The Scene - Local Entertainment News

The puurrfect threesome

Local musician Chris Aronsten, poet Christine Strelan and comedian S Sorrensen join forces to present the Cathouse Cabaret.

Three of the north coast's finest performers in song, poetry and comedy have combined their talents to create a night of unique entertainment, the Cathouse Cabaret, which will be held at two venues this weekend.

The night will feature performances by local poet and published writer Christine Strelan, singer/songwriter Chris Aronsten and comedian S Sorrensen, who are all renowned in their respective genres as some of their best in their field.

Christine is a commanding performer, who brings an insightful and spirited irreverence to her observations on life, the Universe and everything. She has performed at clubs and festivals all over Australia to wide acclaim, and her extraordinary aptitude for words and Amazonian like appearance make her a formidable and extremely engaging presence on stage.

Chris Aronsten is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin, spoons and harmonica. His music combines songs and tunes from a wide range of musical traditions including folk, blues, reggae, Cajun, vodka and klezmer. Admittedly he sings about little else except his miserable life, but really no one cares because his music is just so good.

S Sorrensen is a comic and closet poet. Humour and insight sparkle in every one of S's performances, which gives him plenty of time to relax. Often topical and always thoughtful, a night with S can be both fascinating and bewildering, but always good fun.

The Cathouse Cabaret will be held this Friday, September 26, at the Gollan Hotel in Lismore from 9pm and also on Saturday, September 27, at Hanging Rock Hall, Cawongla, from 8pm. Entry to the Gollan gig is free, while the hall gig is $10. A light supper will be available at the hall.

Win tickets to Livid

Los Angeles hip hop sensation Jurassic 5 (pictured) join a host of well-known American and Australian acts for what looks to be one of the most impressive Livid festivals to date.

With other bands including Linkin Park and The White Stripes on the bill, plus Aussie rockers The Living End, the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Resin Dogs and many more, this year's festival is gearing up to be a huge event - and The Echo wants to send one lucky reader and a friend to the Brisbane show on October 18.

While The Echo would never go so far as to make people actually sing (for our sake and theirs), people do have to come up with a snappy, humorous song of 50 words or less about the Livid Festival.

To go in the draw to win send entries to Livid Competition, PO Box 37, Lismore, by 5pm on Tuesday, October 7. We'll inform readers who the winner is (and print their winning entry, so keep it clean) in The Echo on October 9. If you're not willing to rely on your songwriting skills, tickets for the Brisbane Livid Festival are now on sale from Choppers in Lismore or Soundwaves in Byron Bay.

Between heaven and surf

Lovers of fine music will be treated to a very special event this Friday, September 26, when English baroque ensemble, Red Priest (pictured), perform in Ballina.

Red Priest, named after the flame-haired priest Antonio Vivaldi, have been performing together since 1997 to critical acclaim, with the Washington Post and London Daily Telegraph describing their performance as both 'astonishing' and 'breathtaking'.

Featuring the talents of recorder virtuoso Piers Adams, baroque violinist Julia Bishop, cellist Angela East and pianist Howard Beach, Red Priest perform some of the most intriguing and original baroque compositions in the world.

Praised by peers and critics alike, these four outstanding musicians perform largely from memory, giving them the freedom to make each and every concert a unique experience for the audience without losing any of the musical precision that they are famous for.

Musica Viva is presenting this special one-off performance in the beautiful halls of St Mary's Anglican Church - the perfect setting for this exquisite ensemble.

The show will begin at 7.30pm, and tickets are now available at Dymocks, 84 Molesworth Street, Lismore, or by booking on 6622 4987.

40 years on stage

The iconic Margaret RoadKnight will celebrate 40 years of performing with a musical biography, Adjusting the Rearview Mirror, next Friday, October 3, at the Rochedale Theatre in Goonellabah.

She will be accompanied by local musician Bruce McNicol. The show starts at 8pm, and tickets are $15/10 from Lismore Music or at the door.

Holiday pantomime

If you're looking for a fun and entertaining activity to keep the kids amused during the upcoming school holidays, Firetrax Theatre Company provide the perfect remedy with their new pantomime The Little Red Hen.

This charming tale includes plenty of audience participation, songs, dance, fun and laughter, as well as the traditional Firetrax 'hug' session, where kids get to meet the characters after the performance.

It's great family fun, and well worth the ticket price.

Little Red Hen will be performed next Thursday to Saturday, October 2-4, and then the following week on October 9, 10 and 11. All performances are held at the Bangalow A&I Hall from 2pm.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for kids or $20 for a family pass (two adults and two kids). Book now on 6687 1998 or pick them up at the door.

Buddhism for everybody

Diamond Way Buddhism Northern Rivers, based in Alstonville, will present a free public talk this Friday, September 26, with Buddhist lay teacher Zsuzsa Koszegi titled 'The Art of Joy'.

The talk will be held at the Alstonville RSL Hall, Bugden Avenue, Alstonville from 8pm. Zsuzsa Koszegi will also present a weekend course on Saturday and Sunday, September 27-28, at Alstonville ACE. For more info phone 6628 7002.

Forget me not

Former Casino gal and dancer Mariaa Randall in a scene from Remember Me.

NOPPA Dance Action and the Carnivale Multicultural Arts Festival will present a stunning new physical theatre production, Remember Me - featuring former Casino girl and NAISDA-trained dancer Mariaa Randall - in Lismore next week.

Choreographed by hip hop/theatre artist Gerard Veltre, this electrifying and highly physical production tells the story of two lovers and their struggle to understand one another's personal pasts so they can create a future together.

Featuring dancers Gerard Veltre, Mariaa Randall, Natalija Alavuk and Christian Kabamba (better known as the sparkly Kahlua Man), this stimulating show fuses multi-media designs with theatre and dance to create an awesome visual experience.

Brought to Lismore as part of Rural Beat (see story this page), the production is being performed next Wednesday, October 1, from 8pm and on Thursday, October 2, from 12.30pm, both at the Star Court Theatre. Tickets are $16/11. To book phone 6621 5600.

As part of the production physical theatre workshops are also being held at Lismore City Hall dance studios. Secondary school workshops will be held after the matinee on Thursday at 3.30pm ($8), with a workshop for adults on Friday, October 3, at 11am ($12/10). For workshop bookings and info phone 6622 3279.

Dancing to a rural beat

If you're looking for something funky and different to do these holidays, check out the NORPA Dance Action Rural Beat Hip Hop Holiday Workshops.

Two dancers from the Brisbane break/funk crew Trick Nasty (pictured) will lead the workshops, along with Melbourne-based hip hop artist Gerard Veltre and local MCs Krisdafari and Les Beckett (Bex).

Trick Nasty combines street dance with funk, break dance, hip hop, rock, Latin and acrobatics, producing a signature show that has won them various dance awards across Australia.

During the workshops they will demonstrate and teach break and funk dance, MCing and aerosol art, while also encouraging participants to try other cultural dance forms such as the Brazilian martial arts-style dance Capoeira.

The workshops are an entertaining way for young people to begin learning hip hop-style dance, or for those with experience to gain more skills and prepare for NORPA's upcoming Australia Day hip hop competitions.

The Rural Beat Hip Hop Holiday Workshops will be held on Monday, September 29, at the Byron Youth Activity Centre and on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 30 and October 1, at the Lismore PCYC.

For information and registration phone Emma on 6622 3279.

Art prize entries due

Entries for the annual Coraki Tea Tree Art Prize close on October 10. The art prize boasts more than $5000 in prizes, and will be held in late October in Coraki.

Entry forms are now available from the following locations. Lismore - Regional Art Gallery, Heritage Centre, SCU School of Visual Arts, TAFE art department, Uptown Picture Framing, Premier Art Supplies, Fletchers Fotographics, Armistead Gallery; Coraki - newsagency, Top Shop, 5 Star Supermarket, Jitterbugs, post office; Casino - Tourist Info, Norma's Art & Crafts, Mystro's Framing; Woodburn - Hand Crafted Creatures; Evans Head - Tourist Info, Paperbark Gallery; Ballina - Tourist Info; Alstonville - Kolinda Gallery; and Kyogle - Roxy Gallery. For more information phone Sharon on 6683 2626.

The art of friendship

Five local sculptors will open their new show, aptly titled Sculpture, next Thursday, October 2, at the Lismore Regional Art Gallery.

The show looks at how the five sculptors - John Stewart, Tony Nankervis, Les Dorahy, Kerry Selwood and Dennis Monks - have influenced each other over the past 30 years. During the past three decades the five men have been friends, and have regularly visited one another's art studios to comment on work in progress, finding inspiration in the ensuing debates about where the work should go next.

"Artists often attribute much to the influence of the local environment on their work," Kerry Selwood said. "I can't so easily do this with my current work and I have no doubt that all along it was the existence of this group of friends that had the strongest influence on the work I did and how I did it. It is still the case, after 30 years, that it is their responses that would influence me most."

The exhibition features a stunning array of sculpture, using welded metal, carved wood, ceramics and experimental media. Sculpture will be opened at the gallery next Thursday at 5.30pm for 6pm.

It runs until October 25.

Art club donation

Secretary of the Lismore Art Club, Bernadette Webster (left) recently presented a cheque for $75 to principal of Wilson Park School, Helen Rea.

The money was raised through donations at the Lismore Art Club's recent exhibition at the Lismore Workers Club. The school caters for children with special needs and the Lismore Art Club have a special section in their annual exhibition for these young artists.

The Lismore Art Club meets on the third Saturday of each month (next meet October 18) and the school for workshops and tutorials. Anyone who wishes to learn more about the club or join up should phone Bernadette on 6625 1032.

Jazz group gets vocal

The Blues Point Jazz Vocal Group perform at the Rochedale on Saturday.

Jazz in the Countryside are pleased to present the Blues Point Jazz Vocal Group from Sydney in concert this Saturday, September 27, at the Rochedale Theatre in Goonellabah.

The intimate setting of the Rochedale provides the perfect venue for this superb jazz sensation, who are proudly supported by Musica Viva.

Blues Point are a highly entertaining vocal group with intricate vocal arrangements performed by Lorraine Silk, Leyla Nassif, George Washingmachine and Rob Maxwell Jones, together with bassist Craig Scott.

Their repertoire includes a variety of jazz standards, as well as hits by Stevie Wonder, Joe Cocker, Ray Charles and Elvis, plus some very funky gospel tunes.

The performers are all accomplished in their own right, and together they are simply magnificent. If you love jazz and quality music, this is one concert not to miss.

The performance is at 7.30pm for 8pm. Tickets are $20/12 from Choppers Music in Lismore but get in quick, as they are likely to sell fast.

Art amongst the rainforest

Clunes artists Daniel Clemment with one of his works.

The 8th Thursday Plantation East Coast Sculpture Show will be opened by local author Di Morrisey this Sunday, September 28, at Thursday Plantation in Ballina from 12-4pm.

The unique show allows artists to create one-off installations as well as large-scale artworks, which are set amongst the rambling botanical gardens, rainforest and acres of tea tree that form the plantation.

This year more than 55 artists have created pieces for the event, with 72 exciting new sculptures on display for the four-month duration of the show, in addition to the growing permanent collection of about 25 works.

The event provides a very different forum for artists to most art exhibitions, where works are limited by the four walls of a gallery. In the East Coast Sculpture Show artists are only limited by imagination.

"There's some great surprises in this year's show, and I am delighted by not just the diversity, but how themes of environmental sustainability are infiltrating artistic thinking this year," said curator Merran Morrison. "Whether it's the unnecessary capture of bird and fish life in the Antarctic, the competition between native and exotic grasses or the rape of the land and disappearance of cedar from our region, environment is a happening theme in the arts."

On Sunday people can browse through the grounds and array of sculptures on show, listen to music, eat in the plantation's cafe and vote for a favourite sculpture in the People's Choice Award. For a thoroughly entertaining perspective on sculpture people can also join a series of guided comedy tours with comedians Mandy Nolan, George Smilovici and Allan Lovell. This is one of the first instances in which comedians have done interactive art performances of this sort, and it promises to be a real hoot.

"I feel like I'm taking an incredible risk - I don't think it's ever been done before," Merran said. "I want people to engage with the artwork, without feeling intimidated or confused by what they see, just because they think they don't understand it."

The comedy tours are up close and personal, with a limit of 20 people to each tour. Tickets for the tours are $12 (to book phone 6686 7273). The opening itself is free, and anyone is welcome to attend.

Thursday Plantation is situated on the Pacific Highway in Ballina. The sculpture show is on display until the end of January next year.

Ceramics show

This artwork by Jodie Carter is one of the artworks now on show in the two-part exhibition by final year SCU ceramics students, Confetti, at the Lismore Regional Art Gallery.

The first part of the exhibition will end this Saturday, September 27, with the opening for the second show held next Thursday, October 2, from 5.30pm at the gallery. The second part will run until October 25.

Theatre auditions

Lismore Theatre Company is now looking for local actors to audition for their production of Pardon Me Prime Minister, which will be performed at the end of November.

The play, written by Edward Taylor and John Graham, is a comedy about what goes on behind-the-scenes at No 10 Downing Street, London - the HQ of British politics. It will be directed by newcomer Brian Best.

Lismore Theatre Company is looking for four male and five female actors aged anywhere from 20 to 60 to join the cast. Auditions are being held next Monday, September 29, at the Rochedale Theatre from 7pm, and next Tuesday, September 30, at the Lismore Workers Club from 7pm.

For more information phone Brian on 0412 911 191 or 6624 8499.

Two much jazz

The weekly jazz night at Maggie Moores next Wednesday, October 1, will be an absolutely mega night of entertainment, with two bands led by guitarist Nico De Stefano both performing.

Set one will be performed by Dice, which features Nick De Stefano on guitar, Mitch Carey on saxophone, Greg Lavell on keys, Scott Greenaway on bass and Ben Karsay on drums. They will perform a short set, experimenting with rhythmically complex original tunes.

The second set will feature Nearly Dan - a tribute show to Steely Dan featuring a mixed bag of first, second and third year Southern Cross University students as well as some former SCU students.

Nearly Dan includes Nico De Stefano once again on guitar, Emily Ryan and Erin Downie on vocals, Zac Tombs on keys and vocals, Mitch Carey, Shaston King and Alan Clair on assorted saxophones, Dan Phelps and Nick Hewitt on trumpets, Carl Alwert on bass and Ben Karsay again on drums.

The night kicks off at 8.30pm, with entry just $5.

Mr Barbeque

Lismore City Hall
Wednesday October 8, 8pm

Celebrated baritone, Lyndon Terracini holds the tongs and the tofu in NORPA's presentation of the sizzling music theatre cabaret, Mr Barbeque.

Real men have big barbecues and Terracini's Mr Barbeque is a real man, a hero in his own backyard, unafraid of fat or fire or of delving into the big issues such as relationships, greed and the mysterious pink substance inside the sausage. The sequence of twelve songs allows Terracini to slip in and out of the skin of each perspective on the male psyche in what is a humorous and at times genuinely tragic story of an 'everyman'.

Mr Barbeque takes an affectionate look at the Aussie male, with wonderful moments of pathos amongst the gags and snags. This production, the first from NORPA's Creative Laboratory initiative, was recently awarded a prestigious 2003 Classical Music Award presented by APRA and the Australian Music Centre.

The show will play for one night only in Lismore before touring regional centres, including Parramatta and Brisbane in October and November. Mr Barbeque is supported in Lismore by the NSW Ministry for the Arts, The Echo, Ten Southern Cross and TP Health.

Bookings

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

Entries due for Dolphins

Local musicians and bands should remember they only have until October 13 to get their entries in for the 2003 Dolphin Awards. The awards have categories covering all genres and people of all ages and abilities are welcome to enter. Entry forms are available from most music stores, the NCEIA office or off the website www.nceia.org.au. For info phone 6622 0222.

Art and craft festival

More than 600 art and craft works will go on display as part of the 30th annual Southern Cross Arts and Craft Festival, which opens this Saturday, September 27. The festival is being held at Southern Cross School, Chickiba Drive, East Ballina, from 10am-5pm daily.

It is open until Oct 6.

The mystery ends

The Ballina Players' new production, Night Watch - a compelling murder mystery - continues this week at the Ballina Players Theatre.

The last shows of the season are being held this Thursday to Saturday, September 25-27. To book phone the La Boutique Gift Shop in River St, Ballina, on 6686 2662.