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Winner, 2019 & 2020 NT Media Awards, Best Magazine or Lift Out

MUSIC

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PERFORMING ARTS

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VISUAL ARTS

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BOOKS & FILM

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FOOD & DRINK

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COMMUNITY

JULY

20 21

DARWIN FRINGE FESTIVAL

DRAGONFLY CRAFT FAIR

SPRING LOADED

Stretch Yourself

Art in the Heart of the Tropics

Aussie Alt Rock Line-Up

ecivdA ytreporP detsurT & decneirepxE

P A U L H E R O N 0421 060 838 SELLING

PURCHASING

LEASING

FAMILY & PET FRIENDLY, BYO BLANKET, BEAN BAG OR CHAIR. PALMERSTON.NT.GOV.AU

LIVE MUSIC BY LOCAL ARTISTS. SATURDAYS FROM 4-7PM.

17.07.21

SANCTUARY LAKES FEATURING •TAHLIA FORREST •JON DAVIS

Open every night

Deckchair Cinema is one of the most iconic cinemas in Australia. Nestled in the remnant rainforest below the cliffs right beside the harbour you can find beautiful tropical tranquility right in the heart of the city. Come and enjoy carefully curated eclectic films at the cinema where stars light the screen. • • • • •

Eclectic selection of films every night of the week Food served every night from select local caterers Licensed kiosk with a great selection of local products Deckchairs, cushions and insect repellent provided Book online at deckchaircinema.com

MUNCH TO MUSIC

9 weeks of free lunchtime concerts

June 2 - July 28

Wednesdays 12-1pm Tourism Top End lawn cnr Smith & Bennett St

deckchaircinema.com 2

IMPORTANT MESSAGE Events listed in this edition of Off The Leash are subject to change. The situation around COVID-19 is evolving and information provided within this publication is correct – to the best of our knowledge – at time of print.

INSIDE

OFFTHELEASH.NET.AU E: editor@offtheleash.net.au T: 08 8941 7413 offtheleashmag

@OTLmag

#OTLmag

GPO BOX 2325, Darwin NT 0801

We recommend you refer to individual event websites and social media accounts for the most up-to-date information.

s it possible to be both hot and cool at the same time? Flick through the pages of our July edition and glance at your thermostat of a morn, and the answer is yes, yes it is possible friends. Exhibit one: Darwin Fringe Festival, page 4. With 150 shows covering everything from cabaret to classical guitar and back, opening the program is like taking a beach stroll on cracker night – creative sparks flying all over the joint.

F R OM T H E

packed to the rafters with music and events (page 8), and a long list of library events to keep the kiddos happy. No dollar bucks needed, it’s all free. Ta Palmy.

r o t i d E

Rocking the safe, crowd-friendly gatherings, Darwin is turning it on big time. The Royal Darwin Show is doing a jubilee jig, celebrating 70 years. Take some time to linger over the heart-warming childhood memories shared by readers about this iconic Darwin event on page 6. I, for one, am overdue for some ‘ferry ride over to Mandorah’ bliss, and the Wagait Arts Festival is pretty much the perfect day trip, wrapped in a multi-arts coloured bow – see page 8 for deets.

Superstar veteran comedians Ross Noble and Jimeoin are making a beeline for the Top End and, going by the amount of laughter generated at OTL headquarters during their interviews (see page 9), it’s going to get capital F funny with a cherry on top.

ROSS NOBLE | 9

On the music horizon, bust out your doc martins and ripped jeans, it’s 90s flavoured and sizzling, with a Spring Loaded line-up to rival your most cherished Big Day Out memories on page 21, and a mania-worthy tribute to the Beatles from four Aussie rock legends on page 22. Taking the temp on Territory arts and culture in July, we can confidently say, (while reaching for our freshly laundered cardies), this month's calendar is crackling with cool.

MERREPEN ARTS | 15

Go forth dear readers and have all the fun!

Palmerston takes the lead when it comes to school holiday planning this month with a seven-day youth festival

FLICKERFEST | 18 OTL is proudly supported by Tierney White Managing Editor and Development Manager

Rita Horanyi Editorial Assistant

Sarah Novinetz Graphic Designer

Anna Dowd Acting Editor

Off The Leash Inc. acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

S T R A T E G I C

A C C O U N T A N T S

Darwin Festival Launch

Congratulations Tierney & Chris

DVA Rhapsody & Microcosm Opening

The Secret Life of Darwin Trees @paztassone

#o tlmag Use our hashtag for a chance to see your pics here

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Shellie Morris @garrmalangfestival

New Babylon @brownsmart

WINNER 2019 & 2020 NT MEDIA AWARDS Tropical wedding cake Launch by @c_bella_m @darwinfringefestival

Best Magazine or Lift Out

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Although Although all care is taken to ensure information Off The Leash correct, it is subject to change. We recommend checking offtheleash.net.au updates. all care is taken to ensureininformation in is Off The Leash is correct, it is subject to change. We recommend checking for offtheleash.net.au for updates.

Cover proudly sponsored by Darwin Fringe Festival Cover image: Fan Fatale, performing at Darwin Fringe Festival 2021, Thu 8 - Fri 9 July. Photo: Kate La Grecs, 2018. Photograph taken on Arrernte country.

As a not-for-profit organisation, Off The Leash relies on advertising revenue to underpin printing costs each month. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, printing a hard copy edition of OTL will be assessed on a month-by-month basis. July 2021

FEATURE

STRETCH YOUR

self

DARWIN FRINGE FESTIVAL

By Anna Dowd

Darwin Fringe Festival WHEN FRI 2 – SUN 11 JUL INFO darwinfringe.org.au

Baklava and Balaclavas

The Hour of Power

Metamorphosis

Limber up folks, Darwin Fringe Festival is back and biting! With over 150 innovative, hyper-entertaining shows – expanding your horizons, and imagination, is what it’s all about.

ave you ever seen a circus performer do something called Iron Jaw? Or watched someone dance to Western classical music inspired by Hindu temple sculptures in the nude? We haven't either! That’s what the Darwin Fringe Festival is for – a chance for artists, producers and audience members to create, appreciate and stretch themselves in all the best ways.

Darwin dancer, aerial performer and first time producer Samantha Tran is another artist who’s taken all kinds of creative leaps this year, thanks to the Fringe-y inspiration and support on offer. “In the show I’m curating I’ve tried to gather up some of the best performers in Darwin, all incredible in terms of their particular styles – break dancing, drag, contemporary, aerial hoop. It’s a circus and dance show in one, with a personal, storytelling touch.”

Festival Director Hannah Illingworth says there’s most definitely something in the program for everyone, with new and cutting-edge shows spanning theatre, circus, dance, physical theatre, music, comedy, spoken word, cabaret and visual arts.

Tran says it’s always been a dream of hers to run her own show. She thought she’d start by joining in on someone else's, but drummed up her courage, and decided to dive straight in.

“We’ve been on for a few years, so artists really know how they can use Fringe to try something new. The opportunity to entertain ideas, entertain yourself and explore yourself is just a unique thing that the festival provides.”

“I used to choreograph random dances just at home by myself, I’d record and watch back. I thought, ‘Wow, I’d love to perform this, but where? How?’ Then I saw the advertisement pop up to apply for Fringe and I thought, ‘Why not bring my creative vision to life?’ ”

Playwright Hanada Ghazala’s solo show Baklava and Balaclavas is a shining example of the artistic incubator that is Darwin Fringe – with baklava, in all it’s layered honey and pastry glory, served to audience members to boot.

She says the experience has been amazing so far, with support and encouragement from the Fringe family, and bucket loads of learning.

“She did a comedy work with us a few years ago,” says Illingworth, “but this is her first ever full theatre show. It’s an important, brilliant story talking about how, according to the world, she is too Australian to be Egyptian and she’s too Egyptian to be Australian.”

Cocoon

In the spirit of firsts, the program includes everything from an 80-year-old comedian with a set about Viagra to EP launches by local musicians and the stunning burlesque crew Fan Fatale up from Alice Springs.

“Ultimately, I hope the show is inspiring, empowering and makes people really feel something.” “I think the Fringe can really break us out of our normal routines, and the habits we have that become mundane. “I’d encourage everyone to go see something exciting, or something funny, or something you’ve just never seen before. Literally just open up the program, dive in, and stretch yourself!”

AROUND TOWN

FringE-Y Fun The Ballad of Frank Allen After debuting at Fringe World 2016 and touring for three years, this award-winning show finally makes its Top End premiere – A sci-fi buddy-comedy about a man who lives in another man’s beard from the warped mind of festival-favourite, Shane Adamczak. WHEN SAT 3 JUL, 9PM

SUN 4 JUL, 8PM

AT COST

HAPPY YESS $35 | $32 CONC

How to Train your [Legally Redacted] Corrugated Iron’s Drama Ensemble Palmerston and their crew bring to life this much-loved movie for the first time ever! Follow the story of the small viking town of ____, where young ___ tries to follow in his father’s footsteps. When he shoots down a ____, he suddenly befriends the creature, and goes on to save the day. A family friendly event that’ll enthral and capture your heart. WHEN TUE 6 – WED 7 JULY 5.45PM

AT COST

academic punishment: a medical degree. WHEN THU 8 & SAT 10 JUL 8.20-9.20PM

AT COST

$20 | $15 CONC Ossom Australia

The Sickle of Love Big dreams, big laughs and big hair! Come on a musical adventure into something like Russia with a 60’s twist, discovering the story of Sveta, a Russian immigrant who came to Australia in search of love. Learn a few Russian words as you go! WHEN FRI 9 JUL, 7.30PM

SAT 10 JUL, 7PM

AT COST

HAPPY YESS $22.50 | $19 CONC

Michael Shafar – 110% As seen on Channel 10’s The Project, ABC’s Comedy Bites, Triple j’s Good Az Friday, and the Top End Comedy Gala! There’s a reason Michael Shafar is one of the most exciting new comedians in Australia right now. And he’s back in the Top End to give it 110%. WHEN FRI 9 & SUN 11 JUL

BROWN’S MART

8.20-9.20PM

$10 | $5 CONC

AT COST

Please Date Me Screw Tinder and bollocks to Bumble… How hard can dating in real life be? Seriously. Take every bad date you’ve ever been on, add a ukulele and you’ve got Please Date Me. It’s more than a title – it’s a legit call out... WHEN WED 7 JUL | 8.20-9.20PM AT COMEDY GARDEN COST $20 | $15 CONC The Hour of Power As 90’s electronic band Snap wisely once said, "I’ve got the power." Two old Darwin comedy dogs, Danielle and Will, and one new comedy pup, Teghan, take on the challenge of exploring the theme of power – whether it be girl power, black power, solar power, puppy power, political power, or electricity bills. WHEN THU 8 JUL | 7.10-8.10PM AT COMEDY GARDEN COST $20 | $15 CONC Classique Nu Featuring classical western music including Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ and Pachelbel ‘Canon’– Shakti dances in the nude, portraying the beauty and vulnerability of the human body. WHEN THU 8 JUL – SAT 10 JUL 7.30PM BROWN’S MART THEATRE $30

The Recurring Misadventure of Prince Pout III: Dr Pout Prince Pout III is back in the NT to regale his newest tales – of cruising the streets of Canberra, keeping his finger on the pulse of political scandal and his mind deep in the gutter, while pursuing the ultimate

COMEDY GARDEN $20 | $18 CONC

Sexual History – Work in Progress A romp through the history of sex, with Australia’s only archaeologist/ comedian, KC Martin-Stone. KC tells hilarious, informative stories in this queer-friendly exploration of desire and sexual expression. WHEN FRI 9 – SAT 10 JUL 9.30-10.30PM

AT COST

DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE $25 | $20 CONC

Activating Red Tape In this drop-in immersive installation and fantastically funny take on battling bureaucracy, Corrugated Iron’s 18-30 Drama Ensemble are equipped with 10 kilometres of red tape (yes, actual red tape!) and their ‘office’ is open for audience /participants to collaborate in the creation of a wondrously woven web. WHEN SAT 10 & SUN 11 JUL,

AT COST

COMEDY GARDEN

1-4PM | SUN 11 JUL,

8-11PM (18+ ONLY)

AT COST

17 KNUCKEY ST

Piiij Creations

The Arty Heart of the Tropics WHAT COULD BE better on a perfect Dry season day than cruising through the tropical creativity on display at the Tactile Arts Dragonfly Craft Fair? Following it up with even more art appreciation that’s what! Imagine being able to take yourself just around the corner to The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) or to the Kulabbarl (Billabong) exhibition featuring works from Injalak Arts at Tactile Arts Studios.

$10 | $5 CONC

Calls to 1194 A woman’s heart has stopped working. Lying in the Emergency Department, she has to learn quickly how to die, discovering along the way what it is to truly live. Created and performed by Sandra Thibodeaux and Panos Couros, with video by Naina Sen, check out this audio-visual guide on life, death and regeneration for ourselves, and a planet in crisis. WHEN SAT 10 – SUN 11 JUL | 3-4PM AT HAPPY YESS COST $20 | $15 CONC

Wild Territory Images

Well, friends, this year you can do all this and more when the much-loved Dragonfly Craft Fair returns to the lawns outside MAGNT, transforming the grassy expanse into an arts and crafts paradise. With over 60 stalls showcasing a range of goods from Top End artists, designers and makers – including funky fabrics, homewares, jewellery and more – there really is something for everyone. Expect to be greeted by intriguing art installations as you pull into the MAGNT car park, with a free

outdoor exhibition developed by the Australian National Maritime Museum about the humble, much underrated shipping container. Just next door at Tactile Arts Studio you can catch a glimpse of the creative processes behind the kinds of gorgeous goodies on sale at the fair. Tactile Arts General Manager, Tessa Duke, says having the studio and gallery open nearby helps visitors connect the popular craft fairs to the organisation behind them, and the work they do cultivating Territory creativity throughout the year. “There’s a lot that goes on here and what we really want to build is the recognition of the organisation and what it’s doing,” she says. With the work of exciting young makers, such as stone carver Jake Christian (Okapi Stone Carving), showcased at this year’s fair, the role Tactile Arts plays in fostering the Territory’s creative talent is apparent.

Juicyfull

Jake first came to the attention of Tactile Arts by volunteering at a previous craft fair, before becoming a member of the organisation and applying for his own stall. “He’s doing sculptural as well as functional carvings from locally sourced stone, which is really beautiful,” explains Tess. There’s also plenty of beautiful handmade clothing up for grabs by local stitchers and sewers using linen or Australian designed fabrics that are perfect for Darwin weather. With the new Saltwater @ Bundilla café open for business and food and drinks available on the lawn, both locals and visitors can enjoy a taste of the Territory during the Dry, while immersing themselves in its vibrant artistic heart.

Dragonfly Craft Fair

WHEN AT COST INFO

SUN 18 JUL | 9AM-3PM MAGNT LAWNS FREE tactilearts.org.au

ROYAL DARWIN SHOW 70 YEARS AND GOING STRONG would pull up a seat at the bar beside the main [boxing] ring. My mother had a stall there one year selling gemstone jewelry which my parents had fossicked for all over the Territory, and my grandmother was a member of the CWA so would be serving tea and scones. My favourite memories would have to be the rides at sideshow alley, sartees from the Chung Wah Society, eating fairy floss and lot and lots of dust. Michelle Howard – 71 I’ve been to every Darwin show from when I was little, I’ve only missed a few, when I was away travelling. I used to love the fairy floss and the dolls on a stick. Mum always used to get a seat at the chocolate wheel run by Rotary, tried to win us a prize.

With 70 years of Royal Darwin Show history, tradition and community spirit to celebrate this year, Off The Leash put the call out for people’s first or best memories from this beloved event. Here’s some of the gems that came in!

2021 SHOW CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

Costa Karaolias – 65 My first memory of Darwin Show was in 1962. My brother, mum and I had just arrived from Cyprus in 1962. Dad had arrived the year before. As a six year old, Darwin was a totally different world to say the least. My Uncle took us to the show although I didn’t know what that was, given I didn’t speak a word of English. We were driven onto a large dirt area, and went through a big shed.

Ellay Frestyle Entertainment A combination of motorcycles, bicycles and comedy performances that’ll have the crowd both laughing and gasping with gravity defying stunt bike action.

To us, it was massive, and inside were all these flower stalls and other items that were very bright to my eyes. Marcia Izod Davis – 80 My first memory of the Show was that we were actually going to have one! My father was to have a display stand and my mother potted plants in oil drums as part of the decoration. My brother and I snuck into the boxing tent and watched people

Katherine Outback Experience

WHERE ELSE CAN you duck down to the Aviculture Hall for a colourful bird display, then trot off to an all-ages talent quest before buckling in for some gravity defying stunt bike action? Check out of some of the best and newest events at the Darwin Show this year!

Tom Curtain’s national awardwinning show celebrates the Northern Territory’s unique pastoral history and culture through real horse-starting and working dog demonstrations, live music and storytelling.

fighting. When we told our mum we’d done that she was horrified! As a teenager it was an entirely different experience, all about getting dressed up and having a fun time with friends. Laurie Timms – 66 There’s been five generations of my family attending the Darwin show over the years.

They always used to have a new thing for sale we didn’t have in Darwin, like those peelers for your veggies, lots of samples they were flogging of things from down south. When I used to take my kids, they used to have the bagpipes playing and one of kids used to scream like hell. I’d say ‘ it’s okay bub,’ but she hated it!

My brothers and I were free to roam the Show while dad was on call [as the electrician]. My grandfather

Now I take the grannies. I’ve got ten grandchildren and ten great grandkids.

Beaut Ute Competition Taking over from the Horse and Camel, the Ute has been integral to the NT’s history and development. No Royal Darwin Show would be complete without a Beaut Ute Competition.

Reptile Kingdom Australia Interact with non-venomous giant pythons, lizards and crocodiles – learn everything you need to know about the venomous one’s too, and what to do if you cross paths with one.

Birds Birds Birds Attention all bird lovers – this year the Show boasts a whole bird display in the Aviculture Hall. Learn some new facts and how to care for our feathered friends.

Live At The Bandstand Round-the-clock, all-ages entertainment is yours on Friday and Saturday with live music and performances, including Country Music Talent Quest and Passport to Airlie competition for NT musos.

Dikum Dinosaurs Back at the show with their much-loved ventriloquist and comedy puppet show, let Ranger Jim, Dezzy and Tickles have a giggle while learning a thing or two about Australian Dinosaurs.

WHEN THU 22 – SAT 24 JUL AT DARWIN SHOWGROUND COST $12-$20 PRE-PURCHASED

$15-$25 AT THE GATE

FREE UNDER 5

INFO

darwinshow.com.au

LISTINGS

Chess & Cocktails Channel your inner Queen’s Gambit and hit up Dom’s for a night of chess and cocktails. There’s a bunch of chessboards set up, ready for your skills, but given chess is the newest hottest oldest thing right now, we recommend you book a table!

WHEN AT COST INFO

Open Gardens NT This is your chance to explore two more spectacular gardens by Top End green thumbs. Deep Woods exotic plants and curiosities inspired by the owner’s love of the legendary comic book character, The Phantom; and The Funky Urban Hideaway that puts nearby dwellings out of sight, creating a series of intimate outdoor rooms around a renovated 1970s ground level duplex.

facebook.com

/domsbardarwin

Too Much Stuff Recycling Upcycling Flea Market Need to offload some things or keen to pick up a bargain? Head along to this fun, community minded flea market and check out the second-hand clothes, plants, fishing and sporting gear, tools, kids toys and games, books, plants, household goods and more.

opengardensnt.org.au

toomuchstuffdarwin

Darwin Youth Forum This all-inclusive forum for young people aged 12-25 gives you the chance to develop and express your opinions about recent global events.

WHEN AT COST INFO

FREE

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

SAT 17 & SUN 18 JUL

10AM-4PM

AT INFO

DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE

WHEN AT COST INFO

WHEN SAT 3 & SUN 4 JUL

WED 14 JUL | 6PM

SUN 25 JUL | 9AM-12PM ALAWA HALL

launchdarwin.com.au

PALMERSTON LIBRARY palmerston.nt.gov.au/library NAIDOC Week The 2021 NAIDOC theme – Heal Country! – calls for us to keep seeking greater protections from exploitation, desecration, and destruction for our lands, waters, sacred sites and cultural heritage.

peeps and make new friends.

WHEN EVERY THU | 3.30-4.30PM COST FREE

CASUARINA LIBRARY FREE darwinyouthforum

Senior’s Expo 2021 Enjoy a free Mindil Beach Casino Resort morning tea, stalls, kids activites, music and entertainment celebrating our multicultural way of life. Don your national dress if you like and bring along the grandkids, be they three or 43! FRI 9 JUL | 10AM-2PM CDU MARRARA STADIUM FREE

facebook.com/

Green Drinks It’s back! An informal, social meetup network, Green Drinks invites speakers on relevant environmental topics to share their knowledge, linking like-minded people for the greater good.

WHEN MON 12 JUL | 9-10AM (8-11 YRS) & 10-11AM

(12-17 YRS)

JINGILI WATER GARDENS

SKATE PARK

COST INFO

FREE launchdarwin.com.au

WHEN EVERY SUN | 10-11.30AM COST $15 AT NIGHTCLIFF COMMUNITY

LET’S DANCE

CENTRE

Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails

@yahoo.com

WHEN AT COST INFO

DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB $10 | $5 MEMB swingdancent.com

WORK SHOPS

Dingo Cockatoo: Aboriginal Painting Workshop WHEN THU 8 JUL | 10AM COST FREE

movement.magic

EVERY WED | 7.45-10PM

Dingo Cockatoo: Dreamtime Story Time WHEN TUE 6 JUL | 10AM COST FREE June Mills: Witladla Puppet Show WHEN WED 7 JUL | 10AM COST FREE

INFO

Kids School Holiday Arts and Crafts – Still Life Fruit

The Amazing Drumming Monkeys Kids and parents can laugh, dance and drum together in this engaging variety show featuring amazing drumming monkeys. Adorable monkey puppets play African drums and lead audiences in songs and dances. Perfect for two to eight-year-olds, but great fun for the whole fam!

tactileARTS 19 Conacher Street, Fannie Bay 8981 6616 | tactilearts.org.au

A hands-on workshop where kids learn to draw and paint a still life using different of techniques. Perfect for kids aged five to 14.

Silver Jewellery Making

WHEN FRI 16 JUL | 10-11.30AM AT TACTILE ARTS STUDIOS COST $25 Spinner Ring

WHEN AT COST INFO

THU 29 JUL | 6PM LUCKY BAT CAFÉ facebook.com/

Car Boot Sale One person’s trash is another’s treasure. No registration fees or sign up, just head over to the club car park to set up before 8.30am. Nice!

WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 31 JUL | 8.30AM DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB FREE dtbc.com.au

Tension Release Exercises A simple set of exercises that release muscle tension and relax the mind. The body’s innate movements of shaking and stretching help regulate the nervous system.

WHEN EVERY WED | 7PM AT CASUARINA LIBRARY

MEETING ROOM

COST INFO

$12 nebula.net.au

Skate Nights Head to Jingili every second Wednesday for free music and skating at the park. Newbies and spectators welcome. Recommended for ages 13+.

WHEN WED 7 & 21 JUL | 6-8PM AT JINGILI WATER GARDENS

WHEN FRI 16 JUL | 10AM COST FREE

FREE

cotant.org.au

Park 101 – Jingili Fun supervised skate park sessions focusing on building ramp ability, skate park confidence, park etiquette and safety. This is not a learn-to-skate skate session – it’s best suited to skaters ready to enter or improve their skills in a skate park environment. All action sports welcome – roller skates, skateboards, scooters, BMX, roller blades and more.

Movement Medicine Ecstatic Dance Darwin

FREE

EnvironmentCentreNT

FREE

WED 7 JUL | 6PM

@gmail.com

WHEN AT COST INFO

COST INFO

SKATE PARK

Gadgets and Games Club Learning + games = fun! If your child is aged 5-12 years and enjoys hands-on, problem-based learning activities, this is for them.

WHEN EVERY TUE | 3.30-4.30PM COST FREE Storytime Sing, dance, listen to stories and engage with puppets at these fun and interactive sessions. Suitable for children aged 1-5 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

WHEN EVERY TUE & THU 10-10.45AM

COST

Always wanted to make your own silver jewellery? Learn the basic techniques of silver jewellery making with Marianne Eichenber. Create a simple ring or pendant, or design of your own.

WHEN EVERY TUE 6 JUL – TUE 10

AUG | 7-10PM

AT COST

TACTILE ARTS STUDIOS $450

Kids School Holiday Arts and Crafts – Cyanotype and Foam Printing

FREE

Nurserytime You’re never too young to enjoy reading. Nurserytime involves songs, puppets, nursery rhymes and movement chosen specifically to enhance your baby’s early literacy development. Suitable for children aged 0-1 year.

WHEN EVERY WED | 10-10.45AM COST FREE Geek Squad If you’re aged 13-19 and have a love for all things geeky, from anime to gaming and everything in-between, then why not join Geek Squad? Spend an hour with like-minded

In this crafty workshop kids and their parents learn to each create their own Cyanotype and to experiment with printmaking techniques to create a beautiful artwork.

WHEN WED 7 JUL | 10AM-11.30AM AT TACTILE ARTS STUDIOS COST $25

Learn to make your own handcrafted silver spinner ring with glass and jewellery artist Debra Senjuschenko. The techniques of measuring, texturing, sawing and finishing are a good starting block for learning jewellery making.

WHEN SUN 25 JUL | 10-4PM AT TACTILE ARTS STUDIOS COST $210 | $190 MEMB Ceramic Design and Wheel Throwing Pop Up – July/August Sophia Golavanevskaya teaches beginners the basics of wheel throwing, trimming, design and glaze decoration. Intermediate or returning students can challenge themselves with new ideas and forms and be guided to refine their work.

WHEN EVERY THU 29 JUL – 19 AUG 6-9PM

AT COST

TACTILE ARTS STUDIOS $295 | $270 MEMB

FESTIVALS Above: Aileen Blyth, 'Ribbon in Land', 2021, acrylic on canvas, 120x30cm Below: Aileen Blyth, Untitled, 2020, acrylic on canvas, 75x50cm,

REKINDLING A LOVE OF LOCAL ART AGAIT ARTS FESTIVAL has come a long way since its grassroots beginning out the back of Wagait Beach Supermarket in 2014.

ever – with an exhibition of diverse work by local artists, live tunes by singer-songwriter Serina Pech, spoken word by Darwin-based wordsmith Parker Black, workshops, a writing circle and more.

Now a multi-arts event stretching over a whole weekend, the festival showcases the best of the Cox Peninsula’s creative talent.

Getting into the artsy spirit of things, Wagait Beach’s quarterly craft market is joining in with the festivities, with homemade jams and chutneys, plants, bric-a-brac and arts and crafts by local makers all yours for the taking.

Returning after a year’s hiatus, the festival is bigger and better than

ELECTRIFYING FUN CELEBRATE ALL THINGS youth as the Palmerston Youth Festival returns with seven jam-packed days of events and competitions, just in time for the school holidays.

Kicking off festivities is Geekfest, an all-ages event that offers enough free activities and entertainment to satisfy anyone’s inner nerd – major esports and cosplay competitions,

For local artist and longstanding member of the Wagait Arts Group Committee, Aileen Blyth, the community feeling is the best thing about the festival. “The fact that we have cooperation from all facets of the community, we have support from ferries in bringing people over, the Cox Club in supplying their entertainment, so anyone coming over for our festival also gets to see what Wagait and the Cox Peninsula has to offer.

Wagait Arts Festival

WHEN FRI 9 – SUN 11 JUL AT WAGAIT SHIRE COUNCIL

COMMUNITY CENTRE

COST FREE INFO wagaitartsgroup.com.au

“It’s a way for locals to get together and really showcase what they’re made of.”

people’s interest. It’s about revival … really trying to drum up more of an art week.”

The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Rekindle’ – a particularly resonant concept for many people after the year that was.

With so many events to enjoy, the festival is sure to reignite your love of the arts. So hop on that ferry and make the trip over to Wagait Beach to explore the great art on display, and the stunning natural landscapes the area has to offer.

“We wanted something positive out of the bushfires and COVID,” Blyth explains. “A lot of it too this year is rekindling

Palmerston Youth Festival

WHEN SAT 10 – FRI 16 JULY AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS COST FREE INFO palmerston.nt.gov.au

laser tag, virtual reality, medieval land, kids zone, anime and a whole lot more.

inclusive with female/LGBT+, high school and adult tournaments on the program.

Zoom in on the Geekfest Top End Esports Cup, a day of video and cosplay competitions with a total prize pool of over $10,000. This year the City of Palmerston has worked with Australian Esports League (AEL) to make the competition more

End the week with a bang at Suburban Sounds, a free all-ages concert headlined by, wait for it … Electric Fields. If you missed seeing this powerful musical duo at Garrmalang recently, here’s your chance to see them live, supported

by dance music queen Tigerlily and local stars J-MILLA & Yung Milla. The kids are sorted this week with so many free activities, from comedy shows to cooking contests, short films to skating and skateboard design competitions. “There are some incredible prizes up for grabs, including scholarships with Charles Darwin University,

Territory Tourism vouchers and cash prizes,” explains City of Palmerston Mayor, Athina Pascoe-Bell. “We are beyond excited to bring back the Palmerston Youth Festival this year, after it was dearly missed in 2020.” With something for everyone, we have to say we’re pretty excited too!

PERFORMING ARTS

ROSS NOBLE

Ross Noble is one of comedy’s great improvisers, famous for his surreal tangents and freewheeling flights of the imagination. Rita Horanyi caught up with the delightful randomist to chat about the unexpected consequences of COVID, his latest show, and why middle-aged men shouldn’t ride scooters. ou’re renowned for your off-thecuff, tangential style of stand-up. Are there any themes your new show revolves around all the same? I’m guessing, because I’ve been doing Celebrity Apprentice, there might be some people who want to hear about that. I’ll ask them and if no one give a s**t, I won’t bother. It’s a really weird one ‘coz normally I come up with ideas, and I kind of go, it’s all about this, or I might talk about that, depending on the mood I’m in. But obviously there might be people who’ve never seen me live before, they’ve just seen the show [Celebrity Apprentice]. I’ll probably ask on the night. In fact, at the end of my shows, I always give people the opportunity to ask questions. Normally they just ask me random

things like, “Would you rather fight one duck the size of a horse or fight fifty horses the size of a duck?” Being forced off the road by COVID must have been difficult for a comedian like yourself who tours so frequently. How did you cope? It was pretty scary. I’ve been doing stand-up for 30 years now and I’ve never been in a position where everything just got cancelled. But I was alright. Celebrity Apprentice came along. I’ve always been really snotty about reality shows, I’ve always gone, “What sort of loser with no integrity would do some terrible reality show,” and then COVID happened and I was like, “I’ve always loved business, yep, I’ll do it.” And I was writing. Weirdly, COVID’s

And how does it feel to be back on stage? Oh, it’s great. I started in Adelaide and it was absolute joy, it was like getting into a lovely warm bath. Audiences were all fired up. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.

you can get? So me and him are a couple of middle aged men, just scooting around like a couple of idiots. And there was a whole load of schoolboys coming down the road, they were like private school boys, they had all the uniforms on and that. When I was that age if I saw two middle-aged men on electric scooters, I would have thought, “you are the saddest human beings.” The only way you can make a middle-aged man less cool is to put them on a small electric transportation device. We were wearing purple helmets as well.

What’s something funny that’s happened to you recently? Let me see, oh yeah, myself and my tour manager were doing these gigs in Adelaide and they had, you know, those little electric scooter things

Anyway, these kids had to part for me to get through, so to make my tour manager, Tony, laugh, I just very loudly started going, “Clear the way. Cool dudes coming through. That’s right, behold the cool dudes.” And I

been quite good for me. It was a disaster in the short term, but long term, it’s looking like next year I’m going to have all these projects which are going to take me away from stand-up again. In a year’s time, I might have completely changed direction in my career.

JIMEOIN JIMEOIN IS A true comedy legend. Nearly three decades after Australia first fell in love, his ability to boil an audience down to a tear-filled, gibbering mess is stronger than ever. Anna Dowd caught up with consummate comic to discuss accents, eyebrows and the health benefits of group laughter. The Top End has been on your touring route for many years now, any good yarns that have made it into the dinner party repertoire? I could write a book on my travels in the NT, they stretch back 30 years. We booked a show based on the tides once so we could go fishing. I hired a 4WD and nearly hit a horse and had plenty of close contact with crocodiles on the Mary River. I’ve done shows as far out as Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt and just had a lot of fun up there. Well Darwin is certainly always thrilled to have you back. What’s the flavour of your latest Turn It Up! tour? I don’t have strong messages or opinions – trying to have a good

turned around to see how much he was laughing, and he’d come off the scooter about 100 metres behind and hadn’t crossed the road, so I was on my own! Rather than making him laugh, those lads thought that I was insane. But at least you’ve just laughed at that – the joke was worth it. Insane, random and one hundred percent hilarious – Ross Noble is an hour and a half of laugh, you don't want to miss.

Ross Noble 2021 Comeback Special

WHEN SAT 10 JUL | 8PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

COST $55 | $50 MEMB INFO yourcentre.com.au

laugh and gettin’ people to laugh is as much as I want from it. I don’t stay on any topic too long, laugh at my own shortcomings and about how laughing can be harder to come by as you get older. Some people seem to laugh a lot and some people stop laughing totally. It’s no small thing. But you feel like laughing collectively when you’re in a group, that’s the benefit of a live show. Like you don’t laugh as much if you’re watching comedy on TV, but if you’re with others and can feel the joy in the room, that’s what you’re aiming for.

what first came to mind, and the accent was at the top, followed closely by your eyebrows! Yeah my eyebrows have been very beneficial to me. That’s really just another direct result of my accent, where you had to just really sell what you were saying with your face. You see that look of confusion on people’s faces when you’ve just opened your mouth. You wouldn’t want to have my accent here and be carjacking or anything, like, “get out of the car!” or “give me your money!” without some good facial expressions.

I read that you didn’t really know what stand-up was when you first tried it arriving in Melbourne in your 20s? The first time I saw it, I’d already done it! I thought it was just telling jokes. I was very naïve, certainly no scholar of it obviously. I knew what Billy Connelly was but didn’t really understand there was a whole world of people that did this. That was to my benefit really, I found my own voice right away because I was just being myself. And for the first time in my life, my accent, being a strong Northern Ireland one, was a positive.

What’s it like to look back on 30 years of doing comedy as a job? It’s nice to have moment like that to reflect. So much of life is just gettin’ on with it. I’ve a lot of gratitude for having this life in stand-up, and such a great country to do it in. Grab your tickets while they're hot for a night of serious laughter therapy with one of the best standup comics of this generation. Jimeoin Turn It Up!

WHEN SAT 31 JUL | 8PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRE

COST $59 | CONC $54

Yeah I was throwing your name around with some friends to see

GROUP 6+ $54

INFO yourcentre.com.au

LISTINGS

INFO

brownsmart.com.au

FRESH Ink WHEN CIELLA WILLIAMS took part in Fresh Ink in 2016 – the Australian Theatre for Young People’s mentoring program for emerging writers – she hadn’t written much for theatre.

“I was always a bit intimidated. How do you begin writing something so monumental? You don’t realise that everyone starts with a crappy first draft and everyone starts with feelings of inadequacy, and you just have to push through.” Fast-forward to today, and Ciella is busy mentoring a new cohort of budding young playwrights taking part in the program – co-presented here in the NT by Brown’s Mart – and preparing for the premiere of her first full-length play, Hush, in Sydney, before it hits the Brown’s Mart stage later this year. Conceptualised just days after she gave birth to her daughter, Hush cuts through cultural narratives

about motherhood to explore the fears, ugly desires and harsh realities women experience when faced with this transformation.

Ciella was approached to write the play by Lucy Clements, a theatre director and founder of Ignite Collective – a group that aims to create more substantial roles for women in theatre – thanks to connections she made during her time at Fresh Ink. “She rang me, and it was six days after I’d given birth to my daughter, so I was a little bit shell-shocked, but I knew I’d kick myself if I didn’t do it.” With such achievements under her belt and her own experience being mentored by one of the NT’s premiere playwrights, Mary-Anne Butler, in the program, it’s fitting that Ciella is now the one cultivating the talent of young playwrights.

“It’s really inspiring,” she explains, “and gives you so much hope for the future of the performing arts in this country, especially in a regional place… It’s just so exciting to see how strong these creatives are, and have been, year after year.” Darwin audiences can experience some of these exciting new voices for themselves at a performed reading of the short plays written by participants in the program at Brown’s Mart at the end of the month. But you’d better be quick – tickets to this free event book out fast. “People are so hungry to see these new works come to life and to support these young playwrights. It’s a really special example of the arts community up here coming out to nurture the next generation,” Ciella says.

Photo: David Kelley

The award-winning Western Australian company are a powerhouse of female circus performers ready to kick art in the face in their first ever show in Darwin. With loads of humour, Yuck rips into the uncomfortable using high-flying acrobatics, absurd confessions and groovy dancing to expose the trials and tribulations of being a young woman growing up in Australia. Yuck Circus Director Georgia Deguara says when she got her cast together, they went for their tried and true formula, just writing about what they found funny.

“Everyone in the cast is from regional towns all over Australia, so

WHEN WED 28 JUL | 8.30-10PM AT LUCKY BAT CAFE COST $10

WHEN THU 8 – SAT 10 JUL | 1-2PM AT BROWN’S MART THEATRE COST $20 | $18 CONC | $17.50 FAM

NT Performing Arts Awards – Nominations Open Know someone who’s made a real difference to the NT performing arts scene? Nominate a show, performer, artist, arts worker or any other contributor for this prestigious award.

Cotton and Kitty Bang Alice Cotton presents her debut performance in the murky world of smutty songs and downright silliness, followed by a set of loveable bangers from the red-headed heart-throb Kitty Bang in this super sequined cabaret.

WHEN AT COST INFO

WHEN SAT 3 JUL | 7.10-8.10PM AT DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE COST $15 | $10 CONC

EVERY DAY ONLINE FREE tracksdance.com.au

WHEN EVERY FRI | 9.30-11AM AT TRACKS DANCE STUDIO WHEN EVERY WED | 10.30-12PM AT LITCHFIELD MOTEL COST INFO

“We were like, ‘oh, we get catcalled all the time,’ or, ‘remember that time we all went binge drinking,’ all mashed together with a very Australian, gendered lens.”

Deguara says this definitely isn’t a girls-only show either – with its relatable comedy gold and crazy flips, even Dazza from down the road is in for a good time.

Think Flight of the Conchords meets Kath and Kim crossed with Cirque du Soleil – with Aussie cultural references galore. It’s one hour of flips, pokes, and in-jokes, and an uncensored creative response to the current cap on international touring.

“It’s a nod to women’s experiences, but it’s for everyone – their partners, their mums, their nieces and nephews.

WHEN FRI 2 – SAT 3 JUL | 7-8.40PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

tracksdance.com.au

COST

darwinfringe.org.au “We just really gun the larrikin humour, it’s our calling card really.”

Redneck Greenie – Confessions of an Ozymoron A candid peek into the real-life journey of farm boy, mine worker, tyre fitter, musician, actor, comedian, activist and Greens candidate for the seat of Lingiari – Rob Hoad. He’s done all the dumb things! Each show is different, as the audience helps steer the plot toward a ‘happily ever after’ or a potentially disastrous ending.

$10 DONATION

DARWIN FRINGE

we based a lot of the comedy on stuff that’s from our lives.“

“When we go overseas we have to do a lot of work to change the wording and the brand names in our shows to make it accessible, but with this show, we didn’t give it two thoughts.

Mr Snotbottom’s Stinky Silly Show A hilariously deeeesgusting comedian for kids brimming with all the oooey, gooey, yucky stuff perfect for weird kids 5+ and their even weirder parents!

Grey Panthers Darwin & Coomalie Join Australia’s longest continually running senior dance troupe, right here in Darwin! Classes are held weekly in both Darwin and Coomalie regions for Top Enders aged over 60 years young.

YUCK CIRCUS YUCK CIRCUS AREN’T lightly throwing around women’s issues – they’re literally throwing women.

Lucky Bat Laughs Get your regular dose of humour on a school night in the northern ‘burbs. On the last Wednesday of every month, enjoy a star-studded lineup of local comedians.

Homebodies: Dance Film Installation

$30 | $25 CONC | $25 MEMB

Big Dog Salad The Darwin comedy group known for their online sketches about happy ghosts and time-travelling pizza thieves bring their offbeat sketch comedy to the stage.

WHEN FRI 9 – SAT 10 JUL | 7-8PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

COST

$25 | $20 MEMB | $20 CONC

Kuya James 100 Cities You’re invited to a dance party with no border restrictions. A multifaceted immersive experience – the vibe of a club, songs from artists around the globe and the infusion of spine-tingling movement – curated by Darwin-based DJ, musician, songwriter and solo artist, Kuya James.

“We definitely aren’t characters pretending to be someone else, it’s actually just us, in our grundies, havin’ a yarn. I think that’s the core Australian reference. That is us.”

An immersive installation of experimental dance films by Duane Preston, presented by Tracks Dance Company. One warehouse, thirteen short films, a roaming audience. A rare glimpse into the dance artists’ idea of home.

WHEN FRI 2 – SAT 3 JUL

WHEN THU 8 – FRI 9 JUL | 7PM,

WHEN FRI 9 – SAT 10 JUL | 8-9.30PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT

7.30-8.30PM

7.40PM, 8.20PM & 9PM

CENTRE

WAREHOUSE,

COST

CENTRE

96A WINNELLIE RD

COST

$15 | $10 CONC

DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT $40 | $35 MEMB | $35 CONC

$40 | $30 CONC

ADULT SHORT COURSES 1 Nemarluk Drive

YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MISSED......

Ludmilla NT, 0820

A R T S

S E W I N G

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M U S I C

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Darwin Adult Short Courses 0452 135 400

KRAM (SPIDERBAIT) DARREN MIDDLETON (POWDERFINGER) MARK WILSON (JET) DAVEY LANE (YOU AM I) PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS CELEBRATE THE CLOSING CHAPTER OF THE GREATEST ROCK 'N ROLL STORY OF ALL TIME

TUE 20 JUL: DEC PLAYHOUSE LIVENATION.COM.AU

Andrea Mckey, Wishing Stone, embroidery and felt.

Fabric detail Kieren Karritpul

Merrepen Arts, Nauiyu Daly River. A unique cultural experience. Meet the artists and experience the landscape. Only 2.5 hour drive from Darwin.

Fri

SeeV Visual Arts 16

Sat Sun

17 5 Dragonfly Craft Fair

16 16 Ngarranggarnin Warnarran

See Around Town 6

Sat

7 Open Gardens NT 7 Movement Medicine Ecstatic Dance Darwin 18 Raya and the Last Dragon 20 JANSZstravaganza Sparkling Sunday Brunch 23 Seaside Sessions at DTBC

Fri

10 Grey Panthers Darwin 23 Live on Fridays 23 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s 23 Advocate Art Award 2021 (opening)

18 Cousins 18 Longform Journalism with Anna Krien 16 Emotion (last chance) 16 Sojourn (last chance) 16 Treescapes (last chance) 22 In Concert, The Music of Neil Diamond

6 Royal Darwin Show

7 Open Gardens NT Gelengen (last chance) 17 YOU ARE HERE (last chance) 17 Do I Seduce You? (last chance)

Thu

23 6 Royal Darwin Show 10 Grey Panthers Darwin 21 Spring Loaded 22 Hooked – Dr Hook and the Medicine Show Tribute 23 Live on Fridays 23 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s

See Around Town 7

7 Green Drinks 7 Storytime 7 Geek Squad 23 Thursday Live @ Dom’s

7 Ceramic Design and Wheel Throwing Pop Up

Thu

7 The Amazing Drumming Monkeys 7 Kids School Holiday Arts and Crafts – Still Life Fruit 8 Palmerston Youth Festival 10 Grey Panthers Darwin 18 Cousins 23 Live on Fridays 23 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s 23 Advocate Art Awards 2021 (entries close)

22 Wed

6 Royal Darwin Show 7 Storytime 7 Geek Squad 15 Colours of Country: A journey through seasons and nature (last chance) 23 Thursday Live @ Dom’s

28 7 Nurserytime 7 Tension Release Exercises 7 Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails 10 Lucky Bat Laughs 10 Grey Panthers Coomalie 23 Lunch on the Lawn

See Around Town 5

Sun

7 Too Much Stuff Recycling Upcycling Flea Market 7 Movement Medicine Ecstatic Dance Darwin 7 Spinner Ring 20 JANSZstravaganza Sparkling Sunday Brunch 22 Wild Women in Song 23 Seaside Sessions at DTBC 23 Last Sunday Jam

See Performing Arts 9

19 See Visual Arts 17

17 Kulabbarl Billabong (last chance)

Mon

Sat

9 Jimeoin Turn It Up!

7 Car Boot Sale 20 Bar-BQ Lot Festival 23 Kingswood Live at the Railway Club

Tue

Mon

7 Gadgets and Games Club 7 Storytime 7 Silver Jewellery Making 22 Let It Be Live 23 Darwin City Brass Band 23 Sunset Live Music 23 Jam Night

Wed

Tue

7 Skate Nights 7 Nurserytime 7 Tension Release Exercises 7 Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails 10 Grey Panthers Coomalie 23 Lunch on the Lawn

7 Gadgets and Games Club 7 Storytime 7 Silver Jewellery Making 23 Darwin City Brass Band 23 Sunset Live Music 23 Jam Night

AROUND TOWn Books & fILM Performing Arts YOUTH Visual Arts Food & Drink Music FESTIVALS

offtheleash.net.au

Although all care is taken to ensure information in Off The Leash is correct, it is subject to change. Not all events can be listed on this calendar, so we recommend checking offtheleash.net.au for updates.

Thu

DARWIN FRINGE FESTIVAL

Fri 10 Yuck Circus

Wed

7 Darwin Youth Forum 7 Skate Nights 7 NAIDOC Week – June Mills: Witladla Puppet Show 7 Nurserytime 7 Tension Release Exercises 7 Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails 10 Grey Panthers Coomalie 23 Lunch on the Lawn

10 Grey Panthers Darwin 15 Colours of Country: A Journey Through Seasons and Nature (opening) 17 Kulabbarl Billabong (opening) 18 My Name is Gulpilil 18 Raya and the Last Dragon 23 Live on Fridays 23 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s

Calendar

1 7 Storytime 7 Geek Squad 10 NT Performing Arts Awards – Nominations Open 23 Thursday Live @ Dom’s

See Around Town 7 7 Kids School Holiday Arts and Crafts – Cyanotype and Foam Printing

See Festivals 8

Sat

See Performing Arts 10

Sun

8 Wagait Arts Festival

11 8 Palmerston Youth Festival

4 Darwin Fringe Festival 7 Movement Medicine Ecstatic Dance Darwin 8 Palmerston Youth Festival 20 JANSZstravaganza Sparkling Sunday Brunch 23 Seaside Sessions at DTBC

4 Darwin Fringe Festival 8 Palmerston Youth Festival 8 Wagait Arts Festival 9 Ross Noble 2021 Comeback Special 15 Colours of Country: A journey through seasons and nature (artist talk)

3 Sat

7 Open Gardens NT 10 Yuck Circus 18 Flickerfest 22 One Wild Night – The Ultimate Bon Jovi Experience

Sun

7 Open Gardens NT 7 Movement Medicine Ecstatic Dance Darwin 23 Seaside Sessions at DTBC 23 First Sunday Blues

20 JANSZstravaganza Sparkling Sunday Brunch

Mon

JUL See Festivals 8

7 Park 101 – Jingili 8 Palmerston Youth Festival

See Food & Drink 20

Tue

See Visual Arts 16

7 Gadgets and Games Club 7 Storytime 7 Silver Jewellery Making 8 Palmerston Youth Festival 18 How to Train Your Dragon 23 Darwin City Brass Band 23 Sunset Live Music 23 Jam Night

Mon

18 Cousins

Thu

Wed

7 NAIDOC Week – Dingo Cockatoo: Aboriginal Painting Workshop 7 Storytime 7 Geek Squad 23 Thursday Live @ Dom’s

7 Chess & Cocktails 7 Nurserytime 7 Tension Release Exercises 7 Wednesday Night Swing @ The Rails 8 Palmerston Youth Festival 10 Grey Panthers Coomalie 23 Lunch on the Lawn

Tue

Fri

7 NAIDOC Week – Dingo Cockatoo: Dreamtime Story Time 7 Gadgets and Games Club 7 Storytime 7 Silver Jewellery Making 18 Dumbo 23 Darwin City Brass Band 23 Sunset Live Music 23 Jam Night

Thu

7 Senior’s Expo 2021 8 Wagait Arts Festival 10 Grey Panthers Darwin 16 Emotion (opening) 16 Sojourn (opening) 16 Treescapes (opening) 18 My Name is Gulpilil 20 The Bush Spice Gemtree Wine Maker Dinner 23 Live on Fridays 23 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s

7 Storytime 7 Geek Squad 8 Palmerston Youth Festival 23 Thursday Live @ Dom’s

YOU ARE

HERE

An exhibition by

Therese Ritchie 10 June–17 July 2021

Charles Darwin University Art Gallery Chancellery (Building Orange 12) Casuarina campus, Brinkin Opening hours: Wednesday–Friday, 10am–4pm Saturday, 10am–2pm W: cdu.edu.au/artgallery Facebook: /cduartgallery

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Sat 21 August 7.30pm

Sat 30 October 7.30pm

Sat 27 November 7.30pm

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Adult: $153 | Concession: $127.50 | Under 30: $76.50 | Under 18: $51 Family (2 adults & 2 children): $330

VISUAL ARTS Art U&T

ABO

Merrepen Arts

ermaids appear in many of the works at Merrepen Arts centre in Nauiyu (Daly River), 220 km south of Darwin.

mermaids here in the billabongs and rivers.

Walk into the centre and ask Ngeni’g Wummiri artist Keiren Karritpul about their appearance in his award-winning textiles, and he’s happy to talk about their significance.

It’s this kind of insight visitors to Merrepen Arts Centre are in for when they make the scenic two and a half hour drive from Darwin – where experiencing the landscape, being on country, and connecting with local artists is the ideal way to learn.

“It’s a really important totem to the people from this region. There are many Dreamtime stories about the

“I was told all these stories about mermaids from my old people.”

With over 130 artists working in the

mediums of painting, print making and fabrics, silk painting, weaving and ceramics, Merrepen is known for it’s evolving, contemporary representations of imagery from the surrounds. Merrepen Arts CEO Cathy Laudenbach says 2021 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) finalist Phillip Wilson is a great example of this. “Phillip, a local artist with us, has decided to diversify into hand drawn ink and paper, so every mark

COLOURS OF COUNTRY

Above: Phillip Wilson, 'Barramundi' 2021, line drawing with ink on paper. Left: Kieren Karritpul, 'Mermaid Fabric', Daly River, 2021

you see in his works, like the barramundi, are hand drawn.” Laudenbach explains that what you see as you drive through the landscape, is reflected in the creativity you encounter as you walk into Merrepen Arts. “There’s about 150 birds in this area, many of them you’re unlikely to see elsewhere like the brolga, and there’s crocodiles, king brown snakes and wallabies – you never know what you’re going to come across. You see all of this and

more in the art.” The connection between country, culture and art is something Karritpul says he is always happy to share with those who come through Merrepen’s door, and visitors are invariably amazed by what they learn. “They love talking to us, the artists, learning about the art, and the land from us. We welcome all people to come visit us here. ”

INFO

merrepenarts.com.au

UNTITLED GALLERY+STUDIO Unit 3/1 Clocktower Caryota Crt, Coconut Grove darwincommunityarts.org

WED-FRI 11AM-4PM | SAT 10AM–2PM | CLOSED PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

A JOURNEY THROUGH SEASONS AND NATURE EMMA LUPIN KNOWS tropical plants. Having studied plantsmanship in Scotland, she came to the NT 13 years ago and fell in love with our unique flora and surrounds. In her latest exhibition, the well-known environmental educator takes us into that liminal space between art and science, documenting her journey of connection with Top End landscapes on paper. Lupin says she’s been experimenting with natural inks and dyes for years, but while studying a visual arts unit on printing, she had a dream that sparked a whole new creative process. “The dream was actually about being printed into the bed. I usually sleep in a house full of louvres, or outside, so you’ve got all those elements of nature, particularly the dawn chorus, coming into that state between waking and sleeping.”

She began playing with everything from printing full bodies, to experimenting with natural dyes on leaves, fruit peel and other plant parts – the relationship between these skin prints merging the lines between our species, and others. “The inks are from NT plants, as my speciality is tropical plants and particularly plants that are useful to people, or that humans have a special connection with, strengthening their relationship with the natural world.” For Lupin the foraging and connecting through print is part of the art itself, and, often by happy accident, something beautiful is formed, then changed again, never permanent. “I’ve been trying to document the different plant dyes, how they change over time. Some of them do stay quite well, they’re called archival inks, and some fade out.

I really love the concept that many change over time, particularly in our climate.” Some of the pieces in the exhibition have been kept in Lupin’s louvred house throughout the cycles of the Top End seasons, with the work of insects and the elements making their mark. “In the art world we can be quite obsessed with archiving work, as if it’s something that should stay the same forever, where nothing in the natural world does that, not us, every year we change and fade, and so do artworks. “I think there’s great beauty in that.”

WHEN FRI 2 – THU 22 JUL OPENING FRI 2 JUL 6-8PM ARTIST TALK & DEMO SAT 10 JUL 10AM-12PM RSVP ESSENTIAL

Emma Lupin, 'Colours of country fern springs' (detail) ,natural ink on paper, 297x 420

PAUL JOHNSTONE GALLERY

Harriet Place, Darwin | 8941 2220 | pauljohnstonegallery.com.au WED–FRI 10AM-5PM | TUE & SAT 10AM–2PM

Shirley Purdie, 'Untitled' (099/21), 2021, ochre and natural pigment on canvas 45 x 45 cm

Ngarranggarnin Warnarran Gelengen Dreamtime Olden Days Now Shirley Purdie is a senior Gija artist and began painting her Country in the early 1990s. She is known for her richly textured natural earth pigments on canvas. Using ochres collected on her own Country, Purdie’s work draws on traditional Gija stories and Ngarranggarni (Dreaming). Concentrating on both contemporary and traditional narratives, Purdie presents an outstanding selection of works celebrating life at Warmun. It is an exhibition of the traditional juxtaposed with the modern.

WHEN UNTIL 17 JUL

DARWIN VISUAL ARTS

Ground Floor, Habour View Plaza, 8 McMinn St, Darwin | 8981 9351 | dvaa.net.au WED 12–5PM (BY APPOINTMENT) | THU-FRI 10AM-5PM | SAT 10AM-2PM

Simone Porrovecchio, (detail)

Soujourn A Temporary Stay

Virgina Close, 'Emotion", Oil, 910x1210mm

EMOTION 16

A VACATION, A SUNSET, a relationship, a life. Just like these things, a sojourn is a temporary stay. Nothing lasts forever, even the beautiful Darwin sunsets and stormclouds. Let the exquisite art on display at the Darwin Visual Arts Member’s Exhibition take you on your own beautiful sojourn. WHEN FRI 9 – SAT 24 JUL

OPENING FRI 9 JUL | 6PM

TREESCAPES VIRGINIA CLOSE IS an author, poet, and visual artist. This exhibition depicts her inspired realm despite the challenges this world endures. With continuing restrictions to travel, she finds inspiration in every aspect of her movement.

Virginia’s work reflects a magical world and she dances with her brushes to explore human feelings, applauding the beauty within.

AT A TIME WHEN humanity should be frantically planting and preserving trees, it is being made easier for pastoralists to clear land. This small exhibition of new works on paper by Alison Worsnop is a quiet protest. It records ordinary local trees that might be casually bulldozed and burned, as if they were vermin, instead of treasuring them.

WHEN FRI 9 – SAT 24 JUL

OPENING FRI 9 JUL, 6PM

WHEN FRI 9 – SAT 24 JUL | OPENING FRI 9 JUL, 6PM

TACTILE ARTS

19 Conacher Street, Fannie Bay | 8981 6616 | tactilearts.org.au TUE-SUN 10AM-4PM

CDU ART GALLERY

Building Orange 12, CDU Casuarina Campus | 8946 6621 | cdu.edu.au/ artgallery WED–FRI 10AM-4PM | SAT 10AM-2PM

Graham Badari, Kuluybirr (Saratoga), 2019, Ochre on Arches Paper, 41x61cm

Therese Ritchie, 'Mutant' (detail), 2020, Digital inkjet print on paper, on loan from the artist

YOU ARE HERE THIS PROVOCATIVE EXHIBITION has truth-telling at its core. Artivist, Therese Ritchie, factually examines Australia’s frontier wars and the massacre of Indigenous peoples alongside the nation’s history of coal extraction and its development by European settlers, mining companies and Australian governments. YOU ARE HERE is an unflinching examination of how we got to where we are now.

Kulabbarl

Billabong Glen Namundja, Namarnkol (Barramundi), 2017, Ochre on Arches Paper, 41x61cm

WHEN UNTIL 17 JUL

NCCA

This exhibition presents a range of works made by artists, weavers and screen print designers at Injalak Arts, inspired by the Gunbalanya billabong that lies metres behind the Art Centre. It is a site intricately woven into the fabric of Gunbalanya, a source of sustenance and creativity.

WHEN FRI 2 – SUN 25 JUL | OPENING FRI 2 JUL, 5.30PM

Tarzan JungleQueen, 'They are all Queer', 2020, digital image

Do I Seduce You? This memoir piece explores feminism, gender, and Tarzan’s experience as a queer-bodied human finding a voice. Sometimes there are no words or blurbs that can sum up the explosion of confusion that comes from within, the juices that need to leak out. This exhibition ‘Do I seduce you?’ becomes the language to an unexplainable body.

WHEN UNTIL SAT 17 JUL

KIDS' MOVIE NIGHT

Pop your corn, grab your favourite blankie and get in as many star sprinkled movies as you can while the dry season splendour lasts. An outdoor movie is a sure memory making eve for the kids, so pop that in the holiday calendar too!

UNDER THE STARS

Deckchair

CINEMA

JERVOIS ROAD, DARWIN WATERFRONT

DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB

COST FREE INFO admin@dtbc.com.au

SCHOOLS OUT! Kick it all off with an evening movie night with the fam at Darwin Trailer Boat Club. The flicks start when the sun sets, and there’s plenty of room for the little ones to lounge. Bring your own mats, cushions and beanbags and settle in for a chilled night of film under the stars.

Dumbo A classic family flick that guarantees a rollercoaster of emotions. WHEN TUE 6 JUL | 6.35PM

How to Train Your Dragon A hilarious family film that follows the friendship between a young boy and his dragon. WHEN TUE 13 JUL | 6PM

My Name is Gulpilil David Gulpilil has been an iconic figure of Australian cinema for fifty years. His mesmerising, electrifying presence has leapt off the big screen and changed Australian screen representation forever. Integral to the telling of so many legendary screen stories, Gulpilil, now nearing the end of his life, generously shares his own story in this moving film. WHEN FRI 2 JUL, 9.15PM

FRI 9 JUL, 7PM

Raya and the Last Dragon Walt Disney Animation Studios’ fun flick for the whole family, Raya and the Last Dragon, travels to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. WHEN FRI 2 & SUN 18 JUL | 7PM

Cousins Three cousins. Separated by circumstances, yet bound together by blood. Orphaned Mata believes she has no whanau and lives out her lonely childhood in fear and bewilderment. Back home on the land, educated Makareta flees an arranged marriage to study law. She leaves Missy who takes on her role of kaitiaki (guardian) of the land. As the years pass, loss of the family land seems imminent and the women’s promise to bring their stolen cousin home seems more unlikely than ever. WHEN MON 5 & FRI 16 JUL, 7PM

SAT 24 JUL, 9PM

LONGFORM JOURNALISM with Anna Krien DON’T MISS THIS rare opportunity to work with one of Australia’s most respected non-fiction writers, Anna Krien. In this engaging workshop, you learn the necessary tools to tell your true story, from the fundamentals through to the craft of writing itself. Aimed at early and emerging

writers, this class offers a comprehensive introduction to the art of non-fiction writing.

WHEN SAT 24 JUL | 10AM-4PM AT HARBOUR VIEW PLAZA COST $150 | $115 MEMB INFO ntwriters.com.au

Flickerfest THE CREAM OF the country’s short film crop is splashed across the Deckchair Cinema screen early this month, as Flickerfest returns to the Top End with a special 30th anniversary showcase. After a short hiatus in 2020, Flickerfest Director Bronwyn Kidd says they’re excited to take the show on the road.

“Flickerfest is thrilled to be on the road again, as COVID restrictions ease, bringing our incredible short films handpicked from over 2700 entries and our extra special programme of Indigenous shorts, curated by award-winning NT filmmaker Dylan River, to the big

screen at the Deckchair,” she says. “Flickerfest has been touring to the Deckchair now for over 10 years, and we can’t wait to share this year’s awesome highlights with our passionate audiences in the NT.” Kicking off this short and sweet celebration is the Best of Australian Shorts. Roborovski is a highlight, as actors Tilda Cobham-Hervey and Dev Patel (Lion) step behind the lens to direct this animated short about an adorable miniature hamster seeking revenge. To celebrate NAIDOC Week, the Best of Indigenous Shorts programme presents an incredible collection

of some of our most talented and creative Indigenous filmmakers from over the past 30 years of Flickerfest. This talent-packed program includes Nana by revered Australian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer Warwick Thornton, and the hilarious short, Nulla Nulla, directed by Thornton’s son, Dylan River.

By Tierney White

Nana

This River

Don’t miss your chance to see some of the Australia’s small but mighty cinematic gems on the big screen.

Flickerfest WHEN SAT 3 JUL | 7PM & 9PM AT DECKCHAIR CINEMA COST $17 | $13 CONC | $9 CHILD INFO flickerfest.com.au

Sparkles

Nulla Nulla

Experience Essington

NT WRITERS PRESENTS

Thursday 12 August 9am & 5pm

See the School in action! Join us for a guided Open Day tour. We are offering a morning tour for Early Years to Year 9 and an Afternoon Event for Years 10 to 12. Visit our website for more information and register by 6 August.

Global thinking, Territory spirit.

All years enrolling now. enrolments@essington.nt.edu.au 08 8985 0100 essington.nt.edu.au

INFO ntwriters.com.au

I am the Glass PENNY DRYSDALE IS a Darwinbased poet, lawyer and policy adviser working to reduce domestic violence. She has led social justice and cultural projects in Central Australia, including editing Arelhekenhe Angkentye: Women’s Talk, an anthology of Arrernte women’s poetry. Her latest collection, I am the Glass, was published just last month. NT Writers’ Centre caught up with the multi-talented wordsmith for a chat. Congratulations on your latest poetry collection! Can you tell us quickly what I am the Glass is about? I am the glass captures those moments in life when things start to change. Someone is falling in love. Someone is falling out of love. There’s a big shift and you don’t know where things will end up. What was the inspiration behind the work? The work was inspired by my relationship ending in Alice Springs. There’s a lot of beauty amongst that pain. I wanted to honour the ending, and to relearn how to love. The book is not all about that one relationship, but that’s what prompted me to begin. What do you love most about poetry? I often write from the anxiety of not understanding something. I try to write my way towards understanding. A good poem enables you to talk about difficult topics more truthfully – and to see the beauty.

You work on an incredible range of projects – what’s next for you creatively? It’s a great pleasure for me to work with Arrernte poets, so there will be more poetry workshops in Central Australia. I am writing some short stories and poems. My projects often grab hold of me and don’t let go, so I will keep writing small pieces until I am grabbed! If we were to take a peek at your bookshelf, what kind of books would we find there? The books sprawled across my bed at the moment are poetry: Jordie Albiston, Charmaine Papertalk Green and oodles of love poetry. My secret vice is self-help books – the latest one by Martha Beck mirrors Dante’s Inferno. The book of

the year for me is George Saunders’ A Swim in the Pond in the Rain – a cross between a Russian literature class and a self-help book. That’s my kind of book! Any Territory authors you’re enjoying at the moment? Dani Powell’s, Return to Dust is one of my favourite books. I am in awe of Songspirals by the Gay’wu Group of Women in North East Arnhem Land. Spoken word has really captivated me lately – Darwin poets Melanie Mununggurr, Alexandra Steffan, Johanna Bell, Clare Bizley, and Parker Black – gave incredible performances at my book launch, along with Jacqui Malins from the ‘other’ territory, the ACT, who launched her book F-words at the same event.

SATURDAYS IN JULY | MOVIES START: 7PM 17 24 31

UglyDolls (PG) - Goyder Square Sonic the Hedgehog (PG) - Sanctuary Lakes Frozen 2 (PG) - Durack Community Arts Centre lawn

BYO picnic and blanket

ART I HOMEWARES BUSHFOODS | TEXTILES CAFE I FASHION I BOOKS

Lyons Cottage, 74 The Esplanade ABORIGINALBUSHTRADERS.COM (08) 8931 6650

Mook Moook by Dale Austin, Dingo Cockatoo Aboriginal Culture

DRINK LISTINGS

FOOD

from Darwin’s best performers – The NEO, DJ Tom and David Garnham & The Reasons to Live.

WHEN AT COST INFO

The Bush Spice Gemtree Wine Maker Dinner One of Australia’s finest wineries, Gemtree Wines is family owned, crafted organically and 100 percent certified biodynamic – and lucky for us, bringing their incredible dining experience to Hilton Darwin. Warm up your taste buds for a modern five-course menu featuring Australian bush spices, designed to give you a completely new experience of food and wine pairing. Taste the wine, smell the spices, live your best culinary life!

Danny Crighton and Justin Schmidt

WHEN AT COST INFO

LUCKY BAT

Spreading Their Wings Lovers of popular Nightcliff haunt, Lucky Bat Café & Pizzeria, can rejoice! The fave northern suburbs hangout spot has spread its wings, opening new premises in the heart of the Darwin CBD. Bat Bakery, as the new digs are called, has the same shabby chic décor and ambience its parent café is renowned for, with Moorish-inspired ceramic cutlery holders, pot plants and vintage wallpaper. The new location also enables owners, Justin Schmidt and Danny Crighton, to expand production of the scrumptious breads, pastries and other bakery treats that Lucky Bat regulars know and love. Yes, that means more spanakopita and chocolate croissants everyone!

“The idea with Bat Bakery is to create a central hub where we have more space. We’ve invested in new

machinery to make it easier for bigger production runs,” explains Danny.

to start producing hand-made slowcooked meat and veggie curry pies. Yes puh-lease!

The new location also showcases the tasty, wholesome daytime fare Lucky Bat does best, including a mouth-watering array of sophisticated salads. Think Ottolenghi-inspired creations like carrot and quinoa roasted in honey and dukkah with red onion and herbs, cauliflower salad with dried cranberries in a herbaceous yogurt dressing, or roast capsicums with butter beans, chives and cannellini beans. Yum!

In another exciting development, the café has a small retail section with funky, screen-printed merchandise up for grabs alongside a range of hand-crafted preserves and seasonings like eggplant chutney, kasundi, dukkah, za’atar, jams, and pickles, so you can add a dash of Lucky Bat flavour to your meals at home.

“Salads always get forgotten but they can be an amazing, satisfying, filling, delicious lunch. And they can be really healthy too,” says Danny.

With a brand new coffee machine serving rich Genovese coffee and a delicious juice menu, Bat Bakery brings the best of the Nightcliff venue to you in an easily accessible location for your next lunch break. Salad anyone?

“There’s a real gap in the market for salads for office workers. There’s not many places in town that are doing it.” The new bakery-café also has plans

Bat Bakery WHEN MON–FRI, 7AM-2PM AT 15 KNUCKEY ST INFO facebook.com/batbakery

FRI 9 JUL | 6.30-10PM HILTON DARWIN $129 facebook.com/hiltondarwin

Bar-BQ Lot Festival The annual Bar-BQ Lot Festival is back! Get sizzling with the Australasian Barbecue Alliance cooking competition, and iconic Darwin food from Smokey J’s and ZZAN. Family friendly to the hilt, the festival includes a jumping castle, face painting, dance-offs, and live music all day and into the night

SAT 31 JUL | 10AM-MIDNIGHT ONE MILE BREWERY FREE onemilebrewery.com.au

Best of the Best Wine & Dine Experience Get your sommelier suave on with some of Darwin's favourite wines. A self-guided wine experience paired with a sumptuous fivecourse menu featuring some of PepperBerry Restaurant’s signature dishes – this is a must-have, two hour experience for food and wine lovers. WHEN

EVERY FRI & SAT

6.30-8.30PM

HILTON DARWIN

COST $139

INFO

darwintickets.com.au

JANSZstravaganza Sparkling Sunday Brunch Savour an extravagant experience of free-flowing (but within RSA guidelines!) Jansz Brut and Rosé at PepperBerry Restaurant’s new sixcourse JANSZtravaganza Sparkling Sunday Brunch! If you prefer to start your Sundays fresh as a daisy, delicious food-only packages are also available. WHEN EVERY SUN | 12-2PM AT HILTON DARWIN COST $99 (FOOD ONLY) | $109

(FOOD & DRINKS)

INFO

facebook.com/hiltondarwin

rban u b u S

16.07.2P1ARK,

NE OODLI THE RAIDERS) G • NT. M E P F V E C 5-8.30 ERY (HOME O MUSI FIELDS, S E ROSEB G A C

ALL ELECTRI A! E E R F R I N G N D J - M I LL U T A E F LILY A R E G I T

PALMERSTON.NT.GOV.AU/YOUTHFEST

MUSIC

Spring

Loaded

Grinspoon

This month, a line-up channelling some serious Big Day Out vibes is in the works for music fans. Spring Loaded is pegged to be one of the biggest music events in the Top End – and the country – for 2021. eld on the Royal Darwin Show public holiday at Darwin Amphitheatre, ticket holders are in for the live glory of Grinspoon, Regurgitator, Jebediah, Frenzal Rhomb, Magic Dirt and Screamfeeder, the event emceed by arguably the nicest bloke in existence, Lindsay “The Doctor” McDougall. Tierney White caught up with Grinspoon’s lead singer Phil Jamieson for a chat! A real life music festival. Are you excited about touring the country and coming up to Darwin? Well, Darwin first, of course. I don’t get to go there often enough, and I think the last time I was there was 2017 with Grinners at the Ski Club on our Guide To Better Living Tour. Which was brilliant and I love it up there, it’s fantastic. I think we played with Tired Lion, The Superjesus – it was fantastic and unreal. In relation to touring the country, I’ve been trying to spin the wheels for a while – Grinspoon don’t tour very often anymore, so this is really exciting – and also with all of these

great bands that I kind of either grew up on or were my peers and contemporaries. It’s just such a great honour to be sharing the stage with these turn of the century bands that were so important to my life. A lot of [the bands] have been around for a while – to think you’re still touring and still have such a loyal following must feel pretty great, right? It does! It’s quite flattering, really. I think we just ended up doing what we do, and in 2012 or 2013 we took some time off – we’d been touring for so long we were maybe a little burned out… We didn’t tour again until 2017, which doesn’t feel like the longest period of time, four years or so, but it really enabled us to reset what we did, and maybe helped us appreciate it a bit more. Maybe the crowds have missed us? The crowds were really great in 2017, and maybe we needed that to elongate our life a little bit as well. We toured so heavily up until that point. We did a Spring Loaded in Sydney in May, and maybe people’s appear-

ances have changed a bit over the years, but the songs are still what really draws me personally to those acts. Whether it be Regurgitator with their subversive punk rock… and then Jebediah with their really hooky indie/pop, it’s the songs that get me. Whether someone has grey hair or no hair, or has an extra 10 kilos around their belly is irrelevant, it’s more about how good the songs sound. Jebediah and Grinspoon came up at around the same time, I think we both released our debut record within weeks of one another in 1997, so those guys have been with us on this path for so many years – in a different way – but in the same way… it’s really lovely to be on the road with those guys, and being backstage with them, because we’ve known each other for so long. So, as an audience, we’re all having a nostalgic throwback of seeing some of our favourite bands in the same line-up, but you’re kind of experiencing the same thing backstage? Yeah. A lot of us live in different cities – I haven’t seen those guys in a long time – and obviously due

to COVID happening there was no opportunity to do it, so yeah, backstage in Sydney was really fun. It was great to see everyone. It was awesome. I remember seeing Grinspoon play at Big Day Out. That’s a music festival that’s been thrown around a bit when Spring Loaded is brought up – a lot of people are very excited got see these bands together again. Likewise! The Big Day Out had this element to it, but in my opinion, the Big Day Out was a lot broader, I think Homebake is a bit more the vibe… because it had all Australian bands. We didn’t know it was gonna happen either and were like, “ is this gonna be any good?” Then I was at the Sydney show and was like, “this is f—king fantastic!” From my end it’s about the strength of the songs… the collection of songs this touring line-up has is testament to why the bands can still tour, but also why people want to hear it. There’s a lot to love about this gig!

Given the cards dealt in 2020, people just have a real thirst for live music. There’s one thing listening to it streamed, but it’s just not the same as seeing a band do their thing on stage. Yeah, you can’t get the mistakes and the visceral energy. Like if someone’s fallen over or they’ve broken a string, or the sound goes out – there’s all that stuff that actually makes a gig that is unquantifiable. I know you guys just had BASSINTHEGRASS with some great acts as well, so we can’t wait to get up and play. Having the opportunity to visit the Northern Territory for this is a real bonus!

WHEN AT COST INFO

FRI 23 JUL | 4PM DARWIN AMPHITHEATRE $112 ticketek.com.au

WIN A DOUBLE PASS! Follow Off The Leash on Facebook and Instagram, and keep your eyes peeled for your chance to score a free ticket for you and a friend. Noice.

JULY MUSIC NT PRESENTS

GIG

guide OTL's quick and essential guide to live music in the Top End. To find out more, head to offtheleash.net.au

SOORKIA INFO

musicnt.com.au

/offtheleashmag

AFTER RELEASING THE track Songlines in March this year, MusicNT caught up with SOORKIA to see what’s next for the Alice Springs artist.

to be who we are. It started as a very basic demo, then became magical when Dave Crowe (Resin Moon of Sing Hum) and Ben Allen (Broadwing) co-produced it.

We’re loving your recent release Songlines. The song and production are amazing. Can you tell us a little about the journey to getting this track down and out? Thanks! The song had been waiting in the wings to come and give it life. It started as a song I wrote as I rode my bike through the picturesque Telegraph Station. I was thinking about how it’s so easy to erect walls and barriers because we’re afraid

The Alice Springs music scene is thriving at the moment, so many great artists and releases coming out. Has being a part of this music community impacted you as an artist? It sure is thriving! So many of my friends came into 2021 with so much new music. I’ve got to collaborate and/or perform with so many great women in Alice this year too, Bambadino, Katie Harder,

Desert Divas, Xavia... being around women who are juggling other jobs and families is also really inspiring. I was lucky to receive some grant funding from Music NT and Alice Springs Town council to help with producing my EP. It makes such a difference feeling a part of the wider community.

Should we be keeping an eye out for more releases in the near future? Yes. I’m hoping to release a new song by July, and possibly an EP by the end of this year. I’m also gearing up to have another baby at the end of June, so at the moment am working very slowly.

Are there any collaborations on the cards? I’ve been working with Reuben Burke-Munns of Androgynous Lemon on a song – and I’ve also had the amazing Karen Jackson and Ed Nicholson play on an upcoming track ‘The Walk’.

And lastly, as an artist, what advice have you been given that’s stayed with you? Don’t try and be the artist you think you should be, be the one you are.

By Tierney White

@OTLmag

#OTLmag

One Wild Night – The Ultimate Bon Jovi Experience

Australia’s leading Bon Jovi tribute act, One Wild Night invites you to relive the songs, the magic and the hair of the 80s as they faithfully recreates Bon Jovi’s unmistakeable sound! WHEN SAT 3 JUL | 6-11.30PM AT DARWIN SKI CLUB COST $40 | $20 CONC | U16 FREE WITH PAYING ADULT

INFO ticketebo.com.au

LET IT BE LIVE IMAGINE THIS. We take one band member from four of the greatest Aussie bands, and throw them together to play The Beatles’ 1970 album Let It Be in full. Sounds pretty great, right? Well, friends, imagine no longer. Australian Rock Collective – better known as ARC – is Australia’s rock supergroup, featuring Kram (Spiderbait), Darren Middleton (Powderfinger), Davey Lane (You Am I) and Mark Wilson (Jet). All self-confessed Beatles tragics, they’re hitting the Top End for their national Let It Be Live tour, playing The Beatles’ final album in full, from start to finish.

Despite recent Victorian lockdowns, the pandemic throwing a spanner in the works for photo shoots and band rehearsals, Kram says he’s

been enjoying his experience. “I spend a lot of time practising on the beach. I walk up to a remote spot with my dog and sing Beatles songs. It’s a beautiful way to rehearse and no one’s around who might think me nuts. "I live near Byron so do this every day. I used to live in Melbourne for years so feel for everyone [that has been] in lockdown down there.” Let It Be Live follows the same format of the sell-out Abbey Road tour, with The Beatles’ penultimate album played live and in full. If you’ve seen the film Yesterday, you can imagine the weight on one’s shoulders to do these classic tracks justice, but Kram says he and the band are unfazed. “I find I’m most comfortable when

I’m on stage performing. I really don’t feel any pressure, it’s almost like it has the opposite effect, I just enjoy it.” When asked what his pick of the Let It Be bunch is, Kram doesn’t hesitate in his response. Originally pegged to sing ‘Dig A Pony’, he opted to play the drums. “I don’t think Ringo Starr realised at the time how masterful the drums [on this track] are. It’s got some of my favourite Ringo drumming of all time, I love playing it. Ringo has really inspired me, and it’s of course great to play their music, but it’s been really interesting to dive into the band members and learn about their personalities.” ARC formed when Darren Middleton was asked by a friend to put something together for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, his cohort not

needing too much convincing to make the trip to South America. After playing the gig, they realised they’d created a great band. It would appear the rest of the country concurs, with tickets to the 2019/2020 tour of Abbey Road selling out. Now, it’s the Top End’s turn to sit back and enjoy the show. If you’re in the mood for some classic Beatles’ tunes played live by some of the most incredible musicians this country has ever produced, ‘Get Back’ to Darwin Entertainment Centre and just ‘Let It Be’. We ‘Dig It’!

WHEN TUE 20 JUL | 7.30PM AT

DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

COST

$73 | $83 AISLE

INFO

yourcentre.com.au

Hooked – Dr Hook and the Medicine Show Tribute Relive the era of Dr Hook, and travel back to the songs and antics of one of the greatest bands in the world. With hits like ‘Walk Right In’, ‘Only 16’, ‘Sexy Eyes’ and so many more, let HOOKED take you back in time with a fantastic show full of costumes, comedy, music and laughter. WHEN FRI 23 JUL | 8PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

COST INFO

$75 | $65 CONC & MEMB youcentre.com.au

In Concert, The Music of Neil Diamond Take a trip down memory lane and travel back to the 70s and 80s, a time when the legendary Neil Diamond, the consummate showman, was at the height of his career. WHEN SAT 24 JUL | 8PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

COST

$55 | $40 CONC & MEMB |

INFO

$35 CHILD | $45 GROUP 8+ yourcentre.com.au

Louvred Lounge Series – Wild Women in Song Wild Women in Song presents four NT songwriters performing

DOWN

By Zoya Godoroja-Prieckaerts

The Track

HAPPENINGS IN THE RED CENTRE

individual stories woven into one musical narrative – Tracey Bunn, Leah Flanagan and the emerging artists Jayna MacCallum and Gypsy Schmidt. If you love words, and music, this is a not-to-miss. WHEN SUN 25 JUL | 5-6.30PM AT LOUVRED LOUNGE,

(or up) from your working week with incredible musicians and cool drinks in the open air every Friday. WHEN EVERY FRI | 5-7PM AT BROWN’S MART COURTYARD COST FREE INFO brownsmart.com.au

AUDIT HOUSE

COST INFO

$30 nationaltrust.org.au/nt

Seaside Sessions at DTBC Settle in under the green sails with a cold drink and an afternoon of live music, every Sunday afternoon at Darwin Trailer Boat Club. With two cocktails for $20 and world-class sunsets, it’s the perfect way to see out the weekend.

Kingswood Live at Railway Club Postponed from last month, Coopers Presents brings you an unforgettable night featuring Melbourne power rock four-piece, Kingswood, performing great alternative hits at the iconic Darwin Railway Club. WHEN SAT 31 JUL | 7PM AT RAILWAY CLUB COST $45 INFO stickytickets.com.au

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY SUN | 3-6PM DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB FREE dtbc.com.au

Sunset Live Music Every Tuesday at sunset, kick back and enjoy live music by local artists in the chill atmosphere of Ebb & Flow. Just minutes from Darwin CBD, right next to the water, there’s lounges, daybeds and plenty of relaxed dining options to choose from. With a fully serviced bar and delicious plant-based meals available, you have everything you need for a great night out. WHEN EVERY TUE | 6PM AT EBB & FLOW COST FREE INFO facebook.com/

ebbandflowdarwin

Lunch on the Lawn Returning with a new series of live local musicians treating you to gorgeous acoustic sounds every Wednesday. Grab a bite to eat, pack a picnic rug and kick back on the front lawns of the Tourism Top End info centre to enjoy some free live local music with your lunch! WHEN EVERY WED 16 JUN | 12-1PM AT TOURISM TOP END

COST INFO

facebook.com/

lunchonthelawn

Live on Fridays Live music on Fridays at Brown’s Mart is back for 2021! Wind down

facebook.com/domsbardarwin Thursday Live @ Dom’s See what all the Thursday buzz is all about in Nightcliff and come kick it with Dom. Enjoy live local music acts or catch a story or two with one of Dom’s famous cocktails in hand. Cheers. WHEN EVERY THU | 6PM COST FREE – SOME EVENTS TICKETED

WBC: Sigil Described as neo-soul, R&B, electronica and trip-hop, WCB creates emotional and soulful music combining music, visual storytelling and movement. Audiences go on a journey deep into WCB’s psyche and are presented with an authentic representation of the struggles of being queer and an artist. WHEN SAT 3 – SUN 4 JUL | 4-5PM AT HAPPY YESS COST $25 | $15 CONC | $20 GROUP

6+ | $5 U12

Evocación | Flamenco Featuring the unmistakable sounds of Flamenco guitar, dance, cajon and song, this five-piece ensemble of renowned artists embodies the traditions of Flamenco in a contemporary context. Be enthralled by two of Australia’s most exhilarating dancers in the premiere of Evocación. WHEN SAT 3 – SUN 4 JUL | 5-6PM AT BROWN’S MART THEATRE COST $35 | $28 CONC | $22 U12 | $25 GROUP 6+

Songwriters on the Fringe

Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s Kick back with a cocktail and beats from a live DJ, and bring in your weekend in Nightcliff. You can even try the 2020 Mango Cup award-winning cocktail, the Territori-tini. WHEN EVERY FRI | 4PM COST FREE

JAM NIGHTS AND OPEN MIC

Enjoy a couple of cold drinks and embrace the atmosphere of local live music at the new home of First Sunday Blues, Tracy Village Social and Sports Club. WHEN SUN 4 JUL | 3PM AT TRACY VILLAGE SPORTS

& SOCIAL CLUB

COST INFO

GOLD COIN DONATION facebook.com/

Join popular songbird Crystal Robins, outspoken Indigenous activist June Mills, 17-year-old emerging RnB artist Lotus, busy local rocker Danny Wutang, and Crocodile Country’s Kevin McCarthy for an intimate,

Winner, Excellence Prize 2019: Christine Ng, ‘My Friend and Housemate’, acrylic on curtain blind.

A 'VERY community' award IN ITS 43 YEARS , the Advocate Art Award has only ever missed one annual event. You guessed it – last year thanks to the pandemic. Happy to be back on, they’re gearing up for another great community-driven exhibition with Central Australia at its core. The Central Australian Art Society (CAAS) is the dedicated organiser of this special event. As a fully volunteer-run organisation, it’s thanks to a committed community cohort that the award continues to thrive.

firstsundayblues

Jam Night Head down to the open mic night every Tuesday and jump on stage or sit back and enjoy the music. WHEN EVERY TUE | 9PM AT NIRVANA COST FREE INFO nirvanadarwin.com.au Last Sunday Jam Head along the Dinah Beach Yacht Club on the last Sunday of the month for live music by the sea. WHEN SUN 25 JUL | 3-6PM AT DINAH BEACH YACHT CLUB COST FREE INFO facebook.com/dbcya

FRONT LAWN FREE

DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE

DARWIN FRINGE darwinfringe.org.au

Darwin City Brass Band Want to play a brass instrument such as trombone, tuba, tenor horn, euphonium, baritone or cornet? Darwin City Brass Band can help! Offering free lessons and ensembles, perform as a brass band in the community. No auditions necessary. WHEN EVERY TUE | 4.30-9.30PM AT 2 ABALA RD, MARRARA COST FREE | $20 ANNUAL MEMB INFO darwincitybrassband.org.au

songwriting experience. Be swept up by their individual music performances in this exciting interactive event. WHEN SUN 4 JUL | 7.10-8.10PM AT DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE COST $12 | $10 CONC | FREE CHILD

As one beloved volunteer, Steve Anderson explains, “it gets a lot of people out of the woodwork, we generally get about 70 artists exhibiting.” Considering there’s only so much wall space in the Araluen Art Centre galleries, 70 artists is a lot to showcase, and this is where the award’s values really shine through. With no pre-selection process, the award is open to all Centralian artists. So established artists show alongside beginners, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists share the stage in a salon hang with no hierarchy, and full acceptance of everyone. Anderson says it’s a forum for Centralians to express opinions and raise awareness of issues in the region in a group show.

“It’s a chance to show what you’ve been making over the year and an opportunity to exhibit in a major institution.” There’s a myriad of prizes to be won, all sponsored by local businesses – the Excellence Prize, the Places, Faces and Stories category, free framing and art supplies, and of course, the People’s Choice award. You don’t need to an artist to win something – just say what your favourite piece is and you’re in the running! Working with local businesses to support artists, the event involves a wide cross-section of the arts community in humble and meaningful ways. The exhibition comes to a close with the Walk In The Art event, where any artists who submitted works are welcome to come and speak with the community about their practice. As it’s often described around town, the Advocate Art Award truly is “VERY community”. And that’s why we love it. Advocate Art Award 2021

WHEN FRI 30 JUL - 15 AUG

DAILY 10AM-4PM

OPENING FRI 30 JUL | 6PM

AT COST INFO

ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE FREE ENTRIES CLOSE FRI 16 JUL

araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au

live on fridays Live music at Brown’s Mart every Friday in The Dry Wind down (or up) from your working week with incredible musicians and cool drinks in the courtyard coming up ... Gypsy Schmidt, Jayna McCallum July 2 Prayer Corby July 9 Lilly Sideris July 16

WAGAIT ARTS FESTIVAL 9-11 JULY 2021. WAGAIT BEACH COMMUNITY CENTRE

wagaitartsgroup.com.au

Casey Jane July 23 Serina Pech July 30 The Roy Boys Aug 27 4:30pm - 7pm