Editor’s note
The Melbourne International Arts Festival brings with it 18 days of enigmatic theatre, unrivalled music, virtuosic dance and enough perplexity to flip your brain inside out. This is Melbourne’s premier cross-genre extravaganza and you’d be daft not to get down to at least one or two of the events.
The Flaming Lips and Kamasi Washington lead the bill off the top, bringing their equally idiosyncratic crafts to their contrasting music genres. Both acts are equally uncanny in their own right which is what makes them the quintessential MIAF performers.
Equally intriguing, The Nico Project sits atop the cover for this week’s issue. Another fixture of MIAF, this captivating theatre show celebrates the life of one of pop culture’s most elusive female artists. From her early career as an actor and muse for filmmakers such as Fellini and Warhol, to her music career that spawned that record alongside The Velvet Underground. Yep, this is Nico as played by the incredible Maxine Peake. A must see.
As you slide through the pages, you’ll also find chats with cross-genre metal conspirators Apocalyptica, as well as Didirri, Fraser A. Gorman and a bunch of festivals because ‘tis the season, or almost the season. Like ceasing the final cookie in the cookie jar, you can also rejoice in the fact that we have a Fleetwood Mac review inside also.
Grab a beer from the bar, perch up in the corner and get down to the Beat business. We’re waiting.