March might be over, but April isn’t any less mad. Between fluctuating weather, stop-and-start study, and contradictory world news, we’re all a bit disoriented. Luckily, there’s plenty of arts events on offer to help restore a sense of normalcy. (Image: iStock)
By Alana Pahor | @Alana_Pahor
Many of us are beginning to suspect that April is in fact three different months wearing a trench coat.
We’re approaching the middle of autumn, yet the weather more closely resembles a summer-winter roulette; it’s a sunny 29 degrees today yet it’ll be 16 degrees and raining on Saturday.
The academic calendar is similar in nature this month, hopping from a cluster of deadlines to a two week break then back again by April 24.
As we hang in limbo, half in and half out of our coats and study routines, we can barely look at the state of current affairs without sinking further into confusion.
In the past week alone, former US President Donald Trump has been indicted yet misogynistic media personality Andrew Tate has been released on house arrest.
On March 26, our state became the first in the nation to pass a bill for a First Nations Voice to our Parliament, yet a “No” campaign tour for the proposed constitutional Voice was launched in Tamworth just days later on April 1.
Amid all that confusion, only two things are certain: April is not consistent, but (luckily) the Adelaide arts scene is.
Accordingly, in this monthly guide, we’ve compiled a list of events to bring you some comfort during this otherwise chaotic time of year.
Visual art/film
If you didn’t get the chance to see Andy Warhol and Photography: A Social Media last month (or loved it so much you want to see it again), the Art Gallery of South Australia is offering two events this April that deep dive into the exhibition.
The earliest of these, First Fridays: Saints and Sinners, is happening at the gallery on April 7 and features guided tours of the exhibition, live music from St. Morris Sinners, and a demonstration of the “Cuban Polaroid” camera.
If you can’t make it this Friday, you can also attend Maria Zagala’s Tuesday Talk about the Andy Warhol exhibition on April 11 at 12:30pm.
The Australian Myanmar Institute for Democracy, Human Rights and Peace’s (AMIDHP) Surviving the Sunset exhibition launched at The Mill on Monday (April 4) from 4-6pm.
The fundraising event, which is running until April 15, centres on artwork depicting the military-led Tatmadaw’s overthrow of democratic government in Myanmar.
While entry is free, donations to AMIDHP and their partner organisation Amnesty International are welcome and will be used to aid those affected by the crisis in Myanmar.
On a lighter note, the 2023 SACE Art Show is on at the Light Square Gallery until April 14.
The show features innovative creations by 141 South Australian high school students, with a variety of paintings, sculptures, costumes and multimedia works on display.
Festivals/markets
The Adelaide Fringe Festival may be over, but the wine capital of Australia never sleeps.
The Barossa Vintage Festival will grace our state from April 19 to 23, bringing with it markets, vintage wine and festivities.
The festival’s Tanunda Town Day looks particularly exciting; it features a traditional “Ziegenmarkt” full of fresh produce and livestock, an art exhibition at the Barossa Regional Gallery, and an atmospheric “Vintage Lounge & Festival Hub”.
Foodies will be thrilled to discover that the Tasting Australia Festival also kicks off this month, running from April 28 to May 7.
Of the events on offer during the festival, Masterchef winner Adam Liaw’s Uni Days is most intriguing.
The event, which is described as a celebration of food, drinks, and live music, will light up the University of Adelaide on April 29.
Thrifting has gained popularity among young people in recent years, and so too has the Fashion Thrift Society’s vintage/pre-loved market.
The market is coming to Saint Clair Recreation Centre on April 16 and will feature a variety of pre-loved, vintage and handmade items, including clothing, shoes, accessories and home decor pieces.
Talks/plays/workshops
If you’re missing the theatre in the wake of the Fringe, have no fear; the Adelaide Festival Centre has plenty of shows on offer this month.
Award-winning musical Come From Away is showing at Her Majesty’s Theatre from April 5 to 29, featuring the real-life story of air passengers who were grounded in Canada during 9/11.
If you’re after some classic theatre, The Rocky Horror Show is on at the Festival Theatre from April 13 to May 13 and Chinese dance epic Shen Yun is showing at the same venue from April 6 to 9.
If you’re after something more relaxed, head to the Arts Theatre between April 13 and 22 for Who’s in Bed With the Butler; a comedy play about the complicated love life of Clifton the butler and his ties to a billionaire’s missing assets.
Finally, for all the writers out there, Writers SA is back with another workshop this month on April 26.
Think Tank, which will be hosted by the City of Adelaide’s City Library, gives visitors the opportunity to chat with other writers, test plotlines, workshop a synopsis and more in a “fast-paced hour of creative construction”. The event is free, but booking is essential.
Music/concerts
What better way to celebrate your short-lived break than with a concert or two?
The Entertainment Centre has plenty of concerts on offer this month (as usual), with The 1975 playing on April 10, The Used and Papa Roach rocking out on April 23, and Smashing Pumpkins performing on April 26.
The Gov is giving the Entertainment Centre a run for its money, too; American post-hardcore band Escape The Fate is playing at the venue on April 20 as part of their The Dead Masquerade tour. It’s the band’s first return to Australian shores in almost 10 years.
In the realm of local music, Australian jazz composer and artist Mim Crellin is performing her song cycle All Our Little Boxes at Nexus Arts on April 14.
The performance features Crellin’s experiences with a Pennsylvanian pandemic, a Scandinavian love story, her cancer diagnosis in New York, and Australian healthcare.
American indie-rock band Modest Mouse is also playing at Thebarton Theatre on April 24 as part of their international tour, featuring fan favourites Float On, Dashboard and more.
We hope this guide has made April and its inconsistency feel more manageable – there’s always something on in Adelaide to calm the chaos.
Stay tuned for our May edition! Until then, we wish you the best of luck for finishing your assignments, and a happy mid-semester break.
ontherecordunisa.com 