COVID-19 ARTIST RELIEF FROM SPOTIFY
Managing Editor: Natalie O’Driscoll Creative Director: Chloe Popa Advertising & Partnerships Manager: Amanda Gorman Partnerships, Social Media & Live Team Coordinator: Simone Gorman-Clark TeamWriters: Anthony Gebhardt & Zac Fahey
Music streaming behemoth Spotify is working to launch a new platform that allows artists to fundraise directly from their fans. The new Spotify For Artists feature will “give artists the ability to drive listeners to a fundraising destination of their choice on their Spotify artists profile pages.” Artist will be able to link out to a verified funding page of themselves, or another artist in need, or for a separate initiative of their choice. Spotify has confirmed they won’t take a cut of any contributions. It’s not up and running yet, but if you want to express interest and find out more, you can do so at bit.ly/ artistsandspotify.
Intern: Amaya Coburn Contributors (print and online): Natalie O’Driscoll, Samantha Morris, Anthony Gebhardt, Marj Osborne, Zac Fahey, Erin Bourne, Amaya Coburn, Catherine Coburn, Glenn Tozer, Pip Andreas, Tiffany Mitchell, Nicole Browne, Anna Itkonen, Kris Peters, Trevor Jackson, Simone Gorman-Clark.
Advertising: advertising@blankgc.com.au
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 expres sed herein are not necessarily those of the editor, publishers or the writing team.
NEW SERIES OF WEBBASED EVENTS TO SUPPORT GOLD COAST ARTISTS Gold Coast Music Awards has launched a series of ZOOM-based gatherings to support Gold Coast artists through this health and community crisis. Covering topics such as using merchandise to diversify income, learning how to use Mailchimp to engage with fans, maximising streaming for fan engagement and how to market a gig on a shoestring, the sessions are free but numbers are strictly limited. Get the full list of events and registration details at bit.ly/ GCMAevents.
2020 VANDA & YOUNG GLOBAL SONGWRITING COMP IS OPEN
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CARRARA MARKETS FARMERS AND GROWERS FRESH FOOD TO STAY OPEN
FACEBOOK ANNOUNCES $100 MILLION TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES Thirty thousand small businesses across the globe will benefit from $100 million in grants being offered by Facebook in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants will take the form of cash and ad credits and businesses across 30 countries where Facebook operates will share in the loot. Find out more at bit.ly/facebookcovid.
Songwriters, rejoice! The 2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition invites songwriters from around the world to enter their song for a chance at a careerchanging first-place cash prize of A$50,000, courtesy of Australasian music rights management organisation APRA AMCOS, legendary music company Alberts and the world’s fast growing music company, BMG, with second and third place receiving $10,000 and $5,000 respectively. Entries close 11.59pm (AEDT) Thursday 14 May. Visit vandayoungsongcomp.com for more information and terms and conditions.
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SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY HAS MOVED TO ONLINE DELIVERY In a rapid-fire response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, SCU has switched to online delivery for all possible study programs, although its campuses remain open at the time of writing. Vice Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker said: “We have made this move in the best interests of our students and our teaching staff.” For all recent updates see: scu.edu.au/coronavirus.
BLANK GOES DIGITAL Welcome to our first digital-only version of Blank. Over five years and 76 editions our monthly print mag has hit cafes, surf shops, live music venues, galleries and other hotspots all over the coast from Beenleigh to Byron, so this is a whole new world for us. Like everyone right now, we’ve had to make some changes and roll with the punches. But rest assured, as long as locals are still churning out awesome music, livestreaming their events, producing beautiful art, writing meaningful words, making delicious food, taking care of the planet and achieving extraordinary things, we’ll be here supporting them in those endeavours, one way or another! We all have an obvious weapon in the fight against this virus, which is staying the fuck at home (unless you’re an essential services worker, in which case, we salute you and your efforts). But less obviously we all have different kinds of power that we need to be utilising more than ever right now, and they are the power to check in regularly with the people you know, the power to choose compassion over greed, gratitude over self-pity, and the power to continue sharing everything that’s beautiful, uplifting and creative. So rock on, #goldcoast. We can’t wait to see what else you produce over the coming months. Take care of yourselves, and each other.
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Please note that Farmers and Growers in Carrara Markets fresh food section will remain open from 7am to 12noon each Saturday and Sunday as an essential service to the community. All other trading at CARRARA MARKETS will be temporarily suspended. It is essential that all market shoppers continue to abide by the current social distancing rules.
Stay safe, Team Blank GC
MUDGEERABA SHOW SECURES NEW SPRING DATE The Mudgeeraba Show Committee has postponed the June 2020 Show to 2 to 4 October this year. The Show Ball, High Tea, and Show Ambassador Quest will be going ahead with dates to be advised closer to the event. Common sense will prevail, with the current situation being a day by day forecast. Visit mudgeerabashow.org.au for updates.
NOT WASTING ANY TIME B
ig-voiced Gold Coast singer / songwriter ELEEA has just dropped heartfelt new single ‘Wasting Time’, the first taste of her upcoming 'The Travel Collection'. As you may have guessed from the title, ELEEA’s 'The Travel Collection' was inspired by her time spent backpacking overseas through 35 countries, and with around 100 original songs in total to choose from following her adventures, there seemed to have been no lack of inspiration along the way.
As for the message behind the lyrics, ELEEA expresses that she hopes that her music will inspire people to take risks and travel and see the world, as she has done for herself.
“All my music is very personal, even when it’s written about something that’s seemingly external, like waiting at a bus stop. So, I think that people are going to get to know me better through listening to my music.
“Travelling has always been a really big passion of mine, and one of the reasons that I love it so much is because you’re really put out of your comfort zone and so it inspires you to try new things and have new experiences,” she tells us. ELEEA is no stranger to the music industry, having grown up in a creative household, and making music from a very young age.
“I’m hoping that people get inspired by the travel side of things and are inspired to explore and step outside their comfort zone, be independent, because it’s interesting with travelling and going to new places and meeting new people, it can be the most terrifying thing but it’s nearly always the best thing.
“I came from a very musical family and I officially wrote my first song when I was four,” she says. “I think I just always just interpreted the world and what I’ve experienced and what I’ve seen as a songwriter so when I’ve gone through emotional things or heard people’s stories or just navigated life, it’s always kind of gone through my brain and come out as song lyrics, and as long as I write them down I can then turn them into something later on. I started playing guitar when I was about sixteen and that’s kind of my main instrument now, I play piano as well.”
"So, I hope that people walk away feeling inspired to do the things that they dream about and not just keep dreaming about them.” ELEEA feels that this is the official start to a new phase of her career. “This isn’t the first release that I’ve brought out but it kind of feels like the first chapter of a new book for me, so I really hope that in the future I can just continue to make the music that I love, that I can continue to make a living from music and I would love to be travelling the world and just connecting with people.”
With many marveling at the prolificacy that ELEEA has demonstrated in her songwriting, she tells us that she feels that this can be the case for many musicians. “It’s a skill that you develop when you rely on music as a source of therapy,” she laughs.
ELEEA's musicality is deeply entrenched in every bar of 'Wasting Time', her rich, smoky voice and signature vocal effects cleverly left to shine on the track which was recorded with local producer, musician and all around legend Brad Hosking, who was "so amazing to work with”, that ELEEA went back and recorded her whole EP with him, which will be out in the coming months.
She tells us about the story behind ‘Wasting Time’. “I was just waiting at a bus stop in Slovakia and eating a kebab and when I went to write a song, I was thinking ‘what could I possibly write a song about in this country?’ The only words that were coming to my head were like ‘passing through’ and ‘wasting time’ and so I thought ‘that’s just where I’m going to go with this’. “Then I started relate it to when partner sees you impermanent sees you as just through and
really attached, and that kind of then formed the song. It was about a relationship that was formed after literally just wasting time at a bus stop.”
Amaya Coburn and Natalie O’Driscoll
to a as and just passing they’re not
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Remember when you listened to music on a discman? Over half our students do. 53% of Southern Cross University students are aged 25 and over. Meaning you will be studying alongside people with a range of life experiences. Not only will you learn from our 5-star educators and professional placements, but also from the other students in your cohort. Online learning, the Southern Cross way, is a dynamic and interactive environment. Access the quality of a Southern Cross University education with the convenience of studying where and when it suits you best.
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SAN MEI MAKES US CRY S
ince exploding onto the scene in 2018 with her breakthrough single, ‘Wonder’, Gold Coast indiepop starlet San Mei (aka Emily Hamilton) has experienced a meteoric 24 months, culminating in the release (on March 27) of her new EP, ‘Cry’.
With the music industry and all of its support networks going through some very tough times right now as a result of COVID-19, Emily is endeavouring to remain productive and positive “I feel so much for the people who are doing it tough right now in terms of loss of income, but it's inspiring to see so many people pull themselves up and use their creativity to find a way out of a really dark time. Live shows are definitely the biggest income for many artists, so all of this is a huge blow.
Marrying a resplendent, modern pop sheen to a punchy, guitar smeared dream pop template, 'Cry', is another impressive step in her musical development, sure to garner her ever-growing accolades.
“Fans buying/streaming music and buying merch right now will be a huge help. In terms of connecting with fans, we are extremely lucky to have social media and I've loved seeing all the live shows and video content popping up. I think there's a real humanising element for fans to be able to see their favourite artists in their home environments, who are going through what everyone else is going through, and who are maybe showing a more vulnerable side than usual.”
Upon chatting with Emily, she fills us in on how the new EP came to fruition and how it has contributed to her growth as an artist. ”I wrote the songs over the course of about a year. I hadn't necessarily been writing them with the intention of having particular theme, but as they all came together they really showed what the state of my head and heart had been at the time. These songs are probably the most honest and vulnerable songs I've written yet, and I felt like that was a really important progression for me to make as an artist.
And while the future may be uncertain, there is a sense of resolve and optimism from Emily as to where things will head for her, music wise, once the madness subsides.
“I got to work with producer Oscar Dawson on the tracks ‘Cry’ and ‘Hard to Face’, and with Scott Horscroft on ‘Love in the Dark’. The song ‘Cherry Days’ was self-produced, which was an awesome challenge for me to fully take the reins on production. It gave me a lot of confidence in my endeavour to become more and more self-sufficient when it comes to recording.”
“It's hard to make concrete plans right now, but I'm hoping to be able to reschedule some headline shows that I had coming up over the next couple of months, which obviously had to be cancelled. Luckily all of this doesn't affect putting out music, so I'm more determined than ever to keep my foot on the gas and continue to create and release as much music as I can.
With the rapidly escalating ramifications of COVID-19 playing out both here and abroad, Emily was caught in the crossfire recently, with herself and her band having to deal with the cancellation of both the iconic South By Southwest Festival which she was scheduled to perform at, followed by the blow out of her own showcase performances in Austin, Texas. “We were pretty heartbroken when SXSW announced they had to cancel, but we understood why it had to happen. We weren't really in a position to cancel our trip that we had booked months in advance, and at that time there was talk of non-SXSW showcases still going ahead in Austin, which we were excited for,” says Emily. “We were able to wrangle a decent number of showcases, however the day we landed in Austin, all those shows got pulled. It was disappointing but not hugely unexpected given that everything had been changing hour by hour in the States in relation to COVID-19.” 8
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In true intrepid spirit, they did salvage something from the unfortunate circumstance. “We had a killer Airbnb, so we thought, why not create some cool content while we're here! We hired a little PA and filmed some stripped back songs in our accommodation which was really fun and got us feeling productive. We also met the owner of one of the venues we'd been booked to play, and he asked us to play a little house party for a few of their friends. We were stoked - we actually got to play a show after lugging all our gear to the other side of the world!”
The term 'dream pop' gets thrown the way of San Mei quite a bit in relation to musical style. I ask Emily how she feels about being anointed with this particular tag. “I'm a big fan of dream pop and shoegaze. I see it more as something I'm drawn to and that resonates with me, rather than something I decided I wanted to sound like. It seems that whatever music naturally comes out of me aligns with this kind of sonic world. I'm also a huge daydreamer and being transported to another world is my favourite thing about music, so it makes sense!”
“What I'm seeing from creatives across the board is that the passion to create is driving them to innovation and resourcefulness despite the current climate - I find it so inspiring and it makes me feel hopeful for the future.” Anthony Gebhardt
‘Cry’ is available now on streaming services.
2020 Sustainability Symposium 26 April - 2 May 2020 Find out more
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THE WORLD IS BAYLEY PEARL’S OYSTER
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merging indie pop singersongwriter Bayley Pearl has had a dream kickoff to her professional music career, with her 2018 debut release ‘About You’ making the semifinals of the international songwriting competition, and her follow up single ‘Crossroad’ scoring a highly commended at the Queensland Music Awards. Not bad for someone who’s still in high school. The Palm Beach Currumbin State High student believes that she was given a competitive advantage through her recently completed Certificate III in Music Industry with TAFE Queensland, delivered through the TAFE at School program. “I’ve been singing for the past 10 years and playing guitar for six, so to be able to gain a nationally recognised qualification and connect with industry professionals was just the edge and confidence I needed to move forward in my career,” says Bayley. And she’s far from done with her studies.
“Once I finish high school at the end of this year, my goal is to continue studying music and/or sound production at the TAFE Queensland Coomera Creative campus to get a more in-depth understanding of the audio and production side of things,” she tells us. The Tugun-based singer has already made waves on the Gold Coast music scene with her original, eclectic fusion of pop, rock and country sounds, and wants to continue to push her musical boundaries, something she said the practical training she received in her course really enabled her to do. “It gave me an opportunity to try some other instruments and collaborate with some really talented musicians.. [it’s] has helped me grow as a musician and songwriter and has enabled me to gain more work in the industry.” Upon completing her course, Bayley was selected to be part of the Gold Coast’s exclusive Business of Music program, which is a project-based group-mentoring program designed to teach the crucial skills involved in running a successful music business, a skill that’s important to have in addition to musical talent. Already it’s working for Bayley.
“It’s helped me develop strategic plans for future music releases,” she says. Given the head start the course has given Bayley in her chosen career, she wants to urge her peers to think about taking on the TAFE at School program in their chosen field. “It is a great way to trial a career to see if it is something you really want to do before investing money and time into a university degree,” she says. “Being able to study your chosen career outside the school environment with teachers who are industry professionals is such a fantastic stepping stone and will open the doors to more opportunities.” Natalie O’Driscoll
Keep an eye on Bayley’s socials for upcoming releases, and visit tafeqld.edu.au for more information about the TAFE at School program.
MEET YOU AT THE MERCH DESK
B
risbane-based musician Joseph Knox-Wheeler has rallied the music community to launch a new service for musicians who are hoping to use merch to connect with their fans. The Merch Desk is a print-on-demand, drop shipping solution for artists. There’s no cost and no bulk-buying. Fans can start buying merch as soon as an artist creates a profile and uploads designs. It’s obvious artists, now more than ever, are exploring ways to diversify income streams and for a lot of musicians, merch is a viable option. Across the world, the message has been received and fans are trying to do their part, but what about the bands who don’t already have merch amidst this crisis? Well that’s where Merch Desk comes in. It’s designed to remove the barriers that otherwise might have stopped artists offering merch to their fans. It costs nothing to get started and artists can start selling in hours not weeks. Brisbane-based The Print Bar will process, print and ship merch directly to the customer within 3-5 business days. There’s no waste, no upfront costs and no financial risk to artists. What’s even more impressive is that The Merch Desk is taking just $1 from each
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item sold and that’s only to cover website costs. This means, that the average profit from a shirt (Small to X-large) sold at $30 is just over $20. $20 to the artist, $1 to The Merch Desk and the rest to cover the cost of producing the merch to The Print Bar. Furthermore, artists who are stuck for designs, The Merch Desk has them covered too. Wheeler has partnered with Jimmy Patch, a Brisbane-based illustrator and graphic designer who can help artists get awesome designs completed, so they can start selling merch as soon as possible. That's not all though, there is more good news. This new platform isn't just for musicians, this is for any creative out there, from designers, illustrators, comedians, or anyone who lives off gig culture! Joseph told Blank GC that the demand for the service has been “tremendous.” “We’re really just looking at the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “Every day I get emails from people in different areas who have been affected in different ways, but all are in dire need of something like this. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do to help more artists in
more ways, not just for the next few weeks, but ongoing. “The stories hitting my inbox from artists around Australia remind me just how fortunate I’ve been, and that drives me to do what I can to give back.” And he was quick to credit his project partners with helping make The Merch Desk a reality. As usual, it takes a community to pull something like this off so quickly. “I am really stoked that we’re able to help so many people - and I really owe that to
the local businesses, friends and artists that have jumped on board without a moment of hesitation,” he said. “These fantastic humans have helped to explain, share and deliver an idea that would not have been able to reach so many artists, so quickly, without them.” Samantha Morris
Artists can sign up to The Merch Desk at merchdesk.com.au.
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HOTA
RAGES AGAINST THE V(IRUS)
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n case you haven’t yet heard the news, HOTA CEO Criena Gehrke, recently announced a new artist fund for Gold Coast artists in recognition of the challenging time they are facing during the coronavirus outbreak.
It may have closed its doors for now, but Home of the Arts is determined to live up to its name by offering local artists up to $1000 cash for projects that take no more than one week to develop and deliver. “Artists are the lifeblood of HOTA, without artists there is no home of the arts,” said HOTA CEO, Criena Gehrke. “And now, more than ever, we want them to know that they’re important to us and we’re here to support them.” The Rage Against the V(irus) Artist Fund is designed to turn a down time into a spark for innovation, using digital technology as the medium. “This is an opportunity to develop an imperfect idea, or even an idea you’ve been playing with for some time. It’s both creative development and presentation at speed. We want you to experiment with new forms, think outside the box, do things differently. Think of it as an incubator, developed and delivered from your home,” Criena added. “We’ll help make it happen, and we’ll help get it out there.” In response to the rapidly changing advice on social distancing, the projects must have an online outcome, which may include a podcast, audio file, Facebook live event, video content, streaming, Instagram or other digital platforms. The opportunity is open to Gold Coast-based artists, collectives and organisations, or artists who have a strong connection to the Gold Coast, with successful applicants to be notified within 7 days of applying. Expressions of interest for the HOTA Artist Fund – Rage Against The V(irus) are open until Friday 15 May, with all projects to be completed by Friday 29 May, 2020. For more information, visit hota.com.au. Natalie O’Driscoll
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OH PHILIP, DEAREST!
ith HOTA, Home of the Arts constantly on the lookout for ways to showcase local artists, it seemed like a shame to let a perfectly good candy bar wall go to waste! Hence HOTA’s Candy Bar Commission, in operation since 2018.
Now 2020’s sweetest exhibiting artist is illustrator Philip Dearest, whose portraiture explores themes such as identity, disability and mental health (or “the awkward”, as he calls it.) While his work may be missing out on a couple of months of in-person exposure due to HOTA’s current closure, it doesn’t mean we can’t give him plenty of love in the digital space, where he has a significant presence already (see link at bottom of article). Like many artists, making art on a regular basis greatly helps Philip work through and manage his mental health. His work for the Candy Bar Commission features two still-life studies he made on his iPad while in a psychiatric hospital for agoraphobia exposure therapy. “Each day I had to force myself outside for 30 plus seconds a day and find a leaf or flower, touch/smell/experience it and then bring it back inside and do a still life study,” Philip explains.
“Cognitively, it’s the only way I can properly process relationships / trauma / daily social situations around me that usually baffle me.” As well as illustrating, Philip works across various mediums including digital art, painting, drawing and making zines. He’s participated in the MCA Zine Fair, Indie Comic Con, Supanova, Oz Comiccon, and numerous art fairs where he sells his zines and illustrations on t-shirts, posters, badges and stickers. His zines are held in the National Library of Australia collection, and are a particular passion project.
“[Art’s] gotta be accessible to everyone, especially the poor or disabled. I’ll always post my art free online but I also adore the DIY low cost culture of zines,” he explains. “It’s exhilarating to hold your work in a printed format (after growing up online) and be able to give them out to anyone/ everyone. I’ve self-published hundreds of zines and hope to never stop. It took me a couple years to “click” that I should be selling the zines so that I could cover the cost of printing them at Officeworks… I’m not v good at money.” One thing he is incredibly good at though, is his online presence, where he has built up a supportive community around his art and mental health, which to Philip are inextricably intertwined. “It’s incrrrrredibly kind, forgiving and adorable on Instagram, people are grand,” he says. “I “cut-my-teeth” on free online art scenes and social media. It’s a rad way for anxious folk to show their work and not have to endure the torture of face-to-face interaction or the gross closed off uppity fine art gallery culture that some artists weirdly drool over. Accessible art ‘til death, amirite?” Indeed! And until you can access Philip’s Candy Bar Commission and HOTA foyer pieces in person, you can hit up all his spaces on linktr.ee/philipdearest. This interview contains reference to mental health issues experienced by Philip. If you’re experiencing any issues with your mental health or well being then please considering seeking health or advice by calling Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 or Lifeline 12 11 14. Interview by Sally Wright, HOTA gallery team Story by Natalie O’Driscoll
HANGING FIVE WITH SOPHIE OZARD
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outhern Cross University student and Byron Bay resident Sophie Ozard is in her final year studying music in Lismore. Describing her music as a “hybrid bunch of styles”, she’s influenced by rock, blues, jazz, country and indie. Her music is souldrenched pop, delivered via sharp, pointed lyrics alongside a baby-blue Telecaster. Her two singles have attracted national and international airplay and she’s shared stages with Gabriella Cohen, Peter Bibby and Dami Im, and Sophie is already an accomplished performer, with a bunch of festival dates under her belt. Last year, she also welcomed VIP guests at the Gold Coast Music Awards with her “sonic gunslinger” style presence.
Can you tell me about what inspired you to take a musical path in life? Music has always been what I’ve been interested in doing- I’ve wanted to be a singer since I was a little girl. I remember my dad playing in bands with other dads of kids at
my primary school. They would all dress up in Hawaiian shirts and play Led Zeppelin covers at our school fairs. I used to think it was really embarrassing but looking back I think it’s cool! Do you have any new music on the cards for this year? Can you tell us about it? I am trying to balance creating new music with full time uni and my tendency towards needing something to be perfect before I release it. This is a tough combo, but I’ve got heaps of new songs that I’m slowly working toward releasing as an EP. How are you going to be focussing your energy during this pandemic? So far I’ve been doing a lot of online study, gardening, and recording some music on a 4-track with another band that I play in, Cupid and the Stupids. What is your ultimate career goal? I would ultimately love to have a career in music therapy, which I can study as a post grad once this degree is done. For the moment though I’m so happy to be able to play gigs and write music.
What can Gold Coast arts fans do to support you and other musicians during this time? I’ve been loving all the live-streaming that’s come out of this whole thing. Isol-Aid is an online streamed festival that I loved watching parts of last weekend. Streaming music on platforms like Spotify, buying merch from artists who have it up online, and if you can
afford it, holding on to your tickets from shows that have been postponed instead of asking for a refund are all great ways to support artists at this time. Samantha Morris
HANGING FIVE WITH JOSH KING
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hether it be tweaking lyrics or crafting infectious melodies, Gold Coast artist Josh King is busy creating his own brand of new-age pop. Mixing sparkling synths with ambient guitars, Josh has found a way to bring his diverse influences together in a way that only few can.
Who are five musicians, living or dead, you’d have at your fantasy dinner party? Again, John Mayer would have to be there, as well as Maggie Rogers and Taylor Swift. Shawn Mendes seems like the world's nicest guy and a stellar musician so I think it would be cool to have him there, and Lewis Capaldi too - that guy cracks me up hard with his instagram stories, what a legend!
2020 is set to be an exciting year, as Josh debuts the songs that mean the most to him. With first single ‘116’ set for release on 17 April (see this month’s New Music column for our take on it), we thought we’d hang five with the young artist and get to know him a little bit better.
What does the rest of your 2020 look like (as far as you can tell!)?
Tell us about your most memorable live music experience. This is a tough one! I think that it would have to be seeing my all time favourite artist, John Mayer, on his 2019 tour from the front row - a seat that I was actually gifted on the night. I just remember him walking out and having this moment of "oh my god, this is real". For the next few hours I heard nearly all my favourites, had a bit of a cry in "Slow Dancing In A Burning Room", and just was able to escape reality for a little while. Easily one of the best nights of my life.
Who are five Gold Coast acts that you’d take around Australia on a road trip with you? This is tricky because there's oodles of GC artists, but I think that the ones I'd take would be: Malina Claire - cause she's a champ, Eliza and The Delusionals - cause I LOVE their tunes, Saint BARAE - a pop ICON, Alexander William - the man is a wordsmith, and Phoebe Sinclair - she's a hoot!
What are five albums you’d definitely need to have on your playlist during self isolation? So as my previous comment would suggest, I'd have to have John Mayer's Continuum, Maggie Roger's Heard It In A Past Life, Maisie Peters' EP, It's Your Bed Babe, It's Your Funeral, Lauv's latest album, and I honestly think that Taylor Swift's Speak Now would have to make the cut too!
2020 is turning out to be pretty unpredictable at this stage to say the least. I was meant to be moving to London at the end of April but have obviously had to cancel/postpone that trip (thanks COVID-19). On the plus side though, I have a bunch of music that I've spent the last year working on that I'm going to gradually release, as well as some songs that I'm working on now. Can't wait for it all to be out, and I'm looking really forward to playing some shows later in the year. Natalie O’Driscoll
Stay tuned to Josh’s socials for news of upcoming releases.
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SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS NETWORK LAUNCHES 2020 SUSTAINABILITY SYMPOSIUM, ONLINE
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eading online to reach more people than ever before, the 2020 Sustainability Symposium is set to be an event of epic proportions.
The Sustainable Schools Network (SSN), is a local Gold Coast charity aiming to educate and connect school communities to imagine a sustainable future, and from 26 - 28 April they will do just that at the 2020 Sustainability Symposium. This event undertakes a ‘Whole School’ approach to educating for sustainability with learning opportunities for students, teachers, parents, school principals and business managers. The sustainability extravaganza addresses the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) providing the 'glocal' context for the event. SSN CEO Katie says, ‘We will focus especially on SDGs 11, 16 and 17, as we want school communities to understand sustainability is not just about the environment, it is also about social justice and good governance”. The SSN formed in 2019 when they realised the challenges schools faced to lead behaviour change and deliver the crosscurriculum priority sustainability.
“We were finding sustainability champions within schools were often isolated and unsupported, so we felt the need to do something about that.” “Bringing schools together to share resources, build supportive relationships and learn are great strategies to help design and deliver a visionary and sustainable future for generations to come,” Katie reported. 16
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Currently facing the same challenges as all Australians during the COVID-19 crisis, the SSN has had to adapt quickly to ensure this crucial event can still go ahead. After all, despite a small temporary drop in air pollution, the planet hasn’t stopped needing us to take urgent care of its future. The 2020 Sustainability Symposium was originally planned across two states which included four venues, over seven days. But thanks to the wonders of modern technology, the event will now be delivered online using YouTube and mostly involve open sourced content for school community engagement. “We are looking forward to sharing the work of Jaimie Cloud, Luka Lesson, SUEZ, Glowing Green Australia, Container Exchange, Climate Wave Enterprise, OzHarvest, Envirotech, Study GC and the City of Gold Coast, among many others”, said Katie. The highlight of the 2020 Sustainability Symposium will be the reinvented dinner, The ConnectED Feed. Panelists Jamie Cloud, Alison Sammel, Cam Mackenzie and Damon Gameau will be facilitated by local legend Sam Morris to provoke a deeper understanding of what it means to educate for sustainability. All the while ‘guests’ will enjoy a DIY sustainably-sourced meal wearing their version of sustainable fashion. Natalie O’Driscoll
The SSN runs from 26 – 28 April and is supported by major sponsors SUEZ, City of Gold Coast and SEQ Water. For more information email info@ssn.org.au or visit ssn.org.au/2020-sustainability-symposium. Pictured above: Sustainability educator Jaimie Cloud will be presenting at the event.
World Water Day slipped by largely unnoticed on Sunday 22 March, as media was pretty focussed on something else. But if there were ever a time for a good news story it’s now, and if that good news story includes locally-brewed beer then I don’t know about you, but I’m all ears. Indie brewery Stone & Wood have brewed a beer using purified wastewater in the hopes of promoting recycling water and water efficiency, which is tied to the theme of this year’s International World Water Day. The one-off, very limited pilot batch beer, named Beer-Water beer’ was launched on 22 March and available from the brewery’s tasting room. Sadly, the Tasting Room, like others around the country was temporarily closed soon after. It’s a 4.7% summer ale brewed from wastewater generated at Stone & Wood’s main production facility in Murwillumbah. The wastewater – that is, the excess water used in the brewing process that wasn’t turned into beer – used to brew Beer-Water Beer has been processed through Stone & Wood’s ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis (UFRO) system. Installed early 2018, the UFRO system turns brewery wastewater into perfectly usable water by stripping out all impurities, turning the hazy beige wastewater into crystal clear H20. Currently, Stone & Wood only use this reclaimed water for utilities and cleaning at their Murwillumbah brewery, but, according to their Sustainability Manager James Perrin, there’s no reason other than stigma that stops them brewing with it.
“All water is essentially recycled in one way or another, and in many places around the world sewerage is treated and recycled back into, or upstream of, the drinking supply,” James said. “If done properly, it is completely safe and harmless.”
“In Australia, we have a history of rejecting recycled water initiatives, yet we are one of the driest places on Earth. The water that comes out of the reverse osmosis process is as pure as you can get – great for brewing!” James said the key to normalising the idea of recycled water is changing attitudes. “My hope is that by using perfectly good recycled water in this beer, it will start to change people’s perspectives on what sustainable water management could look like,” he said. When the Stone & Wood Tasting Room opens, you’ll be amongst the first to know. And I’m sure you’ll join us in toasting good water management with a pint of Beer-Water Beer when you do drop in. Samantha Morris
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GOLD COAST TOOL LIBRARY READY TO LAUNCH
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se. Return. Repeat. That’s the motto for the city’s newest sustainability-focussed startup, and never has there been a more poignant time to get it off the ground.
The Gold Coast Tool Library will work just like a book library, but its inventory contains tools or other items. Often referred to as a ‘library of things’, Tool Libraries in other cities lend musical instruments, camping gear, sporting equipment, craft and artist tools, gardening tools, surfboards and SUPs, outdoor games, kitchen appliances, event and party equipment and sewing machines. Founder David Paynter says the most popular items in a tool library are usually those that are very useful but only occasionally needed. Think chainsaw or hedge trimmer. David says he’s always been passionate about reducing waste. “I have been searching for a way that I can make a contribution to society to help transition our cities to a more sustainable way of living,” he said. “It saddens me to see so many of the products we buy made as either disposable or simply made not to last so that they will break or become obsolete and thrown away. When I visit the tip and see all the items that are being thrown away I look at them with despair, as I see so many good items that could be used by someone else – if only there was a way to recover and share them.” “My grandfather was a tool maker and I have the fondest of memories as a child being in his huge shed that was full of all his tools and equipment. We worked with wood, we built things and he showed me how to weld. My own father showed me how to use power tools, paint, to landscape and from there my desire to be hands-on developed. Unfortunately I often did not have the right tool for the job and have wished we had a tool library close by... So now I’m going to start one.” David believes there are three groups in society who will benefit most from a tool library. The first is apartment-dwellers. They generally have little storage space and can’t afford clutter. The second are people who are actively choosing to minimise their purchases of items which are underutilised. The third group are those in our society who simply cannot afford to purchase these items. They pay an annual library membership instead and access items all year ‘round.
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In other global locations, tool libraries have had a hugely positive impact on the communities in which they operate. People donate tools and equipment, giving new life to items that might otherwise end up in landfill. This reduces waste. And then through collaborative consumption, cities reduce their carbon footprint by embracing a circular and sharing economy. Possibly the most practical advantage of donating your underutilised tools to a library is you still have access to them, you just come and borrow them back when you need them. “By sharing our tools and other items we free up space in our homes, we reduce the expense of purchasing items we hardly use and it allows others who may not be able to afford an item to still have access to them,” David said. And then on top of that is the benefit of having a society repairing and maintaining their own broken or damaged items rather than replacing them. And that’s where the Gold Coast Tool Libraries first community program comes in. As soon as it’s practical and safe to bring groups of people together again, they’ll be hosting repair cafes. They’ll take the form of pop-up events that bring volunteer menders and fixers and the community together to share skills and knowledge on how to repair household goods and extend their life. “The aim is to keep items out of landfill and reduce excess consumerism, which as we all know is exceeding the planetary boundaries of this Earth we call home,” David said. “The volunteer mender and visitor work on the repair together, exchanging knowledge and skills over a cup of coffee and a friendly chat.” There are over 2000 Repair Cafes around the world and this number is actively growing as people embrace a sustainable way of living, turning their backs on the over consumptive throw away mentality. Repair Cafes also provide a platform for support, friendship and community resilience building.
As we all come to terms with a very different economic outlook than what we’ve been accustomed to over recent decades, initiatives like this will be crucial to community wellbeing. “During these challenging times ahead they can also be an avenue to help those financially stressed where repair may no longer be seen for just its environmental benefits but also as a fiscal necessity,” David said. “Clothing and textiles repairs are very popular. Ever had a zipper or seam go on your favourite pair of comfy pants that give your tush that flattering fit, don’t despair these are common mends at Repair Cafes,” David said. “Also electronic gadgets, bicycles, toys, appliances, footwear and 101 different types of household items that need to be glued, screwed, clamped and pulled apart to troubleshoot the cause.” “Pretty much as long as you can carry it in and it doesn’t put our volunteers in danger, we can take a look at it,” David said. The launch event for the Repair Café was scheduled to take place in May at Karma Collab Hub in Miami, but David says they’ll just have to see how things go as further restrictions on people gathering may impact that. David says there are three ways people can assist the Tool Library and Repair Café projects. The first is a matter of urgency. David needs to raise $1798 to cover public
liability and volunteer insurance premiums. Their ongoing fundraising can’t take place until volunteers are insured, so this is needed right now. You can give via the group’s Chuffed campaign. The second is practical and timely. “We are collecting donations of tools and other goods to build the library inventory,” David said. “If people are going into isolation, now is a great time to have a house and garage clean up and see if they would like to pass along unwanted tools or gear.” And like community groups the world over, David is also on the hunt for skilled volunteers. They’re working on policies and safety procedures and their website as well as grant-writing, so if you have talent to spare, then the Gold Coast Tool Library can use you. To follow the Tool Library’s journey, visit FB.com/gctoollibrary or jump onto their website at toollibrary.org.au. You can also join their newsletter list at bit.ly/ GCtoollibrary.
Interview by Amaya Coburn + Samantha Morris Story by Samantha Morris
ALL ABOARD THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS TO ROME W
ith many people having a lot more down-time on their hands for the foreseeable future, the time is ripe for spending time at home to discover stimulating new sounds. One such recent find, right here on our own doorstep, comes in the form of new alternative rock three-piece Midnight Express To Rome. The band has an interesting back story, with founding member Damiano Messia have emigrated from Italy and basing himself on the Gold Coast, together with his sister, Irena, who’s a talented visual artist and created the dazzling artwork for the band’s debut single, ‘Desperados’. She also lends her dancing skills to the song’s video clip. Congratulations on your debut single, ‘Desperados’. Can you tell us a bit about the background to the track? And is it typical of the sound and style of your other material? The song was written during a time of big creativity. I was coming out of a difficult situation and the music was my way of moving through and recovering from this situation. The song is about the stuff that makes you feel alive again, the stuff that gets you back on your feet after desperate and miserable times - rediscovering the passions, the friendships and the wonder and beauty of the world that guides us all back to our feet. I think it’s an experience most people can relate to, of feeling stuck in the mundaneness of life, whether it's in a mindnumbing job, or a relationship with no love, or a country that offers no hope. We produced and recorded the song ourselves at Kokoro Studio in Ashmore. It’s the most 'ballad-ish' song we have. My influences are quite broad, from a more grunge-rock feel through to folky, groovy and melodic sounds. Are there any other Gold Coast bands that you have a particular affinity with? Definitely Ivori, they’re not the same style as us but I really enjoy their music. I've known some of the band members since I started to play here on the Gold Coast. We were looking forward to opening for them on 28 March but unfortunately due to the current situation the gig has been cancelled. I also saw the amazing water colour artwork that your sister created to go with the debut single. Are you interested in continuing to merge the creative concepts of art and music with the band? And did you grow up in a creative household that encouraged you to explore your artistic passions? My parents met each other at Art School in Rome, so my sister and I grew up surrounded by art and this inspired our own interests in creative outlets.
How are you coping in these crazy virus-ravaged times and how has it impacted your life and music?
Our parents were always supportive of our artistic interests, encouraging us to develop our skills and follow our dreams. I truly believe that music and visual art are very much connected and rely on each other.
What can I say, these are extremely strange, uncertain times we are living in! Right now, my family and friends back home in Italy are in lockdown, they're going mad! But they are healthy and safe right now. Which is a good situation compared to many others. I could never have imagined the current situation, but here we are.
I know my sister and I will continue to collaborate on bigger projects in the future. Being a big fan of her art, I knew her figurative style could express the meaning of the song well. Although I had to use all of my ‘big brother’ power to get some of her spare time hehehe!
I can also see that they are relying on social media for connection, entertainment and hope. So this is where I see an opportunity for us all during these difficult times. It's forcing me to embrace the online world - something I never really engaged with previously.
But one thing I know for sure is that we need to adapt to the changing times. Although of course it is frustrating to have a number of our very first gigs cancelled, I am choosing to try and keep positive. Our plan is to release more music and to keep recording and producing singles, with the goal to release an album in early 2021. You can catch Midnight Express to Rome on Spotify and Facebook. Anthony Gebhardt
(You can see some of her works here: instagram.com/ irene_messia) www.blankgc.com.au
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$100K IN FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR NORTHERN RIVERS NOT-FOR-PROFITS
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orthern Rivers not-for-profits have the chance apply for part of a $100,000 funding pool to boost social and environmental regeneration in the region, thanks to the inGrained Foundation’s Northern Rivers Large Grants Program 2020.
THESE FOUR WALLS
This Is Not A Future The perfect hard rock soundtrack for a community subdued by fear and uncertainty, These Four Walls new offering, ‘This Is Not A Future’, brings the best out of the boys since their relocation to the Gold Coast from New Zealand a few years ago. Hitting the streets on 24 April, ‘This Is Not A Future’ compiles the best of a few single releases since their previous 2012 release, and bolts on a bunch of cracking new tracks orchestrated to activate your adrenalin, and your mind. Frontman Steve Gibb has a distinct vocal that permeates each track, layered with harmony over heavy-laden guitar rhythms. Singles ‘Bravery’, ‘Over and Over’ and ‘Fire Away’ are standout tracks fans may have heard and loved before, and they’re augmented ably by punishing new ditties ‘Slow’ (which is not very slow at all; deceptively advertised!), ‘Knots’ and ‘White Lies’. Each song seems to tell a personal story or share a philosophical insight for those fascinated by the lyrical amongst the musical; I was drawn to the claim that dishonesty binds us to the person to whom we tell white lies; but the driving riffs and pumping percussion of the Vickers brothers will be well and truly enough for the passionate fan of hard rock music who remains ambivalent about the words sung on their favourite track. That being said, those lyrical themes of what we do with community fear and how to remain positively focused in a time of dark mental health, are compelling. ‘This Is Not A Future’ is an epic offering from this emerging hard rock act from the Gold Coast, definitely worth streaming, and catching their follow-up touring will no doubt be worth the ticket price. Glenn Tozer
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For the second year running, the Northern Rivers Large Grants Program 2020 invites Northern Rivers social and environmental not-for-profits with DGR status to apply for a grant between $10,000 and $30,000 and to show how their projects contribute to ‘regeneration and social connection’ – this year’s theme. The Foundation will award a maximum of 10 grants in total in May. The total funding pool also includes a $10,000 ‘Employee Funded Grant’ created by the permanent team at local independent brewery Stone & Wood, who substituted their monthly carton allowance with a cash donation to the inGrained Foundation to raise the money. James Perrin from the inGrained Foundation said the theme of this year’s Grants Program stems from the significant bushfires that impacted parts of the Northern Rivers later 2019. “Following such a prolonged and horrific bushfire season, and as people along the East Coast of Australia enjoy some respite and start rebuilding their communities, for us a future-focussed theme of recovery, regeneration and connection felt right,” James said. “We’re asking all applicants to address how their project contributes to ‘regeneration and social connection’ in our region, noting this is not specific to bushfire recovery but these themes in its broadest sense.” James also said the Foundation was excited to increase the Grants Program funding pool from $60,000 to $100,000, enabling them to award more recipients this year. “With help from Stone & Wood, Fixation Brewing and Granite Belt Cider Co, we’re thrilled to be able to extend the funding opportunity to more local not-for-profits. With 26 applicants in last year’s round, we’re confident that we’ll receive a similar amount this year if not more,” he said. Last year’s Grants Program recipients were local not-forprofits The SHIFT Project, Shaping Outcomes and Bangalow Koalas, who shared $60,000 worth of funding for their projects that helped ‘create connection’ – 2019’s theme – in our region.
The SHIFT Project Byron supports women through challenges from homelessness to independence. Founder and Managing Director Anne Goslett said the grant they received in last year’s program enabled them to make a real difference. “This funding played a major part in enabling us to launch our social enterprise laundry service, The Linen SHIFT,” she told us. “The Linen SHIFT provides employment to local women experiencing homelessness and disadvantage, while helping to increase their skills and providing the supports they need during this time of transition. “At The SHIFT Project, we are all about community coming together to support each other. Receiving support from the Ingrained Foundation to launch our social enterprise aligns perfectly with our collaborative community ethos. We could not be more grateful to the Ingrained Foundation for helping us make this important local project a reality, and helping to address the increasing issue of women’s homelessness and disadvantage in the Northern Rivers.” Founded as a separate national not-for-profit by Stone & Wood in 2018, the inGrained Foundation works to attract, generate and direct donations to grassroots Northern Rivers charities to assist capacity-building in the region. After donating over $750,000 to charities since 2013, the local brewery calls the Foundation the ‘next step’ in its community program. Recently, the inGrained Foundation donated over $70,000 to local and state-based fire brigades, rural fire services and drought relief efforts across NSW, Queensland and Victoria, thanks to funds raised via Stone & Wood, Fixation Brewing and Granite Belt Cider Co. Northern Rivers social and environmental not-forprofits with DGR status are encouraged to read the guidelines and apply before Thursday 9 April, by visiting ingrainedfoundation.com.au. Natalie O’Driscoll
Image: 2019 Gold Coast Music Awards, Shots Fired by James Wills
PRACTICAL WAYS TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE RIGHT NOW
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rtists are feeling the pinch right now. Possibly more than any other sector of society. The entertainment and events industry basically shut down and there’s no end in sight. There’s literally no way for performing artists to earn a living at the moment. Building a sustainable career as a musician or other artist is tough, even at the best of times. Imagine having your only source of income dry up before your very eyes… despite years and years of investment of time and money to find your feet and build an audience. It’s brutally devastating. And just on the Gold Coast there are hundreds and hundreds of artists being impacted. But music fans can help right now. Here are some practical tactics for helping artists through this tough patch.
BUY PHYSICAL MERCH Bands live on merchandise sales. And even more so right now. T-shirts, stickers, stubbie coolers, posters, records, CDs and a heap of other random products are available right now with most of the proceeds going to your favourite band. Bandcamp is suspending all of its commission for merch sales on Friday 20 March for 24 hours (Pacific Time), so there’s no better time to jump on board. Locally, that translates to 24 hours from 5.00pm on Friday 20 March. In the last 30 days, nearly $10 million has gone directly from fans into the hands of artists via Bandcamp merch alone. Need inspiration? Try these
BANDCAMP BARGAINS: Tokyo Beef have three punk releases available (and they’re dirt cheap). Nowhere else have a bunch of fabulous merch including stickers, patches, truckers caps, hoodies and tees. Charlie Rebel have physical and digital copies of their releases available. Neo-soul outfit IVORI have the most amazing limited edition coloured vinyl for latest single ‘Dirty Money’ (well, they have three less after I researched this article), you can name your price for a digital copy of Leopold’s Treat’s gorgeous song ‘Gracie’, you could support Hussy Hicks by picking up a tonne of digital and physical copies of their music, including signed vinyl and ZZZ Hot 100 winners Goatzilla have glow-in-the-dark t-shirts available amongst digital and CD copies of their fabulous album ‘Muthafukasaurus’.
ORDER MUSIC ONLINE FROM INDIE BRICK AND MORTAR RETAILERS If your favourite band doesn’t have its own merch site, get onto a local record store that sells physical records and CDs and order up some local gold that way. Our favourite purveyors of shiny black disks, #beatniks, located in Broadbeach have a huge range of stock – both local and otherwise – and will ship records to you in no time at all.
What better way to spend an enforced lockdown than listening to new vinyl?
HONOUR ANY FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS TO ARTISTS
Well, one better way might be to learn a new instrument. Especially now there's a whole new market for online courses. Our friends at Gold Coast Music have you covered for, well, everything. From maracas to washboards, guitars, strings, flutes, kazoos and mics.
If you’ve booked an artist for an event that’s now being postponed, how about you honour that payment (if you’re able to, financially) and chalk it up as credit for a later date. That’s a win-win.
ORDER A BESPOKE PERFORMANCE Artists are thinking outside the square right now but you might have to use your best social media detective skills to find them. Ella Fence is leading by example (and nobody’s really surprised), offering an amazing bespoke service for her fans. For $60 you get a recorded cover song of your choice as well as a t-shirt, signed CD and poster AND a video version of the cover song you’ve chosen. Of course, you can choose to contribute more than that. You can order your favourite song direct with Ella at ellafencemusic@ gmail.com.
PRE-ORDER (AND PAY FOR) A LIVE PERFORMANCE FOR LATER IN THE YEAR If you’ve got a wedding, party, small show, networking event or corporate conference happening later in the year, show some cultural leadership and book and pay for your entertainment right now. This creates some cash flow for artists and it also creates some certainty and positivity around when this all mind end. Things are going to be tough for a long time, so the more economic activity we can create as fans, the more certain things will be for the music we love so much.
WATCH AND SHARE (AND PAY FOR) LIVE STREAMS We all love being at a concert. It’s a multi-dimensional experience and it’s about heaps more than just the music. It’s the lighting and venue aesthetic, being part of a crowd all experiencing the same sounds in different ways, the movement, the spectacle, the taste and the smell. But right now, those opportunities aren’t available – for artists or for fans. And many musicians are moving into the digital streaming space (albeit reluctantly). So, if your favourite artists are live streaming a performance, please watch. Then share. And then if the opportunity exists, please pay.
KEEP YOUR TICKET If you’re a fan who’s missed out on a show that’s been cancelled, #keepyourticket. Chances are the show will be rescheduled. But if it’s not, most of that money flows directly to the artist (especially for small shows and festivals… cough cough Mojo Burning, anyone). Remember this runs much deeper than just the musicians The music industry is often referred to as an ‘ecosystem’ because there are many separate parts relying on each other to function. Musicians can’t get gigs without venues and venues in turn pay for sound and lighting technicians. Musicians don’t get people to gigs without publicists and music media and then they can’t build a fan base without music writers and photographers. Ticketing agents help keep the commerce running tightly and merch makers create the branded goods we all wear so proudly. How good are music videos? They require stylists and producers and directors and film crew and colourists (whatever they are). There are graphic designers who create tour posters, distribution companies who put them up on the streets and screen printers who make it all happen. The companies who are pressing vinyl ready to sell at shows and the music stores who sell those records afterwards. Not to mention the instrument stores who are selling guitar strings and cables and amps and guitars and washboards and the like. There are festival bookers / event managers who’ve been creating partnerships with alcohol and other beverage companies, security firms and food trucks. And then there’s the whole bureaucracy around licensing and regulation that sits on top of all of this. And that’s just for small independent artists without labels and publishers backing them. Samantha Morris
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JOSH KING’S NEW AGE POP
KARLOU IS OOZING WITH ENERGY
YORKE’S POP ANTHEM
Local solo artist Josh King is making a big statement with the release his stunning debut single ’116’. Describing his sound as his own brand of new-age pop, Josh King tactfully mixes ambient guitars with sparkling synths behind a surging electronic backing beat. A guitarist at heart, Josh King has drawn influences from past musicians like John Mayer and The 1975 to help modernise and redefine what a solo guitarist can sound like in 2020. We’re looking forward to hearing more from this bright new talent.
Continuing the momentum from the release of her impressive 2019 debut, KARLOU has just given us ‘Grew Up’, a polished modern day indie-pop single that’s oozing with energy. Tight production techniques initially push the tack more towards pop rather than indie, however when KARLOU’s raspy vocal enters the mix it provides just the rough edge the track needs to become unique. Like most artists during this time KARLOU has had to reschedule her planned launch shows, keep a close eye on our gig guide for updates.
21 year old Byron/Gold Coast border hopper Yorke has released a massive sounding indie pop anthem ‘Treading Water’, which sets the scene nicely for her fantastic debut EP ‘Liberosis’. It’s no surprise that Yorke has us up and dancing with this release, after last hearing her voice featuring on fellow local Paces dance floor hit ‘Vertigo’. The chorus of ‘Treading Water’ manages to reach that epic singalong level that very few songs can, the track could easily be described as our local version of Sia’s ‘Chandelier’.
YT DINGO: GENRE BENDING BRILLIANCE
IVEY CONTINUE TO IMPRESS
Single Out 17 April.
CLAWMACHINE ARE BACK AND SWEETER THAN EVER After a two year hiatus, Gold Coast fivepiece Clawmachine have their creative juices flowing again and are giving us a taste with release of a brand new single ‘Sweet Like Sugar’. Upbeat, synth-heavy melodies weave nicely between the mesmerising vocals of front woman Whitney, showcasing the talents of a seasoned group of musicians. The easy, free-flowing nature of the track reflects directly back to its incarnation in producer/ guitarist Dylan Lindquist’s studio as he describes: “I was just showing a bunch of different beats to Whitney and as soon as she heard ‘Sugar’ she kind of just jumped on the mic and sung the melody on the spot, it was mesmerising to watch.” Let’s hope this release is the first of many more to come from the much-loved Gold Coast outfit. 22
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2019 Gold Coast Music Award winner for Best Music Video, YT DiNGO, is continuing to bring his infamous genre bending sounds too new levels with the release of ‘End Of The World’. Heavy metal guitar riffs blast over electronic RnB style drum samples while YT DiNGO spits high energy Aussie accented rap verses over the top. Then, out of nowhere the tempo changes dramatically to make way for a spaced out electronic breakdown before rediscovering the original groove and finishing off with some intense Rage Against The Machine inspired screaming. Underneath the chaos YT DiNGO somehow pulls together cohesion making ‘End Of The World’ a super impressive work of art that we cannot wait to see the film clip for.
Easily one of The Gold Coast’s hardest working bands, Ivey seem to have been releasing new content or making major announcements every month for the past year, and it’s paying dividends for the young five-piece. Their latest single ‘Valentine’ is a dreamy electro-pop number with dark undertones, showcased visually through a stunning accompanying video. Perhaps the band’s catchiest single to date, the chorus hook is pure pop and would not seem out of place on commercial radio. ‘Valentine’ will be released alongside a handful of new material later this year on an EP recorded with long time collaborator Konstantin Kersting who recently transcended to superstar status after working with Tones & I. With catchy pop melodies and a certified mastermind behind the desk, it’s possible that we will see Ivey hit the world stage in 2020.
ANOTHER TASTE OF DASTE Gold Coast finest chilled electronic trio Daste are following up a their hugely successful 2019 single with the announcement of a new management deal and the release of ‘About Us’, yet another slow burning intimate gem that will get your body rolling. Understated yet deeply intricate, ‘About Us’ sees the band tactfully blend live and electronic elements together with catchy vocal melodies to produce a sound reminiscent of early Chet Faker. Lyrically the track hits the mark during our current climate, empathising with those who battle with uncertainty in times of change.
CHELSEA VALARIE’S NEO-SOUL DEBUT 17 year old Gold Coast songstress Chelsea Valarie has just released her neo-soul influenced debut single ‘Throw Some Dice’ through independent label Germinate Records. Chelsea’s silky smooth vocals steal the show here, with impressive range, beautiful harmonies and clever melodies displaying songwriting abilities well beyond her years. Lyrically ‘Throw Some Dice’ reflects on change through personal growth and independence as Chelsea explains ”I wanted to write a song celebrating the strength required to overcome challenging situations by making difficult personal changes".
SELVE’S BRILLIANT FRIEND
DOOLIE CONTINUES HER MOMENTUM Local pop sensation Doolie has been gradually gathering momentum over the past 12 months and seems to have hit the sweet spot with her latest single ‘Only For A Night’. Teaming up with well credited producer Moonbase who has worked with the likes of Anderson Paak, the track features Doolie’s signature silky smooth vocals and catchy melodies but it’s the off kilter 2-step beat that really sets the track apart. For a song written about making a good first impression it certainly does itself justice.
TYLA’S DREAMY DEBUT EP
Selve are following up their stunning 2019 debut with yet another fascinating rock banger. Intertwining live sounds with electronic elements, thoughtful musical composition and lyrical poetry, ‘Friend’ showcases exactly how Selve are paving their own musical pathway. It takes a few listens to truly grasp the scope of this track’s brilliance but it’s well worth the journey. So press play and strap yourself in for the ride.
New Gold Coast artist Tyla has just released an impressive four track debut EP ‘Honey Skin’ blending styles of folk and pop together nicely to create a dreamy glimpse into the life of the talented 23 year old. ‘Closer’ is an acoustic pop number about love and lust, ‘Trapped Inside Your Head’ is a beautifully catchy folk song and lead singles ‘Pages’ and ‘Honey Skin’ introduce more electronic/pop elements while still staying true to her gentle sound. Keep an eye on Tyla’s socials for upcoming local shows.
LASTLINGS RELEASE STRONGEST SINGLE TO DATE
WE ALL DRIVE HIT HARD WITH ‘CHALK’ We All Drive hit hard with their first offering of the decade, ‘Chalk’. Picking up right where their previous single ‘Kingscliff ’ left off, ‘Chalk’ is a wonderfully abrasive thrashy rock belter that is sure to get your blood pumping. As a drum/guitar two piece, We All Drive have managed to channel that massive sounding, riff heavy sweet spot made famous by fellow rock duos Royal Blood and The Mess Hall. ‘Chalk’ is best listened to at full volume.
Lastlings are yet another wildly successful band to emerge from the Gold Coast over the past few years. After a string of impressive original releases since forming in 2015, 2019 saw the duo gain the attention of Australian electronic heavyweights RÜFÜS DU SOL with a game changing remix of the bands single ‘Solace’. Their new original track ’Take My Hand’ marks the first release under Liberation Records and was written about two people unprepared to let go of each other, inspired by the their favourite anime film ‘Your Name'. It’s easily their strongest release to date and is sure to skyrocket the band even further onto popularity.
CATCH THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS TO ROME Midnight Express to Rome are channeling some serious classic rock with their debut single. ‘Desperados’ is an epic slow jam featuring gritty lead vocals, distorted riffs and slow vibey drums. Forming late last year the hard working three piece, consisting of two Italian expat siblings have been impressing Gold Coast crowds with their consistent local gigging over the past few months.
JIM OTTAWAY’S SOUNDTRACK FOR UNCERTAIN TIMES Jim Ottaway has just released an ambient electronic soul soother titled 'Searching for Paradise' which features on a 19 track compilation album released to raise money for the Australian bushfire appeal. A slow paced, spacey eight minute jam, 'Searching for Paradise' is a perfect relaxing soundtrack for these uncertain times. The full album is titled AMBIENT AID FOR AUSTRALIA and can be found exclusively on Bandcamp; all funds raised will be donated to the World Wildlife Fund for the Australian Bushfire relief. ambientaidforaustralia.com/album/ambientaid-for-australia
BEAST MACHINE GO FULL BEAST MODE Southern Gold Coast rock lords Beast Machine have just released a 14 track onslaught for the senses. Simply called ‘Self Titled’ this debut is anything but simple, bursting with fast paced technical riffs, tempo changes, vocal acrobatics and drumming that suggests the player grew a third arm for the recording sessions. Lead single ‘Time Slows Down’ offers a palatable mix between The Vasco Era and early Birds Of Tokyo while tracks like ‘Mephisto’ and ‘War’ see Beast Machine reach full beast mode channelling Slipknot and Marilyn Manson.
MARK EASTON RELEASES EIGHT STUDIO ALBUM After a five year hiatus, local blues music fixture Mark Easton has just released his eighth studio album ‘Free Yourself ’. The title track is a soulful ballad written about modern day issues backed the timeless formula of slide guitar, harmonica and a simple walking beat. ‘Your Driving’s Driving Me Crazy’ sees Easton pick up the electric guitar and release his road rage through an epic solo while ‘Digging Your Own Grave’ slows things down with some impressive acoustic guitar playing.
CASEY BARNES RELEASES POLISHED NEW RECORD Freshly dubbed as Australia’s number one country radio artist following some impressive commercial success, Gold Coast’s favourite country rock artist Casey Barnes has delivered yet another stunning album. ‘Town Of A Million Dreams’ was surely named after our beautiful town and consists of 10 polished, radio ready packages.
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he arts across all mediums play an influential role in our society and have done so across the centuries. Art can shape the way we see the world, provoking new ideas and a fresh understanding of what is going on around us in regard to our sociopolitical climate. On a personal level, through art we as the people feel a sense of belonging and this inspires reform and change. Art provides us with an opportunity to feel comfort and discomfort all at once – encouraging each of us to have a voice. What do you see is the role of an artist in our society? How does art in your eyes shape our social climate? Where do you draw hope and inspiration in our current climate? In Part 1 of this discourse (see March Edition #76), we asked half a dozen female-identifying Gold Coast artists these questions, in honour of International Women’s Day. In Part 2, we present the answers from their male-identifying counterparts.
GLENN BARRY
DION PARKER
Artist/Sculptor/Musician
Artist/Sculptor
Where do you draw inspiration and hope from in today's climate? My totem is Dhinawan the male Emu (Gamilaraay Country, NSW). We don’t walk backwards. This reminds, teaches me to connect and respect my environment and recognise which of the options up my creative sleeve is appropriate to move forwards. I am making decisions with my actions through deep listening and ways of being. I look to tune into my gut feelings. To be flexible in this NOW is when I am clear and I’m able to interpret the bigger picture. This is the foundation of immense value towards optimism and confidence in all my communications with the world around me.
What do you see is the role of an artist in our society?
SAINT LANE Musician Where do you draw inspiration and hope from in today's climate? They say two zero two zero whoops outta time. So tonight, I'm gonna party like it's 20 one nineeee!’ It's certainly troubling that we are destroying our own home and I know I try my best to leave this world better than I found it but at the same time living in fear and worry that the world is going to end can be counterproductive too. Run in a field, swim in the ocean, enjoy what we have while it's here, and while it's here, try and keep it longer for the next people to enjoy.
I believe the role of an artist in our society is to express ourselves without fear of judgment. To highlight any or all of the full spectrum of emotions we all feel - Love, joy, anger, frustration, awe etc. It doesn’t matter if the work is making a powerful statement about society or just something beautiful to behold, all great works of art evoke some kind of emotion in us. Art is a reflection of us as a race. It is unique, diverse and powerful, yet vulnerable. It will never be perfect. Just like us.
SALVADORE CANTELLANO Filmmaker / Creative Producer How does art shape our social climate?
BENJAMIN ALLMON
TOM BUSBY
Musician/BUSBY MAROU Where do you draw inspiration and hope from in today's climate? Sometimes it feels as though our world enjoys highlighting the negatives over the positive things in life. Our current climate is crazy and confronting but the kindness that follows disaster is where I draw hope and inspiration from - Community spirit, strangers helping strangers. 24
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BEN RIPPINGALE
Writer/Musician/Producer
Musician/Goatzilla
What do you see is the role of an artist in our society?
What is the role of the artist in our society?
Humans have been described as the Storytelling Ape, or perhaps that should be Story-loving Ape. All of us, regardless of our superficial differences, need stories...whether in books, films, songs, on canvas, or told around a fire. I believe the role of the artist is to deliver a good story; everything else is subordinate to that. To do that, an artist’s role is to create a story that takes others away from their reality for a while - or to share a new perspective of reality. Ultimately, a story that others can hopefully carry with them, and pass on.
It helps people feel connected. When you fully connect with art, especially music, you’re connecting on a deep, fundamental level. It can give shape to some complex feelings and concepts we could never express in just words. It can make you feel like partying, it can rev you up, make you angry, calm you down, make you cry, it can help you fall in love. When different people are affected in the same way, that’s a shared emotion, a shared experience that can reach across a stage, or an ocean, or time. And when we connect like that, at least for a short while, we can understand each other.
Art plays a role in shaping and reshaping cultural narratives often through a personalised response to the social climate. Some art forms are more influential than others but the impact that artists can have on social issues shouldn't be understated. My personal take on art is grounded in responsibility and my desire to create a positive social impact. This is marked by my memories as a child riding on my father's shoulders during protest rallies in Chile, where tens of thousands of people marching together brought down a brutal dictatorship. As I revisit those memories, I know art played an important role in communicating 'el pueblo' the people's aspirations for change. The art was on the street walls, the art was in secret, the art was whispered and shared, the art had manifested as an impression to give people courage and sign the mark of change. Art can be a way to communicate our solidarity and subvert the narratives that go against our long-term interests, responding and shaping our social and cultural climate. Nicole Browne
HOTA’S REBECCA RAY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL IDENTITY
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OTA has recently welcomed Rebecca Ray to their Gallery team as an Assistant Curator, Indigenous art.
Rebecca is a Meriam Mer woman from the Torres Strait Islands who now lives on the Gold Coast. Raised on the far south coast of NSW she grew up disconnected from her culture and since moving to Queensland has been connecting with the local Indigenous community here. As a practising multidisciplinary artist, she uses her art to reconnect with her ancestral lineage and rich cultural heritage. Working primarily in printmaking, weaving, textile design and sculpture she’s been mentored and guided in her practise by artists such as Laurie Nona and Gordon Hookey. Rebecca enjoys collaborating and learning from other Indigenous peoples and believes in the importance of sharing, listening and learning through these connections. Soon to graduate from Griffith University, where’s she’s been studying History and Sociology, she leapt at the opportunity to combine her passion for art with her strong interest in cultural identity and representation and joined our team on a part time basis. “I really believe in the power of education and my main area of research has focused on how Indigenous identity is represented in knowledge spaces like galleries and museums and what it looks like to re-indigenise and de-colonialise these spaces,” she said. As a participant of the Wesfarmers Indigenous Arts Leadership Program supported by The National Gallery of Australia, Rebecca was able to tap into a great network of Indigenous creatives across the country and played a significant role in guiding her to applying for this role at HOTA. We have one of the largest collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in regional Australia and Rebecca is really excited to get the chance to work with such a diverse collection that contains so many significant works.
She particularly likes the diversity of works in the collection and believes they will challenge people’s perception of what Indigenous art is. “We’ve got a lot of really beautiful works that don’t fit into any category of what people think Indigenous art is, they don’t reference any traditional iconography and there are a lot of works that are really unique,” she said. Singling out Fiona Foley’s Survival Stories as a favourite, she believes works like these are important as they tell strong, hard stories, but are articulated in a beautiful way. Rebecca can’t wait to see the Indigenous works in the new Gallery and thinks people will be surprised by the size and scale of the collection. And she’s excited to showcase the many beautiful art forms that tell such culturally and historically significant stories. “One of the great things about the new gallery is that the Indigenous works will be distributed throughout the collection galleries, all the art is together, there’s no segregation. The work’s that have been chosen for the inaugural hang will really highlight the collection we have.”
“Some of the works in the collection may be confronting but are incredibly engaging and thought provoking. They make you think about the history that Australia has and the conversations that we need to have. Other works are visually mesmerising and speak to the beauty found in Indigenous cultures, spirituality and the inherent link to Country.” We can’t wait to see which of the Indigenous works the Gallery team have chosen for the inaugural
MONEY SCHOOL Lacey Filipich
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s the title suggests, Money School is a book to educate the reader about their finances. The disclaimer here is that its author, Lacey Filipich, is not a qualified financial advisor. She is a chemical engineer turned financial educator and entrepreneur. Her motivation for writing the book is to teach people about achieving financial independence (FI) and becoming time rich (TR) using her own tried and tested formula.
There are a lot of books and online information around about financial freedom that focus largely on ‘Mindset’. Not this one. This is a practical guide that gives the reader the exact steps to achieving monetary goals, and that is what makes financial freedom according to Filipich, realistic and achievable. Thinking about financial freedom at a time when Coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the economies of countries world-wide may seem a little out of step with an anxious public whose main concern is merely survival. There was already an unsustainable debt bubble world-wide waiting for a trigger to burst it, and COVID-19 was the ‘Black Swan’ that no-one saw coming. However, the book does focus on accumulation of four main reliable assets; cash, bonds, shares and property. If we are in for an economic rollercoaster ride, there could be bargains to be had in the last three of those assets. Cash and interest rates mentioned in the book are still relevant but there is an ominous warning in the book, apparently unintentional considering it was written before the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2018, the Australian government quietly introduced bank ‘bail in’ laws. At the moment that means bank deposits up to $250,000 are guaranteed. However, in the event of financial crisis, APRA may be able to use your personal cash deposits. Filipich emphasises the importance of starting a ‘buffer fund’ as early as possible and using that to use her strategies to gain financial independence. She gives practical strategies and realistic time frames but there’s no getting out of the fact that you have to save, and the earlier in life the better. These strategies are aimed at a younger demographic, however Filipich does mention her own mother who started in her 40s. Her mother retired in her 60s but Filipich mentions that she was ‘only’ earning $100,000 per year at that time. There are examples of people earning less in the book and getting to FI, but readers are encouraged to earn as much as possible and put away as much as possible. There’s also lots of examples of what can go wrong and the cons as well as the pros of all investments. None of the advice is misleading, just honest and practical. It will be interesting to see if Filipich’s advise will weather the current global COVID-19 crisis. Pip Andreas
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Natura Pacific BACK FROM THE BRINK
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ocal environmental consultancy business Natura Pacific is committed to finding ways to spread awareness about the Australian environment, and its short documentary series ‘Back from the Brink’, does just that.
‘Back from the Brink’ began in 2017, tackling the topic of endangered species in South East Queensland, from giant orchids to hammerhead sharks. We had the opportunity to talk to creator and producer of ‘Back from the Brink’ and Senior Environmental Consultant at Natura Pacific, Dr. Mark Runkovski, about the series.
that this is a problem that is happening in our own backyards, and then moving onto the achievement of people wanting to take action.” ’Back from the Brink’ is the first aired series dedicated to providing a local context to conservation, and information about what species need our help and how the public can help them as individuals.
“It’s a series of documentaries that celebrates biodiversity, and then goes into the stories, species by species, of the most threatened animals and plants to allow people to understand, at our local community level, what’s happening to them and why it’s happening and then provide them with a list of tangible actions to be able to do something about it.”
As for creating these videos, Mark says it’s a very long process with many steps involved. This includes research towards the information, deciding upon story structures, and then, of course, the filming and editing before release.
This sort of information is critical for people to know, considering its impacts on our unique and fragile Australian environment. Mark says the purpose of the series is really to try and make people understand that extinction isn’t some kind of exotic problem that only happens to species overseas.
Something that is crucial to spreading awareness is knowing how to engage your audience so that they want to be involved.
“We have the worst mammal extinction rate on the planet, far greater than any other country or continent,” he states. In 2016, Mark wrote an article called ‘Extinction is Forever’ which looked at Australian extinction rates based on the surrounding countries. He and his researchers found that since 2000, Australia has declared 98 species extinct and over 1700 species have been declared nearly extinct. “Those numbers are obviously staggering, knowing that each of those species is a jigsaw puzzle piece in our ecosystems and the way we use the environment to survive as humans,” Mark continues. “So, what we want to achieve is that education of awareness, so having people understand 26
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“The whole process, from start to finish, probably takes about three months, and we do five a year.
“Keeping people’s attention is important, so we keep the documentaries to be less than 10 minutes, trying to focus between five and eight minutes.” Mark explains. With so much to share and such a great cause, the next important step is getting this to an audience. “You can have really good resources and really good information, and a lot of people who are keen to make something really useful but if nobody’s watching it then nobody’s going to take action. So, I think, the more we get this out to people the higher the likelihood that a percentage of those people are going to take action, says Mark.” Amaya Coburn
You can find more info about Natura Pacific and the ‘Back from the Brink’ series at natura-pacific.com.
TAFE STUDENTS BUILD SHELTERS FOR INJURED WILDLIFE
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AFE Queensland carpentry students have spent several weeks cutting, sanding and nailing more than 40 wildlife boxes to help save injured possums from the recent devastating bushfires across the region.
The boxes were built with the guidance of TAFE Queensland carpentry teacher, Matt Zaranski and will be donated to The Rescue Collective, a not-for-profit organisation who is responsible for distributing them to impacted areas.
communities in recovery mode from the disasters earlier this year. Now more than ever it’s crucial to instil and maintain a sense of community spirit and togetherness as we rebuild and find a new normal.
“After seeing the impact the fires had on our wildlife we decided to incorporate building the wildlife shelters as part of the students learning and assessment which ties in nicely to their core course work,” said Matt.
Carpentry student, Thomas Miller from the TAFE Queensland Ashmore campus said it is fulfilling to know that his newly acquired skills are going to good use in the community and environment.
“This project provides competencies to safely select and use carpentry tools and equipment as well as demonstrates the students’ ability to measure, calculate and work to plans and specifications.” “The boxes will house injured possums while they are recovering in care and also be scattered in trees around local bushland to be used as homes for possums being reintroduced to bushfire affected areas.” Matt said many of the hollow tree trunks were burnt out in the fires which once provided safe homes for possums in their natural habitat. “Each box made by our students can be securely attached to a tree and took up to two hours to make but should last five to ten years in the wild depending on the position of the box and exposure to the elements,” he said. It’s easy to forget in the current crisis that there are still plenty of
"Usually in catastrophic events such as the bushfires you feel powerless so it’s nice to actually feel helpful knowing one of our first practical learning projects will be used to help the local wildlife recover from the devastation" said Thomas. “I have only recently come to Australia to study from the United States and my family back home have seen the news about the bushfires and when I told them about the project they were so happy and proud to know I was helping in some way.” Natalie O’Driscoll
From entry-level skill sets and certificates through to advanced diplomas and bachelor degrees, TAFE Queensland offers a comprehensive range of study options, including plenty of online qualifications if you’re looking to explore study-from-home options. Visit tafe.qld.edu for more information.
POKE, WE’RE DEDICATED TO YOU
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hen you’re looking for food on the run, poke bowls are one of the healthiest, most convenient fast food meals in town. The name ‘poke’ (pronounced ‘po-kay’) comes from the Hawaiian word meaning ‘to slice’ or ‘cut crosswise into pieces’. Since the 1970s, the dish gained Japanese influences before travelling across to the US mainland, from where California-style poke has become mainstream. Not sure where to find poke on the Gold Coast? We’ve got you covered with five dedicated poke shops, each one offering vibrant fresh versions of the dish. Poke Poke, Mermaid Beach Takeway window open Mon-Sun, 12-8. Turn up or call ahead on 0755261509 or text 0424 634 486. Delivery available on UberEats and Deliveroo. In the first dedicated poke restaurant on the Gold Coast, Morgan Walsh takes the idea of poke and reinvents it for the coast’s existing ingredient loves. ‘Breakfast pokes’ turn poke on its head, while the ‘All day poke’ menu contains more traditional versions along with vegetarian, chicken and karaage. The ‘Tuna me on’ is one of our favourites, mixed to order.
Finn Poke, Byron Bay, Pacific Fair Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads Open for takeaway Mon-Sun, 11-8. Orders available through Finn Poke app. Delivery available on UberEats and Deliveroo. ‘This is how we bowl,’ says the neon one-liner in family-run Finn Poke’s shops. Not only using premium sustainable sashimi-grade seafood but also ‘curating’ each of their dozen signature bowls’ organic ingredients to achieve balance of flavour and texture, Finn Poke’s bowls include food for gut health and wellbeing served in recycled containers. You can also build your own bowl.
Raw + Rice, Coolangatta Temporarily closed. Be sure to add to your “must visit” lists once current restrictions are lifted. Raw + Rice places an emphasis on fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients, with a variable, flavour-packed menu enjoyed with a beach view. Offering five signature bowls based on sustainable seafood, chicken and tofu, plus a Build Your Own Bowl from the base of brown rice, sushi rice, quinoa or mixed greens adding ‘Protein, Freshness, Sauce and Crunch’, exceptional sauces make Raw + Rice a top choice.
Poke California, Circle on Cavill Surfers Paradise Open for takeaway, Mon-Sun, 11.30-8. Delivery available on UberEats, Menulog and Deliveroo. Poké California, the most price-competitive poke store, offers a range of about a dozen signature bowls or a ‘pick-your-owningredient’ choice. Building a bowl is a five-step process starting with a base of rice, green or seaweed salad, a protein such as sashimi-grade salmon and tuna, prawns, chicken or tofu, ‘mixers’ such as edamame or avocado, sauces and toppers such as crispy fried garlic and sesame seeds.
Hipoke, Kirra Beach Open for takeaway Mon-Sun, 9-8. Phone orders welcomed on 0498 959 158. Delivery available on UberEats with a $5 discount available. Located opposite the famous Kirra surf break, the beautiful shopfront Hipoke offers five bowl options of sashimi-grade fish, chicken or tofu accompanied by fresh ingredients and sauces, as well as a buildyour-own-bowl option. There are some interesting ingredients her, including coconut rice, black rice and quinoa as bases, green tea or passionfruit sauces, and lotus chips as a topper (plus traditional elements). Juices, acai bowls and the like are available from 9am with Poke bowls starting from 10am. Marj Osborne
NO CONTACT, “AT HOME” MEALS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING OH MY!
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t’s a brave new world we are entering as the Coronapocalypse descends upon our fair city. For many in the hospitality industry, these are very uncertain times, but there are a few ways you can support your local and maintain appropriate social distancing. With many cafes and restaurants now going online and offering takeaway and delivery, we have collated a selection of initiatives they have enacted during these uncertain times.
Leading the charge is Restaurant Labart, who have temporarily closed their restaurant altogether and are offering “Labart at home”; a nightly gourmet meal that can be ordered online through their website. Meals can then be collected from the restaurant each evening. A true gourmet at home experience! Bento boxes are being offered by Little Itoshin, Oi Izakaya and The North Room, with each restaurant putting their own spin on a Japanese classic. Fresh Food Friday have long been offering gourmet meals that can be collected on Fridays to enjoy at the start of your weekend. They are now offering contactless delivery to your home and a variety of frozen meals through their website. Other restaurants that are offering take home or delivered “heat and eat” meals are Agnee Indian, Caffe Republic, Coolamon Co., Elk Espresso, Greenhouse Canteen, Plant Based Café and Taboon whilst some restaurants are selling meals that you can cook at home including Custard Canteen’s cookie dough kit, Cycho’s Buffalo Wings home wing kit, Balboa at home and survival kits at Vapianos. With new regulations coming through regarding takeaway alcohol, Cambus Wallace have daily offerings of take home cocktails with any meal purchase, whilst Black Hops Brewing and Lost Palms are offering local beer delivery. Beer not your thing? Well how about cheese! Quince Fromagerie are now delivering cheese to your doorstep, and Pepe Italia Deli also delivering their delicious wares. There is so much love around in the community at the moment, with Blackboard
Varsity giving a meal to an out-of-work hospitality worker for every takeaway meal that’s purchased. The Henchman Miami are offering free food to those who need it and Artichoke Restaurant and Bar providing a free, one-litre serving of minestrone to seniors to take away. Joy Coffee are giving everyone who orders over 1kg of coffee a free 250g bag to give to a friend. Restaurants and cafes offering a discount incentive for takeaway includes: Ally Chow 15% off Easy House Vegetarian 10% Etsu 20% off Justin Lane 20% off, plus delivery options The Kitchens Robina restaurants Mad Asian, Ari Thai and Saiko Teppanyaki 20% off Lola’s Broadbeach 20% off Lucky Bao 15% off Osteria del Mare 10% off Rumi Persian Restaurant 20% off The Rusty Barrel 25% off Quan55 free spring rolls Places that are offering their own delivery service: Alfresco Balboa Donut Empire Gallura Italian I like ramen Inky Squid Little Cocoa Little Miss Muffin Meraki Kitchen Platter Me Beautiful Rabbath Zipang Please keep supporting local for as long as you can, the Gold Coast hospitality industry is our lifeblood and together we can come through this difficult time safely. Catherine Coburn Follow Catherine @goldcoastfoodie on Instagram for up to date restaurant and café information.
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LESSONS FROM THE ICE WITH GEOFF WILSON
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f you’re needing inspiration, if you want to do seemingly impossible things, go on mad expeditions, or just generally live life to the fullest, Geoff Wilson has all the advice. The Gold Coast veterinarian, adventurer, entrepreneur and strangely sane crazy person broke several records with his most recent solo expedition across Antarctica, ‘The Longest Journey’. He used only his legs and wind power (a kite) to travel further unsupported across Antarctica (5306km) than anyone else. No support means he had to carry everything he needed to survive the 58 days in the ludicrously sub zero conditions, down to -90oC on some days. Yes, Geoff has learned a thing or two about what it takes to do the impossible, and he’s super keen to share the lessons.
Life lesson #1: When it seems like things are going really badly for you, instead of being all “Poor me”, know you’re being directed to somewhere else you need to be. ‘The Longest Journey’ was an epic from the idea stage to the victorious completion on 7 January. In order to even attempt this feat of human endurance Geoff and his team needed permission from the Russian, Norwegian, South African, Australian, American and French governments to travel their Antarctic territories along the planned route that would enable maximum use of the winds. No mean feat, and as it turned out more impossible than the proposed journey. With more examination of the winds and possible routes, Geoff ’s cameraman hit upon a new route. This route would get around the worst permission problems, utilise the wind and lead Geoff to being the first Australian to set foot on the Pole of Inaccessibility (chew on that name for a moment), and be the first and only unsupported summit of Dome Argus, a peak 100km across and 4091m high. Of course, it was not as simple as that summary makes it seem. In such a wild place anything can happen. Geoff says, “The ice ridges were brutal. Everything started dying on me, food bags, technology, and several fuel bottles all died. I was a third of the way to the South Pole but if I lost more fuel the whole trip would have been off. So on day 30 I headed for Dome Argus instead of the South Pole as planned. It was disappointing but then we realised that if I hadn’t turned then I wouldn’t have nailed the wind angle for the Argus summit.” Another example of being pushed in the right direction by seemingly bad circumstances. Life Lesson #2: You can achieve more if you have a reason beyond just you. Each adventure, Geoff raises money for a charity. ‘The Longest Journey’ was dedicated to the McGrath Foundation, breast cancer research, chosen as a close friend of his battled breast cancer. The Sahara expedition raised funds for a home that helps women escape from trafficking. Geoff says, “If it’s just for you you’re going to pack up and go home, you have to have a greater purpose.” Life lesson #3: You need people who know you and believe in you, who can support you through the worst times. Most of us would think Geoff is crazy and/or possessing some sort of super human qualities but he says “What makes me different is I have a believer on the sidelines to piece me back together when times are tough.” He is talking about his
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wife Sarah who he could communicate with via satellite phone. When he was ready to quit 23 gruelling days into ‘The Longest Journey’, when the temperature with wind chill didn’t rise above -70oc, Sarah told him to have a good meal and eight hours of rest then decide. It made all the difference and Geoff did wake up ready to continue. Sarah, the rest of Geoff ’s family and team never waver in their support throughout all of the big expeditions. Life lesson #4: Don’t quit when you’re in fatigue mode, wait until you feel better and then decide if you really are done. Along with this endless support is the notion that when you think you can’t go on, it’s probably not true. Geoff says “When you feel like you’re done, you’re not actually. The body has a way of letting you know when you’ve truly got nothing left.” His recovery after day 23 and subsequent completion of ‘The Longest Journey’ was another example of, “don’t give up when you’re feeling fatigued, wait until you’re feeling good.” This applies to every area of life, not just a crazy expedition through punishing conditions. Even with the expeditions, Geoff says, “when I finished Antarctica I thought that would be the last of my polar expeditions, that I was done. Now I’m ready to go again, (he laughs) I’m in the early stages of planning the next one.” The arctic circle is the next destination and by the sounds of it, Geoff is far from done. Life lesson #5 : Life is too short to be doing something you don’t want to do. Geoff feels he has the best of both worlds, loving being a vet when he’s home and treasuring the expeditions. He is fulfilled and he thinks everyone should be. He says, “you’ll be so much more effective as a human if you’re doing what you love.” The fact that 72% of Australians hate their job he believes goes a long way to explain the rising levels of anxiety, and high suicide rate in Australia. Going hand in hand with the resilience message, Geoff wants to encourage people to “get out of their (hated job), learn and re-train!” He is quick to
point out that it needs to be done responsibly, it doesn’t have to be a wild risk. Geoff doesn’t see himself as a risk taker as each expedition is meticulously planned. In his view people are taking bigger risks by eating poorly, not exercising, or the way they drive than he does on his expeditions. The man has a point, risk is a matter of perspective. Life lesson #6: Resilience is the ultimate muscle to build. This is where our conversation really dove into the realm of mental health, and mental strength. Geoff says, “a wild environment will find every crack in your psyche. So much will come up that you will have to deal with. I’m not anything special, it’s resilience. I’m 80kg dripping wet, just an average guy and most of my strength is mental.” He believes Australians have had it too easy in recent years and so have not built resilience, the kids especially lack the ability to face adversity. He assures me that this mental strength and resilience can and should be taught to everyone regardless of gender and stage of life. He says, “you don’t build character rubbing sunscreen on your face at the beach, you build it in the mud pit fighting and scratching. Hardship is a part of life, we need to teach kids to relish a challenge, to not fight it and sit awhile with it.” Not content to just talk about the need for resilience, Geoff is actively teaching this important skill. He is available to speak at schools, to corporations and you can even ‘Ask Dr Geoff ’ via Instagram @drgeoffwilson. Erin Bourne
NO BONES ABOUT BONES RIVERS GOLD COAST ART SCENE LEVELS UP WITH ACID TEST A cid Test is a local recurring art show designed to showcase emerging artists in an inspiring and supportive space on the Gold Coast.
“The message is to remind everyone to have a forward focus and to support local businesses, and that we can all do something.” This was from Helle, co-founder of Acid Test, just a couple of hours before the news broke of new COVID-19-related regulations that would bring the live arts scene to its knees. We were chatting about their second, and even more successful music and art showcase event Acid Test Vol II, which ran on 14 and 15 March at their studio space, Level 1 Seventeen in Nerang. The nurturing of our artists, and this message, is now even more important. Helle and her brother and business partner Geoff both understand the struggle of making it as an artist even in the best of times. She’s in fine art and he’s a musician “We both found the industry could be competitive and unsupportive,” Helle explains. “We created Acid Test to give emerging artists a safe space to exhibit their work, many of them for the first time.” The inaugural Acid Test event was in December and attracted nine artists, seven of whom had never exhibited before. The March event brought 22 artists together and at least three of those were first timers, with a couple more doing their second show. This jump in participation was also reflected by general public attendance - the launch party had five times and the general exhibition four times the attendees than the first. “Every metric went up,” says Helle. “Including sales.” Part of the uptick in sales can be attributed to the fact that the artists are encouraged to attend the event, to meet the public and even create whilst there. Acid Test has brought together artists from all creative mediums;
musicians, fine art, photography and more. Helle recalls one of the on-the-spot collabs.
“In the March Acid Test, a photographer had a last minute inspiration to bring in a designer friend and do a live pop up fashion shoot of the designs. “As the model was being photographed, another artist who was doing a live performance decided to draw the model on the spot as she was in his field of vision.”
This collaboration and cross-pollination is one of the brilliant side benefits of Acid Test. For the public, watching art being created makes it more accessible, says Helle. It shows that “art doesn’t have to be snooty”, that art makes life a beautiful experience. “Even getting a coffee can be artistic, surfboards are art, it’s everywhere around us,” exclaims Helle. Acid Test is unique also in that it is not curated. Helle says their company Molten Agency organises the event but it really selfselecting. She put the call out on social media for artists to participate, then once details are given to interested artists they either commit or not. “I love the equity in the process,” she tells us. The plan is to continue these events at Level 1 Seventeen with the next one originally slated for June, however that may change dates or form depending on the current situation. The Acid Test event encourages participants from as far south as Byron and as far north as Brisbane. The next Acid Test will ideally have workshops and classes for the public to attend. Helle and Geoff, and the art community on the Gold Coast are working together to keep the scene alive, and who better to come up with solutions to current issues than the creatives? In the meantime, support your local artists and local businesses in general in whatever way you can. Erin Bourne
L
uke Houselander has a bit of a split personality, moonlighting as a cover artist under his own name and nurturing a bad-ass blues project known as Bones Rivers on the side.
It seems like such a classic blues name that one, Bones Rivers, and I’m not wrong. According to Luke he found the name on a Facebook ‘blues name generator’. That random generator came up with Pretty Bones Rivers and he dropped the ‘pretty’. He said he felt he had no choice due to the crazy variations he kept getting on his real name. “I was driving into Mudgee and there’s a big billboard driving in and it ‘Tonight, Luke Hoovenhousen’ and that was the last straw for me,” he laughed. The Gold Coast artist has an uncanny and unique blues sound, with a hard-hitting style of guitar playing. His songs incorporate a fierce and driving beat with a twist of ethereal sounds that see blues, rock and world sounds melded together. Luke has been honing his craft on the Gold Coast for more than six years. Working closely with Benny D Williams and his studio BDW Music Productions, Luke is releasing a new EP ‘The BDW Sessions’ to highlight the work of his producer friend and raise revenue for both of them. He’ll be releasing singles every month until the end of the year. “To help Benny out I have spent some money asking him to remaster some of these songs we worked on a while ago and have named the EP ‘The BDW Sessions’, in hope
others seek out his services as he is another musician without gigs at the moment.” “All of the songs were recorded/produced by Gold Coast musicians.” The next single off the EP is ‘Mississippi’. Luke says he’s already sent it to radio and had a great response. “It’s on 20 stations around Australia,” he told Blank Gold Coast. Like many musicians, Luke’s lost a bunch of gigs as a result of this global pandemic - around $3000 and counting and not just from live performances but from sound work and stage work as well. “I keep feeling really lucky, but that’s because I’ve always looked outside of music for relevance as well as skill-wise. But, yeah, my whole year’s plans have kinda gone to shit.” Luke says one of the best ways Gold Coast music-lovers can support artists right now is by buying merch. (And yes, Luke has Bones Rivers shirts on his Bandcamp). And wordof-mouth endorsements. “The fans who buy everything I put out and check up and make requests for things, they’re all word of mouth,” he said, stressing how important it is for people to share the music they love. To buy a copy of ‘The BDW Sessions’ just hop on to the Bones Rivers Bandcamp page and while you’re there, you can grab a shirt or three. Samantha Morris
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CONVERSATIONS WITH PURE MILK T
he last time we chatted with the Gold Coast's finest purveyors of indie rock radness, Pure Milk, they'd just put out an EP by the name of 'Self Improvement', collating a bunch of tracks from across the band's two-year trajectory.
Fast forward to March 2020, with a musically productive summer bringing to fruition a new single, 'Conversations', as well as a new EP ‘Garden Anxiety’ on the horizon. Chatting with front man and songwriter Lewis Nitschinsk, it's clear that the band are revved up to get the new songs out into the listening sphere. "Conversations was the first song we wrote for the upcoming EP, Dylan (Lindquist) and I both knew we wanted a fast punky single with a crazy driving beat, so the instrumental came together really quickly,” says Lewis. “For a while the song was a two minute tune with three quick verses and no chorus. It took us ages to flesh out the big ending and let the song breathe a little bit. Lyrically the song is about being stuck in small talk and the anxiety/fragility that comes with that. I’ve been working on writing from third person perspectives and creating little characters with back stories, so that’s where the character Bobby comes in! My favourite bit is the hand claps though, every song deserves a couple of hand claps."
And as to how the new EP sits in relation to the band's body of work; "I think people are going to be surprised when they hear the EP (hopefully y’all will like it though). 'Conversations' is probably the only true ‘punk’ song on the EP, we’re definitely evolving and trying out new sounds. If anything, I’ve never felt more comfortable with our style, we’ve really found our feet with this EP you could say." Further evolution also took place in the bands recording process, moving out of their home studio and recording in a real-deal studio for the first time with the assistance of local legend Brad Hosking. "Oh man Brad was great! We’ve known him for years and to finally work with him on our songs was such a good experience,” Lewis tells us. “He’s a pro that’s all I can say, he was able to break it all down, cut some of the fat and really bring out the best elements
of each track - plus he was the one who added all those good hand claps!" The band have also branched out into further creative realms, currently working on video clips for a few upcoming tracks, including the new single, 'Conversations', says Lewis. "Dylan actually created the video for Conversations! It was his first time shooting and directing and we think it turned out great. We’ve also got Dom Gould, a local GC filmmaker coming in to shoot a few videos for us in the next few months. I realised early on that my forte is making music and I’d much prefer to get some friends in who know what they’re doing when it comes to videos and artwork. It’s also just more fun getting a bunch of people involved and doing it together." To wrap up I ask Lewis for his take on these current, ever escalating COVID-19 times, and in particular what we, as music lovers,
can do to rally together around performers, who are all doing it particularly tough at the moment. "It’s really hard, so many of my friends are just straight up out of work for the next few months. That’s not only people in the arts world either, so many people in hospitality and retail are getting laid off, it’s scary. Other than government intervention and the proper support measures in place we need to be talking to each other about this, checking in to see if people are okay. “If you can buy anything from a band and you have the funds to do so, do it! Get that favourite t-shirt you’ve always wanted or that limited addition vinyl sitting on their Bandcamp, that’s the best way to put money in their pockets. “If that’s not an option though, just engage with your favourite bands, let them know how much you love their music, that sort of support is what’s going to get us through these next few months. Lastly, make sure you work on yourself! Self-isolation could be a blessing for learning something new or trying something out, don’t waste it!" ‘Conversations’ is available to stream now. Keep your eyes on Pure Milk’s socials for updates around the EP’s upcoming release. Anthony Gebhardt
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MIAMI HIGH STUDENT TAKES HOME TOP PRIZE IN NATIONAL WRITING COMPETITION G
old Coast student Lani Gibson from Miami State High School, was recently announced as the 2020 national winner of Storyfest’s National Novella Writing Competition for her gripping futuristic tale ‘All Eyes On Us’.
Supported by Penguin Random House Australia, Storyfest’s annual competition is open to all high school students within Australia and is highly regarded, thanks to the unique opportunities for exclusive access to some of Australia’s best authors, editors and publicists. ‘All Eyes On Us’ is a dystopian thriller where teens are given access to privileges according to virtual rankings and haunted by the the ever-watchful Stalkers who communicate through their phones. If it sounds eerily familiar, it’s supposed to. “There are several themes and messages woven into the storyline: body image, isolation, social media, peer pressure, popularity issues… everything young people today are confronted with,” Lani explained. “Writing for me has become a cathartic process for reflecting on the advancing problems we as young people face in society today.” As the national competition winner, Lani’s manuscript will receive a full editorial report containing personalised advice from Penguin Random House Australia, in addition to a cash prize of $2,500. Commissioning Editor, Amy Thomas, from Penguin Random House Australia, said Lani wrote an accomplished manuscript.
“When I was younger, I would try and sell stories I’d written at family gatherings,” she laughed. Since then her passion has grown, and in recent years, her work has been achieving some notice. Lani’s novella ‘The Culling’ was shortlisted in the 2019 Somerset National Novella Writing Competition and a short story piece ‘When We All Plug In, Where Do We Go?’ was shortlisted in the 2019 John Marsden and Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers and then awarded Highly Commended.
Somerset Storyfest CEO and Festival Director, Andrea Lewis, commended the remarkable talent attracted by the online competition. Ms Lewis said, “The calibre of writing submitted by entrants was exceptionally high. We were thrilled to see judges announce Gold Coast student, Lani Gibson, as the overall national winner. “The competition champions emerging writers, offering students to develop their literary growth – connecting them with many of Australia’s elite authors and publishers who can help shape their future development.”
“It’s well written with excellent character development… great dialogue that dramatises the unfolding action in an engaging way, wonderful forward narrative momentum and a positive message at the end about freeing oneself from the tyrannies of technology,” she said.
“Both previous writing commendations inspired me to pursue my passion for writing further,” she told us.
For Lani, the win has not only provided her with excellent opportunities for furthering her career, but also an increase in confidence.
And of course, the support and mentoring she has received along the way has proved invaluable.
“Winning this prize has really cemented for me that writing is something I can be successful at and need to commit to,” she said.
“The manuscript felt well-structured and complete, and the writing flowed beautifully throughout. It was excellent overall.”
“My mentors would have to be my [Miami State High School] English and Literature teachers, Terri Barton-Thomas and Cathy Crawley [Head of English], who have encouraged my journey as a writer immensely. My family, friends and all the staff at Miami State High have been so kind and supportive!” Lani exclaimed.
And given her love of dystopia, there’s certainly no lack of real world material to inspire Lani’s next project.
Lani has been infatuated with the art of storytelling for as long as she can remember.
“It seems our reality is morphing into a science fiction novel right before our eyes,” she said.
“Literature is about humanity and how we react in instances of uncertainty and the frightening ambiguity of our future… so, then, I better get writing.” Natalie O’Driscoll
This year’s winning stories can be read at storyfest.com.au/competitions/novellawriting-competition. Entries for the 2021 Somerset Storyfest Novella Writing Competition open Monday 27 July 2020. All secondary students attending school in Australia are invited to apply. Whilst this year’s broader Storyfest programme was cancelled in line with government advice aimed at shielding communities from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Festival is the largest literary youth festival in the Southern Hemisphere and usually includes eight days of inspirational community-based literary events across the city, for children and adults.
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C
ommitted to celebrating the City’s creative gold this year, the Gold Coast Music Awards today announced 31 finalists with a new plan to deliver the official Awards presentation, virtually of course, via Facebook at 7pm on Thursday, 30 April 2020. With blues and roots festival favourites Hussy Hicks topping the noms with five potential gongs, multiple nods for country music star Casey Barnes, cool indie kids, IVEY and folk streaming sensation, Hollow Coves, the Gold Coast shows once again it is a hotspot for musical talent. Also in for the win this year are PACES, Busby Marou, San Mei, Eliza and the Delusionals, Ella Fence, Tijuana Cartel and more, with DVNA, Dennis. and Doolie going head to head for the inaugural, career-propelling Gold Coast Music Prize. "We put more love and effort into this record than anything we've ever done before, so it's an absolute pleasure to be recognised as a finalist by the Gold Coast Music Awards,” said Tom Busby of Busby Marou, nominated for Release and Artist of the Year.
“The music scene on the coast is pumping and keeps on kicking. Despite the madness going on around the world right now, it's comforting to see these awards forging ahead to recognise and celebrate artists when we need it most." Foregoing the flamethrowers and beachfront fanfare of previous years, Gold Coast Music Awards director, Samantha Morris said, “The music industry was one of the first to really feel the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, and we were hit hard here on the Gold Coast. Our economy is largely driven by events.” “While we can’t hold a big, face to face awards ceremony, we think it is really important to bring the community together, virtually at least, to acknowledge and celebrate the creative gold that continues to come out of this City. “We’d love for everyone to tune in and watch the 2020 Gold Coast Music Awards together for an hour of support and solidarity from the comfort and safety of your couch!” The winners will be announced via video on the Gold Coast Music Awards Facebook page at 7pm on Thursday, 30 April 2020, featuring special isoloungeroom performances from some of the city’s finest talent. RSVP to the 2020 Virtual Gold Coast Music Awards Facebook event at bit.ly/GCMA2020. Kylie Cobb
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The Gold Coast Music Awards is proudly supported by City of Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise Alliance.
2020 GOLD COAST MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS ARTIST OF THE YEAR
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Don’t Feed the Monster – Ella Fence
Don't Feed The Monster - Ella Fence
sponsored by Home Of The Arts
sponsored by TAFE QLD
Get Ready – Hussy Hicks
Dig Bury Drink - Lagerstein
Bombs Away
Felicity Lawless
Anew – Hollow Coves
Tommy Franklin - Tijuana Cartel
Busby Marou
Jackson Dunn
Casey Barnes
Julz Parker
Hollow Coves
Leesa Gentz
Hussy Hicks
Lindsay Waddington
San Mei RELEASE OF THE YEAR BREAKOUT ARTIST OF THE YEAR
sponsored by Southern Cross University
sponsored by Griffith University and the SEED program
Savage Sunday - Being Jane Lane
Eliza and the Delusionals IVEY Peach Fur Highly Commended: Doolie
LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR sponsored by Gold Coast Music Casey Barnes Electrik Lemonade IVEY Hussy Hicks Tijuana Cartel
Cities of Gold - Benny D Williams The Great Divide - Busby Marou Squeezed Fresh - Electrik Lemonade Moments - Hollow Coves
Bodies – Ivey Vertigo feat Yorke – Paces Forget It All - Sunset City ft. Samantha Jade
VENUE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Oztix
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
HOTA Home Of The Arts
sponsored by East West Presents
Mo’s Desert Clubhouse Rompa Room
Just Exist - Eliza and the Delusionals
Open to all finalists.
Soundlounge
sponsored by QT
Sushi in Tokyo – DVNA
DVNA
Elsewhere
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Looking Like A Snack – DVNA
Doolie
Coolangatta Hotel
sponsored by CBD Live Trap Door – Dennis
sponsored by Bleach* The Gold Coast Festival Dennis
SONG OF THE YEAR A Little More – Casey Barnes
GOLD COAST MUSIC PRIZE
Archangel - Baltimore Gun Club Savage Sunday - Being Jane Lane A Little more - Casey Barnes Vertigo - Dennis The Story - Eddie Ray www.blankgc.com.au
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GOLD COAST MUSIC AWARDS TO GO AHEAD VIRTUALLY THIS APRIL