Jones puts up dukes to take on Melbourne

RADIO personality Alan Jones is usually reporting the news. Now he is the news. Everyone loves a fight and we've got a beauty coming up. Jonesy and his 2GB people are about to take on Melbourne's winning talk station, 3AW.

The legend and the sitar's new star

Continuing the legacy of her famous father Ravi, Anoushka Shankar is a world music performer for the 21st century, writes Bruce Elder.

Spontaneous combustion

London duo the Big Pink take a dash of soulful indie rock and add electro beats, writes George Palathingal.

movies

Gone in 60 Seconds

Opera's flagship setting sail on a bold new course

An adaptation of a favourite Australian novel and a daring new take on The Marriage of Figaro are among next year's highlights, writes Bryce Hallett.

COLUMN 8

On Tuesday a certain Ms Brill wanted to know whether anyone could top her list of stars that she had kissed over the years. Patricia Heath of Frenchs Forest has made a bold play by running in the opposite direction and claims bragging rights for being "brushed off by Clark Gable. When I was in the British Army in 1943 I was on the tarmac at an aerodrome as Mr Gable walked out of a plane. He didn't actually brush me off, but he did brush past me and made contact with my elbow." We think that beats Ms Brill's boast of kissing the lead singer from the Sports, somehow.

MIAF - What would the director recommend?

Brett Sheehy says it's his job to "strip away the archness and pretension that is around the arts" and sell his program to the public. So we asked the festival director to match the show to the audience.

Krump With A Cough

DAN KAUFMAN CLIMBS FROM HIS DEATHBED TO EXPLORE FESTIVAL FIRST NIGHT.

Making History With Will, Cate And Company

MOST beautiful with a white, rounded and feminine face. It could be a description of Cate Blanchett but those words were used in the late 14th century to describe King Richard II, who Blanchett plays in the Sydney Theatre Company's The War Of The Roses.

East Meets West In The Mall

Busker George Kamikawa combines a Japanese background and love of blues music to surprise and entertain passers-by, writes Michelle Hamer.

Spotlight

Who LYKKE LI Why MAKING DANCE MUSIC FOR INTROVERTS

Cave Prepares To Make Beautiful Music On 'alcatraz'

THE skies were appropriately grey as Australian music's dark prince, Nick Cave, took his first look at historic Cockatoo Island, the site of summer's latest boutique music festival, All Tomorrow's Parties.

A Shot Of Music With Your Coffee

NEWCASTLE musos are combining great coffee with beautiful music at Suspension Espresso in Hamilton.