Tonight! Myself and Isnod. Dig it.

Liner Notes presents David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust at the Melbourne Writers Festival

This Saturday night! Liner Notes returns!!!

If you want a ticket better be fast as we're heading for a sell out. 
http://tickets.mwf.com.au/session2_mwf.asp?s=300
 
Here's how we're breaking it down.

Side one

1. ‘Five Years’ YANA ALANA

2. ‘Soul Love’ OMAR MUSA

3. ‘Moonage Daydream’ SEAN M WHELAN

4. ‘Starman’ TIM FLANNERY

5. ‘It Ain't Easy’ FIRST DOG ON THE MOON

Interval

Side two

6. ‘Lady Stardust’ BENJAMIN LAW

7. ‘Star’ ALICIA SOMETIMES

8. ‘Hang On to Yourself'’ BEN POBJIE

9. ‘Ziggy Stardust’ DEBORAH CONWAY

10. ‘Suffragette City’ JOUMANA HADDAD

11. ‘Rock 'n' Roll Suicide’ EMILIE ZOEY BAKER 

Honey O performed live at Slamalamdingdong

A new video from a live performance of mine has just been uploaded to the Slamalamadingdong Youtube channel. This is my favourite regular Slam Event held in Melbourne founded by Michelle Dabrowski. On this particular night I was asked to perform live with a band, but only after meeting them for the first time backstage and then having one minute to discuss the mood and the theme of the poem. The poem I chose, Honey O, is an older one I haven't performed in years. It was first written when I was collaborating with rock band The Mime Set in 2005. You can watch and listen to the Slamalamadingdong version right here.

New Sean M Whelan & Isnod studio track.

Very pleased to announce that a new studio recording by Sean M Whelan & Isnod has been accepted by the good people at Overland Literary Journal. While you're there also check out Omar Musa, Eleanor Jackson, Benjamin Solah and more. All available for your listening pleasure right now. Check it out at Audio Overland.

Supporting The Bedroom Philosopher

Tomorrow night at the Wesley Anne in Northcote, Isnod and I will perform our first gig together in ages. We're supporting the amazing Bedroom Philosopher. We're on at 8:30. Should be a wonderful evening.

Bayside Literary Festival

Am very pleased to be sharing a stage tonight with two of my favourite poets in all the land, Emilie Zoey Baker and Alicia Sometimes. We're featuring together at a special event called The Intoxication. There will also be an open mic for anybody else who'd like to bring something to read.
Love to see you there.

Saturday 23 June (7pm to 9pm)
The Hobson Stores: 19-21 Melrose Street, Sandringham
Food and drinks available for purchase
$7

Performing some poems at the Melbourne Jazz Festival tonight.

I've performing some poems at the Melbourne Jazz Festival tonight. Not that anybody will read this because I hardly ever update the fucking thing. But, well, just so know. In case you were wondering where I am tonight.
 There.

Now somebody will read it.

From Poet to DJ in one night.

Tonight I'm performing at the Melbourne Poet's Union event 'Poetry's A Funny Thing.' There's a $100 prize on the open mic, so if you think you've got a chuckle worthy poem then bring it along and try your luck. Judging the event will be Alicia Sometimes, any poem mentioning the West Wing or Science will definitely score you extra points.
7pm.
Wheeler Centre
176 Little Lonsdale Street
Melbourne.

Immediately following this event I shall be running off to Willow Bar, 222 High Street, Northcote. I'll be putting on my DJ hat (figuratively, I don't have an actual DJ hat) for the first time there in ages. There are new owners now and I'm hoping to impress them and convince them to make this a regular gig, so please do drop by if you happen to be in the area. Free entry and I'm playing from 10pm.

cheers.

x.

Sean M Whelan & The Interim Lovers first gig for 2012

The Cambodian Space Project.

Tonight I'll be performing with the Interim Lovers for the first time this year at a fabulous benefit to assist Women with Disability in Cambodia. Headlining the gig will be the amazing Cambodian Space Project, who I first had the pleasure of meeting at the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in Bali last year.
This will also be my first time performing at the iconic Tote Hotel in Collingwood.
Doors open 7:30.
We're on 9pm sharp.

The Tote.
71 Johnston Street
Collingwood.

CHERCHEZ LA FEMME CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY - TONIGHT!

I'm performing at this gig tonight to celebrate International Women's Day.
Here's the blurb on the gig by Super Babe Femmo Organiser, the amazing Karen Pickering.

Cherchez la Femme returns for 2012 with a one-off extravag-anza to celebrate International Women's Day in true femmo style. We'll save the serious panel business for next time because I've lined up my all-time dream-team of singers, dancers, actors, musicians, poets, comics, thinkers and performers to hit the Grace Darling bandroom, show us their love of the ladies and tell us why being a feminist matters to them. I can scarcely contain myself as I announce the line-up here:

KATE BOSTON SMITH (Cabaret Star, Kitty Bang, Show Off)
EMILIE ZOEY BAKER (Slam Champion, Endless Lover, Crack-Up)
ANDREW MARLTON (First Dog on the Moon, Poet, Oracle)
HELEN RAZER (Writer, Raconteur, Sexy Mama)
CLEM BASTOW (Femmo, Neo-Stoner, Cosplaya)
SEAN M WHELAN (The Boss - of Poetry, Dream Guy)
ALICIA SOMETIMES (Broadcaster, Poet, Hottie)
CHRISTINA ARNOLD (Lead Signer of The Perfections, Bangin' Broad)
BEN POBJIE (Poet, Writer, Comic, Spy)
EMILY JARRETT (Singer with Go-Go Sapien, Robobabe)
BEN McKENZIE (Professional Nerd-Wonder, Comic, Fox)
JANE DUST (Singer, Love Child of Burt Bacharach & Emmy-Lou Harris)
CLEMENTINE FORD (Boner-Killer, Abortion-Enthusiast, Got Swag)
JESSICA ALICE (Poet, Broadcaster, Honey)
SHAKIRA HUSSEIN (Academic, Thinker, Fighter)
SERI VIDA (Singer, Musician, Rad Lady)
and DJ sets from LISA GREENAWAY (of DJ Lapkat fame, Beatmaster)

I will host the hell outta this thing. I will also be working hard to facilitate a Band-Aid-style closing number that will send a secret encoded message to Germaine Greer, so concentrated will be its femmo power.

Appropriately named after a feminist hero, The Grace Darling will be our charming venue for the evening at 114 Smith St, Collingwood. We'll kick off at 7pm and let the lady love continue throughout the night with breaks for cuddling and kissing. The kitchen will be open for you to purchase delicious foods and the drinks will flow for anyone who wants 'em.

Tickets are $15 on the door with proceeds going to womens' refuges here in Melbourne.

It will be a magical night of laughter, a few tears and some serious gynocentric power. I hope to see you at CLF for IWD at the GD. T Y.

Warmest
Karen x

New poem recorded for Nothing Rhymes With Triple R podcast

Okay, let's see if I can be a bit better with this whole blogger thing in 2012.
To begin with I just recorded a brand new poem for a podcast called Nothing Rhymes With Triple R, presented in conjunction with Australian Poetry and Triple R FM. It's put together by the lovely Eliza Hull and Jess Rizzi.
Also on this podcast you can hear an interview with poet Ainslie Meredith and Lisa Dempster, director of the Emerging Writers Festival.
Listen to the podcast right here.


Hope you enjoy.

smw.

Notes on Sound - An Overload Poetry Festival event.

Tonight I'm excited about performing at Notes on Sounds. I'll be doing a 20 min set accompanied by piano accordion and BANJO! We had a quick rehearsal last night and things went swimmingly well. Also on the bill are two of my favourite Melbourne poets, Andy Jackson and Jessica Alice, they will also be accompanied by musicians. Entry is by a measly gold coin donation. Hope to see you there.
It's at the Edinburgh Castle Hotel, 681 Sydney Road, Brunswick. 7:30 pm.
More details here.

Overload Poetry Festival fundraiser tonight!

Myself and the Interim Lovers will be performing Softly & Suddenly in full for the Overload Poetry Festival fundraiser tonight. Joining us will be Jessica Alice, Luka Lesson and DJ Lapkat. The evening will be hosted by the amazing Omar Musa. All proceeds from tonight go to the Overload Poetry Festival. So come along and support the warm beating heart of poetry in Melbourne. It's an early gig, kicks off at 5:30.

Sean M Whelan & Isnod play the Builders Arms!

VERY pumped about this gig happening tomorrow night with my new collaborator, Isnod AKA Damian Stephens. If only for the damn sexy poster that Damian designed above. Like it? I sure do.
Also excited about our guests on the evening, Jeff Williams, ex Acuffs Rose, current Clear Spacemen member will be doing a sweet solo set for us. And also joining us will be the wonderful Genevieve and Jezebel. 'Jezebel' is a beautiful concert harp whose sounds will take you to another world.
Dig it.

Sean M Whelan & Isnod play Renaissance

Myself and Isnod are playing the Renaissance Festival today!
We're on about 1:30.

For more details of the festival check out their Myspace page.

http://www.myspace.com/renaissance_festival

Two Gigs this weekend with new collaborator Isnod

Very excited to have a two gig weekend with Isnod.
Tonight we're performing at a benefit for Japan called Concert for Sendai. We're on between 8-9pm.
Tomorrow, Sunday the 10th April, we're special guests of White Minus Reds April residency at the Builders Arms in Fitzroy.
Here's the blurb for the show.

Melbourne duo White Minus Red blend analogue and digital sounds to create a unique flavour of liquid dream-pop / folktronica. Having played at a multitude of festivals and venues around Melbourne, they have refined their approach and have an arsenal of fresh material and are set to stun.
They have a residency at The Builders Arms on Sunday evenings throughout April and each week will be joined by an interesting array of local talent.
On Sunday the tenth of April they will be joined by the fresh new collaborative project of the amazing producer, Isnod who has been performing in various outfits in Melbourne and around the world and Sean M. Whelan, renowned writer and performance poet who has simillarly been around the creative traps in a multitude of projects. The pair are combining spoken word poetry and sensitively arranged beats and soundscapes to create an immersive experience of arresting beauty.
Also joining us will be Encyclical, brainchild of Dani Kirby, whose classical training filters through her contemporary, new media sensibilities, creating delicate melodic, multidimensional gorgeousness.
You should definitely come and treat yourself to some of Melbourne's freshest and finest.
$7/5
Doors open at 7:30 and show finishes at 11pm so it's civillised for a school night ;)

Hope to see you at one or both of these shows!
x.
smw.

Tattooing the Lane: Eltham

As part of the Australian Poetry Cafe Poet program I'll be performing two half hour sets at The Lane in Eltham tonight. I'll also be talking about the processes behind my poetry and performance.
This event will take place on the 4th March at St Laurence Lane, Eltham, VIC, Australia, 3095. 7pm. $5 entry. Bookings can be made on 03 9431 5263.

Dream Machines Launch

Tomorrow night I'm participating in a very exciting event that is the culmination of 5 years work for an amazing artist by the name of Mish Cahill. Her works called 'Dream Machines' will be on display and I've been asked to write and perform a poem especially for this event. There's going to be all manner of other surprises too, with a big turnout. I recommend getting there on time so you don't miss a thing.

6:30 pm.
Victorian Artists Society.
430 Albert Street, East Melbourne Victoria, 3002

Lavender

Walking down a suburban street I crush lavender leaves in my hand as I pass and raise it to my nose and I remember that time you saved my life in mexico I was so sick from something couldn't keep anything down not even water and you kept bringing lavender oil to my nose to try and keep me calm and I'll always be grateful for that. always.

Dawn Conspiracy HERoe event today.

BREAKING NEWS: FEMINISM NOT DEAD
Are you tired of hearing that “feminism has failed”? Are you curious to know more about the vibrant, exciting culture of feminism alive and kicking in your very own city? Did you know 2011 marks the centenary of International Women’s Day?

The Dawn Conspiracy takes you inside Australian Feminist Culture in the lead up to IWD 2011 (March 8th), bringing together performers, writers, poets, musicians, comedians and other thinkers, taking the pulse of feminist culture in our city and finding it in fine form.

HERoes
Inspired by the 22 year old Grace Darling who saved a group of ship-wrecked sailors in
1838, a series of panellists will introduce their female heroes and explore the issues around heroism and the feminine. An exhibition of video art will further expand the narrative, and the evening will celebrate female heroes through music and performance.
Saturday 5 March, Grace Darling Hotel, Smith St Collingwood, 2pm-1am

I'll be speaking at this event today at 2pm about one of the few female beat writers, Diane Di Prima.