Sunday, February 24, 2008

Liner Notes Vol 3. In pictures!

Last Wednesday Babble hosted the third volume in the Liner Notes series. Liner Notes is a series of readings I founded which are spoken word tributes to iconic albums of our time.
It began in 2006 for the Melbourne Fringe Festival, the first volume of Liner Notes was in tribute to David Bowie's Hunky Dory album.
Then in 2007, again for the Melbourne Fringe Festival, The Velvet Underground's 'Banana Album' was given the Liner Notes treatment.
The nights have been so successful I've decided to run them more often than just once a year for Fringe.
The concept is simple, match a writer to each track on the album and ask the writer to respond in any way they like.
Mostly the responses are in a poetic form, but there's also monologues and comedic approaches.
I'm pleased to say that this last volume of Liner Notes was the best ever!
The quality of work was astounding. Not just from the writers but also from the house band for the night, The Heavy Cases. Their unique takes on Madonna classics were brilliant.
The host of the evening, Michael Nolan, was in excellent form and educated us about Madonna in ways I didn't think were possible.
In the past Liner Notes have always been one night only, but Vol 3 was such a great success that I am thinking seriously of a return performance of this one sometime in the near future.
In the meantime we do have another Liner Notes booked for early May.
Which album?
Well, I have a few in mind, but I'm keeping it under wraps... for now.


Michael Nolan our glorious host.


Phil Norton responding to Material Girl


alicia sometimes takes on Angel


Chloe Jackson reclaims Like A Virgin


Ben Pobjie turns Over and Over on its head.


Sean M Whelan does Love Don't Live Here Anymore











The Heavy Cases and Michael Nolan sing up a storm


Steve Smart reinterprets Get Into The Groove


Emilie Zoey Baker takes us through Material Girl, on tape!


Dan Lee tells it like it is - Shoo-Bee-Doo!


David Prater is the Pretender


Terry Jaensch takes us home pleading us to Stay.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Babble presents Liner Notes Vol 3 - Madonna's Like A Virgin!



It's time for Liner Notes Vol 3 at Babble this Wed the 20th Feb.
Liner Notes is an original concept first started by Babble for Melbourne Fringe in 2006.
Here's how it works, a classic iconic album is chosen. Then for however many tracks there are on the album an equal amount of writers are also chosen. Then they're randomly assigned to their tracks. After that their mission is to respond to their allocated track in whichever way they see fit.
Liner Notes Vol 1 - David Bowie's Hunky Dory.
Liner Notes Vol 2 - Velvet Underground's 'Banana Album.'

And now presenting Liner Notes Vol 3 - Madonna's Like A Virgin.

Here's the lineup.

Madonna - Live A Virgin.

Side A

1. Material Girl. – Phil Norton
2. Angel. – Alicia sometimes
3. Like A Virgin - Chloe Jackson Wilmott
4. Over and Over – Ben Pobjie
5. Love Don't Live Here Anymore – Sean M Whelan


Side B

6. Into The Groove – Steve Smart
7. Dress You Up – Emilie Zoey Baker
8. Shoo-Bee-Doo – Dan Lee
9. Pretender – David Prater
10. Stay – Terry Jaensch

Also helping out with deconstructed Madonna covers and a healthy dose
of their own originals will be The Heavy Cases!
http://www.myspace.com/theheavycases

The whole shebang is hosted by the irrepressible Mr Michael 'Material
Boy' Nolan.

Where: Bar Open Upstairs, 317 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
When: Wed 20th Feb.
What time: 8:30
How much: $7 entry.

One show only! Don't miss out!