101 Must see movies for Gay Men
May 12th 2010 04:52
MATURE CONTENT
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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!
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
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.
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.
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Posted By: David Jobling - Category: Review, Live, Sydney Scene, Adelaide Scene, Melbourne Scene, Brisbane Scene, Perth Scene, Australia National , CD/DVD, News, Qstage
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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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You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story | BOOK REVIEW
February 6th 2009 07:57
Way back in 1923 brothers Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack L. Warner incorporated their new motion picture company which continues to this day to produce major films.
Warner Brothers
Warner Bros. (WB) Studios’ 85th anniversary was celebrated in 2008 and part of the celebration was the release of, You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story, an illuminating new documentary produced, written and directed by award-winning filmmaker and Time magazine Senior Film critic Richard Schickel. Clint Eastwood narrates.
The documentary You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story was broadcast in the USA in three-parts. Now you can have much of the detail on your lap in the form of this beautiful hard cover publication written by Richard Schickel & George Perry, with a Foreword by Clint Eastwood. It's a handsomely covered coffee table book spins-off and ties-in to the five-hour PBS doco that Schickel wrote and produced. Full of essays on the studio's history from its humble beginnings through a variety of changes in corporate ownership.
Insights into characters such as John Wayne, George Cukor, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland and John Ford (to name a few) are quite fascinating. The political piquancy of WB is quite evident as you sort through the hard boiled Detectives and zany crazy comics, the very drunk Elizabeth Taylor (in Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?) who have all featured heavily in one way or another in the company's history.
Warner Bros. like all film production companies tend to reflect edgy or deeply held values of society - they'll swing from one extreme to another; sometimes it's high moral ground other times it's kooky sexy strangeness they explore. Producing films for example like Driving Miss Daisy and The Witches of Eastwick in the 1980's they were not only encouraging great emerging Australian film making talent, they were giving out a vast amount of information about injustice and intolerance, a very worthy thing to do even embedded in a drama or a comedy.
WB sold us Bonnie and Clyde, Cool Hand Luke, Gypsy, Risky Business, and What's Up Doc? and Schickel & Perry cover the studio's entire history with fantastic photographs from many many films.
Poster art from films such as Yankee Doodle Dandy is beautifully reproduced with full page glossy pictures from WB's all time classic, and one of the most remembered WB films of all time Casablanca. More recent films recorded in this great history of the studio include The Matrix and The Polar Express, Sweeny Todd, of course I could go on but I think the best advice for film lovers is go out and find this book, add it to your library. It will be a great coffee table book because it is more than a nice picture book, it's got history, guts and glamor for sure.
For more information about Richard Schickel and his work, visit www.richardschickel.com
David Jobling
Warner Brothers
Warner Bros. (WB) Studios’ 85th anniversary was celebrated in 2008 and part of the celebration was the release of, You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story, an illuminating new documentary produced, written and directed by award-winning filmmaker and Time magazine Senior Film critic Richard Schickel. Clint Eastwood narrates.
The documentary You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story was broadcast in the USA in three-parts. Now you can have much of the detail on your lap in the form of this beautiful hard cover publication written by Richard Schickel & George Perry, with a Foreword by Clint Eastwood. It's a handsomely covered coffee table book spins-off and ties-in to the five-hour PBS doco that Schickel wrote and produced. Full of essays on the studio's history from its humble beginnings through a variety of changes in corporate ownership.
Insights into characters such as John Wayne, George Cukor, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland and John Ford (to name a few) are quite fascinating. The political piquancy of WB is quite evident as you sort through the hard boiled Detectives and zany crazy comics, the very drunk Elizabeth Taylor (in Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?) who have all featured heavily in one way or another in the company's history.
Warner Bros. like all film production companies tend to reflect edgy or deeply held values of society - they'll swing from one extreme to another; sometimes it's high moral ground other times it's kooky sexy strangeness they explore. Producing films for example like Driving Miss Daisy and The Witches of Eastwick in the 1980's they were not only encouraging great emerging Australian film making talent, they were giving out a vast amount of information about injustice and intolerance, a very worthy thing to do even embedded in a drama or a comedy.
WB sold us Bonnie and Clyde, Cool Hand Luke, Gypsy, Risky Business, and What's Up Doc? and Schickel & Perry cover the studio's entire history with fantastic photographs from many many films.
Poster art from films such as Yankee Doodle Dandy is beautifully reproduced with full page glossy pictures from WB's all time classic, and one of the most remembered WB films of all time Casablanca. More recent films recorded in this great history of the studio include The Matrix and The Polar Express, Sweeny Todd, of course I could go on but I think the best advice for film lovers is go out and find this book, add it to your library. It will be a great coffee table book because it is more than a nice picture book, it's got history, guts and glamor for sure.
For more information about Richard Schickel and his work, visit www.richardschickel.com
David Jobling
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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
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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Posted By: David Jobling - Category: Review, Live, Adelaide Scene, Australia National , News, Qstage
REVIEW | History of the world in photographs
October 29th 2008 10:25
The Encyclopaedia Britannica/Getty Images
“History of the world in photographs”
published by Black Dog & Lev,
distributed by Bookwise International,
RRP $59.95
The Encyclopædia Britannica was born in 18th-century Edinburgh during the Scottish Enlightenment. Colin Macfarquhar, a printer, and Andrew Bell, an engraver, decided to create an encyclopedia to serve the new era of scholarship and enlightenment. They formed a Society of Gentlemen to publish their new reference work, hiring twenty-eight-year-old scholar William Smellie to edit it. The first edition of the Britannica was published one section at a time, in fascicles , over a three-year period, beginning in 1768. The three-volume set was completed in 1771 and quickly sold out.
Mark Getty co-founded Getty Images, Inc; in 1993, with Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Klein. Getty Images are a leading provider of imagery and related products and services which means they generate salable visual content for the advertising, graphic design, news, publishing and entertainment industries; however this book is deservedly marketed as a fine resource for anyone with an interest in history, photography or journalism from students to academics including mum & dad.
Together these publishing giants have created a massive storage facility of images that may be can browsed, including photographs of such luminaries as writer Anton Chekhov in 1901 (CD ROM) or actor Humphrey Bogart facing the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 (Book). Additional to the actual photographs which range from black and white to full color, there is a chronological time line throughout the book written in text and displayed on the header and footer of each page.
The chronological time line text has been prepared by the editors and writers at Encyclopaedia Britannica. The Design Team has created an uncluttered look, brimming with an average of five images per page. Graphic icons are used to signify different keywords such as History, the Arts, Business & Commerce, Religion, Philosophy and Technology. One may take the non-linear approach and browse any individual year; and or refer to the completely chronological linear notes at the top and bottom of the page. Identifying numbers correspond beside the photographs on the central area of the page with linear notes at the top or bottom of the page it is logical and easy to understand in design terms. The Graphic icons direct the attention to ‘streams’ i.e. the Arts; the text is concise and is intended to directly inform the image if related to an image, otherwise it is related to breakthroughs in imaging and capturing images.
The CD ROM serves as a gateway to Jamd on line, a remarkably large on line collection of photographs. The Book and CD ROM contain over 20,000 photographs taken between 1850 and the present day. The combination Book and CD ROM are published in 2008; a solid 150 year span of capturing that essential picture that may tell a thousand words. By linking via hypertext to Jamd where there are “Millions of pics, vids and music, jamd into one place ” the amount of images available seems impossible, but it’s true.
The CD ROM itself is a searchable picture library set out with a non-linear no nonsense interface that provides options to view thumbnail, small or large sized images from the collection stored within it; and it provides the link which will automatically open your internet browser and deliver it to the ‘consumer oriented web suite on line’ Jamd URL.
Over all this is a striking, accurate and great collection of work; a fascinatingly enjoyable book to go over again and again.
David Jobling
“History of the world in photographs”
published by Black Dog & Lev,
distributed by Bookwise International,
RRP $59.95
The Encyclopædia Britannica was born in 18th-century Edinburgh during the Scottish Enlightenment. Colin Macfarquhar, a printer, and Andrew Bell, an engraver, decided to create an encyclopedia to serve the new era of scholarship and enlightenment. They formed a Society of Gentlemen to publish their new reference work, hiring twenty-eight-year-old scholar William Smellie to edit it. The first edition of the Britannica was published one section at a time, in fascicles , over a three-year period, beginning in 1768. The three-volume set was completed in 1771 and quickly sold out.
Mark Getty co-founded Getty Images, Inc; in 1993, with Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Klein. Getty Images are a leading provider of imagery and related products and services which means they generate salable visual content for the advertising, graphic design, news, publishing and entertainment industries; however this book is deservedly marketed as a fine resource for anyone with an interest in history, photography or journalism from students to academics including mum & dad.
Together these publishing giants have created a massive storage facility of images that may be can browsed, including photographs of such luminaries as writer Anton Chekhov in 1901 (CD ROM) or actor Humphrey Bogart facing the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 (Book). Additional to the actual photographs which range from black and white to full color, there is a chronological time line throughout the book written in text and displayed on the header and footer of each page.
The chronological time line text has been prepared by the editors and writers at Encyclopaedia Britannica. The Design Team has created an uncluttered look, brimming with an average of five images per page. Graphic icons are used to signify different keywords such as History, the Arts, Business & Commerce, Religion, Philosophy and Technology. One may take the non-linear approach and browse any individual year; and or refer to the completely chronological linear notes at the top and bottom of the page. Identifying numbers correspond beside the photographs on the central area of the page with linear notes at the top or bottom of the page it is logical and easy to understand in design terms. The Graphic icons direct the attention to ‘streams’ i.e. the Arts; the text is concise and is intended to directly inform the image if related to an image, otherwise it is related to breakthroughs in imaging and capturing images.
The CD ROM serves as a gateway to Jamd on line, a remarkably large on line collection of photographs. The Book and CD ROM contain over 20,000 photographs taken between 1850 and the present day. The combination Book and CD ROM are published in 2008; a solid 150 year span of capturing that essential picture that may tell a thousand words. By linking via hypertext to Jamd where there are “Millions of pics, vids and music, jamd into one place ” the amount of images available seems impossible, but it’s true.
The CD ROM itself is a searchable picture library set out with a non-linear no nonsense interface that provides options to view thumbnail, small or large sized images from the collection stored within it; and it provides the link which will automatically open your internet browser and deliver it to the ‘consumer oriented web suite on line’ Jamd URL.
Over all this is a striking, accurate and great collection of work; a fascinatingly enjoyable book to go over again and again.
David Jobling
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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.
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.
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.
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.
jazz and swing with a splattering of funk
that is all class
Peter McGill
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)
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
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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