Blog — Page 200 of 285

Raekwon

Metro Theatre

Sydney, Australia

June 2, 2018

When Aristotle coined the phrase that a collective is bigger than the sum of its individual constituents to signify the concept of synergy, he formulated something that become particularly true for the entity known as Wu Tang Clan. Despite each individual member always having their own distinctive thing going, their contribution was alchemically channeled to something that has never been rivaled.

Raekwon being one of them, has established himself firmly as a solo artist on the firmament of hip hop classics with his debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, an album that has stood the test of time.

Twenty-three years and six albums on, The Wild, his most recent emission marks the first one without any collaboration of fellow Wu Tang Clan members.

An album that exemplifies the strengths of Raekwon, i.e. puns and accomplished, nimble, flex rhyme skills and wordplays not only laced with his trademark braggadocio but also infused with a before unheard, mature and reflective angle.

Never one to not seize an opportunity to relay a dramatic tale with accurate analogies, incarnating in a live environment, Raekwon packs two decades of gritty storytelling material into a tight set based on solid foundation of invigorating instrumental, paying homage to his roots via his enchanting verbal expression as well as effortlessly displaying his lyrical skills’ relevance in the present day.

The fact that amongst the wild characters that have over the last decade waved the Wu Tang pom poms on stage, Raekwon has been somewhat the reliable backbone with tonight’s set being testament to his staying power.

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Photo from artist website

DREAMS

Opera House

Sydney, Australia

May 29, 2018

DREAMS is Luke Steele’s (Empire of the Sun) and Daniel Johns' (Silverchair) and while it has been tinkered on for nearly a decade, it only recently came to fruition with tonight’s show as part of Sydney’s Vivid Festival marking the Australian debut show.

Needless to say that with the respective components pedigree and accomplishments, there was a tangible buzz and anticipation, read hype, around the two incarnating for the first time on terra australis.

Portraying themselves as their alter egos Miracle (Steele) and Mr Dreams (Johns), the two protagonists operated the myriad of effect pedals to warp their respective vocal deliveries set against a seven-headed backing band including three harps and a screen projecting retro visuals. So far, so flamboyant, so good – living up to the intrigue that was created around the project in the lead-up: An undertaking to stimulate all senses equally. While it certainly was a feast for the eyes, the music was centered in the triangle of psychedelic electronica, rock staples and futuristic experimental music not without pop appeal.

The show, which the audience lapped up, was fun yet would have benefited if it ventured a bit more outside the terrain of novelty - be it by upping the performance art element, tongue-in-cheek humour or an all-out sonic attack not unlike their war cry “No one defeats us”, which the show culminated in.

Expectations were high, DREAMS live incarnation did not disappoint and it will be interesting to see if the project has the substance and endurance to become an enduring act.

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Photos by @k.a.vv

Going Down

Malthouse Theatre

Melbourne, Australia

May 19, 2018

A migrant story.

Feminism.

Cultural identity.

Sense of belonging.

Racism.

Rebellion.

Sexism.

Individualism.

Stereotyping.

Labeling.

Lightheartedness.

Egotism.

Perseverance.

True north.

Self-righteousness.

Prudence.

Sex positivism.

Provocation.

Liberation.

Transgressiveness.

These are merely a few terms that come to mind when trying to determine the coordinates of the territory “Going Down” covers.

What starts off as a vibrant, engaging play with the ever exuberant Catherine Davies harnessing the hurricane that is the main protagonist’s personality and her enjoyment of sex, which the main protagonist penned in her first literary emission Banana Girl, evolves in no time to culminant, well scripted journey that subtly tells a cultural identify story while defying the cookie-cutter formula of the genre.

The story does not follow the narrative of the myriad of “preaching to the converted” Gutmensch plays, but resonates on a much deeper level.

Set against the backdrop of Melbourne with tongue-in-cheek references to its idiosyncratic suburbs and cliché riddles representatives of its respective subcultures and their natural habitats, Hmong-Australian novelist Natalie Yang incarnates in the world of writing via her first matter-of-fact memoir, which in essence is an accumulation of descriptive accounts of her sexual exploits.

What follows is her journey, which starts from an angle of self-absorbed rebellion for rebellion’s sake against the confines of pigeon-holing and the inner workings and safe formulas with which fundamental issues are usually tackled with, e.g. incorporating the right ingredients to a migrant story to make it palatable to a predominantly white mainstream audience to make them feel good about themselves by avoiding any confrontation.

Natalie Yang’s counterpart and the embodiment of mainstream writing, i.e. literary darling Lu Lu Jayard, is masterfully portrayed by Jenny Wu, who, like all protagonists of the evening, incarnates in a variety of roles, including some intentionally silly yet highly entertaining cameos.

Compelling Naomi Rukavina, the hilarious Josh Price and Paul Blenheim complete the cast for five with nuanced and humorous performances, set in scene by Director Leticia Caceres.

What makes Going Down work on different levels is that it is a journey of self-discovery and the way it not only points out the obvious, but also manages to question your own self-imposed labels as well as the self-righteousness we pride ourselves with.

Starting off as a cheerful, at times cartoonish sex comedy and sardonic satire of racial stereotypes and hipster culture, framed by the The Sisters Hayes’s clever stage design and serenaded by sounds by The Sweats and lighting courtesy of Sian James-Holland, the story comes full circle at the end, embracing what seems contradictive at first in a tender and affective way, while never losing steam in the process.

While playwright Michele Lee proffers plenty of food for thought with her autobiographical approach, the energetic performances of the ensemble bring the rich play to life without lingering too long on mere topical issues. The fact that Lee’s play would have worked even without the emotional resolution at the end, speaks volumes about its quality.

Going Down is certainly not reinventing the wheel of the classic migration-and-return drama, but it offers a fresh, ambitious and different perspective on the complex and difficult task of endeavoring to craft a story independently from your cultural identity and more specifically, carving your way as an Asian migrant in Australia, i.e. what has become labeled as the “migrant experience”.

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Photos courtesy of Sydney Theatre Company

Erwin Wurm.

Prestel Publishing

A humorous and playful artist heavily influenced by the all too familiar trivialities and banal objects of the daily humdrum, which he extends or manipulates to distort reality as we know it and thereby subtly questions the antics of Western civilization.

A central tenet of his oeuvre is weight gain / loss and philosophy, which he not only applies to humans but objects, adding or subtracting material to an object.

One Minutes Sculptures is Erwin Wurm’s on-going series, in which he portrays either himself or instructs others to act in temporary and fleeing poses with everyday objects, which is then captured via photo and film.

As a result he is subversively questioning the very definition of sculpture – an approach that was paid tribute to by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in their music video “Can’t stop”.

The tome in question compiles Erwin Wurm’s instructions for the One Minute Sculptures, i.e. humorous drawings culminating in over one hundred large-format illustrations that come with the supplementation of three essays shedding light on the central topics and motivations that inform Wurm’s approach to his idiosyncratic art.

A beautiful addition to any bookshelf in the home of aficionados of contemporary art.

Talisker  - Made by the Sea

Neighbourhood Bondi

Sydney, Australia

May 3, 2018

Talisker.

One of the triumvirates of whiskies that Robert Louis Stevenson claimed to be the king of drinks.

A classic Scotch whisky distillery located on the Isle of Skye, with the H2O for their single malts being sourced directly from the springs above the distillery and their swan neck lye pipes, which make some of the alcohol condense before reaching the cooler to be distilled again.

Matured in American oak cask, which gives Talisker its idiosyncratic complex aromas and flavours are enhanced by a medium peating level.

Now,Talisker is not unknown to your humble narrator – the 18-year old variety has been one of my long-term favourite single malts, so one anticipated great things from the evening at Neighbourhood Bondi, which was going to introduce both connoisseurs and the uniniated to the range of Talisker’s offerings along with curated food pairings.

Neighbourhood Bondi, under the benign guidance of the charismatic Simon McGoram, known from having been the helm of Gardel’s Bar in Surry Hills, is a gem of a bar: Unpretentious yet with depth, stylish yet unimposing with welcoming and knowledgeable staff that makes you feel at ease.

The backyard of Neighbourhood Bondi with its retractable roof proved to be the ideal location for a night of quality drops under the stars.

Culinary delights came courtesy of Matt Ouwerkerk, who heads the Highgate food and beverage team in Canberra, and who has not only become known for his low carb yet highly flavourful and protein rich share plates but also for his credo to deliver casual dining experiences done well.

The four-course degustation - comprised of Smoked Trout, Warengo Oysters, Steamed Snapper and a Blue Cheese Bavarois – found its highlight in the outstanding Coffee Rubbed Beef, which was accompanied by the limited annual run of Talisker 18 Year Old: 

Oh, Freude schöner Götterfunken!

What a drop!

Peat.

Sweetness.

Spiciness.

Calibrated to perfection.

Butterscotch and toffee comes to mind. Honey and bacon. Smokey on the palate and an interesting emphasis on a spicy chili instead of a peppery finish.

A spectacular whisky that makes one lust for the elusive 25 and 30-year-old varieties.

Other Talisker highlights matches to the individual dinner courses included:

Talisker Skye

Skye is the more refined, sophisticated cousin of the Storm variety – the ship that has extracted itself from the stormy seas and sits in the harbour showing off its well-nuanced sweet, spicy and smoky traits. Great companion for the trout dish.

Talisker 10 Year Old

Smokey, peaty, interesting hints of saline, which being a Lagavulin aficionado pleases culminating in a black pepper explosion towards the back. If Lagavulin is a bit too much on the nose in terms of peatiness, this one is a more refined one for you. A pipette was proffered, which droplets could be poured onto the oysters for further refinement.

Talisker Storm

Now we are talking. Taking the 10 Year old up a notch or two in every aspect – richer, smokier, fruitier. Hints of vanilla and the trademark peppery flavours are enhanced by adding a couple of droplets of water. Maybe not a first choice for purists, but an intense one that lives up to its name and gave the snapper a bit of needed zing.

Talisker Distiller's edition

The Distiller’s edition rounded off the culinary part of the evening and, opened up with droplets of water, went well with the desert and the sweet and juicy fruit nuances came to the fore.

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Photos courtesy of @k.a.vv