Video | Shannon O'Neill

i was in a meeting all day today

and drank too much coffee

we knew you’d be back

now this is good news:

One-glove wonder out to rip ya bloody arms off again

By Stephen Gibbs
Sydney Morning Herald
November 23, 2005

She’s still big, round and fat, but don’t tell her that. She has ridden her black bike, driven through the night and, after more than 30 years of waiting, she is finally coming home.

Hello, Aunty Jack.

For the first time since bidding her a fond farewell in 1973, Australian television viewers can welcome a transvestite boxer into their lounge rooms – The Aunty Jack Show is out on DVD.

For those not old enough to remember the two years when the “Queen of Wollongong” was terrorising the South Coast, the phrases “I’ll rip ya bloody arms off” and “me little lovelies” might finally make sense.

Perhaps no other Australian television program is steeped in such mystique. That mystery has included how a biker who wore red lipstick, one golden boxing glove and a tent-like, blue-velvet dress could disappear.

Whole generations have not seen the program that introduced Norman Gunston and colour broadcasting to local TV. It was rumoured for many years that the ABC had lost or taped over most of the 13 episodes.

Instead, they have been digitally restored with the help of the National Archives and the first season of seven episodes will be released by ABC Video and Roadshow on December 1.

Aunty Jack was created and played by Grahame Bond, an architecture graduate whose Sydney University friend Rory O’Donoghue played Thin Arthur and wrote most of those songs.

They were supported by John Derum as Narrator Neville, Sandra MacGregor as Flange Desire and Garry McDonald as Kid Eager. In the second series, McDonald appeared as the TV reporter Gunston.

A fixture on most lists of seminal and all-time-great Australian TV shows, Aunty Jack’s mix of anarchic sketches and musical comedy has not been repeated since the second series finished in 1973.

The following year the show’s anthemic closing song, Farewell Aunty Jack, topped Australian music charts. The character came back for five minutes in 1975 to present a segment introducing colour to Australian TV.

A gloved Aunty Jack is on the DVD cover. “Watch it,” she warns. “Or I’ll rip your bloody arms off.”

Science Fiction

Here, at last, are some screenshots from my video performance at Science Fiction last Sunday.

iTunes alternative?

I love iTunes for its interface, specifically its search & sort capabilities. I couldn’t imagine maintaining a huge audio library without it.

I hate iTunes for its lack of compatibility with so many media formats, and for Apple’s patronising treatment of its users as being no more than mindless consumers.

Is there an alternative (pref open source) media player out there that has the good aspects of iTunes without the bad? I wish VLC would take up the challenge…

Open Realtime Video Effects. Seems to be for VJ software what VST plugins are for audio software. Unfortunately, although FreeFrame is Open Source, many (most?) of the available plugins created with it cost $. Which sux.

Resolume

Just had a great chat with John Jacobs who, in case you didn’t know, is da man, and he recommended Resolume. So I’m about to give it a go. Hopefully this is the solution (for Sunday’s gig, at least). Wish me luck!

VJ Hell

Trying to prepare for the Science Fiction gig on Sunday.

Isadora was looking good, but the demo is crippled (can’t save) repeatedly crashes on my machine, and they expect one to pay hundreds of dollars to register an app that is unstable and still in beta (for Windows). I don’t think so..

vvvv is looking most likely. It’s free, similar to PD/Gem and seems to have plenty of users and resources. And it’s what Fold uses.

I’ve decided against MaxMSP/Jitter. Can’t afford it.

In the longer term I’d like to use PD/Gem, but I think I’ll wait until I can find some ready-made useful video patches to deconstruct (let me know if you know of any).

My VJing for this gig is going to be *very* basic. Process-based, semi-abstract, and dynamically responding to Ben’s audio. But if I manage to achieve what I’m planning, it should be fun (for me, anyway).

no rest

I have several upcoming activities:

Sunday September 25, 10pm – 1am: guest hosting Utility Fog on FBi Radio.

Then off to Newcastle for Electrofringe/This Is Not Art:

- Thursday September 29, 10am – midday: Workshop: Make Your Own Radio.

- Thursday September 29, late: Wake Up and Listen performance at TINA Opening Night Party.

- Saturday October 1, 3.30 – 5pm: Panel: Creative Commons vs Copyleft.

- Saturday October 1, 8-10pm: Wake Up and Listen live to air on This Is Not Radio.

I’ll be in Ncl from Wednesday thru Monday and would love to meet/catch up with you if you’re there. Other Alias Frequencies folk, such as Ben & Adrian will also be doing lots of stuff at the festival(s).

Then back in Sydney:

Sunday October 16, late: duo performance with Ben Byrne at The Metro. For this one I’ll be performing video. Yes, video.

Although I have a background in video (making short films, video art, installations) this’ll be my first ever ‘VJ’ gig (other than playing weird vids at friends’ parties). It’s something I’ve been wanting/meaning to do for years, but never got around to. Now with the offer of a gig, I have no more excuses, and have to get my shit together (I’m totally unprepared)! I have plenty of (mostly appropriated) images/vids that I can use, but how to manipulate them live? Knowing that Ben uses PD, I’ve been thinking about trying PD/GEM (or maybe MaxMSP/Jitter) but that’s a steep learning curve in a short time. Might have a chat with Fold about the software they use… Anyone reading this have VJ software suggestions? Nothing too cheesy, plz…

Liquid Architecture 6: Sydney

The Sydney leg of Liquid Architecture starts this Wednesday.

Liquid Architecture showcases the work of some of Australia’s premier sound artists alongside international guests.
It straddles traditional divides, presenting acoustic as well as electronic work in many styles, from musique concrete and field recordings, to hip hop, beats and krautrock.

VENUE: Performance Space (199 Cleveland St Redfern)

PROGRAM

Wednesday July 13

Opening Night, 8pm
Severed Heads / Beta Erko (Robin Fox/Anthony Pateras/Martin Ng/Borce from Curse ov Dialect, Melbourne) / Lieutenant Colonel Spastic Howitzer

Thursday July 14

Artists Talks, 6-7pm
‘Electro-Acoustics: Sound Source vs Sonority’ with the artists from Performance Night 1.

Performance Night 1, 8pm
Erik La Casa + Jean Luc Guionnet (France) / Social Interiors / Clare Cooper & Inge Olmheim (Norway)/ Thembi Soddell (Melbourne)

Friday July 15

Artists Talks, 6-7pm
‘The Beat: Rhythm in Contemporary Art-Music’ with the artists from Performance Night 2.

Performance Night 2, 8pm
Thomas Brinkmann (Germany) / TBA (Germany) / Machina Aux Rock (Melbourne) / Ivan Lisyak

Afterparty, late
with Thomas Brinkmann & TBA
See BEEF for more info.

Saturday July 16

Audio-Visual Screening Program, 2pm
featuring works by: Ian Andrews / Tom Ellard / Peter Newman / Jon Hunter / Ivan Lisyak / William Noble / Stephen Fox / Cameron Foster / John Watermann / Jessica Tyrrell / Chris Caines / Wet Gate (USA)

The Splinter Orchestra, 4pm

TIX
Opening Night: $10 / $8
Performance Nights: $20 / $15 / $12 (each night)
Screenings: $10 / $8
Artist Talks: $5 (each night)
Season Pass: $50/$40

The Season Pass provides entry to all talks and performances, except the afterparty.

To book for Opening Night, a Screening or a Season Pass please contact Box office on 9698 7235 or boxoffice@performancepace.com.au

LA6 SYDNEY DIRECTORS: Ben Byrne & Shannon O’Neill

ARTISTS: Ian Andrews, Nat Bates, Adrian Bertram, Natalie Beridze, Thomas Brinkmann, Chris Caines, Clare Cooper, Tom Ellard, Cameron Foster, Robin Fox, Stephen Fox, Jean-Luc Guionnet, Jon Hunter, Julian Knowles, Erik La Casa, Ivan Lisyak, Borce Markovski, Stephen Masterson, Pete Newman, Martin Ng, William Noble, Inge Olmheim, Anthony Pateras, Rik Rue, Thembi Soddell, The Splinter Orchestra, John Watermann

Liquid Architecture 6: Sydney is presented by
Alias Frequencies
The Performance Space
2SER