September'16
issue #037
MUSIC
REVIEWS
MORE MUSIC
Lane Harry x Ike Campbell Lastlings Hussy Hicks Chelsea Rockwells Nereus
Back in Blue Syrup, Go On The Delta Riggs Baltimore Gun Club Karl S Williams
Hanlon Brothers The Black Swamp Buskers by the Creek Leopold’s Treat Switchkraft
CULTURE Long Bongs + Barrels Lisa Sorbie Martin Artyzan Fair Aluna dreaming Spinners + weavers
LIFESTYLE The Avenue Big Blue Sky Microplastics Rare Treasures Fran Miller
JOHN STEELE SINGERS
PHONCURVES AVA KITE STRING TANGLE
BOBBY ALU THE DELTA RIGGS
WOLFMOTHER
AQUILA YOUNG
JARED PORTER
HUSSY HICKS
Q.What do these artists have in common? A. Queensland Conservatorium's Bachelor of Popular Music
ELLA FENCE
Unique to the Queensland Conservatorium, the Bachelor of Popular Music can help you transform your musical passion into a successful and sustainable career. Our graduates cleaned up at the 2016 Gold Coast Music Awards, and boast successes in the Queensland Music Awards, Triple J's Hottest 100 and the Grammies. We'll help you foster your creativity, along with the musical innovation needed to succeed in music technology, production, performance, songwriting and the business of music. Make your passion your purpose. Visit griffith.edu.au/popular-music
Discover your new favourite artist today. Download SEED's latest album for FREE. Visit seedseries.bandcamp.com Featuring the cream of the crop from South East Queensland, SEED artists are not so quietly developing a reputation for smashing it. In the past 12 months, we’ve had multiple acts score spots on festival line-ups, win music awards and receive nominations in Triple J's Hottest 100. Powered by the Queensland Conservatorium, SEED is an innovative artist agency that helps emerging musicians find their feet. Support homegrown independent music. Visit seedseries.bandcamp.com Follow @theseedseries
CHRISTOPHE KEREBEL CHRISTOPHE KEREBEL
CHRISTOPHE KEREBEL
Twitter : @chriskere MyMy Twitter : @chriskere
My Twitter : @chriskere
A FESTIVAL EVERY WEEKEND... DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW ON EVERY VISIT TO THIS CREATIVE PLAYGROUND
8 A FESTIVAL EVERY WEEKEND WINNER OF ‘BEST VENUE’ AT THE GOLD COAST MUSIC AWARDS NightQuarter is the Gold Coast’s creative playground. Located in Helensvale in the Northern Gold Coast, it features night markets, micro-restaurants, emerging fashion and a unique live music space. The dedicated live music and performance space, called The Paddock, takes centre stage at NightQuarter, and has become a platform for emerging Gold Coast artists and a destination for touring bands. The Paddock brings the music festival experience to Helensvale every weekend. More than a typical live music venue experience, it starts with a journey through the night markets, before entering into the 2000 capacity space through a shipping container archway. The food and drink experience continues with three bars overlooking the stage. The Depot bar is housed in a converted bus and features a range of American craft beers (grab a taco from the converted truck next door!) The Gallery is a VIP viewing space with cocktails, wines and local microbrewery beers on offer. The Paddock features large-scale murals by local street artists John Kaye and J-Beez. See you there soon!
MONTHS
4
STAGES
500
ACTS BOOKED
300,000 VISITORS
LOCATED OPPOSITE THE HELENSVALE TRAIN & BUS STATION nightquarter.com.au 1800 264 448 town centre drive, helensvale
BEST VENUE 6 WINNER 201
SATURDAY 8TH OCT
SATURDAY 5TH NOV
SAFIA
STICKY FINGERS
SAFIA
AUSTRALIAN TOUR $40 +BF
SOLD OUT
SEPTEMBER GIG GUIDE FRIDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER
J-FUNK HAYDEN HACK
THE ROYALES YES SIR NOCEUR SAND DOLLARS
SATURDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 24TH SEPT
FRIDAY 18TH NOV
BJORN AGAIN
KATE CEBERANO
$55 +BF / VIP $120 +BF
$50 +BF / VIP $110 +BF
FRIDAY 21ST OCT
SATURDAY 3RD DEC
SALMONELLA DUB
GOLD FM LIVE
$40 +BF
$80.75 +BF
KATE LEOPOLD LUCY GALLANT SALT & STEEL
FRIDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER WANDERING EYES MITCH KING
FRIDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER
LEOPOLD'S TREAT HAILEY CALVERT
BJORN AGAIN TICKETED EVENT
SATURDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER
SUNDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER
KENNY SLIDE ALBUM LAUNCH
SUNDAY SESSION
FRIDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER OWEN CAMPBELL AKOVA
FRIDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER DUBMARINE SCOTT DALTON
visit www.nightquarter.com.au to see what’s coming up
10 SEPTEMBER Gangajang, Bundall Part of the Australian pub music scene since 1984, GANGgajang are back with a new single and tour. They’re Live in the Basement at The Arts Centre Gold Coast.
#037 SEPT 2016 Editor: Samantha Morris
10 SEPTEMBER
Culture + Lifestyle Editor: Natalie O’Driscoll
2 SEPTEMBER
Design: Chloe Popa
Bundall Bazaar launch, Bundall A new
Advertising: Amanda Gorman Music Coordinator: Mella Lahina Money Coordinator: Phillippa Wright
Kenny Slide album launch, Helensvale
central GC night-market with locally-produced art, music and food and a focus on local musicians, artists, designers and creatives. Launches tonight and continues every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month at The Hellenic Function Centre.
Kenny launches new album It is What it Is at NightQuarter’s Paddock Stage from 6.00pm
Photographer: Leisen Standen, Lamp Photography Contributors: Natalie O’Driscoll, Trevor Jackson, Marj Osborne, Anthony Gebhardt, Leisen Standen, Glenn Tozer, Terry “Tappa” Teece, Pip Andreas, Jake Wilton, Carmel E Lewis, Mella Lahina, Kylie Cobb, Matt Greer, Dan Maynard, Erin Bourne, Emma Whines, Aaron Chapman, Nae Kurth, Kellie Lindsey Cover images: Tesla Cøils by Dan Maynard Photography Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell by Lamp Photography Acknowledgement of Country We show our respect and sincerely acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and their elders past, present and emerging.
11 SEPTEMBER SWELL Sounds, Currumbin
3 SEPTEMBER Weird Science, Miami The brainchild of the crazy cats behind Switchkraft, this multi-dimensional sound and visual extravaganza features Free The Genie, System Addikt, Sauce and more at The Avalon Miami. Tickets at weirdscience.live.
Advertising: advertising@blankgc.com.au
Only the biggest music showcase and conference in the southern hemisphere | bigsound.com.au.
www.blankgc.com.au
Deck Acoustics, Currumbin Deena provides the music with food trucks, circus for kids, outdoor playground, all on the deck at Currumbin RSL. Kicks off midday.
7 - 9 SEPTEMBER BIGSOUND, Fortitude Valley
About us: Blank GC is independently owned and published by Samantha Morris and Chloe Popa. Most of our writers contribute their time probono to boost the cultural scene on the Gold Coast. Founded in 2013 we are the Gold Coast’s independent cultural voice, relying on advertising to keep us in the fray. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor, publishers or the writing team.
Katia Demeester, Josh Lovegrove, Marshall O’Kell and The Lyrical provide the sounds to accompany SWELL Sculpture Festival from 2.00pm at The Green. SWELL Sounds happens 10, 11, 17, 18 September. Details: swellsculpture.com.au.
3 SEPTEMBER
Editorial: news@blankgc.com.au Gigs: gigs@blankgc.com.au
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Image: Lamp Photography
Sub editor: Cody McConnell
16 SEPTEMBER Lights Out And Dance, Currumbin An 80s retro night at Currumbin RSL for those who like to dance in the dark. Hammer pants and flouro shirts totally acceptable. 18+ only and $10 tickets. 7.00 – 11.30pm.
16 SEPTEMBER Sunset market, Mudgeeraba
Re-launching in Swan Lane, with a road closure to boot, this much-loved community market will run from 5pm every Friday.
16 SEPTEMBER Life Drawing, Currumbin Experience the unique combination of life drawing along to local, live, original music. Hosted by Rebecca Cunningham at Dust Temple, costs $20 and BYO. Phone 0412 835 689.
Image: Todd Burrows
24 SEPTEMBER Spinners & Weavers, Mudgeeraba Join men and women of all ages as they share their incredible spinning and weaving skills. 9.00am – 1.00pm at Woodturners Cottage, 238 Mudgeeraba Road.
24 SEPTEMBER DZ Deathrays, Miami It’s been a while between Gold Coast shows, but DZ Deathrays are back. Miami Tavern, doors open 8.00pm
17 SEPTEMBER
30 SEPTEMBER
Rare Treasures workshop, Austinville
Comedy in the Basement, Bundall
Explore the rare plants and animals of the Gold Coast in this very special series of workshops that continues through October and November. Register 07 5667 5972
Ashley Fils-Anne brings the laugh with doors at 6.30pm. Comedy in the Basement is at The Arts Centre Gold Coast.
17 SEPTEMBER Wallapalooza, Mudgeeraba Genre-bending, action-packed and totally free, Wallapalooza is back for 2016 with the biggest lineup ever. Event runs from midday at Wallaby Hotel and includes King of the North, Hanlon Brothers, Darkc3ll, Benny D Williams, Free The Genie, Junket Pump, Chelsea Rockwells, Baltimore Gun Club and more.
29 SEPTEMBER Media and marketing boot-camp, Brisbane Blank GC has joined forces with Kitty Kitty Bang Bang for one killer bootcamp for artists, musicians and entrepreneurs, 10.00am – 12.30pm. More at powerupseries.com
1 OCTOBER Cuisine on the Green, Surfers Paradise A street food fiesta every Saturday night at Surfers Paradise Golf Club. Free entry, live entertainment, 25 food stalls from 5.00pm
17 - 18 SEPTEMBER Coast Acoustics Festival, Nerang More than 30 acts for free at Country Paradise Parklands including Round Mountain Girls, Hillbilly Goats, Mama Juju and the Jam Tarts plus food, craft stalls, environment displays and kid’s activities. Opens 10.00am.
Until 22 SEPTEMBER I Was Here exhibition, Currumbin Dion Parker illustrated the last cover of Blank GC – the first artists to ever do so, he’s a popular SWELL artist and the resident artist for Gold Coast Music Awards. His debut solo exhibition opens 27 August at Dust Temple, Currumbin Creek Road.
FOR MORE VISIT BLANKGC.COM.AU
Proud presenting partner of the
Gold Coast
Music Awards
www.blankgc.com.au
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COSMIC DARKWAVE TRAVELLERS
Heavy duty intergalactic two piece Tesla Cøils have chosen to call the Gold Coast their earthly abode. And for local music lovers seeking an unhinged yet catchy dose of retro-future electro-pop with lashings of dark electronica, this is a wonderful thing. With debut EP Emergence Of The Cosmic Monolith unleashed today, Anthony Gebhardt received interplanetary correspondence from the celestial duo: analog synth maestro slash baritone vocalising Jed A. Wølters and cyber-tronic drummer Chris Dennis. You won the Hard Rock Rising Band competition from a field of incredible Gold Coast talent. What has this opportunity meant for you? We knew we were up against some superb local talent. We didn't know how we'd be received, especially since our sound is quite 'out there' and weird compared to most local favorites. When our name was announced as the winners, everything went in slow motion; it was such an amazing surprise! We were also so warmed from the praise we received from the fantastic judges, all of whom were such revered and celebrated local legends. How long have Tesla Cøils been together? And what was the catalyst for forming? When I was very young I was abducted by aliens, and on my travels I met Chris playing in a Cantina band at the Titania Spaceport. There was an unfortunate laser shootout and most of his band were incinerated, so I took him with me on my return to Earth. The time came in 2014 when I had written a bunch of new songs, and he was the obvious choice to help bring them to life, as he had now become one of the best live drummers on the Gold Coast. You have a bold, expansive sound and people may be surprised to discover that you're able to deliver this as a two piece. Did you always envisage this project as just the two of you? I have been performing under the Tesla Cøils name since way back in 2012 when it was just me and my synth, and I would play a lot of open mic nights, testing my songs out. Over the years I have experimented with extra players, but it was so hard to get them all together in the one place at one time! However I knew I wanted a real live drummer instead of looped beats - I didn't just want to be that guy who rocks up to the gig and hits play on his laptop and fist-pumps at the crowd. Chris' heavy hitting style was a perfect fit for the solid industrial sound I wanted. Do you consider yourself as part of any 'dark wave electronic' scene or are you catering to a varied demographic when you play shows?
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There isn't really a heavy electronic scene in Australia, let alone Queensland. I guess most electronic artists are jumping on the electro-soul, Chet Faker bandwagon or producing commercial dance music for clubs and festivals. We take more influence from the dark side of the 80's, such as Gary Numan, Joy Division, Throbbing Gristle, which unfortunately there isn't a great demand for. But we don't care because we love standing out from the crowd.
analog synths it was like discovering a new world, where I could create sounds that transcended space and time, something I couldn't do before with a guitar. They are all so old and they have imperfections, glitches and sometimes they sound like they are melting, but that's the beauty of them. You can’t get that kind of sound from a digital synth or plugins. Lyrically I wanted to display a lot of my raw emotions, but hide them just a tiny bit behind narratives and metaphors.
However I do see some more darker electronic artists emerging in Australia, like Brisbane's Rebel Yell, Pleasure Symbols, and SCRAPS, all of whom are amazing live! There is also Bodies, a good friend of mine out of Melbourne, and of course City Calm Down.
In addition the EP also has a visual component. Which means each track has its own film clip and follows a narrative which you can watch from start to finish. We filmed and directed our own music videos. You'll see footage of us soaring through space on our instruments, me brandishing a laser gun and fighting off a hoard of evil mutants, and a deranged psycho holding me in captivity and torturing me with sharp things. It's an audio-visual journey through time and space.
Both of you are involved in other musical projects; Jed with The Blackwater Fever and Aquila Young and Chris with AZREAL and Veal. How do you prioritise your time around them? The key to juggling them all is to organise things in advance and go out of your way to move things around. Chris's metal band AZREAL have a constant flow of shows, but we always seem to work around that schedule. Even though I'm constantly writing music for Tesla Cøils, I'm simultaneously working on new music with The Blackwater Fever, and I also do some session bass playing for neo soul act Pirates of the Tempest. It's all about organising, prioritising, and working as hard as you can constantly!
You're also playing some shows shortly to support the EP launch. What can we expect from you guys in the live setting? We take the recorded songs and expand on them for the live setting. I have a live synth rig I have been developing for quite some time, consisting of a vintage Roland SH101, a MicroKorg, and a Roland SPD SX sampling pad. It’s such a simple yet engaging live setup.
Bowie, of course. We wouldn't be here without him. And anything Brian Eno touches is pure gold in my opinion - Roxy Music, Devo, Talking Heads. We were actually once referred to at a gig as a cross between Talking Heads and Mighty Boosh!
On top of that I give Chris free rein to expand his drum patterns beyond the recorded material - it makes the set more organic and unpredictable, and lets us jam out the songs in all sorts of weird and whacked out ways. When we play live, there is this other-worldly presence that takes hold of me... maybe it’s my extra-terrestrial background. There is usually a point when I end up flailing on the floor or dragging my synth off the stage to tweak it in the audience. I really can't describe it, I just do it because it feels right.
You’ve just dropped your debut EP Emergence of the Cosmic Monolith. Can you tell us about the creation and development of the record?
FULL INTERVIEW AT BLANKGC.COM.AU
Besides the aforementioned influences are there any other acts that you see as shaping your trajectory?
Our debut EP is a collection of songs written over the past few years that tell a story. Basically I'm a vintage analog synth nerd, I'm a collector, I own about ten right now. When I discovered
SOUNDS OF THE GOLD COAST ON SHOW AT SWELL
TESLA CØILS’ DEBUT EP EMERGENCE OF THE COSMIC MONOLITH, IS OUT NOW. AS WELL AS SCORING A SLOT IN THE GOLD COAST SHOWCASE AT BIGSOUND ALONGSIDE AQUILA YOUNG AND LANE HARRY X IKE CAMPBELL, THE DUO HIT EXPRESSIVE GROUND FOR KREATIVE KOMMUNE ON 17 SEPTEMBER.
The team at SWELL Sculpture Festival have cranked up the sounds to accompany the sights of one of the City’s longest running arts festival. Over two weekends some of the Gold Coast’s best talent will grace The Green, right on the foreshore at Currumbin Beach. Gold Coast Music Awards Artist of the Year Hussy Hicks play a rare hometown show (they’ve just returned from a full European festival season) and Emerging Artist of the Year Leopold’s Treat and finalists for that category IVEY and Benny D Williams are also on the lineup. Perennial favourites A French Butler Called Smith, Felicity Lawless, The Lyrical, Cheap Fakes, Ella Fence and CC The Cat will perform alongside a host of other acts.
Image: Dan Maynard Photography
Samantha Morris Presented by
&
16 local artists in total will entertain and delight across two weekends from 2.00 – 6.45pm. As well as music (and of course the sculpture festival itself) there will be food trucks and beanbags for lazy spring afternoons soaking in local culture and world-class sounds.
DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF MUSIC
SEPTEMBER
Friday 2 September / 8pm / $10 Entry Lure + Just Monday + Nowhere Else + Bixby Canyon
Saturday 10 September | A French Butler Called Smith + Felicity Lawless + Benny D Williams + Nicky Convine
Friday 9 September / 8pm / $10 Entry Sacred Shrines Single Launch + Wren Klauf + Syrup, Go On + Wootton Major
Sunday 11 September | The Lyrical + Marshall O’Kell + Josh Lovegrove + Katia Demeester
Friday 23 September / 8pm / $10 Entry Kobrakai + Silkacid + Monster Fodder + Unfinished Business
TIX ON SALE NOW . SEP 7-9 . BIGSOUND.ORG.AU
Saturday 17 September | Cheap Fakes + CC The Cat + Ella Fence + Sean Fitzgerald
Friday 16 September / 8pm / $15 Entry Flaming Wrekage (Syd) Cataclysm Tour + Nescient + Those Who Endure + Blood of the Lannisters
Friday 30 September / 8pm / $10 Entry Radolescent + Planet + The Straays + Rachel Gilligan Restaurant + Bar + Gaming Serving tapas until 10pm Courtesy bus available – 5534 2322 www.currumbincreektavern.com.au
Sunday 18 September | Hussy Hicks + IVEY + Leopold’s Treat + Holly Major Image: Benny D Williams by Lamp Photography
BIGSOUND FESTIVAL
The full lineup is:
SWELL SCULPTURE FESTIVAL RUNS 9 – 18 SEPTEMBER. MORE AT SWELLSCULPTURE. COM.AU.
www.blankgc.com.au
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Image: Lamp Photography
Image: Lamp Photography
THE WEIRD SCIENCE OF SWITCHKRAFT A swastika made out of ice pipes. That’s a scene in the video for Switchkraft’s upcoming single and it pretty much sums up the Gold Coast duo. Irreverent, visual, blurred boundaries, no filter. Freddy Holler and Carey O’Sullivan are wearing white jumpsuits when they sit down. The jumpsuits have velcro strips wrapped around the arms and legs where LED lights attach for maximum visual effect. They’re about to launch their single Ice Elation – a satirical offering that explores the story of Adolf Hitler who unbeknown to most was a rampant methamphetamine addict. The pair said Switchkraft gives them the opportunity to do something where the rules are fluid. Carey’s work with Tijuana Cartel and Freddy’s regular DJ clients have expectations attached. “We just wanted to do something where there are no rules and no limits,” Freddy explained. “We can make whatever the hell we want and it doesn’t matter.” They’ve been slowly gaining a fanbase while simultaneously flying under the radar – no mean feat. They performed Emerge Creative Conference in WA – an audiovisual festival covering all sorts of media that saw them play in a 100-yearold winery. And also in WA they played Blazing Swan Festival – Australia’s answer to Burning Man – which runs for seven days next to a big salt lake in the West Australian desert. Weird Science will be a multi-dimensional sound and visual extravaganza at The Avalon Miami on 3 September. It pre-empts the official launch of Ice Elation. As well as Switchkraft, there’s System Addikt (AKA Marty Harris), Static Structures, Free The Genie, Puzahki, Sauce, Levans and Di Human. “It was going to be just a Switchkraft gig, but it’s got out of hand,” he said. “Six acts, big visual-display thing, it’s a festival almost. We’re expecting 200 or more people,” Freddy said. Unlike many Avalon gigs, this one will be licensed and ticketed. Samantha Morris
WEIRD SCIENCE IS AT THE AVALON MIAMI, SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER, WEIRDSCIENCE.LIVE.
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www.blankgc.com.au
SYRUP, GO ON. IN BRIEF. Being around in one form or another since 2014 and with roots firmly planted in the postpunk sphere, Syrup, Go On are moving on “to a more detailed and colourful sound” in the future. Mella Bunker chatted to the four-piece before they moved toooooo far. They are Ken Kimura (drums), Liz Dick (vocals + bass), Tom Briese (vocals + guitar) and Kris Briese (guitar). What’s the one piece of advice you’d give an aspiring musician? Listen to a plethora of music and consume foods high in tryptophan - foods like tofu and salmon. Of course, you must give yourself time to enter those heavenly REM sleep cycles for this to work well. Your dreams will become more vivid and very fun. Listening to a lot of music from many genres is probably the next best thing to avoid becoming stale and confined to one sound - Tom If you could take five bands on a roadtrip around Australia, who would you choose? I would have to take Supercar, Built to Spill, Violent Soho, PUP and Dinosaur Jr. Dinosaur Jr. will be in the front seat because they seem the most responsible out of the lot, with J Mascis on AUX duties. Violent Soho, PUP and Built to Spill will be in the back ripping cones and Supercar will be in the trunk, helping our car be super - Kris What brought you to this focus right now? Ever since I was very young I have always been infatuated by many styles and genres. There was a time period in high school when I would play and perform regularly, but as time went on, I felt as though I lost interest in physically playing and started to just enjoy going to gigs. Thankfully, I came across some very talented musicians who have taken me under their shoegazy wing and refreshed the wonderful satisfaction of playing live music - Liz
SYRUP, GO ON ARE HITTING RICS BAR ON 25 AUGUST AND BLACK BEAR LODGE ON 15 SEPTEMBER. FULL INTERVIEW AT BLANKGC. COM.AU
HANGIN’ FIVE WITH NAPOLEONIC WARS Named after the wars fought under Napoleon Bonaparte’s leadership in the early 1800s, this Gold Coast four-piece reflect their namesake with unabashed organised chaos. Their EP You Disgust Me, but I can Relate (which we loved) was released in February 2016 and their new video for Devil’s Snare is due this month. Mella Bunker asked Jake Morton a few questions. What do you love most about living on the GC? The best thing about the Gold Coast, is how spread out it is. A day out in Burleigh is a total contrast to Mt Tamborine. When I have a day off, I can do something different virtually every time. Tell us about the best gig you’ve ever played? Our EP launch in February. We got to celebrate our release with some of our favourite local acts and share it with our fans. The atmosphere was pretty sick, we had monitors set up showing all this scrambled footage. There was a lot of energy in the room we all just kept bouncing off. What are your thoughts on the GC music scene? The scene is going through some peculiar things now. It’s become an interesting melting pot of genres and personalities. A really cool aspect is the variety of experimental, underground bands, movements that are springing up. You have the 90's nostalgia of Wren Klauf, Tesla Coils in the electronic department and Blind Girls doing crazy things for the EMO-hardcore scene. In the background you have Blank, Rabbit Radio and people like Guy Cooper doing their best to showcase what we as a city have to offer. If you could take five bands on a roadtrip, who do you choose? Wren Klauf, Basil’s Kite, Basement, Emery and Mineral. The most under-rated musician right now? Omar Rodríguez-López, the guy is a genius and inspiration. As a guitarist his approach is refreshing, especially his use of unresolved dissonance and effects. His work with At The Drive In and The Mars Volta is probably the biggest influence on us and it would be safe to say he laid the groundwork for a lot of people involved with this genre.
NAPOLEONIC WARS PLAY AN ALL-AGES SHOW, GRIFFITH GOLD COAST DRAMA THEATRE, 9 SEPTEMBER.
LANE X IKE GROW UP WITH YOUTH Lane-Harry and Ike Campbell are, quite simply, machines. Their fecund 21-year-old minds are constantly generating new material. With an extensive back catalogue that many industry veterans would be proud to call their own, the personable hip-hop duo have released their most musically mature album to date: the rather interestingly titled YOUTH. Blank’s Natalie O’Driscoll caught up with them following the album’s release.
And won, it seems. Following the set, the publicist came up and asked to be sent YOUTH. Two weeks later, Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell were signed to a new publicity deal with Call and Response, joining the ranks of several popular Australian acts. So what’s all the fuss about then? While YOUTH shows some distinct musical development from both the guys, it is also designed to appeal to a younger audience – hence the title. In a previous interview with Blank’s editor, Lane summed up the concept.
“We’ve had nothing but positive feedback,” says Lane. His trademark flyaway hair is barely contained under one of what must be dozens of caps.
“There’s heaps of subtle references to our childhood,” he said. “Our new song San Luca has a sample from The Horse with Striped Pyjamas by Captain Kangaroo – a song my grandparents used to sing to me when I was a kid.”
I can’t help but show surprise. Does he mean no one has criticised them?
“Some 15-year-old kid doesn’t want to hear about some intense breakup. YOUTH is for a younger audience.”
“Well no, I mean sometimes people say something we’ve done is really bad and then I’ll take a look at the stuff that they like, and it’s really bad, so…” he trails off.
In keeping with that idea, there is also much less swearing on the album. Lane remembers the moment he decided to clean things up a little.
Oh, such confidence. Sometimes it can be hard to tell when Lane is joking and when he’s serious. Ike sits quietly next to him, occasionally shaking his head, an amused smile on his face.
“I was at my girlfriend’s house and her whole family was over, extended rellies and shit… children and old people. And they wanted to hear some of my music so they played Netflix [Sample lyrics are ‘I ain’t seen this bitch since high school now she’s drunk as fuck and high too’] that was our most recent song and our best video… I could feel the tension in the air like this guy will not stop swearing in front of the children! Everyone was in a bit of shock. That’s the moment I thought I really need to write some music that people’s families can listen to, so now we have three songs with no swearing at all.”
The relationship between the talented two began at Griffith University several years ago, and has turned out to be better than either of them could have imagined. A seemingly perfect match, they immediately began to create sounds that would make Australian hip-hop heavyweights sit up and take notice. Last year they toured Japan, although when I say “they”, I mean Lane and their producer, Guy Cooper. Ike was on holidays. In June the men premiered YOUTH to a packed and appreciative throng at Brisbane’s The Triffid in support of Remi and Seth Sentry. Although again, when I say the men, I am referring to Lane and Guy. Ike looks sheepish. “I wasn’t there.” I raise an eyebrow. “I know, I know! I just keep booking holidays,” he chuckles. As it turned out, Lane was able to not just perform their new (somewhat edited) album with half the original act missing, he also managed to grab the attention of Seth Sentry’s publicist. Perhaps, at least initially, not the way he’d intended. “Before the show there was this bloke sitting by himself and I said ‘Hey mate are you the sound guy, what’s going on’ and he and said ‘no I’m Seth’s publicist.’” Another head shake from Ike. I giggle. Lane, unfazed, continues. “I said ‘Hey are you looking for clients?’ and he said ‘Not really.’ He seemed like a really cool guy, so I said ‘Man watch our set cause we have the best set’ and I never played a show so hard in my life… it was like Rio, I was competing for the gold medal.”
The duo are technically a duo no longer, with the recent addition of DJ Joel Johnston to the act. The addition of a DJ means that Ike is now free to roam the front of the stage with Lane, concentrating more on his vocals during the live performances. As the biggest change is for Ike, I’m curious as to how he perceives it. “I was always keen on the idea,” he states. “Back last year we had the idea of doing it especially when you play bigger shows having two people out the front is a lot more engaging for the audience. It’s good to have a back up there I can freely move around and enjoy myself more. I'm on a lot more songs on this album.” No doubt these changes, as well as their new publicity deal, will see the continuing musical evolution of Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell. In light of their signing with Call and Response, YOUTH will be re-released later in the year, with a few extra songs added in the hopes of an entry into the US and European markets, something the guys have long desired. As for what else they have coming up for fans to look out for, Lane gives an incredibly Lane response. “We've got a music video about to drop called Keith Richards, and it's going to revolutionise the Keith industry. The name Keith will never be the same. It will change the way people listen to music.” Ike cracks up. “That’s a huge call for a song that's already out.” Hey, if anyone can do it, these guys can.
The album is thematic in concept, and it comes across musically too - this collection feeling much more cohesive than anything offered by the guys in the past. I ask how much work went into developing the musical themes, and yet again am surprised. “There wasn’t a plan actually,” shrugs Ike. “We just started making music and we just got more and more songs compiled, and then we got an idea of what we wanted.” With that in mind, I’m curious if the duo are actually capable of pinpointing the moments that their sound evolves into something different. Lane answers first. “With the new album, I think three times we were like ‘this is the best song we’ve ever made.’ Holland, over a year ago, then (first single from the album) Rendezvous, we wouldn’t LANE HARRY X IKE CAMPBELL ARE stop going on about it to each other… and then we made PLAYING THE GOLD Strangers while Ike was in Thailand and ICOAST did the SHOWCASE vocals on AT BIGSOUND, THURSDAY that and sent it to him and it was a real vibe.” 8 SEPTEMBER,
12.30 - 2.00PM. OPEN TO BIGSOUND
Ike has a differentTICKET-HOLDERS feeling about it. ONLY.
“There's not a definite point I notice when we're changing but when we listen to each album then it’s clear. The majority of the difference comes from maturity.”
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BUSKERS DROPS FIRST LINEUP. AND IT’S H U G E ! Gold Coast’s Buskers by the Creek is fast becoming one of the world’s largest busking festivals and this year’s event will be bigger than ever with more than 250 performers delighting some 20,000 people along the shores of Currumbin Creek. Headlining this year’s event, which runs 14 – 16 October is 12 times Golden Guitarwinner and multi ARIA Award-nominee, Adam Brand.
FULL FIRST LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT Adam Brand, Ruby Rubberlegs, Electrik Lemonade, Melon the Human, Leopold’s Treat, Kenny Slide, Ash Perrow, Kim Banffy Duo, Jenna Dearness Dark, Chrisalis, Salt & Steel, Brooke Lambert, Out of Range, Harry J Hart, Joza, Eleea Navarro, Julian Bull, Emma Whines, Catherine Gunther, Lincoln Hillard, Clare Lethbridge, Phoebe Sinclair, Neta, Live & Tom, Alexander William, Daneel & The Feel, Shukura Chapman, Melissa NIchols, Oliver Twohill, Celtic Cowboys, Meerdogs, Hyper Circus, Rod Nerva.
“I just love the whole idea of Buskers by the Creek,” he said, “I started my career busking and I think we are going to see the next generation of artists getting their start at festivals like this.” Adam is joined by human rag doll, Ruby Rubberlegs who will twist, bend, contort and fold her body into unimaginable proportions in a transparent glass box for all to see. Also on the lineup are Emerging Artist of the Year winners, Leopold’s Treat, multiaward finalists, Electrik Lemonade and local favourites Ash Perrow and Kenny Slide to name but a few.
Erin Bourne asked Festival Director Cindy Jensen how the event has evolved over its three years. “It’s grown astronomically overnight. The quality of talent applying has blown us away,” Cindy told Blank Gold Coast. “Over 500 applications were received this year, with emails still received on a daily basis,” she said, explaining that a portion of the lineup is available for kids and community groups. “We look for a point of difference (as well as talent),” she said and point of different is no problem. “We had a guy apply who wanted to bring his baby cheetah cubs for playtime,” Cindy said. “Bizarre!” Kicking off the massive creekside event is Battle of the Buskers at Currumbin Creek Tavern on 14 October. In the ultimate showdown of busking brilliance, the event’s top emerging talent play-off to win $10,000 in prizes, including a coveted spot on the Bluesfest Busking stage, a recording at Love Street Studios, publicity package with Kitty
Kitty Bang Bang and a media marketing package from Blank GC. Cindy said all applications to the event are considered for a berth at the Battle. And as if all of that wasn’t enough, the 2016 Buskers by the Creek program showcases even more of the region’s best emerging talent with the a special SEED showcase on the Saturday night. And that’s not all. “This year we're back in the water, with professional BMX and skateboarding displays brought to us by SPENT,” Cindy said. “This is care of a ‘floating’ BMX and skateboard half pipe. The half pipe will become the place to be on Saturday night with Energy Entertainments performing their thundering fire show.” Samantha Morris and Erin Bourne
BUSKERS BY THE CREEK RUNS 14 – 16 OCTOBER AND MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT BUSKERSBYTHECREEK.COM.AU.
HANLON BROTHERS’ NEW IMPROV ALBUM The Hanlon Brothers are actually brothers. Well, two of the band are. Saia Hanlon and Omar Hanlon have a well documented connection to the Gold Coast and Burleigh in particular. It’s where they grew up, it’s where they live and work now. When we met for their photoshoot it was in an alleyway in Burleigh. When we get together to chat Gold Coast music, it’s in a café in Burleigh. Saia teaches drums there. And they’re quick to spruik the connection.
“This album is exciting for us as it’s another line of material we’re heading down,” Saia said. “Aside from our usual studio albums, it’s a fun process.”
2015-16 has been a big year for the band and for Saia and Omar in particular. They were the first ever musicians named Emerging Artist of the Year at a Gold Coast Music Awards, which saw them go on to talks with major labels such as Warner Music and Roc Nation. They scored a coveted spot at Woodford Folk Festival and played to rave reviews. They were the headlining act for the Gold Coast Music Awards in 2016, they’ve been added to Wallapalooza’s genre-killing bill and they’ve just released an album of improvised music recorded live at Brisbane’s Jazz Club. If that’s not ballsy, I don’t know what is.
It’s no surprise that Hanlons’ fanbase loves their improv music. The band first made a name for themselves running weekly improv nights at much-loved Swingin’ Safari. And when they livestream their sets, thousands of people watch every week.
Around busy media commitments, teaching drumming, weekly residencies and corporate gigs, Saia Hanlon spoke about their new improv album Live Improv Sessions Vol. 1.
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“We start with some chordal arrangements, play a groove and then ask the crowd for some words and voila. A song created from thin air. It’s a journey for the listener because they come on a ride musically and hear the song unfold as they listen.”
“We’re lucky that our fans grow with us,” Saia said. “We love trying new styles and ways to create music and with this new album, we have gained some new fans in the jazz world.” “Can't complain about a steady growing fan base,” he said. 2017 will bring a new studio album for the Hanlon Brothers with “a new direction”.
“We also will be heading to Sydney for Live Improv Album Vol 2. We have found a place that records directly to vinyl,” Saia said. “We’ll also be opening a Hanlon Brothers studio in Burleigh, which will be a recording all our studio albums and a teaching space.” “And lastly, we’re releasing our first video.” You can see the Hanlon Brothers every Wednesday night at The Avenue. Samantha Morris
HANLON BROTHERS PLAY WALLAPALOOZA ON SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER AND THEIR LIVE IMPROV SESSION VOL. 1 IS AVAILABLE ON ITUNES.
#creativegold The Last Blast Made by The Farm Image courtesy of Bleach* Festival
CHELSEA ROCKWELLS Sean “Deanus” Dalton (drums), Jay Vincent (bass / vocals) and Nathan “Millsy” Mills (guitar) are Chelsea Rockwells. A rock band. They’re sitting opposite me at Warehouse No. 5 at Burleigh and it’s their first proper magazine photoshoot. “One we haven’t done ourselves anyway,” they laugh. They’re wrapping up their EP and about to release another single following their first titled Aztec. They’re also about to be serviced by Footstomp. The response to Aztec has been good. “It’s been positive,” they tell me. “Other local bands that we like really dug it and gave us accolades and Asho (Footstomp) loves it too. “We’re a brand new band with no following on Facebook, and that lifted over that one week of hype when the song was released,” Millsy said.
As a band Jay and Millsy have played together for a “long time” including in Gold Coast outfit Stellar Green, but as this three-piece known as Chelsea Rockwells, it hasn’t been long at all. Their first gig was in February. “We’ve played about eight gigs now. Or maybe ten. Or twelve. We’ve had a couple of really cool shows,” Jay said.
Image: Lamp Photography
“It’s been hard to book good shows,” he said. “We’re an unknown, nobody knows who we are.”
well in the Hard Rock Rising competition where they were one of only four Gold Coast bands to make the finals.
Sean says that’s changed a little since the single was released.
“It was great. We were in the middle of recording at Loose Stones with Matt at that time,” Jay said.
“We’re having people ask us about shows now,” Jay said.
“That was a bit of a rockstar week. We were in the studio, had to go to Hard Rock gig, we had a Currumbin gig, we were living that moment.”
Chelsea Rockwell’s sound is unabashedly rock. Big rock. With lots of riff-driven guitar. Having only performed together for a short while, some were surprised to see them do so
Chelsea Rockwell’s second single Stone is due for release soon, with a filmclip to accompany and their debut EP will follow in October.
CHELSEA ROCKWELLS ARE AT TRIFFID ON 25 AUGUST AND WALLAPALOOZA ON 17 SEPTEMBER.
I’M EVERY WOMAN Trevor Ashley transforms into the world’s legendary divas! Fri 7 Oct, 8pm
LADIES & GENTLEMEN THE SONGS OF GEORGE MICHAEL
ANTHONY CALLEA The hits of a pop icon by an ARIA Award winning artist Sat 8 Oct, 8pm
GLITTER RACE DAY A smashing, positively dashing spectacle! Sat 8 Oct, 11.30am – 5pm
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PSYCHO
STRYCHNINE
BOSS HOSS
THE WITCH
HE’S WAITIN’
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HUSSY HICKS HOMERUN They’re hard to pin down, the Hussy Hicks. While taking out Artist of the Year at the Gold Coast Music Awards, they watched from the lobby of a hotel in Brussels, crowded around a laptop. They were mid-way through their regular run of European summer festivals and not due back in the country for six weeks. Samantha Morris exchanged Facebook messages and emails to piece together where things are at with chief hussies Leesa Gentz and Julz Parker. Congratulations on winning Artist of the Year at Gold Coast Music Awards. How did it feel to win? Julz: it was great seeing mum and dad accept the award on our behalf. We found out we had won a couple of days earlier when we were in Osnabruck, Germany and were both really stoked and surprised. There are so many great artists doing their thing on the Goldy, it was a real honour to be recognised for making music the way we do. Hussy Hicks is more than just Julz Parker and Leesa Gentz. Tell me about the rest of the band? Julz: Tracy 'Bassy' Stephens has always been an integral part of the band. We've been hanging tight since high school. I first heard Trace play guitar in her very early stages - she was learning songs from tablature, but misread the chords and was playing them upside down.... but with great rhythm. We jammed a bit and she turned the chords around, kept her rhythm and is now one of our favourite musicians anywhere. She has an uncanny ability to just never play a wrong note. She once said things always go wrong if she is put on the poster though so we've been playing it safe in that regard ever since but don't let that fool you - she is a total Hussy! For our sets at the 2011 Bluesfest we wanted to play with a full band, but needed a drummer who would be sensitive to the sound we'd created. We'd been friends with Rohan Hems since I'd played with him as a teenager in the Phil Emmanuel Band. He played bass, then drums, is also a great guitar player and sings too, so we were really lucky that he was available and keen to get involved. Since then we've toured heaps with the full band and a lot of the show has evolved around the sound the four of us create together. We were stoked to finally be able to do a European tour with Trace and Rohan.
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What were the highlights from this trip? Julz: 40 shows!!! We crammed in a lot in May when Tracy and Rohan were over here mostly Germany and the Netherlands with the full band. Lees and I stayed on in duo mode and have played shows and festivals in Italy, France, Switzerland, and the UK and recorded an acoustic album we'll be coming back to release in Germany. Crowds ranged from tiny rooms where you could barely squeeze 60 or 70 in, to festival crowds of a couple of thousand. Leesa: This year we did a bunch of our "regular" venues in Germany - lots of familiar faces. It was pretty cool to play those shows with the band. One of our favourite venues is the Fahrradkeller in Berlin, which translates to Bicycle Cellar. It's the tiniest little room and was full to the brim for our gig... the guy who runs it is a passionate music lover and an old rocker so we kinda let loose and went the full rock show, complete with Julz crowd surfing a seated room while playing a solo. Southport Sharks have supported the GC Music Awards since its first year. how important are venues like these to the local music scene. Julz: It’s really important that we have venues supporting live music all over the coast from little pop up cafes to big clubs like Sharks. It's especially nice though when you see bigger clubs like Sharks getting behind original local music. What’s on the horizon for Hussy Hicks? Leesa: Plenty of new music, we got the ball rolling in a friend’s studio in London, laying down some basic tracks for new tunes and there's endless pages of scrawl in each of our writing books that we'll be working through. We don't have too much time off though, we're playing bits and pieces up and down the east coast until we head back to Germany to play an acoustic guitar tour in November. We're releasing an acoustic album with German record label Acoustic Music Records, to coincide so there will be plenty to keep us busy right up until the end of the year.
HUSSY HICKS PLAY SWELL SOUNDS, 18 SEPTEMBER AND NIGHTQUARTER, 22 OCTOBER. HUSSY'S NEW SINGLE WHOLE LOTTA IS OUT FRIDAY 2 SEPTEMBER. MORE AT HUSSYHICKS.COM.
Congratulations to the talented Hussy Hicks on receiving “Artist of the Year” at the Gold Coast Music Awards on June 16 at Burleigh Brewing Company!
For the second year in a row, Southport Sharks and Cabana Bar & Lounge proudly sponsored the Artist of the Year award at the annual Gold Coast Music Awards. We would like to congratulate all nominees, especially award winners Julz Parker and Leesa Gentz from Hussy Hicks. This award recognises Hussy Hick’s impressive journey as a local band from the Gold Coast and the success of their latest albums “That Old Heartache” and “Lucky Joe’s Wine and other tales from Dog River”. Hussy Hicks truly epitomise
5532 1155 Cnr. Musgrave & Olsen Aves, Southport southportsharks.com.au Find us on
the incredible depth of talent that exists on the Gold Coast and Southport Sharks have enjoyed their live sets at the club on numerous occasions. Along with Hussy Hicks, both Ella Fence and the Hanlon Brothers have played featured sets at either Southport Sharks or Cabana Bar & Lounge. We are honoured to support the local music scene on the on the Gold Coast and enjoy sharing these talented individuals and groups with our Sharks members and ever-growing community!
WOMEN LINE UP FOR LAUGHS
September sees Jupiters double down on the laughs with its regular Laugh Your Pants Off being followed up by Kinsmen & Co. Both events play host to a stellar lineup of comedians from around Australia, including three very different women in comedy. Gold Coast legend Ellen Briggs has long been renowned for her habit of saying the things we all think (but never say). Natalie O'Driscoll tested out that theory by shooting her a couple of questions. If you could make it so that every man and every woman on the planet had to swap a gendered experience just once, which experiences would you choose to swap and why? Ellen: I would give men big boobs, and then make them run really fast, whilst carrying really heavy bags, through the rain, past a whole bunch of men who have nothing else to do but watch intently. I'll leave that to the imagination to work out how that feels. I would love to be able to read a slightly ambiguous text message from a girlfriend and not over analyse it, like a bloke would. Blokes get messages that say something like "Not coming to your party" and they just take it as Bob not coming to the party - no dramas, more food and beer for me!! Women would get that and send themselves into a frenzy and think about every conversation they've had with Bob and what might have made him change his mind about coming to the party. In fact the party would probably be cancelled. I would also love to be able to go to bed like a man. When a bloke says he's going to bed, he actually gets up and goes to bed. When a woman says she's going to bed, it actually means she's starting the half hour of chores to prepare for bed. I would love to just be able to get up and walk to bed, then lay down. I may never know what that is like. What's the funniest joke you've ever heard from one of your kids? Ellen: Why did the banker quit his job? Because he lost interest. It's not the funniest joke in the world, but when the kid told it, the other kid didn't get it, and the conversation that stemmed from it was hilarious. Relative newcomer Katie Burch is cracking audiences up with her deadpan delivery. We thought we’d get a little up close and personal with this ‘one to watch’. When did you realise that comedy was the path you wanted to tread? Katie: I didn't really have a magical moment. I started out telling dick jokes on the playground when I was seven. Then when I was 18 I went to a comedy club in Sydney and thought “I'm funnier than that loser”. Then I got rejected from acting school. Then I went through a religious stage. Then when I had post natal depression, I thought this baby stuff is bullshit, I might try comedy.
Do you think that being funny is a skill that someone can learn, or you either have it or you don't? Katie: I dunno, this question makes me feel like the authority on comedy. I'm going to say yes, you can learn it. But people who've been making friends and family laugh their whole lives have a head start. Apparently everyone sucks at stand up for the first 10 years anyway, it's just whether you can handle being humiliated for long enough to get good I guess. Finally we asked for some words of wisdom from one of Australia’s showbiz stalwarts, Denise Drysdale. What are some of the main traits or skills you consider integral to longevity in Australian comedy? Denise: You need to be able to do anything and be incredibly versatile. Also, always say yes [chuckles].
SAY YES TO TWO GREAT EVENINGS OF ENTERTAINMENT BY VISITING TICKETEK OR CALLING THE BOX OFFICE ON 132 489. LAUGH YOUR PANTS OFF IS FRIDAY 2 SEPTEMBER AND KINSMEN AND CO. IS SHOWING ON SATURDAY 10 SEPTEMBER. TICKETS ON SALE NOW.
STILLNESS IN TIME Lisa Sorbie Martin is an Indigenous artist known for her textile work. Hailing from the Torres Strait but calling Burleigh home these days, Sorbie is her traditional Torres Strait name – coming from her grandmother who originates from Murri Island. Lisa recently participated in the City’s Indigenous Artists Camp on South Stradbroke Island and she’s been accepted to exhibit in SWELL Sculpture Festival this year. Blank’s editor Samantha Morris spoke to her about her piece. What’s your experience of SWELL Sculpture Festival in the past? In relation to the SWELL Sculpture Festival, this is my first time to be involved with this incredible event – can you believe that!! I have always marveled at the exquisite sculptures those remarkable artists had created in the past and I dreamt that one day I would be making something to contribute…. well that dream is about to come true and it’s pretty darn amazing. The SWELL Sculpture Festival brings the community together and they have fun. The event is organized by a great team of people who are so supportive and encouraging. You specialise in textiles, but you’ve also done some public art work (like Broadwater Parklands) and now have a piece in SWELL, is there some consistent focus of your art irrespective of the medium? Mmm, that’s a great question Sam! I suppose my focused consistency through my art practice has been to always be learning something new and not just learning about that particular medium or genera but study it. Research, learn about other artists who have pursued that media, learn about the various techniques that can be applied and stretch those boundaries into what you can create in that art form. I love to create in this way that bends peoples thought around how art should be fashioned or must look like. For example, generally most paint a tree green I more than likely will paint it orange or make it out of stainless steel. Can you tell me about your piece Stillness in Time in SWELL Sculpture Festival?
My artwork is thought provoking and I’m hoping it will prompt people to think about what ‘culture’ means to them personally. My sculptured work was inspired by a social interaction that naturally takes place in a peaceful, vibrant, soul nurturing and invigorating place for creativity and memories. An open horizon of glistening velvet ocean, with the sounds of saltwater rhythm’s calming my mind, soul and spirit – my families for generations sit on the sand and yarn together, we talk, laugh, cry, share, explore, gather food and have fun. The beach is our sacred place, where time stands still as we enjoy our life, family and our culture. I encourage you to come nestle yourself on the sand and under the red eucalypt trees standing proudly like our ancestors who went before us and built a culture worthy of pride and honor. Repose for a moment in time amongst the business of life. The creation of this sculpture flows from a place in my heart – a passion for my culture and my people of the Torres Strait Islands and for ones who feel they do not have a culture as such or no culture in their life, I would like them to know and understand that we all have culture in us no matter where we come from and under different circumstances one’s life may have been birthed and shaped. I have created a space inspired by the iridescent red eucalypt tree that grows around our region of the Gold Coast. This art sculpture provokes one to have a mindful reflection of a truth about what culture means and how it is living and breathing in one’s heart and life – past, present and future.
SWELL SCULPTURE FESTIVAL RUNS 9 – 18 SEPTEMBER. MORE AT SWELLSCULPTURE.COM.AU. www.blankgc.com.au
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SPINNING YARNS AND WEAVING COMMUNITY
INAUGURAL ARTYZAN FAIR AT ONE ARTS ONE Arts Gold Coast was set up originally by the Burleigh Arts Group Inc in 2014 to promote and support creative people and activities. In keeping with that mission, they will be holding an Artyzan Fair in October of 2016 in order to provide a unique opportunity for artists and craftspeople to showcase handcrafted artworks in their Isle of Capri location. The concept is designed around an “artist in residence” style where the audience can see local arts and crafts being made and have the opportunity to purchase the work. The motto for the Artyzan Fair is “Hand Made in Australia”. ONE Arts Co-ordinator Carol Collins explains the philosophy behind it.
The group has around 80 members, who pay $30 a year to join and also chip in for their weekly gatherings in an old cottage in Mudgeeraba, to cover tea and coffee. While the association has been around for 36 years, Donna Turner has been president for just two years and had only been learning to spin for a few months before taking on the role. Donna says people join to either learn the craft or to share their skills. Demonstrating the craft is very important to the group, who acknowledge the importance of passing on their skill before it’s too late. “We go to libraries,” Donna said (they have a demonstration at Broadbeach library in September). And at the Mudgeeraba Show we had a weaving room set up with little looms and big ones and lots of people came in.” “In today’s throw-away clothing society, they have no concept of how things were actually made,” Donna said. “That you can still make cloth from spun yarn. And people here do. From the back of a sheep you can make clothing.” As I walk around the room I meet one lady who does just that. Glenda Jones has only been spinning for three years. She points to a man opposite us who is doing something that looks like teasing wool. “It’s called carding,” Glenda explains then shows me a fleece in her bag that has come off a sheep just days earlier. “You wash it, take all the seeds out, put it through a carder, get it fat, and then tease it 22
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out,” she said, as she shows me more wool that looks like a long sausage. “Then you can spin it, get two bobbins – fill one, fill another one, then ply it together and that gives you your plied yarn. Then you can put it on a loom or knit it into something.” Glenda pretty much learned everything from this group. She’s been to four of the camps where people donate their expertise and knowledge. “That’s why they’re passing it all on,” she said, when I asked about the aging membership. “Some of them go into schools… they demonstrate at the shows to teach younger ones.”
“The Artyzan fair was invented from an idea that local grassroots artists lack venues to showcase and sell their work. Only a small minority are picked up by mainstream galleries, the rest often acquire work over the years that often does not even get seen by the public. Some of this work is exceptional.” “We believe that true hobbyists are largely ignored with their work often not on view to the general public as they often lack the venues in which to exhibit or sell their work.” Carol continues. “ONE Arts is working with artists to curate, display and show their work. Often they find this the hardest part of creating works showing it to the public as many artists can be very sensitive and involved in their artwork.”
Midge Johansen's I'm Bad
It’s the usual weekly gathering of Gold Coast & Hinterland Spinners and Weavers when I visit, plus there are marshals on site to collect entries for the Gold Coast Show in ten day’s time. It’s a busy little space.
As I join the ladies submitting entries to the Gold Coast show I find one who’s spun yarn from the most incredible array of animals: wallaby, cat, wool, silk, alpaca, goat. Another has dyed felt from lichen – a skill learned from the books available to members.
Exhibiting at the Artyzan Fair will be popular local not for profit groups such as the Gold Coast Potters, the Gold Coast Sculptors and Spinners and Weavers, Gold Coast Magic and other artisans such as wood turners, visual artists, textile and glass artists and photographers, many of whom will be demonstrating their craft on the day. The aim is to exhibit the artistic talent of the Gold Coast in its various creative forms to local, domestic and international visitors.
GC & Hinterland Spinners and Weavers is a welcoming group and new members and visitors are always greeted with a smile and friendly yarns.
Also on display at the Artyzan Fair will be the monthly ONE Arts gallery exhibition titled Creative Quartet featuring Claire Beck (Ceramicist) Midge Johannsen (Sculptor) Anne Mossman (Potter) and Diana White (Contemporary Artist). These four women bring a wealth of artistic talent to ONE Arts, all having exhibited in numerous galleries and been headline artists in such events as Swell. It is a great opportunity to see and purchase some of these unique artistic creations.
Samantha Moris
GOLD COAST & HINTERLAND SPINNERS AND WEAVERS MEET EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 9.00AM TO 1.00PM AND EVERY FOURTH SATURDAY AT THEIR HEADQUARTERS AT THE WOODTURNERS COTTAGE, 238 MUDGEERABA ROAD. ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, THEY’LL BE PREPARING FOR MUDGEERABA’S 2017 YARN BOMBING PROJECT.
Entertainment will be featured during the day with many surprise acts. Performers so far include Chinese harpist Chin and students, accordianist Otto, Japanese drummers, multicultural dancers and more to be advised. Roving entertainment will be provided by various local community artists as well as yummy street food vendors to keep those creative juices flowing. The plan is to build support for this innovative event as the model of the Artyzan Fair is continually developed in the lead up to and during the Commonwealth Games in 2018. Natalie O'Driscoll
ARTYZAN FAIR IS SUNDAY 2 OCTOBER FROM 9.00AM TO 3.00PM AT ONE ARTS, CNR VERONA ST AND VIA ROMA ST, ISLE OF CAPRI.
LAPSE OF REASON NETS PRIZE FOR BYRON FILMMAKER Byron Bay photographer and filmmaker Evan Malcolm has just placed in the International Timelapse Film Festival film contest. His environmental documentary Lapse of Reason won third place in the Documentary / Social Commentary category in August. Lapse of Reason captures some of Australia's most dramatic natural and man-made landscapes and uses original music to help tell the story whilst moving through three distinct acts. It is a non-verbal narrative timelapse documentary showing the fragility and vulnerability of the Australian environment and how mankind's consumeristic ways are taking their toll on it. Blank’s cultural editor Natalie O’Driscoll spoke with Evan about the film.
Mainly dodging wild boars and crocodiles [laughs]. You have a few encounters because you’re out in the middle of nowhere and no one’s around, so wildlife is a part of it.
Where did you shoot and how did you choose the locations?
That project took about six months, planning pre-production and filming about two to three months, and then the editing was probably quicker. The nightscape shots, they can take anything from two to seven hours, possibly longer. You just go camp behind a rock and hopefully it’s all there in the morning.
It was more just convenience I guess. There were a couple of far and wide [locations]. With all the gear I’ve got I had to drive everywhere. There were only one or two from Arnhem Land where I flew up to for another side project. I did a big road trip out to the furthest western point of NSW and a lot of stuff between here and there. A few coastal missions through southern Queensland and through the hinterland and towards Coffs Harbour way. Obviously Sydney is in there and down to Canberra. I was hoping to have a stronger industrial content but people aren’t very happy with
you coming into coal mines and container terminals and coal ports - it was really tricky to get authorisation. Do you think that was because of the film’s message? It is very subjective. It is an environmental documentary… it’s blatantly saying that [coal is] not an ideal way forward. The wind farm guys were the only ones giving me any access which was the renewable energy angle. Apart from access, what were some of the unique challenges the filming process presented?
Were you scared? You’ve gotta have your wits about you anywhere in the outback so you’d be silly not be in some way fearful or respectful but no, not overly scared. Campfire is your best friend.
YOU CAN WATCH LAPSE OF REASON AT VIMEO. SEE MORE OF EVAN’S WORK AT EVANMALCOLM.COM.AU
How long did the project take?
What’s next? I’d like to do a similar film on a larger scale. I did start shooting a component of it last year and the whole angle changed and I actually made a separate film about the vulnerability of the outback. It’s getting screened at the Byron Bay Film Festival in October.
Image Vicky Smith
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I N D U LG E • CR E ATE • GATH E R
DThe ioFirn Ribs Exhibition st solo exhibition from the Artist
Gold Coast Open House is calling for volunteer greeters, hosts and photographers. Show pride in the City of Gold Coast, its architecture and design, and gain valuable experience working at a major Gold Coast event. Register now at goldcoastopenhouse.com.au/volunteer goldcoastopenhouse.com.au
Opening 6pm Saturd ay 27 Aug - 23 Sep
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BIG BLUE VISIONS Big Blue Sky is back for the second year with the aim of building a better city and catalysing action and collaboration across science, culture, arts, education and business. The brainchild of Christine McDougall and Lou McGregor, the event boasts a diverse range of speakers across its twoday program. Environmental Scientist Dr Catherine Ball; Primavera Research Fellow at the University of Amsterdam and founder of Foundation for Peer-to-Peer Alternatives, Michel Bauwens; and Joshua Vial founder of Enspiral are all on the program.
The event includes dawn yoga led by Emmanuel Brown at Kurrawa Park, Broadbeach with conference sessions that cover innovation, education, finance and sport and a program that is one part provocation and one part project development.
THE EVENT IS AT SOFITEL, 7 - 8 OCTOBER. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT BIGBLUESKYEVENT.COM
THE ARTS CENTRE GOLD COAST PRESENTS
Proudly supported by
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Burleigh Brewing Co. Presents
A Festival of Culture For the tastebuds
Proud presenting partner of the gold coast music awards BurleighBrewing.com.au @BurleighBrewing 2 Ern Harley Drive , Burleigh Heads (07) 5593 6000
#BurleighBrewing #LocalFlavour
Image: Lamp Photography
Claudio Kirac's The Book of Love
ACE OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS
ALUNA DREAMING FOR CLASSICAL DUO
The newly redeveloped Pac Fair may not be the first place that comes to mind for artists looking for venues to display their art, but Kit and Ace, the recently opened Canadian lux 'technical fabric' clothing store at the mega shopping centre, is supporting local artists by featuring their work in store for three to six months at a time.
work in portraiture as well and still life, but much more in abstract, collage etc. Laura and I are getting married so this exhibition is an expression of our love and how our art intertwines our love and everything we do together. These paintings came very easily to me. They were very much an outpouring of love and emotion."
The global program is part of the company's engagement with, and support of local communities, and as such, Kit and Ace does not take any commission for any artwork sold. Full sale proceeds go to the artist. Kit and Ace is owned by the wife and son of the controversial billionaire founder of Lululemon, Dennis 'Chip' Wilson. The culture of localisation of the brand is part of Kit and Ace just as it is for Lululemon.
The bright colours have been an evolving theme in Claudio's work coming from a collage, street art and graffiti background "Always a low-brow flavour fitting into a high-brow world", he says. "I did a show at St Thomas Studio on Chevron Island about three or four years ago and this style has been evolving since then."
The current featured wall artist is Claudio Kirac who has four paintings on display, which will be in store until the end of this year. Claudio has been living on the Gold Coast since 1984 when he worked with his family in building and construction. He started the Undergold Art Collective ten years ago as a platform for artists to collaborate on pop-up events, shows and exhibitions. "We actually built elsewhere nightclub and were involved with the murals and the fit out. We had our first show in Main Beach then one at elsewhere. That kind of propelled us in the underground art movement. We've moved on. Amber has moved overseas, Christian Halford is still around doing his contemporary art, and Beau moved to New York and has since passed away." Claudio worked at Billabong for 13 years as creative director and photographer. For the past five years he has had the creative consulting business, Art-Work Agency with business partner, Paul Bow, and partner in life, Laura Strange. The largest painting in the Kit and Ace exhibition is The Book of Love with three smaller paintings titled We You Me to support it. "All the paintings are an extension of my style which is colourful abstract. I do 26
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Claudio's painting style is in stark contrast to his commercial photography, a large proportion of which is of the 'Chicks in bikinis' genre. Happily laughing off the term, he says "That came from having to forge a career within design, image-making and that sort of thing. When I started, we didn't have the luxury of Instagram to promote ourselves. I just pretty much had to fight tooth and nail to have a career for 20 years first working with surfers, then landscape, then chicks in bikinis. So that would become the commercial aspect of Art-Work agency." 35mm photography is also an art form that Claudio is pursuing in the form of street art and travel captured in singular moments. In fact, he has done a series on the redevelopment of Pacific Fair and says "It's very auspicious that we are now in Pacific Fair with this exhibition showing positive change. My Hello Sunshine exhibition at Dust Temple documented the demolition of dreams and good times at Pac Fair. Hopefully we can keep the aspect of the fun of the fair at the new development and not get too serious." Pip Andreas
CLAUDIO, WHO IS REPRESENTED BY ANTHEA POLSON ART, HAS HIS WORKS AT KIT AND ACE UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR
Barbara Prestia and Angela Smith have been performing for a long time. Angela for 28 years and Barbara for at least 20. They’re classical singers, sopranos to be exact, and they’re passionate about bringing classical music to a bigger, more contemporary audience. They had the same singing teacher when Angela was a young girl, and despite the seven-year age difference, became fast friends. “We talked back then, about getting together and doing something,” Angela said. “I thought Barbara was the most beautiful lady I’d ever seen.”
The didgeridoo player in question is Russell Smith – originally from Melbourne and now living on the Gold Coast – and currently touring with Archie Roach. They’re also collaborating with Leeton Lee – a Tamborine-based visual artist. His wife designs dresses and they’re hoping to combine his designs with their performance outfits. Margaret Hunt has also been acting as Creative Director for the project. “We’re like a trio – she just doesn’t sing,” Angela said.
Fast forward to 2014 and the ladies became study buddies for their Grade 8 singing exams. Soon after, Project Puccini with Opera Queensland inspired them to start Aria Aurora.
It’s obvious Angela and Barbara are passionate about collaboration and about multicultural engagement which explains their involvement in a new organisation called Creative Music Collective Gold Coast. The group aims to work across genres while promoting classical music.
“We’ve had a few concerts at Helensvale Cultural Centre, have supported Rize Up – the domestic violence group,” Angela said. “And we do voicing, sound bowls and meditation sessions too.”
“Too long has classical music sat alone and expected people to come to it,” Angela said. “We need to bring it to the people – that’s what they do in Europe.”
But the most interesting performances by Aria Aurora – who have just renamed themselves Aluna Dreaming – are public rehearsals. They literally just lob into a public place and start singing. Saves with having to find rehearsal rooms, I guess.
The group is still in its formative phase but with a strong focus on collaboration and cross-genre events, it’s likely to gain legs quickly.
“They love it, they absolutely love it,” Angela said, when I asked about the response. “People come up and say ‘I’m too embarrassed to say this in front of my friends, can I have your card, I want to come and see you guys.’ People say it just makes their day.” “There’s a lot of ugly out there in that world – wars and killing,” Barbara said. “And Aluna Dreaming is a little bit about getting people to escape just for a little moment out of their own head space and listen to something beautiful.” The pair have taken well-known classical songs and put a contemporary twist on them. The very famous Flower Duet is one. “That duet is famous,” they tell me. “And every two sopranos will sing it everywhere in the world. Well we’ve put a Didgeridoo under it… and have the contrasting high notes with the lower tones.”
The ladies are also behind a spring concert which will bring together some of the City’s classical talent and feature canapés by Salt Meat Cheese where they regularly perform their public rehearsals. Samantha Morris
SPRING BROADWATER CONCERT, 18 SEPTEMBER 2.00PM (NORTH OF THE POOL) WILL FEATURE ALUNA DREAMING, LEETON LEE, JOSH BUDGEN (VIOLIN) AND YUKO YOSHIOKA (PIANO). TICKETS $25 AT TRYBOOKING. COM/MQHN. FOLLOW ALUNA DREAMING AT FB.COM/ ARIAAURORAGC.
OPEN HOUSE IGNITES GOLD COASTERS’ PASSION FOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN On Saturday 5 November 2016, Gold Coast city will host the second Open House, unlocking the doors of quirky, interesting and significant buildings and inviting Gold Coasters to take behind-the-scenes tours of places not typically available for public access. Last year Gold Coast Open House became part of a worldwide ‘family’ of Open House events. The concept has spread to more than 30 cities around the world since it was founded in London in 1992. More than 30 Gold Coast properties from Coomera to Currumbin are already listed for Gold Coast Open House 2016. From heritage buildings to schools and university spaces, places of worship, private residences, television and radio studios, hospitals and some of the Gold Coast’s most architecturally inspiring landmark buildings and workplaces, Gold Coast Open House allows the community to engage
with fascinating places they may have heard about or only seen from the street. Chair of Gold Coast Open House 2016 and Co-chair of the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers’ branch of the Australian Institute of Architecture, Greg Ewart, says this year’s list of buildings is multi-faceted and impressive. “We were overwhelmed by the positive response received for the first event in 2015 and expect Gold Coasters to get behind Open House again with the same interest and enthusiasm shown last year.” “The buildings on display this year create a snapshot of the evolution of architecture on the Gold Coast, with some buildings dating back to the late 1800s, early 1900s, through to cutting edge design of recent years by some of the Gold Coast’s leading architects,” said Greg. Natalie O'Driscoll
GUIDED AND SELF-GUIDED TOURS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR GOLD COAST OPEN HOUSE, WITH SOME BUILDINGS REQUIRING PRE-REGISTRATION. REGISTRATIONS FOR GUIDED TOURS FOR GOLD COAST OPEN HOUSE WILL OPEN IN MID-SEPTEMBER WHEN THE FULL LIST OF BUILDINGS IS ANNOUNCED. IT IS A FREE EVENT.
is proud to have recorded Leopold's Treat debut album Cold River available from leopoldstreat.com/store
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THURSDAY 25 AUGUST Cover Shot Jam Sessions + Open Mic | Commercial Hotel, Nerang Zookeepers | Southport Sharks Prom Night Carnival | elsewhere
GOLD COAST GIG GUIDE
Daniel Stoneman (1.00pm) | Southport Sharks Cycho Buffalo Wings | Burleigh Brewing Co Luke Horsfield (2.00pm) Cafe Dbar
Nicole Parker-Brown | Miami Marketta
Dead Letter Circus | Hotel Brunswick
FRIDAY 26 AUGUST
MONDAY 29 AUGUST
The McClymonts | Twin Towns, Tweed Heads
Lloyd Saniels | Southport Sharks
Catfish & The Deejays (Covers) | Southport Sharks
Band From The Club | Hard Rock Café
TUESDAY 30 AUGUST
AKoVA + Hot Potato Band | Solbar
Cheap Fakes | Miami Marketta Benny D Williams | Beaches on Kirra AKoVA | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay BB Factory | Southport Sharks Jensen Interceptor | elsewhere Casey Barnes Album Launch | NightQuarter Phil & Tilley | Burleigh Brewing Co
Ben Kelly | Hotel Brunswick
SATURDAY 27 AUGUST Shakafest: Drapht + Dune Rats + Spit Syndicate + The Vanns + Von Vilains + IVEY + White Blanks + Peach Fur | Miami Tavern. Check our interview with IVEY here. Phil + Trudie Edgeley (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack, Fingal Jules Hayes (2.00pm) | The Boatshed, Currumbin Mescalito Blues | Miami Marketta Bianca & Jack (12.30pm) | Phoenix Rising Café, Nimbin
Felicity Lawless (7.00pm) + Scott Dalton (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack
The Ninth Chapter | The Rails, Byron
Matthew Armitage & Guests | The Cambus Wallace
Kate Leopold + Lucy Gallant + Salt & Steel | NightQuarter
WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST
SUNDAY 4 SEPTEMBER
The James Street Preachers | The Cambus Wallace
THURSDAY 1 SEPTEMBER Cover Shot Jam Sessions + Open Mic | Commercial Hotel, Nerang
Unplugged Jam Session (1.00pm) | Burleigh Waters Tavern Sonic Bliss (10.00am) + Elena B Williams (12.30pm) | Phoenix Rising Café, Nimbin Ondre (2.00pm) | Cafe Dbar
Nyssa Berger Trio | The Avenue
Steveson Street (7.00pm) + Felicity Lawless (2.30pm) | The Avenue
Zookeepers (Covers) | Southport Sharks
Vicky O’Keefe (4.00pm) | Currumbin SLSC
Jason Delphin Duo | The Rails, Byron
Shaun Kirk (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick
FRIDAY 2 SEPTEMBER
Kelly Jones (2.00pm) | House of Brews
Luke Houselander | Hard Rock Cafe
Alex Fietz (11.30am) + Hayley Grace (1.00pm) | Southport Sharks
The Pinup Girls | The Avenue Sean Fitzgerald’s East of Eden | Sanctuary Markets Felicity Lawless | Miami Marketta Watch Felicity’s video for Cowboy Camerman here. Vertigo (Covers) | Southport Sharks
The Juke Joint Way | The Rails, Byron Ondre Solien + Chloe Styler + Salt & Steel + Linc Hillard + Anna Leathem + Jade Peterson (8.30am) | The Village Markets, Burleigh Heads State School
Devil’s Kiosk | The Rails, Byron
MONDAY 5 SEPTEMBER
Khanage | Hotel Brunswick
Lure + Just Monday + Nowhere Else + Bixby Canyon | Currumbin Creek Tavern
Guy Kachel | The Rails, Byron
SUNDAY 28 AUGUST
J Funk + Hayden Hack | NightQuarter
Benny D Williams | Poinciana Café, Nimbin
Jason McGregor (2.00 – 6.00pm) | New York, New York The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers live, featuring Honeysliders, Tim Rogers and Ben Salter | Soundlounge Currumbin. We spoke to Honeysliders’ Danni Widdicombe. Zeek Power (2.00pm) | The Boatshed, Currumbin Unplugged Jam Session (1.00pm) | Burleigh Waters Tavern Leanne Tennant (3.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Sonic Bliss (10.00am) + Monkey & The Fish (12.30pm) | Phoenix Rising Café, Nimbin Kenny Slide | Café Catalina
SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER
Ben Amor | The Avenue
TUESDAY 6 SEPTEMBER Mr G | The Avenue Adam Brown | The Rails, Byron
Musical Whispers: Jenna Dearness Dark and Crystal Smith | Flutterbies Café, Tyalgum
7 – 9 SEPTEMBER
Benny D Williams + Jade Mills ft AudSox + The Crowded Penguins + LUATE + Sophia Koop + Street Light Splendour | Miami Shark Bar
BIGSOUND: Sampa the Great + Alex Lahey + West Thebarton Brothel Party, Tash Sultana + Gabriella Cohen + Tigertown + Lastlings + more
Freowin Harper (12.30pm) | Phoenix Rising Café, Nimbin
WEDNESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER
Weird Science with Switchkraft, Free The Genie, System Addikt (AKA Marty Harris), Static Structures, Puzahki, Sauce, Levans and Di Human | The Avalon, Miami Krush | The Avenue Kenny Slide | Saltfest Surf Festival
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Rick Barron (2.00pm) | House of Brews
Vaudeville Smash (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick
The Amy Winehouse Show: Back to Black | Lonestar Tavern
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Sean Fitzgerald’s East of Eden (7.00am) | Palm Beach Farmers Market
Hanlon Brothers | The Avenue Mescalito Blues | The Rails, Byron
THURSDAY 8 SEPTEMBER BIGSOUND Showcase: Aquila Young + Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell + Tesla Coils | Brightside Outdoor Stage, Fortitude Valley Cover Shot Jam Sessions + Open Mic | Commercial Hotel, Nerang Agent 77 | The Avenue Zookeepers (Covers) | Southport Sharks Fiona Boyes | The Rails, Byron
FRIDAY 9 SEPTEMBER Sacred Shrines Single Launch + Syrup, Go On + Wren Klauf | Currumbin Creek Tavern Leopold’s Treat | NightQuarter King Louie Duo | Jacob’s Well Tavern Mescalito Duo | Hard Rock Cafe Champagne Jam | The Avenue Barely Standing | Hotel Brunswick Little Georgia | Miami Marketta INEXCESS Tribute Band | Southport Sharks The Swamps | The Rails, Byron Napoleonic Wars Single Launch + Basils Kite + Blind Girls + Wren Klauf | Griffith Uni Drama Theatre (all-ages)
SATURDAY 10 SEPTEMBER Bill jacobi (7.00pm) + Tom Avery (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack, Fingal SWELL Sounds: A French Butler Called Smith + Benny D Williams + Felicity Lawless + Nicky Convine (from 2.00pm) | Currumbin Beach GANGajang | The Basement Coast & Ocean (12.30pm) | Phoenix Rising Cafe, Nimbin Magic Carpet Ride | The Avenue Kim Churchill (12.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick Wayward Suns (2.00pm) | House of Brews Sexy Soul | Miami Marketta Musique (Covers) | Southport Sharks Goodrich | The Rails, Byron Kenny Slide Album Launch | NightQuarter
SUNDAY 11 SEPTEMBER Tom Avery (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack, Fingal SWELL Sounds: The Lyrical + Marshall Okell + Josh Lovegrove + Katie Demeester (from 2.00pm) | Currumbin Beach Scott Dalton | Café Catalina
DISCOVER GOLD COAST'S BEST NEW MUSIC
Unplugged Jam Session (1.00pm) | Burleigh Waters Tavern Johan Danno (2.00pm) | Cafe Dbar Sonic Bliss (10.00am) + Cruise Brothers Jazz (12.30pm) | Phoenix Rising Cafe, Nimbin Agent 77 (7.00pm) + Leo Altarelli (2.30pm) | The Avenue The Accidents (4.00pm) | Currumbin SLSC The Fumes (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick Clint White (2.00pm) | House of Brews Simon Meola (1.00pm) | Southport Sharks
Wallapalooza: King Of The North + Hanlon Brothers + Azreal + DARKC3LL + Benny D Williams + RedHook + Smoking Martha + These Four Walls + Hammers + Junket Pump + Redstarborn + Lillye + The Mercy Kills + Swamp Gully Howlers + Baltimore Gun Club + Free The Genie + Chelsea Rockwells + The Molotov + Sevenhurtz + Boho Mofos + Mode Alanta + Salt And Steel + The Smashed Crabs + Emily Clark + Wartooth + Julie Hayes + The Cilikis + Matt Nelson + Snake Mountain + Faug + Street Light Splendour | Mudgeeraba (get full details here) The Royales + Yes Sir Noceur + Sand Dollars | NightQuarter
Jackon James Smith + Ondre Solien + Emma Whines (8.30am) | The Village Markets, Burleigh Heads State School Coast Acoustics Music Festival (10.00am) | Country Paradise Parklands
MONDAY 19 SEPTEMBER Matthew Buggy | The Avenue Matt Armitage | The Rails, Byron
TUESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER Avenue LIVE | The Avenue
Avenue LIVE | The Avenue Kenny Slide | Woody Caravans Open Day Broadfoot | Hotel Brunswick Sean Fitzgerald’s East of Eden (10.00am) | Burleigh Beach Clean up Rick Barron (2.00pm) | House of Brews Kimmy Crew | Miami Marketta Jessie J & Sia Tribute | Southport Sharks The High Grade | The Rails, Byron DZ Deathrays | Miami Tavern
SWELL Sounds: Cheap Fakes + CC The Cat + Ella Fence + Sean Fitzgerald (from 2.00pm) | Currumbin Beach
Jamie Ashforth | The Rails, Byron
WEDNESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER
SUNDAY 25 SEPTEMBER
MONDAY 12 SEPTEMBER
Nimbin Roots Music Festival (from 9.00am)
Hanlon Brothers | The Avenue
Jacob Lee | Café Catalina
Jason McGregor | The Avenue
Eureka Funk | The Avenue
Bill Jacobi | The Rails, Byron
Bruce Worral | The Rails, Byron
Harry Nichols Band | Hotel Brunswick
Unplugged Jam Session (1.00pm) | Burleigh Waters Tavern
THURSDAY 22 SEPTEMBER
Luke Pauley (2.00pm) | Cafe Dbar
TUESDAY 13 SEPTEMBER
Charli Jackson (2.00pm) | House of Brews
Tash Sultana + LYMO | The Northern, Byron
Kallidad | Miami Marketta
Cover Shot Jam Sessions + Open Mic | Commercial Hotel, Nerang
Sonic Bliss (10.00am) + Beetle Juice (12.30pm) | Phoenix Rising Cafe, Nimbin
The Propellers | The Rails, Byron
Matty Rogers | The Avenue Chris Aronsten | The Rails, Byron
WEDNESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER Hanlon Brothers | The Avenue Ooz | The Rails, Byron
THURSDAY 15 SEPTEMBER Cover Shot Jam Sessions + Open Mic | Commercial Hotel, Nerang
Mani Shika (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack Jive Cats | Southport Sharks The Eagles Band (tribute) | RSL Southport The Demon Drink | The Rails, Byron Kreative Kommunion + The Keepaways + Hobo Obituaries + Tesla Coils (3.00pm) | Expressive Ground
Stevenson Street | The Avenue
SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER
Zookeepers (Covers) | Southport Sharks
SWELL Sounds: Hussy Hicks + IVEY + Leopold’s Treat + Holly Major (from 2.00pm) | Currumbin Beach
Kallidad | The Rails, Byron
FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER Matty Rogers | Hard Rock Cafe Black Arm Band | The Basement The Titanix | The Avenue The Gig Cartel | Currumbin SLSC Will Anderson | Miami Marketta The Andrew Baxter Band | Southport Sharks The Soul Shakers | The Rails, Byron Flaming Wrekage + Nescient + Those Who Endure + Blood of the Lannisters | Currumbin Creek Tavern Owen Campbell + AKoVA | NightQuarter
SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER Coast Acoustics Music Festival (10.00am) | Country Paradise Parklands. Runs 17 – 18 September
Coast Acoustics Music Festival (10.00am) | Country Paradise Parklands Kenny Slide | Café Catalina Unplugged Jam Session (1.00pm) | Burleigh Waters Tavern Matt Armitage (2.00pm) | Cafe Dbar Nimbin Roots Music Festival (from 9.00am) Vertigo (7.00pm) + Jimmy Brine (2.30pm) | The Avenue Fozzy Bear (4.00pm) | Currumbin SLSC Wild Marmalade (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick Wayward Suns (2.00pm) | House of Brews Dallas James (1.00pm) | Southport Sharks Chris Cavill & The Prospectors | The Rails, Byron
Agent 77 | The Avenue
Fat Picnic (7.00pm) + Ben Amor (2.30pm) | The Avenue
Ball Park Music (Sold Out) | Miami Marketta
Hippopotamus (4.00pm) | Currumbin SLSC
Zookeepers (Covers) | Southport Sharks
Pink Zinc + Fergo & The Burden + Andy Jans Brown & Cosmic + Harry Nichols Band (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick
Stephen Lovelight Trio | The Rails, Byron
FRIDAY 23 SEPTEMBER Kobrakai + Silkacid + Monster Fodder + Unfinished Business | Currumbin Creek Tavern Cheap Fakes | The Beach Hotel, Byron
Sean Fitzgerald’s East of Eden (3.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing Co. Benny D Williams (2.00pm) | House of Brews Ooz | The Rails, Byron
The High Grade | Hard Rock Cafe
MONDAY 26 SEPTEMBER
Avenue LIVE | The Avenue
Avenue LIVE | The Avenue
The Gig Cartel | Currumbin SLSC
John J Bradley | The Rails, Byron
OKA | Hotel Brunswick Kellie Knight & The Days | Miami Marketta
TUESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER
Fat Albert Band (Covers) | Southport Sharks
Jason McGregor | The Avenue
Bohemian Cowboys | The Rails, Byron Mitch King | NightQuarter
SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER Trombone Kellie Gang (7.00pm) + Dear Willow (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack
Leigh James | The Rails, Byron
WEDNESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER Hanlon Brothers | The Avenue Blue Child | The Rails, Byron
Bjorn Again (Ticketed) | NightQuarter Wall of Love (12.30pm) | Phoenix Rising Cafe, Nimbin
* Catch these SEED artists playing at a venue near you
WWW.SEEDSERIES.BANDCAMP.COM
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It’s been quite the journey from solo artist to frontwoman of a three, sometimes four, sometimes five-piece band. “It’s been incredible and also really supportive and organic,” Kate said. “I was dabbling in solo playing and open mics and there’s always someone there saying ‘are you going to play today’. I didn’t think I was good at anything and people were like ‘just get up there, come on Katie, it’s your turn now’… people like Mattie Barker and Kieran (Richardt). I’d never felt supported by anyone like that in my life.” Kate starts to get a little teary. She said she’d never realised how disconnected she was. “I grew up not feeling very supported, to no fault of anyone,” she said. “I never felt I’d amount to anything.” “When I started writing songs and finding freedom in that, it’s just been so amazing,” she said. “It’s that supportive you can’t shut it down and turn it away. You have to follow it and see where it goes.” She said that changing relationship with people around her, and growing with her bandmates has shown her what having “amazing” role models can do.
AWARD-WINNING EXPERIMENTAL FOLK: LEOPOLD’S TREAT When I finally catch up with Kate Leopold after her Gold Coast Music Awards win, she’s still beaming. She tells me the most common reaction from people at her band, Leopold’s Treat winning Emerging Artist of the Year at the awards is the notion that they’ve worked hard to get where they are.
award as being something – for the local area – and even people outside.”
“I never think of it as being hard work,” Kate said, “but it’s made me look at what we have done and there is a lot that’s gone into it, so it’s nice that people can see that.”
Kate and her bandmates have dubbed their sound experimental folk.
Local venues and events have been knocking on Kate’s door since the win “more than before”.
“With our acoustic instruments, it’s kind of got a folky vibe about it,” Kate explained, “and a lot of music we’ve connected to is folk music.”
“Venues have expressed that they like having us as a band and like having us play,” Kate said. “Venues recognize that
“Folk-banjo,” she said. “Very experimental… didgeridoo and weissenborn lap slide, tribal drums. I find it very healing.”
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“We used to play at The Loft, and places like that. We learned a lot and developed our sound. They were little venues. Now we have bigger venues and events,” Kate said.
“I’m really grateful for them,” she said. “They’re my foundation of support. They’re like ‘Kati, you can do it’ and in a way I feel they’re doing this because I’m leading the way,” she said. “I still have that notion of ‘when are you going to grow up and get a real job’ but that only has as much power as I allow it to.” Samantha Morris
LEOPOLD’S TREAT ARE AT NIGHTQUARTER (FULL BAND) ON 9 SEPTEMBER, SWELL SOUNDS (TRIO) ON 18 SEPTEMBER), GOLD COAST FOLK FESTIVAL (FULL BAND) 8 OCTOBER, BUSKERS BY THE CREEK (FULL BAND) 15 OCTOBER AND GOLD COAST’S BIGGEST TREE PLANTING (TRIO) 16 OCTOBER.
I AM THE BLACK SWAMP For a band that hasn’t released too much music and is fiercely independent and grassroots, The Black Swamp punch above their weight, and then some. They’ve previously scored an international support slot for American southern metal supergroup Hellyeah and followed it up with a support slot for Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach as well as Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society. In 2015 they partnered with Brisbane’s Bacchus brewing company who crafted a Russian stout named The Black Swamp in their honour. It’s thick and heavy, much like the music its namesake creates. Jesse and I are drinking a beer as he skites about his recent travels to Morocco. I’m not impressed. He’d just finished recording with his band The Black Swamp before he flew out of the country. The band is his night job. He’s a Council natural areas worker during the day.
“To track the drums, Brendan and I played live together, but we were only really interested in his take. And then everyone layered over that.”
Brendan (Woodley) just needed to get the recording process out of his system," Jesse said of their two months in the studio.
“You bring the song to the band and it’s pretty apparent quickly whether a song is a goer or not. If the group latched on to it – it will be a song that ended up making it on to this album.”
It’s a classic story of musicians juggling careers, family and recording commitments. Brendan took a week off to track drums, but mostly they recorded on weekends. Brendan has a young son, just turned one and Grant (Scott) has two young girls. Jesse raves about the contribution Brendan makes to the band. “He generates so much for us,” he said. “Artwork, graphic design, emailing, business stuff, booking tours, tour dates, he’s so organised and generous. Right now he’s trying to get his board approval for architecture too, booking a tour, raising a child and working. And pushing out art, lyric videos.” “I’m the same, but I don’t have a child to look after. Grant’s similar. He has his hands full too.” “When we started we said this band would only ever work as fast as the slowest member wanted to work,” Jesse said. “So, yeah, guys have kids and want to take time off. It’s meant to be fun.” “The way we did this album was very much focused on having a live feel,” Jesse said. “So much heavy metal recently, feels very mechanical. Our band is very much wanting to be in the blues influence side of heavy metal where there’s a real organicness to it.”
Jesse is the main songwriter, but explains that the band really “shops” their songs.
The album, recorded at Core Studios and titled I Am is the band’s debut full-length release, due out 29 September. Its release sees The Black Swamp hit the road for a ten-date national tour. It’s a raw, visceral heavy metal offering and follows the earlier EP Foulness (2014) and single Cold Dead Hands (2014). As it’s been two years between releases, I ask Jesse what has changed for the band. He said the biggest change has been around songwriting. “That first EP feels a bit stagnant or just a little bit as if we’re just fumbling our way through it,” he told Blank GC. “I’m not really proud of it. Even when we were recording it, I wasn’t even that favourable of it – but it just felt like we had to have music out.” He said this album sees a connection across theme and a selection of songs that serve eachother. “They serve an a-side and a b-side,” he said. “Rather than just any old collection of songs, there are songs we wrote for this album that didn’t make the album because they didn’t serve eachother. There was so much intent.” The band named the album two years ago and set the tone. “We new what it was going to be about – thematically,” Jesse said. “We’re pretty different people in
this band. There’s some different viewpoints, ideas and we knew we needed to write something that resonated with all of us so that when we were playing these songs we could feel connected to it all and the whole album.” “So much of it is just being purposeful around the way we wrote and definitely making sure songs served an idea of an album - the way people used to write albums when they were limited to 50 minutes and two sides.”
THE BLACK SWAMP WILL LAUNCH I AM AT CURRUMBIN CREEK TAVERN ON 11 NOVEMBER WITH AZREAL, BLACK RHENO AND BALTIMORE GUN CLUB IN SUPPORT. THE ALBUM IS OUT 29 SEPTEMBER AND AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW VIA THEBLACKSWAMP.BANDCAMP.COM.
There’s no question the album was made for vinyl and pre-sales are steady, although Jesse says there’s a challenge around fitting it all in. “Two tracks are ten-minutes,” he said. “The b-side, we’re struggling to get it cut.” While Jesse says the album is very intentional in its themes, he’s quick to point out that there’s also “nonsensical general metal stupid stuff,” included too. “The album talks a lot about identity from a very small scale – a very personal idea of identity,” he said. “All the way through to larger ideas of what does it mean to be to be part of a community. But we’re still a beerdrinking, just a fun band, that’s what people like about us – we’re a fun live band. This album has a lot more content that just talks about those issues in a bit more of a contemplative way.” The national tour takes in Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, Woy Woy, Melbourne, Bendigo, Gold Coast, Gladstone and Bundaberg. Brendan booked the tour and the Melbourne and Bendigo gigs see the band supporting Never. The Black Swamp is Brendan Woodley (drums), Jesse Kenny (guitars), Grant Scott (guitars), Rohan Downs (bass), Stuart Wren (vocals).
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O DEATH: KARL S. WILLIAMS
There’s no doubt that Karl S. Williams marches to the beat of his own drum. In an age where popular music is made to order for instant consumption, here is a man whose music comes from another time and place, a craftsman with the ability to tap into a wellspring deep within his soul to create some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard. His voice can move from angelic sweetness to mournful pain and ragged rage in the space of a song. Whether it’s grinding blues or an a cappella spiritual Karl S. Williams is channeling the essence of the song in its purest sense and we are all that much richer for having shared in that experience. Karl’s debut album, Heartwood was released independently three years ago. Later Karl was signed to a deal with Warner Music where they took him back into the studio to record new songs and remix some original recordings from Heartwood for their version of the album. With some strong label push behind him Karl then found himself playing major US showcase gigs including CMJ in New York. Following that breakthrough Karl S. Williams returned home to the Gold Coast where he was named Artist of the Year at the inaugural Gold Coast Music Awards, but since then he’s kept a low profile while working on material for his next album. On the eve of a month long residency at the esteemed Northcote Social Club in Melbourne Karl released a new single featuring his interpretations of the spirituals O Death and O Come O Come Emmanuel. Trevor Jackson caught up with Karl to discuss the new recording and to see how the album was shaping up. The new single features two spiritual songs - one a haunting Appalachian dirge, the other an old Christian hymn. What is it about these types of songs that appeals to you? The spiritual songs that I sing are ones that I have encountered mostly by accident and I always get a feeling from them that is at once ancient and timeless. There is something about hearing a tune from an earlier time that transports me (and hopefully others) to a place that exists out of time and I feel it gives a sense of our existence within a great continuum. I also like the plainness of the language and melody (particularly in the folk spirituals like O Death) and when they are sung a cappella it really boils music down to its most primitive components. This informs a lot of my music, as it seems to me that music without artifice is very human and therefore connects with many people. I suspect you are more spiritual than religious in a formal sense – how is music such an emotive force? They put a recording of Blind Willie Johnson singing Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground (a spiritual tune) on the gold disc that went with the Voyager probe into deep space. He doesn't sing the words, he just moans, but his performance conveys more than words. So much more that they figured it would represent the human spirit to whosoever may find that disc. Some songs more than others have this kind of magical quality and so I happened upon other spiritual songs and found that people really react to hearing them. Yes, there is a religious component to the songs but primarily I think they speak about the human spirit, in their longing sound or their hopefulness for a better place to come or an end to suffering. It seems to me that these are universal things and I believe that's why these songs (and so many others) are so moving. There are some people for whom the religious content carries a stigma that makes it hard for them to enjoy the songs without the religion, but in any case it provokes discussion and feelings, which is indeed the great power of music. 34
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It’s hard to imagine these songs getting mainstream airplay, so obviously that isn’t crucial for you. In signing a deal with a major record label, do you ever worry that your artistic integrity might be compromised by their expectations of you? Music is a sacred thing for me, so protecting it from the wrong influence has certainly always been a concern. Certainly I want to continue to grow my audience and I'm happy to engage with and take advice from others who believe in my music as well. When I entered into a record deal I expected that there would be a certain amount of influence from the label, but I am not really making the sort of music that could easily be shoe-horned into accessibility and never felt compromised by any influence that was felt. Ultimately my record deal has now lapsed because it just didn't make financial sense to invest more money into this music in the current climate. I am fortunate that Strange Yonder, a small independent label, are releasing this 7" and for my next album I will be left to my own devices. For now, our assault on mainstream radio will abate, but I think there could be a crossover among the tracks for the next album. You had a residency at Melbourne’s Northcote Social Club during August, does that suggest your fan base is now growing substantially beyond the Gold Coast? It was my hope for this year to spend some time in Melbourne and try to grow things there. I have passed through a number of times before, but this residency is my first chance to do an extended run of shows in Melbourne and connect with more people there. You’re now also a member of the Melbourne based indie band Head Clouds, how are you balancing the demands between your solo work, Head Clouds and your work with the psychedelic outfit Tsun? It's nice to stoke a few fires and really it's not so hard to balance them all (actually it's a pleasure). Jayke Maddison (singer and guitarist) writes all the songs for Head Clouds
so I just get to focus on my playing there and all my other writing just happens as the muse allows. So far I have an overabundance of songs for my next solo album and a growing pile of audio notes to work on with Tsun (and I have other project ideas for material that hasn't got a home yet!). It can be hard when dates clash and I've still not struck the perfect balance but overall I really enjoy having a few things on the go and hope that it will help me become a more rounded musician. It’s been a couple of years since your debut album Heartwood was released. How is your new album shaping up? It feels like a long time and I've certainly written a lot of new material since then. I am very keen to get underway with recording and I think I'm down to the last round of polishing on these songs. It will be another diverse album, much like Heartwood, blues and soul, but also touching on some folk/country stuff and a few nice piano tracks that I'm very proud of. Right now I'm trying to map out the recordings and figure how to tie those diverse styles together. I'm hopeful to get it finished this year (rapidly disappearing) and release early next year, but as always I defer to the muse.
O DEATH IS AVAILABLE ON LIMITED EDITION 7" VINYL VIA BANDCAMP. FULL STORY AT BLANKGC.COM.AU.
Image: Glen Morgan Photography
WALLAPALOOZA LINEUP PACKS A WALLOP More fiery, exciting and poignant than ever, Wallapalooza is back with a focus on strength and unity through music and the age-old tenets of peace, love and rock ‘n’ roll. Wallapalooza brings rock, metal, stoner fuzz, hardcore, pop, folk, EDM and even a little soul to the table with its 2016 Gold Coast lineup announcement. Melbourne power house King Of The North heads the bill alongside Gold Coast’s intoxicating R&B improv-soul merchants Hanlon Brothers. Metal gods
Image: Lamp Photography
AZREAL join Darkc3ll and Brisbane’s Smoking Martha with These Four Walls, Hammers, Redstarborn, Baltimore Gun Club, Benny D Williams, Chelsea Rockwells and literally dozens more also getting a look-in. EDM savants Free The Genie will also introduce the audience to the genre as a part of promoter Andy Clark’s vision for Wallapalooza to be a truly authentic multi-genre festival. 90’s Playroom favorites Junket Pump have reformed especially for their first live
performance with this line up since 1993. Renowned for killer grunge riffs mixed with thrash and funk elements, their set is expected to attract a large contingent of the Pit Faithful. Samantha Morris
WALLAPALOOZA IS FREE AND 18+ AND HITS THE WALLABY HOTEL AT MUDGEERABA ON 17 SEPTEMBER.
B-BOYS, BEYOND BORDERS OF AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN Nereus are a band that exist beyond the borders of Australia and Japan.Fusing traditional Japenese instruments and melding the sound with a western vibe. Then they add breakdancing. With rock and hip-hop backgrounds, as well as being professional dancers the whole project comes across as an indierock sort of rap and didj project. But, fresh from Splendour in the Grass, one thing’s for sure, Nereus is not your run-ofthe-mill indie band. Brad Harrison and Travers Ross are the founders of Gold Coast-based Nereus. They met ten years ago in Coffs Harbour, which is where Trav is from. Brad was running an event and breakdancing there. Brad plays drums, Trav sings and raps and sometimes plays guitar. They both dance. What they’ve put together is a thrilling encounter that combines tribal
instruments, dance and music and audiences love it. “Responses have been just ‘wow, this is so interesting.’ ‘So nice to see something they haven’t heard before’,” Trav said. “Obviously we’re not the first people to have dancers in the band,” Brad added, “we kind of go off the fact that we are the band as well as the dancers.” So how do you dance and play drums at the same time? Brad laughs. “I don’t exactly play them at the same time. Maybe if I could create octopus arms I could,” he said. “That’s where the tyko drummers come in handy.” Trav added, for when he leaves the drum kit. And I play a bit of djembe as well.”
It’s been a big year for the pair who said they were sitting at Falls Festival in January saying they wanted to play in that space to being at Splendour within six months. They’d both danced separately at Splendour (with Next Step) before. They may have conquered their Splendour goals, but there’s plenty on the horizon. Nereus is on the search for management, they both have other jobs as dancers, they’re working on a five-week development with Elements Collective in Brisbane and they’re talking to The Arts Centre Gold Coast about a project there too. Samantha Morris
VISIT NEREUSONLINE.COM FOR TOUR, GIG AND RELEASE DETAILS.
ASHA JEFFERIES
YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE YOUTH
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A 17 year old girl, well beyond her years, sits in her Brisbane home, eating hummus and mixing up a fabulous concoction of procrastination and tears all over her philosophy assignment. While the tears happen to the best of us, procrastination in the form of whipping up a brand new album is something to be admired rather than be related to. But hey, its all in a days work for supreme queen, Asha Jefferies. Emma Whines catches up with the Brisbanite and talks all about her new tunes and why change is such an important part of being an artist.
Last year she released her debut E.P titled QUEEN, scoring radio play on triple J and even a smashing review from triple J host Alex Dyson. Her most recent vision is a simple and minimalistic single showcasing something raw and allowing us, her fans, to experience her as we would at one of her live shows.
Being so young and having the regular responsibilities of a teenager interrupt her music career makes it harder for Jefferies to branch out of the Brisbane area, but luckily our Gold Coast ears were blessed just last week with her honey-like voice and killer lyrics - she joined Ella Hooper on the Gold Coast leg of her tour.
“I recorded the song by myself this time around, and really, it’s just a demo,” she said.
“I can’t wait to get out of Brisbane and just experience a different part of the east coast’s music scene,” she said ahead of the show.
“But that was the point, to show what it sounds like when I get up on stage, without the drums, and the back up vocals and the violins. I’m at the stage where writing meaningful music matters to me most and I would rather be proud of people appreciating music that I resonate with too.”
FOLLOW @ASHA JEFFERIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR WHERE SHE'S SPREADING HER MAGIC NEXT.
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AUSTRALIAN MUSIC WEEK After its inaugural run last year Australian Music Week is back in 2016. It will bring panels, master-classes and networking sessions led by some of the most influential people in music business to the beachside metropolis of Cronulla. Running 2 – 4 November, the event has significant partnerships with international showcase events, who are using Australian Music Week to select local talent. Those events include Showcase Scotland / Celtic Connections, Canadian Music Week, ECMA (Canada), BreakOut West (Canada) and Dashville Presents. As well as world-class speakers, industry representatives from organisations as diverse as Sounds Australia, Woodford Folk Festival, Footstomp Music, Sydney Blues and Roots Festival, Rhythms Magazine, Tone Deaf, Rolling Stone and Blank GC (but of course) will be in attendance. Artists already confirmed for live showcases include Gold Coast’s Ella Fence and Little Georgia as well as Bearfoot, Demi Louise, Lepers & Crooks, Luke O’Shea, Mat McHugh and Tay Oskee. Applications to showcase closed just last week so further major announcements are expected. Australian Music Week is a music summit designed for industry executives, recording professionals and artists as well as music lovers and there’s a focus on the business of global music. Samantha Morris
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC WEEK RUNS 2 – 4 NOVEMBER 2016 AT CRONULLA, NSW. MORE AT AUSTRALIANMUSICWEEK.COM.
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THE DELTA RIGGS
VARIOUS ARTISTS
DJ SHADOW
It all started last Friday afternoon. I was cranking out some new tunes when my wife rushed in and, instead of the usual “turn that bloody racket down,” said “this is so cool, who is this?”
What a bloody good idea. A blues reinterpretation of the biggest selling rock album of all time with all proceeds going to Beyond Blue.
Twenty years ago when DJ SHADOW was starting out, the world was a different place. It was different for all of us.
Active Galactic
The answer was The Delta Riggs and the song I was listening to was their new single Never Seen This Before. This song thumps with a funky old school groove, but the Riggs were playing it with a rock ‘n’ roll attitude. If the Stones in their 70’s prime Prince had made a record with Prince it would sound like this. Never Seen This Before is the best start to a weekend I’ve heard in a long time. You dig? Now here’s the best part – there’s a whole album bulging at the seams with this gear. If Never Seen This Before is the perfect entrée to a Friday night, the album Active Galactic is your all-time party soundtrack with Prince and the Stones joined at that party by Ramones and The Clash as well. It’s not that this album is stuck in the past, it’s just so much fun trying to spot the musical influences. Musically the Riggs have never been a static outfit. From the alt rock punk energy of their debut Hex.Lover.Killer to the hip-hop flavours of their follow up Dipz Zabazious these Gold Coast boys who now call Melbourne home have been constantly on the move. Like their previous albums Active Galactic thrives on an unrestrained energy, but this time they’re doing it on the dance floor. From the pulsating groove of the opener Surgery Of Love (a song that’s already been getting a workout on triple j as a pre-release teaser) to the reggae strut loaded with bottom end on Get Right where “we need boots on the ground to take up the fight” this album thrives on the beat and rarely stops to pause for breath. Whether it’s the complacent inertia of suburban life where “the kids are alright, with the bombs going off they still sleep at night”, or a situation where the boys are lining them up Slingin’ On A Saturday Night, The Delta Riggs still sound like they’re having more fun than anyone you know and musically they’re doing it better than ever. Trevor Jackson www.sounddistractions.com
Back in Blue: A blues tribute to AC/DC
The album coincides with the 36th anniversary of the release of AC/DC's Back in Black and the untimely passing of main man, Bon Scott with the line-up of Aussie blues musos had its inaugural showcase at this year’s Blues on Broadbeach. The tribute album starts with samples of crackling radio announcements and news reports about Bon Scott's demise and the unmistakable voice of Molly Meldrum, “and that was the death of one of the greatest Australian rock and rollers of the last 10 years.” And so it launches into Hells Bells. Geoff Atchison and Jane Michele strip back the loud, raunchy original with ripping slide guitar and thumping drums sounding like a death march, straight in to hell. Chase The Sun bring a slow almost boogie beat to Shoot to Kill with Gail Page and Jan Rynsaart delivering their take on What you do for money honey? Yeah it's misogynistic. Well it was 1980 and the band was not renowned for finesse or political correctness. It's a boy's club and it's all about sex and drugs and rock and roll, so it’s good to see a number of females represented in this century's version. Giving the Dog a Bone showcases Marshall O'Kell's chugging guitar and whiskey soaked vocal growls. And then, surprise surprise. A run of rap from Triple Nip. Unexpected and very cool. Genevieve Chadwick sounds like she's sure not-shy of the whiskey bottle and a goodtime with her gravelly take on Have a Drink and Playskool, Shaun Kirk, Lachy Doley Group and 8 Ball Aitken all have a red hot crack at AC/DC rock ‘n’ roll classics. LLoyd Speigel delivers the closing track on this clever and thoughtful production. In those immortal words, "Rock and roll ain't noise pollution Rock and roll ain't gonna die Rock and roll ain't noise pollution Rock and roll it will survive". Hell yeah. Insert devil's horns here \m/ Carmel E Lewis
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The Mountain Will Fall
Technology has since boomed astronomically. Josh Davis AKA Shadow was back then rummaging through old vinyl at thrift shops and garage sales. The electronic disc jockey out front as the main star was a thing of the future. Davis was happy to stay in the background, in the shadows. Hence his name. This album harks back to those days. Old school hip-hop. He's back with a bit of a vengeance, scoring his first Number 1 on Billboard's Top Dance/ Electronic albums, touring Europe including a stint at the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival, and time in the spot-light on Jimmy Fallon's Saturday Night Live with Run The Jewels. He’s collaborated with such diverse artists as Thom Yorke from Radiohead, Q-Tip and Depeche Mode and his influences span musical icons from James Brown to LL Cool J. Title track The Mountain Will Fall, slowly, slowly creeps. Then a blood-curdling scream. Like an eerie, scary movie, distorted, creeping, lurking through the fog before fading away with waning synths into the ether. Nobody Speak begins with a delicious guitar run, then jazzy riffs and Three Ralphs starts out jangly and discordant. Dramatic. Then heavy and pounding. Danger danger. Featuring Ernie Fresh, The Sideshow is scrascra-scratchy and Shadow collaborated with Berlin composer Nils Frahm on Bergschrund, which is German for cliff or crevice. It pulses with vintage synth-sounds. Low down and warped. Ashes to Ocean is sparse. Pitter-patter. Almost oriental tinges. California and its heave-ho, heave-ho sounds like working on the chain-gang before it twists to a frantic end. Suicide Pack starts out soft and lilting. Then fades away into the sunset. And Mambo gets me all twerky-like again. It’s just as well I live alone, though I really couldn't give a rat's arse. I always dance like no one's watching. It's one of life's greatest pleasures. Hot damn dope. Yo Shadow, you da man. Keeping it real. Carmel E Lewis
LANE-HARRY X IKE CAMPBELL YOUTH While their name may bring to mind the hot buttered grease and sweat of r&b of yore, (well at least for this reviewer) Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell are in fact two prodigiously talented young local hip-hop artists who have been punching some serious holes in the Australian musical landscape over the past few years. With spot-on-the-money rhyming, a smorgasbord of smooth and soulful vocal contributions and a vividly catchy sound template, the guys deliver a definitive and stylistically consistent musical statement in the form of their third record, Youth. The scope of their musical vision is on the grander scale of sound alchemy, channeling modern, wide screen hip-hop while expertly blending in a smattering of harder hitting, old school 90's sounds to deliver a textured and dynamic listening experience. The hallmarks of high grade hip-hop are on display throughout. The word play, while heavy on Americanisms, is creative and engaging, and across its 12 tracks YOUTH delivers a bunch of tracks ready-made for cruising, schmoozing and telling it like it is in equal measure. The album features a number of their most recent singles, including the lush Strangers, which is also adorned with sweet female vocal contributions from Sophia Koop. Other recent singles Rendezvous and San Luca also deliver album high points. As a side note, the classy videos for these tracks are also well worth checking out. Song titles such as Keith Richards and Matthew McConaughey betray a broad ranging affiliation with pop culture. As does the moody Winehouse, featuring a moving vocal contribution from talented local powerhouse, Aquila Young. The production values are world class, a credit to both Ike Campbell (who also co-produced the album) as well as the studio wizardry of Guy Cooper and his Serotonin Productions’ studio right here on the Gold Coast, where the entire record was engineered, recorded, mixed and mastered. The guys don't do things by halves, and it's quite a sobering moment when the realisation sinks in that the album has been created right here in our own backyard. With YOUTH, Lane-Harry x Ike Campbell have detonated an impressive slab of local hip-hop that with any justification will continue to bring them to the attention of major taste makers both here and overseas. Anthony Gebhardt
BALTIMORE GUN CLUB Goumar single)
TESLA CØILS
SYRUP, GO ON
Emergence Of The Cosmic Monolith
Translucent Lucid Trance SYRUP: "Arabic for beverage or wine. A thick, viscous liquid primarily comprised of sugar and water. Viscosity arises from multiple hydrogen bonds.” There you go. Checking out the band's FB page, there is little information about the group, but many references to syrup. Mainly maple syrup. And pancakes. There is also mention of hemp syrup. Yum. However the moniker came about, these local Gold Coast lads and ladette are sounding pretty damn sweet. They have a communal love of 90's indie rock, like My Bloody Valentine, Pavement and Dinosaur Jr. Beach-pop, shoe-gaze, post-pop. Rock. The band comprises brothers Tom and Chris Briese on vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, Ken Kimura on drums and Liz Dick on bass. Tom recorded Liz's part on the DP as she had not yet joined the band at the time. Dog Club Records is the brain-hild of Keelan Sanders and Adam Sharmen from fellow Gold Coast band Electric Zebra. The EP, Translucent Lucid Trance was recorded, engineered, mixed and mastered in their home studio in Nerang. I'm not sure what the 'trance' refers to. Maybe too much hemp syrup. Opening track Melt, oozes some delicious (sorry) sounds. Jangling guitar intro, then shout out "I, 2, 3, 4". Some lovely fuzz and nicely distorted noise. Three minutes and three seconds of sweet, blissed out pop. Smoke and Clay is slower, denser, more shoe-gazy. Shuffling, pleading. "I'll stand out for an hour in the rain to hear you whisper my name".
Just
Closing song, Weekend is dream-like. Humming and lolling along. Cruising down the freeway, warm breeze in the air. Chasing that weekend feeling. It’s a tasty little smorgasbord from these young guns. Nice and sticky. Multiple Hydrogen Bonds. Carmel E Lewis
PS. According to Huff Post Weird News, there is even a National Pancake Day. I presume in America.. ’There are two types of people. Those who ensure the syrup only goes on the pancakes; and those who pour it everywhere".
Emergence Of The Cosmic Monolith is the debut release by intergalactic duo and this month's cover stars, Tesla Coils. The EP sees the band channel retro-future electro-pop with lashings of dark electronica. Opening number Eyes fuses spaghetti western style guitar with early 80's electro-pop to splendid effect, and introduces the expressive, baritone style vocals of analogue synth maestro Jed A Wølters. To these ears the track invokes the spirit of early Wall Of Voodoo and their original singer, Stan Ridgway. The next track Parasite, is a 70's style prog-synth delight, with Wølters solemnly intoning his darkly cosmic lyrics while eliciting tones both ominous and celestial from his vintage analogue synth set up. Track three, Creature, is the EP's most heavy duty moment, Wølters relentless, industrial synth groove and proclamation of "I don't want a girl, I want a creature" married to a pounding, glam stomp laid down by cyber-tronic drummer Chris Dennis. Terminal sees the duo intoning the dark hearts of Gary Numan and latter period Depeche Mode while floating in space.
I've never visited a gun club. Guns have never really appealed to me. But when they told me the new Baltimore Gun Club single was up for review, I thought I'd chance a look after their release Apollo made the news at the 2016 Gold Coast Music Awards as a finalist for video of the year. That little ditty fed my closet love of comic book fantasy just nicely. I'm also a sucker for a muddy harmonica. Appropriately opening the latest album, Goumar lays down a little of this harmonica in a great intro to the song and adds to it thumping drums and driving tempo. And just in case you aren't sure what the name of the song is, like diligent young fellows the Gun Club state it up front with attitude.... Go-Maaaarrrr! The track gives me flashbacks of Foo Fighters, turned up loud in the car, although its dirtier tone keeps it from sounding too commercial and I get the feeling the Gun Club of Baltimore like it that way. There's even a punchy cowbell and what sounds like a hand clap to get your head moving. I found myself nodding in time and tapping the table as I listened. Just when you think there might be a moment of reprieve from the momentum, the song delves into a little axe grinding interlude, slowing the speed down in anthemic fashion while letting Psymon’s lead guitar tell us a bedtime story. Very nice, gentlemen. Entertaining a love of the Gun Club certainly suited my mood this week and Goumar got me keen to listen to the rest of the album to see what it had to offer. If you like your rock, this track might just be a compelling invitation to join the boys for Wallapalooza, Saturday 17 September, at Brisbane’s Backroom on Friday 23 September of 4ZZZ’s all-ages free carpark gig on Saturday 24 September.
KARL S WILLIAMS
O Death/O Come O Come Emmanuel Earlier this year renowned Gold Coast troubadour Karl S Williams relocated his muse to the artiste-mecca of Melbourne. Since that time it has been relatively quiet on the musical front for the man in the hat. Until now that is, as he once again steps forth to bestow upon us a sublime treasure in the form of a pair of spiritual standards originating many eons ago.
The band depart on a celestial high on final number Evolved, epic and uplifting, the swooping synths finally seizing up and melting away to cosmic dust, sending our galactic travelers back whence they came… shadowy men from a shadowy planet.
Utterly mesmerising when he chooses to perform odes such as these in the live setting, here Karl delivers passionate recorded takes on these two songs of yore. The first of which sees him embrace the track O Death, an old Appalachian dirge, in a capella mode. Sombre, plaintive and oh so moving, the track sees Karl's unadorned vocal delivery showcase a deeper, more measured timbre. O Death is performed with the soul and conviction borne of a true love and respect of the source material.
Emergence Of The Cosmic Monolith see Tesla Coils splendidly showcase their dual musical persona, ominous yet uplifting, quirky yet catchy.
Second track, O Come O Come Emmanuel, sees Karl in elegant torch song mode. Voice, piano and an occasional faraway, ghostly guitar echo melding to channel an ancient religious hymn, the song's haunting strains ebbing and flowing across its five magical minutes.
Following their dark star journeys from here on in should be fascinating. Be sure to check out the feature interview for some further insight into the creation of these tracks. Anthony Gebhardt
Transcending musical eras and genres, these timeless tracks are soul-stirring resonators of the spiritual and the emotional. The spaces in-between as profound as the words spoken and the music that hangs in the air. Another spine tingling addition to the ever-burgeoning evolution of the musical shaman that is Karl S Williams. This special release is available from Karl's bandcamp page, either as a digital download or in the form of a limited edition 7” vinyl. Be quick, I say. Anthony Gebhardt www.blankgc.com.au
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LASTLINGS BUT NOT LEAST What’s there to be said about Lastlings that hasn’t already been said? Gold Coast brother/sister duo, Amy and Josh Dowdle, out of nowhere, have stolen hearts across with their crisp, effervescent brand of electronica. National attention may have developed rapidly thanks to triple j’s Unearthed High nomination, but Lastlings still, more than ever, keep grounded on the Gold Coast. Before hitting the stage in Melbourne, Jake Wilton dropped Josh Dowdle a line. Still being so young, how exciting is it knowing how much more development is yet to come, particularly Amy’s vocals. Gold Coast Music Awards 2016 ‘Emerging Artist of the Year’
Leopold’s Treat www.leopoldstreat.com
I know that Amy has got so much still in her. With the last two songs [Wavelength and Chills], you can see the change from them to the single we just put out, You. As both a songwriter and a singer, she’s grown a lot. Myself, I haven’t been producing for very long so it’s a learning curve for the both of us. What’s the creative split between the both of you? It differs from song-to-song. Sometimes I’ll have a full instrumental done then hand it to Amy and let her do her thing. One of our older songs, Amy - because she’s a classically trained pianist - performed some piano. Amy is kind of an all-rounder so we’ve yet to fully crossover roles just yet.
9th S e p | N i g h t Q u a r t e r M a r k e t s FULL BAND | Helensvale | $3 (market entry) | 7pm 1 8th S e p T R I O |
Swell
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S w e l l
Sculpture
S o u n d s
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8th O c t | G O L D C O A S T F O L K F E S T I V A L F U L L B A N D | A l b e r t Wa t e r w a y s C o m m u n i t y C e n t r e | $ 2 0 1 5th O c t |
Buskers by the Creek Festival
FULL BAND | Winders Park, Currumbin | FREE (bring your coins for the buskers) 1 6th O c t | G o l d C o a s t s
Biggest
Tr e e P l a n t i n g D a y
TRIO | Country Paradise Parklands, Nerang | 10:30am 1 8th N o v B A N 1 6
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| Cabarita Beach D | F R E E
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Bowls Club 3 0 p m
M A R K E T T A
FULL BAND | Hillcrest Parade | FREE | 5:30-9:30pm
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Lastlings’ music typically lends itself to a range of different emotions. Have you heard any feedback from fans telling you what they’ve felt while listening to your music? We receive a fair amount of those kind of messages and, surprisingly, from overseas, too. For example, with Wavelength, that track is about body image and how other people perceive you. A lot of people messaged us saying they understood the song and derived a lot from it. It was really interesting that people picked up on the meaning without us publicly detailing the song’s meaning. It’s a strange feeling being about the connected with people, no matter their location, through words, essentially. Another defining aspect to Lastlings is the aesthetic and the band’s overall presentation. Is this a deliberate choice or something which comes naturally along with the music? A little of both. We’re not particularly imageconscious people but we love the visual side to accompany our music. We’d like to be a project that covers more than just music like
fashion, photography, videography, among others. You’re playing Beyond the Valley festival in December, which is actually where Lastlings played their first show last year. How is it to be returning one year on? It’s actually really special. We played at the small, opening stage early in the day with some other awesome, local acts. We were really happy to even be playing at the festival. We much prefer recording and producing at home. I’m a massive perfectionist so I love the fact that I can sit at home on my laptop, tweaking things until they sound right. Whereas, in a live setting, it’s much more spontaneous and so many things can go wrong. We wanted to make sure the live show was something worth people coming to watch. I come from a band background whereas Amy works more solo. There were a lot of hurdles we had to jump like playing together and playing this kind of electronic music. Have you noticed an improvement in your performance? By leaps-and-bounds! Amy’s confidence has grown so much. If you saw Amy on stage at Beyond the Valley compared to now, she conveys an entire different vibe. I even know what I’m doing up there now. There’s always room for improvement, but we’re really happy with the way it’s going at the moment.
LASTLINGS’ PLAY BIGSOUND, WHICH RUNS 7 – 9 SEPTEMBER AND JUNGLE LOVE WHICH RUNS 25 – 29 NOVEMBER. THEIR NEW SINGLE YOU IS OUT NOW.
Gold Coast Muso’s Jam 1 September – Wallaby Hotel, Railway Street, Mudgeeraba 8.00pm till 11.30pm f: Gold Coast Muso’s Jam The Hillbilly Goats 2016 4 SEPT – Advancetown Hotel, Nerang Murwillimbah Road, Advancetown 12.30pm-4.30pm f: Advancetownhotel
Villa ge to the
Hinterland
The Brooke Chivell Band 9 SEPT – Advancetown Hotel, Nerang Murwillimbah Road, Advancetown 12.30pm-4.30pm f: Advancetownhotel Mudgeeraba Sunset Markets 16 SEPT - LAUNCHING Friday Weekly – Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba 5.00pm-8.00pm f: Mudgeeraba Sunset Markets Wallapalooza 17 SEPT– Wallaby Hotel, 15 Railway Street Mudgeeraba midday-1.00am w: wallapalooza.com.au James Street Preachers 18 SEPT – Advancetown Hotel, Nerang Murwillimbah Road, Advancetown 12.30pm-4.30pm f: Advancetownhotel Mason Rack Band 18 SEPT – Advancetown Hotel, Nerang Murwillimbah Road, Advancetown 12.30pm-4.30pm f: Advancetownhotel Mudgeeraba Organic Fruit and Vegie Market Friday & Saturday Weekly Mudgeeraba Market Shopping Centre, Mudgeeraba 8.00am-2.00pm w: mudgeerabamarketshoppingcentre.com.au
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MORE TO THE WEEKEND
World Champion wakeboarder Courtney Angus is no stranger to achieving her dreams. With a trio of world titles already under her belt, the 23-year-old was aiming for a fourth at Plastic Playgrounds when she broke her leg during training and required surgery. Facing ten weeks of recovery, the irrepressible competitor instead turned her laser focus onto the creation of More To The Weekend, a not-forprofit lifestyle movement with a focus on fun and healthy weekend activities for young people. There's no denying that the Gold Coast enjoys a reputation for being party central. And with the highest reported use of ecstasy per capita, Australia can stand out on the world stage for all the wrong reasons. “Everyone revolves their weekend around drinking and partying,” says Courtney. “It's so common you turn on the news every single night and there's always something about drugs and alcohol... There's not much else on offer.” Seeking to rectify that, Courtney landed on the idea of a series of healthy, fun activities for young people where they could meet one another in a social setting other than a club. The kick-off event, a drug-and-alcohol-free Beach Volleyball Party, was a huge success. “I'm so stoked!” exclaimed Courtney. “I had 100 people at my first event.” She plans to move into schoolies next, planning fun daily activities for school leavers. “I want to do bubble soccer – you know what that is? You get in sumo suits and play soccer and when you go down you just roll and roll, it's so funny,” she laughs. “Also there's the Aquasplash park across from Australia Fair, we could do surfing lessons... I really want to get other athletes involved. We have so many amazing athletes here on the Gold Coast!” Her enthusiasm is infectious. With partnership proposals in to councils and small businesses and swathes of positive feedback rolling in, this unique enterprise looks likely to take off. Courtney seems to have hit just the right note with young people by taking a pro-active approach to healthy living as opposed to the fear based, reactive campaigns seen all too often.
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DO UNI DIFFERENTLY Combine uni thinking with TAFE hands-on learning
WHITNEY Currently studying the Bachelor of Contemporary Music at our Coomera campus
She cites the Rat Park project - a ground-breaking (though unreplicated) study in which two lots of rats were offered the choice between regular water and water laced with morphine - as an informing factor in her concept. The bored and stressed-out caged rats drank significantly more of the morphine-laced water than the ones who were allowed to roam freely in “Rat Park”, with ample food, activities and playmates. “Patients in hospital on long term sedation, if they go home to loving families, they don't continue with the drug use,” she opines. “It's all about environment and culture.” The amount of coverage and momentum Courtney has managed to gain in the five weeks from concept to event is slightly less astonishing when viewed in the context of her family heritage. Her mother fought through cancer and a slew of medical problems from age 19 to raise a family and run a successful business. “My mum battled with health problems her whole life,” says Courtney. “They told her she was never going to have kids... She used to say these kids go and risk their health, just for a night out.” Sadly Courtney's mother lost her battle earlier this year. But her memory and legacy have served as inspiration which drives Courtney forward in her goals. “I can't do much for the next five weeks while I'm easing back into it. But with More To The Weekend I've managed to do something positive with my time.” “I want to align with different government bodies and have as much of an influence on the community as I possibly can... I honestly think the Gold Coast needs something like this for young people.”
Our creative arts degrees are designed to give you the perfect environment to let your ideas take flight. Develop your creative skills in a nurturing environment, supported by teachers who are deeply invested in their industry. TAFE Queensland’s partnership with the University of Canberra means you will graduate with a prestigious university degree, as well as the hands-on skills of a TAFE qualification. Study the Bachelor of Contemporary Music Practice in 2017 at our Coomera campus. For more information, visit: learnmore.tafeqld.edu.au/gold-coast
And it would appear that the young people agree. Natalie O'Driscoll
FOLLOW MORE TO THE WEEKEND ON SOCIAL FB AND INSTAGRAM.
TAFE Queensland Gold Coast RTO 0083 | CRICOS 03037G, 00212K
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COAST TO COAST WITH FRAN MILLER
LONG BONGS AND BURLEIGH BARRELS: 50 YEARS OF BURLEIGH BOARDRIDERS
It was a while ago now and Fran had cautiously whispered it, “I’ve been asked to solo exhibit at the New York Women’s Surf Film Festival.” She’s superstitious. She believes her photos aren’t covers until the magazines are in her hands. She told me not to tell anyone.
“Truthfully, my knowledge of the area came from TV but it’s been one of the highlights of my trip,” Fran says. “Laguna is an absolutely buzzing arts and cultural area. I’ve never seen so much arts appreciation in a coastal town. It made me think of the possibilities on the GC.”
For Fran Miller, the ocean is everything. Her reputation in the surfing community is growing because of her dedication in the water. Without fail, she’ll be floating around Snapper Rocks with wet hair and a dry camera. Maybe you’ve seen her?
Fran’s sitting in a café in Manhattan’s East Village responding to my emails and reflecting on her exhibition, one of the highest accolades of her career so far. Prima Donna, it’s a fitting title for her exhibition. And though her name was up in lights at the NYWSFF, Fran remains humble about how it came to be.
After being widely published across several of Australia’s premier surfing magazines including White Horses and Pacific Longboarder, Fran has garnered international attention and this August, she traded the Pacific for the Atlantic. She’s out on Long Island, New York, a place where surf culture is beginning to match its west coast counterpart. The Fourth Annual New York Women’s Surf Film Festival (NYWSFF), held at the Rockaway Beach Surf Club, took place on 12 and 13 August and as the name suggests, it celebrates the adventurous women filmmakers and wave riders from around the globe. But before she got there, Fran spent some time in one of surfing’s cultural Meccas, southern California. Rainbow Bay here on the Coast is Fran’s home with the same faces, the same wave and generally not much fluctuation in water temperature. Shooting regulars like local Ivy Thomas allows a certain comfort and opportunity to experiment and hone her craft. So what’s it like now in a foreign setting, strange faces and cold water? “I hate cold water. Why be cold when you can be warm!” Fran laughs. “The global surf community is quite small so all the crew congregate for the same events and swell seasons. So I did work with a lot of the same people as I do on the Coast as well as meeting a lot of fascinating people.” California and Queensland share some obvious similarities, but for Fran, an ambassador for the development of the Coast’s cultural scene, she was surprised by the humble pockets of art culture that thrived in places like Laguna Beach.
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“Really, it was very unexpected,” Fran starts. “The Coast is one of the heartlands of surfing globally. So many of the world’s best surfers and the world’s biggest surf brands all call our little community home. On a regular day the greatest names in surfing from Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew to Stephanie Gilmore will be out in the Snapper line-up. There are maybe only a couple of other places like it in the world and there’s permanent global attention on the area because of the quality of surfers and waves. So in reality, doing well locally is the first step to being internationally recognised.” Fran has amassed an international following and exhibiting at the NYWSFF is testament to her talent as well as her beliefs. The festival celebrates the adventurous women in surfing, a topic close to Fran’s heart as a strong advocate of equality across genders in the surfing world. “It’s wonderful to be part of a successful event that exists solely to promote women in surfing, and to be recognised as a female surf photographer in that regard. There have been some shifts in surfing over the last couple of decades for female participation, but it’s far from being equal,” says Fran. Looking ahead, Fran’s hoping to continue exhibiting with her eyes set on local events like Bleach Festival. “It would be amazing to share my experiences with the people at home who’ve always supported me!” Aaron Chapman
It’s been over 50 years since the Burleigh Boardriders formed, and they have released a book celebrating those 50 years of surfing, mateship, and their beautiful home Burleigh Point. The book’s title paraphrases a tongue-in-cheek advertising slogan adopted by long-time club supporter Billabong in the early 80s, back when long boardshorts were the fashion trend. Such innuendo accurately heralded the anarchist behaviour of surfing’s sub-culture. The end result is nearly 200 pages of stories, interviews and photos, divided into decades beginning in the 1960s when the Burleigh Boardriders was first founded. Many photos are previously unpublished personal shots donated by club members mixed with scans of archived memorabilia and contributions from professional photographers that serve both to illustrate the evolution of a celebrated coastal community and the metamorphosis of one of surfing’s truly great boardriders clubs. Industry media professional and former Australia’s Surfing Life magazine Editor “JJ” (Johnathan Jenkins) was entrusted by the club to catalogue their precious history. “Club President James Lewis approached me at the end of 2014 in anticipation of the Club’s 50th Anniversary. We agreed to produce a book, knowing full well the process could be like tugging on a thread and watching it unravel with no real end in sight. Ultimately I think we managed to capture a nice cross-section of stories that highlight the Club’s legacies and importantly, include or at least mention many of the loyal and dedicated people who have been involved over the years.” Burleigh Heads and the generations of impassioned surfers who have called the spot their local break are globally renowned. Famously, Burleigh was the site of the first-ever man-on-man surfing competition in 1977; the break has provided the backdrop for significant leaps in performance and design; the area remains an attractive base for numerous board manufacturers, surf clothing labels and agencies; and woven tightly through the eras are countless stories of the eccentric surfers who have helped shaped a culture. The Burleigh crew and the public got together at Burleigh Brewing and launched the book, with members from 1965 to present day. A great read and an awesome history of the Gold Coast one of Australia’s oldest board riding clubs. Terry Tappa Teece
Melbourne Cup AT
TUESDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 12PM – 3PM Enjoy a decadent lunch at the Bazaar interactive marketplace and a three hour beverage package which includes a glass of Mumm Champagne on arrival. Best dressed competitions, sweeps, big screen TVs with live footage of the main race and much more! Celebrations will continue in Stingray Lounge after the Cup Day Lunch.
$149pp $139pp
all-inclusive when booking a table of 10
Book the packages online at goldcoasttickets.com.au Prepayment essential. For enquiries call 07 5584 1238 or email bazaar_goldcoast@qthotels.com.au
qtgoldcoast.com.au
MELBOURNE CUP AT
Lawn Party
TUESDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 12PM – 3PM
Celebrate in style with an alfresco affair matched with a glass of Mumm Champagne on arrival, Mumm Sabrage, delicious canapés, DJ entertainment, Best dressed competitions and all the live action of the race on the big screens.
$110pp $100pp
all-inclusive when booking a group of 10
Book the packages online at goldcoasttickets.com.au Prepayment essential. For enquiries call 07 5584 1243 or email stingray_goldcoast@qthotels.com.au
qtgoldcoast.com.au
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THE AVENUE
The Mark Building 3 – 15 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise
Some deaths are slow and painful; others bring a new beginning.
Durie (who began as a ‘glassie’) and Billy Cross, the Wine Waiters’ Race and even dwarf throwing!
For Vince and Michael Russo, our longest running licensed nightclub bar and restaurant owners, closing The Avenue in Surfers Paradise came as a huge shock, soon replaced by the excitement and challenge of re-establishing the venue across the road in new premises with a new life more suited to the 21st century.
Most of all though, The Avenue is remembered for its bands. Besides being a launching pad for countless local bands, the venue has hosted rock royalty such as U2’s Bono and his band, Peter Allen, and The Beatles’ George Harrison, as well as international celebrities, sporting legends and even prime ministers. Generations of musicians, celebrities and residents hold fond memories of great nights spent at The Avenue.
With the help of the guys from 40/40 Creative, their new $3 million venue is now up and running, a contemporary threelevel space in The Mark Building that, like its predecessor, is known for its live entertainment, with the addition of great restaurant food. There’s only one Avenue. It’s iconic; a place oozing stories most Baby Boomers don’t tell their teenage kids about! Tracing their beginnings back to 1969, Vince Russo told the audience at The Avenue’s reopening how, in 1979, he bought into The Penthouse, Australia’s second nightclub. The 1980s were the glory days of the venue, refurbished to become a partygoer’s utopia offering themed entertainment across five levels including Mad Mary’s Meat Market, Bananas, The Garage, The Speakeasy, and The Avenue, which opened in 1984 on the ground floor as a restaurant and piano bar, the same year that Michael Russo joined as a partner. The brothers took full ownership of The Avenue in 1996. The 1980s were different times: gentlemen were not allowed into the venue without a lady, and pyjama party congo lines weaved through the streets of Surfers. It was the home of The Girls’ Night Out (later to become Manpower) starring Jamie
“Certainly, there is a sense of nostalgia as we look back over the years, as we have seen Surfers Paradise grow from a small coastal town into the bustling city and international entertainment destination it is today,” Vince said. “We definitely did not want the iconic Avenue name or history to end. The evolution of The Avenue across the road has given us the opportunity to plan for the future in a way we could never have done at our present location.” Yet even this venue proved to be a massive challenge. “You’re standing in the carpark…” Michael tells the throng on opening night, as a number of them reminisce about the ‘good old days’ of The Avenue. It’s a chance to recreate those days that has the brothers excited; the chance to put The Avenue back on the map as a key influencer of local nightlife culture, offering customers a dramatically enhanced experience of live entertainment, while also introducing a rejuvenated focus on dining. “Our father came from an island off Sicily where there was no running water. The family exchanged fish they’d caught for meat and cheese, and they would lay it out to share. For
us, it’s about sharing our social fibre, sharing some food, breaking some bread and drinking some wine. That’s our culture,” Michael adds. With coffee from 7am and lunch from noon, the new menu will surprise many. It’s upmarket food for a new age of dining: small and larger plates, charcuterie platters and pizza available until 2am, great for snacks and couples, but a bit of a mystery to the men with no ‘bloke burger’ in sight! Yet… No gap in the drinks department though, with 15 beers on tap and a promising list of cocktails with interesting names. A Clockwork Orange, Cointreauseption or Mai Bow Tai might even draw the ladies away from the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini! The new Avenue is a warm intimate space of wood, brick and tile with nostalgic feature elements. On the venue’s top level, leadlight windows and the grand piano remind us the old Avenue is never far away, with ‘Chloe’ still lurking in a corner. The surrounds are certainly classier, but the mojo is the same: 114 decibels of great live music seven nights a week with classy food available from lunch until early morning. “Having been here for 32 years, people have a perception of what The Avenue is, but the new Avenue is evolving into something different… a destination,” says Michael. “All ways and always, the social fibre of Surfers!” Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on Good Food Gold Coast foodgoldcoast.com.au
Independent food reviews of the Gold Coast Bringing you news and behind the scenes information about Gold Coast restaurants and providores www.foodgoldcoast.com.au www.facebook.com/GoodFoodGoldCoast twitter.com/FoodGoldCoast instagram.com/foodgoldcoast pinterest.com/marjoz/restaurants-food-gold-coast/
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BALTER BEER DINNER AT THE GLENELG PUBLIC HOUSE Cnr Glenelg Ave., 2460 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach We’re dining tonight at The Glenelg Public House, a moody man cave if ever there was one. With its masculine industrial vibe, it’s a fitting home for a mythical beast, ‘the other David’ (not Bowie), the labyrinth-dwelling minotaur, poised on one wall. It’s also one of our favourite retreats - the perfect dark and dusky spot to meet friends, to catch up on a few drinks or to prelude the romance of date night.
Weathered sleepers from the old Laidley Bridge hang from the dark ceiling framing the bar. Electrical cords are draped around them, ending in pendant lights which drop lazily towards us. A leather couch hugs the brick wall beside the bar, with under-lighting to accent edging, cabinets and chiseled chins. This is carefully thought out territory, telling us to expect ‘modern classic’ generous fare.
Our usual fare at the Glenelg comprises seasonal modern classics: starters which may include rabbit, squid, local prawns, bone marrow or the not-to-be-missed Ham hock terrine, a worthy prelude to our choice of fine provenance steak and delectable rustic desserts.
After starters of Triple twist pretzels and Pork and sage chipolatas accompanied by an Xperol Spritz (XPA and Aperol), we sit at tables lit by candelabras to enjoy a rustic feast. Platters of banquet meats are laid out across the table: Hot spiced roast leg of lamb garnished with parsnips, Beer-braised Wagyu shin shank from Robbins Island garnished with mushrooms and baby onions, and Roast Balter Beer butt chicken served with Brussel sprouts, pine nuts and voodoo bacon. We carve off abundant, fall-off-thebone juicy meat (far more ceremonially than the Vikings, I’m sure) as the meat and vegetable platters are passed around the tables.
Tonight, though, we have the chance to celebrate a Nordic feast matched to Balter Beer – a perfect fit for this venue. Head Chef Aaron Smith (ex-Oxley’s on the Wharf, Clos Maggiore - Covent Garden and Aria - Sydney) knows his way around a piece of meat; so much so that the Glenelg has become somewhat of an industry haunt – always a good sign! The restaurant is well-suited to the theme of the evening. Minus some tapestries hung from the walls, a few hounds awaiting the scraps from the tables, and the odd flaying or two, it’s a really fitting heritage venue.
Meanwhile, several of the founders of Balter Brewing tell us about their brewery as we move from XPA to Alt Brown, then Baba Rouge Red Ale across the main course.
Head Brewer, Scott Hargreave (ex-Stone and Wood) shares his beer philosophy, such as the two speeds to drink XPA – smash it when it’s hot, but then take your time and appreciate the layers of hops in more moderate weather. Scott, a former concreter, says that making beer is a calling; his hallowed ground. He discusses the challenge of consistency to a brewer, trying to produce a great ‘agricultural’ product despite changing variables, sourcing hops from Australia and the US, England and Czechoslovakia to maintain quality. We launch into ‘Black Metal Disco’ Sweet Stout to match Black Forest gateau and Apple crumble baked apples for dessert. The stout is dark and caramelly; a great match for the rich caramel sauce and Balter stout-infused chocolate gelato from Heven-Yah served with sweets. “The stout is made to be ‘inclusive’”, Scott says. “You don’t want to knee people in the face, just to crack the door open and let them have a look at a new style; to bring people along on the journey.”
There’s a really comfortable vibe, encouraging us to stay, chat and make a long night of it. Dark, sophisticatedly carnal yet cool and relaxed, this ‘public house’ is a worthy watering hole for such an amazing feast of food and matched beer. NOTE: The GPH’s holds wine and beer dinners on a regular basis. Details are given on their Facebook and Instagram accounts. Whether you visit to share drinks and nibbles outdoors in the afternoon sun, to celebrate an occasion with a group, or to enjoy an intimate date with a friend, The Glenelg is a mighty fine venue which pays attention to detail at every turn. Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on Good Food Gold Coast foodgoldcoast.com.au
The restaurant is packed for the occasion, but we’re still able to hear conversation and catch the jokes flying from presenters. (‘You only ever rent beer!’, a lightning quick comment accompanying a diner’s back door exit.)
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DOUBLE BARREL KITCHEN
Shop 4/64 Karbunya Street Mermaid Waters
Waterways Village, Miami, is one of those tiny shopping centres that locals love, and there are a few great things to draw customers to this one in particular: one of our best Malaysian restaurants (Ipoh), an organic butcher, a fully stocked IGA, and now a fabulous new café: Double Barrel Kitchen. Lots of reasons to avoid the main track and venture into the ‘burbs. Love it! Having kitted out some of the smartest restaurants in town (think Etsu and Mamasan), Jess Winters had plenty of ideas for what she wanted. Her partner Peter Tutton learned new skills to complete the vision, and the pair harnessed some great talent to be part of their team, including Kieran Manning, the Head Barista (exSteam & Bean) and Chef Adam Huffines (ex Vivre à Vie). It’s a chilly morning out, but Double Barrel makes us feel immediately comfortable and embraced. The venue exudes warmth – the welcoming glow of wood offset by plants, as well the friendly greeting of the upbeat staff. Jess’ face lights up when she sees us, her memory for faces well-tuned. The Double Barrel moniker reflects the couple’s penchant for great coffee. Choose from a single origin or Supreme Roasters ‘DBK Blend’, brewed by Kieran as a full bodied (read doublebarrelled) brew, sweet milk chocolate flavour with nutty caramel
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tones on the palate, has already won them a loyal following of regulars who appreciate the café is open daily from 6am. My heart warms even more when we view the All Day Breakfast menu. Brekkie bao! It’s one of the little marvels that I love – seeing really different dishes amongst the Smashed Avo and Eggs Bene which, by the way, are on the menu but with a twist that makes them DBK’s own version! There’s also a Panna Cotta drizzled with wild honey, organic yoghurt, fruit and granola, Pitaya Bowl, Rosti, Hot Smoked Trout, and even a Winter Morning Salad! Glory! Of course, I can’t look past the Bao: steamed soft Chinese buns filed with thick cut free range bacon, a quail egg and house-made relish ($14), while the Main Squeeze defies the stereotype and orders a gorgeous Dragon Fruit Bowl. We return to Double Barrel Kitchen a few weeks later to sit in the winter sun out back, enjoying a Beef, mushroom and ale hotpot and a serve of Gumbo in a cob loaf. Inspired by Chef Adam’s Texan father, the dish is a much lighter healthy version of Creolestyle gumbo than we’ve had before, made with chicken, okra and vegetables rather than the traditional shrimp, crab, andouille sausage and bacon dripping!
Considering that Double Barrel’s menu contains home-made, top grade (organic where possible), very well chosen produce, it’s well-priced, with all brekkie dishes (bar the Big brekkie) coming in under the $20 mark. The menu treads a middle line down the healthy eating pathway, not swaying too far to either side. Instead, it’s balanced between protein and carbs, raw and cooked, hearty burgers and healthy salads, driven by local produce with an inventive twist. Besides the menu, there are raw and baked goodies in a cabinet to take and go, and kids even have their own menu. Just the thing for a suburban café. Double Barrel is also fully licensed, so when Jess and Peter begin evening trade later this year, the night time DBK will become a tapas and wine bar. With loads of positive attitude, a welcoming feel, great coffee, and a well-priced menu to please, Double Barrel Kitchen ticks all the boxes. It’s the café we’d all love to welcome into our ‘hood. Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on Good Food Gold Coast foodgoldcoast.com.au
LITTLE BITES SAVOURING GOLD COAST FOOD
HOUSE OF BREWS’ BIRTHDAY SHOUT FOR CHARITY House of Brews in Surfers Paradise has marked its first year in business by staging a star-studded birthday bash topped with a $20,000 twist of charity. House of Brews owners Sacha, Damien and Ben Kanaghines decided it was a novel way of giving back to the community that had supported the venue so strongly since it opened its doors last July. Celebrities on the guest list included Gold Coast Titans co-captains Nathan Friend and Greg Bird, Gold Coast Suns David Swallow and Tom Nicholls, ironman Trevor Hendy, ironwomen Hayley Bateup and Courtney Hancock, TV presenters Bruce Paige and Amanda Abate, and radio personalities Paul Gale, Charli Robinson, Bridget Daley and Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt. Their chosen charities ranged from the Gold Coast Community Fund, Animal Welfare League, YHES House, Gold FM’s Give Me 5 for Kids, Gold Coast Hospital Foundation and Kids Help Line.
KING OF CROISSANTS The Croissant King, a popup by The Pastry Emporium, opens soon. TIME: Sundays from 8am till sold out, starting 21 August. PLACE: Ball Boy Meatballs, 2475 GC Highway Mermaid Beach. Made by a master patissier, all products are croissant based and handmade (plain croissant, Cruffin, Kouign amann, Flavoured croissants, twice baked croissants).
HATS OFF TO THE GOLD COAST Congratulations to the following Gold Coast restaurants recognised with chef hats in the Brisbane Times 2017 Good Food Guide: TWO HATS - The Fish House, Burleigh Heads ONE HAT - Kiyomi, Broadbeach; Mamasan Kitchen & Bar, Broadbeach; Ristorante Fellini, Main Beach; Room81, Broadbeach; Salt Grill, Surfers Paradise; Social Eating House, Broadbeach; Ten Japanese Restaurant, Broadbeach; Vanitas, Main Beach.
RICK SHORES IN HOTTEST 50 Congratulations to Rick Shores on being named one of the 50 HOTTEST RESTAURANTS of 2016 by The Australian newspaper, 13 August 2016. "Rick Shores is instantly one of the most likeable restaurants to open anywhere in the past 12 months in Australia...Lucky Burleigh Heads." The Fish House, Burleigh Heads, also got an honourable mention.
Savour Awards 2016 were announced this week by the R&CA (Restaurant & Catering Association), the winners announced at the Awards for Excellence ceremony at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Gold Coast winners in the QLD_NT Awards included: Hatsuhana Restaurant, Richard Cavill, Domani's Café Restaurant Bar, Burger Lounge, LakeFront Bistro, Indian Empire on Runaway Bay, Fellini Ristorante e Bar, Cicchetti Gold Coast, Bistro On3 - Sofitel Gold Coast, Chapter & Verse Bar & Lounge - Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, O-Sushi, Progressive Catering & Events, RACV Royal Pines Resort.
THE KITCHENS We'd heard whispers, and recently it was announced: Robina Town Centre's new area for food lovers will be launched in late 2016. The Kitchens will be a new, multisensory, culinary concept, the first of its kind in Australia, where artisans, chefs, providores, purveyors and food lovers can come together to celebrate the seasonality of fresh, local produce in a mix of fresh food retailers, cafes, bars and restaurants. "From South American and Greek street food to New Yorkstyle bagels, Italian wood-fired pizzas, pastas, gelato and wines, traditional Asian dishes, Australian ales and local seafood, the finest flavours of the world will come together to create an unrivalled dining experience for every occasion," says Daniel West, The Kitchens' curator. Rumour has it that Jimmy Grants, owned by Masterchef judge/celebrity chef George Calombaris will be among the 55 new venues. If you've seen the food stations of grand hotels in Asia, enjoy wine and food tastings, workshops and master-classes in open kitchens and other exciting pop-up venues, you'll be as excited as we are by this new concept-driven venue. FRESH, LOCAL, FABULOUS! We can't wait!
TUGUN’S HIDDEN TREASURE great tapas, cocktails & live entertainment Thursday - Sunday from 4pm 455 Golden Four Drive Tugan (behind Groove Cafe) /hiddenatgroove
CICCHETTI GOLD COAST WINS After only 10 months serving up delicious authentic Italian cuisine on the Gold Coast, the team at Cicchetti Pizza & Pasta Bar are celebrating two award wins, in just two weeks. The first award was a 1 Glass recognition in the 2016 Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine List of the Year Awards. Last week, the team scored a major win at The Savour Australia Hostplus Awards for Excellence - QLD Restaurant & Catering Awards. Scooping the award for Best Pizza Restaurant in QLD, the talented chefs will no doubt be kept very busy, as customers come from near and far to try their award winning pizza. The Cicchetti team will now revel in their achievements, before heading to Sydney for the National Restaurant & Catering Awards to be held on Monday 24 October at Four Points Sheraton Darling Harbour.
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MEANDER AGAINST MISINFORMATION Unless you’ve been hiding underneath a gluten free, Himalayan pink rock for the past couple of years the names Monsanto and Roundup will no doubt conjure images of men in white hazmat suits spraying evil, DNA altering chemicals over the frankenfoods destined for our dinner plates. Of course any diligent person would endeavour to be informed of the processes involved with the allocation, frequency and residual concentrations of the pesticides and herbicides that are used in the production of our food, however with the ever present abundance of pseudoscience and moneydriven fear mongering surrounding us *cough (Foodbabe) cough* it is sometimes difficult to acquire valid, fact based information. Glyphosate is a broad spectrum herbicide that was discovered by the chemist John. E. Franz in 1970 and brought to the market by Monsanto in 1974 under the trade name Roundup. After the last commercially relevant patent expired in 2000 it quickly became the most popular herbicide in the US agricultural sector and second most used herbicide in the home and garden, industry, government and commerce sectors. Due to its prevalence in our food production and with certain “environmental” groups accusing Glyphosate residue on food for everything from Autism, Alzheimer’s, cancer, depression and even Celiac Disease/gluten intolerance - in fish – It is this particular herbicide I have chosen to offer a little perspective on. As I type the World Health Organisation just released findings that “Glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans from exposure through diet” however for the time being it still formally remains a Group 2A “probable carcinogen” according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) along with bitumen, red meat and household wood fires. In contrast, Acetaldehyde is a by-product of ethanol - the alcohol that is present in every single beer, wine, bourbon or cosmopolitan enjoyed throughout the world. Acetaldehyde however is classed as a Group 1 “known carcinogen” along with asbestos, UV light (sunlight) and processed meats, with Australians consuming an average of 12.5
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litres of pure alcohol (10g = one standard drink) throughout 2015. The single most important rule when discussing chemical poisoning is simply “the dose makes the poison”. Drink enough water and it will kill you, while just a few milligrams of arsenic will do the same job, with the two determining factors boiling down to the potency of the chemical and length of exposure. In Australia, Average Daily Intake (ADIs) for pesticides are established by the Office of Chemical Safety within the Department of Health. The current ADI for glyphosate is 0.3 mg/kg by weight per day, meaning that a person weighing 85kg can safely consume up to 25.5mg of Glyphosate daily, while the Australian Department of Health recommends no more than four standard drinks per day (ADI of 40g) of ethanol. Soil sampling was conducted at a number of sites in the USA and Canada to determine the residual concentrations of glyphosate remaining after a complete growing cycle of Maize 98140 – one of the most popular genetically modified crops. Results discovered the average human would have to consume approximately 5,500 Ton of farm soil to accrue the same quantity of glyphosate (Group 2A probable carcinogen) as the volume of acetaldehyde (Group 1 known carcinogen) in one standard drink. Even when we account for differences in relative toxicity – glyphosate being roughly 1600 times more toxic than acetaldehyde – we would still have to load up our plates with four kilograms of farm soil, the equivalent weight of two standard house bricks, a medium sized bowling ball or a well fed cat to equal the toxicity of a schooner of beer or glass of wine. So the next time your kale infused, fluoride dodging, organically certified friend begins marching against Monsanto while working their way through a bottle of shiraz or grabbing a six pack for the road, kindly explain that they should pull their head out of the dirt and pay attention to the science. Matt Greer
MICRO PLASTIC NOT FANTASTIC Boomerang Alliance is the peak community voice on waste and recycling in Australia, working on key aspects of marine plastic pollution and waste for over a decade. The organisation undertakes field trips in major east coast cities to explain the extent of marine plastic pollution and recently visited the Gold Coast to sample microplastics evident along the shoreline of our waterways. Microplastics are pieces of plastic less than 5mm in size. Every piece of plastic that enters the marine environment will abrade and degrade until it reaches microplastic size or smaller. These materials are a primary threat to biodiversity – 96% of the food chain are likely to digest them and the particles can then pass from the gut into the bloodstream. The extent of microplastics is a huge, yet mostly invisible problem. Due to their small size, they are not seen unless down on hands and knees, sifting through the sand. To sample for them, Boomerang Aliance mark out 1x1m grids along the high tide line and collect all the microplastic found. What they found on the Gold Coast is that, on average, there are approximately 60,000 pieces of microplastic along each kilometre of shoreline (with some areas containing up to 138,000 pieces per kilometre). That doesn’t include the amount of plastic floating around Gold Coast canal estates or those that have sunk to the bottom of waterways. While this sounds like a huge amount, the extent of microplastic found on the Gold Coast is not particularly high. Similar exercises in Sydney Harbour and Port Phillip in Victoria show results often 5-10 times higher than the Gold Coast. However the extensive waterfront land (890kms) that is a feature of the Gold Coast means in total there could be some 53 million pieces of microplastic along the greater coastline. Boomerang Alliance founder and National Policy Director Dave West, said it’s virtually impossible for local government to stop microplastic once it’s entered our waterways. “Even if we capture 99% of all plastic waste, some 3-15 million pieces of microplastic will be released into Gold Coast waterways every year,” West said. “The ramifications for marine
species ingesting microplastic is a genuine long term threat to Gold Coast’s biodiversity and the tourist income that is the lifeblood of the economy.” Recently, the United Nation Environment Program (UNEP) Frontiers Report identified “the threat to human health posed by the alarming amount of plastic waste in our oceans” as one of six key emerging environmental issues of our times. Microplastics are found in water systems throughout the world and in the stomachs of everything from zooplankton to whales. A recent Senate Inquiry into marine microplastics highlighted that there was a lack of leadership on marine plastic pollution at Federal and State Government level. “We can cut the amount of plastic entering our waterways by 70% now through initiatives like adopting a container deposit system and banning single use plastic bags or else there is little chance of stopping the toxic tide of marine plastic pollution swamping our beaches and waterways,” West said. Kellie Lindsay
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE WORK OF BOOMERANG ALLIANCE, AND HOW YOU CAN HELP VISIT BOOMERANGALLIANCE.ORG.AU.
GOLD COAST’S RARE TREASURES UNEARTHED
TAFE Queensland Gold Coast
Paul Donatiu is the local man on the ground for Healthy Waterways and Catchments and he’s about to launch a series of events exposing some of the Gold Coast’s rare treasures. Paul is hoping the workshops will be an easy entry point for people to better appreciate special plants and animals and the ecosystems in which they live.
OPEN DAY Coomera
“They will give people a chance to understand what is rare and threatened across the Gold Coast in different locations,” Paul told Blank GC. The workshops are being run through a partnership with the City’s Naturally GC program and will focus on species listed as rare and threatened. “There are quite a few listed species,” Paul said telling me about one of the workshops, “like shorebirds. We’ll take people to Curlew Island, have a look at roosting sites and wading sites, and get an understanding of what their habitat needs are.” Each workshop will explore 20 animals and 20 plants. Birds, frogs, crayfish and invertebrates all get a look-in and Paul tells me about some of the specific species that experts will introduce people to.
Sat 15 Oct 9.30am – 2.30pm | 198 Foxwell Rd, Coomera
“Spiny freshwater crayfish, Richmond birdwing butterfly, pink underwing moth…” he goes on. “Habitat ranges are pretty big (for those animals) and cover the whole of the Gold Coast.”
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A new spiny freshwater crayfish was described on the Gold Coast recently when one was found in Lamington National Park just three years ago. “Some of the places they’re turning up are places like Currumbin and Tallebudgera Valley,” Paul said. “There’s a dwarf spiny freshwater cray, just 2.5cm long, that’s thought to only occur in the upper parts of those valleys.” “There’s all these things on people’s doorstep that they’re not aware of. They probably drive past them every day and they might be incredibly rare.” The plants being explored are more specific to the sites that each workshop will take place at. There are two listed southern macadamia species – Macadamia integrifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla. The giant swamp orchid (Phaius australis) is also rare. It’s found in heathland that’s inundated and was once found across the coastal lowland strip.
Check out our interactive displays and activities, explore our state-of-the-art facilities, meet the teachers, learn about our course offerings and take a campus tour.
What’s on the program? Live music – be entertained by our very own music students. Speak to students and teachers about bachelor pathways.
“There’s a few individual plants still holding on at Pine Ridge Conservation Park,” Paul said. “And a population on South Straddie as well. Those vegetation types on South Straddie would have been all over north and southern parts of the coast.”
Black Box Theatre
Another plant Eucryphia jinksii was discovered only in the mid-90s by leading Gold Coast botanist David Jinks. “It’s a rainforest tree that exists in only two populations – both found on the Springbrook Plateau. There’s just 300 trees and that’s it,” Paul said. “On earth. It has a similar conservation significance to the Wollemi pine. It’s extremely rare.”
Light and sound demonstrations – our sound and lighting staff and students will be presenting demonstrations throughout the day, showcasing their skills and our equipment.
The Rare Treasures Workshop Series is being delivered by Healthy Waterways and Catchments with the support of the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme and each session has an indoor and outdoor component.
Design exhibits – be inspired by our interior designers, graphic designers and building design students.
Samantha Morris
27 AUGUST AT CURRUMBIN VALLEY, 17 SEPTEMBER AT AUSTINVILLE, 8 OCTOBER AT NUMINBAH VALLEY, 29 OCTOBER AT UPPER ORMEAU, 30 OCTOBER AT LABRADOR (WITH BOAT TRIP TO CURLEW ISLAND) AND 19 NOVEMBER AT SPRINGBROOK. WORKSHOPS RUN 9.00AM – 3.00PM AND ARE FREE, BUT ONLY SUITED TO PEOPLE AGED 16+. BOOKINGS VIA 07 5667 5972.
Green Screen and Broadcast demonstrations.
Interactive gaming stations – test our interactive gaming stations and speak to students and teachers about courses in IT, interactive digital media and bachelor degrees and career pathways. Guided campus tours – join one of our campus tours running throughout the day. Check out our film editing suites, sound recording studios and black box theatre. Competitions and prizes to give away on the day.
Business – talk to our experts about a career in business and find the course right for you.
For more information visit: tafegoldcoast.edu.au RTO: 0083
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BOND LAW STUDENTS TAKE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
GROWN UP GIRLS' NIGHT The Gold Coast Glitter Strip is a playground for the young and fabulously dressed, bursting with trendy eateries, glamorous bars and deafening nightclubs. When you’re in your thirties and the days of non-stop kid-free, mortgagefree weekends seem like a distant memory, the thought of navigating Surfers Paradise can all too often end up in the too-hard basket. That’s when a Grown Up Girls’ Night (GUGN) can really hit the ticket. In an effort to keep as up-to-the-minute as possible, we chose the Rhapsody Apartments, one of Surfers’ newest developments, as the home base of our grown up girls' night. By far the best aspect of the venue was the 41st floor sky deck, complete with 360 views over the ocean and coast. A smattering of comfortable lounges provided a surprisingly sheltered setting for our sunset strawberries and champagne (and the following morning, the delicious barbecue breakfast courtesy of the hamper in our room). Following a quick heated spa and sauna session downstairs, we glammed up and jumped over to Marina Mirage, where N3 Tapas Bar has been making waves on the local foodie scene. The venue is close enough to the action to feel like it’s a mere hop, skip and a jump away for those wishing to hit the scene after dining, while being far enough away for us oldies to feel like we were enjoying our dinner in relative peace and quiet. N3’s chefs provided a fast supply of tasty tapas that each packed a huge punch of its own in terms of stand-out flavours. No dieter’s items here. A rangey wine list provided many options for the discerning palate, while dessert – everyone’s favourite course – delighted the eyes as much as the tastebuds. Back at the home away from home, we watched the twinkling lights from our balcony before turning in, full and satisfied and feeling just ever so proud that we’d managed to not only coordinate schedules but also happened to “do” the Glitter Strip for a grown up girls' night, albeit in a slightly different manner to ten years earlier! NOTE: Blank staffers were a guest of Rhapsody Apartments. Natalie O'Driscoll
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A new initiative designed to prepare aspiring lawyers to handle domestic violence cases has been established in a joint partnership between Bond University and the Domestic Violence Court in Southport, Queensland’s first and only dedicated domestic and family violence court. The program aims to give five law students supervised exposure to the complex legal field of domestic violence, shadowing Magistrate Colin Strofield in his role as one of the presiding magistrates of the Domestic Violence Court and working with the dedicated Domestic Violence Registry. The students - Nakisa Djamshidi, Tess Lehn, Katrina Ukmar, Chelsea McClatchy and Melissa Bate - will each spend one day per week in the Court with Magistrate Strofield, as well as working in the Registry. Final year Juris Doctor (JD) student Tess Lehn, 24, said it had been eye opening to be part of such an important program. "I have learnt so much seeing what the Magistrate deals with on a daily basis," she said. “The sheer volume of people that appeared before the Magistrate Court each day completely surpassed my expectations. This really highlighted the need the community has for the specialised Domestic Violence Court, which will hopefully remain in place after the pilot trial has finished.” “I think that this program is invaluable because it gives law students further insight into real-life legal practice, which you cannot otherwise gain from lectures and tutorials. To be sitting with the Magistrate is something that students would normally never experience, and I am very thankful to Bond University for this opportunity.” Tess is planning to work in family law when she graduates from Bond University this year. Third year Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Psychological Science student Katrina Ukmar, 21, said she and her fellow students were very fortunate to have such access to the courtroom and its workings. “I don’t think the community understands just how widespread domestic violence is in today’s society. It’s been amazing to see the great work that is happening, and steps that are being taken, to address this important issue.” Katrina would like to work in criminal law when she graduates from Bond at the end of 2017. Natalie O'Driscoll
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD JACK THORNE Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a stage script by Jack Thorne, was always going to feel like an Ikea manual against the backdrop of Rowling’s epic tomes. The script starts where the final book finished: nineteen years later, with Harry’s son, Albus Severus, afraid that the Sorting Hat will call out “Slytherin,” and pronounce him different to his heroic dad. But before Albus dons the hat, he happens upon sweet nerd Scorpius, who shares his anticipation he’ll be shunned at Hogwarts due to personal rumours and the Malfoy name. On a whim, Albus befriends Scorpius, and the two of them—bundled into Slytherin and treading in the shadows of their differently-famed fathers—grow close. But Albus’ troubles climb: his relationship with his father disintegrates, he and Scorpius endure school bullying, and his capacity to cope presents us with a question reminiscent of Harry’s childhood: is Albus going to be all right? Then he and Scorpius find a way to wind back time to rewrite a key moment in history. But will their antics trigger catastrophe and wipe out all we came to celebrate in The Deathly Hallows? A mystery also looms: did Voldemort have a child? If so, with whom, when, and how? (If you got through that without wondering about Voldemort’s more intimate candlelit dinners, your mind is made of gold.) Several characters fall short under Thorne’s gaze: Dumbledore feels more like an imposter than the wise philosopher who knew the answer to everything was woolly socks. Draco’s initial harshness towards Harry suggests he’s forgotten their truce, but Draco’s arc becomes one of the more gratifying aspects of The Cursed Child. The trio slip in and out of recognition, while newer characters feel well-defined, with Scorpius a veritable delight. Ron also adds levity, but it is not until the final pages, when Harry shimmers, that the script achieves some magic. The Cursed Child is a satisfying, familiar-enough jaunt that is far more likely to tantalise on stage than the page. Controversies surrounding plot points and the use of the name ‘Voldemort’ will give diehard fans something they’ve desperately missed: new Potter material for discussion and debate. Nae Kurth
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September'16
LANE-HARRY IKE CAMPBELL
GROW UP WITH YOUTH
issue #037
MUSIC
REVIEWS
MORE MUSIC
Tesla Cøils Lastlings Hussy Hicks Chelsea Rockwells Nereus
Back in Blue Syrup, Go On The Delta Riggs Baltimore Gun Club Karl S Williams
Hanlon Brothers The Black Swamp Buskers by the Creek Leopold’s Treat Switchkraft
CULTURE Long Bongs + Barrels Lisa Sorbie Martin Artyzan Fair Aluna dreaming Spinners + weavers
LIFESTYLE The Avenue Big Blue Sky Microplastics Rare Treasures Fran Miller