final selection pool for the prestigious NSW ArtExpress. Now that's talent. This is an extraordinary achievement for a small public school and is, in part, thanks to the guidance of Cath Marshall of the Visual Art Department and Marg Canning's tutelage with ceramics. The exhibition runs until May 8.

Win tickets to Heaven!

The Saracens lay siege to the city of Jerusalem in the movie Kingdom Of Heaven, which is screening in Lismore from next Thursday.

Free entry to the Kingdom of Heaven! That's right - and you don't have to be a saint. The Echo has 20 double passes to give away to Kingdom Of Heaven, screening from next Thursday, May 5, at Birch Carroll and Coyle in Lismore.

The movie is one of those huge historical epics like Gladiator - in fact, Gladiator's director, Ridley Scott, also directed Kingdom Of Heaven.

His latest work traces the story of Balian, played by Orlando Bloom, a French blacksmith in 1168 who becomes a crusading knight and consequently battles to find peace and a better world. He ends up in Jerusalem and becomes embroiled in fierce fighting. Some things never change.

For this film, rising star Orlando Bloom gives up the hair bleach and longbow of the Lord Of The Rings to take up the heavy bladed sword of the crusaders. He still rides horses into battle though. This film has a MA rating so kids beware...

Freebie: The Echo has 20 double passes to give away to Kingdom Of Heaven. To go in the draw to win, phone 6622 2888 between 10.45 & 11am next Monday, May 2, and tell us what character Orlando Bloom played in Lord Of The Rings.

Jazzing Up - for the convention

The Unity Jazz Band (pictured) will be the first to play at the Jazz In Autumn series at the Lismore Bowling Club (near the Memorial Baths).

This series will present some of the finest jazz around and is a fundraiser for the 60th Annual Australian Jazz Convention, which will be held in Lismore in December this year, and is expected to attract 3000 jazz musos and 1000 delegates from all over Australia.

This will be jazz heaven on a stick and you can sample the jazz pie this Sunday, May 1, from 2pm at the Lismore Bowling Club.

The Unity Jazz Band has been serving up its recipe of traditional, Dixie and swing for nine years and features some of the area's top musicians. Entry is an $8 donation (or $5 if you're a member of the Lismore Jazz Club, under whose auspices the Jazz Convention will be held).

Selling soul

Souled Out is a covers band - and they're so good at it. They play material ranging from 70s funk, soul and disco to today's r'n'b and reggae. These guys can and do play everything. Well.

With material from artists such as Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and Chaka Khan, Souled Out has every conceivable musical base well and truly covered.

Souled Out is Natalie Gay, Joanna Lavell, Zac Toombs, Matt Witney, Dave Ades, Greg Lyon and Connor Fitzgerald.

You can sample the sophisticated funky grooves of Souled Out at the Jazz & Blues Night at the Rous Hotel in Lismore next Tuesday night, May 3, from 8.30pm. Entry is $5.

Hip Hoppin Theatre

Crouching Bboy, Hidden Dreadlocks will feature the talents of hip hop maestro Morganics this Saturday night, April 30, at the Star Court Theatre in Lismore at 7pm.

Crouching Bboy, Hidden Dreadlocks has been a sell-out all around Australia.

Supporting Crouching Bboy, Hidden Dreadlocks will be the local crew Urban Street Rural Beat - a group of local independent dance artists. Tickets are $15/10 (less for group bookings) and are available from the Northern Rivers Ticket Centre on 6621 5600. For more info or group bookings (10 or more) phone 6622 3279.

Singing up the Lifeline

Lifeline Northern Rivers is starting a choir. Hooray! Anyone who is or has been associated with Lifeline is invited to come together next Tuesday, May 3, at the Lifeline Training Centre in Church Lane, Lismore, at 5.30pm.

Dale Blundell has a load of experience in organising choirs and she will guide this choir - the main aim of which is to create an enjoyable experience as well as giving Lifeline a public image.

For more info phone 6622 4133 or 6636 2195.

Daley duo Rumour

Mick Daley of The Re-mains and Danny Rumour of the Cruel Sea (and Jimmy Willing's Real Gone Hick-Ups) return to the Lennox Point Hotel this Sunday, May 1, as a duo, playing songs from both their extensive repertoires in an easygoing, laid-back mode.

The Underdog's Vue

Local band The Vue will perform at The Underdog - a celebration of local and independent music and film - which starts its celebrating this Friday night, April 29, at the A&I Hall in Bangalow from 6pm.

Other acts include Chayser (the local sensation at the recent East Coast Blues and Roots Festival), Red House, Awinta, Luca, and the Wright Brothers (who will be flying in).

The Vue has recorded a seven-track EP called Open, which is receiving a good bit of airplay.

This small band has a big sound and a big future. Tickets are $15 at the door or $10 from Way Out East in Ballina and All Music and Vision in Lismore.

Men about men

Men's Media is a project where five young and five mature-aged men within the Northern Rivers region produce their own documentary/drama video about men in our community. A weekly men's TV show series will be produced that will run after the video production course. This 20-day course will provide an opportunity for men to share stories and learn the art of video making, under the guidance of facilitators Grant McGifford and Tristan Banks.

The course starts on May 12, and runs for two days a week for 10 weeks at the Men's Resource Centre in Lismore. And it's free!

To book a spot or for more info phone Grant McGifford on 6622 0901 or the Men's Resource Centre on 6622 6116.

MardiGrass cinema

An added feature of this year's MardiGrass will be the Secrets & Lies Film Festival.

Organised by local filmmaker Mark Jago, these films are about politically sensitive issues ranging from marijuana reform to the war in Iraq.

They will screen at the Bush Theatre in Nimbin this Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, from 11am to 5pm.

Films include 9/11 in Plane Site, Marijuana A Grower's Lot, The Fluoride Deception and Aerosol Crimes (which details the covert operations of the US military as they change the world's atmosphere by spraying industrial waste and biological agents into the skies above all NATO aligned countries - including Australia. I'm freakin'.)

The price for each session will be $5 with a two-day pass for $20. For more info phone Mark Jago on 6624 3795.

Mousemoon shine

The Hauntingly Beautiful Mousemoon will perform at MardiGrass this weekend. This unique band with its soaring vocals, explosive guitars, big beats, original lyrics, atmospheric projections, costumery and stage theatrics (I could go on...) will perform at the Nimbin Hotel this Saturday night, April 30, from 8.30pm.

Mummy, where Art you?

For Mother's Day the Lismore Regional Gallery's external spaces feature artworks on the theme of motherhood. Linda Ault's Portrait of Mother is on display in the OuterSpace window at the Lismore Regional Gallery. Her exhibition of steamrolled sinks (!?) will run until May 8.

And the NORCO Art Space (in South Lismore) will feature Michal Teague's (m)other from next Tuesday, May 3. Michal uses empty NORCO ice cream tubs to refer to mealtimes as a comforting, nurturing aspect of motherhood.