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DICK on DVD

May 12th 2010 04:48
Columbia TriStar Home Video
PHOENIX PICTURES presents
A PACIFIC WESTERN production

A FILM BY ANDREW FLEMING

DICK


Kirsten Dunst
Michelle Williams
Dave Foley
Harry Shearer
Dan Hedaya as Dick



Why is Dick so funny? The buck rests with openly gay writer director Andrew Fleming it's much more fun than Threesome (1994) another of his films on video. I think it's his camp sensibility that lifts Dick up and holds it firmly in cheek. It is not the glorious comedy of stupidity like The Brady Bunch Movie, it isn't a satire, Dick remains truthful and as close to reality as possible, so the circumstances and characters are easy to accept. Seriously funny stuff. I'll call it queer rather than camp because it has the sort of edge The Brady Bunch Movie much as I love it, never even attempted.

The cast work very well as an ensemble and there are brilliantly colorful moments as well as brief encounters with deeply felt and expressed feelings. It would be a fabulous video to watch with Romy and Michele's High School Reunion and so cool to sit home and see with a group at a slumber party. It could even be useful to watch if you want to flunk a Modern American History class. I take my cap off to the whole team who have brought it to life.

I imagine if Marcia and Jan Brady were available they would have been cast in this queerly delightful film, I'm sure they had a part to play in the conception of it.


It's an excellent family film, full of extremely enjoyable moments that made films like Romy and Michele's High School Reunion and Cluless, so much fun. Using the same sort of conceit as Forrest Gump does, Dick gets deeper than Romy & Michele or Cluless, by placing the two blonde girls slap bang into the whole Watergate scandal, but only as a plot point to drive the story.

Rather than originating every major development in American culture (Run Forrest, run!) these two blondes simply assist in exposing one big fat silly Dick, Richard Nixon that is.

Kirsten Dunst as Betsy and Michelle Williams as Arlene are no less than brilliant as they scream, giggle, scream, secret-whistle, scream, stupefy and scream their way down the corridors of the Whitehouse in 1970's Washington D.C. Not since her steely characterisation as the child vampire in Interview with the Vampire have I seen Dunst hit the nail so heavily on the head acting wise. Michelle Williams (a regular cast member of Dawson's Creek at the time, pre-Heath and Matilda) is every part equal as the ever so slightly older, but none the wiser fatherless friend.

Together they seem like Marcia and Jan one moment, or fashionwise, a young Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone the next. All derivatives aside, these actors create likeable characters you will remember.

Dan Hedaya is Nixonesque enough to make Anthony Hopkins seem pale in the Oliver Stone feature not that you could otherwise compare the two. His hatred for the presidential pooch Checkers is a great running gag to watch and his mood swings seem truthful to a tee.

Costume Designer Deborah Everton dresses the two girls in fine 1970's fashion. I'm almost sure I've seen Jan and Marcia in those pyjamas.

I'm proud to say I even wore clothes like the studly young dude Betsy tries to seduce as the girls steal one of the tapes Nixon lost when I was his age. I couldn't say anything bad about this film, if you saw it on the screen, take it home on video and see it again because it's as sophisticated as classic queer comedy comes. If you wondered what I mean by queerly funny, substitute the word camp, but remember we have two teenage girls involved with the President, his dog, journalists from the Washington Post; I think it's fair to say this is better than camp.

Ten out of ten for biggest best value Dick!


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Adelaide Festival wraps up 2010

March 14th 2010 23:27
Paul Grabowsky delivered a fine Adelaide Festival, and now the mops, brooms and buckets are out cleaning up after. It was a fantastic festival, despite some of the more dodgey OHS issues I spied along the way.

Artistic Director Grabowsky was on the local television news saying he didn't care what critics said, calling them background noise. Well, fair enough Mr G. One thing to keep in mind is that while he may not care, it is one of the only ways people wanting to have some sense of trying before buying like to read a review or two before slapping their money on the table.

There are some things I will not fork out for until I've had some feedback on, be it a word of mouth mention or a review by a critic I trust, or feel I'm usually in opposition to, and so if they didn't like it I most likely would.

It's a little dangerous to hear a festival director say such a thing, but I guess he is still riding high on the greatness of the whole thing.

I'll be back to expand and improve on the overall wrap up a little later. I've seen several shows and will list the ones I thought were great.

The thing is, there were quite a few things where a little improvement could go a long way. I've been a part of the Sydney Festival and the Adelaide Festival in the past - and I think there are a few things that could lift the game of this local festival; lift it from really good to fantastic. So stay tuned.
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John Cale's Keynote Online

February 18th 2010 09:14

Watch and Listen to John Cale's Keynote Online

On February 15 underground rock royalty and founding member of the Velvet Underground, John Cale, cut the red ribbon for Modular and Sydney Festival's Circa 1979: Signal to Noise with a Keynote speech at the Seymour Centre.

Hipsters rubbed shoulders with electronic pioneers in a packed out York Theatre as Cale showed off a few snaps and described working with the likes of Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Happy Mondays, The Stooges and LCD Soundsystem before capping things off with a mind blowing rendition of "Heart Break Hotel."

If you missed the speech or want to listen/watch it again, ABC's Big Ideas are streaming it online.
John Cale
January 28, 2010 at 10:23am in circa 1979: signal to noise
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Chamber Music Festival 2010

February 5th 2010 22:56
Chinese Gardens
Chamber Music Festival 2010

Musica Viva is pleased to support the Chinese Garden Chamber Music Festival

Following on from the success of the first ever Chinese music festival in Australia in February 2009, the 2010 Chinese Garden Chamber Music Festival will be held:

February 4th to 6th in Sydney’s Chinese Garden of Friendship (Download Brochure)

We are proud to announce that 2010 will feature three of China’s masters of the erhu, pipa and guqin, Xing Lu, Tong Ying and Jin Wei. These extraordinary, virtuosic musicians will join prominent Australian artists in performing Chinese and Australian works, both ancient and modern. You will hear some of the world’s best chamber musicians from both countries in the intimate and magical environment of the Chinese Garden including the Orava String Quartet, Chinese Australian Music Ensemble, cellist Patrick Murphy, percussionists Claire Edwards, Kevin Man and Timothy Constable and The Sydney Chinese Music Ensemble.

There will be six concerts over the three days – three ‘yum cha’ concerts, all beginning at 11.30am, and three evening concerts at 7pm each night. Tickets will also include stimulating pre-talks before evening concerts and an excellent Chinese meal. Wine will be available.

Only 147 tickets are available for each concert and bookings can be made through the Musica Viva box office on 1800 688 482

More information about the festival HERE

John Huie
Artistic Director

"John Huie is an Australian musician and arranger that has spent some considerable time in Hong Kong and China researching various world music styles, including film soundtracks for Golden Harvest and also a commemorative piece for the 1997 handover. Now based in Shanghai, he has put together a crack band of local musicians to recreate many of the 1930’s jazz songs that were the soundtrack to the city in its pre-war heyday. “Shanghai Jazz – Musical Seductions From China’s Age of Decadence” is the sublime result."

"After moving to Shanghai in 2002, he spent three years researching and reproducing the authentic songs and musical style of Shanghai in the 1930s. The albums Shanghai Jazz 1 and Shanghai Jazz 2, were released by EMI. Huie then continued to write for small ensembles using a combination of traditional European and Chinese instruments, which resulted in the release of New Shanghai, also with EMI.During this time he wrote a number of film scores including The White Countess by legendary New York based film duo Merchant Ivory." SOUNDPET

Read the review for last years festival by Peter McGill below

Venue: Chinese Gardens, Darling Harbour, Sydney

Dates: 5, 6, 7, & 8th February, 2009

Producers: Chinese Chamber Music Company | Musica Viva | Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

February in Sydney is the perfect time to be sitting in the magical setting of the Chinese Gardens, Darling Harbour, and listening to chamber music. This was the inaugural festival which means that we will be treated to this event, hopefully, for many years to come. The music began just before dusk and on a gorgeous summer evening the Chinese Gardens couldn’t have looked more beautiful.

The proceedings began with a ‘Greeting to Country’ and the Festival was opened by the Governor of NSW Professor Marie Bashir AC. The Artistic Director of the Festival was John Z. Huie who is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium High School and has studied under Carl Vine. He lived for 15 years in Hong Kong, from 1991, studying the art of Chinese Chamber music. He was commissioned by the Hong Kong government to compose a piece, which he called “The Honourable Retreat”, for the handover from British rule back to China on 30th June, 1997. In 2002 he moved to Shanghai to research the complexities of that city's authentic songs of the 1930’s, later composing an album Shanghai Jazz, produced by EMI, and for which a tribute concert was held recently to honour his contributions. He has also written film scores, choral works, and produced, composed, and performed in various music ensembles.

Chinese instrumentalists performing with traditional instruments were a delightful highlight to the festival and the opening piece was Fang Yu on the ‘guqin’ which is one of the worlds oldest instruments.

Guqin


The Shanghai Chinese Music Ensemble played a traditional Chinese folk song “Chun Jiang Hua Yue Ye”, (English translation “Night Along The River”) with other traditional instruments and Lulu Liu played a ‘pipa’ solo called “Ospreys Sporting with Water”. In the second half of evening The Chinese Australian Chamber Ensemble with guest artists Professor Wang Zheng Ting (sheng)and Tony Wheeler (zhong ruan) played a traditional Chinese New Year piece. To round out the evening Australian pianist Michael Kierin Harvey performed “Goldfish” by Debussy and “Mephisto Waltz No.1” by Liszt.

Pipa


Not all the music on offer was instrumental. We were treated to the pentatonic sounds of ‘pingtan’, a traditional Suzhou (Chinese) Opera, which has harmonies in pentatonic scales that align with the ancient instruments of China. Sung in Chinese and a little foreign to the western ear it was accessible because of its use of the pentatonic scale, quite an experience.

The music in this festival is out of the ordinary and the opportunity to experience the worlds’ pre-eminent practitioners playing instruments thousands of years old in their design is exciting and new to Australia. If you missed the Inaugural Chinese Chamber Music Festival put it in your diary for next year. I doubt you will be disappointed.

Peter McGill.
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REVIEW | MARTHA WAINWRIGHT AUSTRALIA IN NOVEMBER

November 23rd 2008 05:08
REVIEW
Fri 21 Nov, 10pm
The Gov, Adelaide

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT

Martha Wainwright is a wonderful singer and her down to earth personality is always somewhat droll. She bemoaned that she'd spent the day in Adelaide in bed, and joked about the whole serial-killer thing here... until a local shouted out that we were all "glad to see her", when she got the idea it would be best to move on. That she certainly did, without leaving any strange question hanging of why that sort of a joke she simply requested more beers for the band and got on with the show. It was a windy balmy night in serial killer central, and we were out in force to appreciate the great and spirited Martha.

Her new material mixed in with her old, and her voice as ever captures great depth and emotion. Perhaps some of the melodies she naturally resounds creep over from one song to another, but I think it's that lilt and stream of sounds that ground her, and us in the listening.

I couldn't say I've seen her all by herself before, so I did hanker for moments in the past when I've seen her in concert with brother Rufus and mother Kate, or on stage for Came so far for beauty at the Opera House in 2005. However having said that - she held her own without the need of any support as such, and the support she received from the band was excellent.

I think everyone at The Gov had themselves a great and adorable time in spite of a cold and windy night, Martha shared the great resonance of her warmth and noone went homew without a special glow.

David Jobling



MARTHA WAINWRIGHT IN AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER

I interviewed her brother Rufus when he was over and the two of them were doing the Leonard Cohen Tribute, Came so far.... Make no mistake both siblings are great on stage and I'd say it's because they have both been involved in the music and entertainment industry on account of their show biz folks, since they were kids. This will be a concert not to be missed.

David Jobling



“Martha Wainwright excels at both singing and songwriting, and earns herself a spot among this decade’s foremost performers.” Popmatters.com

“…a grand, glowering gravitas – part Patti Smith, part Leonard Cohen” Uncut Magazine

“…taking music and wringing from it a startling wealth of shiver-inducing moments.” Pitchfork Media

“Wainwright moves amid prettily finger-picked folk-rock and more eccentric arrangements” NY Times

“…her stage presence suggests several things at one time - defiant and strong, yet with an edge of sadness and vulnerability as well.” Spin Magazine

As part of the famous Wainwright/McGarrigle musical dynasty, Martha Wainwright was engulfed in a sea of music from childbirth. But the Brooklyn-based chanteuse has cemented her claim as a bona-fide artist in her own right.

Following the release of her sophomore album, I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too, Martha Wainwright and her full band are returning to Australia in November 2008.

Disbanding her initial career choice as an actor when she realized her priorities lay with songwriting, the Montreal native moved to New York City where her burgeoning singer-songwriter career began. Performing in bars and coffee-houses across the city, her signature raw stage presence blossomed and bloomed into the rousing live performer we see today.

With a constantly changing timbre of depth, Wainwright displays a remarkable polarity between songs of harrowing despair that also show a sense of spontaneity and playfulness. It is this striking mixture of light and shade and her ability to conceptualize, tackle and achieve dynamic arrangements that marry so beautifully with her heartfelt lyrics of remarkable candour and acrimonious humour.

She can, within a single verse, play both angel and demon.

On Wainwrights’s second album, I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too, she is joined by legendary figures including Pete Townsend, The Band’s Garth Hudson, Donald Fagen from Steely Dan, as well as Rufus, mum and aunt Kate and Anna McGarrigle respectively, and cousin Lily Lakin - another rising star of the lineage. Though an impressive lineup, they serve as a backdrop to what is a compelling one-woman show.

Embarking on a European tour with her band in October before heading to Australia, this show is one not to be missed.

AUSTRALIA TOUR DATES – OCTOBER 2008
Wed 12 Nov Enmore Theatre, Sydney
ticketek.com.au 132 849
Thu 13 Nov The Forum, Melbourne
ticketek.com.au 132 849
Sat 15 Nov Meeniyan Hall, Meeniyan
lyrebirdartscouncil.com 03 5664 9239
Tue 18 Nov The Tivoli, Brisbane
ticketek.com.au 132 849
Wed 19 Nov Wrest Point, Hobart
wrestpoint.com.au 1300 795 257
Fri 21 Nov The Gov, Adelaide
thegov.com.au 08 8340 0744
Sat 22 Nov Fly By Night, Fremantle
moshtix.com.au 1300 438 849
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REVIEW | Phillip Johnston & the Coolerators

October 9th 2008 01:06
Phillip Johnston and the Coolerators


VENUE: Riverside Theatres

DATE: Sunday 4 October at 7.30pm 2008

Parramatta Riverside Theatres

Phillip Johnston is originally from the U.S.A. and now lives in Australia. He is an accomplished saxophonist as well as being an arranger and composer of jazz and contemporary music; he has also composed for a multitude of genres such as silent film, theatre, and dance and been the force behind the ensembles the Microscopic Septet (whose back catalogue was re-released in 2006 by Cuniform Records), Big Trouble, and The Transparent Quartet. He recently collaborated with Hilary Bell, who wrote lyrics, on the silent film soundtrack Faust by F.W. Mumau, and has taught composition at the Steinhardt School of Music at New York University.
Caricature by Mathew Martin
Sam Golding on the tuba adds a dynamic bass note that accentuates the swing elements and balances the timbre of the group. His musical interests include Senegalese Mbalax, Cuban Son, Caribbean Steel Pans, Cabaret, Symphony Orchestras, Classical Brass Trios and Classical Hindustani Bansouri, and Reggae. Other groups he has performed with are Jackie Orszaczky’s Budget Orchestra, Chosani Afrique, Monsieur Camembert, Sydney Conservatorium Big Band, Nadya Golski and the 101 Candles Orkestra, The S-Bend, and the Sydney University Orchestra.

jazz and swing with a splattering of funk
that is all class
Peter McGill


Toby Hall's percussion provides an abundant backbone for the quartet. Highly sort after as a drummer he has worked with the cream of Australian jazz musicians, Don Burrows, Paul Grabowsky, Bernie McGann, Phil Slater, and Vince Jones amongst the mix. He has also been engaged by top international artists such as Charles Mingus, Doug Cameron, and Sheila Jordan. Hall’s ability to play intuitive intricate rhythms and time signatures on the backbeat with distinctive and stylish elegance is an exciting feature of the group. His personality on stage also brought a welcome element of humour to the night’s entertainment.

Alister Spence is well known on the Australian jazz circuit with his group the Alister Spence Trio. He is a pianist and composer of renown and has also worked with Don Burrows and Bernie McGann, as well as a diverse range of Australian music luminaries like Ed Kuepper, Archie Roach, Paul Capsis, and Dale Barlow. He co-led the internationally recognised Clarion Fracture Zone and has contributed richly to the Australian recording industry with many of his contributions winning Australian Jazz Album of the Year.

Phillip Johnston and the Coolerators are consummate musical artists, they present a unique style of jazz performance that is relaxed, smooth, and eloquent with phrasing that bursts forth intricate improvisations in jazz and swing with a splattering of funk that is all class - for the uninitiated and jazz aficionados alike a delight to imbibe.

Peter McGill


Band Website

Band Members
Phillip Johnston: alto, soprano saxophones
Alister Spence: organ
Steve Arie: bass
Toby Hall: drums
The Coolerators is a Sydney-based quartet, led by New York expatriate Phillip Johnston, combining the organ-based “groove jazz” style identified with Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack Macduff & Dr. Lonnie Smith with more contemporary and idiosyncratic influences.

The repertoire features originals and reinvented cover tunes. It features some of Sydney’s best-loved jazz musicians: Alister Spence, organ, Steve Arie, bass, and Toby Hall, drums.
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WICKED | Vale | Rob Guest

October 3rd 2008 22:04
VALE | Rob Guest (1950 - 2008)

Rob Guest (1950 - 2008)


Much loved and greatly talented thespian Rob Guest has passed away. He had been at home with his partner Kellie Dickerson, Wicked's musical director, when he collapsed about 10pm on Tuesday. In true theatre style, the show must go on, and so the Wicked cast did it with 'Guesty' in heart and mind as understudy Rodney Dobson played the Wizard, the role Guest had been performing.

Guest, 58, suffered a massive stroke on Tuesday evening in Melbourne and died early Thursday in St Vincent's Hospital after he was taken off life support, surrounded by family and friends.

The first unexpected news reports revealed his condition to be extremely grave; family, friends and fans drew their best attentions towards the well traveled actor and singer who started his life journey in England and was awarded an OBE for his services to the New Zealand entertainment industry later in life. Guest found success in USA then New Zealand as a pop star before arriving in Australia to perform in Les Miserables some years ago.



As well as Les Miserables and roles in many other shows, Guest spent seven years in the lead role as the Phantom of the Opera, performing over 2,000 performances.

Guest, relocated to Melbourne from the Gold Coast when he took the role in Wicked.

When he shall die
Take him and cut him out in little stars
And he will make the face of heav'n so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.
~William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet


The inaugural WICKED DAY will be held on Sunday 26 October 2008 at the Regent Theatre. WICKED will join forces with ANZ and Starlight Children's Foundation to create some WICKED magic for seriously ill children and their families.

This exclusive event includes a never been seen before pre-show experience hosted by Australian Producer John Frost & a ticket to the 1pm performance of WICKED (children are welcome).

Limited tickets available at $250 per head, subject to availability. Proceeds donated to the Starlight Children's Foundation. To book, please contact Ticketek Groups on (03) 9299 9030.


The official companion to the Broadway Musical
Wicked:The Grimmerie
By David Cote


This Hyperion Book is the readers master class to Wicked the stage
musical; it contains the story of the show, how it came together, the songs, the characters in breakdown and a great deal of excellent photography showing various props and set elements. It's more than a superficial look and will delight those already planning to travel
East for the Australian cast version of the show. New musicals are not exactly rare – but ones that actually entertain an audience and provide something new and engaging don't come around all that often. As one follows the yellow brick road to Wicked early on in the book it's made clear The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is the initial
inspiration to Wicked (first the novel, then the stage musical) and
much is made of the timeless characteristics of that original font of
all things Oz.

The question 'Are people born wicked?' drives the subtext of the musical and to some degree it begs the answer 'Are people born American?!' which is not to suggest that Americans are wicked, but that the story is very American, and a fascinating reflection on the shifting standards and morals between the satirical original Oz stories and today's inspired revisiting of that wondrous place.

Wicked: The Grimmerie will provide solid insights for High School Drama students as well as anyone who wants to study theatre production or get swept up in the strikingly green world of Elphaba (she destined to become the Wicked Witch) and her salad days.

David Jobling
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REVIEW | Risky Lunar Love

September 22nd 2008 04:19
Luke Milton’s
 Risky Lunar Love

Directed by John Sheedy
Reviewed by Peter McGill



RISKY LUNAR LOVE
CarriageWorks’
Bay 20 theatre
limited season.

Risky Lunar Love is written by Luke Milton and made its' first appearance in 2002 as a university project in Perth. The concept is a musical theatre sci-fi extravaganza which involves a sex goddess from outer space who has a whole planet of Venus babes that need seeding. The goddess manipulates two rival earthbound sci-fi writers into being her donors but before she commits to either one she has to be sure that they are up to the task.

The show is risqué, with an 18 rating, funky, retro, sci-fi, and contemporary. While Milton’s script is pure unashamedly 50’s sci-fi B-grade movie the production design by Gypsy Taylor, who has worked on Moulin Rouge, is a blast fusion of 50’s retro kitsch with a neon contemporary vogue. It has twists and turns, astounding characters, and Rabelais-esque debauchery all over the place, all driven by the magical powers of a Tiki.

There is a potent sense of familiarity with the Rocky Horror Picture Show in the storyline as well as the stylized movement and choreography by John O’Connell who has also worked on Rocky Horror and Moulin Rouge.

A highlight of the production is the live original music. Brent Hill wrote the basis of the score then collaborated with Ross Johnston, from Machine Gun Fellatio. Together they worked on seventeen of the eighteen musical numbers. The band and the music are a dynamic powerhouse of auditory sensation. The musical virtuosity carries the action and adds to the funky flavour.

Director John Sheedy has melded these elements and realized a wacky, out-there, sexy, sci-fi romp which is trying hard to push the boundaries of musical theatre. The performers work well as an ensemble.

Risky Lunar Love is an exciting new Australian adult musical.

Peter McGill.


Risky Lunar Love
Writer Luke Milton
Director John Sheedy
Producer Oliver Wenn
Original Music Brent Hill
Musical Director Ross Johnson
Choreographer John O’Connell
Designer Gypsy Taylor
Cast: Eliza Anderson, Don Christopher, Shannon Dooley, Ryan Gibson, Sheridan Harbridge,
David Hynes, Julia Ohannissian, Mark Pound, Emma Palmer, Nick Simpson Deeks, Lauren Rutherford, Melle Stewart, Lucy Taylor, Amy Usherwood, Sophie Webb.

Carriageworks Bay 20 Theatre

From Monday 15 September
15 September- 4 October
Media night Thursday 18 September
Tue - Fri & Sun 8pm, Sat 5pm & 9pm.
Preview Monday 15 September $29.00(Unreserved)
Function Nights 1 & 2- $35 Stalls & $45 Table (Unreserved)
A Reserve $45.00
B Reserve $30.00
Premium Reserve $55.00
Tables including food and wine service
Table $95 per head (min two persons)
Group of 4 $365
Group of 8 $720.00
Menu options available when booking
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 723 038



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REVIEW: The DC Vault

September 3rd 2008 13:32

The DC Vault
by Martin Pasko



Everywhere you look, on every surface imaginable one way or another there is an image from the world of DC Comics and that’s just the way they like it over at DC. This new book The DC Vault is a complete beauty as far as the art work and treasures it holds goes.

I’m a little skeptical about the ring-binder style of publication, it’s practical to a point but a little frustrating because you have to be quite careful with it; not as tear-proof as Superman’s cape. I guess that contributes to the sense of ownership and its special status as an interactive object. Obviously a book is an interactive object, but this one more so than the average because it contains a variety of awesome little treasures inside plastic slips; so in the act of reading the book, or even simply looking through it, one is tempted consistently to pull out each of the treasures and have a look. It’s something you unfold and avoid damaging. Speaking of the treasures I have to say I was a bit flabbergasted with delight.

Excellent objects such as: The No.1 Action Comics cover; great artwork. Spicy Detective cover, Passion Killer (1922); what a rare little hoot this is. Face down but searching up with her eyes, a woman bound at the wrists on a red rug with a dead match on the wooden floor. No wonder there was such a close watch on comics from the moral majority. Double Action Comics #2, Ashcan (January 1940) a great reproduction. A Batman Mask reproduction from 1943; cute as. Wonder Woman Button (May 1942) reproduced as a sticker, so you’ll have to decide yourself if you want to peel and stick it or not.

This is a collectors dream. A reproduction of original artwork by Joe Kubert (1976) with a deliciously devilish story referenced. A Wonder Woman Bookmark (1987); I love that the princess is saying reading is strength, and DC Moving Notice (1980) another fabulous plaything, wonderful artwork. Shazam Cellophane Button (1972) reproduced as a sticker; Shazam is Coming. It’s magnificent stuff with the freshest from the vault feeling you could hope for.

There’s a great insight into the whole DC Comics universe which means television and animation production as much as publishing comics. What a remarkable thing was The New Adventures of Wonder Woman in the 1970’s. Lynda Carter cut a fine figure, but possibly not as fine as Jenette Kahn the incoming manager in 1976 who led a shift in the entire comic industry between 1976 and 2004.

How much do people love the comic world of DC Comics? Plenty; for example when the publishers decided to create a story called Crisis where various planet Earths in the Multiverse are crashed together, and a range of super heroes are brought together onto one planet Earth it created a bridge for readers into the stories of characters they’d never considered to read. Some readers were annoyed by it, but others responded by publishing an index in two volumes of the whole thing. That’s love, dedication and wonder.

If you know little or nothing of this vast world, here in the Vault is the best place to start; highly informative and containing a beautiful reproduction of the History of the DC Universe Poster (1987) with everybody’s favourites all in one big group. For a considerable period of time there was censorship in cartoons in the form of the Comics Code and you had to publish outside the seal of the code if you wanted to publish horror or crime titles. Once the Time Warner merge happened in the late 1980’s DC Comics promised to pour many fine stories into the Hollywood machine…

The Batman Movie changed a great deal for Warner and DC as well as Michael Keaton who rode a few good lead roles on the dramatic trail after his moody portrayal. I personally will always love Jack as The Joker; a Joker for the time. Just as Karen Berger was clearly the woman to step up on the helm of new imprint Vertigo in 1993. Over the years from the start until now there have been some fine items left in the DC Vault, something to continue to treasure for every comic lover who will want this very much.


David Jobling

The DC Vault, published by Running Press, distributed by Bookwise International RRP$65.00 Available now in good bookstores.

dccomics.com
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Cassingle is the new CD!

July 16th 2008 06:12
David McCormack


Cassingle is the new CD release from David McCormack. It is something to nibble on whilst you are having a pre-dinner drink. Expect a full album later in 2008. And DON’T PANIC if you have NO IDEA how to create your own cassette from this CD, Jewel Case and (He)artwork – David has kindly supplied all the necessary instructions in the 10 How To Tips supplied. You might need to look up a dictionary under “cassette”. Others will fondly recall their first time recording a record to cassette many years ago.

The Cassingle is essentially a 6 track EP. And whilst McCormack has produced each track you will also hear that Wayne Conolly and “Master” Magoo have lent a hand here and there, as, well now old mates and cohorts to love to work together, even on the smaller projects. They too cannot help themselves but have something to nibble whilst having a pre dinner drink! New name to some, Wes Chew makes an appearance in the recording process.

First cab off the rank is the gorgeous I Don’t Even Know Where To Start With This Kind Of Music, an instant McCormack classic along the lines of Beck’s Sea Change. It is a hazy meditation on loneliness, music and the passing of time. Backed on this track by his long suffering backing group, The Polaroids and mixed by Magoo, McCormack’s rarely sounded better.

Next up we have two tracks recorded in one evening with a pick up band in Kings Cross. The song writing and the playing is wild and free, just the way we like it. Text Book and A.V.O. have to be heard to be believed. Track 4, Hey Lord sees McCormack entering into some quasi-religious material. Think Tom Waits catching a bus with the Flaming Lips and you’ll be about half way there. At last, the truth about fame and fortune, track 5 Rockstar.

We wrap the whole thing up with I Won’t Let You Down, a beautiful string soaked ballad that let’s us all know McCormack is still out there, singing the blues the way only a Brisbane boy can.

Watch out for the David McCormack Retrospective featuring songs from 1990 to 2008 including songs from the Cassingle in October.

Friday July 18th - The Brass Monkey, Cronulla

Tickets from the venue 02 9544 3844


Sunday July 20th - The Heritage Hotel, Wollongong

Tickets from the venue 02 4284 5884



Friday July 25th The Troubadour, Brisbane

Tickets from Oztix or 1300 762 545



Saturday July 26th - Joe's Waterhole, Eumundi
Tickets from the venue 07 5442 814 and Backbeat 07 5479 5115
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