Shaolin Punk

Well, the Melbourne Fringe was over, but we’d like to give a quick shout-out to Fringe Awards winners and friends of Shaolin Punk, Celia Pacquola (Best Comedy for Am I Strange?) and the Bella Union (Best Venue). Congratulations! We’d also like to wish all the best to other friends of Shaolin Punk, including Scott Gooding’s Eric, Karin Muiznieks’ Give My Regards to Broady, and the Hounds’ Last Bucket of Water.

Keep watching this space for news of upcoming Shaolin Punk exploits, including possible Comedy Festival plans.

For the last Set List of Melbourne Fringe 2008, Gerald and the Monkey Wrenchers graced the stage of the Old Council Chambers, with front man Gerald Anxiety pumping out some of the band’s best-known hits including metal anthem “Gorgon”, tribute to a lost childhood “Wonderland”, and the obscure historical indie-rock single “American Civil War Hot Cakes”. His offsider and rythym guitarist, Phil Innuendo, also sang the haunting “Don’t End Our Love (creepy things you say)” as well as the band’s 1989 track, “Safety Clips”, which was stolen by…well, another band whose lead singer is no longer with us. Let’s leave it at that. Keyboardist Clarisse Glitter and special guest Hepsebah “Nobility” Jones shared the ballad “Plage de nudistes français (oh yeah)”, and then joined in for a special finale: a reprise of the classic benefit song for the silent killer, Feline AIDS, “Get Spayed - Not Kitty AIDS”.

Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the eclectic mix of bands featured at Set List’s first Melbourne Fringe season; we may well bring Set List back in future, but until then, enjoy the music and rock on!

Set List returned on Saturday with a set from jazz legends the Dancin’ Pandas, featuring the smooth musical stylings of Brent Strahan, Matt Mulcahy and Emma Muiznieks, directed by band leader “Marching Band” McKenzie, and starring the vocal, guitar, harmonica and keyboard talents of “Guava” Muiznieks, “Smooth Dan” Walmsley and “Moldova” McClelland. They played hits from their forty year history including the unforgettable ensemble numbers “The River” - a gospel song in which the protagonists took a cheese plate, a fishing rod, a riubber duck and a pantomime horse down to the river - and “Travellin’ Strange”, a blues number describing the joys of travelling via Segway, llama, lava flow and TARDIS.

Set List returns for one final show this Saturday afternoon, 4:30 in the Old Council Chambers, when an as yet unannounced rock band will take the stage and blow your mind. Be there!

Set List’s Melbourne Fringe season kicked off with the return to Melbourne of the folk trio Tulip, Tuberculosis & Spite. Irish-Australian Johnny Spite, tall and taciturn Michael Tuberculosis and the lovely and forward April Tulip, accompanied by the inimitable Set List band, entertained the “we don’t like football” crowd with a selection of their greatest hits including “Greenlass”, “4×4 Over the Horizon”, “My Life In Cats” and “The Ballad of Rory and Fiona”.

Of course, you and I know that Tulip, Tuberculosis & Spite never existed before the show - and never will again, seeing as they were born of the unique combination of Set List performers Ben McKenzie, Dan Walmsley and Karin Muiznieks, and the suggestions which popped out of the brains of the audience.

If you like the idea of a band who’ll write songs on the spot to suit your slightest whim, then be sure to book your tickets now for the final two nights of Set List at Fringe - jazz on October 4 and rock on October 11. See you there!

Well, tomorrow is the first performance for the full premiere season of Set List! Now, we know that a certain semi-popular sporting event may also be occurring at the same time as Set List: Folk; so if you’re not keen on the “Grand” Final, grab your best cardigan and flat cap, warm up your pan pipes, and head on down to Trades Hall for a good ol’ dose of storytellin’ music written on the spot by the Set List band!

Remember, the show starts at 4:30 PM and tickets are available online from melbournefringe.com.au or at the door from the Trades box office in the Bella Union bar. Note that we have moved from performing in the bar itself to the much more intimate surroundings of the Old Council Chambers - and also note that, though it’s listed in the printed programme guide, there is no performance on Sunday September 28!

But should the lure of the ball game prevent you from attending, have no fear: Set List caters for you too! All three principle Set List performers - Karin Muiznieks, Dan Walmsley and Ben McKenzie - will be performing at the (unofficial) 2008 AFL Season Review at Trades Hall on Tuesday night! And yes, there will be a special Set List surprise…

See you over the weekend!