Blank GC issue #47 – August 2017 by Blank Street Press

August '17

WITH UTOPIAN ASPIRATIONS

issue #047

MUSIC

LIFESTYLE

CULTURE

FOOD & DRINK

MUSIC

Trapdoor Radolescent In Ashes Skeggs Waax

Maldives Botanical Bazaar Lumberpunks Breathing Garden Apothecary

Macrame Neel Kolhatkar MCA Primavera Sing Sisters Buskers by the Creek

Golosi Deli Yamagen Woodchoppers Stone & Wood Ground Control Coffee

Hoodoo Gurus Major Leagues Lecia Louise Vera Blue The Honey Sliders

M A R I N E R S C O V E M A I N B E A C H | P H O N E 0 7 5 5 7 1 0 5 6 6 | W W W. f i s h e r m a n s w h a r f ta v e r n . c o m . a u

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San Mei’s Necessary release Gold Coast multi-instrumentalist San Mei has released a stunning four-track EP that takes her electric vocals and layers them over fuzzy guitar riffs. She’s shared stages with Evar Klar, Polish Club, Elliphant and Phebe Starr – and that’s just in the past six months, so the EP is expected to solidify Sam Mei’s place in people’s hearts and minds with gusto. ‘Necessary’ is out now on LXVI Records. Go check it out.

Luka Lesson at NightQuarter Hot off the Splendour in the Grass lineup, catch Australia's double slam poet champion and hip-hop artist, Luka Lesson delivering a free dose of culture at NightQuarter on 25 August with multi-award winning First Nations artist, Kahl Wallis (The Medics). The guys have collaborated on a bangin' new track, Living Artefact, which you can listen to now on your fave digital outlet.

Eleven and Two sees Kyle Lionhart hit the road Fresh from supporting Xavier Rudd’s European Tour and a run of dates with Josh Pyke, Kyle Lionhart will roll out his own headline tour in November. The tour will focus on his latest EP, ‘Eleven and Two’ and is expected to result in a welling of his fanbase, thanks to a captivating live performance and his unique brand of “sad folk bangers.” Hailing from Byron Bay, Kyle Lionhart will be known to many as a busker, but he’s also played Bluesfest and Splendour. Miami Marketta hosts Kyle Lionhart on Thursday 23 November.

Bennett Runs with the Hunted “A frenetic, frisky collection of thoughts and images flowing in imaginative lyrics, spirited along by a musical accompaniment that's carefree and mighty” … so goes the description of James Bennett’s Dylanesque style. Born in Byron Bay and spending his childhood in the mountainous wilderness outside of Lismore, James now calls Newcastle home and tours relentlessly. With a legion of fans, a triumphant return from the USA, a new album, a new single, a new documentary and now a tour announcement, the next six months are expected to be transformational for the self-taught musician. James Bennett’s ‘Run With the Hunted’ tour takes in NightQuarter on 8 September.

06 GIG CARTEL 13 ANDY PENNEY 20 GIG CARTEL

Grant McLennan Fellowship opens for 2017 Founded ten years ago to honour late The Go-Betweens frontman Grant McLennan, this fellowship provides an incredible chance for local songwriters to take their careers to a new level. The $25,000 fellowship allows the recipient to travel to New York, London or Berlin for up to six months, using the experience to develop their own artistic skills through immersion in a foreign musical culture. Nominations close 18 September 2017. Get more at qmusic.com.au.

Everybody loves Custard One of the nineties’ most prolific, and scene-setting bands is making a comeback. They released their first album in 16 years after returning to the studio in 2015 – which is no surprise, because while Custard itself kind of disappeared from gig guides, the various projects its members were involved in continued to record and tour music. Custard released five albums in that decade, combining intelligent pop with a peculiar sense of humour and an uncanny ability to write songs that connected with all manner of people. They developed a cult following, and their tracks ‘Apartment’ and ‘Girls Like That (Don’t go for Guys Like Us) killed it in the Hottest 100 prior to their disbanding in 1999. We’re incredibly excited that Custard will be popping into the Soundlounge on Friday 20 October. Won’t you join us?

27 JAMES HIGGINS

Lovegrove by the creek for Deck Acoustics It’s an afternoon session that’s hard to beat. A big deck, right by the banks of Currumbin Creek, in the best little club in Australia. But that’s exactly what Currumbin RSL dishes up every weekend through their Deck Acoustics sessions. And Josh Lovegrove will bring that infinite skill to the deck this Friday 4 August from 5.00pm. After gaining immense popularity through a series of soulful live performances down the east coast of Australia, Josh recorded and released his anticipated and well received EP ‘Infinite’ in early 2015. Since then he’s become a recongised name in Brisbane and Gold Coast’s music scenes and has worked alongside renowned Australian artist Darren Percival to prepare for an innovative stage show and debut album in coming months. Deck Acoustics takes place at Currumbin RSL on Fridays from 5.00pm and weekends from 4.00pm. See the full lineup at thedeckcreekside.com.au.

Soundlounge’s local bonanza If you could bottle the best of Gold Coast music, Karl S Williams would take care of the earthy undertones and Tijuana Cartel would provide the fizz. Soundlounge is bringing you both of these insanely talented artists in September. Karl hits Soundlounge on Friday 15 September and Tijuana Cartel drop in on Friday 22 September. Take it from the experts. You do not want to miss either of these shows. More at soundlounge.com.au.

Relay for Life: Forever Road New York-based LOT-EK artists Ada Tolla It’s a fitting band name for Cancer Council’s relay event. Forever Road, known for their bold and edgy country sounds, will be the focus for music-lovers at this year’s Gold Coast Relay for Life. Making their name through furiously touring up and down the east coast of Australia, Forever Road have performed at some of the country’s biggest festivals, including Tamworth Country Music Festival and Gympie Muster. They’ll bring a combination of classic covers and originals to the important fundraiser which runs 16 – 17 September at Doug Jennings Park. It’s an 18-hour event with participants running or walking through the night. For more, visit relayforlife.org.au.

CORRECTIONS - issue #46 JULY 2017 In our 'Sharing Narratives with John Graham' story in Ed #45 we made a typo on the first mention of the story title "Yimbun and Muyum." This is the correct spelling. In the 'Kindred Spirits' story in Ed #45 we mistakenly referred to a Gold Coast artist as Larissa Waters, however her name is actually Larissa Warren. Our apologies to Larissa.

SUNDAYS IN THE BEER GARDEN 2-5PM for more info www.surfclubaustralia.com

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Phil Barlow

He’s better known for his blues-rock swagger as lead singer and guitarist of Phil Barlow and the Wolf, but he’s changing his tune and embarking on a career as a solo artist swapping gyrations and flirtations for good vibrations and utopian aspirations. Somewhere between James Bay, Jack Johnson, Van Morrison and Bernard Fanning, you discover an uplifting new sound of indie roots, blues and soul in Phil Barlow’s solo offering. Samantha Morris caught up with the songwriter about the transition to performing solo and how people are responding. “On one hand this transition has been liberating and effortless, on the other hand it has been quite challenging,” Phil told Blank Gold Coast. “Life just kept opening doors and nudging me to explore the solo direction, but I really struggled letting go of driving the band forward like I was. I would say it has been a period of surrender and trust.” Phil says his new music is a softer, heartfelt expression. Whereas the band brings out the wild, this is an easy-listening yin expression, where space and word become the focus. “It feels authentic and honest and is coming from a very different place as I go through deep healing and profound connection to life,” Phil said.

And the format seems to be working. Phil says the response has been overwhelming with deep connections with people through sharing the new songs in intimate spaces. “I am certainly feeling purpose in sharing this music and while I have had challenging moments to trust life as I express my most vulnerable side, the response and how it is feeling is affirming I am on the right path,” he said. But fans of the rocking blues set need not worry, Phil Barlow and The Wolf is still a going concern, focused on delivering big shows at festivals and smaller venues, including Blues on Broadbeach, Scarborough Originals and Sonny’s House of Blues. “As a band we are having great creative jams before rehearsals and during shows. We have begun working on new music and recording but are going to take our time. We really want

the next album to represent a true creative evolution,” Phil said. “The band shows are heaps of fun, full of rocks riffs, bluesy tones and tasty bass lines. I love bouncing off the energy of the guys. It’s so great to play with such quality musos. The wilder, festival vibe is so fun too.” “But I have the best of both worlds now.” “At the moment I am working hard at refining my solo show and road-testing the new material,” he added. “In the background I am also writing a lot of new music and will soon select songs I would like to be on the new solo and band albums. I hope to go in the studio later this year. I feel this is a year of preparation.”

PHIL BARLOW PLAYS SOLO 11 AUGUST AT NIGHTQUARTER AND 14-15 OCTOBER AT BUSKERS BY THE CREEK. YOU CAN CATCH THE FULL BAND, PHIL BARLOW AND THE WOLF ON 19 AUGUST, ALSO AT NIGHTQUARTER, AS WELL AS MITCHELL CREEK ROCK AND BLUES FESTIVAL ON 15 SEPTEMBER.

Image: Heidi Flumm

TAXIRIDE TO MCLAREN’S LANDING

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Best known as the frontman of iconic 90 / noughties band Taxiride, this month Jason Singh will take those chart-topping tracks to McLaren’s Landing. But the team at the old Tipplers’ have done more than just secured Jason. Joining him are Choirboys’ star Mark Gable and Boom Crash Opera’s Dayle Ryder.

McLaren’s Landing has recently relaunched itself as a special events space – one of the only places on the Gold Coast where you can sit in the sand at a licensed premises. With a choice of a catamaran transfer or skipper-yourself arrivals, the venue is hosting corporate events as well as live music offerings.

They’re coming together to perform their biggest Australian hits, backed by some of Australia’s best musicians.

Samantha Morris

THE VOICES – A CELEBRATION OF AUSTRALIAN MUSIC TAKES PLACE 27 AUGUST AT MCLAREN’S BEACH BAR AND TICKETS ARE JUST $69 INCLUDING RETURN TRANSFERS FROM MARINERS’ COVE. IF YOU’RE TRAVELLING ON YOUR OWN BOAT TICKETS ARE JUST $29. GET TICKETS AT FACEBOOK.COM/ MCLARENSBEACHBAR.

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FRIDAY 18TH AUGUST* STAN WALKER CHE FU & THE KRATEZ

SATURDAY 5TH AUGUST FELICITY LAWLESS MICK BUCKLEY

SATURDAY 19TH AUGUST BLUES IN THE NIGHT THE MOJO WEBB BAND PHIL BARLOW & THE WOLF

FRIDAY 11TH AUGUST CHOCOLATE STRINGS PHIL BARLOW LIV HEYER

FRIDAY 25TH AUGUST ELECTRIK LEMONADE LUKA LESSON KAHL WALLIS

SATURDAY 12TH AUGUST BEARFOOT BILLY FOX

SATURDAY 26TH AUGUST BULLHORN STEVE LANE & THE AUTOCRATS *free entertainment unless specified as a ticketed event

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ABBEY ROAD GETS THE HONEY SLIDERS TREATMENT You saw them do the Rolling Stones’ ‘Sticky Fingers’ in its entirety last year and this month The Honey Sliders return with a new offering: The Beatles ‘Abbey Road’ album, in full, just for one night. The Honey Sliders frontman and creative director Danny Widdicombe is also a member of three time ARIA nominated band The Wilson Pickers, plus he’s played guitar for Bernard Fanning, Tim Rogers and even joined The Go-Betweens for their reunion show last month. Danny is about to head to the USA to photograph the total solar eclipse so this show is a kind of going away party. After a sell-out Gold Coast show for the Rolling Stones’ tribute, he’s hoping for a massive shindig to celebrate The Beatles. “The rest of the band have all got other projects too so it’s all gogo-go around here,” Danny told Blank Gold Coast. “We’ve all been so busy - I’ve been touring with my band The Wilson Pickers doing Byron Blues Fest, Splendour and Port Fairy and writing songs for a new album.” Danny admits life would be easier if he just focused on one project at a time, but as with most creative geniuses, life rarely works out that way. As well as his musical projects, his passion for photography sees him head to the USA in August. “The total solar eclipse is on 21 August over Nashville and I’ve got a tour on every weekend before then! I’ll treat the USA as a holiday and take some deep breaths and relax. I like to relax,” he says, a statement which is unlikely to be supported by his diary. But back to the business at hand. The Honey Sliders’ August show will focus on The Beatles’ iconic ‘Abbey Road’ album and it follows on the sell-out success of the band’s take on the Rolling Stones’ ‘Sticky Fingers’ album last year. “We sold out the Soundlounge! I’d never sold out the Soundlounge before so there were high-fives all around,” Danny said. “We had such an amazing time with Tim Rogers! Thanks for all the support Blank Mag gave us for that show!” As well as having the enormous crowd in rapture, Danny says many punters have been in touch to let him know it was their live show of the year. “It’s important to get these things right out of respect to the music - so I’m glad a lot of people let me know that we did just that,” he said. And The Honey Sliders have followed the same important rule for their upcoming ‘Abbey Road’ show. “I’d like your intelligent readers to know that we’ve learned every note off the Abbey Road album - including the sound effects between songs,” he said. “It’s completely a labour of love.” “When you pull ‘Abbey Road’ apart and dive in, like we’ve been doing to prepare for these shows, you can hear how virtuosic they became by this stage of their career.” “Paul’s bass playing is probably the hardest part to learn on the album because it’s like one big bass solo most of the way through - but because it’s all so musical and tasteful, it suits the songs and plays its part in making each song as good as it can be.”

And given Danny’s deep roots in the Australian music scene, it’s no surprise that he’s (again) pulled together a crazy lineup of musicians to collaborate with The Honey Sliders on this show. Ben Salter (Gin Club, The Wilson Pickers), Tim Steward (Screemfeeder, We All Want To), Seja (Regurgitator), Andrew Morris (Bernard Fanning Band, The Wilson Pickers), Hayden Andrews (Cheap Fakes) are all on the bill for the Soundlounge show. “I have to say that I feel so lucky to be friends with such gifted musicians and lovely people. For me, music is all about creating sounds with people who turn you on in some way,” Danny said.

CATCH THE WILSON PICKERS AT BROADBEACH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL, 28 – 30 JULY AND CATCH THE HONEY SLIDERS DOING THE BEATLES ‘ABBEY ROAD’ AT SOUNDLOUNGE, CURRUMBIN ON SUNDAY 6 AUGUST.

“I know for a fact that the punters love seeing musicians on stage that are as tight in their friendship as they are musically,” he added. And between now and the USA tour? No, Danny doesn’t rest. As well as being on the Gold Coast with The Honey Sliders in August, he’s also got a set at Broadbeach Country Festival with The Wilson Pickers. That band has worked between Byron Bluesfest, Splendour in the Grass and now Broadbeach Country in a matter of just 12 weeks. “The Wilson Pickers have enough songs in our set list to mix it up a little but for the most part, we’ve got a fair idea of what our best songs are and we try and serve them up to each new audience,” he explained, when asked how they put together a set-list for such diverse audiences. “We’ve got three Wilson Pickers on this ‘Abbey Road’ production - we love The Beatles. In fact, that’s how I originally became friends with Ben Salter - he used to play a lot of Beatles’ songs in the Queen Street mall years and years ago and I used to let him know how much I enjoyed it. I also let him know that we should probably play those songs together one day - and now we are.”

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Yeah, it is Danny. Sweet as Honey. The Soundlounge show is an early start, with doors opening at 5.00pm on Sunday 6 August, and Abbie Cardwell in support. As Danny says, you can “drink heaps of piss and still get up fresh for work on Monday. How good is that?”

A rich red hoppy ale

Samantha Morris www.blankgc.com.au

SKEGGS SHOW MAROOCHY HOW TO PARTY Three-piece Skeggs are best known for their DIY, beer-drinking, rock ‘n’ roll antics, but what lies beneath it all? Ben Bograil (guitar / vocals) spoke to Samantha Morris about what appears to be a whirlwind career for Skeggs. The band uploaded a track to triple j unearthed and before they knew it, they’d been added to lineups beyond their imagination and paraded before international music showcase audiences, before they’d even honed their stage show. Yet their ability to capitalize on their networks, show up and rock a crowd is reaping rewards. “We’d only been playing as a band for six months,” Ben said of their original Unearthed win. “When we got the call up we were tripping because we’ve all gone to Splendour and we know how big the stage is.” “We had a show before Splendour at this pre-party. I got really drunk and couldn’t even tune my guitar properly and really blew our set and we were like ‘we can’t do that on the day’."

“The industry knows who we are now. Heaps of people ask that – how did your world change from Splendour? And kind of nothing did, because we were doing the same thing before it,” Ben explained.

“And they had like the biggest rider, free booze for everyone at the party. It was so loose. We were playing a bit better then, so it was heaps of fun.”

Despite their relatively young careers, Skeggs have toured Europe, America and Canada and played massive shows in South America and New Caledonia, including international music showcases, with much of the touring occurring off their own bat. They know how to party but the work gets done.

They’ve also just returned from a tour of Europe.

“They don’t open the gates until you start playing and then everyone is running down the field. I was just like tripping, I couldn’t even see, people were tripping over because it was so muddy. I’ll never forget that image of people running down the hill,” Ben said.

“We organised America by ourselves… I’d meet people and ask if they knew anyone who could get us gigs over there,” Ben told Blank Gold Coast, before going on to talk about recording at Converse Studios in New York, working with Sounds Australia for Canadian Music Week and scoring gigs in New Caledonia for St. Patricks’ celebrations. In Brazil, they partied and performed for some 500 people in a tiny shop in Rio.

One assumes that winning unearthed and scoring BIGSOUND showcases would open considerable doors, but Ben points out that Skeggs were already touring the USA and pulling crowds before their ‘unearthing’ happened.

“Sao Paulo is the hecticest city,” Ben said. “There’s like 22 million people there. There’s a skate park called The Square, it’s pretty famous. Right across the road we played in this underground warehouse, fully underground. 500 people rocked up.”

Thanks to that oversight, Ben says their Splendour set was a good one.

“Europe was epic. We were able to work with a promoter over there and the dude from Brazil was able to get us a showcase at Primavera Pro and Primavera Sounds in Barcelona.” “We were tripping. The first three shows in England sold out before we got there. We didn’t think we’d be playing to anyone.” “It makes you realise when you’re over the other side of the world and people are coming, that it’s real,” Ben said. Skeggs signed to Dune Rats’ label Ratbag Records for their Debut EP '50 Pushups for a Dollar’ in 2015 and they’ve released an EP every year since then. The party band knows how to work. On top of touring both Europe and Australia this year they’re also working on their first album.

“We’re always writing songs,” Ben said. “We’re going to try and maybe get a house for a week and try to nut out a few more.” “We’re just going to slowly get that done and release it so we can tour everywhere again.”

SKEGGS HIT MMVAF ALONGSIDE ALISON WONDERLAND, THE PRESETS, BERNARD FANNING, GANG OF YOUTHS, HORRORSHOW, NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE ON 26 AUGUST 2017.

It’s quickly grown to be one of the Gold Coast’s favourite community events, and now celebrating its fourth year, Buskers by the Creek is back, to fill the southern banks of Currumbin Creek with artistry that will blow your mind. The award-winning festival has dropped its first lineup announcement, with 100 musical acts to whet your appetite for another two announcements yet to come. Celebrating the true art of busking, this announcement boasts some of the region’s most promising musicians including James Bennett, Van Larkins, Nina, Aine Tyrell, Phil Barlow, Nicole Brophy, Liv Heyer, Blue Skillet Rovers plus Canadian folk rocker, Tennyson King. Cindy Jensen, the Festival’s creative director and also its brainchild says she’s been

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scouring the nation for the past six months to bring together the best new busking talents. “We are stoked to announce these first 100 artists today,” she said. “Buskers by the Creek is about discovering something new. Uncovering special treasures you didn’t know existed,” Cindy said. “Today is about the musicians with our next announcement bringing you the weird, wacky and down right amazing entertainers who will dish up jaw-dropping tricks, daring world record attempts and more waterborne magic,” said Cindy. Last year the festival became the first event on the Gold Coast (and in Australia, that we know of) to pull off a floating half-pipe with BMX and skate athletes wowing crowds with airborne (and waterborne) antics.

Pictured: Karrie Hayward

BUSKERS BY THE CREEK BACK FOR FOURTH YEAR WITH BIGGEST LINEUP

Buskers by the Creek hits the idyllic Currumbin creekside on 14 and 15 October. It’s Australia’s awardwinning busking festival and Blank Gold Coast is proud to be a founding media partner. Get the full lineup announcement, which also includes Andrew Cousins, Catherine Gunther, Harry J Hart, Karrie Hayward (pictured in feature image), MISTRAM, Nyssa Ray, Sean Fitzgerold, The Heart Collectors and the Old Married Couple at blankgc.com.au.

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LEAVE THE TRAPDOOR OPEN

With heavy rock riffs, strong vocals and lively, solid beats over grungy blues, Trapdoor has hit the local music scene hard. The five-piece perform as if they have those rock riffs coursing through their veins, which makes their live show an indescribable experience. Having conquered the east coast with a tour to celebrate their debut EP ‘Bison’ and a killer set at the Gold Coast Music Awards’ after-party, Trapdoor are for the rowdy and the restless and for Shakafest patrons looking to get a little loose, they’ll provide the perfect starter to a day of wall-to-wall bangin’ sounds. Samantha Morris caught up with the full band about what’s been going down for Trapdoor, their single launch at elsewhere this month, plus their Shakafest set.

HOW THE HELL DID YOU SCORE THAT... ...showcase...airplay...interview...festival slot...sponsorship...label deal...? Sound familiar? Whether you’ve heard it at every personal milestone or thought it about others, as I’m sure we all have, success is rarely by chance or luck.

Last month I was stoked to be announced as a speaker for BreakOut West, a four day music conference for the Western Canadian Music Awards. How awesome is that?! You toured the east coast for your debut EP ‘Bison’. How was the tour and what was the response? Rhys: The tour was great. I think we can all say it was a bit of a blur, but we do know we met a lot of generous people and rad bands. We loved Adelaide and the people from there, and they are producing really tight outfits. You’ve been back into the studio to record a new single. Tell me about it? Rhys: Yeah we had a quick studio session and recorded a new dirty tune called 'Show Me Your Love'. We went back to Love Street Studios with legend Scotty French of course because he couldn't make it any easier for us and we sent it over to Brain Lucey for mastering. He has worked on some huge names and it was interesting to see his approach. We can't wait for it to be out in the world at the start of August. What are your thoughts on the Gold Coast music scene? Tim: For such a small place Goldy is gaining momentum and support for music. There are plenty of bands and talent but not enough places to play. We have noticed younger people are catching onto the live music which is refreshing. Small festivals like ShakaFest and Ozfest give local bands more of chance to share the stage with bigger touring acts which is good. The Shakafest lineup is next-level this year. What do you love most about Shakafest? Jimmy: We are unbelievably stoked to be playing Shaka along side the big names, but are also excited to play with local mates Radolescent, Kazual Tea and Stork from Adelaide who we’ve played with before! Everyone at Shaka is there for the music and no matter where you are you not far from mayhem. There’s so many diverse bands, a half pipe and cold beer, what more could you want? 14

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Tell me what you have in store for your set? Baidon: We have songs in our set that get people dancing, some songs that will have you standing and listening, others head banging and others crying. We try and keep a diverse set list so our set doesn’t get repetitive.

Naturally, the question on many people’s lips was, “How the hell did you score that?” I am going to use the good old iceberg analogy for this one - for every win we see on the surface, there is usually tonnes of hard work, resilience, preparation and persistence going on below.

You’re also launching your single at elsewhere in August. Tell me about that show and how it will be different to the festival set?

Scoring this speaking gig was “easy”...

Talis: elsewhere always has such a high intensity when you see live acts there and the small space makes it that much more intimate. I guess we will pick songs to cater for that, oh and we have some sneaky antics for that show we don’t want to spoil.

Then, I spent 4 years honing my craft as a music publicist.

For people who’ve never seen Trapdoor perform before, why should they come check out your set? Talis: If you’re into high-energy rock ‘n’ roll that gets your adrenal glands pumping, come along! We like to think we don’t try and make music to fit into a scene, just stuff we’d want to listen to while drinking beer. It’s worked well for us so far. We spit out a unique, yet familiar sound with darker themes and storytelling. There’s always mayhem going down in the crowd, if you are into that.

TRAPDOOR ARE TIM APPLEBY (VOCALS), TALIS LETTS (LEAD GUITAR), JIMMY BARNES (GUITAR), RHYS BARNES (BASS) AND BAIDON HOWELL (DRUMS). THEY’RE AT ELSEWHERE ON 11 AUGUST AND AT SHAKAFEST, WHICH ROLLS INTO MIAMI TAVERN ON SATURDAY 19 AUGUST.

Firstly, I made a huge investment to train with one of Australia’s top investigative journalists.

And invested time and energy to build relationships in the music community. Most importantly, I pushed out of my comfort zone. Last year I flew to Sydney for Australian Music Week with no firm agenda or direct involvement in the event other than to support a new initiative and to be an active member of the wider music community. Largely making my way around the conference solo, I really had to step up and out to introduce and invite myself along to hang out with people (awwwkward!) It was here that I met a bunch of cool Canadians, one of whom turned out to be a director for BreakOut West. Now you start to see where things are going, don’t you? But, the final, essential ingredient as to how the hell I scored that international speaking gig? I made sure all of my assets were up to scratch (i.e. a professional speaker’s kit, essentially an EPK) and.... ...asked. Kylie Cobb pic: LAMP Photography

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HOODOO GURUS: A FIST FULL OF ROCK On Friday, 1st September the Gold Coast will be copping A Fist Full Of Rock at Night Quarter in Helensvale. The show will feature a bumper line-up of respected Oz music illuminati in the form of Hoodoo Gurus, You Am I, Jedediah and Magic Dirt front woman (and respected solo artist) Adalita. In the lead up, Anthony Gebhardt managed to grab an illuminating chat with long time Hoodoo Gurus guitarist Brad Shepherd.

SCRAPE YA PLATE WITH RADOLESCENT

Being that the Gurus are only a sporadic touring outfit these days, I ask Brad if it takes him awhile to get back into the swing of delivering the goods on stage night after night. “The way I approach each show that we play now is a little bit different, because the terrain has changed so much from when we toured a lot. We toured relentlessly between 1982 and 1987. And after a few weeks playing on the road, pretty soon the muscle memory would take over and I’d put the guitar on, step out on the stage and my hands would play the songs. I’d just stand inside the music and enjoy it. I didn’t have to think for a second what I was doing, it just happened. That’s my favourite place to be when we’re performing. So I’m planning with these shows, that I can get back into that place, so that the music has it’s own consciousness. But these days my approach is a bit different. I have to do a bit more homework before I go on stage, and work on my muscle memory. Because I really don’t want to think about it. I just want to step out on stage and have the performance take care of itself.” Prior to the upcoming Fist Full Of Rock run of shows throughout the country, the Hoodoo Gurus, together with You Am I, are playing a bunch of warm up shows, traversing through regional areas and bringing their competitive rock fisticuffs to our non-city brethren. Brad spoke of the experience, “I’ve been all over the world with the Hoodoo Gurus, but I’ve never been to Narrabri - that will be a new one for me! 18

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We did a standalone event with You Am I a couple of months ago in the Hunter Valley. They’re dear friends and we’ve known them for donkey’s years. But both bands are competitive. They get up there and try and make us look like fools and blow us off stage. And we won’t allow them to haha! Both bands lift their game, the bar is set high, and rock is the winner on the night. We have a philosophy when we go on stage, stronger than ever now. We never coast through a show, we have a deep level of conviction in what we do. And we can’t afford any mishaps with You Am I breathing down our necks. I expect excellence from both bands, fueled by a strong sense of competition." Which is great news for those planning on getting along to the upcoming Night Quarter show on Friday, 1 September. And throw Jedediah and Adalita into the mix, and you've got a recipe for an epic musical jamboree of knock-out proportions.

A FIST FULL OF ROCK AT NIGHT QUARTER FEATURING HOODOO GURUS, YOU AM I, JEBEDIAH AND ADALITA, FRIDAY 1 SEPTEMBER. FOR DETAILS VISIT NIGHTQUARTER.COM.AU

Three piece Gold Coast punk rockers Radolescent know how to bring the party – both on stage and off. Lurking in the dark corners of Gold Coast’s underground music scene since 2014, they’ve just released their debut EP ‘Scrape Ya Plate’. There’s a new single, a new video and a new live set to celebrate their first EP. Isaac Atkinson (guitar / vocals) spoke to Samantha Morris about the journey so far. “None of us had previous experience with playing live music, or playing in a band for that matter so the first two years consisted of us learning our instruments and jamming together,” Isaac said. “Our first two gigs were for a mate’s birthday, where we would play in front of 20-30 people, needless to say we sucked and most likely stared at the ground the whole time. We then began playing gigs at venues in 2016, where we quickly learnt all about stage presence and how to get the crowd involved with our set.” The debut EP contains a bunch of previous material and features lead single ‘Fuku’. Radolescent have also thrown some energy into creating a video for the track. “We basically got to throw a party with all of our mates and throughout the night film the shots we needed,” Isaac said. “Our good friend Alex Bowden came on board to help us with filming and production, which was awesome because he is a lord with a camera.” And while the band has been honing their stage presence and music-making skills, they’re stoked to be doing it on the Gold Coast. “The live music culture on the coast may not be as busy compared to the other major cities, however, I have noticed that more and more touring bands are stopping in to play venues such as Sharkbar and Miami Marketta. I reckon

this is the best thing because it means that people on the coast are keen to see bands play instead of somebody pressing play on their laptop in a dark danky nighclub.” And what does the rest of 2017 hold for the band? Isaac says they’re hoping to go back into the studio to start work on their next EP. “We have heaps of new material we would love to record,” he told Blank GC. “In the meantime Lachlan (Barker, bass) and I are in the last year of our respective uni degrees so the majority of our energy will most likely go towards that.” Radolescent is Isaac Atkinson, Kurt Pearce and Lachlan Barker. They stand alongside Aussie greats like Grinspoon and DZ Deathrays when they play Shakafest in August. You can download the ‘Scrape Ya Plate’ EP for free via bandcamp.

SATURDAY 19 AUGUST - SHAKAFEST AT MIAMI SHARK BAR WITH GRINSPOON, DZ DEATHRAYS, TIRED LION + MORE.

LITTLE BIGSOUND IS BACK FOR 2017

If you work in music, you know QMusic’s industry festival BIGSOUND. It’s “the” event where music industry folk go to receive the best information directly from creative leaders, and as the sun goes down the industry parties to some of the best emerging talent from across Australia, and even a few international artists if you’re lucky.

There will also be live artists performing throughout the day from industry up and comers Asha Jefferies, Ruby Gilbert, TØBI and Twelve Past Midnight.

Well now, after a little break BIGSOUND’s younger sister, Little BigSound, is back to give insight to young people who are just one step ahead of their peers.

When asked what session will be the best to attend, Massey had trouble coming up with one single event that is a stand out.

Little BigSound’s coordinator, Trina Massey, says the event is a combination of workshops, practical learning situations and networking events.

“They are all so good,” she said. “Whatever one you choose, you are guaranteed to get something out of it but If I was going as a creative youth, I’d probably make it a priority to go at least one ‘Round Table’ Session. It’s the perfect place to meet some contacts that could help give you a leg up in the industry.”

“So that when they move into the industry, if they haven't already, they have a greater understanding of what’s happening in the industry and then be able to adapt accordingly,” Trina told Blank Gold Coast. Local booking agents, record labels, artists, venue owners, producers and digital marketing experts will all share knowledge through workshops that range from industry roundtables where you discuss topics with industry professionals in small focused groups, to Ableton workshops where you create your own music with the help of producers, to big sit-in conferences, where you can listen to advice from artists like Tia Gostelow and Danny Harley (Kite String Triangle).

The event will finish off with a secret headliner which has yet to be revealed.

Emma Whines

LITTLE BIGSOUND TAKES PLACE 29 JULY IN BRISBANE. CHECK OUT INDIVIDUAL TIMES, SPEAKERS, ARTISTS AND WORKSHOPS ON THE LITTLE BIGSOUND WEBSITE - QMUSIC.COM.AU.

SISTERS SING IN MUDGEERABA AND BRISBANE Local singing group Sing Sisters was founded as a nonpublic performing group with a focus on providing an environment for women to gain confidence, stretch, develop and grow through music. But when the opportunity came to take part in the 2017 Queensland Music Festival (QMF) under the direction of Katie Noonan, they couldn’t resist the challenge.

Unfortunately, the lead up to the performance has not been smooth sailing, with the Mudgeeraba Music Centre sustaining flood damage during Cyclone Debbie, essentially leaving the Sisters without a base. Fortunately for the group, Mudgeeraba Councillor Glenn Tozer, came to the rescue, offering the council boardroom at the Swan Lane office for the women’s preparations.

Along with 2000 other singers, Sing Sisters will rally on 29 July for positive change around domestic and family violence, singing John Farnham’s classic ‘You’re The Voice’.

“Our little room at Swan Lane is only small but these big hearted women needed a place to practice, so of course it made sense,” says Cr Tozer.

"Our women get together to share music no matter what ability they have at singing. It’s all about making music and having fun. You don’t need to be a singer; just be willing. It is a safe and friendly environment creating a ‘safety in numbers’ experience. The QMF event perfectly fits our mission,” says Sing Sisters workshop facilitator Andrea Szabo.

“Local Neighbourhood Watch groups and sporting committees normally meet there, but it’s great to hear the sounds of people singing in the room on Tuesday nights.” Sing Sisters will join 2000 other performers at Brisbane’s South Bank Piazza on Saturday 29 July for the “You’re the Voice” music event. www.blankgc.com.au

How would you describe the album in three words or less? GOOD LOVE. Yep. What song is a band favourite?

MAJOR LEAGUES BRING ‘GOOD LOVE’ TO ELSEWHERE When you hear Major Leagues you can't help but be reminded of times gone by with their unique brand of pop embedded with nostalgic undertones and low fi production. The Brisbane band have announced a national tour in support of debut album ‘Good Love’, so Catherine Gunther caught up with Anna, co-front woman and guitarist, ahead of their Gold Coast show in August to get the low down. ‘Good Love’ is the new single of your debut album, what was it like working with producer Jonathan Boulet? Jono was really great to work with. He is just a really lovely man, which helped eliminate the nerves that accompany showing an unfinished, skeleton of a song to someone outside of the band. So, yeah, he was very chill, which took the pressure off for us to really focus on getting the songs exactly how we wanted them.

You latest single is very reminiscent of 90s alternative pop scene, were there artists that inspired you to form Major Leagues? Jaimee wrote that one. I’m not sure if that song was influenced or inspired by a specific band. But our sound is definitely influenced by a lot of 90s bands. Some of Jaimee’s favourites are Blonde Redhead, Yo La Tengo, and My Bloody Valentine. You released your debut record ‘Good Love’ last month, what has been the response so far? It has been nice, at first I thought only our family and friends would listen to it, but we’ve gotten some really nice messages from random people telling us how much they like it and what their favourite songs are. We have also been getting heaps of air time on community radio.

I think our overall favourite is probably ‘How will the heart know’. Just cause it is pretty different from anything we’ve done before which makes it exciting to play. Also Vlada’s fiance Pete played trumpets on it so it sounds kind of epic. You’re about to hit the road on tour, what can your fans expect from your show? Us being excited and nervous about playing lots of new songs! Hopefully people that are coming have listened to the album. We’ll still play all the old club bangers though. Also expect to see some rad supports in Ivey and WHALEHOUSE. As a seasoned touring band do you have any pre show habits? If we’ve had a long drive, drinking a beer is usually our first priority. Usually Jake is sick of us so he’ll go for a walk and call his work to make sure they haven’t burnt down his chicken shop. Vlada and Jaimee sometimes hand-draw shirts, so they’ll do that in the green room. Then right before we play Vlada sometimes gets us to do vocal warmups that sound really stupid, then we always get a whiskey for the stage. Because it’s good for your voice and is delicious.

MAJOR LEAGUES HIT ELSEWHERE ON AUGUST 18 ON THEIR ‘GOOD LOVE’ TOUR.

WAAX ON FOR SHAKAFEST

WAAX's new ‘Wild & Weak’ EP has been stacking up the accolades since its release. On the back of their biggest tour to date, which included two sold out shows in Melbourne and an upcoming tour supporting Dune Rats, the Brisbane five-piece with Marie DeVita front and centre are definitely not catering to the weak-minded. Samantha Morris hung five with Tom Cameron (drums) ahead of their Gold Coast set in August. Tell me about the current tour and justannounced Dune Rats support slot? The W&W tour has been great, it’s almost over now we only have Perth left, but it’s the first time we’ve really sold out any shows so the experience has been surreal. It’s been small rooms with a lot of sweat and moshing and singalongs, such a blast. Yeah the Dune Rats tour is something we’re really excited about, such an insane lineup and such incredible venues. The reaction has been unbelievable as well, they have such dedicated fans, it’s awesome to see some of those shows selling out within days. You decided to release ‘Wild & Weak’ independently. What lead to that decision? We raised the money and thought why not? We’re not opposed to labels, but creative control is really important to us and we had this idea of how we wanted to release it. No label was going to put an EP out on a 12 inch, but that’s what we wanted, so we just sort of made it happen. 20

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You collaborated with some absolute guns on the EP; LA / Brisbane producer Miro Mackie and Grammy Winner Joe LaPorta. Tell me about them and the impact they had on your work?

chance to expose your music to some people who can really make a difference to your career, it can be pretty invaluable. I really don’t know how significant it was over all, but I’m sure the hype alone helped us a lot.

Miro had a significant impact on the songs; he’s always full of ideas and has a really fresh approach. It lead to some arguments because we can all be a little precious about our parts, but ultimately he shaped the EP in an incredible way and it wouldn’t have been the same without him. Joe we have never met, with mastering you just sort of ship your songs off and they come back all shiny, he’s essentially the absolute best you can get though.

You’re hitting the Gold Coast for Shakafest next month. It’s a killer lineup. For those who’ve never seen a WAAX show, tell us what they should expect?

Your BIGSOUND experience was pretty big, hey? The WAAX live show had rave reviews – including from the Blank GC team. How significant was BIGSOUND to your journey? Aside from being the funnest week of the year BIGSOUND will play an important role in helping any budding artist. Just an incredible

Maz will yell at you a lot, you’ll be very sweaty and we’ll all have a lot of fun. Bring all your shakas, you’ll need em.

VERA BLUE Perennial

Released 21 July, ‘Perennial’ is a beautiful documentary of the aftermath of a relationship break down and the rebirth process. Set up in three chapters, ‘Perennial’ takes the listener on a journey from the ‘First Week’ of pain through the frustration and anger of ‘Magazine’ to the reflection of ‘Mended’. Single ‘Private’ is a stand out proving the success of Vera Blue’s goal of marrying her former folk style with her new love of electronic music. It is unmistakeably a pop album, yet it has an underlying edge. With deep heart felt lyrics blended effortlessly with beats and sounds, ‘Perennial’ speaks to anyone who has been through a breakup. As Vera herself said, “I’ve tried to say the things that everyone wants to, but not everyone can.” A big highlight, and potential women’s anthem, is ‘Lady Powers’, with its funky beats and empowered message it’s impossible to resist. You can hear the frustration and the anger in ‘Magazine’ and ‘Fools’, making you glad you’re not on the receiving end and you’re swept along for the ride and feel almost proud of Vera by the time you get to the soaring ‘Mended’. There are hints of organic sounds and the folk past that add spice to a very slick production. Overall ‘Perennial’ is a brilliant display of the Vera Blue sound and the person behind the music. Definitely check it out. Erin Bourne

WAAX HIT SHAKAFEST ON SATURDAY 19 AUGUST AT MIAMI TAVERN.

Image: Lamp Photography

LECIA LOUISE RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA WITH ‘MASTERMIND’ Lecia Louise returns home off the back of a whirlwind European Tour for the release of her latest single ‘Mastermind’. Catherine Gunther caught up with Lecia to chat about her new single. Can you tell us what ‘Mastermind’ is inspired by? The first goal is to rock. The song was inspired by a few guitar riffs I had written. Lyrically the song is about equality between the genders from the perspective of a woman working in a male dominated industry. You recorded at Serotonin Studios with Guy Cooper, what was it like recording live as a band? Recording live with my band was probably the most fun way I have recorded. There is something organic and truthful about tracking live. I had been wanting to record the band live for quite some time. Guy was engineering us, and patiently listened while the five of us played together until we had all agreed on our favourite take. You just spent the last few months on tour in Europe, have there been any really memorable moments? It has been my busiest European tour to date. I have been playing shows through Austria, Germany and Holland since January and driving many miles in the orange tour bus. One memory which sticks out for me, would be the ‘obstacle park exit’ from a car park with a ceiling that was clearly too low for this van… Recently you had an accident on tour, what happened? I was having some time off the tour in Austria recently when I had a mountain bike accident. I was coming down the mountain and reached a rocky slippery corner. I was not going fast, but I lost control, fell and landed on a bunch of rocks. My knee was punctured deep. It was a little scary being in hospital with language barriers. The doctors and nurses were great however.

With the upcoming release of ‘Mastermind’ will there a tour soon? Usually a release is followed by a tour, but I thought I would do it the other way around this time. I am coming to Australia to play a festival in the Redland bay area in September and then work on some tunes. Nothing is planned for the Gold Coast yet but keep an eye on my Facebook. You've had a very successful career so far, what keeps you motivated as a songwriter and artist to keep doing music? I enjoy playing and creating music so much, and every time I play a show I am grateful to be living and travelling from music. I find inspiration listening to great songs, live music, new artists, old artists, different effects, guitar techniques, recording techniques, learning about gear and discovering the history of various artists. The periods in my life when I am not writing music, is when I feel most out of balance. Do you have any advice for other artists starting out on the international stage about how they should approach touring overseas? Germany likes to book at least six months or more in advance (more ahead than in Oz), so keep that in mind. This is not to say you won't get any last minute gigs, but plan a handful of gigs in advance, lock it in, save for the flight, hire or buy a van and go see what happens.

LECIA LOUISE’S NEW SINGLE ‘MASTERMIND’ IS OUT NOW.

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JULY

Karrie Hayward (12 noon – 3.00pm) | Robina Town Centre, The Promenade

THURSDAY 27 JULY

Black Rabbit George | Mandala Organic Arts Cafe, Mermaid Beach Zookeepers | Southport Sharks The Hanlon Brothers (Covers) | Stingray Bar, QT Gold Coast Black Rheno + Eternal Torment + Evil Eye + Kaosphere + Drop Ins | Miami Shark Bar FRIDAY 28 – SUNDAY 30 JULY Broadbeach Country Music Festival: America + Troy CassarDaley + Kasey Chambers + More | Broadbeach FRIDAY 28 JULY Josh Hamilton | Hotel Brunswick Jax Haze | Pacific Fair (5 – 8.00pm)

GOLD COAST GIG GUIDE

Nicole Parker Brown & The Late Late Show + Jake Meywes | NightQuarter, Helensvale

Ben Hanna | The Kitchens, Robina Town Centre

Free The Genie | Cambus Wallace

Luke Bennett | Deck Acoustics, Currumbin RSL

Josh Lovegrove | Deck Acoustics, Currumbin RSL

The Mouldy Lovers | Miami Marketta

The Settlements + Eden Mulholland | NightQuarter

The Smokin’ Crawdads Trio (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Fairchild | elsewhere

SUNDAY 30 JULY

Benny D Williams (4.30pm) | Burleigh Brewing

Phil Barlow | Pacific Fair

Here Be Monsters + The Black Racketeers + Cactus + Rachel Gilligan | Currumbin Pub

THURSDAY 10 AUGUST

Graham Hobson | Watermark Hotel

Phil Barlow (solo) | Zullaz, Burleigh Bill Jacobi | Hotel Brunswick Kenny Slide (5.00pm) | Pacific Fair

Graham Hobson | Watermark Hotel & Spa

Tyler Vivian (2.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing Co

SATURDAY 5 AUGUST

Candice Dianna | The Kitchens, Robina Town Centre

Dave Murray (9.00am) | Iron & Resin, Currumbin

The Mason Rack Band | Southport Sharks

Lilleexx (2.00pm) | Palm Beach Surf Club

Ben Hanna | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks

Jason McGregor | Pacific Fair (4 – 7.00pm)

Hell & Whiskey (Covers) | Currumbin Beach Vikings SLSC

Barefoot Fridays (2.00pm) | North Burleigh SLSC

Kristie Lea | Deck Acoustics, Currumbin RSL

Jerome Williams (3.00 – 6.00pm) | The Kitchens, Robina Town Centre

The Button Collective | Miami Marketta

The Red Men (1.00pm) | RSL Club Southport

Matrix Duo (Covers) | RSL Club Southport SATURDAY 29 JULY Jesse Morris & Rob De Masi (2.00pm) | The Sheoak Shack

Sex & Chocolate | Currumbin SLSC Free The Genie | Mexacali

Andy Penny | Currumbin SLSC

Die For Mushies + Kazual Tea + Wootton Major + Isabel Wood | Currumbin Pub

Kris Wason (4.00pm) | Pacific Fair

FRIDAY 4 AUGUST

Seaside Sounds: Satisvibes + Josh Lovegrove | Burleigh Point

Brad Butcher | Burleigh Brewing Co

TUESDAY 8 AUGUST Mescalio Blues | Cambus Wallace WEDNESDAY 9 AUGUST James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace

Josh and Ellie + Cassidy Mackie (11.00am) | The Kitchens

SATURDAY 12 AUGUST

Doubleshot (11.00am) | RSL Club Southport

SUNDAY 6 AUGUST

Graham Hobson | Watermark Hotel

Lloyd Saniel (Covers) | Southport Sharks

Abbey Road played by The Honey Sliders + special guests | Currumbin RSL

Daneel & The Feel + The Elliotts | Nimbin Hotel

Michael Eotvos (4.00pm) | Deck Acoustics, Currumbin RSL

Sean Fitzgerald (11.00am) | The Kitchens

MONDAY 31 JULY

AUGUST TUESDAY 1 AUGUST

Gig Cartel (2.00pm) | North Burleigh SLSC The Murlocs + Nice Biscuit + The Stone Witches| Miami Shark Bar

Ben Janz | Hotel Brunswick

SUNDAY 13 AUGUST Izzy Day (2.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing

Mark Watson | Watermark Hotel & Spa

Johan Coppers | Cambus Wallace

LS Philosophy + Jacob Lee | NightQuarter, Helensvale

WEDNESDAY 2 AUGUST

Herbie Walker | Cambus Wallace

The Elliotts |Kingscliff Beach Hotel

Micka Scene | Hotel Brunswick

Bean Project | Cambus Wallace

Shaun Kirk (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick

Phil Barlow & The Wolf | Sonny’s House of Blues

Katie Who | Pacific Fair

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Keegan Spark (5.00pm) | The Kitchens

Sticky Rock Duo (11.00am) | The Kitchens

Miss T & The Anchormen (Covers) | Southport Sharks

Jake Meywes | NightQuarter

THURSDAY 3 AUGUST

Phill & Tilly (2.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing

Joshy Dreddz | Cambus Wallace

KICKSTART YOUR MUSIC CAREER

Dosed (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick

SUNDAY 20 AUGUST

Keegan Spark (11.00am) | The Kitchens

Tyler Vivian (2.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing

The Gig Cartel | Currumbin SLSC

Angelo Pash | Cambus Wallace

Free The Genie | Etsu

Andy Jans Brown + Cosmic (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick

TUESDAY 15 AUGUST

Ueiri Franca (11.00am) | The Kitchens

Matthew Armitage | Cambus Wallace

Phil Barlow (4.00pm) | Pacific Fair The Accidents | Currumbin SLSC Free The Genie | Etsu

WEDNESDAY 16 AUGUST James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace Tessa Devine | Pacific Fair

TUESDAY 22 AUGUST Matthew Armitage | Cambus Wallace WEDNESDAY 23 AUGUST

THURSDAY 17 AUGUST Free The Genie | Cambus Wallace

James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace Katie Who | Pacific Fair Akova | Byron Bay Beach Hotel

THURSDAY 24 AUGUST Amy Shark + Fractures + The Maslows | Miami Marketta (ticketed event) Keegan Spark (5.00pm) | The Kitchens Free The Genie | Cambus Wallace

The Floating Bridges | Miami Marketta

FRIDAY 25 AUGUST

Ash Grunwald | Hotel Brunswick

Alexander Williams | Burleigh Masonic Hall Lodge

Andrew Cousins (5.00pm) | Pacific Fair The Immigrants | Currumbin SLSC SATURDAY 19 AUGUST Shakafest: Grinspoon + DZ Deathrays + Butterfingers + Horrorshow + Tired Lion + Ivan Ooze + Waax + Goons of Doom + Trapdoor + Radolescent | Miami Tavern Shakiest after party: Hockey Dad + The Creases + Bris 182 + VICES | Miami Tavern ABBALIVE | RSL Club Southport Mark Watson |Watermark Hotel Phil Barlow & The Wolf | Nightquarter Dan Hannaford Duo | Hotel Brunswick

Luka Lesson and Kahl Wallis | NightQuarter, Helensvale

Illy | NightQuarter, Helensvale The Wayward Suns | Nimbin Hotel SLEEPMAKESWAVES + guests | Miami Shark Bar FRIDAY 15 SEPTEMBER

Vera Blue | Miami Marketta (ticketed)

FRIDAY 22 SEPTEMBER

Tim Stokes (2.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing

Tijuana Cartel | Soundlounge

Phil Barlow (solo) | The Arts Centre

SATURDAY 30 SEPTEMBER

Bullhorn (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick

Drapht | Surfers Paradise Beergarden

Cassidy Mackie (11.00am) | The Kitchens

THURSDAY 12 OCTOBER

Nicky Convine (5.00pm) | Pacific Fair

SATURDAY 9 SEPTEMBER

Karl S Williams | Soundlounge

Joshy Dreddz (4.30pm) | Burleigh Brewing

Brother Fox | Hotel Brunswick

BIGSOUND Festival, 130+ acts | Fortitude Valley

SUNDAY 27 AUGUST

Rob McMullan | Watermark Hotel

Clawmachine + Coastal Lights + Pure Milk + Whitney Veitch | Currumbin Pub

5 – 8 SEPTEMBER

FRIDAY 1 SEPTEMBER ‘A Fist Full of Rock’: Hoodoo Gurus + You Am I + Jedediah + Adalita | NightQuarter, Helensvale LDRU | Surfers Beergarden

Meg Mac | Miami Marketta (ticketed event) SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER Boo Seeka | Miami Marketta (ticketed event)

BACHELOR OF

POPULAR MUSIC

THURSDAY 19 OCTOBER Bernard Fanning & The Black Fins + Tia Gostelow | The Triffid

PERFORMANCE MUSIC, SOUND AND VISION MUSIC INDUSTRY

FRIDAY 20 OCTOBER Custard | Soundlounge SATURDAY 21 OCTOBER

griffith.edu.au/ popular-music

Kingswood | NightQuarter FRIDAY 27 OCTOBER Kim Churchill | Soundlounge

Check 1, 2 | Currumbin SLSC Free The Genie | elsewhere

SATURDAY 2 SEPTEMBER

SATURDAY 26 AUGUST

Steve Dorrington & The Backup Plan | Nimbin Hotel

Chase The Sun | Soundlounge, Currumbin

SUNDAY 3 SEPTEMBER

Maroochy Music & Visual Arts Festival: Allison Wonderland + The Presets + Bernard Fanning + Gang of Youths + Horroshow + Anna of the North + Northeast Party House

* Catch these SEED artists playing at a venue near you

Sex & Chocolate | Fisherman’s Wharf

GRIFFITH.EDU.AU/POPULAR-MUSIC

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DEATH SENTENCE FOR SHARK BAR Metal lovers rejoice, Thy Art is Murder are charging furiously unto the breach once more. The globally recognised five-piece are bringing their ‘Death Sentence’ tour to the Gold Coast. Known for attracting both young death metal acolytes as well as older vintage thrashers, Thy Art is Murder’s unrelenting aggression on the stage and in the studio has made them a hallmark of heavy music worldwide. Samantha Morris spoke to Andy Marsh (guitar) ahead of the band’s visit to the Gold Coast.

IN ASHES BREATHE NEW HOPE A name change, a new album and a story told through video have all been keeping Gold Coast’s hard-hitting In Ashes busy. Nate Rose (vocals) spoke to Nev Pearce about ‘Breathe Hope’ and what else lies on the horizon.

“It’s definitely a weight off our shoulders,” Nate said, of the new album. “It’s stretched out for a long time now, we’re really happy to finally get it out there and have something solid that’s got a good response.” The band started writing the album in 2013 and Nate says “everything” was a challenge. Image: Jake Owens Your record ‘Holy War’ reached #7 on the ARIA Charts, which is the highest charting position for a domestic extreme metal act. Did you ever think you’d reach the mainstream charts? We never thought we would, but we never really set out to get there either. It’s incredibly rewarding for us, but mostly it is cool for our families to have a statistic to pull out at parties and be proud of. It’s also great to represent heavy music in the charts, and hopefully give more attention to hard working underground bands. You’ve been around for more than ten years. How has the metal scene changed over time? We aren’t entirely sure as we are always moving around and never exposed to one scene for too long before moving on. The exposure and loyalty we have been shown by our fans overseas has really opened our eyes to the culture of heavy metal and what it means to people. Its a lot more subdued in Australia and probably why genres like ours struggle to build fanbases. You must have learnt a lot during that time. If you had one piece of advice for a deathcore / metal band just finding their feet, what would it be? Work harder than anyone else you know, determination is everything. 24

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You’ve got a big following in the USA and Canada – as well as here at home. What’s the secret to connecting with those international audiences? Writing songs that connect with audiences and relentless touring. We have been heading overseas at least three times a year for six years now and you need to work hard to gain those new fans and build a following. That plus some good old fashioned Aussie luck. You’ve played some enormous stages across the world. When you come to the Gold Coast you’ll be playing Shark Bar, which is small in comparison. Do you need to do anything to turn down the energy levels and volumes, or do you just like blow those venues apart? We love these kinds of club shows. We sold this venue out in the middle of last year and hopefully we did a good enough job then to warrant another one. These shows are great for connecting with the audience and give off a totally insane energy all of their own in a way you can’t get when there are a lot more people in a big space. We can’t wait!

THY ART IS MURDER WILL TEAR MIAMI TAVERN APART ON SATURDAY 12 AUGUST.

“We did hit a lot of roadblocks on the way but in the end we got the product we wanted and we hope everyone enjoys it as much as we enjoyed making it,” he said, adding that the lengthy production timeline was intentional. “We had the luxury of that because we recorded with our friend Nick Carpenter at Core studios,” Nate said. “So we could work in with him whenever it suited us to go in and track and with parts we weren't happy with it allowed us to go in and redo.” "We sent him demos and stuff leading up to the time that we were hitting the studio. And then he would just throw ideas back and say well let's try this.” “We didn't want someone that would just go through the motions of track, track, track, done, done, done. He pushed us to get the best that we could do which was exactly what we were after in a producer.” As well as finding a gun producer in the studio, In Ashes also worked with a gun director in Her Name is Murder for the video which accompanied the title track ‘Breathe Hope.’ “It's an ongoing story that's going to link up with the following videos,” Nate explained, “so it's a little bit vague, but once these other videos come out it’ll bring the whole story together.” Having recently changed band names from In Ashes We Lie to the truncated In Ashes, Nate says the band itself has had some other big changes.

“Me and Lee, the guitarist (originally bass) started the band back in 2011,” he explained. “The other guys in the band were Christian and Simon. Simon went on to play in The Delta Riggs. We were one of the first melodic rock bands, along with Morningtide, on the Gold Coast back in the day.” “Most of our shows we'd play on the early days was Mary Street and Byron Bay, playing shows with Think Straight, Shoot to Kill, Winston from Parkway Drive’s first band called Blue Putrid Nightmare, then eventually Parkway Drive.” “We actually played Parkway Drive’s first show ever in Byron bay. And then we actually started tracking for our debut album back then but the band broke up in 2003.” Nate said he played with bands between, met current drummer Josh in a band called Satellite Years and the restarted In Ashes with their first show being a support slot for Amity Affliction at Surfers Paradise Beergarden. “Which wasn't a too shabby show to have a comeback show for,” he said, before looking to the future once more. “This album’s been finished for 12 months easy, now. It’s taken us 12 months to actually get it out there. We’ve already started writing new stuff… looking ahead to maybe get a new single by the end of the year,” Nate said. Story by Samantha Morris

IN ASHES HIT MIAMI SHARK BAR 5 AUGUST BEFORE REMINDING CROWDS IN BRISBANE, ADELAIDE, MELBOURNE AND SYDNEY THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO ROCK.

PERENNIAL VERA BLUE The friendly and happy voice on the other end of the line gives no hint of the stunning range and depth of Vera Blue (aka Celia Pavey). Her new album, ‘Perennial’ is raw and deeply vulnerable, delivered with incredible vocals and beautiful production. Celia Pavey placed third on The Voice in 2013, performing as the folk artist she was at the time. Since then she has discovered and fallen in love with electronic music and Vera Blue is the stunning result and she generously allowed Erin Bourne to dig beneath the surface to find out more. Did you change your name to Vera Blue so you could be more experimental? After The Voice, I was given time to find myself musically. I had a few writing sessions and I was put in a session with Andy (producer). I told him I write folk music and I’ve discovered electronic music and I really really love it and I’d love to blend the two. Andy was so cool and we finished the song, Fingertips, and we’ve been working together since. I kind of see me, Andy, Thom, and Adam Anders as the collective Vera Blue. This was so different to my previous music it deserved its own project name. The songs are about what I go through and very personal about me and I feel like I represent Vera Blue, but there are so many more people behind the creation, the production and everything so it is much more of a collective. ‘Perennial’ is all about a break up, was it your way of healing? For the first few months of writing I was very much living the heartbreak and the pain of freshly coming out of the relationship. So the first few songs are about heartbreak and the freedom of not feeling that sense of hurt. Then it’s more like a development and personal strengthening album, acknowledging vulnerability and how it’s ok to feel bad and it’s always going to come back. The song ‘Private’ definitely has a sense of you taking your power back. The album is structured into three different chapters and I worked very closely with my producer’s younger brother, Thom, who is a songwriter. The three chapters were the process. First chapter was very vulnerable and sad, and a lot of frustration. The second chapter was a bit more exciting, I’d gotten over the heartache. I’d become a bit more aware of my surroundings

and less about love and more about empowerment. Third phase is reminiscing, maybe haven’t quite repaired from the last relationship. That’s where ‘Perennial’ comes in, it’s very constant and things come back around all the time. How do you write with somebody else when it is writing about something so deeply personal? The thing with Thom and Andy is they have experienced everything with me, they understand and they get me so I feel super open with them. They know how to translate my emotion and vulnerability with production, lyric and melody. It’s just so amazing working with people who are as passionate about the music and the project as I am. So how do you feel about putting something so personal out into the world, so exposed?

It’s really quite an intense thing but I haven’t given it too much thought. Mainly I’m saying words for people who aren’t necessarily able to say them. I’m excited to be able to be so honest with the world and my listeners. I can talk about the songs but once it’s out there it becomes the listener’s own. What’s the show like? Fresh visuals, fresh songs and just whole new show. Hopefully people come along and stay on my journey for a long time. Performing live is one of my favourite parts of being an artist, the connection is amazing and I love it.

IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY GET YOUR TICKETS FOR VERA BLUE’S MIAMI MARKETTA SHOW, 27 AUGUST. YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN AWE OF THE VOICE AND COMPLETELY DISARMED BY THE HONESTY AND VULNERABILITY.

INTRODUCING INTERN CATHERINE GUNTHER Not only is Catherine Gunther an Americana songwriter based here on the Gold Coast, perfoming intimate style shows regularly around SEQ and Sydney, she’s also Blank Gold Coast’s latest intern – the fourth in the magazine’s four-year history. With her eyes set firmly on a mixed career that focuses both on live performance and songwriting as well as music journalism, Catherine is a fine candidate for the busy role of interning at a print and online publishing business. Catherine grew up in Sydney but resides on the Gold Coast where she has been studying a Bachelor of Popular Music from the Queensland Conservatorium and is due to graduate at the end of the year. As an avid reader, she also delved into the world of literature and creative writing, exploring the worlds of Shakespeare and Australian fiction. This sparked an interest in music journalism, which she has been involved in since December 2016, writing content for various online music websites. But her passion for writing doesn’t end there. She is also writing a fantasy novel which she hopes to publish. Musically inspired by the likes of Fanny Lumsden, Jen Mize and Nikki Lane, Catherine has also been exploring and experimenting with her songwriting over the last 12 months in the lead up to her next release. She is currently working with ARIA charting producer Jared Adlam to create a record that captures the authenticity and passion she has for music. Since establishing herself on the music scene in 2015 this new project is her most ambitious yet. Her previous releases ‘Livin’ on the Land’ (2014) and ‘Bittersweet Memories’ (2015) received nationwide attention from community radio and have seen Catherine play Tamworth and Urban Country Music Festivals.

SEE CATHERINE LIVE: 8 AUGUST, BRISBANE CITY SOUNDS 10 AND 24 SEPTEMBER, BRISBANE FESTIVAL, QPAC 14 – 15 OCTOBER, BUSKERS BY THE CREEK, CURRUMBIN www.blankgc.com.au

Arts & Culture

GETTING PERSONAL WITH NEEL KOLHATKAR

Comedian, writer, actor and internet sensation Neel Kolhatkar spent the first half of the year performing his new stand-up show across the country to sold-out crowds at all the major Australian comedy festivals. Now it's the Gold Coast’s turn to enjoy his particular brand of scathing, provocative commentary when he hits the stage at Southport Sharks in August. We got to know the young comedy superstar a little better ahead of the gig. Were you a funny kid? Did you always see yourself as a performer?

Can you tell us about a couple of things on your bucket list?

I was just a massive attention seeker to be perfectly honest and as a result ended up being a little bit funny. I've been on stage and performing since I was twelve and have wanted to do it ever since.

Hmmm I'd live to perform at Carnegie Hall in the US one day. Probably have kids, maybe go skydiving too... quite a range.

What's more challenging: writing comedy, or performing comedy? For me it's probably writing. I'm not one of the comedians who can sit down and just write. I have to have a thought or idea come to me naturally first. Do you think it's easier for comedians of colour to play with race and cultural stereotypes than it is for white comedians? Yes if you're in a minority that's always going to be more prevalent and thus it's definitely easier to use it in comedy. At 22 you've already been around the comedy traps for ages. Is this something you see yourself doing for another ten, or twenty years? Absolutely. I can't see myself doing anything else in life.

Do have a favourite Comedy Festival to perform at? If so, which one and why? I can't go past Sydney Comedy Festival. Sydney is my hometown and has great crowds. The current state of world affairs must provide endless fodder for your style of observational humour. Have you ever started to write something and stopped because you thought it was "too soon" or cutting "too close to the bone"? Very rarely. I only ever stop myself if I think the joke isn't worthy of the gravity of the subject matter but almost never because it's too soon or may offend people. Are you ever surprised by a person who appreciates your comedy? All the time! People from all sorts of demographics are into my comedy which I would never expect. It surprises me every day, the extent and diversity of people messaging my Facebook page. Natalie O'Driscoll

CATCH NEEL AT SOUTHPORT SHARKS FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY ON 25 AUGUST. TICKETS VIA MOSHTIX. 26

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WHY MACRAMÉ? EMILIA TELL US

Emilia Lorena gave up an executive advertising career in Sydney at just 22 years old to become a full time, self-professed nanna. Following her recent move to Burleigh, Kylie Cobb sat with Emilia in her new warehouse, Mo's Desert Clubhouse to talk about her burgeoning career as a macramé artist. Firstly, why macramé? I have always been a bit of a nanna! I started knitting at a young age, and as time went on that progressed into different fibres such as ropes, then I eventually ditched the knitting needles and started using my hands. Macramé started for me as a therapy when I was working full time in advertising, and it still is that for me today. We heard that a trip to Burning Man festival in the USA changed everything for you. What happened? Absolutely, there is nothing like spending 10 days in the desert at Burning Man to get your creative juices flowing. This festival is like nothing you have have ever seen before. Every single person, tent, theme, expressing their passion in their arts so proudly and powerfully. I came home and was determined to be the best artist I could be by not being held back by what people are and aren't doing, and just go for it! It's also where I became fast friends with Kim and Christian, my now business partners at Mo's Desert Clubhouse. To be the best artist you can, you need to surround yourself in an environment and by people that inspire you, and sometimes that involves some risks and a leap of faith. We all packed our bags, moved to Burleigh and have

spent the last 8 weeks with no sleep and all our dedication (and savings) to transform an old warehouse into the raddest new creative joint on the Gold Coast. Why has macramé has had a major comeback over the last few years? And where do you see Emilia Lorena heading in the future? The fundamental knots are so gorgeous and not that difficult once you know what you are doing. It's so therapeutic and fun, especially when you do it with a bunch of friends. I see things differently too, finding inspiration through scenery, shapes and day to day life. I love teaching the craft of macramé and really enjoy hosting workshops. So I see many more hens parties and macramé workshops in the future. I also love styling events like working with brides on creating their perfect ceremony setting. And finally, you have a workshop coming up! When, where and how do we sign up? Thursday 3rd August, 6-9PM at Mo's Desert Clubhouse, Burleigh Heads. We eat cheese, drink wine and make art. Book you and your girlfriends a spot now! Visit emilialorena.com.au for more information.

MCA PRIMAVERA AT 25 CELEBRATION COMES TO THE GOLD COAST The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is celebrating twenty-five years of Primavera – the annual exhibition dedicated to showcasing the work of young Australian artists – with ‘Primavera at 25: MCA Collection’, touring around Australia and exhibiting at Gold Coast City Gallery until September. Curated by Megan Robson, MCA Assistant Curator, the exhibition includes work by 19 artists and collectives who have previously exhibited in the exhibition. ‘Primavera at 25’ brings together established and emerging artists working across a range of disciplines from painting, sculpture, video, performance, kinetic and installation art. “It’s an exhibition where we invite a guest curator every year to travel around Australia, meet young artists and put together an exhibition,” explains Megan Robson on our exhibition tour. “The MCA has been collecting Primavera artists for a long time, and the works in this exhibition are all drawn from our collection.” For many artists, Primavera marks the start of a long relationship with the MCA. Since 1992, 206 artists have exhibited in Primavera with the MCA acquiring over 230 works by artists in the exhibition for the MCA

TAXIRIDE’S JASON SINGH

Collection. These include artworks that were first exhibited in a Primavera exhibition and works made many years afterwards. “An anniversary presents a moment for reflection, an opportunity in which to consider the past and contemplate the future, as well as our relationship with the artists,” says Megan. “It was a really interesting process to look back at the history of Primavera but also to look back at the works that we’ve collected over the years. I was drawn to particular works and at the same time I was thinking about what an anniversary means and how you could celebrate that within an exhibition. So what I came up with was looking at interrelated themes that kind of relate to the ideas of anniversary. So artists that deal with history in some way, artists that deal with time, artists that also deal with transformation.”

The exhibition contains a number of extraordinary and disparate works: a haunting and powerful representation of the character of Caliban by Abdul Abdullah, and an eye-drawing moving sunset by Nell, entitled ‘Unlimited Radiance’. ‘Native Gold’ by Danie Mellor is a searing exploration of Indigenous people displaced by colonisation, and the land which was irrevocably changed by conquest and exploitation, while Rebecca Bauman’s ‘Automated Colour Field’ utilises an obsolete technology in a wholly unique way, seeking to explore the intimate relationship between colour and emotion, and the way specific colours and colour combinations can elicit particular feelings or moods.

‘PRIMAVERA AT 25’ IS EXHIBITING AT THE GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY FROM NOW UNTIL 3 SEPTEMBER 2017. MORE INFORMATION AT THEARTSCENTREGC.COM. AU/GALLERY.

Natalie O’Driscoll

Tim Silver is one such artist, dealing with transformation and time in his work. A small boat perfectly cast from watercolour pigment was set into water, and then photographed as it slowly melted. The resulting series shows an almost eerie disintegration, and an incredibly clever crossover between watercolour, photography and sculpture.

BOOM CRASH OPERA’S DALE RYDER

CHOIRBOY’S MARK GABLE

A CELEBRATION OF AUSTRALIAN MUSIC

SUNDAY, AUGUST 27 th 2017 1:30 PM MCLARENS BEACH BAR

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$69

including return transfers

07 5532 2444

32/19 Warehouse Road, Southport Phone us on 07 5532 0788 or leftbankgallery.com.au

$29 Boaties Special

BAR

TRANSFER DEPARTS MARINER’S COVE MARINA | 11:30AM FOR A 12PM DEPARTURE | RETURN 5:30PM

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Lifestyle

BOTANICAL BAZAAR BLOOMS THIS SPRING Back by popular demand is the Gold Coast’s biggest Gardening Expo, the Botanical Bazaar, supported by Tropical Fruit World. On 3 September, the Botanical Bazaar will be blooming in its new 13-hectare home at the Country Paradise Parklands in Nerang. With celebrity gardens, over 70 green inspired exhibitors, interactive workshops and kids’ activities, the Bazaar is expected to be a drawcard for thousands of nature lovers. Natalie O'Driscoll spoke with Event Director Stacey Panozzo about what eager fans can expect. I understand you're in a new home this year. What prompted the move? Being a pilot event in the first year, it proved people enjoyed the day and exhibitors were keen to return. It also highlighted a few areas that needed to be improved. These being, to increase the size of the venue and amount of parking plus introduce more food and entertainment. Moving to Country Paradise was the answer. It is on 13 hectares of beautiful parklands, there are indoor and outdoor facilities and it solved the space challenge. The Parklands is run by volunteers and is home to several community groups from Healing Hooves, Community Gardens, River Keepers, FSG, Sheilas Shack and the Mens Shed. It's a community minded, nature lovers paradise right in the heart of the Gold Coast and the local councillor Peter Young is very supportive to keep it growing. Is there anything new and exciting happening this year that you'd like to share with previous visitors? We are really lucky to have Costa Georgiadis from ABC Gardening Australia supporting and sharing his knowledge at the event. Internationally renound botanical artist Julia-Rose will also be conducting workshops and showcasing some spectacular wearable pieces. Coinventor of the revolutionary Flow Hive, Stuart Anderson will be speaking and demonstrating how Flow Hive works and touching on how they generated over $17.3million in crowd funding for the invention.

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I'm a terrible gardener - I kill everything, although I keep trying. Is there anything there for me? Well you will be at the right place because we all start out as a terrible gardener! Growing your own is a trial and error effort as it depends on the elements you're provided. The space, amount of sun, type of soil and nutrients will all affect what you are growing. Lucky for you your persistence will pay off with delicious home grown food and there will be people on the day to share tips on how to achieve this. We have supplies and education for small space gardening, indoor and balcony gardening to experienced growers. Why do you think events like this are important for the Gold Coast? Nature has no boundaries and is the foundation of the Gold Coast's footprint. People attending range from babies to 85yrs as we are simply providing a positive and enjoyable day out where people can connect and learn more about nature and growing their own food. We want them to leave inspired by the beauty of botanics and how to live more sustainably. Natalie O’Driscoll

TICKETS RANGE FROM BETWEEN $5-$15 AND CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE FROM BOTANICALBAZAAR. COM.AU

REMEMBER TO BREATHE, THE REALITY BEHIND THE CLICHÉ No doubt you’ve seen it on a bumper sticker, or you’ve heard it from a fitness trainer or even a well-meaning friend when you’re freaking out about something; breathe! We are all breathing all the time but many of us are doing it wrong – yes, that’s possible. Check out your own breathing pattern while you’re reading this. Does your belly expand on the inhale and contract on the exhale? Do your ribs expand to the sides on the inhale? Do you feel expansion in the back of the ribcage with an inhale? Do your shoulders lift with each breath? How many breaths did you take in a minute? How fast, slow, shallow or deep do you breathe? How well (or not) you breathe impacts everything from your mental health to your physical ability. With everything I study and teach, from yoga to Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilisation, it all begins with breathing better. So, how do you breathe better? To start, we actually use the muscle that is there for the breath, the diaphragm. When it contracts (inhale) it presses down into the abdominal cavity pushing the belly out a bit but also allowing the chest to expand. The ribs can expand outwards changing the pressure in the thoracic cavity and this means the inhale becomes easier and we don’t need to involve a bunch of muscles to breathe in. When we stop using these extra muscles to inhale we gain all that precious energy to be put to use elsewhere, and we can ease tension in the neck and shoulders. When we allow this breathing pattern we create intra-abdominal pressure which engages our core muscles, creates stability in the core supporting our

back, another win. To exhale we relax the diaphragm, and we relax our minds.

The breath is connected to our nervous system, deepening the breath, particularly the exhale, switches us into the Parasympathetic Nervous System or our relax/restore response. Too many of us are permanently in our Sympathetic (stress, fight/fight/freeze) response, which then further inhibits deep breathing which further inhibits relaxation……sensing the pattern? Deep slow breaths are important for our nervous system and so contribute to our mental health. Breathing correctly helps oxygenate the body better and so gives the cells more energy to do their work, with less waste products. This means our physical capacity to do everything from digest our food to run is impacted by the breath. So we allow the belly, ribs, back and chest expand with the inhale, utilising the lung capacity. Think of your lungs as a balloon, expand in all directions with the inhale, let it release with the exhale. Slow it down, focus on it and practice. Those who know me have seen the little gold dot stickers on my phone, around my house and car, they are reminders to breathe, and breathe properly. Do whatever works to remind you but get this right and your body and mind will thank you for it. For even more information and breathing practices, head to aloka.com.au or check out Elemental Movement on YouTube. Erin Bourne

Lifestyle

SURFER PROFILE: PIPER HARRISON

The first two things you notice when you first see Piper Harrison are the big shock of blonde hair and the fluorescent surfboard. But this Grade 11 student has been surfing since before she could walk. Now sixteen-year-old Piper is the Queensland Open Women’s Surfing Champion, and has scored a spot in the trials for the 2018 Roxy Pro at Snapper. Piper’s future is as bright as her surfboard.

MYSTICAL, MAGICAL……. MALDIVES The Maldives conjures up images of clear blue waters, plentiful reefs and the whitest of sand. But nothing could have prepared us for the visual splendour that unfolded on our recent trip.

So what is the go with the Fluoro Boards? Is it a 1980’s flashback? Haha… no definitely not an 80’s flash back. Ever since Marlon (my younger brother) and I were little we have had fluro boards and it has just kind of become out trade mark since we moved. People can see who we are in the water and on land. But one of the main reasons for the fluro is that mum can pick us from the beach when it’s really crowded in the surf. We can also pick each other which is helpful when you know you have missed the bus to school because the surf is pumping, and Marlon (Little Brother) just wants one more barrel. Who are your favorite surfers, and why? Yeah, I can’t really nail it down to one surfer because there are so many surfers I admire because of different aspects of them style, power, personality etc. But if I had to pick a couple it would have to be firstly Kelly Slater, the man is a freak of nature he can do anything he sets his mind to. Kelly combines an equally mind blowing power, rail and air game this is pretty much everything I hope to be able to do in the future. Steph Gilmore is another one of my all-time favorites she pretty much has the best style in the business, her barrel riding is ridiculous and unlike any of the other girls on tour it’s so relaxed, Steph makes surfing look easy even when doing some of the craziest turns. Who would you say are your female role models? I’m pretty lucky to have such an amazing mum and I would definitely say she is my biggest role model, I just hope I am half as amazing as her when I’m older. Other than

my mum one of my all-time biggest female role models is Sally Fitzgibbons, she was able to succeed in really high levels of more than one sport. Another thing I am inspired from is Sally so well balanced and has a pretty amazing vibe about her. Sally is super strong and determined, she just keeps push her limits, which is think is something I hope to be able to do. You recently won the Open Queensland Women’s Title, and with that comes a Wildcard to the Roxy Pro Trials at Snapper Rocks in 2018. You have to get to through the trials, but what would it be like to get to take on the best women surfers in the world at your home break? Yes, winning the wild card is a step in the right direction, I think even being in the trails is a great opportunity. Surfing against some of my biggest idols on my home break would be amazing but there is still a long path to get there through the trials, because of all of the awesome talent coming through at the moment it will not be easy but hopefully that’s where I can bring a bit of my home ground knowledge into my surfing. So if you see a shock of blonde hair and fluoro board racing down the line towards you at the Superbank, pull back and let her go because it’s more than likely Piper and, let’s face it. She probably surfs better than you! Terry “Tappa” Teece

To read the full interview, visit blankgc.com.au

Arriving in the capital city Male just before midnight is interesting, if not underwhelming. Choices are limited to transit to the islands after 6.00pm, so plans were made to stay in Hulhumale on the tourist strip. The Maldives is a Muslim country and we arrive on Ramadan, the holy month of fasting - the streets are quiet. Next morning the renowned Maldivian service is in full swing as we board the Sea Plane, destination Mirihi Island, in the South Ari Attol. The plane intentionally flies low to capture the endless reefs and glimpses of the Indian Ocean- a transparent mix of the bluest of blues. Arriving at Mirihi island is like landing on your own private Idaho. Resort Manager Gunther and his team await you on the jetty and the warmth of this welcoming party does not falter throughout your stay. Water villas are literally built over the water and a few steps off your deck you are snorkeling with turtles, reef sharks and the most exotic fish.

Tourism is the main industry of the Maldives and it’s preserved from the top. Government stipulates that resorts must employ up to 60% of Maldivian workers and foreigners can only purchase properties if they partner with a local. The environment is at the forefront of preservation with minimal plastic refuse, active water desalination plants and marine conservation, such as the turtle hatching program. The pristine atolls that make up the Maldives house over 1,100 islands, a mixture of private resorts and locally inhabited. It’s time to wave goodbye to our private oasis and head further south closer to the equator, to Six Senses Laamu, we have the feeling we will forever miss Mirihi. Alas Six Senses dulls our pain, an expansive island with a rustic chic feel, surrounded by private coral reefs and surf breaks. Contemporary eateries with fresh local flavours are dotted along the driftwood peers, all with spectacular views.

Island life is simple but abundant, the environment is exceptional with photo opportunities at every turn, no filter required.

There are plenty of activities with an emphasis on wellbeing from aerial yoga to ayurvedic treatments. An Earth Lab recycling centre and an active desalination plant provides the island with water, the resort recently won the environmental award at the 2017 expo in Singapore for commitment to sustainability.

Throughout our stay we meet the extraordinary team of workers, from the culinary chefs to the yoga teachers, art makers and musicians. Everyone has a story and plays a part in the unique island culture.

Personalised push bikes are your mode of transport and the super friendly staff take hospitality to the next level, complete with your very own GEM (guest experiences manager)-we get the feeling we will also long for Six Senses.

Head Chef Felix from Switzerland, lives in Thailand and works in the Maldives, his Sous chef Fernando is from Sri Lanka. The global menu is indicative of the mixed cultures and changes daily. We are in luck, tonight is South American night.

The Maldives is a place you dream to return to…. naturally wonderful, one can only wish to be marooned here one day.

There are spiced rum and homemade chocolate nights with the ocean as the backdrop (Gilligan island style) tropical fruit carving and live music by local legend Mohamad Ali - yes that’s his real name.

NOTE: Kylie was a guest of Mirihi Island and Six Senses. Kylie Mitchell-Smith @thetravellingsenorita

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Image: Dan Maynard Photography

ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY, LUMBER PUNKS? Putt putt, take a hike. The latest activity craze to hit the coast has arrived with a fairly distinctive thud. Lumber Punks Axe Throwing is the brainchild of Gold Coasters Sam Hay and Tyson McMillan, long-time friends who, initially, wanted to open up a café together. "We have been in that industry for most of our lives,” explains Tyson. “Then one day whilst we were having a ‘business meeting’ in my backyard throwing axes, it just seemed like the right idea. I had seen a few years ago that someone had done it in Canada and thought it would be a perfect fit for the Goldy. Luckily Sam agreed, and we've been dotting the i's since that moment." Axe Throwing has been around since primitive man walked the four corners of the world. In modern culture it was the North American lumberjacks who used it as a recreation in down times. And in the past decade it has evolved into a growing sport that is quickly spanning the globe. "It’s kind of like darts, but with big axes," Tyson describes. "The technique is really easy and fast for beginners to master, 10 minutes and you’re good to go on all types of axes." Co-owner Sam Hay explains how accessible it is to all. "The statistics show that 40% of throwers are women, so if you can pick up an axe, you can throw it into a target with some accuracy." Tyson describes the safety training and coaching provided for each participant. “When someone comes in they pay for session (about an hour and a half) and we go through a safety talk. They sign a waiver, we show them all the safety stuff to go with axe throwing and then we start coaching them. “Within two and fifteen minutes you’re lodging axes into the wood, and we work you up from a small axe into a large 30

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one and then into all types of exotic axes. The interesting thing is that some people can’t get their head around how to throw a little axe but give them a big axe and they’ll nail it,” he laughs. The sport has grown from backyard origins and now sees axe throwing venues all over the world. "The first commercial venture in the sport started about 10 years ago in Canada. Now it sees over 20 venues in North America, a handful in the U.K. with popularity growing rapidly as more people experience axe throwing.”

Lumber Punks is the first venue to open in Queensland, with the growing hub of Miami chosen as the perfect area for the boys’ new venture. "We were looking for about eight months for the right position on the coast, something for the locals and great likeminded people to get together, have some fun and try something different," says Sam. "Miami was the right fit.” Sunday 23 July saw the grand opening of the venue, with free axe-throwing all day for guests. The day was designed to give newbies the chance to see what it is all about, and also get an understanding of the rules. “You just have to be sober, wearing covered footwear, sign a waiver and be 18yo+,” says Tyson. The sober rule is a definite sticking point. While snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are available for purchase at the venue, the guys are keen to keep things pretty dry. “The way we want to position ourselves in the market is we want to be the place you go to before you go out, so you remember the experience,” Tyson says. “And also axes and booze are probably not the best thing!”

Lumber Punks, as the name suggests, is a mix of timber sport and music.

“What we try to do is cater for the groups that are in there and let them choose the music. “But also our backgrounds are from the Hard Rock Café and Cooly Hotel so a big part of the whole concept was about music being a way of bringing people together.” If Tyson’s in charge of the music that day you might get a mix of old school rock, funk and maybe even a bit of country thrown in there, while Sam’s taste leans more towards the newer style of punk. Interestingly, the work “punk” was originally timber-related. “Punk started in the milling industry,” explains Tyson. “It’s the name for the useless bits of wood you can’t use for anything the shavings etc, that’s how it started with the new guy being called the punk, because he’s useless. Later, the term was picked up for undesirables, Clint Eastwood started using it. The punk industry just ran with it.” You learn something every day! Natalie O’Driscoll

IF YOU MISSED THE GRAND OPENING, THAT’S OKAY! THE GUYS ARE OPEN MONDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY FROM 4.00PM – 9.00PM AND ALL WEEKEND FROM 11.00AM – 9.00PM. LUMBER PUNKS IS AT 19 OZONE PARADE MIAMI. PH: 07 56133954 EMAIL: ADMIN@LUMBERPUNKS.COM WEB: LUMBERPUNKS.COM

THE GARDEN APOTHECARY REECE CARTER Back in the day, herbs were the main source of healing substances around. While medieval 'healing' practices may have been questionable (think blood-letting, trepanning, hot irons for haemorrhoids, and using urine as an antiseptic) there was a lot to be said for herbal remedies. Modern medicine prefers the use of patented pharmaceuticals and herbs have become the domain of naturopaths such as Reece Carter who has written this book for those who want to dabble in growing and making their own herbal remedies, and have an affordable stock on hand. ‘The Garden Apothecary’ is an easy to read 'how to' book about growing and preparing the most common herbal remedies, beauty products and healing foods. This is not a science book but gives basic descriptions of what ailments the herbs are used for, and gives a special shout out to oats, despite not being strictly herbal, for their cholesterol lowering ability. It offers easy to follow recipes and gardening tips, as well as how to make your own tinctures, infusions, decoctions, oils, creams, ointments, teas, syrups, sprays and even a candle. If you don't know the difference between an infusion, decoction and tincture, just know you get to use vodka to make one of them. Carter is obviously very fit, healthy and youthful and states the book is for 'daily health woes and minor annoyances' such as insomnia, libido, headaches, eczema, scars, stress, indigestion, immunity, flu and allergies. He is at pains to point out these remedies are not a replacement for medical treatments. My only lament is there no recipe for a cream skin cleanser. All is forgiven because I now know how to make a wall garden from an old wooden pallet. Better still, I know what to put in it. Pip Andreas thinklovelive.com

STILL LUCKY

100 SIDEWAYS MILES

REBECCA HUNTLEY

ANDREW SMITH

Donald Horne's famous book The Lucky Country written in 1964, has long been misinterpreted as a celebration of Australia's fortunes rather than the irony the title is meant to convey. While Horne surmised that “Australia is a lucky country run mainly by second rate people who share its luck”, Huntley states her book is “a wholeheartedly positive account of the people of Australia”.

If you told me you’d read a book about aliens, falling horses, puppetry, and head trauma and loved it so much you’d not recovered for days, I’d say: “Go home. You are book-drunk.”

Rebecca Huntley was Director and social researcher for the Ipsos Mind and Mood Report, conducting qualitative research of various groups of Australians hailing from different social demographics. As such, this book is devoid of statistical research and draws conclusions from her discussions with groups of people in their own environments. Topics include attitudes to politicians and the role of government, job security, housing affordability, the environment, racism, immigration, generation gaps, education, parenting, gender differences, attitude to alcohol, and materialism. Glaring exclusions are research into the LGBTIQ and Indigenous communities from their own perspectives. Much of the research findings are quite predictable. For example, Huntley concludes we are in fact a racist nation, we still aspire to home ownership, and feel our politicians have a lack of vision. It would, however, have been beneficial to back up her quantitative findings with some numbers. For example, she feels our fears of increasing immigration would be allayed if we had a better understanding of how immigrants contribute to greater prosperity in Australia. Quoting some stats here would have been helpful. The most depressing finding Huntley discusses is with women in their 30s and 40s with children feeling “trapped by their lives”. Only 22 percent of 700 of these women surveyed considered themselves “very happy”, with money, household chores, and work and parenting balance leading to anger and depression as well as using alcohol and prescription medication to cope.

Then I’d demand your copy and develop book crush number 9413. Andrew Smith’s ‘100 Sideways Miles’ is a mosh-pit of oddity. But it’s also a tender tale. Finn Easton knows the earth is always spinning and what we regard as time is also travel—sideways movement—and so he counts his life in miles. He fears he might also be trapped in a book, since his father—the author of an epically popular, unfinished sci-fi series—has written a character who is uncannily like Finn, with the same name, scar, and medical condition. Finn just wants to know who he is. Is he real or a fictional character? At least he knows he’ll stay friends forever with school legend, Cade Hernandez. And he knows he likes the new girl, Julia Bishop, but having seizures in front of her is not how he hoped to spark her love. The book contains heavenly passages that will send you afloat through time and space and make you feel the blurry lines between Finn and his dad’s sci-fi world. The story is resolutely about friendship—the bonds we form in high school when we barely know ourselves but know how important it is to feel we belong—and finding one’s identity when the markers for that identity were laid out by others before we had a choice. Finn’s chronic illness and how it interacts with his identity, self-confidence, and relationships is given a raw but gentle touch.

I didn't come away from this book feeling very hopeful about the country I live in. 'Still Lucky' seems as ironic now as 'The Lucky Country' was in 1964.

Most authors know the key to snatching readers resides in the first few pages. Here, Andrew Smith has written some of the best I’ve ever read. Hilariously, some of it barely relates to the overarching story.

Rebecca Huntley will be appearing at the Byron Writer's Festival, 4 - 6 August.

But I forgive Andrew Smith, immediately. For every unexpected, unusual choice. Nae Kurth

byronwritersfestival.com/festival-2017 Pip Andreas thinklovelive.com

Food & Drink

GROUND CONTROL COFFEE

5/29 Industry Drive, Tweed Heads South NSW There is no mistaking you are near Ground Control Coffee as, if the intoxicating scent doesn’t give it away, the crowd of cars vying for parks out the front will. Following our noses, we came upon the warehouse in a busy industrial estate and immediately knew we were at the right caffeine dealers.

that are dispersed into their Major Tom, Love Bites and OG blends as well as single origins, which happily for me was Ethiopian Yirgacheffe on our visit. All coffees in house are made on a Ruggero machine that Matt spoke about fondly as “it has been here since we bought the place and has never failed us”.

Mitch Kane co-owns Ground Control with his uncle Matt, and happily came to sit with us to drink some coffee and engage in some caffeine-related banter. Truly, this is how every day should begin.

The Major Tom espresso had an intriguing liquorice and rosemary aroma, packing a healthy acid punch with an earthy note running through the fruit and nut dark chocolate taste. The OG blend, which won a silver medal in the organic category at the Golden Bean awards, was also sampled in espresso form. With a squeaky acidity that smacks at the back of your mouth followed by a citrus heavy fruit flavour, it is easy to see why this blend of beans from Peru, Nicaragua and PNG is such a favourite. My favourite blend though was the Love Bites touted as being “for the consumer who likes their cuppa with a little oomph!” The malted chocolate scent wafting off the piccolo was heavenly, with a rich red berries flavour that was enveloped in ribbons of chocolate. No great surprise I took a bag of the Love Bites home with me so that I could enjoy it over and over again.

Mitch informs us over quite a few coffees (seriously we tried everything they had to offer!) that their journey began in a café in Ballina, where they started roasting coffee, developed some contacts and started to wholesale beans. In 2015, the opportunity came to consolidate what they were doing, so they moved into their current premises and began purchasing better beans and training up some gun baristas to showcase their product. "We want our customers to be well looked after, so we have invested a lot in the beans and training our staff " Matt informs us as one of the aforementioned gun baristas Levi brings us over yet more coffee to drink. "We pride ourselves on consistent, high quality coffee delivered with speed", and that is exactly our experience at Ground Control. There is a consistent buzz of people coming in and out during our caffeinated morning in the winter sun. With no kitchen, the punters truly are here for the coffee, whether to buy the beans off the shelf, or sit and enjoy their favourite brew in the laidback warehouse space. Currently they are roasting around 500kg of beans a week on their Joper roaster 34

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Catherine Coburn

THE GROUND CONTROL COFFEE ESPRESSO BAR IS OPEN 6:45AM TO 3:00PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY AND 7:00AM TO 12:00PM ON SATURDAY WITH THEIR BEANS AVAILABLE BOTH IN HOUSE AND ONLINE.

TRIAL BOOSTS SUSTAINABILITY OF CHILD SAFETY SEAT DISPOSAL ON THE GOLD COAST You might not have ever thought about what happens to old child seats. One child can outgrow two safety seats before they’re old enough to ride in a car without one. That’s a lot of safety seats being disposed of. 200,000 every year, to be exact. And nearly all of them are sent to landfill – even though 90% of the materials are recyclable. A new safety seat recovery trial is helping families dispose of their old child restraints sustainably and there’s a trial site here on the Gold Coast. The new child car safety seat recovery trial program offers parents a free and environmentally-friendly option for disposing of their child car restraints. By collecting and disassembling the seats onsite, the program aims to divert in excess of 900 tonnes of waste away from landfill and back into the recycling stream.   Families can do their bit to reduce their environmental footprint by disposing of their used child car safety seats during the

trial period, which runs to 30 August. A collection site has been set up at the Reedy Creek Community Waste and Recycling Centre in 61 Hutchinson Street, Burleigh Heads. Rear facing infant carriers and bases, forward facing seats, booster seats and items that attach directly to the seat supported by the manufacturer are all accepted for disposal. Samantha Morris

MAIN ST BURGER BAR

Oasis Shopping Centre, Victoria Avenue, Broadbeach Burgers cross borders. From casual to upmarket, the corner store to fine dining, vegan to carnivore, since the 19th century when someone shoved a Hamburg steak between two slices of bread, the humble hamburger has been crossing boundaries, forging friendships and nourishing a nation (or two). William Ennis, Lawrence Rose, Chris Wright and Tahlia Ward first opened Main Street Burger Bar in Byron Bay in February 2016. Now the talented team have crossed the state line to bring their burgers to Broadbeach. “Will (Ennis) and I both come from Michelin star restaurants,” says co-owner Chris Wright. “When we started off in Byron and thought about what we could do, we realized that the dining environment was moving towards street food. We wanted high standard food that could be produced in high volume; real produce that we could cook really well, well-sourced organic bread, organic grass-fed meat, free-range pork, sustainably sourced fish, with everything made in house.”

There’s a chilled out beachy vibe to Main Street Burger bar that we love, with something for everyone in this mix: fabulous burgers, cold beer, ‘old school’ milkshakes and hand-crafted sodas; a place where organic meat lovers and vegans can dine side by side. Happy hour from 4.00 – 6.00pm daily invites you in to slow down with a $5.00 Pacific Ale or house wine. Pints are $10.00 every day all day, and R & B Thursdays boast $1.00 wings. Vegans don’t miss out, either. They can hoe into a vegan coconut sorbet (sourced from Scoop in Burleigh), or a vegan milkshake.

Like they say: “Blissfully blending bewildering burgers and boutique brews.” Yep! To please every diner. That’s Main Street Burger Bar! NOTE: Marj dined as a guest of the venue. Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on Good Food Gold Coast foodgoldcoast.com.au

Burgers came up trumps, the Jonson Street burger bar proving to be a winner for the demographic. One year on, it was time to expand. “We’ve done exceptionally well in Byron over the past year, so it was time to think about expanding to another venue close enough that we could monitor it; a place that shared the beach, coffee and dining lifestyle that we enjoy so much,” Chris explains. “The opportunity came up in Oasis. We looked at the whole precinct, found out about our neighbours and were stoked with the idea of a walking street where people can spill out into a common area.” ‘Cheer up, slow down, chill out’ their logo tells passing foot traffic. It’s a great message for the suburb which is a hub of local and tourist social activity, where so many people are busy ‘doing’ rather than ‘being’. The owners have brought far more from Byron than their relaxed message. There’s the attitude that food should be sustainably sourced as well as suiting the demographic. They’ve designed a finely tuned ‘Millennial’ menu that’s vegan, vegetarian and ‘food intolerant’ friendly, yet still lots of fun. Months of developing recipes have led to success: interesting vego patties on the burgers and the best totally crispy sweet potato fries we’ve tried, served with smoked chilli mayo. Yummo! “Our most popular burger is our Buttermilk Chicken Burger. Although we really don’t have a signature burger, we’re really proud of the vegan and vegetarian burgers. A couple of us are vegan or vegetarian so we always like to have two or three veggie burgers on the menu, made really well. The vegan pulledjackfruit burger is our most photographed burger, but it makes a great salad as well. The vegetarian burger is based on a nut roast. We boil quinoa and rice until they’re al dente, then knead them like bread until they’re glutinous,” Chris says. [Far too much trouble for me to make at home!] Along with the patty, dressed raw beetroot, haloumi, house herbs and salt, and lots of sunflower seeds on the salad make this burger a delicious meal. For vegans, satay pulled jackfruit served on salad or a bun (gluten-free if you wish) is an interesting Thaiinspired combination. “We serve feel good food in a relaxed atmosphere. We have fun with what we do,” Chris adds, a view we agree with from our visit. He adds that the food choice is about to expand with the introduction of a full bar snack menu which will change weekly or fortnightly, featuring items such as mac ‘n’ cheese, chorizo and cherry tomato skewers, onion rings and BBQ corn cobs with chipotle butter.

FOOD EMPORIUM 3/45 James St, Burleigh Heads 07 5520 0704 Open 7 days

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Food & Drink

GOLOSI FOOD EMPORIUM

Golosi Food Emporium is one of the most impressive specialty food shops on the Gold Coast. Established in March 2013, Golosi is themed like a European deli, a labour of love for owner Selena Quested, showcasing fine produce and deli items from Australia and overseas in a beautiful setting. A visit to Golosi is a sensory experience of smell, taste, texture and visual presentation. Golosi means 'gluttonous or greedy people' in Italian; fittingly, we hunger for more! For foodies, it’s ‘like walking into a hug’, the emotional connection established from the moment we set food in the door, embracing and comforting.

Everywhere we look there are bursts of colour and deliciously tempting displays. Fresh flowers line the doorway in buckets, Selena’s specially made ‘Golosi candle’ burns at the pinnacle of a display, and tabletop cloches are filled with artisan cakes and slices. Goods fill the 120-year-old hardwood shelves of the shop and a large central table. Stacked vintage boxes stand alongside the shelves, the well-spaced displays enabling an unhindered circuit of the store, lingering to examine each product, collecting trophies as we go. Owner Selena Quested tells us that the hand-picked produce she sells could be divided into two sections: handmade

3/45 James Street, Burleigh Heads

goods from small batch Australian producers with a focus on organic, and specialty Italian goods that she has sourced from overseas, including her ‘top shelf ’ specialty, limited edition 100-year-old aged balsamic vinegars from two of Italy’s oldest producers. You won’t find anything like this in a supermarket! Wall shelves are packed with ranges of pasta from the Noosa Pasta Company and the Hunter Valley Pasta Company’s award-winning Pasta di Porto, "Pangkarra" pastas from a family in the Clare Valley, Italian olive and truffle oils, organic eggs, seeded crackers, local chutneys and relishes. In the deli and fridge sections, there's a great range of local and imported cheeses and curds, alongside proscuitto, Boozy duck pâté from Hope Island, locally made salsa, jams and Salumi Australia’s smallgoods. The hot cabinet houses the award-winning Boscastle pies in party, single and family sizes, available daily. Open-faced and beautifully packaged, every single product we look at is the best of the best. “It’s all about sourcing the most exceptional products we can,” says Selena, who obviously puts her retail purchasing background to good use. “Though the products may change,

the quality doesn’t. There’s no standout bestseller. It’s a living breathing entity, always evolving. I know each product individually. There’s not much in this shop I haven’t eaten,” she tells us. Selena’s passion for food and her ‘can do’ attitude pervade the shop: a personal pride in the quality of such artisan products as well as excellent service to inform your choices. For Selena, her business is all about people. “I’ve met some of my best friends through the store. Burleigh has a real community feel. We build amazing relationships with clients, sourcing products they want, putting attention into the detail to make that gift really special, that proposal hamper amazing. It’s all about giving service the personal touch,” she says. Small? Maybe, but certainly exceptional! Golosi proves that you don’t have to be big to be great. There’s nowhere on the coast quite like it. Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on Good Food Gold Coast foodgoldcoast.com.au

EVENT SPACE NOW OPEN! WO RK SH O P S & PRIVATE FUN C TION S .

1/37 Currumbin Creek Rd

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Woodchoppers’ BBQ is among the best we’ve ever tasted. Using local produce wherever possible, our Woodchoppers favourites included Tri-tip (sous vide then finished in the BBQ to gain that lick of smoke), smoked sausages to melt your heart, and Smoked BBQ chicken, its touch of smoke completely intriguing. There’s also a choice of BBQ ribs (beef and pork), slow-cooked brisket, grilled steaks, smoked rainbow trout and smoked oysters, all delicious. The smoke profile of each meat is different, we realise, Steve’s discriminating palate spending months perfecting the smoke/grill/BBQ technique to complement the meat. That must have been hard work! Flavours of lemon myrtle dust, ironbark honey sauce and mango salsa give a bright Aussie freshness, as do the sides, such as the rocket and quinoa salad, with lots of gluten-free options clearly marked. Besides the choice of A la carte from the grill, BBQ or Smoker dishes, you can also order platters to share – a range of smokehouse and BBQ meats with roast vegetable and salad sides, all served on wooden platters from local craftsman Ken Staff.

64 Railway Street, Mudgeeraba

WOODCHOPPERS BBQ SMOKE & GRILL There’s always been something special about Mudgeeraba – a village feel that embraces locals as family.

“How are you going, dear?” Steve O’Brien greets me with a smile as we return to Woodchoppers.

Typical of that spirit, Woodchoppers Inn, Mudgeeraba's original restaurant and bar, has been family owned since 1995. A stayer in the local food scene, their recent change of menu direction has given the venue new interest.

We’re checking out the new BBQ Smoke & Grill restaurant, launched in April 2017, bringing the first woodfired smokehouse cuisine to the western side of the highway.

Built in 1906 as the original Palm Beach Bowls Club, the building arrived in Mudgeeraba in 1971 on the back of three trucks. Reassembled, Woodchoppers Inn served many purposes, including as a church and bric-a-brac store. Meanwhile, Mudgeeraba grew from a small village to a burgeoning local centre. John and Carol O’Brien purchased Woodchoppers Inn in 1995, teaming up with local restaurateur Don Murphy to create Mudgeeraba’s first bar restaurant. Renovated several times since then and still owned by the O’Brien family, Woodchoppers retains its heritage feel – thoroughly modern, yet still old school colonial, a charming wooden Queenslander with sprawling airy verandas.

“We wanted to give American BBQ a unique Australian twist, adding Aussie flavours to smokehouse methods,” Steve tells us. With Matt Mee (ex-Habitat, Brisbane) on board, they’ve invested in impressive Yoder and Bradley smokers, housed in a separate glass smokeroom just inside the front door. “Barbeque is an art, not a science,” Steve says. “Each brisket is different. You need to cook them until the collagen is broken, which takes between 18 and 22 hours.” It’s part of the reason why BBQ has such passionate converts, with competitions and smokers achieving cult status. It’s a culinary sport requiring passion, dedication and attention to detail to perfect the outcomes! Any BBQ comp will show you that!

Choosing a drink to go with dinner isn’t easy, but that’s a good thing! There’s a choice of sixteen craft beers, with eight on tap, including our own award-winning beers from Black Hops, 4 Pines Brewing, Brisbane’s Green Beacon and Mountain Goat, together with wine and some well-chosen cocktails. The signature cocktail is the Mudgeeraba Martini, made with Lemon Myrtle Vodka from the multi-awardwinning Tamborine Mountain Distillery. Done! Not long after our dinner at Woodchoppers, we pop in for lunch to enjoy a delicious pulled pork and slaw burger and a couple of sides. “You take care now,” Steve’s voice rings out as we leave. Woodchoppers Inn is a great place to share a meal with friends or family, relaxing on the veranda on balmy days or beside the log fire in winter, enjoying the nostalgic village feel that makes Mudgeeraba so special! It’s our own little bit of country; so precious! NOTE: On one occasion, Marj dined as a guest of the venue. Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on Good Food Gold Coast foodgoldcoast.com.au

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IT WAS YUM BEFORE… AND NOW IT’S In March this year, iconic Japanese restaurant Yamagen quietly closed its doors, undergoing a stunning four month transformation that will see the electric vibe of downtown Tokyo brought right to Surfers Paradise at QT Gold Coast. Black netting light shades hang like lanterns from the ceiling, which in turn is covered in colourful prints that reflect the distinctive retro QT vibe. High glass display cases exhibit neat rows of Sake bottles. The warm lighting from old-fashioned bulbs glints off the collection of reflective black surfaces within the venue, red accents dotted throughout. Internationally renowned designer Nic Graham has cleverly utilised the available space, creating three distinct areas: the bar, the sushi counter and tableseki, or restaurant area.

The bar is our first stop, where we sample 'Sake It To Me', a sweet and refreshing mix of Tanqeray Gin, sake, lemon, cucumber and dill. QT mixologist Jordan Melling advises us that the venue now holds the largest collection of Japanese whiskies in Queensland. Food arrives;- sashimi tacos, delicate pieces of tuna or salmon served in fried, savoury dumpling wrappers with a black and white sesame crust, and raw tuna ngiri with crispy rice. The perfect bar snacks. The sushi counter seats a neat fifteen, and when we arrive, sushi master Mitsuo Yoshino, who has been with Yamagen for decades, is already hard at work putting the finishing touches on a range of divine and authentic omakase – a stream of market fresh sashimi and sushi. The paper-thin Kingfish slices swim in a light soy, topped

simply with the barest sliver of jalapeno. Kingfish again becomes the star tossed in a miso caramel, topped with tiny slivers of crunchy potato. The tender and lightlytorched Aburi selection melts in the mouth. A delicate touch has been applied to the Tuna Tartare, served with a variety of sauces and accompaniments. It's clear that all the proteins are of the highest quality, and treated with a deft hand. The house sommelier matches Laurent-perrier cuvee rose champagne and a delicately flavoured Ippin junmai daiginjo sake with the sashimi course, an ideal pairing. Finally we move into the table-seki area, a larger space which can accomodate 76 diners. The floor-length glass walls allow patrons to view their very own Japanese garden, replete with white rocks and bamboo. Separated from the outside world by a sturdy bamboo fence, you can easily forget that you're in heart of Surfers Paradise. If you haven't tried Moreton Bay Bugs tempura style, then it's high time you did. Served simply with spicy salt and soy for dipping, this dish is one of our favourites of the evening. The tender steamed prawn noodle dumplings arrive, and the house made ponzu shines. The Chateau Berne "romance" rose matches nicely with the lighter dishes. Tosa binchotan is a prized Japanese white charcoal, used masterfully by Chef Kei Sato as he grills the chicken and leek, chicken meatball, pork belly and - unexpectedly - haloumi skewers that follow. Again, the yakitori sauce is made in-house, and the charcoal lends its unique smoke to the dishes. A wine with more body is clearly required for the heartier fare, and the

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sommelier again makes an excellent choice in the Bodegas Arrez 'bermejo' tempranillo from Valencia. An unlikely pairing, but one that definitely works. The new menu will also feature Master Kobe Wagyu MS9+ straight from the kushiyaki grill. After our Yuzu chu palate cleanser (a citrus liqueur) it's dessert time. Yonuts are simply small sweet fried donuts filled with a yuzu custard, a crowd pleaser. The Mochi Raviolini and Pebbles are more traditional Japanese desserts with flavours of green tea and sesame featuring heavily. Our pick of the night however was the Miso Caramel Chocolate Fondant with goma icecream: a melt-in-the-mouth concoction, full of that rich sweetness and unique umami that comes from miso-based dessert. A final stop at the bar for a light Japanese whiskey finishes off a divine evening. Whether sashimi is your jam or you're keen for a modern and innovative Japanese meal, the new Yamagen offers diners a decadent and delicious food adventure, with more than a splash of fun. Regardless of where you start or finish, Yamagen embodies true Japanese omote-nashi - the art of hospitality. It’s all about exceptional food, an electric atmosphere and an interactive dining experience. Natalie O’Driscoll

YAMAGEN IS OPEN FOR DINNER SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK FROM 5.00PM FROM JULY 28, 2017.

THE WAY IT SHOULD BE: THE WOOD SNIFFER

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As a part of ‘The Way It Should Be’ series, Stone & Wood’s latest film follows fifth generation wood sniffer, Andy Ceglinski from sawmill to surf. Andy runs his own environmentally conscious timber business in Byron, and the film tells the story of his love for wood and how he uses it to craft quality surfboards. A family friend coined the term "wood sniffer” as a way of describing people like Andy, whose eyes light up when they spot a piece of timber. Wood sniffers run their hands tenderly along the fibres and you can see the satisfaction when they take a big ol’ whiff. They have a grounded passion and appreciation in the potential of transforming a piece of local wood into something special. "It seemed like such a rewarding idea to be able to mill the wood and hand craft this board then surf it,” says Andy. “It’s a combination of all the things I love." “There’s nothing you really can’t do with wood, if you like working with your hands and being creative, it’s an amazing material to work with.” Andy's sustainable approach is not to make a heap of surfboards to sell and pocket millions of dollars. He'd rather enjoy the experience of making a quality product, and he'd be stoked if he could after it all, make a humble living from it. “Like any good honourable business, we're trying to do good things for the community and for the environment." ‘The Way It Should Be’ series profiles people who've gravitated to the Northern Rivers for a more conscious lifestyle. It tells the stories of locals and their connection to the local community, the environment and their craft. Watch Andy's humbling story through his approach to doing business and how he sees his responsibility as a leader in the community. The Way It Should Be: The Wood Sniffer is available now on Vimeo. Natalie O'Driscoll

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point blank I AM Body Positive #iAMbodypositive is an event and exploratory movement enthusiastic about knowing about what body positivity means to you. Organisers are hosting a discussion on body positivity on Tuesday 1 August at 5.00pm (AEST) via website. The event is put together by Oni Blecher and Guy Cooper, a team who are dedicated to creating a safe place where all can discuss and celebrate body positivity. To find more info about the event and to join in the discussion now by sharing your thoughts and stories on body positivity, please go to iam-bodypositive.com or find the group on Facebook at ‘I am Body Positive’, Twitter or Instagram..

From Trash to Treasure for the Environment There is no such thing as trash as everything unwanted by someone can be reused or recycled by someone else. On Saturday 5 August at 9.00am, Gecko Environment Council will hold its first ever garage sale at Gecko House. With the many donations of goods to sell coming in the event will be one of great interest to garage sale enthusiasts, who will also be helping to protect the Gold Coast environment. Gecko is also interested in accepting any items in good condition to sell. They can be brought to Gecko House at 139 Durigan Street, Currumbin between 10.00am to 2.00pm or ring 5534 1412 to get an afterhours number for deliveries.

#047 AUGUST 2017 Netherworlds in The Walls Informed by emergent contemporary relationships between ideas of magic, mysticism, cultural ritual, and art making, NETHERWORLDS reflects on theories of early performance as invocational ritual, and prehistoric art as sympathetic magic (first proposed by ethnographer Richard Andree). Drawing on ideas of communitas, perceived and actual power, NETHERWORLDS foregrounds contemporary perspectives on the crafting of safe space and the empowerment of artists through ritual and talisman in creative contexts. Artists: Naomi Blacklock, Anastasia Booth, Caitlin Franzmann, Chantal Fraser, Clay Kerrigan, Blake Lawrence. Runs 5 – 19 August at The Walls.

Callout for SWELL Volunteers

You're invited to a birthday party like no other Gold Coast audiences will experience two very different perspectives on adult life when multi-award winning festival theatre hit ‘Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday’ plays at The Arts Centre Gold Coast from 3 to 5 August. Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday celebrates two milestone birthdays – eighteen and eighty – major transition points of adult life. One represents untold potential; the other, the accumulation of a lifetime of experiences. Scripted from intimate real-life conversations with people either side of these milestones, Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday is the powerful new theatre work from Roslyn Oades & Collaborators. Tickets at theartscentregc.com.au.

The biggest little play festival is back! What began as a small festival of 10-minute plays in Sydney, Short+Sweet has grown into a global sensation, allowing both emerging and established artists to showcase their talent and develop new, original work. After an action packed 2016, Short+Sweet Theatre and Short+Sweet Cabaret return to The Arts Centre Gold Coast to present more than 30 new performance works by local artists – each unique and packing a punch. See up to ten plays or six cabaret acts at once, each less than ten minutes long, then vote for your favourite to send them through to the Gala Finals. Tickets at theartscentregc.com.au. 40

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Varsity’s new ‘Nitehawk Theatre’ brings Shock Therapy to Winterfest Winterfest 2017 at Varsity Lakes has activated a theatre space in Varsity College to showcase Gold Coast theatre group ‘Shock Therapy Productions’ with a thought provoking and intense play, ‘The Apology.’ Inspired by a true story of a high school student who “took revenge” on a classmate who was bullying him after his father advised him to “fight back”, The Apology is a searingly honest look at the repercussions of taking revenge and the long term effects that bullying can have. ‘The Apology’ showcases two performances on Tuesday August 1 and Wednesday August 2 at the Nitehawk Theatre, Assembly Drive Varsity Lakes.

Mick Albeck provides the tunes for James McKay exhibition One Arts this month launches its commemorative 2018 calendar at the opening of its latest exhibition titled ‘Our Golden Country’, featuring watercolourist James McKay. The opening takes place Friday 4 August from 6.30pm and the exhibition runs until 30 August. As well as finger food and drinks, Mick Albeck will perform. One Arts is located on the corner of Verona Avenue and Via Roma, Isle of Capri.

Registrations are now open for 2017 SWELL Volunteers and organisers would like to invite you to take a look at the opportunities that are on offer. To register your interest in being a volunteer just complete the online form available at swellsculpture.com.au. Volunteer Briefing Sessions will be held on Tuesday, 8 August and Wednesday, 16 August. Sessions run from 6pm - 7pm at The Dust Temple, 54 Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin. SWELL Sculpture Festival 2017 runs from 8 – 17 September.

Editor in Chief: Samantha Morris Cultural Editor: Natalie O'Driscoll Design: Chloe Popa Advertising: Amanda Gorman Money Coordinator: Phillippa Wright Partnerships: Simone Gorman-Clark House Photographer: Leisen Standen, Lamp Photography Editorial Intern: Catherine Gunther Contributors: Anthony Gebhardt, Natalie O’Driscoll, Samantha Morris, Terry “Tappa” Teece, Pip Andreas, Marj Osborne, Erin Bourne, Catherine Gunther, Kylie Cobb, Nae Kurth Catherine Coburn, Leisen Standen, Dan Maynard Music cover photo: Heidi Flumm Acknowledgement of Country We genuinely respect and acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and play. We honour their elders past, present and emerging as well as the rich contribution that continues to be made to society through art, story and music. Editorial: news@blankgc.com.au

Winter brews at Burleigh It’s such a bold move from the light, crisp tones of their award-winning Twisted Palm, but Burleigh Brewing Co are brewing up a ‘Bit on the Side’ this winter and porters are the order of the day. Right now, they’ve got the most delicious Macadamia Nut Porter on tap – loaded with fresh macadamias, the chocolate malts and nutty tones offer a full-flavoured porter that’s an approachable winter brew. And coming soon is a nitrogenous stout. The stout takes a complex blend of 13 malts and uses nitrogen and CO2 to pour the specialty brew. The result is a silk-smooth stout with roast malt aromatics.

Advertising: advertising@blankgc.com.au Gigs: gigs@blankgc.com.au About us: Blank GC is independently owned and published by Samantha Morris and Chloe Popa. Founded in 2013 we are the Gold Coast’s independent cultural voice and we rely on advertising as well as our generous contributors to keep us in the fray. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor, publishers or the writing team.

THU 3 AUG

BRAVO BEETHOVEN

MUSIC

THU 3 – SAT 5 AUG

HELLO, GOODBYE AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY

THEATRE

FRI 4 AUG

THE STAMP SESSIONS

YOUTH + EVENT

SUN 6 AUG

JAZZ ON SUNDAYS: JAKE BRISTOW

MUSIC

WED 9 AUG

LITTLE ARTLAB

KIDS + ART

DRACULA

THEATRE

GOLD COAST EISTEDDFOD

EVENT

SHORT+SWEET

THEATRE + CABARET

SAT 12 AUG

ARTLAB

KIDS + ART

FRI 18 AUG

GOLD COAST JAZZ & BLUES CLUB

MUSIC

WED 23 AUG

DANCE FOR PARKINSON’S

DANCE + WORKSHOP

WED 23 AUG

MOVIE REVIEW CLUB

FILM + EVENT

SAT 26 AUG

QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

MUSIC

THU 31 AUG

CON BRIO: THE ENDEAVOUR TRIO MUSIC

FRI 1 SEP

THE STAMP SESSIONS

EVENT

FRI 1 SEP

PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ

MUSIC + DANCE

SAT 2 – 22 SEP

PASIFIKA 2017

EVENT

TUE 8 – WED 9 AUG THU 10 – TUE 5 SEP THU 10 – SAT 19 AUG

SUN 3 SEP MON 4 SEP THU 7 – SAT 9 SEP FRI 8 – SAT 9 SEP

JAZZ ON SUNDAYS: MICHAEL KNOPF ADULT CONTEMPORARY WORKSHOP

MUSIC DANCE + WORKSHOP

2970° BOILING POINT

EVENT

LA FILLE MAL GARDÉE

BALLET

Issue #47 AUGUST 2017