Blank Gold Coast issue #50 - Nov 2017

November '17

BRINGS THE GOODS TO AUSTRALIAN MUSIC WEEK

MUSIC

FOOD

MUSIC

MUSIC

CULTURE

Hussy Hicks Australian Music Week The Dead Milkmen Mekong Merchants Wallis Bird

The Island Two Seasons Great Australian Cookbook Brasserie

Hobo Magic John Butler Eliza & the Delusionals Ecca Vandal Kyle Lionhart

The East Pointers BB Factory The Sunnyboys Nowhere Else Scenic Route to Alaska

27 Club GC Open House Women Like Us Casey Arnaud The Darnell Collection

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Human League at The Star They’ve been pop icons for decades, earning a reputation for their live shows as well as selling millions of albums and inspiring two generations of recording artists. Hell, even David Bowie said of The Human League, “I have seen the future of pop music.” For the first time in eight years The Human League are making their way to Australia for a special run of theatre shows. They’ll be at The Star Gold Coast on Saturday 16 December.

More at bit.ly/humanleagueGC.

alt-soul outfit a la Badbadnotgood released an EP earlier this year with Ball Park Music vocalist Sam Cromack which had heaps of radio play and Spotify playlist love and the band’s third album ‘Stay A While’ is out 3 November ahead of the tour. Check them out here: bit.ly/ cactuschannelvid

Street, with the rest of the program rolling out at GU Film House in Cronulla. ‘Breaking the Mould’ will have its world premiere at the event and the NSW premiere of ‘Something Quite Peculiar: The Life and Times of Steve Kilbey will also take place during the festival. Steve Kilbey will appear in a Q+A following the screening.

The list of screenings is way too long to publish here – go check them out at australianmusicweek. com/film.

NOVEMBER Ocean Alley continue momentum

Mudgeeraba sessions return for summer 2017-18 It’s time to dust off the picnic rugs and locking in your Mudgeeraba Friday nights, because Summertime Sessions in the Village is back. The seven-week series kicks off Friday 3 November with Leopold’s Treat and Jackson Dunn providing live sets. Felicity Lawless, Julie Hayes, Jadey Peterson, Salt & Steel and Sonik Mayhem are among the artists performing over the season. Summertime Sessions in the Village wraps up for the year with Hussy Hicks on 15 December. Fresh from touring the USA and with a new album under their belt, the hussies are excited about playing new material for their biggest fans – Gold Coasters. The full lineup is as follows: 3 Nov - Jackson Dunn + Leopold's Treat, 10 Nov - Sonik Mayhem + Felicity Lawless, 17 Nov - Julie Hayes + Tay Oskee, 24 Nov - Chris Tamwoy + Burger Joint, 1 Dec - Jadey Peterson + The Lyrical, 8 Dec - Salt & Steel + Taylor and 15 Dec - Hussy Hicks + Micka Scene.

Retrospective moments for Boy & Bear’s Tim Hart

SATURDAYS 7-10PM & SUNDAYS IN THE BEER GARDEN 2-5PM for more info www.surfclubaustralia.com

As the drummer for Boy & Bear, Tim Hart spends most of his musical life behind a drum kit, touring the world, singing back-up vocals and helping with songwriting for the awardwinning Sydney outfit. In 2012 Hart released his debut album ‘Milling the Wind’ – a barebones folk record. And in February, he’s releasing his sophomore ‘The Narrow Corner’. But if you can’t wait until then, you can pre-order the album and score new single ‘I’d Do Well’ in the process.

And if you do all of that and still want more (which you will), you can catch Tim Hart live at NightQuarter as part of his national tour. He’ll pass through town on Saturday 24 February.

Cactus Channel at Marketta As part of their national tour, Melbourne band The Cactus Channel will lob into Miami Marketta, 25 November. The seven-piece

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Ocean Alley will round out the year supporting The Growlers on the Gold Coast, playing a sold out all-ages show in Sydney, before bringing in the New Year at Rhythm & Alps and Bay Dreams festivals in New Zealand. They’ve also just released the video clip for their most recent single ‘The Comedown’ which was premiered by triple j Unearthed. Check out the video at bit.ly/ oceanalleyvid and go find out why The Growlers have these guys on their bill, when they both play Miami Marketta, 5 November.

Woodford Folk Festival announces lineup Confirming it’s renown as a place to discover fresh talents amid familiar names, a record number of performers will make their first appearance at the Woodford Folk Festival this year with 320 acts set to take the stage for the 2017-18 event. The 500-acre festival site known as Woodfordia will this year play host to Australian music royalty John Butler, The Beautiful Girls, Holy Holy and Husky who join the vocally gifted Kate Miller-Heidke, Montaigne and Mama Kin Spender. Baker Boy and Birds, Apakatjah, The Babe Rainbow, POW! Negro, Cheap Fakes, Kenta Hayashi and Sampa The Great are also on the lineup. More at woodfordfolkfestival.com.

Working Class Man hits Gold Coast Jimmy Barnes has announced a 30-date national tour featuring stories and songs as well as a commemorative edition of ‘For the Working Class Man’ on the back of his new memoir, also called ‘Working Class Man’. This new tour sees Jimmy telling his life story and singing stripped back versions of songs that have shaped his journey. The tour also promotes the word of Lifeline as Jimmy draws attention to the issues of addiction and mental health in his new book and live show. Jimmy Barnes is at The Star, 14 April 2018.

Australian Music Week launches film festival World and Australian Premieres across two venues will screen 31 October – 3 November in Sydney as part of Australian Music Week. The Australian premiere of documentary ‘Take me to the River’ will be presented in conjunction with the Memphis Convention & Visitors’ Bureau on Tuesday 31 October at Event Cinemas, George

Another 16 world-class acts announced for Bluesfest Youssou N’Dour, Seal, Gomez, Michael Franti & Spearhead and the original Blues Brothers Band have all been included in Bluesfest 2018’s massive lineup. Jackson Browne, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, Jimmy Cliff, The Wailers, Benjamin Booker, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Canned Heat, Walter Trout and André Cymone are also in this week’s announcement. In typical Bluesfest fashion it’s a truly eclectic mix of heritage artists, festival favorites and exciting new comers. And if that wasn’t enough to get you excited, let me tell you this Youssou N'Dour is coming with his 20 piece band of musicians, singers and acrobats to play Bluesfest on Good Friday in what will surely be remembered as one of the most spectacular performances ever at the festival. Ever. Bluesfest hits Byron over the Easter long weekend and tickets are on sale now via bluesfest.com.au.

NEW GOLD COAST MUSIC Blood of the Lannisters get beheaded

Cog announce Marketta show Ever since their return to the stage, Cog have been touring the circuits and making their mark known once again. Now it’s the Gold Coast’s turn, Miami Marketta to be precise.

Thursday 21 December will see Cog play Gold Coast for the first time since they split in 2010. Cog have made it very clear that new music is underway, posting photos and videos in the studio to tease fans of a new album. Making this their first full-length album since the release of ‘Sharing Space’ way back in 2008. So it will easily be ten years since their last album come time of release. Tickets through Oztix.

Favourite debut for Banks of the Beautiful Electronic-retro-pop duo have released their debut single ahead of forthcoming album ‘Unscheduled Departure’. The single ‘Favourite’ showcases a unique sound that includes elements of 80s era hip-hop with a relentless ear-worm chorus, throwback handclaps and heartfelt lyrics over luscious layers of electro-pop. Produced and mixed on a laptop in a parked car and mastered by GC legend Paul Blakey (Amy Shark), the song is scheduled for release via all the usual retail outlets on 3 November.

Love starts a war for The Ruiins According to triple j’s Dave Ruby How, The Ruiins’ new single ‘Love Can Start a War’ has classic written all over it. The first single off their debut EP – due later in the year – ‘Love Can Start a War’ was recorded with Govinda Doyle (Angus & Julia Stone) in his home studio in Northern NSW. This fresh offering from the humble pair is drenched in everything summer. “The guitar riff is silky smooth, which coupled with the powerful and sweet chorus is sure to be stuck in your head in no time”, says guitarist Pat Sugden. The single is out now.

Cheap Fakes: new single, new tour

NightQuarter delivers ‘best night ever’… with Grinspoon’s help It’s already been named the ‘best night ever’ and it hasn’t even happened yet. It takes over NightQuarter as a ‘not-quite’ new years eve bash and post-grunge rockers Grinspoon will headline the night. Off the back of their hugely successful and fully sold-out 31 date national tour to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of their debut album Guide To Better Living, Grinspoon just can’t get enough of the stage and are thrilled to be back. The legendary Grinners will be joined by fellow rock royalty British India and local rock stars Eliza & The Delusionals and Voiid.

We hear the light rail will likely be open to Helensvale ready for this show #winning.

Tickets via oztix.

Sharpen your axes, Gold Coast metal band Blood of the Lannisters have released their debut EP ‘Beheaded’. Opening with the debut single 'The Cretin', a thrashy and satirical polemic on politics, the EP goes on to combine hardcore, cross-over, power groove and death metal elements over six tracks. The unorthodox three-piece will be trotting out the new songs via live shows in late 2017 / early 2018. But in the meantime you can hunt down the tracks at bloodofthelannisters.bandcamp.com.

Brass-fueled funk ska pop lords, Cheap Fakes are hitting the road to celebrate the release of their new single ‘Sisters’, out 3 November.

Playing a mix of festivals and classic venues like Lefty’s and Beach Hotel, the tour runs through November and December, wrapping up at Gold Coast’s own Mo’s Desert Clubhouse on 9 December.

Eliza & the Delusionals release, 'The Deeper End' A collection of coming of age tales, ‘The Deeper End’ EP sees the Gold Coast fourpiece delve deeper into their 90s influences and experiment further with signature fuzzy guitar tones and catchy-as-all-hell hooks. The five exuberant tracks on this EP journey through the trials and tribulations of growing up and entering adulthood and the impact of these formative years on personal relationships. ‘The Deeper End’ is out Friday 27 October and the band hit the road with a six-date east coast tour through November.

#050 NOVEMBER 2017 Editor in Chief: Samantha Morris Cultural Editor: Natalie O'Driscoll Design: Chloe Popa Partnerships Manager: Amanda Gorman Partnerships: Simone Gorman-Clark Money Coordinator: Phillippa Wright Senior Music Writer: Anthony Gebhardt House Photographer: Leisen Standen, Lamp Photography Editorial Intern: Kasey Thompson

clawmachine drops ‘Notion’ Dylan Lindquist is the producer behind Gold Coast outfit clawmachine and his latest release ‘Notion’ continues to deliver on clawmachine’s psychedelically sweet, cake-pop sounds….

With a touch of velvety reverb and spattering drum beats. A grittier bass creates space for the vivid atmospheric elements to flourish and the track is a colourful embodiment of simple, unwavering pleasure. All made within the confines of Dylan’s “shitty bedroom studio”. clawmachine will perform at Mandala Collective, 10 November and Miami Shark Bar 18 November and you can listen to ‘Notion’ on all the digital outlets.

Soundbar Sessions captures city’s thriving music scene A new series of music videos will showcase Gold Coast’s rich musical talent by shining a light on the musicians, bands and venues that support a flourishing live music scene.

Being exclusively released over ten weeks through Blank Gold Coast, the 2017 series of videos captures performances by acts such as Electrik Lemonade, Yes Sir Noceur, James Street Preachers, Cheap Fakes, Tesla Coils and Phoebe Sinclair live at venues across the city. Award-winning venues Soundlounge and NightQuarter are included as locations, alongside outdoor spaces such as Southport CBD, Seaside Sounds at Burleigh, Live at Bond and even Beatniks Record Store at Broadbeach.

The project, driven by City of Gold Coast, is designed to support the city’s music sector by increasing the profile of home grown musicians and embracing the potential to connect with industry and new audiences through quality digital content. The series of ten videos offers a unique insight into the depth of live music talent that the Gold Coast has to offer, week in, week out, and invites musicians and music lovers from across the country and the world to discover a new playground for great live music.

Check out ‘Blank GC’ on Youtube for the videos as they’re released.

Contributors: Natalie O’Driscoll, Anthony Gebhardt, Marj Osbourne, Catherine Coburn, Samantha Morris, Erin Bourne, Terry “Tappa” Teece, Kylie Cobb, Glenn Tozer, Nae Kurth, Leisen Standen.

Acknowledgement of Country: We genuinely respect and acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and play. We honour their elders past, present and emerging as well as the rich contribution that continues to be made to society through art, story and music.

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

TICKETED EVENTS WEDNESDAY 22ND NOVEMBER:

UB40 ‘THE HITS AND MORE’

FRIDAY 1ST DECEMBER:

MARLEY: CELEBRATE THE LEGEND

SATURDAY 2ND DECEMBER:

THE ANGELS W/ ROSE TATTOO & MI-SEX

SATURDAY 30TH DECEMBER:

THE BEST NIGHT EVER W/ GRINSPOON AND BRITISH INDIA

NOVEMBER GIG GUIDE FRIDAY 3RD NOVEMBER:

GARRETT KATO // JUZZIE SMITH

SATURDAY 4TH NOVEMBER:

THE TWINE // HARRY J HART

FRIDAY 10TH NOVEMBER:

NOIRE // SCENIC ROUTE TO ALASKA

SATURDAY 11TH NOVEMBER:

WILLE AND THE BANDITS

FRIDAY 17TH NOVEMBER:

THE NINTH CHAPTER

SATURDAY 18TH NOVEMBER:

THE SETTLEMENT

FRIDAY 24TH NOVEMBER:

THE BAY COLLECTIVE

SATURDAY 25TH NOVEMBER:

KALLIDAD // FELICITY LAWLESS

nightquarter.com.au

town centre drive, helensvale

Hanlon Brothers

GOLD COAST BRINGS THE GOODS TO AUSTRALIAN MUSIC WEEK Some of the city’s best emerging talent will showcase at Australian Music Week when it rolls into Sydney 1 – 5 November.

It’s been a while between new releases for Gold Coast ensemble Hanlon Brothers who’ve previously won Emerging Artist of the Year at the GC Music Awards and been a finalist for two categories at the Queensland Music Awards. They’re showcasing at Australian Music Week for the first time.

“We think it's the right time to put Hanlon Brothers in front of the Australian and international music industry as we've put in the 'hard yards' to develop our sound and show; and the new music we'll be putting out in 2018 is next level,” Saia Hanlon (drums) told Blank Gold Coast.

“We're looking for the right team to help us get it out there to the world and that's what events like this are for.”

Whoa

“Our plan is to be everywhere, go to everything, talk to as many people as we can and proudly fly the flag for the Gold Coast!”

When we asked Saia what the best possible outcome from showcasing at Australian Music Week might be he didn’t beat around the bush.

“Best case scenario, Hanlon Brothers will be added to the Woodford and Bluesfest lineups, secure global publishing and distribution deals, as well as opportunities to showcase and launch in overseas markets. Might as well aim high right?”

Hanlon Brothers hit Space 44 on 3 November, 6.10pm for Australian Music Week.

William Bloom, who Blank Gold Coast readers will know as Will Anderson will also showcase at the event. William’s star is rising, there’s no doubt about that. Debut single ‘Notions’ highlighted the artist’s multi-instrument talents and he’s recently supported Kingswood as well as performed with Busby Marou in support of Elton John. William is only 20 years old and he’s slowly building a mass of fans both locally and further afield.

Eliza and the Delusionals

Karl S Williams needs no introduction. By far one of the city’s most compelling and talented artists, he is no stranger to international showcase events. The award-winning artist has trod the boards multiple times at BIGSOUND and has travelled as far as New York for the CMJ Music Marathon. Karl says the thing he loves most about industry showcase events like this is that you get a sense of your place as an artist within an industry made up of all kinds of roles beyond just that of the performers.

“I really felt that when I went to CMJ in New York,” he told Blank Gold Coast, “because the scale of the industry is so much larger there and there is so much history behind it.

There is something reassuring to me about being a small cog in something greater and I find these events very energising and inspiring for that reason.”

Then of course there’s the whole connecting other artists element.

“It's such a wonderful way to meet other artists and get to see them play when you may otherwise be scattered around the world on divergent tour schedules. Swapping war stories tends to reveal that we've all been fighting the same battles and there is solace in that too,” Karl said.

And while showcase sets may be daunting, Karl says that they’re “very forgiving” because you’re playing for the ultimate music-lovers.

“Generally they are shorter sets so it's a puzzle to show all aspects of the music. I prefer not to treat showcases too differently from a normal gig - just go out and have fun playing - but I am conscious that for the listeners there, every moment is precious as they may need to run to another showcase.”

Karl is promising a new release in 2018 and has been playing a heap of new songs on his current ‘Blood to Give’ tour, which is just winding up.

You can catch Karl S Williams at the Rhythms Stage for Australian Music Week on 2 November, 7.45pm.

William Bloom is at Croydon Lane for Australian Music Week on 2 November, 6.45 – 7.15pm.

Rounding out the list of Gold Coast’s showcasing acts for this year’s Australian Music Week is Whoa.

Eliza and the Delusionals have been making big waves this year too. Fronted by dynamic powerhouse Eliza Klatt, the Gold Coast outfit were finalists for Song of the Year for the 2017 Gold Coast Music Awards, went on to perform at BIGSOUND, supported Killing Heidi and scored a December support slot for British India and Grinspoon.

They’ve just dropped their EP ‘The Deeper End’ and are primed to impress an international music audience at Australian Music Week.

Eliza and the Delusionals are at El Sol for Australian Music Week on 2 November from 6.00 – 6.30pm.

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You might not have heard of these guys who met at Griffith University just last year, but some of the band members are familiar, having played in acts such as IVEY and Peach Fur. With only a handful of shows under their belt they’ve already supported The Vanns and played the Ozfest afterparty. When they had their debut headlining gig at Miami Shark Bar, they sold over 300 tickets. They have just one single to their name, ‘Stay The Night’ released in June but there’s no question they’ve already cemented themselves as one of the city’s most formidable, and fun, live bands.

Whoa are at El Sol for Australian Music Week on 3 November, 9.45 – 10.15pm.

Ed Kuepper

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Peter Oxley

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Paul LarsEn

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Alister Spence

PLAY

(73’-78’)

+ Mick Medew & The MesmeriSers SAT. 25TH NOV. SUN. 26TH NOV. SUNSHINE COAST TWEED HEADS THE SHED TWIN TOWNS (AUSSIE WORLD) ALL SHOW S ON S AL E NO W FR OM F E E L PR E SE NT S.COM • FACEBO O K .COM/ FEELP RESEN TS

SEATED SHOW

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Acoustic Guitar Spectacular

British India

In Hearts Wake

The Whitlams

$27 + BF online or $35 at the door

$30 + BF online or $35 at the door

$30 + BF online or $40 at the door

$58 + BF online or $65 at the door

DANJO: DELIVERING THE SONGS OF THE DEAD MILKMEN For those with a passion for the US punk rock and underground music scenes of the mid 80s and early 90s, the name The Dead Milkmen is sure to bring back fond memories.

More Violent Femmes than Black Flag, the band peddled a masterful brand of irreverent, stripped back, jangle-punk featuring tales of Big Lizards, Bitchin' Camaros, Vietnam Beach Parties and Smokin' Banana Peels, delivered with irreverent humour and shouty, singalong melody.

LONG WEEKEND WILL BE SUNNY, BOYS

They scored recognition in Australia back in the day with their tracks 'The Thing That Only Eats Hippies' and 'Punk Rock Girl', which even got them some serious MTV rotation.

January long weekend is sorted. Sunnyboys have announced a Gold Coast show as part of a national tour and they’re being supported by none other than the legendary Celibate Rifles. It’s the stuff summer dreams are made of.

Having survived band break ups and the death of original bassist Dave Blood in 2004, The Dead Milkmen still write and perform to this day. With drummer Dean Clean and keyboard player/vocalist Rodney Anonymous not able to make the journey over, it is original Milkmen guitarist and vocalist Joe Jack Talcum and current Milkmen bassist Dandrew St Evens who bring their two piece project, Danjo, to our shores for the very first time in November.

In 2012 after a 21 year break, Sunnyboys re-entered the fray at the behest of Dig it Up! the Hoodoo Gurus Invitational.

Rumours were the band had agreed to regroup "just for fun and for old times' sake.” It was an amazing and emotional performance.

Six years later and Sunnyboys are still going strong with a plethora of live gigs under their belt – including the venue attendance record at the Coolangatta Hotel (previously held

by Noiseworks) and sold-out shows Australia wide. The Sunnyboys reformed have now been around longer than when they first hit the scene in the 1980’s and burnt out like a shooting star.

"In the 80's we burned out and the fun became hard work.

The shows this time around have all been good fun and the fan reactions incredible, so while ever that lasts the band will,” said Bil Bilson The band will be performing material from across their entire catalogue including three albums for Mushroom, the infamous debut EP on the Phantom label and even the odd b-side or rarity. For the Sunnyboys, every show is a celebration.

"We really didn’t think we would ever play again as a band.

But wow, we have and we sure are having a bloody great time doing it," said Peter Oxley Joining the lineup is infamous surf-punks The Celibate Rifles, a five piece who have carved out their own indelible history in the Australian music scene over a 35+ year period, playing many a gig at the Patch, The Playroom, and Surfers Surf Club. They have lost nothing over the years.

Terry “Tappa” Teece

Tickets for Sunnyboys Summer 2018 at Twin Towns, Friday 26 January are on sale now.

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These shows will see the pair performing a swathe of Dead Milkmen material, as well as some tracks from their other band, The Low Budgets. And Gold Coast fans have reason to rejoice, with Danjo locked in for a visit to the Currumbin Creek Tavern on 14 November. In the lead up, the one and only Joe Jack Talcum took time out to answer a few questions.

Many thanks for coming all the way over here to perform for your Australian fans. How did this opportunity come about, and did the original line up of The Dead Milkmen ever come close to making it out to Australia back in the day?

You are welcome. The original line up of The Dead Milkmen came close to touring Australia in 1986. A single for ‘The Thing That Only Eats Hippies’ was released in Australia but our planned tour fell through. For the upcoming tour, a person named Justin approached us and asked if we'd like to do it.

Do Danjo cover off songs from across the entire Dead Milkmen back catalogue? And will you guys be taking any requests… if we yell loud enough?

We will be playing songs from the entire Dead Milkmen back catalogue but we don't know every single song by heart.

If you yell loud enough and we have time and know the song we might just play your request.

You guys have played some interesting performance spaces, such as record stores and basements. Is there anywhere you've yet to play that you'd like to?

We'd like to play a show in an attic. We actually haven't done that yet, though we have had practices in an attic. We'd also like to play in Wyoming State, and in Greenland.

What can we expect from the Danjo live experience?

A rollicking good time.

How do you see the state of punk rock in the year 2017?

Too many rules and regulations. We need more chaos and adventure.

If chaos, adventure and a rollicking good time sound like your idea of a kick-arse night out, then be sure to come along and check out the satirical punk rock delights of Danjo as they channel the highlights of the Dead Milkmen's multi-faceted back catalogue at the Currumbin Tavern on 14 November. It’s a Tuesday but hey, what else would you be up to on such a night, plus the guys will be on early, so you know where to be! They'll also be at Crowbar in Brisbane on 15 November.

Anthony Gebhardt

NOVEMBER 2017 LIVE GIGS AT FISHERMAN’S WHARF TAVERN Fish bo w l l o un ge bar | e v e nts | di ni ng | functions

MELBOURNE CUP DAY

November 5th Lisa Hunt FROM 2pm

November 7th Prosecco party FROM Midday

November 12th Galapagos Duck FROM 1pm

DECEMBER 3RD HILLBILLY GOATS FROM 2pm

DECEMBER 10th FIRE N ICE FROM 1pm

Christmas Party Bookings

Fishermans Wharf Tavern is ready to work with you in organising a Christmas Party on the water which will be the talk of the year!

F I S H E R M A N ’ S W H A R F TA V E R N |

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

UNDER THE RADAR AT TAKING THE SCENIC AUSTRALIAN MUSIC WEEK ROUTE TO ALASKA Australian Music Week is about discovering new talent and we’re here to help. Blank Gold Coast editor Samantha Morris pored over the live lineup to unearth some of the talent you might otherwise miss.

Paddy McHugh Paddy would have totally slipped under the radar for me if it weren’t for Blank’s awesome intern Catherine Gunther – an Americana artist herself – who saw him at BIGSOUND and raved about Paddy’s set. He was raised in Tamworth but found his musical roots in Sydney’s gritty punk scene and now calls Brisbane home. Yet his current offerings sit firmly in the country- Americana stable.

His songwriting is honest and true and when it came to putting together a band, he went straight back to those punk roots and enlisted a clutch of players who used to tread the three-chord boards with him. Sounds intruiging? Paddy McHugh hits the Rhythms Stage, 3 November at 6.20pm.

Ant Beard Ant Beard returns solo to the stage following over 150 shows around the world over the past year with touring troubadours Caravãna Sun. Another Byron-based singer songwriter, Ant’s presence onstage weaves a delicate tapestry of heartfelt songs falling somewhere between Carol King and Bill Withers. Ant plays at the Rhythms Stage on 2 November twice – at 6.15pm and at 10.00pm.

Minnie Marks When Sarah McLeod says that Minnie Marks is a prodigy, you should probably stop and take notice. With an insane talent playing what she calls dirty sweet rock and roll this young singer/songwriter/guitarist/multi instrumentalist has been eating up girl bands since 1994. Minnie Marks is a blazingly electrified acoustic guitar playing freak of nature, but also a rare and triple threat: singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

Be warned, her show will take you on a dizzying, riff rock rollercoaster ride. Catch Minnie Marks on 2 November at Croydon Lane from 9.45pm.

Borneo If you like your indie rock, one part funk and one part punk, then Sydney-siders Borneo will deliver in spades. They’ve been selling out headline shows, and causing a ruckus on the live circuit, while their single ‘Hold me In the River’ was added to rotation on FBi Radio, and the music video scoring a spot on Rage. Find out why they’re gaining fans everywhere they go when they hit El Sol, 3 November at 10.30pm.

Elegant Shiva

The Dead Love

Byron Bay two-piece Elegant Shiva comprising Josh Swan (bass guitar/vocals) and Matt Swan (drums) weave thunderous bass riffs with mad-man drumming and lyrics that chuck a big fuck you to that relentless human fear of failure. Elegant Shiva transport you to a place of confidence, where you are lifted up above the mould and transported to the higher. Get elevated when they hit Brass Monkey, 2 November from 10.45 – 11.15pm.

Sydney grunge lords The Dead Love can be described as nothing less than incendiary.

Since their inception, The Dead Love have maintained a blistering pace, touring relentlessly and honing their Aussie grungepunk sound that has captured hearts and minds. They’ve supported a big list of big acts, including COG, Aerosmith, The Delta Riggs, The Smith Street Band and Everclear and had airplay across all the big radio stations here and internationally in the USA, UK, Canada and New Zealand. The Dead Love are at Brass Monkey, 3 November from 11.20pm.

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Award-winning Canadian chart-toppers, Scenic Route To Alaska are sure to stir up a groundswell of fans when they bring a new wave of indie rock from the prairies to our golden shores this month. Bouncing from ballads to downright bangers with ease, these lads leave a lasting impression, this year taking out four local Canadian music awards, including Group of the Year and Album of the Year' and smashing out five Canadian and European tours to capitalise on their growing momentum. Samantha Morris fired off some questions to bassist Murray Wood ahead of their shows at Australian Music Week and NightQuarter.

You’ve got five studio albums and hundreds of live shows under your belt. What took you so long getting to Australia?

It has been a long time coming to get over to Australia. It has always been something we wanted. For the first few album cycles the band was only part time because I went to university in Montreal and the other two stayed back in Edmonton. After that we got some opportunities in Europe and have toured over there four times now.

What are you most looking forward to when it comes to Australia?

Well apart from the heat and beaches, we're really excited to check out a totally new scene and hopefully make this a regular thing. We love spending our winters playing hockey and snowboarding but getting to spend a couple months of the year across the ocean sounds like a dream.

You cleaned up the Edmonton Music Awards this year winning four categories and you were finalists in the Western Canadian Music Awards for two categories as well.

What impact do these kinds of accolades have on your career?

Our hometown support has been truly amazing and that kind of encouragement goes a long way towards pushing us out into the world. When we started the band we really had no idea how far we were going to take this, but our incredible local community

has played a huge part in making things like this Australian trip possible.

That said, you’re obviously not writing songs to win awards, right?

Honestly, we write music because we love it. We grew up playing together and the business aspect of it all is something that came much later. It would be naive of us to say that awards and fans aren't important but we try to make music that we have fun playing and try to bring that kind of positive attitude out as much as possible.

Tell me about your Australian Music Week showcase?

The plan is basically to play kickass rock show and figure out what Australia is all about. We don't actually know what to expect but we've been spending the last year touring almost nonstop, so we definitely feel ready to roll with whatever happens. We would love to be able to check out a lot of local music and hopefully meet some people that can help us get established in Australia, and maybe we can even help get an Australian band started in Canada.

Catch Scenic Route to Alaska at Australian Music Week on 2 November at the Breakout West Showcase (1.30pm) and Low & Lofty’s (10.30pm) and at NightQuarter on 10 November.

Movies Under the Stars (free)

27 October Frank Chaston Oval (Gilston State School) Children’s activities & food trucks commence 5pm Movie Screening 7pm ‘Oddball’ Contact: Gilston State School

Mudgeeraba Light Horse Museum Family Fun Day

29 October (9am-3pm) Commemorating 100th Anniversary of Light Horse Charge at Beersheba 8 Worongary Road, Mudgeeraba fb: Mudgeeraba Light Horse Museum

Dachshunds in Paradise – Halloweiner 29 October (9am-1pm) Mudgeeraba Showgrounds, Cnr Mudgeeraba Road & Worongary Road, Mudgeeraba fb: Dachshunds in Paradise

Springtime Sessions in the Village

Every Friday from 3 November to 15 December (5:30pm-7.30pm) Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba fb: SummertimeSessions

Movies Under the Stars (free)

4 November Mudgeeraba State School Children’s activities & food trucks commence 5pm Movie Screening 7pm ‘Trolls’ Contact: Mudgeeraba State School

Hinterland Community Band Free Twilight Concert Concert 19 November (5:30pm) Village Green, Mudgeeraba w: hinterlandcommunityband.com.au

Festival of Small Halls 22 November Mt Nimmel Hall, Austinville w: festivalofsmallhalls.com

Community Christmas Carols

26 November (4pm-8pm) Firth Park, Mudgeeraba fb: Glenn Tozer for Mudgeeraba Hinterland

HUSSY HICKS: ENDLESS HORIZONS Since 2006, righteous Gold Coast roots duo Hussy Hicks (Julz Parker on guitar, percussion and vocals and Leesa Gentz on vocals and percussion) have been carving out their own self- made, eclectic take on traditional music forms.

Raw, honest and talented, they're dab hands at channelling styles as diverse as jazz, blues, folk, rock, and world music into their own inimitable style.

While calling the Gold Coast home, the girls have an everburgeoning fan base far and wide and are seasoned world travellers, having performed and recorded throughout the USA and Europe for a number of years now.

The two intrepid troubadours are currently wrapping up another extensive overseas sojourn. The month of October saw them play a bunch of shows throughout the USA, before they return to our shores in November for a stack of festival and headlining appearances throughout the country over the long hot summer.

Taking time out from their very busy schedule, guitar whiz Julz Parker regaled us with a bunch of musical anecdotes while on the road in the US of A. How has the current US tour been going so far?

The tour has been going really well - it's been great sharing music each night with our friends Christie Lenée and Daniel Champagne. A real highlight for us was getting to go back and spend time in Mobile, Alabama. We recorded our last album there and have so many great friends in the area. It's always so good to get back there.

I see that you got to catch the legendary Iggy Pop perform in Atlanta on one of your rare nights off. What was that like?

That was just a stroke of luck - we left a bit earlier than planned for Nashville as hurricane Nate was approaching Mobile. There was a traffic jam between Birmingham and Huntsville so we decided to detour via Atlanta. Leesa checked to see what gigs might be on and noticed that Iggy Pop was playing a small festival. A friend of ours is his drummer and hooked us up with last minute tickets. He is such an amazing

live performer - he struts around and commands the stage with the energy of a 20 year old. You really can't take your eyes off him. It was the first time either of us had seen him live and it's a memory I know I'll always treasure.

What's the general mood and vibe like in the USA at the moment, in light of the upheavals and general craziness of a Trump presidency?

We're pretty lucky in that we go from town to town meeting music promotors, music lovers and they are all just doing their best to keep focusing on the good they can do through the arts community. I also think the upside of this general craziness is that the average person is starting to realise they have to take notice. There seems to be more of a political consciousness this time round than I've experienced before.

Tell us about your new album?

The album is called 'On the Boundaries' and is a collaboration with London producer, Raphael White. It’s the biggest departure from our live sound of any of our albums, but we are really happy with it. I feel like it's a great ‘start to finish’ body of work and I hope people will sit down listen to it in its entirety. It's quite different to our past recordings – there’s lots more vocal and instrumental layering, but there should still be enough familiar about it for existing fans of our music to make the jump.

After this run of US shows you're doing a massive run of festival shows back here in Australia. Do you enjoy the summer festival circuit, and how is it that you get to appear on so many different and divergent festivals? Is there one in particular that you're particularly looking forward to playing over the summer?

Gosh, it's hard to pinpoint one that we're looking forward to more than the others. The Mullum Music Festival will be great, as it's such a homecoming festival for us. And early next year we'll be playing Nannup in WA, which was the first festival that gave us a go In 2008, so it's our 10 year anniversary there.

By Kylie Cobb

HOW TO CREATE MORE MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND NAIL IT EVERY TIME.

P

rior preparation prevents piss-poor performance, as they say, and same goes for scoring yourself, your band, business or music more media coverage than the average bear.

We all know the obvious media opportunities generated by announcements, new releases and the like, but what many musicpreneurs miss are the myriad of media opportunities presented at shows, events, festivals and conferences.

By simply taking a few moments to prepare before walking through the door or gate, I’ve found time and time again, unexpected interview opportunities arise because I have relevant, articluated comments to say.

So, what exactly should you be ready to say? I often ask myself and prep clients with questions like: F

What is the event and what do I think about it?

F

Who is involved and what experiences or expectations do I have of them?

F

What are they trying to achieve/ did they achieve it?

F

What am I looking forward to/ what did I take away?

F

What are the issues and current conversations around this event and what’s my take?

F

What is my opinion/position on the hot industry topics and trends of the day?

Anthony Gebhardt

Hussy Hicks are at Mullum Music Festival from 17 – 19 November. And even closer to home, at Summertime Sessions In The Village, 15 December.

It’s not a matter of spending your time scouring every event for the media opportunity, but it is a point of being prepared so that when invariably asked what you think, you have something informed, interesting and relevant to say because ultimately, that’s what makes for better articles, television and radio.

And final tip, be sure to put your answers into short, succinct statements, aka ‘sound bites’ using interesting, punchy language and the media can’t help but quote you. pic: Hannah Hervall Photography 18

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PSYCHEDELIC DREAMING WITH MEKONG MERCHANTS

Psychedelic dreamers Mekong Merchants are one of the more intriguing new discoveries on the Gold Coast musical landscape. The core axis of the group consists of guitarist/vocalist Stu Tume and bass player Kenji Tamura, long time musical sparring partners whose unwinding, psychinfused guitar jams, in turns languid and urgent, take one on an out of body listening experience.

Gold Coast

The pair recently laid down some tracks at Love Street Studios in Currumbin, with all-round local legend Scott French on drums, and Rhea Robertson on vocals. The fruits of their labour is the recently released debut EP, ‘Ocean Tone’, which is also reviewed in this issue.

Anthony Gebhardt recently had a chat with Stu Tume to find out a bit more about the band and their background.

Mekong Merchants is an intriguingly worldly band moniker. How did you come up with the name?

I spent three years in Saigon and used to get coffees at a great café in Thao Dien called The Mekong Merchant. When thinking of a name it just seemed right to reference this past, as some of these songs were conceived in that place. I've also lived in a bunch of other cities across the world (Sydney, Seattle, Shanghai, Bangkok, Bristol, Lisbon) and the "Merchant" side of the name seemed to measure up to that background nicely. Kenji the bass player is from Tokyo and a bit of a travelling merchant himself so we kind of agreed it suited.

Who is in the band, and how did you get together?

Kenji and I played together in Sydney in the early 2000's, but then we both ended up going overseas. We kept in touch intermittently and when I moved to the Gold Coast around two years ago, I found out he was back here as well, so we started jamming on things. We then decided to record some songs and ended up at Love Street Studios, which is run by our drummer Scott French. I was waiting on a

drummer friend from Seattle to come over and lay the drums down, but I couldn't get him on a plane. Scott liked the stuff and said he would give it a go. I didn't know he even played the drums but he nailed it. I then met Rhea through Love Street and she laid those dulcet tones that I can only dream of reaching.

Who are your major musical influences?

Kenji comes from that raw, solid three piece blues/rock background, stuff like John Spencer Blues Explosion' and some obscure Japanese punk bands he knows. I like sounds from what is termed in the States as "drone and roll".

Bands like The Black Angels, Wooden Shjips and The Brian Jones Town Massacre. I'm from New Zealand, so I also have in my bones that Flying Nun sound (legendary Kiwi record label) that flirts between the drone of The Gordons and the epic sounds of Strait Jacket Fits. We're a guitar band at heart so there is a thread between all of these influences, as well as stuff like Hendrix and the Doors, that we channel as well.

Ocean Tone is out now.

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VANDAL’S ON THE LOOSE Armed with brand new material, Ecca Vandal is poised to take her blistering, energetic live show across the country, Gold Coast included.

The genre-hopping and incredibly determined triple j darling took time out to talk to Erin Bourne about her debut full-length album.

You said this self-titled album was a journey, raw and vulnerable. Where has it come from and where has it landed you?

I knew I wanted to have a full length record, a body of work and it just took me on a process of reflection. I locked myself away for six months to a year and tried to dig deep. I needed to isolate myself from city life and my friends in order to do that but even though it was self-inflicted I still felt the loneliness and isolation at times.

You follow ‘End of Time’, an anthem of sticking around no matter what, with ‘Dead Wait’, which is about ditching someone or thing. Is that reflective of a particular lesson or situation?

It’s actually a bit of a volatile thing that was going on in my world at the time. I had a bunch of friends who were going through a lot changes, particularly ‘Dead Wait’ with one friend complaining about this awful relationship that they feel stuck in. So I think the whole thing is about you really have to please yourself at the end of the day. I mean that’s really what comes to the surface, especially in those songs about relationships and love.

You made it in your own studio, why go that way?

As much as I always fantasised about going into one of those luscious studios and having months on end in this fabulous decked out studio, I just simply can’t afford to do that, so I actually just converted my lounge room into the studio. We crafted the beats ourselves. There are a couple of performers we got on a few tracks for embellishments, a few guitar bits and percussion with professional drummers and guitar players but the rest is actually us playing.

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Would you do it again in your lounge room or upgrade to a studio?

I think it would have to be a combination of both. I’ve always wanted to move forward and grow and it’s always been a dream of mine to record for an extended time in a creative space. I think inspiration comes with new spaces as well and that would be part of the reason that I’d like to change environment.

How did the collab with Dennis Lyxzen (of punk band Refused) come about? That’s such a score!

It was a very happy moment when I found out he was keen.

We meet him after the Refused show in Melbourne when they toured. We just said hello to him and I’ve always been a massive fan of Refused. ‘The Shape of Punk to Come’ is a ground breaking album so I’ve been a massive fan for a long, long time and when this song came about we thought how cool would it be to not only have an amazing vocal but also a political voice on this as well - because the song relates to the refugee crisis. I thought it would be cool to play it to him and see what he thought so we sent it to him via email through management. Before he heard it he said, ‘I will say yes if I like it.’ Once he heard it and liked it, he tracked it up and sent the vocals. It was a very special moment when we got those stems and played those vocals in isolation, our jaws were on the ground really.

Speaking of scores, how was the support gig with Queens of the Stone Age? Apparently they got given a bunch of bands to choose from and they selected us. It was a huge honour. It was just two dates but just really fun, it was incredible to watch their gig and they watched our gig as well which was really amazing. I couldn’t believe that they stayed and watched and they loved it which was a very special moment for us.

ELEVEN AND TWO: KYLE LIONHART Fresh from a 15 date European tour supporting Xavier Rudd, and on the back of a run of dates with Josh Pyke, Kyle Lionhart rolls out another headline tour to promote his new EP Eleven and Two. Delivering what’s been dubbed “sad folk bangers” with rich and soulful vocals, rolling guitar and irresistible hooks, Kyle forged a name for himself busking on the streets of Byron and took time to answer a few questions from Samantha Morris ahead of his GC show.

Tell me about your new EP ‘Eleven and Two’?

I wrote it with the intention of breaking people haha... in a good way. I want them to feel the way I did when I wrote the majority of the songs for this record. 11 years in a relationship and two children later these are few of the things of I have learnt .

You found your feet busking in your home town of Byron. Tell me what opportunities busking opened up for you?

Just about everything I've achieved and gained has been through busking on those streets. It's given me everything from international fans, grass roots support and loyal listeners to management deals, support tours nationally and internationally and people who I now consider best friends.

Is it difficult to make the transition from busking to playing venues and festivals?

Not at all, if anything busking puts you ahead of the game. As a busker; it's one thing to get people to stop for a song and then go about their evening but to really benefit from busking you need a crowd to hang out for the majority of the night, buying CDs, remembering who you are, you've got to perform at your peak, you've got to be entertaining enough to keep people hanging out in some pretty uncomfortable conditions. If you get this down everything else is a breeze.

What can Gold Coast fans expect from your Miami Marketta show?

They're going to see me perform in a way that I've never performed before, I'm really excited, but it's a surprise ;)

Ecca Vandal hits Shark Bar, 16 November. The self-titled debut album is out now.

Kyle Lionhart hits Miami Marketta on 23 November.

Image: Lamp Photography

BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE(S) SEA

They’re a Gold Coast blues band with a distinctly international flavour.

BB Factory, featuring Harold Jackson (“just Jackson”) from the USA on Vocals, Pedro Verhoeven from the Netherlands on Guitar, Bevan Davison from New Zealand on Drums, and local lads Bruce Crouch on Keys and Craig Hamilton on Bass, will be well known to local live blues fans and those who frequent the city’s open mic and jam nights.

BB Factory play a mix of original material and classic blues, funk and rock'n’roll delivered in their own signature style. Since forming in 2015, the band has wowed audiences at well-known blues venues and night markets as well as corporate venues and sports bars.

Now the five-piece has a new single under their belt. Called ‘Save Me’, the track is a prelude to a full album due for release in 2018. We sat down for a chat with Pedro, Bruce and Jackson to find out more.

Congratulations on the new single. Can you tell Blank readers about the song?

Jackson: Ah, well it’s a dream I had. I woke up and wrote it all down then they presented this music and it formulated into that song. It was more of a nightmare. I had a dream I was talking and walking with the devil and he was smoking cigars. He was telling me things and then I woke up anxious, heart palpitating, and that’s when I wrote it all down.

Pedro: When Jackson told me that, we already had some music and it just fit, that’s when the chorus came into being. I thought the song needed a little bit more, so we came up with a bridge that skewed away from strict traditional blues. ‘No Rules Blues’ you can call it, or contemporary blues. The bridge is almost a little bit psychedelic! People can decide for themselves.

You told us in May that you have a new album coming out. Is this song ‘Save Me’ the first off that album? What’s the status on the album? Is it still called ‘First World Blues’?

Pedro: It’s 80% recorded, we’re still doing some solo overdubbing and vocals. Our plan is to release another single — possibly another two — and then the album. We were going to drop it a bit sooner but we need time to build up our marketing campaign. Yes it’s going to be called ‘First World Blues.’

Pedro: Really good! We were absolutely stoked to have the two gigs there. Our first show was on the Saturday morning so we were expecting hardly any people. We were glad to be there on the main stage ‘cause we thought at least we were going to get some video product out of it. But as we started playing the street really filled up and that made the video. That night we were back in Byron and the following day we were back at Broadbeach at the Envy and that ended up being standing room only. It’s a shame we weren’t recorded; it was probably the best gig we’ve ever had.

We’ve garnered some new fans that only know us from Blues on Broadbeach so it was a really good opportunity.

Bruce: We were told there were a bunch of people who wanted to get upstairs [at Envy] and they just couldn’t. There might have been 250-300 or so. You couldn’t move.

Interview by Natalie O’Driscoll Story by Samantha Morris

BB Factory’s new single ‘Save Me’ is out Friday 3 November and you can catch them live when they support The Lachey Doley Group at Soundlounge on 18 November. Pictured also are Craig Hamilton (Bass) and Bevan Davison (Drums).

LIKE A BIRD Her first visit to Australia was December for Woodford Folk Festival and already Irish musician Wallis Bird has endeared herself to a bunch of forward-thinking fans, including Amanda fucking Palmer. Wallis lost most of her fingers as a baby and self-released her first album, instantly being signed by Island Records. She’s been compared to artists such as Ani DiFranco, Fiona Apple and a young Janis Joplin and people are absolutely raving about the energy she generates on stage. She’s embarking on a new tour of Australia – this time stopping in at Mullum Music Festival.

Samantha Morris fired off a few question ahead of her visit.

You’ve won the Irish Music Prize twice.

What kind of impact does that have an impact on your work?

It has an impact in that more musicians or projects are interested in working with me, or people that hadn’t heard of me previously now know my work. It’s wonderful to achieve something for the team and all the hard work they do for myself and their other artists, but I keep my feet on the ground about it all and see it as another step to go further with my writing.

You’ve got this unique combination of genres going on in your music, fusing elements of traditional folk, blues, funk and rock. What music was being played in the house when you were growing up? What was the soundtrack to your childhood?

There were seven kids growing up in my house and parents that loved music so every crossover was there, blaring from each room. We also listened to comedy LPs, story book LPs, lots of metal and grunge from my siblings, then folk and rock from my dad, my mam always had the culture station on the radio which would give you insights into how a song was written or a reportage of a certain artist, I loved that! I later got into dance music myself and most of what I’ve listened to since is pop and alternative music, mostly modern stuff.

You seem to have made quite an impression with Amanda Palmer at Woodford Folk Festival. Why is that, do you think?

Serendipity. The stars were aligned.

Bruce: Our suspicion is this time of year is not the best time of year to release new music.

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

You only just made your live debut at Blues on Broadbeach this year. You’re all accomplished musicians playing in many projects before BB Factory. How was the Blues on Broadbeach experience for you, as a band?

You’re following up last year’s visit, returning to Australia. What kind of connection did you make with Australian audiences?

*BB Factory captured above by Lamp Photography in the Blanc de Blanc Spiegeltent

I couldn’t get over the reception I had in Australia. It was arms wide open. The listenership is unreal. Everybody is hanging on the lyric. What an audience, hugely welcoming, kind, boisterous, fun, exactly

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what I needed! After my first tour last December, I straight away booked new flights back. As far as I can see, Australia has just been waiting for the right time in my life to see it with fresh old eyes. I’ve been touring my whole adult life, so this refreshed me anew.

You’re certainly not a stranger to the festival circuit. People are understandably pretty excited about your set at Mullum Music Festival. Do you know much about the event?

I know that it’s going to be very special!

When I was In Australia everyone was like “are you playing Mullum” so by my 20th gig all down the east coast, I had heard so many stories. I’m excited!

How do you prepare for a festival set as opposed to a smaller, more intimate venue?

Do you have a preference?

I land straight into the festival- walk around the campus, get into the vibe, get a feel for the kind of sets people are doing, eat from a nice stall and then warm up for 20 and burst onto stage.

You have five studio albums under your belt, when can we expect the next album and how will it be different to previous releases?

I’m currently writing two albums side by side. One is an almost country music style album of ‘songs’; simple stories told with clear chords, and the second that I’m writing is an epic instrumental album called ‘love and fear’ so whether they stay separate or meld together is yet to be seen. I hope to have it finished by the end of next year and released either spring or autumn.

Wallis Bird is playing every day of Mullum Music Festival’s tenth anniversary event.

More at mullummusicfestival.com.

A VERY HUMAN JOHN BUTLER GOING IN THE DEEP END Despite being in the process of a recording a new album (yes, it’s true!) and preparing for some of the country’s biggest festival sets, John Butler was still gracious enough to shoot the breeze with Erin Bourne.

John Butler has just been announced for both Woodford Folk Festival and Bluesfest and like many musicians, he says when he was finding his feet, both those events were like the holy grail of festivals in Australia.

“Those two are kind of cultural hot spots as far as a culture and community in the true sense of folk music. To be part of that and still relevant in that framework and tapestry I think it’s maybe what you want as an artist who wants to share your art,” Butler said.

And all these years later, he never takes those festivals for granted. He was stoked to be there at the beginning and stoked to be there now.

“I thought I was going to be an art teacher or in the army or some shit dreams all together. Then when I became a professional musician and was able to feed myself I thought ‘wow, success’. Then feeding my family and end up touring the world and playing Woodford 20 years later, yeah I’m still just as stoked as ever to be able to do this creative thing,” he said.

When we speak, John Butler is in the studio recording a new album (actually, he’s dealing with dishes, but you get the drift). He’s not convinced those new songs will be ready for festival ears at Woodford, but they certainly will be by Bluesfest.

“Usually I go into this thing where I write them, then I develop them and it’s like a holy alchemy to get them on stage. You go through this process from squeaking and humming and mumbling the songs as you’re writing them to performance-ready which is like that whole other level.”

And after all these years if there’s one thing Butler knows, it’s that he is not in charge when it comes to releasing new music (spoiler alert: that means he doesn’t know when the new album will be released).

The album is in charge, and the album is boss and it’s something I’ve learned over the years - that although I thought I was the leader and in charge I’m second to the song. Whatever the song wants the song gets and so does the album,” he said.

“I’m still in that process kind of on my knees in front of the album and in front of the songs and they kind of will dictate my timeline.”

Just two months ago, John Butler Trio released single ‘Bully’ which will not appear on the new album. Butler said

it was just time for that song to come out.

“It’s about a BULLY mindset that is so greedy for more control, power and dominance that it’s willing to use violence against innocent citizens and in the process, killing the planet and life upon it, just to feed its veracious appetite.”

“Politically and socially I thought the song really resonated with where the world was at… and I didn’t want to see the song get lost on a B-side or lost in the vaults,” he said.

Butler said it’s difficult sometimes to not take politics personally.

“I don’t recommend that’s the way to be a political activist by any means, to take it all personally,” he said. “How I choose to get involved is when I feel personally affronted by it. I mean all the issues you can be affronted by, they all affect humanity, the goodness of humanity.”

“For example fracking, when companies come to your own state and your own town and start drilling through your own aquifer and potentially poisoning it, I take that personally. I take it as a personal affront to what ‘s coming out of my tap and what I consider to be my human right having a clean water source.”

In ‘Bully’ the lyrics say ‘you can hit ‘em on the head with the facts and it doesn’t make a goddam dent’ so how does John Butler make a dent?

“Just be decent to the people around you. Change the world, think global and act local, change yourself. All these clichés are true. How to make a dent? Be a good teacher, be a good parent. Treat people how you want to be treated, that’s how it starts. Not desensitise yourself and see the world as a commodity to serve you. Because that’s when you can stand by and let atrocities happen from afar is when you think it’s separate to you. That thing that Michael Franti says, ‘stay human’.”

Interview by Erin Bourne Story by Samantha Morris

You can see the very human John Butler at Woodford Folk Festival and if you’re keen to get the first aural glimpses of the new album then get yourself sorted for Bluesfest!

Energetic indie-rock four piece Eliza And The Delusionals have been smashing things out of the park lately. Fresh from their appearance at the recent BIGSOUND Festival in Brisbane, the band have just released a killer video for their latest track, ‘Deep End’. Joining creative forces with the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), Triple J Unearthed and ABC TV’s Rage, the band came up with a colourfully choreographed clip which features Eliza and the band rocking out to a bunch of enthusiastic fans house party style.

The track appears on their brand new EP, ‘The Deeper End’, which sees the light of day on 27 October. Across its five tracks, 'The Deeper End' perfectly encapsulates their signature 90’s channeling, fuzzy, hook laden template, with a running theme of the trials and tribulations of interpersonal relationships while transitioning into adulthood. Keep an eye out for our review of the EP, which will also appear in the November print edition of Blank.

And if that’s not enough, they’re about to hit the road in support of the EP, playing a headlining six date East Coast tour. The band are renowned for their electrifying live performances and have played on some big bills this year, including high profile supports for Killing Heidi, City Calm Down, Polish Club, WAAX and the UK’s Moose Blood.

You can catch them rocking it up locally at The Milk Factory in Brisbane on Saturday 28 October and at the Crafted Beer And Cider Festival in Broadbeach on Saturday 4 November.

The full tour encompasses the following shows: •

Saturday, 28 October, The Milk Factory, Brisbane

•

Sunday, 29 October, North Wollongong Hotel, Wollongong

•

Thursday 2 November, El Sol (Australian Music Week), Cronulla

•

Saturday 4 November, Crafted Beer And Cider Festival, Broadbeach

•

Thursday, 9 November, The Penny Black, Melbourne

•

Sunday, 12 November, Brighton Up Bar, Sydney Anthony Gebhardt www.blankgc.com.au

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BLOOD WHISPERS FOR NOWHERE ELSE Gold Coast band Nowhere Else formed in 2014 and are easily recognised by the powerful vocals of front woman Jodie Maloney.

2016 saw the band release a self-titled EP through MGM followed by extensive touring of Australia and Japan. Their music is a blend of guitar-driven alt-rock fronted by powerhouse vocals and last year’s EP was the culmination of a year’s work with producer Eric Coelho (Wolfmother, Melbourne Ska Orchestra).

Nowhere Else have quickly established a loyal fan base here on the Gold Coast and further afield with solid riffs, surf-style rock, an impeccable rhythm section, and Jodie’s formidable vocal talents all rolled up into a high energy live performance. New fans and old will be happy to hear that Nowhere Else are back, with a new single and brand spanking video to accompany it.

Samantha Morris caught up with Jodie Maloney ahead of the video’s premiere.

Tell me about the song ‘Blood Whispers’?

The track is about living the life you’re meant to live. Not being content with a mundane existence, what society or anyone else thinks you should be living. It’s about breaking away from the life you may have trapped yourself in to and doing what you know deep down you should be. And never going back. “I will listen with each new day to the teachings my Blood Whispers to me…”

How did the video come about and what was the production process like?

We went through a few ideas for the clip but wanted to keep true to the theme of the song. Production and editing was by Carey of Gold Coast Gigs, filming was a collaborative effort from local videographers Carey and Matt Hooker who did the clip for our last single ‘Content in the Dark’.

You shot short scenes all around the Gold Coast. Tell me about some of the locations?

To tie in with the theme of the song we cut between short scenes that show the dreariness of the daily grind, to doing what we are really passionate about which is playing a live show. The office scene was shot at Profit Spaces, a co work space in Tweed Heads which is owned and operated by local crowdfunding expert Rossco Paddison. We shot scenes in Benny’s 1950’s rental beach shack in Miami, dealt with traffic on the M1 which is a lot of people’s daily grind, and the live footage was shot at Eddie’s Grub House in Coolangatta. Eddie’s fits perfectly with the theme for the live shoot as Eddie’s is the brain child of a group of lifelong mates who chased their dream of opening a place for renegades and heartbreakers that would be filled with the best whiskey, food, and rock and roll. Eddie’s do their part for the live music scene on the Gold Coast with live acts every week, a killer jam night, and the annual Grubfest. You can spot a lot of local musicians in the crowd shots at Eddie’s which is another indication of how tight and supportive the original music scene is on the Gold Coast.

You’ve been added to the Nevermind The Warp’d tour for the Brisbane leg. Well done.

Nevermind the Warp’d is extending their festival to Brisbane this year for what they say will be the first and last time. It’s a huge line up including international headliners Guitar Wolf (Japan) and Isolated Victims (USA). There will also be No Idea, Topnovil, Strawberry Fist Cake to name a few. It’ll be a hell of a party as we get to play with our Melbourne mates Australian Kingswood Factory and local legends The Wrath. 30+ bands across 3 stages, it’ll be huge and we are stoked to be a part of it.

After you check out Nowhere Else’s clip for ‘Blood Whispers’ get along to one of their shows this summer. 9 December at Nevermind the Warp’d (New Globe Theatre, tickets through Moshtix) and 23 December at Kirra Sports Club (free).

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OCTOBER

GOLD COAST GIG GUIDE

Greg Bankx (1.00pm) | RSL Club Southport

Salt & Steel | Nimbin Hotel

THURSDAY 26 OCTOBER

MONDAY 30 OCTOBER

FRIDAY 10 NOVEMBER

Zookeepers (Covers) | Southport Sharks

Ingrid James | Southport Bowls Club

Andy Jans – Brown & Cosmic + Jackson James Smith | Miami Marketta Murwillumbah Show | Murwillumbah Showground

Smoking Martha + Tablefox + Chelsea Rockwells | Currumbin Pub

FRIDAY 27 OCTOBER Kim Churchill | Soundlounge Shane Nicholson | Lonestar Tavern Savv + Coastal Lights + Ra Ra Ruby + SVLT | Miami Shark Bar Tennyson King + Alexander Williams + Frogs + Jade Soul | Currumbin Pub Micka Scene Duo | Hotel Brunswick KALLIDAD + BlackBoi | Miami Marketta Chris Hutchinson (5.00pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks The Matrix Duo (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Absolute 80’s 1 Louder Tour (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Chisel Revived | Southport Sharks Spav Doniger (4.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing Co

Soubleshot Duo (11.00am) | RSL Club Southport

Annual Monster Mash Halloween Show + guests | Miami Shark Bar SPRUNG Festival: Illy + Allday + A.B. Original + Tkay Maidza + Spit Syndicate + More | Parkwood Precinct Broadfoot | Hotel Brunswick KALLIDAD + Ondre Davis | Miami Marketta Atmosphere (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Lady Gaga Monsters Show Tribute | Southport Sharks

SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER Cub Sport + Middle Kids (3:00pm) | Coolangatta Hotel Brett Gannon | Palm Beach Surf Club Salmonella Dub Sound System (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick Maddy Thompson (12.30pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks

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Kenny Slide | North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club

TUESDAY 31 OCTOBER

Jive Cats | Southport Sharks

Matt Armitage | The Cambus Wallace

Ear Candy | Southport RSL

NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY 1 NOVEMBER James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace Tennyson King | Scottish Prince

Ruby Slipper Chronicles | The Arts Centre

SUNDAY 5 NOVEMBER Lilleexx | Palm Beach Surf Club Mesa Cosa + Hobo Magic | Miami Shark Bar Lisa Hunt (1.30pm) | Fishos

THURSDAY 2 NOVEMBER

The Growlers + Ocean Alley (Ticketed) | Miami Marketta

Saskwatch (Ticketed) | Miami Marketta

Burger Joint | Cambus Wallace Benny Whiskey | Scottish Prince

Free The Genie | Cambus Wallace

Jake Maywes (2:00pm) | North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club

James Street Preachers | Scottish Prince

FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER SATURDAY 28 OCTOBER

The Twine + Harry J Hart | NightQuarter

Jones The Cat + Coastal Lights + Pure Milk + The Goldblooms | Currumbin Pub Springtime Sessions in the Village: Jackson Dunn | Leopold’s Treat | Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba Garrett Kato + Juzzie Smith | NightQuarter Highlife + Eugene Music | Miami Marketta Paris Lane (5:00pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks Stoneage Romeos | Southport RSL Ruby Slipper Chronicles | The Arts Centre

Eleea Navarro (12:30pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks Stars Of Tomorrow | Southport RSL

MONDAY 6 NOVEMBER Peter Uppman | Southport Bowls Club Tommy Memphis (11:00am) | Southport RSL

Crafted Beer & Cider Festival: Bullhorn + The Ruiins + Eliza & The Delusionals +Drop Legs + Shag Rock + The Maslows + Azmosphere + Beatniks DJ’s | Pratten Park, Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach

Endless Heights | Miami Sharkbar

Acoustic Guitar Spectacular | Soundlounge Noire + Benny Nelson + Scenic Route to Alaska | NightQuarter Springtime Sessions in the Village: Sonik Mayhem + Felicity Lawless | Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba Vaudeville Smash + LUATE | Miami Marketta The Mason Rack Band | Southport Sharks Zookeepers Duo | Southport RSL Buck Dean and The Green Lips | The Northern, Byron Bay clawmachine | Mandala Collective Introvert + Satellites + Sleepwell + Semantics | Crowbar

SATURDAY 11 NOVEMBER Opera Night: Featuring Melbourne Symphony Soprano Julia Allsop (5:30pm) | Mavises Kitchen Willie and the Bandits + Borneo | NightQuarter His Merry Man + Mark Gray | Miami Marketta Leo Sayer + Jason Ayres | The Star Casino Barefoot Fridays | North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club

TUESDAY 7 NOVEMBER

The Hanlon Brothers | Southport Sharks

Kelly Blues | Cambus Wallace

The Mustangs | Southport RSL

Gavin Doniger | Scottish Prince Micheal Asma (11:30am) | Southport RSL Champagne Jam (4:00pm) | Southport RSL

SUNDAY 12 NOVEMBER Lilleexx | Palm Beach Surf Club Lyall Moloney | Hotel Brunswick Galapagos Duck (1.00pm) | Fishos

SATURDAY 4 NOVEMBER Bernard Fanning & The Black Fins + Sarah Tindley | The Northern, Byron

James Street Preachers | Scottish Prince

WEDNESDAY 8 NOVEMBER James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace Herbie Walker | Scottish Prince

THURSDAY 9 NOVEMBER Free The Genie | Cambus Wallace

Dave Murray | Cambus Wallace Luke Houselander | Scottish Prince Benny D Williams (3.00pm) | The Avenue James Higgins (2:00pm) | North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club Ned Walker (5:00pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks

DISCOVER GOLD COAST'S BEST NEW MUSIC

Abbigayle Anderson (1:00pm) | Southport RSL

MONDAY 13 NOVEMBER Micheal Whitmore (11:00am) | Southport RSL

TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER

Nathaniel: Songs of Marvin Gaye | RSL Club Southport Benny D Williams (4.00pm) | Kingscliff Beach Hotel The Settlement | NightQuarter The Ninth Chapter + Milo Green | Miami Marketta Gig Cartel | North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club

James Street Preachers | Scottish Prince

FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER British India | Soundlounge The Jacksonz (Tribute) | RSL Club Southport Lens + Blaire + Plateau + Napoleon Teardrop | Currumbin Pub

DANJO + Friends with the Enemy + Fox N Firkin + Up The Anti | Currumbin Pub

Krush (covers) | Southport Sharks

Kelly Blues | Cambus Wallace

clawmachine | Miami Shark Bar

Kaosphere + Upon the Pyre + Odysseus Reborn + Monster Fodder + The Solemn One | Kirra Sports Club

SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER

The Bay Collective + Jason Temple | NightQuarter

Gavin Doniger | Scottish Prince

WEDNESDAY 15 NOVEMBER

Gordon Sedlar Duo | Southport RSL

Cory Hargreaves | Palm Beach Surf Club

James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace Herbie Walker | Scottish Prince

THURSDAY 16 NOVEMBER Ecca Vandal | Miami Shark Bar Free The Genie | Cambus Wallace James Street Preachers | Scottish Prince

16 – 19 NOVEMBER MULLUM MUSIC FESTIVAL: Jon Cleary & The Monster Gentlemen + Marlon Williams & The Yarra Benders + Frazey Ford + MORE

FRIDAY 17 NOVEMBER Wayward Suns | Currumbin Pub Benny D Williams | Steampunk The Ninth Chapter + Josh Lovegrove | NightQuarter Springtime Sessions in the Village: Julie Hayes + Tay Oskee | Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba CC The Cat + Jackson James Smith | Miami Marketta Eleea Navarro (5:00pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks The Kniki & Mike Beale Project | Southport Sharks Zed 28 | Southport RSL

Angelo Pash | Cambus Wallace Burger Joint | Scottish Prince Benny D Williams (1.00pm) | The Boatshed Hinterland Community Band Free Twilight Concert (5:00pm) | Village Green, Mudgeerabah Andy Penney (2:00pm) | North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club Hayley Grace (12:30pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks Gemini Duo (1:00pm) | Southport RSL

MONDAY 20 NOVEMBER Ian Date & The Date Brothers | Southport Bowls Club The Yorks (11:00am) | Southport RSL

TUESDAY 21 NOVEMBER Matt Armitage | Cambus Wallace Kelly Blues | Scottish Prince The Keith Urban Experience | Southport Sharks

WEDNESDAY 22 NOVEMBER UB40 | NightQuarter James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace Elska | Scottish Prince

SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER

THURSDAY 23 NOVEMBER

Lachy Doley Group + BB Factory | Soundlounge

Kyle Lionheart (Ticketed) | Miami Marketta

Akova | Elements Resort, Byron

Springtime Sessions in the Village: Chris Tamwoy + Burger Joint | Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba The Lyrical + Matt Katsis | Miami Marketta Michael Eotvos (5:00pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks Wally & The Gators (Covers) | Southport RSL The Jacksonz (Covers) | Southport RSL

SATURDAY 25 NOVEMBER NigthQuarter’s Birthday: Felicity Lawless + Kallidad + Ben Catley | NightQuarter The Cactus Channel + Luke Pauley | Miami Marketta The Aints play The Saints (’73 -’78) + Mick Medew & The Mesmerisers | Twin Towns Cory Hargreaves | North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club Aussie Pride (covers) | Southport Sharks The Red Men | Southport RSL

SUNDAY 26 NOVEMBER Brett Gannon | Palm Beach Surf Club Joshy Dredz | Cambus Wallace

Amanda King (12:30pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks Greg Bankx (1:00pm) | Southport RSL

MONDAY 27 NOVEMBER

presents

Doubleshot (11:00am) | Southport RSL

TUESDAY 28 NOVEMBER Elska | Cambus Wallace Matt Armitage | Scottish Prince

FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD

WEDNESDAY 29 NOVEMBER James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace Herbie Walker | Scottish Prince

THURSDAY 30 NOVEMBER Free The Genie | Cambus Wallace James Street Preachers | Scottish Prince

DECEMBER

seedseries.bandcamp.com Discover fresh local talent cultivated by Queensland Conservatorium's Bachelor of Popular Music program.

Support local music.

Be in the know.

Follow @theseedseries

FRIDAY 1 DECEMBER The Angels + Rose Tattoo + Mi-Sex | Nightquater Marley: Celebrate the Legend | NightQuarter Springtime Sessions in the Village: Jade Peterson + The Lyrical | Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba

SATURDAY 2 DECEMBER The Wayward Suns | Nimbin Hotel

SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER The Badlands + The Lockhearts (3:00pm) | Broadbeach Tavern Hillbilly Goats (2:00pm) | Fishos

Benny Whiskey | Scottish Prince Benny D Williams (3.00pm) | The Avenue Community Christmas Carols (4:00pm) | Firth Park, Mudgeerabah

* Catch these SEED artists playing at a venue near you

Kenny Slide (2:00pm)| North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club

Free The Genie | Cambus Wallace

WWW.SEEDSERIES.BANDCAMP.COM

www.blankgc.com.au

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HOBO MAGIC: LORDS OF THE RIFF Gnarly riff-lords Hobo Magic are one of the best bands in the region currently melting amps at the heavier end of the musical spectrum.

Ahead of their upcoming gig at The Shark Bar on 5 November, Anthony Gebhardt fired off a few questions to the heavily grooveacious Sunshine Coast three piece.

Tell us about your new album, 'The World Today'.

The songs forming the album kind of came together sporadically through jam sessions and jamming live. It was a pretty natural process as we didn’t set about writing all the songs in one hit for the album, we just hit a sweet patch of creativeness and productivity and it came together nicely. From recording the first live tracks through to the point of releasing it has been around a year and a half. It’s felt like an age but the extra time we spent on mixing and adding in tracks payed off in the end I think. The album was recorded in Yandina on the Sunshine Coast at a place called Mosh Pit studios.

our guitar and bass tones exactly how we wanted them and also added some intricate little touches. Compared to our first album I think ‘The World Today’ is more aggressive sounding and captures the essence and sound of our live shows, which is perfect!

You're about to kick off an epic East Coast tour of Australia to launch the album. Is this the biggest tour you've done so far?

And are there any shows on the tour you're particularly looking forward to?

Are you pleased with how it turned out?

And how does it compare to your earlier stuff?

It’s definitely up there with the biggest we’ve done so far! North Queensland pubs know how to look after us, it’s always a treat playing up there so we are keen for those shows. The Melbourne leg is going to be rad and also the Jungle Love festival is going to be one hell of a party! But honestly, we’re excited to groove out to every show.

We’re stoked with how the album has turned out! We took more time in getting

How would you describe the Hobo Magic live experience?

2017 AUSTRALIAN MUSIC WEEK 2017 AUSTRALIAN MUSIC WEEK

“Sizzling like six charred cans of beans over a back-alley drum of kerosene.” – Bucky.

You've scored some impressive support slots along your journey, playing on bills with bands of the calibre of Earthless. Is there an artist that you'd kill to share a bill with?

Without the invention of a time machine getting a perfect bill together is impossible hehe. I’d say Black Sabbath, Uncle Acid

And The Deadbeats and Colour Haze are some bands that would be epic to share a bill with. I could write a list a million pages long though.

Be sure to catch the sizzling sounds of Hobo Magic when they play the Miami Shark Bar on Sunday, 5 November.

CRONULLA BEACH OCT 31-NOV 5

The Delta Riggs / HiFi Days 2016

CRONULLA BEACH OCT 31-NOV 5

150+ 10

MUSICCONFERENCE | NOV 1-3

Listen & learn from music industry leaders.

Interact & participate in relevant panel discussions.

Meet like-minded people and build your network.

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LIVESHOWS | NOV 2-3

Australian & international artists playing multiple venues over 2 nights, buy a ticket and venue hop to see as many great shows as possible.

FILMFESTIVAL | OCT 31-NOV 3

Screenings and special events featuring music films from Australia and around the world. Details & applications at australianmusicweek.com

A R T I S T A P P L I C AT I O N S N O W O P E N

HIFIDAYS | NOV 5

australianmusicweek.com The Delta Riggs / HiFi Days 2016

AMW 2017 A1 alt.indd 1

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Free Concert - Cronulla Beach - www.hifidays.com

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MUSICCONFERENCE | NOV 1-3

Listen & learn from music industry leaders.

Interact & participate in relevant panel discussions.

Meet like-minded people and build your network.

6

LIVESHOWS | NOV 2-3

Australian & international artists playing multiple venues over 2 nights, buy a ticket and venue hop to see as many great shows as possible.

FILMFESTIVAL | OCT 31-NOV 3

Screenings and special events featuring music films from Australia and around the world. Details & applications at australianmusicweek.com

11/04/2017 6:41 pm

music reviews

ECCA VANDAL Ecca Vandal

When Sri Lankan heritage, African influences and western music collide with an insatiable taste for musical diversity you get Ecca Vandal. A unique performer who is not afraid to kill attempts at putting her into a genre box, Ecca Vandal released her debut full-length album just days ago.

The self-titled album was recorded in a DIY studio in her lounge room and it sounds epic. Ecca is a powerhouse, commanding attention from the start with ‘Your Way’.

The song, an interesting eerie punk variation, hints at the smorgasbord of sounds to come.

Fans of Ecca’s earlier work will be well satisfied by raucous punk tune ‘Broke Days Party Nights’ which is a call to live your life to the fullest regardless of financial circumstance. Ecca herself says this song is the story of the making of the album.

‘Ecca Vandal’ is an album that touches on a range of topics and traverses several genres to include a few random collaborations.

Raising the issue of the refugee crisis, ‘Price of Living’ features vocals from Dennis Lyxcen of iconic punk trailblazers Refused.

As Ecca says, it is a huge honour, and it speaks volumes of the quality of the album.

Then when you want to take on the topic of the modern booty call what better way than with a hip hop slammer featuring verses from Sampa The Great?

‘Future Heroine’, one of my favourites, is an energising track written to empower her friend going through a tough time.

Every song on the album is solid, a testament to Ecca’s fierce determination and sheer musical talent. With sounds from rock’n’roll, through punk and hip hop, ‘Ecca Vandal’ is a worthy album, it’s been on repeat in my car for a week.

Erin Bourne

ELIZA AND THE DELUSIONALS The Deeper End

It’s been a big year for local indie-rock four piece Eliza And The Delusionals. As well as appearing at BIGSOUND, heading overseas to play Canadian Music Week and touring the country with Killing Heidi, Eliza Klatt and the Delusional lads have also been busy on the recorded music front, culminating in the release of their brand new five track release, ‘The Deeper End’.

An early highlight is the track ‘19’, a wellcrafted, pop-rock belter with the chorus of “Nineteen in the same place, still making the same mistakes” setting the template early for the EP’s running theme of the trials and tribulations of interpersonal relationships while transitioning into adulthood.

‘Deep End’, the current single, is a tale of one sided devotion, which Eliza herself describes as: “one person putting more into a relationship than the other. Not necessarily romantic relationships, but the idea of someone literally putting their life on hold to love someone." It’s a catchy as hell fuzz-punch of a number featuring plenty of cascading, energetic riffing.

‘Cigarette’ is a brooding, moody burner with punchy drumming, while ‘Falling Out’ delivers another hook laden dose of crunchily melodic alterna-rock.

Another high watermark moment is the recent single, ‘Salt’, which was nominated as a finalist in the prestigious ‘song of the year’ category at this year’s Gold Coast Music Awards. It’s a fuzzy pop delight, dripping with sassy thrills aplenty.

With ‘The Deeper End’, Eliza And The Delusionals have delivered a solidly crafted set of retro-tinged indie rock with equals doses of melody and bite. If you’re into the sound of the 90’s crossover alternative rock scene, championed by bands of the ilk of Veruca Salt, then look no further.

Anthony Gebhardt

MEKONG MERCHANTS THE EAST POINTERS Ocean Tones

What We Leave Behind

Gold Coast act Mekong Merchants are an intriguing new addition to the ranks of the psychedelic rock revival. Despite 'Ocean Tones' being their debut release, the core axis of the group, guitarist/vocalist Stu Tome and bassist Kenji Tamura, are worldly travellers and seasoned musical journeymen, which is reflected in the timeless, focused and confident vibe of the EP, belying the fledgling nature of the project. Prolific Gold Coast musician Scott French, of Love Street Studios (where the EP was recorded), also features on drums.

Imagine it's raining outside. Maybe snowing. You're sitting not far from the fireplace in a lumber-walled tavern somewhere, quietly sipping your (probably lukewarm and dark) beer, or maybe a whiskey. There's a dark hum of voices chatting across the establishment. Three young men take the small stage each holding their instruments: a fiddle, a banjo, and a guitar. A melancholy rhythm and melody matching the weather slowly draws silence from the full bar, with the exception of the dull thud of boots slowly and thoughtfully tapping the wet floor and thumb knuckles drumming the tables like a funeral march.

Opening number, 'Distance', sets the tone early, a mid paced cosmic delight, with ethereal, psych channelling guitar tones cutting large swathes throughout its duration. The words kick in at around the two minute mark, augmented with uplifting male/female vocalising, before the track fades away on the back of some gorgeous, gospel tinged, a cappella harmonising.

'Gone' is a wistful and breezy ode to lost love with a vaguely Latin feel and time signature, delivering a splendid guitar wig-out from Tome as it rides off into the sunset.

'Battle' floats out of the blocks on a dreamy wash of acoustic guitar, before the drums kick in, the track steadily building then majestically soaring into the stratosphere on the back of another searing, acid fried guitar break.

'Extinct' commences with keyboards and acoustic guitars before locking into an insistent, head nodding groove that grabs you and doesn't let go.

And final number, 'Animals' announces itself with a wash of sampled bird sounds, before an insistent, steadily building guitar and bass groove rides the EP home.

'Ocean Tones' is a lovingly executed musical sojourn through the wide open roads of psychedelia and beyond, and serves as a highly impressive introduction into the sound of Mekong Merchants. Check out our interview in these pages to find out more about them.

The melancholy phrasing comes to an end and the musicians pause, only for a second or two. Everyone looks up from their meditative states. Broad smiles appear on the faces of the young men on stage in that brief moment. Suddenly, they break out into a tempo quadruple the speed and bodies across the tavern explode into movement, jumping up and down, compelled to joyous dancing of jigs and reels.

That's pretty much The East Pointers’ new album ‘What We Leave Behind’. Melancholy fiddle and banjo-driven instrumental ballads, followed by the catchy, toe-tapping rhythms of traditional and contemporary Canadian Celtic folk music that make you want to move your body. Tim Chaisson's raw melodies and harmonies impress and the lyrics seem wedded to touring life, including time in Australia. You should buy the album for its wonderful music, if not only to diversify genres in your collection.

You can also catch the band live at Mullum Music Festival in November and Woodford Folk Festival in December. Get amongst it!

Glenn Tozer

Anthony Gebhardt www.blankgc.com.au

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BRASSERIE BREAD

1/16 Activity Cres, Molendinar

Bread is the most widely consumed food on earth. It’s very name itself denotes staple nourishment. Yet it is one of the foods that we have the least knowledge about, let alone where its ingredients come from.

‘Provenance’ – knowing exactly where food ingredients come from – has not been a concern of commercial bread makers…until now. Their concerns have been about the longevity of the loaf.

Have you ever wondered why some types of bread can stay on the bench without going mouldy? If we look on the back of some supermarket bread labels to check the ingredients, we might get quite a shock, as Choice explains: “Processing ingredients you'll commonly see are mineral salt 170 (calcium carbonate) and ascorbic acid (food acid 300 or treatment agent 300), otherwise known as vitamin C. Emulsifiers (427e, 481, 471), vegetable gums (412, 461) and amino acid 920 speed up dough handling, help sliced bread retain its shape and extend shelf life… mould retardant, calcium propionate, or 282, [sometimes substituted with propionic acid (280)] is the best-known preservative of public concern.” (Choice website) Michael Klausen, co-founder of Brasserie Bread, had a different vision. Klausen started making sourdough at the Bayswater Brasserie, where he worked with Tony Papas (of Allpress Coffee). They established Brasserie Bread in 2000, aiming to fill the gap in the market for high-quality, artisan sourdough bread, using impeccably-sourced simple ingredients.

In July 2015, Brasserie Bread expanded to the Gold Coast, their first bread delivered to outlets in 2015.

There are several factors that make Brasserie Bread different to other bakeries: “Brasserie Bread is proud to be the only bakery in Australia offering an entire bread range that is single origin produced.”

(Brasserie Bread website) Brasserie Bread can trace the flour in every loaf, roll, cake or pastry they make back to the growers. Brasserie Bread’s range are all single origin grain breads that carry unique tastes reflecting the character and mood of the region where the wheat has been grown.

Working directly with farmers in the Southern Flinders Ranges and Gwydir Shire, their wheat is grown specifically for them, the farms chosen for their sustainable methods.

There’s a synergy and symbiotic relationship between planting and production; a total produce management 30

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vision that gives flavour and production stability to the bread maker while allowing farmers to carry on traditional farming using new technological advances and sustainable farming techniques to grow the finest grain possible in both flavour and nutritional value, perfect for sourdough.

“If you visited these farms, watched their crop rotation with chick peas, sorghum and cotton to open up the soil, you’d see the difference in how the land is treated. That’s where our wheat come from. We even have Brasserie Bread’s name on the side of silos,” Queensland Sales Manager Matthew Apps tells us.

Following through with production, there are no shortcuts in the breadmaking process. Brasserie Bread’s sourdough undergoes a 48 to 52-hour production turnaround time.

Using a 21-year-old lovingly tended natural yeast starter added to only three ingredients – flour, salt and water, the sourdough is left to ferment, rise and prove over two days, allowing the gluten to break down and the flavour to develop. These are all factors in making true sourdough easier to digest than other breads, giving the side benefits of flavour and texture.

Little wonder, then that Flinders Ranges Sprouted Wheat was honoured to receive Champion Bread in the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show. Made from wheat traceable to the Flinders Ranges and added ground up sprouted wheat grains

for texture, nuttiness, and wholegrain goodness, this is our favourite bread. Superb!

Why is sprouted grain important? Sprouting activates natural enzymes that not only make the grain more easily digestible, it also decreases the presence of gluten and is said to reduce the presence of ‘anti-nutrients’ or nutrient absorption inhibitors.

Education is a major component of Brasserie Bread’s mission, the Sydney factory running breadmaking classes for both children and adults, as well as team-building sessions.

Although the Gold Coast factory now produces 66 lines of baked goods distributed to outlets from boutique cafés to large hotels, Matt tells us that they are presently working on expansion of the range, trialling new flours to produce different styles of bread, such as an ancient grain bread made with emmer, and a brewer’s loaf using spent grain from Newstead Brewery (one of their customers).

And just so you don’t miss out, Brasserie Bread is available for purchase at the following retail outlets: Manolas Bros., Ambarella Fine Foods, Barbosa Fine Foods and Bundall Farmer’s Market.

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

THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN COOKBOOK HELEN GREENWOOD & MELISSA LEONG Until Barnaby Joyce’s identity crisis, I knew who I was. At least I thought I did.

Born in Australia and adopted as an infant by New Zealand-born parents, I spent much of my childhood in rural New Zealand, and my teens in Sydney. Besides State of Origin night (an even more complicated story), my identity was clear: I am Australian with some Kiwi influences. Nothing more, nothing less.

A trip to Wellington for a gastronomy conference brought back the food of my childhood, many recipes taken from Mum’s battered Edmunds Cookery Book. It also reintroduced me to the amazing innovation of Kiwi chefs, to exceptional New Zealand seafood such as paua, tuatua and whitebait, amazing dairy products I’d never forgotten, and the best doughnuts I’ve ever tasted.

An item in my return luggage included The Great New Zealand Cookbook, its recipes comprising old and new classics from over 80 chefs, gathered in a road trip that the team later described as ‘a once-in-a-lifetime experience’.

Containing such classics as Whitebait fritters, Tuatua Fritter Butties and Mum’s Ginger Crunch, it’s a recipe book I’ll refer to often. Some other recipes, such as Titi (Muttonbird) with Watercress, are purely of cultural interest.

Late in 2017, The Great Australian Cookbook was republished, a snapshot of the food that Aussies love to eat. Though it contains old favourites such as roast chicken, lamingtons and granola, it’s also thoroughly modern, reflecting the multicultural diversity of Australian culture and the amazingly fresh local produce available to our cooks. Kangaroo makes it into the ingredient list, as well as a range of bush foods.

With over 165 recipes from more than 80 great Aussie chefs, the collection is beautifully photographed, printed on matte paper in a substantial hardcover edition. The character photos and handwritten notes are a treasure in themselves, providing snapshots of Australian life. At work or at home, in the kitchen or out foraging, the luminaries of Australian cuisine (as well as a few others) are captured, along with their take on food philosophy.

From Brasserie Bread’s Michael Klausen comes a recipe for the ultimate French toast. Darren Robertson of Three Blue Ducks brings us a posh avo mash (with poached eggs, fermented cabbage and fennel ‘with some stuff from the garden’), and Cheong Liew shares an iconic Char Kway Teow and Beef Rendang. While some of the recipes are straightforward, others require commitment far beyond the reach of the beginning cook.

Yet it’s both eclectic and inspirational.

What both books share is a picture of the rich history of our nations’ food, how ethnically diverse both countries are and how unique. Both are also classics for the 21st century with gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian recipes separately indexed. Both claim Pavlova, Oysters Kilpatrick and Lamb Roast as their own… What the Aussie version has over the Kiwi one is Reg Mombassa’s gorgeous cover and endpapers. Delightful!

Now, unlike Barnaby Joyce, I stand straddling the ditch, claiming both identities with open arms. I also revel in owning both cookbooks that represent my nations so beautifully.

My pigeon pair is complete.

Marj Osborne

THE ISLAND There’s something special about heritage places, especially when they’ve been reinvented. It’s as though those who’ve gone before have trod the floorboards, breathed the air and imbued into the building a sense of place.

There’s all that and more at The Island.

With its ‘relaxed, luxe beach house vibe’, “The Island is all about enjoying the good things in life, like eating, drinking and relaxing with family & friends, while staying in a stunning boutique hotel which has everything you look for on a holiday to the Gold Coast,” the hotel’s website boasts.

What a transformation it has undergone from its previous state! The formerly shabby pink building in the priceless location is unrecognisable, completely rejuvenated into a sophisticated boutique hotel with luxurious generous-sized rooms, marble bar and tiles and lush greenery. The venue presents patrons with a range of entertainment areas, bars and dining areas – a pool bar, kids’ games room, discreet gaming room and, most of all, a spacious rooftop bar.

It’s this bar that is the crowning glory of the hotel to this point. It’s the place to catch up on a sneaky cocktail or three, enjoying live music as you look out across the later, taller additions to the Surfers Paradise skyline framing glimpses of the ocean beyond.

Serviced from the expansive kitchen downstairs, it’s the place to spend a lazy weekend afternoon or a late-night session, the perfect laidback destination, Gold Coast style.

The venue’s food is overseen up by Anthony Fullerton (ex-Executive Chef of the Regatta Hotel, QPAC and Hotel Realm), Group Executive Chef of the Katarzyna Group.

Using many of the dishes he’s established as favourites on the menu at Cloudland, the main menu is divided into Condividede (To Share), Della Terra (From the Land), Dal Mare (From the Sea) and Pizza, Pasta & Riso.

The new Italian-inspired menu reflects Fullerton’s “passion for food and wine, the appreciation for unadulterated foods, sourcing ingredients from farmers and producers…Each ingredient has its own role on the plate and palate,” he tells us, “which contributes to the overall seduction of the senses.”

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3128 Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise

At the Island Bistro, with its Italian methodology and impeccable sourcing, our senses are seduced. The produce speaks for itself.

Pan-fried kingfish, so lightly handled, wallows in a bed of mussels, clams, cuttlefish and saffron, bedded down on discs of garlic potatoes. A robust Eye fillet, sous vide until tender then flash finished on the grill is one of the best steaks we’ve enjoyed in some time, classically presented with a mushroom herb gratin and sautéed spinach.

Biodynamic, heirloom, dry-aged, slow-baked – they’re all present on this menu, the heritage of ingredients impeccable. Dairy is from Barambah Organics and Pepe Saya, jams from Cuttaway Creek and lamb from Milly Hill, a small free-range farm in NSW. “We’ve tried to source ingredients locally, or the best we can find,” Fullerton tells us. “We work with small and artisan producers and farmers. Brasserie Bread provide our bread, made from single origin flour. Smallgoods are from the Prince family in WA. Your eye fillet is Thousand Guineas beef, Shorthorn from Bonneville, where they can trace the genetics of each cow.”

Many other dishes are made in the sprawling Italian kitchen with its own wood-fired own and next level appliances: Olive bread is made in house, as is fresh pappardelle, linguine and fettuccine. Pizza, racing from the oven in 90 second Napolitano style, comes topped with San Marzano tomatoes and fior di latte.

Yet there’s nothing overworked here, nothing too fancy, just classics to be appreciated with a touch of modernity.

Much like the hotel itself, really.

“We have such a colourful, rich history. We can’t hide from that. Everyone has a memory of The Islander,” The Island’s Danielle Barber tells us.

Perhaps, but some of those memories may be best forgotten! We may choose to reference The Islander, certainly, but not pay homage. The Island, classy venue that it is, will create its own memories, its own stories, its own mystique.

If only those who went before could see it now…

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

TWO SEASONS Pacific Fair, 34 Hooker Blvd, Broadbeach Waters

The world’s wildest high adrenaline mountain sport films that will have you on the edge of your seat

How many times have you been at the shops and longed for a great cup of coffee to get you through the battlefield of slow moving pedestrians, prams filled with crying children and despondent boyfriends dutifully following their beloved from rack to rack?

Sitting like an island oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Two Seasons is a beacon of hope for the caffeine-starved shoppers who not only want that sweet kick of energy from their brew, but great flavour and consistency too.

Owners Ryan and Lily Sterling feel there is a need for more specialty coffee in Australia, which is what drew them to the Two Seasons brand after a lifetime in the hospitality industry working at other people’s cafés.

“It’s very different from what people expect from a coffee company, with consistency being the biggest focus for us” reported Ryan. With eye-catching colours and branding that includes a bright wrap around their two La Marzocco Strada 3-group machines, Two Seasons certainly stands out amongst the crowd of shopping centre coffee shops.

With their Single Origin under development — which will be sold exclusively as a cold brew — we sampled the Two Seasons Origin blend on our visit, which is selected and roasted by the company in Sydney. An espresso of the blend had a beautiful dark chocolate aroma that carried through in the flavour with a nice hit of tart grapefruit acidity at the finish. As a long black, the coffee was significantly milder in acidity, but still had a nice tang from the oak infused citrus flavour. Interestingly as a piccolo the flavours changed from chocolate to salted caramel, a beautiful little cup to enjoy with a sweet treat.

ONE NIGHT ONLY: 22 November BOOK NOW Arts Centre Gold Coast

With plans to renovate in the next few months, Two Seasons will be offering more options to have your coffee including cold drip, cold brew, V60 and pour overs.

TRAILER AND INFO www.radicalreels.com.au

Get your caffeine fix the next time you’re at Pac Fair from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Saturday, or 9:00am to 4:00pm. It truly is a caffeinated oasis that can’t be missed.

Image from the film Give Me Five. Stephan Gautier

Catherine Coburn www.blankgc.com.au

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BONJOUR! FRANCE COMES TO THE GOLD COAST Bonjour Francophiles! November sees a slice of France comes to Broadbeach as the Bonjour French Festival fills Pratten Park with movies, dance, food, music and of course, a helluva lot of berets.

Now in its fourth year, Bonjour French Festival prides itself on bringing more diversity each year. This year’s program includes a Guinness world record attempt. Taking place on Remembrance Day at 11.11am, organisers hope to gather at the most amount of people wearing a beret in a French atmosphere. Guinness World Record guidelines are very strict: Everyone must be accounted for. While the event is free, all who are planning to attend need to register to say they’re coming. Don’t have a beret? Never fear! All online registrations will receive a complimentary Beret on the day.

Friday sees the beautiful French film ‘Amelie’ on the big screen, for just a gold coin donation. See for yourself why it’s considered a modern classic. Saturday welcomes students from St Michael’s College and the French immersion program from Benowa State High to the stage in order to perform a small play in French and dance and song performance, respectively. In addition, a musketeers show, a corsairs show, opera, rouge dancers and food competitions make Saturday a day not to be missed!

Sunday will host more of the same with Caningeraba School performing a Can-Can, and a variety of on-stage acts and competitions throughout the day, including a performance from Gold Coast artist Jenna Dearness Dark.

If you’re not stuck to the stage you can also be entertained by the Rubtuba Roving Performers and world-class New Caledonia stilts walkers. And of course, a selection of tasty treats will keep even the fussiest of palates satisfied!

A bientôt!

Natalie O’Driscoll

STILL WATERS RADICAL REELS RUN DEEP We won’t tell you how old Byron Bay artist Casey Arnaud is, but let’s just say she grew up on the Gold Coast when the Surfers Paradise mall was still sand. A successful business owner and doting parent of two daughters, within her there remained a burning passion to study art. Now in her third and final year at the Byron School of Arts, Casey is putting on her first solo show entitled STILL. We got the lowdown.

Tell us about the theme behind ‘STILL’ and why you chose to explore it.

My forthcoming exhibition is a series of works in which I explore the contrast of opposing states (over-stimulated vs the calmness of being present) and the potency of removing excess – motion, noise and clutter. Playing with spaces at capacity, slowly subtracting the overload whilst highlighting the delicate relationships and connections between forms and layers to evoke a sense of STILL. What is your preferred medium and style?

Having a tendency to overthink and be anxious, my work is a means to resolve this overstimulation, a way to shut down the mind to be present and in this time stillness arrives in the silence. It is my quiet, meditative time to explore sensitive surfaces, playing with forms, loose rhythmic lines, muted colours, marks and layers to capture a feeling. Embracing materiality, my work is about nurturing the surface, textures & the physicality of paint layers whilst exploring themes of vulnerability, strength, memory and temporality. I am process driven in my practice with research leading to the collation of images, words and collages.

Working mostly in mixed media with the materials gouache, acrylic, wax, plaster, graphite and chalky pastels on wood, paper and canvas to create subtle tonal nuances and variations of texture and depth. I want to communicate my experiences through the materials, searching to explore and/or resolve a feeling that then leads to experimentation whilst trying to transform the materials.

Natalie O’Driscoll

Bonjour French Festival runs from 10 – 12 November at Pratten Park in Broabeach. Visit bonjourfrenchfestival. com.au for a full program of events and to register for the Guinness World Record attempt.

‘STILL’ opens 3 November at the BSA Project Space and runs until 15 November. Visit caseyarnaud.com for more.

They’re short, they’re sharp and they’re sure to shock: nine of the most extreme, high-adrenaline films from the latest Banff Mountain Festival will light up the silver screen at The Arts Centre this November, when the ‘Radical Reels’ Tour rolls across the country.

Designed to keep audiences on the edges of their seats, the films feature daring footage of some of the most accomplished climbers, paddlers, BASE jumpers, skiers, snowboarders and mountain-bike riders alive today. Each action-packed short has been hand-picked from more than 300 entries to the most recent Banff Mountain Festival (the largest and most prestigious mountain-adventure, -culture and -exploration festival in the world).

The Radical Reels Tour is the Banff Mountain Festival’s fastpaced, furious little brother. This year, the Australian line-up showcases two-and-a-half hours of heart-stopping action.

Filled with wild rides, long lines, steep jumps, and skilful stunts, these films celebrate the camaraderie, courage and conviction of today’s most out-there adventurers.

Captivating cinematography, complete with stunning vistas shot from unbelievable vantage points, pays homage to the wild and rugged playgrounds today’s thrill-seekers explore with their mountain bikes, paddles, ropes, skis, snowboards and wingsuits in tow.

Filmmakers from France, Canada and the US have created a series of adrenaline-pumping shorts ranging from 4 to 27 minutes long. Meet Arnaud Longobardi, thought to be the first person to fly directly into the cabin of a moving cable car, 150m above the French Alps. Or how about 15-yearold Ashima Shiraishi and 16-year-old Kai Lightner? The impressive pair tackle one of the largest caves in Europe, Hanshelleren in Norway, a sprawling granite cathedral with 260 feet of overhanging climbing capped by a 160-foot headwall.

Whether you’re into skiing in the Swiss Alps, kayaking deep in Papua New Guinea, bike riding in Spain, or mountain biking through the Caucasus Mountains, ‘Radical Reels’ is sure to pack a punch.

Natalie O’Driscoll Catch ‘Radical Reels’ when it hits the Arts Centre Gold Coast Cinema on 22 November. Tickets at radicalreels.com.au.

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PAUL BEATTY Paul Beatty’s satirical treatise on ‘post-racial’ America is epic.

The novel begins with a black man, known only by his surname, Me, arriving at the Supreme Court for the case of: Me vs the United States of America. Me lights up a marijuana pipe, eyeballs the Rolex-wearing black judge, and lazes back in his chair, which “like this country, is not as comfortable as it seems.”

Nor is this book. Me, who is a watermelon and weed farmer (you read that right), is facing charges for reinstating racial segregation in his small town of Dickens and for keeping a slave (you read that right as well).

Me was raised by his single father, an ethically-questionable psychologist whose life and work were suffocated by the squeezing clutches of racism. Through a series of tortuous experiments, his father attempted to condition his son to outwit and outlast the many social systems that were destined to make him fail. But, years later, can Me—who kept bombing his dad’s tests—really be the cure-all for black Americans, just as his father had hoped?

OOMERA OPEN DAY The writing is so generously witty it almost feels sunny in

parts. But as Me walks through Obama’s America on his way to the Supreme Court, and whenever he is interacting with Hominy, his willing black slave, there is horror behind every word, and post-racial America appears nothing but a farce.

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This is the kind of book to read when you have time and space. The journey is reflective and slow, with dense descriptive prose. And there is much back-story and sidestory, but you soon learn these are the story. None of that diminishes the clarity and cleverness of the book. Many sentences, especially in the punchy first third, need to be absorbed—and then remembered for the rest of your life.

Beatty—already an established novelist and poet—was the first U.S. writer to win the Man Booker prize for this book.

When asked what inspired him to write the novel, he replied, possibly with a shrug, “I was broke.”

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BLA! A DOUBLE WINNER FOR GOLD COAST ART BUDDIES Image: Lamp Photography

For the second year in a row, Burleigh Brewing Co has hosted its wildly successful Brewing Local Artists (BLA!) event. The night is a celebration of all things local creative, from food and beer to music and art, with a group of talented exhibiting and live artists taking over the space for an eclectic showcase. Each year, attendees vote on their favourite artist, and in 2017 the result was a draw. Gold Coast artists Toren Vansleve and Mitch Fleming took out the joint honours on the night, so we decided to catch up with both of them.

In an extraordinary coincidence, Toren and Mitch actually work together, and are friends, as well as art buddies. Their pieces are very different however.

“It’s called a mixed media relief,” explains Toren about her work.

“I draw everything up digitally first and then think about ways to make it 3D from there through different layers. In those ones in particular I was doing some gold leaf embellishing on parts of the layer to bring a different element to it.”

Mitch’s piece is also a mixed media effort, a collage which is based on some hand-drawn printed elements and layering.

“I guess there’s some element of masking, or some kind of overlay on the face. That’s something that I seem to be drawn towards,” Mitch tells us.

While they’ve only been showing for a few years, the path to exhibiting artist has been a long one for both of them, with Toren creating little pieces throughout university and earlier.

“There’s big turnouts for these kind of events, the younger community have different priorities, lots young people don’t want to go to just an art gallery,” says Toren.

“Nothing I would ever present to anyone,” she clarifies.

“It’s great that venues like Burleigh, venues that aren’t typically art driven are trying to push that side of things,” Mitch continues.

“I did that in a night. But I’d been thinking about it for a couple of months. Procrastinating!” he laughs.

“Just for my own benefit and creative release. Everything’s just been practice. Even when I look back at the first art I showed I feel that way about it, and that’s not a long time ago.”

Both artists have only been exhibiting for the last few years, and were both shown in the inaugural BLA! In 2016.

As for Mitch? “I can’t remember a time I wasn’t creating something with a crayon or a pencil.”

“It’s only the last couple of years that I’ve started putting my face out there and trying to get into more things and participating in the arts scene,” says Mitch.

Both raised on the Gold Coast, Mitch and Toren have been able to witness the changing face of art and culture throughout the city. In particular, we discuss the rise of these combined events, where music, art, food and drink come together to create an experience which appeals to a wider audience.

“It’s still not as much as I‘d like to. Three years ago was the first time we’d both shown; we had a joint art exhibition.”

“Every time we do a show our friends say ‘this is really fun, we should do it more often.’”

Natalie O’Driscoll And they will. You can check out their Instas: mitch.fleming and vonsteeeeeve and keep an eye on Burleigh Brewing’s website for more awesome events throughout the year, in addition to their regular Fridays and Sundays.

“I have only been doing this kind of stuff for a little while,” continues Toren.

“When we did the last show last year, I developed this style then, building and getting bit more layers. I might move onto something else, you can chop and change depending what’s happening at the time.”

The pair have found having each other there to be incredibly helpful in their respective artistic journeys, Toren explains.

“If one of us is keen [to put on a show] the other might be like ‘sure, okay let’s get it done.’ It’s better if you have someone to help you with planning the art show and doing the artwork for it. You can be deterred because it takes a lot of time, but two minds are better than one. I guess it’s also good ‘cause we work together as well so we can be honest with each other.

“There’s no such thing as too harsh!” interjects Mitch.

“Yep,” agrees Toren. “It means if one of us goes ‘it’s really good’, you know it’s coming from the right place. We’re both in design already. With my partner Nick it’s like ‘I don’t really trust you!’”

“Well, he’s biased too,” says Mitch. Toren smiles.

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

ARE YOU A WOMAN LIKE US?

Come and feel normal about your dysfunction when Mandy and Ellen perform two hours of stand up comedy at Surfers Paradise Golf Club on Friday 17 November at 7.30pm. Tix $30 at surfersgolf.com.au.

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Are you able to completely switch off and pay no attention when your kids are wanting attention?

How many tourists stopped to take photos with the two of you when you were taking this promo shot?

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Are you unfit and unsatisfied with the way you look, but not unsatisfied enough to do anything about it?

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Can you confuse your partner with what you actually want from day to day, never actually tell them, but be very cranky when they don’t deliver?

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Do you hate the fact that women aren’t equal but still torture yourself with high shoes?

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Do you only believe scientific reports when they work in your favour, ie 2 glasses of wine each night is excellent for gut health?

I feel like we may have brought your numbers down. I could see some people running to their cars. Men were screaming at women 'don't look'. But it was too late. They saw us. Real Women are terrifying because we're being eradicated by botox and spray tans. We need to be heritage listed. Where we live in the Byron Shire, the council uses us in our undies to reduce tourist numbers during our busy times. We just stand at the main roundabout to town and people just exit it really helps free up the parking.

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Do you get annoyed when your chubby friends lose weight and there’s one less person to look thinner than?

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Do you forget people’s names and call them ‘darl’? Even family members?

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Do you hide new boxes of shoes at the bottom of your wardrobe, and then wear them and when your husband asks if you are wearing new shoes you say ‘these? I’ve had them for AGES!’ ?

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Do you come up with elaborate excuses to avoid canteen duty? Like, syphilis?

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Do you say ‘I’m here for you anytime’ and then when your friend calls not pick up?

If you answered ‘yes’ to three or more of the above, then the relatable and hilarious comedy stylings of Mandy Nolan and Ellen Briggs are definitely for you. Their show ‘Women Like Us’ has sold out just about 60 shows around the Gold Coast and is still going strong. Mandy kindly agreed to have a quick chat with us ahead of their next performance in November.

I feel like there isn't enough entertainment out there directed towards middle-aged, middle-class white men's needs and desires. They're always left out. What will they get out of your show?

I know. Poor babies. At our show they get the lot. They get turned on. And then off. We're good at that. We patronise.

Generalise and stereotype. Same shit they've been doing to us for years. Seriously, lots of men come to our show and love it. They live with women like us so they totally get it. Women who come without their blokes always come up at the end of the night saying 'I wish I'd brought my husband'. Then they go to the cars and let him out of the boot so he can drive them home.

I'm getting in early, getting numbers for a Crazy Old Lady house where we're going to fuck off our men, get 100 cats, paint nude in the backyard and chase schoolkids down the road banging on cans and reciting poetry. Shall I book you both a spot?

Oh we are totally in. That’s how we live now. There is freedom in ageing. We aren't Queens of the Stone Age, but we definitely intend to be Queens of the Old Age! Natalie O’Driscoll

Opera night

November 11th 2017, 5:30pm

image - good food gold coast

featuring talented melbourne symphony soprano - Julia Allsop Leah Bartholomew Solo Exhibition 16 November - 1 December 2017 | Opening Night Friday 17 November

32/19 Warehouse Rd, Southport QLD 4215 Phone 07 5532 0788 leftbankgallery.com.au

$125 per person (+ booking fee) includes opera, 4 courses & all-inclusive wine and beer bookings on ph 02 66795664 or www.maviseskitchen.com.au www.blankgc.com.au

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Image: Lamp Photography

BURNING TOO BRIGHT

Sideshow brings The 27 Club to the Gold Coast

THE MULTI-TASKING MYTH both at the same time, and there were more mistakes. There is a stop/start mechanism going on in the brain when we switch tasks and it takes a moment to reset.

The human brain is a fascinating place capable of amazing feats; unless we’re tired, hung-over, or it’s Monday. But can we actually do several things at once?

Neuroscience says no, we can’t. The brain, even on its best day, cannot focus on two things at once. When you think you are multi-tasking what you’re actually doing is switching your focus from one thing to the other constantly. Think about this; you’re writing a report, or article, on your computer and you get a text message. You check the text and begin a conversation. While you wait for the text reply you go back to the report, you get the reply and go back to texting and so on. You are not doing both at the same time, you’re switching constantly between the two. The same thing applies in a faster and less obvious way with all those things we tend to do at the same time, call people while we’re driving, text and walk, hell we even close our eyes in order to hear better!

While we may think we’re being super efficient by doing many things at once we are really doing ourselves and those around us a disservice. The downfalls of multi-tasking: •

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It’s actually more time consuming.

A recent study asked people to draw two lines on a piece of paper, on one line they were to write ‘I am a great multi-tasker’ and on the other write the numbers 1-20 in order. First go round was to do these tasks one at a time, the second time was to switch between the two. It took twice as long to do www.blankgc.com.au

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Nothing gets done as well as it could have been. We are far more likely to make mistakes when we’re switching our attention between tasks. The brain is trying to switch attention and may bring in things from one task to the other. Ever been talking to someone while you were writing something down and wrote what you were saying instead of what you needed to write?

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Creativity and problem solving is decreased. Multi-tasking is using up the ‘working memory’ or temporary space in the brain that is important for problem solving and creativity.

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You’re dangerous, to yourself and others. Walking and texting leads to many people walking into poles or tripping over, which is hilarious but it also leads people onto the road in traffic. Talking, or worse, trying to text while driving takes your attention from the road and traffic.

Doing one thing at a time means you do it quicker and better, and you also only have to deal with that task once. The people in your life will also appreciate you more if you’re actually 100% there when you’re with them.

Erin Bourne

Apart from being world-famous musicians, do you know what Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse have in common? If you answered they all passed away at age 27, you’re correct. This ‘phenomenon’ has become known as The 27 Club, a notional roll of remembrance of those who burned too bright and left our world too soon. Now the five vocalists are being celebrated in ‘The 27 Club’, a part musical theatre, part-rock, part-cabaret and all-talent show hitting The Arts Centre Gold Coast in November.

Performer Kean Fletcher talks about how the idea was germinated.

“We actually started brainstorming about it in 2015 cause the other two guys (Zack Anthony Curran and Andrew Kroenert) are my best mates and we’ve all done shows together, but we really wanted to a show of our own.

“Someone had the idea for a Kurt Cobain show but that’d been done and someone else talked about Edith Piaf, and we thought ‘why are we so fascinated by these people?’

“Then we stumbled across the 27 Club.

The correlation between such a prodigious output [of music] and such inner turmoil… it’s such a great idea because most people are familiar with all or at least one of the artists.

It’s an easy entry for people who go to see music theatre or rock shows.”

It’s an unusual topic on which to focus, on a Saturday night out. I asked how they prevent the show from becoming overly morbid.

“It’s just an amazing catalogue of songs from all the artists,” says Keane.

“We didn’t want to make it too depressing - we did want to have an insight into their inner turmoil and I think that’s really clearly represented in the songs anyway - so we didn’t have wring that out of it too much.

“There is a little bit of text that links some of the songs. We tried to stay really objective; we’ve taken a lot of material from interviews they’ve done verbatim, and also their own journal entries, news reports.

“We don’t want to say ‘this is bad they shouldn’t have done that’, we don’t want to depress the audience. It’s like, this is what happened - it’s still happening - and can musical genius exist without a bit of torture is the question that we try to highlight, and the sacrifice these guys made for such a legacy.”

The show features hits such as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, ‘Valerie’, ‘Piece Of My Heart’ and many more, some with a different take.

“We stay faithful to the songs when the tone requires it,” Keane explains.

“We put our own spin on it as well by breaking down the grunge songs so we’re able to see how insightful they are and how good the music and lyrics are.

“I think there’s been a real trend in recent years of covering classic songs and breaking them down a bit. But we’ve got the electric guitar, and there’s some definitely some grungy, screaming moments.”

From 1970 to 2011, The 27 Club spans generations, and Keane tells us this is reflected in the audience.

“It’s a real broad cross section of people, which we love. We straddle that cabaret live music area so we get people who are really interested in cabaret and music theatre and diehard Nirvana fans and diehard Jani Joplin fans and people are drinking red wine and singing along or crying in the front row or rocking out.

“We definitely like to have a bit of a rock out too.”

Natalie O’Driscoll

You can catch Keane, Zack and Andrew as they perform ‘The 27 Club’ as part of The Arts Centre Gold Coast’s Sideshow series on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 November.

Tickets from theartscentregc.com.au.

GOLD COAST OPEN HOUSE HITS A HOME RUN Each year, Gold Coast Open House opens up the doors to some of the city’s most fascinating buildings, with residential homes being among the most popular of the event’s stops. This year, Architectural graduate PJ Deasy has agreed to open up the home she has renovated on Rio Vista Boulevard to the curious hordes.

Passionate about mid Century design and sustainability, PJ is already making a name for herself in the architectural world as creative and an innovator. She kindly spoke to Natalie O'Driscoll ahead of the event.

What is it about Mid Century design that so appeals to you?

I've long been interested in contemporary history, particularly the post-war period. During university I dedicated historical research papers to domestic architecture in Queensland, specifically focusing on architects and relics within the Gold Coast and Brisbane regions, and my thesis research focussed on the role of breeze block within contemporary architectural history in South East Queensland from 1955 – 1970. I've since co-authored a published paper bringing to light a work of local Brisbane architect Robin Spencer, which was an incredible achievement. My take-home on domestic design and particularly architecture during the mid century period, is really about well-considered, honest and modestly-sized dwellings, rather than excess.

What have you done in your Rio Vista property that people may have not seen before? What about it screams ‘you’?

Our home is uniquely 'us'. So many components have been 'labour of love' DIY side projects, often triggered through lack of availability or affordability! Our front door and handle, bollard light, bench seat, coloured concrete pavers, artwork... the list goes on. When we first purchased the house, like most first home owners, it was a long journey and wonderful achievement for both of us. For a bit of fun I chose to commemorate this with a playful wall mural inspired by one of my favourite artists. Initially I chose to paint it on a wall we assumed would end up being demolished during renovations, however as the design changed and matured, the wall ended up remaining. We managed to protect it throughout construction and now it is a playful reminder of the original house and journey thus far.

The renovation and extension of our Rio Vista home has been a story of many firsts. It is our first home ever purchased, and the first architectural project I've undertaken since graduating. I've lost track of how many different design iterations I explored, and whilst it could have been a slight distraction during my studies, it ended up being a challenging outlet to apply my skills and creativity. With such a tight budget it really was a blessing to have our family and friends continually roll up their sleeves and help us throughout the process.

Registrations are now open and quickly filling up for Gold Coast Open House on 4 November. Visit the website ASAP to avoid missing out on this unique event!

BEERS FROM OUR BACKYARD UNIQUE BEERS CELEBRATING THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND LANDMARKS OF OUR NORTHERN RIVERS REGION

What do you love about Queensland architecture?

Queensland has such a rich architectural history, as well as an incredible calibre of established and emerging architects that are creating really engaging and thoughtful work. Now that we have two relatively new architecture schools here on the Gold Coast it will be exciting to see the benefits on our local built landscape!

Are there any buildings on the GCOH that you particularly love or would be particularly excited to see, and why?

I particularly love the Burleigh Street House by Matt Eagle in this year's GCOH program. Matt's creative approach and planning resolve to a house that was arguably so typical of many existing Gold Coast homes, really shows what can be achieved without completely demolishing existing structure.

There's a reason he's collecting awards – I'd encourage others to check it out too!

Is there anything else you'd like people to know about you or about your home?

The way it should be

THE DARNELL COLLECTION DRESSES UP THE GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY A major exhibition ‘Coming into Fashion: A Century of Photography at Condé Nast’ is coming to the Gold Coast this summer. The exhibition celebrates some of the most iconic images from the past century of fashion as the publisher of Vogue, Vanity Fair and Glamour opens up its photography archive to the public.

In addition, the ‘Coming into Fashion’ exhibition will include a selection of vintage couture fashion from The Darnell Collection Australia’s largest private vintage clothing collection. For over 70 years, Doris Darnell, a Quaker from Pennsylvania, pursued a passion for fashion by collecting vintage clothes and accessories. Importantly, most of the items came with accompanying letters, photographs and stories which linked them to the original owners or donors and often to the occasions to which they were worn. In 2004 Australianbased author and designer Charlotte Smith (pictured front cover) inherited her godmother Doris’s collection. Natalie O'Driscoll chatted with her about the upcoming exhibition.

Do you have a favourite piece or pieces in the collection?

A dress by the British designer, Lucile Lady Duff Gordon, dating 1911, is a favourite.

This one dress tells so many stories: about the newly emerging independent woman who wanted to be free of restrictive undergarments; about a woman who became a sought-after designer AND a respected business woman at a time when women were still expected to be accessories in a maledominated world; about a dress that reflected the designer's penchant for feminine dresses that fabulously sentimental names such as 'A Frenzied Song of Amorous Things' and ' The Sighing Sound of Lips Unsatisfied'. And, most intriguing of all, she (and her husband Sir Duff Gordon and their PA) survived the sinking of the Titanic.

How do you go about choosing which pieces will travel to Coming Into Fashion and other exhibitions?

When Tracy Cooper-Lavery, Director of Gold Coast City Art Gallery, and I began our discussion around what to include in the tightly curated selection of garments, we knew our choices needed to wow and to engage visitors to the exhibition, yet not over power the photographs. We decided to concentrate on some of the well-known labelled couture and haute couture pieces in the collection. We looked at classic, well-known designers such as Valentino, at 'house-hold' names such as Prada, and at designers who are only beginning their fashion journey yet who have made a name for themselves in a highly competitive industry, such as Mary Katrantzou.

This is a dress that tells us about fashion, social and world history! A dress is always more than just a dress!

What are some of the particular challenges you face with regard to maintaining such a large body of materials?

Tell us how you feel about the wave of Fast Fashion sweeping the world.

The sheer volume of what I have can sometimes be overwhelming. Just finding the space to store all of my 600 hats in one area, 550 pairs of shoes, and 300 handbags is a challenge. Racks with dresses are easy to move around but take up a lot of space.

Textile boxes filled with priceless dresses or ones that are too fragile to hang require two people to handle because they are so big.

I think it is tragic but sadly it reflects the 21st century and how fast everything has become.

Not many people have the time to linger in shops to look at the quality of tailoring or the luxuriousness of a fabric.

Nowadays, a vast majority of people shop on line when the 'look' is all they can really tell from a photo on a computer screen. Buying something because of the 'look', rather than because of its quality and construction, has changed fashion consumerism.

Social media hasn't helped either with young people and bloggers not wanting to be snapped in the same outfit twice. Fast fashion makes this possible because clothing is affordable. No longer is the adage 'quality not quantity' meaningful to a majority of shoppers. Educating people from a young age - primary school age - about the detrimental effects of fast fashion on society, the environment, the economy - will raise awareness, educate and change shopping habits for the next generation.

My collection is stored in Grace Fine Art's large climate controlled facility that I share with other collectors who store their priceless wine, sculptures and artworks. It's near Sydney. The team at Grace bends over backwards to help me make my experience working with the collection as easy as possible.

Do you have a place in your heart for vintage pieces that aren't high end, or designer brands, too?

Of course. An 'ordinary' piece that has a great story suddenly takes on a greater significance. I have a 'prairie dress that is worn, soiled and patched. It looks like nothing yet when I read in my godmother's

notes about special pieces in the collection, that this was the only special dress this woman owned and what she did to keep it looking 'special', it breaks my heart. The hardships she endured riding across America in a Conestoga wagon and then coping with a new life in a dangerous and wild America at the end of the 19th century is staggering. Yet, she mended her only best dress with whatever was at hand, adding mismatching pieces of lace trim to the collar and cuffs, using odd scraps of fabric to patch her dress and continually turning up the fraying hem of her dress, makes this a very important dress in the collection. Again, its social history, fashion history and women's empowerment by what they wore and why.

What would the requirements be of a garment to fit into a collection such as yours?

I am always honoured when people ask to gift something to the collection and I accept everything. The only thing I ask for is a story to go with their donation - anything about the garment itself, something about them or their family, trivia or an anecdote - anything that adds integrity and personality to the piece.

Gold Coast City Gallery will include a hand-picked selection of high end couture garments from the collection to accompany the ‘Coming into Fashion’ exhibition including designers such as Lucile, Vionnet, Dior, Chanel, Balenciaga, Pucci, Jean Muir, Zandra Rhodes, Westwood, Versace, Dolce & Gabana and Jil Sander. ‘Coming into Fashion’ runs from 25 November to 18 February. Tickets to opening night on 24 November and a Talk Suite with the biggest names in Australian fashion are now on sale at theartscentregc.com.au.

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Art vs Science: Artist in Residence Science Program Four artists and four science groups over six and half months at two Brisbane locations. Artists and creative practitioners are invited to apply for 2016-2017 Artist in Residence Science Program. The Artist in Residence Science Program supports creative collaborative residencies between professional artists and creative practitioners with scientists and the diverse science networks, researchers, data and infrastructure. See guidelines and additional information and apply online by 30 November 2017. Collaborate with: Chemistry Centre; Social Sciences Group; Coastal Impacts Unit; and Landscape Sciences. qld.gov.au/dsiti/science-innovation/artistresidence-science-program.

Gold Coast Tilapia Busters invite you to a family fun day Free Fishing Tournament for all the family.

Grab the fam and a bunch of mates and head out for a fun day outdoors while learning a bit about local marine life. Help to control the number of introduced pest fish species: the Mozambique Tilapia. Not just a fun day out – there will also be thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes up for grabs. Ron Pehaligon Way in Robina on 4 November at 6.00am.

Visit Gold Coast Tilapia Busters on Facebook for more information.

Opera around the world, intro to a great summer After the smash success of their Italian opera by the lake earlier in June this year, Mavis’ Kitchen are excited to announce the return of their superstar Julia Allsop. This time around, in the warmth of the November air, they will be kicking off our musical dining event in the early summer evening. Julia will perform Arias from all over the world as the chefs pair her song choices to dishes from Spain, Peru, Italy and …. well dessert is a surprise. All-inclusive meal, wine and beer + the opera tickets are $125 (plus booking fee) and can be purchased directly on 02 6679 5664 or through Eventbrite.

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Steve Hughes in Surfers Internationally renowned comedian and Australian comic legend Steve Hughes is taking the stage with Based Comedy at Surfers Paradise Golf Club this month.

Thursday November 30 sees Steve taking the stage with his intricate, hilarious and often provocative style of comedy. Steve has been one of Australia's favourite acts for the past decade, returning to the country in 2014 after years spent appearing on stage and screen in the UK - his Live at the Apollo performance in 2011 gaining him international notoriety.

Tickets are just $15 for members, $20 for non-members, 7:30pm, Thursday November 30 at Surfers Paradise Golf Club.

November in the village

Girls Go Surf Day

There’s always something to do in Mudgeeraba this month, with Springtime Sessions in the village happening on Fridays from 5.30pm 3 November to 5 December, Movies Under the Stars with ‘Trolls’ on 4 November, Hinterland Community Band Free Twilight Concert Concert on 19 November at Village Green from 5.30pm, Festival of Small Halls at Mt Nimmel Hall Austinville on 22 November and Community Christmas Carols on 26 November at Firth Park from 4.00pm.

Calling all girls - kids, teenagers, adults - from beginners through to pros - for a FREE Girls Go Surf Day! Offering coaching for all levels, beach games, fun team events, snacks and lunch - this is a morning just for girls. And what would a mini surf festival be without prizes? Yep, not only will all entrants take a gift home, but organisers also have a free custom Parsons Surfboard to give away.

Yew! Brought to you by local club, North End Boardriders who are super proud to provide this opportunity for girls of all ages and skill level to get you surfing. All enquiries, contact Amy Fennell amyfennell269@gmail.com.

19 Karen sees an All Australian November November comes alive in a burst of colour at 19 Karen Contemporary Artspace as they celebrate the diversity of their artists with an all Australian showcase (three of them from the Gold Coast).

From the emotive figurative work of Helen Holmes, a dash of colourful abstracts from Patrick McMahon, Leisa Russell’s rustic sculptures to Dan Withey’s whimsical surrealism. November is bursting at the seams with colour and excitement at the Mermaid gallery.

GC Libraries step it up a notch for bibliophiles in November Writer's Block masterclass: Writing about reality is a full day masterclass, offering two current perspectives on biography, memoir and travel writing, presented by acclaimed writers and journalists, Tim Baker and Phil Brown. Saturday 4 November at Robina Library 9.45am. Author encounter: join Judy Nunn as she talks about her new novel ‘Sanctuary’ on Saturday 11 November at Elanora Library from 11.30am. Author encounter: meet Jelena Dokic as she talks about her new autobiography, ‘Unbreakable’, written with Jessica Halloran. From war-torn Yugoslavia to Sydney to Wimbledon, she narrates her hellish ascent to becoming one of the best tennis players in the women's game Upper Coomera Library 1pm to 2pm on 29 November. Book for all at cityofgoldcoast.com.au/libraryevents.

The Wedding Reception A new developing show from Australia’s Interactive Theatre International, The Wedding Reception is coming to Gold Coast’s Surfers Paradise Golf Club in November during a 14-venue tour of Australia. Now into its second year, The Wedding Reception has been packing 5-star reviews since its UK debut in 2015. With a promise to love, honour and disarray, this show straight from London’s West End is an evening filled with surprises. Brought to you by the masterminds behind the globetrotting hit Faulty Towers the Dining Experience, The Wedding Reception is a completely original piece. Tickets for the 2 November event are available via 5572 6088.

Gold Coast Film Festival submissions now open for 2018 Wanderings by Leah Bartholomew Leah Bartholomew's artworks are an abstract representation of the beauty found in nature.

This latest body of work 'Wanderings' has been inspired by recent travels to London and USA as well as her local environment on the southern Gold Coast. Leah pays particular attention to colour, pattern and the flora of the place she is in. Her work is created in direct response to the emotion evoked from interacting with the natural environment. Showing from 16 November – 5 December at Left Bank Gallery, Southport.

The Gold Coast Film Festival brings diverse Australian and International films, filmmakers and film events to the Gold Coast, and in 2017, they became an AACTA-Award qualifying film festival for feature films. The GCFF highly encourage entries from films with female creative leads. They deliver a program that supports equality with a commitment to having 50% women speakers across the festival, all films rated by the Bechdel Test and Australia’s first film festival childcare offering. Deadline is 8 January and Late deadline is 4 February 2018.

Head to FilmFreeway to submit. If you have a short film under 10 minutes produced in the last two years, enter it into SIPFEST 2018. Find more information about SIPFest submissions on the website.

ABC regional launches scholarship for the disability community The ABC is launching a new scholarship to develop regional writers and content makers in the disability community. The ABC Regional Storyteller Scholarship, which is valued at more than $20,000, is designed to give regional Australians with disability the opportunity to enhance their storytelling skills and experience.

The recipient will work with ABC Regional for three months where they will develop their content idea or project. The scholarship is a bespoke ABC experience that will be tailored to the recipient's content project, professional goals, and skills. For more information on the scholarship or to apply, visit the ABC Careers website. Applications close on 18 February 2018.

Calling all art students Cutters Art Yard Studios in Currumbin is running a portfolio development program for young artists.

To attend you need to be between ages 16- 22. The program is run on Saturdays and Sundays 9.00am - 11:30am. These studio sessions are designed for enthusiastic young artists wishing to produce a first class body of work. This can be supplementary to existing course work and will encourage students to explore their ideas further and develop a variety of technical approaches. These workshops are run by artist and tutor Peter Ceredig-Evans. Please call (07) 5534 6988 or email create@cuttersartyard.com. au to reserve places.

Blanc de Blanc announces season extension After selling out the first nights of the season, the Blanc de Blanc team have announced a season extension. The Aurora Spiegeltent will now be the Gold Coast at Broadwater Parklands for an extra week. The season was orginally confirmed Thursday 5 October to Sunday 5 November 2017.

The season will now conclude on Sunday 12 November. Premium tickets are now almost sold for all shows. Anticipate big moves, great tunes, lots of skin, and more than a few surprises! 18+ only.

Tickets for the extended week are on sale now at blancshow.com.

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$15 ME MB ER S $20 NO N-M CALL 5572 6088

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Issue #50 NOVEMBER 2017

THE DARNELL COLLECTION DRESSES UP THE GOLD COAST CITY GALLERY

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