Blank Gold Coast #67 - May 2019 by Blank Street Press

MAY 2019 / #067

Gold Coast

NOITASREVNOC VAC KCIN HTIW RATS-LLA

ROY WEN( Outdoor Stage

Sat 1 Jun

YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE

THE ROMEO + JULIET SOUNDTRACK (VOL 1) LIVE

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re invited to the ultimate 90s masquerade party of your dreams outdoors at HOTA.

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HO H TOAT.AC .OC M O .MA. UA U

Presented by HOTA, Home of the Arts and Crowded

Fri 14–Sat 15 Jun

CREATED BY THE FARM

QUEENSLAND BALLET

THE CROSSING

DANGEROUS LIAISONS

A hedonistic 18th century tale of love, virtue and humanity, reimagined into a dramatic new ballet for mature audiences.

Theatre

Outdoor Stage

AF2019 - Andrew Beveridge

Two different men with a unique bond explore their desire for self-expression through dance.

Sat 25 May

Thu 27–Sun 29 Jun

SYMPHONY FOR OUR WORLD

SIDE PONY PRODUCTIONS & THE LAST GREAT HUNT

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC A live orchestra and choir matched with 130 years of beloved National Geographic imagery under the stars.

Ballet

Principal Artist Laura Hidalgo and Soloist Alexander Idaszak, Creative Direction Designfront, Photography Juli Balla.

Dance

Sat 22–Sun 23 Jun

THE IRRESISTIBLE

Mysterious lights in the sky. A child with otherworldly powers. Black ooze and white fog. Stranger Things meets Twin Peaks in this darkly funny sci-fi thriller.

SHARKS

E HUB KS IS TH R A H S T R SOUTHPO THE GOLD USIC ON M E V I L , FREE

OF COAST.

MAY

9 1 0 2 E D I U G G GI

FRI MARK

FRI BENNY

southportsharks.com.au

HANNA

FRI

DIVOLA

MANU

MUSIC

SAT

MISCHIEVOUS

Corner Olsen & Musgrave Aves, Southport QLD | 5532 1155

FRI LEGENDS

FRI

ROCK

LATE

HERE

TASTE

OUR

FOR

LIVE

WOODSTOCK

ACTS

FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHTS THIS SEASON!

FRI 3

6.00pm

Paris Lane

FRI 17

5.30pm

Paulie

ACOUSTIC

8.30pm

Late for Woodstock

COVERS

Mckenzie

WOODSTOCK ERA

SAT 18 FRI THE

MASON

RACK

SAT 4

8.30pm

Mischievous POP, ROCK & DANCE

8.30pm

Alter Egos TOP 40 PARTY COVERS

BAND

FRI 24

6.00pm

Mark Divola ACOUSTIC

FRI 10

6.00pm

8.30pm

Eleea Navarro

Legends of Rock TRIBUTE

ACOUSTIC 8.30pm

The Mason Rack Band

SAT 25

8.30pm

Dance on RNR

BLUES ROCK

SAT 11

FRI 31 8.30pm

6.00pm

Benny Hanna ACOUSTIC

AUSSIE PRIDE AUSSIE ROCK TRIBUTE

8.30pm

Manu Music RNB, MOTOWN

FRI

MCKENZIE

*Entertainment subject to change at any time. www.blankgc.com.au

Exclusive Ticketed

Show

FREE CONCERT

LIVE DJ SPINNING:

DISCO

GROOVE

GOLD COAST MUSIC AWARDS

SURFERS PARADISE

gcmusicawards.com.au

HOUSE

VOICES IN PARADISE RETURNS

Voices In Paradise is the Gold Coast a cappella revolution and an initiative between The Blenders Chorus and Griffith University. This youth development event is a workshop and concert combined into one day of quality education and world class performances by the best Australia has to offer. The Voices In Paradise singers who register for the workshop will participate in an all day singing workshop at Griffith University. They will be trained by world renowned educators and will then showcase their final product in a concert for the community of a cappella lovers. This year’s workshop and performance will be held on Saturday 29 June. Visit voicesinparadise.com.au for registration and booking details.

ROUND MOUNTAIN GIRLS COME TO SEAGULLS IN MAY If you haven’t seen a Round Mountain Girls show yet, do yourself a favour and be at Seagulls Club, Saturday 18 May for one of the most energetic, crowd-pleasing shows you will ever see. The entertaining hillbilly band is made up of three Chris-es, a Rabbit and a Francois. It sounds like the start to a bad bar joke, but it’s actually an invigorating and whimsical story of music. The Girls take you on a musical carpet ride, complete with original and cover favourites that will have you singing along and on your feet all night. A must-see event.

DJUKI MALA

Direct from North East Arnhem Land, Indigenous dance sensations and landmark dance/theatre company present their internationally acclaimed smash hit production Djuki Mala. Unique, infectious, and high energy, Djuki Mala wow audiences with a spectacular fusion of traditional dance, pop-culture and storytelling that is a marvel of timing, comedy and clowning with a hefty dose of heart and soul. Catch them at their only performance on Saturday 18 May at HOTA, Home of the Arts. Tickets at hota. com.au.

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL ROADSHOW 2019 VANDA & YOUNG GLOBAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION EXTENDS CLOSING DATE

Songwriters now have until 2 May to enter their songs for the chance to win big. Entrants’ songs will be in the running for a career-changing first-place cash prize of $50,000, the largest cash prize awarded in a songwriting competition, courtesy of APRA AMCOS, Alberts and BMG. The runners-up also receive cash awards, with a 2nd place amount of $10,000 thanks to AMPAL (Australasian Music Publishers Association) and a 3rd place prize $5,000, courtesy of Aon. The competition has supported the creative endeavours of previous winners Megan Washington, Kimbra, Husky Gawenda, Isabella Manfredi, Gretta Ray, and last year’s winner Amy Shark. Visit vandayoungsongcomp.com for more information and terms and conditions.

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DEMETRI MARTIN TOURS AUSTRALIA THIS JUNE

Fresh off the back of a massive 30-date tour of the US, UK, Ireland and Europe, US comedy legend Demetri Martin brings his world-acclaimed Wandering Mind Tour to us this June – his first tour since 2011, proudly presented by Frontier Comedy. Demetri will hit Home of the Arts on Thursday 6 June for one all-ages show only. Tickets are on sale Friday 8 February via frontiercomedy.com/ demetrimartin.

HOTA, Home of the Arts, will play host to Australia’s largest and best-loved comedy festival on 9 May. Jam-packed with a cast of uproarious comedic talent, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow is coming to the Gold Coast. The roadshow line-up features Australia’s own funny man, Daniel Connell, who has been announced as MC for the Gold Coast show and will take to the stage with his affable, dry and often unanticipated acts. The side-splitting line up also includes award-winning comedian and home-grown talent, Josh Earl, seasoned Canadian comedian John Hastings, Indian comedy superstar Rahul Subramanian, and Danielle Walker, a newcomer to last year’s Festival renowned for her unique, and slightly dark, everyday observations. Visit hota.com.au for more information

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC – SYMPHONY FOR OUR WORLD

Combining stunning National Geographic natural history footage with an original symphony and theme created by Emmy and BAFTA-nominated Bleeding Fingers Music, Symphony for Our World is a breathtaking musical journey through some of the world’s most incredible wildlife spectacles. With a live orchestra and choir, the show brings viewers from the depths of the sea, up to coastlines, over mountains, and soaring into the sky with imagery from 130 years of beloved National Geographic history. This inspiring, 90-minute live orchestral performance is touring the world in 2019 and comes to the HOTA Outdoor Stage for one night only on Saturday 25 May. Tickets at hota.com.au.

is merely $55 for show society members and $60 for non-members, and includes a three course meal, complimentary drink upon arrival and musical entertainment by Opus 9. This year’s event will be held on Saturday 25 May from 6.30pm. Be part of the festivities by contacting Lynda for tickets via phone on 0418 182 533 or email at info@ mudgeerabashow.org.au.

Managing Editor: Natalie O’Driscoll Creative Director: Chloe Popa Senior Writer: Samantha Morris Partnerships Manager: Amanda Gorman Partnerships: Simone Gorman-Clark

BOND CELEBRATES LIMITLESS ANNIVERSARY

MURWILLUMBAH ARTS TRAIL RETURNS WITH EXTENDED PROGRAM

Now in its fifth consecutive year, Murwillumbah Arts Trail (MAT19) offers art lovers access to over fifty visual artists and their works over four days in May, with all work for sale. This year the MAT19 features a 'satellite' trail on the Sunday, with organisers working with owners of galleries and venues in the surrounding to mount exhibitions that complement the Murwillumbah trail. A key feature of the coordinated festival will be the Makers&Finders Market on the Saturday, followed by the Tweed Foodie Fest. Street closures will allow food, art, music and celebration into the night as the region's arguably largest art market takes centre stage. The art exhibitions are supported by an extensive program of music and performance featuring Lord Sut, Bri and Si, a recital series and the Humpday Horns rocking out the very on-trend Haven Bar. MAT19 runs from 16 to 19 May. More information can be found at murwillumbahartstrail.com.au.

Frontier Comedy Presents

A colossal sculpture listing the names of 26,000 Bond University graduates was recently unveiled in homage to the limitless possibilities of education and to mark the beginning of the University’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The striking stainless steel sculpture is entitled ‘Limitless’ and lists the names of every student who has graduated from the independent University since it opened 30 years ago, on May 15, 1989. Featuring a sand-blasted world atlas and the names of past students from more than 100 countries, the 6.5-metre-tall and 1.5 tonne stainless steel structure is the creation of Gold Coast sculptor, Ian Haggerty. From 13 to 19 May, Bond University will celebrate its 30th anniversary in style with a full calendar of Homecoming events. A full 30th anniversary celebrations program can be downloaded from alumni.bond.edu.au.

2019 MUDGEERABA SHOW BALL

It’s that time of year again. The fabulous Mudgeeraba Show is just around the corner, which means that its equally fabulous ball is, too. This year’s Mudgeeraba Show Ball theme is a Night At the Movies, giving attendees the perfect excuse to don their red carpet best or the costume of a beloved movie character, and mix and mingle until late in the Bill Deacon Pavillion. Ticket price

Contributors (print and online): Natalie O’Driscoll, Anthony Gebhardt, Samantha Morris, Marj Osborne, Amy Gould, Kylie Cobb, Anna Itkonen, Zac Fahey, Glenn Tozer, Prudence Clark, Pip Andreas, JD Garrahy, Danny Santangelo, Jodie Bellchambers, Leisen Standen, Erin Taylor, Gio Siregar, Marjorie Skea, Sophia Sorensen, Eden Tokatly.

BELLO IS BACK, BABY Bello Winter Music has announced yet another phenomenal line-up for 2019, ensuring that their fifth annual festival will go off with a big Bello bang! With over 70 artists set to descend on the small NSW town of Bellingen during the July school holidays (11-14) it looks as if this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever. Acts to grace the halls, pubs and market places of the tiny riverside town include Aucklandborn, Dunedin-raised, Nadia Reid who has attained global success off the back of her first two albums; the ever popular and always brassy Bullhorn; magnetic fivepiece, Pony Face and the amazing Emily Wurramara, a young indigenous artist who is taking the Australian music world by storm. Joining them will be Blues legends, Hat Fitz and Cara; Australia’s top Zydeco band, Psycho Zydeco; unique one man band, Juzzie Smith and the always stunning, The Maes (formerly The Mae Trio). For the full lineup announcement, and tickets (be quick as the festival sells out each year), visit bellowintermusic.com.

Editorial: news@blankgc.com.au Advertising: advertising@blankgc.com.au Gigs: gigs@blankgc.com.au Front Cover: Gold Coast Music Awards mascot, Skull Murphy. Created by Dion Parker @dionsribs 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. 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.

HHHH “Consistently funny, immensely clever... an incredibly entertaining show” The Guardian (UK)

“Cerebral and absurdist and surprising” New York Times (US)

Thursday 6 June Home Of The Arts Tickets at

frontiercomedy.com @FrontierTouring

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REBECCA CUNNINGHAM marries music and art in GCMA trophy design

old Coast Music Awards (GCMAs) is a collaboration of creative minds from concept to the delivery; live music, to visual arts and art practitioners. The GCMAs partnered with SWELL Sculpture Festival some years ago to find local talent to design the main physical award and promo material, chose the wonderful Dion Parker for the job and have continued working with him ever since. Every year, the Awards, with the help of SWELL, are also adding other artist names to the list by commissioning a separate trophy annually for the People’s Choice award. This year that artist is Gold Coast-based Rebecca Cunningham. “Live music is a huge part of my life and my arts practice. I do live paintings at gigs. This is where I set up my easel on stage with the band and I generally paint one of the band member’s guitar cases. I do it every year at the Byron Bay Blues Festival and Byron Bay Guitar Festival. I also do a lot of album artwork [including] Hussy Hicks, Felicity Lawless, Kate Leopold, Katie Who and Phil Barlow,” says Rebecca, when asked to describe her relationship to music and the live music scene. She discusses the elements of the design. “This sculptural award is made up of three elements: sound, movement and timber. I have combined them in a way to represent my interpretation of the originality of the Gold Coast Music scene; an old homemade phonograph horn symbolises the originality and the noise that the Gold Coast music scene is currently making in Australia and the timber is a local native wood tying in the connection to the land that this music created on. The small dancing figurine is a symbol that appears throughout a lot of my painting. She symbolises myself, and the way I metaphorically move through and connect with the world.”

SWELL Sculpture Festival is an official design partner of Gold Coast Music Awards. Rebecca’s sculptural design will remain as a one-off sculpture and signature piece for the People’s Choice winners. There is also more to this sculpture than meets the eye; the twist is the cavity in the sculpture’s wooden base for a phone, where the phonograph will then amplify the sounds from your phone like a fully-functional phonograph would.

GOLD COAST, MEET YOUR AFTER PARTY

“It is a real honour for me to be creating this award. I work a lot with sound within my arts practice and also with musicians. I love the crossover of arts practices and just how easily we can help and inspire each other to live our best lives, doing what we love most!” You can join Rebecca in her Live Drawing classes at The Dust Temple or HOTA, see one of her latest sculptures at Swell Sculpture Festival this coming September or maybe see her at one of the music festivals down Byron Bay way. The Gold Coast Music Awards hit Surfers Paradise foreshore on 2 May. More at gcmusicawards.com.au. Anna Itkonen

hree exceptional Gold Coast acts have been lined up to keep things cranking at this year’s Gold Coast Music Awards after party in Surfers Paradise on 2 May. Check ‘em out:

RADOLESCENT: Rambunctious three piece punk rockers, Radolescent, describe themselves as “three young fellas from the Gold Coast who like their music loud and the beers cold.” 2017 saw the Radolescent lads, Isaac, Lachlan and Kurt, put out their debut EP, ‘Scrape Ya Plate’, with 2018 being a year of major live gigging and recording. Singles ‘Drug Fiend’, ‘The Ballad of Lynn Howl’ and most recently ‘406’ have since hit the airwaves to plenty of buzz. These guys pack a definite punch and will be the perfectly punky party headliners at this year’s event. ROMII: 2018 saw ROMII release ‘Cupid’s Love’, which is up for three gongs at this year’s GCMAs. Current single ‘You Keep Running’ is going gangbusters on the airwaves and very much keeping the ROMII train moving. “I’ve always tried to learn as much as I can about what it takes to be in the music industry. It’s a field that you have to continuously work at and keep pushing forward in, in order to create success,” she says. DVNA: Hot new modern-soul fusionist DVNA (pronounced Dah-Na) has charted a rapidly ascending musical trajectory since bursting onto airwaves with her sweet and sassy single, 'Girl On The Move' in late 2018. In fact, the song has turned heads to such an extent that it's been nominated in the prestigious 'Song of the year' category at the upcoming Gold Coast Music Awards. “I’m absolutely crazy about music so I will work my butt off until it is my full time. For every big goal, I’ve got a thousand little goals,” she tells us. Natalie O’Driscoll + Anthony Gebhardt

The GCMA after party is co-hosted by GD FRNDS and will be held at elsewhere Surfers Paradise on 2 May, following the main event on the foreshore. If you don’t grab a ticket to the awards ceremony, then entry will be $10. 12

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FREE CONCERT Celebrates the Best of Gold Coast Music

ELECTRIK LEMONADE: TRUSTED FUNKSTERS

lectrik Lemonade, those merry purveyors of funkilicious good-times, are taking things up a notch for the rest of 2019 as they detonate upon stages and airwaves off the back of their high octane debut longplayer, ‘Squeezed Fresh’. Having delivered a tasty precursor in late 2018 in the form of sizzling single ‘Sing With Me’, the band are about to share the blaze and head out all over the country in support of the record, which came out on 1 April. True to their stated manifesto of ‘in funk we trust’, the album is awash with the bands high energy take on the genre, supplemented with tasty lashings of hip hop, soul and a splash of 70’s boogie (a full review of the album is also part of this month’s edition). In support of ‘Squeezed Fresh’ they’ll soon be embarking on their own round of headlining shows around the country, including a very special home town show at the Miami Marketta on 25 May. Read on for the inside scoop from the lads themselves. After three well received EPs it must be exciting to take things to the next level with your debut long player! Are you pleased with how it turned out and do you consider it as a logical evolution in the development of the band? After three EPs we had no other choice but to apply what we learned into making the best album we could! ‘Epoch’ was a production heavy EP and ‘Funklore’ was stripped right back to get a raw sound. With ‘Squeezed Fresh’ we tried to really hit the sweet spot in the middle to get our sound just right. Can you put us in the picture with how the album came together? And how did you go translating your high energy live vibe into the studio? The songs came about in a few different ways really. Some, such as ‘Sing With Me’, were the result of just sitting at a piano and writing a catchy hook. Others were programmed hip hop tracks that we turned into full band arrangements, such as ‘Old Man Trouble’. Then the wildcards were those sneaky little tunes such as ‘Light It Up’, that had their genesis on stage as improvised jams, that then became fully fledged tunes.

We chose our fellow band member and legendary mix master Brad Hosking to help record and guide us during the recording process. Brad has worked on two of our previous EP’s and has had the chance to experiment with our recorded sound. When we decided to record an album we knew we had to incorporate our live feel and sound because it is what makes The Lemonade so Electrik, and who better to help achieve that than the man that has been playing and growing with us over the last 5 years! Are there any upcoming shows on your album launch tour that you’re particularly looking forward to playing? Every single one of them. Our recent Sydney show was epic! But Miami Marketta is going to be extra special, we have a few surprises in store. So what can we expect when you hit the Miami Marketta on 25 May? Well, I don't want to give too much away, but we have a bunch of stuff happening at our homecoming show that none of the other shows are going to get. We're going the extra mile for the people that have been there for us from the start. Have you got any plans in place yet for the latter half of the year? There’s definitely some awesome gigs and festivals coming up in that period. Really though, the most exciting thing about finishing the album is getting back into writing! There's a heap of ideas that we have been holding off working on till the album was done – can’t funkin’ wait! Anthony Gebhardt

Catch Electrik Lemonade when they hit Miami Marketta on 25 May. ‘Squeezed Fresh’ is available now.

hen Gold Coast Music Awards organisers roll out the red carpet this May, to celebrate the winners of eight music-related categories, they also serve up something for people who couldn’t care less who takes home the trophy…. delicious and free live music, right on the beach for all-ages.

Running alongside the ticketed gala awards event is a completely free mini-festival, which opens the Surfers Paradise LIVE event. And the lineup features three Gold Coast Music Awards finalists who showcase some of the best live talent from this great city. Golden Guitar Finalist, Casey Barnes, is making a monumental impression on the Australian country music scene. He’s had hits in Europe, recorded and toured in America, and performed alongside many international stars including Mariah Carey, Lady Antebellum and Bryan Adams. Barnes has rocked the stages of Caloundra Music Festival, Groundwater Country Music Festival, Tamworth Country Music Festival, Gympie Muster, CMC Rocks, and A Day On The Green. Barnes’ single, ‘Ain’t Coming Home,’ from album, ‘The Good Life’, enjoyed two consecutive weeks at #1 on the Country Tracks Top 40 Chart and hit 2.3 million streams on Spotify. His latest single ‘Better Days’ could be a prediction, as 2019 is set be his biggest year yet. Kicking off as a DIY dream pop project, San Mei has come a long way since her first EP, ‘Necessary’, which initially gained her attention from national tastemakers Triple J, NME and NYLON. Momentum built with the formation of her band and through the collaboration with acclaimed producer Oscar Dawson on her second EP ‘Heaven’. Both of San Mei’s latest singles ‘Wonder’ and ’Heaven’ garnered rave reviews and were put into Triple J rotation. Recently, San Mei has gone from strength to strength, playing at Falls Festival, BIGSOUND and SXSW 2019 in the USA. And finally, after forming in High School, four-piece Peach Fur has captivated music lovers with their psychedelic tunes that serves up a range of different flavours of rock, with a fusion of psych surf pop vibes. After an intense build up that gained the attention of the industry at a national level, Peach Fur hit the road in 2018 for their biggest east-coast tour to date to celebrate their seven-track release 'Doreen Drive’ – a finalist for Album of the Year. Reaching over 1.3 million streams on Spotify and more than 30k monthly listeners on their last EP 'Pleasures and Necessities', Peach Fur have continued to rise. Casey Barnes, San Mei and Peach Fur perform live for the Gold Coast Music Awards from 6.00pm at the end of Cavill Mall on Thursday 2 May.

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FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR GOLD COAST MUSIC AWARDS R GOLD COAST MUSIC AWARDS 2019 FINALISTS Image by Claire Dalton

ecently the Gold Coast Music Awards unveiled 31 finalists across eight categories for its 2019 edition, which will be celebrated with an illustrious beachfront event in the iconic Surfers Paradise, 2 May.

Australia’s golden girl, Amy Shark leads the charge again with four finalist nods this year; including Release of the Year for her debut album, ‘Love Monster’ and Song of The Year for hit single, ‘I Said Hi’. “I’m so proud to call the Gold Coast my home and incredibly honoured to be recognised amongst my peers. Thank you to the Gold Coast Music Awards for supporting local talent and for helping me pave a career in this incredible country,” said Shark, on the back of a smashing year of national and international success. Fast rising country music star, Casey Barnes, who is headlining the Gold Coast Music Awards free live concert, is up for four gongs too, acknowledged in the Live Act category as well as going head to head with Shark for Artist of The Year. Emerging artists San Mei, Mass Sky Raid and Ella Fence are all finalists in three categories, while Peach Fur, Athena Joy and ELSKA make their GCMAs debut, nominated for Release of the Year and Songs of the Year, respectively. 2019 is already proving massive for dreampop starlet, San Mei, who just inked a US booking deal with United Talent Agency on the back of standout South-By-Southwest showcases and a summer of performances on Australia’s biggest festival stages, including Falls and Laneway. Gold Coast Music Awards judging panel Chair and Head of Popular Music at Queensland Conservatorium, Donna Weston said the judging “gets more challenging every year.” 14

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“But this is a good thing, because it means the calibre of artists making it to the shortlist is getting higher and higher, which also makes the whole process a lot more fun for us. “This year, Release of the Year presented the biggest challenge of all - it was so close, we kept coming back to it. We have very clear criteria in place for all categories that keep things objective and fair, but when a hair's breadth separates contenders for first prize, it's always a tough call!"

Set to be hosted by Australia’s queen of roots, former triple j and now Double J presenter, Sarah Howells, the Awards ceremony takes place in a ticketed VIP marquee on the beachfront adjacent to the massive festival sized stage for the free live concert. As with previous years, organisers anticipate the VIP event to sell out quickly, with tickets on sale now via Oztix. Large crowds are expected to attend the free live outdoor concert, which this year features an exciting lineup of the region’s fastest rising stars - Casey Barnes, San Mei and Peach Fur. Gold Coast Music Awards officially kicks off the Surfers Paradise LIVE festival, a free, four-day, family-friendly festival renowned for presenting an iconic line-up featuring some of the best-known Australian artists, this year including The Living End, Hoodoo Gurus and The Screaming Jets supported by Daryl Braithwaite, Jebediah, Reece Mastin, Thirsty Merc, Chocolate Starfish, Boom Crash Opera, and Bachelor Girl. The Gold Coast Music Awards is proudly supported by City of Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise Alliance. Kylie Cobb Gold Coast Music Awards hit Surfers Paradise beachfront on 2 May. Visit gcmusicawards for more.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Fenech Guitars & The Avalon

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR sponsored by TAFE Queensland Gold Coast

Amy Shark Brooklyn Casey Barnes Hussy Hicks San Mei

Ella Fence Ian Peres Jesse Boyle Julz Parker Scott French

BREAKOUT ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Griffith University and the Queensland Conservatorium's SEED program Chloe Styler Elska Mass Sky Raid Radolescent ROMII San Mei

RELEASE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Southern Cross University Love Monster - Amy Shark The Good Life - Casey Barnes Bachelor Tapes - Cold Ghost Science of Fiction - Mass Sky Raid Doreen Drive - Peach Fur

LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR sponsored by Gold Coast Music

SONG OF THE YEAR sponsored by Home of the Arts

Amy Shark Casey Barnes Electrik Lemonade Ella Fence Hussy Hicks

I Said Hi – Amy Shark The Weekend – Athena Joy XO – Calan Mai Be Mine – Casey Barnes I Got Nothing – Cheap Fakes Girl on the Move – DVNA Call Girl – Ella Fence Boy – Elska Silence Creeping – Hussy Hicks Delirium – Mass Sky Raid Cupid Love – Romii Wonder – San Mei

VENUE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Oztix HOTA, Home of the Arts Miami Tavern Shark Bar Mo’s Desert Clubhouse Soundlounge Vinnies VIDEO OF THE YEAR sponsored by QT Gold Coast Best Day Ever - Burger Joint XO - Calan Mai Big Evil - Kobrakai Cupid Love - ROMII Dinosynth - Tesla Coils Shipwrecked YT – DiNGO

CALAN MAI: Bringing XO to the GCMAs

alan Mai is the musical alter-ego of Gold Coast musician Jordan Lawrence, who for the past six years has been steadily building a following both here and abroad off the back of his worldly, yet also distinctively Australian music. His self-processed faith in pursuit of the craft that he loves has seen his pop and folk inflected, alt-country stylings rack up some impressive achievements, including a support slot for Band Of Horses, airplay on BBC and American College radio and showcase appearances at South By South West and the CMJ Music Marathon.

The intersection between hard work, perseverance and talent has culminated in twin nominations at this year's Gold Coast Music Awards, with his gorgeously jaunty track 'XO', described by Rolling Stone Magazine as ‘a folk-pop gem that’s far more worldly than most roots-music tracks’, being nominated in both the 'Song of the year' and ‘Video of the year' categories. In the lead up, we chatted with the man behind the moniker about his musical journey.

How are you feeling about having your track 'XO’ recognised in its two categories at this year’s GCMA’s?

It feels really wonderful. ‘XO’ has always been close to my heart. I wrote it while I was still a student at Griffith University but it was recorded once I moved to Manchester, UK and produced by Gold Coast local, Adam Lyons, who was living with me at the time. We were so far from home in a rainy, windy city, the absolute polar opposite of the Gold Coast! But we filled that tiny bedroom studio with warm tones and coastal sounds that captured the place we came from. The clip was filmed upon returning to the coast using a team of volunteers from Bond University. Even the trumpets in the song were recorded by Brad Hosking at Blind Boys Studio in Nerang and sent over to the UK! In that sense, ‘XO’ is very attached to the Gold Coast. It means the world to have it recognised as such. Can you talk us through your cracking new single, 'Friend of a Friend'? In 2018, I performed at SXSW and went to LA straight after. I wrote ‘Friend of a Friend’ during a studio session and I immediately knew I had made something special. Special in the sense that it was unlike any song I had ever written. It was about the future, not the past. Many of my songs recount events from my life—my younger days, memories that stick with me. This was a song about looking forward. Everything,

from the melody and lyrics, to the piano chords, felt like it matched that outlook. What's in the pipeline for the rest of 2019? I’m heading to Chicago at the end of April to record my debut album with Brian Deck (Iron & Wine, Modest Mouse) I am also set to play a few shows while I’m there, including one at Rockwood Music Hall in New York. So then the plan will be to release the album, hopefully under a US label. Outside of that, only time will tell! Finally, how did you come up with your 'Calan Mai' musical moniker? I learnt about an old Gaelic festival called ‘Samhain’ which marked the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter - the dark half of the year. There was an opposing festival - one about rebirth. It was called ‘Beltaine’ but in Wales they call it ‘Calan Mai’. It means ‘the first day of summer’. Most of my music is about holding onto the hope that things will improve, that the dark half will resolve, and the sun will rise again. So I chose that. Anthony Gebhardt

Bluetooth and 1 line input Line record output with gold plated sockets Ortofon OM5e cartridge, pre-mounted IR remote control included Available in high-gloss black or white

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DVNA: SNACK ATTACK H

GET READY FOR HUSSY HICKS

Image by Claire Dalton

ot new modern-soul fusionist DVNA (pronounced Dah-Na) has charted a rapidly ascending musical trajectory since bursting onto airwaves with her sweet and sassy single, 'Girl On The Move' in late 2018. In fact, the song has turned heads to such an extent that it's been nominated in the prestigious 'Song of the year' category at the upcoming Gold Coast Music Awards.

Speaking of fellow local artists, who are some of your favourite contemporaries when it comes to the Gold Coast music scene?

And the past few months have seen DVNA continue to ride this burgeoning momentum in the form of her latest single 'Looking Like A Snack', a tasty slice of modern soul which perfectly accentuates her swooning pop panache and silky-smooth vocals. The track has gained plenty of traction since its recent release, clocking up airtime on Triple J and Radio Metro Gold Coast and being added to a bunch of major Spotify playlists.

Yeah, I like to have control over my production so I do make the tracks myself. In saying that, I'd love to start branching out and collaborating one day! I recorded my two latest tracks in my bedroom studio in Mermaid Beach.

In the lead up to the GCMA's we fired off a few questions to the sassy young lass herself. Here's what she had to say. Congratulations on being nominated for ‘Song of the year' at the upcoming GCMA's. What does it mean to have your track acknowledged as one of this year’s finest within the realms of your Gold Coast musical peers? And what would you do if you took out the award on the night? Thank you so much! I'm very honoured and shocked! The Gold Coast is just popping and overflowing with talent right now. So many killer songs from last year, so it's quite overwhelming and I'm extremely appreciative to receive a nomination. If I won, I'd probably go grab myself an alcoholic beverage and eat some food. I'm always a sucker for an after party so I might head there. Actually, I'm performing at the after party so there you go. 16

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The Fools, AUGUSTA, Claw Machine, Hot Coffee and The Yams Band. I’ve really connected with these bands in a live sense. They are extremely tight and have excellent stage presence and feeling in their music. As well as being a singer-songwriter, are you also involved in the production of your tracks?

What can we expect from you in the way of new releases over the rest of the year? You can expect some singles! I feel like I'm in the very early stages of my career so releasing an EP or album may not be the smartest approach (even though I've got tonnes of music). I'd like to ease into the market with singles and then once I've got an audience, think about albums. Hopefully some video content as well. What do you like to do when you're not in your musical-zone? I love coffee so you can find me drinking a soy latte somewhere on the coast. Or binge watching Bates Motel. But I feel like I'm always doing something musical. It's very hard to switch off. I'll go see bands or go network at music industry nights. Anthony Gebhardt

ritically-acclaimed Gold Coast act Hussy Hicks returned from one of their endless international tours earlier this year and hit the ground running. Hard. Weeks of studio sequestering have seen the foursome write, record, produce and release soul-drenched single ‘Get Ready’, with an additional eight tracks of a ten track album laid down, too. And somehow, they’ve also managed to find time to wow crowds at this year’s Bluesfest.

Recently celebrating a swag of industry accolades including four Gold Coast Music Award nominations, this single marks the first release since Hussy Hicks’ Album of the Year winning effort ‘On The Boundaries’ and is an exciting one for the band. “This is the first song in 12 years completely recorded, engineered and produced by the band,” says lead singer, Leesa Gentz, who was first signed to Warner/Chappell Music at just 16 years old. “Lyrically the song is pretty much trying to be uplifting and positive about all of the recent divide between the right and the left. I kind of wanted to say can we just be kind to each other, and try and move away from the things that divide us towards the things that bring us together.” ‘Get Ready’ features Leesa, relatively new drummer Ali Foster and long-time bass player Tracy Stephens, as well as - of course - founding Hussy and guitarist Julz Parker, who was recently voted fifth in a recent ‘Bluesfest Guitar Hero’ fan poll, making her

not only the highest ranking female but also the highest ranking Aussie guitarist. “It’s basically about letting go of all the negative stuff and not being afraid to move towards a future without sexism, racism, homophobia and xenophobia,” explains Julz. “This song is about taking an actively positive approach to inspire equality and getting rid of old ideas that don't serve us anymore.” As for the full album, excited fans may have to wait just a little longer, Julz tells us. “We wanted to take our time, keep it fun, and see what we’d come up with if we didn’t push ourselves. We may sneakily release a live album bootleg for the two blues festivals that we’re playing, but for the studio album we’re looking at the end of the year or early next year. We’re just trying to enjoy the process, just having the core four of us in the studio.” Prolific and well accomplished musicians, Hussy Hicks have honed their sonic dexterity over the past 12 years with six studio albums, multiple industry awards and more than 1,000 live shows, from Australia’s biggest blues, roots and folk festivals to 15 plus international tours, which now sell out across Europe. Hussy Hicks play will Blues on Broadbeach 16-19 May, followed by a whistle-stop US tour, then back home for dates across Queensland and New South Wales before heading out on their World Spring Tour, July to September, so keep an eye on their socials for your chance to catch them live before they’re off again. ‘Get Ready’ is out now in all the usual places. Natalie O’Driscoll + Kylie Cobb

MAY 4 RAISE YOUR GLASS. PINK V GAGA SHOW WALLABY HOTEL, RAILWAY ST 8.30pm – 11.30pm Tickets at Eventbrite facebook.com/pg/ thewallabyhotel/events

MAY 12 NATURALLY GC NATIVE STINGLESS BEES 1.00 – 2.00pm | suits age 15+ Learn about the stunning diversity of Australia’s native bees and their role in the environment. eventbrite.com.au/e/naturallygc

MAY 18 2019 SUSTAINABILITY SYMPOSIUM SOMERSET COLLEGE Workshops by local schools & organisations. Day sessions for students. eventbrite.com.au/e/2019sustainability-symposium

MAY 25 MUDGEERABA SHOW BALL MUDGEERABA SHOWGROUNDS 7.00pm

JUNE 28 – 30 MUDGEERABA SHOW SOCIETY IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE 91ST MUDGEERABA SHOW Friendly volunteers needed to help out before, during and after the Show. This is a great opportunity to give back to the community as well as meet a variety of people.

SUNDAY SESSIONS ADVANCETOWN HOTEL, NERANG MURWILLUMBAH ROAD May 5 - Jabba May 12 - Harry J Hart + Matty Breen Band May 19 - Fat Albert May 26 - Scott Whatman Band advancetown.com/whats-on

Contact Ella on 0401 369 869 if you are interested. mudgeerabashow.org.au/ volunteering-at-the-show

EVERY SATURDAY MUDGEERABA PARKRUN D’ARCY DOYLE PARK, SOMERSET DRIVE 7.00am Free 5km timed run parkrun.com.au/mudgeeraba

MORSELS @ MUDGEERABA RAILWAY STREET Tapas – live music every Friday and Saturday night 6.30pm onwards facebook.com/ morselstapasrestaurant/

FEATURING

, MOLLY MELATI WIJSEN L-ANSARY & E M E E R A K , R E STE VILLE KNOTT HOLLEY SOMER nisations orga local schools & g Workshops by 5 each. Evenin $2 ts ke tic , ts en ud st r fo n ls, io Day sess er for Principa velopment dinn professional de kets $90 tic s, nt : Teachers & Pare or buy online at n tio ra st gi for re litybi na ai st info@ssn.org.au su 901 ntbrite.com/e/2 https://www.eve 56611252781 set ck -ti m siu sympo

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APRIL - MAY SATURDAY 27 APRIL Kira Puru + Eliza & The Delusionals + DVNA | Bleach* Festival at Burleigh Heads

Deck Acoustics: Sarah Archer (1.00pm) + Michael Eotvos (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Sunday Acoustics: Eleea Navarro | Aviary Rooftop Bar

FRIDAY 3 MAY Fridays on the Lawn (4.30pm) | HOTA Annie Joelle (4.00pm) | Cafe Catalina

Pagan | Vinnie’s Dive (Ticketed)

Open Mic Sunday Sesh (12.00pm) | Ground n Sound

Wally + The Gators (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Lano & Woodley | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed)

Mason Rack Band | Jacobs Well Bayside Tavern

Tim Minchen | The Star Gold Coast (Ticketed)

The Smashed Crabs | BBQ Bazaar

Rock of Nations | The Bearded Dragon, Mt Tamborine

Surfers Paradise LIVE: The Living End + Jebediah + Reece Mastin + Banks of Beautiful + Mustache on Fire + Elska | Surfers Paradise

Jason Delphin | Ocean View, Coolangatta Bleach* Festival: Verdi’s Requiem | HOTA (Ticketed)

Dan Hannaford | Kingscliff Beach Hotel Caravana Sun (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

Rose Tattoo + Hard On’s | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed)

MONDAY 29 APRIL

Bleach* Festival: My Urrwai | HOTA (Ticketed)

Deborah Cox (11.00am)(Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Diamond Country Blues (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Lloyd Saniel (Covers) | Southport Sharks

TUESDAY 30 APRIL Elska | The Cambus Wallace Exposing Edith | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed) Jammin with Who: Katie Who + Guests | The Avenue

WEDNESDAY 1 MAY James Street Preachers | The Cambus Wallace

Electric Zebra + Hot Reno | Shark Bar

The Yams | The Scottish Prince

Abbalive | Parkwood Tavern

Joan As Police Woman | Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed)

Bands for Butterflies 2019: Mason Rack Band | Advancetown Marshall & The Fro | The Railway Friendly Bar, Byron Bay Bangers and Smash | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

SUNDAY 28 APRIL Loki Little (3.00pm) | Tupe-Aloha Montaigne + Farewell + Pink Matter + Ella Fence | Bleach* Festival at Burleigh Heads

John Safran | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed) Late for Woodstock | Southport Sharks Acoustic Fridays: Paris Lane | Cabana Bar & Lounge Danny Dyson | Ground n Sound The View From Madelaine’s Couch with Marcio Bahia | Dust Temple (Ticketed) Black Rheno + Black Swamp + Snake Mountain + Nescient | Mo’s Desert Clubhouse (Ticketed) Fat Albert Band | Currumbin RSL Serial Killer Dinner Party + Kobrakai + The Goldblooms + James Bondage & the Safewords | Currumbin Pub (Ticketed) Gavin Doniger + Special Guests (4.00pm) | Balter Brewery Deck Acoustics: Raku (5.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Allensworth Music | BBQ Bazaar

James Street Preachers | The Cambus Wallace

Nicole Brophy | Edie’s Grubhouse

The Yams | The Scottish Prince

The Goldhearts + Adele Pickvance & The Chandeliers + Katie Who + Sani Bolton | Vinnie’s Dive Bar

Guttermouth | Eddie’s Grubhouse A Jazz Journey | HOTA (Ticketed)

THURSDAY 2 MAY Free The Genie | The Cambus Wallace The James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince

Simone Milton + Jason Kiesling | Southport Yacht Club Joe Tee and Afrodisa + Liv Heyer | Miami Marketta

Tommy Memphis (10.30am)(Covers) | Currumbin RSL

Rockks (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Matt Armitage | The Cambus Wallace Matty Rogers (3.00pm) | Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club Sofiella & The Handsome Husbands | The Scottish Prince

Kristie Roberts | House of Brews Tonic Quartet | The Island The Goldhearts + Adele Pickvance & The Chandeliers + Koko Uzi | The Bearded Lady, Mt Tamborine Street Cafe | Southport Yacht Club

The Cherry Dolls | Miami Tavern Shark Bar (Ticketed) Floorburners (Covers) | Currumbin RSL Alter Egos (Covers) | Southport Sharks Music in the Park Saturday Sessions: Blackboi (3.30pm) | Rowan Robinson Park, Kingscliff Gavin Doniger |Bangalow Hotel, Bangalow The Disco Deciples | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

Tim Minchen | The Star Gold Coast (Ticketed) Surfers Paradise LIVE: Hoodoo Gurus + Daryl Braithwaite + Thirsty Merc | Surfers Paradise Charlie Rebel + Serial Killer Dinner Party + Cakes + Petty Cash + Tokyo Beef | Vinnie’s Dive Bar (Ticketed) Live DJ | Cabana Bar & Lounge Katie Who (4.00pm) | Cavill Lane Ben Camden (2.00pm) + Romi (7.00pm) | Sheoak Shack

Russell Sprout (1.00pm)(Covers) | RSL Club Southport Open Mic Sunday Sesh (12.00pm) | Ground n Sound Dave Gray Duo | Southport Yacht Club Hot Potato Band (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

MONDAY 6 MAY Abbigayle Anderson (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Marco (Covers) | Southport Sharks Chester | The Bearded Dragon, Mt Tamborine

TUESDAY 7 MAY Anna Smyrk | The Cambus Wallace Jack O’Leary | The Scottish Prince Jordan Raskopoulos | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed) Jammin with Who: Katie Who + Guests | The Avenue

WEDNESDAY 8 MAY James Street Preachers | The Cambus Wallace

SUNDAY 5 MAY

The Yams | The Scottish Prince

Sally Sa | The Cambus Wallace

Paul McDermott + Steven Gates | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed)

Joseph Conroy | The Scottish Prince James d’Khan (3.00pm) | Cafe Catalina Mal Eastick Duo | Harrigan’s Herbie Walker (3.00pm) | Tupe-Aloha Aleea Navarro (4.00pm) | Cavill Lane ELSKA (12.00pm + 5.00pm) | Chevron Renaissance Sundayz Sessions: Madison Kat + Jackson James Smith | Nobby’s Beach Surf Club Surfers Paradise LIVE: The Screaming Jets + Chocolate Starfish + Boom Crash Opera + Bachelor Girl | Surfers Paradise

Jessica Odgers | Aviary Rooftop Bar

Zookeepers | Southport Sharks

Hanny J & Miley Erg | Eddie’s Grubhouse

Phoebe Sinclair (12.00pm + 5.00pm) | Chevron Renaissance

James Dkhan | Cafe Catalina

Jesse Matthes | Harrigan’s

Kate Kelly (1.00pm)(Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Signature Series + Budjerah | Miami Marketta

Cheynne Murphy Duo | Hotel Brunswick

SATURDAY 4 MAY

James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince

Sacred Earth | Robina Community Centre

Shag Rock (11.30am) | Circle on Cavill

Gold Coast Music Awards: Casey Barnes + San Mei + Peach Fur | Surfers Paradise

The Road Hammers + The Ayers Rockettes + Saltbushsix + Josh Setterfield | Fisho’s

Deck Acoustics: Jason McGregor (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL

The Badlands | The Northern, Byron Bay

Lano & Woodley | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed)

Free the Genie | The Cambus Wallace

Leonie Kingdom (11.30am) + Ryan Munro (12.30pm) | Circle on Cavill

Neverending 80’s | Miami Marketta (Ticketed)

Guttermouth | Vinnie’s Dive (Ticketed)

Hobo Magic + The Black Armada + Cakes + Boing Boing + Aunties Band + Rinser | Mo’s Desert Clubhouse (Ticketed)

Adam Hole Blues | BBQ Bazaar

Wongo | Elsewhere

Creedence Clearwater Revived | BBQ Bazaar (Ticketed)

Phill & Tilly (3.00pm) | Cafe Catalina

The Space Cowboy | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed)

FRIDAY 10 MAY Fridays on the Lawn (4.30pm) | HOTA Mason Rack Band | Southport Sharks Acoustic Fridays: Eleea Navarro | Cabana Bar & Lounge Malia Stirling (4.00pm) | Cafe Catalina Route 66 Band (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Andrea Kirwin Band + Sali Bracewell | Miami Marketta Darkcell | Vinnie’s Dive (Ticketed) Magnetic Force | Currumbin RSL Bare Bones Songwriters Showcase: Katie Who + Daryl James + Jade Soul + Alexander William + Amy Elise | Currumbin Pub (Ticketed) Dave Hughes | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed) Mark Wilkinson | Soundlounge (Ticketed) Herbie Walker | Eddie’s Grubhouse The Polar Bears | BBQ Bazaar Alice Anderson | Southport Yacht Club Route 66 Band (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Jimi Jackson | Parkwood Tavern (Ticketed)

Benny Hanna | Aviary Rooftop Bar

Salt & Steel | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff

Abbalive (Covers) | Lonestar Tavern (Ticketed)

Lime Cordiale | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads (Ticketed)

Mason Rack Band | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff Salt & Steel | The Bearded Dragon, Mt Tamborine Ignition Duo (3.00pm) | Palm Beach Currumbin Sports Club Round Mountain Girls (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

MONDAY 13 MAY

The Jacksonz (Tribute) | RSL Club Southport (Ticketed)

Michael Whitmore (Covers) (11.00am) | RSL Club Southport

Tommy Little | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed)

Lloyd Saniel (Covers) | Southport Sharks

Funk Club | Currumbin RSL

TUESDAY 14 MAY

Jordan McRobbie (2.00pm) + Magnificence (7.00pm) | Sheoak Shack

Selecta Vzion | The Cambus Wallace

Stephen Lovelight | Eddie’s Grubhouse Mojo Rising | BBQ Bazaar

Karl Williams | The Scottish Prince Jammin with Who: Katie Who + Guests | The Avenue

Aussie Pride (Tribute) | Southport Sharks

WEDNESDAY 15 MAY

Ivan Ooze | Miami Tavern Shark Bar (Ticketed)

James Street Preachers | The Cambus Wallace

Luke Kidgell | Lonestar Tavern (Ticketed)

The Yams | The Scottish Prince

Bone Lazy Duo (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Syrup + Go On + Messycable + Echowave | Snookerworld (Ticketed) The Twilight Sad + Kathryn Joseph | Elsewhere Deck Acoustics: Fergo (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Luke Houselander | Nimbin Hotel, Nimbin Toxic Fox + Kava Kings + Peach Fur | The Northern, Byron Bay Mason Rack Band | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff Push | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

SUNDAY 12 MAY Lilly Budiasa| The Scottish Prince Fire n’ Stone (3.00pm) | Cafe Catalina Phil & Tilley (3.00pm) | Tupe-Aloha Carlotta Queen Of The Cross | The Spiegeltent Gold Coast (Ticketed) Burning Hands Duo | Eddie’s Grubhouse Deck Acoustics: Mark Divola (1.00pm) + Scott Whatman (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL

Open Mic Night | Miami Marketta

Woodshed + Acacia + Happy Rayz + Dreams of Indigo | Currumbin Pub (Ticketed)

Kyle Lionhart | Soundlounge (Ticketed)

Deck Acoustics: Luke Bennett + Josh Lovegrove (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL

The Moonshiners | Eddie’s Grubhouse

Matthew Armitage | Eddie’s Grubhouse Mason Rack Band | BBQ Bazaar Deck Acoustics: Luke Pauley (5.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Simone Milton | Southport Yacht Club

Raku One O’Gala | Eddie’s Grubhouse

Deck Acoustics: Lily Budiasa (5.00pm) | Currumbin RSL

Roxbury | The Bearded Dragon, Mt Tamborine

The Youngkeys | BBQ Bazaar

Danny Dyson | Aviary Rooftop Bar

Craig Taylor | Southport Yacht Club

Smokin Crawdads | Southport Yacht Club

Stand Atlantic + The Lonesomes | Miami Tavern Shark Bar (Ticketed)

Siris Hood | Elsewhere

Classic Duo (Covers)(1.00pm) | RSL Club Southport

Surf Report Duo (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Mckenzie (Covers) | Southport Sharks

Sarah Calderwood (12 noon) | Harrigan’s

Friday Acoustics: Paulie | Cabana Bar & Lounge

Open Mic Sunday Sesh (12.00pm) | Ground n Sound

Murwillumbah Arts Trail Festival Arty Party: Bri & Si + mISSkARA + Benja Meek | Imperial Hotel, Murwillumbah

Electrik Lemonade (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

Street Cafe (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Hayden Jack | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads Dreams of Indigo | Nimbin Hotel, Nimbin

SATURDAY 18 MAY The Fergies + Katie Who | Miami Marketta Outshined: Chris Cornell Tribute | RSL Club Southport (Ticketed) Crossover | Currumbin RSL

Legends of Rock (Tribute) | Southport Sharks Acoustic Fridays: Mark Divola | Cabana Bar & Lounge Christian Patey | Balter Brewing Co 1927 | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff (Ticketed)

MONDAY 20 MAY

Kiara Jack | Nimbin Hotel, Nimbin

Tommy Memphis (Covers)(11.00am) | RSL Club Southport

Mescalito Blues | Billinudgel Hotel, Billinudgel

Marco (Covers) | Southport Sharks

Marshall Okell Duo | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

TUESDAY 21 MAY

SATURDAY 25 MAY

The Lyrical | The Scottish Prince

National Geographic – Symphony for our world | HOTA (Ticketed)

Matthew Armitage | The Cambus Wallace

WEDNESDAY 22 MAY

Slips and The F.W’s + Ondre Davis | Miami Marketta

The Yams | The Scottish Prince

Big Pineapple Music Festival: Peking Duk + Broods + PNAU + Thnundamentals + Karnivool and More | Woombye, Sunshine Coast (Ticketed)

THURSDAY 16 MAY Free The Genie | The Cambus Wallace

Fat Albert | BBQ Bazaar

James Street Preachers | The Cambus Wallace

Off the Grid | Currumbin RSL

James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince

Kaosphere | The Wallaby Hotel

THURSDAY 23 MAY

Zookeepers | Southport Sharks

2 Tones (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Free The Genie | The Cambus Wallace

Elton John Experience (Tribute) | RSL Club Southport (Ticketed)

Kristie Roberts (1.00pm) | House of Brews

Speedball + Hard Luck Champions + Strange Fiction | Vinnie’s Dive Bar

James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince

Dean Haitani (2.00pm) + Benji and the Saltwater Sound System (7.00pm) | Sheoak Shack

Zookeepers | Southport Sharks

Dean Haitani | Eddie’s Grubhouse Mo Groove | BBQ Bazaar

Round Mountain Girls | Seagulls Club

Celebration of Indigenous Culture: Archie Roach + Stan Walker + Leonard Sumner + Joy Harjo + Rochell Pitt + Casey Donovan + Isaiah Firebrace | GCCEC

16 – 19 MAY

Tom Kimmet | Harrigan’s

Kristie Roberts (1.00pm) | House of Brews

Hurricanes + Echos | Vinnie’s Dive Bar (Ticketed)

Blues on Broadbeach: Canned Heat + Kallidad + Eric Bibb + Bahamas + Charley Crockett + Cedric Burnside + The Bamboos + Hussy Hicks + Z-Star Trinity + Cass Eager & The Velvet Rope + Geoff Achison + Rhythm X Revival + The Lachy Doley Group + Marshall + The Fro + Allensworth + much more | Broadbeach

Deck Acoustics: Jerome Williams (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL

Tonic Quartet | The Island

Armandinho and Band | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed)

Benny D Williams | Kingscliff Beach Hotel

Daniel Dyson | The Scottish Prince

FRIDAY 17 MAY

Jordan McRobbie Trio | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

Benny D Williams | Jacobs Well Tavern

Tonic Quartet | The Island 8 Ball Aitken | Envy Hotel Mescalito Blues | The Railway Friendly Hotel, Byron Bay

Benny D Williams | Coolangatta Sands Fridays on the Lawn (4.30pm) | HOTA

Alex Fietz (11.30am) | Southport Sharks

Family and Friends Festival | Ornamental Lawns, Robina

Smooth & Groove | Southport Yacht Club

Jake Meywes (4.00pm) | Cafe Catalina

Bondi Cigars | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed)

Jesse Morris Band + Sky Eater | Miami Marketta

Rob Bostocks (7.00am) + Raku (11.30am) | Harrigan’s

Crooked Colours | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed)

Shani Forrester (2.00pm) + Jess Morris Band (7.00pm) | Sheoak Shack (Ticketed)

Black Heart Breakers + The Goldblooms + Atticus Chimps + We All Drive | Vinnie’s Dive (Ticketed)

Rhydian Lewis (Covers) (1.00pm) | RSL Club Southport

Mescalito Blues | Dolphins Hotel, Tweed Heads

Amy Shark | Riverstage (Ticketed) Pink Zinc | Currumbin RSL

Mischevious (Covers) | Southport Sharks Live DJ | Cabana Bar & Lounge

Music in the Park Saturday Sessions: Matty Rogers (3.30pm) | Rowan Robinson Park, Kingscliff

Mallrat | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff (Ticketed)

FRIDAY 24 MAY

Park Lake Picnic (4.00pm) | Park Lake Park, Maudsland

The Gold Coast’s most exciting new music, flame with the realisation that maybe the grass wasn’t greener on the other side after all. Playful and flirtatious, she finds a subtle way to say, “I want you back" in style. Fresh from her Bleach* set, you can catch DVNA performing at the Gold Coast Music Awards after-party from 10pm on Thurdsay 2 May at elsewhere.

his month we’re introducing new Blank GC columnist Zac Fahey – no stranger to local music, having performed in local bands and supported their careers in his past role at Footstomp Music. This month’s column has been co-curated by Samantha Morris and Zac, but Zac takes over the reins entirely from June and we couldn’t be more excited. If you’ve got new, original Gold Coast music, you can reach Zac at newmusic@blankgc.com.au, but do make sure you send the track, a bio and your press photo to be considered. In the meantime, get your ears around this fresh batch of #gcmusic.

HANNAH ROSA BRINGS THE FIRE YOU KEEP RUNNING, ROMII

Romii – a finalist for Breakout Artist, Song and Video of the Year categories at this year’s GC Music Awards, is back with a powerful new single ‘You Keep Running’. A previous Queensland Music Awards winner for urban / r’n’b number ‘Wild Heart’, Romii’s new track ‘You Keep Running’ has already piqued serious industry attention with the Gold Coast artist recently performing it at half time for a Broncos match in front of 25,000 people. The new single is moving and emotional and the production values are obvious – it was written and recorded in LA with Grammy-nominated producer Jayme David Silverstein.

RADOLESCENT JUMP ON THE 406

More melodic than its yet-to-be-released album mates (yes, I’ve been lucky enough to have a sneaky listen), Radolescent’s new song ‘406’ sees frontman Isaac channel his inner Robert Smith in the opening bars before the band lets loose with wild guitars and sweet harmonies in the chorus – which might not sound very punk, but what Radolescent do with their music is anything but predictable. ‘406’ is a wonderful taste for what’s to come in the band’s debut album ‘Prehab’, which is out at the end of May. And if you want to see this four piece cause absolute mayhem for an unsuspecting audience, pop along to the Gold Coast Music Awards after party at elsewhere from 10pm on Thursday 2 May.

CALAN MAI INTRODUCES FRIEND OF A FRIEND

Heartfelt lyrics take centre stage with this new offering from Calan Mai. ‘Friend of a Friend’ sees Jordan on the piano with another beautiful and lilting track that showcases both his songwriting ability and his love of strong visuals in his art – reflected in video clips as well as single artwork. The accompanying clip for ‘Friend of a Friend’ was filmed on the Gold Coast and was directed by Danielle Lomas – a finalist for Video of the Year at the 2019 Gold Coast Music Awards (Amy Shark) - who amassed a local film crew made up entirely of local students and workers. 22

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JACOB LEE’S CONSCIENCE

He’s one of those under-the-radar artists this city is famous for, but quite possibly not for long. Jacob Lee has more than a million people streaming his music on Spotify every month and his singles reach an enormous audience here and abroad. His new track ‘Conscience’ is headed the same way – all 4:41 minutes of it. Released in April, with a video to accompany the song takes the listener on a deep into the Imagepersonal of Yorke byjourney Max Fairclough centre of Jacob’s thoughts and like much of his music, there’s a gentle ambience combined with contemplation, questioning and hope along with a bunch of audio samples (and yak bells around Mt Everest) recorded during the artist’s frequent travels. There are moments of quiet and others of dramatic intensity in ‘Conscience’ but Jacob’s storytelling and songwriting ability definitely take centre stage. Be like those millions and take a listen to Jacob’s sweet new music via all the usual channels.

Dripping with aural honey, Hannah Rosa’s new song ‘Fire’ - the follow-up to highly praised release ‘Hollow’ - turns up the heat, combining heavenly melodies with a string of soaring synth and guitar lines. With production from Tristan Hoogland (Golden Vessel, Woodes) and additional production flourishes by Jarryd Shuker (Art of Sleeping, Wyatt), Hannah Rosa’s latest, which is out now, is more refined than ever, and nothing short of dreamy indie bliss.

90S INDIE GUITAR ROCK IS NOT DEAD!

90’s throwback experts The Goldhearts are back after a three-year hiatus with a lush new single and an upcoming run of local shows. ‘Be Brave’ is a song that represents and honours those who tough through life's inevitable battles and ultimately triumph over adversity, a topic that rings true for these veterans of the scene. Over the years The Goldhearts have played everywhere from the local corner pub to showcases in the USA. They released a full length album in 2016 which received plays all over the world and have an EP set for release later in the year. This guitar-heavy, indie rock earworm gets the job done in just over three minutes leaving you wanting more; which you can well and truly have if you head along to their single launch, 3 May at Vinnie’s Dive Bar in Southport.

HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR ELECTRIK LEMONADE

Much-loved Gold Coast music scene fixtures Electrik Lemonade have released their heavily anticipated new record ‘Squeezed Fresh’. Easily one of the hardest working bands on the Gold Coast, the gang of eight have been recording and releasing music for more than ten years. Their high energy live show has become renowned and can only be described as the best party you’ve ever been to on a stage. It’s always difficult for a great live band to match the intensity of their performance with their recorded material but ‘Squeezed Fresh’ has no such issues. The album shows the band’s maturity; it’s a punchy, fun, raucous mix of songs that seamlessly gel hip-hop, ska, reggae, rock and smooth funk all together to truly represent one of Gold Coast’s most legendary outfits. The last show of their 11-date national album tour will be at Miami Marketta on 25 May and most certainly should not be missed.

SUPER MASSIVE SOUND

SNACK TIME WITH DVNA

DVNA has hit the ground running this year, serving up a mouthwatering new single ‘Looking Like A Snack’. After turning heads in 2018 with her debut ‘Girl On The Move’, a song that was reportedly recorded in her home kitchen, DVNA (pronounced Dar-Na) has certainly not disappointed with her follow-up. With a catchy-as-hell chorus over a glitchy neo soul beat it’s no surprise that this slick new track has already earned the young Gold Coast artist Triple J premieres and Spotify playlist additions. Lyrically the song explores the re-ignition of an old

After playing their first show together in four years earlier this month Gold Coast favourite sci-funk-alternative-rock outfit Super Massive are set to release a brand new single ‘Meltwater’. Set for release in early May the track features the truly super massive drum sound of ex-Machine Gun Fellatio drummer/composer/producer Glenn Abbott. Heavy drums and layers of pulsating synths and guitars are juxtaposed by the intimate vocals of Malina HamiltonSmith making for a unique style that sounds like a modern mix between Divinyls and Regurgitator. ‘Meltwater’ was literally written about the planet’s ice caps melting, inspired by a David Attenborough documentary on global warming. Keep an eye on the band’s social media for more info on the exact date of release.

curated by Samantha Morris & Zac Fahey

NEW SHIRT AND NEW PROJECT FOR LOCAL RAPPER

Saint Lane is the latest project from local rap hero Lane Harry (formally of Gold Coast Music Award winning outfit Lane Harry x Ike Campbell). Lane has always done things a little differently to your average Gold Coast musician; his confidence, undeniable talent and big picture thinking sets him aside from the rest. ‘Compliment My Shirt’ is the first official single from his latest project and sees Lane playfully flow over a groove-heavy beat bursting with vocal grabs reminiscent of Snoop Dog’s ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ or early an early Kanye track. Classic one-liners like “change my name to Susan cuz’ everybody’s suing me” cut through as Lane puts you in the shoes of a struggling uni student with no family support, doing anything to get by. Of course this Gold Coast gangster vibe isn’t for everyone, but love him or hate him, there’s no doubting that Saint Lane does what he does well and by the looks of the momentum he’s getting from this new project we’re going to see a lot more of him in 2019.

EUNICE LADIA: ONE TO WATCH IN 2019

Eunice Ladia is going from strength to strength after releasing her debut single and graduating from Griffith’s Popular Music program in 2018. Her latest offering ‘Don’t Leave Me Stranded’ maintains the same electro-pop sensibilities of her previous work but takes leaps and bounds productionwise. The catchy three minute pop-banger sounds world class, putting her music on a level playing field with her influences, which include Billie Eilish and Wafia. Written about being left behind by a loved one, Eunice Ladia didn’t initially want to release the song at all as the lyrics were too personal. But Eunice has always used music as a way of voicing and processing her internal thoughts so after time passed she changed her mind. With a video coming soon and momentum building online keep an eye on Eunice Ladia for more great things to come in 2019.

Past Gold Coast Music Award nominee Rhea Robertson wears her heart on her sleeve with new single ‘Wish You Were Dead’. A brutally honest reflection of a toxic past relationship, the chorus lyrics were taken directly from the first line of a diary entry during a low point. Musically the track is a real slow burner. Rhea Robertson’s flowing Lana-Del-Reyesque vocal delivery is presented over a deep bass driven groove and a smooth Rhodes piano part. The accompanying video follows the same vintage feel of the track and sees Robertson burying the contents of a suitcase across the desert, letting go, moving on.

he epic live musical collaboration was created to honour the memory of Churaki, an Aboriginal man heralded as the Gold Coast’s first lifesaver, and now it’s available to listen to in the comfort of your own home.

The World Premiere of The Spirit of Churaki, produced and commissioned by Bleach* The Gold Coast Festival, was presented at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games to a rave reviews, both crowd and critical. Since then word of the collaboration has spread like wildfire, with Woodford picking it up for last year's event and Sydney's Vivid LIVE offering the show an upcoming slot in the Opera House this May. Lead artist Kyle Slabb reflects on the reaction to the show so far.

AKOVA IS BACK, BAREFOOT

RHEA ROBERTSON WISHES YOU WERE DEAD

THE SPIRIT OF CHURAKI ALBUM IS FINALLY HERE

Gold Coast’s earthly roots artist Akova is back with a new album which captures his journey over the past two years. Full of alternate folk melodies and high energy beats, Akova’s album is a rollicking ride through a range of stories, uplifting messages and percussive beats. Setting rhythm with his feet he strums the guitar and plays the djembe with his hands and sings with his heart. ‘Barefoot’ is out now.

EMPH N TREATS JOIN FORCES FOR DEVILS ADVOCATE

Coming together with tour mates Mr Ruckman and Masterwolf, Gold Coast hip hop outfit Emph N Treats have released a new single ‘Devils Advocate’ which explores people-pleasing correctedness. The video clip also features live footage from the tour the three acts undertook together. ‘Devils Advocate’ is out now.

"We've had the most amazing feedback. One of the oldest ladies in our community actually came to the show and said 'this is the best thing that our community has ever produced'. For an old lady to say that! I mean our community has been prominent in a lot of areas, we have some great leaders and there have been many things people have done before that we’ve been inspired by. For me, this tells me we achieved what we set out to do and probably more. I was really happy about that." The Spirit of Churaki soundtrack rides the perfect wave between rocking surf tunes, laid back oceanic beats, beautiful ballads and the ancient sounds of Aboriginal language. The collaboration was built over a three-year process which shared cultural material of songs and stories. This music is a tribute to Churaki as a man but also to a rich lineage of saltwater people, a spirit of generosity, a deep connection to country and cultural

obligation. The show has been described as "reconciliation in action", and I wonder what Kyle thinks about that idea. "Yes absolutely it's about that. I think for me the cultural obligation is the strongest theme. Reconciliation is more the outcome of everyone doing what they need to do. I think it’s everybody’s responsibility, I think everybody as individuals and human beings living on the land, we have a responsibility to each other and to the land. There’s lots of issues that we need to consider as a nation of Australia, we all need to ask those questions." The show was brought together under the musical direction of American rock legend Brian Ritchie (Violent Femmes) in collaboration with the local indigenous community including musicians and lead artist Kyle along with Jarulah (Juz) Slabb, Josh Slabb, Kaleb Slabb and Colin Usher. The show also features an extraordinary line up of touring Australian musicians including Fred Leone (Impossible Odds, Black Arm Band), Leah Flanagan, Greg Sheehan Sam Pankhurst and Veronique Serret. The Spirit of Churaki was the most ambitious project that the Festival has ever commissioned and has continued to inspire and ignite audiences where ever it goes. This unique collection of music is like nothing else being produced or presented in Australia. Natalie O’Driscoll Bleach* will officially release the album on 26 April. You can catch it in the usual places. The Spirit of Churaki will be performed at Sydney Opera House for Vivid LIVE on Monday 27 May to mark the start of National Reconciliation Week. www.blankgc.com.au

IT’S MAKE OR BREAK TIME FOR LACHY DOLEY

ubbed the Jimi Hendrix of the Hammond Organ, Lachy Doley is the most celebrated blues/soul/rock Organ player in the world today. Alongside powerhouse drummer Jackie Barnes and Joel Burton on bass, The Lachy Doley Group are a super energetic force that perform as if their lives depend on it. This year they’re heading once more to iconic Gold Coast festival Blues on Broadbeach, for two shows that, believe us, you won’t want to miss. We chatted to Lachy ahead of their performances. How does it feel to be referred to as the greatest living organ player in the world today? It just sounds ridiculous to me when I hear things like that. I know what I’m capable of and I know what other people are capable of, so it’s very flattering when such prestigious people and idols of mine – like Glenn Hughes from Deep Purple - say something like that. I’m thrilled to think that they think so. What are some of the personal characteristics to which you attribute being able to get to the next level, musically? I think a lot of it has to do with passion and authenticity. I cannot stand the idea of putting on a mediocre show. Every show I do has to be mesmerising, and if it’s anything less than that I’m really disappointed. I think that’s got a lot to do with it, and I give everything and I expect everything from my band. Perseverance, hard work, being willing to have to drive and travel and put yourself under heaps of pressure to nudge that little bit further. And at what point would you feel like you’ve reached a level that you’re satisfied with? The end result for me is to be able to travel around with my family, and sort of holiday and play gigs at the same time. I’d like to be able to come home and not have to be a slave to doing gigs and doing things that may not really suit the Lachy Doley Group. Basically be doing what I’m doing but a whole lot better, haha! 24

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You’re regular faves at Blues on Broadbeach. What do you love about it? I think this’ll be sixth time. We’ve had so many good shows up there now I think we’ve carved a little crowd there on the Goldie. We don’t get to see a lot of other bands because we’re usually hopping from stage to stage and playing with other people. Thankfully this year we open the festival at 10am Thursday and then we’ve got the whole day to check out music which is great, and Friday we’ve got another early show. Tell us a bit about your latest album ‘Make or Break’. Is it a departure from the norm, or is it a case of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’? This album was just wanting to consolidate what we’ve done great on the last albums and what we’ve really done great live, and try to make the best album we can with those elements. We’ve spent a lot of money so sonically it sounds a billion times better than the last albums. We’ve incorporated that live element in the album. Every time we normally record six months later the songs sound completely different after playing live so this time we went ‘Alright. Before we commit to this, what we would be doing in six months’ time?’ We had to put that mindset on and it worked really well, we came up with all these interesting sections. Is there anything else you want people to know ahead of your shows here? If they haven’t seen us before, expect it to be really loud, really quiet, really fast, really slow, really intense and whole lotta fun. Natalie O’Driscoll

You can catch Lachy Doley Group on the Thursday and Friday of Blues on Broadbeach, in their last Australian shows before kicking off an epic European tour. Blues on Broadbeach runs from 16 – 19 May, and is a free event. For full lineup and scheduling information, visit bluesonbroadbeach.com.

DREAMLAND: A theatrical adventure in Byron Bay’s hinterland GOLD COAST GREEN WEEK 2019

hat’s green, gold and celebrates our unique natural environment? The annual Gold Coast Green Week of course!

f our local country halls could talk – or sing and dance – what stories would they tell us? Acclaimed regional theatre company NORPA is giving its own answer to that question when they stage their site-specific work ‘Dreamland’ this May.

When NORPA first staged ‘Dreamland’ at Eureka Hall in 2016, more than 1800 people flocked to see it during its extended run, making it one the theatre company’s most loved original productions. Now, NORPA has revived the project, this time in in Bangalow’s historic A&I Hall. “When the shows sold out in 2016, we had people rocking up with their own chairs to try and sneak in,” explains show creator and director, and NORPA Artistic Director Julian Louis. “Unfortunately we had to kick them out of course, [laughs] but really, this is back by seriously popular demand.” The production has been tweaked, with some character changes at the forefront. “We were really happy with the original, but we’ve had a chance to improve a few areas,” Julian says. “There’s an Indigenous character in the piece knowns as The Showman, and we wanted to deepen his story a bit. You know these halls were not welcoming to Indigenous people across history. They were exclusive spaces for white people to gather and play their music and have their celebrations, and we thought it was important to have more commentary around how it reflects Australia’s racist past and the fact that were moving to build a better future for Australia that’s welcoming and accessible to everyone.” Dreamland is a world where time overlaps, where the ghosts of country halls come to life to tell a joyous and powerful story of community, change and renewal across generations. The stories themselves were based on research done by the NORPA team, who talked to many locals about their relationship with the halls.

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“You can hear those people that we spoke with in those stories,” Julian tells us. “It’s based on real people and real events. A scene about a returning soldier coming back into the community, a story of a woman who’s grown past the death of her husband and the kids leaving and now she’s living on 100 acres on her own, those things are real and they happen to people now today.” The Northern Rivers are a fantasy destination for many, with city dwellers aplenty dreaming of a simpler life among the trees and the stars. However the reality of such a change can be anything but simple, as ‘Dreamland’s protagonist Jason discovers in the piece. “He has come here for a dream life,” says Julian. “People come here to escape and start a new life growing their own veggies but it’s not always that simple because life isn’t like that, so Jason’s journey throughout the piece is about discovering community and finding the way in which he can surrender to his new regional lifestyle.” We don’t need to look too far for the real-life inspiration for Jason. Having moved to the Northern Rivers more than twelve years ago from the bustle and anonymity of Sydney, Julian’s own path to surrender was not always a smooth one. “It was massive, it was daunting and difficult and it was a bit isolating at first,” he admits. “I’ve had my own big journey needing to work out how to have a community and what community is so I think there’s a definite personal edge.” Much more than just a show, Dreamland is a celebration of community. Pre-show dinner will be available at venues throughout the town, and a pop-up bar will be open before and after each performance. Dreamland reflects the stories of the Northern Rivers region in a spectacular and surprising way – it may even get you dancing. Natalie O’Driscoll

Dreamland by NORPA is at Bangalow A&I Hall 15-25 May. Tickets are available now at norpa.org.au.

A 10-day calendar of environmental events, Gold Coast Green Week is set to enrich and inspire this year, with 45 events by 45 hosts happening around the city. Learn from passionate experts in their fields. Share in the magnificent work being done by local groups and individuals to preserve and protect our wonderfully diverse environment. With 15 events unique to Green Week, you’ll want to mark your calendars. There are walks, talks and tours for all ages. Sidle up to nocturnal animals at ‘Creatures of the Dark’. Experience the interactive Wildlife Expo at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Or go on a bus tour of the Numinbah Valley and learn from an expert about its ecology. Plus there will be koala tree planting, community beach cleans, a World Environment Day dinner and talks on a range of topics, from platypus to seagrass. The calendar includes children’s activities from animal tours to science experiments and wildlife shows and activities. There citizen science programs and school sustainability sessions as well as open days, activities and presentations, just to mention a few. Now in its seventh year, Green Week has gone from strength to strength. “The fact that we have 45 events included, speaks volumes of the environmental work that is done in our city,” Rosalinde Brinkman from Gold Coast Catchment Association says. A new initiative to the Gold Coast, the School Sustainability Awards, also features in the program. Set to be a highlight on our city’s annual sustainability calendar, it encourages students to take a closer look at sustainability, specifically in their school. See our full piece on the initiative in this edition. Amy Gould

Gold Coast Green Week runs Friday, 31 May - Sunday, 9 June and is a collaboration between Gecko Environmental Council, Gold Coast Catchment Association and Surfrider Foundation Gold Coast/Tweed. Visit the website for the full program: goldcoastgreenweek.com.

PRESENTS

MINIMAL

MURWILLUMBAH ABSTRACT

MODERN COLORS POSTER DESIGN

THE LONG LIFE PLAN FAYE JAMES

BACKGROUND

ith a plethora of ‘self-help’ books available, it’s refreshing to see a life guide written by someone qualified to do so. Author Faye James is a food, beauty and health journalist and editor with over 20 years of experience. Moreover, this book has a ring of authenticity and wholesomeness. With constant references to the author’s childhood, it is written from the heart.

COLORFUL backgrou nd COLORFUL

background

So, what is a ‘long life plan’? ‘The Long Life Plan’ deals with two sides of the life puzzle: firstly, the way to live in order to prolong life. Humankind has long sought immortality. How can we extend our life? Though the book's title may signify otherwise, fortunately James makes no false claims. Instead, she concentrates on the second part of the puzzle: how to make the most of your life by prolonging your youthfulness of mind and body. From the outset, ‘The Long Life Plan’ is a guide to taking ownership of your own well-being through self-healing. It is all about establishing good habits and routines, combining lifestyle, exercise (such as 30-minute yoga and pilates exercises to increase strength and flexibility), beauty and skin care routines (including how to make homemade beauty products), and healthy eating guidelines and recipes (including some suitable to batch cook) to enhance your life and health. “Being healthy isn’t about restriction,” James says, “…it’s about making the right choices.” The foreword by Charlie Goldsmith takes wellness even further into other dimensions: mindfulness, othercentredness and spirituality (in its broadest sense): “Be kind. Keep people in your life that want the best for you. Be honest…Help people. Accept help. Listen to advice. Learn lessons. Give. Face fears. Love without expectation. Keep an open mind…” Live life to the fullest and focus on the positive. It's a message equally as important as that written by James herself.

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Beautifully styled and printed on good quality semi-gloss paper in a firm soft cover, this book contains many simple but delicious recipes. It’s not only a book to give away, but also one to buy for yourself. Life is as much about the journey as it is the destination. Marj Osborne www.blankgc.com.au

FROM LAB SIMULATIONS TO PATIENT

EXAMINATIONS Image by And the Trees Photography

THE NINTH CHAPTER

Study in class or online with residential schools

The Ninth Chapter

orthern Rivers groove merchants The Ninth Chapter are a band whose pedigree has been crafted on over a decade's worth of sweat and grind on the live circuit. Having previously worked with Dave Adkins of Resin Dogs fame on their previous release, 2015's 'EP30', the band certainly know how to bring the funk, as evidenced within the bump and swing of their highly impressive, selftitled debut long player. For this release, recorded at Blind Boy Analogue Studios in Byron Bay with Geoff Wright at the helm, the bands aim was to chart their musical evolution, from their more folksy, singer-songwriter sounding days of yore to the funk-blues punch which they’re currently renowned for delivering. The album jumps out of the gates with the sassy 'My Baby Don't Come Around', positively oozing dance-inducing grooves and punchy horn breaks galore. Current single, 'My Own Time' is an impressive early highlight, it's catchy and insistent, brassedup chorus underpinned by a head nodding bassline and augmented with breezy flute interjections. While funk may be the template, the band also deliver a pleasingly diverse array of roots-savvy elements into their musical stew. Case in point - ‘What’s Going To Happen Next’, a previous single from the band that channels a bluesy swagger, complemented with the addition of punchy, Stax inducing horns from the gritty side of the tracks. ‘Smoke Stack’ is a tooting slow grinder which adds a loping, hip hop vocal to it’s brassed-up blues bedrock. And ‘Runaway Train’ harks back to the band’s beginnings, it’s roots-rock vibe somewhat bringing to mind Aussie folk-rock legends Weddings, Parties, Anything. ‘Waterfall’, with its anthemic “get down” refrain, chanted vocals and yet more of those funky horns, and final number, the aptly monikered ‘D Groove’, with its rousing finale, are sure to be immediate live favourites. You’d do well to catch them when they tear up the stage and bust out tracks from this impressive record in May at the Blues On Broadbeach Festival, where they’re sure to turn heads and move derrieres in equal measure. Anthony Gebhardt 28

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PAUL ENROLLED NURSE

DIPLOMA OF NURSING | HLT54115

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MURWILLUMBAH ARTS TRAIL extends the arty party in 2019

ust an hour’s drive south of the central Gold Coast, you enter a different world. Under the sovereign eye of Mount Warning (Wollumbin), nestle the undulating green pastures of the Tweed Valley, ringed by the crown-like Border Ranges and dotted like jewels with picturesque towns and villages that make up the Northern Rivers region. One of the most popular Northern Rivers towns is Murwillumbah, known for its art deco architecture, glorious antiquing and a thriving arts community, which for four days each May hosts the Murwillumbah Arts Trail (MAT19), a celebration of all things contemporary art in Northern New South Wales. This year, from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 May, the MAT19 organisers have extended the event to include four surrounding villages and their local venues and artists, taking visitors on a Village Bus Tour through the lush sub-tropical rainforest on the final day of the festival. We took a look at what is going to be on offer at these satellite events.

TUMBULGUM

Situated at the confluence of the Rous and Tweed Rivers, Tumbulgum is a water lovers’ paradise, with fishing, boating, watersports and swimming some of the village’s staple activities. Tumbulgum’s MAT19 event curator is multi-disciplinary artist Trish Budd, who will be running a mosaic workshop and whose pieces and photography will be on display alongside works by several other exhibiting artists. “We’re your entrance to the MAT,” she explains. And she’s not wrong. Tumbulgum is along Tweed Valley Way, halfway between Tweed Heads and Murwillumbah, and will be putting on three days of activities throughout the event. Celebrated Indigenous artists Jason King and Narelle Urquhart will be exhibiting their pieces at the historic Tumbulgum Public School (est 1872) and the Tweed River Chapel respectively, with talks to accompany the works. Featured local artists will have their works for sale in three of the village’s cafes, also: House of Gabriel, Birdwing Café and the Blonde Baker. Visitors are welcome to stop in Tumbulgum at any time, but are encouraged to attend particularly on the Thursday, Friday and Sunday, which is when the activations will be taking place. And if you feel like following the heritage signs for a fascinating walk through the village or dining al fresco, those options are certainly available too. “We celebrate the outdoors, here,” says Trish.

BURRINGBAR

Burringbar is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it village not far from Mooball National Park. It wouldn’t be a Northern Rivers town without an art gallery, and Burringbar Gallery houses an eye-popping array of indigenous and primitive artefacts, collectables and local wares. Just down the street is Heath’s Old Wares, an extraordinary warehouse literally filled to the ceilings with antiques and other historical artefacts for sale, the painstaking life’s work of its owners Rob and Eva. Looking at the various hat boxes, Coke bottles, tools, marine artefacts, jewellery, photographs, antique toys, telephones and more is like a stroll through a time capsule, and is worth every minute of the drive. For MAT19, local store Giggle & Whimsy will also be hosting a live art exhibition upstairs from the shopfront on the Sunday. And while you’re in Burringbar, you might as well stop at Tweed Valley Whey for a taste of locally milked and made cheeses, as fresh as they come from the family farm.

TYALGUM

Twenty minutes west of Murwillumbah, right on the foot of Wollumbin herself, is the idyllic village of Tyalgum, where nothing is quite what it seems. The art shop sells clothes. Main hub Flutterbies is a restaurant, coffee roasters, bakehouse, live music venue, a Marketta, conscious living store, pop up bar, art studio, gift shop and a tea room, all under one roof! The historic grocery store doubles as a book exchange and reading nook, and the local café managers, business owners and shopkeepers are also artists and event managers, putting on different hats depending on whether they’re serving locally sourced produce to hungry diners, or organising the town’s annual 3,000-strong indie folk festival. The same team is taking care of the village’s MAT19 satellite activation, entitled ‘Fragile’. Inspired by the MAT19 theme of ‘Now you see it, now you don’t’, ‘Fragile’ take an artistic view of the Amazon, and four of the elements within it: the river, the rainforest, forest floor and birds of paradise. Each element is being visually represented by the participating artists, and will be presented both in gallery style and also performance art, with models in hand painted clothes, handmade jewellery and themed makeup walking out to music. Lead artist Kirra Springs explains why she chose the theme.

“The Amazon is the lungs of the planet. We need to think about the planet as one living organism. If someone cut away your lungs, your whole body would break down. Art just helps people to connect to these ideas on an emotional level.” ‘Fragile’ will run in the village’s Marketta on the Sunday afternoon, following their weekend Wellness Festival.

UKI

Uki is situated on the other side of Wollumbin to Tyalgum, and is known for its lush, year-round greenery and generous, hospitable community. Lisa Young owns the Uki Art Gallery, where one of this year’s MAT19 events will be held. “I came down for a visit and just fell in love,” explains Lisa. It’s not hard to see why. Full of charm and tranquillity, Uki has become a hotspot for treechangers. Having just run an exhibition featuring local women artists, Lisa is now putting on a show called ‘Randomicity’, which brings together four very different local male artists into one show: Al Watts, The Squinting Artist, Timothy Fields, and the Green Man. The exhibition will run until 26 May, but will be a cornerstone installation of the MAT19 satellite event. In addition, there will be an exhibition by Christine Mellor at the new Mount Warning Hotel (the old one burnt down four years ago), the Buttery Bazaar Markets will be on, as well as the Uki Art Collective in the historic hall. Natalie O’Driscoll

MAT19 runs from 16 to 19 May, and is a highlight of the Northern Rivers cultural calendar. Visit murwillumbahartstrail. com.au for full program information, and keep your eyes peeled for our next instalment when we take a good look at the main event itself.

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Image: Kate Holmes

N O RPA PRES EN T S

A NORPA PRODUCTION

DREAMLAND JOIN US IN THE BYRON BAY HINTERLAND Joyful and poignant and potent … a richly engaging and cleverly crafted work.

ArtsHub

WED 15 – SAT 25 MAY Bangalow A&I Hall T I C K E T S & M O RE I N FO

norpa.org.au | 1300 066 772

MUSIC

ACTIVATE

Regional Arts Development Fund While it’s not all about the money, it certainly helps. If you’re a Gold Coast musician of any genre or career stage, funding is available to develop and ACTIVATE your big ideas. Applications open: 3 May Applications close: 31 May cityofgoldcoast.com.au/radf

GCCC14368

The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

Exhale. Everything is as it should be.

ELECTRIK LEMONADE Squeezed Fresh

band with a reputation as one of the best live acts in the nation always faces pressure when a recording is released. Throughout 2017 and 2018, Gold Coast’s Electrik Lemonade built a reputation for on-stage prowess, culminating in their December performance at the National Live Music Awards ceremony. It’s within this context that Electrik Lemonade fans rightfully held their breath when their new album ‘Squeezed Fresh’ was announced. Would it be all it could be?

The typical fun and carefree vibes loved by lemonheads translate well on the album throughout the 14 tracks. Songs celebrating love, parties, a passion for herb gardens, awareness of canine hip dysplasia and the latest in denim fashion for women are thoughtfully and strategically placed within the recording, seemingly perfectly aligned to raise the listeners spirits whilst alerting them to the important topics about which the lyrics preach. You will laugh and reminisce, and you will want to dance, both “lighting it up” and “getting down” as well. Highlights include the heartfelt story of Jazzy from Mudgeeraba in ‘Thunderdog’, the catchy and well-received single ‘Sing With Me’, the delightfully unapologetic ‘Applebottom’, and the final track on the album, ‘Say You Feel’, which showcases the incredible vocal stylings of guest performer Leesa Gentz from Hussy Hicks. Horns and guitar solos compliment the funky tunes and clever poetry of ‘Squeezed Fresh’, and fans of the band will no doubt love what they hear. New fans are inevitable as well, as Electrik Lemonade’s live show on their current album tour augments this release everyone can love. Glenn Tozer

When Justine Carmichael (Sagittarius, aspiring journalist and sceptic) bumps into her old friend Nick Jordan (Aquarius, struggling actor and true believer) it could be by chance. Or perhaps it’s written in the stars. Justine is an office gopher at the Alexandria Park Star, biding time until her big journalistic break arrives, when she learns that Nick relies on the magazine’s astrology column to guide him in life. Looking for a way to get Nick’s attention, Justine has the (terrible) idea of making a few alterations to Aquarius before it goes to print.

STAR-CROSSED MINNIE DARKE

tar-crossed is a feelgood Australian novel that feels like more like watching a rom com than reading a book. 32

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The ensuing chaos and gradually worsening situation in which Justine finds herself is fairly standard fodder for the genre, and ‘Star-crossed’ holds few surprises in that regard. The inclusion of some of the city’s residents and the effect of Justine’s actions on them adds pops of colour to the story, and some of the characters, particularly employees at the Star, are cleverly realised. In terms of popular fiction, Star-crossed sits fairly solidly at the top of the middle of the pack, if that makes sense. While it’s unlikely to achieve global ‘must-read’ status, it’s an easy, enjoyable read which would translate easily to the screen. Natalie O’Driscoll

HANGING FIVE WITH BLIGH

Image by Claire Dalton

aving wowed ears and turned heads last year with the release of their cinematic, piano-driven pearler ‘Mrs Jones’, Gold Coast indie five piece BLIGH have just dropped their latest single in the form of a catchy, pop-rock belter which goes by the name of ‘Nissan Patrol’.

The track is an impressive fillip to the band's rapidly burgeoning reputation and reinforces their nous for delivering the type of memorable, catchy pop songs which should ensure their ongoing success on the local music scene and beyond. To get more of an insight into the new number, as well as what else is going down in the world of BLIGH, we took the opportunity to ‘hang five’ with the band’s songwriter and vocalist, Elliott Bayliss. You’ve just released a pop-tastic new single, ‘Nissan Patrol’. Have you ever owned such a vehicle!? And is the song indicative of the direction that the band is heading musically? We’ve actually never owned one but I can confirm I spent a really long time in one with an older, far cooler girl while I was in high school; that’s what the song’s about. What’s been your most memorable gig to date? Our second gig ever was so special. It was a ‘battle of the bands’. We'd played the heat really well but no one had showed. There were a lot of people there for the final and we kept trying to figure out which band had brought all the people. Then when we started playing, something like 80 kids just rushed to the stage, it was great! Word had gotten out; they were there for us. That was a pretty special moment.

Are there any other bands (local or otherwise) that you share a particular affinity with? There are a tonne of acts locally we really admire. Electrik Lemonade are honestly incredible. Seeing them live made me lift my game. I love Ella Fence and New Age Notion is really underrated. If you could collaborate with one artist/ producer/music industry person, who would it be? That's such a toughy. I'd really love to do some more writing with Ella Fence, or on a more international level I'd love to work with Mark Crew or Jack Antanoff. What’s in store for BLIGH for the rest of 2019? We have a big year planned and this is just the start. Expect at least three more singles and potentially an EP. I went through a break up and we’ve been putting down some pretty magical demos that could become an EP before the end of the year. Some of those are easily 10 times better than anything we’ve done to date, so we’re definitely excited to put some of that out. Anthony Gebhardt

Be sure to catch BLIGH, when they launch their hot new single, ‘Nissan Patrol’, at Mo's Desert Clubhouse on 11 May. In the words of Elliott: “We are working really hard to make it the best gig we have ever played. If there was ever a time to see us, this is it!”

“There has been a need to get the schools further involved in sustainability on the Gold Coast. To introduce School Sustainability Awards will ensure new opportunities for students and the whole school community to approach the wider concept of sustainability,” Katie Norman, Sustainable Schools Network CEO said.

SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL AWARDS OPEN ON THE GOLD COAST

old Coast schools have gotten their very own sustainability awards. Sustainable Schools Network and Gecko Environment Council have initiated the inaugural School Sustainability Awards this year with the intention to get the students to take a closer look at sustainability and specifically sustainability in their school.

“We are encouraging the students to look at sustainability from all different angles; environmental, economic, social and systems. The more creative and innovative their approach, the better!” The School Sustainability Awards is aimed to become an annual highlight for both the school year and curriculum on the coast as well as the sustainability calendar for our City. The awards have been divided into two categories; primary and secondary school. Both categories have a $1000 first prize with Gecko Environment Council providing the

primary school award and Regen Australia the Secondary School Award. The entries are required to be new projects or ones that are clearly the next step of an existing one. The entry presentations are where the students can get as creative as possible. These can be videos, interactive 3D computer models, art projects, and more. The entries close on 24 May and the finalist will be announced on 31 May. Winners will be announced on 9 June 2019. Schools are advised to contact the coordinators before submitting their entries for further information. School Sustainability Awards is an initiative of Sustainable Schools Network Limited and Gecko Environment Council Assn Inc and is hosted as part of 2019 Sustainability Symposium and Gold Coast Green Week. Anna Itkonen

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CRAFTY’S SPORTS BAR Harbour Town Eats, 189 Brisbane Road, Biggera Waters

Image by Claire Dalton

BURLEIGH BAKER 50 James Street, Burleigh Heads

hough it appears to be out of favour at times, bread’s very name denotes staple nourishment, food, sustenance, subsistence, and even money. We all need ‘our daily bread’. There’s a science to making bread and, at Burleigh Baker, agricultural economist and ex-Strategic Director of Colgate Palmolive, Geoff Dance, is not only the co-owner with his wife Lisa but also the driver of change. “He’s the most loved man in Burleigh,” a passer-by tells me. “He’s in it for the love of it and we feel it.” Looking more like a veteran athlete than ‘The Burleigh Baker’, Geoff ’s knowledge of bread is legendary. “I learned to make cheese about ten years ago,” Geoff tells us, explaining that a life of leisurely retirement lacked stimulation, encouraging him to seek out further learning. He soon realised that the same processes of cheesemaking should be applied to bread and, when the opportunity to begin a bakery in the community hub of Burleigh arose, he and Lisa jumped at the chance. Since that time, the food scene in Burleigh has grown exponentially. Bread just isn’t bread, he says, explaining how it’s a diverse industry ranging from push button technology to an artisan craft, from pre-mix to Burleigh Baker’s 24 to 38 hourfermented sourdoughs. Real sourdough bread making is driven by a knowledge of both fermentation and nutrition, with temperature the defining principle. 34

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“Gut policy defines both the product and the processes,” Geoff explains. “We make good-tasting bread that’s healthy, pies with fermented pastry and cakes with a minimum of sugar.” Naturally leavened and made with a slow cool fermentation process, Burleigh Baker’s sourdough is nutritious and highly digestible with great complex flavours. Using organic and sustainable chemical free flour, sea salt, chlorine free water and natural leavening agents, it’s bread that will help glucose levels to stay constant rather than spiking. As we sit talking outside the shop, Geoff points something out: “You see how people carry their loaves?” he asks. “They carry bread to their heart. They intuitively know how good it is for them.” It’s true. Great bread should not be the domain of the rich. It’s better to eat a smaller amount of ‘real’ sourdough bread that is good for us than a lot of cheap bread that carries little nutritional value. Whether you drop in for breakfast and coffee or a classic Reuben for lunch, to buy a loaf of Burleigh Baker’s large Country Miche, Burleigh Special or fruit loaf, stop and have a chat to staff about their bread. There’s so much we’ve yet to learn about the humble loaf! Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on foodgoldcoast.com.au

ancy a night out with family and friends at a venue that has something for everyone: games the family can play, a casual dining venue with food that suits everyone, live sports screening and a bar with craft beers and wicked cocktails? Crafty’s Sports Bar, located at the main entrance to Harbour Town Eats, is a familyfriendly sports bar offering sociable dining complete with competitive games such as table tennis and cornhole. Cheeky and stylish with an entertaining sense of humour, it’s a fun place to meet friends or to have a party. “There was a gaping hole in the market for a family-friendly space,” says hands-on co-owner and manager Dave Galvin. “We wanted families to be able to enjoy many different experiences in the one venue.”

Chef Steve Seckold (ex-Flying Fish, Pyrmont) heads the kitchen, his casual menu divided into sections ranging from ‘Hand Food’ (good time fun dishes), through greens (think delicious salads and veg), burgers and pizzas to ‘Crafted cuts’ (AKA serious steaks) and trays of combo dishes. ‘Hand food’ shows off well-made popular casual dishes with a fun twist, such as a Giant soft pretzel with a beer-laced cheese dip and seeded mustard ($15), Pumpkin tostadas with avo salsa ($14), moving on to Crafty’s own take on Southern fried chicken with a home-made hot sauce, burgers (all available bun-less) and hot dogs (DIY with remoulade and accompaniments provided), topped off with sports-themed cocktails. Crafty’s is lots of fun. We can’t think of another venue that covers quite the same bases for interactive family fun, date night or group dining.

In doing so, they’ve turned sports bars on their head. At this open-plan GC-styled 330seat space, there’s room for everyone as well as a cordial welcome.

With such a fresh and vibrant take on Aussie culture, who we are and how we live, dine and socialise, we expect to see a lot more Crafty’s around in the future.

Large it may be, yet it’s also approachable with participative, competitive family games. The venue is a standout for what it does not include: gaming of any kind. Instead, it’s a welcoming space to #partywithcraftys.

NOTE: Blank GC dined as guests of Crafty’s.

“The feedback has overwhelmingly been amazing,” says Dave, whose experience opening thirty venues for other people is now put into practise in his first business with business partner Geoff Bainbridge, founder of Grill’d.

Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on foodgoldcoast.com.au

GETTING HIGH ON THE GOLD COAST

hen you live near the beach, you’re bound to be familiar with the flight paths of helicopters. There’s the life-saving chopper which buzzes up and down the coast on regular patrols, there’s the rescue / emergency choppers with spotlights blaring at odd hours of the day and night and the joyflight choppers which parade up and down the coast giving tourists a birdseye view of the coastline. It’s easy to be obsessed with helicopters when you live on the Gold Coast. In the leadup to the Commonwealth Games I was lucky enough to jump on a tour with Seaworld Helicopters to get an aerial view of the coastline as well as the Games venues and new infrastructure being built. It wasn’t my first time in a helicopter, but it was my first time flying above the suburbs of the Gold Coast. A few months later, a commercial flight to Sydney took me over the southern edge of Mt Warning Wollumbin. I was flabbergasted. I’d never seen such a view before and the resulting, rather feminine photo went viral. As I said then, Mt Warning looks more vulvanic than volcanic. Those two experiences catalysed an obsession with seeing the landscapes I live and play in from a new perspective. And so the hunt for the perfect helicopter tour (to celebrate my awesome auntie’s 70th birthday) commenced.

Enter ABC Heli and their Mt Warning Spectacular tour. Taking off from the company’s hangar at the Gold Coast airport, the 45 minute tour has you climbing to 4000 feet, cruising along the northern edge of Mt Warning Wollumbin, over the Tweed and Currumbin Valleys with spectacular views over farmlands, rainforest, the Gold Coast hinterland and the entire green caldera that frames the region geographically. From this height you get a real sense of scale as to the size that this mother of a volcano used to be. You can’t help but visualise its striking presence. But the tour doesn’t stop there. With the pilot pointing out significant natural landmarks along the way, the helicopter then heads for the coastline where you get a low-flying birds eye view of Hastings Point and all of the other creeks, rivers and headlands between there and Coolangatta getting as low as 500ft over Point Danger and Snapper Rocks. The tour’s not cheap – it’s $395 per person, but it does run for more than 40 minutes and I can honestly say is worth every cent. We had to wait a month or so for the company to find other passengers to join us (as there’s a minimum of four people needed for the trip). The team at ABC Heli are flexible, efficient and friendly and add great depth to this trip. If, like me, you’re a bit obsessed with getting high on the Gold Coast, you’ll absolutely adore this tour. Do it. You won’t regret it. Samantha Morris

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HERON BLUE Single Launch at Burleigh Masonic Hall on 8 June

chingly gorgeous and hauntingly evocative are apt descriptors when it comes to new Gold Cost alt-folk two piece, Heron Blue.

Formerly going by the name ‘Black Kite’, the core duo, consisting of Linda Angledal and Murray Webber, both on vocals and guitar, have just released two introductory songs under their new moniker; ‘Since I Found You’ and ‘Take This Pill’, which serve as a precursor to their debut EP, ‘Tick Tock’, which is due out later in the year. Both tracks highlight Heron Blue’s masterful command of their haunting Americana and rustic folk influences, their moving and elegant acoustic balladry married to intimate lyricism and twin vocals both stark and ethereal. The tracks were further fleshed out by some talented guest performers; Scott French on drums, Michael James on double bass, Peter Hunt on trumpet, and Kieran Richardt on slide guitar. Check out the New Music column of this month’s Blank GC, where we shine the spotlight further on their new release. To celebrate, Heron Blue will be hosting a very special launch show on 8 June, within the stately confines of the Burleigh Masonic Hall, situated at 6, First Avenue, Burleigh. It will be taking place from 3:00pm to 6:30pm and is a family friendly event, aiming for zero waste. Tasty raw food treats will be available from Hemp Delish, together with Chai, supplied by Belle from Elementress Botanicals. In addition to Heron Blue, further musical delights will also abound on the day in the form of Kate Leopold (from fabulous local indiefolk act Leopold Treat) and Julie Hayes, who will be conducting a song-circle for guests of any age to jump in and participate. Early bird tickets are available for a limited time at TryBooking under ‘Heron Blue Single Launch’, so be sure to get along for what promises to be a magical and soul enriching performance.

YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE THIS JUNE

he Cardigans. Radiohead. Everclear. Garbage. Des’ree. Butthole Surfers. The kid with the voice. Other songs you somehow knew all the words to. It’s been over 20 years since Baz Luhrmann turned the greatest love story ever told into the greatest soundtrack ever sold. Behold, 1996’s Romeo + Juliet, a cinematic masterpiece with an epic soundtrack to match.

Sunday 7pm & Tuesday 11pm rebelfm.com.au

Before there was Leo and Kate, there was Leo and Claire, in a love story for the ages (but still with an uber tragic ending – what’s with all the death, Leo?). Baz Lurhmann’s colourful, razor-sharp spectacle brought Shakespeare’s classic words into the modern era, replete with shiny silver ‘Sword’ brand guns, fast cars and even faster banter. Will anyone ever forget Harold Perrineau’s shining turn as the doomed Mercutio? A plague on both your houses! HOTA, Home of the Arts is inviting all and sundry to the ultimate nostalgic 90s masquerade-ball rock show at the Outdoor Stage. The full soundtrack will be brought to life by a stellar lineup of musicians, performers and special guests, followed immediately by a retrospective DJ set. So grab your finest, trashiest 90s masquerade garb and make your way to the gorgeous HOTA outdoors on Saturday 1 June for a party like no other. Recommended age 15+.

Anthony Gebhardt

Natalie O’Driscoll

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- W AT E RF RO NT DI NI NG

THE WHISPERING JACK SHOW A TRIBUTE TO JOHN FARNHAM

18 MAY

SUNDAY

SATURDAY

ROUND MOUNTAIN GIRLS

FROM 8PM

FROM 4PM

RYAN SAMPSON @ 10PM

FREE SHOW

SATURDAY

FREE SHOW

JAMES BLUNDELL FOLLOWED BY

16 JUN

13 JUL

FROM 8PM

FREE SHOW

Gollan Drive, Tweed Heads West, NSW 2485 | T +61 7 5587 9000 | seagullsclub.com.au

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Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it time you belonged? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re opening our doors and offering HOTA Membership for the first time. Become part of our family, receive exclusive benefits and discover the best of the arts, all in one place. H O TA . CO M . A U / B E L O N G 38

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2,964 events 123 films 612,123 visitors 231 free events 624 creative locals 12 exhibitions 300 dogs 534 artists 6,573 dancers 24,512 champagne flutes 16,000 popcorn buckets 67 volunteers 100 billion stars One year. One HOTA.

Outdoor Stage

Talks

9 May, 6 Jun & 7 Jul. Free, Register now.

5 May, 2 Jun & 7 Jul, 9–11am. Free

Local artists – come along and network, share ideas and find opportunities to collaborate in this monthly program of curated conversations.

FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH

ARTISTS SALONS

DANCING ON THE GREEN

Good vibes, fine tunes and the chance to dance.

Dance

Comedy

Photo by Sean Young Photography

Thu 9 May

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL ROADSHOW

Looking for a laugh? This road trip is jam-packed with a crew of fantastically funny comedians, including Daniel Connell, John Hastings (Canada), Josh Earl, Rahul Subramanian (India) and Danielle Walker.

Sat 18 May

DJUKI MALA

The dance legends share their ground-breaking story in a marvel of comedy and clowning. This event is part of our Indigenous Program, proudly presented by Bond University.