[FRINGE] Fringe 2.0

My current Fringe schedule. I'm thinking that quite a few of the minor shows I want to see will probably be going on $10 FringeTix sale during the Fringe. This will be guaranteed if I book in advance. I'm also doubtful of my health (especially in early March), so want to see how I feel on the possible break days. Time to eat my veggies!
Sat Feb 18	Sammy J and Randy in The Inheritance Sammy J and Heath McIvor team up in yet another show. I wonder if this time they will bring the house down (literally) again.
Tue Feb 21	Slapdash Galaxy Jeff Achtem is back with a new shadow puppet show. But as anyone who has seen Sticks, Stones, and Broken Bones or Swamp Juice will tell you, it's not just a shadow puppet show as Mr Bunk makes the images he projects come alive and transport you to a wonderful world. He;s also showing Swamp Juice, a show I'd willingly see again except I don't have time and want to preserve "the moment of wow" that I don't know if you would get the second time around.
Sun Feb 26	The Tim Mcmillan Band - Axework for Space Goblins Not willing to brave his late night Friday and Saturday shows I think I might try a relaxing afternoon show (5pm, to be precise). His guitar work seems quite reasonable.
Tue Feb 28	The Sammy J Songbook I quite enjoy his solo musical comedy shows. He hasn't done an official one at the Adelaide Fringe, but I've seen most of his old Melbourne Comedy Festival show (and bought the album) at various late-night Fringe dos. He's launching another CD here tonight. It shall be mine.
Fri Mar 2	Aluka I was first introduced to two-thirds of Aluka as the backing singers for Clare Bowditch. As an a capella trio they managed to sing the Grace Emily into complete and utter silence at their last Adelaide gig, emptying the front bar into the performance area (including bartender) in the process.
Sat Mar 3	Jenny M and the System So much for good intentions of taking a break, but this is another single night performance. I quite like their new album and I get to check out the new SA Folk Fed digs on Prospect Road.
Sun Mar 4	Randy is Sober Heath McIvor's hand is back to lament the general state of life. I quite liked the solo Randy show of two Fringes back. Muppet for adults.
Mon Mar 5	The Twoks Xani and Mark return to provide their avant-garde combination of looped violin and percussion (although it's not quite as avant-garde as when they started out three or so Fringes ago).
Tue Mar 6	Sound & Fury's Doc Faustus Shelby leaves the group and they finally do a Western. As a dedicated S&F attendee I just realised that my attempt to make an executive decision will have failed and I shall probably be seeing this at least twice (with three different groups of people), since Tuesday may be a bad night for some. Oh well.
Sat 10 Mar	Ballads By Candlelight When an a capella group can sing a small pub into silence it's one thing. When another can sing a packed St Peter's Cathedral into silence it's quite another thing. Lets see if The Idea of North can do it again. Although this time they appear to be Naomi-less. Whomever am I going to stalk now?
Tue 13 Mar	Shakespeare's Queens: She-Wolves and Serpents This is advertised as the sequel to last year's Shakespeare's Queens, but even if it is the same show again I won't complain. Three actors get to chew the scenery as some of the Bard's more notable female characters, exploring the relationships and similarities between them, and the pivotal roles that they played.
Thu 15 Mar	Kate Miller-Heidke Kate is probably my exception to my rule about big acts at the Fringe (usually they are expensive and the Fringe isn't an ideal version to see them). I'll go see Kate anywhere ass long as she sings.
I'm also going to see the following shows, but have much more leeway as to why I shall do so:
Mon Mar 5 to Sun Mar 18	The Axis of Awesome World Tour 2006 I do like the comedy songs of The Axis of Awesome. Although I no longer have Bird Plane in my head (it was my longest running earworm ever I think).
Tue Mar 6 to Sat Mar 17	Who, Me? Rob does the impression he was born to perform.
Fri Mar 2 to Sun Mar 11	The Jane Austen Argument present: Somewhere Under The Rainbow A cabaret duo, which for some reason as yet undetermined attracted by attention.
Anyone interested in joining me for any of these shows feel free to suggest an actual day, otherwise it'll be executive decision time (being pronounced "dictator" was an honour in the Republic - it meant they trusted you enough to give the Republic back afterwards*). Also if anyone is interested in seeing anything else, and wouldn't mind company, don't forget to mention it somewhere. [* It is interesting to note that the famous "democracies" went to great efforts to prevent the rise of a king. In Athens they had being ostracised ("we'll see you in 10 years, don't come back"), and in the Republic** they had strict limits on the ability of consuls (as well as having two of them).] [** There was only ever one Republic, that of Rome. Interestingly enough, it was the overt corruption of the Tribunes (who represented the Plebians) in accepting bribes for political considerations that brought the system crashing down. Toynbee had the right of it, although it's not due to his impersonal forces of history, but rather the fundamental nature of humankind.]

music acquisitions

Notes to self for February music. Cogs, Wheel, and Lovers by Steeleye Span. Yes, the folk-rock supergroup goes vaguely steampunkish. Live At The Globe of Testerday's Tomorrows by Steam Powered Giraffe. Steam-powered harmony singers. And quite good ones too. Dysrieuses and Eklaasera by Life's Decay. Even knowing me the title of the band is not what it seems. They are actually French retro-luxury dark classical acoustic folk pop-rock steampunk. Whatever that is. Apart from "quite good," that is. In The City of Dreadful Night by Sunday Driver. Goodbye to the Age of Steam by Big Big Train. Conatus by Zola Jesus. Definitely need to look as some more female vocalists. Listened to the music of a number of Fringe acts I'm interested in (Tim McMillan and his Axe Goblins, Jenny M and the System, and The Jane Austen Experience), and so I may see if they have physical bits of plastic to give me (I know, I'm so old fashioned). I wonder if my favourite indie electronic composer will be outside the Garden this Fringe and what the name of his group will be this year (in four years of buying his CD it's all been a different group, but the same keyboardist). Actual reviews when I get a chance to listen. NTM: Remember to download Szilentia by Life's Decay and Pretend by Psyche's Orchestra next month. Go look for more of both. Tom Slatter has some new music. And don't forget the first Bone Orchard CD and the Julie Marcell CD. Not that I ever read these notes to my future self.