Blank Gold Coast issue #61 – October 2018

The Basement

Gallery

GOLD COAST

Australia’s biggest busking festival returns to the Gold Coast this October Lisa Hunt at Seagulls

Editor in Chief: Samantha Morris Cultural Editor: Natalie O'Driscoll Creative Director: Chloe Popa Partnerships Manager: Amanda Gorman Partnerships: Simone Gorman-Clark Senior Music Writer: Anthony Gebhardt Contributors (print and online): Prue Clark, Anthony Gebhardt, Catherine Gunther, Natalie O’Driscoll, Summer Maughan, Sarah Tayler, Nae Kurth, Catherine Coburn, Marj Osborne, Glenn Tozer, Peter Wheeler, Pip Andreas, Alicia Kent-Rooney, Nadia Achilles, Jude Kalman, Terry “Tappa” Teece, Dan Maynard.

Cover: Jeska Valk alongside her portrait of Georgia McDonald. Photographed by Michael Vella.

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

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

6

www.blankgc.com.au

American-born, Byron-based soul sensation Lisa Hunt is no stranger to the stage. She performed for more than a decade at Tamworth Country Music Festival and gets booked for festivals as diverse as Bluesfest, Caloundra Music Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Groove and Grape. She’s sold more than a million records and her voice can be heard on several top 10 dance tracks all over the world. The talent doesn’t stop there. As an actress she’s appeared in several off-Broadway musicals and has produced and starred in her own production of ‘The Roots of My Soul’, a bluesical and Byron Bay’s very first local musical production. She’s been touring the rhythm and blues retrospective ‘Forever Soul’ in Australia and the Middle East as well as Italy relentlessly since its inception. Gold Coast audiences can jump on the soul train when Lisa appears at Seagulls (for free, no less) on Friday 18 November. They’ve recently completed stage one of big renovations and re-opened the Lakeview for live music, so it’s the perfect time to head to the Tweed. More at seagullsclub. com.au/events/lisa-hunt/.

Ocean Alley breeze into Marketta Following a sold out Australia-wide tour earlier this year, Ocean Alley are once again gracing us with their dreamy vocals, incredible harmonisations and mesmerising live performances. Given the success of their second album, ‘Chiaroscuro’, as well as the release of their latest single, ‘Knees’, Ocean Alley continue to prove that they are one of Australia’s most exciting independent artists.

With their blend of psychedelic surf-rock and evocative melodies, the upcoming Ocean Alley shows are definitely a wave worth catching.

You can do just that when they hit Marketta on Sunday 14 October.

ELSKA added to Australian Music Week for music and film Gold Coast’s very own looping harpist is set to cause a stir internationally, with the announcement she’s been added to the lineup for Australian Music Week. And it’s not just her music that’s caught the attention of programmers.

Her short documentary, funded with the assistance of Council’s RADF program has also been included in the Australian Music Week Film Festival which runs adjacent to the music program.

Australian Music Week takes place in Cronulla from 7 – 11 November and tickets are program information are available at australianmusicweek.com.

Fancy a weekend of live entertainment, complemented by a carnavale atmosphere, Creekside eats and special kids’ zone? Buskers by the Creek is back in October and as well as hundreds of Australia’s best buskers, there’s new bars, dog-friendly vibes and more familyfriendly entertainment than you can poke a stick at. Seriously, last year there were like 14 stages and 5000 people showed up despite torrential rain. Buskers by the Creek is one of the most under-rated events on the Gold Coast and it’s completely free. Check out why when it hits Currumbin Creek on 13 – 14 October. Get the lineup and playing times at buskersbythecreek.com.au.

Flavours of Metro street party about to hit They’ve taken things up a notch for this third annual Flavours of Metro Street Party.

Not least of which is because they have international touring sensations Tijuana Cartel headlining the music offering but also because they’ve crammed a heap of mouth-watering international cuisine into the offering as well.

There’ll be Chinatown street markets, non-stop entertainment and the usual awesome SoPo restaurants dishing up tasty morsels. Ticks a lot of boxes for music-loving foodies with a sense of adventure. Join the fun on 6 October, right in the heart of Southport.

A fine time to Celebrate Gold Coast Celebrating everything that makes the Gold Coast so awesome, this one-day festival, which takes over the main drag of Chevron Island includes bangin’ tunes, a silent disco for kids, skateboard lessons for all levels, a makers’ market, roller derby demos and a handmade cubby-house village for little children with big imaginations. Izzy Day, Katie Who, Tully John and Liza-Jane, Caravana Sun (pictured), Karuah, Elska, Old Man Friday and Busby Marou provide the tunes from 11.00am until 4.00pm on Sunday 7 October. No better way to enjoy Spring on the Gold Coast. And it’s all free.

Beer yoga, live music, ping pong, it can only mean one thing Yes, Crafted Beer & Cider Festival is back, taking over Kurrawa Park for a whole day. As well as an incredible lineup of craft beers and ciders, there’s also a Chandon S pop-up bar, Cambus Wallace’s famous whiskeys and cocktails, an incredible lineup of local music and touring artist, the city’s best food trucks and beer yoga and ping pong.

If you missed last year’s event, you’ll know the FOMO is real. Crafted Beer & Cider Festival is at Broadbeach on Saturday 6 October. More at craftedfestival.com.au.

Falls Festival is go Flying past the quarter-century mark and making a fearless leap into its 26th year, Falls Festival lets loose with another ecstatic excuse to join thousands of friends old and new at Australia’s best new year’s party! With an all-star line-up landing amongst the glittering sunsets, cobalt coastlines and disco docklands of Australia’s heartland, artists from across Australia and around the world are primed to transform our rolling natural amphitheatres and inner-city stages this summer. Falls Festival comes to Byron from 31 December – 2 January and brings with it Anderson Paak & The Free Nationals, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Vance Joy, Chvrches, Hilltop Hoods, Toto and Interpol. The first lineup announcement also includes Flight Facilities, Amy Shark, Ocean Alley and many more glorious acts. Get all the details and tickets at fallsfestival.com.au.

Festival of Small Halls returns to the Gold Coast

Sunday Sundowns at Skypoint

Australia's largest dedicated regional music tour, Festival of Small Halls, has announced its 2018 Summer Tour, featuring Canada’s two-time JUNO Award-winner, Old Man Luedecke and local folk festival favourite, Lucy Wise. They’ll hit Austinville on Wednesday 28 November and Springbrook on Friday 14 December. Get details at festivalofsmallhalls.com.

Mullum Music Festival ramping up for November

Summertime Sessions return to the Village Summertime Sessions is back in Mudgeeraba, kicking off Friday 26 October with Sophia Koop and Emily Wurramara, with Tonesandi and Harry J Hart performing the following Friday.

The family-friendly event takes over Cuddihy Park in Mudgeeraba every Friday over summer.

Get more at fb.com/summertimesesions.

With Mullum Music Festival’s final lineup announcement comes an obvious commitment to diversity, community and equality. It’s one of the things we love most about this boutique event which takes over Mullumbimby’s established venues and uses its local food and lifestyle outlets to bolster the festival experience for punters who travel a long way to soak in the vibes. Nigerian Bombino, Guyana’s Mad Professor, Jah9 from Jamaica, and Osaka Monaurail from Japan will bring the music of the globe to Mullumbimby. They join Husky, Cheap Fakes, Arakwal Bunyarra dancers, The Button Collective, Bobby Alu (pictured), William Crighton, Ben Ottewell, Hat Fitz & Cara, Caiti Baker, Gabrielle Cohen, Ladyslug and the Northern Rivers Uke Orchestra on this year’s bill. It’s honestly one of the best festivals in Australia right now and you need to snap up tix quick if you want to be part of the 200 performances across 12 venues. Mullum Music Festival runs 15 – 18 November. Find out more at mullummusicfestival.com.

Hey Sunshine sets sail for Billinudgel After its much-loved inaugural edition on the Gold Coast in 2017, Hey Sunshine is back for 2018 with another thumping lineup at a new venue – the Billinudgel Hotel. Brisbane lads The Creases will perform alongside The Lula Raes, Voiid, Sunrose (pictured), Letters to Lions, Tuppaware Party and The Wonky Queenslander.

Join the sunshine crew on 20 October. Tickets and more details at heysunshine.com.au.

Rockwiz is coming to the Gold Coast Julia, Brian, Dugald and the superbly talented RocKwiz Orkestra will be casting their RocKwizzy eyes over the events that have shaped 2018, pulling punters from the audience and stars from backstage to perform, live and dangerous, for you when they land at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre this December. Shows in Thirroul, Perth and Bendigo have already sold out and Gold Coast is expected to head the same way, so you might wanna sort tickets now. It’s pegged as an end of year spectacular like no other – full of the all the things we’ve come to love about Rockwiz: comedy, kwiz, contestant karaoke, sublime musicianship and, of course, a galaxy of stars.

Tickets are available at rockwiz.live.com.au for the 8 December show. You know what to do.

SkyPoint offers live music 2-5pm every Sunday!

Sunday 30th September you can catch Jake Hobbs. Growing up, Jake became inspired by genres such as blues, jazz, rock, soul, and rnb, becoming particularly fond of artists including John Mayer, Jack Johnson, D'Angelo, The Eagles, The Beatles, The Doors, and many more.

Using a guitar, microphone, and loop pedal, Jake combines these genres and influences to entertain people of all ages with various musical interests. It's the perfect opportunity to experience a relaxing afternoon with 360' views of the Gold Coast

Little BIGSOUND returns for 2018

Australian Women In Music Awards Amy Shark, Katie Noonan, Deborah Cheetham, Gordi, Jen Cloher, Stella Donnelly, Ngaiire (pictured), Camp Cope, Sarah Blasko, Tiddas, and the Mission Songs Project are amongst the stellar list of finalists in the inaugural Australian Women in Music Awards, which will be presented at a star-studded ceremony and party in Brisbane on Wednesday evening 10 October. Tickets are on sale now. Get details at: womeninmusicawards.com.au.

Little BIGSOUND, presented by QMusic is a one-day event specifically for young people in music. Taking place on Saturday 10 November, it’s an opportunity for young musicians and music workers to gain industry insight, meet experts and build connections. With a mini keynote by Marie Devita (WAAX), roundtable sessions with booking agents, publicists and managers as well as business sessions on copyright, starting and music business and digital marketing strategies, it’s a must-do for emerging artists and young people hoping to find their feet in a complicated industry where connections mean everything. More at littlebigsound.org.au.

Everyone Deserves Music, especially kids with special needs We know music has a profound impact on quality of life but that impact is exponentially larger when it comes to children with special needs. Music therapists use a range of music making methods in a therapeutic relationship with their clients. They’re employed across health, community, aged care, disability and early childhood sectors and focus specifically on health, functioning and wellbeing. Local charity Everyone Deserves Music is raising funds so that even more children have access to music therapists. But it’s not your usual fundraiser.

This one involves gin! The organisation’s annual charity gala takes place at Miami Marketta’s new Gin Parlour on 20 October and has a Grand Gatsby theme (yes, that means fancy dress). Tickets are $99+BF. Get all the details at everyonedeservesmusic.org.

A guitar festival in a brewery?

Sign me up

Blues on Broadbeach applications now open Artists hoping to perform at Blues on Broadbeach 2019 need to hustle. Applications are now open. Head on over to the Blues on Broadbeach website to apply before they close at 5.00pm, Friday 2 November.

The Byron Bay Guitar Festival is set to be an industry highlight for lovers of all-things guitar when it rolls into Byron Bay Brewery on 6 and 7 October. Produced by Byron Music, the festival is a veritable guitar lovers’ heaven with more than 29 live performances across two stages, a showcase of instruments and craftsmanship from some of the world’s favourite makers as well as workshops, seminars and delicious food and beverage. All set in a brewery! Tickets are just $50 for one day and the stellar lineup so far includes British India + Ash Grunwald + Dallas Frasca (pictured) + The Fumes + Jeff Martin + Hussy Hicks + Lloyd Spiegel + tonnes more! Get details at www.byronbayguitarfestival.com www.blankgc.com.au

7

SHARKS

THE HUB HARKS IS S T R O P H E GOLD SOUT IC ON TH S U M E V I FREE, L

OF COAST.

OCT

8 1 0 2 E D I U G G GI

FRI 42

FRI THE

southportsharks.com.au

5

WAVES

BAND

FRI MICHAEL

19

12

HICKEY

Corner Olsen & Musgrave Aves, Southport QLD | 5532 1155

FRI

12

FRI

MONEY FOR NOTHIN’

MADDY

HERE

IS

FRIDAY

FRI 5

A &

TASTE

OF

SATURDAY

5.00pm

Mason Chase

OUR

LIVE

NIGHTS

FRI 19

ACOUSTIC

ON

MONTH!

5.00pm

Mark Thompson ACOUSTIC

8.30pm

The Waves

8.30pm

42 Band

BLUES

SAT 6

THOMPSON

ACTS

THIS

26

REGGAE, SOUL, JAZZ, R&B 8.30pm

Captain Wow 60’S, 70’S, 80’S, 90’S

SAT 20

8.30pm

Mischievous

ROCK, POP & DANCE

FRI 12

5.00pm

Michael Hickey ACOUSTIC

FRI 26

8.30pm

Money For Nothin’ - The Australian Dire Straits Experience TRIBUTE

SAT 13

SAT LADY

GAGA

27

TRIBUTE

*Entertainment subject to change at any time.

8.30pm

Mirrorball Express Feat.

Blondie 80’S, 90’S, POP, ROCK

5.00pm

Maddy Thompson ACOUSTIC 8.30pm

Radio Star COVERS

SAT 27

8.30pm

Lady Gaga Tribute TRIBUTE

THE ART LOVING JOURNEY OF JESKA VALK The stunningly realised portraiture of Gold Coast artist Jeska Valk explores the complex relationship between humans and the natural world, and takes viewers on an intimate journey inside her subjects. Detailed and textured, her large wooden canvasses project an immediacy and intensity that capture the gaze. Previously independent but now signed to Art Lovers Australia, Jeska has most recently worked a portrait of Camp Cope lead singer Georgia McDonald, which is on its way to being submitted in Australia’s oldest and second richest portraiture prize - The Archibald.

“It is a moment in your career that stands out,” she says of the upcoming entry.

“I enjoy the prospects of being given a bigger platform to showcase my work and share a personal story, whether it be self-reflective or somebody else's.”

Georgia McDonald’s story is one that particularly resonates with the talented artist.

“I was specifically drawn to Georgia not only as a talent but for her and the band's activism,” Jeska explains.

“Going against the odds, they have proved to be an unstoppable force standing up against sexual harassment and gender inequality in the music industry. Also her talent as a songwriter has had great influence which emanates strength and resilience. I admire her as a strong woman.”

That admiration may have caused Jeska a few nervous flutters when Art Lovers Australia flew her down to Melbourne to meet with the singer in her home, but she informs us they were swiftly allayed.

“When I met her I was immediately put at ease, as I was welcomed by a warm hug! We spent time in her kitchen, while she prepared her lunch and opened up about her life.

It was a raw experience as the conversation deepened. I was captivated by her experiences.

“Feeling more comfortable I began to photograph her in natural poses and settings while she continued to talk about her life. She showed incredible strength and vulnerability.

We then finished our meeting back in the kitchen, where I sketched her. Ending with a hug, the experience I had with Georgia was warm and inspiring.”

Jeska has recently achieved the dream of most artists: the flow of commissions has become consistent enough that she is able to concentrate on art full time.

“It really is a dream come true to be a full time portrait artist but it does come with sacrifice, as I spend almost all of my time hiding in my cave (studio) creating,” she says.

Images: Michael Vella

“I wouldn't change a thing though! I love that I get to meet incredible people and hear their stories, and painting them exacerbates that feeling.”

Having the right representation was a crucial step in the transition.

“Finding Art Lovers Australia was serendipitous. We had previously met at one of my exhibitions but it was a year later that we were reacquainted. I signed up with them and the rest is history. Directors Nancy and Jarrod really

appreciate the artist, working tirelessly around the clock.

They have become great friends and people I admire. I really have a lot to thank them for....constantly.”

And of course, Jeska would not be where she is without the unwavering support of her family.

“The people who support me the most are my husband and my mother. They are always there for me in every way. I feel very lucky.

“My mother is my biggest inspiration. She is amazing.

Bringing up myself and my brother herself, she always showed us love and taught us strength, to have integrity and above all she gave us the best childhood. She drew with me, encouraged me as an artist and always helped where she could. She sacrificed so much for us.”

Unsurprising then, that Jeska is so drawn to strong women and their stories. The environment also provides a deep well of inspiration for her, and she holds in high regard, those who seek to make the world a better place.

“Wei Wei is a Chinese revolutionary artist, [and] through his thought provoking pieces, he fights for a democratic and fair society. The selflessness of his actions for the people has changed China and his resilience to continue fighting against the Government is empowering. His work is about the people and about change.”

Deeply personal change has also come about for Jeska as a result of her art.

“When I began creating pieces this intense it was a state of meditation to escape feeling anxious when I would have mild epileptic seizures. It was the only thing in my life that when I focused on painting the tiny detail, distracting myself, it would all just fade away.

“Years later and I am lucky enough to say that in my everyday life those effects have greatly subsided but painting in this manner still has a relaxing almost zen feeling that hours go by and I'm totally unaware.”

The end results of these meditative sessions is nothing short of breathtaking. From a little terror drawing across the walls and scribbling all through her mother’s cookbooks (which her mum still has) to a signed, full time professional artist with her sights set on The Archibald, Jeska Valk is one strong, inspiring woman herself. Self-portrait, perhaps?

Natalie O’Driscoll Visit artloversaustralia.com.au for more about Jeska and other artists.

HOTA An asthete’s paradise GALLERY this October

Art enthusiasts are spoilt for choice this Spring has the HOTA Gallery hosts three major exhibitions across October.

‘ENERGIES’ SHOWCASES NEXT WAVE OF GOLD COAST TALENT ‘ENERGIES’, currently showing at the HOTA Gallery, has been exhibiting the work of Gold Coast secondary students for over 30 years and has helped launch the careers of many established Gold Coast artists like Michael Zavros, Rebecca Ross, Michael Candy and Abbey McCulloch.

The exhibition has become known for exploring issues important to younger generations such as body image, sexuality, psychology, environmental awareness and consumerism.

Artworks equally celebrate the diversity of technique and style being learnt on the Gold Coast, as students are encouraged to experiment with materiality and try new forms of media. Like previous ‘ENERGIES’ this year will includes range of works including painting, installation, sculpture, installation and digital.

‘ENERGIES’ runs until 14 October.

JOSEPHINE ULRICK AND WIN SCHUBERT PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD 2018 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED HOTA, Home of the Arts has announced the 45 finalists vying for the prestigious Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award (JUWSPA) 2018. The 2018 Award attracted over 200 entries, of which judge Cherie McNair shortlisted 45 artworks for the exhibition.

Tracy Cooper-Lavery, HOTA Gallery Director was once again impressed with the outstanding quality of entries.

“From playful performative acts to portrayals of social realism, to our vulnerable environment, or urban structures, the 2018 Award submissions are potent with diverse subject matter and photographic techniques.

“The selected entrants for 2018 showcase the breadth of photographic practice in Australia.

“The Award is a fulsome experience about the possibilities of contemporary photography and a vital platform for

photographers of all levels of experience to showcase their work,” Tracy said.

All finalist’s artwork will be displayed in The JUWSPA 2018 exhibition at HOTA Gallery from 20 October to 25 November. There are two Artlabs which support the exhibition: Vintage Film Photography with Aaron Chapman | 5-10 years | 13 October 10am Vintage Film Photography with Aaron Chapman | 11 – 16 years | 13 October 1pm Square Eyes | Under 5s | 14 November 9.45am

NICOLA MOSS – BREATHING IN TREES EXHIBITON AT HOTA Accomplished Gold Coast artist, Nicola Moss continues her exploration of stories of urban green spaces, both here and in Japan, with an exhibition at HOTA. Moss’s ‘Breathing in Trees’ – where she makes fine art with paper – embodies a delicate observation of the intertwined relationship between the human experience, the built environment and urban green spaces.

Driven by a burning question, ‘What is sustainability?’ Moss engages people in considering the value of healthy environment, exploring possible futures where conservation and urban development find balance.

The exhibition runs from 20 October – 25 November, and there are two Artlabs which support the exhibition: Dream Gardens | 5-10 years | 10 November 10am Papercut Bird Haven | 11-16 years | 10 November 1pm HOTA is also hosting ‘Artist Talk with Nicola Moss’ on 17 November in the Foyer Gallery.

Natalie O’Driscoll

Visit hota.com.au for full details and bookings

Re:membering with UMWELT Umwelt (n): the world as it is experienced by a particular organism UMWELT Collective is a new project by Gold Coast performance artists and sisters Merinda and Lowana Davies, composer Tom Lyons, photographer Aaron Chapman and creative producer Dani Miller. Their first piece, ‘Re:membering’, delivers a visceral exploration of the art of unconditional love and the universal feelings of tension and release inherent in all close relationships. We chatted to Merinda ahead of the two performances.

What inspired you to launch UMWELT Collective?

What can audiences expect at ‘Re:membering’?

It really just feels like the right time for us as artists. Over the past couple of years we have been collaborating on our own smaller projects, video works and live performances.

As well as performing in larger scale works at the Festival 2018, Commonwealth Games (The Circus Corridor), and partaking in professional development programs with the City of Gold Coast.

At a recent work in progress showing an audience member commented that the work was:

The natural progression from these experiences was to formalise our collaboration under the collective title UMWELT. A key strength of this collective is the mentor relationships with The Farm and Gush Circus.

We were inspired to take the name UMWELT because we feel it is reflects the type of work we make. The meaning of the word 'the world as it is experienced by a particular organism' is the starting point for many of our improvisational explorations.

What do you see as your point of difference from other performance arts collectives?

We are an experimental arts collective where the studio is our lab. In this space we create an energetic collision of sound, movement, visual imagery and ideas. We are driven by a shared curiosity for making something that challenges both ourselves and our audiences.

Our process involves deep listening and connection to our internal and external environment.

'Touching. Emotive, visceral, an expressive outpour of real substance. Supportive, close, and inclusive. Warm, slightly tortured, pregnant with emotion.' Marc Howard.

Audiences can expect to experience something intimate, we hope this translates to personal interpretations and reflections on relationships.

What are your thoughts on the arts and culture scene on the Gold Coast?

It is an exciting time for the Gold Coast.

Having lived and worked here for the past nine years, we have seen a progressive wave of emerging artists connecting with each other, sharing ideas and making space. The most exciting thing for us is how ready Gold Coast audiences are to go out and support new work and be challenged by the ideas of the artists. This progressive shift in the arts and culture scene wouldn't be possible without the support of the City of Gold Coast and all of the contemporary arts organisations (The Farm, The Circus Corridor, The Walls, Shock Therapy, Mavericks Art Space, Gogi Dance Collective and others) who have consistently been pushing the boundaries and making new work here on the coast.

Natalie O’Driscoll

Catch ‘Re:membering’ at The Farmhouse Miami, Gold Coast on 28 + 29 September and Brisbane Powerhouse on 6 + 7 October.

Tickets are only $15.00 and can be purchased at umweltcollective.com.au

Stage Mums coming to Eleven

SWELL 2018 winners announced The winners of the 16th annual SWELL Sculpture Festival have been announced, with Gold Coast artists Dion Parker and Andrew Cullen taking out this year's major Neumann Family SWELL Sculpture Award with top honours and $15,000 amongst a total prize pool of more than $25,000. Their winning sculpture entitled ‘Prickles The Unhuggable Bear’ (pictured, photo by Rowly Emmett) is a gigantic teddy discarded on the sand, created from steel, REO Bar, wire and barbed wire, sitting 3.5 meters high and 2.3 meters wide. Other winners were Karl Meyer for ‘Foci’ ($1,000 Bendigo Bank Tugun Artist Peer Award), Greg Quinton for ‘Jump’ ($1,500 Jennie Neumann Emerging Artist Award) and Antone Bruinsma for The Three Graces ($3,000 Max Fabre Foundation Environmental Awareness Award).

Embracing the appetite for bite-sized content, Network Ten has picked up the Gold Coast web series ‘Stage Mums’ with plans to air it later this year on ELEVEN. The series features a female-heavy production team and cast; created and written by Anna WatersMassey, directed by Louise Alston and produced by Anna and Kris Maric. Filmed on the Gold Coast last year, ‘Stage Mums’ is a comedy about two besties, Shaz and Trace, who will do anything in their power to make their quadrupley talented daughters famous.

Their plans are constantly thwarted by their arch nemesis Amanda Kingsford-Smythe and her entitled daughter Penelope. Think ‘Kath and Kim’ meets ‘Dance Moms’, throw in some ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ and then you have ‘Stage Mums’.

SurfAid saves lives On 2 November 2018, the SurfAid Cup returns to D'bah. The SurfAid Cup Gold Coast is a tag-team surf competition open to long or short boarders who raise funds in order to compete. Each team is made up of four amateurs and one pro or local legend. The team that raises the most money gets the first pick from an impressive line-up of pros and local legends.

The SurfAid Cup raises money for SurfAid's lifesaving interventions in remote communities in Indonesia. By improving access to clean water and sanitation, basic healthcare, and nutrition, SurfAid has dramatically reduced maternal and child death near places that people love to surf. Visit everydayhero.com.au for more.

Taste the Flavours of Metro Grab your friends and family and join in the celebrations at the third annual Flavours of Metro Street Party. On Saturday 6 October, Southport will come alive for one jam-packed evening of mouth-watering international cuisine, a FREE live performance by Tijuana cartel, the Chinatown Street Markets and non-stop entertainment. From 5.00pm, explore the streets of Gold Coast Chinatown with the Chinatown Street Markets, proudly supported by CBD Gold Coast, before Tijuana Cartel hits the stage at 7.00pm.

Make sure you secure a seat at one of our restaurants to enjoy the show! If you’re a music-loving foodies that loves to add a dash of culture and fun to their weekend, then you’ll want to be the Flavours of Metro Street Party on Saturday 6 October.

Get ready for the Pan Pac Masters Games More than 15,000 athletes have registered to compete at this year's Pan Pacific Masters Games on the Gold Coast, setting a new record for the event and helping to cement the legacy of the Commonwealth Games. Assistant Tourism Industry Development Minister Meaghan Scanlon said athlete numbers were up by 18 per cent on the 2016 edition with the biennial event set to pump $20m into the Gold Coast economy. The Pan Pacific Masters Games will include eight nights of live entertainment at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the line-up including Killer Queen, the Koi Boys, Lisa Hunt, Magic Carpet Ride and DJ Emma Lancaster. The 11th biennial Pan Pacific Masters Games, featuring 43 sports, will be held from 2-11 November. Visit mastersgames.com.au for more information.

AUSTRALIA FAIR

Cnr Young St & Scarborough St, Southport

australiafairmetro.com.au

Proudly supported by

www.blankgc.com.au

13

open every friday & saturday from 4pm-10pm

Live Music ticketed event

NighT Markets

nightquarter spectacular

ticketed event

every friday & saturday | 6:30pm fire! circus! acrobatics!

fri 26th oct

sat 24th nov

katchafire EarthKry & friends

never ending 80s

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW ONLINE

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW ONLINE

05 oct ticketed event

ticketed event

sat 29th dec

fri 1st feb

dune rats

ub40

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW ONLINE

nightquarter.com.au

Food Vendors events

w ali campbell TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW ONLINE

06 oct

12 oct

13 oct

nightquarter oktoberfest

nightquarter oktoberfest

electrik lemonade

queen quiz justine kace

19 oct

20 oct

26 oct

27 oct

bullhorn

1800 264 448

emily williams respect show

katchafire (ticketed)

halloween spooktacular

1 town centre drive, helensvale

7PM UNTIL MIDNIGHT SATURDAY 8TH DECEMBER 2018

Celebrate your social or work Christmas festivities overlooking the Gold Coast at SkyPoint.

Festive buffet | 4.5hr Beverage package | Live entertainment

Limited tickets available | skypoint.com.au

All taste. No compromise.

Delicately hopped. Subtle fruit characters.

Find out more @ burleighbrewing.com BREWERY AND TAP HOUSE | 2 Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads Qld 4220

! a k s c Li Huntis Ba

F R I D AY 16 N O V @ 8 P M FREE ENTRY GOLLAN DRIVE, TWEED HEADS WEST, NSW 2485 5587 9000 | WWW.SEAGULLSCLUB.COM.AU

Currumbin RSL hosts MANHATTAN SHORT Filmgoers in Currumbin will unite with audiences in over 300 cities spanning six continents to view and judge the work of the next generation of filmmakers from around the world when the 21st Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival screens at Currumbin RSL on two dates: Thursday 27 September at 1.00pm and Thursday 4 October 4 at 6:30pm.

The Final Nine are screened simultaneously across the world during a one-week period, with the Best Film and Best Actor awards determined by ballots cast by the audiences in each participating venue. By virtue of their selection by MANHATTAN SHORT, each short film is automatically Oscar-qualified. MANHATTAN SHORT is the only event of its kind.

The MANHATTAN SHORT Final Nine are:

The Nine MANHATTAN SHORT finalists hail from eight countries with films from Austria, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Kosovo, New Zealand, USA, and two films from the United Kingdom. These Final Nine short films represent the best short films from among 1,565 submissions from 73 countries received by MANHATTTAN SHORT for 2018, testimony to the enduring vibrancy and creativity of short films. This year’s Final Nine represent an extraordinary range of film genres that includes intimate dramas; fastpaced animation; spine-tingling tales; a World War II epic; a film shot entirely underwater and comedy as part of the MANHATTAN SHORT program.

All Final Nine short films become Oscar-qualified, meaning they will be automatically eligible for an Academy Award nomination by screening for a week at the Los Feliz 3 Cinemas in the county of Los Angeles in Hollywood from Sept 21 to Oct 27.

‘Lacrimosa’ (Austria), ‘Fauve’ (Canada), ‘Someone’ (Germany), ‘Chuchotage’ (Hungary), ‘Her’ (Kosovo), ‘Fire In Cardboard City’ (New Zealand), ‘Baghead’, (UK), ‘Two Strangers Who Meet Five Times’ (UK), and ‘Home Shopper’ (USA).

Tickets are just $5 per person and can purchased by phoning Currumbin RSL Reception on 07 5534 7999.

NIGHTQUARTER TO HOST THE BETOOTA ADVOCATE The Betoota Advocate live on-stage podcast will be hitting NightQuarter in November as part of its Australian tour.

The tour announcement marks a new era for the NightQuarter, as the popular entertainment precinct announces that they will start hosting seated, theatre-style events, kicking off with the Betoota. After hosting some of the biggest acts in the national touring scene, NightQuarter is now creating more opportunities to bring cultural events to the Gold Coast with a seated venue option in 'The Paddock', their live music space.

The venue will be a 1,000 capacity seated venue, which will accommodate large touring comedy shows, family entertainment, seated concerts and theatre-style events.

Nationally known and loved for its jocular headlines and witty take on the zeitgeist of modern Australia, The Betoota Advocate has developed a widespread and fiercely loyal readership since its inception.

Don't miss the Betoota Advocate live on-stage podcast at NightQuarter on Friday 9 November for NightQuarter's first seated theatre-style event.

Natalie O’Driscoll

Tickets on sale at nightquarter.com.au.

The Betoota Advocate's Australian Tour will be a noholds-barred live show in true Betoota style, filled with the trademark wit and humour of editor Clancy Overell and editor-at-large Errol Parker. In a brutally honest 90-minute presentation, Overell and Parker—along with a very special guest—will take the audience on a journey through the town of Betoota; exploring the origins of The Advocate and explaining “why a move into the Jewel of the South West might just be right for them”. Whilst The Betoota Advocate has long thrived in the print, online, radio and podcast worlds, this will be the first time it is brought to life on stage.

www.blankgc.com.au

19

INTRDODUCING BUSKING SENSATION, EMMAGEN Emmagen Rain is a name you should remember. Named the People’s Choice Winner at this year’s Tamworth Country Music Festival Busking Championship where she performed in front of thousands of people and has just returned home to Murwillumbah after playing the main stage at the Gympie Muster. She won The Voice competition at NightQuarter, is just about to play Buskers by the Creek and in a few months is headed to Nashville to write and record her own music at Blackbird Studios.

Oh, and she’s only 11 years old.

Samantha Morris fired off a few questions to Emmagen ahead of her Buskers by the Creek performances.

INDIE NOW: THE BITE SIZED SERIES EMPOWERING ARTISTS “I have a mission to inspire and empower at least one million indie artists in my lifetime,” says artist mentor and marketing specialist Emily Holler from Mojo Bullet. It’s a grandiose goal and one she is aiming to make reality with her new project Indie Now.

What drew you to country music from such a young age?

I first learnt a couple of Country songs for eisteddfods like ‘Jolene’, ‘Coat of Many Colours’, and really loved Miley Cyrus when I was little. Performing at the Tamworth Country Music Festival really was the start of my love for the genre. I was the youngest selected for this year’s Junior Country Music Academy and was really inspired by the other kids and amazing mentors. I knew after this that country music was my thing.

You’ve had some big wins in the past 12 months. Has there been one stand-out for you?

I was really excited to have won the Chanel 9 The Voice Competition at Nightquarter earlier this year. there were 3 sections juniors, teen and over 18. I won the juniors then was named the overall winner of the entire competition. It was a really tough comp as everyone was talented so was really happy to have won.

How did it feel to win the People’s Choice competition at Tamworth?

At first I didn't really understand what the People’s Choice Award meant. When it was explained that out of thousands in the audience, about 70% voted for me I was really excited as I was just ten and kind of got that it was a big accomplishment. it made me really happy and proud of myself that people love my singing.

20

www.blankgc.com.au

What are you expecting when you go to Nashville to write and record your own music?

I understand not many kids get an opportunity to go to Nashville and record music at the best recording studio and follow their dreams. I hope to write amazing songs and record an EP as I’m writing and recording two originals and two covers while I'm there. Also I’d love to meet Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride. Martina McBride's husband owns Blackbird Studio so I could be lucky.

You’re one of the major acts at this year’s Buskers By The Creek festival. Have you been before? What are you most looking forward to?

No actually I haven't been but am so excited to be a part of it. I love festivals. I love the energy of festivals, I love meeting people and can’t wait to perform for the crowd and watching talented people. Also the food, festival food is amazing.

Emmagen performs at Buskers by the Creek which runs 13 – 14 October. You can also catch her busking some mornings at the Carrara Markets near the big shoe shop.

Inspired by New York publicist Ariel Hyatt’s online training videos, Holler set out to establish something similar with a focus on the Australian music industry. As a result Indie Now offers bite-sized advice each week designed to give indie artists a boost through accessible education from experienced industry professionals including Joel Edmondson, CEO of QMusic, Stephen Green, SGC Media Group, and Kylie Cobb, Kitty Kitty Bang Bang PR. “Music is a career which is often considered to equate to a life of poverty and struggle, yet the very fabric of our culture relies on the inspiration and comfort provided by the power of music,” explains Holler when asked about why she feels the need to educate artists, “It is so important for great artists to be able to do their important work without being in a state of constant worry from financial constraints. The more artists I can help to become sustainable the better off the world will be.”

A key part of every episode of Holler’s new series is the focus on encouraging artists to take more personal responsibility. Emily went on to explain that “educating artists to consider their music career as a business and treat it as such is vital.” It’s something she sees artists struggle with constantly, along with a cohesive brand identity, another topic covered in the episode with Polly Armstrong.

Designed to spark conversation and build confidence in indie artists Holler’s miniseries is just the start in a grander project to come in 2019 to help creatives achieve their personal and career goals. But for now the new mini-series explores a wide range of topics including ‘Is The Album Really Dead’,

‘How to Write a Standout Bio’ and ‘When Do I Need a Publicist?’

“Many artists hope that they will be discovered by a label or manager and that they will be able to leave industry folk to do the work while they create. While this dream can come true for some artists, the vast majority don’t encounter this opportunity and even if they do I believe it’s always best to maintain control of your own career. I believe artists should develop the mindset of a CEO no matter how many team members they are working with,” Emily said.

And that focus on mindset starts from episode one. Indie Now is the perfect stepping stone for any artist that wants to learn more about the industry before taking the next step to invest in specialist services.

In Holler’s own words “we should commit to becoming lifelong learners. This is a constantly evolving industry so it’s important to keep taking in new information. I truly hope that artists utilise this series for their benefit.”

Catherine Gunther

Get the Indie Now series at mojobullet.com

When you listen to McFarlanes Lantern’s new song, you wouldn’t pick Peter as someone that’s not sung lead too often. While his voice and style are unique, it’s anything but inexperienced (clearly given his decades in the biz). He says the song ‘Grow Old Together’ came about when he was feeling depressed about not getting any gigs. The song opens with the lyrics “thinking about the times that you’ve ben blue, when you’re down and bleeding.”

“The last part of it is “livin’ life and letting live I knew it would come together at my time or reckoning,” so in other words, I’ve come to the stage in my life where I know it will come together because I’m putting my energies into that and as they say, what you put your energy into, manifests,” Peter said.

Peter said this new project really is a vehicle for him to get out his original writing which he’s held on to for “years and years”.

“I’ve had the odd track on other people’s albums, but this time it’s all my stuff,” he said.

Pete gigs regularly with various projects, including this one and he’s been running a weekly jam night at Treetops Tavern for three years.

“It’s more for band musicians,” he explained. “It’s an actual jam.

We get professionals in there and it gives amateurs a chance to play with pros. We like to mentor local artists.”

Pete also works with the Gold Coast Youth Orchestra where he mentors young percussionists. Given that he’s clocked over close to 10,000 gigs, I reckon they’re in pretty good hands.

Samantha Morris

GROWING OLD TOGETHER WITH MCFARLANES LANTERN Peter McFarlane would be known to many long-time Gold Coast musicians. He first started playing in a rock band when he was 13 years of age and went professional with the band Finch when he was around 18. He’s had top ten hits, toured with Skyhooks, Dragon and Sherbert (to name but a few) and remembers playing all of the city’s music venues in the 70s and 80s before he moved up here permanently around 1987. Since then he’s had stints as in-house drummer at Twin Towns and the Doghouse as well as sound production at The Arts Centre Gold Coast, collaborated with a plethora of Gold Coast acts “Back then, you could pretty well get away with anything, because most of the publicans and motel owners weren’t jiggy with what bands used to get up to,” he said. “So you’d pretty much run riot, you might say. You can’t do that now, of course, they’re right onto it.”

He shares a few stories with me: skinning cats, sinking tinnies, attacking stages with fire extinguishers and basically trashing Magnetic Island, but he admits that’s all a lifetime ago and what we’re mostly here to talk about is his new single.

Through countless incarnations over the past forty odd years, Peter has corralled a new outfit known as McFarlanes Lantern.

And that band is now recording his own songs, that he’s written over several decades.

While Peter’s musical career flourished in the 70s and 80s, things started to take a downturn in the 90s and have never been the same. That’s no reflection on Peter’s talent, moreso a reflection

McFarlanes Lantern’s new track ‘Grow Old Together’ is out now and available through all the usual outlets and you can catch the four-piece live when they hit Advancetown Tavern on 7 October.

on changes in the music industry and a change to the way people seek out entertainment. Peter says he used to work six nights a week on the Gold Coast once upon a time.

“The last 15 years have been hard,” he said. “Getting to my age, I can go play with cover bands, tribute bands, but I’m so over it, I’m not interested. You can play a song so many times, I’ve played everything so many times. I’m just over it.”

Which is why he’s so excited to be making his own music again.

And while Peter is found behind a drumkit, sticks in hand, in his new songs, he’s also behind a mic.

“Well, because I’ve backed so many artists all my life, I’ve always done backing vocals, so I thought it was about time. I’ve always written music, ot’s about time to do what I want to do. That’s play the music I want to play, the music I write, and then I end up being the singer for it as well,” Peter said.

I’ve always been impressed by people who play percussion and sing. Managing that whole dichotomy between rhythm and melody takes a special skill in my opinion.

Peter says he just goes to auto-pilot mode when it comes to the drums.

“I’m naturally not a great singer,” he said, “so I’ve really got to make an effort to be a good singer and usually that means singing in tune. I just put the drumming into automatic.”

www.blankgc.com.au

21

THE ANGELS GET FACE TO FACE WITH THE GOLD COAST

Mention The Angels and most Australians over a certain age will immediately get a rather expletive-laden refrain spring to mind. But with a career spanning more than four decades, these Aussie rock stalwarts have more than a few hit singles under their belt - ‘No Secrets’, ‘Dogs Are Talking’, ‘We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place’, and of course, the aforementioned ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’ being just a few. With their iconic album ‘Face To Face’ celebrating its 40th birthday in 2018, the guys got back into the studio to re-record the classic tracks, and are touring to support the new album.Natalie O'Driscoll touched base with legendary guitarist and founding member Rick Brewster ahead of their appearance at the RSL Club Southport.

So what was it like re-recording songs that you know so well and have played for so long?

That was one of the easiest things we’ve ever done. It took us two days to do the whole album - a huge difference from the original recording! I remember that taking the best part of a year cause it was all writing and road testing and demo-ing and recording then arguing - mainly me and John arguing about arrangements, arguing about lyrics, it took forever.

The new lineup has been together for seven and a half years so is really finely tuned with all these songs. So we when went into the studio to record them it was two days, thanks for coming! No arguments. It was the same doing the live recording, we just did it in one night at The Bridge Hotel in Sydney, so we ended up with a double CD with ‘Face To Face’ - one studio and one live.

Do you prefer to listen to live or studio recordings yourself?

It depends who I’m listening to. If it’s someone else I very often prefer to hear the live album, if it’s ourselves I generally prefer the studio because I know I’ve taken my time with the solos. When I listen I’m picking my performance apart. You can’t help it.

Have you always been so hard on yourself?

Yeah I have. It’s just when you’re the player, you hear things that no one else hears because you’re aware of what your fingers were doing ‘oh no I didn’t mean to do that’ and someone else hears it… That’s why it’s good to have my brother in the control room, he can say “Go back to the first take that was great”, and I’ll say “No I made mistake in the third bar” and he’ll insist “No you didn’t, it’s great.”

I thought after forty years that might calm down a little!

Yeah look I’m aware that the audience doesn’t hear half the stuff that the band hears, but it doesn’t stop you striving to make it better. I remember when we used to do shows with AC/DC and you’d watch Angus come off stage he’d grab his guitar and go through all the mistakes he made. He probably still does.

You played the Gold Coast many, many times in the 70s, 80s and 90s. What do you remember about Gold Coast venues like Bombay Rock and The Patch, The Jet Club and The Playroom?

Yeah I remember them all. That Patch was probably the earliest one I remember. It was amazing. One of the classic venues that packed ‘em in like sardines. I remember taking a fantastic photo of Doc after The Patch one night. On the street there was this old Buick which happened to be Doc’s favourite car, and it was about 2.00am and when we got out of the gig I said “Come and stand by it in the streetlight”, and I set up the camera on the tripod and I had him stand still for a minute for the time exposure - which he managed to do! - and it turned out a really clear shot. I think it’s in the book we released.

How does it feel to have mega bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Guns ‘n’ Roses cite you as influences?

Look it’s fantastic. We’re sure that some of those blokes – Pearl Jam guys were definitely at the concerts that we did in Portland and Seattle in 1980 so it was not long after those concerts that those bands began, and you can hear a little bit of the influence, and then they publicly said they were influenced which was great. It was what we always hoped for actually when we began writing songs and finding our direction. We were adamant it should be original because we didn’t want to follow in anyone else’s footsteps. Being inspired by someone is one thing, but copying we didn’t want to know about. We wanted other bands to follow us.

Natalie O’Driscoll

Why do you stand so wide on stage! Do you have massive cojones or something?

[Laughs] Yes massive! That’s what it’s aaaall about. No I’m just trying to stop myself from falling over when I go to sleep.

It’s easy from the outside to look back in hindsight at your record sales, weeks on the charts, hall of fame induction and for it all to seem like a fait accompli from the start, but what was the spirit you guys started the band with? Were you seeking money and fame, or sex drugs n rock n roll, or was it just wanting to jam with your bro and your buddies?

Probably a little bit of all of those. We were just twenty year olds filled with confidence and drive and loved playing music, and we had an acoustic band in Adelaide - a jug band - which we did for a few years while we were all studying.

When we heard Skyhooks and Sherbet we thought “we could do that” and then we heard Daddy Cool which was inspirational. Not long after the band was formed we did a short run with AC/DC in 1975 and that was it for us, we just wanted to be a rock band. It took a while to hone the sound down and find out own direction and it was really the face to face album where it all really came together.

Catch The Angels when they rock out the RSL Club Southport on 2 November. Tickets at rslclubsouthport. com.au

SEPTEMBER THURSDAY 27 SEPTEMBER Zookeepers (Covers) | Southport Sharks Free The Gennie | Cambus Wallace James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince Dan Clarke Duo | Beach Hotel, Bryon Bay

FRIDAY 28 SEPTEMBER Blues Arcadia + The Walters + NightQuarter Spectacular + Matty Rogers | NightQuarter Smells Like The 80s Show (Covers) | Southport Sharks Josh Boyd (5.00pm) | Cabana Bar & Lounge, Southport Sharks Savvy + Guests | Miami Shark Bar Signature Series + Jax Haze (5.00pm) | Miami Marketta Rainbow Revolution: Sunrose + Donny Love + San Mei + Peach Fur + LENS | Studio 56, Miami Marketta (Ticketed) Craig Shaw (Covers) | Southport Yacht Club Killer Queen Experience (Tribute) | RSL Club Southport A Night With The Stars: Dinner and Show | Southport Yacht Club (Ticketed) Stoker + Rumours Edge + EchoWave + Cosmic Dad | Currumbin Pub Tim Stokes (3.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing Co Tim Rogers | Soundlounge Goran Sedler (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Du' East + Madison Kat | Beach Hotel, Bryon Bay

SATURDAY 29 SEPTEMBER NightQuarter Spectacular + Jewells and the Wolfe Pack + Shanice + Bayley Pearl | NightQuarter The Pinup Girls (Covers) | Southport Sharks BB Factory + Calan Mai (5.00pm) | Miami Marketta 26

www.blankgc.com.au

Brookes & Cash (Covers) | Lonestar Tavern Dubarray (7.00pm) + Odio Chief (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack Memphis Cowboys | Fishos Trilogy (Covers) | RSL Club Southport DJ Longtime + Tom & Jarry DJ's | Beach Hotel, Bryon Bay Trapdoor + Tokyo Beef + Die for Mushies + Screaming Platypuses | Snookerworld (Ticketed)

SUNDAY 30 SEPTEMBER Miranda Ward | Aviary Rooftop Bar Acoustic Soup (Covers) | Southport Sharks Imogen Clark | Cambus Wallace Matthew Armitage | The Scottish Prince Raff De Duo (Covers) (2.00pm) | Southport Yacht Club Uncanny X-Men | Lonestar Tavern (Ticketed) Herbie Walker (2.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing Co Benjam (Jam Session) (1.00pm) | Fishos Street Cafe (Covers) (1.00pm) | RSL Club Southport Goodrich + DJ Longtime & Fonzaius | Beach Hotel, Bryon Bay Jake Hobbs (3pm)(Covers) | Skypoint

OCTOBER SUNDAY 1 OCTOBER Deez Nuts | Miami Shark Bar 4'20 Sound Reggae Night | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Craig Shaw (Covers)(11am) | RSL Club Southport

TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER Craig Atkins | Cambus Wallace Dos Loona | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

WEDNESDAY 3 OCTOBER Angus Oastler (3.00pm) | Emerald Lake Markets James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace The Yams | The Scottish Prince Nick Cunningham | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

THURSDAY 4 OCTOBER Free the Genie | Cambus Wallace James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince The High Rollers | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay The Waves (5pm) (Covers) | Southport Sharks

FRIDAY 5 OCTOBER Munich Honkers + NightQuarter Spectacular + Sneaky Schnitzel + Mudslide + Elska | NightQuarter Free the Genie + Amy Roberts | Miami Marketta Benny D Williams | Coolangatta Sands The Wayward Suns + Dogtags + Chilluminati + Ryan Munro | Currumbin Pub Dave Murray | Balter Brewery Angus Oastler (5pm) | Currumbin Sanctuary Markets The Hombres + Tuffy | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Mason Chase (5pm) (Covers) | Southport Sharks Goran Sedlar (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

6-7 OCTOBER Byron Bay Guitar Festival 2018 | British India + Ash Grunwald + Dallas Frasca + The Fumes + Jeff Martin + Hussy Hicks + Lloyd Spiegel + Opal Ocean + Jimi Hendrix Show w. Steve Edmonds Band + The Soul Movers + Murray Cook + Southern River Band + Flying Machine + Joel McDonald + Frankie’s House Band + Andy Jans Brown & Cozmic + Tullara + Malcura + Dan Hannaford + Jereome Williams + Martin Lartigua + Shai Shiriki + Nathan Kaye + El Dorado + When Hawk Met Sparrow + Jordan McRobbie + Byron Bay High School Students + More!

SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER

TUESDAY 9 OCTOBER

Flavours of Metro: Tijuana Cartel (5.00pm) | Australia Fair Metro

Gavin Doniger + Matthew Armitage | Cambus Wallace

Crafted Beer & Cider Festival: Bootleg Rascal + Young Monks + San Mei + Peach Fur + Rackett + Inigo + Beatniks DJs | Kurrawa Park, Broadbeach

Jason Delphin | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Munich Honkers + NightQuarter Spectacular + Steinar + Continental Party Band + Dual Frequency + Elska | NightQuarter Akova + Ooz | Miami Marketta DJ Fonzaius + DJ Longtime | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Captain Wow (Covers) | Southport Sharks Take Your Pick (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace The Yams | The Scottish Prince Jon J Bradley | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

THURSDAY 11 OCTOBER Free the Genie | Cambus Wallace

SUNDAY 7 OCTOBER

James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets | Miami Marketta (Ticketed)

Du'East | Beach Hotel, Bryon Bay

Celebrate GC: Busby Marou + Caravana Sun + Katie Who + Tully John & Liza-Jane + Elska + Karauh + Izzy Day + Old Man Friday (11.00am)| Thomas Drive, Chevron Island (Free)

FRIDAY 12 OCTOBER

Benny Whiskey + Alysia Rose | Cambus Wallace Nicole Brophy + Matthew Armitage | The Scottish Prince Dale Herbie Walker | Balter Brewery Hayley Grace | Aviary Rooftop Bar Boy Toy + Perve Endings + The Oogars | Miami Shark Bar (Ticketed) DJ Dave Dog + Lisa Hunt | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay McFarlanes Lantern (1pm) | Advancetown Hotel Merlin Solo (Covers)(1pm) | RSL Club Southport

Electrik Lemonade + NightQuarter Spectacular + Acoustic Cookbook + Liv Heyer | NightQuarter Delta Riggs (Ticketed) + Fat Picnic + James Rain | Miami Marketta Benny D Williams | Chinderah Tavern Simon Doe | Balter Brewery Outshined + Leigh James | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Michael Hickey (Covers) + Money for Nothin' (Covers) | Southport Sharks Wally & The Gators (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

SATURDAY 13 OCTOBER

MONDAY 8 OCTOBER

Queen Quiz with Justine Kace + NightQuarter Spectacular + Emily Brieger + Three Piece Feed + Piper Butcher | NightQuarter

4'20 Sound Reggae Night | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Burning Hands + Rob Edwards | Miami Marketta

Michael Whitmore (Covers)(11am) | RSL Club Southport

Happy Rayz | Nimbin Hotel Donny Benet and Guests + DJ Longtime | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Mirrorball Express Feat. Blondie (Covers) | Southport Sharks Captain Wow (Covers) + Glory Days (Tribute) | RSL Club Southport

SUNDAY 14 OCTOBER

FRIDAY 19 OCTOBER

SUNDAY 21 OCTOBER

FRIDAY 26 OCTOBER

SUNDAY 28 OCTOBER

Ocean Alley | Miami Marketta

Zac Gunthorpe | Soundlounge

Moonlover | Cambus Wallace

Bullhorn + NightQuarter Spectacular + Emily Brieger + Rick Barron | NightQuarter

Dale Walker | The Scottish Prince

Katchafire + Matty Rogers + Liv Heyer | NightQuarter (Ticketed)

Sally Sa | Cambus Wallace

Angelo Pash | Cambus Wallace Tim Rossington | The Scottish Prince Benny D Williams | The Avenue Michael Eotvos | Aviary Rooftop Bar DJ Longtime + Soul'd | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Little Billie (1pm) | Advancetown Hotel Street Cafe (Covers) (1pm) | RSL Club Southport

13 + 14 OCTOBER Buskers By The Creek: Over 300 performers. Lineup TBA.

SUNDAY 14 OCTOBER

The Bronx + High Tension + Private Function | Coolangatta Hotel Breizers | Currumbin Creek Tavern The After Hours Cabaret Club (Ticketed) + LS Philosophy + Humblet | Miami Marketta

MONDAY 22 OCTOBER

Tahlia Matheson | Balter Brewery Angus Oastler (3pm) | The Collective Follow the Fox + Ben Walsh | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Stoneage Romeo's (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

MONDAY 15 OCTOBER

SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER

Tommy Memphis (Covers) (11am) | RSL Club Southport

Rockin' for West Papua: Monster Fodder + Tokyo Beef + Serial Killer Dinner Party + Stoker (2.00pm) | Burleigh Town Tavern

TUESDAY 16 OCTOBER

Emily Williams + NightQuarter Spectacular + Emily Brieger + Magnetic Force | NightQuarter

WEDNESDAY 17 OCTOBER James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace The Yams | The Scottish Prince Dan Clark | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER Free the Genie | Cambus Wallace James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince

West Texas Crude (1pm) | Advancetown Hotel

Breizers + Jeenie + Ultraviolet Fuzz, MNVR | Currumbin Pub

Lisa Hunt (Covers) (2.00pm) | Fishos

Bill Jacobi | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Tijuana Cartel | Soundlounge (Ticketed)

Benny D Williams | BBQ Bazzar, Burleigh Heads

Ocean Alley | Miami Marketta (Ticketed)

Elska | Cambus Wallace

My Happy Place + Living in the 70's | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Rhydian Lewis (1pm) (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

42 Bank (Covers) + Mark Thompson (5pm) (Covers) | Southport Sharks

4'20 Sound Reggae Night | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Chris Hutchison | Aviary Rooftop Bar

Taylor + Ooz | Miami Marketta Benny D Williams (2pm) | Boatshed, Currumbin Peter Bibby + Donny Love + The Lonesomes + Le Lune Medicine Band | Miami Shark Bar (Ticketed) Rhythm & Cutloose + DJ Longtime | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Hey Sunshine: The Creases + The Lula Raes + Voiid + Sunrose + Letters to Lions + Tuppaware Party + The Wonky Queenslander | Billinudgel Hotel (Ticketed) Mischevious (Covers) | Southport Sharks Gemini Duo (C0vers) | RSL Club Southport

4'20 Sound Reggae Night | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Doubleshot (11am) (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

TUESDAY 23 OCTOBER Stephen Lovelight | Cambus Wallace Adam Harpaz | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER James Street Preachers | Cambus Wallace The Yams | The Scottish Prince

The Aints | Collangatta Hotel

Matthew Armitage | The Scottish Prince

Rick Price (Ticketed) + Devils Kiosk (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Benny D Williams (3pm) | The Avenue

The Big IIch + Tailor Birds | Miami Marketta

Lily Budiasa | Balter Brewery

Benny D Williams (4pm) | Balter Brewery Angus Oastler (3pm) | The Collective

Jason Kafoa (1pm) | Advancetown Hotel

Summertime Sessions: Sophia Koop + Emily Warramara | Mudgeeraba Village

Lily Budiasa | Aviary Rooftop Bar

Nicky Bomba & Friends + Jock Barnes | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Maddy Thompson (5pm) (Covers) + Radio Star (Covers) | Southport Sharks

SATURDAY 27 OCTOBER NightQuarter Spectacular + Jewells and the Wolfe Pack + Elska | NightQuarter Kristen Lee Music | Miami Marketta Coastal Lights + Bligh + Unkle Unit, Deja Vudu, Selve | Currumbin Pub

Greg Kew | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Tom & Jarry + DJ Longtime | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

THURSDAY 25 OCTOBER

Lady Gaga (Tribute) | Southport Sharks

Free the Genie | Cambus Wallace James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince

Mohndoo + EPIC | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Matrix Duo (1pm) (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

MONDAY 29 OCTOBER 4'20 Sound Reggae Night | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Tommy Memphis (11am) (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

TUESDAY 30 OCTOBER Guy Kachel | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

WEDNESDAY 31 OCTOBER Sarah Grant | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Trilogy (C0vers) + The Aussie All Star Show | RSL Club Southport

Katchafire and Guests | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

25 - 28 OCTOBER Island Vibe: Katchafire + JAH9 + Mad Professor + Naaman + Mista Savona + Truth + Radikal Guru + Nicky Bomba + Kingtide + Mood Swing & Chevy Bass + MORE

The Gypsy Clovers | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay www.blankgc.com.au

27

FREE THE GENIE’S ROBOTIC PSYCH Free The Genie are a psych-groove outfit. They’re also a two-person trio. True. Ty Burrell and Jack Letizia being the persons and Natasha the Basher being the robotic drummer completing the three-piece. None of which will make sense unless you’ve witnessed a live show.

CRAFTED BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL IS BACK Imagine a place where you can sample the best craft beers and ciders, whiskeys and cocktails in a spacious green park, complete with live music, right beside the beach. Oh, the stuff that spring dreams are made of.

Well, dream no more Gold Coast, Crafted Beer & Cider Festival is returning to Broadbeach in October, and that’s exactly what the team has laid out for you.

We’re talking killer brews, bangin’ tunes, cocktails and spritz bars, food trucks, comedy, beer yoga and DJs, conveniently corralled in a pop-up outdoor festival space in Kurrawa Park.

It’s just over eight hours of sheer, beer-tiful joy.

Before we talk booze, let’s talk food trucks. Because it’s the Gold Coast and if there’s one thing we do well, it’s outdoor eating, amiright? Crafted Beer & Cider Festival will feature donuts, arancini balls, slow BBQ, tacos, weiners, wings, cheese boards and veggie delights.

Harajuki Gyoza will be on site too, but they’ll be pouring their Japanese craft beers, joined by Pirate Life Brewing, Akasha Brewing Company and Betoota Bitter for the first time. Our mates at The Cambus Wallace will be doing what they do best (which is whiskey and cocktails for the uninitiated).

It wouldn’t be much of a festival without music. And clearly Crafted organisers know a thing or two about great tunes, because the music lineup is seriously epic. Sydney’s festival favourites, Bootleg Rascal headline the event with their chillhop jams with Gold Coast alt-psych rockers Peach Fur also in the mix. Young Monks, San Mei – fresh from BIGSOUND – and all-girl rock legends Rackett are also on the bill, as is Inigo and those vinyl freaks at #beatniks will be laying down the DJ sets between bands. There’s comedy, a ping pong tournament and beer yoga going down through the day as well.

But it’s the breweries that really steal the show at Crafted Beer & Cider Festival and it’s Australia’s best that are making the trek to Broadbeach for this little soiree. We’re talking 4 Pines, Balter Brewing, Black Hops, Burleigh Brewing, Cheeky Tiki Apple Cider, Lost Palms, Beard and Brau Farmhouse, Granite Belt Cider Co, and Bargara Brewing Company. Hell, Bridge Road Brewers are coming all the way from Victoria and Gage Roads are making the trek from WA. Punters raved about last year’s Crafted Beer & Cider Festival and take it from the wise, you do not want to miss the 2018 edition.

Samantha Morris

It all goes down Saturday 6 October from 12 – 8.30pm, right in the middle of Broadbeach in Kurrawa Park. Get all the details at craftedfestival.com.au.

28

www.blankgc.com.au

Both Jack and Ty have a long history on the Gold Coast, attending both primary and high school here. Jack was a member of local act Shadow Thieves and Ty mucked around with a bunch of projects that didn’t really go anywhere. They started performing together in this format three years ago.

“It started out being pretty light-hearted,” Ty explained.

“We had a gig booked, a jam night kind of thing they used to hold at elsewhere on a Thursday night called The Arno Show. We had a slot there but didn’t have a band name or anything. We just had a jam in our lounge room in Robina, wrote a couple of james, played that night and decided to keep going with it.”

Since then Free The Genie has performed between 400 – 500 shows.

“We don’t have any,” Jack said. “We just have people that tolerate us and we get on really well with the bar staff, so they have to listen. It’s cool that people embrace the weirdness though.”

And the band are popular with local venues, especially given liquor licensing and sound restrictions.

“Our style gets around all of that, because it’s half electronic, half life and we can compress everything and control how hard the drums are played,” explained Ty. “That was all just accidental,” Ty said. “It wasn’t planned. We were never really going to have a drummer, ever.”

Ty’s about to refine Natasha again, which will be the electronic drummer’s fourth incarnation. And the pair are building a recording studio in Burleigh’s industrial estate as well. They’ve got a Canadian tour on the horizon and they’re super keen to connect with a good manager. While all that’s happening, you can see them live a LOT. Samantha Morris

“We’ve just been gigging heaps,” said Ty. “To the point where we probably need to be a bit more selective.”

“We’ve done release, an EP we recorded in the shed,” Jack said.

Catch Free The Genie live:

And it was that EP launch where the pair introduced Natasha the Basher to their show.

Thursday night residency: 4, 11, 18 and 25 October at The Cambus Wallace

“Before that we were purely electronic,” Ty said of the robotic drum kit’s addition.

Friday 5 October at Miami Marketta

“I finished building it that morning. Pretty stoked it worked.”

When I ask how Natasha the Basher came about, Jack answers tongue in cheek, “loneliness.”

“Just years and years of nerdery,” Ty adds. “I had the idea before Free The Genie and built a concept for it. I was going to put together this show inspired by Gorillaz a bit and use a lot of holographic projection and animatronics. But I’ve got no background, just a bit of IT in high school.”

“So I just had the idea and built the concept and it worked.”

“We felt like it was really hard to fit between being an electronic act and appealing to the venues we were playing at. It was a thing to give us more of an edge.”

“It was almost to satisfy our need for a drum sound between us,” added Jack.

The paid said people react straight away by getting their phones out.

“The music we make depends on the drums being boring, a drummer would lose their mind if they had to play the same thing over and over again like that,” they said.

Since launching their EP, the pair have toured with Canadian outfit Lazy Ghost and are looking to join them on a tour of Canada in December. They’re regulars at Etsu and Mexicali and have a Thursday night residency at The Cambus Wallace.

They’ve also performed at just about every Gold Coast venue you can imagine. Except Nightquarter (hint, hint).

As for Free The Genie fans, are they as unique as the band itself?

Sunday 7 October at Tupe Aloha Saturday 20 October at Nightjar, Burleigh Sunday 21 October at the Palm Beach SLSC

UNDER THE SOUTHERN STARS getting loose with You Am I

What’s the experience/vibe like in relation to the Under The Southern Stars style festival you’re about to embark on, compared to a regular club show?

With the summer festival season about to get into full swing, one event you definitely want to be adding to your gig-going calendar is Under The Southern Stars. Following on from the inaugural success of the event, this year sees the travelling outdoor rock spectacular expand into six new coastal locations. We’ll get our turn too, with the Gold Coast leg of the tour taking place at the Broadwater Parklands in Southport on 19 January 2019.

The bumper line-up features Oz rock royalty The Hoodoo Gurus, You Am I, British India, The Superjesus, The Getaway Plan, Eskimo Joe and Scott Darlow.

In the lead up we’ll be shining the spotlight on and chatting with a few of the exemplary artists on this year’s bill. First up, let’s hear from Davey Lane, guitar slinger extraordinaire of long-time Aussie legends, You Am I.

Meet BLIGH

Precocious Gold Coast five piece BLIGH have been finely honing their craft across local stages since 2015, impressing both audiences and Band Comp judges alike with their polished melodicism and exemplary song writing chops.

The band expertly channel a neat line in contemporary alt pop-rock, the kind that nods knowingly to the synth pop zeitgeist of early 80’s new wave. And in talented young song writer Elliott Bayliss, they have a conduit for tapping into the kind of hooks and ear for a memorable melody which identify them as a band who are destined to take things much, much further, as they continue to develop and make a name for themselves.

They’ve just released their second single, ‘Mrs Jones’, a murder-mystery themed tale of literate song writing set to a swinging, piano laden musical accompaniment that rises and shifts dynamics to masterful effect, it’s latter half breaking out into a rousing climax.

Here’s a bit more of an insight into the world of BLIGH, in the words of Elliott Bayliss.

There's a certain kind of excitement to playing at festivals that we don't get from playing club/pub shows. Usually for our own shows we'll sound check earlier in the day so we know exactly how things will sound on stage. There's never the security/safety net of that at a festival, we just throw everything on stage and hope for the best, so there's usually an unhinged/flying by the seat of one's pants element that lends a festival show a little more edge and excitement.

And yeah, it's always a fun opportunity to get together with friends from other groups that we don't get to see all that often.

What sort of rock and roll fireworks can we expect to see from you guys when you hit the stage here on the Gold Coast leg of the tour, at the Broadwater Parklands?

Expect Tim to out-dress the entire festival, Rusty to outdrum and out-flair everyone on the bill, Andy's bonerattling bass to blow your mind and I'll be off to the side mixing Manhattans (not flat and flavourless though), if you feel like one.

Can you recall a gig you've previously played on the Gold Coast that's been particularly memorable - either for the right or for the wrong reasons?!

I remember a Gold Coast Big Day Out - can't remember the year, but Wilco played before us and smashed it. Coolangatta Hotel shows are always fun, I remember one about 10 years ago, we were supported by a little-known Scottish outfit called Tame Impala.

Both yourselves and The Hoodoo Gurus have previously shared stages together across quite a few joint headlining tours and traveling festivals. Can you describe the relationship between the two bands, and if there's a level of friendly rivalry and competitiveness between you both that spurs you on to greater heights onstage?

We sure sense a certain level of competition from the Gurus, I'm sure Dave (Faulkner) will readily admit to that, but for us, nah not at all. They have a set rammed with hits and there's an element of clockwork-like precision to what they do that's not in our collective DNA. We're happier being the ramshackle, looser, ragtag bunch that just do what we always do before hitting the stage.

There's also a bunch of other ace Aussie bands on the bill, including The Superjesus, Eskimo Joe and British India.

Will there be one regular headliner, or will that slot be rotated?

I have no idea how the bill will be structured. It isn’t for us to decide really and we're not too bothered. Again, we're not competitive in that regard - in fact we'd rather play early and watch bands/demolish our drinks rider afterwards.

Any plans (or predictions) on what 2019 will have in store for You Am I? New tunes in some form. I'm champing at the bit to get some new toonz happening!

Anthony Gebhardt

Congratulations on the upcoming new single, 'Mrs Jones'. Is the track indicative of the sound of the band, in general?

Yeah, definitely. It’s theatrical, narrative driven pop with a sprinkle of musicality and a big build; all those elements are in the song and in the DNA of the band.

Can you touch on the process of how a BLIGH song generally tends to come together?

Generally I’ll record a near complete demo that I take to the band, for them to put their individual spin on the parts.

Then James (bassist and producer James Martin) and I will work on the production elements and embellishments.

What's the background of the band prior to forming BLIGH? Have you all been involved with music for a long time prior?

We have a combined musical history of 25 years. Zahra, Jaidyn and myself have been playing together for almost eight years and Luc and James have been playing together for even longer in a plethora of different bands and we’ve aged like fine wine. That’s where the chemistry comes from.

Who are a few of your biggest influences, and can you see yourself channelling them explicitly in your own songs?

I feel like all music is a hodgepodge of the songwriters taste and I’m no exception. I’m really inspired by extroverted, showy, narrative driven, melodically focused artists, like The Wombats, The 1975 and David Bowie and I think it shows.

Is there any great mystery behind the bands moniker?

Where to next for the band - any grand plans for the rest of the year, and into 2019?

The name comes from William Bligh, of rum rebellion fame.

BLIGH came from a state where I felt I couldn’t make the music I wanted to with the people I was working with, as we had very different tastes. So there was a rebellion of sorts.

We have huge plans for 2019. Early in the year we will be dropping our first EP, ‘Exit 89’. It’s an EP that’s really tied to this city and what it was like to grow up here. We hope you love it as much as we do.

Anthony Gebhardt www.blankgc.com.au

29

Arts Theatre

Arts Theatre

Outdoor Stage

The Basement

Love from Summer Xx

Hello, and welcome to ‘Love from Summer Xx’, an old-fashioned advice column where you can open up your heart, and I open up a lively can of solicited advice, sage wisdom, home truths and tough love.

Dearest Summer, After a very long-term relationship, I find myself single for the first time in an epoch. So whilst the whole dating thing is going better than expected, I am challenged by the whole ”booty call etiquette" as it is a recent development as far as I am concerned so your advice would be greatly appreciated.

As an example, if I was to receive a said booty call and I do not wish to accept how does one gracefully not accept?

Kindest Regards, Old Spice

A KAYAK TO REMEMBER When you lose the map ten minutes into your three day self-guided tour, you know it is going to be a trip to remember. Normally, it's the beach that calls my name but for this mini staycay, we decided to try something a little different.

We were on a kayak tour of the Noosa Everglades organised by Kanu Kapers, who pack up everything you need for your three-day camping trip into a double kayak and send you off (map in hand) for an epic three-day adventure. Without the map, it was still epic, the first day just had a slight delay as we paddled in the wrong direction for a little while (when they say keep the map under the elastic on the kayak they mean it!).

Just inland off Noosa itself, the Noosa Everglades are a winding string of natural canals and streams in the Upper Noosa River with amazing wildlife and untouched rainforest lining their banks.

The first stop of the trip is Fig Tree Point, an ideal lunch stop with a lovely shaded picnic area with tables and chairs carved from fallen trees. Back in the kayak, we paddled on through the mesmerising waters of 'The Narrows', with water so undisturbed you can see near-perfect reflections of the trees.

Arriving at our final stop of the day, Harry's Hut, we unloaded our gear and set up camp. Harry's Hut is a secluded campsite only accessible by kayak, small boat or 4WD. Each individual site is surrounded by trees giving you lots of shade and privacy. If you are more into 'glamping' than camping, Harry's Hut may not be for you as there are no showers, just a toilet block with composting toilets.

Thank you for your sincerity. And in the words of Chaka Khan, “I feel for you”. Saying no to a booty call can be very uncomfortable and downright difficult. Declining the pleasures of the flesh is not always easy.

Once at Harry's Hut you have the entire second day to kayak, hike or relax next to the water. We paddled to Campsite 3 and then walked the 12 kilometres to the Cooloola Sand Patch. The hike was steep in places, but overall not too challenging and took about three hours return. The views from the top are incredible and it was definitely worth the trip. If you don't know anything about sand patches (which we didn't) prepare to have your mind blown! After the hike there were still a few hours of daylight so we hopped back in the kayak and went to Campsite 5 for our afternoon tea, a peaceful spot with nobody else in sight.

If you do receive an unwelcome late night call or text for nothing more than a casual hook up here’s what you do. Be honest, direct and sincere. Convey in no uncertain terms that you are not that type of guy. That you don’t do booty calls.

Back at Harry's Hut, we enjoyed one last night in the tent before packing up on the final day and heading home. Over three days we paddled 50 kilometres and it was definitely one of our best adventures yet!

If you are looking for a real relationship outside of the bedroom with this randy sex pot, then try this. Tell them if they would like to see you, they can ask you in advance, at a respectable hour and to meet in public. Be sure to keep your tone polite and pleasant, you always catch my flies with honey! If you have made your expectations clear and they make another unsolicited request, simply ignore it. Because they don’t deserve any more of your precious time or energy.

Top tips for this trip:

Dearest Old Spice,

Boss Lady Matchmaker @ Mate4Life I invite you to send your dating dilemmas and curly questions to greetings@mate4life.com.au.

Please keep correspondence free from filth and vulgarity. But if at all possible full of flamboyance and above all else truth.

- Take plastic wine glasses (their camp kit only includes mugs!)

- Tupperware is essential if you don't want a turkey to eat your dinner.

- Take lots of bug spray.

- Pack a picnic blanket or tiny stools to sit on.

-Take a head torch and a spare head torch...there are no lights!

Sarah Tayler To see more from Sarah visit: itsonlyaplanerideaway.com Visit kanukapersaustralia.com for more information and bookings.

WHAT’S NEW AT GOLD COAST OPEN HOUSE 2018?

The fourth annual Gold Coast Open House will be bigger than ever before with 39 buildings and places plus four guided walking tours on Saturday 27 October 2018.

This year’s program sees some favourite buildings return for the fourth consecutive year, a few that are back after a year or two’s absence, and 14 new venues to explore.

There are two new guided walking tours this year – one that celebrates the history and heritage of Mudgeeraba; the other is a walking tour at Pacific Fair.

Newcomers to the inspiring workplace category are architectural firm DBI, who relocated to the site of the old Trocadero nightclub in 2008, redesigning the space in spectacular fashion. A few items from the old club décor remain to ensure the office’s colourful past is not forgotten.

Those who visit DBI can also enjoy a bird’s eye view of DBI’s work on the Spirit development, which is taking shape right next door.

Always the most popular places on the program are private residences and this year there are four homes (Tallai, Currumbin Waters, Broadbeach Waters and Paradise Waters), as well as an apartment and a micro urban village at Southport.

Tours of Main Beach’s stunning beachfront apartments designed by architect Virginia Kerridge will undoubtedly be highly sought-after by those who have wandered past them and dreamt of owning one.

Also amongst the newcomers will be guided tours at The Star Gold Coast, guided tours at Southern Cross University and Griffith University’s Aquatic Centre and Fitness Facility, Marina Concourse development at Benowa and Rockcote’s multi-environmental-award-winning centre at Carrara.

There are two new heritage gems – The Residence and Mr PP’s (1908) and the Southport Bathing Pavilion (1934) – for those who wish to step back in time to the early days of Southport.

Gold Coast Little Theatre will offer guided tours where you can learn about its history that dates back to the ‘50s or step into the new century at the Jewel Development, where you can don a high vis vest and hard hat and journey onto the ground floor podium to learn more about this amazing development.

For the full program or more information on tours that require pre-registration, head to goldcoastopenhouse. com.au. Bookings are also available online for Gold Coast Open House’s free fringe event, the ArchiFlix film night at The Star on Saturday 20 October. Enjoy a curated selection of films, followed by a panel discussion. Pre-registrations are essential for ArchiFlix.

MEET THE NEW GENERATION OF GOLD COAST YACHTIES The word ‘sailor’ often conjures visions of a salty old fella with a silver beard and a beanie (or Popeye). But there is a whole new generation of Gold Coast yachties out there who are young, funky and ready to destroy stereotypes. We got to know just a few of them a little better.

Jess and Issy Schoonenberg, Sisters Peter Hendra What's so great about sailing?

What's so great about sailing?

Jess: That’s a tough one, there’s honestly so much… I guess I love being on the water because we grew up on the water as kids – boating, surfing, swimming and camping by the beach. When you’re sailing you’re just so in the moment and not thinking about work or anything else really. It’s also such a personal achievement finishing a hardcore race or beating out a boat you’ve been neck and neck with for the last few hours. And I’m slightly competitive so that comes in handy with the racing and regattas.

How do you explain the feeling of the wind in your hair, sea spray riding over the bow, and the raw energy of thrust behind something we cannot see? The thought of being able to literally travel the world on the wind still astonishes me.

Fun times at your club?

Issy: Yea the Twilight races at Southport Yacht Club are pretty great – especially in winter with the incredible sunsets! Sail Paradise, a 5-day regatta in summer, is also a lot of fun and super competitive. In my first year at Sail Paradise I foolishly forgot to reapply sunscreen and ended up strawberry red at the end of the first day only to get back to SYC and be dragged into a ‘fashion show’ by our now Commodore of Sail Ray McMahon. Pretty embarrassing!

Advice for newbies?

Jess: Definitely! If you want to get involved, just rock up to Southport Yacht Club on a Thursday afternoon before 3.00pm and let them know you really want to get involved – it’s pretty likely they’ll find you a boat to sail on. Get involved more than once as well because it takes a while to pick it up but it’s worth it once you’ve got the hang of it.

Nicole West What would you like people to know about sailing on the GC? Seeing the iconic Gold Coast skyline from the ocean, with the sun setting behind the buildings, really is a beautiful an amazing experience everyone should have. And do it under sail power, with no loud engine noises, and not being in a hurry, really is a peaceful, almost spiritual thing - and you might even see a whale or two!

Any memorable moments?

It was pretty special for me to complete the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race with my Dad last year. It’s the hardest thing I have ever done, but was something on my bucket list which I am so proud to have crossed off, and to do it with my Dad was an experience I'll never forget - but I'm not exactly rushing back to do it again.

How did you get into it?

I think the first time I watched ‘Waterworld’ starring Kevin Costner is the moment I fell in love with it. Watching his Trimaran fly through the water outrunning jet skis (the smokers) was just something that filled me with excitement and the need for the adrenalin hit.

Danielle Hutcheson, Skipper Onyx Fun times at your club?

The Southport Yacht Club has become like family, particularly the other offshore skippers and crew who we race against regularly. Many of the other skippers took us under their wing and kept an eye out for us as we were one of the smallest boats and still learning, over the years and with many learning curves, building on our experiences, consistently trying our best and the support, encouragement and comradery of the club makes sailing at Southport such a pleasure and why we all go back there post racing for a celebratory pizza, garlic bread and cold drinks!

Advice for newbies?

Just give it a go, you can do it! We can teach you anything if you want to learn and fit in – becoming part of a crew can be challenging but it also incredibly rewarding. To fit in, ask questions to more experienced crew (I’ve never met a sailor who doesn’t have an interesting story to tell, if you listen), help any chance you get and remember to laugh – sailing is supposed to be FUN! Natalie O’Driscoll

If you’re curious about sailing or just feel like booking in some pizza and cold drinks overlooking the water, visit southportyachtcub.com.au.

www.blankgc.com.au

33

CHOOSE A PATHWAY TO A BRIGHT FUTURE WITH A HANDS-ON QUALIFICATION BEAUTY, BUILDING, BUSINESS,

FINDING NEVO: HOW I CONFUSED EVERYONE NEVO ZISIN I met Nevo Zisin at the recent Brisbane Writers Festival where they spoke of gender, identity, and community, and the importance of supportive parents and family or ‘found’ family.

During the festival sessions, Nevo was warm, generous with their thoughts and time—and generous with laying bare their struggles and how they managed them. Perhaps because they’ve been talking and writing about their own experiences since a teen (Nevo signed the contract for this book at nineteen) and because we need these stories; Nevo was desperate to find representation in a society that never reflected them.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, ENGINEERING, CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, HEALTH, HOSPITALITY, INTERIOR DESIGN, IT, LEADERSHIP, MUSIC, NURSING, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, TOURISM & EVENTS AND MORE

Cleverly titled, ‘Finding Nevo’, the memoir tells of Nevo’s early gender feelings at age four, to Nevo’s teenage attractions and first relationships, to age seventeen when Nevo, as a Jewish, queer, and non-binary person, commenced gender social transition and later, at eighteen, medical transition.

The journey to gender identification isn’t always a straight one (pun intended?). Nevo takes you through every lonely convoluted tunnel, tense sharp-bend, unexpected dirttrack, to the bright and shining countryside of uncovering or rediscovering your truth and deciding to walk it—even when you walk it alone.

Nevo was a bright, academic kid, with a head full of blazing insight and a heart full of hope. What is devastating is watching Nevo’s delicate fighting spirit get crushed under the weight of the expectations and dreams of their parents, siblings, fellow students, and Jewish community. The impact on Nevo’s mental health is real and painfully rendered.

What is repeatedly inspiring is watching Nevo rebuild their spirit and mark their own path. When Nevo prioritises to their own well-being, the story grips us and has us cheering.

Chapter titles such as ‘My mother does not know my name’ may break you, but photos of Nevo and their mum, as they embark on shared public speaking and activism as a duo, will heal.

This is a tender and very human story, about self-discovery, self-love, and self-determination, which are themes that should resonate with everyone.

Nae Kurth 34

www.blankgc.com.au

LEARN MORE

1300 308 233 tafeqld.edu.au TAFE Queensland RTO NO. 0275 | CRICOS NO. 03020E

FREE EVENT

S u m m e r t imnse Seinsthse ivilolage OCTOBER 3 BUG KIDZ INSECT SHOW, MUDGEERABA 10 – 11am A musical show encouraging children to develop a understanding of the important role insects play in the garden and bush.

OCTOBER 27 AN EVENING WITH TENOR STEWART MORRIS, MORSELS @ MUDGEERABA, RAILWAY STREET

facebook.com/ morselstapasrestaurant

Teaching children the magic of composting

OCTOBER 27 MOVIES UNDER THE STARS – ‘FERDINAND’ DAVENPORT PARK, PARKMEADOWS COURT, BONOGIN 7pm

eventbrite/NaturallyGC

OCTOBER 16-17 SOMERSET COLLEGE CELEBRATION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP A festival supporting the growth of entrepreneurial skills amongst students.

somerset.qld.edu.au/ celebration-of-entrepreneurship

7 Oct MCFARLANES LANTERN 14 Oct LITTLE BILLIE

Morsels @ Mudgeeraba – live music every Friday and Saturday night 6.30pm onwards and Sundays 1.30pm

BUG KIDZ COMPOSTING SHOW, MUDGEERABA 11.30am–12.30pm

Both FREE events – bookings essential.

OCTOBER ADVANCETOWN HOTEL FREE LIVE MUSIC EVERY SUNDAY 1-5 pm

FREE family event with interactive kids activities, food and beverage available for purchase

cityofgoldcoast.com.au/ moviesunderthestars

21 Oct WEST TEXAS CRUDE 28 Oct JASON KAFOA

advancetown.com/whats-on NOVEMBER 2 SUMMERTIME SESSIONS CUDDIHY PARK, SWAN LANE, MUDGEERABA Fridays - 2 November through to 14 December SEPTEMBER 22 FESTIVAL OF SMALL HALLS - AUSTINVILLE AND SPRINGBROOK OLD MAN LUEDECKE & LUCY WISE 28 Nov Mt Nimmel Hall, Austinville

14 Dec Springbrook OCTOBER 28 Community Hall, Springbrook MUDGEERABA NEIGHBOURHOOD SECURITY festivalofsmallhalls.com & SAFETY MEETING, WOODLANDS PARK From 10am Guest speaker - Rural Fire Brigade. Morning Tea provided.

division9@goldcoast.qld.gov.au

CUDDIHY PARK SWAN LANE Mu dg eer ab a 5:30 - 7:30 PM #SSitV

y wurramara FRI 26 OCT sophia koop + emil ry j hart har + i & s tone nov FRI 2 leaf nov ginger & the ghost + loose n FRI 9 Maitê Inaê + ben goldstei FRI 16 nov micka scene + jade SOUL FRI 23 nov pauley + phoebe jacobs luke nov FRI 30 ni hope + sametime tiar dec FRI 7 festival of luedecke + lucy wise man old dec 14 FRI small halls

"It’s a folk ditty with classic storytelling and clever lyrics delivered over simple guitar and horn, hand-claps and a sing-along chorus" Grow Old Together with Peter McFarlane

Baltimore Gun Club tease new album One of the best things about running a new music column is getting the first taste of new local music before anyone else. Not only does that give me serious bragging rights, it also gives me 3 minute bouts of ecstasy several times a week. Baltimore Gun Club are teasing a new album with a yet to be released track ‘My Day’s which I had the pleasure of listening to while writing this column. With a sing-along chorus and that age-old winning three-piece formula, ‘My Day’s allows every member of the band to shine: Psymon’s vocals (with all three piping up throughout the song), Hyrma’s bass and Ronnie’s drums deliver rock perfection in just over two minutes and if it’s any indication of the album that awaits, it’s reason to be very excited. Plans are still in the air around the song and album release dates, but I’ll stay on the band’s case.

"With a sing-along chorus and that ageold winning threepiece formula, ‘My Day’s allows every member of the band to shine"

36

www.blankgc.com.au

Well known local drummer Peter McFarlane has a new project on the go, and with it comes a brand new song. The new project sees Peter join forces with Greg Watts (guitar), Charles Longey (bass), Andrew Day (keys and Beth Hamilton (backing vocals) as McFarlanes Lantern with new song ‘Grow Old Together’ crosses over between country and blues and sees Peter taking on lead vocals alongside drums. It’s out now and available from all the usual outlets.

Eye The Wild drop two new singles Not one, but two new tracks are out in the wild from Eye The Wild this month. The three-piece folk-rock band from the Gold Coast tell collective stories through their songs. Their sound is full of expressive lyrics and captivating vocals that roll over a swirl of intricate guitar riffs, punchy bass lines and groovy rhythms. Available now through all the usual retailers, the tracks ‘Can We Dance’ and ‘Emma’ are neither fast, nor punchy.

Both slow burners show the band’s versatility, with moments of soft metal, folk vocals and strong musicality. Both tracks are out now.

ImMature from Buffy Prescott Buffy Prescott has dropped the second single from upcoming album ‘ImMature’.

The track, titled ‘Better’ is a review of technology-dependent humanity’s perpetual devaluation and devolution. It takes a look at its contribution to anxiety and depress and acknowledges mortality and the fact that mistakes provide an opportunity to evolve.

Big picture topics going down there. It’s Buffy’s own take on dad rap, harking back to the 80/90s rap scene with a decent dose of 80s punk. The record is a concept album delivering societal critique through the eys of a new parent and was mastered at Studios 301 by Steve Smart. ‘ImMature’ is out 28 September via MGM with release launch at Vinnie’s Friday 2 November. ‘Better’, with its poignant and clever lyrics is out now.

Calan Mai drops XO

Public Fish Cakes

Calan Mai’s new song ‘XO’ is an absolute ear-worm and its accompanying video is both poignant and clever. The clip, premiered on Pop Dust last month, sees Calan and his team take over the home of a Gold Coast woman who generously offered it up as a set and stars Mackenzie Fearnley with shooting

by Danielle Lomas and James Haigh (Amy Shark, Fairchild). Calan Mai’s previous track ‘Mountain Mountain’ has clocked up nearly 200,000 listens on Spotify (and another 100k+ on Soundcloud) and this new single ‘XO’ is expected to go the same way. It’s a folk ditty with classic storytelling and clever lyrics delivered over simple guitar and horn, handclaps and a sing-along chorus. I’ve added the track to our Best of GC playlist on spotify, listen at bit.ly/GCplaylist.

CAKES exploded onto the local music scene this year. As well as a tranche of memorable local gigs, the duo also supported WAAX, Amyl & The Sniffers and Tired Lion. They’ve only been gigging since April 2017 and in the year after had already clocked up more than 22 gigs and amassed legions of fans across the city. Their 2017 EP ‘Prescription Bugs’ received a heap of praise – both from within the music industry and from dedicated fans and now they’ve got another feather in their cap. New track ‘Public Fish’ sees the band take a full DIY approach; recording, mixing and mastering the song themselves, not that you can tell. It’s amazing what these guys deliver as a two-piece. Sunny vocals, heavy guitars and speedy beats. ‘Public Fish’ is out now and is the first single off a double A-side 7” due later this year.

‘Boy’ has a cheeky pop element, sweet lyrics and a story about finding love in unusual ways.

ELSKA drops debut single ‘Boy’ Introducing Locashen with Riding Bikes

Licy Be: on a mission to Be The Change Devoted rapper, poet, motivational speaker, suicide prevention and mental health awareness advocate - Licy Be is a an artist on a mission. Hailing from New Zealand, formerly from Perth and now based on the Gold Coast, Licy (pronounced Leecy for you non-kiwis) has teamed up with fellow Kiwi CASS and UK producer WYLD to deliver new single ‘Be The Change’. The song shines a light on making a stand for suicide prevention. 2017 saw the release of Licy’s debut album Beautifully Broken which was introduced with shows across Australia and New Zealand along with a maiden tour of the United States. While the album cracked the top 25 on the Australian iTunes chart, lead single One Life peaked inside the top 10, an impressive feat from an emerging independent artist. ‘Be The Change’ was released 10 September (World Suicide Prevention Day) and you can listen via all the usual outlets.

"Devoted rapper, poet, motivational speaker, suicide prevention and mental health awareness advocate - Licy Be is a an artist on a mission."

16yo Locashen has just released his debut single ‘Riding Bikes’ with the video premiering over at the Blank GC website last week. Co-written and produced by Matt Grey, ‘Riding Bikes’ is a sunny track with simple lyrics, bordering on loungetronica in terms of genre. The video showcases local scenes from Tallebudgera Creek and Mermaid Beach which mirror his memories of growing up on the Gold Coast – favourite coffee hangouts and beautiful weather.

It feels like it’s been a long time coming, but Elska’s debut single ‘Boy’ has finally been released.

And announcing herself to the world is not something that this Gold Coast solo artist takes a backseat to. Prior to the song’s release she’d already recorded in the UK, delivered a TEDx Talk, snagged a RADF Council grant, produced a documentary, announced a very unique library tour and scored a both a showcase set and film screening at Australian Music Week.

And her music is as unique as her arrival on the scene. Combining the harp with a loop pedal, Elska is anything but predictable. ‘Boy’ has a cheeky pop element, sweet lyrics and a story about finding love in unusual ways. The single and documentary are out now and will be followed in October by the Heart + Harp: Library Tour which sees Elska literally tour libraries with her music and film. Stay tuned for dates and locations and listen to ‘Boy’ now through all the usual outlets, including the Gold Coast spotify playlist at bit.ly/GCplaylist.

Being Jane Lane take the Next Step Casey Barnes releases ballad Set Sail Riding the wave of success on a string of highly successful singles in 2018, the monumental year continues for Golden Guitar Finalist Casey Barnes with the release of a sincere, deeply heartfelt ballad ‘Set Sail’.

Casey says it’s the one song on the album ‘The Good Life’ (which debuted at #1 on the iTunes Country Charts) that basically wrote itself. It touches on a topic most people can relate to: losing a loved one and the emotional roller coaster that ensues. Casey’s album ‘The Good Life’ featuring the brand new single ‘Set Sail’ is out now.

Hitting airwaves from 28 September, ‘Next Step’, the new single from Being Jane Lane talks about… well… sex. There’s nothing shy and retiring about Being Jane Lane or their music.

‘Next Step’ begins exactly as it continues for its short and punchy 2:12 minutes: loud, fast and with wailing guitars. Having just won the VB Hard Yards competition in Queensland, which sees them hit the road to visit four cities in October and play alongside Alex Lahey, WAAX, Tired Lion and Raave Tapes, I suspect this is going to be another big few months for Gold Coast’s ladies of punk. ‘Next Step’ is out on Human Records now, with a new album full of infection punk and catchy melodic flair due soon. You can also catch ‘em live at Miami Shark Bar on 7 October.

#gcmusic Got new Gold Coast music to share? We want to hear it. Email news@ blankgc.com.au with the subject ‘new GC music’ and we’ll get back to you.

www.blankgc.com.au

37

RISE RASTA Cnr Surfers Paradise Boulevard & Ocean Ave, Surfers Paradise Wandering through Surfers Paradise, the scent of Ethiopian coffee coupled with the upbeat lyrics of Bob Marley will no doubt lead you to the sun-soaked Rise Rasta, possibly the most positive food truck on the Coast.

The Bob-Marley-festooned exterior of the truck is a beacon of good coffee times ahead thanks to owner and operator James Childs, who is passionate about three things in life: “Good coffee, great customer service and Bob Marley.”

As a follower of Bob Marley, James travelled to Jamaica to walk in his footsteps and lived there for a time, discovering Marley Coffee along the way and deciding to bring it to Australia. Unfortunately, due to some issues it was not to be, but James’s love of the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee prevailed.

After finding a supplier of beans that are hand-picked, 100% organic and certified fair trade, and an expert roaster on the GC, he opened Rise Rasta just under a year ago with his own unique coffee: Rise Up! The coffee trucks’ name itself was also inspired by Bob Marley. “Bob Marley believed everyone had Rasta from birth; that we are all equal. Rise Rasta means that we all have Rasta and we need to rise above and become better people for the world.” For James that is happening one coffee at a time, even though he lost count of his total output at around the 18,000 mark. Having made that many coffees in his life, you can be assured of a perfect brew! “We take a lot of pride in our coffee, and I would rather tip out a cup if it doesn’t look right to make sure people get the best coffee.”

Expect a big hit from an espresso of the Rise Rasta single origin coffee, with a citrus acidity that will have your mouth drooling for more of the dark cherry and leather flavour, with a lingering chocolate note. A long black showcases more of the juiciness of the cherry, whilst still having a delectable citrus tang. For milk coffee fans, expect a deeper chocolate flavour with a satisfying kick of acidity paired with a sweet dark cherry finish.

TONIC ON CHIRN With the village-like hub of Chirn Park a rising star in Gold Coast dining, Tonic on Chirn is a tried and true local, an establishment where we can recommend food, drink, ambience and service as being equally important and on point.

Walk into Tonic on Chirn, and you could be mistaken for thinking that you are in an upmarket bar in Flinders Lane, Melbourne, a brick-clad laneway retreat off Argyle Street, The Rocks or even on the latest TV set of some funky bar.

Owners Colleen and Shaun Measday have embraced the venue’s heritage, building its sophistication from retro to metro industrial, taking it from invitingly cool and intimate in the daytime to flame-lit and sexy at night.

The range of seating suits many purposes – street gazing, groups, an intimate date or even solo dining at the bar where faces reflect off the vintage pressed metal sheeting on the wall and ceiling. The bar itself is crafted from the recycled timber of the Old Southport Pier, a subtle reminder of the suburb’s heritage.

Wood, metal and concrete render; Tonic is a welcoming rustic cave-like venue, warm and enveloping, appealing to our need to be ‘embraced’, the people’s ‘tonic’; a fully licensed community meeting place where locals can spend time with friends, attend work functions or birthday gatherings.

Catherine Coburn

Midweek, when share plates are priced at $12 to $14, is a great time for an intimate date night. On weekend evenings, Happy Hour (4 – 6pm) sports $10 cocktails, $6 tap beer and house wine, leading gently into lingering evenings of promise. Live music rounds out the weekend on Sunday evening preparing us for the working week.

Follow more of Catherine’s food adventures @goldcoastfoodie on Instagram

Offering a great choice of boutique wines and beer on tap, Tonic does its own take on classic cocktails served in crystal:

Open every day from 5:00am closing at 1:00pm weekdays and 2:00pm on the weekends, Rise Rasta’s coffee is sure to get you to Rise Up!

38

www.blankgc.com.au

37 Musgrave Ave, Chirn Park

lychee and elderflower martini, passionfruit cosmopolitan and espresso martini with a twist.

In the back corner of the restaurant, a hidden booth sits below a New York street, fire escape-clad tenements towering along the wall, the perfect place to hold a private party for six to eight.

Beyond that, a full stainless-steel kitchen can be seen behind hand cut and grouted bricks where Head Chef Andrew Buzaglo offers up the food that locals love and return for: tasty Arancini balls, Smoky sweet potato wedges with aioli ($14) – the best we’ve tried, and Grilled scallops with tamari sauce, shallots and pink ginger ($18). Vegan and gluten-free options are clearly marked on the inclusive menu.

On this visit, one of many, we linger with cocktails at lunch, trying heartier items from the new winter menu: Crispy fish tacos with pineapple salsa, lime mayo and slaw ($16), a perfectly cooked crispy-topped Filipino style pork belly with chili jam ($18), and rich Braised beef cheek in sticky honey tamari sauce ($25). Nutella and coconut spring rolls with vanilla bean ice cream complete a delicious meal.

From laid back and casual to buzzy and celebratory, Tonic on Chirn is a great place to ‘Relax, Escape and Enjoy’ the niceties of life with friends. Well-executed tasty food, excellent service and warmth… Tonic has them all. Little wonder that locals have given Tonic on Chirn their stamp of approval, voting with their patronage to make this place their own. It’s a gem!

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

Image: shutterstock

Yamagen brings back the Friday lunch Breathing new life into the Friday Lunch game is QT Gold Coast’s innovative Japanese restaurant and bar Yamagen with the launch of Friday Lunch by Asahi. Dishing-out market-fresh sashimi, cocktails you haven’t tried before, share plates that are too good to share, flame-grilled kushiyaki sticks and of course, ice-cold Asahi Dry - the weekly Yamagen Friday Lunch by Asahi is sure to whet your Fri-YAY appetite.

Popular lunch favourites include the Instaworthy sashimi tacos, thinly sliced truffle Snapper, house-made Gyoza and Teriyaki Chicken paired with Japanese fusion cocktails and Australia’s largest Japanese whisky range. The Friday Lunch by Asahi menu includes seven of the restaurants most popular dishes for just $49 per person including an Asahi Dry or glass of wine.

Yamagen Friday Lunch by Asahi is available every Friday from 12 – 3pm. The restaurant and bar is also open Tuesday through Saturday from 5.30pm til late.

For bookings phone 07 5584 1240 or email bookings_qtgoldcoast@evt.com

Spring Dining a winner at The Star Gold Coast Locals, visitors and foodies alike will relish the refreshed menus that are available at The Star Gold Coast as part of an exciting food and beverage offering launching this season.

With more than 500 menu options available across 11 reimagined dining destinations, The Star Gold Coast has endless options available for hungry hordes.

‘Star Grazing Tours’ will guide guests through four of the signature restaurants for a delicious foodie experience, while hatted Japanese restaurant Kiyomi has launched a new Spring cocktail menu and has welcomed back their exclusive 20 course degustation event ‘Omakase.’ We tasted the range of fresh sashimi, new cocktails and specialty nigiri on a recent visit and basically had to be dragged off our chairs as we didn’t want to leave!

In addition, the venue will host a selection of special ticketed events, including a long lunch at award-winning Italian restaurant Cucina Vivo (try the duck gnocchi, trust us), and also dinner under the stars on the Garden Kitchen & Bar lawn, as well as three exquisite banquet menus to enjoy at signature Chinese restaurant Imperial at The Star. We learnt the hard way to bring our appetites with us to Imperial! More offers include 50% off traditional woodfired pizzas at Cucina Vivo on Wednesdays and Thursdays before 7.30pm, and dumpling happy hour at Mei Wei Dumplings, where guests can enjoy five freshly-made dumplings for $5 from 5.00pm. Yummo.

Infinite Dessert Bar explodes onto Palmy scene Like desserts and cocktails equally as much?

Embrace your taste buds and put on your fat pants because these tastemakers are taking a slice of Palm Beach. Refusing to be bound by the limitations of the old, Infinite Dessert & Cocktail Bar are pushing the boundaries of conventional food. Whether it’s date night or cheat day, these tastemakers are here changing the classics for the sake of your waistline (bigger is better right?) with a strong gastronomic influence you can expect to see boasting desserts and drinks such as smoking lemonades and exploding meringues. Got a sweet tooth? Don’t just settle for the old 7/11 Krispy Kreme, treat yo’ self to a bottomless pit of oozing cakes and bubbling boozes that look like they’re straight out of a film set. Coming in hot to the bustling Palm Beach scene, Infinite will be opening on 28 September 2018 at 2/2 Nineteenth Avenue, bringing a whole new era of Nightlife to the area, be ready for mood lighting, woody tones and nights full of Infinite Indulgence with your gals and dedicated drinking buddies.

Crafted Beer and Cider Festival It’s ba-ack. Last year's Crafted Festival was an absolute blast, and we can't wait to do it all again, and this year it’s going to be even bigger and better. Shining a beacon on local brewers from the Gold Coast, South East Queensland and interstate, it's a one afternoon and evening celebration in honour of a top quality drop! This year's event features over 35 local and interstate (and an international!) breweries bringing along over 150 craft beers, ciders and ginger beers for you to sample, while listening to a full day of live music and chomping down on some delicious eats from some of South East Queensland's finest food trucks. So round up your mates, and get yourself along to Crafted Festival! Hop to it. Saturday 6 October at Kurrawa Park, Broadbeach.

Tickets at craftedfestival.com.au.

Natalie O’Driscoll

For more information on specific offers available as part of ‘Dine at The Star’, head to star.com.au/goldcoast/whats-on/dine-with-us.

www.blankgc.com.au

39

Instead, just like sailors did of old, we gather in the galley for nourishment and refreshments.

“All our food has been created to share, as you would [when] dining in a ship’s galley with your fellow sailors,” the menu tells us… …which we do, sharing plates of kipfler and fresh green pea arancini bedded down with a stunning béarnaise, tempura-battered zucchini flowers packed with chèvre, proscuitto green apple tartine (open sandwich) with pea and mint pesto and Meredith chèvre on Burleigh Baker’s sourdough toast, whiskey-soaked lamb cutlets with broccolini and, of course, the fruits of the sea itself with chilli and garlic prawns that beg us to mop up the juices afterwards. An Irish whiskey cream and chocolate mousse rounds off the meal, perfect fare to nibble on during a lengthy journey.

THE SCOTTISH PRINCE 1176 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach The sea tells its own story. Hiding beneath it are tales of adventurers and immigrants, of the Cambus Wallace and the Scottish Prince, ships that foundered off our shores, namesakes claimed by two bar restaurants at Nobby’s and Palm Beach.

The Scottish Prince ran aground in 1887 about 500m off the coast near Main Beach as it sailed from Glasgow, Scotland to Brisbane.

None of the forty immigrants and crew on board lost their lives, but the ship sank and much of the cargo of whisky and household items was lost. Only the hull of the ship remains, home to a variety of marine life and a popular dive site.

Slip down the alleyway under 8th Avenue Terrace, Palm Beach, and you’ll find the hold of the new Scottish Prince, the door leading to another carefully created nautical world.

Of course, the greatest reference to The Scottish Prince is the well-stocked bar holding over 150 whiskies, both single malt and exemplary blends. Charted in an expansive nine-page menu beginning with Scots royalty, the listing continues by country of origin. It’s heart-warming just to look at, let alone to drink!

We have to ask the captain for some help with our tipple. After all, Dave Ferry is guiding us on the journey, and for the faint-hearted who do not know where to begin (or how to continue), The Scottish Prince holds monthly whisky tasting evenings at a very reasonable price.

An evening at The Scottish Prince brings the pleasure of dining on ‘cargo’ salvaged from the salties; an immersive ship-bound journey through time aided by a golden drop or two. What better way to learn about the Gold Coast!

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

Everyone deserves music's

The ship’s maker is acknowledged on the back wall along with maps of Scotland, a Singer sewing machine (similar to those carried on the wreck), a sextant, and a picture of the barque itself. We could spend a whole night at this ‘museum’ taking a guided tour of each piece of nautical paraphernalia…

ANNUALCHARITY GALA enriching the lives of children with special needs through music therapy

Grand

GATSBY

Dress

with Reggae Infused

20th October The Gin PARLOUR Find us at King Tutts carpark

40

www.blankgc.com.au

$99+bf.

Signature cocktail, food, live band & entertainers

6pm-10pm Miami Marketta

www.everyonedeservesmusic.org

Charity No. CH3087

FREE CONCERT SERIES

ependent record store! ya local 'bricks n mortar' ind

Live at Bond

Sunday, 4 November from 3pm ADCO Amphitheatre

BORNIN & BYRON RAISED IN BYRON BAY BORN & RAISED BAY

BREWED ANDNORTHERN BOTTLED IN THE NORTHERN RIVERS BREWED AND BOTTLED IN THE RIVERS

www.blankgc.com.au

41

LOCAL PRINTER TURNS RUBBISH INTO RESOURCE

STREETS AHEAD: CHINATOWN LEADS THE WAY IN SUSTAINABLE EVENTS Meet the Gold Coast printer championing sustainable business practices for the good of the planet.

The irony of being a ‘greenie’ in the print industry isn’t lost on Richard Wynne, owner of RW Promotions (RWP) in Bundall. “There’s just so much waste” he says. He’s introduced environmentally friendly practices across all facets of his business. “It’s everybody’s corporate responsibility to impact the environment as min-imally as possible.” According to Richard it makes business sense; “it’s not only good for the environment, it saves money.”

RWP provide a range of print and design solutions. They also offer on-site collection for recycling programs like Planet Ark. By making recycling more accessible Richard is compelling customers to reconsider what they throw away.

“It’s a really exciting time because people are starting to care more” he says.

RWP proudly offer recycling for corflute, a rigid plastic used in sign making. Richard responded to an adver-tisement about recycling in his supplier’s catalogue.

“I contacted them and it took months to get it out of them.”

The upshot is customers can now return used corflute signs which they reuse or send back to the manufacturer for recycling.

RWP recycle an estimated 95% of their waste. They aim to innovate and at a minimum employ the ‘3 Rs’ (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) to minimise stock waste and where possible give materials another life before recycling. Small efforts like repurposing packaging for postal orders and donating sticker offcuts to schools all help to lighten their overall footprint.

As a society we have the ability to recover more resources from our waste. The ripple effect of RWP promot-ing their environmental practices is that awareness has spread beyond staff and customers, to industry peers and the wider community. This affirms Richard’s philosophy that “the passionate few aren’t going to make a huge difference, it’s the changing of the general population through education that will make a big difference.” As more regions set official targets to advance towards zero waste - Sydney along with 22 other global cities now - redesigning waste systems will undoubtedly help us accelerate towards a more sustaina-ble future.

Amy Gould 42

www.blankgc.com.au

The first Saturday of every month sees Gold Coast Chinatown in Southport come alive with the Chinatown Street Markets, a celebration of all things Asian culture, and – wait for it – sustainability. Yes, you heard correctly.

Over the past two years, the City’s CBD Office located in Southport have slowly introduced a range of sustainability initiatives to the popular monthly events in the CBD, culminating in an impressive list of strategies for the reduction of the environmental impact that generally goes hand in hand with these kind of public scenarios. Banning the sale of bottled water and balloons, restricting packaging to biodegradable only and charging power per amp are just a few of the ways in which the Chinatown Street Markets have managed to reduce their footprint.

We caught up with Larry Dyer, owner / operator of Bicycle Centre Nerang, who provides free bicycle checks at the Chinatown Street Markets.

“We set up a stall where people can bring their bikes for a free safety check,” he explains. “We hope this initiative encourages people to ride to the event, minimising congestion on the roads and reducing the carbon emissions associated with getting to the event.”

The free safety checks are no joke, with either Larry or one of his bike mechanics checking every bolt, pumping up tyres, and making sure bicycles are returned in a roadworthy condition.

“We also put bells on bikes, check if they don’t have one reflectors, and if there’s anything we can’t do on the spot like tightening the brakes or loose handlebars - quite serious stuff - we run them over what is required from any of the bike shops on the Gold Coast and around about how much that might cost as well.”

An avid cyclist himself, Larry is pleased to see an initiative like this and hopes it means more people are cycling instead of driving.

straws. We went from taking out several large bins per night to one 20L paint bucket a week.”

This incredible change has spread to their external events service, where they have partnered with the CBD Office on a Cup Deposit Scheme.

“We provide alcohol at small events like bands, activities and DJs that pop-up in Davison Lane, Southport,” explains Arran, “and at the last festival [Lunar New Year] we had reusable cups”.

“The way it works is you pay a $3 one-off deposit for a reusable cup when you buy your first drink. You use this cup throughout the event and get $2 back at the end of the night when you’ve finished drinking. We then wash all the cups ready for the next event! Don’t worry you can get a clean cup when you buy your next drink if you want, just as long as you’re returning the used one.”

The initiative has been warmly received, Arran tells us.

“We had no complaints whatsoever. I think once they understood what we were trying to achieve it was fine. They could get their money back at the end of the night but lots of people didn’t expect it back and we’re happy to do that as a donation as it helped pay for washing the cups! I think we had about 2000, so it would’ve saved 2000 plastic cups for just that one four hour event and that’s just a small event, imagine how many cups you’d save from going to landfill at larger events!”

The success of the initiatives at Chinatown Street Markets, and growing momentum on the Gold Coast towards greener practices, may well inspire other event organisers who might be jumpy about instigating change in this area. With large scale events producing a significant amount of waste, any and all attempts to reduce environmental impact should be embraced by the community.

Natalie O’Driscoll

“It’s a way of life,” he says. “The more bikes on the road, the better it will be.”

Arran Woollams is another business owner who has well and truly embraced the sustainability focus at the Chinatown events. At his Southport laneway bar, Last Day on Earth, beer and wine are sold on tap only, reducing their rubbish output by an absolutely astonishing amount.

“The change there has been to completely keg all of our products – that means no bottled wine, no bottled beer, no

6 October sees the Flavours of Metro Street Party from 5pm to 9pm (featuring Tijuana Cartel, DJ Little Fritter and Burger Joint), with the Chinatown Street Markets back from 5pm – 9pm on 3 November. Feel free to ride to the event, get your bike checked out and remember to bring your own water bottle for your free water refill!

Blonde, designed to have more fun.

Blonde is our Burleigh-inspired version of the classic bier garden lagers of Germany.

A crisp, approachable and balanced blonde lager that’s finding new fans with every can opened.

Find out more @ burleighbrewing.com BREWERY AND TAP HOUSE | 2 Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads Qld 4220

SHIHAD Hotter Than Hell In The General Electric

With another long, hot summer just around the corner, an even hotter old-skool music festival, in the spirit of the much loved Homebake Festival of yore, will be burning up stages throughout the land in the New Year. We’ll get our turn too, when Hotter than Hell lands on Sunday, 27 January at the Broadwater Parklands, with a line-up featuring 90’s Triple J high rotation acts Spiderbait, Killing Heidi, Bodyjar, 28 Days and Area-7.

Add to that list hard rocking Kiwi legends Shihad, without doubt one of the most eagerly anticipated bands that will be appearing on the bill.

Inducted into the New Zealand Music’s Hall Of Fame in 2010, the band are currently in the throes of celebrating a double anniversary of sorts – 30 years since forming and 20 years since the release of one of their biggest albums, ‘The General Electric’. It spawned a number of their most well-loved numbers, including ‘My Mind’s Sedate’ and the track ‘Pacifier’, a name which the band briefly adopted in the early 2000’s, prior to reverting back to their original moniker.

In the lead up to Hotter than Hell Anthony Gebhardt fired off some questions to founding singer, Jon Toogood..

So, it’s been 30 years now since you guys started making a ruckus - congratulations! Did you ever dream you’d be here today when you first started out back in NZ all those years ago?

Absolutely not. The plan was to become the biggest band in the world by the year 2000 then stop! When that didn’t pan out we decided we all kinda loved what we do so we just kept on doing it. And here we are. It’s pretty unbelievable really but it’s something we’re all stoked about as playing a live Shihad show is still as much of a thrill as it ever was. As is making albums like the last one, ‘FVEY’.

Do you guys get on well with the other acts on the Hotter Than Hell bill? And how will it be decided who the hell headlines!?

Love the Spiderbait guys. Can’t wait to catch up with Adalita and the rest of the Magic Dirt crew. Ella’s awesome as are the Bodyjar fellahs. So yeah, It looks like it’ll be a bit of school reunion vibe backstage except without the assholes that used to beat you up. As far as who goes on first or whatever I really don’t care. Give me a stage and this band and we’ll do our very best to tear it up. No matter what time we’re on.

Can’t wait!

I’m excited to hear that your classic record, ‘The General Electric’ is getting released on vinyl for the first time!

Will you be bringing some of those along for sale on your upcoming tour?

Absolutely! The vinyl sounds incredible and the package looks amazing. We’d be silly not to!

44

www.blankgc.com.au

Your most recent album, ‘FVEY’, (as well as your first record, ‘Churn’), was produced by Jaz Coleman of the legendary Killing Joke. What was it like working with him the second time - was he still as ‘out there’ as I might imagine him to be?

The guy is a musical genius and with that comes a certain amount of ‘madness’. I enjoyed working with him so much more this time around as he was sober, focused and pushed us way harder than he did on ‘Churn’ – and that’s saying something as he smashed us the first time around. I love that he drilled us so hard on each track that we pretty much recorded everything live in the end which, for me, is why ‘FVEY’ sounds so on fire. It was the perfect way to produce an urgent, heavy political record.

You’ve shared stages with some of the most revered rocks acts ever, from AC/DC and Motorhead through to Metallica and Faith No More. Do you have a favourite moment when it comes to playing shows with any of these bands?

Playing in front of 64,000 people before AC/DC at Western Springs in Auckland. It was like being at the centre of the universe for me. Also, having Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler watching us from side of stage every night on the Black Sabbath tour of NZ and Australia was a huge buzz for me.

They’re the guys who invented the metal riff.

And are there any other bands that you’d kill to share a tour with?

The Rolling Stones.

Could you ever see a time where you'd be doing anything else besides making sweet music?

Who knows what the future holds, but I definitely love playing music with these four guys and we make one hell of a racket together. It’d be weird to not have it in my life.

Anthony Gebhardt

Shihad are at Hotter Than Hell, 27 January, Broadwater Parklands

LIVE AT BOND RETURNS WITH DANCE-TASTIC LINEUP There’s one last chance to bask in the beauty of Bond University’s amphitheatre with live music at twilight.

Live At Bond delivers one final live music event Sunday 4 November and one of the most vivid live acts in the country is making the trek from Melbourne for the afternoon.

Vaudeville Smash deliver an explosion of funk, flute, sax, synth and groove and pretty much guarantee dancefloor mayhem wherever they go.

Also jumping on the groove train for Live At Bond’s 4 November gig is The Steel Syndicate. This Brisbane-based octet has an eclectic genre-gending sound that reimagines elements of old school funk, reggae, ska and indie rock.

They’re bringing those grooves alongside rich vocal harmonies, a four-piece horn section and energising songs which will uplift the Bond audience and no doubt have them dancing in the aisles.

In summary, Live At Bond in November will be one hot sweat-fest as bodies writhe blissfully as some of the country’s best groove merchants lay down the funk.

Another upside? It’s all free and family-friendly.

Samantha Morris

Live At Bond featuring Steele Syndicate and Vaudeville Smash takes place at Bond University’s ADCO Amphitheatre on Sunday 4 November. Get the latest at fb.com/liveatbond.

GOLD COAST CONVENTION CENTRE 8 DEC ROCKWIZLIVE.COM.AU www.blankgc.com.au

45

At the time that your first record came out, you said that you immersed yourself in the song writing process partly as a way of making sense of your own life and the world around you. Do you feel that you’ve progressed on this quest with album number two?

IMMATURE RELEASE FROM BUFFY PRESCOTT

Sure. I now feel like making sense of life is somewhat of a fool’s errand. Song writing can be a good coping mechanism. It doesn't really help make sense of life for myself, but can help to develop compassion and to help understand that there are some things people see and feel that you never will and may never understand. And realising that it’s ok.

Empathy is a beautiful thing.

ZAC GUNTHORPE AND THE BROWN Of BYRDS Spirits Imperfect Glory Emotive Sunshine Coast singer songwriter Zac Gunthorpe announced his arrival on the music scene with his 2015 debut ‘Glory Bound’, a manifesto of his stated desire to immerse himself in the song writing process. His dedication to the craft was grounded in following the trajectory of the greats while looking to make sense of the world outside and the person within.

His latest effort, ‘Ghost Of The Town’, together with backing band, The Brown Byrds – hailing from Byron Bay - mines a rich seam of electrified, tough as teak rootsrock, in thrall of the great such as Neil Young And Crazy Horse and The Gun Club but with a foot also planted firmly in the contemporary realm, bringing to mind cult artists such as the sadly departed Jason Molina and his Magnolia Electric Company project.

It’s an honest, heart wrenching affair that oozes emotion and authenticity, with tales of downtrodden drifters set to windswept musical vistas in turns shimmering, rollicking and grizzled.

In the lead up to his upcoming show at the Currumbin Sound Lounge on 19 October, Anthony Gebhardt got an insight into the man and his music, from Zac himself…

46

www.blankgc.com.au

Can you provide a bit of an insight into the genesis of ‘Ghost Of The Town’?

The eight songs on ‘Ghost Of The Town’ were written back to back but not with the intention of all going on one album. I got to a point where I realised these songs all kinda related to each other in one way or another. We recorded this album live in four days. And that is the nature of the album.

It's about five guys expressing themselves via the spirits that live in these songs. No second guesses, just complete emotional dedication to every single note. Like an abstract artist is dedicated to each stroke. What will be, will be. And that’s life. You get one chance to live in that moment, so you’d better bloody find it and feel it! That’s what we tried to capture.

I’m loving the new albums raw and heart wrenching vibe. Who are some of your biggest influences and inspirations, that you feel helped you capture this?

I just love music that captures real life. Not overly produced. It's about capturing the moment even with imperfections, fumbled lyrics, an off note, wavering vocals.. If something shit happens in life, you need to use it. Let that moment give you drive to spread your wings and find that next moment of contentment or happiness and that’s how I like to make music too.

Perfection is dull, boring and unsustainable.

I get the feeling that you’re in this music caper thing for the long haul. Where do you see your muse taking you over the coming few years and beyond?

I'm glad you get that feeling, because I feel the same. I honestly don't know. John Lennon said on the recording of ‘Beautiful Boy’; "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans". It seems 'life' may be my muse, so I guess I just need to keep making 'other' plans.

Zac Gunthorpe And The Brown Byrds are playing three special album launch shows, kicking off at Currumbin Soundlounge on 19 October.

Buffy Prescott songs merge rap’s golden era of the mid 80s to early 90s with the attitude and aesthetic of short, sharp 1980s punk.

Frontman Sean delivers personal and societal critiques with his words but it’s the metal/punk/electro-groove roots of his collaborators Flames and G Ro who help tie it all together.

“I created the name from an amalgamation of Final Girls – a horror movie trope. Buffy Prescott is the final Final Girl. She has been battling the demons - both figuratively and literally - for almost twenty years and is the last one standing to tell the tale. Which is a fitting analogy for us,” Sean explains.

‘ImMature’ is the group’s new album, out on 28 September. Sean says it’s the second album in a trilogy, following 2015’s ‘PreMature’ and that musically, he can’t really liken Buffy Prescott’s sound to anything he knows.

“It’s brash and groovy and dark and fun.

Sometimes all at once. Think early-Beasties meets early-NIN and you’re kind of close.”

“You know how a lot of people say ‘Oh, I listen to everything’ well, between the three of us, I feeel (sic) we do. And I think it shows in the music we’ve always made. We’ve always proudly been a melting pot and when you have no genre or you’re ‘difficult to classify’… you live and die on that hill. I’ve had the pleasure of being re-animated on that hill several times,” Sean said.

“Without getting too morbid, there were two death-related incidents that informed this new approach to what I’m doing. I had a heart attack and survived, and my father had a heart attack and did not. These experiences give you a heightened mortality awareness and ultimately, in relation to art, it made me want to do what I love most for the ones I love most.”

“The protagonist is a man-child who wants to evolve to be the best parent he can be, so he starts re-prioritising his life by analysing/critiquing his past and present.

The ambiguity of the album title ‘ImMature’ encapsulates his conundrum. In hindsight, I could have even put a question mark after it…”

Sean is not new to the music scene, having been involved in several Gold Coast bands for the better part of two decades, but he is relatively new to fatherhood.

“If you want to be an emotionally available presence in your children’s lives - especially in those first five formative years - you need to create a balance that is effective for everyone (and that includes supporting your baby mama!),” he said.

“We used to treat our music like sport - train a few times a week and play somewhere every other weekend. Now, we wait ‘til stories are read and tired bodies are tucked in before we can leave the house. And that’s cool.

These days, I do it just as much for them as myself - Like I address in the closing song on the LP ‘Persistence Is Futile’ “I wanna show my kids this biz, well…it isn’t a waste” and I’m referring to the emotional investment and return in music: the real reason we (still) do it.”

So, given the juggle, will the trilogy be completed? Sean answers definitively.

“We are pretty prolific,” he said. “And I definitely would love to finish this trilogy, so there is a third Buffy Prescott release pretty much recorded. It just needs some mixing and mastering.

We’re going to ride this one ‘til the wheels fall off first, though.”

Samantha Morris

He said ‘dad rap’ is what millennial hip-hop fans call the rap their parents listen to.

“I took that and tweaked it a little, creating a concept album that is basically a dad rapping with his kids at heart.”

Buffy Prescott launches ‘ImMature’ with a live show at Vinnie’s Dive Bar, Southport on 2 November.

WED 21 NOV GOLD COAST CONVENTION CENTRE SPECIAL GUEST KIMBRA • TICKETS ON SALE NOW FRONTIERTOURING.COM

DAVIDBYRNE.COM

SUNSET GARDEN BAR

- BAR OPEN 3PM CRAFT BEER & C O C K TA I L S

- T E P PA N YA KI F RI D AY 5 OCTOBER

- L IVE E N T E R TA I N M E N T

- PA E L L A F RI D AY 2 NOVE MBE R

All Welcome

1 Ma ca r t hur Pa r a d e , Ma in Be a ch, Que e ns l a nd 4 2 17 0 7 5591 3 50 0 - r e ce p t ion@s out hp or t ya cht cl ub . com. a u WWW. SO UT H PO RT YA C H T C LUB . C O M. A U

- WA T E R F R O N T DINING

SHINING A LIGHT ON OUTSHINED

CARAVANA SUN Celebrating the Gold Coast

The early 90’s alternative/grunge explosion was one of the most seismic shifts in the trajectory of modern music since the heady days of late 70’s punk. With Nirvana and their stratospheric record, ‘Nevermind’ as the conduit, the sound of the underground arose to take its place in mass musical consciousness. With Cobain, Grohl and Novoselic kicking down the walls, a host of formerly underground acts of a similar mindset barged on through to claim their stake in the spotlight and become household names; Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Temple Of The Dog… the list goes on.

The influence of the aforementioned acts still reverberates in the hearts and minds of discerning music listeners to this day. Enter, Outshined: The Australian 90’s Grunge Tribute Show.

Image: Lamp photography

Melody drenched indie surf-rock collective Caravana Sun have been riding an irrepressible wave of momentum in the lead up to their heartfelt new single, ‘Come Back’, which was officially unveiled on 14 September. A moving ode to a recently departed close friend, the single will no doubt be a highlight of their upcoming live performances in our neck of the woods at the start of October. It comes from their brand spanking new EP, ‘Silver Linings’, which you can get your hands on here.

The band have recently returned from an epic 22 date tour of the UK/Europe, so expect great things from the four piece when they take the stage at the Celebrate Gold Coast Festival, on Chevron Island, on Sunday, 7 October.

In the lead-up, Anthony Gebhardt had an enlightening chat with Caravana Sun drummer, Alex Dumbrell.

You’ve recently returned from a big tour of Europe. Can you share a few of the most memorable moments on stage that you experienced while over there?

We were lucky enough to head over to the UK and Europe through July and August of this year, and what a whirlwind of a tour it was! We’ve been migrating to the northern hemisphere for their summer for the last few years, so I feel like we’ve started to really get the hang of touring over there. It’s such a unique way of seeing a country, meeting other musicians and fans of music from the other side of the world. This year we spent the most time in Germany, but also played a fair few shows through the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Austria, England and even got over to Malta!

You’ll be on the Gold Coast soon as part of the Celebrate Gold Coast event. Have you played with any of the other artists on the bill, such as Busby Marou? And what can we expect from you guys in the live realm when you hit the stage on 7th October?

I am pumped for that show! We haven’t played on the Gold Coast in ages and to be sharing a stage with the mighty Busby Marou – I think it’s going to be a really special afternoon. In terms of the live show, we aim to play music that makes our audience feel good and do our best to connect with them. Our new EP, ‘Silver Linings’, was released on 14 September, so we’ll be playing some of the new tunes.

Be sure to catch Caravana Sun and their sunny good-time vibes when they roll into town and hit the stage at the Celebrate Gold Coast Festival, on Chevron Island, on Sunday, 7 October.

Read the full article at blankgc.com.au 48

www.blankgc.com.au

Outshined are a bunch of local, seasoned musical pros whose manifesto is to deliver the ultimate homage to the 90’s alternative/grunge era. While you can expect to hear the most anthemic belters from the era, (think the cream of the crop from Nevermind, Ten, Superunknown, Dirt, Core and a whole stack more), the Outshined lads have a very deep set list indeed, so no two shows are ever the same across the 2+ hours that the band are onstage delivering their all.

There’s no flashy dress ups or needless showboating either, which again remains faithful to the original ethos of the movement. At the same time, don’t expect the guys to be exclusively donned in flannel and ripped jeans – a look that ended up being hijacked by marketers once the original scene began to flourish. Do expect though, to hear a broad and diverse range of tunes from the aforementioned seminal acts, delivered with passion, conviction and serious musical chops. No gimmicks – just great music, brought to screaming life with the highest of sound, lighting and production values. With Outshined, it truly is ‘all about the music’..

The project consists of; Matthew Boland (vocals), Matt Rowe, (guitars), Anthony Blazley (guitars), Mike Edwards (bass and vocals) and Josh Paish (drums). Anthony Blazley will be taking a break from the project for the rest of the year due to his busy schedule, with Rick Hollis coming on board on guitar for the remainder of the year.

The guys have been mates and musical comrades for decades, gigging relentlessly across local and national stages as part of original acts such as Rollerball, Nemesis, Beast Machine, Dead Star Renegade and the Casey Barnes Band.

Team Outshined actually workshopped the genesis of the concept way back in 2005, prior to getting serious about it in 2015. Bassist Mike Edwards described it as “an opportunity to jam/play thru the songs we loved from the bands and albums we grew up listening to, to alleviate the boredom associated with playing standard covers every other weekend on the Gold Coast.”

Eighteen months of pre-production led to the very first, triumphant Outshined performance, in June 2017. Things have moved rapidly since then, with the guys blown away by the response, both locally and interstate. As well as a bunch of upcoming local dates, the guys have been getting some serious interest from other capital city promoters throughout Australia, with opportunities to take Outshined on the road nationally in 2019 beckoning enticingly.

With a diverse range of tracks regularly rotated (Alice In Chains: ‘Them Bones’, and Soundgarden: ‘Jesus Christ Pose’ are just a few of the choice numbers the guys have been busy rehearsing lately), be sure to get along and check out this entertaining and unique tribute to the gods of grunge, when they play the following dates: Friday 12 October – The Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Friday 1 December – The Miami Shark Bar, Gold Coast Anthony Gebhardt

TALKING HEADS FRONTMAN DAVID BYRNE HITS GOLD COAST THIS NOVEMBER Is there anything David Byrne can’t do?

Not only is he the revered lead singer of Talking Heads, but he is also a visual artist, author and solo performer.

And, we’re stoked here at Blank HQ, because he’s recently announced an Australian tour taking in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and – luckily for us – the Gold Coast.

The New York City based artist will deliver songs off his acclaimed new album ‘American Utopia’ as well as classics from his solo career and his time with Talking Heads. Byrne will be joined by an energetic 12 piece band for what he’s coined an ambitious, theatrical show, choreographed by Annie B Parson.

While there’ll be plenty of new material, Talking Heads fans won’t be disappointed. David Byrne’s sets include a wealth of classic tracks such as ‘Once In A Lifetime’, ‘Burning Down The House’and ‘This Must Be The Place’. When you combine that nostalgic musical trip with Byrne’s latest stunning new solo work as well as his collaboration with St Vincent these shows are unmissable.

‘American Utopia’ is Byrne’s first solo album in 14 years and the first track off the record ‘Everybody’s Coming to My House’ was co-written with Brian Eno with contributions from a long list of talented artists.

“I’ve made a record that just has my name on it but is also the result of the contributions of many other people,” says Byrne. “I suspect that like me it is asking what are we like, what do we want, and what are we looking for.”

Fans on the Gold Coast will get their opportunity to see Byrne in all his glory on 21 November at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Tickets are on sale now via ticketek.com.au and given his sizable fan-base, you might wanna hustle.

Prue Clarke + Samantha Morris www.blankgc.com.au

49

COOPER’S CALL TO POSEIDON FOR CORAL NOT COAL

Musician, producer and artist Guy Cooper has created another sound sculpture – a giant music box shaped like coral. It’s a solar-powered art project called ‘Poseidon’s Music Box’ which forms part of Guy’s Master’s final project but it also comes complete with its own single – a collaboration between the sculpture and local musicians much like his prior project ‘Migaloo’s Song’, which was exhibited at SWELL last year.

“Last year’s Migaloo's Song sculpture at SWELL was a whale of an effort (haha),” he said. “It's the largest steel bodied string harp in the world, sitting on my front lawn and currently listed at 'The Big White Whale' on google maps, Ashmore's only tourist attraction.”

Guy said since the project he’d spent time researching sound sculpture and kinetic public art through his recently completed Masters of Creative Industries at SAE Brisbane.

“I have been fascinated with the meshing of sculpture, music, physics and arts activism,” he said.

The new sculpture, which has been 11 months in the making is a giant solar-powered, kinetic music box. Guy says it’s “calling on the god of the sea Poseidon to come and smite Adani.”

“Art plays an important role in society and has a subtle power that can change the world, one perception at a time.”

“I believe our government has its head up its ass and the proposed Carmichael coal mine in Queensland is a disgrace.”

“Our government is not making decisions that benefit all our futures and we need to do something about it,” Guy said.

“The tourism value alone generated by the Great Barrier Reef is said to be over 6.4 billion dollars each year,” said Guy adding that it was all being held to ransom for a coal mine.

“Solar, wind and other renewable energy sources are clearly the way to a more sustainable future for our community and the environment,” he said.

“May this coral-themed music box call upon the god of the sea Poseidon to come save us all.”

Guy’s sculpture will have its debut this year in an interesting place. He’s taking it to Buskers by the Creek, where it will be playing its solar-powered melody all day long alongside hundreds of other buskers. There’s also a new song using the sculpture melody being released on 10 October. ‘Call to Poseidon’ had more than 40 local musicians and vocalists come together as well as the Home of the Arts choir lending its voice.

Guy says it’s his way of saying thanks.

50

www.blankgc.com.au

“The song is a big thank you from me to all the hard-working volunteer activists and protesters that put so much of their hearts and passion into this cause,” he said.

Proceeds from the song as well as busking income from Buskers by the Creek will go to the local #stopadanigoldcoast group to help them continue their fight against climate change.

“I'm so excited to be a part of this amazing event,” Guy said about Buskers by the Creek. “Cindy Jensen and the team always put on such a great weekend filled with art, music and community family fun. It's no wonder this is the Gold Coast’s best annual event and I'm very thankful to be a part of it.

“Having the opportunity to debut the new music box sculpture around all the other musicians will be a special treat, this year’s theme is Brazilian Carnivale and I'm hoping some jam sessions with the sculpture can break out.”

After Buskers by the Creek, Guy is hoping to tour the sculpture through other festivals and exhibitions as well as making an appearance at other #stopadani events to help raise awareness and funds for reef protection.

“I'm just getting warmed up,” he said. “I had a good friend and fellow band mate Mickey Van Wyk from Emvee Art collaborate with me on this sculpture and we have both just embarked on constructing an aluminium can collecting T-Rex for Earth Frequency festival next year in February.”

“I have also been commissioned to build something epically special for the Seaway on the Gold Coast, I need a bigger shed.”

Samantha Morris

Check out Poseidon’s Music Box and throw some coins its way at Buskers by the Creek, which runs 13 – 14 October in Currumbin.

KIRRA PUNKS HOT WAX HEADED TO AUSTRALIAN MUSIC WEEK Emerging onto the scene in 2017, Gold Coast punk rockers Hot Wax are on a mission to put Australian rock music back on the world stage where it belongs. Comprising Nicky Swamp (lead vocals), Jakey Brown (guitar), Matthew Gray (bass) and Brad ‘Yogi’ Harrison (drums).

Together, Hot Wax bring elements of their coastal lifestyle to a mixed musical buffet, delivering a sound that’s all theirs.

Having only been around for a short while, and with just one single under their belt, the four-piece were announced last month as one of a number of Gold Coast acts set to showcase at Australian Music Week in Cronulla in November. Samantha Morris asked singer Nicky Swamp how that happens.

“We have a strong team and set vision,” he said. “We are working very closely with Gold Coast company Footstomp and seeking counsel from our peers to only release our best music.”

Australian Music Week is a very different beast to BIGSOUND. For a start, it’s only a few years old. It also has a focus on DIY music careers as well as being a multi-genre event. Nicky says Hot Wax are hoping to bring attention to what the Gold Coast is really like at the event.

“We’re going to show the world that behind schoolies and theme parks that the creative culture is what GC should be known for,” he said. “This isn’t just our goal for AMW, it’s a big part of who we are.”

“Our studio in Kirra is walking distance to some of the best surf brakes [sic] in the world.”

“Brad and Jake have grown up surfing here. I’m from the coast in SW England, although the surf doesn’t come close to here… between Croyde Bay and Newquay the ocean was a big part of my childhood.”

The band’s single ‘Surfing’s Not Cool’ addresses the copycat nature of the music industry and has a definitive surf-rock aesthetic, however by the time the track’s over, Hot Wax have come into their own, showing off their post-punk surf-rock sound with aplomb. There’s more music on the horizon too.

“We are currently working with Nick Didia and we have new music coming real soon. We’re forming a good relationship with Nick, we’re humbled to be working him. We’ll make sure you at Blank get a preview when it’s ready,” Nicky said,.

“Oh and for anyone that doesn’t know, we’re going to be the biggest band out of Australia since AC/DC.” Fair enough.

You can catch Hot Wax at Australian Music Week in Cronulla in November (as well as Ella Fence, Mason Rack and Little Georgia, with more to be announced).

www.blankgc.com.au

51

Two of your favourites in one can.

Beer and coffee.

New Burleigh Black Giraffe, Black Coffee Lager, is brewed with locally roasted coffee and delivers one espresso shot per serve. American hopped, caramel, chocolate and toffee malt.

Find out more @ burleighbrewing.com BREWERY AND TAP HOUSE | 2 Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads Qld 4220