The Scene - Local Entertainment News

The Dirt on Tough Love

Magic Dirt comes clean...

After the best part of this year spent in Birdland Studios in Melbourne, one of Australia's finest rock exports, Magic Dirt have emerged from their studio hideout armed with a compelling new album, Tough Love, heralding a new and exciting phase lyrically, emotionally and musically for this foursome. Together for ten years, Adalita (vocals and guitar), Adam (drums), Dean (bass) and Raul (guitar) are dedicated to wailing guitars and dirty riffs – the magic of rock and roll.

Music magazine, Time Off, called their new album 'a great set from a bunch of no frills genuine rockers.' (July 2003).

Now on the back of a stellar performance at Splendour in the Grass and a handful of metropolitan dates showcasing new material last month, Magic Dirt are taking your aural senses captive at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron, this Sunday, September 14.

Music Industry Workshop

A workshop on The Music Industry Business is to be held on Tuesday, September 23 at the Adult Community Education building, 59 Magellan St, Lismore, commencing at 12 noon.

The facilitator is successful entertainment lawyer, Sally McPherson.

Sally has many high profile clients around the country and will be discussing topics such as artist management, record deals, song writing and more.

This will be an informative session with question time for those who need answers. The workshop, hosted by the North Coast Entertainment Industry Association, is open to everyone.

Costs are $5 for non NCEIA members and $2 for NCEIA members.

For more information phone 6622 0222 or email nceia@nceia.org.au.

Live Poets! (with a song and dance)

Word diva Christine Strelan creates Filthy Radiance

The Live Poets! is one of Lismore's most valuable cultural assets. For more than a decade this monthly cabaret of poetry performance has inspired many poets to take their performance to stages further afield and to careers that blossom beyond the North Coast.

This month's show features a talent, spawned in Lismore, which is now recognised throughout Australia. That huge talent belongs to Christine Strelan. Christine is a poet and novelist and this month she launches another of her eagerly awaited poetry books, Filthy Radiance.

The evening also features the singer and multi instrumentalist, Chris Aronsten, recently returned from shows in Alice Springs and the amazing dancing poet, Arupananda.

New and visiting writers are always welcome at the Live Poets! at the Rous Hotel, Wednesday, September 17, starting at 8pm. For more information phone David Hallett on 6688 8294.

Freebie: The Scene has two passes to the Live Poets! to give away. Phone 6622 2888 between midday and 12.15pm, Friday.

Hot Briefs

While the band takes a break from the touring madness of the last year, the spring and summer season for The Beautiful Girls begins to take shape. The band are not just happy, not just very happy, they're bloody stoked to be joining the rest of the Livid crew for the three Livid gigs.

This of course gives them the opportunity to get to spend some quality time gawking at a couple of real class acts like White Stripes, J5 and the Roots.

Immediately after Livid the band begins touring to support their up coming album, Learn Yourself which will be for sale by the first week in October.

Keith Urban today joined an elite group of Australian artists to be awarded a platinum album in the US, when Golden Road was certified for sales of one million copies.

The news comes as Golden Road's third single Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me hits top ten on the Billboard Country Music charts, Keith's sixth consecutive US top ten hit.

Dave Graney and the Royal Dave Graney Show have produced a new CD titled The Brother Who Lived. It contains ten new Graney songs. The band will be touring in November.

Fleetwood Mac, one of the most influential and enduring groups in modern musical history, are on their way to Oz.

Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie will be performing songs from their world-class catalogue of hits, as well as from their new album Say You Will in a two-hour plus show.

It will be the band's first visit to Australia since 1990 and comes hot on the heels of a massive US arena tour which received phenomenal feedback.

After returning triumphant from their first live appearance in almost a year at this year's Splendour in the Grass event, Powderfinger are taking their new album Vulture Street on tour around the country in November and December this year.

Joining them for most shows on this great rock n' roll adventure will be very special guests John Butler Trio along with up and coming quartet The Tremors.

Brisbane Butterflies in Byron

The hype has been building. Emerging late in 2001 when their track The Cell received consistent airplay on Triple J, Brisbane's The Butterfly Effect (pictured) have been backing up their strong recorded material with constant live appearances with the likes of Pacifier, Superheist and Grinspoon.

Now, temporarily at least, the focus returns to their recorded material with their debut long player, Begins Here.

Rather than hide themselves away for the recording process, The Butterfly Effect decided to stay out on the road, writing and recording the album in between tours. "It was great because it was spread out like that, we had time to listen to it and understand it," Kurt Goedhart, the band's singer, said.

The album was recorded with producer Dave Leonard, who is also the band's manager at Leonard's Modern Music studio in Brisbane.

Begins Here was mixed by Tim Palmer (U2, Pearl Jam, Ozzy Osbourne) at Westlake Audio in West Hollywood.

This album is going to surprise a lot of people. Begins Here is a contender for local heavy rock album of the year. See if the hype is true at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron, Friday, September 19.

Freebie: The Scene has a double pass to this gig to give to some lucky reader. To win, phone 6622 2888 between midday and 12.15pm, Friday.

Virgin is Braggin'

David Virgin is a pro...

David Virgin, well known locally based performer, will play the Byron Community Centre and the Brisbane Tivoli with touring American artist, Cat Power, September 23 and 24. Dan Rumour (now also locally based) will join David as special guests with Billy Bragg at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron, on Tuesday, September 16.

Guitar maestro, Dan Rumour, while still a member of the Cruel Sea, is relishing the joys of working with his old Sekret Sekret buddy, David Virgin. They have a long history together that goes back to the roots of Australian underground music, and they feel a great responsibility to get it right. And they reckon that if you get it right, you can dance to it.

Virgin and Rumour, with rhythm section LPL and backing vocalist Marisa Jessup, will be performing all over the North Coast during September and October – keep an eye on the gig guide for dates.

Hip Hop Workshop

NORPA Dance Action is presenting Rural Beat: October School Holiday workshops and performances.

The Rural Beat workshops will based on elements of Hip Hop culture: Break and funk dance, MCing, aerosol art, while also encouraging participants to try other cultural dance forms, such as Capoeira and contemporary.

Workshops will be held at Lismore PCYC and in Byron Bay from Monday, September 29 until Thursday, October 2.

For more information and to register, contact Emma at NORPA Dance Action on 02 6622 3279 or emma@norpa.org.au

Last days of Small Poppies

Theatre Theatre's production, The Small Poppies, takes a comic yet poignant look at the multicultural differences in communities as seen through the eyes of five year olds as they begin their journey through school.

This play for all ages enters its final, very successful weekend at the Rochedale Theatre, Goonellabah, on Friday, September 12 at 6pm and on Saturday, September 13 at 7pm. Tickets are $10.

For information and bookings phone 0415583260 or 0403564304.

Refugee plays the truth

Acclaimed Iranian actor and playwright, Shahin Shafaei will give three performances of his award winning, one-man play, Refugitive, at the Star Court Theatre, Lismore, Sunday, September 14, from 7.00pm and at the Byron Bay Community Centre, September 15 and 16 from 7.00pm.

Refugitive is an extraordinarily moving and powerful piece of theatre with a surprising humour. Focusing on the courage and compassion of one man struggling to overcome enormous odds, the final message is one of hope.

In the play, Mr Shafaei tells the story of life in the Curtin immigration detention centre, where he spent 22 months, mostly in isolation.

Shahin was put in isolation as punishment by the Australasian Correctional Management (ACM) authorities for such crimes‚ as wanting to write a letter to the UN and inquiring about his application for refugee status.

Shahin has a Master's degree in English literature from the university of Tehran and had over ten of his plays produced while directing and acting in many more. In 1997 he was awarded Best Actor at the Theatre Festival of Isfahan, Iran's leading theatre festival.

As he was presented with the award at the festival, Shahin shook the hands of the presenter, a woman. Public contact like this between men and women in Iran is banned. Shortly afterwards Shahin was banned by the Iranian authorities from any theatrical activity.

Shahin continued to have his plays performed in secret, but in 1999 these performances were discovered and one of his plays was deemed "anti-government."

After the director of the play was arrested, Shahin was warned by the actors and he fled his home minutes before Iranian police arrived. He escaped to Indonesia via Malaysia where people smugglers offered him "safe passage" to Australia.

Shahin's boat was intercepted off Ashmore reef on June 19, 2000. He was incarcerated in Curtin detention centre where he remained until February 12, 2002.

Eventually Shahin was released and he now lives in Sydney on a temporary protection visa, which means his long term safety is still in doubt.

After well-received performances of Refugitive in Sydney, the New Mercury Theatre is now touring the play across Australia.

Tickets for the Lismore performance are available from Caddies Coffee and at the door. Cost is $10/$8.

Hart and soul

After spending the past ten months touring in Holland, France, Belgium, UK, Ireland and Scotland, Mick Hart (pictured) returns home to a swag of national tour dates and an EP titled If You Could.

The single If You Could was recently recorded in London and co-produced by Dean Manning (Leonardo's Bride). The 5 bonus tracks were recorded live in Paris and London and released this month in Australia through MGM.

Some highlights of the tour were a recent support with Zwan and The Pretenders in Amsterdam, his performance at major festivals in Europe and UK and radio airplay and live radio acoustic sessions in France and Holland.

You can welcome him home at the Great Northern Hotel, Byron, on Thursday, September 18.

KT26ers play the shoes...

They've got an unhealthy obsession with chunky soled footwear but this Brisbane four piece band are turning a blind eye to pop-rock fashion rules and instead are concentrating on the release of their debut single I Wanna Rock and album Hooked on Harmonics.

The simultaneous release of the single and album is the first for the new label Watt Music, (who later this year will be releasing a live album by DIG).

When asked why the band decided to name themselves after the popular Dunlop sneaker, lead singer and songwriter Dave Ross said, "Aido (lead guitarist) came into rehearsal one day wearing the shoe and suggested that we call ourselves after it. As we've all done our time in the sneaker, 'the KT26ers' just seemed to fit".

The KT26ers and their special guests, Eat Laser Scumbag, will be ready to rock the SCU union on Thursday, September 18.

Dunoon Music

The Dunoon Sports Club is celebrating ten years of joy, tribulation and torn hamstrings with a week of fun and games starting Saturday, September 13.

On Friday, September 19, there will be a great music concert with Luke Vasella and Lisa Vasaey at the club. Also on the night you can experience a Reg Gregor painting auction and loads of raffles.

For info on the week's events, phone 6689 5444.

Talent Quest

Club Muso is holding a talent quest at the Tatts Hotel in Lismore with try-outs on Saturday, September 13 and 20 from 3pm and the finals on Saturday, November 1.

Entry is free and entry forms are available from Linc TV, NCEIA and the Tatts Hotel.

For more information phone Dean on 0415926916 or Scott on 0438844932.

Egyptian Dance Workshops

Maria Sangiorgi is a well known identity around the Middle Eastern Dance community. She is a member of a Middle Eastern music and dance group, Yalla.

Maria was first drawn to belly dancing because of a chronic injury and her love of dance. After her first lesson she was hooked. Over the years her dance style and teaching styles have lead her to Traditional Egyptian Dance.

Maria will be teaching workshops in Lismore at the Italo-Australian Club on September 20 and 21. She will also facilitate the Dance of the Sensual Soul workshop on Wednesday, September 24. Contact Adrian Perin 6622 2508 or 0419 807 641 or go to www.dancingisis.com.

Artists need space

Some of the works from Glass Art Aspects...

Arnie Gautsch has been working in glass for over 30 years. He and wife Trudi know how difficult it is for artists to have their work exhibited.

The answer for them was to open their own gallery here in Lismore. Arriving in town via Austria and Switzerland, the two offer local artists the chance to have their work shown and sold in professional surroundings.

"It can be very disheartening for young artists, and it shouldn't be, when there is such a wealth of talent in this area," Arnie said.

Arnie and Trudi's Glass Art Aspects opened recently at 104 Woodlark Street in Lismore and features a range of paintings, prints, glass works, sculptures, mosaics, and, of course, cards and gift items.

New artists looking to have their work shown should contact Arnie and Trudi on 6622 8982.

Rumpelstiltskin

Thursday Sept 18, 7pm
Friday Sept 19, 10am & 1pm
Star Court Theatre

NORPA presents the award-winning BUZZ Dance Theatre in Rumpelstiltskin.

Based on the original fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, this dance theatre work unwinds its thread from the story like spun gold on a bobbin. Filled with quirky characterisations and etched with powerful movement, Rumplestiltskin promises to extend the fantasy of fiction into the actual world of contemporary dance right before your eyes! Creating magical dance for all ages, Buzz Dance Theatre has become known for witty, entertaining and accessible contemporary dance performances and workshops. The company, under Paige Gordon's direction has performed at the Awesome International Arts Festival, PIAF, toured to South Africa and the ASSITEL Festival in Seoul, Korea. This work premiered at the 1999 Awesome Festival, and the season was sold out. It has since been performed over 200 times. The work has been performed throughout Perth, toured through regional areas of Western Australia and has been toured overseas to Durban, South Africa, playing to sellout audiences.

Buzz Dance Theatre will hold a public workshop at Lismore City Hall on Thursday 18 September, 1.45 to 3.15pm. Bookings are essential, call NORPA Dance Action on 6622 3279.

Mr Barbeque

Wednesday Oct 8, 8pm
Lismore City Hall
Music by Elena Kats-Chernin, Text by Janis Balodis, Directed by Sean Mee,

Starring Lyndon Terracini, Designed by Eamon D'Arcy, Lighting Designed by Bernie Tan

Starring celebrated baritone, Lyndon Terracini, Mr Barbeque premiered in Lismore in April 2002 to enthusiastic Northern Rivers audiences and positive critical reviews, before playing at the Powerhouse theatre in Brisbane in October/November of that year. NORPA was recently presented with a 2003 Classical Music Award for Most Distinguished Contribution to the Advancement of Australian Music in a Regional Area for the development and presentation of Mr Barbeque.

This funny and entertaining music theatre show combines the talents and experience of some Australia's most distinguished artists. Terracini is joined in his 'backyard' by composer Elena Kats-Chernin and five of Australia's finest musicians. Mr Barbeque will play for one night only in Lismore before touring regional centres, Parramatta and Brisbane in October and November.

Book your tickets

Tickets to NORPA productions can be purchased at the Northern Rivers Ticket Centre on 6621 5600 or online at www.norpa.org.au