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DB Magazine December 1 - Open Space 2000 (Adelaide Festival Centre) - Spell of Harmony

When it comes to 'visuals' and bands, it's about making a video. Adelaide's Beltane prefer modern dance theatre. Comments Song Writer/Artistic Director Paul Handley, "The music doesn't really suit straight live gigs." Martial arts influenced Handley when forming Beltane. Their music works for dance says Handley "probably because it's got an atmospheric film soundtrack sort of feel." 'The Spell of Harmony' declares Handley, says it all about Beltane's Open Space piece. It's… about something feeling based. That's the spell side. With 'harmony' we're looking at various opposing polarities and balances. "I'll come up with something a little martial arts based; angular and masculine. Then there's Susan (Nairn) doing pretty much the same movement, but adding a lot more of a feminine touch; gentle and flowing." David O'Brian

Rip It Up December 7 - Open Space 2000

A Dance Theatre work of the Beltane song "Spell of Harmony", will be performed at the Space Theatre (Adelaide Festival Centre) on Friday December 8, for "Open Space 2000". Relying entirely on movement and lighting atmosphere, the piece is intended as a visual portrayal of the song theme/feel and will be filmed and adapded for a video clip in January. Choreographed by founding Beltane member Paul Handley and performed by Susan Nairn, Tarnia Hawkins, Paul Handley.

The Advertiser (Adelaide) 13/1/00

BELTANE has, during the past year, been busy reinventing itself as a duo. Tomorrow night, the duo of Paul Handley and Karina Eames proudly release their first EP. Beltane takes its name from a pre-Christian fire festival which celebrates the coming summer and is still practised in Scotland. The duo's style is atmospheric, mixing technological sounds with conventional instruments, ethereal human voice and a touch of the gothic themes of the 1980s. The style and line-up of the band evolved last year, incorporating dance oriented drum rhythms which maintain a contemplative musical mood. The group was founded by Handley, who was keyboardist with local group Prototype. He says Beltane's style is inspired by the likes of The Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance. The duo's music also has dark elements which are akin to Joy Division and Killing Joke.The duo's CD, titled Dionysian Blood, incorporates their first video, which is accessible through the EP's CD ROM component. They plan to release their first full-length album in May this year and shoot more videos to accompany it. Handley and Eames will also take on plenty of live performance over the summer months. Beltane performs live tomorrow night to celebrate the release of Dionysian Blood. The gig is at the Royal Hotel with support acts Brunatex, Toaster, Emma Bradshaw and electronic artist Crustin Bozo.

The Messenger Press (Adelaide) 11/1/00

ADELAIDE-BASED duo Beltane launches its debut CD, Dionysian Blood, at the Royal Hotel this week. The five-song disc includes a CD Rom video of the title track for PC or Mac computers. Beltane combines technological sounds with conventional instruments, aiming to "add life and a human element within an often in-human soundscape". The duo vocalist Karina Eames and keyboardist/bassist/programmer Paul Handley cites main influences as The Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Joy Division and Killing Joke. While this is Beltane's first release, Spell of Harmony was issued on the Dark Eyed and Starry They Were #2, a three-CD Heartland Records compilations, and On the Fly (not featured on Dionysian Blood) will appear on a Sydney 2RRR collection due out soon. Paul developed the concept for Beltane - heavily driven electronics combined with female vocals - in 1993 just after the break-up of his previous band, The Bacchae. He calls it a musical "turning point", which involved him buying a synthesiser and learning how to create music electronically. At first he worked with vocalist Sarah Manthey, who left in Januay '97 to be replaced by Karina. After a spate of live shows in Adelaide and Melbourne during last winter, the duo concentrated on studio work to remix Until the New Moon and Foreign Shore and to work on new material. They are preparing for the release of a full-length CD in May. The launch is on this Friday January 14, at the Royal Hotel Guest acts are Toaster, Crustin Bozo and Mick & Emma Bradshaw Entry is $5 ($10 for entry and CD)

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