Stravinsky meets Wu-Tang Clan in the Australian Art Orchestra’s To Kill A Magic We Got Used To
“At the heart of To Kill a Magic We Got Used To is a desire to celebrate the early artistic influences I inherited from my family,” says Aaron Choulai, artistic director of the Australian Art Orchestra.
Growing up in 1980s and 90s Port Moresby with a prominent Black artist mother shaped Choulai’s worldview from an early age. “Music, film and literature that was around me as a kid was usually political and spoke about the world from a Black and non-western perspective,” he says. “Watching Spike Lee movies and trying to unravel the wordplay from a Gangstarr album kept me in my room while family, artists, or just people from the neighbourhood came through the house daily to see what my mother was working on, smoke juju, play some guitar, and then be on their way.”
Check out our gig guide here.
But there was another formative influence – his maternal grandfather from German New Guinea. “Half Black and half Chinese, having grown up in a German orphanage, undoubtedly my grandfather was culturally German,” Choulai explains. “Through him I learnt all the Beethoven symphonies, the music of Wagner and the piano playing of Arthur Rubinstein.”
These twin inheritances converge in the AAO’s latest work, To Kill a Magic We Got Used To, a collaboration with freestyle rapper Roman MC. Premiering at the Athenaeum Theatre on November 28, the one-hour performance is based on Stravinsky’s 1918 theatrical piece, L’Histoire du soldat.
“My grandfather’s love for Bach and Beethoven led me to find Stravinsky,” Choulai says. “My mother’s love for Spike Lee and Guru led me to find Charles Mingus and MF Doom. These influences aren’t just musical, they’re cultural, therefore embed themselves in all my work. But, perhaps not as usually on display as in this premiere.”
The Stravinsky piece features a libretto by Swiss French writer Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, based on the Russian folk tale The Runaway Soldier and the Devil. “The Stravinsky work tells the story of a soldier who is on leave,” says Choulai. The soldier is making his way home from duty when he stops by a stream and begins to play his violin. He’s approached by a businessman who makes him an offer. “He says, ‘Look, I’ve got this book that tells the future and I’ll swap you for that violin, but you have to teach me,'” Choulai explains.
Reluctant at first, the soldier eventually agrees to trade his violin for the prophetic book, which he uses to personally enrich himself. But despite his newfound wealth, his life feels hollow. “By the end of the piece, you realise that the violin is representative of the soldier’s soul,” Choulai says, “and the person that he happened to meet was the devil.”
To Kill a Magic We Got Used To retains this allegorical framework, but Choulai and Roman MC have updated the story for the contemporary attention economy. “Roman and I discussed this idea of the algorithm being symbolic of the devil and an artist trading their practice and integrity for the riches that the algorithm can offer,” Choulai says.
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“To Kill a Magic We Got Used To could be described as jazz meets hip-hop meets classical music,” Choulai says. “It could be described as a work that incorporates a unique process in Sono-Kinetic Conducting. It might be a theatre piece, and even though I don’t want to admit it, I could have even written some kind of musical. All the above is true.”
But for Choulai, it runs deeper still. “If you come from a background like mine, you will recognise that this work is culturally coded in language of a postcolonial struggle for identity,” he says. “The Pacific, much like other Black regions, looked towards America in the 80s at an emerging universal Black identity, to find a contemporary sense of self in the aftermath of colonialism. Straight out of Compton sounded like it could’ve been straight out of Port Moresby, to me.”
“Jazz came later while searching for my own identity,” Choulai says. “In hindsight it’s no surprise that it made total sense to me. John Coltrane’s Live at Birdland felt like it was screaming for the same social equity and justice as Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy, and Bill Evans had a touch that could have been mistaken for any of the great pianists known for romantic repertoire.”
“We are a government funded organisation, so we want to make sure that our work is meaningful and has a kind of social and cultural function,” he says. “That takes a lot of thought and care as to, like, what is the important thing to say in Australia artistically in this particular space in creative music for the next five years?”
Choulai took over as artistic director of the AAO following the decade-long tenure of trumpet player Peter Knight. In the last couple of years, he’s overseen collaborations with Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta and Nari Nari songwriter Kutcha Edwards, Kamilaroi percussionist Adam Manning, and Papua New Guinea’s Tatana Peroveta Choir, who hail from Choulai’s home village.
Prior to the AAO gig, Choulai was living out a very different kind of musical dream. “For the 15 years before I undertook this position, I was living in Japan working as a beat maker for hip-hop labels,” he says.
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Partnering with Roman MC on To Kill a Magic We Got Used To proves that Choulai hasn’t left his former vocation behind. “I’m using specific cultural references almost as samples,” he says. “So, we take bits of the Stravinsky work and then I’m flipping them like samples with the band and rearranging things and trying to hide it like you would if you’re making beats.”
He adds, “There’s a couple of times where it’s fairly explicit, where I’m turning a Wu-Tang bass line upside down and really tearing it apart.”
The thread linking all of the AAO’s projects under Choulai is a commitment to honestly engaging with the ensemble’s cultural context. “Australians are diverse in terms of culture,” Choulai says. “Not just your cultural background, but in terms of the culture that we consume. Hip-hop is a culture, jazz is a culture to me, classical music is a culture. And having all of those influences represented in work that is representative of contemporary Australia I think is important.”
To Kill A Magic We Got Used is on at Athenaeum Theatre II on Friday 28 November. Tickets here.
This article was made in partnership with the Australian Art Orchestra.
Melbourne pilates, Zumba and tai chi classes coming free to city parks
Melburnians can access free fitness classes delivered by City of Melbourne between November and April, with sessions spanning everything from Zumba in Kensington to Tai Chi in Carlton and pilates in Southbank. Running monthly across the city’s parks and gardens, the program aims to get residents moving while breaking down cost and time barriers that prevent half of adults in the City of Melbourne from getting enough exercise.
Classes cater to all fitness levels, whether you’re a gym regular, complete beginner or somewhere in between. After working up a sweat, participants get free refreshments and opportunities to connect with community members and councillors, turning each session into a social experience alongside the physical benefits.
Melbourne Fitness in the Park – Pilates, Zumba, Tai Chi + more
- Sunday 30 November, 9am, JJ Holland Park Kensington, Zumba and dance
- Sunday 14 December, 9am, Princes Park Carlton, Tai Chi
- Thursday 29 January, 6pm, Fawkner Park, Yoga
- Sunday 22 February, 8am, Melbourne Square Basketball Court Southbank, Pilates
- Wednesday 25 March, 12:30pm, Docklands Sports Courts, Boxing
- Wednesday 8 April, 11am, City Square, Family Fitness (school holidays)
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
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Sessions run across different venues with varying capacities, so early bookings are recommended. Each location offers something different, from morning Tai Chi in Princes Park to evening yoga at Fawkner Park and lunchtime boxing at Docklands Sports Courts. Family fitness classes during school holidays at City Square provide options for those with kids, making it easier for parents to stay active.
City of Melbourne is positioning the program as a way to make exercise more accessible for everyone, addressing common barriers that stop people from staying active. With time constraints and gym membership costs often cited as obstacles, free outdoor classes in convenient park locations remove those excuses while offering the added benefit of exercising in green spaces.
Classes are designed to keep people motivated through group participation, with research showing that exercising with others makes it easier to maintain consistency. Beyond the immediate fitness benefits, organisers hope the program encourages participants to explore what’s available at Melbourne’s recreation centres, potentially building longer-term exercise habits.
Registration and full program information is available through City of Melbourne’s website, with spots filling up based on venue capacity and activity type. From summer mornings in Southbank to autumn afternoons in Docklands spanning pilates zumba, tai chi and more, the schedule covers different times and locations to suit various schedules and preferences across the city.
For more information, head here.
Freestyle Hip-Hop
Jordan Dennis and Algo.Rhythm team up with the Common Goods band to bring live improvised beats and freestyle hip-hop bars to Misfits (33 Chambers St, Footscray). Featuring STNZA on decks and mystery guests hopping on the mic.
Habibi Hafla presents: Lebanese Indepedence Day
Habibi Hafla and Bodriggy present an afternoon celebration for Lebanon’s Independence Day!
Live performances by Georges El Mir and Sawa Music Band, plus Taal on drums and MzRizk on the decks. Free entry. An afternoon of music, culture, and community vibes — all coming together to uplift and celebrate! The hafle kicks off at 3pm! Live band from 5pm.
Liz Stringer
Off the back of the London launch of her latest album, The Second High, venerated Australian songwriter Liz Stringer is set to return Down Under for an extended run of shows beginning in October.
But this 17-date tour isn’t just an opportunity for Stringer to bring her latest piano-infused, poignant, and deeply vibey offering to her nation-wide fanbase. Presented by Select Music, Remote Control Records and in partnership with Wombat Housing Support Services, the To Survive tour will also act as a campaign to bring awareness to the housing crisis affecting the country and raise much-needed funds for Australia’s most vulnerable.
A long-time advocate for social equity, Liz began to use her platform to highlight the issues faced by young and underprivileged people experiencing housing instability and sleeping rough in Australia after a successful fundraising show for Wombat at Melbourne’s Thornbury Theatre in late 2021.
A renowned storyteller, one of the tracks on Liz’s new record The Second High documents the real-life story of one of the inspirational staff at Wombat. The soaring, anthemic To Survive tells a compelling, visceral tale of a young man’s struggle growing up on the streets of Melbourne, and strength and resilience of the community he represents.
A fitting title, then, for a tour that also celebrates one of Stringer’s most triumphant albums to date, and will no doubt offer the unique catharsis – along with addictive grooves, expert arrangements, and musical and vocal prowess that fans of Stringers’ music and live performance have come to relish and anticipate.
Audiences will be given the opportunity to donate their chosen amount to a local community support organisation using QR codes at each show, to which Liz will also donate personally.
Under one roof to support those with none.
THIS SHOW IS STRICTLY 18+
Sanny Veloo
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a banned Singaporean punk, a Melbourne guitar hero, and a lifetime’s worth of chaos are shoved into one human being, the answer is Sanny Veloo.
Fresh off sold-out shows in Melbourne and Singapore, tearing up the East Coast, supporting Fall Out Boy and British India, and collaborating with Gotye and G Flip, Sanny now unleashes his long-awaited debut album. Produced by ARIA Award-winner Michael Badger, it arrives charged with swaggering riffs, soaring guitar solos, festival-sized choruses and the kind of storytelling that makes even the cynics lean forward.
The night features an outrageously strong support lineup:
Kittyhawks
Ska-punk superheroes whose shows resemble a friendly riot. Triple J airplay. Festival slots. Unreasonably fun.
Danger Den
Darwin-born, Melbourne-based pop-punk energy with heart, hooks and a dog named Daisy who deserves her own award.
Kaiyah Mercedes
At 18, already rewriting the rulebook for indie pop rock. Cinematic, fearless and unforgettable. A future icon in real time.
And here’s the most important part:
Sanny Veloo shows are not normal gigs. They are social laboratories disguised as concerts. People sing with strangers. Arms go around shoulders. By the end of the night, you will absolutely have a new friend, or at the very least, a shared na-na-na moment with someone you’ve never met.
If you want to feel part of something real — something loud, joyful and defiantly hopeful — this is the show.
Come for the riffs.
Stay for the community.
Leave slightly changed.
This is the birth of an album and the beginning of a new moment in Australian rock.
Tongue Dissolver
FRI 5 DEC – Tongue Dissolver, Zipper and Vasta Ruina (hardcore punk from NSW) at Cafe Gummo – $15 on the door / no presales (no one turned away for lack of funds) – R100+ (bands + venue donating $100 to pay the rent).
Twostar
New kids on the block Twostar are playing everyone’s favourite dive bar, Cafe Gummo this month with Broadcasting. Come down for a lovely Sunday!
Naarm Frontline Medics Fundraiser
We’ve got an amazing line up of bands who are joining us for the night. Money raised will be used to keep our medic equipment stocked up and provide resources for the regular OC decontamination training that we’ve been running for the last few years. A portion of the money raised will be donated to some mutual aid and community groups, the details of which are still being finalised. There will also be a raffle with a whole bunch of great prizes that we’ll announce soon.
Drag at Gummo: DRAG AID 10 First Nations & Palestinian Aid
DRAG AID 10 is here! This is our final show for 2025, & we will be raising funds to go to First Nations & Palestinian aid. We have an incredible line-up to ring out an amazing year so book now & don’t miss out!
Guam at Gummo
YABAI HIFI presents a DIY sound system session with selectors & operators on rotation with records from roots, dub , steppers & dubstep. A night of heavy bass bin music pushed by some of Naarm’s best dub selectors.
The Nova Fiends
The Nova Fiends play your favourite local dive bar Cafe Gummo with special guests Sheep Dog and The Ians, doors at 7 don’t be late!
Relays
RELAYS – NEW SINGLE – GET FREE.
(Stream Everywhere And Download For Free At Bandcamp)
When Relays own producer/singer/guitarist Shann Lions was first diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (Now Autism (Under DSM-5) plus Shann also has Dyslexia & ADHD) in 2009 the first other musical artist he came across with the same condition was Craig Nicholls of The Vines.
Shann, Mik and El are all huge The Vines fans and had some time left over when they recorded their yet to be released second album. Mik suggested why not record a Relays version of Get Free from The Vines 2002 album Highly Evolved so Relays look at this track as a homage to loving and being the most authentic version of yourself.
Get Free
Performed By Relays
Mik Weird – Drums/Vocals
El Wellard – Bass/Vocals
Shann Lions – Vocals/Guitar
Produced By Shann Lions
Co-Produced And Recorded By Finn Keane
Mixed And Mastered By Sam Edmonds
Written By Craig Nicholls (Mushroom Music)
Artwork, Design & Photos By Shann Lions
Band Photos By Mauro Trentin
Relays Biography:
Formed in late 2023, Relays are an autistic punk band making noise in all the right ways. In under two years, they’ve dropped a run of raw, non-PC singles that have clocked 30,000+ Spotify streams and earned a reputation as one of the most unpredictable live acts in the Australian underground.
Fronted by autistic, ADHD and dyslexic producer/guitarist Shann Lions, with Mik Weird on drums and El Wellard on bass, Relays balance chaos with precision — blistering punk urgency wrapped in DIY spirit.
Their self-titled debut album, recorded live to two-inch tape at Head Gap with Finn Keane ( Wilco, Courtney Barnett), landed in October 2024 on cassette and vinyl. The release drew international radio play, tastemaker playlists, glowing press, and a slot at Chopped Festival alongside Cosmic Psychos and Delivery.
Since then, Relays have ripped through a 23-date national tour, supported the legendary You Am I (July 2025), and wrapped their sophomore LP — funded by Creative Victoria’s New Music Works — set for release in mid-2026.
With the local scene buzzing, Relays are keeping it loud with a feral cover of The Vines “Get Free”, plus recent shows with The Smith Street Band (All Seasons Bendigo/Djaara), The Meanies (The Tote Collingwood/Wurundjeri & The Bridge Castlemaine/Djaara) and forthcoming show with Magic Dirt (December 12 Tanswells, Beechworth/Pallanganmiddang).
Raw, relentless, and impossible to ignore — Relays are here to rip the paint off Australian punk.
Relays “Get Free” Single Launch Is Friday November 21 At Creatures Of Habit Fitzroy/Wurundjeri. Tickets here.
Mya Rogers
Mya Rogers is hitting the main stage @ Baxter’s from 9pm.
Woody Samson
Woody Samson is hitting the main stage @ Baxter’s from 9pm.
Lewis Ciavarella
Lewis Ciavarella is hitting the main stage @ Baxter’s from 9pm.
Live and Local Hosted by Xander Cuming
Live and Local Hosted by Xander Cuming @ Baxter’s from 9pm.
Showcasing tonight:
Aimee
Samuel Trousi
Amy Schreenan
Viola Filippini
Viola Filippini is hitting the main stage @ Baxter’s from 9pm.