Blank Gold Coast issue #33 – May 16

May ‘16

FELICITY LAWLESS

NOT SO FLAWLESS

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MUSIC

LIFESTYLE

CULTURE

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Karl S Williams SEED volume 5 Tokyo Beef Belligerents Blues on Broadbeach

Global waves VIP NightQuarter Stone & Wood Climate change Get Forked

Unseen GC JP Sears Tracy Cooper-Lavery Tom Ballard Eddie the Eagle

Saffron Indian Double Zero Izakaya Ichi Randy Wallhole GC Food & Wine

Product 45 Cheap Fakes Matty Rogers Ella Fence Mat McHugh

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After-party announced for Gold Coast Music Awards

ever Australian tour. They’re totally ready for this show too – having just blasted Melbourne’s iconic Corner Hotel for Wallapalooza’s southern edition alongside Dallas Frasca and Electric Mary. Female fronted rock groups are few and far between, mainly as it takes a powerful voice to compete with a wall of electric guitars. Luckily, this will pose no problem for the powerful line up of Cherie Currie, Diva Demolition and Smoking Martha who hit The Triffid on Thursday 26 May.

Hard Rock Café have jumped on board as a creative partner for the 2016 Gold Coast Music Awards. Not only is the Surfers Paradise venue providing supper at the awards’ ceremony, they’re also throwing open their doors for the after-party. SEED artist Benny D Williams will provide the tunes and Hard Rock will provide a welcome-cocktail for Music Awards ticket holders. And as per last year, we’ll even help with transport arrangements from Burleigh Brewery to Surfers. Want some of the action? Get tickets to Gold Coast Music Awards now at gcmusicawards.com.

Blue-eyed bluesman Matty T Wall has made such a name for himself at home in WA, he had no choice but to hit the east coast with his trio for his first Australian tour. With debut album Blue Skies freshly released, he’ll be turning heads at Blues on Broadbeach as he wrings raw emotion from single notes, stretching and bending the strings of a Les Paul into sounds both persuasive and human. He’s at Oracle Boulevard on 21 May at 4.00pm.

Ten Gold Coast bands have been chosen from a global pool of 7000 to have a crack at $50,000 and a trip to Ibiza. Hard Rock Rising will see Tokyo Beef, Nowhere Else, Yes Sir Noceur, Versus Fate Dead Hand Blues, Chelsea Rockwells, The Pretty Fingers, My Nanna’s Kingswood, Collins Class and Tesla Coils compete across three heats with the big show-down taking place on 1 June. On the same day across the globe, hundreds of bands will perform with just one scoring the coveted prize. Check our gig guide for heat details.

James Reyne + Mark Seymour join forces

Hey you, Donny Love

Hitting the Wall at Blues

Rising up for $50k and a shot at Ibiza

Donny Love, The Gold Coast’s most incestuous family continues to grow, recently birthing new track Hey You. Since releasing debut EP Sultry Visions in December the band has supported Thee Oh Sees, Homeshake and Mangelwurzel. They’ve also added guitarist Joel Van Rooyen from Salvadarlings and begun recording with old friend Lachy Buckle who also plays in the band. As the love continues to grow, so do the songs. Hey You muses on the consequences of a young life lived, looking back on it and into the future. Listen at soundcloud.com/donnylove.

Get them India British India must have a thing for the Gold Coast. They sure seem to be here regularly enough. Though a winter trip to the GC is always a good idea when you live in Melbourne, right? Their last show sold out, which is no surprise given they’re one of the country’s most popular and hardworking bands. Their last album Nothing Touches Me was their fourth album in a row to reach top 10 in the ARIA charts. They hit Soundlounge on Friday 8 July – and a word to the wise – tickets are $10 cheaper pre-sold than at the door. More at soundlounge.com.au.

Gow + Kelly join forces too

Sounds from Nowhere Else

Parkway Drive’s all Aussie Adventure Smoking support slot for Cherie Currie Smoking Martha have a new support slot to add to the growing list (which has Seether and Uriah Heep on it). They’ve excitedbly announced they’ll be warming the stage for Cherie Currie – the voice of the Runaways. It’s the singer’s first

The live relationship between James Reyne and Mark Seymour began back in 2007, when they embarked on a massive 90 date national tour, showcasing an extraordinary catalogue of some of Australia’s most loved songs. The 2016 incarnation will be a limited national run, with Mark and James hitting the stage both together and alone, performing classics from Hunters & Collectors, Australian Crawl and each of their extensive solo works. They’ll hit Twin Towns Friday 12 August. Tickets through twintowns.com.au.

Metalcore merchants Parkway Drive will hit Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre on Sunday 19 June. With five full-length albums under their belt – the latest four reaching top 10 in the ARIA charts, fans are sure to be stoked. The band event let their fans name the tour. Tickets on sale now via Ticketek.

Guitar-driven alt rock outfit, fronted by powerhouse vocalist Jodie Maloney, Gold Coast’s Nowhere Else have released a self-titled debut EP. The offering is an accumulation of a year’s work with producer Eric Coelho (Wolf Mother, Melbourne Ska Orchestra) who recorded and mixed the EP between SAE Studio in Byron, U-Live Studio in Ocean Shores and Eric’s home studio in Lennox Head. Content in the Dark is the first single off the EP with a full-length film clip up on Youtube and on the Blank GC website. It’s good. Check them out.

While we’re on the topic of collaborations, two of Australia’s contemporary singers, songwriters and dreamers are hitting the road together for a double-header in May. It’s the first time Alex Gow and Dan Kelly will be touring solo together – though neither is a stronger to the road. Kelly’s Leisure Panic was one of our favourite albums of 2015, so you know where you’ll find us. At Miami Shark Bar on Saturday 11 June or Byron Theatre on Sunday 12 June.

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#033 MAY 2016 Editor: Samantha Morris Culture + Lifestyle Editor: Natalie O’Driscoll Design: Chloe Popa, Blunt Pencil Studio Advertising: Amanda Gorman Money Coordinator: Phillippa Wright Photographer: Leisen Standen, Lamp Photography Contributors: Natalie O’Driscoll, Trevor Jackson, Leisen Standen, Mella Bunker, Marj Osborne, Andrew Scott, Catherine Coburn, Pip Andreas, Anthony Gebhardt, Terry “Tappa” Teece, Jake Wilton, Eden Tokatly, Carmel E Lewis, Erin Bourne, Yanina Benavidez, Anna Itkonen, Rick Hollis, Doris Prodanovic, Emily Russell, Sarah Loughlin, Loki Liddle, Hudson Tesoriero, Samantha Morris.

Acknowledgement of Country We show our respect and sincerely acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and their elders past, present and emerging.

Editorial: news@blankgc.com.au Advertising: advertising@blankgc.com.au Gigs: gigs@blankgc.com.au About us: Blank GC is independently owned and published by Samantha Morris and Chloe Popa. Most of our writers contribute their time pro-bono to boost the cultural scene on the Gold Coast. Founded in 2013 we are the Gold Coast’s independent cultural voice, relying on advertising to keep us in the fray. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor, publishers or the writing team.

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FELICITY’S NOT SO FLAWLESS. AND THAT’S OK. Felicity Lawless is like a chrysalid. When she speaks about her evolution as an artist, particularly around her new album Tails, it’s as if she is still enclosed in a cocoon, just beginning to emerge, unsure what final form she’ll take.

That’s my reflection anyway. Though she’s the first to say that this new album is one of story-telling, spirit and self. Tails actually tells a tale of Felicity’s self-discovery. A process she’s undergone by telling other people’s stories.

“I’m really grateful to be able to express in music what is happening in my soul,” she told me.

The title Tails is a little homage to the wisdom she said she received from hanging out with so many animals all the time, “but also a wordplay for stories and the stories people tell.”

She said she got part of the way through the recording process and didn’t want to continue. She realised her last album, while telling beautiful stories of other people and some of her own, were basically stories that she constructed.

“I got really consumed about the whole thing because I thought what story do I need to be telling?”

Felicity said that as a result she’s been doing a lot of work ‘within’ herself… “trying to create a different world through creating a different world inside myself.”

“I became really conscious of what I was saying and it kind of really blocked me. I want to be shifting up the energy of this world in a really positive way with this music and there is a lot of deep feeling in my music – a lot of it comes from pain and it kind of stumped me.”

The track titles off Tails do kind of read as a guide to self-discovery. Happy Ending, Love Is the Answer, Who do you Work For?, Boundlessly… Felicity said that the most significant thing about this album is that there has been little censorship of herself.

“It’s very diverse. I haven’t stuck to a specific genre, and I’ve explored all my favourites,” she explained. “I got back on electric guitar. There’s funk, reggae and the usual flamenco mariachi madness.”

“And it was really kicked off just by writing about a man who really inspired me and realising that his story is everyone’s story.”

She’s referring to the track Cowboy Camerman, inspired by Damian Lang (who also filmed the song’s film clip).

Felicity shared a story of one of her favourite gigs. She had a set at Mudgeeraba’s Summertime Sessions in the Village which had been moved to the Wallaby Hotel due to wet weather. “I was really tired and run down,” she said. “And I just played. But I couldn’t even smile.”

“He’s got a pretty epic story of having gone to war and had a big realisation – a wakeup in the middle of it all – and then finding myself.”

“So I just put it out there and said ‘you know, I’d love you to sing along’ and it was a sad song about my healing with my father. And the whole audience sang along with me.”

I ask whether the lack of self-censorship on the album means she doesn’t care what people think of the songs. But she clarifies, “I care that it makes someone shift up some energy, so people can feel more love or release more pain.”

“I realised that about being honest about where I was at and not being OK, it was a great experience,” she said.

“And it was the Wallaby Hotel. It was the most… such a random place for such beauty to come out from. What I got from that is when you’re really real, just living in pain and indulging in pain and really able to truly say what’s going on and open it up for other people – they shift through and create a world where we’re not all pretending to be something else.”

And has the feedback been positive?

“I’m just doing what my soul is calling me to do,” Felicity said.

“It’s had a better response from my inner circle than any other album I’ve ever done and I’ve had so many people listen to the song Love is the Answer which talks about ‘hey, I see you’re in pain, but you’re not alone – just open up and connect because love is the answer’.”

“Just know if someone is in a certain space, they just need more love. That song I’ve had about ten people call up and say I just balled my eyes at that. I Just felt clear. You saved my day,” she said.

“That’s why I make music. I feel like I’ve finally achieved an amazing goal. That’s all I play music for, really – apart from my own self-gratification – it makes me feel beautiful to do that.”

And so Felicity Lawless has come full circle. She believes a lot of what “happens” in society is that we are busy and so having to BE ok all the time. “We have to keep up appearances to survive on that material level,” she said… “as in getting money to be able to eat and do the things we need to survive in this culture.”

“I had a bit of time where I really worked myself into the ground and had no barriers and then I let it all out in this album because I just really want to promote emotional honesty.”

And it’s through this process of not being OK that Felicity has come to an even bigger realisation.

“I just really want to emphasis that through all the busyness, that finding a place of stillness and being in nature and working out my core values in that stillness has been the most important thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she said. “I encourage people to look at what they’re doing and ask, am I honouring my values and are they prioritised in my life?”

“It’s this rushing-ness that we’re plunged into that keeps the blanket over us – we all do it,” she said.

“I myself have been doing it as well. There’s no judgement there, it’s just a realisation that everyone is busy all the time and sometimes not able to take care of their own health and that’s how this system stays unchanged and keeps us so busy.”

“Let’s create a world where success is defined by health, happiness and connection to the earth. Where we are not separate from nature, but a part of it.”

Samantha Morris

FELICITY LAWLESS’ ALBUM TAILS IS OUT NOW. VISIT FELICITYLAWLESS. COM FOR DETAILS, INCLUDING UPCOMING GIGS.

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BRILLIANT BELLIGERENCE They’ve come a long way since landing a spot at Parklife 2012 as Triple J Unearthed winners, and now The Belligerents are only a few months away from releasing their debut album.

The Brisbane five-piece consisting of Lewis Stephenson, James Griffin, Konstantin Kersting, Andy Balzat and Samuel Sargent, spent the first part of 2016 locked away in a farmhouse on Stradbroke Island to write their upcoming record.

“We had sort of already done the studio thing all before, we’ve done three EPs in the past and all of them were recorded in a really nice studio so we just thought we’d do something different, something out of the box,” said Kersting.

“Through a friend of a friend we found this house on Stradbroke… so we took the gear with us to turn it into a studio and it was moreso we were in an amazing location that was different which was cool about it.”

“The main thing for us was that we wanted to stay there, and be there the whole time and wanted to have that vibe where we are all in the moment.”

In the meantime, The Belligerents released teaser track Before I Am in March and will visit the Gold Coast in May as part of their single tour around the country.

Similar to the sound fans have heard before, Kersting says the first single needed to ease people into the new sound this self-produced album will have.

“I think Before I Am is the most similar to the stuff we have put out before and that’s probably deliberate because we didn’t want to scare people off too much,” he said.

“We had worked with other producers in the past like Yanto Browning who was like my mentor because we worked in the same studio but since it’s just the five of us in the studio now, we all essentially have the same idea of what we want it to sound like.”

“It’s moreso the idea in your head of how you want the song to sound like and that sound is now coming out the way we anticipated it to and I think with the album we got 95 to 100 per cent of the way there.”

The unnamed (for now) album is expected to be released around July-August but fans will have the chance to hear some new favourites during their single tour over the next month.

As for what’s next, Kersting says The Belligerents are taking it one step at a time.

“It is all about the single tour now and after that we’ll be going into release mode for the next single around May/June before the album in July/August,” he said.

“These are all really rough dates until we fully finish the album but we’ll be going on our biggest tour after it’s release so we’ll see how we go, you never know!”

“I just think we’ve made a cool record and I hope people can connect to it because we’re all really proud of what we’ve done.”

Doris Prodanovic

THE BELLIGERENTS ARE AT ELSEWHERE 6 MAY. MORE AT ELSEWHEREBAR.COM.

MAY

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TUGUN’S HIDDEN TREASURE great tapas, cocktails & live entertainment Thursday - Sunday from 4pm 455 Golden Four Drive Tugan (behind Groove Cafe) /hiddenatgroove

Friday 20th May / 8pm / $10 Entry SUNHAUS + Special Guests Saturday 21 May / 8pm / $10 Entry AUDSOX + The Jake Fox Band + Tyson + Luatè Friday 27 May / 8pm / $10 Entry LURE + Stayclose + Chelsea Rockwells + Tesla Coils Restaurant + Bar + Gaming Serving tapas until 10pm Courtesy bus available – 5534 2322 www.currumbincreektavern.com.au

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MAT MCHUGH MAKES WAVES It has been quite the journey for Mat McHugh since he woke up one morning at the start of his last tour in pain, with a paralysed right arm.

It turned out there was a fracture and a torn disk in Mat’s neck and the doctor recommended surgery.

Mat decided against the surgery and has worked hard at healing the injury with less invasive, more natural methods to get himself back into performing.

He recently toured with The Beautiful Girls and for the first time took to the stage without a guitar, just his voice.

On 4 June McHugh returns to the Gold Coast to complete the solo tour he originally started last year. Now able to play again, Mat will bring something a little different to this tour. He’ll take to the stage as a threepiece with an acoustic and vocal’s focus, making use of live loops.

“It will be pretty raw; spiritually, mentally and physically stripped down,” said Mat. “The lyrics are the most important part and allow for a stronger bond with the crowd.”

Audiences can expect a more introspective and emotional set from Mat’s solo show. The gigs will be mostly songs off his recent release Waves but will have a wide mix of songs from Mat’s back catalogue and influences.

A strong African, reggae and dancehall influence is very apparent throughout Mat’s music.

“Reggae and African music allow you to transcend your shit,” he stated. “No matter what you’re going through there is always something celebratory, and you can use music and art to move you through the rough parts of life. To put deep, cathartic thoughts to happy, driving beats allows you to confront sadness but not wallow in it.”

The album is available for free via musicplug. com.au. And it’s not the first time Mat has offered an album for free. I asked him why he chose to give his work away.

“I get so much out of music. Making it straight commerce takes the art and spiritual balance out of it,” he explained.

“The first one was the best experience I’ve had in music. People shared because they like it. Nobody taking, just giving all around, it felt like good karma.”

Mat said he’s found it truly humbling that more people have chosen to donate to download rather than choose the free option for Waves.

He says it’s life-affirming and it creates a small independent music model that resonates with him. Choosing to cover his costs by touring rather than album sales, acknowledging the value people place on the experience of live shows, the experiences so far have paid off for Mat and he says that for as long as he is able to he will continue with this model.

In keeping with this spirit of sharing, Mat has decided not to tour with just one support artist. For the solo tour, each date will feature a local artist as support. The idea is to help people get their music out to a wider audience.

Mat explains. “It’s hard as an independent artist, with no one on your side and every little bit helps”.

Independent Gold Coast artists who’d love to connect with Mat and the audience he attracts, should get in touch and send their music! He says he’s always super interested in other people’s music and wants to support you. You can reach him through his website, matmchughmusic.com.

Erin Bourne

Mat says he doesn’t want to put more angst out into the world, rather give people something positive.

On top of the heavy dancehall-style bass lines Mat favours, run beautifully written and highly personal lyrics.

According to Mat writing can be a harrowing process, he’s turning himself inside out. With even just a quick listen you can feel this depth in the tracks on Waves.

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MAT MCHUGH IS AT SOUNDLOUNGE CURRUMBIN, 4 JUNE.

SURFERS PARADISE LIVE FEATURES CHEAP FAKES Not long back from a whirlwind eleven day tour of NZ, Cheap Fakes will soon take to the stage for one of the Gold Coast’s favourite mini-festivals.

“It was possibly the best show of the whole tour, seeing all my friends and family,” he said. “It was a good base for me.”

“We just packed as many shows as we could into that time and we definitely racked up a few miles,” Cheap Fakes frontman Hayden Andrews said of the NZ tour, which took in Napier, Auckland, Raglan, Wellington, Queenstown and more. “It was so much fun.”

Since returning, Cheap Fakes have been busy with shows around Queensland and Newcastle.

It was much like a homecoming for Andrews as they also gigged in Masterton, his home town.

“We’ve just sort of been planning our next move as a band,” Andrews said before rattling off a bunch of tours on the horizon – Japan and NZ included.

“And I guess just for the next few months, we’re really busy with lots of festivals and also planning on what we’re going to do with next album.”

He said the new album is in its very early stages of development and he’s “really excited about that.”

When I ask about their last release Modern Vintage and the response he says “well, everyone loves it,” and chuckles. “I don’t know, yeah, but it’s been going really well.”

The new album though, is going to be “vastly different?”

“It’s going to be more organic,” Andrews said.

“Going to do a lot of writing in the studio and a lot of the other boys are bringing more to the plate this time in terms of writing. Some of the stuff they’re coming up with is really really cool.”

And for Surfers Paradise Live? What’s on the cards?

“It’s just going to be party time,” Andrews said.

“It’s a really cool lineup, so I think the people of Surfers Paradise are in for something special.”

Cheap Fakes play Surfers Paradise Live which runs 6 – 8 May.

CHEAP FAKES PLAY SURFERS PARADISE LIVE WHICH RUNS 6 – 8 MAY.

VERONICA'S UNTOUCHED

The chains of pop customs have been thrown aside for The Veronicas with the band entwining a confident, layered and emotional collection of songs that gracefully showcase a new polished and bold style. Rock duo Lisa and Jess Origliasso are returning to the Gold Coast, Blank GC’s Eden Tokatly caught up with one of the identical power team, Lisa. in something you hate and speaking someone else’s words and singing someone else’s song. And that’s never going to make you feel good.

This will be your long-awaited return to the Gold Coast, do you feel your fans have changed over the years as your music has changed?

Have you previously felt like you had to fit in a certain pop or rock mould when you were doing music?

I think Jess and I have always stood our ground, I think that’s because we had each other we didn’t care what anyone said.

People will pressure you, but I don’t think we ever succumbed to that pressure because we had such a strong sense of self and we fought really hard for it. This industry is crazy and I think that’s why we’ve done it for 10 years. We are doing it for our love of music, we’re not doing it for a quick fix. We’re in a different place now but our hearts have always been in the music, we just want to get lost in the studio and create. I think its important for artists today to have a really strong sense of self before coming out because you have to battle everyone else’s’ opinion. You better know who you are and stand up for it, because before you know it you’ll be on stage dressed

They’ve definitely gotten taller - and I haven’t - we do get a lot of fans that have grown up with us. As we’ve grown, they’ve grown. They are just beautiful people, we’re so lucky they are so passionate. We are very opinionated, very outspoken about the causes we believe in. We like to promote individuality and confidence. I’m really proud of the fact that our fans have grown into humanitarians and they care, they’re compassionate and they’re empathetic. When we first got to LA, we felt really proud being Aussies waving that flag for two girls from Brisbane. Dream as big as you possibly can because you’re dreams can come

true, you never limit or doubt yourself for a second.

Having been in the industry for more than 10 years, you’ve experienced and seen a lot. What has been the highlight of your career?

It has been 10 years since we released the Secret life of Veronicas, I think part of every single day in the sense that I get to do what I love to do with my soul mate, my sister. We get to travel all over the world and the thing that makes me feel the best is hearing how the music affects people. Hearing peoples’ stories and getting to meet them and see if it’s helped them do something. We’ve literally had people come up to us and say “Your music saved my life” and to know that you can create something that means so much to someone and can help them in some ways or make them feel something, is the greatest.

Music is powerful. When I was young music was like magic, it was the very first art form in which I could discover who I am. To be a part of someone

else’s story or someone else’s identity with the music I make is the greatest achievement or compliment that I could ever get doing this.

What can we expect at your show on the Gold Coast in May? It’s going to be the ultimate Veronicas show. We might potentially play some new songs from the new record we’ve been working on and we’re definitely going to be playing some of the older songs, we will have to dig back into the archives and throw out a couple of songs that we haven’t done in a long time. It’s going to be a pretty cool show, we’re bringing out a cool band, so there’s going to be some really special moments.

THE VERONICAS HIT JUPITERS GOLD COAST, 27 MAY. VISIT JUPITERSGOLDCOAST. COM.AU. www.blankgc.com.au

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KING HITS BLUES ON BROADIE Mitch King is well known for his unique and dynamic one man band styled performances which showcase his ability to simultaneously blend vocals with electric and acoustic guitars, harmonica, kick drum and tambourine in order to create his Australian folk blues and roots sound.

This 22 year old Gold Coaster already has a list of festivals under his belt, as well as shows all over the east coast. Airplay of his debut album A Life Under The Sun has seen a great deal of positive feedback from the musical community. Mitch’s second album is already underway with exciting new ideas and

Do you find that much changes about your performance when you do play with other musicians?

I never played a gig with a whole band. I’ve never played live with anyone else. Whenever I jam with a band if I were to come down to one instrument I would be electric guitar it’s definitely my strongest area. I suppose the thing for the future is I definitely want to play with a band one day, but not until this really takes off and the point where I can get a band is easy.

I suppose not having a band makes organising rehearsal easier, ha!

I don’t actually really rehearse! It’s something that I will be doing a lot from now onwards, I have done a few rehearsals, but I never set up my gear and do it properly. I started improvising, and improvise in my sets, but now they’re much more structured and you kinda know what works now and I don’t want to change what works, but at the same time I never play the same thing the same. Sometimes I do these things in my sets and I didn’t know it would sound like that and I go “Oh My God, that’s how it’s going to be from now on”, and that’s how a lot of my songs are created, by experimenting.

So we know you’re playing a few gigs at Blues on Broadbeach, but is there anyone you’re particularly looking forward to seeing at the festival?

The people that I’ve aspired to I generally see them all the time. But for me it’s always exploring. when I go to [festivals] it’s generally never the headliner acts that I get into. I generally like the ones that catch you by surprise. I did watch Tijuana Cartel for the first time, I only caught a bit of their set but it sounded like a massive party it sounded so good How far along is the second album?

2016 has already been quite exciting for you. You’ve won the Tamworth Busking Championship and “Hottest new Act” at St Kilda Festival.

My older brother is musical and he got into it because I did.

He plays a lot of everything. He played on my album and my first CD. He used to play live with me quite a bit.

Yeah it was a great way to start the year! With Tamworth it was a judging panel and with St Kilda it was voting from the fans.

What are all the instruments you play, and what brand and style of guitars do you prefer?

What initially motivated you to attempt the one man band thing? Did it develop naturally or was it something you always aimed for?

No it just developed naturally. I had the stomp box and the harmonica and was just doing stuff and I noticed other guys who were doing it a lot better and I was like “woah, that’s how you do it.” I took a few tips while watching. .. For the one man band really it was Juzzie Smith and Kim Churchill.

Electric and acoustic guitar, harmonica, kick drum, tambourine, and sing. Didgeridoo. Anything with strings on it, banjo, mandolin, doesn’t matter. And piano - I’m not very good but if I had to perform a song on piano I could but it wouldn’t be very impressive from a piano performer’s perspective.

On stage I have my acoustic guitar and it’s just a real cheap Taylor guitar, and I’ve got an old Fender Strat, they’re just my favourite electric.

Tell me a bit about your musical background.

Do you pull John Mayer guitar faces?

I started playing guitar when I was 14 and I was really into your more Jimi Hendrix stuff, really electric guitar style, then I got into John Mayer’s blues music as well. I liked everything John Mayer did pretty much, live, so I still have a lot of that kind of side in me, it doesn’t come out live so much because it really works better when you have a band.

I did try and keep it a bit tame but I don’t worry about it now. I think when you get to [John Mayer’s] level it’s kind of a bit more accepted to pull those faces, if you were playing in a café and you were pulling those face it would be funny and embarrassing. You’re almost singing the notes.

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It’s taken a lot more time to get up and running. I’ve got about six or seven songs but it’s not polished and I’ve got a lot of ideas but I just haven’t seemed to put all the pieces together and it’s a little frustrating. I’ve been really busy and I haven’t had much time to sit down and go “Right! I’m going to write all day.” I could write heaps of songs quickly if I wanted to but if I have to keep playing them for years I want them to be a hundred and ten percent. I’m going to play most things I’ve got a lot better.

CATCH MITCH AT BLUES ON BROADBEACH THURSDAY 19 MAY AT BROADBEACH TAVERN (8.30 – 9.45PM), FRIDAY 20 MAY AT ENVY HOTEL (5.00 – 7.00PM), SATURDAY 21 MAY AT THE ARTS AND CRAFTS MARKETS (1.30 – 3.00PM) AND SUNDAY 22 MAY AT THE HOT TOMATO SPOTLIGHT STAGE (2.00 – 2.45PM).

Sunday, May 29 from 3pm, ADCO Amphitheatre

Live at Bond

bond.edu.au/karlswilliams

• L I V E AT PA R K W O O D TAV E R N •

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HELL FIRE AND HOLY WATER WON’T CHANGE KARL S. WILLIAMS Gold Coast has seen a host of its music talent migrate south recently, Stretch Crane from elsewhere, members of Tsun, Kurt from music label Strange Yonder, GC producer/ musician George Carpenter and now our very own GC guitar-wielding bandit Karl S Williams has joined the migration to the cold depths of Australia.

While this is the norm for most musically-talented people looking to expand their career, it still doesn’t take the bitter sting out of seeing our local talent leave. It kind of feels like a relationship break up, you know it’s run its course but you don’t want to let go, even though you both know it’s for the best.

And having heard Karl sing solo without backing music I can tell you it is spine tingling, time travelling stuff. I tell him I think this is a brilliant idea and to hurry up already.

Although he remains mysterious about exactly what to expect at his upcoming headlining Bond University gig, there will definitely be a full band. Minus George Carpenter (his organ player) of course. He’s buggered off to Melbourne already.

So can we expect our usual guitar-slinging, banjo-wielding freak with a penchant for hell fire, at Bond University, I venture?

I caught up with Karl while he was in the middle of moving from GC to Melbourne and asked why (with tears in my eyes) he was leaving?

“If anything, there’s gonna be more hell fire! I don’t feel like I have any kind of identity crisis going on that’s for sure,” he said.

Not surprisingly it’s been on the his mind for awhile and because of Melbourne’s reputation as a magical, musical melting pot and the promise of recording a new album with some well-known producers the timing seemed right.

I breathe a sigh of relief. I get the feeling that although KSW has left our golden shores, his heart and heavenly salvation will always be here on the Gold Coast.

When the “perfect” gig with Mia Dyson and Jess Ribeiro came up, it saw Karl S Williams packing up his belongings and heading off.

I asked how the show went with both these crazy talented ladies. Always humble, Karl reckons it was good because another amazing female artist Liz Stringer (who played keys for Dyson) recognised him from his support slot at the Waifs gig on the GC. “It was great to arrive, play the show and immediately connect with those people straight away who are the cream of Australian blues music,” Karl told me.

I ask if he’s feeling like the Gold Coast isn’t doing it for him creatively but he assures me this is not the case.

“I don’t feel I’m seeking inspiration but I know doing the album in Melbourne and the change of scene will be reflected in my songs and performance,” he said. “But the main reason is because of the feeling I need to be restless and seek new pastures.”

KSW reckons that in an ideal world he would play shows around the release of an album and then come home to play shows locally and write songs in familiar territory. I like that idea because it kinda felt like he was leaving me for another woman. I really must not take this so personally.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard any new material since Heartland was released in 2014 and I asked Karl if he prefers releasing albums over singles or EPs. “An album is my preference. An EP is still a lot of work and it’s easy to get overlooked and possibly not taken seriously whereas an album is a unit,” he said, “but I do have ideas about making an a Capella, spiritual EP.”

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GOLD COAST MUSIC AWARDS’ 2015 ARTIST OF THE YEAR, KARL S WILLIAMS PLAYS LIVE AT BOND ON 29 MAY WITH DEENA IN SUPPORT.

UNDER THE RADAR AT SURFERS PARADISE LIVE Pictured: Benny D Williams

Wanna check out some of the hottest Gold Coast talent at Surfers Paradise Live? The event runs Friday 6 – Sunday 8 May through venues and public spaces in Surfers Paradise.

Here’s our editor’s top picks for Gold Coast music in the program.

Little Georgia Gold Coast songstress Ashleigh Mannix did something amazing when she teamed up with California-raised Justin Carter. Their new album Bootleg (which is available on vinyl as well as other formats) is nothing short of award-winning stuff. Launching at 2015 Tamworth Country Music Festival and since touring Australia and the USA, they’re piqued serious interest from music lovers and the music industry for good reason. They’re on the Cavill Stage, Sunday 8 May from 12 noon – 12.45pm.

The Lamplights Most Gold Coasters will already feel like The Lamplights are an old musical friend. Lead by one of Australia’s most charismatic front men, Ryan Gittoes,

The Lamplights play music with pure, raw talent. Their chemistry on stage is obvious, and the four-piece band includes Australia’s current Fingerpicking Guitar Champion Jason McGregor. Check ‘em out on the Cavill Stage, Sunday 8 may from 2.00 – 3.00pm.

Benny D Williams Widely acclaimed as one of the most talented performers and hard-working acts in South East Queensland, Benny transcends time and genre through commanding beautiful acoustic harmonies and rhythm and using multiple instruments and technology to transform his solo act into the sound of a psychedelic blues band. He’s at the Cavill Stage, Friday 6 May at 7.00pm.

Cheap Fakes Six-piece, dapper darlings, Cheap Fakes, back from NZ and eager to please festival crowds. These guys are festival favourites for a reason. If you’re not tapping toes and swaying hips you need your pulse taken. They’re opening proceedings at the Main Stage on Sunday 8 May from 11.00am to midday.

The Waves Previously known as The Full Stops, this totally GC outfit plays a bunch of blues tribute songs and the odd original track.

They’re regulars at Blues on Broadbeach and feature a surprising mix of Council staffers and even a Councillor. You’ll have to check them out to find out more. They’re opening the Cavill Stage on Saturday 7 May, 11.00am.

Murray Bennett, the book's author, is a graphic designer by trade, and his love of seminal underground Australian music and the art form of the 7 inch record sleeves in which this music was housed shines through across the glossy pages of Product 45.

From chatting further with Murray I learnt a few interesting facts about the genesis of the book and the future evolution of the project:

PRODUCT 45: AUSTRALIAN PUNK/POST-PUNK RECORD COVERS The reverberation of the dawning of punk rock across the globe, from the streets of London and New York through to the inner city enclaves of Australia, delivered not only a musical revolution but also a shift in the way that records and the sleeves in which they were housed could be created, presented and marketed.

The 45rpm or 7 inch vinyl single was a short, sharp statement of musical intent that was perfect for the burgeoning punk and indie ethos of the mid 70s, and the creativity and DIY spirit inherent in the grooves of the vinyl filtered through to the way these records were packaged and distributed. Free of the constraints of record company expectations and stipulations, genuine creativity and unique artistic visions were borne and delivered directly from the musicians and artists to the fans who went to the shows or replied to the ads in the music press.

With no budget or art department doctrines dictating the end product, bands took matters into their own hands in putting out spectacularly creative record sleeves, often hand made and produced in small quantities.

Product 45: Australian Punk/Post-Punk Record Covers is a robust, hard back art book which functions as a loving homage to the art of the 7 inch record sleeve within the realm of underground Australian music from the years 1976 - 1980.

In addition to serving as a pictorial representation of the DIY sleeve artwork of this particular period in Australian musical history, Product 45 also provides an insight into the indie musical zeitgeist of the time from a cultural and historical perspective via a series of insightful chats and interviews with musicians, artists, industry players and records collectors.

As well as providing access to record covers from their own personal collections, contributors of the calibre of Kim Salmon (The Scientists), Dave Faulkner (The Victims, Hoodoo Gurus) Warwick Gilbert (Radio Birdman) and Reg Mombassa (Mental As Anything) also talk about their own personal journeys into music and record collecting, as well as the stories behind the creation of the sleeve artwork.

There's some amazing record sleeve artwork to admire within the book's 400 plus pages, from the earliest cover art of seminal bands such as The Go Betweens and their legendary Able Label singles through to completely obscure contributions from mysterious inner city artists who went by names such as The Dead Livers.

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•

it took two and a half years to put the book together

•

scanning the record covers featured throughout the book took a hell of a lot of time!

•

Murray owns quite a few of the records in the book but no one person owns them all, so he relied on the good grace of a multitude of contributors who lent him their record covers to bring the final product to fruition

Perhaps the most exciting discovery from my chat with Murray is that there are a further two volumes of Product 45 in the pipeline, to cover off 7 inch vinyl artwork for the periods 1981 - 1985 and 1986 - 1990. Certainly a reason for Australian music aficionados to rejoice!

"When I started the project I thought, ok I'll focus on a 15 year time period which I should be able to represent in a book of around 200 pages,” Murray told Blank GC. “Well that was very ignorant, as once I started it I quickly realised that it was going to be much more than just one book!"

CHILLED TROPICAL BEATS, FRESH COCKTAILS & TAPAS THE PERFECT SUNDAY ESCAPE. TROPICAL SUNDAYS AT CHAPTER & VERSE LAUNCHING APRIL 3 - FROM 2PM EVERY SUNDAY

"There are three distinct things that occurred within our culture relative to this music that divides the books up, and with the first volume it's about that do it yourself attitude.

The big record companies weren't representing this musical revolution and us young people were going to see these bands and we wanted to buy their music. So the bands pressed up their own singles and sold them at the gigs," he said.

Murray goes on to describe how volumes two and three chart the rise of the Australian independent record labels and the spread of the inner city bands featured in the first volume out into the suburbs. The subsequent takeover of the independents by the major labels and the infiltration of new laws in clubs and pubs around alcohol and patron restrictions followed. Upon future release of the third volume in the series Murray is keen to put on an exhibition featuring record cover art, poster art and photos of the bands playing live.

Since it's release in December 2015, Product 45 has captured the attention of literary and musical taste makers at a world wide level, managing to score a silver medal in the Performing Arts category of the 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards, an achievement that Murray is obviously chuffed about.

"Winning awards doesn't make you any money, but it's nice to get the acknowledgement. Art books are high-end books and a lot of time and effort goes into the design and production of them. I designed this book for the international art book market and to get that recognition is just incredible!"

Another great aspect of the book is that it's designed in such a way that it can be opened and digested randomly as opposed to needing to read it chronologically from cover to cover.

My personal recommendation is to find yourself a nice comfy spot, set yourself up with your tipple of choice, put on a record and flick open the book randomly and go from there… a journey of boundless joy and discovery awaits.

Perfect for whiling away the time until volumes two and three become available!

Anthony Gebhardt

PRODUCT 45 IS AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD BOOK STORES AND VIA

#CHAPTERANDVERSE S U R F E R S PA R A D I S E M A R R I OT T R E S O R T & S PA 1 5 8 F E R N Y AV E , S U R F E R S PA R A D I S E 5592 9800

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COMING HOME WITH JUZZIE SMITH Nicest man in the world Juzzie Smith is a largely self-taught musician with a great feel for the blues and nature. He started playing harmonica at the age of thirteen, and by 23 had twice won the coveted Golden Harmonica. Thirteen years ago, he made the brave choice to quit paid nighttime gigs in favour of busking, a decision he has never regretted.

2016 has seen Juzzie have songs in the Blues charts all over the world with his one-man band sound, and the launch of his new album Rise and Shine will see him undertake the largest international tour of his career. Natalie O’Driscoll spoke with him before he hits the stages at Gold Coast’s blues stalwart, Blues on Broadbeach.

At thirteen years of age, Juzzie heard the harmonica for the first time in a jeans commercial.

interested in whether or not he lays down all his musical tracks one by one, when he’s normally so used to multi-tasking.

“The sounds of the blues!” he reminisces. “I thought it was really cool.”

“For quality of sound I’ll have a structure and do instrument by instrument, for the best sound. [With my song] Superhero, I just put microphones all around me and played and recorded and saw what happened. Yeah I think I would try that again. That way you can be very creative and spontaneous like playing live - you’re constantly learning new things and experimenting. With a one man band there’s so many different things you can do. You wanna bring it down, you can bring it down.”

Picking up the harmonica himself, he became quickly enamoured with all things blues, and keen to learn more instruments.

“My brother played some guitar, he taught me the basics when I was 13 as well, and I just found myself a great teacher in Canberra where I was brought up.”

I’m curious about how and why Juzzie went from the relative security of playing paid gigs with a band into his solo one man band busking career.

“It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he declares.

“I feel that it’s much more lovely to connect to people in the daytime, playing in the fresh air, like today in the Eumundi markets. It’s more people and it’s families too. Eating healthy food and drinking cuppas. It’s a different feel.”

One of Juzzie’s many musical talents is the ability to produce two notes vocally at the same time – effectively self-harmonising. It’s called harmonic singing or overtone singing, and generally requires some teaching of technique. Ever humble, he shrugs off any suggestion of possessing an especial talent.

“I fell in love with the sound, and when I like something I just work out how to do it, and practice it. It’s a great thing to do especially while you’re driving. The thing that amazed me was the first time I could move the harmonic to make a melody to have two voices happening at once, to be able to apply that to playing guitar at the same time! It was whole new interesting sound you could create.”

We discuss the way in which he records his one man band sound. I am particularly 20

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Juzzie is such a natural musician, I can’t help but wonder what he would be doing if he wasn’t carving a career out of music. Given the rest of our conversation, his answer is unsurprising.

“I really love gardening,” he explains.

“I do that when I’m not playing music, it makes me feel connected. I‘ve got seven chickens and a lovely veggie garden. I love coming home.”

However before you can come home, you have to go away. And Juzzie will be doing a fair bit of that in coming months. Following his stint at Blues on Broadbeach in May, he’s heading off overseas to tour Rise and Shine.

JUZZIE SMITH WILL BE PLAYING A BUNCH OF GIGS AT BLUES ON BROADBEACH IN MAY. SATURDAY 21 MAY AT THE ART AND CRAFT MARKET STAGE (8.30AM – 10.30AM) AND THEN AT PACIFIC FAIR (12 NOON – 2.00PM). THEN SUNDAY 22 MAY AT HOT TOMATO SPOTLIGHT STAGE (10.00AM – 10.45AM) AND PACIFIC FAIR (12 NOON – 2.00PM).

“I’m going to Europe in July which should be fun. France, Switzerland and UK, festivals invited me. [It’s] going to be awesome.”

It’s this spontaneity which really resonates with the crowds who flock to see Juzzie.

“It’s nice to really feel the audience and connect with them,” he states.

“There are a lot that come from everywhere who come if I’m doing a show or playing the markets.”

It’s not just a local following who come to see Juzzie play. A YouTube video of him jamming in Edinburgh went viral, gaining him an international following. Juzzie describes this incredible feat as though he’s telling me how he brushes his teeth in the morning.

“I had a viral YouTube video that went to 80 million people and that led me to go to No 1 on iTunes in Canada and also in the top ten in the UK and it just went all around the world. And it’s on a TV commercial in America at the moment.” No biggie, huh?

“A lot of people come from overseas and they track me down. Germany and New Zealand, a couple from Switzerland. It’s really lovely.

They know my music already without having met me. Digital has has been amazing… [it] makes the world really small when you’re a musician. I’m independent, I really like it cause you can just be yourself and take control of it.”

8pm saturDaY 4 June 2016

Jupiters theatre

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SEEDING MORE THAN JUST AWESOME MUSIC SEED is a Gold Coast music program that brings the best of Queensland Conservatorium’s Bachelor of Popular Music to the ears of people who need to hear it. And by that, I mean YOU. And now, by partnering with our friends at NightQuarter, SEED will bring some of its best artists to the stage as they launch the SEED Volume 5 album.

The launch night happens on Friday 20 May and features electronic producer Keelan Mak, blues looping legend Benny D Williams, country darling Mikayla J and infectious surf-pop outfit Twelve Past Midnight. And this year, SEED Volume 5 can be downloaded for free via Bandcamp –seedseries.bandcamp.com/. Then every Friday until 24 June other SEED artists will get the chance to strut their stuff at NightQuarter.

Who made it onto the album?

Deep Inside // ANGUS OASTLER. Written

by Angus Oastler, Ricky Collins, Tiarni Nichols, Brendan Huxley and Fletcher Babb. Produced by Fletcher Babb. Mixed

by Caleb James. Mastered by Brendan Anthony.

Influenced by Rufus Wainwright, Ryan Adams and Justin Townes Earle, Angus Oastler is an alternative folk singersongwriter based on the Gold Coast. Angus’ love of different genres is conveyed through his use of intriguing textures and grooves.

Picking up on grunge music, alternative rock and metal bands, while never quite grasping the whole teen angst thing, it was inevitable that it would be incorporated into his writing and the way he played. With a unique perspective and thought-provoking lyrics,

Angus' songs will bring life to your lungs and a sense of calmness to your mind.

Known for his unique "junkyard soul", beatboxing grooves and looping prowess, Benny weaves a psychedelic tapestry of soul, blues, roots and trip-funk. His performances redefine the modern solo performer enthralling and captivating the audience as he effortlessly switches between instruments and genres. This is one man... and his sound is infinite.

Bittersweet // JAKE FOX. Written by Jake Fox. Produced by Niall McDicken. Mixed and Mastered by Brendan Anthony

Blue // ATHENA JOY. Written by Hannah Joy, Jacob Smith, Shoota Tanahashi and Tommy Sheehan. Produced and Mixed by Anthony Lycenko Athena is the Goddess of reason, craft, intelligence, wisdom, strength and war.

ATHENA JOY uses this as inspiration for her music in order to create memorable melodies with identifiable, humbling and sometimes quirky lyrics, ultimately communicating a strong alternative pop sound. At 20 years of age this Gold Coast artist writes music from the heart, set out to sonically and lyrically capture the emotions behind it. Often compared to the likes of Florence and The Machine, Lana del Rey and early MS MR, her music has been described as ‘hauntingly beautiful’ by AAA Backstage and already earned her a Queensland Music Award nomination for her second single.

An adventurer, surfer and lover of nature and inspired by the works of Paul Dempsey, Pete Murray and Ben Harper, Jake Fox’s music is a fusion of roots, reggae, jazz and psychedelic rock. In 2015, Jake performed in the Philippines, United Arab Emirates and Northern Europe where he gained international recognition for his original work. Passionate about philanthropy, Jake has played at numerous charity events and donated to groups such as Sea Shepherd, Healing Hooves and Toms, The Surf Rider Foundation and One for One Project.

Faded // AUSTEN. Written by AUSTEN (Miranda Ward). Produced by Vespyro (Lachlan Bambach). Mixed by Peet Gardner. Mastered by Ben Feggans

KEELAN MAK. Written and Produced

by Keelan McCoy. Engineered by Niall McDicken. Mixed by Caleb James.

Mastered by Matthew Gray

Come with AUSTEN on a trip through cosmic RnB, pop and electronica… Having recently lent her ethereal voice to showcases for BIGSOUND and the Gold Coast Indie Film & TV Network, AUSTEN’s signature sound combines tight electronic production with atmospheric layers and songwriting that soars. With her debut single Faded clocking over 150,000 Spotify plays just weeks after its release, her captivating sound has already graced the Triple J airwaves, garnering attention from Aussie tastemakers Pilerats and being featured at SXSW thanks to Sounds Australia. AUSTEN’s live show is a sultry blend of spacious dance vibes and sophisticated electro-pop, with an infectious live energy that’s sure to fill the dance floor.

There’s a dark and light to Keelan Mak’s music: a push and pull between melancholy and enlightenment. It breaks through into a dark and haunting place, an ethereal dreamscape, where song is melded with consciousness in his fragile form of expression. The smooth velvet of Mak’s voice pushes through his rich production in an inviting manner, as we fall down the rabbit hole and into his imagination.

Whole Night Long // BENNY D WILLIAMS. Written by Benjamin Daniel Williams. Mixed by Caleb James. Mastered

by Brendan Anthony Widely recognised as one of the most hardworking acts in South East Queensland, Benny D Williams is a born entertainer.

Fly Away // KIRSTY ABRAHAMS. Written by Kirsty Abrahams. Produced, Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Jared Adlam.

From a young age, it was clear that Kirsty Abrahams had a passion for performing.

For seven years, she learnt ballet, jazz, tapdance, hip-hop and street-funk dancing at the Hillsong Performing Arts Academy in Sydney. When she moved to the Gold Coast, she picked up a guitar for the first time and soon enough, dancing took a backseat to her passion for spreading joy through music.

Can’t Tame Me // MIKAYLA J. Written

by Mikayla Birthisel, Jared Adlam, Caleb James and Brendan Huxley. Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Jared Adlam.

Mastered by Paul Blakey Raised in small regional mining towns across Queensland, Mikayla J was spoonfed Australian country music from a young age, including music by Troy Cassar-Daley, Kasey Chambers and Lee Kernaghan. Her desire to connect and communicate through honest storytelling has already taken her music to Nashville, The Desert Harmony Festival in the Northern Territory and all the way to Papua New Guinea. Mikayla J has shared stages with a long list of country music royalty including Warren H. Williams, Catherine Britt, Graeme Connors, Melinda Schneider, Adam Harvey and Neill Murray.

Most recently Mikayla travelled to Uluru to work alongside the Jimmy Little Foundation and perform and learn from the Mutitjulu community.

PIRATES OF THE TEMPEST. Written and Co-produced by Gabrielle Lambe.

Engineered and Co-produced by Niall McDicken Drawing inspiration from the likes of Jeff Buckley, Hiatus Kaiyote and Jaala, Pirates of the Tempest is a three-piece band known for rocking out smooth and funky tunes. Dreamy, groovy, jazzy - this band will hypnotise your soul. Originally a solo project, Gabrielle Lambe was soon joined by drummer Sarah Mills and bassist Jedd Wolters to form the formidable trio they are today.

Surfin’ // TWELVE PAST MIDNIGHT. Written by Jordan Pineda, Aidan Salvador, Cayden Scott, Ryan Brook and Alex Cremin. Produced, Engineered and Mixed

by Jared Adlam. Mastered by Paul Blakey Blending blues, rock and reggae, Twelve Past Midnight is the ultimate summer soundtrack, quickly becoming known for standout performances at venues like QPAC, The Arts Centre Gold Coast and NightQuarter. Drawing inspiration from John Mayer, The 1975 and Allen Stone, the Gold Coast based four-piece band are comprised of Queensland Music Award finalist Jordan Pineda (lead vocals), Ryan Brook (lead electric guitar), Alex Cremin (bass guitar) and Aidan Salvador (drums).

SEED SHOWCASES TAKE PLACE AT NIGHTQUARTER EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT FROM 20 MAY – 24 JUNE 2016.

DOWNLOAD THE ALBUM AT SEEDSERIES.BANDCAMP.COM.

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LIVE AT JUPITERS THEATRE

FRIDAY 27 MAY, 2016 TICKETS $76 * jupitersgoldcoast.com.au

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Image: Lamp Photography

TRUE WANDERLUST FOR ELLA FENCE Things keep going from strength to strength for beloved Gold Coast songstress Ella Fence, as she returns from a successful recording trip in the UK, only to hit a stage at Bluesfest 2016 and land a coveted role in La Boite Theatre’s Snow White.

As Natalie O’Driscoll speaks to the songstress, she’s about to fly the coop for Canadian Music Week with a side-trip to Nashville and more.

Congratulations on playing Bluesfest 2016! Tell us a bit about your experience...

Thank you - what a crazy experience that was. The performance was so much fun and so rewarding to play at a festival that is so highly regarded internationally. What was particularly awesome though, was just wandering round the festival after our set and watching so many incredible bands and artists - I left feeling SO inspired to perform and songwrite. We actually ran into Mike Love and his band after their set in the audience for Hiatus Kaiyote. My drummer Sarah spotted them and connected with them - it's little accidental encounters like that that are so special and always happen when you least expect!

We LOVED hearing Unknown Water in the Bleach* promo video, it was the perfect soundtrack. How did that come about, and how did you feel about it being chosen?

Thank you! It felt great having the song chosen. The team at Bleach* contacted me in the lead up offering the opportunity, which was a huge compliment. I love how the festival encompasses every area of the Gold Coast and I was really happy to be involved in that as I wrote Unknown Water on the coast, even though I recorded it in Brighton UK. It was the leading single off my debut EP and very much my first big statement as an artist.

will be fantastic, as we're showcasing at Canadian Music Week (CMW). CMW is a music showcase and conference, similar to BIGSOUND in Brisbane, so we'll be learning from and networking with industry delegates and other artists as well as performing.

We've also got shows in London and then in Brighton to perform on an alternative lineup at The Great Escape Festival. The time spent in the USA will mostly be networking and songwriting. I'm hoping to collaborate with some local musicians in these areas to continue planting musical seeds in other countries.

Can you give us an idea of what to expect from your recent recordings in England?

When will we get to hear your new stuff?

I've been cast as Snow White in the La Boite, Opera Queensland, Brisbane Festival collaboration. It's a very dark, very twisted version, which is super exciting. That's in September, so I'm planning a release for later in the year after that wraps up, followed by some more travel and touring on the back of it. That's all a bit hush hush at the moment though!

2015 was massive for you. You released Wanderlust to positive acclaim, toured it, and signed with Phil Pickett of Rugged Management in the UK. How do you plan to top that in 2016?

It's early days but what do you think about the Snow White production so far? What appeals to you about the role?

2016 is proving to be a huge year already, myself and my drummer Sarah are heading to LA, Nashville, New York, Toronto, London and Brighton all to perform, network and record music. Toronto in particular

When I first met the team from La Boite, it was at an Ella Fence show, and they saw

MATTY ROGERS’ MUSICAL ROOTS RUN DEEP Matty Rogers comes from a pretty strong musical lineage. His dad is Wayne Rogers, best known for being a member of The Tornadoes – known to be the longest running working band in the world. He’s been on Countdown, recorded with Liberty – in the same studio on the same day as when TNT was recorded by AC/DC, and supported bands like Cold Chisel.

What’s cool about Wayne’s role with The Tornadoes, Matty says, is that it was that band that inspired him to play music in the first place.

He was 17, watching the band that he’s now a member of.

Matty tells me that the thing he admires most about his dad, though is his work ethic.

“He had a day job his entire life,” he boasted.

“That’s given me my work ethic.”

Matty has been a full-time musician for two years now. Is his dad stoked?

“Oh yeah, he’s stoked.”

“I slept on top of a ‘72 Strat most of my life,” Matty said. One day he was at a gig and I rang him and said, can I play guitar, and he said I’ve been waiting for you to ask. He never pushed it on me at all.”

“One night I got called to do a gig as someone had pulled out sick at the last minute and I rang and told him I’d scored my first gig at the pub.

And that first gig, I was filling in for him. He was crook.”

Matty reminisces about other gigs, playing in bakeries and getting paid in sausage rolls, then a pizzeria. Then pubs. Lots of pubs. And he’s proud that he’s played originals most of the time. He left Victoria when he was 19, lived at Airlie Beach, worked on yachts as a deckhand. Live in Darwin.

Worked as a tiler. Spent two years in South Australia teaching music and youth programs in Aboriginal communities Now at just 32 years old, he’s already been gigging for 15 years. Of his full-time career choice he said “I just had to bite the bullet.”

“I was getting too many gigs. It was really confronting and scary at first – thinking, am I going to have regular money, but I’ve never been so busy in all my life.”

His first album Soul Fire sold over 3000 copies and his new EP – soon to be released – has been supported by a benefactor who loves his music. That support enabled him to invest a lot of time into the recording process.

“It really enabled me to do this EP at a time where having a baby and building a house might have been tricky,” he said.

“I really try hard to write about issues that we all go through – because that’s why I play music in public – to make people feel like they’re not alone in day to day issues they might be having. It’s all about unity and being real. This new EP, Stuart (Stuart) heard it and when I had an interview with him – he said ‘let’s kind of shoot for the stars’.”

Matty said thehe idea was to reach out and get some soul into commercial and mainstream radio.

crossovers in my stage show and what they were looking for for the Snow White character.

What I'm most excited about is the professional development I will achieve by taking on the role - looking at my performance and stage show holistically and working on elements of dance, theatre, voice, movement - even acrobatics and martial arts!

What do you have planned between now and September when the show starts? Where and when can your fans catch you?

I'll be overseas until early June, so if anyone is travelling through the US, Canada or UK - hit us up! Otherwise, we'll be back on the Gold Coast for some Ella Fence loving soon. I've been collaborating with some great guys in Brisbane - VRS.US and Steve Thornely, so we may have something out soon too... stay tuned! As well as preparing for the role of Snow White in the two months between when we get back and the show, I am also planning to go into songwriting hiatus. Will probably go unplugged for a while and just focus on being in a creative space.

“I’ve got this great location,” he said. “TAFE in Coomera. They’ve got this awesome theatre with perfect lighting. I did a film clip in there. It can seat 200 people, they’ve got a licence for alcohol and can do food and all of that kind of thing. After that, hopefully it’ll open the flood gats for other musicians to hold shows there.”

While there’s no set date for the release, Matty says he has his sights set firmly on radio play.

“And then getting into the festival scene.”

Samantha Morris

MATTY ROGERS HAS A HEAP OF GIGS IN COMING MONTHS. CHECK BLANKGC.COM.AU/ GOLDCOASTGIGGUIDE FOR ALL THE DATES.

The EP will be released in the next two months and Matty is planning a launch show in what might seem an unlikely venue.

www.blankgc.com.au

23

After-party hosted by Hard Rock Cafe featuring Benny D Williams + DJ. Free Welcome Cocktail for GCMA ticket-holders

PRESENTED BY

PRESENTING PARTNER

AWARD CATEGORY SPONSORS

PREMIER PARTNER

APRIL

THURSDAY 28 APRIL

Richie Ramone | Great Northern, Byron Bay

GOLD COAST GIG GUIDE

Electro swing night, featuring TJ Kemp | Byron Bay Brewery

FRIDAY 29 APRIL Stav and the Dark + The Midnight Project + Salt and Steel + The Midnight Project | Currumbin Creek Tavern (upstairs) Kenny Slide | Burleigh Brewing Co. Devil’s Kiosk + Sarah Frank | NightQuarter, Helensvale Jax Haze (8.00pm) | Hard Rock Cafe, Surfers Benny D Williams | Kingscliff Beach Hotel Yes Sir Noceur | elsewhere, Surfers Paradise Kenny Slide | Burleigh Brewing Co. PLATFORM, original music showcase: Timber Bones + Wren Klauf + Killer Trunk Hunks + Not Lenny + DJ Shwado + Deltora Quest DJs, from 7.30pm | Southport Sharks AKoVA | Miami Marketta Kenta Hayashi | Mandala Organic Arts Cafe, Mermaid Beach SS. Sebastian (single launch) | The Loft, Chevron Island Mapstone with Mark Ridout and The Rhythm | Dust Temple, Currumbin, 7.00pm, $15.

Fergo & The Burden | Byron Bay Brewery FRIDAY 29 – SATURDAY 30 APRIL Nimbin Mardi Grass: Freowin Harper + Jolanda Moyle + Sarah Stando + Sill Massey + Smiles & Ink + Beetle Juice + SakrewskiSymons SuperMegaRad Quintet + HRBRT + Out of Range + Baltic Bar Mitzvah + Azadoota + The Moochers Inc + Sonic Bliss + Coast & Ocean + Doug & Biskit + Dave Barbara + Drift + Chiggz + Reilly Fitzalan + The Antibodies + Unsupervised + Minus One + Neil Pyke & Pagan Love Cult | Phoenix Rising Cafe and Bush Theatre, Nimbin

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SATURDAY 30 APRIL Dangerous Dan [the Bang Gang Deejays] | elsewhere Jason McGregor | Helensvale Farmers’ Markets (8.00am) Millencolin + Skinwalkers | Cooly Hotel GLOW Festival: Cheap Fakes + Crown the Humble + Benny D Williams + LS Philosophy + Aquila Young + Jackson James Smith | The Arts Centre Gold Coast, cultural precinct and lake Keelan Mac + Bud Rokesky + The Altais + The James Street Preachers | NightQuarter, Helensvale Bullhorn + CC The Cat | Nimbin Mardi Grass (Bush Theatre Cafe Babaganouj + Good Boy | Miami Shark Bar Chris Berry + Spankinhide | Byron Bay Brewery Tokyo beef + Forbidden Planet + Black Rainbow + CUD | Lonestar Tavern Reggae Palace: Hayes + Brooke Lambert | Currumbin Creek Tavern The Jacqui Walker Band | Southport Sharks Sean Fitzgerald’s East of Eden | Boardriders Coolangatta Mettaphor Sweet Jazz | Miami Marketta Reilly Fitzalan (2.00pm) + Geoff Turnbull (7pm) | Sheoak Shack, Fingal Benny D Williams (6.30 – 8.30pm) | Genki Cafe

MAY

The Titanix (covers) 2.30pm – 5.30pm | Tugun SLSC Benny D Williams | Iron and Resin Garage (9.00am) The Floyd Family Breakdown (3.00pm) | Deck Acoustics, Currumbin RSL

Lincoln Hillard | Burleigh Brewing Co. Kiara Jack | JR’s Smokehouse, Sunhouse Coolangatta Sounds of Sunday: Transvaal Diamond Syndicate + The Swamps + {trick Rowe + DJs | Broadbeach Tavern Festival of the Stone: Dusty Boots + Matt Armitage + Aquila Young | Miami Surf Lifesaving Club

SEED Presents: Twelve Past Midnight + Sarah Frank | Rack It, Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley The Drones | The Northern, Byron Bay

MONDAY 2 MAY

Matty Rogers | Coolangatta Sands Hotel

Open mic night | Lonestar Tavern

Crown The Humble + Hot Potato Band | NightQuarter, Helensvale

THURSDAY 5 MAY

Kellie Knight & The Daze | Miami Marketta

Thirsty Merc + Tequila Mockingbyrd | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Fiesta de la Musica: The Best of Brass | The Arts Centre Gold Coast Matty Rogers | Chinderah Tavern Fiesta de la Musica: The Best of Brass | The Arts Centre Gold Coast

Nick Walaki (2pm) | Sheoak Shack, Fingal Gold Coast Music Festival: Matty Rogers (4.00 – 7.00pm) | The Avenue, Surfers Paradise The Anchormen and Miss T (covers) | Southport Sharks

SUNDAY 8 MAY FRIDAY 6 MAY PEACH FUR + Lotus Ship + Deja Vudu + Stone Witches | Currumbin Creek Tavern The Lamplights | Burleigh Brewing Co. Andy Jans-Brown & Coz*Mic | Southport Sharks Crown The Humble | Vintage Velvet The Belligerents + Edward Thatch & The Salvage + Ivey | elsewhere, Surfers Paradise Hot Potato Band | Miami Marketta Chun Tata Mexi Grooves | Hard Rock Cafe Krista Polvere + Nick Trovas Band + Gabrielle Lamb | NightQuarter, Helensvale Matty Rogers | Chinderah Tavern (6.30 – 9.30pm)

SUNDAY 1 MAY Joshy Dredz | Cambus Wallace

SATURDAY 7 MAY

FRIDAY 6 MAY – SUNDAY 8 MAY Surfers Paradise Live: Choirboys + Thirsty Merc + Anthony Callea + Harrison Craig + Little Sea + In Stereo + Mahalia Simpson + Hot Potato Band + Busy Kingdom + Little Georgia + Jordan Millar + The Lamplights + Nicole Skye + Benny D Williams + The Fullstops + Izania + Fat Picnic + The Reversals + Mercury Sun + Wasted Wanderers + Cheap Fakes

The Cat Empire + Pierce Brothers | NightQuarter, Helensvale (ticketed event) Bob Moses (live) | elsewhere Matty Armytage | JR’s Smokehouse, Sunhouse Coolangatta Benny D Williams | House of Brews (2.00pm) Nina Ward | Burleigh Brewing Co. Felicity Lawless (3.00pm) | Deck Acoustics, Currumbin RSL

MONDAY 9 MAY Open mic night | Lonestar Tavern

WEDNESDAY 11 MAY Hard Rock Rising Band Competition: Yes Sir Noceur + Tokyo Beef + Nowhere Else | Hard Rock Cafe

THURSDAY 12 MAY Kenny Slide | Pacific Fair (4.00 – 7.00pm)

FRIDAY 13 – SUNDAY 15 MAY SEED in the City (as part of City Sounds): Aquila Young + Sarah Frank + Cadence + AUSTEN + Phoebe Sinclair + Angus Oastler + more | Queen Street Mall

FRIDAY 13 MAY LOVE CANNONS + The Maslows + Blaire + Dylan Leigh Davis | Currumbin Creek Tavern Thriller party: Peach Fur + Crown The Humble + Timber Bones + High Tide + DJ Skylerk | Miami Shark Bar Tim Fuchs + Audun | elsewhere Mitch King + Mojo Webb (solo) + Dezzie D and the Stingray | NightQuarter, Helensvale Benny D Williams | Boardriders Coolangatta (6.00 – 8.00pm) Conchillia | Miami Marketta Jethro Andrews | Hard Rock Cafe Waxhead (single launch) | Woody’s Surf Shack, Byron Bay Chisel Revised (Cold Chisel tribute band) | Southport Sharks Sacred Earth | Tallebudgera Community Centre

SATURDAY 14 MAY Tin Pan Orange | Mullum Civic Hall Super Kawaii Matsuri (Super Cute Japanese Festival), supporting Pray For Japan | NightQuarter, Helensvale B.B Factory | Miami Marketta Dusty Boots + Pat Capocci + The Badlands for Festival of Stone, Stone & Wood Brewery, Byron Bay Matty Rogers | Coolangatta Sands Hotel Tomorrow People + JSQZE + DJ J-Tok + MC Loudmouth Len | Parkwood Tavern AKoVA | Mandala Organic Arts Cafe, Mermaid Beach Wally & The Gators (covers) | Southport Sharks Stephen Lovelight (2pm) + Skankstarz (7pm) | Sheoak Shack, Fingal

Jason McGregor (2.00 – 6.00pm) | New York, New York

Diesel + Shaun Kirk | Jupiters Theatre, for Blues on Broadbeach

Broadbeach arts and craft markets, Kurrawa Park

Benny D Williams | JR’s Smokehouse, Sunhouse Coolangatta

Katey Aspley | Hard Rock Cafe

Big Daddy Wilson | Sofitel Gold Coast, Room 81

Zed Butel (3.00pm) | Deck Acoustics, Currumbin RSL

WEDNESDAY 18 MAY Hard Rock Rising Band Competition: Versus Fate + Dead Hand Blues + Chelsea Rockwells | Hard Rock Cafe

THURSDAY 19 – SUNDAY 22 MAY Blues on Broadbeach: Eric Burdon and the Animals + Diesel + Cookin’ on 3 Burners with Tex Perkins and Stella Angelico + The Bamboos + Big Daddy Wilson + Felicity Lawless + more | bluesonbroadbeach.com

THURSDAY 19 MAY Cat Power | Lismore Star Court Theatre, Lismore 8 Ball Aitken + Big Daddy Wilson + Dom Turner and Phil Wiggins + Jan Preston’s Boogie Circus + Adam Hole Band + Lloyd Spiegel + Blue Shaddy (from 10.30am) | Broadbeach Mall Stage for Blues on Broadbeach Genevieve Chadwick + The Blues Preachers (from 4.00pm) | Alto Cucina & Bar Geoff Achison and the Souldiggers + Dreamboogie + The James Street Preachers (from 5.00pm) | Atrium Bar, Jupiters Gold Coast for Blues on Broadbeach Col Finely + Jason Delphin (from 6.30pm) | Envy Hotel for Blues on Broadbeach Mason Rack + Mitch King (from 8.30pm) | Broadbeach Tavern for Blues on Broadbeach

Kate Heart | The Loft Chevron Island

Savage + Saint James + DJ J-Tok | Parkwood Tavern

SUNDAY 15 MAY

FRIDAY 20 MAY

CC The Cat | Hotel Brunswick

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets + Tangerine + Mighty Psylis | Miami Shark Bar

Casey Barnes | Harrigan’s Inn, Jacobs Well Benny D Williams (10.30 am – 12.30pm) | Genki Cafe, Palm Beach Sounds of Sunday: Waxhead (single launch) |Broadbeach Tavern

Cat Power | Brisbane Powerhouse Theatre Moving Pictures | Twin Towns Leopold’s Treat | Miami Marketta

Launch of Griffith SEED Series at NightQuarter: Benny D Williams + Mikayla J + Twelve Past Midnight + Keelan Mak | NightQuarter, Helensvale The Rectifiers (covers) | Southport Sharks Jason McGregor | Jupiters Hotel (8.30pm – 12.30am) The High Grade | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Client Liaison + GL | elsewhere Mike Elrington (4.00pm) | Alto Cucino & Bar, Blues on Broadbeach Sunhaus + special guests | Currumbin Creek Tavern The Detonators + Brad Palmer Blues Sessions + Shaun Kirk | Oracle Boulevard, Blues on Broadbeach The Blues Preachers + Jan Preston Boogie Circus + Big Daddy Wilson (from 5.00pm) | Jupiters, Atrium Bar for Blues on Broadbeach Col Finley + Renton Beavis + Mitch King | The Envy Hotel for Blues on Broadbeach Devils Kiosk + Blue Shaddy (from 9.00pm) | Broadbeach Tavern, Blues on Broadbeach

SATURDAY 21 MAY Sneaky Picnic (ft. Jesswar) + Th’fika + Until Home | The Milk Factory, Brisbane Viva Coldplay (tribute show) | RSL Southport Fiesta de la Musica: Grigoryan Brothers | The Arts Centre Gold Coast AUDSOX + The Jake Fox Band + Tyson + Luatè | Currumbin Creek Tavern Emma Stevenson+ Tiafau + Giv | elsewhere Skinwalkers + Thunder Gods of the Multiverse + Wharves | Tatts Hotel, Lismore Round Mountain Girls | NightQuarter, Helensvale The Twine | Miami Marketta Raku (2pm) + Tay Oskee (7pm) | Sheoak Shack, Fingal Zade (covers) | Southport Sharks Mitch King + Kenny Slide + Juzzie Smith (from 8.30am – 3.00pm) |

Col Finley + West Texas Crude + Mescalito Blues + Greg Dodd and the Hoodoo Men + Kenny Slide + Frazer Goodman + Mike Elrington | Envy Hotel, Blues on Broadbeach Black Rabbit George + Juzzie Smith | Pacific Fair, The Patio, for Blues on Broadbeach Marshall O’Kell + Phil Barlow and the Wolf + Strangebrew | Broadbeach Tavern for Blues on Broadbeach Dreamboogie + The Blues Preachers +Nicole Parker-Brown & the Late Late Show + Matty T Wall + 8 Ball Aitken + The Bamboos + The Lachy Doley Group + BluesCorp + Felicity Lawless + The James Street Preachers + Devils Kiosk + Bondi Cigars + Bluesville Station + Shaun Kirk + Free Soul Collective | various venues, Blues on Broadbeach Matty T Wall (4.00pm) | Oracle Boulevard, Blues on Broadbeach

SUNDAY 22 MAY Claude Hay | The Rails, Byron Bay Benny D Williams (2.00 – 6.00pm) | House of Brews, Surfers Paradise Sounds of Sunday: Chase The Sun + Benny D Williams (7.30 pm) | Broadbeach Tavern Mike Elrington + Renton Beavis + The James Street Preachers (9.00am – 3.00pm | Broadbeach arts and craft markets, Kurrawa Park Bella Maree | JR’s Smokehouse, Sunhouse Coolangatta Brad Butcher (3.00pm) | Deck Acoustics, Currumbin RSL Blue Shaddy + Col Finley + The Detonators + BluesCorp + Phil Barlow + 8 Ball Aitken + Marshall Okell + Doc Span and Ross Williams | Envy Hotel, Blues on Broadbeach Big Daddy Wilson + Lloyd Spiegel + 8 Ball Aitken + The Waves + Shaun Kirk + Bondi Cigars + Mason Rack Band + Eric Burdon and the Animals + Mitch King + Mescalito Blues + Juzzie Smith + Black Rabbit George + Greg Bowles + Chase the Sun + Adam Hole Band + The Ugley Session Band + Ross Williams + Frazer Goodman + Genevieve Chadwick | various locations for Blues on Broadbeach

www.blankgc.com.au

27

JAMES MCKAY JAMES MC KAY’S 'WATER IN WATERCOLOUR' PRESENTED BY ONE ARTS GOLD COAST. OPENING FRIDAY 13 MAY FROM 6.30PM. RUNS THROUGH TO 13 JUNE. CNR VERONA AVE & VIA ROMA, ISLE OF CAPRI

album reviews

DAVE TALON

FELICITY LAWLESS

HUSSY HICKS

From the first few notes of the opening track to Dave Talon’s new album Butch It Up, it’s evident he’s a champion of classic rock who grew up listening to a hell of a lot of music from the golden era when Vanda & Young ruled the turntables of suburban Australia.

When I agreed to do this review I wasn’t familiar with Felicity Lawless’ music. That’s sad but true. Maybe a little surprising given Felicity’s long and deep connection to the Gold Coast and its music scene.

With his Malcolm Young power chords setting the foundation for his Iggy Pop cool voice to sing the catchy melodies, Butch It Up is a solo effort of sorts with Dave being credited as providing the vocals, instruments and mixing the album while offsider Fernando Marlboro played drums and percussion.

The great thing about that, though, was that I had no expectations of what I’d hear on her new album, Tails.

Much loved Gold Coast duo Hussy Hicks, Julz Parker on vocals, guitar and percussion and Leesa Gentz on vocals and percussion, have marked a shift in their sonic template with the release of their recent mini-album, Lucky Joe's Wine and other tales from Dog River.

Butch It Up

Tails

The album was recorded at Bernie’s Bunker Barn by José Marlboro in Switzerland where ex Gold Coaster Talon now resides.

The title track is first cab off the rank with its hard hitting open chords tipping a hat to The Angels/Rose Tattoo school of rock. The track is augmented by a choir of histrionic background ohs that would make classic underground Oz band The Johnnys proud of its Spaghetti Western stylings.

I’m Not Go’n Down Alone and its Queens Of The Stoneage-ish groove is driven by a low tuned guitar riff and lyrics detailing the story of a meeting of two minds on ecstasy, while Push Out The Jive and its Native American sounding tom toms bring the western vibe again as the AC/ DC guitars and catchy chorus have you screaming for more cowbell!

Lovers of old school KISS will love the gallop of The Flame and the song’s Ace Frehley influenced lead guitar solos while The Power Of Dynamite again brings an Angels’ vibe. Laze In The Sun is a classic stoner rock shuffle with the throaty growl of a Gibson guitar providing tasty licks.

The cruisier moments of She Ain’t Mine have a J Mascis vibe which lead on to another foot stomper in The Dead Man’s Twist, lyrically detailing a ghoulish tale of a party at the local cemetery featuring icons from days of yore.

Final track, Delicate Flamingo is the summer acoustic offering of the album and rounds out a damn cool collection of songs, likely to be set to high rotation on your stereo if you give it a listen.

Butch It Up is at davetalon.bandcamp.com and iTunes.

Rick Hollis 30

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A quick look at the track list with titles like Love is The Answer and Who Does Number 2 Work For, and I had a good feeling already, and the tracks did not disappoint.

From the flamenco inspired, almost Mexican-fiesta sounding good time of Cowboy Cameraman to the beautiful melodies of Boundlessly this album hooked me from the beginning.

Tails is a beautiful and well-balanced album, showing off witty song writing with each song highlighting a different strength from Felicity’s repertoire.

The brash and infectious Spanish style guitar, a voice that adapts to each song and melodies that you can’t help but move to.

Felicity’s bio tells of delighted audiences from Spain, through Japan and Australia and I definitely believe it. Tracks like Tragedy in E Minor would be at home in any Spanish tapas bar while Walking the Line would be welcome at any folk style festival.

Current fans will absolutely be impressed with this latest offering from Felicity Lawless.

After listening to Tails I was inspired to listen to her back-catalogue, and I can see now that Tails has built upon a great foundation. Felicity seems to have almost unleashed her music with this release. Tails definitely feels like the work of someone having a great time while still bringing important messages through the lyrics.

I’m definitely a brand new Felicity Lawless fan.

Erin Bourne

Lucky Joe's Wine and other tales from Dog River

Embracing a love of traditional American musical forms, from dusty roots and alternative country through to spritely bluegrass and surf-inflected instrumentals, the record was put together deep in the heart of Dixie, with the girls decamping to the cotton picking state of Alabama. There they collaborated with a bunch of talented local musicians as well as legendary producer Rick Hirsch, who has worked with artists of the calibre of Greg Allman and Joan Armatrading.

Opening track Flying soars majestically off the tarmac, an uplifting ballad which highlights the girls’ warm vocal presence.

That Old Heartache is an echo drenched, mandolin-inflected number which invokes a restless spirit of wandering spooky backroads. Look What You've Done is mid tempo and moody and features shimmering guitar work from Parker and a gutsy vocal performance from Gentz.

Title track Lucky Joe's Wine, inspired by the duo's European touring schedule, delivers a rollicking dose of surf instrumental goodness with a dash of bluegrass, a place where their coastal roots meld pleasingly with their newfound southern-channeling sound.

Slow Train reduces the pace again, while Roll Along is a big-hearted, acoustic guitar driven singalong rounded out with an urgent, Irish inflected guitar break.

And the album concludes impressively on the six-minute plus Three Rainbows, which meanders along to a loping, reggae infused vibe. To these ears it invoked memories of Maxi Priest's cover of Cat Steven's Wild World in the chorus. A Latino-tinged guitar break burns briefly at the tail end of the track before flickering out in the hazy distance.

While the Gold Coast may be the Hussy Hicks’ spiritual home, an impressive worldliness in sound and musical experience colours Lucky Joe's Wine and other tales from Dog River, ensuring a consistently impressive listening experience.

Anthony Gebhardt

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD Nonagon Infinity

A compellingly unpredictable fiasco resides in every new King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard album. It should go without saying that these self-proclaimed, “Masters of the Universe” churn out some of the world’s premier freakpsych ridiculousness with now eight albums on the shelf. Nonagon Infinity is the first – and going by track record – mostly likely not the last of 2016 yet still closely following last year’s Paper Mâché Dream Balloon.

During the band’s touring commitments of the latter record, the former had already been noted as complete. Not ones to rest on their laurels, King Gizzard clearly don’t settle into one sound with Paper Mâché offering fans stripped back bubblegum-folk – a real treat in the ears of listeners as the group were able to flex their sonic vulnerabilities further. With Nonagon Infinity, however, being labeled as, “a metal record,” with comparisons to Black Sabbath and Metallica already in print, this had me somewhat concerned as King Gizzard were finally breaking molds and showing some maturity in their music.

Kicking into maximum gear right off the bat with Robot Stop, King Gizzard automatically revert back to their now heralded, “more is more” approach by juicing up each track with dense, flavourful guitars and uncategorised blues-rock harmonics. The record easily, and arguably lazily, regressing their I’m In Your Mind Fuzz state of operations by having the band’s rhythm section quickly locking a whirring groove while the guitars and vocals melodically gush within the structure.

While launching into a lackluster opening, the record does manage to garner some stupendous moments like Mr. Beat – a charming Strawberry Alarm Clock-esque keyboard line underplays the track’s excellent melody, allowing a small breather between the chaos. Invisible Face allows the group to diffuse the sonic pandemonium again for a moment to allow for some sharp, slashing psychedelics to experiment with. Album closer Road Train gets the onomatopoeias flying and has King Gizzard devise some momentary decent environmental storytelling through the melody – a process so adored on their sophomore release, Eyes Like the Sky. Jake Wilton

MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA Sierra Kilo Alpha

Nicky Bomba’s brassy musical powerhouse returns with the follow up to their 2013 self titled debut. With as many as 34 members on stage they must be a sound technician’s nightmare, let alone a touring manager’s, yet the MSO have quickly built a big following both here and overseas, playing everywhere from Glastonbury to headlining in front of 50 000 in Montreal.

Nicky says the new album was very much a collaborative effort and certainly it sounds more focused with a much more consistent result. It’s playful and catchy as hell, as good ska should be, but the MSO is more than just a big wall of sound paying homage to a genre. From the outset the band wanted to incorporate many other musical elements into their sound – jazz, funk and African rhythms amongst them.

The disc swings into gear from the outset with the intoxicating Escher, a song that sounds like ska from the Middle East - as mesmerising and enchanting as an Escher drawing. Sans Humanite is classic ska, invoking echoes of the 2 Tone revival of the 70’s and 80’s.

Throughout Sierra Kilo Alpha (an acronym for the genre in case you haven’t spotted it yet) the MSO is clearly honouring the genre’s legacy, yet they never lose their sense of fun in delivering the outcome. The current single Funkchunk is a typical example, chugging along like a brass fuelled loco over a swinging, sassy, melodic riff. Lyrically it just as readily draws a smile, like this from Bombay Detective “with 7 hidden cameras and a secret microphone, something like Columbo but much closer to the bone. He was rockin’ steady with the trigger ever ready”. The play on Colombo/Columbo is a nod to both the classic detective and the sub continent, all the while busting out some rock steady ska moves whilst working on the case. In conjuring a wonderful visual image it also proves to be both funny and clever.

With a sound that comes across like an instant party it’s no surprise they chose the Gold Coast to open their latest national tour on the day they launched the album.

Trevor Jackson

THE DANDY WARHOLS

IT AIN’T WEAK TO SPEAK

Distortland

I've loved the Dandies for twenty something years. Circa 1994. Living in the mountains with only the ABC, RAGE was my salvation and link to the music world. Bohemian Like You became my mantra. So languidly obscure and mesmerisingly abstract.

Four-piece Tokyo Beef aren’t exactly what you’d call media darlings. They’re middle-aged rockers who don’t mind turning the volume up. Their last gig was for more than 500 people at a little Tracks party, and they’re more than just a bit connected to the surf and skate scene here.

Skip to 2016 and the band’s tenth studio album, Distortland.

The sound is minimalistic, lo-fi, fuzzed.

Beautifully simplistic and hook laden. It was recorded on an 80's cassette deck in Courtney Taylor-Taylor's basement.

Tokyo Beef are Graeme Treanor (rhythm guitar and vocals), Peter Punk (lead guitar and backup vocals, Jonny Fairlane (bass) and Joel Dillon (drummer).

I asked 'the dandiest Warhol of them all', drummer Brent de Boer for his take on it.

"We are simply releasing the album on cassette as well as digital and CD and vinyl. Cassette is for old school people who still listen to them and like to listen to whole albums front to back. I hope you like it," he said.

It starts out all fuzzy and chugging along, with track Search Party and jangling on with Semper Fidelis. The clever and dreamy Catcher in the Rye. The pumping reverb of Pope Reverend Jim. Give is languid and lilting and Doves floating and soaring. STYGGO is maybe most typically a Dandy's tune though all songs are unmistakably their’s.

The single, You are Killing Me, is imploring.

The film-clip is brilliant. A variation on artist M C Escher's "hand" drawing. Two pens draw two hands. As the lyrics plead: "I don't look back before I leap Can't take it anymore So you're killing me.."

The pens start attacking each other's hand.

Scissors are drawn, a knife. Stab. One draws a noose around the other hand. A cannon, spilt acid, a syringe. One pen morphs into a knife and severs the other hand's finger.

"You're making it harder and harder and harder / And you ain't telling me much that you love me anymore".

The pens stab, stab, the hands gush blood as the song fades away slowly.

Drip… drip... drip.... flat-line.

Poignant. Profound. Beautifully sad distortions.

Carmel E Lewis

“If you got The Angels, with Peter Garrett singing, doing surfpunk-rock, that’d be us,” they say, as we sit down in front of Beatniks Record Store in Broadbeach. “Maybe with a bit of Rose Tattoo thrown in.”

THE MASLOWS

self-titled EP

Gold Coast band The Maslows serve up a solid heaping of indie rock goodness on their self titled debut EP, recorded at Lovestreet Studios, produced by Scotty French and Mastered by Paul Blakey.

The extended player kicks off with Atomic introducing the listener to their brand of fuzzy guitars which have seen the band draw comparison to grunge rock faves Pearl Jam and Swervedriver among others.

The catchy rock is complemented by singer Aaron Fenech’s vocals which at times is reminiscent of a young Michael Hutchence from INXS earlier years.

Seen The Signs and its telephone vocal intro kick in to one of the album’s hookier moments punctuated by a wailing wah guitar outro, while Curtain Call and Freeform highlight the light and shade the group has to offer between their verses and choruses.

Use Your Dagger starts with a cool indie rock guitar intro melody that is mimicked by Fenech’s vocal while the band lays down a groovy feel between vocal lines reminiscent of Silversun Pickups.

The EP closes with Translucent Ride and distant, reverbed vocals that bring the whole shebang to a nice end.

The Maslows self titled EP will appeal to indie rock lovers, looking for a fresh take on a classic sound and is available to purchase and download on the iTunes store.

Rick Hollis

Jonny has only been with the band for six months after coming in two or three years ago and Graeme and Pete are the stalwarts – they’ve been the constant for seven years.

Their soon to be released EP, which is also yet to be named is their first release in this current four-piece format.

“We did another release about a year and a half ago with another singer, but we had a different sound,” Graeme explained. “We did the final of the Exhumed competition for ABC and Joel came and filled in on drums, so we kept him.”

“This is the proper lineup now,” Peter said. “Yeah, this is the future,” Graeme agreed.

“The only way to get a taste of the Beef is live,” Joel added. “The one coming up at Lonestar will be a good one for us.”

Lead single off the EP is It Ain’t Weak to Speak, chosen because of its strong suicide prevention message.

“I’m mates with Casey (Lyons) from Livin,” Graeme explained.

The organisation was formed to wipe out the stigma attached to mental illness and raise awareness for suicide prevention. #itaintweaktospeak is their catch cry.

The EP was recorded at Lovestreet Studios by Scotty French and the lads rave about the experience. “Lovestreet would have to be the best studio on the coast,” they say, nearly in unison.

“We wanted to record live and everyone was like ‘you can’t record live’. Scotty was the first guy who said ‘yeah, I reckon we can do that’.”

And then they recorded seven songs in one day. They may not be media darlings, but Tokyo Beef do not mess around.

It Ain’t Weak to Speak is released 10 May and Tokyo Beef are live at Lonestar Tavern on Friday 30 April. www.blankgc.com.au

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Food & Drink

PIZZA MASTERCLASS AT DOUBLE ZERO

2/2715 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach Every first Saturday of the month from 11am – 2pm. Bookings essential.

I’ve seen a lot of food trends come and go; food fads which masquerade as kitchen cottage crafts: CWA coconut ice made for the school fete, a huge pot of mango chutney bubbling away during a hot Cairns summer, kombucha which grew unusual growths yet (fortunately) didn’t poison us, ginger beer that refused to be contained in a bottle and bread making (pre bread maker days) using freshly stoneground flour.

It’s the bread making I revisit as I bend my head down to the live yeast before me. I’ve been invited to learn how to make Neapolitan-style pizza in a masterclass led by Double Zero’s head pizza chef Nicola Masci, and I jump at the opportunity to learn more.

I love bread and pizza. The aromas of yeast and baking dough are hypnotic, plus there’s something timeless about bread as a food. Bread making dates back to the Stone Age and, broken down to its most elemental form, pizza dough is really a bread dough, a very special one, with topping.

Basic food. From British origins, we have the sandwich.

The Italians have all the luck – they got pizza. In fact, for generations pizza was the fastest street food in Italy. Make it, bake it in 90 seconds, fold it in a piece of paper and you have a cheap takeaway. You’ll see it still in Campania, Italy – the region which surrounds Naples, Nicola tells us.

Nicola started his first job in a little pizzeria in Italy in 2002. After a month, he could make something edible, he tells us, necessity being his teacher as the shop’s owner preferred to spend time with his girlfriend, leaving young Nicola to cook for the customers. His move to Australia five years ago presented new challenges. While his skills as a pizzaiola (pizza maker) were valued in Italy, nobody was making authentic pizza in Australia. Australian culinary habits were quite far removed from the European concept of gastronomy, he tells us.

From there, the story is well known. He met Double Zero’s owners, Matt and Martina, and has helped Double Zero gain accreditation by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association, the very first pizzeria in Queensland to be recognised worldwide for its service of true Neapolitan style pizza.

Nicola then teaches us to make the dough, the most timeconsuming part of any great pizza. It takes a combination of high resistance ‘00’ flour, sea salt, fresh yeast and water, added at the right times in the correct amounts, together 32

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with a lot of kneading and resting; a 24-hour process so that the yeast’s work is completed and the dough is easily digested and feather light.

There’s something therapeutic about making bread as well.

The kneading reminding us that families for generations have been fed by hard work reaping the grain and making the dough. Moreover, we’re making pizza as it’s been made in Italy for centuries.

Ingredients, method, oven… they’re all part of the rules of certification, and when we add just a few toppings and pop our pizza into the huge domed Stefano Ferrara M 130 oven, we can finally see the result of our hard work, disaster averted by a helping hand from Nicola at just the right times!

It’s time then to sit and enjoy a communal lunch with classmates and a celebratory glass of wine.

Will I be making pizza again? Probably not as often as I’d like to eat pizza, however what we all gained was a new appreciation for great pizza. As I dine out, I’ll be looking into the vertical slice cut for those air pockets in the crust’s edge, checking out whether there’s flour burnt on the bottom of the base, or whether the crust is too crispy. There’s a chance I may become a very picky pizza eater but, if all else fails, at least I know where to find great authentic pizza!

Note: Marj took the Pizza Masterclass as a guest of Double Zero.

Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on Good Food Gold Coast www.foodgoldcoast.com.au

Double Zero’s head pizza chef Nicola holds a 3-hour pizza making class on the first Saturday of the month from 11am, to teach you how to make the perfect Neapolitan-style pizza. Cost is $69 per person, including the lesson, a meal ‘Italian Style’ where you will sit and eat the pizza you have made. Course notes and a glass of Italian wine to complement your pizza are also included. Enquiries and bookings by email to info@ doublezeropizza.com.au or call 5526 8635.

SAFFRON INDIAN GOURMET Cnr Margaret St & Gold Coast Hwy, Broadbeach

Saffron is without doubt the most elegant and luxurious Indian restaurant on the Gold Coast. Its position in Broadbeach is situated directly opposite Pacific Fair and the Broadbeach South light rail station within easy reach of Jupiter’s Casino, the Convention Centre and major hotels. Sridhar Penumechu opened Saffron in 2005 in a bid to take the ‘best bits’ from traditional Indian food and create something new, modern and exciting.

“My vision was…to use both my Indian heritage and my extensive experience as a restaurateur to inspire a positively different product,” he said. He has since opened a number of other restaurants in Australia and overseas.

With plush velvet lounges, sateen and velvet chairs, linen-clad tables, mosaic tile and wood floors, crystal chandeliers and candles, it’s a very ambient venue for a date, a quiet business lunch or a group celebration. Divided by screens and with several separate areas, the restaurant caters well for all these purposes.

On our first visit for lunch, we head for the separate ‘gourmet’ section of the menu containing such dishes as Chicken Softa (a chicken breast stuffed with pistachio and cottage cheese) and our Lazeez Champan, tender grilled lamb cutlets rubbed with ginger and ground peppercorns. This dish is served with saffron rice, salad and garlic naan – absolutely delicious!

While by day the colours and plushness of the velvet upholstered chairs are obvious, at night the restaurant takes on a more exotic feel.

We’ve returned as guests of Saffron to experience its more romantic side. As laser lights play on the ceiling, reflecting off the crystal candelabras, we listen to hypnotic melodies played on the esraj (similar to a sitar).

Our gracious waiter, Senthil, leads us through a range of dishes in Saffron’s extensive menu, beginning with small sharing plates and working up to mains and dessert. We asked him how different Saffron’s dishes are to those he enjoys in India.

“There’s no compromise in flavour at all at Saffron, only in heat. For example, here we will make a Vindaloo curry for you at medium heat if you wish, whereas in India there is only one temperature for Vindaloo and the same for Butter Chicken.”

VIP DESIGN DREAMS A REALITY FOR COOMERA TAFE STUDENT

He tells us that only the freshest ingredients are used, that all spice mixes are made by hand to order, with no processed products used at all. It’s knowledge which is shown in the pungency of the flavours, the way each curry is rich, deep and different to every other dish.

“Constant effort is made towards obtaining the highest quality products and keeping the cooking methods as original as possible,” owner Sridhar says. “I have instilled a culture of ‘there is no shortcut method’ within my team, from servers to chefs — they are all aware that the menu has to be prepared and served the original way.”

What emerges is an eclectic mix of modern Indian cuisine. The tandoor is the source of many of the entrées, however there are several variations of marinade: lasoni (with yoghurt, cheese and garlic), aangarch (with bird’s eye chilli) and hariyali kebab, moist portions of chicken rich with the flavours of spinach, mint, coriander and spices. Our succulent Hervey Bay Scallops are glazed with a Madras sauce and topped with pickled pear and papadams ($18.90), while our Dosa (a South Indian specialty) is an interesting modern version with its filling of crisp soft shell crab ($18.90).

Catering for vegetarian, gluten-free, meat and curry lovers, gourmet diners will be delighted with the innovative twists on main dishes: the richness of Atlantic salmon simmered in curry sauce and finished with curry leaves and roasted fennel ($30.90), or tender Slow-cooked lamb shoulder in a coconut curry sauce with sheep’s milk yoghurt and mustard cream ($38.90). (We also note that the restaurant has Halal certification.)

A student from TAFE Gold Coast has designed a new VIP space for NightQuarter in Helensvale.

And now that she’s been onsite seeing it all come together, what does she think?

NightQuarter invited TAFE students to conceptualise a new VIP dining and lounge function area to accommodate up to 100 people with students provided with a design brief, site visit and consultation.

“Yeah, it’s definitely what I expected,” she said. “They had to change some things along the way, but I love the small changes.”

The winning student, Melissa Bergen then worked with NightQuarter management to implement the design.

“I also just noticed that from what my original idea was, it just evolved. It’s not always how you imagined at the start,” Melissa said.

When we spoke to Melissa she’d just been onsite. “They’ve got the street artist in at the moment and the upholsterer should be putting in the daybeds in the next couple of days,” she said.

So, as Melissa finds her feet in Melbourne town she’ll have a feather in her cap that not many brand new design graduates can boast: a real-life design for a space seen by thousands of people every week.

The space will open with a VIP launch on Saturday 30 April before being made available to the public for private functions.

“It’s going to look great having a real-life design in my portfolio,” she said.

As well as conceptual sketches, Melissa delivered the colour scheme, technical drawings, floor plan, elevations, schedule of materials, finishes, furniture and fittings, CAD renders and cost estimate. She was in Hawaii for a wedding when she found out her design was chosen as the winning concept.

“Oh, I was really excited. I couldn’t believe it, I was so happy,” Melissa said.

NIGHTQUARTER’S NEW VIP SPACE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR PRIVATE HIRE FROM 1 MAY. MORE AT NIGHTQUARTER.COM.AU.

The interior design student found inspiration for her career goals while backpacking the world with her partner.

“I just really loved going to trendy cafes for the cool, interior design and I thought that was something I’d like to do when I got back to Australia,” she said.

Locally, she rates Paddock Bakery and Bam Bam Bakehouse for their vintage design and aesthetic and she said the end goal is to start her own business.

“I’m moving to Melbourne when I finish my TAFE course in June,” she said. “I’m going to focus on cafes, bars and restaurants. You can be much more creative than working on someone’s home.”

We find room for dessert – at Senthil’s suggestion, a Gulag Jamun Cheesecake which features my favourite Indian sweet, Gulag Jamun, dotted through a rich cheesecake.

Saffron is fully licensed. There’s an extensive drinks list packed with boutique and fine world wines and spirits. This is a premium selection, a well-priced international list but with little local flavour.

The cocktail list also travels the world with fusion creations such as an Indian Martini, Shochupolitan and Saffron Caipiroska.

While it would not be fair to call Saffron’s fare ‘Indian fusion’, what it does give us is an authentic unique take on contemporary Indian cuisine. An excellent place for a sensuous date night.

Note: Marj dined as a guest of Saffron Indian Gourmet on one occasion.

Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on Good Food Gold Coast www.foodgoldcoast.com.au

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Food & Drink

RANDY WALLHOLE 21 Nind St Southport.

I’m unsure about the rest of you, but my parents were savage when it came to me wanting Coco Pops and coffee as a child.

Now that I am a fully grown adult, and Randy Wallhole can provide me with a Coco Pop Iced Latte, you can be damn sure that Imma do what I want and have one whilst sending a smug selfie to my parents, and there is nothing that they can do about it.

40/40 Creative’s Ty Kudla, the owner of Randy Wallhole, was keen on creating a great café to add to the burgeoning scene in the north. No, I’m not talking about Winterfell, but SoPo where the eclectic Randy calls home. Ty had previously worked in Canberra in hospitality and entertainment marketing, and wanted to do something fun with the knowledge he gained from working in the industry. With a big love of Coco Pops, Fruit Loops and snacking with mates, he channelled his creative side and pulled together the Randy Wallhole concept.

Ty’s self-confessed “controlled hoarding” led to him accumulating a lot of interesting pieces that now reside in Randy including a vintage record player, the ladder that leads to the “rooftop bar” and #TheRandyCouch which was sourced just two days before opening and is a bright orange beacon that magically brings all the other art and design pieces together.

I just have to know about the name and Ty obligingly offers up the inside goss; “Initially I was looking at a smaller shop – a hole in the wall – and with the strong art influence Randy Wallhole seemed the perfect name.” When the larger space in Southport came up, the quirky and memorable name had already taken a hold of Ty so it stuck when he took over the space and transformed it into a “home away from home” for everyone that stops by to sample the great product and excellent service.

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Food wise there are tasty salads and baked treats available from the counter fridge, but bagels are the life blood at Randy and are available in a variety of flavours. My favourite is the Avo Smash with feta, pepper and lemon, but I’m sure all the sweet tooths out there will go bananas for the peanut butter, Nutella, banana and pretzel Black and Yellow bagel, because wow! Randy also has some jaffles on the menu that are made to order like the bagels, with the most exciting one being the Mum’s Special, a nostalgic combo of HEINZ spaghetti and cheese. The nostalgia continues when I receive my Coco Pops Iced Latte that comes milkshake style with a straw and spoon. The taste is incredible, just like a chocolate (and coffee) milkshake only crunchy! With nothing on the menu over $10 there will always be plenty of cash let over for a coffee or a Daily Habit cold pressed juice.

Randy enjoys Toby’s Estate coffee on the grind with Ty referring to the team as like family to him, reporting they are passionate about the coffee and were keen to be a part of the process behind Randy, even consulting on the fit-out.

Ty proudly reports that they “kill it with the house brew”, which is the popular Woolloomooloo blend that I sampled in espresso and piccolo form. Sweetly scented, the drinker is rewarded with well-rounded coffee with earthy, chocolatey flavours that are more prominent in the piccolo, whilst a tangy citrus-like spiciness dances through the espresso.

Currently offering Single Origin coffee in cold drip form, which on my visit was the La Lia Dragon from Costa Rica. The cold drip seems to pop in the mouth, with beautifully sweet and seductive juicy fruits and berries flavours, with caramel notes playing over the sugary blossom scent.

The future for Randy is bright, with Ty open to seeing what the people want and growing from there. Open from 6.30am to 3pm Monday through Saturday, be sure not to stop by on a Sunday as the sign on Randy’s front door says that is hangover day.

Catherine Coburn

GOLD COAST’S INAUGURAL FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL COMES TO NIGHTQUARTER The Gold Coast is finally getting its own signature food and wine event. The inaugural event will be held across the month of June at NightQuarter on the Northern Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast Food and Wine Festival will be a month long signature event to celebrate the quality and variety of eating experiences on the Gold Coast. The festival will offer gastronomic experiences, degustations, cooking demonstrations, workshops, cocktail making classes, wine and beer appreciation, a VIP Lounge, competitions and signature dining experiences.

The Gold Coast’s new foodie mecca, NightQuarter, will be the backdrop of the festival. It will be an event that not only showcases what the Gold Coast can do with food, but elevates the eating experience. There will be a particular focus on the theatre and the art of food…with performance art, sensory experiences and musical performances incorporated into the festival to pay tribute to the Gold Coast as Australia’s destination for entertainment.

The launch event will take place in the NightQuarter VIP space on the 3rd of June and will feature exclusive creative canapés from local Executive Chefs with commentaries on the inspiration of the canapés and the provenance of the produce used.

The event will see a collaboration with Executive Chefs from across the Gold Coast including chefs from QT Hotel and Restaurant Lurleens at Sirromet Winery; combinations of mouth watering experiences from the food vendors at NightQuarter who have already proven themselves to be trend-leaders in the Gold Coast food space; and local providors.

A diverse program of food events will be held every Friday and Saturday night in June from 4-10pm. Both Gold Coast locals and visitors alike will be able to immerse themselves in the experience of food and wine.

Samantha Morris

THE EVENT WILL RUN FROM 3 – 25 JUNE AT NIGHTQUARTER IN HELENSVALE. THE PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE VARIOUS TICKETED AND FREE EVENTS. TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM GCFOODANDWINE.COM.AU.

www.blankgc.com.au

35

Environment

BEST CASE CLIMATE CHANGE SCENARIO IMPACTS GOLD COAST BEACHES A 2014 report, Counting the Costs: Climate Change and Coastal Flooding said that Gold Coast will lose its beaches due to climate change. Two years on and Will Steffen says that even a best case scenario would “certainly lead to impacts on Gold Coast beaches.” He’s talking to us three months ahead of a major climate change event being held here.

But the worst case scenario – which is a 1m sea-level rise – would be “disastrous.” For beaches as well as for low-lying urban areas.

“In the last two years, the overall direction of the science has been to reinforce the risk that we might see the upper end of the IPCC range,” Steffen said. He’s referring to IPCC projections for sea-level rise to the year 2100 within a range of 40cm to 1m.

“In fact, some recent research has warned that the big polar ice sheets – Greenland and Antarctica – may be less stable to a warming climate than we had thought earlier,” he said.

“This research suggested that an additional 1m of sea-level rise from Antarctica alone is possible.”

When you add that to the upper range of one metre from the IPCC projections you get a whopping two metre sea-level rise by 2100.

“This would be bring very severe impacts to the Gold Coast and to many coastal communities and cities around Australia,” Steffen explained.

If this seems alarmist, it is. It needs to be.

While climate scientists and global warming campaigners have been working in this space for fifty years (yes, fifty!!!), governments continue to show reluctance to implement the dramatic policy and social changes required to mitigate against the rapid increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Some have already moved the conversation from one of mitigation to adaptation.

“I think it is absolutely critical that we keep our focus on mitigation,” Steffen said, “that is, reducing greenhouse emissions deeply and rapidly.”

“There is a huge difference between stabilising the climate at a global average temperature rise of 1.5 to 2.0 C and allowing the climate to move to a three or four degree warmer world.”

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STONE & WOOD BREW BEACH CLEAN UPS AND AFTER PARTIES

“The temperature between the last ice age and the current warm interval is about four degrees celsius in global average temperature,” he said. “A four degree warmer world is a vastly different one than we know today.”

“It is a world that we couldn’t adapt to, and there is a disturbingly high probability that contemporary society would collapse in such a world. So to abandon mitigation and focus only on adaptation is an exceedingly stupid thing to do.”

Will Steffen will visit the Gold Coast in July for the Climate Change for Good conference, which takes place 1 – 2 July at Griffith University Gold Coast. The City has had no climate change policy since 2012.

Steffen says the City is of comparable size to Canberra and could draw on its experiences.

“Canberra, a city of about 400,000 people, is perhaps a good model for the Gold Coast and other cities to follow,” he said.

Canberra is on track to source 90% of its electricity from renewables by 2020, just four years away. It has done this by rolling out solar and wind energy using a reverse auction process.

Samantha Morris

WILL STEFFEN IS ON THE GOLD COAST FOR GECKO’S CLIMATE CHANGE FOR GOOD CONFERENCE, 1 – 2 JULY. READ SAM’S FULL STORY AT BLANKGC.COM.AU. FOR A LIST OF CLIMATE MYTHS AND WHAT SCIENCE ACTUALLY SAYS, VISIT SKEPTICALSCIENCE.COM.

As Byron’s Stone & Wood Brewing launch their winter seasonal Stone Beer, they’re also restoring beaches, parklands and waterways.

It’s part of a partnership between Clean Coast Collective and the brewers which sees a bunch of clean-ups happen along the east coast as part of their Festival of the Stone that’s been running since February.

Clean Coast Collective have been coordinating the clean-ups in each town with locals lending a hand before one hell of a clean up after party goes down. Of course, all profits from beer sales at the after party, which features local music as well as locally-sourced food go back to Clean Coast Collective.

Natalie Woods is the Founder of Clean Coast Collective and she says the organisation is showing people the impact that consumption of plastic has on the marine environment, “with a positive emphasis on the changes that we can make.”

“An important part of our work is educating people that just because you aren't leaving your rubbish on the beach doesn't mean that your waste wont eventually end up in the ocean,” Natalie told Blank GC. “Every piece of plastic ever manufactured still exists today. The takeaway coffee cup you use, the sushi container or the plastic cutlery – all of these items are used for fleeting moments but will be in the environment for thousands of years.”

Natalie said that running clean ups helps beachgoers connect with their coastline. “We hope that participants will leave a clean up with a greater awareness of how their daily plastic consumption impacts their local beach.”

She says the organisation was “blown away” by the support received from Stone and Wood.

“To partner with such a highly regarded company demonstrates to the community

that this is an issue all of their patrons should care about. It's one thing for us as an environmental organisation to share our message, but when we have a respected company echoing our message and standing beside us, it adds an incredible amount of strength to our voice,” she said.

“Stone & Wood could've just given us some money and walked away, but instead they invited us on tour and are actively working with us to reduce the amount of disposable plastics they use in their business,” she said.

“Through inviting us on the tour, Stone & Wood have blended their work with ours,” she said.

“We want more businesses to actively engage with environmental organisations and start integrating their values and actions into their daily business operations,” she said.

STONE & WOOD’S FESTIVAL OF THE STONE IS SUNDAY 1 MAY WITH A CLEANUP TAKING FROM 1.00 – 3.00PM AT MIAMI BEACH AND THE AFTER-PARTY FROM 3.00 – 8.00PM AT MIAMI SLSC. DUSTY BOOTS, MATT ARMITAGE AND AQUILA YOUNG PROVIDE THE CLEAN UP RECOVERY TUNES. FESTIVAL OF THE STONE ALSO HITS BYRON ON SATURDAY 14 MAY.

Lifestyle

IZAKAYA ICHI

A LITTLE LIFE

Shop 6, 42 Nerang Street, Southport Sitting pretty between a couple of laminex diners, Izakaya Ichi is cute as a Ningyō Kabuki doll. With fairy lights winking and the dining wagon calling, there are lots of reasons to check out this little gem.

HANYA YANAGIHARA At first I was daunted by the sheer size of this novel; a tidal wave of pages rising up from my bedside table. My copy was over 700 pages and I was forced to heft it around in a backpack for weeks as my medium size handbag was nowhere near big enough.

Despite the promise of depressing themes; sexual abuse, suicide, addiction, depression to name a few, and the uncomfortable size, I was spurred on to read A little life by the multitude of rave reviews as well as its inclusion on the Man Booker shortlist in 2015.

A few pages in and I couldn't put A little life down. I was drawn to the lives of the four young men living in New York that Yanagihara introduces in her opening chapters; gentle Willem who is a struggling actor, dominant Jean-Baptiste, also known as JB who is finding his feet as an artist, architect Malcolm, and then quiet Jude, who suffers intense pain from an accident as a teenager. At first it isn't clear who, if any, of these young men is the main character, but then mysterious Jude emerges as the novel's focus, the other characters playing supporting roles in his life story.

Despite his successful career as a fearless lawyer and the constant love and support from his friends, Jude is unable to ignore the demons set on him from childhood.

The abuse he suffered is as part of him as his horrific scars. Unable to trust in any one completely, Jude is convinced that if his friends knew the truth about his past they would be disgusted with him, and so he lives a life of physical and emotional pain.

The takeaway message from Yanagihara is that throughout life's search, the most important part of living is love and friendship. As the characters grow from young men in their 20s to adults in their 60s, they each never stop trying to figure themselves out. They are still searching for meaning as adults. In Jude's story, Yanagihara constantly counts up the friends and adopted family who love him unconditionally, the people who have chosen time and again to stand by him and take care of him, even when he refuses help.

It is these beautiful characters and their lives that make A little life special. In between Jude's suffering, Yanagihara has worked hard to make each supporting character real, nuanced, flawed, and original.

Reading A little life made me want to hate the author for her cruel punishment of Jude.

The pain she inflicts on this sweet character is so harrowing it affected my sleep. Some scenes are graphic in their depiction of sexual abuse and self harm. Jude's life feels like a relentless series of atrocities that will make you wonder how one person could be so unfortunate. At one point while reading I called out No!, as if the sound could somehow change the events printed in black and white. This is proof of Yanagihara's enormous skill as a writer, to make her reader love a character so much that I wanted to reach out and protect Jude as if I were one of his best friends, or his adopted parents Harold and Julia, or his dedicated doctor Andy. Like them, I wanted so badly for Jude to accept and love himself as much as I loved him.

Emily Russell

Owned by Young Hun Cha, owner of the Sushi 1 chain, the bar opened in late 2015, the flagship (he hopes) of a successful restaurant chain.

“I didn’t want anything too formal,” he told us. “We’ll try it out and see how it goes.”

Izakaya Ichi is a cool place to chill and hang out. When we dine there, we see lots of English language students and local workers, joined by a wide cross-section of diners at night times and hospitality workers eager to have some sustenance after work.

Almost directly opposite the Southport tram station, it’s also close to transport.

How super cool is the ordering system! Each table has its own iPad with an easy to read illustrated menu app which you use to place an order. You get to look at your food before it even comes to the table! No problems with translation, how much items cost or even adding up the bill! We’re not generally huge fans of mechanisation, but we can see the value of this little app, limiting mistakes and misunderstandings while saving on queueing, time and staff.

There’s an extensive well-priced menu of Japanese tapas, with nothing over $15: smaller dishes such as sushi, sashimi, salad, fried and grilled dishes ($8 - $12) as well as donburi, rice and udon dishes, and dessert.

Lunch also includes bento boxes ($14 - $16).

“You should try the Sake jelly drink,” Young tells us, “or Yakitori and a sake. Very nice.”

In fact, everything we try at Ichi is ‘very nice’ and well-priced in smallish bites. Don’t miss out on the Yakitori or the Mochi.

Service is friendly and quick and it’s the sort

of place where even if you don’t have a lot of cash, you can join friends and enjoy a plate or two and a drink.

But the OMG dish setting Instagram on fire is the Icy Snow Flake dessert ($12), a huge bowl of shaved fresh milk ice with condensed milk added, in eight flavours including Green Tea, Sweet Red Bean, Mango, Strawberry, Coffee and Chocolate.

Only available at this store, it’s a huge confection to share with friends, the girls opposite us pouring over the chocolate sauce before tucking in. “It’s the best!” they tell us.

Izakaya Ichi is also a late night venue, with last food orders taken just before midnight.

With a full bar at the back of the restaurant, drinks cover a range of Japanese beers (two on tap, with Suntory Premium imported from Japan), sake and shochu; after all, Izakaya Ichi literally means ‘sitting in the Number 1 sake shop’.

The Sparkling jelly sake? It’s beautifully presented in a martini glass, but to my palate it’s so sickly sweet that it’s undrinkable. Definitely a cultural divide. I’ll have my sake straight any day!

We’ve come a long way from the traditional men-only Japanese bars, with food introduced to entice patrons to stay and drink more, rather than leaving to shop around for better sake elsewhere. Frankly, you’d be travelling a little way to find another sake bar close by, especially one open at these hours. The only reason we could see to move on would be to catch a movie. Now that’s an idea…

NOTE: Izakaya Ichi is fully licensed. BYO is $5 per person.

Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on Good Food Gold Coast www.foodgoldcoast.com.au www.blankgc.com.au

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Lifestyle

FAT IS THE NEW BLACK Training for the blue collar men and women who sought career in the construction industry, small scale and large, is now common place. Identifying hazards and incident reporting is as familiar to the work-site employees as meat pies and sugary beverages. The workplace is safer and everybody is happier for it.... well not quite everyone.

Recently I was privileged to participate in a whole day of training. This course was for attaining a forklift license. A most complex machine which holds a dormant potential to wipe out the lives of the operators and surrounding workers when misused. Well, that's what it felt like. The truth is I could teach a five year old the basics faster than they could learn the five proceeding letters from a, b and c.

Yes there is a potential dangers associated. But an eight hour intensive course including approximately 412 pages of theory and standardised testing seemed a bit unnecessary.

Scratch that, it was fucking ridiculous. My chest tightened when asked by the trainer “why did you write down in your test, the health of the driver as being a potential hazard?”

I remarked calmly that if the driver was fatigued, irritable or even sick, surely it could affect his/her concentration.

Unfortunately critical thinking is not encouraged and with a shake of the head, I was guided by the trainer to fill out the correct answer. OH and WTF mate!

Image: Rebecca Lowe Sunday afternoon 2pm-6pm for me is designated nap time.

On a successful day, more than one nap can be squeezed into this schedule. For the first time since being a 20-something working in hospitality, I left my bed on purpose for a work commitment during these precious hours. Only an event of life-changing potential could possibly lure me from my pillow laden paradise. Bring Back the Fat was that event. A gathering of nutritionally conscious rockstars descended on the mighty University of Queensland St Lucia campus. I sure as shit wasn't going to end up being that guy in 40 years who said “I never got to see Christine Cronau, Maryanne, Dr Aseem or Damon Gamou perform as a super-group.”

The purpose for this event (the Brisbane leg of a threecity tour), in layman’s terms, was to educate Australians about the FACT that sugar is shit and fat is cool. A well documented, charismatically presented seminar debunking the great myth sold to the Australian public “excess fats and cholesterol equate to heart disease.”

I arrived early and eager. Unfortunately fatigue and restlessness were setting in strong. Eleven straight days of work can do this. The first observation for the day was rather saddening. Aside from myself and photographer, only three other people in the 500-strong crowd were under the age of 45 (potential mild exaggeration of facts). Is it because Sunday is designated hangover day for everybody else?

Is it because the younger generation are still enjoying the resilience of youth and not yet concerned with what goes in to their body? Or is nutrition just not cool?

The first presenter for the day Damon Gamou (creator of That Sugar Film) was captivating. I fought off my exhaustion as best possible but was plagued by the thought “where the fuck are all the young cool kids?”

READ ANDREW SCOTT’S FULL STORY AT BLANKGC.COM.AU 38

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Myself and the lads who participated alongside all endured the testing with patience and dignity. Just kidding. Watching grown men fill in answers to 150 versions of the same question “why is it important not to be a fucking idiot when you drive a forklift?” was embarrassing. But wait... there's more.

GET FORKED! The construction industry has been plagued by injury and death in the workplace ever since ancient Egyptians (with the help of Aliens of course) constructed the Great Pyramids of Giza. Leading up to the 21st century, such tragedy was mostly dismissed as an unavoidable consequence. Sad and disruptive to the families of those affected but inevitable.

With great progress came great sacrifice.

Nearing the end of the 20th century, seeking out the responsible culprits of neglect who caused such harm became common place. If an accident occurred, now there would be action. Compensation for the victim and punitive measures for the guilty. With so much money now involved, surely a regulatory body would be needed. OH & fucking S to the rescue!

Once you attain the status of 'competent' it's off to the post office with your required identification, including but not limited to a photo I.d., bank card, urine sample, DNA swab and the midwife who delivered you in hospital. I was just lucky that Gladys was available that day. Pay a bunch of money and congratulations. You're a grown man now and can get back to work.

Though I experienced great frustration during this process I must declare sincerely that I am grateful for working in a country where making the workplace safe is taken seriously.

I am grateful that working in the 21st century in these testosterone loaded environments, I can say without too much fear of bullying that “no, this feels unsafe, I will not continue”. These two elements alone indicate that progress is indeed a blessing. However....

As there was no mention of blood alcohol limits, I now begin each Monday morning with a few hits of the crack pipe washed down with some breakfast scotch (to take the edge off) before I operate the forklift. On Tuesday I try and accomplish the days forklifting tasks while wearing flippers (I am getting quite good at this). The rest of the time I abide by the 4,215 suggested regulatory practises for operations.

Peace Blankers!

Andrew Scott

Lifestyle

NEW GALLERY DIRECTOR COMES FULL CIRCLE

THE MEANING OF LIFE, ACADEMICALLY SPEAKING

SHOES WITH HEART: LULUDU

Tracy Cooper-Lavery took on the role of Gallery Director at Gold Coast City Gallery last month, but she’s not a stranger to the space. She started her career at the Gallery as its Curator back in 1992.

What makes a PhD cellular biologist working as a professor of anatomy and senior researcher in various medical schools, start to question the very study of genetics he has based his entire career around? In Bruce Lipton's case, it was the study of epigenetics, specifically, telomeres.

Luludu owner and designer Alana Deukett is passionate about sustainable business and works hard to achieve it.

Yanina Benavidez caught up with her to discuss her grass roots business and how she is taking steps in transforming ethical business practices one hook at a time.

I found myself in the Mullumbimby Civic Hall on day 2 of the Byron Spirit Festival last month seeking the meaning of life at various yoga sessions, spiritual talks and chai stalls like hundreds of other people at the 2 day event. This particular session, ambitiously entitled 'Igniting your Purpose' actually seem to deliver. I may have been swayed by the fact that this was a Skype session with Bruce Lipton. Lipton had been an academic scientist for many years at some prestigious universities in the US including Stanford and Penn State before he turned his back on the prevailing philosophy of the human race as victims of nature.

Luludu began when Alana realised she had a dream to create something that was filled with love and intention that would better the environment and support her community. She had no idea that this idea would come to fruition one day whilst rummaging through her mum’s wardrobes, where she stumbled across a pair of hand crocheted shoes from the late seventies. This small yet successful treasure hunt lead Alana on a quest to figure out how they were made and how she could make them better.

“In some ways it feels a bit surreal to coming back to the Gold Coast; like I’ve come full-circle,” she said.

“My love affair with the Gold Coast started back when I was about four years old. In the early 70s my parents bought a small motel about three blocks from Cavill Ave and one block from the beach.”

When Tracy left the Gold Coast City Gallery she took on the role of Sernior Curator at Bendigo Art Gallery – one of the shining examples of regional galleries in Australia, and her most recent posting was Rockhampton Regional Gallery, where she was Gallery Director for four and a half years.

During that time she tripled audiences and increased sponsorship support for their gallery program.

‘I began my arts career at Gold Coast City Gallery and I have keenly watched the Gallery’s development and progress over many years. To lead the gallery in Queensland’s secondbiggest city is the dream of a lifetime,” she said.

“I am excited to be working with the Arts Centre Board, Management and the City Council to drive the forthcoming development to a new space and refurbishment of the current Gallery spaces in preparation for the Commonwealth Games,” Tracy said.

Her addition to the already immensely talented gallery team comes at a transitioning time for the Gallery that is set to move to a new space, Riverside.

“Gold Coast City Gallery has an incredible collection of Australian art, and coupled with the development of the Gold Coast Cultural Precinct I feel there is no better time to be part of the evolution of the Gold Coast into a destination for art and culture,” she said.

Read Samantha Morris’ full story at blankgc.com.au.

"I was teaching students that our genes control our fates.

So you become a victim of your heredity" he says, "but the reality is different. Our perception of ourselves is how we control our lives. We are the masters of our biology, not the other way around". The reason for this is those little extensions on the DNA of every cell in the body called telomeres. They protect our chromosomes from aging and cancer. But more on that later.

"When we ask the question 'Why are we here?', according to Darwinian theory, it's because of genetic accidents" he says. "However, nature's vision is to maintain harmony and balance. Humans are here to be gardeners in the garden. Yet we've stopped being gardeners and we are destroying our garden. Humans should be the most powerful creatures in creating harmony in the garden. We do the job of cells in a larger organism called humanity."

Alana had to learn to crochet first, a skill which seems rather essential for such a project. Not long after that she started to source vegan leathers for the soles as well as naturally dyed organic cottons. With the help of her friend Ruth and may trials, the pattern for what is now the Luludu shoes was mastered. Fast forward to a couple of years later and Alana has gone from learning to crochet to teaching women in one of the world’s leading textile making centres in the city of Phnom Penh. This is where Luludu shoes are now made with love and dedication from both the women making them and Alana herself who has taken the time to create a brand that is sustainable, ethical and compassionate.

Alana explains the process. “It took me about 6 months to learn to crochet, and with Ruth’s help we worked together to perfect the pattern. It took about a year in total to get them just right, they are hard, just one stitch can throw the next row out, so that took a while to master.”

VISIT LULUDU.COM.AU TO PURCHASE Read Pip Andreas’ full story at blankgc.com.au.

Read Yanina Benavidez's full story at blankgc.com.au www.blankgc.com.au

39

Lifestyle

THAT SPIRITUAL GUY Is it possible to be an 'emotional healing coach', spiritual teacher, self-help speaker AND be able to genuinely laugh at yourself? Until recently, I didn't think so. Then I found JP Sears.

JP is a life coach from South Carolina, USA who became a personal development YouTube celebrity after he started his hilarious Ultra Spiritual series. Spouting such wacky advice in his video 'How to be Ultra Spiritual' as "practice competitive spirituality; judging other people to be less spiritual than you makes you a better person than them", and "rebel against dogmatic religious terminology by using dogmatic spiritual terminology", JP holds a mirror up to the hypocrisy he sees in the spiritual healing world like no-one has done before. His achingly funny YouTube videos have been seen by millions, and they are also part of his more serious 'Awaken with JP' video series. Surprisingly, JP is able to pull off merging his serious, wise, and compassionate advice with self-mockery in the form of a hilarious alter-ego in a totally unique, original and refreshing way. The humour doesn't detract from his serious messages, it enhances them.

JP was in Australia last month for the Byron Spirit Festival and his Strong Relationships retreat. At the Spirit Festival, the Anglican Hall in Mullumbimby was overflowing with fans no doubt due to his recent video "Byron Bay, the Most Spiritual Place on Earth". The video nails Byron nuances such as hippies selling overpriced crystal jewellery of dubious origin, blessing Minyon Falls, hating tourists at the same time as making all their money from them, and finding out the true meaning of Moonblood during a passionate encounter with a backpacker at the Arts Factory.

The first half of the session, JP was in character as his 'Enlightenedness' alter-ego wearing a lace headband with flowers stuck in the side. When regular JP emerged, he shared the story of the birth of ultra-spiritual JP. "I had this story in my head that an emotional healing coach and spiritual teacher isn't supposed to be funny. If I am funny, I won't be who people expect me to be. I had developed humour out of my shadow side as a child. I hope that now I can help people use humour to find themselves rather than escape themselves.

Humour is a powerful energy. The light side of it is intimacy with self. But there is this whole shadow side in the spiritual community and I think the most dangerous shadow is the one we don't see, the one we don't know we're in. Instead of pretending it's not there, I wanted to expose my version of it".

The decision to make YouTube videos came in 2013 to help 40

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SITTING IS A DISEASE

get more clients and improve his business.

"It was about a year and a half later that I let a real voice of humour shine". That's when JP made his first funny video "How to Ruin your Life". When he was filming his first satirical video, his now ex-girlfriend was behind the camera and he thought "I wanna wear a headband, that would be cool. So she said, 'hey use this scarf '. I never gave the scarf back".

Sounds a little dramatic doesn’t it? However, there is a growing body of research into the detrimental effects of sitting for long periods of time. From a medical perspective studies show an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, obesity and even cancer (according to the Mayo Clinic). From a physical or exercise perspective sitting tightens muscles, messes with our posture and greatly diminishes athletic performance.

The serious side of the session at the Anglican Hall followed on in the form of an audience Q & A. JP warmly imparted genuine and heartfelt advice while still injecting intermittent snippets of humour such as "I don't know the answer to your question, but that's not going to stop me pretending I do". While he can be self-deprecating and humble, JP recognises that he has an ego and can be a control freak. When I put to him that his ability to laugh at himself means he doesn't come across as an egotistical control freak, he says "I try to be a control freak in everyday things, even though I know I can't control anything.

There is a Zen saying: ‘What control is there to let go of except the illusion of control'".

As JP says in his How to be Ultra Spiritual video "Ultra spiritual has nothing to do with being spiritual, because nobody knows what that actually is. Being ultra spiritual means you look spiritual". It's all an illusion.

JP Sears was a guest of the Byron Spirit Festival, Mullumbimby.

Pip Andreas

Unfortunately many of us have little choice in the matter when it comes to time spent in a chair, as our jobs often require just that. So what can you do about it if you have to be at a desk or in a car for hours on end? While going to the gym at the end of the day or regular exercise is great for you it is not actually a remedy for sitting induced issues, sorry.

Ideally for every 30 minutes of sitting get up and move for 4 minutes. Any movement is good, stretching out the areas that become restricted from sitting is great. These body parts include glutes, hip flexors, thoracic spine, hamstrings, quads (you get the idea it's a lot).

This article will be the first in a series of posts on how to ease the trauma on the body. The first offering is a fantastic hip flexor (quads and psoas) opener. It may or may not be possible to do at the office but it is a definite for home……you can even do it on the couch! My students “love” it when I add it to a yoga class too.

As per the photo, one shin is against the back rest of the couch (you could use a wall or desk too) with the knee grounded.

The other leg is out front to help support you and provide pressure, the front foot could be on the couch or the floor. The idea is to push the buttocks and back against the back rest or wall with the bent leg heel sitting outside the hip. Remember to breathe, hold for up to 2 minutes and make sure you do both sides.

Feel free to ask me any questions or let me know how you go, find me at www.aloka.com.au Erin Bourne

GIRLS' NIGHT IN WITH A DIFFERENCE I really like wine. But I usually choose my bottle the way I pick a horse at the races, based on the appearance and an interesting name. Like any sort of gambling this sometimes pays off, and sometimes results in a $20 bottle being relegated to cooking wine.

I enjoy wine tasting on a Sunday afternoon in Mount Tamborine as much as the next person, but after the third taster they all start to blend into one, I get confused with the wine jargon, and I can never recall which grapes I actually liked. That was until I met Malisa. Owner of Wine Group and Co. Malisa studied wine at UCLA. She calls herself a wine demystifier and her aim is to help people decode the jargon and take the gamble out of looking at a wine list.

Once I learned that Wine Group and Co. offer educational wine workshops for you and your friends at your house to make you more confident about choosing the wine you like I got the girls together for what was set to be an interesting and quirky girls night in! We gathered together with some wine (obvs), and nibbles, and listened attentively as Malisa began by explaining the wine making process. Moving on to the different types of grapes and the differences in how they are prepared to make the various tastes.

The environment was perfect for asking all those questions you had wondered about but never wanted to ask at a wine tasting, such as 'What the blast does having legs have to do with my merlot!??' and 'Why does my Chardonnay taste like someone put a cigar out in it!??'.

At the end of a very entertaining girls' night in we felt ready to head to the bottle shop or the bar with more confidence.

No longer picking wine on the snazzy labels but knowing the difference between an SSB and an SBS and why we might like one more than the other. The only thing I took away from a fab night in with the girls that I didn't enjoy was the hangover! .... When will I learn.

Sarah Loughlin To see more from Sarah visit itsonlyaplanerideaway.com

TO FIND OUT MORE VISITWINEGROUPANDCO.COM.AU

Lifestyle JOURNALIST CALLS FOR GOLD COAST TO HAVE WHEELCHAIRACCESSIBLE BEACHES Last month Gold Coasters of all abilities experienced Burleigh Beach being made accessible to wheelchairs. It was just one day and local journalist and businesswoman Marlena Katene is calling for Council to make the City the first in Queensland with accessible beaches. She has 3,800 signatures on her petition.

Marlena is non-verbal and lives with cerebral palsy. Although she’s lived on the Gold Coast all her life, she’s hardly ever been to the beach. Relying on a wheelchair to get around in, as well as a carer to help navigate life’s obstacles means Gold Coast beaches are all but out of bounds for Marlena.

“I don’t go much, to be honest,” she said when we asked how frequently she visits the beach. “As close as I get is the path which runs alongside the beach.”

When Marlena does get to the beach, she needs to use a lot of muscle to drag her manual wheelchair through the sand.

Thankfully she works out. You should see her biceps.

“The person who takes me is generally exhausted by time we hit the water front so it is something we do not do much. I am so biased but we live on the BEST beaches in the world,” Marlena said.

“When I have been in the water it has been amazing. Even walking on the sand and smelling the ocean is a luxury I would like to experience weekly.”

Marlena said starting a petition has been on her mind for some time, particularly with the Commonwealth Games around the corner.

“It is a perfect time to showcase to the world that we can be pioneers in access,” Marlena said. “This can be the start of a worldwide trend and the cost is minimal.”

Marlena is calling for matting to be installed on the most popular Gold Coast beaches. Currently there are some beach wheelchairs scattered across the coast but not all who need them can sit in them.

“Mats would open up the beaches every day for users such as myself. Other things which would be great to consider are things such as accessible parking to the beach and possibly different chairs to the ones currently on offer.”

Samantha Morris

SURFING’S CHANGING OF THE GUARD It has been a strange start to the World Title race for the men, and with Sebastian Zeitz’s victory at Margaret’s with no-holds-barred surfing, the possibility that the usual suspects will be fighting it out for a world title seems like a high-odds possibility. Joel Parkinson was the lone surfer from the “old school” to get into the final series and his surfing just never seems to get old when there are quality waves. He’s now back in the top five.

They are calling it the “changing of the guard” with the Australian leg of the World Tour Men’s surfing having had such a big shake up. Mick Fanning is taking a personal year and is off the radar for world titles, (though one of the best surfers at present). Taj Burrow has retired, Kelly Slater has only won a single heat this year and is nowtalking requalifying instead of world titles.

But what about King Kelly? The talk of retirement is not coming from him, but from commentators. At 44 years of age he is absolutely still ripping, but does not seem to be on game. I believe the real test for Kelly will be when it comes to the places he has dominated for two decades - Teaupoo in Tahiti and Cloudbreak in Fiji. If Kelly has shockers at those two events then I would say a swansong at Pipeline may be the last time we see Kelly shoot it out for a world title, but I’m just another commentator.

Wilko is still leading the race, and probably still will be going into the Pacific leg, but things are much closer in the women’s world title race. Tyler Wright took women’s power surfing to a new level at Margaret’s, now winning two of the three events. She narrowly trails Courtney Conolouge, a whole host of the ladies are chasing her down, and unusually Stephanie Gilmore is 5th and Sally Fitzgibbons is in 6th.

Women’s surfing is a breath of fresh air right now, with the girls taking the sport to a new level. Flashback ten years, and not even Layne Beachley would have dreamed how well these women surf.

WORLD’S BEST HOPING THE CONDITIONS AREN’T “CRAPPY” IN RIO The next leg of the World Tour goes to Rio in Brazil, the home of the 2016 Olympics. There was a lot of pressure to clean up the pollution in the harbours and the beaches, from raw sewerage being discharged directly into the waterways.

Last year one of the World Tour surfers showed me his emails, where several competitors became sick from surfing in the polluted water, and he himself said you could actually “smell” the water when competing. From most reports I have heard, conditions have not improved much, and the surfers are hoping that the wind and tides do not combine again to have them surfing in a toilet bowl. Unfortunately for our Olympic sailors and triathletes, they may not have a choice. No one is hoping for tubes they call “Brown Rooms” in Brazil.

RIO PRO - MAY 10-21, 2016 MARLENA’S PETITION IS AT TINYURL.COM/GCBEACHACCESS 42 www.blankgc.com.au

Image © WSL/Cestari

QCC KICKS-OFF WITH THE ALLEY CLASSIC May and June will see the Queensland Championship Circuit (QCC) hit the beaches of Queensland, with a best of three event series, which not only decides the Queensland Champion and Queensland Open Team, but based on competitors' best three-of-three results, the series' winner will once again get the chance to compete against the world's best surfers at the 2017 WSL World Championship Tour Quiksilver Pro Trials, Snapper Rocks.

Entries are Open via the Surfing Queensland Website, but due to only having 2 days to run the each event, entries will be capped at 96 surfers, therefore entry into each QCC event will be first in best dressed etc. The events are •

Alley Classic, May 7-8

•

Sunshine Coast Pro, May 21-22

•

MP Classic, June 11-12

If you get a chance go and check the events out, up and coming surfers are always in these events, and former winners of the Alley Classic include World Champions Joel Parkinson and Adriano De Souza who both won the event at 16 years of age…

I’ll catch you in the waves……………..

Terry “Tappa” Teece

Lifestyle

DANIEL DOWNS TOOLS TO LAUNCH GLOBAL KITESURF SAFARIS Daniel Patterson didn’t finish high school.

He went straight into a pre-vocational course, then into an apprenticeship. He’s 40 now and has been working as a fitter and turner for 23 years, the last six of those as a fly-in fly-out worker.

friendly. People can progress their skill-level so much quicker because they spend less time re-launching their kite.

For half of those 23 years, he’s also been a kite surfer.

While working fly-in, fly-out in Western Australia, Daniel had the opportunity to hone his wave-riding skills on the west coast, having Margaret River as his base.

“I was down at Narrowneck at Main Beach and saw a heap of kites on the beach. There was a competition going on and this one girl in particular flying a kite,” Daniel said.

He hints at the fact that he might have had a soft spot for the girl moreso than the kiting.

He asked her how to get into the sport, she hooked him up with her own school, he booked lessons and that was that.

“I had my first lesson and got my own gear,” he said. Fast forward 12 years and Daniel is now ready to launch his own kitesurfing safaris, specifically targeted at people who want to improve their wave riding skills.

He’s taught more than 100 people to kitesurf, managed a kiting school in the Dominican Republic, spent a year in central America kiting, been an ambassador for Ben Wilson Surf for the past five years and is now a National rider for Ozone Kiteboarding. So starting his own safari program probably isn’t that much of a stretch.

“Kitesurfing has been the fastest growing sport ever since it came out – about 15 years ago,” he said. “The fastest growing sport in the world.”

For a relatively young sport, there have been plenty of changes, Daniel said.

“Initially they had C kites,” he explained. “If people didn’t have a lot of experience, they could easily get into trouble.”

“Initially with those C kites, the safety system and depower wasn’t that good.

People became unstuck, got hurt, got in trouble.”

“Less down-time helps with the learning progression,” Daniel said.

“Working in the desert and having such regimented working conditions and then arriving back in Margaret River, it’s pretty much paradise,” he said. “You get your life back.”

“The next thing was, even working in a normal job wasn’t giving me fulfillment and being in that trade for 23 years, I was becoming quite frustrated and bored with my situation.”

“I started to think to myself, there’s got to be a better way to earn a living and what better way than to use your passion as a means of doing that.”

“You’re out of jail and you get to play for that little period of time,” Daniel said. “It’s just awesome to de-stress, get wet and just have a life again.”

“I started to think to myself, there’s got to be a better way to earn a living and what better way than to use your passion as a means of doing that.”

And it was that dichotomy – one week working in the middle of the desert on a mine site and the next riding waves under a kite in paradise that led Daniel to explore a more sustainable lifestyle.

Hence Global Waves Experience was born.

Daniel will run regular safaris to some of the world’s best kitesurfing destinations – with a focus on waves. First cab off the rank is Fiji where a safari will run 9 – 17 July, but that’s just the beginning.

“Yeah, it was a process,” he said. “Number one was realising I wanted to get out of mining, have a normal life and be home every night. It’s hard to be away from friends and family for long periods.”

“I haven’t locked others in yet, but I’m looking at Indonesia in September, and then Mauritius and other central American destinations.”

“I’d love to do Morocco too,” he said.

And what sets Daniel’s offering apart from other kite safaris is the personalised experience with a maximum of eight people per tour.

“We’re going to tailor every aspect of the safari so it’s a complete package. You get accommodation, transfers, food, progressing wave coaching and even video analysis which we’ll use as a tool for rider feedback.”

There’s also dedicated boat support, full use of the resort’s equipment as well as a fishing trip, massage and some

drinks. And Daniel says that before the wind comes up each day there will also be surf charters at one of the reef breaks down the road.

“The neat thing is, the Fiji coastline, we’re going to do massive downwinders, 20km long. There are seven reef breaks along the way, and on top of that we’ll have the opportunity to go out to world-famous Cloudbreak, Restaurants and Nomotu Lefts,” he said.

While partners are welcome on the trip – with fantastic non-kiting partner packages available, the kiting package is being pitched to intermediate to advanced riders who want to take their riding to the next level.

“I’m targeting quite a specific audience, wave riding enthusiasts with sound wave skills, who froth on charging waves and are keen to progress their riding,” he said.

For a brand new enterprise, Daniel and his Global Waves Experience has come out of the blocks firing with some highly regarded brands already on board. Daniel’s safarigoers will be able to access kite and board demos and get retail packages while on safari.

“For kites we’ve got Ozone on board – which is a very well established kiting brand, well known for their Reo surf kite. They’re one of the top-selling surf kites in the global market as far as performance and construction goes,” Daniel said.

“And for surfboards we’ve got Firewire, Kelly Slater bought into Firewire recently and Tomo is one of the designers.”

As we wrap up I ask Daniel what exactly draws him to kitesurfing, both for pleasure and now for business.

“I enjoy it because of the stoke I get just from being out in the elements ,” he said. I just enjoy the freedom and disconnecting from every day life. It’s such a good reset for me.”

Samantha Morris

Daniel said since a range of hybrids were brought out, kites are much more user-

GLOBAL WAVES EXPERIENCE RUNS ITS FIRST FIJI SAFARI FROM 9 – 17 JULY. GET MORE AT GLOBALWAVESEXPERIENCE.COM.

www.blankgc.com.au 43 Images: Lamp Photography

Arts & Culture

ROBINA TOWN CENTRE CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH BURNING MAN ART It’s hard to believe that Robina Town Centre is 20. Those who’ve been on the Gold Coast a while would remember what Robina was like before the centre opened. Whether you like shopping or not, there’s no question that Robina Town Centre has become the suburb’s thumping heart.

And it’s evolution as something much more than a shopping destination continues as it marks its 20th anniversary.

technology and sustainable energy, the public artwork allows participants to “paint” in light using Aurora as their canvas.

Aurora is controlled by an interactive website which allows the public to design and play with the lights within the tree. Via that website people can curate a signature light transition, giving Aurora their own personal touch and making the tree an ever changing public artwork.

As part of a two-month series of events, Robina Town Centre has commissioned a celebratory centrepiece, a oneof-a-kind, interactive art installation by American artist Charles Gadeken. The artwork, called Aurora, is a towering 9m tall weeping willow with a trunk 2.5m in diameter and a 12m wide canopy. And it’s come all the way from Burning Man to the Gold Coast.

Artist Charles Gadeken said he is creating an environment of mythical beauty that “instils a sense of awe, wonder and joy to those who experience it.”

Making its debut at the much bucketlisted Burning Man in Nevada, Aurora features more than 40,000 LED lights that transition slowly through the colour spectrum, reflected off 4200 hand-beaten copper leaves.

Aurora will be located on The Promenade from Thursday 28 April until October 2016. To complement the installation’s arrival at Robina Town Centre, the community, in collaboration with Charles Gadeken, will create a freestanding replica Aurora tree.

At night the installation will come to life, with mesmerising interactive light displays. A combination of unique

“instils a sense of awe, wonder and joy to those who 44 www.blankgc.com.au experience it.”

“It acts as a unique and unexpected element placed in the world that empowers and transforms the viewer at the moment of participation,” he said.

People will contribute to the artwork by personalising a pre-cut copper leaf that is then affixed to the tree. The result will be an inspiring artwork to be donated to the Gold Coast

community. The project will also raise funds for Make-AWish Foundation, with a gold coin donation collected from every participant.

The community art project will be on display until mid July.

In addition to Aurora, an interactive exhibition shedding light on the history of the Gold Coast will be installed. The aim is to encourage locals to discover iconic moments, landmarks and people that helped influence and make the Gold Coast what it is today. The exhibition will be presented through video and physical displays.

The exhibition includes a vintage meter maid bikini and crown, Stephanie Gilmore’s first prize Roxy Pro trophy, a Paula Stafford original bikini, vintage GC landmark memorabilia including a Gold Coast Monopoly board and more.

Samantha Morris

MORE AT ROBINATOWNCENTRE.COM.AU

FAILED SPRING HUDSON TESORIERO

The hotel room is dim with only a single lamp providing light. The cream-coloured walls and leather furniture seemed classier, more tasteful, dressed in half-shadows. A Monet reprint hangs crooked in the kitchen. Anita sits at the coffee table with a gin and tonic and a slim cigarette.

She waits for her friend to phone the room. Kind of Blue hums out through the cheap stereo speakers. Miles blowing somnolent, floating melodies. Outside the night is alive. The sound of voices, laughter, and the rare car through the open window. Not much driving in Montmartre, the streets are too narrow, too many people on foot. She takes a sip of her drink, too strong. You had to be careful with gin – easy to go too far.

POINT BLANK FICTION Blank now welcomes all creative fiction / poetry efforts from local writers.

Each month, one piece of writing will be chosen to feature in the printed magazine and online. Pieces must be original and no longer than 1500 words.

Note only the first 600 words will be printed, and the rest will be put online.

'Hey Jacques, how are you?' She curls the telephone cord around her finger.

'Good. Like always'. He laughs a fake telephone laugh.

'Mmm, that's good'. Anita extends the phone cord almost as far it will go to get another cigarette. She lights it.

Anita taps her cigarette on the edge of the marble ashtray.

Paris – the perfect getaway. Just a ferry from London. From home. She taps the couch and her cat runs over, collar-bell jingling. He's stressed. New environment. The hotel policy strictly stated no animals but she got him in. An extra 50 francs over the counter. Straight into the Velcro wallet of the counter-boy. It helped that Anita looked the way she did. She was used to special consideration. The cat purrs loudly now, Anita strokes its chin. The phone rings. A quick drag and exhale to finish her cigarette. Last mouthful of gin. The cat darts away as she stands. Anita picks up the receiver.

'So how's the hotel? I haven't heard of it.' Jacques speaks slowly, always careful with his English.

'Hello'. She speaks softly.

There's a pause on Jacques end. He's thinking. Anita looks at her cat lying under the coffee table. Yellow eyes glaring. 'Yes, that'll be great'.

There's a muffled silence on the other end. Then, Jacques.

'Hey, Anita'. Her and Jacques go out whenever she's in town.

He's older but switched on to good music, restaurants, bars – all of it. They slept together once but there was no real fire.

Better friends than lovers. Anita's certain that if given the chance, Jacques would want to again. He's Parisian after all.

Anita looks around the room, considering it. 'Yeah not too bad'.

Jacques laughs again. 'Not too bad eh? Well did you want to meet for a drink on rue clichy in a half hour?'

Anita takes a long drag from her cigarette. 'Meet you at the metro entrance?'

'Okay, well I'll see you soon'. Anita considers, hangs up the receiver. Time to get ready.

Walking down the few blocks until she reaches rue clichy, the red light district, it's cold but Anita's brown camelhair jacket keeps her warm. She passes the Moulin Rouge, crowded, bustling. The McDonalds golden arches sear the dark, glowing and buzzing. More cars now. Traffic.

Noise. Anita heads for the metro station. Heels unsteady in cobblestone cracks. She walks through the park-path running like a vein along the centre of the road. A black teenager starts to tail her, emerging from the public toilet.

He calls out in English.

'Hey, you want some weed? Speed? E? Whatever you want I can get it.' He stops following when she doesn't respond, kicking a rock. Back on the main foot-path. Crepe vendors, beggars, gypsies and tourists walking around with huge fluorescent backpacks. She spots Jacques leaning against a phone-booth at the metro entrance. He's smoking a Gauloises, always Gauloises and dressed in a well-tailored corduroy suit. He spots her.

To continue reading, visit blankgc.com.au

BOND BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM FOSTERS STUDENT START UPS The Bond Business Accelerator Program is a 13 week startup bootcamp which offers a tailored commercialisation experience around the Lean Startup methodology. The program is ideal for creatives who have a product or service to offer but may need assistance with getting started from a business perspective.

Program Director Dr Baden U’Ren elaborates.

“Creative people (musicians, artists, photographers, graphic designers, architects, fashion designers) often seek extra core business knowledge required to build a company. By coupling their creative flair with strategic thinking and business acumen, they are well-positioned to create something remarkable.”

The intensive program covers revenue models, customer relationships, strategic resources, consolidation and pitch, as well as many other practical topics designed to help participants on the fast track to entrepreneurship.

Dr Baden U’Ren describes the course further.

“The Bond Business Accelerator is the ultimate experiential education component of your Bond degree… Leading edge academic material coupled with intense industry backed mentors into a commercialisable outcome.”

“Bond University was started in a spirit of free enterprise, we are own startup. We have at our heart a spirit of innovation and free enterprise, and we see that running through the faculty of business. Every one of the five members of our entrepreneurship team has startup and exit experience.”

Following the course, student startups are then showcased at Gold Coast Demo Day, this year being held in mid-November.

“Gold Coast Demo Day is all about highlighting the difference ways in which the entrepreneurs of tomorrow are being educated,” says Dr U’Ren. “All the way from primary school, through to high school, in the community, through university and then by government supported programs and corporate programs.”

“The spark in a young person’s eye… that they’re capable of doing something. And seeing people that are older than them doing the same thing, it normalises it. It makes young people see being an entrepreneur as a desirable outcome for young people.”

The Bond Business Accelerator Program for 2016 commences on Wednesday 18th May. Visit bond.edu.au/bond-businessaccelerator for more information, or you can email Program Director and Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship Dr Baden U’Ren directly at buren@bond.edu.au Natalie O’Driscoll www.blankgc.com.au

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FRIDAY 29 APRIL ART | The Aurora Tree (until October) | Robina Town Centre

SUNDAY 1 MAY FESTIVITIES | Carnivale (Runs until 22 May) | Warner Bros Movie World FESTIVITIES | Mudgeeraba Street Party | Swan Ln and Railway St | 10.00am FOOD & BEVERAGE | Koobideh (Food Truck) | Burleigh Brewing Co ART | Two Perspectives on a Landscape (Exhibitions run to 31 May) | Hillier Skuse Gallery FESTIVITIES | Coastal Clean Up (+ Stone & Wood after party) | Miami Surf Lifesaving Club | 1.00pm

SUNDAY 1 MAY FESTIVITIES | Coastal Clean Up (+ Stone & Wood after party) | Miami Surf Lifesaving Club | 1.00pm

WEDNESDAY 4 MAY Media and Marketing Bootcamp with Blank GC + Wombat Creative + Kitty Kitty Bang Bang, 7.00 - 9.00pm. Tickets only $50. www. thepowerupseries.com

FRIDAY 29 APRIL THEATRE | Sugarland (runs to 30 April) | The Space | 7.30pm

MONDAY 2 MAY

THEATRE | Nimbin Bush Theatre – Get The Grass on Grass | Phoenix Rising Café | 6.00pm

ACTION | Lights Out and Dance (LOAD) | Burleigh Heads State School | 7.00pm

ART | Vilia Radigna Exhibition (runs to 8 June) | DBAR HOUSE, Coolangatta

FRIDAY 6 MAY

ART | Celebrate 20 Exhibition (runs to 17 July) | Robina Town Centre ART | The Aurora Tree (until October) | Robina Town Centre

SATURDAY 7 MAY

SATURDAY 30 APRIL ART | The Next Generation Exhibition (runs to 14th May) | Anthea Polson Art | Marina Mirage ART | GLOW Festival | Evandale Lake | 5.00pm

THEATRE | Motherland (runs to 7 May) | Arts Theatre | 7.30pm

www.blankgc.com.au

WORDS | Bigger Than Poetry | Miami Marketta

FRIDAY 13 MAY

FESTIVITIES | M FEST | Springbrook State School | 10.00am www.mfest.com.au

COMEDY | Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow| The Arts Theatre | 8.00pm

MONDAY 9 MAY

COMEDY | Laugh Your Pants Off | Jupiters Hotel and Casino | 7.30pm

ACTION | Lights Out and Dance (LOAD) | Burleigh Heads State School | 7.00pm

FRIDAY 29 - SATURDAY 30 APRIL THEATRE | Sugarland | The Space | 7.30pm

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WEDNESDAY 11 MAY

ART | Happy (Exhibition runs until 30 June) | Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach ART | James McKay – Water in Watercolour Exhibition | One Arts

FRIDAY 3 - SATURDAY 25 JUNE FOOD & BEVERAGE | Gold Coast Food + Wine Festival | NightQuarter

SATURDAY 14 MAY ACTION | Gold Coast Yoga Centre 20th Birthday Celebrations | Palm Beach EXPO | Women’s Health and Wellbeing Expo (runs to 15 May) | Robina Community Centre (FREE) womenshealthandwellbeingexpo.com.au LEARNING | Mudgeeraba Education Centre Open Day | 17 Cobai Dr | 10.00am

MONDAY 16 MAY ACTION | Lights Out and Dance (LOAD) | Burleigh Heads State School | 7.00pm

WEDNESDAY 18 MAY ART | Damien Pasquale Exhibition | Miami Marketta

THURSDAY 19 MAY ACTION | Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (runs until 22 May)| Sanctuary Cove

SATURDAY 21 MAY

FRIDAY 3 JUNE

FAMILY | Auction for Action (Charity event) | Soul Spot, Palm Beach

FOOD & BEVERAGE | Gold Coast Food + Wine Festival (runs to 25 June) | Nightquarter

MONDAY 23 MAY

www.gcfoodandwine.com.au

ACTION | Lights Out and Dance (LOAD) | Burleigh Heads State School | 7.00pm

WEDNESDAY 25 MAY LEARNING | APRA AMCOS Songwriter Speaks – Ben Ely | Miami Marketta | rsvp qld@apra.com.au For the first of APRA AMCOS’ Songwriter Speaks sessions in Queensland for 2016, Regurgitator founder, esteemed solo artist and collaborator de force Ben Ely will shed some light on his song writing process.

MONDAY 30 MAY FRIDAY 13 MAY ART | James McKay 'Water in Watercolour' exhibition | One Arts

ACTION | Lights Out and Dance (LOAD) | Burleigh Heads State School | 7.00pm

FESTIVITIES | Cooly Rocks On (runs until the 13th June) | Various venues, Coolangatta www.coolyrockson.com

THURSDAY 16 JUNE Gold Coast Music Awards with Hanlon Brothers + friends as house band, Burleigh Brewing Co. Tickets at gcmusicawards.com.

After-party with Benny D Williams + DJ and free cocktail for GCMA ticket holders, hosted by Hard Rock Cafe.

SUNDAY 26 JUNE FESTIVITIES | Zest Fest | Beechmont Community Centre | 8.30am

SUNDAY 7 AUGUST FESTIVITIES | Gold Coast Multicultural Expo | Southport Broadwater Parklands | 10.00am www.goldcoastculturalfestival.org

Proud presenting partner of the

VISIT BLANKGC.COM.AU/ GOLDCOASTEVENTSGUIDE FOR MORE

Gold Coast

Music Awards

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Arts & Culture with a non-tactile medium. He captures objects in the real world and translates and re-interprets them into the digital.

“I always look at nature. It is my source of inspiration. Even though I am working with [a medium] so removed from nature, I am passionate about the forms and shapes repeated in it.

“This object is a pen in the real world,” says Jake. “I take that pen and turn it into a digital artifact. How does that change in the process? It is not a [physical] pen anymore.

It is something else. And that is what I look at through my practice.”

“My exploration of my medium is the transition from the physical to the digital and then how the audience engage with it.” Hempson describes his practice. “I always look at nature. It is my source of inspiration. Even though I am working with [a medium] so removed from nature, I am passionate about the forms and shapes repeated in it. There are mathematical formulas in nature that we are now more aware of. I look at those and they influence how I put things together.”

Working in residence at the Art Centre for this project, Hempson is looking at the site, how it transfers into the future and how the transition blends in with the history of the site and how it is currently used. But not just the sites around the precinct, also the Gold Coast in general, where the city has come from, what it essentially is and where it might be heading.

The artist residency and the looming exhibition has already been a success for the Cultural Precinct.

“This has been a really wonderful coming together of Jake’s medium and us being at the verge of a new way of doing art and culture at the precinct.” Anna Carroll, Director of the Cultural Precinct project describes. “We picked the sites and asked him to respond to them. With some of them, we had an idea of what we were aiming for but the rest of them have just blown us away. We had no idea just how great they ended up being.”

“The sites that we wanted to explore have real relevance to the cultural precinct process; we start in the current gallery, which represents where we are now and finish the tour at the site of the future. It is great to have Jake imagining how he can interpret that and respond to it.” Carroll continues.

“This is a really joyous way to experience what you can do here above and beyond your imagination. You can hold up your phone and walk to the Chevron Island bridge that will one day be there and have an experience with one of Jake’s works that is literally floating on top of the water.”

REALITY AUGMENTED

now you see it, now you don't

The world of art is here to test our boundaries, to prevent the reality from boring us to death and to challenge our comfort zones. Art is a living thing reacting and following the trends and innovations of our society and this exhibition has definitely caught up with our lives and the technology of today. (Un)seen Gold Coast is an exhibition that will challenge our traditional conceptions of art and bring the cutting edge trends of the art world to our doorstep. Take your smartphone or tablet, make your way to the Cultural Precinct and visit an art exhibition unlike many, if any, you have seen.

Hempson. Through these site-specific works, you are given a glimpse into the new cultural precinct and the stories of the site and the city. Your smartphone or tablet is turned into a portal that enables you to see an exhibition not with your naked eye but through the technology you hold in your hand. Imagine ascending the stairs to the Art Centre not noticing anything you haven’t seen before until you look at it all through your phone and voilà, a large sculpture, a 3D collage of tourist souvenirs, appears to be floating right under the canopy of the entrance. Welcome to a 21st century art exhibition.

(Un)seen Gold Coast is an off-shoot of a larger mobile 3D augmented reality art show (Un)seen Sculptures and introduces six pieces by Brisbane based artist, Jake

Jake Hempson is a Zimbabwean born multi-disciplinary, digital artist and at least in this instance, a sculptor working

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This exhibition offers something new to those of us who are used to experiencing art on the wall, to those who haven’t quite gotten our heads around the new cultural precinct and the possibilities it offers, to those who consider technology more their cup of tea than high art in its traditional sense and to those who look for something new and cutting edge to experience on our own cultural playground.

Anna Itkonen

(UN)SEEN GOLD COAST OPENS ON 30 APRIL TO COINCIDE WITH GLOW FESTIVAL AND RUNS UNTIL 2 OCTOBER. IF YOU WANT MORE OF AN INSIGHT INTO THE PROJECT FOLLOW JAKE HEMPSON'S BLOG SCULPT-FORMS.COM.

EVERYTHING SCULPTURE AND MORE TO COME How many of us Gold Coasters know that in our city there is a wonderful sculpture society with over 40 years of passion and experience behind it? They are a group of people who have been brought together by the love of everything sculpture, with a vision to promote the art and create opportunities within the arts for everyone who is interested.

The Sculpture Society Gold Coast is a society, a group - one might even dare to call them an organisation even if it is an uneasy term for the artistic types - of approximately 60 members with a crosspollination of interests, skills and levels. You can be a professional sculptor, a budding sculptor with no idea where to start or a sculpture enthusiast with no artistic skills but magnificent coordination skills and a lot of passion instead. It takes all kinds to create a nurturing community of thriving arts.

The society runs a series of regular events and exhibitions; an annual members exhibition, workshops, classes, sculpture critique evenings and regular access to teachers and industry professionals just to mention a few. And there is more to come, much more to come. The two campuses the society has in Benowa and Mudgeeraba and the School House gallery will be filled with more artistic endeavors before the year is over.

“We are encouraging people with interest in sculpture as a medium to get onboard and help us create a hub of artistic energy,” she says.

Ruth has a long list of ideas and aspirations for the society and without a doubt the connections and the know-how to make it happen. The plan is to cater for a selection of varied interests and the wheels are already in motion. There is a magnificent program of workshops scheduled from welding to shoemaking and glazing and there has even been talk about a young curators program. “The Sculpture Society is full of people with great creative ideas and we want to see them happen.”

Visit the Sculpture Society Gold Coast website to find out what the sculpture enthusiast in you can do with and for them. www.sculptorsgoldcoast.org.au And let me just put it out there, should you be looking for an exhibition space for your or your groups next exhibition, a place for your club or organisation to hold your next meeting or a space to for the next teambuilding day, you cannot go wrong with The School House Gallery. It will guarantee to do wonders to your creative juices.

For the past three years, Ruth Della, a local art and sculpture powerhouse, has been the president of the society.

WATER IN WATERCOLOUR Growing up in the African veld, James McKay has a unique perspective on Australia.

The award winning artist is able to distil the essence of the bush, the sea, and the land between on watery canvasses, now exhibiting at One Arts Gold Coast during May and June.

McKay's latest works focus on seascapes, many reflecting the unique views of southern beaches of the Gold Coast.

Anna Itkonen

He has been painting in watercolours for more than 25 years, after studying under the well-known artist, Brian Allison. After exhibiting at galleries throughout Australia and South Africa, his style shows a deep emotion to the spontaneous movement of pigments on the parchment. His realistic style reflects the scene, but it is the emotion in the detail of the brushstroke that makes his work come alive.

"The faster I work, the more feeling the work has," he says in explanation of his style.

McKay was born in Zimbabwe, Africa and spend much of his early life on a farm. When he began painting it was scenes from the farm and the African life around him.

VISIT THE SCULPTURE SOCIETY GOLD COAST WEBSITE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE SCULPTURE ENTHUSIAST IN YOU CAN DO WITH AND FOR THEM. SCULPTORSGOLDCOAST.ORG.AU

He moved to Australia 14 years ago and continued his work with a new passion. He was captivated by the local landscape, and old farms in particularly.

McKay was first recognised for his work when he won the St Bernard Art Prize at Mount Tamborine in 2005.

Since then he has also won the award for the Best Landscape painting at the Kenilworth Art Show in 2009 and the Best Watercolour at the Live Life Art Prize in Brisbane in 2010.

His work became more serious as he was able to draw from the unique light and the soft colours of the natural landscape, and its history with the families who settled the land.

"I find the play of light on old fences, gum trees, old sheds and livestock, quite irresistible," he says.

Not content with his own work, he has also passed his love of art to hundreds of others by teaching painting for more than 12 years.

Watercolours are ideal for his work and he says the medium helps him to capture the essence of place and emotion.

Recently, McKay moved into seascapes, water scenes, flowers and contemporary buildings.

His latest collection 'Water in Watercolour' will be on exhibition at One Arts Gold Coast. An event opening night will be held on the 13th of May from 6:30 - 9pm.

Contact the gallery to share in this special night.

www.blankgc.com.au

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Arts & Culture

THE PRIVATE LIFE OF TOM BALLARD Since attaining finalist status during Raw Comedy 2006 at the tender age of 17, Tom Ballard has graced our airwaves as a triple j presenter, worn makeup and told jokes on a variety of prime time TV programs, overshared on his blog and toured around the world with comedy festivals.

Now heading to the Gold Coast as the headline act for Laugh Your Pants Off, he spoke with Natalie O’Driscoll about his latest comedy show, political activism and as per usual, his penis.

Between stand up, blogging, radio, DVDs, TV appearances, podcasts and festival touring… do you ever shut up?

demonising some of the most vulnerable and desperate people in the world for no good reason. I believe we live in a generally good country filled with decent hearted people, but when it comes to the “boat people” we’ve let our empty fears and our xenophobia turn our hearts to stone. Cue comedy!

As one of the relatively few people to have been inside a detention centre, what are some of your impressions?

They’re awful places. They’re just awful.

They’re prisons for people whose only crime is escaping persecution and asking for help.

A friend of mine arrived by boat when he was 23 years old; towards the end of last year he celebrated his 30th birthday, still in detention. That makes so sense. NO SENSE I TELLS YA.

HEY YOU SHUT UP! I CAN’T HELP IT IF THERE’S A MILD LEVEL OF DEMAND FOR MY OPINIONS ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD AND FACEBOOK AND MY GENITALS!

You’ve said before that it’s important to focus on the positive things about Australia and Australians, rather than just always focusing on the negative. For you, what are some of the main positives?

Tell us a bit about Boundless Plains to Share. What it talks about, and why you think the issues it raises are important.

Maggie Beer, the Wiggles and pavlovas.

Plus, you know, peace and natural beauty and freedom. That’s the thing – we are such a great country in so many ways, it’s just so frustrating that we can’t be even better.

C’mon, Straya!

It’s a 70-minute comedy lecture about Australia’s treatment of refugees and it’s much better than that sounds. I basically just wanted to put together the show I would like to see on this topic: something that is entertaining but also explains how the hell we got to the very messy situation we’re in where we’re locking up children in prison camps, prosecuting charity workers and

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Your comedy is described as “politically active comedy”. How much of your work is comedy, and how much is politics? Also, if you weren’t a comedian, do you think you would still be an activist (or a politician)?

First and foremost, I’m a comedian: if you ain’t laughin’, I ain’t done my job. But I try to use my interest in the things I’m reading and learning and talking about and experiencing – refugees, privilege, racism, homophobia, etc – as material. I’ve always admired the likes of Wil Anderson, Judith Lucy, Rod Quantock, Chris Rock, Nazeem Hussain, Bill Hicks, Aamer Rahman et al, who can make you laugh very, very hard, whilst also making you think “That’s true and it’s a damn good point”. That’s the kind of comedy that excites me.

If I wasn’t doing this malarkey, I’d probably have finished my law degree by now (I got 6 weeks in and dropped out to tell dick jokes) and I like to think I’d be using that to help people who need it as opposed to defending a giant oil company from liabilities or helping Google with their tax avoidance.

What does the rest of your year look like?

I’m off on the crazy whacky adventure that is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival again, so that’ll be a hoot/something that will make me cry from exhaustion.

I’m busy working on little ideas and pitches for things and of course, there are always new jokes that must be written.

Oh also I’m going to get a PT and become super ripped and stop smoking cigarettes and learn how to cook and get a boyfriend so yeah pretty stoked.

YOU CAN CATCH TOM AT JUPITERS FOR LAUGH YOUR PANTS OFF ON FRIDAY 13 MAY. VISIT JUPITERSGOLDCOAST.COM.AU FOR TICKETS AND THE FULL LINEUP.

BIGGER THAN POETRY

BAZAAR SUNDAY LUNCH

Miami Marketta is inked across the night in red neon. It sits above a glowing warehouse humming with the noise of chatter and mouths munching on food stall goodness.

You walk into this trendy plaza past the DJ bringing the background funk and the atmosphere is already quite buzzy and high before you turn into the dimly lit performance space. Drop some dosh into the jar as you pass the door if you’re keen and want to support poetry, drop your name on the list if you’re even keener and want to speak poetry.

“Poets need an audience, there’s only so much you can read to a blank wall,” says host John Holms into the mic.

It is this audience – these people - who come to speak and observe who make this thing a thing. Who make this non-judgemental space to come together and freely express possible. And this is what it’s all about. What Josh has facilitated is a vehicle where anyone can come and speak their truth. Whether it’s the tragic trauma you experienced as a kid, your reflections on the mad state of the world, your understanding of the universe, your passion, your life story, your romance, your dreams, your fear, your love, your faith, your nihilism, your big idea, whatever it is, here is a place where you can openly vent, heal or reveal your Self.

And you will not be ridiculed or mocked but welcomed and congratulated.

Josh dipped into the hat and pulled out the first Self to be revealed. It was good old Bob. White hair, big belly, probably 70+, a delightful romantic who told us lovingly of how he’d turned his house into an art temple. Following this was a colourful river of poets whose words came flowing out in trickling side streams. Sean a young man from the beautiful land of India let out a powerful and confronting poem called U + I on the insecurity imposed on women by our strange time. Carlos took us on a dream wave through his eyes with Surfing in Colour.

The unique and quirky Caresse spoke on the neurobiology of terror from behind her vest, bringing us into her universe and enlightening us with parallels between the fear propaganda of ‘ISIS’ and the Egyptian Goddess ‘Isis’.

The elderly Sue shared her life story of escaping Nazi Germany on a train at age 9 and her passage through a Quaker community and then through living in a manor and being raised as a lady. There was the incredible 15 year old Lucy who blew everyone’s mind with her confidence and

dream power, kudos sister. The snazzy Sam got up and laid down some smooth jazzy beatboxing, toying with rhythm and swing at once until Josh himself got up with bones burning and let loose a rap of his own and let it be known that the resident host nailed it. There was even a surprise performance by the impressive Dream Team dance squad who said their poetry was written with their bodies and promptly continued to bust a move.

There was much more than this and if I had a whole magazine to myself I would paint you a vivid picture of everything that went down and everything that came flying out of that swarm of creative mouths and do proper justice to everyone who got up. But unfortunately I don’t and who can rely on a young man’s memory anyway? You’d be far better off bringing your eyes and ears down to the next session and checking it out for yourself. I will, however, leave you with one more thing before we part ways. I am happy to report that the sensation of getting up and reading for yourself is f**king awesome.

Loki Liddle

BIGGER THAN POETRY TAKES PLACE ONCE A MONTH AT MIAMI MARKETTA. YOU CAN WATCH VIDEOS FROM THE NIGHT ON YOUTUBE.

EXPERIENCE THE FAMED BAZAAR MARKETPLACE RESTAURANT FOR A LONG, LAZY SUNDAY LUNCH. Your plate is your passport as the Bazaar kitchen serves up cuisines from all around the globe.

Fresh seafood, wood fired pizzas, Asian dumplings steamed to order, exotic salads, an array of hot dishes, decadent desserts and the popular ice cream station!

Adults $59, Kids under 12 years $29, Kids under 4 years eat free.

SPECIAL OFFER: Receive a complimentary bottle of Perrier-Jouët Champagne for group bookings of 10 or more guests!

Bookings essential. Call 07 5584 1200 or book online at qtgoldcoast.com.au QT Gold Coast 7 Staghorn Avenue Surfers Paradise www.blankgc.com.au

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EDDIE THE EAGLE HUGH JACKMAN, TARON EGERTON Delusional characters in film are generally more irritating than endearing, but I challenge anyone not to fall in love with Michael “Eddie” Edwards and his obsessive quest to represent Great Britain at the Winter Olympics.

Possessed of little more than a single-minded tenacity, this young skier overcame obstacles such as lack of funding, a dream-squashing father, a hostile British Olympic committee, a late start and a distinct lack of training and technique to qualify and come last in the ski jump of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, winning the hearts of the world in the process.

Egerton’s performance as Eddie The Eagle is both amusing and heart-wrenching, while Hugh Jackman’s turn as fictional coach Bronson Peary gives a perfect gruff-with-heart-ofgold touch to this story of unquenchable hope and unlikely redemption.

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The film doesn’t skimp on clichés, however as a work of underdog dramedy and a deliverer of the warm and fuzzies, it just works. Jackman’s perpetually hungover Peary is the perfect foil for the eternally optimistic and good-natured Eddie, who at times seems like one of those inflatable punching bag toys that pops right back up no matter how hard you knock it down. Christopher Walken bring his characteristically creepy-quirk to his blink-and-you’ll-missit appearance, and you’ll just loathe the snooty boys club of the British Olympic Selection Committee.

Although the filmmakers took great liberties with the story (Edwards has stated he feels the film is around 5% accurate), some of the obstacles such as the disdain of his fellow athletes and the establishment are fairly well represented.

This is a story of an ultimate trier, someone who, despite all the best efforts to clip his wings, succeeded in soaring, and in that aspect, it’s 100% truth.

Natalie O’Driscoll

EDDIE THE EAGLE SCREENED AS THE OPENING NIGHT FILM AT THE GOLD COAST FILM FESTIVAL.

point

blank Story City Gold Coast Available 24/7 for FREE. A walking tour where you get to be the hero of your own adventure! Story City is a free app that allows you to do real-life Choose-your-adventures through the Gold Coast. Discover hidden nooks and beautiful vistas in the Goldy as you become the hero of your very own adventure. Dive into your adventure today! Download the Story City App from storycity.com.au. The world is full of adventures, choose yours.

Belloo Creative brings Motherland to Gold Coast The true story of the Brisbane socialite who married Russia's deposed Prime Minister, Alexander Kerensky, and helped him escape from the Nazis in World War Two is being told on Motherland's regional tour arriving on the Gold Coast 6 May. The play, written by Katherine Lyall-Watson (co-founder of Belloo Creative and a finalist in the 2013 Patrick White Playwrights' Award) and produced in partnership with Ellen Belloo and Critical Stages, centres this captivating story around three remarkable women told at three very different times. Tickets at theartscentregc.com.au.

The Aurora Tree

Latte Art Smackdowns at Caffeine Kings Coffee lovers who are keen to share knowledge, learn something new and have a laugh should head along to Caffeine Kings in Miami every second Monday night (next one being 2 May) for their latte art smackdown. Watch the GC's best baristas battle it out, or even join in yourself for $10, which includes a pot of beer. Starting at 7.00pm this event is a must for caffeine aficionados so be sure to rock up and join in the fun.

Professional Affordable Video Production www.theeditsuite.com.au Find us

Robina Town Centre is turning 20, and to celebrate, they’ve shipped an art installation here all the way from Burning Man. Created by American Artist Charles Gadeken, Aurora is a one of a kind, towering nine metre willow tree with hand beaten copper leaves that chime in the wind. At night Aurora comes to life in a spectrum of colours. This magnificent installation allows you to control the lighting of its branches from your smartphone or from the iPad located near the tree. The ever changing lighting makes Aurora a genuine interactive art piece. It will be located at the Centre from 28 April through October. More at robinatowncentre.com.au.

point

blank Irene Messia Exhibition Opening Dust Temple’s current artist in residence Irene Messia will open her first Australian exhibition on Saturday 28 May. Irene was born in Rome, Italy in 1988. She has a genetic predisposition for exploring, practising and producing art. Her Great Grandparents, Grandparents and Parents were all artists.

She has pursued a life of creating and with the heart of a gypsy, constantly searches out experiences and meetings through travel, which allows an artistic mind to explore both the boundaries of living as an artist and to be inspired by people, place, ideas and nature.

workshops such as modern cloth nappies, drumming and felting are on offer. There’s also food stalls and Councillor Glenn Tozer will be doing a ‘street meet’. More at mfest. com.au.

Connection Choruses and takes place at Helensvale Cultural Centre on Saturday 7 May. More at soundconnection.com.au.

Sugarland opens audience’s eyes to teenage Australia

Mum’s the word at Currumbin Pieters scores Mlk residency Performance visual artist Anthony Pieters has scored a regular Saturday morning residency at Broadbeach café, Mlk Espresso Bar. He’ll be in the café doing live art from 8.30am with his work displayed in the venue and available for sale. He’s also taking bookings for commissions too. Mlk (My Little Kitchen) is at 2 Queensland Avenue, Broadbeach.

Café Dbar hosts Vilia Radigna Local artist, Vilia Radigna is committed to producing an expansive collection of seascape natural beauties, reflecting coastal presence. Vilia’s work offers a vivacious style with pleasing colour palettes and distinctive mark making, enhancing the uniqueness of her creations. An exhibition of Vilia’s work will run 29 April – 8 June.

Mums get special treatment at the best little club in the world. Currumbin RSL will host a mothers’ day lunch in their Waterside Events room with three courses, a glass of bubbly, lucky door prizes and a live performance by Caleb Lafaitele. Doors at 11.30am. More at currumbinrsl.com.au.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival hits the Gold Coast Bob Franklin will MC a stellar lineup of funny folk with Melbourne International Comedy Festival hits the GC on Friday 13 May. Handpicked to bring the biggest and best belly laughs to The Arts Centre Gold Coast are David Quirk, Pajama Men, Jess Perkins and Keven Kropinveri. Tickets $56 from theartscentregc.com.au.

Dance Fever Rocks The Strand Dance Fever is taking hold at The Strand at Coolangatta in the lead up to June’s Cooly Rocks On festivities, with a dance extravaganza planned at the centre on Sunday 1 May from 10.00am. The free, two hour event will feature dance demonstrations and lessons by the region’s most talented dancers.

A range of experts from different genres will be making their moves, from rock ‘n’ roll, to contemporary, mumbo, hip hop, jazz, ballroom and swing, with the public invited to take part in the classes.

In 2011 playwrights Rachael Coopes (Art House) and Wayne Blair (The Sapphires, Bloodland, The Gods of Wheat Street) engaged in a series of residencies in the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory.

Their aim was to create a story that would allow audiences around the country to gain a personal understanding of what life is like growing up in remote Australia.

With over two months spent in this unique place gathering stories, making friends and writing, the result is this extraordinary new play. Sugarland provides a glimpse into a teenage Australia that feels like a foreign country, an insight rarely seen on the Australian stage. It plays at The Arts Centre Gold Coast on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 April. More at theartscentregc.com.au.

Sound and prana Practice, play and dance as fellow yogis gather at Albert Waterways Community Centre on Saturday 7 May for a special prana event. With live performance by Dubarray and yoga from Darci, the event is expected to be very popular and will run from 4.00 – 6.30pm. More at dyoga.com.au.

Glitter Festival dates announced #glitterfestivalgc makes a comeback

M:Fest delivers on the mountain

Celebrate mum with music

Saturday 7 May sees a beautiful celebration for mothers, music and mountain-lovers.

Springbrook School will be the venue for MFest which runs 10.00am – 4.00pm.

Leopold’s Treat will headline the music program (1.00pm) with a cast of talented women perfoming throughout the day and

Experience the sound of a capella harmony as a selection of award winning Gold Coast choruses and quartets perform in a unique tribute to mum that she definitely won’t forget! Ideal for music lovers of all ages with a sumptuous afternoon tea included, the event is hosted by Vocalescence and Sound

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www.blankgc.com.au

The Arts Centre Gold Coast has announced that Glitter Festival 2016 will take place in a new four-day extended weekend format running Thursday 6 – Sunday 9 October.

Glitter is committed to being a nationally recognised arts festival that embraces diversity, encourages freedom of expression and celebrates the unique personality of the Gold Coast. More at theartscentregc.aom.au/ glitter.

Mary Poppins Cast Announced!

The cast is set and Mary Poppins is well on its way to becoming a Gold Coast sensation with plenty of amazing local talent selected.

A grand total of 140 auditions were received and the stakes were high for principal roles. Max Patterson who has been dancing since age three will play Bert and Georgina Hopson who graduated from Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 2014 will play Mary Poppins. It runs at The Arts Centre GC from 17 – 25 June.

PRESENTS

THE AURORA TREE 28 April – October Robina Town Centre is turning 20, and to celebrate we have welcomed international artwork, the ‘Aurora Tree’, to The Promenade in an Australian first.

This magnificent installation, created with hand beaten copper leaves, comes alive at night with a beautiful spectrum of colours which you can control from your phone.

Bring the family for dinner and see the spectacular ‘Aurora Tree’ light up The Promenade every night.

robinatowncentre.com.au

Issue #33 MAY 2016

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