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BETWEEN THE MOON AND THE STARS

LANGUAGE WITH A LOCAL

WILD WOMEN OF THE NORTH

Learn the lingo

Sharing stories through song

The art and science of the skies

MARCH

20 19

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

Yo u r fre e what ’s o n g u i d e TO TH E TO P E N D

a g m i n i i ngs e R

Arafura Music Collective & Pee Wee’s at the Point present

The baroque re-imagined!

Guest artist Jenny Eriksson Viola da Gamba

An afternoon of Chamber Music, Fine Wine & Food TICKETS $50 Full price $40 Concession $95 Family $5 Child 12-17 yrs

DATE Sunday March 10 TIME Venue opens 3pm for a 4pm start WHERE PeeWee’s at the Point Lot 5775 Alec Fong Lim Dve East Point Reserve

Ticket includes: A drink of choice & tasting plate

The Cockatoo Man, 2018, Polly Roberts, Darwin High School

Darwin Entertainment Centre 8980 3333 or www.ntix.com.au

Reinvigorating the MECA Collection 28 March – 20 July

CDU ART GALLERY A heritage collection of Yolngu bark paintings, sculptural objects, hollow logs, and weavings, collected at Milingimbi in the 1970s. Building Orange 12 Charles Darwin University Casuarina Campus  /cduartgallery

2018 NT YEAR 12 STUDENT EXHIBITION 2 February - 24 March 2019

10am - 4pm | Wed to Fri 10am - 2pm | Sat artgallery@cdu.edu.au www.cdu.edu.au/artgallery

magnt.net.au 2

Djawa #1, Men, turtles and spear, c. 1970s, natural pigments on bark, 98 x 51 cm Image courtesy Milingimbi Art and Culture.

INSIDE

OFFTHELEASH.NET.AU E: roslyn@offtheleash.net.au T: 088941 7413 /OTL.magazine

elcome to the first edition of 2019 – a jampacked bundle of goodness that points to another fabulous year in the Top End. This month the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory looks to the skies in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Art and science combine in an intergalactic journey around the moon and the stars, and how their combined energies influence life on earth – see page 4.

F R OM T H E

@OTLmag

#OTLmag

GPO BOX 2325, Darwin NT 0801

ing a spotlight on the incredible diversity of Aboriginal languages spoken throughout the NT, and will teach us some new lingo each month. The team of young producers at Sounds @ Sunset are on the hunt for young musos. Check out the latest gadgets and gizmos at Tech Zone – see Youth.

r o t i d E

A big shout-out to the boys at One Mile Brewery – they’ve officially put Darwin on the national beer map. Get your game on at one of Darwin’s newest cafes before crossing the laneway for a bevy – see Food & Drink.

One of my favourite days of the year – the Tiwi Islands Art Sale and Footy Grand Final – kicks off mid-month. Learn about the diversity of languages in the NT during the International Year of Indigenous Languages. Get the balance right on International Women’s Day – see Around Town.

NT students are showing their work at the annual Exit Art exhibition, while a local photographer captures life in the tropics. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander jewellers unite in a glittering display of gems and craftsmanship – see Visual Arts.

Have a laugh and support NT comedians at the Raw Comedy NT Final – the winner will head to Melbourne to compete against the best in the country. A syllabus-linked production of Cosi brings the text to life for Territory students and theatre-lovers alike – see Performing Arts.

Wild women of the Territory will have their stories immortalised in song as part of a residency program. The Darwin Symphony Orchestra heads into space in their first concert of the year. Grab a drink with the Arafura Music Collective. Top End songstress Caiti Baker hits the track – see Music.

Beat the heat with the final month of Flix in the Wet before our treasured Deckchair Cinema opens next month. Connect with fellow writers at monthly NT Writers’ Centre events – see Books & Film. This month we welcome columnist Emily Tyaemaen Ford to the Off The Leash team. Emily will be shin-

After 11 years in the Territory, and three wonderful years with Off The Leash, this edition is my last. A huge thank you to the fabulous and dedicated team, passionate supporters and loyal readers – and of course to the incredible artists and organisations who make up the cultural fabric of the Northern Territory.

DANCE SOCIETY | 7

COSI | 9

Over and out.

TROPPO NOIR | 18 OTL is proudly supported by Roslyn Perry Managing Editor and Development Manager

Sarah Novinetz Graphic Designer

Tamara Howie Journalist Distributed to remote Indigenous communities with the assistance of

#o tlmag

@ntlibrary

use the HAshtag above to see your pics in the magazine

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Cover proudly sponsored by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT).

@musicnt @city_of_darwin

Franck Gohier, 'Blue moon', 2017, triptych, synthetic polymer paint on board, 120 x 270cm; courtesy the artist and Mitchell Fine Art

@offtheleashmagazine

Showing as part of Between The Moon and The Stars | Thu 21 Mar – Mar '20 | Opening Thu 21 Mar, 6.30pm | MAGNT

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@carlarussoartist

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March 2019

FEATURE

clockwise from far left: Mark Virgil Puatjimi, 'Tapara (Japarra)', 2001, hand built ceramic, 100 x 40 x 10 cm; image courtesy MAGNT. Deaf Tommy Mungatopi, 'Cycles of the moon', natural pigments on bark; © estate of the artist licensed by Aboriginal Artists Agency Ltd. Kaibaik Timor leste; image courtesy MAGNT. Solomon Booth, 'Zugu Bau Titui', 2012, linoprint, 155 x 75 cm; image courtesy MAGNT. above: Franck Gohier, 'Blue moon', 2017, triptych, synthetic polymer paint on board, 120 x 270 cm; courtesy the artist and Mitchell Fine Art. below: Flatback turtle hatchling; image courtesy MAGNT.

Between The Moon and The Stars

by Tamara Howie

The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory’s (MAGNT) next exhibition, Between The Moon and The Stars, explores the relationship between our closest interstellar neighbour, the Moon, and the twinkling skies that surround it, and how their combined forces affect life on earth.

ince the dawn of time the gaze of humankind has always looked towards the stars.

The night skies have predicted futures, told stories of intergalactic pasts, and guided travellers, wanderers and nomads in their journeys over the lands and seas.

Glasby, an expert in annelids (segmented worms), says his interest was piqued when the exhibition was proposed because the moon had a dramatic impact on some worm species.

Between The Moon and The Stars combines art and science to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the culmination of eons of human curiosity and one of humanity's greatest achievements – the Apollo 11 Moon landing.

“There are some species of worms that have synchronised breeding with the moon phases,” he says.

More than 600 million people were glued to their screens to view the historic moment in 1969, but Darwinites had to simply stare at the sky and tune in to the radio because TVs didn’t make it to the Top End until 1971.

“It’s as regular as clockwork and the people living in the places where the breeding occurs know how regular they are and are ready to catch them – they’re pretty tasty.”

Local artist Franck Gohier stumbled across an audio recording his parents took of the historic moment while digging through their record collection as a teenager.

Glasby then dug deeper to discover time keeping rituals and ceremonies around the world associated with the yearly breeding and migration cycles of animals, including the palolo worms, biting midges, turtles and hammerhead sharks.

“The fact my parents recorded it meant I knew it was a momentous event,” he says. Gohier painted a triptych for the exhibition, which features artwork from public and private collections and scientific displays. In his triptych, Gohier continues his idea of viewing Darwin as the centre of the universe and includes lunar motifs by iconic artists. The ideas were sparked when he picked up his old record of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. “With the painting I was just having a bit of fun with everything about the moon and the word lunar,” he says. “It’s all about the age of enlightenment and how, as humans, we’ve come from a point of primitivism to the age of reason and science, and now we’ve gone full circle. “(It’s highlighting the fact) we’ve made all these incredible achievements like the moon landing, and then we get (people) like Trump in power, and he just wants to build a wall, like a baby with Duplo blocks.”

and curator of Australian art, Dr Wendy Garden. The pair have combined the fact and fiction around Earth’s natural satellite and its sky-high companions.

The exhibition is co-curated by senior curator of annelids, Dr Chris Glasby

“We delve into the idea of animals being seasonal calendars,” he says. “So when an animal – like a migrating bird – arrives at a particular island, or hammerhead sharks arrive to breed or feed, their arrival heralds a change in seasonal activities, which is often depicted in artworks.” The exhibition reflects a national push to see the arts integrated with STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, which recognises that the two fields can complement and challenge one another’s perspective and ideas. “The artistic side illuminates what I do a little more, and the science enriches the artistic point of view,” Glasby says. While no one is sure what the next 50 years will hold for interstellar travel, one thing is for sure – there are no limits to human curiosity. The exhibition opens with a special launch event on March 21. WHEN AT COST INFO

THU 21 MAR – SUN 29 MAR ‘20 | OPENING THU 21 MAR, 6.30PM MAGNT FREE magnt.net.au

AROUND TOWN

Panel Discussion – Environment WHEN MON 4 MAR | 6-7.30PM

Workshop – Environment WHEN TUE 19 MAR | 6-7.30PM AT DARWIN COMMUNITY ARTS COST FREE INFO facebook.com/darwinfree university

photo: ANKA

Darwin Free Uni

Tiwi Islands Art Sale & Footy Final THE ANNUAL TIWI ISLAND FOOTY AND ART COLLISION IS ONE OF THE REGION'S BEST CULTURAL EVENTS – not only because it brings together two things Top Enders love – sport and art – but also because it allows visitors a closer insight into the beauty and culture of the Tiwi Islands. The art centres from the islands of Bathurst and Melville set up shop with incredibly good deals on all their art, and the Tiwi Island football grand final helps you under-

stand where some of country’s best AFL players come from. But getting over there in the tailend of the Wet season can mean a long, hot, sticky day. Off The Leash spoke to some regular attendees to get the low-down on how to get the best from your experience. WHEN AT COST INFO

SUN 17 MAR | FROM 9AM BATHURST ISLAND FREE facebook.com/seadarwin

FREE UNIVERSITIES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AROUND THE GLOBE for many years, and Darwin has finally got its own version. Organiser Carmen Ansaldo sat down with Off The Leash to tell us all the ins and outs. Where did the ‘free university’ concept first develop and what are its goals? The free university structure has been around in one way or another since industrialised capitalism. It’s a way for workers to educate each other for free. It’s on a no money in or out basis. Is the Darwin community thirsty for something like this? It’s very difficult to access education once you get out of the tertiary education system, but there are a lot of people who work full-time but still want to keep learning. I think what’s appealing to people is it’s a progressive, grassroots project and the community fulfils its structure with the things they want to learn.

People have a lot to share, too, and they’re really happy to share their knowledge for free. Tell us about your guiding ethos. There are four different concepts that guide most free universities, which we’ll be using: Collectivism – the idea that we’re stronger together as a group rather than individuals. Critical thinking and discourse – we’re trying to foster that spirit of criticism and discuss things in a respectful manner with other members of the community for the joy of education. Autonomy – we’re run out of Darwin Community Arts but they have no mandate on what or how we present – participants decide what we’re going to learn and how we’re going to learn it. Likewise we are a loose coalition with other progressive groups but we’re not associated with a political or ideological group.

Radical equality – we try to create equality, not by giving the same to everyone but by supporting all the people that need to be held up because of their structural place in society. So what has the community said they’d like to learn? There’s been so much interest from the community already. The original plan was a monthly presentation, but what people identified was important was they don’t just want theoretical lectures, but practical workshops. People want to learn skills as well as ideas and that’s what’s going to make Darwin Free University different to others. What’s the format shaping up to be? We’re going to have fortnightly meets ups and we’ll have theoretical discussions – whether it’s a lecture or a panel discussion – and also workshops.

Pro tips • Decide how you’re getting there, pronto – green around the gills in the water? Book a charter flight instead of the ferry, but act quick, they book out fast • Get there early to snap up the best art – buy as much as you can because you won’t get prices like this on the mainland • Take time to chat to the artists if they’re around and bring a bag to keep your new pieces safe from the elements • Pack food, water and a blanket or tarp to sit on – keeping in mind you’ll be carrying it around all day • Take advantage of the shuttle buses between art centres • BYO as much shade as possible • Dress appropriately – it can be hot and humid with potential for sudden downpours

• Make no evening plans, you’ll be rooted by the time you’re back home. • Bring cash – and lots of it, including smaller change to buy food to support the local community groups • Be prepared to wait at the airport on your way home – take your chill pills and enjoy the experience as everyone tries to fly out after the footy finishes • Ask before you take photos of people or artwork • Be prepared for it to be cancelled if there’s a cyclone (thanks Marcus) • Pick a team, dress in their colours and get into the footy spirit

Treasures Talk 2019 IS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES, and to mark the occasion the Northern Territory Library will explore their collection in a series of Treasure Talks.

Historian Sam Wells had a chat with Off The Leash about what to expect. What is the Treasure Talk series all about and what can audiences expect? The Northern Territory Library has a large collection of materials about Indigenous languages and we wanted to acknowledge this important year by delving into these collections and retrieving items that shed light on the wealth of Indigenous languages in the Territory. Tell us more about the diversity of Indigenous languages in the NT. Around 250 distinct languages were

spoken in Australia in 1788. Most of these languages had several dialects, so the total number of named varieties would have been in the hundreds. It’s difficult to be precise about the number of languages and dialects because they can shade into each other but rough estimates of between 80-100 of these languages and dialects were in the Northern Territory. Neighbouring Aboriginal groups spoke distinct dialects of the same language or had working knowledge of other neighbouring languages, which allowed for communication. What are some of the items in the collection that will be looked at during these talks? We will show the work of the colonial settlers/explorers/ethnographers who compiled extensive Aboriginal word lists in the late 1800s. We will show rare maps that document Aboriginal place names in Central Australia and the Top End.

We will look at the resources of the bilingual education programs of the 1970s and the prolific work of the Literacy Production Centres. And finally, we will look at more recent collaborative projects where Aboriginal Territorians have led the way in documenting and preserving Indigenous languages. How are these languages being preserved? The Library preserves the documentary heritage of the Territory, including records of Aboriginal languages and collaborative projects.

WHEN TUE 19 MAR, 10.30AM | WED 3 APR, 5.30PM | TUE 16 APR, 10.30AM | WED 1 MAY, 5.30PM AT NORTHERN TERRITORY LIBRARY COST FREE INFO ntl.nt.gov.au

International

Women’s Day

Women’s Art Exhibition Launch and Morning Tea Enjoy a morning tea to launch an exhibition of work by Larrakia and other local women. WHEN MON 4 MAR | 10-11AM AT CITY OF PALMERSTON LIBRARY COST FREE INFO palmerston.nt.gov.au

photo: Jag Sekhon

Intro to Women’s Self Defence Learn some self defence skills. WHEN TUE 5 MAR | 6-7PM AT THE LIFESTYLE STUDIO, PALMERSTON COST FREE INFO palmerston.nt.gov.au

THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY (IWD) is all about building a gender-balanced world. Since the first IWD in 1911, the movement has spread globally, with events celebrating women and highlighting important issues affecting equality. In the Top End this year there

are events for everyone – from youngsters who want to learn to skate and build social networks, to panel discussions with high-profile inspiring speakers on what the next step is in the #MeToo world. Get out and get involved to make the balance right.

WHEN FRI 8 MAR

Vajrabhairava Gompa

Meditation Retreat THE FOUR FUNDAMENTALS OF BUDDHIST meditation will be explored over a weekend retreat in Darwin. Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche will lead the guided sessions addressing the four elements of mindfulness – mindfulness of the body, feelings, the mind and of all phenomena. Participant Jon Mason says the weekend is open to complete beginners who are curious, through to those experienced in the practice. “They’re guided practices and they’re very accessible for anyone who’s coming in to it new,” he says.

“But I’ve been engaged in it since the late 70s and I still find it refreshing to attend.

“If your interest is there, you’re very welcome to come.” The concept and term ‘mindfulness’ has been adopted far and wide in the West in recent years, but the practice has been steeped in Buddhist’s meditation for more than 2500 years. “You can find all kinds of mindfulness practices and therapies these days, but mindfulness has been the foundation of Buddhist tradition for 2500 years,” Mason says. The retreat will be held in the purpose built Vajrabhairava Gompa in Berrimah. WHEN SAT 30 – SUN 31 MAR AT VAJRABHAIRAVA GOMPA, BERRIMAH COST $75 DAY | $150 2 DAYS INFO suericasmith@gmail.com

#MeToo But What Can We Do? In the time of #MeToo, women’s experiences of sexual harassment are finally being heard. But where to from here? This panel discussion features Sally Sievers, Rachael Uebergang and Aditi Srinivas. WHEN WED 6 MAR | 6PM AT BARBARA JAMES HOUSE, THE GARDENS

COST INFO

$29 facebook.com/ywcadarwin

No Woman Left Behind Conference Workshops, entertainment, expo, information stalls, discussion panels and keynote speakers from across the globe, including 2018 NT Australian of the year Dr Bo Remenyi. WHEN FRI 8 MAR | 8.30AM-6PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $300 | $2500 FOR 10 | SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE INFO internationalwomensday. com

Spun: Backbone Brace yourself for an evening of stories about defiant victories, impossible achievements and unexpected twists this International Women’s Day. WHEN FRI 8 MAR | 6.30PM AT MICHAEL LONG CENTRE, MARRARA COST $32.50 INFO spunstories.net

IWD Walk Celebration and walk through the Darwin CBD with information stalls, live music and food and drinks.

WHEN SAT 9 MAR | 8.30AM AT CIVIC CENTRE COURTYARD, DARWIN COST FREE INFO darwin.nt.gov.au

Skate Day A celebratory shred session for youth aged 12-25. WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 9 MAR | 3-5PM LEANYER SKATE PARK FREE facebook.com/launchdarwin

All About Women Satellite You don’t need to be at the Sydney Opera House to experience the main stage action of All About Women, with the three headline sessions streamed live to Darwin. WHEN SUN 10 MAR | 11.30AM- 3.45PM AT CITY OF DARWIN LIBRARY COST FREE | BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL INFO darwin.nt.gov.au/libraries

BUSK A MOVE

Dead

IF YOU THINK YOUR PERFORMANCE IS DELICIOUS… or it would be a good match for a delicious meal, the City of Darwin’s busking incentive scheme is calling.

Singer’s

Dance Society IF YOU WANT TO DANCE WITH SOMEBODY, Tracks Dance has channelled some Whitney Houston and has you covered with their new program, Dead Singer’s Dance Society. Tracks dance animateur Kelly Beneforti says the sessions are all about having a good time dancing to some iconic music from late, great musos. “It’s a dance space for participants of all dance abilities to learn a really simple routine in four weeks,” she says. “It’s a unique environment because it’s not dancing together on a dance floor at a party, and it’s not learning in a dance school environment – it’s between those two places where it’s about the joy of dancing with other

photo: Mat McHugh

people in a choreographed way.”

selves dancing to that music.”

Last year Beneforti ran a similar program to a medley of music from Prince, and was inspired to celebrate the music of other late singers through dance.

The first instalment of the Dead Singer’s Dance Society for 2019 will be a Whitney Houston medley.

“What worked really well about Prince is that it gave people a connection to what they think might happen, without needing to understand what a dance class is,” she says. “I’ve found that when you say ‘come along to a dance class’ people can’t visualise what they’re going to do. But if you say ‘come and dance to Prince or David Bowie’, they have an understanding of what’s happening in that space and they have a connection and can visualise them-

“I really wanted to start with a female artist and it’s a really fun, joyful and delightful environment,” Beneforti says. “Whitney has a lot of ballads, but I’ll be going for the 80s upbeat Whitney.” Contact Tracks Dance for all the fine details on where to shake your booty to Whitney in March. WHEN CONTACT TRACKS COST $20 INFO tracksdance.com.au | admin@tracksdance.com.au

Arts and cultural development co-coordinator Katy Moir says local performers of all varieties – established or emerging – are invited to be involved in the program to activate outdoor spaces aligned with the street food program. As part of the new incentive, selected performers will get a oneoff performance fee and an annual busking licence, plus the opportunity to team up with an existing food business between April 23 and May 19. “We’ll partner them with a street food vendor they may already have a previous history with, or someone their style of music or performance would suit the ambiance the vendor is creating,” she says. “We’re trying to create a better relationship between the arts and business communities – that’s something that’s been spoken about a lot in the last two years.” The program is open to any street performer, and Moir says they’d love to see how creative the

WHEN SUBMISSIONS CLOSE WED 24 APR INFO darwin.nt.gov.au

Artist Fernanda Dupal is curating the next instalment of the City Life Platform light boxes around Darwin city and Nightcliff, and says she wants to see how artists respond to a theme she is often thinking about. “As an artist I’m always changing – I’m fairly process based and I’m exploring stuff all the time and

“We’re open to dancers, musicians, poets or a collection of poets – we’re trying to open it to all performers to think about the city as a potential performance space and they can do whatever their practice involves.” Moir says there has been a renewed interest from performers since the council reviewed its busking policy last year, and the team at council are happy and keen to chat with anyone who wants to hit the streets. Musician Jordan Ravi spoke with Off The Leash recently and says he attributes a lot of his performance skills to cutting his teeth on the streets busking around Darwin. “I really learned how to hold a crowd and hone my entertainment skills,” he says. “Ultimately the best training I could get… and I started to get gigs – it started as small corporate functions and turned into weddings and it gradually grew from there.”

WHEN APPLICATIONS CLOSE FRI 22 MAR | 5PM INFO arts@darwin.nt.gov.au

Arts e

Notic Board

art & adaptation ARTISTS ARE INVITED TO RESPOND TO THE THEME ‘ART AND ADAPTATION’ for their chance to see their work illuminate the town for the next series of light box installations.

community is.

Artist Aly de Groot with a lightbox installation

‘adaptation’ is an idea that I’ve been working with for a while,” she says. “Also, Darwin itself is changing, and there’s so much adaptation happening – we’re in this state of flux at the moment and I think it’d be nice to creatively explore those ideas together. I thought a group show could be quite a powerful way to start some conversations through art.” Dupal exhibited her own work in one of the light boxes last year as part of the Glamorama Futurama group show, in which artists were asked to respond to the futuristic

space-ship shaped Futuro House. “As an artist it’s really fun to be part of and to see your work up there illuminated for those three months,” she says. “Sometimes as an artist it’s also really nice to work with someone else’s theme and explore your practice through a different lens and work to a brief.” All artists selected will be paid an artist fee and have their work displayed in the light boxes in the Smith St Mall, China Town car park and Nightcliff Pool between June and September.

Youth Vibe Holiday Grants Grants of up to $2,000 are available for organisations and community groups to run events throughout the June/July school holidays.

Artmart 2019 Artmart provides opportunities for artists to exhibit at the Northern Centre for Contemporary Art, with an emphasis on supporting and encouraging emerging artists.

WHEN APPLICATIONS CLOSE FRI 1 MAR | 5PM INFO youth.nt.gov.au

WHEN INFO

Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Entries are sought for work of high literary merit, published in 2018 across six categories: children’s literature, young adult literature, fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and Australian history.

City of Darwin Grants and Sponsorship The City of Darwin grants and sponsorship programs support a diverse range of environmental and community development programs and cultural and sporting events and festivals that directly benefit the Darwin community.

WHEN INFO

ENTRIES CLOSE FRI 15 MAR | 3.30PM arts.gov.au

WHEN INFO

PROPOSALS CLOSE FRI 29 MAR nccart.com.au

APPLICATIONS CLOSE MON 1 APR | 4PM darwin.nt.gov.au/grants

LISTINGS

Professional Development Series for Women Do you have an inner critic ruining your life? You know, that voice in your head that can make you feel like an imposter or turn you into a perfectionist. Or it makes you procrastinate and stops you from pushing forward with goals and big ideas. APRA AMCOS presents 'In Real Life' resources for women and non-binary APRA AMCOS and Music NT members who are looking for creative and business skills to support them in their professional pursuits – sign up to get involved. WHEN MON 18 MAR | 5.30-8PM AT HARBOUR VIEW PLAZA, DARWIN COST FREE INFO peaton@apra.com.au

COST INFO

FREE ntl.nt.gov.au

The Power to Be Happy This four-week meditation course explores how to access the power to be happy.

Queer Territory Join 2018 Creative Resident Cj Fraser-Bell for the conclusion of a residency at the Northern Territory Library. Fraser-Bell is launching two zines on the night and will be exhibiting a number of original works. WHEN WED 6 MAR – SUN 7 APR | OPENING WED 6 MAR, 6PM AT NORTHERN TERRITORY LIBRARY COST FREE INFO ntl.nt.gov.au

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY THU | 7.30-9PM CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY, CASUARINA $80 meditateindarwin.org

Aqua Fitness This pool-based aerobic program is suitable for all fitness levels, including beginners. WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY SUN | 8.30AM DARWIN WATERFRONT $12 | $8 CHILD waterfront.nt.gov.au

Spiders

Gender Euphoria Hosted by world-renowned Norwegian trans person Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad and partner Elsa Almas, explore gender diversity and hear about their remarkable story. WHEN WED 13 MAR | 6PM CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY, WATERFRONT CAMPUS COST $20 | BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL INFO nt.relationships.org.au

Curious about Curious Darwin? ABC Darwin’s Curious Darwin stories continue to present a colourful snapshot of the Territory. Join the ABC team alongside one of the Northern Territory Library's historians as they take a behind the scenes look at the work involved in delivering this informative and sometimes quirky investigative series.

WHEN WED 20 MAR | 5.30PM AT NORTHERN TERRITORY LIBRARY

This touring exhibition from the Australian Museum and Questacon features fascinating exhibits and interactive displays, along with live spiders and nearly 200 specimens that will inspire curiosity about the natural world and give a sense of wonder about the animals themselves. WHEN AT COST INFO

UNTIL SUN 28 APR MAGNT $16 | $12 CONC, AANT MEMB | $6 CHILD magnt.net.au

LET’S DANCE Bachata Class Suitable for intermediate level dancers, this melting, sweet dance will inspire the Latin vibes in you. WHEN AT COST INFO

one, regardless of experience. Classes range from beginners to advanced, so there is something to suit all levels. WHEN AT COST INFO

BEGINNERS EVERY SAT 1-2PM | INTERMEDIATE EVERY THU 6.30-8PM | ADVANCED EVERY TUE 6.30-8PM STUDIO 13, COCONUT GROVE $25 | BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL 0439 896 700

Salsa Classes These fun classes will help you feel confident on the dance floor. WHEN EVERY TUE | BEGINNERS 6.30PM | IMPROVERS 7.30PM INTERMEDIATE 8.30PM AT DANCE WORLD STUDIO, WOOLNER COST $18 INFO salsitadarwin.com.au

No Lights No Lycra A weekly dance jam in the dark – no teacher, no steps to learn, no alcohol, no talking – no worries! Just dancing and great tunes. Perfect for all ages, shapes and sizes. No need to book, just turn up when you’re in the mood for a boogie.

Couple Connect This four-week course focuses on communication as a key way to connect and increase trust, fun, friendship and intimacy. WHEN FRI 8, 15, 22 & 29 MAR | 12-1PM AT RELATIONSHIPS AUSTRALIA NT COST $50 | $80 COUPLE INFO nt.relationships.org.au

Viv Fantin

EVERY MON | 8.30PM 13/1 CARYOTA COURT, COCONUT GROVE $18 salsitadarwin.com.au

Ballet for Adults Adult ballet classes are for every-

WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY WED | 6-7PM HAPPY YESS THEATRE, BROWN’S MART $7 nolightsnolycra.com

Kizomba Dance Classes Learn the fundamentals of this beautiful dance from Angola, characterized by close partner connection and smooth, grounded movement. WHEN WED 6, 13 & 20 MAR | 6.30-7.30PM AT STUDIO 13, COCONUT GROVE COST $15 INFO 0412 811 165

Argentine Tango Tango is a fun, social activity that can be danced by anyone, regardless of age or physical ability. It’s an improvised dance, and one that will exercise your mind as well as your body. WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY THU | BEGINNERS 7PM | FOCUS 8PM COCONUT GROVE HALL $12 facebook.com/nthntango

Grey Panthers A unique seniors dance group of

Territory women and men over the age of 60. Want to be part of the fun? Join in weekly to learn new dances and rehearse for special performances. WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY FRI | 9.30-11AM SENIORS COMMUNITY HALL, COCONUT GROVE $5 tracksdance.com.au

Pilates for Dancers These advanced pilates classes will help dancers develop core strength and flexibility, increase coordination and improve alignment. Suitable for dancers aged 16 and above. WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY SAT | 11AM-12PM STUDIO 13, COCONUT GROVE $25 | BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL 0478 579 784

Movement Medicine – Conscious Dance This guided free-form dance class explores using movement as medicine. WHEN EVERY SUN | 10-11.30AM AT NIGHTCLIFF COMMUNITY CENTRE COST $15 | $10 CONC INFO 0431 929 145

Argentine Tango Practica Hosted by the Northern Tango dance community, join fellow tango dancers to practice, refine technique, build musical skill, inspire each other and talk tango. WHEN AT COST INFO

EVERY SUN | 4.30-6.30PM STUDIO 13, COCONUT GROVE $5 facebook.com/nthntango

Latin Night Salsa, bachata, tango, merengue, zouk, rueda de casino, timba, son – your choice at this monthly Latin dance session. All welcome. WHEN AT COST INFO

WED 27 MAR | 7.30PM SANDBAR, SKYCITY DARWIN FREE salsitadarwin.com.au

Milonga Join the Northern Tango community for a night of social Argentine tango dancing. WHEN AT COST INFO

FRI 29 MAR | 8-11PM COCONUT GROVE HALL $5 facebook.com/nthntango

PALMERSTON LIBRARY palmerston.nt.gov.au/library Lego Club Hone your building skills with fortnightly activities and challenges. Create your own masterpiece and display it in the library. Suitable for ages five to 12 years. WHEN EVERY TUE | 3.30-4.30PM COST FREE

Storytime Say goodbye to quiet libraries! 1-5 year olds and their caregivers will love singing, dancing, listening to stories and engaging with puppets in these fun, interactive sessions. WHEN EVERY TUE & THU | 10-10.45AM COST FREE

Nurserytime You’re never too young to enjoy reading. Treat your baby to songs, puppets, nursery rhymes and movement to enhance their early literacy development. Suitable for 0-1 year olds. WHEN EVERY WED | 10-10.45AM COST FREE

Gadgets & Games Club For kids five to 12 years who like hands-on, problem based learning activities. Gadgets and Games is based around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) learning activities and the equation that learning plus games equals fun. WHEN EVERY WED | 3.30-4.30PM COST FREE

Code Club Coding is an awesome skill to help kids live in the digital age. Part of a nationwide network of volunteer-led creative coding clubs for kids aged nine to 12 years, Code Club is free but places are limited, so bookings are essential. WHEN EVERY SAT | 10AM–1PM COST FREE | BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL

PERFORMING ARTS

RAW COMEDY

Final

COSI More than 760 students will see the famous Australian play, loosely based on playwright Louis Nowra’s own life, which explores ideas of friendship, romance, infidelity and our perception of madness and sanity. Directed by Gail Evans, the play is set in 1971 when Australia is protesting against the war in Vietnam. Inside an asylum, inmates are preparing for a performance of Mozart’s famous comic opera, Così fan tutte, even though no one can sing, act or speak Italian. Brown’s Mart artistic director Sean Pardy says it’s a great opportunity for students to see the texts they’re studying in the classroom come to life on stage. “There is something special about live performance, something that

COMICS'

CORNER SHOWCASING TOP END COMICS AND LOCAL STAND-UP PERFORMERS

With Christmas a distant memory, the 5-2 fasting resolutions abandoned, and the excitement of the Fringe and Darwin festivals still months away, we asked Darwin’s hottest comedians what online comedy they are watching to keep themselves entertained. ABC presenter and 2018 NT Raw Comedy champion, Ryan McArthur, recommends Bo Burnham’s Netflix special Make Happy. A master musical comedian with an offbeat palate who delivers a polished mix of music, raunchy one-liners, and

you can’t capture when reading a script, or even watching a film,” he says. This is the fifth year the Brown’s Mart education program has presented a syllabus-linked production, giving students the opportunity to not only see the play they’re studying on the stage, but to also encourage an appreciation of the performing arts. Pardy says it’s also a captivating show for any theatre-lovers, not just the ones with their noses in the script at school.

Raw Comedy is a national treasure. Established in 1996, it’s unearthed some of Australia’s most talented comedians, including Aamer Rahman (Fear of a Brown Planet and the Can We Kick It web series), Hannah Gadsby (Nanette), Ronny Chieng (ABC’s Ronny Chieng: International Student and The Daily Show), Celia Pacquola (Utopia and Rosehaven), Anne Edmonds (Have You Been Paying Attention), Luke McGregor (Rosehaven and Luke Warm Sex) and Nazeem Hussain (Legally Brown and Orange is the New Brown). It’s also seen local comedy legends Amy Hetherington, Ryan McArthur, and Scott McGowan awarded the NT comedy laurel wreath. The NT heats were held in February in Darwin and Alice Springs, and 12 super talented comedians have won their place in the NT final. The winner will be flown to Melbourne to compete in front of 3,000 people at the televised national final as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in April with the ultimate Raw Comedy champ jetted off to perform in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. WHEN AT COST INFO

SAT 9 MAR | 8PM DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE $39 yourcentre.com.au

First Thursday Comedy Regular stand-up night featuring local comedians. WHEN THU 7 MAR | 7.30PM AT BROWN’S MART COST $10 INFO facebook.com/topend comedy

LOL Thursdays Laugh out loud with local comedians. WHEN THU 28 MAR | 8.30PM AT THE BEACHFRONT HOTEL COST FREE INFO facebook.com/topend comedy

DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE yourcentre.com.au

“Audiences will benefit greatly from seeing the live performance, the nuances of the characters, the subtle twists in the plot. The themes and hidden meanings of the text are all brought to life by the ensemble,” he says. WHEN AT COST INFO

UNTIL SAT 16 MAR | 7PM BROWN’S MART THEATRE $35 | $25 CONC | $15 STUDENT, PREVIEW brownsmart.com.au

photo: Heidrun Lohr

TOP END STUDENTS WILL GET A THEATRICAL look inside a psychiatric facility at Brown’s Mart Theatre’s latest education program production, Cosi.

IT’S MARCH AND THAT MEANS RAW COMEDY, the national open mic comedy competition, is hitting town.

LISTINGS

by Will Crawford

Scout Boxall

wildly unpredictable misdirections to keep audiences guessing, he’s one of the most original comedians on the scene… and Bo Burnham is also quite good. Local comedian and archeologist KC Martin likes Utopia, and Rosehaven star Celia Pacquola’s The Looking Glass on Stan. Pacquola used to be described as Australia’s up and coming Bill Cosby but, given recent revelations, I might have to change that to Australian comedy’s Bradley Murdoch as she consistently kills on tour and, without a DNA match, she’s impossible to stop. Darwin improvisational comedy maestro, Sarah Reubin, of Shania Choir fame, wisely suggested the Netflix comedy specials by James Acaster, Daniel Sloss and Hannah Gadsby. Acaster is a strange but lovable comic with an odd demeanor and is one of the best and most creative writers in comedy.

Definitely one to catch.

Dave Attell is excellent.

NT comedy superstar, Amy Hetherington says anything by Katherine Ryan makes her happy, plus recommends the Aussie Comedians of the World special on Netflix, featuring Urzila Carlson, Nazeem Hussain and Cal Wilson.

I also can’t get enough of Hannibal Burress’s Comedy Comisado, while Sarah Silverman’s A Speck of Dust, is yet another standout show by a super-clever and cheeky comedian who never disappoints.

I like Bill Burr’s I’m Sorry You Feel That Way for some hard-hitting truth telling, while Ali Wong (Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife) is undoubtedly one of the greatest comedians of this decade. For some comic jousting, Bumping Mics with Jeff Ross and

Will Crawford is an up-andcrawling comic. He moonlights as a land rights lawyer and policy activist.

For some old school memories try Bill Hicks’ One Night Stand and Richard Prior Live In Concert on Netflix to see two of the grandfathers of modern comedy at work. Happy antisocial Netflix watching. See you in the Dry season.

Room on the Broom After a sell-out 2017 tour, the team behind The Gruffalo return with songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3 and up, and their grown-ups. WHEN COST

TUE 19 MAR, 12PM & 6PM | WED 20 MAR, 10AM $35 | $30 MEMB, CONC | $25 CHILD

360 All Stars Boasting a stellar international cast, this phenomenal physical performance delivers a supercharged urban circus to Darwin. WHEN FRI 22 MAR | 7PM COST $45 | $30 CHILD | $140 FAM

Celtic Illusion This show for all ages fuses aweinspiring contemporary Irish dance with mind-blowing magic and grand illusions. WHEN FRI 29 MAR | 7.30PM COST $74.90 | $69.90 CONC | $64.90 U 16

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Can You Ever Forgive Me? Melissa McCarthy stars as Lee Israel, the best-selling celebrity biographer (and cat lover) who made her living in the 1970s and 80s profiling the biggest names of the era. When Israel found herself unable to get published because she had fallen out of step with the marketplace, she turned her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend Jack (Richard E. Grant).

LISTINGS

Jusqu’à la garde

WHEN SUN 3 MAR | 3.30PM

Flix in the Wet

AT COST INFO

BCC CINEMAS CASUARINA $16 | $12 CONC | $10 MEMB | $8 CHILD | $35 FAM deckchaircinema.com

Movie Night Enjoy the French film, Jusqu’à la garde, along with French cheese and wine at this monthly Alliance Française de Darwin event.

Flix in the Wet has kept film-lovers happy throughout the neverending build up this Wet season. The move to BCC Cinemas in Casuarina, after the city cinema’s closure, hasn’t deterred fans, with strong turn-outs for the season so far. But for those craving the night-sky above their cinema experience, never fear – the beloved Deckchair will reopen next month. But until then, here’s a run down of a few flicks you can catch indoors this month.

Too Much Info Clouding Over My Head Vasilis is a director in search of a film. His mother wants him to make a masterpiece, his wife wants him to make his own film and his producer wants him to make something – anything at all. He does his best to accept advice. He can’t. He decides to make a film nobody else may want to see.

Sorry to Bother You 'Use your white voice'. With that simple piece of advice, stuck-onthe-bottom-rung telemarketer Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) goes from living in his uncle’s garage to rocketing up the corporate ladder. Soon he’s the company’s newest rising star 'power caller'. But just what is he selling. WHEN SUN 10 MAR | 3.30PM

WHEN SUN 3 & 17 MAR | 5.30PM

The Cleaners Enter the hidden third world shadow industry of The Cleaners, where the Internet rids itself of what it doesn’t like. We meet five “digital scavengers” among thousands of people outsourced from Silicon Valley, whose job is to delete “inappropriate” content from the net. In a parallel struggle, we meet people around the globe whose lives are dramatically affected by online censorship.

WHEN AT COST INFO

WED 6 MAR | 6.30PM MUSEUM & ART GALLERY OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY $20 | $14 MEMB, STUDENT afdarwin.org

Heal This documentary takes us on a scientific and spiritual journey to discover how our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions have a huge impact on our health and ability to heal. WHEN THU 14 MAR | 6PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $23 | $18 CONC, CHILD INFO yourcentre.com.au

WHEN SUN 10 MAR | 5.30PM

OFF THE SHELF REVIEWS FOR READERS

Welcome to my column where each month I’ll take a book from the shelf to share.

I’ve arrived late to Min Jin Lee’s epic novel Pachinko, which was first published in 2017. With so many great books to read it can be hard to keep up with new releases. Of course, books continue to need readers in the years, decades, even centuries after first publication and late is better than not at all.

Pachinko is a luminous Korean family saga, set over four generations. Tracing almost a century, from 1910 – 1989, Lee details the legal and social discrimination faced by Koreans in Japan. Yet this is not a didactic story, rather many voices and many layers give shape to the complexity of this experience. Lee powerfully shows it is never as simple as victimhood. Pachinko revolves around the central figure of Sunja, a young Korean girl who falls pregnant in circumstances ‘unforgivable’ and is ‘saved’ by the gentle and generous Christian minister, Isak. A life of exile to Japan is thus presented as salvation – yet is revealed to be so much more than this. The story expands out through the perspectives of Sunja’s children, grandchildren and the various characters that encircle their lives during and after WWII in Japan. It is affecting reading – the relentlessness of the hardships and the daily struggle for survival are keenly felt. Shame is a powerful and ever-present force and death

appears regularly in its mundane horror. At times towards the end, I felt the introduction of some secondary characters were distracting and were not given the same richness as the central characters. Despite this I was swept up in the addictive power of this narrative. Lee’s telling, in many ways, simple in its prose and structure, achieves grandeur in its scope. At this scale Pachinko is about many things: minorities, the politically disenfranchised, identity, Christianity, Shinto, WWII, nationalism, womanhood, sexuality and the Pachinko industry. Ultimately though it is an intimate rumination on endurance and the moments of grace in spite of it all:

Kate Rendell works as a Project Coordinator in the arts, she is also a freelance writer and researcher. First and foremost though she is a reader.

‘It was not Hansu that she missed, or even Isak. What she was seeing again in her dreams was her youth, her beginning, and her wishes – so this was how she became a woman. Without Hansu and Isak and Noa, there wouldn’t have been this pilgrimage to this land. ‘Beyond the dailiness, there had been moments of shimmering beauty and some glory, too, even in this ajumma’s life. Even if no one knew, it was true.’ I am glad to have returned to this deeply moving novel and even more glad to know something of this history. Pachinko is both devastating and quietly redemptive.

Heal

NT WRITERS’ CENTRE ntwriters.com.au Poetry and Coffee Connect with fellow poetry lovers and share your favourite verses, or your own originals. No criticism, just enjoyment. WHEN AT COST

THU 21 MAR | 10-11AM EAT AT MARTIN’S, COCONUT GROVE FREE

Wild Words The stage is wide open for anyone to perform poetry, prose, song lyrics or even a blog! WHEN SUN 31 MAR | 3-5PM AT DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB COST $5 | FREE FOR PERFORMERS

NORTHERN TERRITORY WRITERS’ CENTRE

ICONIC NT LOCATIONS TRANSFORMED INTO SPECTACULAR OUTDOOR MOVIE THEATRES SHOWCASING THE VERY BEST IN LOCAL SHORT FILMS AND ANCESTRAL STORIES ALICE SPRINGS | 30 MARCH TENNANT CREEK | 6 APRIL DALY WATERS | 13 APRIL DARWIN | 11 MAY NITMILUK NATIONAL PARK | 18 MAY Image from Lil Bois

EDITH FALLS | 25 MAY KAKADU NATIONAL PARK | 1 JUNE

8941 2651 ntwriters.com.au executive@ntwriters.com.au

NHULUNBUY | 1 JUNE nttravellingfilmfestival.com/tickets

Workshops | Monthly Events | Opportunities

frames framing Pete Hayes formerly Framed Gallery

March 30-31, 2019 Vajrabhairava Gompa Agostini Rd, Berrimah

picture framing

Bookings essential

canvas stretching

Suggested contribution $150 – 2 days $75 – 1 day

photos sports & military memorabilia bark strapping animal & croc skins

Weekend Meditation Retreat: The Four Mindfulnesses

Stephen Harrison

6/32 Gardens Hill Cres, Darwin framesframingnt@gmail.com 08 7969 7122 / 0418 427 847

Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Concessions available

Contact Sue: 0431 488 335 suericasmith@gmail.com

is a highly realised & respected teacher of Tibetan Buddhism.

APPLY NOW

KIDS’ CLASSICS

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Submissions open for proposals from independent and emerging curators to develop an exhibition for tour in 2020

There’s mischief and magic afoot in the forest.

$10,000 curatorial fee

Join Darwin Symphony Orchestra Ensemble in an adventure through the magical music of Mendelssohn, and meet Shakespeare’s frivolous fairies!

Includes free face painting for kids! SAT 6 APRIL, 9:30am & 11:00am CDU Theatre, Orange 3, Casuarina Campus

SUN 7 APRIL, 11am Batchelor Outdoor Education Centre, Batchelor | Free event!

$10,000 for research and development Applications close 5pm, Monday 15 April, 2019 For more information and application forms, visit: artbacknt.com.au

Kids $5 | Adults $10 | Families $25 | Babes in arms free

dso.org.au/buy-tickets | 8980 3333

16 Sat

9 360 All Stars

Fri

8 Ballet for Adults 8 Pilates for Dancers 8 Code Club 9 Cosi 23 James Damien 23 The ABBA Show 23 Luca Brasi

22 7 Busking Incentive Scheme – applications close 8 Grey Panthers 15 Tech Zone 20 Garrmalang (last chance) 23 Caiti Baker 23 Loud at the Library 23 Glen Forner 23 The Roy Boys 23 Rory McLeod

Thu

17 Sun

5 Tiwi Island Art Sale & Footy Grand Final

8 Aqua Fitness 8 Movement Medicine 8 Argentine Tango Practica 10 Flix in the Wet 19 Feeling for Pattern (last chance) 22 Gin & Jazz

See Performing Arts 9

Fri

7 Artmart 2019 – proposals close 8 Grey Panthers 8 Milonga 9 Celtic Illusion 15 Tech Zone 23 Loud at the Library 23 Glen Forner 23 The Roy Boys

28 29 8 Ballet for Adults 8 Argentine Tango 8 Storytime 9 LOL Thursdays 15 Tech Zone 19 Reinvigorating the MECA Collection (opens)

See Around Town 5

See Around Town 6

23 Sat

8 Ballet for Adults 8 Pilates for Dancers 8 Code Club 21 DSO in Space 21 Brian Cadd 23 Caiti Baker 23 Tash Sultana 23 James Damien

See Visual Arts 20

18 Mon

Sun

8 Professional Development for Women 8 Bachata Class 15 Tech Zone

23 Caiti Baker

Sat

8 Aqua Fitness 8 Movement Medicine 8 Argentine Tango Practica 10 Flix in the Wet 18 Exit Art (last chance)

20 Grand Old Men (last chance) 6 Meditation Retreat 8 Ballet for Adults 8 Pilates for Dancers 8 Code Club 19 Apocryphilia (last chance) 20 Tjala Arts (last chance) 23 James Damien 23 Rails Annual Music Quiz

19 Tue

Sun

5 Darwin Free Uni 5 Treasures Talk 8 Ballet for Adults 8 Salsa Classes 8 Lego Club 8 Storytime 9 Room on the Broom 15 Tech Zone 21 Wild Women of the North in Song 23 Jam Nights

See Music 23

6 Meditation Retreat

8 Argentine Tango Practica 8 Aqua Fitness 8 Movement Medicine 10 Wild Words

Wed

Mon

8 Curious about Curious Darwin? 8 No Lights No Lycra 8 Kizomba Dance Classes 8 Nurserytime 8 Gadgets & Games Club 9 Room on the Broom 15 Tech Zone 23 Caiti Baker

8 Bachata Class 15 Tech Zone

See Around Town 6

Thu

4 Between the Moon and the Stars (opening)

Tue

8 Ballet for Adults 8 Argentine Tango 8 Storytime 10 Poetry & Coffee 15 Tech Zone 23 Caiti Baker

8 Ballet for Adults 8 Salsa Classes 8 Lego Club 8 Storytime 15 Tech Zone 23 Jam Nights

See Feature 4

Wed

8 No Lights No Lycra 8 Latin Night 8 Gadgets & Games Club 8 Nurserytime 15 Tech Zone 23 Caiti Baker

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.

Fri

Sat

Mon

8 Ballet for Adults 8 Pilates for Dancers 8 Code Club 9 Cosi 23 Resist 23 James Damien

See Around Town 6

Calendar

6 International Women’s Day

Fri

7 Youth Vibe Holiday Grants – applications close 8 Grey Panthers 9 Cosi 15 Tech Zone 23 Loud at the Library 23 Glen Forner 23 The Roy Boys 23 Crap Music Rave Party

8 6 No Woman Left Behind 6 Spun: Backbone 8 Couple Connect (commences) 8 Grey Panthers 9 Cosi 15 Tech Zone 19 Apocryphilia (opening) 23 Loud at the Library 23 Glen Forner 23 The Roy Boys

See Youth 15

15 Tech Zone

8 Bachata Class

3 Sun

10 Flix in the Wet

Tue

8 Aqua Fitness 8 Movement Medicine 8 Argentine Tango Practica 23 First Sunday Blues

9 Cosi

8 Ballet for Adults 8 Salsa Classes 8 Lego Club 8 Storytime 15 Tech Zone 21 Wild Women of the North in Song 23 Jam Nights

See Books & Film 10

Too Much Info Clouding Over My Head

4 20

Mon

5 Darwin Free Uni 6 Women’s Exhibition Launch & Morning Tea 8 Bachata Class 15 Tech Zone

Wed

MAR See Performing Arts 9

8 Gender Euphoria 8 No Lights No Lycra 8 Kizomba Dance Classes 8 Gadgets & Games Club 8 Nurserytime 9 Cosi 15 Tech Zone

Tue

Thu

See Visual Arts 19

6 Women’s Self Defence 8 Ballet for Adults 8 Salsa Classes 8 Lego Club 8 Storytime 9 Cosi 15 Tech Zone 21 Wild Women of the North in Song 23 Jam Nights

8 Ballet for Adults 8 Argentine Tango 8 Storytime 9 Cosi 10 Heal 15 Tech Zone

Wed

Sat

6 #MeToo But What Can We Do? 8 Queer Territory 8 Gadgets & Games Club 8 No Lights No Lycra 8 Kizomba Dance Classes 8 Nurserytime 9 Cosi 10 Movie Night 15 Tech Zone

6 International Women’s Day Walk 6 Skate Day 8 Ballet for Adults 8 Pilates for Dancers 8 Code Club 9 Cosi 9 Raw Comedy Final 19 Apocryphilia – artist talk 20 Grand Old Men (opens) 20 Bluer by degrees (opening) 20 Tjala Arts (opens) 23 James Damien

See Visual Arts 19

Thu

Sun

8 The Power to Be Happy (commences) 8 Ballet for Adults 8 Argentine Tango 8 Storytime 9 Cosi 9 First Thursday Comedy 15 Tech Zone 18 Troppo Noir (opening)

19 Bush Bling (opening)

Fri

6 All About Women Satellite 8 Movement Medicine 8 Argentine Tango Practica 8 Aqua Fitness 10 Flix in the Wet 22 Re-imaginings

7 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards – applications close 8 Grey Panthers 9 Cosi 15 Tech Zone 18 Troppo Noir (last chance) 23 Loud at the Library 23 Glen Forner 23 The Roy Boys 23 Wakanda Nights

Upcoming Events

DSO IN SPACE

Aqua Fitness in the Wave Lagoon Every Sunday 8:30am (45 minutes) Get water active with weekly Aqua Fitness classes. $12 for adults and $8 for children which includes all day entry to the Wave Lagoon.

SATURDAY 23 MARCH, 6:30 PM

DARWIN CONVENTION CENTRE

Journey between musical galaxies with classical works and your favourite themes from film and television!

Easter Celebrations Saturday 20 April 9am to 1pm | Free

30 ANNIVERSARY GALA

Join the Easter celebrations on Saturday 20 April from 9am to 1pm with free family fun including a photo with the Easter Bunny, face glitter artists, garden games, arts and crafts, kids DJ, obstacle course, waterslides, jumping castles and more.

SAT 24 AUGUST, 7:30 PM

DARWIN CONVENTION CENTRE

O FORTUNA!

Arafura Games Opening Ceremony Friday 26 April 6:30pm to 8pm

SAT 7 DECEMBER, 7:30 PM

DARWIN CONVENTION CENTRE

DSO 2019 SEASON SUBSCRIPTION SERIES ON SALE NOW! BUY NOW AT DSO.ORG.AU/BUY-TICKETS | 8980 3333

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE 15%

Families are invited to enjoy the free outdoor community celebration and fireworks finale. Find a spot on the lawns and settle in for an evening of entertainment for the whole family. All events are alcohol and glass free waterfront.nt.gov.au

YOUTH

Tali Rain

Sounds @Sunset 2019 A TEAM OF YOUNG PRODUCERS ARE ON THE HUNT FOR YOUNG MUSOS TO FILL THEIR SOUNDS @ SUNSET PROGRAM THIS YEAR. The team is looking for 16 acts to play sets at five events across the Dry season, with the first one kicking off on May 17. Expressions of interest for the paid gigs are open to Darwin-based soloists or bands aged under 25. The only requirements are the acts must be able to supply their own instruments and perform a 20-40

minute set suitable for a chilled-out family audience.

The Sounds @ Sunset project teams up young producers with mentors to learn the ins and outs of pulling off a professional music event. Musician Tali Rail performed at one of the beach-side gigs last year and encouraged others to get involved. “The event was really well organised and on the night the team were really supportive,” she says. “It’s a really nice opportunity to perform and it had a nice atmosphere

and is a good family friendly event.” The 16-year-old says she scored another gig out of the performance and it was a great chance to meet new people. “I got contacted to play another gig by someone who was watching, and it was great meeting new people,” she says. EOIs will be open throughout the year, with the last gig in September, so there’s plenty of time to refine your set or write some new tunes. INFO

launchdarwin.com.au

Language with a Local

Welcome to Language with a Local, readers. 2019 is here and, as declared by the United Nations General Assembly, the official International Year of Indigenous Languages is underway! In the NT there are more than 100 Aboriginal languages and dialects. These languages, and other Indigenous languages spoken all over Australia, are really diverse. Did you know that these have different sounds, vocabulary, and grammar? This year, as the world collectively shines a spotlight on the amazing diversity of languages spoken today on planet Earth, my monthly column in Off The Leash aims to highlight and celebrate the languages spoken in Darwin. To kick things off, I’ll share a bit about my languages with you all.

I’m a Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu woman from Kurrindju. I speak my two languages, Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu and Rak Marrithiyel. My grandmother, Ngulilkang Nancy Daiyi, and family taught me these languages. Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu is from Kurrindju (koo-rin-ju). Rak Marrithiyel is from Yen Tyalwu (yen chal-wu). The two languages mostly have their own unique vocabulary and share a few similar words. There are

Emily Tyaemaen Ford is a Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu woman from Kurrindju, who speaks two languages - Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu and Rak Marrithiyel. She is on the City of Darwin Youth Advisory Committee and works in Indigenous research at Menzies.

not many speakers left of either language, so they are highly endangered. I’m proud to learn to speak the languages of my ancestors and I am working on projects to revitalise and document them. Beginners guide to Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu Hello: Yo! (yoou) Wet season: Wudum (woo-du-m) Goodbye: Mamak (ma-ma-k) Yo ngatla! (yoou nud-la): Very good!

TECH ZONE If you get excited by gadgets, gizmos and all things tech, you can get your hands on the latest toys at the City of Darwin Libraries. Each week, staff at the libraries roll out their tech toys – including virtual reality goggles, a 3D printer and robots – for visitors to play with at their Casuarina and Darwin sites. Library manager Stacey Rosser says it’s a great chance to learn more about the technology, without having to shell out the big bucks for the latest gadgets. “It’s a space where we get all of our new tech gadgets and toys out for people to come and play with," she says. “You might see these things on tele

but not have access to them, but now everyone can get their hands on them." Rosser says it’s a great activity for people of all ages, including the littlest kids and the biggest. “Everyone is welcome,” she says. “It certainly appeals to a younger audience but it’s great for teens as well, and it’s really wonderful to see the dads bring their kids along so they can get into it, too.” WHEN EVERY MON & FRI | 3-4.30PM AT CITY OF DARWIN LIBRARY WHEN EVERY TUE – THU | 3-5PM AT CASUARINA LIBRARY COST INFO

FREE darwin.nt.gov.au

FOOD

DRINK

Masters of their craft THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN AND THE TOP END’S OWN ONE MILE BREWERY’S BEERS HAVE BEEN NAMED SOME OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. Four of the local brewery’s top tipples made it onto the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers list, putting Darwin firmly on the national beermap. Their 4:21 brew ranked at 41, followed by RDO at 51, No Limits at 73 and Otto’s at 82. One Mile’s Stuart Brown says he and business partner Bardy Bayram were stoked and humbled to make the list.

Bardy Bayram and Stuart Brown

Mad Snake Cafe “It’s like my man-cave but for the whole of Darwin.” Mad Snake Cafe opened in November last year, joining a growing number of funky, locally-owned and operated businesses in the Air Raid Arcade. “When I came down here I could feel it in the air, you can feel something exciting is happening there – I thought if I didn’t take this opportunity, how mad would I be?,” Weston says. GET YOUR GAME ON and relive the best of the 80s with the newest caffeine dealer in town. Sam Weston has unpacked boxes full of his beloved 80s memorabilia, plastered the walls of the Mad Snake Cafe with movie posters and set up shelves of toys, books and goodies from arguably the best decade. “This is my childhood – for years I’ve collected posters and toys and 80s memorabilia,” he says.

Among the toys are a collection of board games, which test friendships and create new ones with Monopoly and board game nights on Wednesday evenings. The menu caters for a variety of foodies, with goodies from local businesses Fig ’n’ Bananas, who provide a range of vegan breads and cakes, and D-Town Coffee Roasters. “It’s important to support locals and I wouldn’t serve it if it wasn’t any good.”

WHEN MON – THU, 7.30AM-5PM | FRI, 7.30AM-7PM | SAT, 9AM-1PM AT 35 CAVENAGH STREET, DARWIN INFO 0416 784 968

“We were a bit surprised to be honest. When we didn’t see anything in the 90-100 range we thought we’d missed out," he says.

“It was a nice surprise that they kept popping up along the way.” Brown puts the popularity of their brews down to the flavours and style being perfect for the Territory climate. “All of our beers are designed for the hot weather and they’re quite easy drinking but still pack some flavour,” he says. “I think a lot of it has to do with the Territory public getting behind a Territory business and supporting local.” Brown says their small operation has seen an increase in interstate interest since breaking into the charts. “There’s always been the occasional enquiry but there’s definitely been a higher number come through after

the hottest 100,” he says. “We’re looking at our options, but obviously there’s a logistical effort that goes in to (exporting interstate), as well as our capacity as Bardy and I both work full-time and this is an after hours and part-time gig. “It’s about managing our current orders and looking after the Territory first.” This year the boys are looking to maintain their quality so they can stay in the top 100 next year, and are working away on a mid strength beer to add to their menu, plus improving their customer infrastructure at the brewery to make it more comfortable for beer swillers.

INFO onemilebrewery.com.au | facebook.com/onemile brewery

WHEN WED – SAT | 5PM AT AUSTIN LANE, DARWIN INFO facebook.com/theloading baydarwin

The Loading Bay THE LOADING BAY’S FOOD, COCKTAILS AND SIGNAGE have been the talk of the town since the door was rolled up on the new venue. The latest addition to Little Miss Korea in Austin Lane has all the delicious flavours of LMK on the menu, plus a huge range of beer, cocktails and gin. Owner Sam Lee says their South Korean barman Jun Young has just arrived from working in Singapore and is spicing up the cocktail scene.

“He’s very friendly and fresh to Darwin and loving chatting with all the Aussies,” she says. “He’s really passionate and spends hours making his garnishes for the gin cocktails.” The quirky venue has an artistic sign to match the colourful alleyway it’s attached to – a posterized image of a certain international dictator in a wrestling mask. “People keep asking if it’s my husband (and LMK chef) Chung Lee or

Kim Jong Un,” Lee laughs. Lee says the venue, which fits up to 60 people, is proving to be a popular spot for birthday parties and small functions. “It’s a great spot for intimate parties,” she says. “You can get delicious food and great cocktails and it’s pretty easy for the birthday person because they really just want to enjoy themselves.”

I HAVE JUST HAD THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY to spend several weeks in Brazil, mainly in the north. Like Australia, Brazil is vast and, amongst the huge diversity and difference, wildlife and nature, development issues, amazing music, dancing and wonderful people, there are some similarities that can be drawn. In the north we share a tropical climate, which of course means many food plants – and a huge favourite is cassava. Known as tapioca in Brazil it is essentially the same plant. Many varieties are grown and made into a huge variety of breads, soups and other dishes. A lot of blended soups are found, often with tamarind and shrimp.

Food Roots

Cassava is a root vegetable that can easily be grown (especially in the Wet season, when it hopefully rains more!) and can also be bought at local markets. You can use it in soups as a base and come up with your own additions to create flavour and balance. It is really lovely to eat this

comforting soup in monsoon rains, when they happen. This recipe is inspired by these thick soups found in Brazil, but includes an eclectic mix of spices that can be grown here in the Top End.

Emma Lupin is a tropical plant specialist and local food enthusiast with passions for native habitat conservation and sustainable living. She is an environmental educator, community engager and encourages connection to the beautiful natural world, particularly our tropical home. FOLLOW tasteofthetopend.com | @tasteofthetopend

ARTBACK NT & SETTLE DOWN PRESENT

CAITI BAKER

Blended Spicy Cassava Soup 3 medium sized cassavas (about 1.2 kg) 2 onions, diced 2 cloves garlic, crushed 4cm ginger, grated 1cm turmeric, grated Thai coriander & Thai basil, cut Wet season garden greens (eg. sweet potato leaf and sweet leaf) Hot sauce or 1 finely chopped fresh chilli Large pinch of salt Juice of 4 limes or 2 tbsp tamarind paste 200ml coconut milk 2 litres vegetable stock 1 tbsp olive or rice bran oil Salt and pepper

Cut the cassava in small cubes (do not include the darker centre part of the root) and boil until tender, but firm. Brown the onion, add the ginger, garlic, basil and coriander (leaving some for garnish), oil, salt, pepper and hot sauce/chilli. Add the stock and boil for 10 minutes. Add the cassava, lime juice, tamarind and greens and boil for 10 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then add the coconut milk. Remove the lumps using a hand blender and serve with chopped coriander or basil.

Variety of Chefs

GALA DINNER

Saturday 13 April

entrée

RACHAEL CIESIOLKA

SKYCITY Darwin Pavilion

Variety is the spice of life so… let us tempt you to indulge in three Insta-worthy courses from five top notch chefs with premium drinks and awesome main course entertainment, while supporting MARK OLIVE Territory kids in need.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 20

ALICE SPRINGS – BLACK WREATH THURSDAY MARCH 21

TENNANT CREEK – THE BAT FRIDAY MARCH 22

DALY WATERS – DALY WATERS PUB SATURDAY MARCH 23

KATHERINE – GYRACC

main course

DAVID TAYLOR

SUNDAY MARCH 24

NOONAMAH – NOONAMAH TAVERN WEDNESDAY MARCH 27

GOVE – THE CELL

dessert

settle down

MEANN DUCO & MIANN SANTOS

Book Now

www.darwintickets.com.au/event/8907 ph. 8981 2544

Dress code is Territory Formal

VISUAL ARTS

EXIT ART THE NEXT GENERATION OF TOP YOUNG ARTISTS are venturing out into the world after high school, but not before showing their prized work from their final schooling year in the annual Exit Art exhibition at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.

was wearing different masks – like when I’m around my friends I’m very outgoing, but around people I don’t know I’m more shy and timid and when I’m by myself I feel socially awkward. I think a self-portrait was the best way to reflect that in myself.

There was a diverse array of mediums, themes and messages in this year’s batch of 52 artists. Off The Leash had a chat with Alex Phan, who won the Art Educators NT award for his self-portrait titled ‘Façade’.

How did it feel to have you work win an award? It makes me feel proud of myself – it’s something that’s never happened to me before.

Can you tell us a bit about your charcoal drawing ‘Façade’ and the concept behind it? Ever since I was young I always had a problem with identity. When I was around certain people, I felt like I

How long have you been interested in art and working at it seriously? It’s something I’ve been focusing on since the start of high school in 2016. I’ve been drawing as a hobby since I was a kid but it was something I dropped until high school.

Art U&T

ABO

with artist

Alex Phan

What made you pick it up again? There was a course at school that helps you determine what you want to do in life, and after a little bit of self reflection it led me to choose a career in art. What was the attraction to art? I like the idea of expressing myself and creating new things out of your own imagination. What’s the next step? In the future I think I’m going to settle with being a concept artist in the video game industry. Video games are one of my hobbies and I reckon creating art in that industry would be cool. WHEN AT COST INFO

UNTIL SUN 24 MAR MAGNT FREE magnt.net.au

Alex Phan - Art Educators NT Winner

left: Mark Roy, Fire, South Alligator floodplain below: Mark Roy, Cairns, 2012

WHEN THU 7 – FRI 15 MAR |

OPENING THU 7 MAR, 5.30PM

AT ART DECOR, DARWIN COST FREE INFO mattgarrick@iinet.net.au

Troppo Noir

A REVIVAL OF FILM PHOTOGRAPHY has been felt in many areas around the world, but for tropical photographer Mark Roy, the lack of a dark room in Darwin took him to Cambodia to develop his work, which documents life between the Tropic of Capricorn and Cancer.

Roy first ventured to warmer climes a decade ago, and while he is used to the “oddities and vagaries of the tropics”, he still feels an exotic atmosphere in the humid air. “Arriving at a new place in the tropics, I can’t help but feel wild, intoxicating adventures await. The reality is usually far more torpid, humid and mundane,” he says. After an exhibition in 2009 Roy changed his approach to photography and ditched his big bulky camera, now using a “tiny Leica from about 1952” for a slower and more considered approach – an “antidote to the venomous, relentless pace of digital.”

“(I used to) find myself looking for the shot. Checking the light, the angles, the scene, the possibilities. Not present in the here and now,” he says. “(Now) I think less about the image and more about where I am, and what I’m experiencing.

“When a photograph works, it again evokes those feelings in me, of a time and a place, rather than the technical act of photographing.” Roy also didn’t approach his photography with any plans for the images to be exhibited. “They are almost deliberately pointless, the antithesis of my bread-and-butter newspaper images,” he says. “There is no reason behind these images. They are irrational, useless artefacts that serve no purpose.” Despite this, the images will be on show in Darwin after Roy trav-

elled back to Cambodia to print in the community-based Darkroom Phnom Penh as there were no options in Darwin. “Like Australia, the US, and Europe, Asia is undergoing a film revival, and there is a very small but enthusiastic band of film photographers in Phnom Penh. In part, I wanted to support them by supporting the darkroom space, and ran a couple of film-to-print workshops during the four months I was there. But I also feel a strong connection to the place. “It was a long and elaborate process to achieve the look I was after in the prints, working with antiquated Russian suitcase enlargers and ancient mechanical timers that were marvels of inaccuracy. But I enjoyed the challenge. “It was also very rewarding to be able to pass these nearly extinct skills onto a new generation.”

MAGNT

NCCA

MON–SUN 10AM-5PM

WED-FRI 10AM-4PM, SAT 9AM-2PM, OR BY APPOINTMENT

Northern Centre for Contemporary Art Vimy Lane, Parap | 8981 5368 | 0402 379 630 | nccart.com.au

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 19 Conacher Street, The Gardens | 8999 8264 | magnt.net.au

Cyril James Kerinauia & Sylvester Victor Robert Fernando, ‘Hunting party’, 1999; MAGNT Collection, © the artists c/o Tiwi Design Aboriginal Corporation

Feeling For Pattern: 50 Years of Tiwi Pottery 2018 marks the 50-year anniversary of the establishment of a pottery studio at Bagot Reserve in Darwin to provide technical training for Aboriginal people who wished to become artist-potters. This display highlights the evolution, style and direction of Tiwi pottery over those 50 years. WHEN UNTIL SUN 17 MAR

Edward Reichenbach, 'Railway workers on handcars'; Waldron Collection, MAGNT

Unruly Days Territory life 1911 – 1921 The Northern Territory has always been an impossible land to master. From its monsoonal Top End to its arid centre, it promises bountiful resources, but almost every attempt to exploit them has failed. It is too immense, too remote, its resources too inaccessible. WHEN UNTIL SUN 17 MAY ‘20

Matthew van Roden, 'Apocryphilia' (detail), 2019, digital image; courtesy the artist

Apocryphilia

CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY

A CULMINATION OF FOUR BODIES OF WORK EXPLORING WAX, text and flesh by Charles Darwin University Masters candidate Matthew van Roden, Apocryphilia is a queer detonation which, in its wake, clears the way for radical re-orientations. It is the text in a cocktail dress; the body in a hand-stitched and leather-bound bible; the skin as the battleground of suspicion in the quest for a liberating illegitimacy.

WED–FRI 10AM-4PM | SAT 10AM-2PM

WHEN FRI 8 – SAT 30 MAR | OPENING FRI 8 MAR, 6PM |

Building Orange 12, CDU Casuarina Campus | 8946 6621 | cdu.edu.au/artgallery

ARTIST TALK SAT 9 MAR, 12PM

Manuwa, 'Turtle hunters', c. 1970s, natural pigments on bark, 98 x 65cm

ABORIGINAL BUSH TRADERS Lyons Cottage, 74 The Esplanade, Darwin | 8942 4023 | aboriginalbushtraders.com MON-FRI 9AM-4PM, SAT-SUN 9AM-3PM

Reinvigorating the MECA Collection Drawing from a heritage collection of significant Yolngu bark paintings, sculptural objects, hollow logs, and weavings, this exhibition brings together a stunning selection of 64 works from the Milingimbi Education and Cultural Association (MECA) Collection, created in Arnhem Land in the mid-1970s. WHEN THU 28 MAR – SAT 20 JUL

Bush Bling

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander jewellers from remote islands to major cities are united under one roof in a celebration of craftsmanship, skill and diversity, featuring glittering gems and exquisite workmanship. WHEN FRI 15 MAR – FRI 3 MAY | OPENING FRI 15 MAR, 6PM

OUTSTATION

PAUL JOHNSTONE GALLERY

TUE & SAT 10AM-2PM | WED–FRI 10AM-5PM

TUE–FRI 10AM-5PM | SAT 10AM-2PM

2/3 Parap Place, Darwin | 8981 4822 | outstation.com.au

Harriet Place, Darwin | 8941 2220 | pauljohnstonegallery.com.au

Patrick Mung Mung, Untitled, 2018, ochre and natural pigment on canvas, 90 x 90cm

Grand Sylvia Kanytjupai Ken, ‘Seven Sisters’, acrylic on linen, 152.5 x 122cm

Old Men

Tjala Arts Ten Years On

This exhibition pays homage to some of the great men of Indigenous art. Culturally, these men exemplify strength and honour, artistically they present powerful renditions of ancestral narratives. They are role models to generations, while their artworks are coveted by collectors and Institutions. This exhibition is a ‘tip of the hat’ to those Grand Old Men.

Based in Amata in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands of far north-western South Australia, Tjala Arts is one of the most dynamic and exciting of the desert art centres.

WHEN SAT 9 – SAT 30 MAR

Outstation has been working with Tjala Arts since 2009 and this exhibition features the work of three of the centres most well known artists, Sylvia Ken, Babara Moore and Nyunmiti Burton, each of whom have been finalists in the prestigious National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards numerous times.

THE PROJECT SPACE

1/3 Vickers St, Parap | 8941 3935 | salonartprojects.com.au TUE–FRI 10AM-5PM | SAT 10AM-2PM

WHEN SAT 9 – SAT 30 MAR

NORTHERN TERRITORY ARCHIVES CENTRE Kelsey Crescent, Millner | 8999 6890 | naa.gov.au MON–FRI 9AM-4.30PM

East Arm Township; NTAS, NTRS 3749, Book 3A

Garrmalang,

a good place for landing

This exhibition commemorates the arrival of GW Goyder and his survey team in Darwin. To the Aboriginal people, Darwin, Garrmalang in their language, was home with good sources of sustenance, plentiful fish and fresh water. Other themes include townships that were surveyed but never developed, as well as the history of land purchases. WHEN UNTIL FRI 22 MAR

Winsome Jobling, ‘Hydrodynamic’, 2019, re-modelled plastic plants, wire, plaster and paint, 19 x 24cm

Bluer by degrees DARWIN ARTIST WINSOME JOBLING HAS CREATED A SERIES of tiny encapsulated landscapes in her latest body of work, Bluer by degrees. The three-dimensional dioramas are imagined scenes of a predicted future for our Top End environment. An ominous prediction that rising sea levels will soon overwhelm our low-level floodplains stretching from Port Keats to far eastern Arnhem Land, permanently causing the loss of entire freshwater ecosystems. WHEN SAT 9 MAR – SAT 6 APR | OPENING SAT 9 MAR, 11AM

MUSIC Tracey Bunn

AT NT ARCHIVES COST FREE | BOOKINGS

ESSENTIAL INFO facebook.com/ wildwomeninsong

Serina Pech

invite six female singer/songwriters to share their stories and song writing techniques in performance workshops over the next two months.

The

Faste Fiv

“We’ll do a pass-the-guitar type performance and we’ll play a song and talk about where the idea came from and how the process came about,” Bunn says.

Lilla Wellington

Bridey Rose

WILD WOMEN

OF THE NORTH

in Song WILD WOMEN OF THE NORTH WILL HAVE THEIR STORIES immortalised in song by some of the Top End’s best female musicians. It’s all part of muso Tracey Bunn’s residency at the NT Archives, where she will delve into the oral histories collection, and potentially record some new stories of inspiring women.

ciana Woman – events or legends that are centred around women or feminine names that have had a huge impact on people's lives, may also inspire song.” There are also contemporary women that Bunn has heard whisperings of, whom she hopes to document if their stories are not in the archives.

“‘Wild women’ can be interpreted in many different ways – women that are a little crazy, or who have stepped into male roles, women who have gone a little left of centre of what’s expected of them,” Bunn says. “It may not be a physical woman – there’s Cyclone Tracy, the Katherine River, and the legend of the Poin-

“The archives have agreed to bring people in to record their histories,” she says. “There are heaps of women in the community who have played a rather large role in shaping this place, just by being a bit out there.” As part of the residency Bunn will

“It’s an amazing experience for an audience to have two songwriters presenting their songs and talking quite intimately about the process and their experiences. “It ends up being a bit of a journey and I’m really excited about it.” The workshops will be a great insight for beginner songwriters, and even those who consider themselves un-musical, who are simply curious about the mystery of song writing. “It would be great if people came with ideas, or poems, or songs, or just with a sense of open-mindedness to enjoy the performances.” The six songs Bunn will write over the course of her residency will be performed at a concert in the Archives in April, featuring the female artists involved in the workshops. The songs will be recorded post residency.

DSO PRESENTS

DSO in

space

RHIANNON OAKHILL WILL BE HEADING INTO SPACE in her first show after her new appointment as principal double bass with the Darwin Symphony Orchestra (DSO), after almost a decade with the organisation. Oakhill, 25, had a yarn with Off The Leash about her time in the DSO and the orchestra’s next intergalactic show.

Patsy Coleman

Rhiannon Oakhill

What attracted you to the double bass? I’d always played music from a very young age. I started with piano and guitar and then I tried the clarinet, which wasn’t for me, but I wanted something that I could play in a group setting, and double bass seemed to tick those boxes. It’s the biggest instrument in the orchestra, and not many people played it and that was intriguing

to me, plus rock bands use it, jazz bands use it – it’s not just confined to one genre, which I was very drawn to. You’ve been in the DSO for 10 years – what’s made you stick around for so long? The DSO felt like home right away – the people are fantastic and it’s a community in itself. More broadly the role that the DSO has within Darwin and the wider community is quite special – I feel like there’s an ownership and audiences are incredibly proud of the orchestra and they love our shows, especially the outdoors and pop-rock concerts. DSO is celebrating the Apollo 11 moon landing with DSO In Space, there’s some favourites from Star Trek and Star Wars and more classics – what can audiences expect? The music is so fun! It’s fun to play, it’s fun to listen to. People will

know so many of the works. We’ll be playing pieces from Holst’s The Planets suite, which is very orchestral, through to pieces from film and TV. How can audiences get involved? There’s a prize for best dressed so we’re encouraging audiences to put on their best space inspired outfits. I’m envisioning some Star Wars and Star Trek, but I’d like to see some astronauts. We also have a pre-concert talk so people can come and have a chat to learn more about the music and the orchestra.

WHEN SAT 23 MAR | 6.30PM |

PRE-SHOW TALK 5.30PM DARWIN CONVENTION CENTRE COST $60 | $50 CONC | $30 U 30 INFO dso.org.au

BRIAN CADD MULTI-AWARD WINNING SINGER, SONGWRITER, and producer Brian Cadd (AM) will hit the stage in Darwin after recently returning to his old stomping ground of Nashville where he recorded a soon-to-bereleased album. The 71-year-old singer and piano player still rocks in today’s retro-pumped music business and is as energised and creative as ever. He answered The Fast Five for Off The Leash. What’s the first album you ever bought? The first record I bought was a Jerry Lee Lewis EP High School Confidential. Vinyl. In Perth. Don’t have it anymore. If you could see any artist or band – living or dead – this weekend, who would it be? Django Reinhardt. Always been fascinated by his music and enigmatic lifestyle. Or my old friend Ron Murfett who is a jazz guitar teacher. Whose posters did you have stuck to the wall as a teenager? Never did. What song would you like played at your funeral? ‘The Weight’ by The Band. Finish this sentence. The thing people would be surprised to know about me... is that I always wanted to be an architect and am addicted to shows like Grand Designs. WHEN SAT 23 MAR | 8PM AT SKYCITY DARWIN COST $69.05 | $58.80 STANDING INFO skycitydarwin.com.au

Re-imaginings

Jenny Eriksson

GET READY TO BAROQUE AND ROLL with the Arafura Music Collective at Pee Wee’s at the Point for the second collaboration between the chamber orchestra and picturesque venue. Guest performer Jenny Eriksson says it’s an exciting program of music exploring some twists on traditional baroque sounds. “The cool thing about this concert is there’s such a variety – you’ve got singers and baroque music that has a bit of jazz and we’ve also got a new piece called ‘Precious Colours’ by a young emerging composer, Alice Chance," she says. “It’s a new composition that’s been written and arranged for this concert – it’s really nice when a piece has been arranged specially for the show.”

GIN JAZZ &

GIN AND JAZZ ARE PROVING TO BE A MATCH made in heaven with a popular new monthly event at the Darwin Railway Club. Music coordinator Adele Mammon says the event has been a hit in its first couple of months, with a thirst for a gin and jazzy affair in the Top End.

stage with plenty of punters strapping on their dance shoes to get into the tunes. This month’s event lines up with St Patrick’s Day, so deck out in green and enjoy the post gin and jazz St Paddy’s Day festivities, too. “Irish Jazz is just not a thing,” Mammon says with a laugh.

“It’s been really popular,” she says. “I think Darwin lacks a bit in the jazz scene, this is partly the lack of venues but also the lack of opportunities for musicians – but we’ve had so much interest and enthusiasm for a jazz-style bar, so that’s why we’re doing this once a month.”

Each month features a different line-up of musicians jamming on

"So we'll have Shalom Kaa and Megan Atfield on vocals, Nick Yates on saxophone, Claire Kilgariff on flute, Bill Grose on guitar, myself on double bass, and Greg Jensen on drums." WHEN SUN 17 MAR | 5PM AT

DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB

COST

$15 | $11.50 PRESALE

INFO

facebook.com/ginandjazznt

Eriksson specialises in the baroque period instrument viola da gamba and loves any opportunity to share it with a new audience.

“I think it’s got the sound closest to the human voice,” she says. “Baroque instruments are now in the normal field, but back 30 years ago when I started it was very emerging, so it was very different. “As part of my job I work with music and theatre in schools and the best part is going to regional parts of Australia where kids and in some cases teachers have never seen these instruments. “They sit there gobsmacked for the first 15 minutes, then relax and enjoy the amazing music.” Claire Kilgariff, from the Arafura Music Collective, says the first per-

formance at Pee Wee’s was such a hit they’re now building an ongoing relationship. “It’s just such a beautiful venue,” she says.

“It makes such a great partnership for a business and an arts organisation, especially in the Wet season and build up because it’s a great time of year for them to have other things happening in that space, and it’s just an amazing view when you look across the water into the ocean and clouds.” Music fans will be able to enjoy a drink and tasting plate included in the price of the ticket. WHEN SUN 10 MAR | 3-6PM AT PEE WEE’S AT THE POINT COST $50 | $40 CONC | $5 CHILD | FREE U 12 | $95 FAM INFO facebook.com/ arafuraensemble

MARCH

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

Tash Sultana Tash Sultana fans are in for a treat when the indie musician returns to Darwin this month. Sultana will perform a two and a half hour headline set, supported by Hottest 100 winner Ocean Alley. The all ages gig at Mindil Beach will also feature Darwin’s own rising star Stevie Jean.

of her one-person show struck a chord online, with ‘Jungle’ racking up more than a million views on Facebook in one week. Since then there’s been no stopping the powerful performer, who released her debut album, Flow State, last August.

Sultana broke through the clutter of the airwaves when the live video

WHEN SAT 23 MAR | 4-10.30PM AT MINDIL BEACH, DARWIN COST $89.90 INFO tashsultana.com

Resist – DJ night Shake your booty with JustJimmy, Pete Stone, Mamba blk and Gova.

and cheeky humour of Swedish superstars ABBA.

1 MAR

WAYNE CRISTAUDO

WHEN SAT 16 MAR | 8PM

8 MAR

MIKE FOLEY

WHEN SAT 2 MAR | 9PM

16 MAR

KEVIN MCCARTHY

22 MAR

CHARLIE POWLING LILLA WELLINGTON

/OTL.magazine

@OTLmag

Tash Sultana

#OTLmag

DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT

CITY LIBRARY

HAPPY YESS

CENTRE

COST

$10

COST

$66.50 | $35.50 CHILD

29 MAR

INFO

facebook.com/happyyess

INFO

yourcentre.com.au

Glen Forner

darwin

RAILWAY CLUB

17 Somerville Gardens, Parap 8981 4171 | darwinrailwayclub.org

HOTEL DARWIN

WHEN FRI 1 MAR | 7PM

WHEN TUE 5, 12 & 19 MAR | 5.30PM

WHEN SAT 23 MAR | 7PM

COST

FREE

COST

AT NT ARCHIVES COST FREE | BOOKINGS

INFO

thehoteldarwin.com.au

CENTRE

ESSENTIAL

COST

$60 | $50 CONC | $30 U 30

INFO

dso.org.au

facebook.com/

wildwomeninsong

Re-imaginings – the Baroque reimagined

Loud At The Library Enjoy free live music at your local library every Friday lunchtime.

WHEN SUN 10 MAR | 3-6PM

WHEN EVERY FRI | 12-1PM

THE BELL BAR & BISTRO,

Wakanda Nights Live Kizomba music plus DJs playing bachata and salsa, with a Dominican bachata class at 8.30pm. COST

$15

JAM NIGHTS AND OPEN MIC

WHEN SUN 3 MAR | 2-7PM AT

PINT CLUB, MARRARA

Luca Brasi With Tapestry and Kolors.

COST

GOLD COIN DONATION

INFO

facebook.com/firstsunday

blues

PEE WEE’S AT THE POINT

COST

FREE

BELLAMACK

COST

$50 | $40 CONC | $95 FAM |

INFO

darwin.nt.gov.au/libraries

COST

FREE

WHEN SAT 16 MAR | 7PM

$5 CHILD | INCLUDES DRINK

INFO

roymackonkeyofficial.com.au

COST

& TASTING PLATE

CASUARINA LIBRARY

INFO

facebook.com/arafura

1 MAR

SCOTT MURPHY

James Damien

Gin and Jazz

8 MAR

AMBON JOHN

WHEN EVERY SAT | 6-9PM

WHEN SUN 17 MAR | 5PM

16 MAR

TRACEY BUNN

HOTEL DARWIN

22 MAR

PHILIP SPENCER

COST

FREE

29 MAR

BRENDAN WAKELY

INFO

thehoteldarwin.com.au

The ABBA Show Relive the glitzy 70s-style costumes, trademark dance moves

$20

WHEN FRI 15 MAR | 7.30PM

ensemble

WHEN SAT 30 MAR | 7PM

$22

WHEN EVERY FRI | 6-9PM AT

$20

COST

WHEN EVERY FRI | 6-9PM

The Roy Boys The Roy Boys play acoustic covers featuring all your favourites, as well as a few originals thrown in for good measure.

COST

Rails Annual Music Quiz Put your music knowledge to the test.

Darwin Symphony Orchestra In Space DARWIN CONVENTION

WHEN FRI 22 MAR | 7PM

Crap Music Rave Party International party icon Tomás Ford is proudly playing the songs you love to hate.

Wild Women of the North in Song

storyteller, singing his own unique, upbeat stories.

COST

$34.70

$15 | $11.50 PRESALE

Rory McLeod A one-man soul band, poet and

Jam Nights Jump on stage or sit back and enjoy the music. WHEN EVERY TUE | 9PM-LATE AT

NIRVANA, DARWIN

COST

FREE

INFO

nirvanadarwin.com.au

TOP END SONGSTRESS CAITI BAKER IS HITTING THE TRACK and traversing the Territory for her Beyond the Dust Tour. Baker will take her unique style that mixes blues, soul, gospel, jazz, big band and rock and roll from the centre up, kicking off in Alice Springs before hitting the best outback venues and heading all the way to Gove. She hits the road with her band, John and Paul Barlett from Sixfour, to give Territorians the first taste of her new music. “The NT will hear it all first before it

goes anywhere – just how I like it,” she says. Baker says she’s excited to share some new tunes after spending the last few months writing and recording. “The songs I’ve been playing over the last two years are anywhere from two to seven years old, so it’s nice to switch it up and bring some fresh blood into the set,” she says. “It’s always exciting to see people’s reactions for the first time, too.” The tour is also a good chance for Baker to spend more time in the

towns along the Stuart Highway. “I’m happy we get to visit places that I don’t generally get a lot of time to stop in when we drive up,” Baker says. “The best part about touring is getting to see the sights and sounds and it’s my favourite highway in the country – I’ve already driven it twice in the last month.” If you can’t catch Baker on her tour she’s also joined an impressive line up for this year’s BASSINTHEGRASS in May.

Caiti Baker

WHEN WED 20 MAR | 8PM AT BLACK WREATH, ALICE SPRINGS COST $25 | $20 PRESALE WHEN AT COST

THU 21 MAR | 6.30PM BARKLY REGIONAL ARTS, TENNANT CREEK $10 | $2 U 17

WHEN FRI 22 MAR | 7.30PM AT DALY WATERS PUB COST FREE

photo: Michelle Grace Hunder

Caiti Baker: Beyond the Dust WHEN SAT 23 MAR | 7.30PM AT GYRACC, KATHERINE COST $35 | $28 CONC WHEN SUN 24 MAR | 1PM AT NOONAMAH TAVERN COST FREE WHEN WED 27 MAR | 7.30PM AT GOVE ARTS THEATRE COST $20 INFO

caitibaker.com

1 5 M A R C H - 3 M AY

Lyons Cottage 74 The Esplanade, Darwin Weekdays: 9am - 4pm sATURDAY: 9am - 2pm Aboriginal Bush Traders aboriginal_bush_traders T: (08) 8931 6650 E: info@aboriginalbushtraders.com www.aboriginalbushtraders.com