The weekend approaches with zeal... And Nick's picks

This entry is from The Daily Telegraph's official Sydney Festival Blog.

It feels as though the Sydney Festival is about to shift into another gear, as a host of new shows and big events come onto the scene. It is Thursday after all, and most sensible people aren’t willing to get involved in too much madness during a school night.

So now that the weekend is upon us (yes, already) and despite the fact that the last four nights have each felt like a Saturday night to me, it’s timely to start working out what you are going to get amongst over the weekend.

I have been getting some key feedback from people on this experimental arts blog, and overwhelmingly, you want to hear more from the artists and you want more photos from the night.

So hopefully, last night’s post at the mad House of the Holy Afro captured it all a bit better.

My picks for tonight are:
Cannot buy my soul – The Songs of Kev Carmody

This is going to be one heck of a night tonight. It’s going to be a State Theatre and it’s going to be a celebration of one of this country’s renowned folk singers, Kev Caromdy (left).

And which musicians should be helping to celebrate Kev Carmody’s fine balladeering? Let’s start with Paul Kelly, then add in Dan Kelly, Tex Perkins and Clare Bowditch.
Throw into the mix Missy Higgins, The Drones, Sara Storer, the Pigram Brothers, Steve Kilbey and then the man himself, Kev Carmody and you are guaranteed an extraordinary night.

FBi 94.5 Night at Beck’s Festival Bar

The Beck’s Festival Bar has been pumping every single night so far. It is the venue where the young hot things of the city come out in their fashion parade of inner city chic to dance the night away to some of the best music around.

Funnily enough, I was there the other night, on the phone to Telstra who were trying to help me with something and the young operator who was in Northern Queensland suddenly stopped me.

“Is that Chromeo playing?’ he said.

“Umm, I think so, let me check,” I say as I pull out my festival guide. “Yeah, yeah it is.” My musical ignorance is astounding.

“That’s cool mate,” he says. “We don’t get any music up here”.

Indeed. So if you haven’t been to the Becks Bar yet, get down there. You could be in Northern Queensland after all.

About an Hour – Dance Screen

I know I keep plugging the About an Hour series, but it is seriously good. Another element to it is Dance Screen, a showcase of Australian choreography on film.

On at the Opera House on most days from 10am (check the website), Erin Brannigan has curated a fascinating exhibition that fills the foyer facing the Harbour Bridge.

Films showcase the collaborations between dancers showcasing the works of Gideon Obarzanek and Paul McNeil, Garry Stewart and Gina Czarnecki, Sydney Dance Company and Narelle Benjamin, Ros Warby and Margie Medlin and works by choreographer/filmmakers Sue Healey, Natalie Cursio and Kate Champion.

There are smaller individual booths for even more intimate experiences, as well as a multimedia audio-visual display. Definitely something to keep in mind if you are taking in the harbour one day.

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