ALICE LIVE Festival adventure Not engaging gets even … · ALICE LIVE Festival adventure gets even...
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Centralian Advocate, Friday, May 11, 2012 — 45 PUB: CADV DATE: 11-MAY-2012 PAGE: 45 COLOR: C M YK ALICE LIVE Festival adventure gets even better Cameron Boon Wide Open Space art Plenty of dancing Circus skills in action The Super Raelene Bros T HAT’S it, I’m officially dub- bing the three- day Wide Open Space festival at Ross River the ‘‘Festi- val of Ideas’’. The musical extrava- ganza takes place on the May Day weekend 110km east of Alice Springs and while I felt I’d swallowed an ashtray full of Tom Waits on Monday morning, this year had to be the best yet. One of the reasons is because the organisers don’t seem to be afraid to try new things — including adding a pool party and an extra stage, and expanding their musical selection. I was told by multi- disciplinary musician Darcy Davis that he first had the idea for a ‘‘dub chi’’ (tai-chi to dubstep) at 2011’s WOS, which came full circle on Saturday morning with more than 50 people getting in on the action. There were many musicians I’ve seen grow and develop dur- ing their time in Alice Springs who played at the festival this year. Seeing how they’ve developed over the years makes me feel oddly paternal — de- spite me knowing only a few of them personal- ly. The space was dec- orated with what I thought were the con- tents of local artist Al Bethune’s back yard — turtles made out of hel- mets, birds made of scrap metal and his in- famous Joe artwork from the Advocate Art Award among many other oddities. But after speaking to him, he said he prob- ably brought half his backyard with him. While the heavy metal crowd has had some representation by hard-rockers over the years (Iwantja Band, some Barons of Tang songs) they had their first real foot in the door this year. H ardcore Alice Springs metal crew Uncreation and Santa Theresa mob South East Desert Metal were a core part of the line- up early on Friday night and while their positioning might not have seemed to really fit the mood of the rest of the festival, both bands drew large, en- thusiastic crowds. The hip-hop crowd was also well- represented, especially on Friday night with Alice collective Catch the Fly , returned rapper Skank MC, Al- ice/Melbourne mix Zulu Dub Zion, and US band Dirty Scientifix. Of course, the insane melodies of Melbourne gypsy band Barons of Tang drew a huge crowd. I’m sad to say I was ‘‘that guy’’ shout- ing the lyrics... prob- ably out of time and off key. It was brilliant. The Saturday morn- ing was met with howls of ‘‘why is it this cold?’’ and I was tempted to steal all the dogs that had been smuggled into the festival and use them as a living blanket. The tempera- ture got down to 2C at the Alice Springs Air- port on Friday night. That’s as cold as the inside of a fridge, just in case you needed a comparison. The music set was extremely eclectic on Saturday. There were the young (Small Jupiter), the veteran (Super Raelene Bros), the local (Catherine Satour) and the returned (Ronja Moss), all playing dif- ferent styles. T he Rosie Bur- gess Trio has convinced me that more terrible, ter- rible 80s/90s hip-hop should be covered by folk outfits after their groovetacular ren- ditions of Salt’n’Pepper’s Push It and Vanilla Ice’s Ice, Ice Baby. Saturday night was very dance-orientated — if it wasn’t dirty electronica, it was foot- stomping hilarity. Heavy dubstep made appearances late in the night and each of the stages had a throng of writhing bodies at one stage or another. Headliners TZU had a very dark, bass-heavy set filled with new and old tracks. Wide Open Space is a growing festival and isn’t afraid to try new things. It’s always an adven- ture and I’m always intrigued to know what will come next. Oscar nominated film from Iran WHEN his wife leaves him, Nader hires a young woman to take care of his suffering father. But he doesn’t know his new maid is not only pregnant, but also working without her unstable hus- band’s permission. Soon, Nader finds himself entangled in a web of lies, manipulat- ion and public con- frontations. The Araluen Arthouse Cinema film this week, Iranian film A Separation, was nominated for Best Original Screenplay Oscar, winner of the Golden Bear and Best Foreign Language film at the 2012 Golden Globe Awards. The Wall Street Journal called it ‘‘Flawless, elegant, mysterious — a world- class masterpiece’’. ■ See it on Sunday at the Araluen Arts Centre from 7pm. Not engaging Leigh Paatsch THE title of the new Nicholas Stoller film is not just a title we have here — it is a direct challenge to the viewer. For if not, The Five- Year Engagement will lag like 10 years of drawn-out divorce pro- ceedings. Urgency, energy and snappy pacing — all the traits a full-strength rom-com requires to get to the top shelf — go missing for long periods in this restless, yet curiously listless, affair. Casting is certainly not the problem. Jason Segel and Emily Blunt are exceptionally well- matched as a cutely conflicted couple who just can’t get them- selves to the church on time. When firing semi- affectionate home- truth zingers at close range, Segel and Blunt are as appealing a rom- com pairing as it gets in 2012. But when the nudge’n’niggle ceases, The Five-Year En- gagement soon be- comes a drag for the ages. Levity levels pick up noticeably when it finally dawns on the filmmakers that their 125-minute endurance test (at least a half- hour too long for the material worked with) had better wrap things up. Look, this production as a whole is by no means a bust. But it should have been a whole lot better given the quality of person- nel involved (including comedy guru Judd Apatow as producer). ■ The Five-Year En- gagement is rated MA15 and is on at the Alice Springs Cinema. LAST CHANCE TO WIN $3500 HOLIDAY PACKAGE SEE PUBLIC NOTICES 714505/12 Pictured: Maddison Cronin - Winner St Philip’s College Wearable Art 2011 534505/12 554505/12 ALL GIG GUIDE DETAILS MUST BE PHONED IN (8950 9777) OR FAXED (8950 9740) TO THE CENTRALIAN ADVOCATE BY TUESDAY. ROCK BAR: Fri David Garnham and The Reasons to Live from 8pm. Sat Duncan Rae from 8pm. Sun Timbo Mariner from 8pm. Mon DJ Peaceful Panda from 7pm. Tues Damo Armstrong from 8pm. Wed Dom Costello from 8pm. Thurs Duncan Rae from 8pm. JUICY RUMP: Fri Cain Gilmour from 5pm, DJ Jed and MC Locko from 10.30pm. Sat DJ Jed and MC Locko from 10.30pm. Sun Mothers Day Joe Relic duo from noon. MONTE’S: Sat Western Party Night with David Garnham and The Reasons to Live from 8pm - entry is free. Thurs Pop Cinema Romantics Anonymous from 7.30pm. BOJANGLES: Fri-Sat Michelle ``The Little Lady with the Big Voice’’ from 6pm, DJ Monte from 10pm. ANNIE’S PLACE: Fri DJ Kam from 9.30pm. Sat DJ U-Wish from 9pm. Sun Mega Chill Sesh Toby Robinson from 2pm. Tues Trivia from 7pm. Thurs DJ Annie’s from 9pm. TODD TAVERN: Mon Katie Harder from 7pm. UNCLE’S TAVERN: Fri Kim Wainwright’s last Alice gig from 4.30pm. Karaoke from 9pm. EDITORS NOTE: Would you like your gig in our free weekly gig guide? Call the Centralian Advocate on 8950 9777 or fax to 8950 9740 for a free mention in every Friday edition. www.therockbar.com.au All new acts welcome at The Rock Bar Ph: 8953 8280
Transcript of ALICE LIVE Festival adventure Not engaging gets even … · ALICE LIVE Festival adventure gets even...
Centralian Advocate, Friday, May 11, 2012 — 45
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ALICE LIVE
Festival adventuregets even better
Cameron Boon
Wide Open Space art Plenty of dancing
Circus skills in action The Super Raelene Bros
THAT’S it, I’mofficially dub-bing the three-d a y W i d e
Open Space festival atRoss River the ‘‘Festi-val of Ideas’’.
The musical extrava-ganza takes place onthe May Day weekend110km east of AliceSprings and while I feltI ’d s wal lowed anashtray full of TomWaits on Mondaymorning, this year hadto be the best yet.
One of the reasons isbecause the organisersdon’t seem to be afraidto try new things —including adding a poolparty and an extrastage, and expandingtheir musical selection.
I was told by multi-disciplinary musicianDarcy Davis that hefirst had the idea for a‘‘dub chi’’ (tai-chi todubstep) at 2011’sWOS, which came fullcircle on Saturdaymorning with morethan 50 people gettingin on the action.
There were manymusicians I’ve seengrow and develop dur-ing their time in AliceSprings who played atthe festival this year.
Seeing how they’vedeveloped over theyears makes me feeloddly paternal — de-spite me knowing onlya few of them personal-
ly. The space was dec-orated with what Ithought were the con-tents of local artist AlBethune’s back yard —turtles made out of hel-mets, birds made ofscrap metal and his in-famous Joe artworkfrom the Advocate ArtAward among manyother oddities.
But after speaking tohim, he said he prob-ably brought half hisbackyard with him.
While the heavymetal crowd has hadsome representation byhard-rockers over theyears (Iwantja Band,some Barons of Tang
songs) they had theirfirst real foot in thedoor this year.
Hardcore AliceSprings metalc r e w
Uncreation and SantaTheresa mob SouthEast Desert Metal werea core part of the line-up early on Fridaynight and while theirpositioning might nothave seemed to reallyfit the mood of the restof the festival, bothbands drew large, en-thusiastic crowds.
The hip-hop crowdw a s a l s o w e l l -represented, especiallyon Friday night with
Alice collective Catchthe Fly , returnedrapper Skank MC, Al-ice/Melbourne mixZulu Dub Zion, and USband Dirty Scientifix.
Of course, the insanemelodies of Melbournegypsy band Barons ofTang drew a hugecrowd. I’m sad to say Iwas ‘‘that guy’’ shout-ing the lyrics... prob-ably out of time and offkey. It was brilliant.
The Saturday morn-ing was met with howlsof ‘‘why is it this cold?’’and I was tempted tosteal all the dogs thathad been smuggledinto the festival and
use them as a livingblanket. The tempera-ture got down to 2C atthe Alice Springs Air-port on Friday night.That’s as cold as theinside of a fridge, justin case you needed acomparison.
The music set wasextremely eclectic onSaturday.
There were theyoung (Small Jupiter),the veteran (SuperRaelene Bros), the local(Catherine Satour) andthe returned (RonjaMoss), all playing dif-ferent styles.
The Rosie Bur-gess Trio hasconvinced me
that more terrible, ter-rible 80s/90s hip-hopshould be covered byfolk outfits after theirgroovetacular ren-d i t i o n s o fSalt’n’Pepper’s Push Itand Vanilla Ice’s Ice,Ice Baby.
Saturday night wasvery dance-orientated— if it wasn’t dirtyelectronica, it was foot-stomping hilarity.
Heavy dubstep madeappearances late in thenight and each of thestages had a throng ofwrithing bodies at onestage or another.
Headliners TZU hada very dark, bass-heavyset filled with new andold tracks.
Wide Open Space is agrowing festival andisn’t afraid to try newthings.
It’s always an adven-ture and I’m alwaysintrigued to know whatwill come next.
Oscar nominatedfilm from IranWHEN his wife leaveshim, Nader hires ayoung woman to takecare of his sufferingfather.
But he doesn’t knowhis new maid is notonly pregnant, butalso working withouther unstable hus-band’s permission.
Soon, Nader findshimself entangled in aweb of lies, manipulat-ion and public con-frontations.
T h e A r a l u e nArthouse Cinema film
this week, Iranian filmA Separation, wasnominated for BestOriginal ScreenplayOscar, winner of theGolden Bear and BestForeign Languagefilm at the 2012G o l d e n G l o b eAwards.
The Wall StreetJournal called it‘‘Flawless, elegant,mysterious — a world-class masterpiece’’.
n See it on Sunday atthe Araluen ArtsCentre from 7pm.
Not engagingLeigh Paatsch
THE title of the newNicholas Stoller film isnot just a title we havehere — it is a directc h a l l e n g e t o t h eviewer.
For if not, The Five-Year Engagement willlag like 10 years ofdrawn-out divorce pro-ceedings.
Urgency, energy andsnappy pacing — all thetraits a full-strengthrom-com requires toget to the top shelf — gom i s s i n g f o r l o n gperiods in this restless,yet curiously listless,affair.
Casting is certainlynot the problem. JasonSegel and Emily Bluntare exceptionally well-matched as a cutelyconflicted couple whojust can’t get them-selves to the church ontime.
When firing semi-affectionate home-truth zingers at close
range, Segel and Bluntare as appealing a rom-com pairing as it gets in2012.
B u t w h e n t h enudge’n’niggle ceases,The Five-Year En-gagement soon be-comes a drag for theages.
Levity levels pick upnoticeably when itfinally dawns on thefilmmakers that their125-minute endurancetest (at least a half-hour too long for thematerial worked with)had better wrap thingsup.
Look, this productionas a whole is by nomeans a bust. But itshould have been awhole lot better giventhe quality of person-nel involved (includingcomedy guru JuddApatow as producer).
n The Five-Year En-gagement is ratedMA15 and is on at theAlice Springs Cinema.
LAST CHANCE
TO WIN $3500
HOLIDAY PACKAGE
SEE PUBLIC NOTICES
714505/1
2
Pictured: Maddison Cronin - Winner St Philip’s College Wearable Art 2011
534505/1
25
54
50
5/1
2
ALL GIG GUIDE DETAILS MUST BE PHONED IN(8950 9777) OR FAXED (8950 9740) TO
THE CENTRALIAN ADVOCATE BY TUESDAY.ROCK BAR:
Fri David Garnham and The Reasons to Live from 8pm. Sat Duncan Rae
from 8pm. Sun Timbo Mariner from 8pm. Mon DJ Peaceful Panda from
7pm. Tues Damo Armstrong from 8pm. Wed Dom Costello from 8pm.
Thurs Duncan Rae from 8pm.
JUICY RUMP:
Fri Cain Gilmour from 5pm, DJ Jed and MC Locko from 10.30pm. Sat
DJ Jed and MC Locko from 10.30pm. Sun Mothers Day Joe Relic duo
from noon.
MONTE’S:
Sat Western Party Night with David Garnham and The Reasons to Live
from 8pm - entry is free. Thurs Pop Cinema Romantics Anonymous from
7.30pm.
BOJANGLES:
Fri-Sat Michelle ̀ `The Little Lady with the Big Voice’’ from 6pm, DJ Monte
from 10pm.
ANNIE’S PLACE:
Fri DJ Kam from 9.30pm. Sat DJ U-Wish from 9pm. Sun Mega Chill
Sesh Toby Robinson from 2pm. Tues Trivia from 7pm. Thurs DJ Annie’s
from 9pm.
TODD TAVERN:
Mon Katie Harder from 7pm.
UNCLE’S TAVERN:
Fri Kim Wainwright’s last Alice gig from 4.30pm. Karaoke from 9pm.
EDITORS NOTE:
Would you like your gig in our free weekly gig guide?
Call the Centralian Advocate on 8950 9777 or fax to 8950 9740 for a free
mention in every Friday edition.
www.therockbar.com.auAll new acts welcome at
The Rock Bar Ph: 8953 8280
