Monday 31 August 2009

Brisbane Book Launches: Amy Barker's Omega Park at Avid Reader, 6.30 pm Thu Sep 3

Brisbane author Amy Barker is having her new book, Omega Park, launched at Avid Reader bookshop, 193 Boundary St, West End, this Thursday, September 3 2009, at 6.30pm (be there at 6pm). Click here for a map showing where Avid Reader is.

Omega Park is about two boys, Dingo and Jacob, growing up in a housing commission estate near Queensland's Gold Coast, and trying to deal with the horrible life they have there.

The book will be launched by Chris Nyst, the former criminal lawyer who wrote "Gettin' Square", the crime/comedy film set on the Gold Coast. The YouTube clip below shows a scene from "Gettin' Square", featuring David Wenham.



The book launch is free but you have to book - you can call 07 3846 3422 or email books@avidreader.com.au to book. The launch starts at 6.30pm sharp, doors open at 6pm so if you're going, please be there around 6.


Friday 28 August 2009

Brisbane Anime Society Screenings: Sunday Aug 30 and Saturday Sep 12

The Brisbane Anime Society continues its twice-monthly screenings of anime this Sunday, August 30 2009, and on Saturday September 12th 2009. Screenings are at B Block, Room B119, QUT Gardens Point Campus, Brisbane City (click here for a map).

This Sunday's epsidodes are:

Kurokami, episodes 10-12



K-On! episodes 5-8




and Ghost Hound episodes 10-12



It's $3 to get in, or $2 if you're a member - it costs $10 to join and you can sign up on the day. The screening starts at 12 midday this Sunday, and please be on time as the show starts right on time.

Thursday 27 August 2009

Brisbane Photos: Chapel at St Francis' Theological College, Bishopsbourne, Milton



These photos were taken by Flickr user greenplasticdave. They are of the chapel in St Francis' Theological College, an Anglican college at Milton Rd, Brisbane (click here for a Google Map).

The college is in the grounds of Bishopsbourne, which used to be the residence of the Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, until a new residence was dedicated in Hamilton in 1964. If you'd like to take some pictures you'll need to ask permission - just contact them via the website link above.




Wednesday 26 August 2009

Brisbane Photos: "The Guardian" sculpture by Cezary Stulgis



I've always liked this sculpture, and flickr user grasshopper25 has taken a nice shot of it. It's by Brisbane sculptor Cezary Sturgis.

Tuesday 25 August 2009

Brisbane Photo Exhibitions: Queensland Centre for Photography, South Brisbane



The Queensland Centre for Photography has just launched 6 exhibitions which will run until September 20. The QCP is on the corner of Cordelia St and Russell St, South Brisbane - click here for a Google Map.

The picture above is from one of the exhibitions that really caught my eye, the "London Postcode Project" by Gavin Browne. Browne took a disposable camera around London, limiting himself to 3 photos in any one London postcode. Browne says the aim was:

to simply capture an idea of what defined the city at that moment, through people and place - a London largely void of the stereotypical iconography associated with it. I was not concerned with taking the 'perfect' photograph....The resulting images build a unique photo essay on this amazing city.

I  love the idea of this - just by taking an interest in Brisbane photos, I've noticed how many photos are of the same old boring things - the Story Bridge, the Wheel of Brisbane, the Riverside Expressway and so on. It must be a lot worse in London which has so many more famous things to photograph.



This photo is from the "A little bit Bogan" exhibition by Jay Cronan. "Bogan" is an Australian word for a working-class person who typically likes cars and wear tight jeans and flanellette shirts - also called "westies" or "Bevans". A rough equivalent would be "greaser" or "white trash", or "chav" in the UK.

Cronan says:

Often a term used in derogatory manner by those who are of an elitist mentality, I set out to capture the endearing behaviours of Bogans in their natural environment. I have attempted to break down the viewer's own preconceived opinions of what a Bogan is, so they are able to learn to love and embrace their own inner Bogan qualities in the hope that they will occasionally be able to set it free.
Which is a bloody good idea. Far too many inner-city types automatically hate bogans. For instance, there's a ska-hispter song played on radio station 4zzz (to which I subscribe) now and again called "Nobody likes a bogan". Admittedly, some of them aren't people you'd want to hang around with - but how about finding out out who is good and who is a closed-minded bigot BEFORE you decide they're not worth your time and effort - otherwise, you might be acting like a closed-minded bigot, no?

On Saturday August 29 at 3pm, two of the artists will be talking about their exhibitions - Peter Annand will talk about "Air, Sand, Seawater", and Glen Henderson will discuss "Percept". The talks are free but because space is limited you'll need to email the QCP by Friday August 28 to let them know you're coming. The address is admin [at] qcp.org.au

The QCP is open from 11am-6pm Wed to Sat, and Sundays from 11am-3pm. It's closed on Monday and Tuesday, and entry is free.

Monday 24 August 2009

Brisbane Photos: Jacob's Ladder in the city, painted bright red

Jacob's Ladder is a steep set of stairs in King Edward Park in town, connecting Turbot St and the medical specialist precinct of Wickham St. Click here to see a Google Map.



Jacob's Ladder has recently been done up, after being ignored for a long time. These photos by flickr user Hello J. show the new bright red colour scheme, and some of the art that's been made into part of the stairs.



For all of Hello J.'s photos of Jacob's Ladder, click here. Jacob's Ladder is named after the Bible story - after Jacob had ripped off his brother Esau by fooling their father, he was on the run and saw a ladder reaching to heaven, in a dream.


Monday 17 August 2009

Brisbane Music: Beat Therapy's "Elemental" from the Wiiware game "Pop"

Elemental (track 07) by beattherapy

Andrew Curnock is the composer behind Beat Therapy,a Brisbane sound studio that produced the soundtrack for the Wiiware bubble-popping game, Pop. Curnock wrote the soundtrack album, "Remote Control", as a chillout album that's worth listening to even when you're not playing the game.

Because the game is designed to be a small game, downloaded onto the Nintendo Wii or DSi, or iPhone, the soundtrack couldn't use too much memory, so
the production style is sometimes stark and exposed when compared to
tracks on your typical chillout compilation. This gives the tracks a
feeling of naive innocence on occasion, like a nightclub scene drawn
with crayons.
Curnock's favourite track is "Elemental", which you can listen to if you press "play" in the player above. If you like what you hear, you can buy the whole album from iTunes (click here if you have iTunes on your computer), or if you don't, you can buy it from eMusic - just click here.

Tuesday 11 August 2009

Brisbane Theatre: "The Kursk" at La Boite, a nuclear-sub disaster-thriller

La Boite theatre is putting on the play "The Kursk", about the real-life disaster that happened in August 2000 when the Russian nuclear-powered submarine Kursk sank in the Barents Sea, near Norway and Russia.

According to Critical Stages,

We meet Admiral Popov, a proud and obstinate man, deeply distrustful of the foreigners who have come to help. We meet the sailors, their wives, their friends and their families who wait as the rescuers’ fight against the impossible while the fate of their loved ones hangs in the balance.


Popov has to try and save the trapped submariners while also making sure a nuclear disaster doesn't hit the Barents Sea - a disaster which would affect the whole North Atlantic Ocean.


Tickets are $39 adults, $33 concession and $26 for people 30 and under. The play runs from Tuesday September 1st to Saturday September 12th - click here to see performance details and to book tickets online - or you can book tickets by calling 07 3007 8600. The La Boite Theatre Company performs at the Roundhouse Theatre, Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove - click here for a Google Map and click here for more info on how to get there.


This YouTube video shows people talking about the play when it was put on two years ago by the Queensland Theatre Company:



Thursday 6 August 2009

Brisbane Stories: Photos, poems, music and more at Brisbane Square library, Mon August 10 2009

Brisbane storyteller Daryll Bellingham is going to be presenting a morning of stories, poems and music at the Brisbane Square library in town on Monday August 10 2009, from 10am - 11.30am. The Brisbane Square library is in the big green-and-black new-ish skyscraper on the corner of George and Adelaide Sts in town - click here for a Google Map.

If you'd like to go, it's free but you have to book - call (07) 3403 4166 to book, and let the staff know if you have a story you'd like to share.

I'm going to be there, talking about some photos I've taken right around the area of Brisbane Square, so if you do come along please say hi!