The Scene - Local Entertainment News

Blueprint at the Base

A new exhibition by eight Southern Cross University students, Blueprint, opens this Sunday, July 21 at the Base Gallery in Byron Bay. Pictured is 'Girl' by Angelica Samut, one of the artworks featured in the exhibition.

The exhibition features works by students in their final year of Contemporary Visual Arts, who have all majored in print making. The artists are Angelica Samut, Aimee Murphy, Amber Gooley, Liz Deckers, Dallas Perry, Melissa Harvey, Kylie Rees and Andrew Williams.

"There's a really wild range of different print making techniques - the works range from photo etchings and lino cuts to screen prints and even monoprints done with chocolate and soap," exhibiting artist, Aimee Murphy, said. "Print making is such an old discipline and I think it's quite interesting where we've taken it. There's just such a rich variety."

The opening on Sunday starts at 6pm, with live music and nibbles for anyone who wants to join in the fun. The exhibition will be on show until July 28.

• The Base Gallery is at the Epicentre, Byron Bay, and is open 10am-6pm daily.

It's a Rag

Local band Ragweed performs at Blues at Maggies next Tuesday.

Local four-piece band, Ragweed, will bring their lively and very original sound out of the hills and into town next Tuesday, July 23 when they perform at the regular Maggie Moores blues night.

The band members describe their musical style as 'foot-stomping acoustic ragtime blues', and the description is pretty spot on. Ragtime blues was the rootsy style of music played by American jug bands in the 1920s and 30s, and Ragweed take this style and add their own touch of north coast character. The music is always catchy, dynamic and wild - the band members often play more than one instrument and the result is musical mayhem at its best.

Ragweed feature the soulful, gravely vocals of Luke Garrish, who also plays harmonica and kazoo, while Josh Rust plays punchy finger-style guitar, dobro and banjo. Phil Rourke plays tea chest box bass while Matt Elliot handles the percussion, playing the washboard, shakers, snare drum, tin can and all-important cow bell.

Ragweed performances feature some original tunes along with interpretations of many traditional blues and jug band classics, all interspersed with a witty and humorous live show.

Ragweed have released a fabulous self-titled album, and a copy of the CD will be given away at next Tuesday's gig.

Blues at Maggies kick off at 8.30pm. Tickets are $8/6 at the door.

Freebie: The Echo has one double pass to giveaway to this gig. To go in the draw to win phone 6622 2888 between 10.30am & 10.40am on Monday, July 22, and tell us how many strings are featured on a tea chest box bass.

Lord and the Lovers

Jim Kelly's Latin Lovers with Elizabeth Lord, perform at Maggie Moores next Wednesday.

Southern Cross University music lecturer, Jim Kelly, returns to Maggie Moores next Wednesday, July 24, with his Latin Lovers and singing sensation Elizabeth Lord for a night of saucy, exotic rhythms.

Jim Kelly's Latin Lovers features Elizabeth on vocals, Jim Kelly on guitar, Steve Russell on keyboards/vocals, James Cox on percussion, Jack Thorncraft on acoustic bass and Dave Sanders on drums.

As the names listed suggests, the Latin Lovers bring together some of the region's best jazz musicians, who will perform music from Central and South America. Their extensive repertoire includes songs such as Bird of Beauty, Beautiful Love, How Insensitive, Blue Daniel and Once I Loved, as well as tunes such as Agua De Marco and Corcovado.

The Latin Lovers will even do a performance of the difficult but beautiful, Tico Tico.

Jim Kelly's Latin Lovers with Elizabeth Lord kick off at 8.30pm.

Tickets are just $5 at the door.

Kyogle Dance Classes

Northern Rivers Dance Action and Kyogle Youth Action are together presenting a number of breakdance and hip hop dance classes in Kyogle throughout August.

Breakdance classes with Jason Campbell will be held on Thursday, August 1 and 8, at the Kyogle High School Hall and then on Thursday, August 15 and 22, at the Anglican Church Hall, all from 3.30-5.30pm.

Hip Hop classes with Mariaa Randall will be held Thursday, August 29, at the Kyogle High School Hall and then on Thursday, August 5, 12 and 19 at the Anglican Church Hall, again all from 3.30-5.30pm. The first class is free, and only $5 per class after that.

For more information or to book for the classes phone 6632 2972 or 6622 3279.

Swanky Support

Local funk band Swanky Dee want to take a crew of fans to the Queensland Rock Awards' grand final this weekend, in the hope of boosting their score in one of the crucial judging criteria - crowd response.

The five-piece outfit were selected from more than 200 bands to compete in the grand final of the Awards. The grand final is on this Sunday, July 21 at the Tivoli Theatre in Brisbane. A bus will leave Ballina on Sunday and for just $15 you get a return bus trip and entry to the gig. To book phone 6687 8170.

Join the Walk of Life

International movement artist, Helen Poynor, will present a Walk of Life workshop on August 7 and 8 in Byron Bay.

Helen specialises in movement in the natural environment, drawing on years of experience from mentors Anna Halprin and Javanese Buddhist master Suprapto Surjodarmo. Helen calls her own movement method the Walk of Life.

The method could be compared to something like Chi Quong.

The focus of the Walk of Life is to develop a deeper awareness of one's own embodied consciousness and its interplay with our physical and emotional environments.

The workshop in Byron Bay has only 15 places.

For a registration brochure phone Ken McLeod on 6687 1789.

Things get Curiouser

My Friend the Chocolate Cake perform at the Great Northern Hotel in Byron Bay this Saturday.

It's been some time between drinks for Melbourne acoustic pop ensemble My Friend The Chocolate Cake. After 12 years of being infrequently together, the seven-piece group found their muse during three frantic days of recording at Joe Camilleri's studio, Woodstock studios, over the Christmas holiday period. The result is their fourth studio album, Curious, six years after 1996's ARIA Award-winning Good Luck.

Not that the group haven't been busy with other projects, which resulted in half a dozen CDs along the way. The group's co-founder David Bridie released his long-awaited and acclaimed solo effort, Act of Free Choice, last year, having written a swag of film (In a Savage Land, The Myth of Fingerprints) and documentary scores in the meantime.

Cellist Helen Mountfort and violinist Hope Csutoros formed a gypsy band, Cosmo Cosmolino, and produced Streetsweeper in 2000. Helen was also instrumental (pun intended) in the Centenary of Federation celebrations after the ABC commissioned her to write a work to mark 100 years of the nation. The result was Upside Down at the Bottom of the World, 12 instrumental tracks which feature many of the Cake team.

In the meantime, Chocolate Cake released a collection of live tracks titled 19 Easy Pieces.

There was no cunning plan, she says.

"That's one of the beautiful things about Chocolate Cake," Helen said. "It allows us all this freedom for other projects, but we know we'll always get back together eventually. There's never been the slightest concern about when or if this record was going to happen. Which is probably why it was so easy and enjoyable to make.

"This record takes us back full circle, really," says Helen. "It's got a lightness to it which feels a bit like Cake getting its essence back. It's truer to our live feel and I've often thought that's the way the band works best. It's almost like we've reclaimed ourselves a little bit."

The quick-fire recording of Curious was reminiscent of the Cake's self-titled debut, recorded in a single day back in 1989.

"We've always romanticised that album," David said. "We love the sound of that record, we love playing live. This band sounds good live and that sound was something we were aiming for on Curious."

And the recording was as simple as the songs.

"It felt great. No fuss, no grief, a couple of pauses to check we were playing the same arrangements... pretty much effortless," David said. "There's a whole range of different influences from Papua New Guinea, though not in a world music style, more in the subject matter. And [double bass player] Dean [Addison] has now joined the group and added drive to the rhythm section and a bubbling bottom end."

The 14-track album ranges from stark, poignant chamber instrumentals like "Weep" (originally from the Savage Land soundtrack) and "The Boat Song" to the loose-limbed grooves of "I Like It Like This" and "The Mangrove Song". Then there's beautiful love songs like the opening track "All in the way" and the gentle piano and cello of the closing song "More heart than me". Toss in the odd comment about the current political landscape and the odd love-gone-wrong song, and you have a glorious, distinctive collection of well-crafted pop wrapped in lush strings, mandolin and plaintive piano.

"Curious is a live studio record," David said. "It proved to us that the things we find great about the band - the enjoyment, the low stress, the personalities, the way it operates outside of the crap of the music industry, the musical sways and shifts in mood and texture - could all be captured on record. This is our way of doing it."

• My Friend the Chocolate Cake perform at the Great Northern in Byron Bay this Saturday, July 20, with support from Pharmacy and Charlton Hill. Tickets at the door.

Kids Love the Writers Festival

Children's writer Markus Zusak will appear at the Byron Bay Writers festival.

The Byron Bay Writers Festival, August 1-4, is designed to encourage readers and writers of all ages to come along and enjoy themselves.

And there are many highlights of special interest to younger readers and writers.

The Kids Tent on Saturday has become a tradition for younger readers, seven to 17 years, and it's huge fun (just don't let them know they are learning too!).

This year there's lots in store for young adult readers and writers. Nette Hilton starts off the show talking about her books, which are loved by so many young readers. She's joined by Markus Zusak, a young writer whose work has been critically acclaimed worldwide.

Next on the bill is Jackie French, prolific writer and TV personality who will share the stage with Simon Higgins, a big hit at the 2001 Festival.

For kids of all ages our own Matt Ottley will join cartoonist Tohby Riddle - both draw and write and they will inspire anyone with an interest in books or illustration.

The good news is that a child's day ticket is only $18, which includes the whole four sessions in the kids' marquee, or just $8 for one child's single session.

If you haven't already got your tickets for this wonderful annual event, make sure you do very soon as they're selling fast.

For information, programs and ticket sales go to Jetset in Marvel Street, Byron Bay, or phone 6685 6554. Alternatively you can go to www.byronbaywritersfestival.com

Tibetan songbird Yungchen Lhamo is the first and only Tibetan singer to achieve huge international success and has shown the world a new professional face for the cause of Tibet. She's been based in Australia for almost a decade, after fleeing Tibet by crossing the Himalayas. Yungchen Lhamo has a crystal clear, exquisite voice and will perform at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall tomorrow, July 19, from 8pm. Tickets are $25/20 at the door.

Itty Bitty Art

A new exhibition featuring little artworks, aptly titled Smalls, is now on show at the Waywood Gallery in Byron Bay.

Exhibiting artist, David Soul, is pictured with his A4 sized artwork, Energy, which is a collage made from paintings, drawings and clippings from The Other Echo.

Smalls features works by 50 Northern Rivers based artists, all of whom submitted two artworks under the size of an A4 sheet (30cm x 40cm) that were created in the last 12 months. The result is hugely diverse and often humorous exhibition which clearly demonstrates that size doesn't always matter. Smalls is on show until the end of July, and a Talls exhibition has been planned to follow.

The Waywood Gallery is at 3 Centennial Circuit, in the Byron Bay Industrial Estate.

For more information phone 6685 5808.

Local Doco Screened

Grant McGifford, whose documentary Finding Yourself in Findhorn will be screened on the ABC this Sunday. Grant is also holding a Video Editing training workshop next weekend.

Lismore resident Grant McGifford will have his documentary Finding Yourself in Findhorn screened this Sunday, July 21, on the ABC.

Findhorn is a is a community in the north of Scotland that was set up in 1962. Today more than 300 people from 20 countries form a thriving community, which is a working model for sustainable living.

Grant's half hour documentary follows the three month journey of a group of American University students, who travelled to Findhorn in 1997 to do a Community Studies Program.

The film looks at the students' experiences at Findhorn - the trials and tribulations they encounter living cooperatively and the lessons they learn along the way.

"The documentary gives viewers a look at Findhorn through the eyes of these students," Grant said. "Findhorn is an amazingly rich and complex place, and throughout the video you see the students really transform and change and grow. It also looks at the web of relationships, and how every individual on the community has a very powerful influence on every other individual. It's not a life-changing film, but it's certainly thought-provoking."

The documentary is produced, edited and narrated by Grant. Finding Yourself in Findhorn will be screened on the ABC's Spectrum program at 11.30am this Sunday.

For those people interested in making their own documentary or film, Grant is holding a two day Video Editing training workshop over the next two weekends.

The workshop will look specifically at learning how to edit more effectively on Adobe Premiere 6, with emphasis placed on the basics (capturing Prem 6, building the story on the timeline and audio), titles, different effects (motion filters, transitions, transparencies and layers), and also Premiere tools, short cuts and other tips.

The course is designed for people who have a basic understanding of windows and digital editing, and people are advised to book early as there's only eight places available.

• The course will be held on Saturday, July 27 and Saturday, August 3 at Lismore ACE, Magellan Street, from 9am-5pm each Saturday. The cost $160 or $150 for North Coast CAMERA members. To book phone 6621 5444 on Wednesdays or Fridays.

Woman on the Verge

The Bell Shakespeare Company's Taming of the Shrew promises laughter with a twist.

NORPA presents the Bell Shakespeare Company's

The Taming of the Shrew
by William Shakespeare

Venue: Lismore City Hall
Dates: Friday August 9 at 12pm & 8pm, Saturday August 10 at 8pm
Director: Des James
Bookings: 6621 5600

Love, money and a wild, wild woman! Can you control how your cards fall? Or is destiny's hand always the strongest? Does the guy with the largest purse always get the girl?

NORPA invites you to a small seaside town, where opportunists and hustlers mingle at Baptist's beach resort attracted by the easy way of life and the chance of an easy buck; where women are bought and sold - until one woman roars.

The Bell Shakespeare Company brings to life Shakespeare's wild, black comedy of love against all odds. The Taming of the Shrew is an early example of Shakespeare's writing and the play reflects his youthful enthusiasm for comedy and desire to entertain a theatre audience. What better subject to stir the humour of an audience than a battle between the sexes?

It seems things haven't changed that much. A successful show today still depends on engaging an audience in ideas and material that reflect contemporary issues and popular themes. Bold and bright, The Shrew's energetic and robust humour is based on Shakespeare's observations of Italian Commedia. Its style, archetypical characters and comic situations are given their full measure and mirth, albeit with a slightly modern twist. And let's not forget Shakespeare's surprising and challenging conclusion.

The Taming of the Shrew is a sparkling trip for anyone who's ever fallen in love and managed to survive it.

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