At the MF Doom gig on Friday 1st April, DJ Sheep led a turntablist battle revival in Brisbane. Prior to this gig, there’d been words – DJ Butcher had posted “dude.. u know i’ll beat you on the decks.. ur an idiot..” on OzHipHop.com (24/03/2011). DJ Sheep, following the hip hop code he lives by, raised a challenge to battle on the decks. Unfortunately the challenge was turned down, so spectators only saw one side of the battle, but they left charged. I wasn’t there to see it in person, but I saw the video and on Sunday morning, DJ Sheep said on Ozhiphop.com, “I’ve never felt better in years after a gig, i got so many daps, and props from people, it felt like the old days again for once…”, so it sounded like it was a night to remember. The only way I could imagine it being better (in my head), is if there *had* been a battle, or if there had been two sounds (sound systems) on opposite sides of a fenced off outdoor basketball court or a Jamaican dance hall like back in the early days of hip hop DJ battles.
Kodwo Eshun, in his book “More Brilliant Than The Sun”, coined the term “Sonic Fiction” when writing about one of the pioneers of hip hop DJing, Grandmaster Flash, and his album “The Amazing Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel”. I suggest that the turntablist battles could also be thought of as Sonic Fiction on multiple levels – in the sounds produced and performances of the actual turntablist set, and also in the stories behind the battles – in some case they’re personal, in other cases they’re for competition and showcase. In all cases, they are related to the DJs career and reputation. DJ Battles are the opposite of “Fight Club” – everybody (in the DJ community) talks about the battle, and the rules are set. DJ Sheep commented, “the hip-hop code is that when you call someone out or get called out, you either step up or admit defeat. if you say you’re better and back out, you’re reputation goes down the drain, that’s hip-hop. It’s been like that since the inception”.
Now back to the set – in traditional style, Sheep gave props to the fallen, shouting out RIP to Angus, Jeeps (750) and Sabre (BWP) before he started. Then he got down to business with his message explaining to the crowd that DJs used real records. “In the history of beef, it’s usually the Butcher that slaughters the Sheep, but today we’re going to see the Sheep slaughter the mutherfuckin’ Butcher”. Sheep then launched into his set – beat juggling, chirps, transform moves such as flares and orbits, and the crab. From the video, you can see a brick and sandbag on the table – DJ Sheep and Brisbane beat-maker Tigermoth highlighted the large springs in place of the table legs which caused the table to move around, and some skipping of the needles during Sheep’s set. I think the crowd probably wouldn’t have noticed this had it not be pointed out. In any case, Sheep took advantage of the moments and paused, giving space to his set and acknowledging the crowd. They gave him plenty of love in return.
Monkey Marc's studio was recently broken into and his equipment was stolen. You can help support him replacing his gear by purchasing one of his albums.
As The Market Crashed, his 2009 release, is an 11 track album
Solo instrumental hip-hop, dub, future dub and dubstep by monkeymarc. Recorded on Solar Power.
credits:
released 01 December 2009
Mixed at Sumroom Studios Paris, France by Matthias Froidefond and at Headgap Studios, Melbourne by Rohan "Infernal Machine" Mansell and mixed by Monkeymarc at all the above and at Monkeys Solar Studio, Melbourne. Mastered at Transition Studios, London, UK.
via @jean_poole's tweet : Help the lovely Monkey Marc raise $ to replace music gear stolen from his solar powered studio. Donations get his album http://is.gd/3xrYIF
Hot off the press: The City of Sydney Library and Random House Australia invite you to join Terri Janke in launching Paris Dreaming, the latest sexy novel by the multi-talented author Anita Heiss.
Join Anita as she shares her inspiration for the work and her dedication to researching in the city of love. There croissants, culture and couture are all accompanied by distracting gorgeous men, cute baristas and smooth-tongued lotharios. Come along and have some fun, learn about Aboriginal art in Paris, and get a copy of the novel signed by the woman herself.
DIGICULT is an online/offline Italian platform, created to spread digital art and culture worldwide. It focuses on the impact of new technologies and modern sciences on art, design, culture and contemporary society. DIGICULT is based on participation of more than 40 professionals, representing a wide Italian Network of critics, curators and journalists in the field. DIGICULT is the editor of the magazine DIGIMAG, which focuses on some cultural and artistic issues like internet art, hacktivism, electronica, video art, audiovideo, art & science, design, new media, software art, performing art. http://www.digicult.it/digimag_eng
DIGIMAG 62 - MARCH 2011. The @digicult mag English issue is online http://bit.ly/bwZAS4 #digitalart #mediaart #artscience #electronica [via @digicult tweet]
Tura New Music and WAAPA@ECU invite proposals for formal papers, lecture-performances, artist talks, master-classes, and panels of three or four papers for
The 2011 TOTALLY HUGE NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL CONFERENCE
Perth, Western Australia, 16 – 18 September 2011
Keynote Speaker: Marina Rosenfeld
The THNMF Conference, held as part of The 10th Totally Huge New Music Festival, is a forum for artists from diverse areas of practice, along with critics, commentators and academics, to discuss the ideas which underline contemporary new music and sound art—the histories, methods, theories, approaches, techniques and dreams which make up the modern world of music and sound arts.
The THNMF conference is a fully DEST refereed conference that offers opportunities for presentations of refereed and non refereed papers, performances, demonstrations and workshops held over two days, and there is the opportunity for publication in the conference proceedings, Sound Scripts – published by Tura New Music
The Conference is presented by Tura New Music, in association with the Faculty of Education and Arts, Edith Cowan University, including the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
Did you know less than 13% of the contributors to the world's biggest educational resource are women? The Women4Wikipedia campaign was launched when a Canberra mother got wind of this and decided to do something about it. Rosie (with son Brenton Fletcher) recently launched Collective Action a database providing a quick way for grassroots campaigns to get off the ground. It seemed like the perfect place to kick off her own her own campaign (plus she'd had a glass of wine!). Women4Wikipedia was born!
Because this campaign is growing and changing daily as more people become involved things here may change. Please keep up with developments via the news feed or visit the Women4Wikipedia Blog, RSS Feed or homepage often. You can contact Rosie at collective_action AT hotmail DOT com or on Twitter @CollectiveAct
@Peakstreet Also make sure to check our second #Ciecmate leak straight outta the @BrokenToothEnt HQ. This is some catchy shit www.peakstreet.com [via @Peakstreet tweet]
A collection of 100 contributions from different artists, curators, musicians, and writers on their aural guilty pleasures. Co-edited by Kim Cascone and Soda Design.
Res Artis is a worldwide network of residential art programs.
"We are an association of over 300 centers, organisations, and individuals in over 50 countries. Each of our members is dedicated to offering artists, curators, and all manner of creative people the essential time and place away from the pressures and habits of every-day life, an experience framed within a unique geographic and cultural context."
"Through Res Artis, organisations will become part of a global community of colleagues engaged in dialogue through our face-to-face meetings and virtually through our website."
Magabala Books is Australia's oldest independent Indigenous publishing house. Based in Broome, Western Australia, they are also one of the remotest publishing houses in the world.
"We support Indigenous creators from across Australia and are recognised nationally as a quality publisher of arts and culture, empowering people to tell their stories and contribute to the increasing body of knowledge about first Australian culture."
Dr Anita Heiss, posted a good review of a couple of the most recent children's books to be published by Magabala Books, "Staircase to the Moon" by Bronwyn Houston, "The Snake and the Boy" by 12 year old writer & illustrator Azmen Sebastian.
A massive day and night of free hip hop entertainment - welcome to Freak the Technique.
From 12pm until late, this free event delivers the best breakers, MC’s, graf artists and beat boxers, with comps and activities where you can get involved, display your talent or learn new skills. A hip hop style playground for serious players and families alike, Freak the Technique is about amping up and checking out the action, thriving in the energy of Australian Hip Hop culture.
Popping, locking, breaking, Next Gen, Beat Box and MC battles fill the day. Outside, the best graf artists and writers compete in a huge mural competition, and you can get involved in throw-up and tagging comps in a safe and legal environment.
Last but not least, the shakedown and finals of PLATFORM’s Freak the Technique Breaking Battle – expect massive moves and death defying tricks as the best crews from all over Australia battle it out for a heaving crowd and international judges: B*Boy Blond (Korea), B*Boy Storm (Germany), and POE 1 (USA).
It’s one of the largest events on the Hip Hop calendar. People come from all over the country to compete and check out the action at Freak the Technique, part of thePlatform Hip Hop Festival.
CABINET returns to the Red Rattler on Saturday 26th March. It's is a semi (ir)regular night showcasing new music, art and performance. Plus you can dance and make things. Brought to you by the team from Underbelly Arts.
From 8.30 - 9.30pm we kick off with 'Dancing in the Dark' (our Earth Hour tribute). Join us for tunes to the theme of 'dark' via our battery powered wheelie bin sound system, a beeswax candle lit room thanks to The Watershed, plus scrabble, cards and other games you play when the power goes out… spin the bottle anyone?
Then, a brand new performance by CLAUDIA O'DOHERTY (the ‘girl from Pig Island’, and currently featuring at the Imperial Panda Festival)
And then…. A BRAND NEW BAND! LA TARANTULA are freshly formed and this is their first ever gig. Bringing you classic surf rock with a dose of spaghetti western and evil 60s pop, it’s time to dust off your board shorts and join them on the dance floor with your best surf strut and boogie moves.
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