With 11 months just about down and one to go, 2009 is almost over. Before end of year celebrations, or commiserations, get too hectic, let's use this opportunity to take a stroll back through the big news stories of 2009. From the devastating to the exhilarating and the bits and pieces in between.

First up, the stories that shocked, saddened or frustrated us:

Global economic crisis: the banks are baled out by the government, the banks award their employees big (BIG) bonuses. Uproar ensues, & rightly so.

Global outbreak of swine flu (H1N1): sneezing is now suspicious behaviour and the sale of mouth and nose masks soar, but perhaps with due reason, the virus has cost thousands of lives.

David Tennant, everyone's favourite Doctor, devastated Whovians around the world when, in 2008, he announced that the end was nigh for his incarnation of the Doctor. 2009 would see his final episodes as the Doctor, he would be time travelling no longer. But he came good when he delighted fans at Comic Con when he kissed John Barrowman.

In May, North Korea defied the 2006 United Nations resolution when it went ahead with a nuclear test that seismologists confirmed had the power of a 4.5 earth quake (source). A move condemned by the wider international community, and described by Susan Rice, U.S Ambassador to the United Nations as "a grave violation of international law".

The news of Michael Jackson's death shocked the world on the 25th of June, gone but not forgotten, he'll always be the King of Pop.

After what will be a 25 year run as reigning Queen of day time television, Oprah announces her plans to call time on her talk show in September 2011. In a similar turn of events, much loved award winning Australian comedian and talk show host Rove McManus announced on his 2009 season finale that the show would be his last. An end of an era was heralded with Rove adapting what has become his weekly show sign off of 'Say hi to your mums for me' this time asking his audience to... 'Say bye to your Mum for me'.

Fortunately, it's not all been so dreary. 2009 has had it's fair share of stuff that falls firmly under the category of things that just make you stop and say AWESOME. Let's take a look at some of the moments that made 2009 an awesome year:

JK Wedding Dance
When Jill Peterson and Kevin Heinz decided to dance their way into wedded bliss they could not have predicted the level of international acclaim that their wedding entrance dance would receive. The video has been watched by millions around the world and has earned them scores of television appearances. The couple have used this exposure positively, setting up an official Jill and Kevin Wedding Dance website where they invite donations to the Sheila Wellstone Institute which aims to eradicate domestic violence. Stop by jkweddingdance.com for more information and to donate. Move over Gisele & Tom, the Wedding Of The Year crown goes to Jill and Kevin!



Obama Becomes President of the United States of America
Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States of America on the 20th of January 2009. Just months later he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Yes We Can!


Photo by SpreePiX - Berlin.


US Airways Flight 1549 Lands in NYC's Hudson River
A US Airways flight on its way to North Carolina was forced to land only 6 minutes after take off after striking a flock of Canadian geese. All 155 passengers on board were successfully evacuated. In New York's Hudson River! Three cheers for the pilot!


Photo by jimdavidson.


Lady Gaga Demands Equality
In between the string of chart topping hits and tearing up the festival circuit, Lady Gaga found time to support the LGBT community and campaign for equality. The the empassioned speech at the National LGBT Equality march? The rendition of Imagine at the Human Rights Campaign National Equality Dinner for Gay Rights? We bow down to you, Lady. Check both spectacular moments below:





Kurt Fearnley Conquers the Kokoda Trail
Defying the odds and proving that with a bit of grunt and determination most anything is achievable, 28 year old paralympian Kurt Fearnley conquered Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. What makes this tale so undeniably impressive is that Fearnley was born without legs and so, using his hands, crawled the 96 kilometre track. And if that's not enough, Fearnley used to trip to raise awareness for Movember.


Photo by 768.



This list is by no means exhaustive, it's not even comprehensive, that's where you come in - what's made your 2009 awesome... or not-so-awesome?

Twilight mania is in full force: Stephanie Meyer is the new J.K. Rowling (move over Hermoine Granger, there is a new head girl in town *ushers in Bella Swan*) and vampires are the latest incarnation of the sexy that Justin Timberlake so kindly brought back for us in 2006. Thanks to Twilight, and in particular Robert Pattinson's Edward Cullen, girls across the world have swiftly moved the focus of their obsession from wizards to vampires.

So how is it that this modern fantasy has achieved such cult status? On the surface the adoration of this series could be put down to it's being an alluring fantasy starring a leading man that ticks all the boxes (powerful? check! bad boy? check! gorgeous? check!), but if one were to look a little deeper, attribution of exactly what it is that has made Twilight a world-wide phenomenon becomes layered and debatable.


Photo by lyk3_0n3_tym3.

The Twilight series is certainly not winning any prizes for liberalism: gender roles remain traditional and the characters chaste in their pursuit of passion. Author, Stephanie Meyer is a Mormon whose religious affiliation becomes relevant when looking at the theme of chastity observed by the lead characters, Edward Cullen and Bella Swan (until the fourth book at least). Could the Twilight obsession have anything to do with attraction to these more conservative themes or is it the flip side of the coin? Are we following Edward and Bella in admiration for their adherence to a chaste relationship or is it the unfulfilled sexual tension that keeps us glued to the screen - are we eagerly awaiting the moment where Bella and Edward fulfill their desire to be together?

Moving past the underlying theme of chastity, one must look to the emotional relationship Bella has with Edward. Bella is a young woman drawn to a man she knows is not good for her, she plays out the well documented lust so many entertain, that of desire for a 'bad boy'. Bella allows herself to be the damsel in distress, as she lusts after a man who will rescue her, time and time again.

"Beyond the allure of forbidden fruit, there is the thrill of being someone else's forbidden fruit - of being desired in spite of it being wrong, or possibly even because it is wrong. It's one thing for one available person to attract another, but what an affirmation of one's desirability and worth to be attracted and pursued by someone who is unavailable, or to be unavailable oneself and yet be pursued by others." Steven D. Greydanus, decentfilms.com


Photo by GeekMom Heather.

It should go without saying that the world-wide obsession with Robert Pattinson goes beyond his physicality. While his aesthetic appeal is undeniable, there must be a deeper and more compelling reason that this 23 year old English actor has set pulses racing across the globe. Is our interest in Edward Cullen one that stems from a desire to win over a man who is struggling with his own self-control, do we simply desire to have a powerful, tortured man fall in love with us despite his best efforts to the contrary?

Sue Bohlin of Bible.org has another idea, she believes that the attraction to Robert Pattinson's character is down to similarity with another leading man, "What struck me as I read Twilight is how much the vampire Edward displays the beauty and strength of the Lord Jesus Christ. No wonder people are attracted to him!" Whether you agree with that sentiment or not, Bohlin strikes a chord that has the potential to be more broadly accepted when she notes, "I believe it's easy to get wrapped up in the transcendent relationship of a god-like figure". This certainly is true, the success of all sorts of ideologies rely on us wanting to put our faith in something greater than ourselves. Is Edward Cullen that something greater for Twi-Fans?

If one were to look to fan-art in an attempt to decode just what is going on in the minds of Twilights most dedicated fangirls, one would only have to glance around livejournal communities and flickr groups to notice common references to being rescued, saved and unconditionally loved.


Photo by i_heart_him.

This sort of fan-art reinforces the damsel in distress fantasy to attain a man who will unconditionally come to your rescue and too that of the desire to enchant a tortured & powerful soul like that of Edward Cullen. Should the question then be raised of whether the idea of a tortured soul is equated to a passionate partner?

Initially, it could be said that Edward's relationship with Bella is about practicing great self-control. Despite his desire to be with her, it is his desire to protect her which is greater. Are we attracted to a partner who cares so much about us that in doing so he denies himself? Perhaps so, but it could also be that we are attracted to a partner who is while powerful, also domineering and controlling.



Do we really want to give power to leading ladies like Kristen Stewart's Bella Swan, who forgoes her independence and gives herself entirely over to a man in the pursuit of love. Is this the ultimate act of love or a brand of romance that modern independent women should be rallying against? Is Bella Swan the positive role model we need young women aspiring to be? Maybe. Maybe, Bella actually indicative of love transcending all odds, true love conquering all.

A final thought on the powerful seductive appeal of Twilight and the Edward and Bella relationship must be on that of attraction to those who are different. In a swing away from admiration for the traditionally popular high school cliques of jocks & cheer girls, there has been a recent uprising of geek-chic. Do we now admire those who skip on the other side of the path, marching to the beat of their own drum? Is this a new brand of liberal thinking that has us appreciating and celebrating difference - is admiration for the vampiric Edward a nod to those who are not usual?

...or maybe we just like the idea of a pale yet sexy English fella biting our neck and sucking our blood...


What do you think?

"Love your planet go organic"

Jo Wood toured the globe for 30 years with the Rolling Stones, now she devotes her time to creating quality organic beauty products.

Inspired by her African heritage and general passion for African culture, Jo's first foray into organic products came in 1989 when she was misdiagnosed with Chrones disease and consequently looked for organic lifestyle products. At this time Jo found that the beauty industry had little in the way of organic offerings and so made the decision to create her own.

From humble beginnings, 2005 was the year that saw Jo launch a "...sophisticated and decadent range". A range that now includes fragrances, bath and body items, gift sets, candles and more. The entire range is certified organic which means the products are better for you and the environment, as organic products do not use chemical ingredients. Everything from the manufacture through to the packaging is considered to ensure the products meet the high standards that allow a brand to be deemed certified organic.

With a commitment to quality products and at price points that are comparable across the beauty product market you can shop safe in the knowledge that Jo Wood's products are a smarter option when it comes to choosing your beauty products.

If that's not enough to convince you that Jo Wood Organics are a smart beauty investment, you can head over to the official website where you are able to 'try before you buy' and request a free sample pack! What's not to love? Click here to learn more.

Photos by Michael Spencer.

Sat in the centre of the stage at London's The Borderline, a harmonica slung about his neck, it's hard to imagine Pete Murray anywhere but here, however, Murray tried his hand at music only after an injury halted his rugby career. Perhaps it is this that endears him to his legion of loyal fans, never having dreamt of super stardom, Murray exudes a comfortable and genuine energy as he converses and interacts with his audience. There is no rehearsed dialogue; there is not even a set list, with the show taking form from crowd prompts, of which there are plenty. Murray introduces Saving Grace, explaining it's "...all about being in a great place in your life, which is right here, right now".

The biggest applause of the night comes after Opportunity, his faux-finale, invoking a sing-along on a magnitude usually reserved for nights around a campfire, even the lads raising their beer filled plastic cups to join in on the chorus. In what was the evening's only show of popstar behaviour, Murray exits the stage at the end of the song. The crowd stays put and continue cheering, having yet to perform his first hit single So Beautiful, they know he'll be back.

A few minutes pass before Murray again takes to the stage to play his encore. As the crowd draws silent, a request from the dark is heard, gently mocking the fangirls that have dictated the evenings set list, the male voice suggests Summer of '69. Murray thanks his audience for their support of him as an independent artist in these parts and tells them he'll be sticking around to sign autographs before closing his set with Please and So Beautiful.


Article originally written for and published by Australian Times.

Image by ceedub13
It's a blustery London evening, but upon stepping into The Borderline in Soho, it could just as likely be a balmy summer evening in the Antipodes. After a seemingly ill-fitting hip hop support act, Blue King Brown, an Australian urban roots outfit, fronted by Natalia Pa'apa'a, took to the stage to rapturous cheers from the crowd, an unpretentious melting pot of straight-from-work types alongside girls and boys in wife-beaters and dreadlocks.

The bands flag, reading 'Positive Movement', flanked the microphone stand, the group filling every corner of the small stage, dressed understatedly with Pa'apa'a's trademark Blade Runner style eye makeup the only notable flourish. What followed was an undeniably captivating blend of reggae, blues and roots fuelled by an outfit equally as passionate for music as they are for social justice.

The anecdotes Pa'apa'a shared in between tracks attested to the groups genuine enthusiasm for the issues that are the backbone of their lyrics. Speaking with the crowd about the groups time spent connecting with indigenous Australian's rural communities and sharing the tribulations faced by traditional land-owners in attaining the right to access their land. Socially conscious and politically driven, Blue King Brown prove able to walk their talk and live their message.

An indisputable highlight of the set came when Pa'apa'a introduced the rest of the crowd and Kiwi bred backing vocalist, Jess, led the women of Blue King Brown in a powerful rendition of Māori Haka chant.

Pa'apa'a closed the set by thanking the crowd for coming together and "celebrating life and music peacefully", a sentiment wholly encapsulating the seamless blend of social awareness and art that Blue King Brown so ardently deliver.


Originally published in the Australian Times, August 11 edition.

• For more info on Blue King Brown, see official Blue King Brown website.
  
  
• Watch Blue King Brown's Stand Up on Youtube.

What do you think of Blue King Brown?

Finding quality espresso and service with a smile can be difficult in London. With so much on offer, it is often difficult to sort the good from the bad while managing to avoid outlaying hard-earned pounds on the trial and error of sampling what so often turns out to be dodgy espresso with a side of attitude from a snarky barista. With this in mind, TL is stepping up to the task of doing the coffee trialling hard-yards and has discovered a gem in Nude Espresso.



Walking into Nude Espresso, a coffee house tucked away in a street behind Spitafields markets, the barista looks up from the order she's creating to greet us right away. Decked out in smart modern decor, Nude is a far cry from the hustle bustle atmosphere one is forced to become accustomed to in most London coffee houses.

The menu is clearly set out on a chalkboard beside the counter and includes all the varieties of coffee you have come to expect as well as, impressively, the flat white which tends to be somewhat elusive throughout London. Magnetic letters stuck to the espresso machine suggest trying an iced coffee, after all, the sun is shining and it is 24 degree outside. If you're not after coffee also on offer are a range of juices, wines and beer. In way of food, it's all made fresh on site each day you have a variety of sandwiches and muffins to choose from. Having sampled the white chocolate and raspberry muffin and a blueberry friand, it is apparent that not only is the focus here on a quality blend of espresso but also in ensuring quality and freshness in their food menu - the muffins could be described as nothing short of delectable. A brunch menu to include eggs Benedict is in the works, so stay tuned for that.

Priding themselves doing simple things well: all of the details are meticulous, right down to coffee art on the crème of the flat white. Nude knows good coffee and understands that the experience is in the details. Nude if the perfect stop for anyone (particularly Aussies and Kiwis, who will appreciate a touch of home) desperately longing for a coffee house that offers a first-rate espresso. Nude will restore your faith in London's ability to deliver that sought after mix of atmosphere, friendly staff and amazing coffee.

Website: www.nudeespresso.com
Location: 26 Hanbury Street
Hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am - 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am - 6pm.


Have you got a favourite London coffee shop? Not from London? What makes you go back to a particular coffee house?

Florence Welch grew up in South London and attended Camberwell Arts College before finding epic success and being thrust into the spotlight as vocalist, leading lady and band name sake of Florence + the Machine. Florence has been compared to Kate Bush as well as having been hyped as one of the biggest acts of 2009, winning the Critics Choice award at the Brits; and with such stratospheric success in the first half of '09, one can hardly argue with the fact that Florence Welch is a force to be reckoned with in the UK pop scene.


Photo by florenceandthemachine

Lungs is the hotly anticipated debut album from Florence + the Machine and includes singles Kiss With A Fist, Dog Days Are Over and Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) as well as a cover of Candi Staton's You've Got The Love.

When taking to the stage what you get from Florence (+ the Machine) is a theatrical experience characterised with exhilarating manic energy that brings their album, Lungs, to life in all of it's enchanted glory. Perfectly encapsulating the dark intensity of the lyrics, Florence captivates her audience, transporting them on a journey of twisted angst and euphoric highs typified in her impressive vocals; building up to epic frenzied crescendos before mellowing, all the time seducing her audience with her blissful intensity. Not one to miss, find out when Florence is performing near you here.

Watch Florence + the Machine - Drumming Song



For more information on Florence + the Machine including tour dates, media store and Biography stop by the official Florence + the Machine website.


What do you think of Florence?

Image by Souder Photography (more Jay & Mark by Souder)

You know that feeling when you know about something super amazing and you have an insatiable desire to shout about it from the roof tops, to share it with the world? Knowing about O'Shea gives you that feeling. If you've been watching Can You Duet, you will already be well aware of O'Shea, the engagingly adorable and undeniably talented husband and wife team that is Mark and Jay O'Shea. Together they form a country duet that has seen them so far reach the final 6 in Can You Duet.

"With Jay's country-soul voice blending perfectly with Mark's country-rock sensibilities, it's a match made in heaven." The Real O'Shea

Originally from Australia and both successful performers in their own right, Mark and Jay have called Nashville home for the last 2 years. If you are in the Nashville area, you can catch their regular gig playing The Blue Bar each Wednesday. If not, tracks such as Alone and Empty (listen out for an impressive example of Jay's powerhouse vocals at the end of this one) are available to listen to streaming from their myspace and available to download for just $0.99 (USD) each. Their album is also available to download and at just $5 USD), it's an absolute steal. And a heads up: if you subscribe to their mailing list (you can do this at their myspace), not only be kept in the loop on all things O'Shea, you'll score a free mp3 too!

For those of you in the United States - O'Shea have a great competition running at the moment where you can text into 66937 to get an O'Shea ringtone as well as going into the running to win an iPod shuffle! Check out the details:

Be sure to tune into CMT's Can You Duet to cheer on O'Shea, Saturdays at 8/7c! Have you seen O'Shea on Can You Duet? What do you think?

Ormonde Jayne Ormonde Man
Originally uploaded by Nathan Branch

Elegance can be attained as simply as in the spritz of an amazing fragrance, and when it comes to fragrances, Ormonde Jayne have elegance and luxury well and truly covered. A niche perfumery based in London's Royal Arcade just off Old Bond Street, Ormonde Jayne offer a tantalising and empowering range of bold scents that will transport you to a place of sumptuous bliss with every spritz.

The Ormonde Jayne range includes not only luxury perfumes but also scented candles and a bathing collection that is entirely free of parabens, sulphates, petrochemical, GM ingredients, mineral oils and colourings; all of which is manufactured in their London laboratory.

Linda Pilkington, founder of Ormonde Jayne, says: "In creating Ormonde Jayne, my goal was to combine elements which I consider define true elegance: the quality of English craftmanship, the art of French perfumery and the sensuality and natural harmony of the Orient"

DSCN3866
Originally uploaded by treslola

Ormonde Jayne describe their philosophy as one of '...quality and true luxury, the pursuit of beauty and elegance', the Ormonde Jayne range uses rare oils and botanical extracts internationally sourced from locations as far and wide as Madagascar to Morocco. This is quality perfume at it's very best and where better to discover your signature scent? Ormonde Jayne's sample programme is an innovative concept in perfumery that allows you to take a trip through a world of exotic and impossibly chic fragrances, even if you can not get to their London store, meaning those of you outside of the United Kingdom aren't going to miss a thing. Priced at £35 (GBP) and with complimentary worldwide shipping, Ormonde Jayne prove themselves to be the smart girls choice when it comes to elegant perfumery.

The sample programme is described by Ormonde Jayne as a "...complete and comprehensive guide to the Ormonde Jayne fragrance library ... [consisting] of all 11 perfumes decanted into mini sprays ... accompanied [by] a brochure explaining each scent, the Ormonde Jayne philosophy, history and all contact details". See the Ormonde Jayne website for more details and to order your own sample programme from Ormonde Jane.

Zizan Bottle
Originally uploaded by treslola

It may be intended for the sophisticated man who appreciates quality fragrances but Tres Lola loves and recommends Zizan: in the same way you might put a black leather biker jacket over a sassy floral mini dress, Zizan is the perfect scent for the spunky girl who desires a bold scent. Zizan as described by Ormonde Jayne:

"Zizan, a perfume like no other because it has everything a man could possibly want in a single spectacular scent. This is a powerhouse perfume. Expect a deluge of boisterous Sicilian lime, lemon and bergamot but to smooth the biting edge, a brilliantly refined concentration of vetiver ... Zizan belongs to the domain of the worldly, highly sophisticated and cultivated. It also belongs to the strategist - the man who knows how to seduce."


What do you think of Ormonde Jayne's perfume range and their sample programme concept?

It was the sunshine beating down on the tent that woke us up this sunny Glasto Sunday. Having discovered the joys of a Greenfields start to the day, we trundled across Worthy Farm, to fuel up with a big vegetarian breakfast and get gossiping over the super exciting Sunday line up.

Enter Shikari
Originally uploaded by wonker

First stop of the day was the Other Stage for Enter Shikari. Their set was high energy and their lyrics politically motivated, delivering a powerful anti-war message to their crowd. Before playing 'Fanfare Of The Conscious Man', front man Roughton Reynolds urging the crowd to join in the chorus, "We'll be together against this / We'll be forever against this". A glitch with one of the guitars meant the set was cut slightly short but this did nothing to dampen the mood of the crowd as they went into their final song and recent single 'Juggernaughts'.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Originally uploaded by wonker

Next up on the Other Stage were the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and their colourful front woman, Karen O, dressed in a cape with tights and a large feathered headdress. Their set included a mixture of tracks from their most recent album (It's Blitz) as well as older fan favourites. Karen O's impressive gleeful enthusiasm made for an exciting set, she ran about the stage, swallowing the microphone and shouting out to her crowd in between songs. Following the Yeah Yeah Yeahs came Bat for Lashes with another quality woman of music in way of Natasha Khan who took to the stage in a rainbow coloured sequined leotard, black feathered sleeves black fingerless lace gloves and some fabulous eye shadow. Khan's vocals were compellingly haunting and made for a mellow yet intense folk-pop set.

nick cave at the pyramid
Originally uploaded by digitaura

Next up it was off to the Pyramid Stage for Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. After finding a neat little spot to lay the picnic blanket (which so happened to be the Sainsbury's bag that had been carrying our, now mostly consumed, liquid lunch) we were all set for the perfect evening of music and eye candy. Seeing Nick Cave felt like one of those experiences you had to keep pinching yourself to believe was real (Whoa! It's Nick Cave! Am I really here? It's NICK CAVE!), it was Nick Cave and we were really there. After dedicating the set to the late great.... Farrah Fawcet, Nick Cave, looking dapper in pinstripes, delivered a set of 14 songs as the sun set over Worthy Farm. Come the end of the set it was time to evacuate the Pyramid stage before the crush of Blur fans descended for the much hyped Sunday headlining performance. For me, however, the Dance Village was where it was at as I geared up for what I expected to be the highlight performance of my Glastonbury: Peaches.

By the time I had made it to Glastonbury's Dance Village, night had fallen and the atmosphere was one of hot, sticky anticipation for the feisty glam-shock queen of electronica, Peaches. She arrived in style: her face hidden behind a (soon to be removed) gimp mask, rocking a leotard and big hair. The high energy set included tracks from her new album, I Feel Cream. Peaches embraced the sweaty masses and dove into her crowd, surfing her way to the tents centre rig where she scaled it to dizzying heights. Returning to the stage, Peaches whipped her audience into a crazed frenzy as she demanded all tops come off; something has to be said for a woman with the power to undress her audience. Peaches truly delivered.

Our next and final destination for Glastonbury 2009 was the night life of Trash City and Shangri-La. The highlight was undoubtedly Empress Stah who performed an acrobatic trapeze set, writhing about while suspended above the crowd. Twirling her body around a hula hoop, leaving the crowd gasping 'Did she just..!?' as she channelled her inner vampire, taking blood from her arm, proceeded to inject it into a cup and drink it before continuing her awe-inspiring set. Nothing that followed could come close to being as insanely and shockingly brilliant as Empress Stah and so we moved along for a final wander through the night time wonderland that was Trash City, popping into a tent to have a gander at three brass players accompanying a man on piano before heading for a chai and retiring for the evening. Walking back to our tent through the mostly empty fields, only Michael Jackson tunes could be heard blasting from a random kebab stall. Glasto 2009 was done, all that was left was to pack up, do the epic stalled journey back to London and look forward to next year.


What was your favourite memory from Glasto's Sunday line up? Not there? Who do you wish you could have seen?

Britney Spears, O2 Arena, London
Originally uploaded by twinkleboi

Not letting London's unfortunately timed tube strike, and subsequent transport chaos, be a deterrent, excited Britney fans filtered into the forecourt of the O2 Arena: a space that had been transformed into a fair ground carnival; complete with carousel, giant slides, a ferris wheel and stilt walking feathered-up showgirls.

In order to accurately set the scene, one can not go past the fashion adorning the Britney fans as they mulled about the O2. An aesthetic perhaps best described as what would result if the high street chain stores threw up at a carnival: girls in tiny minis and giant heels, latex-esque black tights and loose fit vests, ugg boots over skinny jeans teamed with an open flanno, a ton of leopard print and a sprinkling of fabulously androgynous looking ladies.. or gents? The pre-show entertainment was as much about observing the style of those clambering about the carnival rides as it was about enjoying those rides.

Britney Spears - Circus Tour
Originally uploaded by samlavi

Inside of the arena the capacity crowd took their seats. The show was in-the-round, with a large round stage, draped in deep purple and red curtains, in the centre of the arena and two smaller adjoining round stages to the left and right.

Support act, Ciara, performed a disappointingly underwhelming set, largely compromised of writhing and gyrating her fishnet and leotard clad body about the stage. She used the time between her songs for haughty self-promotion, ("...follow me on twitter! ... Did you know my album, Fantasy Ride, is out now?!") rather than attempting to properly engage with the crowd. For whatever reason and despite impressively strong vocals throughout the set, Ciara chose to lip-synch over a backing track for crowd favourite: Love, Sex & Magic - sporadically singing bursts of lyrics throughout the track. Undoubtedly a talented vocalist and strong dancer, Ciara failed to genuinely connect with an audience that she could quite easily have had eating out of the palm of her hand.

Britney Spears - Circus Tour
Originally uploaded by samlavi

Following (and making up for) Ciara was The Big Apple Circus who brought with them a high energy circus ambiance for what was a tantalising set of juggling, hooping, punked-up skating clowns, ribbon twirling and acrobatics. Impressive and exciting, the Big Apple Circus proved the perfect way to energise the crowd for the imminent arrival of reigning Queen of Pop, Britney... and who better to introduce Ms Spears to her eager and excited audience than the Queen of All Media himself, Perez Hilton? Appearing as a cherub and acting as ringmaster in this circus, a video introduction was projected onto the stage.

Britney Spears - Circus Tour
Originally uploaded by samlavi

Bursting onto the stage with her albums title track 'Circus', Britney reaffirmed her status as the premiere darling of pop and cemented her status as a show-girl comparable to no other. Her show every bit the spectacle fans hoped an expected it to be, performing a selection of songs from both her most recent album as well as a smattering of hits from her back catalogue. A highlight of the show saw Britney slow the pace as she was suspended above her stage to perform moving rendition of Everytime. Hits including Boys, Gimme More, I'm a Slave 4 U and Toxic followed; as did costumes changes from pretty bollywood inspired harem pants to sequinned bloomers to leotards.

She closed her set dressed as a police woman, compete with cuffs and a baton, for an encore performance of Womanizer. Thanking her crowd, Britney's voice was young, girly and playful, reminiscent of the girl that first wowed international audiences with Hit Me Baby One More time all those years ago. She may have fallen from grace - but it was undeniable - she's bold, brilliant and absolutely back.

Have you seen Britney's Circus Tour? What did you think? What's your favourite Britney song of all time??

After an overwhelmingly wonderful start to the Glasto experience, my first day ended with some exploration of the after-dark wonderland that is Shangri-La. I retired to my tent around 2am, not due to any particular debauchery (unless you believe dancing to Michael Jackon in the reggae tent to be such an activity) but more down to the fact that our tent site was parked up on possibly the furthest spot from Shangri-La. At 6am I woke up to an impromptu guitar acoustic session by our, apparently rather talented songstress, tent neighbour Lois Winstone. Feeling surprisingly chipper it was off to the water basins for a make-shift open-air cold water splash down before grabbing my glasto buddy, Petra, and heading for the Greenfields to indulge in some hippy love and a big veggie breakfast (where we were asked by the most adorable young hippie lad how it was we liked our eggs). We fast discovered Greenfields is where it's at for decent brekkie tucker and vowed to make this a daily occurrence for the remainder of the festival.

Having eaten enough to keep us going well into the early evening it was off to explore some more of the camp site before stopping into the Other Stage for Jason Mraz. The sun was well and truly shining over Worthy Farm and throwing cups of water over the now sweaty crowd awaiting Jason Mraz seemed the only way to keep cool. When Mraz took to the stage his look was laid back and somewhat reminiscent of John Butler, minus the dreads. He worked his crowd with his smooth vocals and charisma, a favourite for so many and it's not difficult to see why: the saying that lads want to be him and ladies want to do him is particularly pertinent when referring to Jason Mraz. His set culminated with a performance of his recent single "I'm Yours" cleverly extended with the inclusion of a cover of Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" worked into the end. Telling the crowd to sing along to the lyrics 'Every little thing, is gunna be alright' so that even London could hear, saw the congregated masses comply with shouty enthusiasm, leaving one to conclude that we must've got close to achieving just that.



After Jason Mraz it was back to the place we had dubbed 'bliss face hippy central', otherwise known as Greenfields. Some chill time was needed to cool down after Mraz's sun drenched Other Stage set. Solace was found in a tent that saw indie artists including an Irish folk singer and quirky English guitar playing songstress. We made a quick stop in at Climate Camp for a chat, signing of a well wishes poster for the Drax 29 folk and to check out their campaign exhibition before heading back to our tent to change & refresh for the evenings line up of Passion Pit, Florence and the Machine and Bruce 'The Boss' Springsteen. On our trip across the festival site, we inadvertently ran into Dizzee Rascall playing to a ridiculously packed Pyramid Stage crowd and as we snaked our way through the masses we were treated to his tribute medley of Michael Jackson tunes. We were at our camp site by the time he played Bonkers but it was audible, as was the outrageously huge roar of his crowd. Dizzee is one of 2009's hottest pop acts and judging by his crowd pulling power at Glasto, he's here to stay.

Our Saturday evening begun with Passion Pit over at the John Peel stage. Passion Pit seemed to be one of those acts that were quite hyped but not remarkably well heard of otherwise. Quirky electronica style pop seems to be the way for Passion Pit, and it worked. Following Passion Pit in the John Peel tent was the also much hyped, and rightly so, Florence and the Machine. From the moment Florence took to the stage, right through until she gracefully said her goodbyes, she captivated her audience with her intoxicatingly angsty lyrics and euphoric vocals. She impressed too, as she climbed the stage rig in her heels. Flame red hair, black hotpants and a cape - Florence was not only insanely tantalising to hear live but a vision too. A true treat!

We couldn't help repeating the words 'AMAZING' as we made our way from the John Peel stage over to the Pyramid stage to secure our position for the act that seemed to be on everyones 'must see' list: Bruce 'The Boss' Springsteen. The crowd was already huge and it was nothing if not a challenge worming our way through to our mates who had holed up by the sound stage. Bruce Springsteen lived up to all that everyone had hoped him to be and won the crowd over with a mammoth set list of 26 songs. Charming the pants off what seemed like the entire crowd (ladies and gents alike) - Springsteen reaffirmed what his screaming crowd already knew to be true: that he still is a truly world class performer!

What a way to draw Saturday to a close - after realising our attempt to reach Shangri-La and Trash City was set to be ill-fated, we grabbed some refreshments at Solidarity bar and had a dance in backstage before calling it a night.


Where you at Glastonbury? Who was your stand-out performer on Saturday? If you weren't at Glasto, who would you have most wanted to see?

Emotions on the morning of Friday 26 June were mixed, having switched onto BBC Radio 1 for a Glasto weather update, the mood was unusually sombre on the Chris Moyles show and there was a lot of discussion around Michael Jackson. When the words 'rest in peace' were uttered before playing Man in the Mirror it took a moment to sink in - Michael Jackson had died - and it was raining at Worthy Farm - not that these two facts were comparable by way of scale, but neither of which were things I had hoped to hear.

Glastonbury Festival 2009 - Tent City
Originally uploaded by Glasto_2009

My pre-Glasto excitement has been dampened but with absolutely no disrespect to the solemn and sad day this was, last minute errands meant my mind was soon back on the task at hand - I was on the way to my first ever festival experience: Glastonbury 2009. I arrive at Paddington with 30 minutes until my train departs and I still need to get cash, phone credit, caffeine, wet wipes and to find Petra, a fellow festival virgin and my glasto buddy... Cue mad rush. Miraculously, I managed not to miss my train.

A train, shuttle bus and several hours later we found ourselves at Worthy Farm. Within 20 minutes of setting foot on the muddied site we had picked up our press wrist bands, pitched our tent and were down at the Pyramid stage to catch Regina Spektor's set. Charmingly gracious, Regina Spektor, sat at her piano with her lips stained a seriously sexy shade of red. She won the crowd over with her undeniably stirring vocals together with some impressive multi-tasking: one song saw her beating a drum while playing piano and singing. Regina closed her set with a playful rendition of Fidelity that had even the cider-lubricated lads singing along throughout the choruses. Regina's brand of quirky mellow pop proved a fitting start to my festival experience, next stop was to the press pen to pick up our passes.

lily
Originally uploaded by sshingler

After a somewhat irksome exchange with Glasto security (Us: is the press area this way? Him: Yes, but you need your passes. Us: we have our press wrist bands but we need to go pick up our passes, we've just arrived. Him: You can't come in without your pass. Us: ...but don't we need to pick up our passes from the press tent? Him: Oh... off you go then *ushers us in and points in general direction* Us: Thanks *stifled giggles*). Once we had our passes it was off to discover a bit more of the site before heading back to the Pyramid Stage for Lily Allen. A definite crowd puller: for the ladies it was all about the stream of pop hits and for the lads it was the sexy purple jumpsuit. The highlight of the set had to be Lily's dedicating Fuck You to the BNP, and presumably, those who voted them in; not a BNP supporter in sight, or so it seemed as the crowd went wild and sang along to the tune. Lily's set was nothing mind-blowing and presented nothing unexpected but she did was she does well and it made for the perfect afternoon sing-a-long session as the glasto crowd warmed up for an evening of difficult choices (Neil Young, The Specials, Lady Gaga, Bloc Party, The Streets, Jamie T?!).

Glastonbury Festival 2009 - Sky with flags
Originally uploaded by Glasto_2009

Petra and I opted for Lady Gaga and Neil Young to round out our first day of Glasto. Lady Gaga made the Other Stage her theatre: warming up her crowd with a clip entitled 'Candy Warhol' before taking to the stage in what was the first of 5 bizarrely extravagant costumes, proving Glasto is absolutely as much about the fashion as the music. Opening with Paparazzi, she had her crowd captive from the moment she took to the stage. The highlight of Lady Gaga's set has to have been her extended rendition of Poker Face that begun with a stripped back version of the song, Lady Gaga on piano, proving she was more than just a pretty young thing in wacky outfits but at the same time leaving the crowd slightly anxious (Is this it? Isn't she going to do the version we know & love?!). Not one to disappoint, Lady Gaga burst into the radio release version of Poker Face that we all know and love before bidding the crowd farewell. This high-energy set was pop at it's most excessively fabulous and on this poptastic note it was onto another brand of music entirely: Neil Young was topping the Friday bill over on the Pyramid stage.

Originally uploaded by russelljsmith

Neil Young took to the stage in a black tshirt adorned with the Aboriginal flag and proved he still packs a punch and pulls a massive adoring crowd. An undeniable highlight of this years festival for so many, this music veteran and Glasto first-timer had the crowd rocking along with a stellar set list. As Friday drew to a close, Neil Young suitably had the crowd shouting along to Rocking In The Free World, proving his stamina and leaving the crowd cheering for more even after all those additional choruses. An encore cover of the Beatles A Day in the Life and it was time for Young to go, having managed to break most every string on his guitar. Legendary.

That's it for the round up of Friday at Glastonbury 2009, check back for Saturday and Sunday reviews, coming soon to Tres Lola.

Were you at Glastonbury this year? What was your highlight from Friday?

Your work load is relentless, your motivation is waning and the afternoon is dragging - no matter what your job or study entails, chances are you will be familiar with this feeling. If you work in an environment that requires you to spend a lot of time in front of a computer, staying focused and on-task for hours at a time can be a struggle and not at all conducive to productivity. Taking a break away from your desk can take the sort of time that you don't have and there are only so many cups of tea you can distract yourself with; luckily the internet offers a plethora of work-safe websites that offer the perfect mini-break in your work day.

Next time you don't have the time to leave the office but need a few moments to recharge your energy and motivation, take a look at these great online offerings and share your own work-safe favourites in the comments:

Starbucks
Originally uploaded by JNSL

147xxxx
Life from the eyes of a Starbucks Barista - ever wanted to know what they're really thinking when you order your drink... or would you like to hear about some of the stranger customers they have wander through their doors? Bizarre customers and the tale of many a coffee order, served up with a dash of frustration and illustrated with humorous anecdotes.

1000 Awesome Things
This blog is a work in progress on its way to chronicling 1000 awesome things. Skip back through the archives and you'll find yourself agreeing with the sentiment and appreciating all those little awesome things life throws your way.

F My Life
Think you're having a tough day? So are these guys & girls - gain a bit of perspective, commiserate or maybe even post your own FML.

xkcd

xkcd

Great little web comic created by a fellow named Randall Munroe whose 'About' page is rather an interesting read. xkcd is updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday - perfect for that mid-afternoon giggle.

Overheard in New York
Snippets of hilariously comical and utterly bizarre conversations from the mish-mash of people that find themselves in New York City.

Overheard in the Office
Some of the conversations on here will leave you feeling a little pleased that you're not overhearing this type of chatter in your own corner of office space... or maybe you are? Go on then, share!

Natalie Dee
Hand drawn single image comic with off-beat, dry humour. The archives date back years and years so there is plenty of giggling for you to catch up on and share with those who also need a bit of a cheer up.




What are your favourite go-to websites when you need a few moments to re-energise and push on through the rest if the day?

green leaves
Originally uploaded by butters stotch

A big part of what holds us back from adopting new concepts is a lack of understanding. When it comes to embracing sustainability, this is one issue we can not afford to be uninformed about. Complacency, particularly in regards to matters of environmental sustainability, will cost us our way of life and so it's really important for us all to make sure we know as much as we can and in turn, do as much as we can.

We've all got recycling and conserving electricity down pat by now and so it's time to delve a little deeper. We know that when it comes to travel, taking a lot of flights is detrimental to our earth - we also understand that when it comes to the earths natural resources, there are some very dubious practices being carried out by big corporates in third world countries - while we sometimes have no choice but to take a long haul flight and while we too can not stop big businesses immoral practices, we can focus our attention on making positive choices as consumers by staying informed about eco-friendly brands.

Let's take a look at one company that has realised the importance of environmental sustainability and as such has become the first beauty company to offset their carbon emissions under The Carbon Neutral programme. With her carbon neutral beauty, Louise Galvin is bridging the gap between beauty and sustainability and proving that these two concepts are not mutually exclusive. Her revolutionary beauty company gives us a smarter option and is is proof that we can be passionate about both beauty and the environment.

With 20 years colour industry experience and counting Sophie Dahl and Patsy Kensit amongst her many admirers, London based Louise Galvin, combined her beauty experience and her passion for the environment to create the Louise Galvin Sacred Locks line. When it came to creating this line of luxury hair care products, her vision was clear: no animal testing, use of ingredients that are natural or naturally-derived only and for any greenhouse gases produced in the manufacture of the line to be neutralised. An impressive ambition and incredible step forward for the beauty industry. This unprecedented move is no doubt pathing the way for the future, not only of businesses within the beauty industry, but across all industries.

So what does this mean for us as consumers? When it comes to beauty products we look for several key aspects of a brand: value for money and quality of product to name a few. Delivering natural products of the highest calibre, the Louise Galvin Sacred Locks range proves that sustainablity need not be at the expense of any other facet of the brand. The range showcases quality products that have been produced without detriment to the environment and that leave your hair nourished and glossy.

'Less is more,' says Louise. 'Maximum impact with minimum effort.'

This brand shows it is not going to take huge lifestyle choices for us to ensure that we are eco-friendly in each part of our life, including our beauty routine.

Click here to learn more about Louise Galvin's Carbon Neutral Beauty and her Sacred Locks line.

Click here for more information on the Carbon Neutral Company and their role in assisting businesses offset their emissions.

Click here for The Carbon Neutral Company's overview on Climate Change covering all need-to-know the basics.


Are the environmental practices of a company important to you when making a choice as to whether you will purchase their product? What do you think of Louise Galvin and her Sacred Locks line, have you / will you try the range?

Record
Originally uploaded by internets_dairy

Teetering on the brink of a alternative fantasy realm & a more exciting reality is London's MCM Expo. The scene is set in vivid colour in a scene that could best be described as Halloween on steroids. The mood is one of playful self-expression, excited comfort & jovial energy.

An exhibition dedicated to Movies, Comics and Media; this event sees the worlds of comics colliding with sci-fi and fantasy and the result is two days of panel discussions, exhibition stands with memorabilia and kitsch handmade goodies (wallet made from a laminated comic page, anyone?), group gaming sessions, cosplayers sword battling & posing with fans, world record attempts & autograph sessions with sci-fi stars....

MCM provides a playful & accepting space in which your inner geek is given free reign to come out & partake in the merriment. The event allows this subculture to take centre stage at London's Excel Centre and standing amongst the costumed crowd taking in the animated atmosphere that is omnipresent in this makeshift playground, one question comes to mind: why isn't our world a little more colourful & costumed every day?

Some highlights the expo boasted were a panel discussion with the cast of Merlin, a Guinness World Record attempt, Gareth David Lloyd signing autographs at the Torchwood stand (!) and appearances by Tony Curtis and Linda Hamilton.


Have you ever been to MCM London or a similar event? What is your geek prowess? Are you a sci-fi girl, anime fan... or something in between?

Forget trawling through countless online stores in search of the elusive item that is the current focus of your aesthetic affections - everystyle.co.uk has taken the hassle out of finding fashion online by bringing the latest looks that are available from your favourite high street stores together at the one online destination. As Every Style is a fashion search engine rather than a retailer, if you find an item you would like to purchase, you are given the option to 'Visit Shop' at which point you click through to the store website (eg. Topshop) to purchase direct from the retailer.

Every Style allows you to search a database of clothes from high street stores including Top Shop, Miss Selfridges, Warehouse, Dorothy Perkins, House of Fraser and many more using key words (such as Playsuits, Cardigans or Flip Flops) and further filtering by colour, sale price and store. Alternatively, you can browse Every Style by the category you are after, for example, dresses, jeans, shorts, shoes or lingerie. A top feature of the browsing function is the 'on sale' section under each category, allowing you to browse through the items currently selling at reduced prices.

You are given the option to create an account with Every Style and part of the registration allows you to give your clothing sizes so that the site searches you make are tailored to render results containing items that you can actually wear. Other benefits of joining the Every Style fashion network include being able to favourite items, share with a friend, create a look made up of a number of different items to share with other members, make comments and rate individual pieces.

The Every Style home page features a 'Just Reduced' section so that you can catch the latest & greatest sale goodies and there is also a 'Most Popular' section too, great if you love to ensure you're on top of all the latest trends. Perhaps the single most useful part of Every Style & no doubt it's draw card feature for many, is that it allows you to compare across a number of retailers with ease, ensuring you are getting the best deal every time.


Do you like the concept of a fashion search engine, will you use Every Style?

XBOX 360 Gamer Girl
Originally uploaded by miss fawn

Again with a bit of banging on about the recession, it's been a bit of a blow to our once acceptable lady habit of shopping, right? Well, Tres Lola has recently discovered a fabulously revolutionary website that allows us girls to e-window shop & scoop a bargain. It's informative - offering pages that cover the ins and outs of products as well as offering product comparison across a huge range of online retailers, meaning in just a few clicks you can ensure you are getting the best price on whatever it is you've been lusting after!

Using Shop Wiki
It's super simple to use this website: simply type the product into the search panel at the top & centre of the page. For example Wii Fitness, you will be presented with a list of search results that link you to pages dedicated to the product you searched for. These pages specify different online retailers that stock the product, a link to product reviews as well as the price point - giving you truly unbiased price comparisons in mere seconds - takes the leg work (or uh... finger work) out of shopping around for the best buy and with the internet so littered with websites operating behind a faux neutral mask, this is the beauty of Shop Wiki, they truly are all about the enabling us as consumers to make the best choice. Thumbs up Shop Wiki!

Case Study: Gamer Girl Wii Style!
Ok, so let's wheel out an example. Are you one of those girls that just doesn't get video games? For editorial purposes, let's go with yes. Nintendo Wii is a good place to start for video games so if you take a look at the Nintendo Wii wiki page, you will be able to learn all about product (it's background, how it works, the specs & links to further info) - it's pretty comprehensive. Once you're up to speed with the whys, whats & hows - you best be checking out all the jazz you can snap up to go along with your potential new Nintendo! After all, what is Wii without Games & Accessories? Why not kill two birds with one stone & learn Wii gaming while getting fit - hello Wii Fitness!!

Not so much a gamer girl? Well, never fear, with 196091415 products to search (at time of writing), there is sure to be something Shop Wiki can help you size up. Handbags? Shoes? Avoiding dreaded buyers remorse ("I can't believe blahblah has it for $15 cheaper!" - sound familiar?) - eshopping tool smart with Shop Wiki!


Have you discovered Shop Wiki yet? Has it helped you scoop a bargain??

It was not too long ago that Rocky Horror was considered a shocking & explicit dark fantasy, tiptoeing it's fishnet clad legs along that line between reality and... the rest; a transgressive piece of musical theatre exploring sexuality and the loss of innocence. These themes remain, but, if it were rewritten today, the shows transsexual's would no longer hide under the guise of an alien existence- the contemporary audience (if ticket sales and standing ovations are anything to go by) are all too willing too accept Frank and his cohorts- just. as. they. are. And, come the finale, there was more then one audience member with a glint in their eye that just screamed "Beam me on back to your planet, Riff Raff!". But they were not hiding to begin with, they were simply satirising the culture of B grade science fiction flicks, right? Script aside, this latest offering of the cult classic, directed by Gale Edwards, uses a formula of a simple set plus a brilliant, attractive (and-waxed-to-within-an-inch-of-their-lives) local cast to add a dash of glam and a whole lot of fun. The result is a two and a half hour party; sexy and exciting: a spectacle in every sense.

As the story goes, Frank n Furter, the sweet transvestite, and his delightful minions; Riff Raff, Magenta and Columbia, have left their dark, sexually outrageous and oh so glamorous existence on the the planet Transsexual, to come to Earth. Introduce the very epitome of purity; the all American sweethearts, Brad & Janet. What follows is several hours of titillating, sexual awakening. The ultimate tale about the loss of innocence, if you like.

iOTA is a much hyped local talent and he certainly proves his worth in this role. As this productions answer to Tim Curry, he steps into those glittery stilettos oozing a sexy charisma and confident charm. Commanding his audience with equal measures of bold passion and raw energy- his audience and fellow Transylvanian's alike observe an excited, yet slightly fearful subservience to their bold leader.

A nod of acknowledgment must go out to Simon Farrow and Kellie Rode for their rendition of Toucha Toucha Touch Me. The two make a most attractive and sizzling pairing, so much so that one would be forgiven for wondering where to look - has there ever been such a remarkably well built Rocky and, for that matter, Janet (hows about those abs Ms Rode?!)? This scene is enough to give the audience their very own sexual awaking as it confronts one with the question of just who is more of a picture of perfection: the once innocent, yet now perfectly vampy young Janet, or the adorably daft tanned Adonis that is Rocky?

As for the rest of the cast; As Magenta, Tamsin Carrol is suitably strong in her annunciation and bold in her characterisation. Her rendition of Science Fiction Double Feature is compelling. Sharon Millerchip complements Carrol with her energetic depiction of the zany Columbia. She is simply adorable. Michael Cormick is much acclaimed and as he rocks out as Eddie, it's not difficult to see why. He proves impressive versatility in his other role, Dr Frank. Paul Capsis's Riff Raff
is spot on; creepy with disloyal intentions. Brad Walters, a character apparently difficult to cast for this production, is played Andrew Bevis who is suitably naive and straight laced.

John Waters puts in a solid performance as the narrator, as expected. His dialogue haunting, during the final scene. Catching a glimpse of Waters in red satin knickers and heels for the Time Warp at curtain also deserves an honourable mention. He has legs that would make most women envious! And finally the phantom chorus: prowling the theatre, even before the curtain is drawn, they set a mood of excitement and naughtiness. Risque, glamorous and utterly delightful!

Worth every cent of the ticket price. This production is an absolute thrill a second. Sensational from cast to costuming! A must see for seasoned fans and Rocky virgins, alike.

Related Video

Interview on Mornings (Australian talk show) with the cast.

There's a buzz word in the Australian musical theatre scene right now, it's iOTA. If that name doesn't mean anything to you yet, it will soon & you'll be wondering why someone hadn't whispered it in your ear sooner. An accomplished singer songwriter with several ARIA nominations, iOTA's most recent offering is "Beauty Queen Of The Sea". His sound is rather undefinable but a few words that come to mind are haunting and dramatic. He has a raw energy and soul that is captured even in his studio albums. He oozes authenticity that is rarely seen, or heard.

iOTA begun his foray into musical theatre with his acclaimed role in the cult musical, "Hedwig and The Angry Inch". A performance that saw him awarded the Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor In A Musical beating the likes of Hugh Jackman. This proved a valuable stepping stone to his next two roles, Berlin, a Sydney Dance Company production and his current role as Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, currently showing at Sydney's Star City Casino, is introducing iOTA to a much wider audience. With eight shows a week and a predicted run of 14 months, the show is transforming iOTA from talented, industry known musician to superstar of the stage. Perhaps in due time, he will be a star of the screen also, iOTA states that he hopes the next step in his career will be film.

Related

To purchase Beauty Queen of the Sea or any of iOTA's back catalogue check out Waterfront Records.

Head over to iOTA's Myspace to have a listen to "Come Back To Me", a particularly delightful offering, showcasing his incomparably impressive vocals.

For tickets to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, stop by Ticketmaster.

Check out You Tube for his film clip to "Friends". There are also a bunch of acoustic gigging clips, well worth a watch!