wham bam drumming jam
Transcription
wham bam drumming jam
Malcolm says goodbye to politics Page 3 Independent Newspaper Bondi breaks relay drought Page 10 www.bondiview.net.au Sydney’s most comprehensive weekly What’s On guide Page 19 FREE • APRIL 2010 Bondi shaking to its foundations – literally WHAM BAM DRUMMING JAM Rhythm Safari bringing the beat to the Bondi Pavilion page 6 By Paul Paech The rash of large construction and excavation work at Bondi Beach is shaking the ground and causing major cracking in buildings hundreds of metres away from worksites. A meeting of Waverley’s Combined Precinct Committees heard last week that excavation work for the Hotel Bondi redevelopment has damaged walls in an apartment block more than 200 metres from the site in Roscoe Street. The meeting asked Waverley Council to investigate as a matter of urgency. Investec spokesman Zach Mcherron said they were aware of the issue but argued they had been careful. “We went beyond Council’s requirements in monitoring the impact of the 6.5m excavation for the project,” he said. The Bondi Beach Precinct Committee also called on the council to investigate the consequences of deeper excavations in the sandy Bondi Basin, and to pay greater attention to applications for such excavations. The problem arises because of a high demand for car parking, with new developments excavating deeper and deeper. A three-level underground car park for the 131 East project on the corner of Jaques and Lamrock, (known as The Monster), turned into a disaster for the adjacent block of flats in Jaques Avenue. Just days after drilling began, owners started to see cracks in their double brick walls, which eventually opened to allow daylight in. Some owners had to move out, and the Owners Corporation was tangled up in insurance negotiations. They have had to raise more than $100,000 in special levies. Dilapidation reports had been prepared, but they provided little defence. The builders passed responsibility over to their engineers and contractors, and then on to insurance companies where negotiations stalled. Six years after excavations began, a resolution may be in sight with a developer submitting plans to demolish the building and, provided the council approves, the owners will finally be able to sell. Damage attributed to the refurbishment of the Bondi Motel is also cited in a development application to demolish the building at 146-150 Campbell Parade. The Bondi Basin area is effectively a dune of very fine sand. Despite the injunction to build homes upon a rock and not on sand, sand can provide a very stable foundation – if it is not disturbed. Because there is minimal internal cohesion in sand, any change in density of the underlying sand is likely to affect stability for a long way around. The sandstone block foundations of older buildings are not even a metre deep, so they are particularly susceptible to damage. Mayor Sally Betts said it was a complex problem but pointed out that houses next door to the Hotel Bondi were not affected. “Our technical staff don’t think that a house blocks away can be affected when houses in between are not,” she said. “There’s no way we can check after the event that houses so far away were affected by building works, especially with buses and trucks on the roads every day that could also be the cause.” Queens Park Road a danger to pedestrians By Liam Kinkead A lack of appropriate footpaths along Queens Park Road and Baronga Avenue is endangering the lives of students and residents according to locals. After years of campaigning, long time resident Chris O’Sullivan says nothing has been done to improve the conditions of the path that surrounds the park from the corner of Bourke Street and Queens Park Road around to the entrance of Moriah College on Baronga Ave. Mr O’Sullivan said the lack of initiative on the part of local and state governments defied common sense. “Queens Park Road is a hugely busy road,” Mr O’Sullivan said. “It’s a bus route, a cycle track and it’s where everyone parks either to go into Queens Park for sport or to go to Moriah College, which is a busy school.” He fears an accident will occur on the stretch of road when simple actions could be taken to prevent further danger to pedestrians. The strip of land adjoining Queens Park Road with the park is currently patchy grass with pockmarks of muddy and rocky dips, many of which have been Chris O'Sullivan says a pedestrian path is essential filled intermittently with logs of timber, palm tree branches and building tiles. Along the strip is a bus stop for the 357 bus route from Sydenham to Bondi Junction. Car spaces along the park are normally filled on weekdays and a cycle lane connects the car parks to the road proper. When heavy rain occurs parents are forced onto the road with prams, and school children can Shark sightings at ocean swim forces cancellation mid-race A shark was sighted in between more than 500 swimmers in the Tamarama to Clovelly ocean swim on Easter Monday. Despite 800 people being registered to swim, organisers cancelled the race after water safety crafts reported three separate shark sightings during the event. “After multiple sightings of sharks we decided to stop the race and do a good check of the area,” said race director and surf lifesaver Joel Turner. “The conditions were tough all round. The 500 people that finished the race battled against big swell and rips. Everyone came in safely though and the water safety team did a great job.” The 2.5km Cliffside-Odyssey swim attracts some of Sydney’s best swimmers, lured by the challenge of the swell. “Tamarama Beach is definitely one of the most dangerous beaches on the east coast,” Mr Turner said. “But it was good to see so many enthusiastic ocean swimmers take on the big waves.” Sports commentator HG Nelson called the race from the Tamarama cliff tops and Tamarama resident and media personality Deborah Hutton awarded the first place prizes. Ben McGarry won the race, clocking 30 minutes and 14 seconds. And Greenpeace partnered with the Tamarama Surf Life Saving Club at this year’s Cliffside Odyssey Ocean Swim to raise awareness of the campaign to save tuna from Published monthly and distributed to residents and businesses in Bondi Beach, Bondi, Bondi Junction, Dover Heights, Waverley, Tamarama, Clovelly and Coogee. Published by The Alternative Media Group of Australia. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of content, The Bondi View takes no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions. ABN 48 135 222 169 Design: Gadfly Media Cover Photo: Edwin Monk Mayor accuses Premier of breaking promise be seen walking two abreast prompting yells from cyclists and klaxons from motorists. Mr O’Sullivan said the best solution would be to extend a concrete path from the Bourke St corner all the way down to the dressing sheds located at the pedestrian crossing that serves Moriah College on Baronga Ave. Waverley Mayor Sally Betts said she was aware of the issue and was waiting on a reply from the Centennial Parklands Trust (CPT) in regards to an extension of the cycleway within Queens Park to the Bourke St entrance. “Once they [the CPT] extend the bike path then students and parents can use it,” Councillor Betts said. The mayor explained that while they were waiting for a reply, it would be wasteful to lay down a path outside the park only to have it duplicated by the bike path. Mr O’Sullivan believes the council is missing the point. “The bike path inside Queens Park is well away from where everybody parks, where it is needed,” he said. “Unless they take the fence surrounding the park down, any talk of extending the bike path is irrelevant.” becoming extinct. Swimmers aged 13 years to 70 took the plunge, with many choosing to support the race to save tuna. “Ocean Swimmers love being in the ocean,” Mr Turner said. “Naturally we want to raise awareness of the fact that one of the biggest and fastest fish is disappearing from our seas.” Ocean swimmers sported ‘Save the tuna’ tattoos and hundreds of participants signed the petition to remove the most threatened tuna from supermarket shelves. “Even though tuna stocks are being decimated worldwide, the overfished species still end up in cans for sale in our supermarkets,” Mr Turner said. A new Greenpeace Canned Tuna Guide for consumers exposes brands using overfished tuna species and ranks them from the most to the least sustainable. Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Group Manager: Chris Peken Managing Editor: Pam Walker Reporter: Liam Kinkead Arts Editor: Angela Bennetts What’s On editor: Komi Sellathurai Dining Editor: Jackie McMillan Advertising Managers: Scott Winter, Rachel Tarquinio, David Sullivan Email: bondiview@alternativemediagroup.com Advertising: sales@alternativemediagroup.com Contact: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Ph: 9212 5677 Fax: 9212 5633 Premier Kristina Keneally asked to keep her word Waverley Mayor Sally Betts said she was extremely disappointed that NSW Premier Kristina Keneally had broken a promise made when she was Planning Minister. “Just 12 month ago Minister Keneally promised that the Bill introduced to fast track infrastructure projects funded by the Commonwealth under the Nation Building and Job Plan would be repealed as soon as the projects had been completed,” Mayor Betts said. “Now as Premier, Ms Keneally wants to extend the Bill to cover other significant projects like shopping centres, housing developments and supermarkets which will cut out local community consultation and also the planning rules.” She said some projects – such as St Catherine’s School and Waverley Public School projects – built under the Nation Building and Job Plan were already causing extreme stress to residents. “This is largely due to the complete lack of community consultation and the lack of consideration on the affect it has on the neighbouring residents’ amenity,” Councillor Betts said. “Council should not be left out of the process and neither should residents. We may as well tear up our DCP and LEP which are in place to protect the amenity of everyone if the Premier has her way and rides roughshod over our community.” “The Planning Department insists that councils do extensive community consultation when preparing both their LEP and their DCP. So I ask how come the Premier now wants to approve all these developments with no community consultation whatsoever?” The mayor said residents would be left to deal with the impact of these developments, while the Premier “moves on to her next role”. “She promised community consultation when she became Premier. I challenge her to stay true to her word,” Cr Betts said. Malcolm farewells the political arena Wentworth MP Malcolm Turnbull on Tuesday, April 6 made public his decision to leave federal politics at the next election. Below is his statement in full: I have today formally advised the Leader of the Opposition and the President of the Wentworth FEC of the Liberal Party that I will not be contesting the seat of Wentworth at the federal election later this year. I thank the people of Wentworth for their support over the last five and a half years. I have enjoyed serving and working with them enormously – there is truly no greater privilege than representing your own community in our national parliament. Over the years I have appreciated the friendship, support and encouragement of Liberals both in this Parliament and around Australia for which I sincerely thank them. As a Member of Parliament, a Minister and especially as Leader of the Party I have been proud to defend the principles of freedom, opportunity and enterprise so fundamental to the values of the Liberal Party. I thank John Howard for giving me the opportunity to serve as Environment and Water Minister. With his support I was able to ensure that for the first time in our history the interstate waters of the Murray Darling Basin were placed under national responsibility. However, I regret that another important reform begun during that time, the establishment of an emissions trading scheme, is no longer Liberal Party policy. In particular, I thank the Liberal Party and its supporters in Wentworth for their tireless support and loyalty. We have fought and won two very difficult elections in Wentworth and our success, in 2007 very much against the odds, is a tribute to the passion and professionalism of the Wentworth Liberals. I also thank the many dedicated men and women who have worked on my personal staff, in my electorate and parliamentary offices. Above all, I thank my family, my wife Lucy and children Alex and Daisy without whose infinite love, patience and cheerfulness it would not have been possible to undertake the many challenging roles I have had in this Parliament. When I ceased to be Leader of the Opposition at the end of last year I resolved that I would not precipitate a byelection by resigning from Parliament. However I did say that I would reflect carefully on whether I would run at the election this year and having done so I am making this announcement. I have received considerable encouragement from my constituents and parliamentary colleagues to run again at the election and I thank them sincerely for that confidence and support. But a decision like this is a very personal and heartfelt one which can only be made by me and my family. I will of course continue to serve the people of Wentworth as their Member of Parliament until such time as the Parliament is dissolved for the election and look forward to continuing to work with our community and contributing to public policy debate after my time in Parliament is complete. As to the future, Lucy and I look forward to once again pursuing new opportunities in the private sector. Finally, I wish our Party and its leaders, Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop, every success in this election year. 3 opinion Tram tracks resurface By Chris O’Sullivan With a little imagination, Waverley Council is in the unique position to formally recognise the iconic and world famous “Bondi Tram”. While this has already been done in a replica fashion with the mock tramlines in the Bondi Junction Mall, at the Adelaide and Oxford Streets intersection the original lines are starting to emerge once again in the roadway. This is a non-pedestrian area and would only require removal of the very thin lining of bitumen to expose the lines. There would be practically no roadway level change. If the lines are exposed, a plaque could be installed on one of the corners. There are footpath plaques throughout the junction commemorating sites and buildings that once existed, but we now have an opportunity for the real thing, which would certainly attract great interest. Even a trial uncovering would be worth doing to see how things worked out. These lines were re-laid in mass concrete through the Junction in the mid 1950s and only saw 4 service for some six years, prior to the last Bondi tram which ran (now 50 years ago) on 27 February, 1960. In fact the lines (including turn-ins) are still in situ under the bitumen from the Waverley Bus Depot (former tram depot) down to Newland Street. A large section of the Bronte line also remains intact from the Tea Gardens Hotel right through to the top of Macpherson Street. When the first mall was constructed in the late 1970s, several sections of line were removed for planter boxes. The Westfield development and the upgraded mall (with tramway theme) saw the removal of all the lines in that area. Fortunately a number of lengths were secured by the Sydney Tramway Museum. The tracks then continue from approximately the Eastern Hotel along Oxford Street to the beginning of Bondi Road. It was in the mid 1980s that Waverley Council acquired from a country property an R Class tram No 1808, which was subsequently restored by the council with 1988 Bi-Centennial funding. The tram was then displayed for a time in the forecourt of the Boot Factory in Spring Street. Plans to actually operate the tram on the original lines were also considered. In fact, in June 1991 the council flew the Melbourne Manager Tram Track to Sydney to inspect and report on the lines, a section of which had been uncovered by council employees. The subsequent report indicated that after bitumen removal and cleaning, the lines were fit for further use. But these plans did not eventuate and R 1808 was transferred to the Sydney Tramway Museum. In January 1992, the lines were actually classified by the National Trust of Australia: “these lines lay intact under the bitumen and are one of the last complete sections of the former tramway (many other sections of the line have been removed). The world famous notoriety of the Bondi Tram is an important element of Sydney’s transport heritage. The section of line has the potential to be a publicly accessible tangible remnant of this famous line.” Saving lives in many ways Four-year-old Junior Mafi met his heroes the Bondi Rescue lifeguards at Bondi Beach recently. The Blacktown youngster came with his family to meet the lifeguards and Waverley Mayor Sally Betts, and to enjoy a day at the beach. He was given a signed lifeguard shirt and taken for a ride on the beach on the rhino. Junior helped save his younger sister Crystal from drowning at Blacktown Aquatic Centre a month ago. Two-year-old Crystal was playing in the babies’ pool when she was shoved and went under the water. An avid Bondi Rescue fan, Junior raised the alarm telling his grandmother: “Crystal has drowned.” Pool lifeguards sprang into action, resuscitating the unconscious girl. Mayor Betts said the council arranged for Junior to meet his heroes as a reward for his efforts. “Bondi Rescue is educating viewers about surf safety and helping to save lives,” she said. “Junior wouldn’t have known how to help save his little sister if he hadn’t watched the show.” Head lifeguard Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hopkins said Junior was an amazing little boy. “He must be the youngest lifeguard ever. At four he has already made his first rescue,” he said. “This is what it’s all about for us – saving lives – and it’s great that through the show we are even preventing deaths because of the surf safety message.” Bondi Rescue has been nominated for a Logie for the third consecutive Junior Mufi with Waverley Mayor Sally Betts and the Bondi Rescue lifeguards year, in the ‘Most Popular Factual Program’ and ‘Most Outstanding Factual Program’ categories. It has won the ‘Most Popular’ Logie for the past two years. Winners will be announced on May 2. Demolition of Waverley Pavilion The demolition of the old Waverley Park Pavilion starts thisweek and is expected to take 10 days to complete. Following the demolition of the old structure, Waverley Council will build a new Waverley Pavilion and amenities block. Plans include sporting and community facilities, a multipurpose indoor sports court, public amenities, a large community meeting room, storage and a café. Rebuilding the pavilion is a multi-million dollar project with Waverley Council contributing substantially, and a $2 million grant from the Federal Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program. Senator Michael Foreshaw (representing Minister for Infrastructure Anthony Albanese) and Mayor Sally Betts were scheduled to turn the first sod on April 7 near the Waverley Pavilion, Waverley Park, on Bondi Road. The work is due for completion by September 2011. Move to the beat of your own drum By Pam Walker Audience participation takes on a whole new meaning when Rhythm Safari – The Show brings its interactive musical adventure to the Bondi Pavilion from April 20 to May 2. North Bondi producer Lance Radus is one of the forces behind the upcoming visual and sensory celebration that features an expert ensemble of percussionists, musicians and singers playing original contemporary and world music. The adventure begins with Sibo as he leaves Africa and experiences the beats of Spain, Asia, the Caribbean and Brazil. “Sibo gets a calling to leave Africa and explore the rest of the world. He meets all these musicians who teach him how to use their instruments,” Radus said. “Part of Sibo’s journey is trying to discover who he is but in the process he also discovers western instruments, joins a band and meets a girl. Through all 6 these challenges he realises he is Mr Drummer and returns to Africa and celebrations.” Radus describes the show as an audiovisual explosion, a full lighting show with visuals projected for the dream sequences. But its most defining specialty is that on each seat the audience will find a drum and a percussion instrument (a groove tube), which they are encouraged to play. “Most people believe they can’t play music. In the show that fear is broken down along with the barrier,” Radus said. “The audience members find that just like Sibo they can create music and do it together. The experience of drumming together has a very powerful sense of unity and building community.” The story behind this uplifting musical experience has been years in the making. In 2006, producer Hilton Rosenthal attended a school reunion in Sydney and witnessed an interactive drumming session run by Radus and his group. “There were drums at every seat in the room and I noticed that everyone was participating with big smiles on their faces – bankers, nurses, lawyers, housewives and doctors. It was one big party,” Rosenthal said. “Then I had an idea: wouldn’t it be great if we could bring this type of interactivity into contemporary music and theatre?” The next day Rosenthal contacted Radus and they agreed to start work on some original music. Over the next year or so, they wrote and recorded a number of songs. Then work began on creating a show where members of the audience could participate by playing along on drums provided on every seat. The team was complete when Paul Chenard came on board as musical director and Moira Blumenthal as theatre director. There will be 16 shows over two weeks at the Bondi Pavilion, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach. Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au Beads bounce into the Bondi Pavilion By Liam Kinkead In an unusual exhibition, 54 Commonwealth countries have strung together to bring Bondi the best bead show in town. Beaded Links, an exhibition of vibrant work from around the globe, explores the cultural, political, spiritual and economic links that bind us all through the medium of beads. Waverley Mayor Sally Betts opened the exhibition with a speech relating to her experience with beads in her native South Africa. “I grew up around a mine and we had a lot of the different tribes around and I found it interesting that you could look at the different beads and know exactly which tribe they came from,” Mayor Betts said. “I’m excited about the event. It represents a great opportunity to get a whole group of different cultures together in such an interesting way. And I think it helps us all understand each other a little better.” Beaded Links will showcase bead work from as far afield as England, South Africa, Mauritius and Nigeria, exploring the many ways in which beads can be manipulated in jewellery, costumes and religious artefacts. The exhibition will run from April 1 to April 18 at the Bondi Pavilion. Depression flashback The Oddfellow’s Hall in Church Street near Charing Cross was one of the buildings used to distribute food, clothes and the dole in the Depression. BY PETER McCALLUM Memories of hard times in the 1930s have been stirred by Skint, an exhibition that just opened at the Museum of Sydney at Bridge and Phillip Streets. But current news reports from other developed countries remind us how Australia, by good luck or good management, has avoided the worst effects of the current “global crisis”. 8 The current debate about rushing into building works without normal planning is one of the many similarities between Australia’s experiences in the thirties and those of today. Then, as now, delayed action could spell prolonged hardship for families whose breadwinners needed to be gainfully employed. But haste can generate mistakes. Locating the Eastern Suburbs Hospital in what was supposed to be a park was just one of many legacies of the rush to provide work for unemployed breadwinners during the Depression. The hospital itself lasted only a few decades but the existence of buildings within a park is sure to generate future arguments. One major work that had been planned, but was never implemented due to a lack of funds, was the mysteriously wide Blair Street with its dual carriageway and oversized median strip which now hides a huge sewer main. This and other work – grading and sealing what had been so many dirt roads in the area and improving parks – put bread on the table for many families. However, the sewer eventually required a deep ocean outlet, well out to sea. With many of their young members suddenly thrown out of work, both of Bondi’s lifesaving clubs approached Waverley Council and the State Government asking for more suitable premises to replace their ramshackle buildings. They argued that the huge crowds who came to Bondi bringing business to the local community were there because of the safety provided by the lifesaving clubs and to watch the spectacular surf carnivals. Though outside the guidelines set by the Unemployment Relief Council, the significance to the nation of the work of the clubs was recognised as a special case and a loan of £7,000 was arranged for Waverley Council to erect the buildings of both surf clubs. This sum soon proved insufficient and the council had already spent a lot of its own money on earlier relief efforts. But the surf clubs had many friends and important allies in legal, medical and retailing circles who rallied to the cause. A surprise benefactor was Earl Beauchamp, a former Governor of New South Wales – he and other benefactors ensured the completion and adequate fittings of both the Bondi and North Bondi surf clubs. Individuals, clubs and societies and governments showed a breadth of vision as well as compassion in the Great Depression: Australians today are still enjoying the benefits of this co-operation. Material and assistance is acknowledged from The Bondi Lifesaver by Sean Brawley and from the Waverley Local Studies Unit of Waverley Library. Harold Dews, a veteran of Movietone in Australia, will address Waverley Historical Society – “It all began in 1896” – this Monday, April 12 at 4 pm on the 1st floor of Club Bondi Junction. On May 10, they will hear how “Medical Miracles are Made to Happen” from Nikki Allings of the Garvin Institute. All welcome, admission free. BONDI BRIEFS Global Table Annual multicultural extravaganza, Global Table, will be held on Saturday, April 24 from noon to 6pm at Oxford Street Mall. Enjoy delicious food from Turkey, Spain, Ethiopia and Japan and a wide range of multicultural entertainment. For information call 8305 8419 or visit www.waverley.nsw.gov.au. De-clutter your home of unwanted chemicals Take your old chemicals, paints and gas bottles to Chemical Clean Out at Clovelly Beach car park between 9am and 3.30pm on Saturday, May 8. Chemicals and e-waste can contain lead, mercury and cadmium that can leach into our aquatic systems to create serious health problems. Whitegoods and smoke detectors not accepted. Call 9369 8242 or email eleanorr@waverley. nsw.gov.au for information. Kids Waste Truck Art Competition Local primary school students can win a ‘Roar and Snore’ overnight adventure at Taronga Zoo by creating a colourful artwork with a waste-wise message to decorate Waverley Council’s waste truck fleet. Artworks must be in landscape format, on A4 or A3 paper. Details on 9369 8242 or email eleanorr@ waverley.nsw.gov.au for an entry form. The competition is open from April 27 to May 21. CELEBRATE 2010 IN 2010! Local Businesses in Darlinghurst, Surry Hills and East Sydney are invited to • meet your neighbours • have free drinks • find out about an exciting new SHOP LOCAL marketing initiative When: Monday 12th April from 5:30pm to 6:30pm (following the Darlinghurst Business Partnership’s reconvened AGM from 5:00 to 5:30pm) Where: The Winery 285A Crown Street, Surry Hills (through the old sandstone gates next to Thomas Dux) RSVP to: info@discoverdarlinghurst.com.au Photos: Tim Read Bondi breaks 19-year surf relay drought Tom Miller raises a clenched fist at the finish to salute Bondi’s first win since the 1990-91 season of the Stan Mac relay against North Bondi. The recent 68th staging of the Stan and Bas McDonald Memorial Relay ended almost two decades of domination by North Bondi against the neighbouring Bondi surf lifesaving club. The highly competitive 20-person relay, for the elite swimmers of the two clubs, has been a permanent fixture on the surfing calendar since the 1942-43 season and is commonly known as the “Stan Mac Relay”. Bondi led the relay for the first eight swimmers and then fell behind before its 19th swimmer, Will Hardman, regained the lead for Tom Miller to power home with an 10 unassailable advantage on the final leg. Bondi was represented by Simon Nothling, Toby Jenkins, Ryan Huckle, Cedric Gillardi, Adriel Young, Xavier Clarke, Simon Watkins, Ollie Schaffer, Alex Nothling, Colin Marshall, Bradley Horning, Michael Firman, John Romyn, Josh Yuide, Grant Baldock, Adam Nezval, Danny McKell, Michael Cossji, Will Hardman and Tom Miller. North Bondi has won the event 37 times and Bondi 31 times over the years, a good indication of the intense rivalry that exists between the two clubs. Bondi Beach Boost bonanza By Tom Edwards Bondi went surf-crazy for Boost. The Boost Mobile Surfsho from March 12 to 14 saw a pro surf and spectator extravaganza at Bondi. There were good reasons to be down at Bondi for the biggest surfing competition held here since the Coke Classic in 1989: a picture perfect sunny day, beckoning clear warm water with great surf, and amazing aerial surfing performances from the world’s finest – Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, Owen Wright, Taj Burrow and Jordy Smith. Some of the Bondi locals surfed in the trials; none of them won cash prizes but it was great to see local kids mixing it up with world-class pros in the water and in the competitor’s area. The kids were stoked at the chance to hang out with heroes like Kelly and Taj. Surfing Australia CEO Andrew Stark commented on the thousand-strong crowd: “Fantastic to have a big surf event here at Bondi – the crowds here today indicate how important it is to run an international surf event in Australia’s biggest city that not only produces outstanding world professional surfers but also has an abundance of excellent surf beaches.” Down at the beach, super-surfers were being super-men in the water with amazing high-flying stunts to an ever-growing crowd. In fact, the crowd was so intense and so keen to get photos with their heroes that Waverley Police were called to provide police escorts for the high-profile pros to get from the VIP stands down to the safety of the jet-ski patrolled water. Owen Wright took out the event with an enormous air-reverse (basically a 360 air spin). The light was shining on 20-year-old Lennox head aerial master – especially after his airs kept punching holes through the ozone layer above him. Surfing’s World Tour is often referred to as a circus but it won’t ever come Kerby Lofts and Kelly Slater close to the extravaganza of the Boost Mobile Surfsho until the tour comes to Bondi Beach. “They’re not the best waves but it was pretty perfect for airs,” said Owen after his finals win. And following the huge commercial success of this weekend’s Surfsho, competition organisers may well reassess Bondi Beach as a possible major event location. Surfsho drew a good crowd to the beach Bondi lifesavers bring home medals Bronze: Harvey Barrett (sweep), Ted Healy, David Lippmann, Daniel Ryan, Andy Winters (men’s masters 240 years combined minimum age surfboat crew); Bob Tate (sweep), Jason Vineberg, Matt Barker, Titus Day, Kieran Milne (men’s masters 140 years combined minimum age surfboat race). Other Bondi finalists: Calvin Brodie, Greg Byrnes, Rob Harvey (men’s masters 110 years combined minimum age surf ski relay race). Unfortunately, Bondi’s women’s open five-person R & R team did not get the chance to win a record fifth consecutive national title because of the treacherous seas. Ted Healy sustained a fractured vertebra while competing with Bondi’s men’s masters 240 years combined minimum age surfboat crew. He has since been discharged from hospital and will have a long recuperation, including wearing a support brace for the next six to eight weeks. Healy, 72, recently received an award for being Australia’s oldest surfboat rower. Long-service Bondi member Allan Metti, competing for Cronulla, won the masters over 70 years ironman and masters over 65 years board rescue titles, was placed Photos: Anne Lynch Bondi lifesavers achieved considerable success in the recent Australian and NSW surf life saving championships. At the Australian championships at Kurrawa on the Gold Coast, Bondi won five medals — one gold, two silver and two bronze — before the remaining water events were cancelled because of dangerous surf conditions. Bondi’s medal recipients were: Gold: Cyril Baldock (men’s masters 65-69 years rescue tube race). Silver: Cyril Baldock (men’s masters over 65-69 years surf race), Louise Santos (women’s masters 40-44 years rescue tube race). The Bondi crew: (from left) Andrew Winters, Harvey Barratt, Danny Ryan,Ted Healy and David Lippmann, placed third in both the NSW and Australian men’s masters 240 years combined minimum age surfboat championships. 12 The Bondi crew of Harvey Barratt (sweep), David Lippmann (stroke), Andrew Winters, Danny Ryan and Ted Healy (bow) competing in treacherous seas at the Australian masters surfboat championships at Kurrawa on the Gold Coast. second in the masters over 70 years rescue tube race and fourth in the masters over 70 years surf race. Meanwhile, Bondi won eight medals — three gold, three silver and two bronze — and qualified for three other finals in the leadup to the NSW championships at Swansea-Belmont. Bondi’s state title medallists and finalists were: Gold: Simon Watkins (men’s 30-34 years tube race); Lea Hill (women’s 60-64 years surf and rescue tube races). Silver: Cyril Baldock (men’s 65-69 years surf and rescue tube races); Simon Watkins, Grant Baldock, Xavier Clarke (men’s 110 years combined minimum age surf teams race). Bronze: Danielle Hoban, Andrew McEncroe, Nick Nezval, Scott Ryan, Simon Watkins (open mixed five-person R and R team); Harvey Barrett (sweep), Ted Healy, David Lippmann, Daniel Ryan, Andrew Winters (men’s 240 years combined minimum age surfboat crew). Other finalists: Samantha Hopkins, Rebecca Koerber, Isobel Lord, Brynlee Owen, Darcy Pierce (women’s under-15 years R and R team); Andrew Winters, Cyril Baldock, Grant Baldock (men’s 150 years combined minimum age taplin relay); Louise Santos (women’s 40-44 years ironwoman race). Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club results Sunday, March 28 (56 swimmers competed) A-grade surf race: Charles Cotton (1min 40sec) 1, Martin Greenberg (1m:5s) 2, Chris Lorang (1min) 3. B-grade John Bevege memorial surf race: Shaun Brooke (1m:55s) 1, Doug Yuide (45s) 2, Margaret Miller (1m:5s) 3. Cadet (under-16) surf race: Rory Weste-Haldane (2m:20s) 1, no second or third. March 21 (66 swimmers competed) A-grade surf race: Monique Sayers (1m) 1, Alistair Monroe (1m) 2, Jon Slack-Smith (1m) 3. B-grade John Bevege memorial surf race: Linda Mead (1m) 1, Carmel Vanderham (1m:40s) 2, Lee Mackie (1m:50s) 3. Cadet (under-16) surf race: Rory Weste-Haldane (2m:20s) 1, no second or third. March 14 (49 swimmers competed) A-grade surf race: Steven Potter (1m:45s) 1, Francisco Cordero (1m:30s) 2, Michael Hallam (1m:25s) 3. B-grade John Bevege memorial surf race: Colin Panagakis (2m:5s) 1, Martin Waters (1m:50s) 2, Bruce Wynne (2m 5s) 3. Cadet (under-16) surf race: Rory Weste-Haldane (2m:20s) 1, no second or third. March 7 (44 swimmers competed) A-grade surf race: Louise Santos (1m:15s), Lea Hill (45s) 2, Jon McGuigan (2m:45s) 3. B-grade John Bevege memorial surf race: Pep Font (2m:15s) 1, Steve Burns (2m:25s) 2, Jane Cichero (2m:25s) 3. Cadet (under-16) surf race: Rory Weste-Haldane (2m:20s) 1, no second or third. SUFFERING FROM HAIR LOSS? Single Hair Follicular Transplant Permanent, Natural & Undetectable 100% Warranty on Hair Growth! Finance Available Call New Hair Clinic today on 1800 689 939 and book a free consultation www.newhairclinic.com.au PERTH/SYDNEY/MELBOURNE/BRISBANE Internationally acclaimed visiting consultant: Dr Jennifer Martinick – specialising in hair restoration for over 25 years. We specialise in: • Hair Transplants • Free hair loss advice • All hair regrowth treatments NHC.indd 1 31/03/10 10:27 AM DENTIST 9660 3322 After-hour emergency available! Visit us for in-office Tooth Whitening to receive a FREE Check-Up/Scaling/Cleaning valued at $200 144 / 313 Harris Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009 Ground floor, facing M-Central, Bus 501& 443 stop at Cnr Allen St www.pyrmontdental.com.au 1off $ Powerhouse Hot Dog Autumn Special Enjoy a COMPLIMENTARY bottle of “Lobster Reef” Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc NZ or “Lou Miranda Estate” Cabernet Sauvignon SA, when two guests order 2 courses, ie entrée & main or main & dessert. Please present this voucher on arrival (one bottle of wine per voucher). Conditions apply. Available for the months of March, April & May 2010. Continental smoked frankfurt served with mushy peas, garlic onions, chilli con carne, cheese and chilli sauce Expires 31 Dec 10 562 Harris st. Ultimo sydney wharf | 56 Pirrama Rd Pyrmont | Ph- 02 9571 1999 www.ripplescafe.com.au Glasgow Arms Hotel One complimentary visit Offer is limited tO One cOupOn per persOn Gym suite 139 level 4, upper deck, JOnes Bay Wharf 26-32 pirrama rd pyrmOnt 2009 ph: 9571 1195 Redeem this Coupon: Home delivery + takeaway 10% off 5-10pm min order $25. Lunch special 7 days $7.50 Garden Restaurant: Open 7 Days Lunch: 11.00am – 3.00pm Dinner: 5.00pm – 10.00pm 527 Harris St Ultimo Tel: (02) 9212 0055 EAT & DRINK By Jackie McMillan jackie@alternativemediagroup.com FOODIES’ DIARY Manly Pavilion Signorelli Gastronomia Pantry Pleasures As the weather cools, my desire to stock the pantry and nest grows. There are few better places to do so than Pyrmont’s recently opened Signorelli Gastronomia. I took a trip to see what all the fuss was about, and found myself marveling at brimming shelves of must-have gourmet products, with locally produced 100-mile items indicated by ‘pick me’ tags. I loved the chance to peer into the impeccable Doltone House kitchen, and the sexy red 1898 Berkel meat slicer makes the antipasto bar mighty enticing. Did I mention wood-fired pizza? I’d plan on grabbing a bite to eat before exploring their dedicated red, white, champagne and cheese rooms. www.signorelli.com.au Sydney International Airport Hungry Bathers To the Aiport Revamped Bentley Stunning harbour views and a Mediterranean dining experience await at the newly opened Manly Pavilion. Back in 1923, the space was originally built as a dressing room for the comfort of bathers. These days it’s a world-class restaurant with the pans manned by handsome young chef-to-watch Jonathan Barthelmess. His exciting, fresh menu for the 150 seat restaurant includes dishes like Grilled yabbies, Celery Ragu and Bagna Cauda. I’m told he’ll be hand-making pasta, sorbetti and gelato as well as aging his own meats. Sounds like a trek across the harbour is in order soon... www.manlypier.com Jumping on a plane is not the only reason to visit Sydney International Airport these days. Savvy locals are also making the trek to visit the outpost of Jared Ingersoll’s Danks Street Depot, gobbling up seasonal and sustainable offerings like his Wild Rabbit and Pork Terrine. I’m pleased to report that after being a good-food desert, the airport now boasts five new world-class eateries. If you are lucky enough to actually be traveling, try and save some room until after Customs for the newly opened Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar which offers premium champagne, Prunier caviar, smoked Tasmanian salmon, shellfish and foie gras. It’s sure to get your holiday off on the right foot. Most people probably don’t need another reason to put the award winning Bentley Restaurant and Bar on their must-dine list, but if you do, try a face-lift from acclaimed Melbourne designer, Pascale Gomes-McNabb, with a matching menu revamp by Head Chef Brent Savage. I’m more than a little tempted by his Slow Cooked Duck Breast with Zucchini Flower and Hazelnut, and I’m told that his progressive desserts are a must! www.thebentley.com.au Bentley Restaurant and Bar together, packing over $240 worth of 2-for-1 cocktails, full buffet breakfast, make-up and a makeover in with a nights’ accommodation that’ll cost you just $180 if you stay in their centrally located Sydney CBD property. Perfect to combine with a spot of shopping and a visit to a day-spa, if you ask me... www.vibehotels.com.au Girls’ Weekend Feel like a weekend with the girls? Vibe Hotels have got together with Napoleon Perdis to create the ultimate great value girly-get- Vibe Hotels Free regular coffee with any 637 Harris St Ultimo 2007 8065 6265 Mobile: 0417 652 012 Phone: All day coffee & cake for $9.00 Breakfast available 7 days a week, award winning boutique hotel and multi-use function room for hire. Vulcan Hotel 500 Wattle St, Ultimo NSW 2007 Darling Harbour, Sydney P: 02 9211 3283 F: 02 9212 7439 www.vulcanhotel.com.au 16 purchase over $5 for lunch or breakfast Open from 6.45am Seating inside and outside Alfresco extensive hot & cold menu Catering at competitive prices available EAT & DRINK By Jackie McMillan Moo Gourmet Burgers *NEW* My dining companion had his own mini Man V. Food moment here with the awesome Deluxe Burger ($28). As he posed with the gravity-defying mountain of wagyu patties, bacon, egg, beetroot, pineapple, Swiss and mozzarella cheese, grilled onions, salad and sourdough, I was reminded of the 1970s B. Kliban cartoon depicting a man being served a mound of food with the caption: “Never eat anything bigger than your head”.This burger’s inspired by owner Adam Gerondis’ grandfather, one of New Zealand’s restaurant pioneers, who opened The Deluxe back in 1926. My own selection, a Piri Piri Chicken ($15) paled in comparison; but I reckon this lil’ beachside burger bar is really about the cow, the certified Australian Angus cow. If you have the capacity, the generous Hot Chips ($5.00) are chunky home-styled numbers - crunchy outside, soft and fluffy within - best with home-made sauces like Sweet Chilli Jam ($1.50) or Aioli ($1.50). Drink your favourite candy bar selection in their tempting Moo Shakes - mine’s the Beach Blonde ($6.50). Parents can quaff a Bloody Mary ($9.50) or a very drinkable Moo Pinot Noir ($6) while the kids are busy with a Little Cow ($9.95) meal. Kudos to ‘em for including a Starlight Children’s Foundation donation in the price. 242 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee Beach (02) 9664 4300 www.moogourmetburgers.com.au Burgers $-$$ Pricing $ - mains less than $15 $$ - mains between $15-$22 $$$ - mains between $22-$30 $$$$ - mains over $30 EASTERN SUBURBS & BEACHES Media Luna The new combinations and flavours will refresh the most jaded of palates, so check your cynicism at the door and dive into a great Chile Relleno ($14.90), a tuna-stuffed Guero chilli topped with a tamarind sauce. Try excellent Lime Margaritas ($15) with Zucchini Flower and Tinga (pulled chicken in chipotle sauce) Quesadillas ($14.90), before an earthy Chicken Especial ($27) stuffed with huitlacoche, a fungus that grows on ears of corn. Freshen up with an Ensalada Azteca ($14.90) studded with nopales (prickly pear cactus) and end the night with a delicious Prickly Pear Cake ($14) served up with coconut ice cream and a Mexican chocolate sauce. Book now, your mouth will thank you! 309 Clovelly Road, Clovelly (02) 9665 8942 www.medialuna.com.au Mexican $$$ jackie@alternativemediagroup.com Funky Pies *NEW* Bite into a better planet (and a decent pie by anyone’s standards) at this quirky little Bondi cafe. It’s hard to believe that these flaky, tasty beauties are completely dairy/animal free (vegan), but I assure you they’re made from just plant material. The signature Funky Chunky ($6) is full of meaty (me bad) shiitake mushroom chunks in rich gravy with creamy mash. The flaky pastry is made without butter; the filling is flavoursome with onion, garlic and a hint of chilli. I tried the new Tuscan Mushroom served with Mushy Peas, Mashed Potato and Gravy ($9.50) – it’d make a great winter warmer when the weather calls for one. It’s got the same organic seed topped layered puff pastry, encasing mushrooms marinated in balsamic vinegar and rosemary with sautéed silver-beet and cherry tomatoes in a white wine vinegar sauce. As you perch on a recycled bushel burlap bag stool, relish that your dollars are paying for staff to wear uniforms made in sweat-shop free factories; the packaging is biodegradable down to the coffee cup lids (the first in Australia) on your organic, Fair Trade Coffee ($3.50); even the cold drinks are organic. A Charlie’s Mango and Orange ($3.50) was just the trick on the unseasonably warm day I dined. Shop 2 / 144-148 Glenayr Avenue, Bondi (0420) 415 164 www.funkypies.com.au Vegetarian $ Gusto Kitchen & Bar Nautical architecture and picturesque Watsons Bay water views suit Chef Paolo Patane’s Sicilian dishes, especially succulent Calamaretti Soffritti ($16.90) and his compelling Cucina Povera style Frittelle de Nonnata ($14.90). Penne alla Siciliana ($15.90) is simple but heavenly, showcasing the creamy eggplant. Muscat cooked veal in Scaloppine al Passito de Pantelleria ($25.50) is so tender I ‘cut’ it with my fork.We filled up on a generous, moist swordfish Pesce Spada alla Messinese ($33.90) complimented by a Syrah Botticella ($8/glass, $42/bottle) from the keenly priced Italian wine list.The ricotta-filled Sicilian Cannoli ($9.00) entices my vow to return.Viva Sicily! 27 Military Road,Watsons Bay (02) 9388 8827 Sicilian/Italian $$$ ROCKS & CBD Neptune Palace This tucked away Circular Quay gem’s been here for seventeen years, serving up beautifully cooked Braised King Crab with Singapore Chilli Sauce (market price $78/ kilo) with a comprehensive wine list. Try a stunning 2006 Johanneshof Gewürztraminer ($68) with good Chinese dishes like succulent Salt and Pepper Prawns ($31.80) and tender Diced Fillet Steak with Wasabi Sauce ($29.80). Malay offerings like creamy, Penang Kapitan Chicken ($22.80) and a dry, intense Daging Rendang ($22.80) are even better, as are Malay desserts like Pandan Crepe ($7.80). Service feels like you’re in good hands. Level 1 Gateway Building, Corner of Pitt and Alfred Streets, Circular Quay (02) 9241 3338 www.neptunepalace.com.au Chinese/Malaysian $$$$ DARLO, KINGS X & SURRY HILLS An Nam Bar & Grill Bury your nose in the fragrant Vietnamese herb garden of Chao Tom ($20) grilled prawn paste in a French provincial setting with shaded chandeliers and a classic colonial era sliding screen. Owner Sonia Cru’s enthusiasm for home style Vietnamese dishes inspires my choice of Hanoi style Grilled Bass Groper ($18) with bright dill on charred tender fish.The underpriced Bo Kho ($18) is a stunning fourhour beef stew with sweet pumpkin and springy sprouts, offset nicely by the lemon/lime Lengs & Cooter 2008 Watervale Riesling ($26/bottle). End with a Claret Cobbler ($12) cocktail with vodka and Framboise. Shop 6B, 431 Bourke Street, Surry Hills (02) 9380 8007 Vietnamese $$-$$$ Tiger Mottle Our bro’s across the ditch excel in cafe culture – here they make the coffee I want to drink and the food I want to eat, in a place I want to linger. Try the beautifully made Golden Cobra coffee South American ($3) with sweetened, condensed milk; Maple Mottle ($3) with maple, chilli and cream; or in an awesome Mottle Shake ($6.50). Minty, refreshing Spearmint Milkshake ($5) compliments the benchmark Mushrooms on Toast ($12.50); or try Billy’s unique Bubble and Squeak ($14.50) while the voice of Brian Eno washes through the airy terrace. Yep it’s cool Kiwi cafe culture of an international standard! 248 Glenmore Road, Paddington (0401) 225 269 Cafe $ 0INNER WEST (Pyrmont/Balmain Leichhardt/Glebe) Cantine Italian owner/chef Massimo Arata exudes warmth and will probably remember you by your coffee order in this small but stylish four-year old Pyrmont cafe – I’m a Grinders Flat White ($3). Midweek it’s a canteen for busy neighbour Fox Sports, but on the weekend it’s a great breakfast nook for savvy locals. Try the fluffiest Sweet Corn Fritters ($11.50) in Sydney using fresh corn and a fragrant ginger-rich chilli relish; or the three egg Ova Espagnola ($10.50) with crispy potato and gentle chorizo. Hollandaise is made fresh with each order, so mark the Eggs Benedict ($11) in your diary. Did you see those prices? Corner of Pyrmont Bridge Rd & Ada Place (next to Fox Sport), Pyrmont (02) 9518 6622 Cafe $ Buy one get one FRee Powerhouse Hot Dog tiger Pie enjoy one complimentary pie or hot dog when a second pie or hot dog of equal or greater value is purchased. (present this voucher) expires 31 Dec 10 562 Harris st. ultimo 17 EAT & DRINK By Jackie McMillan jackie@alternativemediagroup.com Tomislav Restaurant *NEW* Fall down the rabbit hole with the whimsical dishes of Tomislav Martinovic. At thirty-five he’s already cooked with Matt Moran, Guillaume Brahimi and Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck). While his cooking is progressive, there’s still a foot firmly planted in the camp that allows good produce to shine.Your exercise in trust begins with the understated menu, best contemplated on the balcony with clever Smith’s Crisps inspired Rice Crackers ($6) and the 2006 Rymill Coonawarra Sparkling ($12/glass, $55/ bottle). Follow the three squirt advice religiously. Sydney Rock Oysters ($12/22) explode between contrasting layers of lemon sorbet and soy. Roast Red Gate Farm Quail ($19) is teasingly Thai with chilli, coriander and roast pineapple. The biodynamic Poached Comboyne Hen’s Egg ($18) with smoked potato cream and Kurobuta sausage is comfort anew. With the restaurant pass on show, watch as Tomislav applies uniform beetroot smears with the speed and skill of a Japanese calligrapher; before you mop them up with surgical precision using the airy olive oil sponge with the Burrawong Duck Breast ($32). The O’Connor Scotch Fillet ($30) with bone marrow and grilled mango puree is a strangely compelling collision. Desserts are just fun, from the popping Dark Chocolate Mousse ($14) to the airy enchantment of a deconstructed Cheese Cake ($14) with the best rhubarb sorbet in Sydney. 2/13 Kirketon Road, Darlinghurst (02) 9356 4535 www.tomislav.com.au Modern Australian $$$$ Petrol *NEW* Clever foodies park at al fresco tables overlooking the now-gentrified Springfield Mall to fuel up on the fine brunch offerings of owner/chef Clinton Whiteman (ex-Rockpool) before visiting new neighbour Harris Farm. From a postage-stamp sized kitchen Clinton produces an earthy skillet of Black Pudding and Bean Stew ($18.50) with spinach and Gruyere, and a good Three Egg Tortilla ($17.50). Both dishes have a nice through-line to his evening tapas menu, but you’ll also find the usual breakfast suspects including a decadent platter of Cinnamon French Toast ($16.50) cooked in maple syrup. They’re all eclipsed by my first bite of the extraordinarily fine Chicken Liver Pate ($16.50) appropriately autumnal with a scattering of toasted pine nuts and an orange, fig and sultana compote. Personable server Alex Auyeung sums it up: “It’s amazing. I have dreams about it.” I suspect I might too. If the sun is past the yardarm, match it by a glass from the interesting wine list compiled with the help of the talented Barney Fallows (Sydney Cove Oyster Bar). Or stay on the wagon with a rounded and satisfying Latte ($3.50) made by owner/barista James Algar-Gard from their own brand of organic rain forest coffee; or experience alchemy in a glass with a Coconut, Basil and Blueberry Frappe ($7.50)! 9 Springfield Avenue, Potts Point (02) 9331 5048 www.petrol-pottspoint.com Café/Tapas $$ The Riverview Hotel *NEW* This sensitively renovated gastro-pub dining room is very Balmain. “I’m putting up a registry for my thirtieth,” cuts through from a neighbouring table to illustrate my point. Luckily most conversation is reduced to an indistinct murmur by the room’s angles, so I lose myself in the picturesque Balmain roof-line and purple hued sky. Lucinda Newton oozes slickness and professionalism on the floor. She’s yet to put her mark on David Myers’ exciting wine list, but knows her way around it well – our recommended 2008 Chateau Bouscassé Petit Corbu ($66/bottle) is slick and exciting. She even redeems Chianti with a 2008 La Querce Chianti Sangiovese ($12/glass) brilliantly paired with Head Chef Brad Sloane’s dish of the night, Parsley and Pine Nut Crusted Lamb Rump ($30) with smoked eggplant and textbook herb gnocchi and crunchy anchovy fritters. Well-cooked Roast Duck Breast and Croquette with Pickled Pear and Celeriac ($34) seems muted by comparison. House-made Pappardelle with Lamb Shanks, Tarragon, Peas, Proscuitto and Pea Butter ($19/$28) is gentle, silky and harmonious. Chef’s restraint comes alive in the excellent Vanilla Panna Cotta with Summer Berries and Bellini Sorbet ($13); but it’s the seasonally appropriate Bakewell Tart with Blood Plum Sorbet ($13) that grabs me most. Order three courses... 29 Birchgrove Road, Balmain (02) 9810 1151 www.theriverviewhotel.com.au Modern Australian $$$$ Duck Pie *NEW* Value where you least expect it – in the back streets of Balmain, reminiscent of the working class roots of the area. Chef Daz Antaw’s new domain (previously of Restaurant BYO, Gladesville) is simplistic rather than ritzy – think first date. Make a minimal investment in your romantic future by dining on a Wednesday for a bargain Seafood Menu ($35/3 courses), or enjoy the Table d’hôte ($47/3 course) menu any evening. Maitre d’ Scott Bullock’s relaxed and friendly manner will put you both at ease. No need to fear the wine prices either, it’s a tiny but very reasonably priced list; the Two Thumbs Chardonnay ($22.90/bottle) is quite drinkable. Scott will shatter any awkward silences by cooking au guéridon (at your table), and his Tiger Prawns with Truffle Oil, Garlic, Parsley and Cream ($15) are flaming good. The namesake Duck Pie ($15) is rich and meaty, encased in rustic pastry then topped with a slice of melted brie. Mains are bested by the Plate de Bouillabaisse ($27), the gentle broth allows the nicely cooked fishes (baby flathead, marlin and salmon) to shine. End the night with a gooey board of Melted Brie drizzled with Forest Honey ($13) or indulge in the super rich Chocolate Trio ($13) if you must. West End Hotel, 72-76 Mullens Street, Balmain (02) 9555 4455 French $$$ NEWTOWN & ENVIRONS (Marrickville/Petersham/ Dulwich Hill/Waterloo) Bloodwood Three talented Claude’s defectors move to Newtown to cook for people they could relate to more in an achingly cool space. Perfectly executed Polenta Chips ($9) with Gorgonzola show that even with relaxed rules, there’s still excellent technique. Baked Mushrooms ($17) give 18 four varieties of mushroom cooked to perfection too, but the highlight’s beautifully paper-cooked Miso Baked King Fish ($32). Deceptively straight-up cocktail list sees a Bloodwood Iced Tea ($18) made with organic Earl Grey tea syrup; or there’s a light, lemony 2009 Fox Gordon Princess Fiano ($38). After four or five dishes between two, clink spoons in a shared Bloodwood Trifle ($12). 416 King Street, Newtown (02) 9557 7699 www.bloodwoodnewtown.com Modern Australian $$$ EXHIBITION: WILDERNESS by Angela Bennetts ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The landscapes of Balnaves’ Contemporary Painting exhibition are those that dwell inside of us; shadowy half-remembrances, media montages, dreams flattened. Although the title Wilderness suggests perspective, horizon and other tropes traditionally associated with landscape, in most pieces distance has been decimated. There is no Ned Kelly against an eggshell-blue sky (walk across to the Nolan room for that), no wily, elastic eucalyptus trees beneath which Aborigines dance from the man who “Invented Australian landscape painting,” John Glover, no Tracey Moffatt-esque photos of dusky red towns populated with local geishas. In the Australian landscape canon, the horizon has been ever-present - an ‘over there’ that is constantly felt in such a vast, unpopulated land. But in Wilderness the field of vision has inched closer, sometimes claustrophobically so. As you walk up the stairs to the Rudy Komon gallery you are silently greeted by Del Kathryn Barton’s 2009 we too have been there, though we shall land no more. Distant mountains hover - and yet the incredible intricacy of the up-close overwhelms you.Tasmanian tigers paw at alien bodies, electric rainbow serpents 20 Untitled #1279, Louise Hearman (2009) a&e a r t s & E N T E RTA I N M E N T by Michelle Porter writhe, a doe-eyed wallaby sadly hides behind a man with a rather large penis. Australiana has been inverted, tripped out, placed in a flat no-time of pictorial elaborateness. It’s a fitting opening to Wilderness; which is both Australian and not, both referencing an ‘over there’ and negating its relevance.Tony Clark’s Sections from Clark’s Myriorama (2010) deals with this quite deliberately. It references an 1824 parlour game devised by John Clark (name a coincidence, we think), in which cards with a shared horizon could be shuffled and set up in endless variations; a landscape of your devising. Throughout, these are fantasy slices of ‘nature’ - Fiona Lowry’s airbrushed waterfalls more a reference to Photoshop than any real place, Julie Fragar’s Death of a stag - our dear hunter (Jason) (2008) the macho space of hunting is held up like a specimen and overlaid with text.The huge, psychologically menacing black and white thickets of Andrew Browne’s Curtain (2008) exemplifies the new ‘nature’ in Australian painting. It could exist anywhere. It leads to an inky black nowhere. And due to the vantage point, it places you right in the middle of it it comes from where you are. Until May 23, Art Gallery of New South Wales, free, 9225 1700, artgallery.nsw.gov.au THEATRE: THE FASTEST CLOCK IN THE UNIVERSE WHAT’S ON BY LUCY HEARN 22 Cougar Glass refuses to admit he’s getting old. Every year on his birthday he celebrates turning 19, again. This year is no exception, and he’s invited gorgeous schoolboy Foxtrot Darling to dinner in the hope of seducing him. There’s just one problem: Foxtrot has brought with him his pregnant fiance, Sherbet Gravel. This is the first time The Fastest Clock In The Universe has been performed in Australia. Newtown Theatre’s handling of Philip Ridley’s darkly humourous play is enjoyable if not remarkable.Though bouyed tonight by the solid performances of the cast, the production is driven more by Ridley’s compelling script, which regardless of the treatment make it two hours well spent. Until Apr 17, Newtown Theatre, cnr King & Bray Sts, $20-25, newtowntheatre.com.au music 24 movies Go to: www.altmedia.net.au for more A&E stories Arts Editor: Angela Bennetts Listings Editor: Komi Sellathurai Music Editor: Chris Peken Contributors: Aidan Roberts, Michelle Porter, Kate Britton, Adam Guetti, Rebecca Keane, Mark Gertskis, James Harkness, Lucy Hearn, Lucy Hill, Lena Rutkowski, Nell Greco, Komi Sellathurai, Alex Bodman, Alex Britton, Sam Moginie, Sophie Mallam, Anna Klauzner, Tara Parsons, Brianna La Rance & Alice Fenton THEATRE: WAY TO HEAVEN by Alice Fenton As far as facts go, we know this:The Nazis opened up a concentration camp called Theresienstadt to a Red Cross worker who wished to inspect it, and no damning evidence was recorded. How did they manage to hide what was going on? What kind of elaborate performance convinced him that nothing was awry? How must he have felt upon later learning the truth? Way to Heaven, by Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga, plays with these questions and uses them as a jumping off point to explore notions of perception, fear, control and performance. It’s not just a Holocaust story, and the creative team were careful not to present it as a historical piece.The set and costumes dip into nostalgia but essentially create a world that rings true with our contemporary aesthetic. According to costume designer Xanthe Heubel, “If we were to use period costumes it would be locked into THEATRE: THE WALWORTH FARCE a specific era, and it needed to move beyond that; be more universal.The play is about taking responsibility for your actions and considering how you would behave in a similar situation, so the costumes needed to be relevant to the audience - it’s not a history lesson.” The creative team behind Way To Heaven are a loose collective who go by the name RideOn and have worked together for years.This time around, a key consideration was the fact that most of the cast members are children. This means double casting, to split the workload, and a lot of logistics, but also gave them a deeper sense of responsibility. “When you’ve got kids involved it adds another level.They and their parents are giving up their time for free, and you want to make sure that the relevance and message of the play is properly understood.” Apr 14-May 8, SBW Stables Theatre, 10 Nimrod St, Kings Cross, $15-30, 8002 4772, griffintheatre.com.au Michael Glenn Murphy seems relaxed and cheery and happy to talk when I call him for an interview about the play, The Walworth Farce. The play focuses on the lives of Dinny and his two adult sons - Blake and Sean, who are kept incarcerated in a Council flat in London and made to re-enact a farce concerning their father’s last day in Ireland. “It’s a way of controlling them, a way of keeping control... he’s paranoid,” says Murphy, who plays the role of Dinny.“The only one he lets out for an hour a day to do the shopping is Sean and the play begins on the day when he comes home and the shopping’s wrong and then the farce begins to unravel.” This sudden disentanglement of the farce reveals the real threads of the family structure and the truth behind the deaths of Dinny’s brother and wife in Ireland. “I think what the playwright wanted to show is that we sometimes hide truth behind our stories and then story becomes myth and then myth becomes legend and that every family has their truth and their stories,” says Murphy. Enda Walsh, the playwright, is an ever-rising star in UK Theatre due to a habit of writing plays with absurdist plots and flamboyant characters teetering on the edge of madness. Murphy said that Enda wrote The Walworth Farce in 2003 and was taken on by Druid Theatre, where it had its first reading in 2005 by the man who went on to direct it - Michael Murphy, who he describes as not only his ‘namesake’ but also ‘an extraordinary man’. The production has appeared in Edinburgh, New York, the National Theatre in London, Dublin and Galway, and has been a hit in every place. Despite its success, Murphy found it interesting that at each show about five or six [people] walked out. He thought they didn’t understand it and possibly expected something linear as we seem to live our lives this way. But he explained that Walsh has purposely written the play to be calculated and doesn’t want the audience to follow the plot,“But focus in on the real story.” “I think Enda wanted to teach people a new way; that perhaps it’s all bullshit, a construct of how we live our lives and underneath it, is actually the truth,” he muses.“And this also ties in with why my character needs stories in his life, he needs people to play them out in front of him [sic]... But by the end, we see that Blake and Sean can only live their life through the farce and when the audience see this happening, it’s incredibly sad.” Apr 14-24, Sydney Theatre, 22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, $30-85, sydneytheatre.com.au, 9250 1777 BALLET: THE SILVER ROSE BY LUCY HILL Jealousy, infidelity, love gone wrong. No, this is not the description of an episode of Melrose Place.These are the main themes of The Silver Rose,The Australian Ballet’s newest show, choreographed by the legendary Graeme Murphy (best known as the long-standing head of the Sydney Dance Company).With dazzling Klimt-inspired gold and silver-toned Art Nouveau sets by Roger Kirk and a vibrant score by renowned composer (and long-time Murphy collaborator) Carl Vine, the scene is set for this timeless tale of romantic interludes and dangerous liaisons. Based on the classic opera The Rose Cavalier, Murphy has spun the opera on its head, infusing it with pathos and humour - and lashings of sex. Ballet is not just for the bourgeois set. If you’ve never imagined yourself a ballet aficionado - in fact, you’d prefer to watch Melrose Place - The Silver Rose is the perfect introduction into this madly dizzying, often comic and intensely passionate world. Apr 9-29, Opera Theatre, Sydney Opera House, $29160, 1300 369 741, australianballet.com.au 19 what ’ s on THEATRE & PERFORMANCE Catholic School Girls The sixties: a time of social and political upheaval, the heyday of the Beatles, the birth of the pill and the sexual revolution. What would it have been like to grow up then? And what if you were Catholic? The upcoming adaptation of the 1982 off Broadway play, Catholic School Girls, explores these questions. (MP) Until Apr 14, Darlinghurst Theatre, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point. $32-37. 8356 9987, www.darlinghursttheatre.com.au The Chronic Ills of Robert Zimmerman: AKA Bon Dylan (A Lie) It’s that unmistakable voice, hair, swagger and of course the grand message behind it all. The tambourine man himself, Robert Zimmerman. Who? Yep, that was his birth name. In an interview, Bob Dylan said “You’re born, you know, the wrong names, wrong parents. I mean, that happens. You call yourself what you want to call yourself. This is the land of the free.” Good choice Bobby. Written by Sydney playwright Benito Di Fonzo, The Chronic Ills takes us through Dylan’s life in his own wordplays and music. Having played to sold out crowds at the Adelaide Fringe, Sydney awaits its debut at the intimate settings of the Old Fitzy. 6 – 30 Apr. The Old Fitzroy Theatre, Cnr Cathedral and Dowling Sts, Woolloomooloo. Tickets: $17-$35, 1300 GET TIX (1300 438 849), www.rocksurfers.org The End Written by Samuel Beckett and starring Robert Menzies, The End is a story about a lonely man who has given up on life. He takes in all the beauty that surrounds him as only a man nearing the end can. The poetry, magic and sadness of Beckett’s words will be translated to stage by director Eamon Flack making his Company B debut. 15 Apr – 9 May. Belvoir St Downstairs Theatre, 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. $32-$42, 9699 3444, www.belvoir.com.au Feel Good Feel Good is a clever and comic take on the art of political spin doctoring. Eddie and speech writer Paul are crafting the perfect words for the PM in the midst of a riot and keeping a scandal involving genetically modified plants and male mammaries under wraps. Before the cups runneth over, Eddie has to stop Liz from publishing the scoop of the year Until 17 Apr. New Theatre, 542 King Street, Newtown. $22 - $28, 1300 306 776, www.mca-tix.com.au 20 Good Morning, Mr Gershwin In Good Morning, dancers spin, tap, pirouette and break dance to some of Gershwin’s bestloved classics from the 20s and 30s. With dramatic backdrops to match, choreographers José Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu have blended an array of dance genres to create a high energy performance for the 21st century audience. 8 – 10 Apr. Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House. $49-$99. 9250 7777, www.sydneyoperahouse.com King Lear Directed by Marion Potts and starring John Bell, the print advertisement for the production cheekily yet justly says “The dangers of playing favourites with your children”. Losing everything he had, a headstrong father battles the harshest of elements to discover that true love is more than just empty flattery. Until 10 Apr. Drama Theatre. Sydney Opera House. $45-$75. 9250 7777, www.sydneyoperahouse.com Love Me Tender The love child and the sacrificial animal. Are they one in the same? Tom Holloway’s Love Me Tender, directed by Matt Lutton tells the story of the fears and extremities that exists between a man and his daughter, offering the truth about the fragility of the human condition. (BLR) Until 11 Apr. Belvoir St Theatre. Belvoir Theatre Upstairs. 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. $35-$57. 9699 3444, www.belvoir.com.au Merchants of Bollywood There is something magical about Bollywood. Yes it is cheesy and over the top but it provides a much needed sense of escapism. And that is exactly what protagonist and choreographer Ayesha Merchant is hoping to reintroduce to Indian cinema in this musical extravaganza. Stunning costumes, heartthumping music, sexy dance moves and lots of melodrama – just the way we like Bollywood. Until 11 Apr. State Theatre, 49 Market Street, Sydney. $69.90- $124.90. 8512 9020, www.ticketmaster.com.au New Creations Spanish-born Sydney Dance Company Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela steals the show with 6 Breaths. This mindblowing exploration of the idea of breath as a vehicle for birth, life and decay is accompanied by an elegantly elegiac CGI video piece by Tim Richardson. A heartbreaking and bone-crushing beauty. (SM) Until 10 Apr. Sydney Dance Company. 22 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay. 9250 1999, www.sydneythreatre.org.au Stockholm The perfect couple in their perfect home just had the perfect day, but they could lose everything by nightfall. Will Todd and Kali fly to Stockholm tomorrow as planned or is this another doomed relationship? Combining dance and drama, Socratis Otto and Leeanna Walsman star in this intensely beautiful portrayal of love and obsession. Until 24 Apr. Sydney Theatre Company. $30-$75. 9250 1777, www.sydneytheatre.com.au Short Sweet+Dance 2010 This year’s dance-off will consist of a three week line-up with over 35 performances, and a WILDCARD night on 10 April. With only ten minutes to impress the pants of their audience, we are expecting some high energy routines and innovative choreography. 7 – 17 Apr. Parade Theatres. NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art), 215 Anzac Parade, Kensington. www.ticketek.com.au S-27 May (Sarah Snook), a statetrained photographer, is entrusted with the job of recording the faces of those who are about to go through ‘that door’ – and judging from their behaviour, the other side is not to be desired. Clocking in at a little over an hour, this is by no means an in-depth or particularly nuanced study of morality and mob-mentality. But it is clever enough, and well-executed enough to satisfy. (AB) Until 10 Apr. Griffin SBW Stables Theatre, 10 Nimrod St, Kings Cross. $23-30. 8002 4772, www.griffintheatre.com.au The Suicide “Life is beautiful, life is shit ...” so goes the metronomic dilemmas of the unemployed and useless Semyon Semyonovich in Simon Stone’s re-penning of The Suicide, Nikolai Erdman’s 1928 Russian classic. With far too heavy shades of slapstick than satire, this madcap farce becomes monotonous and borderline silly. (AB) Until 11 Apr. Belvoir St Theatre. Belvoir Theatre Downstairs. 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. $20-$32. 9699 3444, www.belvoir.com.au Wicked Long before Toto and Dorothy turned up, two girls had a rendezvous in Oz: one beautiful and popular, the other smart and fiery but decidedly – well – green. Wicked follows the girls as they grow to become Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West, with appropriate dashes of wit and warmth. Until late 2010. Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket. $69.90-129.90. 1300 723 038, wickedthemusical. com.au, ticketmaster.com.au FOR THE KIDS Felts and Fangs One word: Twilight. If your tween just can’t seem to stop talking about vampires or swooning over a certain Edward character, bring them along to Felts and Fangs where they can truly relate to other vampiric novel lovers. For ages 12 and above. 8 Apr. Surry Hills Library, Lvl 1, Function Room. 405 Crown Street, Surry Hills. 8374 6230, www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au Rhythm Safari: Kids Play 2010 In conjunction with Glen Street Theatre’s Kids Play program, your children will get a taste of world music starting with the rhythmic beats of African musician Sibo. The show encourages kids to be interactive so let them do what they can’t at home, beat the drums till the cows come home. 13 – 17 Apr. Glen Street Theatre, Cnr Blackbutts Rd and Glen Str, Belrose. 9975 1455, www. glenstreet.com.au Sydney Family Show An Easter show replete with your favourite showbags, magic shows, tasty food and fun competitions with fantastic prizes. And it’s free! If the Royal Easter Show is not in the budget this year, the Entertainment Quarter version is a fabulous alternative. 1-14 Apr. Entertainment Quarter, 122 Lang Rd, Moore Park. Free. 8117 6700, eqmoorepark.com.au 2010 What Matters? Pick up any newspaper or click on a news website and there are opinion pieces on everything by everyone. Unfortunately, with all the noise that’s made, the voice of the youth is going unheard. If you are in years 5-12 and have something to say about how to build a better society then put your ideas down in an essay and enter the 2010 What Matters competition. Entries close 30 Apr. Whitlam Institute within the University of Western Sydney. 9685 9187, www.whitlam.org COMEDY Thursday 8 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) Bruce Griffiths – Randwick Rugby Club ($12) Tom Oatley, Brad Oaks – Laugh Garage Comedy Club ($11.50$26.50) Friday 9 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) Tom Oatley, Brad Oaks – Laugh Garage Comedy Club ($11.50$26.50) Saturday 10 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) Tom Oatley, Brad Oaks – Laugh Garage Comedy Club ($11.50$26.50) Sunday 11 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) Monday 12 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) Tuesday 13 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) Comedy at BB’s – Bar Bondi ($10) Pauly Shore, Sandy Danto – The Basement ($44) Stand Up & Get Down – World Bar ($5-$10) Wednesday 14 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) New Comics Night – Laugh Garage Comedy Club ($11.50-$26.50) Thursday 15 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) Pubs, Clubs and Bars Annandale Hotel: Cnr Nelson St and Parramatta Rd, Annandale. 9550 1078, www.annandalehotel.com.au The Argyle: 18 Argyle St,The Rocks. 9247 5500, www.theargyle.biz Bank Hotel: 324 King St, Newtown. 9557 1692 The Basement: 29 Reiby Pl, Circular Quay. 9251 2797, www.thebasement.com.au Beach Road Hotel: 71 Beach Rd, Bondi Beach. 9130 7247, www.myspace.com/ beachroadbondi Candy’s Apartment: 22 Bayswater Rd, Kings Cross. 9380 5600, www.candys.com.au Club 77: 77 William St, Kings Cross. 9361 4981, www.myspace.com/club_77 Cricketers Arms Hotel: 106 Fitzroy St, Surry Hills. 9331 3301 The Different Drummer: 185 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe. 9552 3406, www.differentdrummer.com.au The Duke Hotel: 148 Enmore Rd, Enmore. 9519 1935, www.duke-hotel.com Empire Hotel: 32 Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross. 9360 7531, empirehotel.net Enmore Theatre: 130 Enmore Rd, Newtown. 9550 3666, www.enmoretheatre.com.au Excelsior Hotel: 64 Foveaux St, Surry Hills. 9211 4945, www.excelsiorhotel.com.au The Factory Theatre: 105 Victoria Rd, Enmore. www.factorytheatre.com.au Friend in Hand Pub: 58 Cowper St, Glebe. 9660 2326, www.friendinhand.com.au Fringe Bar: 106 Oxford St, Paddington. 9360 5443, www.thefringe.com.au Gaelic Theatre: 64 Devonshire St, Surry Hills. 9211 1687, www.thegaelic.com Gaslight Inn: 278 Crown St, Darlinghurst. 9360 6746 The Harold Park Hotel: 70A Ross St, Glebe. 9660 4745, www.haroldparkhotel.com.au Hopetoun Hotel: 416 Bourke St, Surry Hills. 9361 5257, www.myspace.com/ hopetounhotel Lansdowne Hotel: 2-6 City Rd, Chippendale. 9211 2325 The Laugh Garage: Cnr Church and Market St, Parramatta. 8883 1111, www.thelaughgarage.com The Loft: University of Technology, 15 Broadway, Sydney. 9514 2000, www.myspace.com/utsloftbar Manning Bar: Lvl 1, Manning House, Manning Rd, University of Sydney. 1800 013 201, www.manningbar.com Mars Lounge: 16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills. 9267 6440, www.marslounge.com.au Melt Bar: 12 Kellett St, Kings Cross. 9380 6060, www.meltbar.com.au Metro Theatre: 624 George St, Sydney. 9550 3666, www.metrotheatre.com.au The Nags Head Hotel: 162 St Johns Rd, Glebe. 9660 1591, www.nagshead.com.au Newtown Theatre: Cnr King St and Bray St. 9519 5081, www.newtowntheatre.com.au The Oatley Hotel: 8 Oatley Ave, Oatley. 9580 1117, www.oatleyhotel.com.au Opera Bar: Lower Concourse Lvl, Sydney Opera House, Sydney. 9247 1666, www.operabar.com.au Oxford Art Factory: 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. 9332 3711, www.oxfordartfactory.com Rag & Famish: 199 Miller St, North Sydney. 9955 1257, www.ragandfamish.com.au The Roxbury Hotel: 182 St Johns Rd, Glebe. 9692 0822, www.roxbury.com.au Roundhouse: University of New South Wales, Anzac Pde, Kensington. 9385 7784, www.unswroundhouse.com Ruby Rabbit: 231 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. 9332 3197, www.rubyrabbit.com.au The Sound Lounge: Seymour Centre, cnr Cleveland St and City Rd, Chippendale. 9351 7940, www.seymour.usyd.edu.au Sandringham Hotel: 387 King St, Newtown. 9557 1254, www.sando.com.au Sapphire Suite: 2 Kellet St, Kings Cross. 9331 0058, www.sapphiresuite.com South Sydney Juniors: 558A Anzac Pde, Kingsford. 9349 7555, www.southsjuniors.org.au Spectrum: 34 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. 1800 438 849 (moshtix), www.pashpresents.com Star Bar: 600 George St, Sydney. 9267 7827, www.starbar.com.au The Vanguard: 42 King St, Newtown. 1800 438 849 (moshtix), www.thevanguard.com.au World Bar: 24 Bayswater Rd, Kings Cross. 9357 2755, www.theworldbar.com.au The White Horse: 381-385 Crown St, Surry Hills. 8333 9999, www.thewhitehorse.com.au • The family are throwing a fundraiser for Al (nee Smidmore) Strehler. And in keeping with Al’s personality they’ve named it: “The Bondi Local FunRaiser”. Organiser Beccy Strehler says “We wanted to raise funds in a fun, community kind of way. We thought of the kind of person Al is and just went from there. She simply loves Bondi and is fun-loving so the name and theme came easily.” Anyone wanting to contribute or buy a ticket to the event can contact me on 0451 09 0006 or visit www.bondilocalfunraiser.blogspot.com. • Young Bondi Local living with MND • Family lived in Dover Heights since 1920...when it was still just a Bondi sand dune. • Her father owned 6 Ways Pharmacy on Hall St for over 40yrs. It’s where Skinny Dip café is now. Al – started coming to Bondi with her large family of 6 siblings. As a teen she was one of the original “2nd Ramp” crew of local hot surfers and friends. They ‘owned’ the 2nd Ramp each summer for years. • Al was a keen surfer and walker, she just loved loved the ‘Bronte walk’. She spent countless hours at Bondi with her two children teaching them to surf. • Both are keen surfers as a result of her love and commitment. She was 39yrs when diagonosed. • She developed MND six years ago first noticing it in her left leg while on the walk to Bronte. There is no cure for MND though there are trials being done at The Prince of Wales hospital in Randwick. AL’s family is looking to get her included in the program. • The debilitating disease has now spread to other parts of her body. This means she is more and more confined to her home in North Bondi. Of course, work is out of the question. For an active and hard working person like Al this is another cruel blow. • Al is not one to feel negative or depressed. On the contrary many people draw strength from her fresh and sunny outlook. • She is a self-taught meditator and constantly reads self-awareness and spiritual healing books. Peter Aftanas from Bondi Natural Health is helping treat her symptoms with acupuncture and herbal remedies. It’s a slow process though her migraines have eased with Peter’s help. • Her children, family and friends have supported her throughout her illness. Now the wider Bondi and Eastern Suburbs community is getting involved. • “At the event we want to raise money first and foremost but make sure everyone there has a blast. • There’s great local party bands like Big Toy and Shark Alarm, MC, magician and comedy. • What’s on at the Bondi Local FunRaiser • Local party bands – Big Toy www.bigtoyentertainment.com and The Shark Alarms • Hosted by Gary Bradbury • Auction of big ticket items an original handwritten Tim Finn song “Poor Boy” and personally ownded Taj Burrows board - donated by himself. Silent auctions • Justin, Al’s brother, says “We’ve had a great response from local people and businesses to help. It’s a great example of the community pulling together for each other. Al is a very private person and not directly involved in the event. However the money raised will all go directly to helping with her treatment and comfort. Music CD Reviews chris@alternativemediagroup.com THE WEAKERTHANS LIVE AT THE BURTON CUMMINGS THEATRE At some point in the genealogy of alternative music, post-hardcore became post-post-hardcore, and would-be punks start making accessible, introspective pop music. The Weakerthans are the kind of band you want to trot out to support this kind of thesis.They play fun, guitar-driven songs with that serious North American vocal twang. Keeping it simple with pop structures and compelling with cathartic, semiteenage lyrical content. If you don’t know the band, Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre isn’t a bad place to start. It’s a live album, a recording of a show in their hometown of Winnepeg, Manitoba, from their 2009 tour.The band are on form, and supported by a number of guests and stand-in musicians.There are lots of guitars. Best of all is the audience, who are massively in to it, so that when John K. Samson sings “I hate ...Winnepeg”, you get a sense of the mild, introverted angst that fuels the scene.A nice document from a great band, and well worth your time. (SM) JOHN BUTLER TRIO - APRIL UPRISING Album number five for John Butler is album number one for the John Butler Trio Mark II. Having decided he need new faces to musically bounce off, John Butler cast aside the old - Michael Barker and Shannon Birchall - for the new - drummer Nicky Bomba and bass-player Byron Luiters.The result, April Uprising is John Butler’s Triple M album. One Way is as infectious as a blend of shuffling funk-rock as JB has written so far, and has understandably been plastered all over the airwaves. But where before one might be talking about Bultler’s deft touches on the guitar, his adroit picking and nuanced playing, we are talking more about his power chords and fat riff’s here.And granted they are good riffs, but they are not producing the quality of song that Grand National did.Take Close To You, bloated pub-rock at its best/worst, a dumb fat riff and not much else, but you will tap/stomp your foot to it. By anyone else’s standards this is a fine alt-rock album, but by those of JB we know and hope that when he settles in with his new musical mates that there is better (man) to come. (CP) MARY GAUTHIER - THE FOUNDLING I listened to this album for a couple of weeks, puzzled by my own feelings towards it. I figure it’s an average-togood country-folk album.The album was produced by Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies, and produced well, with lots of interesting bells and whistles, atmosphere.The core of the album is Gautheir’s story, a moving and very true story about her birth out of wedlock, subsequent adoption, and the relationships (mostly estranged) that follow. The Foundling is a song cycle on these experiences. It’s a moving story, and the songs are written well, and that’s what really stands out on the album. But the catch is Gauthier’s voice. It’s okay, but the performances aren’t good enough (not country enough, perhaps) to carry every one of her songs. I love the tune Goodbye for instance, but Gauthier doesn’t carry it as well as she might. But then, she kills the excellent closing number, The Orphan King (“the superhero of suffering”). She’s a little bit inconsistent. But that shouldn’t stop you from checking it out. (SM) SHE & HIM - VOLUME TWO It is a cocktail seemingly mixed in heaven - the charming Zooey Deschanel’s neo-Sandy Shaw musings, and M Ward’s distinctive twisted folk sounds and 60’s pop production. However, despite its clear musical prestige, this album feels somehow removed from reality.All of the songs were written by Deschanel, and she delivers them with melancholy conviction - these are tales of broken vows and broken hearts, Gerry and the Pacemakers style. She clearly has a firm handle on the construction of a classic pop song; occasionally the Brill Building hit-factory sound comes to the fore, particularly in In The Sun and the southern lilt of I’m Gonna Make It Better. But despite the odd moment of sparkle, largely these tunes feel a little forced; it somehow feels like we’re being taken on a disappointing journey, as the material is not quite intimate enough, and the pop melodies are not quite catchy enough to leave you humming.A solidly produced record, full of lovely sounds, but for the keen listener it somehow falls short of the sum of its parts. (AR) For more album reviews go to www.altmedia.net.au 22 w h at ’ s o n Gary Eck, Cam Knight – Randwick Rugby Club ($12) Phil Wild, Brian Damage, Krystal – Laugh Garage Comedy Club ($11.50-$26.50) Friday 16 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) Pauly Shore – Sydney Comedy Store ($49) Phil Wild, Bruce Griffiths, Brian Damage, Krystal – Laugh Garage Comedy Club ($11.50-$26.50) Sydney Comedy Festival: Basile – Enmore Theatre ($44-$49) Sydney Comedy Festival: Tom Green – Enmore Theatre ($39.90$49.90) Saturday 17 April Alonzo Bodden – Sydney Comedy Store ($10-$30) Phil Wild, Bruce Griffiths, Brian Damage, Krystal – Laugh Garage Comedy Club ($11.50-$26.50) Sunday 18 April Sydney Comedy Festival: Henry Rollins – Enmore Theatre ($54.60) GALLERIES & MUSEUMS Anna Schwartz Gallery Joseph Kosuth until 10 Apr Tue – Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 11am-5pm. 245 Wilson Street Darlington NSW 2008. 8580 7002, www.annaschwartzgallery.com Artereal Gallery Carla Hananiah: Sublime until 1 May Gary Smith: Refined until 1 May Wed – Sat 11am-5pm 747 Darling St, Rozelle. 9818 7473, www.artereal.com.au Art Gallery Of New South Wales ARTEXPRESS 2010 until 9 May Colour, Rhythm, Design until 30 May The Dreamers until 26 Apr East meets West: from the archive of Flora Beresford until 30 Apr Hymn to Beauty:The Art of Utamaro until 2 May Wilderness until 23 May 10am-5pm, 7 days a week. Art After Hours – every Wed until 9pm. Art Gallery Rd,The Domain, Sydney. 9225 1744, www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au Aquabumps Gallery Tue – Sat. 10am to 6pm. 151 Curlewis Street, Bondi Beach. 9130 7788, www.aquabumps.com Australian Centre for Photography Amy Stein: Domesticated until 11 Apr Olivia Martin-McGuire: Sleepers until 11 Apr Zed Nelson: Love Me until 24 Apr Tue – Fri 12pm–7pm, Sat & Sun 10am–6pm. 257 Oxford St, Paddington. 9332 1455, www.acp.org.au The Australian Museum Amazing Backyard Adventures until 18 Apr Wildlife Photographer of the Year until 26 Apr Mon – Wed 6am-10pm, Thur – Fri 6am-11pm, Sat – Sun 8am-11pm. 70 Riley St, East Sydney. 9361 4613, www.austmus.gov.au Australian National Maritime Museum Australia-America permanent Eora First People permanent Mythic Creatures until 23 May Navigators permanent Navy permanent Sea Journeys permanent Watermarks permanent 9.30am-5pm daily. 2 Murray St, Darling Harbour. 9298 3777, www.anmm.gov.au Breenspace Kate Murphy until 17 Apr Nick Savvas 29 Apr – 5 Jun Tue – Sat 11am-6pm. 289 Young St, Waterloo. 9690 0555, www.breenspace.com Brett Whiteley Studio Iconic Whiteley until 4 Apr Sat – Sun 10am-4pm. 2 Raper St, Surry Hills. 9225 1744, www.brettwhiteley.org Charles Hewitt Gallery Mary Shackman: Absolutely until 26 Apr Sara Freeman: New Work until 26 Apr Mon – Sat 10am-6pm. 335 South Dowling St, Darlinghurst. 9331 4988, www.charleshewitt.com.au China Heights Gallery De-Con-Struction until 16 Apr Faxhibition until 30 Apr Sat – Wed 12pm-5pm. 257 Crown St, Darlinghurst. www.chinaheights.com Craft NSW Riches of the Earth until 26 Jul Mon – Sun, 9.30am-5.30pm. Craft NSW, 104 George St. 9241 5825, www.artsandcraftsnsw.com.au Darren Knight Gallery Robert Kinmont until 17 Apr Kenzee Patterson until 17 Apr Charlie Sofo until 17 Apr Ronnie Van Hout until 17 Apr Tue – Sat 11am-6pm. 840 Elizabeth St, Waterloo. 9699 5353, www.darrenknightgallery.com Depot Gallery Just Add Water until 1 May Tue – Sat 11am-6pm. 2 Danks St, Waterloo www.2danksstreet.com.au Harrison Galleries Elizabeth Wojciak until 6 May Junk Go until 6 May Lisa Tomasetti until 27 May Loretta Quinn until 6 May John Waters until 27 May Tue – Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm. 294 Glenmore Rd, Paddington. 9380 7100, www.harrisongalleries.com.au Iain Dawson Gallery Big Paintings until 10 Apr Tue – Sat 10am-6pm. 72A Windsor St, Paddington. 9358 4337, www.iaindawson.com Justice & Police Museum Femme Fatale until 18 Apr Sin City from 1 May Mon – Fri 10am-5pm, daily in school holidays. Cnr Phillip & Albert St, Circular Quay. 9252 1144 Macleay Museum Macleay Reworked permanent Makarr-garma: Aboriginal collections from a Yolnu perspective until 15 May Mirror Mirror until 2 May Outlines - Koori Artefacts until 30 Jun Mon – Fri 10am-4.30pm, Sun 12pm-4pm. Gosper Ln, near the Footbridge St entrance to the University of Sydney. 9036 5253 Museum of Contemporary Art Almanac:The Gift of Ann Lewis until 18 Apr Sylvie Blocher:What Is Missing? until 26 April Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson until 11 Apr We Call Them Pirates Out Here until 29 Aug 10am-5pm daily. 140 George St, The Rocks. 9245 2400, www.mca.com.au Museum of Sydney Up the Cross: Rennie Ellis and Wesley Stacey until 8 Aug 9.30am-5pm daily. 37 Phillip St, Sydney. 9251 5988, www.hht.net.au Nicholson Museum Charles Nicholson: Man and Museum until Dec 2010 Classical Fantasies:The Age of Beauty until Dec 2010 Mon – Fri 10am-4.30pm, Sun 12pm-4pm. Southern entrance to the Quadrangle, The University of Sydney. www.usyd.edu.au/museums NG Art Gallery Daniel Malecki 11 – 29 May Steven Vella 20 Apr – 8 May Susan O’Doherty:The Perfect Woman until 17 Apr Tue – Fri 11am-10pm, Sat 9am10pm. Upper level, 3 Little Queen St, Chippendale. 9318 2992, www.ngart.com.au Powerhouse Museum The 80s Are Back until late 2010 DesignTECH until 18 Apr Student Fashion until 30 May 10am-5pm daily. 500 Harris St, Ultimo. 9217 0111, www.powerhousemuseum.com Ray Hughes Gallery Group Show until 21 Apr Franck’s Wild Years by Chayni Henry 23 Apr – 19 May Small Sculptures by Peter Powditch until 21 Apr Tue – Sat 10am-6pm. 270 Devonshire St, Surry Hills. 9698 3200, www.rayhughesgallery.com Robin Gibson Gallery Cash Brown and Chico Monks 1 – 26 May New Talent until 26 Apr Tue – Sat 11am-6pm. 278 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst. 9331 6692, www.robingibson.net Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery Imants Tillers: A Poem of the Land until 3 Apr Tracey Moffatt: Plantation and Other 9 Apr – 1 May Tue – Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 11am-6pm. 8 Soudan Lane, Paddington. 9331 1919, www.roslynoxley9.com.au Sarah Cottier Gallery Gemma Smith: Sudden Double until 1 Apr Wed – Sat 11am-5pm. 3 Neild Ave, Paddington. 9356 3305, www.sarahcottiergallery.com Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation Fiona Tan” Coming Home until 12 Jun Wed – Sat 11am-5pm. 16-20 Goodhope St, Paddington. 9331 1112, www.sherman-scaf. org.au S.H. Ervin Gallery Salon Des Refusés 27 Mar – 23 May Tue – Sun 11am-5pm. Watson Rd, Observatory Hill, The Rocks. 9258 0173, www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au Stills Gallery Anne Feran: Lost to Worlds until 15 Aug Ricky Maynard: Portraits of a Distant Land until 15 Aug Sat 11am-6pm. 36 Gosbell St, Paddington. www.stillsgallery.com.au/ UTS Gallery Twenty/20 until 9 Apr Mon – Fri 12-6pm. Lvl 4, 702 Harris St, Ultimo. 9514 1652, www.utsgallery.uts.edu.au White Rabbit Gallery The Tao of Now until July 30 Thu – Sun 10am-6pm. 30 Balfour Street Chippendale. 8399 2867, www.whiterabbitcollection.org Wilson Street Gallery Ian Andrews: A Conversation until 11 Apr Lifelines until 17 Apr – 9 May Manne Shulze:The Vinyl Archives until 11 Apr. Wed – Sun 11am–6pm. 30-34 Wilson St, Newtown. 9516 3144, www.wilsonstreetgallery.com.au TALKS & EVENTS Apollo 13: NASA’s Finest Hour Everyone loves a survival story. In conjunction with the museum’s Apollo 40th HOT TIX Popcorn Taxi: Accidents Happen Meet Miss Geena Davies, the six foot beauty who will put any insult-laden road safety campaign about redheads to shame. Along with director Andrew Lancaster, Davies will join an Australian audience at Orpheum Picture Palace for a special Q&A session. A British-Aussie collaboration, Accidents Happen is a black comedy about 15-yearold Billy Conway and his dysfunctional family whose fate is about to change. He’s been witness to freak accidents all his life and when he decides enough is enough and begins to stray with the bad crowd, things seem to take a turn for the…better? If not for a glimpse of Ms Davies’ never ending legs, go see how a film based in 1980s Connecticut was shot entirely in Sydney. Apr 14. 7.30pm. Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, 380 Military Road, Cremorne. $26. www.popcorntaxi.com.au Supafest Bring on the bling because this is the biggest urban pop show to hit our shores. With a line-up that flaunts some of the world’s biggest chart toppers Pitbull, Eve, Kelly Rowland, Sean Paul and Jay Sean, this is a mega concert with real value for money. And rightly so, the first show has already sold out and we are guessing the HOT TIX for their newly added second show will disappear before you can say shizzle. So get in there quick. Warning to English teachers: May lead to the permanent replacement of “er” with “a”. Keep it real gangstas. Apr 15 (sold out) Apr 16. Acer Arena. Olympic Boulevard, Sydney Olympic Park ($99-$159) 8765 4321, www.ticketek.com.au, www.supafest.com.au w h at ’ s o n Anniversary talk series, curator of Space Technology, Kerrie Dougherty, will discuss the “successful failure” of Apollo 13. 11 Apr. 2-3pm. Target Theatre. Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo. ($6-$10) 9217 0111, www.powerhousemuseum.com Australia’s Richest Radio Play Writing Competition 2010 With a prize package worth $6000 for the top 4 scripts, it is no wonder that this is Australia’s richest competition in its genre. If you are an aspiring playwright with an opinion about contemporary issues faced by everyday Aussies, then get your pen to paper now. Entries close 30 June. www.dogwoodcrossing.com, 46271131 Diary of a Wildlife Photographer Join author and wildlife photographer Jan Latta as she talks about her adventures in Africa, China and India. Along with an exhibition of her dazzling photography, you will also be aiding her cause to raise awareness about endangered animals. Apr 13. 12pm. Customs House Library, Level 2 Meeting Room, 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay. Free. 9242 8555, www.sydneycustomshouse. com.au Casablanca Nights I attended the inaugural Casablanca Nights on 2 March and it is easy to see why this is becoming a staple at Notes Live. At the classy jazz event, women were draped in slinky numbers even though it was only a Tuesday. Men in business suits looked dapper - you could imagine them waiting for the clock to read 5.30pm in their offices. There was even a Bogart look alike in pin-stripped suit. I had a dirty martini with olives and spicy calamari which was perfect for me although you could book in a sit-down meal. The martini went down well with the smoky vocals of Evelyn Duprai who will be performing again in this installment with Gary Holgate, Peter Skelton, Joseph Calderazzo, Natasha Stuart, Anthea White and Mark Palmer. 13 Apr. Notes Live. 73-75 Enmore Rd, Newtown. ($20.50-$44) 9557 5111, www.noteslive.net.au FESTIVALS Animania Festival 2010 Who didn’t love Hayao Miyazaki Ponyo last year? Although his films are embraced by the wider community, there is a lot about anime and Japanese pop culture that is still foreign to us. And here is an excellent opportunity to eradicate that. 11 – 12 Sep. Australian Technology Park. Conference Centre, Bay 4 Locomotive St, Eveleigh. $11.50-$25. www.animania.net.au A Night of Horror International Film Festival This year, skip the dress-up party and drench yourself in blood, guts and gore during Halloween. The sleaze and cheese of horror at its very best. A Night of Horror will debut Australian films The Horseman, Damned by Dawn, The Dark Lurking and BritishAustralian collaboration The Triangle starring Melissa George and Emma Lung. Ah… Quentin would have been proud. These nine days of ghoulish entertainment will include several short films, Q&A sessions and a special Halloween screening of the much-anticipated vamp-com Zomebieland starring Woody Harrelson and a grown-up Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine). Let the nightmare begin! 15 – 23 Apr. Dendy Newtown Cinema. 261-263 King Street, Newtown. 9550 5699, www.anightofhorror.com Hymn to Beauty Film Series A floating world, an underbelly of entertainment, theatre, actors, geishas and brothels. Ukiyo or the floating world of 17th century Japan during the Tokugawa rule is the inspiration behind this film series, held in conjunction with the art exhibition Hymn to Beauty:The Art of Utamaro. Until 18 Apr. 7.15pm Wed and 2pm Sun. Art Gallery NSW. Domain Theatre, Lower Level 3. Art Gallery Rd,The Domain, Sydney. 9225 1744, www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au Scorsese Film Festival Paying homage to the man with the eyebrows, Mr. Martin Scorsese, the festival will see some of his earlier films screened at the lovely Chauvel cinema. Spread over four weeks; watch Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Good Fellas and Raging Bull on the big screen again. 26 Mar – 9 Apr. Chauvel Cinema. Paddington Town Hall, Cnr Oxford St & Oatley Rd, Paddington. $12. 9361 5398, www.chauvelcinema.net.au smARTarts Festival Held in conjunction with National Youth Week (10 – 18 Apr), smARTarts will see some of Sydney’s most creative youths playing live music, performing dance numbers and displaying commendable art pieces at the youth art exhibition. 17 Apr. 1-3pm. Pine Street Creative Arts Centre, 64 Pine Street, Chippendale. 9245 1503, www.pinestreet.com.au Surry Hills Festival Local bands, quirky fashion designs, great food and kids’ entertainment. Celebrating everything we love about Surry Hills, this one day festival is a must for all. Entry through gold coin donations. 10 Apr. 9.30am-6pm. Ward Park, Devonshire Str, Surry Hills. www.shnc.org/festival Sydney Royal Easter Show How can anyone say no to showbags stuffed with candy? On a high and don’t know what to do? Head to the Poultry and Sheep Pavilion to see chooks washed and blow-dried.With blood sugar levels that high, chooks in soapy foam can be quite entertaining. Ah… good old Easter Show.We can’t wait for the madness to begin. 1 – 14 Apr. Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. $22-$93.50. 1300 730 631, www.eastershow.com.au LIVE MUSIC Thursday 8 April Anikiko – Notes Live ($14.50) The Beatville Boys – The Orient Hotel (free) Bebel Gilberto – Enmore Theatre ($89.90) Café Carnivale: Heval – Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre ($22-$28) Cameron Undy Quartet – 505 ($10$15) Casey Donovan, Urban Stone – Sandringham Hotel ($12) A Casual End Mile – Oxford Art Factory (free) Extended Family – Macquarie Hotel (free) Hot Damn! – Spectrum ($12-$18) Katie Noonan & The Captains – Oxford Art Factory ($33.30) Peter Head – Harbour View Hotel (free) Pistol Whipped – 202 Broadway (free) Snowdroppers – Gaelic Theatre (free) So You Think You Can DJ? – Empire Hotel (free) Stryper, Devine Electric – Metro Theatre ($73.50) The Suspects – Marble Bar (free) Thousand Needles in the Red – Annandale Hotel (free) Friday 9 April Alisa Fedele – Fitzroy Hotel Bernie McGann Quartet – Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre ($22-$28) Blades – The Gadd (free) Brown Sugar – Marble Bar (free) Eddy Current Supression Ring – Annandale Hotel ($20) Geoff Achison – The Vanguard ($22$27) The Jezabels – Oxford Art Factory ($12.80) Justin Townes Earle, Jason Isbell – The Factory Theatre ($38.50) La Discoteca – World Bar ($15) MUM – World Bar ($15) Philip Johnston and The Pagers – 505 ($10-$15) Purple Sneakers – Gladstone Hotel ($12) Roger Hodgson – Enmore Theatre (sold out) Skryptcha – Beach Road Hotel (free) The Stripped Back Late Show – The Vanguard (free) Talib Kweli, Jean Grae – The Forum Theatre ($45-$55) Saturday 10 April Doug Williams & The Mix – Ravel, Macquarie Hotel ($22) Eclipse Alley Five – Strawberry Hills Hotel (free) Eddy Current Supression Ring – 23 movie micros Kick Ass AN EDUCATION Sixteenyear-old Jenny is fulfilling her father’s dream for her to go to Oxford University until she meets a much older David, with whom her daydreams are tangible. Nick Hornby’s adaptation of Lynn Barber’s memoir is a seductive miseducation of an adolescent life. (KS) A PROPHET Grim, gritty, violent, and almost entirely set in a prison, A Prophet is by no means a glorification of crime and neither is it a seat-ofthe-pants action thriller with twists and turns at every corner.Yet it is about criminals and it is a thriller, but within a slow human drama that is as much about growth and friendship as it is about organised crime and power. (MG) A SERIOUS MAN The Coen brothers have produced another gem with A Serious Man. Following feckless physics professor Larry Gopnick’s struggles with family, work and marriage, the film is a masterly black comedy exploring questions of faith, family, mortality, academia and everything in between. Hilarious and profound, this is one not to be missed. (KB) AWAY WE GO, the antithesis of Sam Mendes’ melancholic back catalogue, sees Verona (Maya Rudolph) and Burt (The Office’s John Krasinki) travel across America in search of a home for their unborn child. Rudolph and Krasinki’s zany rapport will illicit laughs. (JH) THE BLIND SIDE is inspired by the life of NFL linesman Michael Ohler. It’s a mawkish and ideologically questionable sporting drama, enlivened only by Sandra Bullock’s career-best performance. (ABo) It’s wonderfully depraved; it’s uber-gonzo; it’s bitingly funny; it’s Kick-Ass! Matthew Vaughn’s unapologetically over-the-top flick is the hippest, most exhilarating film out now. It’s also proof that ‘so-called’ legitimate comic-book films don’t have to be dour, humourless affairs – they can also be a ‘helluva’ lot of fun! Dave Lizewski (Nowhere Boy’s impressive Aaron Johnson) spends his days fantasising about buxom high-school teachers and reading superhero comics. Unfortunately, he’s awkward around girls and is the target of repeated muggings. When Dave becomes a masked vigilante to revitalise his remote existence, he soon trades blows with a powerful Mafioso (the ever-reliable Mark Strong). Kick-Ass also stars Christopher (McLovin) Mintz-Plasse, a ludicrously straightfaced Nicholas Cage and Chloe Grace Moretz, who steals the show as an 11-year-old assassin in pig-tails. While it revels in its use of violence and profanities, Kick-Ass is a surprisingly sweet (and often romantic) offering that plays like an off-thehook mash-up between Superbad, Spiderman and Kill-Bill. Bring on the sequel! (JH) THE BOUNTY HUNTER In this romantic reimagining of genre classic Midnight Run, a fugitive reporter (Jennifer Aniston) tries to allude her bounty hunter ex-husband (Gerard Butler). Perfunctory plot aside, this playful offering works when the leads are given enough space to chew the scenery. (JH) BRAN NUE DAE Flimsy plot elements aside, this vibrant and funfilled outback adventure jaunt about an indigenous boy’s return home from a religious mission in 1965 has a lot to recommend it. Worth it for genuinely toe-tapping tunes and the spectacular visual beauty of Broome itself. (SM) BRIGHT STAR The story of John Keats’ and Fanny Brawne’s tragic love is beautifully told in Jane Campion’s latest feature Bright Star. Abbey Cornish and Ben Wishaw shine with authenticity as the two lovers and evoke genuine empathy in this true, Romantic tragedy. (NG) BROTHERS A film about love, war, betrayal, death and family, Brothers is a deeply emotional film. It doesn’t set itself on happy endings but with strong performances and some solid themes it is still a rather enjoyable experience. (AG) CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRES ASSISTANT, directed by Paul Weitz, follows Darren Shan (Chris Massoglia), as he is recruited, perhaps unwillingly, into the vampire world by Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly) in order to protect him from the fate that awaits him.Tossing and turning between moralities, immortality, love and the underworld, this new take on the vampire ideology brings more than just teeth to the table. (BLR) CLASH OF THE TITANS The latest blockbuster for Hollywood money maker Sam Worthington Clash of the Titans wastes little time in ramping up the action. Demons, spirits, gods and all sorts of deadly creatures are brought to the forefront of this mythical battle royale within minutes of the opening credits. This digital remaster of the original 1981 story follows Worthington’s Perseus, mortal son of Zeus, as he embarks on the dangerous journey to stop Hades and his minions from taking over humanity and the heavens by defeating the fearful Kraken. Clash is all about the action and without surprise it handles it fairly well, especially in 3D. Suspend your disbelief and buckle up for this extreme feast of visual effects. (AG) DAYBREAKERS The latest offering to vampire lovers, Daybreakers, is set in 2017 where most of the world’s population have become vampires and humans have been farmed virtually to extinction. The last hope for humanity rests on the brooding shoulders of Ethan Hawke. (ABr) FROM PARIS WITH LOVE is not a movie with strong character depth and an engrossing story.What is provided however is pure off the wall action and it comes in spades. Don’t pay too much attention to plot and enjoy this summer shooter. (AG) THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO Since this is a Swedish production of a darkerthan-you-expect bestseller, I had high expectations that it wasn’t going to be another Da Vinci Code (shudder). Larsson set the director a hard task: a film’s length just couldn’t permit all his minutiae and extreme detail, which meant the opening and closing scenes were unfulfilling and much of the book was omitted. But the midsection was riveting. (RK) THE HURT LOCKER A refreshing portrayal of the Iraq War, this is one of the best films based on the conflict to date – a stellar showcase of intense action and suspense while exploring a fascinating insight into the psyche of the American soldier. (AG) IN THE LOOP Bureaucracy and international politics are skilfully thrashed in this black comedy about UK-US alliances during the lead up to a fictional Middle East invasion. Infused with cynicism, dry British humour and plenty of punch, In the Loop is political satire at its sharpest. (LRu) INVICTUS South Africa’s new president, Nelson Mandela, enlists the Springboks rugby team, abhorred for evoking the nation’s racist past, to help reconcile his people. Morgan’s nuanced portrayal of Mandela is pitch-perfect, while Clint Eastwood’s ‘no bull’ direction offers heart and sports spectacle. (JH) THE LAST STATION Love, religion, sexuality and honour play out in this theatrical tale of Leo Tolstoy’s last days. The acting is great across the board but hinges on stellar performances by Christopher Plummer (Tolstoy) and Helen Mirren (his wife of 48 years). (AF) LAW ABIDING CITIZEN If you can manage to leave your brain at the door for the sometimes ridiculous plot, Law Abiding Citizen is a fairly enjoyable thriller that showcases a father taking revenge for the murder of his wife and daughter. (AG) THE LOVELY BONES In Peter Jackson’s adaptation, 14-year old Susie Salmon watches from Heaven as her grief-stricken family struggles to cope with her brutal murder. Based on Alice Sebold’s novel, hackneyed spiritualism prevents this gorgeously visual film from being a truly cathartic experience. (JH) THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS Walking through walls and killing goats by simply starring at them are just some of the psychic weapons used by the U.S. Military’s New Earth Army. Sounds kooky? Well, it is a kooky kind of a movie except that it flaunts a dream cast and is based on a true story. (KS) MY ONE AND ONLY In what is more than an average ‘road-trip’ WRITERS AND OPINION MAKERS WANTED The Alternative Media Group publishers of The City Hub, City News, Bondi View and Inner West Independant are looking for writers. Opportunities in print and online are avalible to opinion makers and up and coming journalists. Send a CV, writing samples and a covering letter to: citynews @alternativemediagroup.com 24 story, Anne Devereaux whisks her two sons Robbie and George around America to find herself a new husband and unexpectedly finds instead, that she doesn’t need one. (NG) NANNY MCPHEE AND THE BIG BANG When the Greens are at risk of losing their family farm, the magical Nanny McPhee turns up to help out. So ensues the tale of Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, a solid kids movie enough straightforward laughs to keep you watching happily to the end. (LHe) NOWHERE BOY Sam TaylorWood’s charismatic biopic Nowhere Boy meditates on John Lennon’s rollicking teenage years prior to the genesis of the Beatles. Newcomer Aaron Johnson gives a spirited performance, investing the rock and roll icon with irreverence, pathos and lad humour. (JH) PRECIOUS Based on the 1996 novel Push by Harlem poet Sapphire, Precious is a hard knocks with heart tale following an illiterate, overweight and pregnant teenager. Honeycombed with fantastical escapism, and straying stylistically somewhere between Dangerous Minds and a gritty, heartrending reality, Precious works best in the latter. A diamond in the rough. (AB) THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE The enigmatic title character (Robin Wright Penn) is forced by a drastic change in lifestyle to reflect on her dysfunctional upbringing. This film works best when it trades melodrama for oddball humour. (JH) THE ROAD John Hillcoat’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is a bleak, post-apocalyptic story of a father and son struggling for survival in a world on the brink of death. Its sparse and eerie landscapes make the perfect setting for the ultimate question, is survival enough? (KB) SEPARATION CITY is in essence a comedy drama about romantic relationships in all their dysfunctionality – from the old shtick of the wife who finds her philandering husband in a compromising position with some blonde bimbo, to the wife who tells her husband she’s actually a lesbian. At times predictable, it does make you think about the high price of keeping love going, while staying light and funny. (MG) SHERLOCK HOLMES With a deft flick of the wrist Guy Ritchie scuttles all of Holmes’ ‘stiff upper lip’ incarnations. Robert Downey Jr can streetfight and mud-sling along with the gnarliest of Lock Stock geezers – except with charm and a fierce intellect to boot. A fun take on one of literature’s best ever bromances. (AB) SISTER SMILE Cecile de France delivers an unmissable performance in Stijin Coninx’s latest film Sister Smile (soeur SOURIRE), based on the life of Jeannine Deckers, one of the highest selling artists of all time. Deckers, who lived through a stifled adolescence, a Dominican convent, worldwide fame, financial and personal hardship and early feminism, makes for a fascinating story, done justice by a magnificent performance. (KB) THE TOPP TWINS An utterly endearing biopic laying bare the lives of kiwi entertainment icons: the Topp Twins. Funny, touching and inspiring portrait of the all singing, all dancing lesbian twin sisters. Go see this and let them yodel their way into your hearts. (ABr) UP IN THE AIR Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a travelling businessman whose busy lifestyle keeps him distracted from reality until the company’s keen upstart, Natalie I type with a purpose Keener (Anna Kendrick) comes along and thoroughly disrupts his routine. (NG) THE VINTNER’S LUCK Based loosely on the novel by Kiwi writer Elizabeth Knox, it follows one sandy-haired man and his satin sheet-clad angel in 1800s Bordeaux. What would’ve been an interesting and mildly believable tale of not only eking out an existence on the land but yielding poetry from it becomes an over-fermented piece of froth thanks to the angel. (AB) WELCOME To reunite with his girlfriend in England, an Iraqi teenager plots to swim the English Channel with the reluctant help of a cynical French swimming instructor. Don’t let the washed-out colours fool you; there’s tenderness in this rare human experience. (JH) WHATEVER WORKS Improbable romance ensues when Larry David’s misanthropic quantum physicist offers a ditzy-butendearing Southern beauty queen a bed in the big bad city. No one believes this somewhat dated Allen fairy tale for a second but that’s hardly the point. Equal parts silly and delightful. (SM) THE WHITE RIBBON (GERMAN: DAS WEIßE BAND) One the eve of World War I, a German village experiences a number of bizarre incidents. Using masterful restraint, Director Michael Haneke provides a perverse sense of satisfaction in being continually strung out by the film’s slew of titillating enigmas. (JH) THE WOLFMAN Although altering from the original story of the first Wolf Man, this lycanthropic tale still tries to carry the same level of horror and haunting sadness that captivated horror fans worldwide. A fur clad, fanged, modern day monster movie. (AEB) what ’ s o n THE NAKED CITY THE SHOWBAG IN A BAG WITHIN ANOTHER BAG! by Miss Death, Jay Katz and Coffin Ed It’s show time out at Homebush and whilst the current venue has proved a great success there are still many who long for the old style Royal Easter at Moore Park. It’s now well over a decade since the show moved from the old Sydney Showground and the site appropriated by Fox Studios. Back in the 50s and 60s sideshow alley was one of the biggest attractions and not just an afterthought with gravity defying high tech rides as it is today.There were boxing tents, a Pygmy Revue, freak shows and a very low tech Ghost Train. Even the old style showbags were infinitely superior. For starters they were made of paper with sturdy string handles, not like the nasty plastic shopping bags of today. For many years sample bags were actually free and when they did start charging they were always chock full of goodies, like the Jolly Jumbo Liquorice Bag which packed enough ammunition to have a family running to the outhouse for a week.These days show bags seem to have lost all that innocent charm but wait there is still time to do something about it, if not for this year, then certainly for next. Here’s a Naked City wish list of showbags we would like to see: Annandale Hotel ($20) Horrorshow – The Factory Theatre ($17.50) Jamrock – 202 Broadway ($15) Jason Isbell – The Vanguard ($27.50$35) Kim Salmon & the Surrealists – Spectrum Theatre ($12) Late Night Lounge – Sydney Opera House ($30) Roger Hodgson – Enmore Theatre ($140) Rogue Traders – Lyric Theatre, Star City ($79.90) Samba Mundi – 505 ($10-$15) Saritah – Macquarie Hotel (free) SHFL – Gaelic Theatre ($25) Wham! – World Bar ($15) Yves Klein Blue, Cloud Control,The Last Dinosaurs – Oxford Art Factory ($15) Sunday 11 April Bill Dudley’s New Orleanians – Strawberry Hills Hotel (free) Bloc Party – Bondi Social (free) The Break – Annandale Hotel ($20) The Tony Abbott Climate Change Is Bullshit Bag: Comes complete with an unsigned remaindered copy of “Battlelines”, a pair of edible Speedos, and a set of Lord Monckton pop out eyes. The Zen Concept Bag: Open the bag and there’s another bag inside and in that bag another bag and in that yet another bag,The bag is in fact an endless succession of bags within and bound to have the kiddies bamboozled but deep in philosophical thought. The Aussie Kid Obesity Bag: Why bother with the finished product when the ingredients can be just as tasty. Complete with a kilo of sugar, a kilo of animal fat, a tub or lard and a junior chemical set of preservatives and artificial colours. DYI has never been more deadly. The Clover Moore Sustainable Future Bag: With six edible and fully biodegradable chokers (assorted flavours), a throwaway guide to the villages of Sydney and a personal invitation to the Woolies in George Street demolition party (byo jack hammer). The City Metro Nostalgia Bag: Train buffs will love the wads of useless designer tickets and timetables to nowhere as well as the three metres of PVC piping so you can build you own mini metro in the backyard (ferrets not included). Chontia – Docks Hotel (free) Grace Before Meals – The Vanguard ($8-$10) Radio Social – World Bar ($5) Rodriguez – The Factory Theatre ($70) Sime Nugent – Ravel, Macquarie Hotel ($13.80) Sunday Sessions at the Deck – The Deck, Luna Park ($5) Tuesday 13 April Casablanca Nights – Notes Live ($20.50-$44) Coyote Tuesday – The Gaff (free) Jazzgroove – 505 ($8-$10) The Mountain Goats – Manning Bar ($42) Pop Panic – World Bar (free) Wednesday 14 April Betty Airs – Oxford Art Factory (free) Jager Uprising – Annandale Hotel ($5) The Wall – World Bar (free) Wednesdays at 202 – 202 Broadway (free) Yourspace – Town Hall Hotel (free) Thursday 15 April Bob Brozman –The Vanguard ($28$33) Casey Donovan, Urban Stone – Sandringham Hotel ($12) Die! Die! Die! – Annandale Hotel ($15) Extended Hotel – Macquarie Hotel (free) G3 – Marble Hotel (free) Hot Damn! – Spectrum Theatre ($10-$12) Monique Brumby – Notes Live Paul Greene – The Basement ($22$25) Philadelphia Grand Jury,The John Steel Singers – Oxford Art Factory ($17) Pistol Whipped – 202 Broadway (free) Porcelain Gallery Bar – Oxford Art Factory (free) So You Think You Can DJ? – Empire Hotel (free) Supafest (see full preview) – Sydney Acer Arena (sold out) Friday 16 April Blades – The Gaff (free) Bob Brozman –The Vanguard ($28$33) Brown Sugar – Marble Bar (free) Direct Influence & others – Beach Road Hotel (free) Gareth Liddiard, Loene Carmen – Notes Live ($20) Job for a Cowboy & others – Metro Theatre ($66) Katrina – Docks Hotel (free) La Discoteca – World Bar ($15) Laura Imbruglia & others – Annandale Hotel ($12) MUM – World Bar ($15) Philadelphia Grand Jury,The John Steel Singers – Oxford Art Factory ($17) Purple Sneakers – Gladstone Hotel ($12) The Striped Back Late Show – The Vanguard (free) Supafest (see full preview) – Sydney Acer Arena ($129-$169) Saturday 17 April Cash Only – Lansdowne Hotel (free) Eclipse Alley Five – Strawberry Hills Hotel (free) Illy & others – Spectrum ($12) Jamrock – 202 Broadway ($15) Niagara & others – Gaelic Theatre ($25) Paul Dempsey & others – Metro Theatre ($38.50) Perry Keyes & others – Notes Live ($22.75) Radio City Cats – Marble Bar (free) SIMA – Sound Lounge ($12-$18) Stereophonics – Enmore Theatre (sold out) Tiki Two – Oxford Art Factory ($8) Tinpan Orange – The Vanguard ($18$22) The Vasco Era – Oxford Art Factory ($19.90) Wham – World Bar ($15) Sunday 18 April Bill Dudley’s New Orleanians – Strawberry Hills Hotel (free) Bloc Party – Bondi Social (free) Bob Allan – Docks Hotel (free) The House of Blues – Town Hall Hotel (free) Radio Social – World Bar ($5) Stereophonics – Metro Theatre ($79.90) Steve Prestwich – Notes Live ($22.75) Sunday Sessions at the Deck – The Deck, Luna Park ($5) The Tea Leaves – The Vanguard ($15$18) 25 FREEWILLASTROLOGY By Rob Brezsny a ARIES (March 21-April 19): It would be a good week for you to perfect your ability to crow like a rooster, Aries. I also recommend that you practice your skill at leaping out of bed in the morning fully refreshed, with your imagination primed and ready to immediately begin making creative moves. Other suggested exercises: being on the alert for what’s being born; holding a vision of the dawn in your heart throughout the day; and humorously strutting around like you own whatever place you’re in. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I got a spam email containing supposed words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama. “We spend more, but have less,” it said. “We have more conveniences, but less time; more experts, yet more problems.” It went on like this for a while. I was suspicious. It seemed to contain too many pop platitudes to have been uttered by the Dalai Lama. With Google’s help, I did some research and discovered that the passage was actually the handiwork of pastor Bob Moorehead, who resigned from his Seattle church under a cloud of allegations about misconduct. I urge you to make similar investigations of the ostensible truths you receive this week, Taurus. You may find discrepancies as major as the differences between the Dalai Lama and Bob Moorehead. b C GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A life-long dream of mine came true recently, and I didn’t even know it was a lifelong dream until it happened. It struck unexpectedly on a Tuesday afternoon. My daughter called on the phone from her college dorm room, wanting to discuss an essay she’d been assigned for her History of Modern Art class. She really liked it, but there were some points she wanted to understand better, and she thought my input might help. The essay? The “Surrealistic Manifesto,” formulated in 1924 by the writer André Breton. Years ago, it was a crucial document in my own development as a young poet. The opportunity to share its heady brew with the beloved child I used to push on a swing was startlingly blissful. I predict a similar event for you in the coming days, Gemini: the fruition of a life-long dream you didn’t even know you had. CANCER (June 21-July 22): It’s probably true for a lot of celebrities that their public personas are not accurate reflections of their private lives. One striking example is actress Megan Fox, who’s famous for being a sex goddess. But the fact is, she told Harper’s Bazaar magazine, she has only slept with two men in her life, and it makes her ill to even contemplate having sex with someone she doesn’t love. While it may not bother her to have a reputation that’s so different from her inner world, I d 26 wouldn’t say the same about you -- especially now. I urge you to do what you can to create more harmony between the version of yourself that you project outward and the version of yourself you actually live in. e LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In her poem “The Gift,” Chinese poet Shu Ting writes, “I dream the dream of a pond who lives not just to mirror the sky but to let willow trees on the bank drink me up.” This would be an excellent dream for you to dream in the coming week, Leo. It would also be empowering for you to render its themes in your waking life. I think you will derive great pleasure and sound teaching from mirroring a soaring archetype and feeding an intimate primal force. (Shu Ting’s poem was translated by Tony Barnstone and Newton Liu.) f VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Are you an athlete? If so, I suspect that you will soon make an adjustment in your training or technique that will improve your game. Are you an artist, musician, writer, performer, or dancer? I bet you will get a sweet insight about the creative process that could revolutionize your work in the months to come. Are you a pilgrim on a meandering long-distance quest to a promised land whose location you’re not exactly sure of? Any minute now, you’ll uncover a clue that will dramatically narrow down the possibilities of where the promised land is. g LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): There may be times in the coming week when you will in a sense be dreaming while standing up. On other occasions, you may be hard at work while lying down. In fact, I suspect that the law of reversals will be in full bloom. Things that have been last will, at least temporarily, be first, and influences that have calmed you down will rile you up. What has been crazy may be quite sane, and what has been in the shadows will come into the light. Tight squeezes may turn into expansive releases and heavy-duty commitments will get a dose of slack -- and vice versa. Always vice versa. h SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Every one of us in engaged in some ongoing battle with ourselves. Maybe there’s a conflict between our heart and head. Maybe we’re trying to stop expressing some behavior that we know is self-destructive but seems all too natural and easy to do. Maybe we feel guilty about or resentful toward some event from the past, and are constantly fighting with its after-image. Whatever your version of the civil war might be, Scorpio, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to reduce the heat of the strife. But you’ll have to be ingenious as you reframe the way you think about the situation, and you’ll have to locate a reservoir of willpower that has been hidden in your depths. i SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): This would be an excellent time for you to take inventory of what brings you pleasure. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you’re due for an update and upgrade. Some of your tried-and-true strategies for generating joys and thrills are fraying at the edges. You should consider refurbishing them, even as you also think about going in quest of fresh sources of delight. For extra credit, see if you can gain access to an experience that could accurately be described as “a blessed state of bliss.” j CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): It would be smart for you to whet your appetite, but please don’t go too far and spoil your appetite. Imagine and plan for the feast to come; make sure the evolution of the feast is on track; but don’t try to actually enjoy the entire feast yet. It’s not ready, you see. The “cooking” isn’t complete. To dive in now would be like eating a chocolate cake that has only been baking in the oven for ten minutes. In conclusion, Capricorn, strike a balance between practicing watchful patience and cultivating protective excitement. k AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Your key word for the week is “fulcrum.” It’s derived from a Latin verb meaning “to prop up, support,” and its definitions include the following: 1. the stable point on which a lever pivots; 2. the crux of a percussionist’s grip as he or she holds a drumstick; 3. an agent through which vital powers are exercised. I suggest you meditate on where the metaphorical fulcrums are in your life, and then take creative measures to give them extra care and enhance their strength. l PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I’m wearing a replica of an ancient Egyptian atef, a white crown surmounted by two ostrich feathers. My white cashmere robe, decorated with Qabalistic sigils, was sewn for me by a Wiccan priestess. My wand is shaped like the head of a Kalao bird and once belonged to a shaman from Burkina Faso. Aided by these accessories, I gaze into my magic mirror and conjure the spirit of my deceased great-uncle Felix, a successful businessman born under the sign of Pisces. He has always been a reliable source of inside info for me in the past. “Dear ancestor,” I murmur, “do you have an oracular revelation for my Piscean readers?” And he replies: “Tell them their money mojo is stronger than usual. Urge them to bargain aggressively and make sure they get a percentage of the gross, not just of the net profits.” Homework: Listen to two versions of the song “You Taste Delicious” at http://bit.ly/YouTasteDelicious. Tell me your favorite at Truthrooster@gmail.com. KINGS CROSS ADULT SHOP Best Deals – Vibrators In Store Special The LELO Vibrator, founded by LELO in September 2003, headquartered in Stockholm Sweden, has been revolutionizing the adult sex toy industry since its conception. 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