The Scene - Local Entertainment News

S Sense

Problems with relationships, cash flow, drinkers' liver, even the rampant dieback in my area (bye bye flooded gums) I can handle, but I get really depressed when... well, my mobility is threatened.

The mighty Camira is very sick. Its celebrated robustness in the face of corrugated country roads, endless Australian highways and bugger all maintenance, is failing. The brakes are broken - I don't know why, I hardly use them. And the motor sounds like sporadic gunfire from Baghdad.

This time it may be fatal.

Ironically, it was lack of money that kept the old crate going - if I had lots of money I wouldn't have that car. I bet you the bloke who is CEO of Macquarie Bank (one of the smaller banks) doesn't drive an '85 Camira. He just got a raise. Now he earns $18.5 million a year. That's $370,000 a week. $74,000 a working day. $9,000 an hour. He could work for an hour and buy four Camiras. Lucky man.

He's 300 times more valuable than a nurse or a teacher. And, he produces nothing. Diddly squat. Socially, he's a big fat zero. In fact, we all support him. Being a bludger you'd think he'd be a bit humble, maybe flick me half an hour of his wages to get another car, but no...

The Camira knows, deep in its pistons, that the era of cheap oil is over. Prices may fluctuate for a while, but accelerating consumption and finite reserves add up to the same inevitability - see ya later cheap oil.

This will have an enormous effect. (It already has actually. Australia gave up whatever moral integrity it had when it invaded Iraq on the smell of an oily rag.) Our cities and suburbs are built around the enforced consumption of oil. I mean you can't even open the windows in skyscrapers - you have to use the air conditioner.

The exorbitant wages paid to managers of useless parasitic businesses will evaporate. They will have to contribute for their bread. Trains will seem like a good idea - if only we'd kept them. And alternative power - there's so much sun falling on our roofs.

I think the Camira can read the writing on the wall and thinks it's time to bow out gracefully while people still sing her squeaky praises and remember that brief moment in time when the accumulated oil capital of millions of years was consumed in a few centuries in a wild orgy of consumption.

There will be an appropriate burial. Friends and family only. Sniff.

Lucky lavender ladies

Judi Dench and Maggie Smith (two Dames of theatre) applaud each other's work in their new film Ladies in Lavender.

Ladies in Lavender, written and directed by Charles Dance, opens at Birch Carroll & Coyle in Lismore today, and The Echo has 20 double passes to giveaway thanks to those generous cinema people.

Set in picturesque coastal Cornwall, in a close-knit fishing village in the 1930s, Ladies in Lavender boasts the royalty of British acting talent with Dame Judi Dench (Iris, Chocolat and recent James Bond films) and Dame Maggie Smith (Gosford Park, Tea with Mussolini and the Harry Potter films) playing the happy sisters Ursula and Janet Widdington.

Then, of course, an unknown element enters their lives. That element is male, young and a violin player. Daniel Bruhl (Goodbye Lenin!) plays Andrea, a Russian musician who is rescued from the sea by the sisters and nursed back to health. With the new man in their lives and town, emotional intrigues are sure to follow.

Freebies: To go in the draw to win one of the 20 double passes phone 6622 2888 between 10.15 & 10.30am next Monday, May 30, and tell us in what country is Cornwall. (I know it's easy, but that's the point...)

You give me FEHVA

Heads it is! Coordinator of 48 Hours of Visual Arts (FEHVA) Dee Tipping (front) catches the toss with Great Art Debate team members (l-r) John Smith, Jan Smith and Gary Jolley to decide who will argue the for and against during this year's event at the Byron Community Centre in July.

Three-day early bird tickets are available for $135 from the centre. For more info or bookings phone 6685 5214.

An Evening of Indigenous Films by Tom Avery

Next Thursday, June 2, a series of short films directed by indigenous filmmaker Tom Avery will be shown at the Blue Tongue Café in South Lismore.

Tom is a descendant of the Kamilaroi tribe of Northern NSW. Tom now resides among the salt water people of the NSW South Coast. His films have been screened in several Sydney cinemas as well as schools and youth centres, and on SBS television.

Tom is the founder and manager of the Gadu Garuwanga Surf Team/Culture Group. The group regularly visits schools both coastal and inland. Members of the team have competed in contests in Australia and overseas.

The films include Bluey Johnson, Gadu Garuwanga Surf Team/Culture Group, Noosa 2001, and Aunty Vicky and the Doolagah.

Entry is $10 and is sponsored by the Rainforest Information Centre.

For more information phone 6621 3294.

Cox it sweet

Born in Nigeria of Australian parents, Andrew Cox spent the next 21 years living as a world citizen before moving to Australia. The experience of living in Nigeria, England, Lebanon, Zambia, Jamaica and America is reflected in Andrew's music.

He has studied music at universities in Chicago and Melbourne and has played with many Australian bands of renown and idiosyncratic interest - like Surface Tension, The Grand Wazoo Band of 1000 Dances, High Society Swing Band, Musiki Manjaro, Fe Fi Fo Fum, Living Groove Connection and Jungle Juice. Wow! That's a lot of musical experience...

But now Andrew is doing his own thing and has a CD of his songs called Demonstrate It.

Andrew will perform those songs live with his hot new band at the Nimbin Hotel next Friday, June 3, from 8.30pm. You can buy Demonstrate It online at www andrewcox.com.au.

Young person's workshop

Playback Theatre (for young people 15-22 years) will host a workshop this Saturday, May 28, in 'C Blok' on the Conservatorium site in Keen Street, Lismore, from 9.30am-4pm.

This is a free workshop where young people can learn skills in creative communication and listening - discovering the inner artist.

To book and for more info, phone 6622 3143.

The write workshop

There will be a free writing workshop for young people at Lismore City Library next Thursday, June 2, from 4-5.30pm.

Successful children's writer Joanne Horniman will facilitate this workshop, which is designed to help young people in the area with an interest in writing. Joanne has been shortlisted for the Children's Book Council's Book Of The Year for her new book Secret Scribbled Notebooks. Her other titles include Mahalia, Sunflower and Loving Athena.

The workshop is for people aged 11 to 24. Space is limited so book now on 6621 2464.

The Clarence artistic spirits

Spirit of the Valley at the Grafton Regional Gallery incorporates the work of six Indigenous artists from three different tribes - Bundjalung, Gumbayngirr and Yaegl - whose art is inspired by the Clarence Valley. The six artists reflect the essence of Indigenous spirituality contained in the Clarence Valley, to which they all have ties.

Curator Frances Belle Parker, a young Indigenous artist who grew up on Yaegl land, has chosen artists Bevan Skinner, Alison Williams, Irene Daley, Brian Donovan and Jessica Birk (along with her own work) to represent contemporary Indigenous art of the region.

So, head south and be inspired by the beautiful Clarence River and then check out the Grafton Regional Gallery and see how it has inspired others. Spirit of the Valley runs until July 3. For more info phone 6642 3177.

Re-maining true to country

Those musical cowboys, The Re-mains, will search for the Beef Queen - or even a Pork Queen - at Beef Week in Casino.

If you thought Casino Beef Week was just about cows, you'd be all wrong. It's about judging attractive - and intelligent of course - male humans as well, and if you're hanging about to see the crowning of Mr Beef this Saturday, May 28, you'll be hearing the cattle-call of The Re-mains first, playing outside the Casino RSM from 4-7.30pm.

Yeah that's right. The Re-mains, last of the great country rock and roll cowpokes, are warming up for a national tour to promote their new album, Field Conditions.

This is the band's second album following the superb Thank You For Supporting Country Rock and Roll, and some critics have already made their decision. Jeff Glorfeld from The Age reckons the CD is "...an enviable hard rockin' twang... The Re-mains have found a better way to rock."

Glenyss Rae Virus from the Toe Sucking Cowgirls (ahhhh) has kindly decided to lend her considerable talents to beef up the band's Beef Week rock and roll barbecue. Vegetarians can select from their side orders of tasty country ballads.

Michael Bublé to play North Coast

Michael Bublé, the 28-year-old crooner with the golden (or is that platinum?) touch, will perform at Salt Central Park - a beachside amphitheatre in South Kingscliff - on Saturday, October 1, from 7pm. This venue is part of Salt - a residential, retail and resort development - and is located next to Salt's Outrigger resort.

This concert will be Bublé's only show between Sydney and Brisbane.

The Canadian crooner's first two shows in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne were sold out in 24 hours, so the pressure on tickets to the Kingscliff gig will be huge.

Tickets go on sale next Wednesday, June 1, and cost between $99 and $175. You can buy them from the Northern Rivers Ticket Centre in Lismore on 6621 5600.

For more info on the gig visit the website at www.saltvillage.com.au.

Songwriters' gig

The North Coast Songwriters has become an association and is now under the auspice of the North Coast Entertainment Industry Association (NCEIA).

After three months of holding songwriters' gigs in the backroom of the Tatts Hotel in Lismore, the organisation has strong support from musicians/songwriters. Next Thursday, June 2, will see the talents of Lou Bradley, John-Glen, Neanie A and The Suffrin Willy Lee Band take to the stage.

Representatives from NCEIA and Music Oz will be present to take your bribes - I mean questions...

Entry is $3. The gig starts at 8pm.

Dancing makes you Stipsky

Stipsky have released an album - World Music - and are planning a big launch this Saturday.

Stipsky are a local Gypsy funk band. This seven-piece outfit takes melodies from the Middle East, klezma, Celtic and Spanish folk traditions and adds funky rhythms to make them the most danceable grooves on the North Coast. These lads can play!

And they also pull their weight in tug-of-war, winning the Mallanganee Australia Day Tug-Of-War this year. As the press release says, "They are a band that tugs together." Whatever works for them, I guess...

Check out this band of tuggers at their CD launch at Coorabell Hall this Saturday, May 28. The gig starts at 7.30pm and entry is $9/7.

Eisteddfod

Entries for the 93rd Festival of Grand Annual Competitions of the Lismore Musical Festival Society (phew!) will close next Tuesday, May 31. This is the Society's eisteddfod - the purpose of which is to encourage amateurs to engage in friendly musical rivalry and receive the benefit of written critical opinions from expert adjudicators.

Competitions are held in woodwind, brass, strings, piano, vocal dance and the spoken word from September 11-30. For primary and infants there are competitions in bands, recorders, choirs, class work and choral speech from August 7-10.

This competition is all about fun and the thrill of performance. Schedules and entry forms are available from Jan's Ballet Boutique in the Embassy Arcade, Keen Street, Lismore. For more info phone 6621 6015.

Stitch and Fold

Lismore Regional Gallery is presenting two workshops - embroidery and origami. And kids are welcome to share these experiences too!

To coincide with the current gallery exhibitions Threadworks and Orange Blossom Lace, Lismore Regional Gallery will be holding an embroidery workshop this Saturday, May 28. This four-hour workshop for adults and kids will start with a guided tour at 10.30am.

Children (I guess I shouldn't call nippers kids) will be shown how to decorate a bag creatively while the adults will be introduced to goldthread stitching.

The following Saturday, June 4, Sachiko Kotaka will introduce adults and kids (doh!) to creative paper folding. The origami workshop is at Lismore Regional Gallery from 10.30am-12.30pm.

For both courses materials and morning tea are included in the $15 admission fee per person. For bookings and more information phone Maggie on 6622 2209.

Jazz & Wine Pre-school Fest

Wollongbar Community Pre-school is having a fundraiser this Sunday, May 29, at the Pioneer Tavern in Wollongbar, but this is no cake and raffle event.

No, this is a Jazz and Wine Fest where you can taste a range of wines from the finest vineyards and listen to Beale Street Mama - a cool jazz band.

That sounds like a lot of fun. And it costs only $5 with all the money going to the pre-school. The sipping starts at 3pm.

Jazzin' up the North Coast

Skaddabox was formed in 2004 when singer/songwriter Julie O'Hara formed a band in response to an invitation from Melbourne band, The Cat Empire, to support them on their On The Attack national tour.

Their music is influenced by jazz, hip hop, Latin, klezma, blues, soul... Apparently, there are no polkas in their repertoire. Bummer. They will perform at the North Coast Jazz Festival in Bangalow.

The latest cultural event to call Bangalow home is the North Coast Jazz Festival, presented by the Northern Rivers Conservatorium in Lismore.

Over the June long weekend (June 10-13) Bangalow will host some of Australia's finest musicians including Skaddabox, View From Madeleine's Couch, FATS, Cleis Pearce, Tony Goreman, Grace Knight and the Nonettes - the list goes on.

It's $125 for a weekend pass or $55 per day.

For more info phone Gabrielle on 6621 2266 or check out the website at www.conservatoriumarts.org.

Kids for cancer Music-a-thon

Generous school kids, with help from some caring adults, are staging the Dunoon area Music-a-thon Variety Show at Dunoon Hall this Friday, May 27, from 4.30-6pm.

Small school students from Tuntable Creek, Dunoon and Whian Whian are going to make some musical noise to help kids with cancer. They will participate in one of Australia's biggest music fundraisers - the Music-a-thon.

Miss Jodie, local music teacher, says that, "40 students are taking part... so we are encouraging family and friends to offer their support by sponsoring our students and attending our local performance."

Entry is by donation. Everyone is welcome.