The Conch debut album
May 26, 2009 About us, Music, cultural activism
In September 2007 we released our self-produced debut CD.
From the ever popular pub favourite I don’t love you anymore to the anthemic and inspiring tribute to the heroic anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa Toyi Toyi, and from the epic anti-war ballad Fallujah to our only cover song, the beautiful Mel Shanahan’s World Citizen, this CD includes a diverse selection of Conch tunes, satisfactorily representative of our eclectic sound! Or at least we think so!
If you’d like a copy please contact info@theconch.org, CD’s sold through the website cost $15. If you’d like a bulk order contact us for a discount. If you are involved in a campaign group or organisation get in touch with us about a fundraiser, which can include a portion of CD’s sold at each gig/event.
conch debut cd
Cuba Fiesta: Celebrate 50 years of revolutionary Cuba!
May 26, 2009 Upcoming gigs, cultural activism
cuba fiesta
We invite you to celebrate 50 years of Revolutionary Cuba and its achievements in social justice, education, health and environment.
Saturday 20th of June, from 6:30pm
Hall of the MUA (46 Ireland St, West Melbourne, Melway 2A F12)
Music by The Conch and DJ Manolito Valdes. Food and drinks available.
Entry $5.00 donation (all funds raised will go to support projects in Cuba)
Contact: Lulu 0421 957 341 or Roberto 0425 289 394
Cuba was the first Latin America country to achieve liberty from incessant imperialist domination through an armed revolt. It was a brilliantly original revolution; passionately inspiring to ignite waves of revolutionary struggles across the globe.
Event endorsed by the Australia-Cuba Frienship Society (ACFS), FMLN, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Communist Party of Australia, Maritime Union of Australia (MUA, Victoria)
50 years after the revolution, under half a century of scrupulous blockade and economic warfare, Cuba has attained many considerable achievements to be proud about. It has completely eradicated illiteracy, an unparalleled achievement amongst the countries of Latin America, or even the US.
The Cuban government provides free education to all its children up to University level. Cuba has also successfully created an incredible ‘cradle to the grave’ national healthcare system that is completely free for its citizens. The infant mortality rate of Cuba is also the lowest in Latin America. Its healthcare system has completely eradicated many infectious and contagious diseases like polio, malaria and dengue from the country. Today, Cuba has the highest number of doctors per capita than any other country in the world. It is also training 76,000 foreign medical students free of charge and is exporting health care facilities to other poor countries. To provide first-rate health care facilities to the underprivileged people all over the third world, in 2008 Cuba has sent 36,500 doctors to eighty one third world nations. It has a flourishing biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, has developed a vaccine for meningitis B and worldwide exports the world’s best hepatitis B vaccine.
Today, the Cuban people enjoy cent-percent social security covers and the advantages of institutional equality provided by their government. Cuban society is absolutely free from racism and exploitation and has accomplished remarkable success on women empowerment. Cuban women constitute 40 percent of Cubans labour force, 66 percent of the country’s technical and scientific workforce and 36 percent National Assembly
Members. It has also attained considerable success in the sporting arena.
Today, Cuba has the world’s best environmental record, having increased its forest coverage by over 50 percent, drastically reducing electricity used for lighting, and implementing a revolution in organic agriculture. The World Wildlife Fund has described Cuba as the only environmentally sustainable country in the world.
A commendable aspect of the Cuban revolution is Internationalism, the convenient assistance it provided to countries engaged on processes of radical transformation. Cuba had played a radical role by extending its hand
of international solidarity towards the exploited and oppressed regions world over, to abolish the ‘exploitation of man by man’.
The luminous Cuban revolution has brought sovereignty and dignity to the people of Cuba by ending decades of imperialist exploitation and oppression. From an informal US colony the revolution transformed Cuba into a confident and dignified nation. The Cuban revolution has also in many ways transformed Latin America from the subjugated backyard of the US into a distinguished voice of its own. The US authorities greatly wanted and still want to destroy Cuba because it has become a symbol for others to follow.
For 50 long years, Cubans have deeply respected and heroically defended their revolution with admirable courage and dignity from the illegal embargo, forced isolation, aggressive counter-revolutionary military attacks, sabotages, assassination attempts and repeated threats of the US establishment and its lethal foreign policy.
Despite of unbelievable odds, Cuba’s splendid achievements helped to keep a bright beacon of hope alive in the hearts of millions of people all around the globe. Cuba has shown us how to subsist in a better and humane way which is founded on the principals of peace, social justice and human rights. Today, Cuba is the inspiration to millions who keep on believing that an alternative society, a better world is certainly possible.
In Australia the Cuban revolution continues to inspire people in the ongoing struggle and solidarity work. This celebration is an opportunity to revive memories, but particular to listened from first hand how the Cuban revolution has inspire people.
Tags: Cuba, gig, solidarity
art & the capitalist crisis
May 26, 2009 cultural activism
direct action presents…
art & the capitalist crisis:
creating spaces for a 21st Century Revolution
A Public Forum including these topics:
* Why does so much contemporary art alienate the majority of working people?
* Art as a form of resistance to the capitalist state
* how can art be effective in helping create alternatives to war, poverty and unemployment in the 21st Century?
When:
Sat, May 30, 2pm
Where:
New International Bookshop, Victoria Trades Hall, Cnr Lygon and Victoria St, Carlton
Speakers include:
Kate McCulloch
PHD Student, University of Melbourne. Representation of War: Vietnam Veteran Artists. This paper will examine why representation of the Vietnam War at War Memorials, has not drawn widely from Vietnam Vet artists.
Adam Broinowsky
PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne/The Centre for Ideas (2007-).
Adam Broinowski has made documentary (Hell Bento!), independent solo (Vivisection Vision: animal reflections, Gherkin) and group performances (Know No Cure, Hotel Obsino, The Great Gameshow of Pernicious Influences, H20) and collaborated with many companies (Company B, desoxy, Dramalab, La Mama, Magpie, nyid, Playbox, Salamanca, Snuff Puppets, Stalker, Gekidan Kaitaisha, MONO), touring to South America, Europe, UK, US, Asia and Australia. He gained his MA (Theatre of Body: Ankoku Butoh – Gekidan Kaitaisha 2003) at the University of Melbourne, was a research fellow at the University of Tokyo (2003-2005)
Sarah Rainbird
Visual Arts Manager, Gasworks Arts Park
Editor of new publication called: Harmonic Tremors: Aesthetic Interventions in the Public Sphere
Van Thanh Rudd
Rudd is a visual artist who regularly exhibits around Australia and internationally. Current exhibitions include NAM BANG! at the Casula Powerhouse, and an up-coming exhibition at SLOT space, Redfern, Sydney (july). Controversy has followed much of his artwork including the recent censorship of Economy of Movement – a Piece of Palestine by Connex Melbourne. He is the founder of The Carriers Project and is currently establishing a visual arts collective called The C.E.O.s (collective engagement operatives).
Rudd is also a member of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.
entry by donation
for more info call 0432 335 996
www.directaction.org
“Our aims: the independence of art – for the revolution. The Revolution – for the complete liberation of art!”
Andre Breton and Diego Rivera
flyer
it’s the end john howard, it’s the end…
May 26, 2008 Music, cultural activism
Tags: elections, john howard, Music, video, youtube