Review of Hunters & Collectors performance at ‘Biennale Arts Festival’ held at Maxy’s, Sydney.

Author: J. J. Adams, RAM.

Date: 14 May 1982.

Original URL: N/A

Article Text

This year’s Biennale Arts Festival in Sydney features a wide range of exhibitions and performances by painters, photographers, mime artists, sculptors, video artists and musicians. Unfortunately, like many arts activities in this country, it has only gained publicity in the daily media after last week’s seizure of an exhibited painting by police acting under the obscenity act. The painting was returned, much to the fury of the Festival of Light who had complained to the policy, people are now ringing up asking where they can see “thta disgusting painting” (which depicts homosexual and heterosexual sex acts) and the Biennale continues on.

The Reverend Fred and his pundits of prudery would have been confused, deafened but probably satisfied with the Biennale show held at Maxy’s. All in all, this event, apart from a dangerous tribe called Hunters & Collectors, was good clean fun. The venue, which in several years of existence has jumped on the disco trend, the roller skating fad and the electronic games fad (as evidenced by the army of games machines outside the main entrance), is now planning to be a regular rock concert forum. A Teardrop Explodes show was cancelled because someone forgot to get a Public Halls License, but it was evident from this show that Maxy’s could turn out to be a top place for music. The roller floors are large and non-slippery, there’s plenty of sitting and lounging space and a large clean amenities area…

[Performances by the Hot Half-Hour Big Band (featuring Equal Local), Gloria and the Go Go’s, Tch Tch Tch and the Human Veins Dance Theatre take place].

Hunters and Collectors brought me bounding back to the dance floor. Since I’d practically worn a hole in their debut E.P. through constant playing, but had been told they didn’t cut it live, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Well, it was only one performance, but what a performance! Vocalist Mark Seymour mightn’t have had too much to say between numbers, but who could blame him? This band with their ability to conjure up a powerful tribal presence through brilliant musicianship (especially the drumming) left everyone speechless, writhing wildly across the floor. If the Flaming Hands have been described as playing ‘voodoo music’, then I could only place blood sacrifice as an act visually powerful enough to accompany this group.

This band are dangerous. Subversive enough to turn the average school dance attendees into bloodthirsty headhunters by the end of the first set. Watch out.

Comments

Thankyou to Tim for typing out this article for us all to enjoy!