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BY LUCAS BAIRDCouncil Amalgamations are set to

cost independents their seats in local government, according to a Leichhardt councillor.

Independent Leichhardt Councillor John Stamolis, has voiced concerns that under the current amalgamation proposal councils will be dominated by the two major parties.

He claimed that this move by the government was the end of grassroot independents, citing that the increase in Council size would raise the stakes, leading to a likely increase in campaigning costs.

He said this would make things too expensive for the average person.

“This will be a big loss to local democracy,” Clr Stamolis told City Hub.

“Minor parties will be marginalised if amalgamations proceed while independents could be excluded entirely.”

“Labor and Liberal will dominate all three levels of government. Local community democracy and local representation will go backwards while control by the major parties will be overbearing,” he said

Cllr Stamolis found support from the nearby Ashfield Council, who Leichhardt and Marrickville will combine with if the amalgamations go ahead.

Independent Ashfield Councillor,

Caroline Stott said that a council dominated by the Liberal and Labor parties would decrease accountability in local government.

“The important thing about local government is that you are close to your community,” Clr Stott said.

“If you’re in a situation where you don’t have to be accountable to your residents to get re-elected, some people may be liable not to listen so carefully to the residents.”

“I pride myself that I have always done that,” she said.

But not all independent councillors were supportive of Clr Stamolis.

As Independent Marrickville Councillor, Victor Macri, said that whether or not

independents are elected in the new system is not up to them.

Clr Macri, a staunch supporter of amalgamations, indicated that it is not about making sure independents get elected but ensuring that communities get a better form of government.

“Whether I’m elected or whether I’m not isn’t important in the scheme of things. The most important thing is the local residents and getting the best value for them and the best representation is going to be achieved through elections,” Clr Macri said.

He refuted the notion that less councillors made it increasingly difficult for independents.

“It might be a bit more difficult for independents to get up if there are no wards, but if there are three wards or five councillors, independents will stand a good chance,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Minister for Local Government, Paul Toole, stated that there was no evidence to support the claim made by Clr Stamolis, and that previously merged councils still have independents in them.

The spokesperson also said that elected representation is “key factor” that the examining delegates will consider in their report to the Minister.

Forced amalgamations were cast into doubt last week, as Woollahra and Mosman councils considered legal challenges to the state government.

BY CHRISTOPHER HARRISFor many, it would have been overwhelming to see

someone drowning from their lounge room. Not for father and son duo, Graham and Lucas

Toms, members of South Maroubra SLSC, who quickly attempted to rescue a man who had been fishing off the rocks near their house last year.

The pair got to the man with a rescue board and a rescue tube. But by then, the rock fisherman had died. On Wednesday, the pair was awarded with a medal of bravery from the Governor of NSW David Hurley.

Graham Toms said that he spotted the man in distress, but it was his son that took over and led the rescue.

“Lucas surfs, he is a very strong young man, he’s very confident, and he led the way in the whole rescue.”

“When Lucas and myself were isolated with the patient, it felt like hours, but it was probably really ten or 15 minutes until more help arrived.”

Lucas has since been employed as a lifesaver for Randwick Council.

The death of rock fishers in the Randwick Local Government Area is common, with 17 deaths in the last decade. The area has been labelled a black spot for what has been called “Australia’s most dangerous sport.”

Randwick Council as well as the NSW State Government last month moved to curb the rock fishing death toll, which killed 37 people in the last four years in Australia, six of which were in the Randwick LGA.

The state government plans to make it mandatory to wear life jackets while rock fishing in black spot areas, and the local council has installed signs, warning fisher men and women of the number of deaths that have occurred in that spot over the previous year.

But the Shooters and Fishers party is concerned that a blanket rule on wearing life jackets would not necessarily reduce the death toll.

The idea for the signs came after a survey commissioned by the council found that 42 per cent of rock fishers did not know that people had died from the

sport in the nearby area.The signs in Randwick are red, feature a skull and

cross bones, as well as a “death scoreboard”, featuring changeable numbers tallying nearby rock fishing deaths.

The signs are translated into both Mandarin and Cantonese as well as Korean, because the survey of rock fishermen by Randwick Council found that one third of all approached either spokes Cantonese of Mandarin and 20 per cent spoke Korean.

“Our research shows that once people are aware of the dangers, they are likely to modify their behaviour by fishing a different ledge, changing their approach, wearing a life jacket, being more cautious or perhaps not fishing that day,” Randwick Mayor Noel D’Souza said in a statement.

The state government is establishing a working party to determine where the black spots will be.

The government said that the new laws will be accompanied by an education campaign which will target culturally and linguistically diverse communities, as well as an advertising campaign and improved warning signs.

“The message to rock fishers continues to be that they should wear a life jacket at all times, wear appropriate clothing and footwear, check conditions including the weather and never fish alone,” Mr Elliott said.

He said the new laws were necessary because warning people of the dangers had proven ineffective.

Malcolm Poole is the founder of the NSW Rock

Fishers Association, and said he believed that in some cases, mandating the use of a lifejacket could do more harm than good.

He said that there was a lot of variables when it came to best practice for rock fishing, and that simply wearing a life jacket alone would not save lives.

He said if someone intended to go rock fishing, seeing a sign would be unlikely to deter them.

“It’s like roadside graves. Do you slow down, what do we hope to achieve with a scoreboard sign?”

He said there needed to be more focus on education.“We have to prepare a person before they get to a

sign,” he said.He told City Hub he estimates 50,000 to 80,000

people go rock fishing in NSW every year, although he said fishing from a cliff near the ocean is very different from casting a line out from a rock in the harbour.

He said the problem with life jackets is that there are a variety of different types- including inflatable and foam.

Inflatable foam life jackets can puncture, making them not necessarily suitable for use near jagged rock faces.

While foam life jackets are more durable, they can be hot to wear as well as being difficult to swim in. He said they are designed to keep people afloat, typically position people at a 45 degree angle to the water, or on a person’s back, potentially making it difficult to swim away from rocks.

At a recent Chinese New Year event in Eastwood, Mr Poole as part of his role with the Rock Fishers Association said Chinese people had been buying what is known as a buoyancy vests from overseas retailers online.

He said the vests, which are sleeker lifejackets, were not currently approved for sale in Australia because they haven’t been tested to see if they meet Australian Safety Standards.

The NSW Government is establishing a working party to determine where black spots will be in the next twelve months.

six people died in the last four years in the Randwick LGa from rockfishing.

Solid rock but shaky ground for “Australia’s most dangerous sport”

Independent voice first to be silenced in amalgamation

John stamolis

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When protesting pays offBY LUCAS BAIRDA Greens MP has welcomed an apparent shift

in the Government’s plans regarding Sydney’s controversial lockout laws.

Member for Newtown and Greens Spokesperson on liquor laws Jenny Leong praised the government’s decision to hold roundtable discussions with stakeholders.

Ms Leong called the decision a change in tune on the government’s willingness to conduct a “genuine” review of the laws last week.

The Department of justice announced the intention to hold the discussions in February, but dates for the meetings where only disclosed last week.

“Today we saw the Deputy Premier and Minister for Police Troy Grant commit to holding roundtables with key stakeholders from across Sydney, as part of the lockout laws review,” Ms Leong said.

“With this latest announcement, Minister Grant seems to be singing a very different tune – and that’s music to our ears,” she said.

“We can only hope they are finally tuning in to Sydney’s local arts and music-makers, venue operators and creative communities,” she said.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Justice, Troy Grant, claimed that these roundtables would include representatives from the liquor , health, police and hospitality sectors amongst others.

“Everyone wants a safe and vibrant night-time Sydney economy,’’ Mr Grant said.

“This is an exciting chance for roundtable participants to work together to identify the issues and develop solutions that recognise the opportunities for our great city into the future,’’ he said.

Ms Leong attributed this breakthrough in large part to the Keep Sydney Open movement which held a rally in the city late last month.

“I congratulate the thousands of loud, creative and committed community members who have been calling to Keep Sydney Open. The Government has finally signaled that they’re willing to listen to alternatives to shutting down our city,” Ms Leong said.

“This shift in response from the government shows that strong community campaigns work,” Ms Leong told City Hub

“The Keep Sydney Open rally was attended by thousands of Sydneysiders and it was a powerful message to Baird and his Ministers, one that couldn’t be ignored. We also saw thousands of people expressing outrage online at the hypocrisy of the government shutting down our live music and late night venues while giving casinos a free pass, showing that concerns were felt right across Sydney,” she said.

“We know that it is the community that leads social change and parliaments follow. This is the latest example of this.

“If the Minister is genuine in wanting to give Sydney the safe nightlife it deserves we, and so many in the community, look forward to participating constructively to develop creative,

integrated solutions that can keep Sydney vibrant, safe and open,” she said.

The roundtable discussions are scheduled to be held on the 31st of March, 28th of April and 19th of May with all outcomes of the discussions to be given to the review committee and published online.

Another group, Reclaim the Streets will hold a protest outside The Star Casino on Saturday at 3pm to protest the lockout laws and the exemption of the casino from them.

“There is a groundswell of opposition to #CasinoMike and his government’s draconian lockout laws, the people of NSW are sick of the millions in dirty money that is flowing into the Government and destroying our democracy,” a Reclaim the Streets spokesperson said.

“The Star has been exempted from the lockout laws, despite being the most violent venue in the state. Barangaroo, where James Packer’s Crown Casino will operate, is also exempt. The reason is money.”

The group said they wanted both major parties to reject donations from the Casino, and to refund all past donations.

Keep Sydney Open protests. Photo: Alex Blair



Councils roll out the red carpet (and some red tape) for Airbnb

BY ANDREW BARCLAY Sydney Councils are moving to embrace

the sharing economy around short-term accommodation sites such as Airbnb.

Government and the law has been slow to catch up to the lightening pace of innovation of the sharing economy. Australia was the second largest market for Airbnb behind the United States in 2012 when the company opened its Sydney office.

Now the state government is holding a NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into short term accommodation letting.

In the intervening years, accommodation letting has been a grey area, punctuated by confusion.

In September last year a Randwick resident was told she could be liable for more than $1 million dollars for operating an “unauthorised” bed and breakfast.

In a development that only served to further highlight the confusion around such rentals, Randwick Council subsequently concluded the short-term stays were a “lawful ancillary use” of the woman’s home.

The City of Sydney is advocated for adoption of laws to regulate accommodation rentals and the sharing economy.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said that sharing rooms would stimulate local communities as well as local economies.

The City of Sydney has advocated for short term letting in the NSW inquiry, “so long as neighbouring properties and traditional visitor accommodation services are not adversely affected”.

“Tech companies are providing increasingly efficient means for offering homes and spare rooms for short-term holiday letting but our laws have not kept pace,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore told City Hub.

“With the right rules, short-term holiday letting can support local communities and economies, while protecting amenity and the residential character of our villages.”

The submission admitted that local legislation had not kept pace with the rapidly expanding services like Airbnb, which fall under what is widely called the ‘sharing economy’.

Sydney’s Airbnb listings have doubled to 15,000 in the past year.

Listings fall under the jurisdiction of individual councils, which in many cases have complex of ill-defined guidelines in place.

But that could be about to change. Currently residents in councils including Sydney, Woollahra and Randwick have had to apply to become bed and breakfasts – a potentially expensive exercise.

A Woollahra council spokesperson told City

Hub planning permission had to be granted and a DA submitted if an individual wanted to rent their apartment or house short term.

“When assessing applications we consider the need for balance between supporting the interests of property owners and ensuring there is no negative impact to surrounding residents and businesses,” the spokesperson said.

Yet, this may be about to change if the City of Sydney has its way, with plans for a state-wide approach to regulating such rentals.

Under the councils’ proposal, a property would be exempt if the number of guests and the number of days a year they stay is limited.

If short-term letting does not meet the requirements it would not be permitted.

The submission stressed the need to balance the demand for short term rentals “against the reasonable expectations of neighbourhood amenity and visitor safety”.

Airbnb had not responded in time for publication, but have previously welcomed the proposal.

They said the rules are “often hard to interpret and out-dated”.

Airbnb’s own terms of service recommend that its users familiarize themselves with the regulatory and legal framework in which they operate.

“Local governments vary greatly in how they enforce these laws,” it reads.

In their submission to the NSW Government in 2014, Airbnb remarked on the lack of regulatory response to their business model.

“The planning treatment of short term stays in residential properties therefore seems to fall within an uncertain grey area,” the submission read.

“We see merit in codifying the treatment of short term rentals on a statewide basis without facing the uncertainty of potential punitive action.”

Yet, despite recent headlines of horror tenants councils who spoke to City Hub said they received very few complaints about short-term rentals.

“We are only aware of one complaint to Council from neighbors who have been adversely impacted by Airbnb rentals,” said a spokesperson for Woollahra Council.

The City of Sydney isn’t the only council seeking to move to take advantage of the growth of services like Airbnb. Coastal NSW councils, including Gosford, Pittwater, Shoalhaven and Kiama Councils have all recently given short-term rentals the go ahead.

A paper released by the NSW Government in January found the “sharing economy” was worth $504 million to NSW.

Waverley Council was considering making a submission to the inquiry. A council spokesperson said they had not received many complaints.

AirBnB in San Francisco Pride March. Source: Quinn Dombrowski

Balmain Tigers redevelopment longer than Waiting For Godot

BY CHRISTOPHER HARRISThe long running saga of the redevelopment of

Balmain Leagues Club is entering another chapter. But there is no sign of it being the denouement to a seemingly unending drama of Dickensian proportions.

Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne has pointed the finger at the Rozelle Village for stalling the process, an accusation which has been denied by the developer.

On Tuesday, Clr Byrne said in a statement that the developer had reinstated a pedestrian bridge in plans before the NSW Land and Environment Court, and that the alteration will result in further delays.

The outcome of the application was due to be determined in the next three weeks by the court.

The statement from Clr Byrne is the latest in a series of back and forth attacks between him and the owner of Rozelle Village.

“Developer Rozelle Village pretends that Council is delaying approval of their proposal, but yet again they have changed their plans, deliberately slowing the process.

He said that the developer Rozelle Village knew that the move would result in a delay.

“Since 2009 they have now submitted a multitude of different applications to the State Government, most of them over 20 storeys.

“Given that this is a $177 million proposal, it is extraordinary that they still haven’t managed to submit their final plans.”

“The community, the club and fans deserve better,” Clr Byrne said.

“It’s time the Developer got its act together and settled on a sensible proposal so that development can proceed.”

Ian Wright, who owns Rozelle Village and is responsible for the DA told City Hub that Mayor Byrne was playing games.

“Why on earth would we be delaying our own development application?”

“The council wrote to the Land and Environment Court on 13th November 2015 and said the pedestrian bridge should be deleted from

the plan. We wrote to the council on the 18th Dec offering to delete the bridge and pay council $1million to be used for community benefit.”

He said that plans were amended to delete the bridge from the plan.

“Council are now attempting to have these proceedings thrown out of court because it doesn’t have a pedestrian bridge. We are asking the court to rely on the court to use the original drawings that included the bridge.”

President of Rozelle Residents Action Group

Mark Wallis said he didn’t know what to make of the move, but was sure some sort of “game” was being played.

He said that he supported the inclusion of the pedestrian bridge, because that would connect it to the existing shopping precinct in Rozelle, as well as it being part of the agreement to rezone the land.

But he said that the move to reinstate it was part of the modus operandi.

“At the end of last year Rozelle Village agreed to remove the bridge from the plans, but what it means by changing it at the last minute, all the prep by council’s legal team is wasted.

“They’ve made a last minute change, I don’t know what sort of games they’re playing.”

“If you’re going to increase the traffic and pedestrian movements, the pedestrian bridge didn’t isolate the development from shopping precinct and the heart of Rozelle Village.

“The biggest driver of traffic is the retail component, for problems on Victoria Rd and that is our main reason for opposition to the development.”

The first masterplan was taken to council in 2004.

“We’re still fighting it all this time later,” Mr Wallis said. “If they were willing to talk to community, they would have had something built by now.”

A spokesperson for Balmain Tigers said that they had no further comment on proceedings.

The disused Balmain Tigers Club. Source: Google streetview.


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Why the math on the powerhouse doesn’t stack up

OPINION -- BY LAWRENCE GIBBONS The Baird government’s intention

to sell the existing Powerhouse Museum site in Ultimo to developers is economic and cultural vandalism on an unprecedented scale. No modern day global city in living memory has bulldozed a museum in the historic heart of the city in order to relocate its cultural collection to the sprawling suburbs. Indeed very few civic leaders would be brazen enough to demolish a one hundred year old heritage building less than thirty years after it was painstakingly adapted to house a cultural institution – in order to make way for an apartment complex

The mathematics of the proposed Powerhouse deal defy logic. The Baird government projects that it will make $200 million dollars selling the existing site, located on prime real estate at the southern end of the Darling Harbour entertainment precinct, which is currently being redeveloped. No one seriously believes that a modern day museum can be built anywhere in greater Sydney for $200 million.

World class museums don’t come cheap. In May 2015, the Whitney Museum of American Art opened in New York City for $565 million. Later this year the Smithsonian Museum will open a new Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC for $635 million. And in Edmonton Alberta, in a move Macquarie Street might ponder, the government is actually relocating the Royal Alberta Museum from the outer suburbs to the city’s downtown arts district. When it reopens next year in 2017, the new museum will have cost $376 million to construct.

The projected $200 million that would be raised through the sale of prime city real estate to developers would not cover the cost of a new museum. The revenue shortfall will inevitably be picked up by NSW taxpayers, if indeed a new museum is ever actually built.

Meanwhile, in order to recoup a $200 million property investment in Ultimo, developers will expect to build 600 units

on the site of the existing Powerhouse, generating a hefty wind fall in the process. Just a short stroll away from the Powerhouse, the building industry recently made a bundle on a similar project. In May 2015, Lend Lease sold 581 apartments at the nearby Darling Harbour redevelopment in less than five hours for more than $600 million. Even after construction costs, the developers would make a killing.

The Baird government is paying KPMG $10 million to study the economic impact of the move and make a business case for relocating the existing collection from Ultimo to Parramatta. When you consider that KPMG only charged NSW taxpayers $400,000 to produce a top secret report into the cost savings of amalgamating local council’s across the whole of NSW, the mind boggles imagining what sort of a top secret document $10 million will buy.

It is unlikely KPMG will evaluate the economic impact relocating the Powerhouse will have on Ultimo. Each year nearly a half million people visit the Powerhouse with 15.7% coming from overseas, 12.3% coming from interstate, 10.6% coming from rural NSW and the remainder coming from all over Greater Sydney, providing a substantial economic gains for the local Ultimo community. The Powerhouse has benefited from its current position next to one of Australia’s single largest tourist destination: Darling Harbour, which brings in 26 million visitors per year. The recent opening of the Goods Line has provided a much needed link between Ultimo and Darling Harbour, helping bring even more visitors to the Powerhouse. This year the Powerhouse saw a 12 per cent leap in visitors; an extra 45,595 people visited the museum.

In 2005 the National Science and Technology Centre in Canberra published a report called “Assessing the Economic Impact of Science Centres on Their Local Communities.” The report found that institutions like the Powerhouse generate substantial economic benefits to their surrounding communities. In California’s Silicon Valley, a similar institution, the

Tech Museum of Innovation attracts visitor numbers on par with the Powerhouse and generates $59 million for surrounding San Jose and Santa Clara County. In Indianapolis Indiana, the Children’s Museum generates $24 million for the local economy. And closer to home in Canberra, the National Science and Technology Centre brings in 350,000 visitors and generates $13 million for its local economy when adjusted to 2015 figures.

Whether or not the Powerhouse will attract visitors to Parramatta is open to debate. Regardless of what fantastical analysis KPMG constructs for $10 million, international tourists and locals in any global city are far more likely to spend their time in and around a city centre, where attractions are closely connected to historic landmarks and a broad range of cultural institutions are within close proximity to one another. Very few visitors to New York City visit White Plains. Few Parisian tourists make the trek to La Defese. Here in Sydney visitors are much likely to visit Darling Harbour then to travel some 20km to Parramatta. Meanwhile, in very real terms, the loss of several hundred museum jobs and a half million annual visitors will have a substantial impact on local businesses in and around Ultimo.

The Baird government’s proposal to sell off the existing Powerhouse site to developers is nothing more than old fashioned pork barrelling, shifting a prime cultural asset from the staunchly progressive seats of Sydney and Balmain (the museum currently straddles both Alex Greenwich and Jamie Parker’s electorates) to the marginal, swing seat of Parramatta, while benefiting property developers in the transaction and costing ratepayers hundreds of millions in relocation costs.

The government proposes to pay for its pork barrelling project by selling off prime, publicly owned land to developers so that even more apartments can be crammed into Pyrmont and Ultimo, which is already Australia’s most densely populated precinct. Sydneysiders should oppose the plans, lock, stock and stinking barrel.

Opinion

BY CHRISTOPHER HARRISPuppy buyers will have the ability to trace an animal back to the original

breeder as well as update the details of their dog online, as part of the new Companion Animal Breeding Standards released by the government last week.

Dogs NSW welcomed the move, who said that its members already adhered to the new standards.

They said that the move to microchip all puppies would “stamp out puppy factories.”

But last week Mehreen Faruqi launched her own bill in parliament, which would make bigger step to ending puppy farming.

In her bill, breeders would be registered and would be inspected annually.She said that the government’s move was in reality doing nothing, and that

the community was “disappointed” with inaction.“The reality is that the Baird government has made a decision to do

virtually nothing to stop the cruelty and put an end to intensive breeding.“A breeders licensing scheme is the major recommendation of two inquiries

now. We need a legislated scheme that ensures that anyone who breeds and sells animals for profit is inspected, regulated and accredited make sure they have met high animal welfare standards. Importantly, this needs to be done on an annual basis to ensure that standards are being maintained.

But Dogs NSW said that backyard breeding practices were already effectively policed. “The RSPCA , AWL and councils already have the power to take action,” a spokesperson said.

They said the new standards would accurately alert buyers to puppy farms.“Dogs NSW believes the new measures to ensure all puppies are

microchipped will greatly assist in making the source of puppies identifiable.”

As part of the government’s standards, the Companion Animal Register will be upgraded with a new interface that will allow the general public to update details of their dogs.

“Dogs NSW welcomes the increased emphasis the Minister has indicated will be applied to ensuring compliance with existing regulations and standards and looks forward to working with the Government in ensuring the health and welfare of all puppies bred and sold in NSW,” Dogs NSW said.

Puppy breeders need more scrutiny

Activist climbs drill rig. Source: supplied.

Opposition grows to bike laws

BY CHRISTOPHER HARRISThe Greens have said the narrow defeat of a disallowance motion on

Tuesday in NSW Parliament shows that contempt for the government’s new bike laws are widespread.

The laws, which include steep hikes in fines for cyclists, as well as a proposal to make carrying identification mandatory for riders, has angered cycling groups.

On Tuesday, Greens upper house member Mehreen Faruqi, Independent Alex Greenwich and Labor’s Penny Sharpe launched a disallowance motion. It was narrowly defeated 17 to 22 votes, but Ms Faruqi said there was a cause for hope.

“There is growing opposition to the Roads Minister and NSW government’s anti-bike agenda,” she said in a statement.

“People can see that the government’s obsessive focus on punitive measures such as through jacked-up fines and requiring photo identification is completely misguided.

“The photo ID rule can still be defeated. This rule doesn’t take effect until 1 March next year, and with a mounting community campaign we can win.

“We will keep pushing for solutions that will actually work and make our cities and regions more liveable. At the heart of this will be extensive bike infrastructure,” she said.

Bicycle NSW CEO Craig Richards said that cyclists were being treated as “second class citizens.”

“Today’s outcome shows how tough things are for bike riders in NSW and why we need to stand together. Ripped up bike lanes, heavy handed police treatment and now unjust fine increases; we’re being treated as second class citizens,” Mr Richards said.

He said there was no evidence that increasing fines would increase safety, and he said with increasing health concerns, the state should encourage cycling.


Saturday Night 19th march

$6 tinnies guinness Beer. St Paddy’s Burger. Beef and guinness Pies. irish mule cocktails. Beer Jugs from $12. Lunch and dinner Specialsirish tunes played randomly through out the day!! happy hour 4pm-6pm.Meat Tray and Whisky Raffle Drawn 7.30pm.

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the Love haNdLeS are Back at the cauLi!Come hang out with us at The Cauli. The Love handles will be playing from 7:30pm. For those not familiar, The Love handles are: Nev Wilson on Guitar/Vox, Kev angel on Bass/Vox and andy hyde on Drums.Table Bookings: [email protected]’t miss out !!

This sunday and every sunday are our Reggae sessions, featuring special guest each week. 1-4pm - pop in for lunch or a drink, bring your family and friends. (Kid friendly).Rabbitoh’s vs Dragons kicks off at 4pm LIVE & LOuD$1 Chicken wings. all day cocktail share jugs $20. Meat Raffle. Free raffle ticket with any drink purchase drawn after the game!!

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FEATURE

by AlAnnAh MAheRthe 20th biennale of Sydney has begun its rapid expansion across the city filling galleries and spilling out into various nooks and crannies.in this milestone year, the biennale follows a topical theme: “the future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed”. the usual biennale institutions have been rebranded as several different ‘embassies of thought’ covering themes including Disappearance and transition.the most revolutionary works, however, exist in the ‘in-between’ Spaces. Artists have overtaken thirteen different public locations across central Sydney and the inner West. Although these works differ greatly in terms of scale, scope and subject matter, each casts a new light on its location. city hub has investigated these intrusive yet elusive works, and we present to you – The Three Most Unmissable Installations of the Biennale

Fade Away, Fade Away, Fade Away – Bo Christian Larsson Swedish artist bo christian larsson has overtaken newtown’s heritage listed camperdown cemetery. established in 1848, many significant figures of Australia’s colonial history are buried there. larsson has a wide-ranging practice and interests in symbols, social conventions and rituals. As he began to explore the rich history and beautiful aesthetics of the site, he found it opened up the perfect opportunity to explore ongoing issues.larsson has established a shipping container workshop on the cemetery grounds – on any given day three local female textile artists will be seen operating from this base, measuring gravestones and monuments around the cemetery and constructing elaborate white textile covers. this sea of stark, ghostly shapes will continue to grow and see the installation evolve over time.larsson questions the site’s “random architecture of death”. Most headstones mention powerful men who “built this nation”, but their wives are rarely mentioned by name. he uses feminism to inform his work while the textile artists collaborating on the project bring their own stances.“it is a performance, it’s a socio-political work, it’s a work where aesthetics are playing a big role,” explained larsson. “So it’s a work for everybody, which i also find that good art should be.”

We Built This City – Keg de Souza Keg de Souza’s latest installation has strong roots in her history as an architecturally trained artist and activist with a strong interest in the built environment and social communities. Situated in a large warehouse space behind the block in Redfern, Souza’s largest makeshift installation to date is a large expanse of recycled multi-coloured tents joined together into a humongous, interactive mass. “i’m using the tent as a metaphor for displacement… this project looks at these very local issues that have global parallels,” said Souza, elaborating on her inspiration drawn from the Aboriginal tent embassy protest that stood in the location before her, the “tent settlements” forming around central Station and in Wentworth Park, and the global phenomena of displaced refugees. ‘We built this city’ is the focal point of the Redfern School of Displacement, a program of talks and tours promoting public discussion. With her long-term artist collaborative SquatSpace, Souza is using the warehouse installation as a starting point for the timely return of ‘Redfern – Waterloo: tour of beauty’. the tours, last running in 2009, explore local displacement and gentrification.Also serving as a meeting point for a series of public discussions related to displacement. Promoting “non-hierarchal ways of learning”, these discussions will have “key participants” rather than panellists. Souza

explained “i like to create platforms for discussion and debate… When you enter these temporary structures…you feel like you’ve entered this space for a particular reason…”

Making History – Brown CouncilFemale artist collective brown council create multimedia installations using humour to address issues of gender and art history. the biennale has allowed them to develop the disused former Grantpirrie Gallery space in Redfern into a collaborative installation.“it’s an active space where things are happening all the time and evolving over the duration of the biennale,” explained brown council member Diana Smith. the group have invited other artists to join them in ‘Making history’.the life and work of barbara cleveland – a pioneering performance artist working in Australia in the 1970’s, whom history forgot – is used as a central theme to “invite people to think about the way history is written”. “cleveland has been a symbol of…the way that particular histories have been told, and the way that [we] as artists might be able to play the role of a historian, but in a creative way…” explained Smith. brown council will present their newest performance project, ‘the history of Performance’, an improvisational two-hour endurance work in which they will recall performance works they’ve seen and invite the audience to join in, with the aim of creating an aural history. the idea of the ‘in-between’ is key to the biennale’s overarching theme. larsson, Souza, and brown council all present ground breaking and genre defying works that would not have been explored in such depth in an institutional gallery space.

Keg De Souza with her installation We Built This City. Photo: Chris Peken

FADE AWAY, FADE AWAY, FADE AWAYWeds–Sun, 10am-5pm. Camperdown Cemetery, Church Street, Newtown.

WE BUILT THIS CITYOpen daily, 10am-5pm (closed Easter weekend). 16 Vine Street, Redfern.

The Redfern School of Displacement Mar 20–May 28. Full program of talks: kegdesouza.com

Redfern – Waterloo: Tour of BeautyApril 9, 23 & May 14. Bookings essential: [email protected].

Info: squatspace.comMAKING HISTORY

Open daily, 10am-5pm. 86 George Street, Redfern. Performances by Brown Council & special guests: Mar 19–Jun 4.

Info: 20bos.com Read extended article at altmedia.net.au

THE 20TH BIENNALE OF SYDNEYMarch 18 – June 5. Various locations. Free. Full program: 20bos.com


Patrons of quality theatre will be immersed by this gripping and powerful production concerning gross military misconduct, which will leave audiences pondering over the morality – or more aptly, the futility of war.

Written by English-Danish comedian/writer Sandi toksvig, this play explores two casualties of war whose lives have been shattered. Major Oscar Hadley (Jaymie Knight), who is confined to a wheelchair after serving in the Falklands war, is investigating a murder allegation against Private Eddie clark (Patrick cullen), who allegedly threw an eight-year-old boy down a well during a military assault in the Middle East.

Serious and heartfelt, an unlikely bond predictably develops between these two men and humorous moments in the second act are a welcoming relief from the intensity of emotions.

themes of honour amongst soldiers resonate in this thought-provoking and topical play, which also details the depersonalization of soldiers and associated post war traumas – the

permanent mental scars, depression, torturous therapies and suicides. the ideology that war makes politicians look good is also explored.

Audiences will connect emotionally with these characters, portrayed by two up-and-coming actors whose intense performances will engage and ultimately plant seeds of doubt to the validity of war.

this small production is simplistic, playing on a tiny stage in a fringe theatre with basic props of a table and chair, but it intimately draws in the audience, who are seemingly on stage as the drama unfolds.

The ironic twist in the final moments of the play will astonish and possibly anger audiences, prompting them to ask who is the real victim – the crippled Major, the mentally scarred Private or the innocent eight year-old boy who so tragically lost his life? (MMo)

Until Mar 26. Blood Moon Theatre (in The World Bar), 24 Bayswater Rd, Kings Cross. $20 - $25. Tickets & info: anightofplay.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Contributors: Brendan Modini, Carmen Cita, Craig Coventry, Greg Webster, Hannah Chapman, Alicia Sim, Nyssa Booth, Lauren Edwards, Peter Urquhart, James Harkness, Lauren Bell, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Matthew Bernard, Mel Somerville, Jemma Clarke, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Sinead McLaughlin, Siri Williams, Athina Mallis, Leigh Livingstone, Joseph Rana, Shon Ho, Jacqui Rothwell, Anvi Sharma, Emily Shen, Silvia Cheung, Andrew Hodgson, Irina Dunn.

10 STAGE12 SCENE 13 SoUNDS 14 SCREEN

Arts Editors: Jamie Apps - Alannah Mahera&e For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on twitter at @AltMediaSydney

here’s a quintessentially Australian play. that Eye, the Sky is based on a tim Winton novel and was adapted for the stage by Richard Roxburgh and Justin Monjos. its initial production in 1994 starred David Wenham and hugo Weaving.

“We have have an older actor playing the 13-year-old character of Ort Flak. Wenham was 28 at the time, so it has a long history of being played by an older actor,” explained David burrowes, the play’s director. “the work is quite complex, it’s a bold, enigmatic work and it’s beautiful Australian writing. We have drawn quite heavily on the novel. Winton writes so beautifully and that language has quite seamlessly and delicately been transformed into dialogue, making it appropriate for a theatrical performance.”

that Eye, the Sky is a beautiful coming of age story about Ort, a young boy whose father is seriously injured in a car crash. the common theme is the idea of survival, that we need something to hang on to that helps us survive when everything goes to hell. The family finds God, some sort of transcendental power. the

play explores this and asks the question, ‘how helpful is it?’ There’s definitely a discussion about spirituality and some strong religious themes.

that Eye, the Sky is an exploration in how we cope, and how we reach out to something to help us cope. in some instances that’s God, sometimes it’s something darker like alcohol or drugs.

Everything is seen through the eyes of a child. there’s this curiosity, he sees the world in this fantastic way.

“the genre is Australian drama. it’s set in a small country town, Subiaco, in Western Australia. it has a very strong Australian sense to it all. tim Winton is one of our great Australian writers. it’s present in every single character, in every line, every moment. it’s an Australian work from bottom to top,” added burrowes. (MS)

Mar 15–Apr 16 (Thurs-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5pm). New Theatre, 542 King Street, Newtown. $17-$32. Tickets & info: newtheatre.org.au

REviEW: BULLY BOY

ThAT EYE, ThE SkY

11city hub 17 march 2016

you won’t get views of strolling wildebeest or ‘the hanging Gardens of babylon’, but you do get the Sydney Opera house – the perfect backdrop for Faulty towers the Dining Experience. basil, Sybil and manuel return for another round of mayhem, serving up a three-course comedy that is likely to include Waldorf salad and perhaps even the occasional rat – or Siberian hamster.

inspired by the similarly named bbc series of the seventies, audience members are treated to a pop-up dining experience like no other. the laughter begins as patrons assemble for pre-dinner drinks and doesn’t let up until the last cheese platter is cleared away. in the meantime anything is possible, as the trio from Torquay inflict themselves on diners.

as the fourth wall is drawn away, basil, Sybil and manuel propel their audience through some

strangely familiar scenarios in a completely interactive piece of theatre. Every performance is unique, as the partially scripted antics lead wherever the audience and cast want to take them.

From humble beginnings in brisbane almost twenty years ago, ‘the Faulty towers Dining Experience’ has grown and multiplied. the current tour takes in twenty countries, including a residency in London’s West End, as well as extended fringe seasons in Perth and adelaide. Donna Gray (Sybil), Jordan Edmeades (basil), and co-creator andy Foreman (manuel) make up the Sydney cast. (GW)

March 17–20 (Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm. Sun 12:30pm). Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $179-$195. Tickets & info: sydneyoperahouse.com.au or 02 9250 7777

BARD ON THE BEACH: HAMLET BOTB’s upcoming production of hamlet, in marrickville’s Greek theatre, promises to be full of frills and thrills. it takes a traditional approach to the staging, involving period costumes and sword fighting. Although not necessarily taking place “by the beach” this time, bOtb welcomes the opportunity to bring the bard to the inner West. For audiences who have never seen hamlet in its true-to-the-time production, this is a wonderful opportunity for all to see the bard’s poetry and drama before the productions returns for its Watson’s bay run in april. (Oa)FINAL NIGHT Mar 17. The Greek Theatre, Addison Road Community Centre, Marrickville. $15-$25. Tickets & info: bardonthebeach.net or 0414 906 734

THE BALD SOPRANO this is avant-garde theatre that sets out to break and ignore the conventions of a traditional play. at the time the bald Soprano was written, in 1952, it was about social status, dinner parties with people you don’t like and trying to make entertainment out of it. We are seeing an interpretation in a modern day setting. People will connect to the absurdity of the characters and the comedy of it all. it very humorously shows the uselessness of life. (mS)Until Mar 26, 7.30pm Wed-Sat. King Street Theatre, 644 King Street (cnr Bray Street, Newtown). $28-$35. Tickets & info: kingstreettheatre.com.au or 0423 082 015

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY – REIMAGINED Expect a completely new view on an Oscar Wilde classic, quite controversial in its time. Nathan Farrow, an australian

playwright/actor, adapts the play into a drama/comedy with horrors and dark secrets. (mS)Until Mar 19. Genesian Theatre, 420 Kent Street, Sydney. $25-$30. Tickets & info: genesiantheatre.com.au

THE LOCAL how would you feel if your beloved local pub suddenly got a makeover and it didn’t look like your old watering hole anymore? this is what Sydney writer richie black’s latest play is all about. the Local focuses on the gentrification of a local hotel, which is not taken well by the regulars. if that isn’t enough, the pub’s cricket team won’t exist after the renovations are completed – so now it’s personal, and their voices are about to be heard. (amal)Until March 20 (Tues-Thurs 8pm, Sun 6pm). The Ballroom, The Exchange Hotel, 94 Beattie Street, Balmain. $25-$30. Tickets & info: trybooking.com/174376

PICCOLO TALES This site-specific play at Kings cross institution the Piccolo bar pays homage to the venue and its 81-year-old proprietor, Vittorio, the several dramatic changes they have witnessed in the cross, and the many colourful customers attracted over the years. the intimate setting inserts the audience members into the action, creating somewhat of a journey through time, similar to opening a time capsule and exploring what’s inside. (Nb)Until Mar 31. Piccolo Bar, 6 Roselyn Street, Potts Point. $20-$40. Tickets & info: piccolotales.eventbrite.com.au

80 MINUTES NO INTERVAL travis cotton’s black comedy is bold and slightly absurd, it allows us to laugh at the unfortunate failures of other people. the play is about Louis, an unsuccessful novelist turned theatre critic. the production traces his trials,

tribulations and obstacles over a 30-year time frame as he fumbles through life, governed by repeated mistakes and bad luck. in australia, where modern comedic theatre is scarce, the play brings a breath of fresh air. (Sh)Until Apr 9. Old Fitzroy Theatre, 29 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo. $28-$38. Tickets & info: oldfitztheatre.com or 0409 020 119

MACHU PICCU Wildly human, rich in drama and humorously blunt. machu Picchu follows the story of two civil engineers who must learn to re-live and re-evaluate their choices after suffering from a tragic event. it not only explores the extra-ordinary love story of Paul (Darren Gilshenan) and Gabby (Lisa mccune), it is also provocative in nature, asking the audience to re-evaluate their own life choices and priorities. (Nb)Until Apr 9. Wharf 1 Theatre,

The Wharf, Pier 4/5 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay. $64-$87. Tickets & info: sydneytheatre.com.au

BRUCE GLEN’S MAGICAL SOIREES Gentleman magician bruce Glen hosts Sydney’s most magical attraction, a soirée at one of Sydney’s most luxurious venues. bruce Glen is one of the select few granted membership of the magic circle – the most exclusive magic club on earth. this intimate evening of magic and stories is to become a regular Friday night event starting this week. reminiscent of the elegant, captivating events of the famous ‘salons’ of 19th century Europe, strict dress codes apply. (am)Every Friday from Mar 18. The Royal Automobile Club of Australia, 89 Macquarie Street, Sydney (cnr Albert Street). $75 (inc. drink & canapés on arrival). Tickets & info: gentlemanmagician.com.au

Faulty towers the Dining experience

Presented by the shake & stir theatre company and the Queensland Performing arts centre, and directed by Nick Skubij, Wuthering heights is an adaptation of the literary masterpiece by Emily brontë.

From the critically acclaimed company that brought productions of George Orwell’s 1984 and animal Farm to the stage, the play retells the classic tale of violent desire, and an intense, compulsive love between the characters of cathy Earnshaw and heathcliff. a story full of chaos, betrayal, violence and most of all – the destructive nature of a love so passionate and strong that it transcends all norms and conventions.

as the mysteriously wild character of heathcliff is

rescued from the streets by cathy’s father and brought to Wuthering heights, he develops a relationship of sorts with cathy and a hatred for her brother, hindley. Eventually, the passionate bond between heathcliff and cathy becomes almost too strong, bordering on obsession and jealousy. heathcliff leaves town in a rage when he finds out Cathy has married another man, only to return years later as a wealthy, polished man to exact revenge upon those he blames for his miseries and the betrayal he felt. (aSha)

Mar 22–23 (11am [includes Q&A] and 7:30pm). Parramatta Riverside Theatre. $25-$49. Tickets & info: riversideparramatta.com.au or 8839 3399

Golem is much like a giant graphic novel that has burst into life, it invites the audience to sit down to a visual feast and embark on a dark, fantastical tale.

arriving in Sydney this week, the Sydney theatre company presents this imaginative production from 1927, a truly unique british theatre company, described by London’s Evening Standard, as “unlike anything you will have experienced before… officially the

sexiest theatre company in town.”A dystopian fable for the twenty first

century, Golem cleverly and satirically explores one of the great questions of the modern world – who or what is in control of technologies?

this dilemma touches on the zeitgeist in all the right places, weaving the tale of an extraordinary, ordinary man through a seamless synchronisation of various storytelling crafts. Original live music, striking film, handmade animation, claymation and live performance all come together to form

into an unbelievable stage spectacular. an interpretation of the ‘golem’ of

Jewish folklore (an artificial creature created by magic, often to serve its creator) 1927’s production takes that idea and runs a thousand miles ahead of it – ending up with a merciless dissection of the trappings of consumerism and technology. (am)

Until Mar 26. Roslyn Packer Theatre, 22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay. $50-$55. Tickets & info: sydneytheatre.com.au or 02 9250 1777

goleM

wuthering heights

Andy Foreman as ManuelPhoto by Dylan Evans


THE NAKED CITY

With coffin Ed, JAy KAtzAnd Miss dEAthWe are all familiar with the various sydney

metropolitan and regional local councils and their ongoing controversies, but would you be surprised if norfolk island was now part of that group? in 2015 the norfolk island Legislation Amendment bill was passed in the Australian Parliament, abolishing self-government on norfolk island and transferring the island into a council as part of new south Wales law.

the decision has apparently polarised the norfolk community, between those in favour of the economic gains and those who have always valued their independence. it’s just the latest chapter in an ongoing narrative that stretches right back to that fateful day in April 1789 when fletcher christian led a group of disaffected crewman on the bounty, seizing control of the ship and dispatching the tyrannical captain bligh and his loyalists to a longboat.

since that time the story of ‘Mutiny on the bounty’ has become one of the great historical epics immortalised in numerous books, paintings and a number of hollywood films. now comes a unique musical interpretation of the narrative, composed and performed by one of the direct descendants of the mutineers, sydney based musician Rick Robertson.

‘Mutiny Music’, as the suite is called, traces the development of a new culture on Pitcairn island following the mutiny in 1789. fletcher christian and his crew abducted eighteen tahitians and set off to find somewhere to hide – with tiny, remote Pitcairn island eventually becoming their home.

Within ten years all the males bar one had perished, leaving a dozen tahitian women and twenty children. they were eventually discovered but left to their own devices for nearly seventy years, during which time they were joined by a few extra males, eventually ending up on norfolk island in 1856.

for Rick, the work is very much a part of his heritage, inspired by his discovery of some archival recordings of the ‘norf ’k’ language and the diverse cultural roots of the current norfolk islanders. As he explains:

“the Pitcairners were from two distinct cultural backgrounds – tahitian and English. the bounty’s

crew danced to hornpipes to stay fit, whereas Polynesian drumming and nose flutes were the order of the day for the tahitians. the Pitcairners, following their tumultuous beginnings, settled into a pious and peaceful existence meeting two or three times a day to worship and sing hymns. some of the hymns were composed on Pitcairn island and the melodies used in the suite.”

Rick has assembled some of Australia’s finest musicians to perform his work, which is also accompanied by projected images, making it a dynamic audio visual experience. the group features simon barker on log drums, Matt McMahon on fender Rhodes, Phil slater on trumpet, Alex hewetson on bass, Aykho Akhrif on percussion and Rick himself on saxes and spoken word. All of the artists have actually visited norfolk island and take a keen interest in the history and culture, each bringing their own unique contribution to the work.

first performed at the sydney fringe festival a few years ago, ‘Mutiny Music’ received a rave review in the sydney Morning herald and an equally ecstatic audience response. since then Rick has produced a recording of the suite, which will be officially launched at the sound Lounge. if you have both a love of music and a

real sense of historical adventure, this is an event not to be missed.

SIMA presents the Mutiny Music Suite: Saturday March 19. The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, City Road & Cleveland Street, Chippendale. $15-$35. Tickets & info: sima.org.au or 9351 7940

‘MUTINY MUSIC’ BRINGS HISTORY TO LIFE

LLOYD REES: PAINTING WITH A PENCIL 1930-36 A celebration of sydney telling the artists story through a series of stunning pencil drawings and sketches. having been an active artist for more than 70 years, Rees’s work has been the center of many exhibitions. however, this is an in-depth examination of Rees’s drawings from the 30’s period and includes over 30 never seen before images. during the 1930’s sydney underwent a period of rapid modernisation, with suburbs expanding and

the construction of the sydney harbour bridge. A classically beautiful exhibition. (nb)Until Apr 10. Museum of Sydney, Cnr Bridge and Phillips St, Sydney. $5-$10. More info: sydneylivingmuseums.com.au

CUSP: DESIGNING INTO THE NEXT DECADE seen by over 50,000 people around the country, this travelling national creative program is sure to be an experience that broadens the mind. the exhibition highlights the works of floyd

Mueller, Greg More, Leah heiss, stephen Mushin, and super critical Mass – an ongoing participatory sound project pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in their arena. they will attempt to use design to change the way we listen and will be presenting a one-night-only sub Mass, questioning our social structure in the process (more details to come). (Ah)Until Apr 28. Tues–Fri, 11am-4pm. Australian Design Centre, 101-115 William Street, Darlinghurst.

Free. Info: cusp-design.com or australiandesigncentre.com

WHEN SILENCE FALLS Providing a voice for those who have been silenced, this exhibition encompasses painting, video and sculpture; presenting the work of contemporary Aboriginal artists alongside contemporary international artists. it considers the violence and loss of often-unacknowledged historical events – cultural displacement, political oppression, ethnic

cleansing and massacres. featuring a new major acquisition by Australian indigenous artist Judy Watson, as well as significant loans from naomi Milgrom, ben Quilty, and Gene and brian sherman; this exhibition speaks strongly of conflict, but does not look to blame. (AM)Until May 1. 10am–5pm daily, Weds until 10pm. Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney. Free (exhibition catalogue $16.95). Info: artgallery.nsw.gov.au

White Rabbit is one of the most innovative galleries in sydney. A modern grey edifice nestled beside a magnificent jacaranda tree, whose leaves provide a fragile purple welcome mat, it is a truly unique sydney treasure.

their latest offering is heavy Artillery, a group show which features chinese and taiwanese artists.

Prominent themes in this exhibition are identity and tradition and the modernist impact on both. furthermore, the restrictive atmosphere in which chinese artists live results in work which is subtly subversive and intricately planned.

he Xiangyu’s contribution, ‘tank Project’ (2011–2013), is a

life sized leather replica of a chinese tank. the creator surreptitiously sneaked into an army base to obtain accurate dimensions, and this exemplifies the bravery required for free expression in a repressive state.

Xu zhen’s sculptures are typified by a combination of Western and Asian influences. ‘European thousand-Armed sculpture’ (2013–2014), has the artist reproducing 19 Western deities, including the statue of Liberty and Athena, and aligning them to produce a buddhist style multi-armed goddess.

in addition there is artist collective Polit-sheer-form office (Psfo), whose name is an

ironic nod to bureaucracy. their masterpiece, ‘Library’, a work of 25 bookshelves and 10,000 books, is a daring comment on Mao’s once ubiquitous little red book.

heavy Artillery showcases the craft, the cunning and the imagination of artists who need to navigate the perils of political indoctrination and censorship. these creations are a tribute to their ability to circumvent a conformist society to produce soaring works of art. (LR)

Mar 9–Aug 7 (10am-5pm, Wed-Sun). White Rabbit Gallery, 30 Balfour Street, Chippendale. Admission Free. Info: whiterabbitcollection.org

HEAvY ARTILLERY

He Xiangyu, Tank Project. 2011-2013


Miss Quincy: this bluesy, boozy and jazzy canadian rock n’ roller returns for her second australian tour. amid playing 18 festivals across three different continents, miss Quincy will be stopping off in marrickville for an intimate show. backed by a smoking hot aussie rhythm section, Quincy and company will be setting audiences on fire with their infectious upbeat songs and down and dirty grooves. brand new single ‘remind me of myself’ showcases Quincy’s powerhouse vocals and takes her song writing to a whole new level. Thurs, Mar 17, LazyBones LoungeRuby Boots: this is your last chance to catch this modern alt-country darling in australia for some time before she takes her i miss you already tour overseas. ruby boots’ bold, truth-soaked music and sparkly demeanour has seen her capture the attention of the local and international music community. her debut album Solitude was met with rapturous reception, and the Wam awards have named her Best Country Act for five years running. See what all the fuss is about!Fri, Mar 18, Newtown Social ClubThe Goons of Doom: this ‘party or die’ band hailing from Sydney have been running amuck playing festivals around the globe, even hailing in the New year at byron bay’s Falls Festival. they’ll be “flailing around like poisonous blue bottles” in cronulla this Friday night. a delightfully foul mouthed mish-mash of tunes, think along the lines of recent ‘stoner rock’ heroes Violent Soho and the Smith Street band meeting the Presidents of the united States, at times with a touch of 80s classics like madness (with a rude spin) – they’re the smirking bastard child of many influences, actually. Fri, Mar 18, Studio Six

Sydney Chamber Choir – Carmina Burana: For his first concert as new Music Director of Sydney chamber choir, richard Gill is conducting one of the 20th century’s most popular choral works, ‘carmina burana’, matched to the splendid ‘messe de Notre Dame’. this choral celebration of the sacred and profane, of morals and mockery, will be staged on the eve of Easter. Guillaume de machaut’s ‘messe de Notre Dame’ is a masterpiece of medieval spirituality. to honour machaut’s vision, Gill has also commissioned short musical tributes to the early composer from three young australian composers. Sat, Mar 19, City Recital HallKoi Child: Seven piece nu-jazz hip hop collaborative Koi child have embarked on their national album tour, following a “stupidly busy first year of formation” which saw them perform as special guests of tampe impala on their 2015 national tour and being named a Spotify Feature artist for 2016. these musicians harking from Freemantle will take over the Newtown Social club on Saturday night to support their debut self-titled album. their single ‘black Panda’, which has scored some triple j air time, is sure to go down a treat. Sat, Mar 19, Newtown Social ClubModest Mouse: Of the select byron bay bluesfest acts stopping in Sydney for a sideshow, we are lucky to see beloved american indie-rockers modest mouse paying us a long awaited return visit. With an extensive back catalogue to pick and choose from, many fans first fell in love with their unique sound thanks to singles like ‘Dashboard’ and ‘Float On’. this gig will also showcase infectiously popular new singles ‘Lampshades on Fire’ and ‘coyotes’. Mon, Mar 21, Enmore Theatre

LIVE WIRE

by JEmma cLarKESummer is technically over, but not if you get your butts down to the Oxford art Factory for Palms’ crazy rack National tour this Saturday night! Promising indie surfer rock sounds that will make you smile and shine like the summer sun, Palms are bringing you their newest songs in a high-energy show which lead singer Al Grigg says will be “a rockin’ fun time.”crazy rack is their second album, released in October last year, featuring ‘Beatdown’, the quick, cool single you may have heard on triple J, as well as ‘bad apples’, the song to start you off on that frantic indie-rock sound.it took only two weeks to record all 11 songs, some of which were created years ago. “We sort of collect songs as they come,” explained Grigg.When asked if he and his band members – tom, Dion & brendan – felt pressure creating the album, Grigg remarked: “the thing that worried me the most was that there’s a dude in Western australia who actually has a Palms tattoo on his wrist…

and i was like, f*ckin hell, if he doesn’t like this album it’s like *whispers* damnnn. it’s like he is more invested than we are almost,” he said, laughing.the title of the album, crazy rack, was inspired by a photograph that was taken by tom, the band’s drummer. Which, if you haven’t seen it, is a rack of colourful clothing outside of an op-shop. “We were backstage with cloud control and he [tom] was editing these photos and i saw this one come up and was like ‘yeah that’s gonna be the next album cover’. We hadn’t even written the album yet,”

recalled Grigg. “it became this cool, funny play on words…a classic rock and roll dream, but the reality is you are working in a crappy job just to pay your rent.”Playing four shows in four days, Palms are ready to keep the energy high. “touring is my favourite part of being in a band. i love playing in shows. i love the whole performance side. it’s the part i feel the most comfortable in,” said Grigg. Saturday March 19, 8pm. Oxford Art Factory, 38-46 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. $15+bf. Tickets & info: moshtix.com.au

SydnEy LIVE MuSIc GuIdE

by aLaNNah mahEr

Friday 11 March TEN PART INVENTIONSaturday 12 March TINA HARROD QUARTETFriday 18 March BEN WINKELMAN TRIOSaturday 19 March MUTINY MUSIC7 & 8 May BERRY JAZZ FESTIVAL

THE SOUND LOUNGESEYMOUR CENTRE CNR CITY RD & CLEVELAND ST, CHIPPENDALE

sima.org.au

061IC

T120

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SPEAR Stephen Page, the artistic director of bangarra Dance theatre, is no stranger to interpreting and developing stories of indigenous Australia on an international scale. With Spear, he transcends the stage and uses the land as a backdrop to an amazing, heart felt, vital form of storytelling that moves you with its movement. Very little dialogue, great camera work, and composition throughout and an intensity that is inescapable, Djali (hunter Page-Lochard) is perfectly cast in this splice of indigenous culture. (RM)WWWW

THE WILL TO FLY the story of Australia’s gold medal winning aerial freestylist, Lydia Lassila. The film is part biography, part history, and is an interesting tale of determination and triumph. the movie recounts

the journeys of the pioneers who came before her and Lydia’s quest to become the first female to perform a quad twisting triple somersault. the Will to Fly occasionally borders on hagiography but is a worthwhile tribute to a successful woman in a dangerous sport. (LR)WWW

GODS OF EGYPT this mythological swords-and-sandals epic set in Ancient Egypt is a special effects driven film. The story centers on a mortal hero who allies himself with a god in order to save the world and return his true love from the dead. historical accuracy has been discarded in this fanciful story. the spectacular cGi and special-effects overload initially delights, but become tiresome as the film

progresses. in all its grandeur, this action-packed adventure is somewhat disappointing and lacks that certain intangible element mandatory for blockbusters to enchant. (MMo)WW1/2

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES in the 19th century, a mysterious plague turns the English countryside into a war zone. No one is safe as the dead come back to life to terrorize the land. the strongest thing about the movie is the time spent on the two lead characters Elizabeth bennet (Lily James) and Mr Darcey (Sam Riley). this is a unique take on the genre that has a promising start, but it gets roped back with the clichés associated with it. (Ah)WWW

TRIPLE 9 Given all of the elements within the story – the Russian mafia, corrupt cops, and dedicated ex-special forces – combined with an all-star cast, this film really should have made away with the loot, but sadly stables at the pivotal moment and is captured by predictability. Director John hillcoat is a master at epic choreographed action sequences, these visceral scenes are the true standout of this film, but that is not enough to make up for a predictable plot that is fun but far from ground breaking. (JA)WWW

HOW TO BE SINGLE Alice (Dakota Johnson) learns how to be single after a breakup from long-time boyfriend Josh, and to help her is her promiscuous friend

Robin (Rebel Wilson) and older, unmarried sister Meg (Leslie Mann). this movie is slightly predictable but to counteract that the dialogue is humorous and light hearted. if you want to watch a fun, simple rom-com, this is it. (AMal)WWW1/2

HAIL, CEASAR! the coen brothers latest cinematic endeavour is a satirical tribute to the golden era of hollywood, when epic religious and musical movies dominated the box office. Set in the early 1950’s, the fictional capital Pictures are filming their enormous production hail, caesar! when leading actor baird Whitlock (George clooney) is kidnapped by a group of likeable commies. ingenious references to

real life actors and numerous strangely engaging sequences should transfix audiences. (MMo)WWW1/2

CONCUSSION Will Smith is in the lead role as the Nigerian forensic pathologist Dr bennet Omalu, who was responsible for discovering chronic traumatic encephalopathy (ctE) in NFL players and thus triggered a long fight with the league and American society. this battle is portrayed rather poorly, constantly jumping forward large time spans, and only showing brief glimpses of the backlash directed towards Omalu. Smith is fantastic in his portrayal of Omalu, although the Nigerian accent may be off putting for some. (JA)WW1/2

have you seen the Oscar-winner for best Original Screenplay and best Picture yet?Despite its unassuming title, Spotlight boasts a story which makes it a film everyone must see. the title of the film is drawn from the boston Globe’s investigative journalism team who uncovered the atrocities committed by a remarkably large number of catholic Priests, firstly in boston and then later around the world.

This film could easily have become slow, plodding and depressing – but it masterfully avoids those pitfalls by mixing the overarching story of the catholic church with the day-to-day task of digging through documents and chasing leads while researching the horrors, the stories of some of the survivors, and finally the tales of the four journalists tasked with the high pressure assignment.those four journalists, Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton), Sacha Pfieffer (Rachel McAdams), Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo) and Matt carroll (brian d’Arcy James) are played expertly, with each of them having very distinctive personalities and individual stories to convey.

Spotlight is a masterpiece in that it manages to perfectly balance all of these separate yet intertwined stories, and ensure each piece of the puzzle seems just as relevant as the last. this is one of the best films to tackle investigative journalism and leaves the audience with the nagging question of what will happen to this type of journalism if newspapers continue down the path we see today. (JA)WWWW1/2

Growing up watching children’s television in the early ‘90s, it was practically impossible to get through a week without being treated to a parable – or if you were unlucky, a lecture – about prejudice and xenophobia. invariably their morals boiled down to the same, simple message: be nice to one another.Zootopia, Disney’s latest animated adventure, offers similar platitudes early on. Rural rabbit Judy hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) wants to join the police force, and despite the judgements of her parents and peers – who are astounded at the very idea of a ‘bunny cop’ – she steels herself through a tough run at police academy and becomes a full-fledged officer. Stereotypes exist in this world – rabbits are ‘cute’ carrot farmers, foxes are ‘sneaky’ and untrustworthy – but try hard enough and you can overcome the odds. thankfully, Zootopia’s creators soon update their anti-racist rhetoric for the 21st century. Zootopia – a sprawling metropolis divided into a host of different settings (snow, desert, rainforest, etc.) and populated by countless different species of animals – isn’t quite the haven of tolerance and acceptance Judy expected.Judy’s forays into ‘real’ police work – such as defending a fox (Jason bateman) from discrimination – don’t warrant the acclaim you (and she) might expect. the fox turns

out to be a popsicle hustler by the name of Nick Wilde, who comprehensively shuts down the young cop’s optimistic view. For the kiddies in the audience who might not be overly receptive to ruminations on racism, directors bryan howard and Rich Moore offer up a colourful, richly detailed world. there’s plenty to satisfy the parents, too. there’s the occasional pop culture reference – but they’re light enough to keep this from feeling like a Shrek sequel. there’s also a briskly-paced mystery plot to keep you entertained. using animal species as an allegory for race seems clever. but it’s an imperfect analogy – a fox is a predator and a rabbit isn’t; there’s a biological component involved that isn’t relevant to race. thankfully, the screenwriters recognised this failing in the film’s third act, in which the biological component of their world is explicitly challenged. “in Zootopia, anyone can do anything,” is rejected for something appreciably messier. Neat, huh?there’s some ropey plotting going on – but that said, this nitpicking shouldn’t dissuade you from checking out a film that features gorgeous animation, brilliant set design and a nuanced consideration of racism. Probably better suited to the parents than the kids, though. (Dc)WWW1/2

SPOTLIGHT

As an adaptation of henrik ibsen’s the Wild Duck, the Daughter is imaginatively set in working-class tasmania, where a timber town is beset by economic woes and secrets. A stellar cast including Geoffrey Rush, Anna Torv and Sam Nielsen give weight to the film.But despite the cast, The Daughter is a glorified dark soap opera. the camera has a perpetual eye on Odessa Young, the titular daughter. This film is really more of an annoyance but the first-time director, Simon Stone, wants to advertise it as high art. It is not. This a very dull film, though Stone does find the harrowing and sorrowful situation of

bewildering poverty in a tasmanian town.Secrets surface, the community – including the timber boss (Geoffrey Rush) go into crisis. A long-lost brother tells tales out of school. And the close-knit community descends into a spiral of hate and melancholy.This film very over-emotional, and frankly, pointless. its release has been delayed numerous times, and its recent media blitz suggests it never had sturdy legs. this might be the most annoying and overblown movie of the year. (OA)WW



Tickets $15 | Concession $13 | Child $10

1 April | 7:30pm

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL at CASULA POWERHOUSE

BOOKINGS AND ENQUIRIESt. 9824 1121 e. [email protected]

Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre1 Powerhouse Road, Casula(enter via Shepherd Street, Liverpool)

www.casulapowerhouse.comDinner $ 17

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City Hub 17 March 2016