Off to Canada and beyond in just over a week! Check out this as well. Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz has put Emilie, Sean and myself up on Indiefeed. It's a great hub of wonderful spoken word!

Big thanks to Arts Victoria and CAL without whom we would not be able to make this trip!

Vancouver
Wednesday Feb 4
2pm
Wax Poetic 102.7FM
Co-op radio

7.45pm
The Spillious Speak n Sing
Cottage Bistro
4468 Main street

Ottawa
Friday February 6
11:30am to 12:30pm
High Commissioner's Residence
407 Wilbrod Street
An invitation from Australian High Commissioner,
His Excellency Justin Brown

The A B Series, 7.30pm
National Arts Centre - Fourth Stage
53 Elgin Street
The A B Series in association with Kevin Matthews presents four acclaimed Australian performance poets:
Alicia Sometimes, Emilie Zoey Baker, Justin Ashworth and Sean M Whelan,
on The National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage. The evening’s program will be hosted by CBC Radio’s Alan Neal. Reception and book/CD signing to follow.
Tickets $18 available at The National Arts Centre Box Office and online through Ticketmaster

Toronto
Saturday Feb 7th, 8:00 PM
Cervejaria 842 College. Toronto, Ontario Cost: $5
A night of Poetry and Poets slammin, reading and jazzin Emilie Zoey Baker, Sean M Whelan along with Torontonians David Silverberg and crew plus American poet Christian Drake $5.

Montreal
February 8-13, 2009
Festival Voix d’Amériques
FVA showcase February 10, 8.30pm
MEL versus YUL ou Melbourne meets Montréal
Casa Del Popolo
4873, Boulevard Saint-Laurent
with Emilie Zoey Baker, Sean M Whelan, Justin Ashworth and Montrealers Corey Frost, Puggy Hammer, The Capital of Plastic Daffodils. Hosted by David McGimpsey

Going Down Swinging #27 launch
Lancement de la revue
Wednesday February 11, 5 – 7pm
Casa Del Popolo
4873, Boulevard Saint-Laurent
with Emilie Zoey Baker, Sean M Whelan, Justin Ashworth, David Prater and Montrealers Ian Ferrier, Victoria Stanton and Fortner Anderson.

It's coming up on Christmas and I'm very excited about the festivities. Check out the beginnings of the North American tour that EZB, Sean M Whelan and myself are doing (along with some dates with Justin Ashworth!).

This is our first gig in Ottawa.

Also, I interviewed Australian poet Robert Adamson on Radio National, so check it out.

This is a little old but check out this page that asks the questions of me (and others) that no-one else dares and
read the new edition of Cordite...

AC/DC Back in Black!











Please come along to the end of year Liner Notes spectacular and support
EZB, Sean M Whelan and myself for their North American Tour!

We three poets have been invited to perform at the Festival Voix
d'Amerique, in Montreal as well as a tour of North America including
performing an Australian showcase at New York's famous Bowery Club
and Chicago's Green Mill bar.

On the 17 December, 8pm, Bar Open, 317 Brunswick St Fitzroy.

The Liner Notes series is Melbourne's hottest spoken word ticket, a
poetic tribute to a classic album. Babble invites a bunch of writers,
comedians, artists and poets to respond to each track off a killer
record, which they then perform in sequence. The house band, The
Crumbling Beauties, perform wild interpretations of the songs in
between, with the stupidly charismatic Michael Nolan as host.

On 17 December Liner Notes interprets the ultimate Aussie classic,
AC/DC's 1980 legendary Back In Black.

Track list is as follows:

Side A
1. "Hells Bells" – EZB
2. "Shoot to Thrill" – Ben Pobjie
3. "What Do You Do for Money Honey" – Alicia Sometimes
4. "Givin' the Dog a Bone" – The Bedroom Philosopher
5. "Let Me Put My Love into You" – Paul Mitchell

Side B
6. "Back in Black- The Solid Boge Dancers
with Helen Wheels, Torana Tum-Tum and Sandy van Panel.
7. "You Shook Me All Night Long" – Yana Alana and Bec Beat
8. "Have a Drink on Me" – Sean M Whelan
9. "Shake a Leg" – Ian Bland ( poet laureate of RRR)
10. "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" – Josh Earl

*Dress in you finest Acker/Dacker wear to vie for the Best Bogan
Award.*

Raffles throughout the night with brilliant prizes!

Including a Northcote fun day prize pack with gift vouchers to all the
coolest shops like I Dream A Highway, Subterranean and Willow Bar,
goodies from Organic Gertrude and Nutrient Water. Lovely things from T2,
books from Penguin, and CDs from Off The Hip!

Hell's Bells, it's gonna be grouse, and it's only gonna cost
ya a tenna!

So shake a leg, pull on your uggies, down a can o'
bourbon and head to Bar Open.

We promise to shake you all night long.

THIS is what we do for money, honey.

The Confession Files (La Mama, Oct 12-14, 7.30pm)
205 Faraday Street, Carlton

What does it feel like to witness a crime and not say something? How can you suddenly snap one day and hurt the person you love? How do you ruin everything you have desperately worked so hard to keep? Can there ever be absolution or atonement? Can there be true forgiveness? A night of monologues, poetry, passion and lyrical confession of crimes.

Join writers Sean M Whelan, Emilie Zoey Baker, Terry Jaensch, Paul Mitchell and Alicia Sometimes on their search for the things you do that seem to have no words. Directed by Kieran Carroll.

It's time for Liner Notes again at Babble this Thursday 25th September.

Liner Notes is an original concept first started by Babble for Melbourne Fringe in 2006. This will be or the Melbourne Fringe 2008.

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.

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

Where: Bar Open Upstairs, 317 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.
When: Thursday 25th September
What time: 8:30

MC Michael Nolan and performers such as Sean M Whelan, Laura Jean McKay, Emilie Zoey Baker, Julez and others...

One show only! Don't miss out!

I have an article up on New Matilda about the wonderful book, Torture Team by Philippe Sands.

And you can see the panel I did at the Melbourne Writers' Festival with David Sedaris, David Rackoff and Don Watson (What's funny about America?). This is minus my witty introduction -  it only has the introduction to the guests - I had many a great line about bosoms and glitter glue and Santa vomiting and spray on cheese.

Also, if you like Augusten Burroughs. Part one of the interview that Steve and I did with him on Aural Text is up.

Static, went so well at the Melbourne Writers' Festival. My love to Sean, Nathan, Kieran, Quinn and Lisa.

I will be at Port Fairy this Saturday night to be part of the show again which is so exciting! It is part of the Ex Libris Port Fairy Book Fair.

I'm performing and paneling at the MWF this year. There's so many great writers. On my radio show Aural Text over the next few weeks, we will be talking with Rachel Cohn, Augusten Burroughs, Barrie Kosky, Margo Lanagan and Philippe Sands.

Melbourne Writers' Festival

Static: white noise writ large
Date: 29 August 2008
Time: 8.30pm – 10.30pm
Venue: BMW Edge

Three spoken word performers, one musician, absolutely no interference!

A collaborative poetic work to reach through the TV set of our minds into the unknown, the alien, the other. Featuring Nathan Curnow, Sean M Whelan & alicia sometimes, with musician Quinn Stacpoole.

Commissioned by Going Down Swinging. Supported by Arts Victoria.

I'm paneling two sessions:

Art and Motherhood
Date: 31 August 2008
Time: 4:00PM - 5:00PM
Venue: BMW Edge

Do the roads to artistic fulfillment and family happiness cross? Join singer-songwriter Clare Bowditch, Catherine Deveny, LIsa Gorton and Rachel Power as they discuss art and motherhood with chair Alicia Sometimes.

What’s funny about America?
Date: 22 August 2008
Time: 4.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue: BMW Edge

Do David Rakoff, David Sedaris and Don Watson have their perspectives on America skewed at the same angle?

trope

Date: 28 August 2008
Time: 7.00pm - 9.00pm
Venue: ACMI Cinema 1
Cost: Free event
 
trope is a new space in Second Life promoting creative writing in virtual environments. The panel features trope's creators alongside the Melbourne-based writers selected for the first iteration, discussing the dynamics of this intersection between literature and new media and the poetic possibilities of virtual spaces.

trope is supported by the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts, through Write in Your Face.

Participants: Cristyn Davies, Elena Knox, Sarah Waterson, Matt Hetherington, Alicia Sometimes and Bel Schenk.

Two exciting things. One is that Short has been released by Black Dog Books and I'm in it with other wonderful people:


Short: a collection of interesting short stories and other stuff from some surprising and intelligent people

edited by Lili Wilkinson

“Life is too short for a long story.”
— Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

Our best-loved writers, alongside our newest and youngest authors, present to you short, a collection of interesting short stories and other stuff from some surprising and intelligent people including Carole Wilkinson, Andy Griffiths, Michael Panckridge, Michael Gerard Bauer, Karen Tayleur, Tessa Duder, Scot Gardner, Alicia Sometimes, Michael Pryor, Sue Lawson, Julia Lawrinson, Chris Miles, Pat Flynn, Trudy White, Bill Condon and Simmone Howell.

All royalties to Big Brothers Big Sisters
www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.au

Black Dog Books
http://www.bdb.com.au/books/short

And the other!

Liner Notes is on again. This time it's The Cure's Head on the Door album. Bar Open Thursday May 15, 8pm. Guests include Sean M Whelan, Mandy Beaumont (QLD), Emilie Zoey Baker, Klare Lanson and more.

I'll be featuring in these upcoming gigs:

Australian Poetry Centre Salon

Featuring with Dragan Dragojlovic from Serbia
Sunday February 24, 4pm
Australian Poetry Centre
'Glenfern'
417 Inkerman Rd
East St Kilda
Victoria, Australia.


Liner Notes Vol 3.

Liner Notes is an ongoing series of readings that are a spoken word tribute to classic albums of our time. In 2006 it was Bowie's Hunky Dory, in 2007 it was the ultra-cool Velvet Underground's Banana album, in 2008 it will be Madonna's, Like A Virgin.

Liner Notes Vol 3.
A spoken word tribute to Like A Virgin by Madonna.
Wed 20th Feb, 8:30pm.
Bar Open, 317 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Victoria.

Other guests: Phil Norton, Chloe Jackson Wilmott, Ben Pobjie, Sean M Whelan, Steve Smart, Emilie Zoey Baker, Dan Lee, David Prater and Terry Jaensch.

Be there or be a virgin!

How many sleeps until the election?


You should read Mr Behemoth here, he has lots of funny things to say. All I can ask is 'does it matter anymore?' You should read Mr Ben Pobjie's take on the Chasers' song about dead celebrities and the moral outrage that followed.


Now aren't drug users just going to buy toys for their next fix of fantasy?

I have a review of David Prater's book We Will Disappear on Radio National and a review of poetry books one should be reading over here.

I have been tagged by atomicladybomb to come up with 8 random facts about myself.

The Rules of this tag:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules. 2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself. 3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them). 4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

Eight Random Facts:


1. If I think about the fact that I have knees I just freak out and have to stop what I'm doing.












2. I love reading about American history and politics.











3.  I never liked colouring books. Or rulers.














4. I've always wanted to see an earthrise and until I was about seven it was on my 'to do' list.













5. I first learnt to read Japanese through Snoopy cartoons...














6. Dad would tell every boy I liked that I loved the Bay City Rollers even though I'd never heard of them (and I still can't name a song they do).














7. I've seen Bob Dylan in concert about eleven times and each time I hang out to hear 'Desolation Row' (and it still hasn't happened).













8. Because Emilie mentioned her crush on David Attenborough, I must confess I thought Carl Sagan was the coolest guy ever when I first saw him in the early 80s. Love that pop science.












Other people I've inflicted this upon...

Kathleen
Ben Pobjie
Tom Cho
Mandy Beaumont
Paul Mitchell
Richard Watts
Steve Smart
Clint Bo Dean

This is great Jon Stewart news for all you Jon nuts...

Come along this Wed 3rd October, 8.30pm to see some fine Velvet Underground love at Bar Open upstairs.

A spoken word tribute to The Velvet Underground's amazingly
influential debut album, The Velvet Underground and Nico, otherwise
known as The Banana Album! We choose eleven of Melbourne's finest
writers and randomly assign them a track each. Their mission: to
respond in whatever way they see fit.

A totally unique event, meshing rock and roll adulation and spoken
word theatrics.
Eleven classic tracks, eleven writers respond.
Performances by -
Laura Jean McKay
alicia sometimes
Lee Kofman
Emilie Zoey Baker
Geoff Lemon
Eddie Burger
Justin Heazlewood
Sean M Whelan
David Prater
Ben Pobjie
Crazy Elf

Hosted by Michael Nolan, and featuring The Mime Set as house band.

Wed 3rd Oct
Bar Open upstairs
317 Brunswick Street
Fitzroy
8:30pm start
$8/$6 entry.

It's been so long. I promise to write more. I really do. This is a pic of Arlo. He's very cute and he already knows what he wants.

If you've ever want to know what a five star prison in Austria is like: go here. There is such a thing as talking urinal cakes!  And I quote: "When a man steps up, the motion-sensitive plastic device says, in a woman's voice that is flirty, then stern: "Hey, big guy. Having a few drinks? Think you had one too many? Then it's time to call a cab or call a sober friend for a ride home." I need to get out more.

The best worst commercial ever. If only I could rap like that. Hang on, maybe I do rap like that.

I will be doing some gigs soon attending the Broken Hill Poetry Festival and the Mornington Peninsula Writers' Festival. I will be chairing two sessions at the Melbourne Writers' Festival. I am slowly getting out.

Also, check these two sites out to see other things I've been doing. The Red Room Company website is great and I've reviewed Terry Jaench and Cyril Wong's book Excess Baggage and Claim for Radio National. It's a great book, you should read it.

If you love independent radio and you listen to Aural Text or you love books or spoken word, you should subscribe to Radiothon 2007. RRR is just wonderful and they (we) need your support!

Finally if you need a DJ name you must try this. I was DJ Project Ho. Hey, new career!!

So correct...

The Three Sixties will be playing their thumping music at Bar 303: 303 High Street, Northcote on Friday December 22 8pm. Beautiful guests are The Thoughts and Emilie Zoey Baker.

There will be lots of Christmas festivities, surf sounds and Steve Mc Queen love. Klare Lanson will be on keyboards again riding high, Cliff Booth will bang those drums, Andy Crowder will wow you away and I will be thumping my axe.

Hope to see you there!

Thought I'd go through some old stuff yesterday, discovered old coins I had from everywhere: Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka,  Mexico etc. Found old Australian sixpence and threepence. Question is where did I get them? Some, of course, are from my travels, the rest I must have 'found' somewhere. Maybe dad chucked me one or two.  My favourite was a made up coin from  a  pizza place that used to be in Knox City called Billy Bob's. On a Sunday you could listen to badly animated Australian  animals doing the whole Beatle's White Album.  Isn't that nutty?And fantastic? $5 pizza and 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road?' Bliss.


Here's random tickets (that I've since taken off this blog just for space): the first is Bob Dylan doing the Mercury Lounge in 1998. I surprised my dad with these tickets,  he didn't know this concert was  on and it was his birthday, at first he thought I was taking him to a nightclub, gotta love that. Bob was metres away. Sigh. Next: 1993 Big Day Out. I went with my boyfriend at the time, Paul. I loved Iggy, Painters & Dockers and Nick Cave. Next: The Cure. Went with Paul to that one too. Screamed when I heard 'Primary'. I am a goofball. Finally: When I travelled in 2003 my friend Stephen (from Leighton-Buzzard) took me to see a friendly;  Tottenham vs PSV Eindhoven. Not the madness of final's fever. But I loved it. Nearly as good as the rugby 7 that I saw on Friday night (by the way this guy spilled beer on me and just for the record, the police did take more than five mins to get there- not for the beer spilling but the biffo he had five minutes later). I am a yob (occasionally).