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Black Hops takes out top gong in national survey
Whitney Palmer
Local craft brewery Black Hops was recently named named the best craft brewery in the nation by the annual Beer Cartel survey of 17,000 participants. Back in 2014, Black Hops started with just three mates; Dan, Eddie and Michael; chipping in a total of $2000 to brew their first beer. Now they employ 50 staff across three locations and brew several hundred thousand litres of beer every year (and a little bit of cider). Congrats to the whole team on their continued success.
Fotomedia
#goldcoast not-for-profit Baby Give Back is in urgent need of funds for its Christmas appeal. Over the last four years these hardworking locals have helped thousands of babies and children in need across South East Queensland, and with the pandemic seeing increased DV and pressure on shelters, this year has been tougher than any before. Even a small amount goes a long way to ensure a child who may be getting nothing at all for Christmas after an already difficult year, might see a little bit of hope. Support those in need this Christmas over at babygiveback.org.
Managing Editor: Natalie O’Driscoll Creative Director: Chloe Popa
It’s that time again! If you’ve ever considered applying to exhibit at SWELL Sculpture Festival, now’s your chance. Applications are open until midnight on 31 Jan over at swellsculpture.com.au. Check out all the deets in our feature in this month’s edition.
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Content Coordinator & Photography: Simone Gorman-Clark
Reflections with Daniel Pap
Gold Coast artist and tattooist Daniel Pap is holding a solo exhibition called ‘Reflections' at the Dust Temple, open now until 23 January. The show is a unique eclectic mix of Daniel’s personal reflections during lockdown and his inspirations such as Japanese design and modern European art, so will be sure to have something to interest everyone.
Woodfordia hosts a Bushtime holiday
Woodfordia’s Bushtime is all set to welcome music lovers, nature enthusiasts, craft connoisseurs and anyone in need of a leafy escape this summer. Opening up the 500-acre site for the second time this year, organisers have put together four separate camps for patrons to choose from. Those who usually attend Woodford Folk Festival will be pleased to find that one of the camps will be held on the same dates as the iconic festival, so in some way, their New Year’s tradition may live on. An array of musicians is set to hit the stage, relieving patrons and performers alike of a year light on gigs. The camps run at various times between 12 Dec and 13 Jan. For the full program and tickets visit woodfordia.org/ bushtime/programme
Local filmmaker keeps the prizes rolling
Gold Coast filmmaker Jude Kalman is continuing her streak of international recognition, with her documentary on displaced families in Nigeria ‘Uncontained Love: Love > Fear’ picking up the People's Choice Award at The Yonkers Film Festival (YoFiFest) in New York in November, not long after her other short documentary ‘Nice Coffee Co - Our Story’ – about a social enterprise that helps residents of a Nairobi slum - won the "Special Prize - The Worth of Education” at the 2020 LAMPA Film Festival in Russia.
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SWELL opens applications for 2021 entries
Simone Gorman-Clark
Baby Give Back Christmas Appeal
Groundwater rises again in 2021 In some good news, Groundwater Country Music Festival is set to return to the streets, parks, and bars throughout Broadbeach in 2021 following its 2020 postponement. Major Events Gold Coast has recently announced that Groundwater will be back in 2021 with a revised date, scheduled for 12-14 November. Mark your calendars.
TeamWriters: Anthony Gebhardt & Zac Fahey Intern: Amaya Coburn Distribution: Swingin' Safari Crew Contributors (print and online): Natalie O’Driscoll, Anthony Gebhardt, Zac Fahey, Samantha Morris, Simone GormanClark, Marj Osborne, Erin Bourne, Anna Itkonen, Prudence Clark, Nicole Browne, Courtney Thomas, Niamh Sullivan, Jessica Borten, Pip Andreas, Amaya Coburn. Cover: 'A Very Blank Summer' cover and internal illustrations by Amanda Gorman @amandagormanartist Acknowledgement of Country: We genuinely respect and acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and play. We honour their elders past, present and emerging as well as the rich contribution that continues to be made to society through art, story and music.
Gold Coast to host unique mash up event Inverted Festival
New adrenaline-pumping all-ages music and action sports event Inverted Festival has recently been announced for the Gold Coast, for 1 May next year. Inverted Festival will feature the perfect mash up of Aussie punk rock and action sports athletes, coming together for a new all-ages festival at Metricon Stadium. Australia’s most exciting punk-rock bands, including one of Australia’s most loved heritage acts will descend on the Gold Coast to dazzle fans in a high-energy performance on one main stage. For full details and tickets, visit invertedfestival.com.au.
Blank - issue #82 - Summer 2020/21
About us: Blank is independently owned and published by Samantha Morris, Chloe Popa, Amanda Gorman and Natalie O'Driscoll. Founded in 2013 we are an independent voice for local music, arts and lifestyle and we rely on advertising as well as our generous contributors to keep us ticking. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor, publishers or the writing team. Editorial: news@blankstreetpress.com.au Advertising: advertising@ blankstreetpress.com.au
IN DIVISION 9 MUDGEERABA UNITING CHURCH 20 Dec, 6.30pm (Carols Service) 24 Dec, 6.30pm 25 Dec, 8.00am
DECEMBER 19 MUDGEERABA CHRISTMAS TWILIGHT MARKET Mudgeeraba Showgrounds, 115 Mudgeeraba Road, Mudgeeraba 3pm – 8pm Community market, local stall holders, creatives & producers, food vendors & live entertainment. Free car parking and dog friendly. facebook.com/ MudgeerabaCountryMarket
Children must bring their own two wheeled bike (with or without training wheels), helmet and be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For ages 4 and over.
Learn new skills from great coaches. Skateboards and helmets provided for up to 15 participants. FREE - bookings essential Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching (Jay Hetherington) 0407 910 240
JANUARY 13 ACTIVE & HEALTHY Firth Park, Somerset Drive Mudgeeraba TRAINING WHEELS TO TWO WHEELS 8.30am – 9.30am
cityofgoldcoast/activehealthy
CHILDREN’S CYCLING COURSE 9.30am – 10.30am This course teaches children basic bike controls skills to ride confidently in low traffic environments. Must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For ages 6 and over. cityofgoldcoast.com.au/events
JANUARY 6 & JANUARY 20 ACTIVE & HEALTHY SKATEBOARD WORKSHOP Firth Park, Somerset Drive, Mudgeeraba
To find out more about activities in your area and right across the City, or to subscribe to the mailing list and keep up to date all activities on offer, visit:
DECEMBER & JANURAY ACTIVE & HEALTHY SUMMER HOLIDAY PROGRAM Active & Healthy have an array of free events and activities lined up for all the family to enjoy over the school holidays. Some of the activities in Division 9 are - Agility Water Battles, Minifit, Horse Introduction and Pony Ride, Colour Explosion Obstacle Course, Get Down and Dance, Bubblelicious Extravaganza.
outdoor play for kids, trail running, bird watching, native gardening, plant propagation, Landcare and much more. Check out the following NaturallyGC Facebook Live workshops: DECEMBER 12
MUDGEERABA PARKRUN d’Arcy Doyle Park, Somerset Drive, Mudgeeraba 7am Saturdays (including Boxing Day) This FREE weekly 5km event is for participants of all standards and ages. Participants are encouraged or run, job or walk together. A COVID Safe Plan is in place and you must bring along your printed barcode. A QR code will be available to scan. Registration essential: parkrun.com.au/register
NATURALLYGC Become a NaturallyGC member and keep up to date with the latest workshops, activities and events across the City. Enjoy opportunities to connect with and explore the Gold Coast’s wonderful natural environment. Activities include guided bushwalks, nature photography, tree planting, wildlife shows,
CREATURES OF THE DARK / 10AM – 10.30AM / FREE JANUARY 23 GREY HEADED FLYING FOX / 4PM – 4.45PM / FREE These online workshops are suitable for all ages, Children under the age of 13 must be supervised while using Facebook. To subscribe to membership, or get information on the NaturallyGC on line program visit: cityofgoldcoast/naturallygc
MOSAIC CHURCH MUDGEERABA 25 Dec, 8.30am – 9.30am C3 CHURCH MUDGEERABA 24 Dec, 5.00pm -7.00pm (in service and online) HINTERLAND BAPTIST CHURCH 24 Dec, 7pm (in service and online) CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 24 Dec, 6.00pm (Carols Service & Communion) 25 Dec, 8.30am ST BENEDICT’S CATHOLIC CHURCH 24 Dec, 5.00pm 25 Dec, 8.00am SALT CHURCH MUDGEERABA 24 Dec, 4.00pm & 6.00pm 25 Dec, 8.30am GRACE MINISTRIES 20 Dec, 10.00am (Carols Service) HIGHWAY CHRISTIAN CHURCH GILSTON 12 Dec, 6.00pm (Carols Service online event) REEDY CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH 24 Dec, 6.00pm 25 Dec, 8.00am KINGS CHRISTIAN CHURCH REEDY CREEK 25 Dec, 9.00am NEW BEGINNINGS REEDY CREEK 27 Dec, 9.30am COASTLIFE ADVENTIST CHURCH 19 Dec, 10.00am
HOTA Gallery announces heart-thumping inaugural program Gold Coast Cultural Precinct HOTA, Home of the Arts has recently announced its inaugural exhibition program that will be presented in the new $60.5 million HOTA Gallery, opening to the public on 10 April 2021. Words by Natalie O’Driscoll
Spanning six levels, HOTA Gallery is the largest public gallery outside a capital city in Australia and will present a dynamic program of world premiere international exhibitions, Australian exclusives and new commissions, celebrating artists from across Australia and the world. HOTA Gallery will launch with Solid Gold: Artists from Paradise (10 April – 20 June 2021) presented across the Gallery and the HOTA parklands, and featuring major new commissions and artwork by emerging and established Australian artists with a connection to the region, including Hiromi Tango, Michael Candy, Abbey McCulloch, Samuel Leighton-Dore and Libby Harward. Celebrating the diversity and richness of the Gold Coast, the exhibition will feature sculpture, painting, video, photography and installations, both indoors and out. Libby Harward’s piece BLOODLETTING: (water-ways), covers the themes of over-extraction of water and the changing of the ways in which we live and use water, a recurring theme in Libby’s work. “It’s really important to be able to be showcased in my place of residence,” Libby says about her acceptance into the inaugural program, “and also to be able to use that platform to talk about important political issues.”
“The Gold Coast has moved forward really quickly in the last five years, and the Gallery will be an incredibly important element in broadening our artistic conversations, interests and ideas, and expanding things even further.”
Also exhibiting in the new gallery will be Lisa Sorbie Martin, a Gold Coast artist who is as passionate about her local community as she is about her work. Lisa will be keeping things a little more personal with her piece Eterné, a tribute to loved ones who have passed from sickness and disease, with elements sourced entirely from local businesses. “I wanted to create something beautiful that honours and champions all those who have struggled and lost their fight, and also all those who are still in the fight,” she says. “No one is exempt from this. I want people to think about these questions: ‘Where is eternity? Where do our loved ones go?’ This one is going to be very close to my heart.” Lisa’s devotion to everything Gold Coast was certainly put to the test when she found herself applying for a spot in the new gallery. “I enter a lot of stuff, and normally when I submit an expression of interest I think ‘if I get it, I get it’,” Lisa says. “But this HOTA one I wanted so badly. It’s my local, my stomping ground, it’s the building that’s being built as the home of our arts and culture, and I got it! We have so many great artists here. I’m so pumped that I’m going to be able to exhibit among them.” And it’s not just extraordinary local talent that is heading our way. Celebrating one of Australia’s foremost living artists and greatest landscape painters, the major exhibition Lyrical Landscapes: The Art of William Robinson (24 July – 03 October 2021) will see Robinson’s entire Creation Series, produced over 16 years, presented together for the first time. Coinciding with his 85th year, the exhibition curated by Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO will feature the awardwinning artist’s monumental multi-panelled paintings alongside intimate studies and prints.
In a world premiere exhibition exclusive to the Gold Coast and Australia, HOTA Gallery will present Contemporary Masters from New York: Art from the Mugrabi Collection (13 November 2021 – 27 February 2022) featuring approximately 70 works from some of the world’s most influential contemporary artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Richard Prince, and Jeff Koons. Developed by HOTA Gallery Director, Tracy Cooper-Lavery and drawn entirely from the Mugrabi’s famed private collection, the exhibition marks the first time these iconic works have been shown in Australia. The inaugural exhibition in the new dedicated Children’s Gallery is World Upside Down (10 April – 10 October 2021). Working with Queensland artists Lowana SkyeDavies and Alinta Krauth, the Children’s Gallery will be an immersive space filled with interactive art and hands-on making activities, inspired by the themes found in the first two major exhibitions, Solid Gold and Lyrical Landscapes. Alongside the premiere exhibitions presented in the main space, HOTA Gallery will also present works from the $32 million City Collection. Consisting of more than 4,400 artworks, the collection includes one the largest collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in regional Australia. Designed by award-winning Melbourne-based architects ARM, HOTA Gallery will be the centrepiece of Australia’s most dynamic new arts precinct, HOTA, Home of the Arts, sitting on the banks of the Nerang River on the Gold Coast in Queensland, situated within almost 17ha of landscaped parklands, adjoining an outdoor stage and concert lawn. Information on the 2021 exhibition program can be found at hota.com.au, with further details and programming to be announced in 2021. Pictured above: ZEUS/ZAVROS, 2018 oil on canvas, Michael Zavros
Gold Coast music bubble set to expand in 2021
As the Gold Coast’s only university to offer a music degree, Southern Cross University has made a seismic impact since launching its music course in partnership with Coomera TAFE one year ago. In its first year, more than 40 students enrolled to study music at the Coomera Creative Campus location, and already more than 35 have applied to study in 2021. Even during COVID-restrictions and lockdown, the University quickly pivoted to delivering its comprehensive music degree online. Now with the travel bubble expanded to include Lismore in Northern NSW, students and staff from Southern Cross University at Lismore and the Gold Coast’s Coomera and main Coolangatta campuses can again travel to collaborate, create, teach and perform. For Southern Cross University Bachelor of Contemporary Music graduate Kate Stroud (pictured above) – who opened and managed the immensely popular Dusty Attic Music Lounge in the Northern Rivers – 2020 has presented new opportunities.
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Kate has partnered with Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA), managing events and coordinating artists, to breathe life back into the Northern Rivers live music and performing arts scene.
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She recently presented the STROUD X NORPA Studio Sessions with Ash Grunwald, Emily Lubitz, Jex Lopez and Harry James Angus a few of the headliners, and this month NORPA is presenting ‘Great Southern Nights’ a series of performances and tour dates from artists such as Tim Freedman, Budjerah, and No Frills Twins. Last week the line-up included stellar emerging artists from Southern Cross University’s contemporary music program including Maya Holstegge, Mykaela Baillie, Joe Conroy and Georgia Cummins.
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“It feels so good to be presenting real live music again, and bringing people together to celebrate our talented music makers, performers and community,” Kate said. For more information about studying the Bachelor of Contemporary Music or studying creative arts in 2021 visit scu.edu.au/study-at-scu/music-and-creative-arts
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Five ways you can shop local this Christmas 2020 sure has been one hell of a year for everyone, including small local businesses who have been hit hard by the pandemic. So we have come up with some ways you can support your local community while Christmas shopping this year, and keep those good vibes rolling. Words by Simone Gorman-Clark and Natalie O’Driscoll
1. Give an experience The Craft Parlour have you covered with a range of craft kits on offer so you can give the experience of embroidery, pottery, water colours, weaving and macramé to do from the comfort of your own home. For more information go to the Craft Parlour website thecraftparlour. com.au Willowvale Cooking School is the gift for the loved one who loves to cook. Why not buy a 2 ½ hour workshop with Gold Coast Michelin-star chef Bruno Loubel? Bruno cooks and deciphers the recipes while giving loads of advice, details and ‘tricks of the trade’ making it a clear and enjoyable experience. The workshop is then followed by a 3-course lunch. You can learn about festive entertaining, French pastry, fresh pasta, impressive brunches, Bruno’s mother’s favourites, Moroccan delights, one pot wonders and heaps more Visit the Willowvale Cooking School website willowvalecookingschool.com for more information and pricing. Gold Coast’s Lindy Charm School is offering 1950’s/60’s vintage pin-up Christmas Photoshoots that are suitable for everyone, and a gift that can be treasured for generations. There are a range of packages on offer like 50’s-60’s summer, 40’s pin up, couples summer lovin’,
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sibling summer days or you could choose your own theme. Visit the Lindy Charm School website lindycharmschool.com.au for more information.
2. Buy a children’s book by locals ‘Too Tight for Tilly’ is the first in a series of books by Author Gloria Bretz and Illustrator Amanda Gorman, with the fun-loving Tilly as the main character. Suitable for ages 0-10, the book is available now just in time for Christmas. You can even get the book signed with a special note from the creators. Visit the Amanda Gorman Artist website amandagormanartist. com for more information and to purchase. ‘Jelly-Boy’ by Gold Coast author Nicole Godwin, is illustrated by Christopher Nielsen and published by Walker Books Australia. It is suitable for children ages 3+, and is an unconventional and cautionary conservation tale that follows the story of a jellyfish that falls in love with a plastic bag she mistakes for a jelly-boy. Good for inspiring little greenies. ‘The Less Said On Ducks The Better’ is a tale of the critters who reside behind the locked gates of a Botanical Gardens at night, and was written by Gold Coast author and illustrator Tomi Gray – aka War Of The Real - during the pregnancy of one of his good
friends. ‘The Less Said On Ducks The Better’ is a silly, psychedelic fun time that certainly doesn’t take itself seriously, and is sure to delight kids and parents both. It seems we’re not the only one who think so either, with the story already being picked up by a publisher. You can search and purchase online.
3. Give a gift that is good for the environment Consciously Clean are a local Currumbin company who have created a place for people to source all their natural, eco friendly domestic cleaning and personal care products, without the terrible impact on our environment. There are a variety of eco friendly gifts on offer and customers can also refill from bulk lines of cleaning, personal care, pet and baby products to reduce the chemicals and plastic used in our everyday lives. For more information visit the Consciously Clean website consciouslyclean. com.au. Head to the Op Shop, Gold Coast is packed to the brim with excellent second hand stores where you can almost certainly find that perfect something for your loved ones without contributing to the footprint and landfill that comes along with first hand consumerism. Thryft, Salvos and AWLQ in Burleigh and Vinnies in Palm Beach are mustBlank - issue #82 - Summer 2020/21
dos on the southern end, while you’re sure to find something awesome on the top end at The Living Rivers Op Shop, Coomera and Gold Coast North Anglican Op Shop in Labrador, just to name a few.
4. Buy a gift from a local market The Village Markets (TVM) is a boutique lifestyle market and community of small businesses that has over 100 stalls in fashion, lifestyle, sustainability, art and vintage, and is the go to place on a Sunday morning for great coffee, street food, live music and good vibes. You can be assured you will be purchasing an original locally-made gift and having fun at the same time. When: 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month, 8am to 1pm Where: Burleigh Heads Primary School, Burleigh Heads Coolangatta Beach Front Markets is located on the Coolangatta beachfront, this market showcases the best local artisans and the great street food talents from the Northern Rivers and the Gold Coast alike. When: Every second Sunday of the month, 8am to 2.30pm Where: Queen Elizabeth Park, Marine Parade, Coolangatta
5. Contribute to Currumbin Wildlife hospital The hospital's vital work of treating, rehabilitating and releasing sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife means the hospital has grown to be one of the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world. 2019 saw over 12,200 animals, including 600 Koalas admitted into the hospital - a service that is provided free of charge to the community. You can support Currumbin Wildlife hospital with your gift this Christmas in these three ways. 1.
Purchase a Walkways for Wildlife paver and have a message or business name and logo engraved and laid at Currumbin Wildlife hospital.
2.
Buy a $10 Eucalyptus tree through the ‘Tree To Me’ program and help the Wildlife Hospital continue to treat our beautiful Koalas and plant Eucalyptus trees in their plantations.
3.
Adopt an endangered native Australian animal and receive an animal plush, printed certificate and fact sheet and a quarterly e-newsletter about your animal.
The ultimate beef: rock vs metal at Vinnies It’s hard to imagine a band that encapsulates the “old” Gold Coast more than Tokyo Beef, and I’m not just saying that because of the age of the band members. Words by Samantha Morris - Photograph by Simone Gorman-Clark
Born in Burleigh Head’s The Crab Pot in 2006 and named from a famed Nobbys burger shop menu item, the band has seen members come and go over the last 14 years, but with Graeme Treanor at the helm the outfit has built a reputation as one of the city’s most solid rock outfits. But they’re about to be given a run for their money as part of a four-band lineup descending on Vinnies Dive Bar this month. Diskust, The Panasonics and Awake in Time join Tokyo Beef on the bill which pits metal against rock in an almighty showdown of epic distortions. The show is great timing for Diskust, who recruited new members as the pandemic unfolded, managed to hone new songs and also roll out an east coast tour. Of course, east coast tours are a bit different now. Rather than heading south, this five-piece metal outfit headed north. Diskust bassist Lance “Bones Motherfucker” Jones said because of COVID-19 and not being able to travel south, they set their sights on Cairns. “We needed fresh scenery and a fresh group of people to see what we do,” new recruit CJ Nash (drums) said. And those efforts paid off. Their first night at AJ Hacketts in Cairns resulted in an outdoor crowd of 120 people. As one of the stalwarts of the rock scene on the Gold Coast, Graeme is optimistic about the future, but accepts there are only a tiny number of venues covering the genre. “There’s no shortage of bands in both genres and no shortage of talent,” he said. “But even without COVID, venues were a bit light on and the ones that are there are not really supported that well by people.”
Lance said pre-COVID, they’d be lucky to get 10 or 20 people to a Sunday show. “People are just craving live music, they need to get out and experience that feeling again. The live energy. There’s no better feeling that seeing a band,” Lance said. Both bands have had lineup changes recently with Tokyo Beef welcoming new drummer Dommie “Kickdrum” Shelley who boasts an impressive bio of past projects. He joins Peter Punk (lead guitar) and Johnny Fairlane (bass) alongside Graeme. “Dom has brought a new energy to the band,” Graeme said. “He’s breathed a lot of new life, even into our old songs. And now we have a bunch of new songs we’re working on and they’ve gone to a whole new level.” Those new songs will get a run at the Vinnies gig in December and Diskust also have new material with CJ (drums) saying he’s been pressing for new material since coming on board in February. CJ heard that the band had imploded after the previous drummer left and immediately called Bones to suss the situation. It seems the new combination is working for everyone. “It was a good band, a good brand and they didn’t want to let go of it,” CJ said. CJ joins Jase Johansen (guitar) and Kiel Long (guitar) as new band members, alongside original member Bodiene Antrobus (vocalist) and Lance. Vinnies is the perfect fit for this metal v rock showdown too and the bands are stoked to be performing there again.
Lance said COVID has had something of a positive impact on the metal scene locally.
“For me, it’s home,” said Lance. “I love the venue, love the stage, love the sound and love everyone that comes along. Ever since Shark Bar went, this is home.”
“Our last show was at Woolly Mammoth (Brisbane) on a Sunday and we sold that out,” CJ said.
“It the intimacy,” Graeme added. “People coming here are coming to see music. This is the Gold Coast home for
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them. When you play here, the crowd is pretty close to you. It’s belting off the stage and they love it, so you love it. You feed off each other.” CJ said you can taste the sweat of bands gone by when you walk in the door.
“It’s not what you expect in Southport,” he said. “This vacuum of sweat, the Courthouse across the road, it’s home. It’s a really good stage and a great sound that comes off it.” But when it comes to the showdown, who’s going to take home the honours? Lance voices his appreciation for Tokyo Beef. “Seriously, a lot of bands could learn from Tokyo Beef. After the show [at BBQ Bazaar], they went around and thanked everyone for coming. That’s massive… us younger bands can learn from that. They put on such a strong live show, so energetic.” “They’re one of the most solid rock bands going around,” CJ added. Graeme (who’s 35 years older than Diskust’s youngest member) said more youthful bands often raise their eyebrows. “When we play with young bands, they look at us and are like, what are these old blokes gonna do?” “We get up there and we know we have 45-50 minutes and it’s go time.” Saturday 19 December – Diskust + Tokyo Beef + Awake In Time + The Panasonics, Vinnies Dive Bar. Tickets just $10 via Oztix. Check out the Gold Coast rock x metal showdown playlist on Spotify. Read the full interview at blankgc.com.au.
DVNA to Light Up BBQ Bazaar on New Years Day Words by Anthony Gebhardt
Vibrant electro-soul singer, song-writer and producer DVNA (pronounced Dah-Nah) is no stranger to the pages of Blank, since announcing herself with her Gold Coast Music Award nominated release ‘Girl On The Move’ in 2018. Since then she’s been on an everupwards trajectory, performing at BIGSOUND 2019 as well as signing with booking agent Falcona Agency (who also look after Alison Wonderland, Hayden James and The Presets) and continuing to put out a bunch of rapturously received tunes, culminating in the release of her highly anticipated debut EP, ‘All My Friends’, in late September.
With live music thankfully starting to reemerge again following months of COVID lockdowns, DVNA will be welcoming the New Year in fine style on the evening of 1 January at BBQ Bazaar, where she’ll be performing a headline show in conjunction with a bunch of other fine local talent including Felivand, I.E. Alt Fiction, Hot Coffee and Doolie. In the lead up we chatted with the sassy lass herself, to find out about her recent EP, how she’s been coping with the challenges of 2020 and what we can expect from her upcoming New Year’s Day performance. Congratulations on the recent release of your debut EP 'All My Friends'. Are you satisfied with how it turned out and how it's been received? Absolutely. It felt so good to get a full, coherent body of work out instead of a few singles. It allowed me to open up to my audience and show them a deeper side of me. I've had nothing but beautiful support from everyone! How did your recent run of Queensland live dates to support its release go down - did you have a favourite show from the tour? They were some of the craziest shows I've ever played in my life, and happened to be the most intimate. When a crowd is there for you and not for a band you're supporting, it makes all the difference. They knew the words, they have been on the journey with me this entire time. It felt so incredibly special playing for these people who have supported me through these crazy couple of years. The Brisbane show on the second night was insane. At one point we had a girl dancing up on tables. While on the subject of live performances, you must be looking forward to farewelling the craziness of 2020 and celebrating with
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your upcoming performance at BBQ Bazaar on 1 January!? What can we expect from you on the night in relation to how you'll be presenting your songs? I cannot wait to farewell 2020 with the beautiful people of the Gold Coast. We've all been through a lot this year so I don't think there's a better way to welcome 2021 than by putting on one hell of a party. We'll be playing the 'All My Friends' tour set list with a few new and super-fun additions. How have you coped with the challenges of 2020, especially in relation to its impacts on an artistic level? I actually enjoyed staying in. I'm naturally a bit of a homebody anyway so I don't think it affected me too much in that sense. Not playing live or seeing bands hurt a little, but I was able to really step back and realise how much I enjoy playing live. I think I may have taken it for granted before. Although we faced many challenges this year, the world was able to almost reset and re-evaluate what's most important to us, slowing down, taking a breather and discovering new hobbies and creative outlets. I think it was much needed for us all. Do you have any solid plans in place yet for 2021, musically or otherwise? I'll be on tour for the first month of 2021, after that it'll be straight back into the studio to write some more music. I would like to host a few more festivals and even look at a line of merch. DVNA’s New Years Day Performance at BBQ Bazaar, together with Felivand, I.E. Alt Fiction, Hot Coffee and Doolie, is one of the hottest shows in town to bring in 2021, so be sure to grab yourself a ticket over at OzTix, pronto.
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Meet René Le Feuvre On the rise Gold Coast singer-songwriter René Le Feuvre is an exciting new voice on the local music landscape who has been making rapid strides since commencing his musical journey, in which time he’s achieved a top 25 finish on The Voice Australia 2018, a top three spot in Nashville’s rising song competition in 2019 and an invite to the South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas (which sadly had to be aborted due to the impacts of COVID). Words by Anthony Gebhardt
The talented young indie-folk performer has an interesting background, having originally moved to the Gold Coast to pursue his other love of playing AFL football. But music became the bigger calling as his journey unfolded and over the course of the past two years, René has made every step a winner on his musical evolution, with 2020 seeing him release four singles as well as his debut six track EP ‘Watch Me Fall’, which were all self-funded. And having played a sold-out show at Miami Marketta in September, René will be returning to the stage again on 11 December within the atmospheric confines of the Mount Nimmel Hall. In the lead up to the show we chatted to Rene about his musical journey. For a full transcript of the interview, head to the Blank website. You’ve travelled an interesting path to get where you are artistically - what was the catalyst for you in choosing music over football as your primary focus? Being from a small rural town of around 300 people, it was always my dream to achieve greater things and not be stuck in my tiny town. I was good at sport, and football essentially gave me an avenue to do this, and it was something I was passionate about. Upon finishing school I moved to the Gold Coast to give myself better opportunities with the Gold Coast Suns. When I moved here I didn’t know anyone and certainly didn’t have any money, so I started busking. I was truly amazed by the support from everyone and realised how much of an impact music can have on people. To have the ability to change someone’s day, week, even life through my musical talent - it’s something I am so incredibly grateful for and is the core reason why I decided to drop my football career and university degree in Physiotherapy. Music is where I find fulfilment and what makes me happy. You’ve been very busy this year, releasing four singles and your debut EP. Can you put us in the picture as to how the EP came together from a writing and recording perspective? I see the overall sound of my EP as a reflection of myself, and the lyrics almost like a journal of my feelings and the
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emotions that we all experience growing up as a young adult. I write my songs nearly always at night, when I can think deeply without distractions. And it made sense when one of my followers told me that all my songs reference the night in some way through metaphors or setting. Most of these songs took me months and months to write – ‘Believe’ and ‘Watch Me Fall’ in particular I wrote over the course of two years… I only finished them when I knew exactly what I wanted to say and how. The recording took time but came together quickly. I produced and mixed the songs through Jared Adlam (Machine Lab Recording Studios). We treated each song as their own, giving them room to move sonically but also keeping them within the singer/songwriter genre. We got away with adding different elements, from a retro wurlys and a 16 bar electric guitar solo to real life dolphin calls and lightning strikes that I recorded in my bedroom years ago for my demos. You recently played a sold-out show at Miami Marketta – what was that experience like? And what can we expect from you in the live realm when you hit the stage on 11 December at Mt Nimmel Hall?
It was an awesome experience and a huge milestone for me! Performing with my four-piece band was really something different, and something I want to do a lot more of next year. I think my niche is still my finger style guitar playing and storytelling, which is why Mt Nimmel Hall will be the perfect venue for that kind of intimacy. I’ll be doing plenty of looping on my guitar and vocals to help fill it out. I want to show people what I can do with just me and my guitar! Supporting me will be Chloe May on the piano… I think it’s going to shape up to be a really good night! René Le Feuvre is performing an intimate show at Mount Nimmel Hall in Austinville on 11 December, and his debut EP, ‘Watch Me Fall’, is out now on all major streaming platforms.
Streets Talk: Brett Hammond Releases Hard Hitting Debut EP Inarguably talented Gold Cost solo artist Brett Hammond has just dropped his impressive six track debut EP, ‘Streets Talk’, a broad ranging rock offering which masterfully showcases his emotive vocals and multi-instrumental talents. The EP is resplendent in high octane, melodically-tinged heavy rock belters, encapsulated in power packed numbers such as memorable second single, ‘A Simple Thing’, the insistent ‘The Ever Ticking Brain’ and the heavy riffing delight of ‘The Wrecking Ball’. Words by Anthony Gebhardt
And while ‘Streets Talk’ may be the first fruits of Brett’s labour under his own name, he’s certainly no stranger to the music caper, having previously written and performed as part of Gold Coast act Misdirection from 2004 to 2010. Says Brett of his musical evolution and the process he undertook to get these songs out there after nearly a decade between original musical projects; “It's a good feeling, as it's been a long time coming. A couple of these songs were written around ten years ago for Misdirection, my old band that broke up around that same time. In our six years together we did some great things – put out three releases, played many gigs and went on mini tours around Oz, had some big supports, played the Big Day Out, tv/radio plugs. It's quite uncanny, I only just recently realised Misdirection’s last gig was 12th Nov 2010 and my EP came out 13th Nov 2020 - almost 10 years to the day! “Over the years since then, I've been chipping away with writing different styles, and demoing when I could at Core studios – I definitely took my time with the whole process. The actual recording sessions were pretty smooth, being that I've had these songs for so long. Also, the fact I've been working with (producer) Nik Carpenter at Core Studios for so many years definitely made it easier. He is amazing!!”
Having grown up as part of a musically inclined family in Victoria, Brett’s multi instrumental talents came to the fore during the EP’s recording, as he explains. “I played all the instruments - drums, percussion, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, keys and vocals. I did actually reach out to a couple local guitarists for some guitar solos, it just never lined up. The few people in my world around this recording process always said to “keep it just you”. So I just stuck with it and dug deep, as it's something I've wanted to do since I was very young.” And although the ‘Streets Talk’ EP has only just come out, Brett is clearly keen to make up for lost time, with plenty more new music already in the pipeline. “Well after getting these songs out of my head after so many years, it's time to keep it rolling. I've already started demos for an acoustic album. And it makes sense to follow this EP up with a full band rock album. I certainly have a lot of material and ideas throughout the last 10 years. So yeah, plenty to come!” Brett Hammond’s ‘Streets Talk’ EP is available now on Spotify and Apple Music.
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Meet the next gen of the Gold Coast art scene: Jonathon Anthony Forno Words by Anna Itkonen
While the world stage is quite chaotic with political, economic and environmental uncertainty, not to even mention the global pandemic, homegrown arts are full of passion, bursting with creativity and definitely going places. Jonathon Anthony Forno, Anna Carey and Jay Jermyn are recent graduates from Griffith University making their mark on the art world here and overseas.
"[Young] Gold Coast artists are raising the profile of art from the Gold Coast, artists like Jay Jermyn, a finalist of the Byron Arts Prize, and Anna Carey, a finalist of the Fishers Ghost Award at the Campbelltown Arts Centre," Jonathon Forno said. And Jonathon himself was a finalist for the Queensland Environmental Sculpture Award held in Maleny some weeks back. Jonathon described his art and the personal nature of it. "[In my art] I utilise play, environment, scale, memory and nostalgia to create bridges between my past and the present offering me the opportunity to explore the underlying theme of play and its effects on my selfesteem." Jonathon is no stranger to exhibiting his work on the Gold Coast either, with SWELL Sculpture Festival this past September being one of the more recent exhibitions on the coast. "My sculpture Totem/The Fragile, exhibited at Swell Sculpture Festival, is a 3m x 3m origami sculpture made of 100% recyclable composite board. [It is] an origami parrot and koala on top of an origami kangaroo, which addressed the devastating bushfires of 2019/2020. “It broke my heart seeing moving and still images continuously bombarding my Instagram feed during that horrific season of koalas scurrying across hot coals dehydrated and kangaroos charred against fences trying to escape the fires. “I was honoured to share [this work] with the Sunshine Coast also as they too had suffered immensely under the 2019/2020 bushfire season." While all art and artistic expression is often loud and aimed at creating an impact, the young voices have an uncanny ability to be even more in the moment, capture the thoughts and worries of their generations and draw the light specifically on these issues.
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Gold Coast law student holds solo art exhibition Throughout November, sometime Blank contributor Eden Mili Tokatly showcased four innovative pieces in her first solo exhibition at the Bond University Transformer Hub. Words by Jessica Borten
The Law and Arts student is a multidisciplinary artist, blurring the line between visual art and technology and was recently awarded the Gold Coast Student Excellence Award for Excellence in Fostering Creative Arts. "Australian and World politics are like being in the studio audience of a poorly executed Netflix drama,” said Jonathon. “American politics is a complete shitshow right now and as for the Australian Government’s unwillingness to sign the new Climate Accords along with five of the other great polluters of the world is downright disgusting." "My sculpture Life Buoy/Black Gold will be heading to London in the new year in response to this very subject for a group exhibition under the theme of a current social, political and cultural issue. Climate Change encompasses every facet of those three themes and is just as important to conquer quickly as Covid-19," Jonathan said. But after all said above, there is no denying the excitement and positivity of being part of the art world today. "It is extremely positive to see the value that the City of Gold Coast and Queensland Government is placing in the arts through their Germinate and Activate Grant Programs.
“When writing different lines of code, it’s all about trying to find a balance between algorithms and art,” said Eden. “A lot of people don’t think that code can be beautiful because it’s typically quite statistical but by making it more aesthetic, I think it can be accessible to the general public. “One of the pieces was inspired by the theremin, a musical instrument. It’s an interactive work but is still COVID safe. “You hover your hand around a print out of the stock market and when you move your hand over different sections, you hear what happened on that day. You can see the financial crisis from this year and hear news clippings from that time.” Eden, who is also Editor-in-Chief and Head of Design at ‘Bound’, the student-produced magazine at Bond University, said inspiration for the exhibition was birthed during her time in quarantine after she returned home from America earlier this year. “I went on exchange to the University of Southern California at the start of this year but it got cut short because of COVID and I had to come home early,” said Eden. “I started writing a lot of poetry to help my mental health and bought a massive blank canvas. I did my first oil painting and I would wake up every morning, put on some music, and work on it.”
“This is an exciting time to be an artist on the Gold Coast, the arts and culture sector is becoming a melting pot of critical thinkers and thought-provoking creatives that are responding to the current political, social, cultural and economic state of the world.
Eden will graduate from Bond University in April 2021 and has aspirations to pursue postgraduate study in California.
“The Gold Coast is abuzz with ever-growing creative energy, which I'm stoked to be a part of," Jonathan summarised.
“I’m hoping to study studio art and then become a full-time artist beyond university.
In large parts, the art scene on the Gold Coast is much like the city itself; young, vibrant and going to places. Follow Jonathon @johnanthonyforno.
“I think having my time cut short has made me more determined to go back overseas,” said Eden.
“It might seem a bit unrealistic at the moment with international borders closed but I don’t really have a ‘Plan B’. “My ‘Plan B’ is ‘it’s going to work out’. I’m going to make it happen.” For more information on Eden’s work, follow her on Instagram @ edenmilicreative or check out her website edenmili.art
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SWELL Sculpture Festival seeks artists submissions for 2021
Entries are now open for the 19th annual SWELL Sculpture Festival with over $27,000 in award money, artist subsidies, residencies, programming and installation support on offer.
Words by Natalie O’Driscoll
Queensland’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition has announced applications are officially open to international and Australian artists to exhibit at the upcoming SWELL Sculpture Festival.
Lifebridge, photo by PBR Images
The free 10-day outdoor exhibition will take place from 10 to 19 September 2021 as the festival presents the small, medium and large-scale sculpture installations and digital works from more than 50 Australian and international artists. The SWELL Sculpture Festival is open to all mediums of sculpture and an opportunity for artists to shine in the public light on shared land. SWELL Sculpture Festival Executive Director Dee Steinfort encourages applicants to be brave and bold. “We invite artists to tell their stories through sculpture to share it with the world. It’s an opportunity for applicants to be brave, bold and daring in their creativity when putting together submissions.
“We are seeking exhibits that not only connect people, art and place but also art that challenges the imaginations of our audience,” she says. SWELL is known for being a platform for artists at all stages of their careers, and warmly welcomes first time and emerging exhibitors. Generous prize money aside, the exposure gained by exhibiting one’s work at SWELL really can’t be underestimated, according to previous SWELL exhibitor, Gold Coast artist Lisa Sorbie Martin. “Natasha [Edwards, SWELL Co-founder and Artistic Director] has been one of my greatest advocates,” says Lisa, who now leverages her artistic talents into her own business as well as regular commissions. “SWELL was that event that catapulted me into the public art arena, and from there onwards I’ve done quite a few public artworks.” Lisa most recently helped design and work on large scale installation SkyWeave at Bleach* Festival’s Burleigh hub, and is one of the artists who has been selected to exhibit at the massive inaugural program for HOTA Gallery’s 2021 opening. In addition, she has undertaken the design of several lanterns that currently hang in a Brisbane CBD street, alongside other commissions.
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“I would so encourage emerging and upcoming artists to enter SWELL,” Lisa says, “even artists that have been around for ages - I’d been an artist for 20-odd years before I displayed at SWELL.” “Creating art in the public space and in the community that really excites me” Lisa continues. “It’s like getting your art off the four walls of the gallery, out of an institution and into a community that needs to see beautiful art, that needs to see these stories being told. You can bend people’s thought processes. SWELL is such a fabulous way to do that, because the community have really engaged with the festival.” Successful applicants will be vying for their share of a coveted prize pool totaling $27,000, with the major award winner taking home $15,000 cash. Exhibiting artists will not only gain exposure and the chance at the prizes, but also have the opportunity to meet and network with other exhibiting artists, share stories and a meal or two, and make lifelong personal and professional connections. Artist submissions can comprise of completed works, works in progress or concepts. Artists can submit applications online up until midnight on Sunday 31 January 2021. Apply at swellsculpture.com.au.
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Friday 18 December Locky -The Coolangatta Hotel
Thursday 10 December FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Tim Freedman - Soundlounge FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: DENNIS - HOTA, Lawn Bar Steve Kilbey - Miami Marketta
Friday 11 December FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Benny D Williams - HOTA, Lawn Bar BEYOND THE BLUE HORIZON Celebrating the music of Mike Nesmith: with Danny widdicombe, Anje West, Jamie Clark, Kym Ambrose & Helen Russell - ARTEMUS at Dust Temple Matty Rogers - Currumbin RSL
FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: The Oogars + Luji Murfi - Miami Marketta FEEBACK FESTIVAL: Neil Diamond Superhits with Steve Cummins - RSL Club Southport FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Russel Morris - Southport Yacht Club FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Benny D Williams - HOTA, Lawn Bar Pete Murray - Lonestar Tavern
Sunday 13 December Jason Delphin - Currumbin RSL Division 4 - The Coolangatta Hotel Thirsty Merc - Soundlounge
Luke Yeaman - Kingscliff Beach Hotel
Mad Caddies - The Coolangatta Hotel
Animal Ventura - Currumbin RSL
The How Dare You's DenDevine
Rick Barron - The Coolangatta Hotel FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Buttered + Hot Coffee - Miami Marketta FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Peach Fur + Radolescent Elsewhere Bar
Jazz Singers Jam Night GC HOSTED BY INGRID JAMES - ARTEMUS at Dust Temple Tracy McNeil + Dan Parsons + Naomi Connell - Brunswick Picture House
Purple Zain + The New Wave Order - Eddie's Grub House SONGBIRDS 2 with Felicity Lawless, Julie Hayes, Mel Scarlett, Naomi Connell & Ms Elaneaous ARTEMUS at Dust Temple Luke Morris - Currumbin RSL Ben Amor - Currumbin RSL Luke Pauley - Currumbin RSL Steven Michael - The Coolangatta Hotel Mardi Wilson - Kingscliff Beach Hotel
Bobby Alu + HOTA Kids + Imagine - HOTA, Lakeside Terrace Jesse Emmanuel - RSL Club Southport Jack Botts + Ben Camden + Boatkeeper - Miami Marketta Off The Grid Band Advancetown Hotel Motel Hussy Hicks + Sam Buckingham - Brunswick Picture House Hinterland Band - Fisherman's Wharf Tavern Xmas Spread - Mo's Desert Clubhouse
Wednesday 23 December
Champagne & Oysters in Mona Lisa's Lair - Miami Marketta
Nick Cunningham + Jackson James Smith - Miami Marketta
Mark Sheils - The Coolangatta Hotel
The Gin Buggs - Kingscliff Beach Hotel
Saturday 16 January
The How Dare You's DenDevine
Sunday 27 December
Tokyo Beef + Diskust + The Panasonics + Awake In Time Vinnies Dive Bar Benno & Kesh - Kingscliff Beach Hotel
Naomi Connell - Currumbin RSL Harry Nicols - Kingscliff Beach Hotel Simone Milton - RSL Club Southport
Adam Hole Band - Advancetown Hotel Motel
Mason Rack Band - The Lennox Hotel
Thirsty Merc - The Coolangatta Hotel
Mason Rack Band Advancetown Hotel Motel
The Dusty Rich Comedy Circus - Miami Marketta
Wednesday 30 December
Blues Arcadia - Wallaby Hotel
Sunday 20 December
FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Trichotomy - HOTA, Lawn Bar
Creedence The John Fogerty Show - Salt Bar
Thursday 17 December
The Barleyshakes - ARTEMUS at Dust Temple
Mono - Currumbin RSL Casey Fogg - The Coolangatta Hotel FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: CC the Cat - HOTA, Lakeside Terrace
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Phil Jamieson + Dana Gehrman - Miami Marketta Minnie Marks Live on Desert TV - Desert TV for Mo's Desert Clubhouse
Sunday 10 January
Girl and Girl + Local Safari + Sellin Petrol - Vinnies Dive Bar
Saturday 12 December
FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Amy Elise Band - HOTA, Lawn Bar
Katie Who (3.00pm) + Jesse Morris band (7.00pm) - Sheoak Shack Gallery Cafe
Friday 15 January
Parker Sounds - HOTA, Lakeside Terrace
FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Luke Pauley - Soundlounge
Saturday 9 January
Saturday 26 December
FEDBACK FESTIVAL: Ocean Alley + Seaside - Miami Marketta
Blussh + WHALEHOUSE + Plastik Reality - Vinnies Dive Bar
Sabrina Lawrie, Dreamstate Tour - Mo's Desert Clubhouse
Saturday 19 December
Tradies Day Out - Mo's Desert Clubhouse
Benno & Kesh - Currumbin RSL
The Chats + Dennis Cometti + Perve Endings - The Coolangatta Hotel
Yonder + Beckah Amani + Becky Rhodes - Mo's Desert Clubhouse
Felipe Baldomir + Dusty Boots Soundlounge
Friendly Enemies - Kingscliff Beach Hotel
Friday 8 January
A Queen's Christmas Carol Miami Marketta
Rhydian Lewis - RSL Club Southport
EchoWave + Dear Doonan + Seasoning - Burleigh Bazaar
Lisa Hunt Band - Fisherman's Wharf Tavern
FEEDBACK FESTIVAL: Angel Strings - HOTA, Lawn Bar
Rene Le Feuvre - Mt Nimmel Hall
Jez Mead - Sheoak Shack Gallery Cafe
Sunday 3 January
Naomi Connell - Markets In The Meadow Jade Holland - Kingscliff Beach Hotel
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Hunter Band - Advancetown Hotel Motel
Tuesday 29 December
The Girl From Ipanema Show Miami Marketta
Thursday 31 December Diesel - Lonestar Tavern
Friday 1 January DVNA - Burleigh Bazaar
Saturday 2 January The Atmospherics - Sheoak Shack Gallery Cafe Tex Perkins + Jez Mead - Miami Marketta
Jordan Mac (3.00pm) + Manoa Band (7.00pm) - Sheoak Shack Gallery Cafe
Sunday 17 January First Beige + Donny Love + Akurei + Citrus Daze + Cory Hotline - Burleigh Bazaar Sneaky Sound System + DiskoDisco + Latour - Miami Marketta
Saturday 23 January Peter Hunt Duo - Sheoak Shack Gallery Cafe Hands Like Houses + Agnes Manners - The Coolangatta Hotel Kiara Jack + Ella Fence + BLIGH - Burleigh Bazaar
Sunday 24 January Boo Seeka - Miami Marketta
Monday 25 January Greatest Hits 'Vol. One' - Miami Marketta The Beautiful Girls + Alex James Bowen - The Coolangatta Hotel
Friday 29 January
“As a country, we currently depend on overseas companies for the manufacture of sensors, actuators, components, structures, new materials, software and other systems for satellites and rockets,” Professor de Souza said.
John Floreani - The Coolangatta Hotel
Saturday 30 January
“We need to develop our own advanced space manufacturing as soon as possible,” he said.
The Exploited + Blind Girls The Coolangatta Hotel
“This collaboration between Griffith and Gilmour is well timed because Gilmour Space Technology has a real opportunity to grow and transform the Gold Coast economy.
Bill Jacobi (3.00pm) + Darryl James (7.00pm) - Sheoak Shack Gallery Cafe
Gig Guide brought to you in partnership with Gigl. To list your gig visit gigl.com.au OR email gigs@blankstreetpress. com.au
“The project is about designing and building a satellite here [on] the Gold Coast.”
Griffith partnership launches Gold Coast to new heights Words by Courtney Thomas
Local rocket manufacturer Gilmour Space Technologies has teamed up with Griffith University to develop Low Earth Orbit satellites, launching early 2023. The project will see Gilmour Space and Griffith University researchers, develop and build a 100-kilogram prototype that will orbit 500 kilometres above the Earth. The five-year agreement includes a variety of projects aimed at increasing Australia’s satellite capability.
Instagram/Facebook @blankstreetpress
Head of School of Information and Communication Technology at Griffith University, Professor Paulo de Souza, who built sensors used on NASA’s Mars Rovers in 2003, said aerospace capability is deeply needed in Australia.
CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies, Adam Gilmour, said Gilmour Space will assist Professor Paulo de Souza’s team at Griffith University to define the requirements for the small satellite and launch it. “We wanted to work with local industry-focused partners like Griffith University, and to help educate the next generation of space engineers who will take us to orbit,” said Mr Gilmour. “This project is about demonstrating that Australians can build and launch a significant-sized satellite with significant capability,” he said. “Satellites today power or enable a lot of applications and technologies, [which] we take for granted on earth.” Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans said the partnership would offer significant benefits to the local economy. “We will be helping to create the jobs of the future by delivering world class capability hand-in-hand with industry, in this exciting and growing market,” Professor Evans said. “There are exciting chances to co-design inspirational industry-focused educational programs for students and professionals,” she said. “This is a great collaboration for us and indeed Gilmour Space has already hired some of our graduates.”
Join the Blank List for news direct to your inbox blankgc.com.au/join We strive to include diverse stories and voices in Blank. We are seeking to introduce emerging indigenous writers to our team of voluntary contributors and welcome expressions of interest if this sounds like you. Writers are encouraged to pitch their own content ideas and offered interview opportunities with wellknown artists and entrepreneurs. You will be supported by the Blank team to hone your craft and have your content published in print and online. We've had the opportunity to work with many young and emerging writers over the past seven years, who have gone on to enjoy successful writing careers. If you are interested in sharing your voice with the Blank community, email a sample of your writing to our Managing Editor, Natalie O'Driscoll at natalie@ blankstreetpress.com.au. We can't wait to hear from you :) Blank - issue #82 - Summer 2020/21
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We’ve got the SCOOP on HOTA’s new event
Coming to the Gold Coast’s HOTA, Home of the Arts in 2021, SCOOP! is a new celebration of summer with plenty of ice cream, a sprinkle of circus, a dollop of sunshine and a splash of surprise. Featuring world-class entertainment and sweet treats across eight sessions from Friday, January 15 to Sunday, January 17, SCOOP! will see Queensland and Australia’s best circus, cabaret and acrobatic performers provide the backdrop to a multi-sensory playground of ice cream delights, pop-up beer gardens with live music and DJs, sideshow rides and refreshing dips in the HOTA lake (BYO flotation devices and sun-safe gear recommended). Why SCOOP!? Nothing says Gold Coast like summer, and nothing says summer like ice cream. It’s a match made in heaven. SCOOP! presents everything great about HOTA in summer. As well as tasty treats, there’s great art around every corner, with some of the most critically acclaimed contemporary circus companies in the world; and the chance to splash in the beautiful Evandale lake. Works by Circa, Company 2 (including a tightrope walk across the lake!) Hoopla Clique, Flipside Circus and the Gold Coast Mermaids Synchronised Swimming Club will also be on offer during SCOOP!’s day sessions. “Theatre companies like Circa and Company 2 usually spend summer touring their amazing performances across the globe,” says HOTA CEO Criena Gehrke. “We’re proud to have commissioned some of the world’s best physical theatre companies to create new works for HOTA and seeing them presenting alongside each other here on the Gold Coast will be one of the real treats of the SCOOP! program.”
“Ice cream, circus, sandy feet and family time, SCOOP! is literally everything you love about summer in one very sweet weekend.” 20
And if you’re after some adults-only entertainment, CLUB SCOOP! has you covered, says Criena. “Join us after sunset for the adult’s only CLUB SCOOP! where the naughtier side of circus and cabaret collide. Under carnival lights, you’ll enter a world of zany sideshows and variety acts washed down with cocktails, craft beers and perhaps a boozy ice cream mashup, or two.” On Friday, 15 and Saturday, 16 January, the 6-9:30 pm evening sessions will see the site transform into CLUB SCOOP!, featuring after-dark tunes by bangin’ bands and delightful DJs. Plus, HOTA is installing the Wheel of Oz – a 26 metre high Ferris Wheel, which will offer unmatched views of the Surfers Paradise skyline at just $8 per ride. SCOOP!‘s irresistible Ice Cream Alley will see over 30 vendors from across the state set up shop for the weekend including Ungermann Brothers ice cream, authentic Bologna export La Macelleria Gelateria, plant-based Coco Whip and Doughluxe introducing a new ice cream-filled doughnut for summer. For those seeking a foodie delight like no other, the adults-only Ultimate Ice Cream Experience ticket will see guests sit down to a five-course chef ’s selection of sweet and savoury ice cream-inspired degustation paired with a selection of boozy beverages. Get ready to ‘Gram this one. Combining sweet treats with thrilling performances, refreshing dips in Lake Evandale and sizzling after-dark additions, prepare for the ultimate celebration of a Gold Coast summer at HOTA’s SCOOP!
The mighty pen of Chanelle Rose Words by Anna Itkonen
After chatting with the incredibly talented Gold Coast artist, Chanelle Rose, let’s just say I will never look at a ballpoint pen the same way again. Who would have thought a good old ink pen was capable of producing eyecatching and now, internationally renowned artworks, when guided by a hand as creative as Chanelle's. ‘I love creating with ballpoint ink as it can be incredibly challenging trying to create large-scale, different effects. It also allows me to be really precise with it which, as a perfectionist, I really love. ‘It does get a little scary sometimes however, as there is no going back once ink has hit the paper,’ she said. Inspired by her grandmother and mother, whom were both artists, as well as our social environment and where we come from, Chanelle brings these themes to life through her artwork, and in doing so, has managed to capture the attention of a range of high profile, international clients. One client who Chanelle has been working closely with over four years is Busta Rhymes, an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor and record executive. If you haven’t heard of him, well, best you get back to doodling stick figures with your ballpoint pen.
SCOOP! is proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, and kicks off on Friday 15 January 2021. Tickets are available now over at hota.com.au/scoop.
Together, Chanelle and Busta have collaborated and discussed various concepts regarding world issues and how their creative works set out to strengthen people’s lives. Introduced four years ago through Swizz Beatz, another rapper and producer, Chanelle’s artwork resonated both visually and emotionally with Busta, and the rest, you could say, is history.
Pictured above: Flipside Circus, photo by Geoff Lawrence
‘Busta initially saw my artwork titled 'The Observer' and spoke to me about using
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the artwork as his album cover. Over the years, Busta added selected artworks to his collection and eventually acquired ten, which have all been used throughout the promotion of his album 'ELE2 Extinction Level Event 2 - The Wrath of God’.
‘Working with Busta has been such a refreshing experience and I feel truly blessed being able to build such a wonderful connection with him,’ Chanelle said. Despite Chanelle’s artwork already being featured in Times Square New York, on buses in London, the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, on worldwide billboards around the world, and online through Busta's virtual 'Bunker' museum, there is still no stopping this Gold Coast powerhouse. ‘I’ve been learning a new medium over the past year, which I’ll be introducing in 2021 and I’ve also been working on a unique, interactive artwork project that everyone can contribute to, so stay tuned.’ Follow @chanelle_rose for some truly jawdropping artworks.
GIMMY FLOWENS: Oogars Singer Releases Debut Solo Single Words by Anthony Gebhardt
GIMMY FLOWENS is the solo alter ego of Gemma Owens, who fronts on the rise psychy-surf-garage collective The Oogars. She’s recently brought out an achingly evocative debut solo release, entitled ‘Away For A While’. Meandering her way through a hazy and haunting musical backdrop, she channels her voice as an instrument of quivering wonderment, the track a raw and emotionally charged delight that lilts and unwinds like a fluttering summer breeze at twilight. Blank GC recently got Goin’ With The Flowen to chat with Miss GIMMY about the track, the origins of her alter ego and where things are heading on the solo and Oogars front.
Getting unpacked with Zac Fahey Words by Natalie O’Driscoll - Photograph by Simone Gorman-Clark
Born in the wake of COVID-19 ‘Unpacked’ is video interview series focusing on Gold Coast musicians who have released an exceptional single over the past 12 months. The interviews dive deep into the inner workings of the song, deconstructing musical parts, discussing inspiration, lyrical content, recording, writing techniques and whatever else interesting went into the creation. Hosted and curated by Blank’s new music columnist Zac Fahey, the series has shone a light on some of Gold Coast’s finest songwriters, and will continue to do so. We shot Zac a few questions about his thoughts on the project. How do you choose which artists to talk to, and which of their songs to talk about? Congratulations on the release of your debut solo single, 'Away For A While'. I was struck by its raw authenticity; to these ears eliciting the fragile beauty of 60's pastoral folk as well as 90's indie acts like Cat Power. What was the inspiration for the track and how did it come together?
styles and musical tastes involved it is a collaborative concoction of beautifulness, which helps keeps me evolving rapidly as a musician.
Thank you! Thrilled to share it with all. I created and recorded ‘Away For A While’ in two weeks and it was put together quite fast, so I wasn't focused too much of any other inspiration other than me expressing the raw emotions I was feeling and channelling it into the entirety of the song. I suppose the music I enjoy listening to regularly must've seeped into the creation of the track.
Gimmy was birthed from the classic coastal nicknaming that my pals gave me - as well as being known as a quite a flowly human, I just spiced up my last name haha. I was really keen on a separate music name to my birth name, because when I create and perform, a different side of myself arises which is playful, raw, unconditional and expressive. For me, GIMMY FLOWENS fits that perfectly.
Can you put us in the picture as to your song writing process for your solo stuff in comparison to the music you write for your band, The Oogars - is there a clear delineation between the two projects for you?
Any plans to step out and play some shows over the summer period, either on your own or with The Oogars?
Both projects are quite different for me. Song writing is such a personal and essential form of expression and empowerment for me as an individual. Like most musicians who create through sorrow, my most powerful tracks are born from personal transformation or pain of some kind. I love having the freedom to create my own music purely how I want it to be, with the complete sound in my hands. On an OOGAR note though, I love playing with the girls, they are my sisters. It's lots of fun creating and performing music with them. With four different
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Does the name you have chosen for your solo oeuvre hold any special significance?
Many shows are coming up! After playing my first GIMMY FLOWENS show in Sydney at the Oxford Arts Factory, I feel excited to bring that juice to the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers region, where my main community resides. I have a few ideas but my first stop is supporting Nice Biscuit in Brisbane this month. And The Oogars are popping - we have some big plans for next year with our EP being dropped. Be sure to get Goin’ With The Flowen and wrap your ears around GIMMY FLOWENS’s delightful debut single, ‘Away For A While’, which is available now via streaming services. Blank - issue #82 - Summer 2020/21
As a writer for Blank I’m lucky enough hear a lot of new Gold Coast music and every month I come across a handful of songs that stand apart from the rest. I usually look at a shortlist of five or so tracks then choose one based on extra factors that will inspire deeper discussion. For example, when I interviewed to Eliza and The Delusionals about ‘Just Exist’ I also asked about their US tour that was cut short due to COVID. As for which song I choose, I tend to focus on new music, particularly because most artists are much more excited to chat about their latest single. Do you ever struggle to think of so many questions to ask about just one song? I don’t actually, there are so many elements that go into creating a song that the list of potential questions seems endless to me. I also find that musicians have put so much time and energy into these tracks that they could sometimes talk for hours just about a particular guitar part. I know it’s a good problem but the main struggle with Unpacked so far has been trying to limit the questions to keep the episodes under 30mins. What is your favourite part about doing Unpacked? My favourite part is being able fuel my own curiosity about a song I love. If I want to know about the lyrical content, I can ask the artist directly about what inspired them or if there’s an interesting sound buried deep in the mix, I can bring it up in the interview to find out exactly what it is. Unpacked is the ultimate opportunity for me as a fan to find more about songs I love and get to meet my favourite local artists. You can check out episodes of Unpacked on the @blankstreetpress Facebook page and also over at @goldcoastmusicawards Facebook page.
Getting Supersonic With boWsER Words by Anthony Gebhardt
Local alt-rock juggernaut boWsER is a name that may elicit a case of deja vu for those with long musical memories. The band were active on the local scene in the mid to late 2000’s, signing a worldwide publishing deal with EMI and releasing a highly touted debut EP, ‘Modus Operandi’.
Belated trophy ceremony a winner for 2020 Gold Coast Music Awards Words by Natalie O’Driscoll & Samantha Morris - Photograph by Melting Wax Photography
Friday 13 November saw the ballroom at QT Hotel in Surfers Paradise come alive for a brunch ceremony like no other, as the Gold Coast Music Awards hosted a belated trophy ceremony for its 2020 winners. You may remember that the Gold Coast Music Awards, originally set to be held on the Surfers Paradise foreshore during Surfers Paradise LIVE in April this year, underwent a last minute COVID pivot to become an online event, live streamed to hundreds on Thursday 30 April and since viewed by more than 25,000 peeps. To recap: Held via video premiere across social media, the annual event featured special guests Amy Shark, Tommy Emmanuel, Tones and I, Sophie Monk and Michael Chugg who delivered warm messages to the national audience tuning in. Casey Barnes took out the big gong, Artist of the Year for the first time, having been a finalist every year since the Awards’ inception. (And hasn’t he taken off since!) Busby Marou, featuring Gold Coast resident Tom Busby, won Release of the Year, sponsored by Southern Cross University for their album ‘The Great Divide’ and also impressed with an iso-performance during the presentations. Eliza and the Delusionals, back on the Gold Coast after having cut short a US tour and cancelled SXSW appearance won Breakout Artist of the Year in recognition of the huge strides they’ve made reaching international audiences over the past twelve months. Song Of The Year, sponsored by CBD Live was awarded to triple threat, DVNA, for her self-produced tune, ‘Looking Like A Snack’; Julz Parker, acclaimed guitarist for blues ‘n’ roots act, Hussy Hicks, won Musician Of The Year, while Live Act Of The Year was taken out by electronica/world music globetrotters, Tijuana Cartel.
Emerging artist DENNIS. (pictured above) was surprised by a congratulatory message from Tones and I after her win of the inaugural Gold Coast Music Prize, a 12-month career development package with management advice, PR, video production, media support and more. Bleach Festival helped make that category possible by joining forces with other members of the local music industry to create the careerdefining prize. The competitive Video Of The Year category was taken out by Eddie Ray, for DIY animation, ‘The Story’; fans voted Lagerstein for the People’s Choice Award; while the old adage ‘home is where the heart is’ was proven true when Home Of The Arts turned out to be Gold Coast’s best Venue Of The Year, sponsored by Oztix. Trophy artists Dion Parker and Courtenay McCue were also acknowledged for their work in the presentation. Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, Gold Coast Music Awards nonetheless ended the year on a high note by presenting the 2020 winners with their locally-designed Skull Murphy trophies at a ballroom brunch in long-time event partner QT Hotel, replete with Bloody Marys, a speech from Mayor Tom Tate and live tunes. Not to mention a celebratory shoey from punk pirates and People’s Choice Winner’s Lagerstein. It’s good to see the spirit of the awards is still alive and well. Missed the presentation? You can still catch all the awards goodness, thanks to The Edit Suite, over on the Gold Coast Music Awards Facebook page. Be sure to smash that like button while you’re there and stay tuned for not only all the Gold Coast music news, but updates about 2021’s event.
Fast forward to 2020 and following a deeply creative hiatus the band have recently reemerged, delivering one of this year’s finest local releases in the form of their new single, ‘Supersonic’, its tight catchy riffage and instantly memorable chorus packing a tautly melodic punch that is sure to gain them a swathe of new fans. It was clear to the band that they were onto a winner early on in the song’s evolution, as bass player Otto Mittler explains. “It was such a pleasure to record ‘Supersonic’, we did it within just two takes in the studio. That's the beautiful thing about a great song, it usually comes together really quickly and has that magical formula that just works. “’Supersonic’ was written by Brad Weynton, our core songwriter and lead singer,” Otto continues. “In the midst of recording our upcoming album it became obvious to everyone that this track had to be a single. It has an extremely catchy hook and a huge chorus and absolutely deserves its time in the spotlight.” The animated clip for the track is also well worth checking out, with the band represented as animated neon robots, while also playing as a homage to muchloved 2000’s Gold Coast music venue The Chophouse. I ask Otto of the bands experiences with the venue and who was behind the clips animated wizardry. “The Chophouse was iconic for the Gold Coast music scene in that era. So many amazing bands played there and we did our fair share of gigs at the venue. We all played in multiple bands so we performed with various outfits at the venue over the years and there were so many amazing moments. I actually met my wife there! The place has
incredible memories for all of us,” recalls Otto. “We worked with Smokehouse Productions on the clip, which is Carey O'Sullivan from Tijuana Cartel and Freddy Flyfingerz. The guys are incredibly talented. I put together a storyboard and took it to them with an idea of what I wanted. We hit the studio, did some filming and then they really pulled out some magic with their animation mastery. The Smokehouse lads created something that we are extremely happy with.” With the aforementioned album, entitled ‘Whispers From The Wickerman’ in the works and scheduled to drop early in 2021, I asked Otto how it was shaping up. “The album is very special to us in a few ways. Some of the songs on this album we recorded some time ago and we have been mixing and working on them with legendary producer Steve James, who is originally from the UK and has worked with so many great bands (Shihad, Superjesus, Skunkhour, Screaming Jets, Mental As Anything, Sex Pistols, Thin Lizzy, Electric Mary and soooo many more!). “‘Supersonic’ has mild pop rock sensibilities, but when you hear the whole album I would say the majority of the songs are a bit heavier and darker. boWsER has this vibe that is heavy but at the same time has a groove to it. Kind of like a big Walrus on the dance floor, it barges on through and certainly leaves its mark.” boWsER’s cranking new single, ‘Supersonic’, (which certainly barges on through and leaves its mark!) is available now, with their upcoming album, ‘Whispers From The Wickerman’ to be available on Spotify, Apple Music and through all major retailers in early 2021.
Future Festival Favorites
Windows Down With Stay Nice x Meiken
boWsER Get Better With Age
Kye Grant’s Party Starter
Junie’s 90’s HipHop Jam
Veople’s MindMelting Debut EP
Saint Lane’s Assured Debut
Hannah Campbell Brings Michael McCartney’s Next Chapter Christmas Reprieve
Heavy Wax are here to get the party started with their energetic new single ‘It’s My Time’. The second release from this newly formed group of seasoned Gold Coast musicians, the track offers a fresh take on the horn led, ska/ reggae vibes of the band’s previous incarnation Madison Kat. Think Melbourne Ska Orchestra meets the Cat Empire and you’ll begin to get an idea of what Heavy Wax are putting down here. These guys are sure to be festival favorites once restrictions ease into 2021.
Gold Coast local favorite Carlos Lara has taken time away from fronting the popular Aussie act Bootleg Rascal recently to focus on his 90’s inspired hip-hop project Junie. His third release of 2020 ‘Questions’ was written after Carlos overheard his roommate and producer Minimal Miggy working on the beat from his bedroom; the pair worked on the track together and finished it in a matter of days. You can catch Junie supporting his good mate and fellow Gold Coast hip-hop star Saint Lane at Black Bear Lodge in Brisbane on 19 December.
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Another brand new act to introduce themselves to us this month is the RnB inspired outfit Stay Nice x Meiken with their debut single ‘Rainbow Ridin’’. Taking turns at spitting verses behind a beat that wouldn’t sound out of place on a classic 90’s RnB playlist, the pair have put together a solid first offering here. Complete with a brooding saxophone feature ‘Rainbow Riding’ is a Friday arvo, windows down jam that will have you singing along on the first play.
After a massive year of releases and collaborations, Veople are continuing to carve out their own musical path with the new single ‘Under’. Offered as a part of their debut EP titled ‘EP_001’ which features three previously released tracks and a mind-melting long edit of ‘Empathy’, the impressive package of purely instrumental songs solidifies Veople as one of the Gold Coast’s most exciting and unique acts. ‘EP_001’ is an intense journey of modern electronic fusion bursting with rich layered synths and out-of-this-world live drumming, a total winner here from Veople.
Gold Coast alt-rock veterans boWsER are getting us excited for their forthcoming 2021 album with the release of ‘Supersonic’ alongside a cracker of a video featuring some vintage Gold Coast venues. According to the band the track aims to take the listener to the upper stratosphere and it does just that with big euphoric chords, complex arrangements and rich production. If you’re into bands like Spoon and Queens Of The Stone Age you’ll be sure to love this track.
It’s been a pleasure to watch Saint Lane grow as a local artist over the past few years and even better to see the rest of Australia start taking notice since launching his solo project in 2019. Lane’s debut EP ‘If I Leave You In The Fire’ is an assured body of work that not only showcases Saint Lane’s ability as a lyricist and storyteller but also as a talented songwriter. Previously released tracks like ‘Hickeys’ and ‘When Did We Grow Up?’ stick in your head like any good pop song while the opener ‘Fire’ is a lyrical stream of conciseness delivered with effortless flow. A solid start to finish listen here from Saint Lane. Blank - issue #82 - Summer 2020/21
Local DJ/producer Kye Grant will knock you off your seat with his absolute banger of a new single ‘This Feeling’. With the help of the commanding rap vocal of Atlanta artist Rome Fortune who has previously collaborated with What So Not and George Maple the track’s verses build in intensity making way for a massive, filthy sounding dub step chorus. If you’re looking for a Gold Coast track to get the party started on New Years Eve this would be a safe bet.
Hannah Campbell is giving us some reprieve from the overplayed Christmas classics this year with her beautifully dark take on a festive tune ‘For The Kids’. Written before the pandemic about not being able to go home for Christmas, Hannah felt compelled to release the track after the year we’ve had. Getting together with long-time friends and local collaborators Hannah Campbell has produced a Christmas miracle here that can replace the shopping center version of ‘Jingle Bells’ any day of the week.
Radolescent Return To The Spotlight
For the bunch of loveable punk rock ratbags that they are, Radolesent have been surprisingly quiet this year using the down time to work on fresh material and adopt new members. The bands raucous new single ’Calling Out’ propels the now five-piece back into the spotlight with a fuzzed out, high energy take on their signature sun-bleached punk rock sound. Written about late night substance-induced ramblings, the track is an almighty return to form for Radolescent.
Michael McCartney’s ambitious 16 track, four EP sonic buffet of new music has easily been the most exciting project to emerge from 2020. His latest offering ‘You Can Be Sad And Be Angry’ sees the talented instrumentalist / producer take a more modern pop approach to his typical retro rock sound, channeling the sophisticated energy of Tame Impala’s ‘The Slow Rush’ and the polished production of Harry Styles. Written during the recent Black Lives Matter protests the lyrical phrase “Can We Move At The Pace Of Trust?” stands tall among other thought provoking reflections on the recent movement. More brilliant stuff here from Mr. McCartney.
Doniger’s vintage rock gem
Brett Hammond’s Impressive Debut
Beckah Amani Will Stop You In Your Tracks
Phoebe Sinclair’s Earworm
Daste’s Sunday Soundscape
Midnight Express To Rome’s Shiny Rock Anthem
The Blackwater Fever’s Sensory Overload
Novus Delivers Heavy Brilliance
Budjerah’s Stunning Debut
Super Massive Disco
Doniger is channeling some serious 60’s rock vibes with his beauty of a new single ‘Renegade’. As the title track from his debut album, the single is blues at its core featuring distorted guitars and a swaggering beat that’s glued to the baseline. Channeling an Iggy Pop style vocal delivery the lyrics hit on how society is obsessed with mobile phones and social media. Unplug yourself for a moment and hit play on this vintage rock gem.
Midnight Express To Rome have risen from the ashes of COVID armed with the brand new power rock anthem ‘Disintegrate’. Written about the pain and transformation that a serious relationship can bring, the track features souring electric guitars, brooding vocals and comes complete with some pretty interesting cover artwork. Referencing bands like Soundgarden, Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam, Midnight Express To Rome are doing a good job of bringing back the shiny rock hay days of the early 2000’s.
Brett Hammond has come in strong with the release of his debut EP ‘Streets Talk’. Part prog-rock, part anthemic stadium rock Hammond goes hard from start to finish only really taking a breath in the wonderfully obscure closing track ‘Voodoo’. Impressively playing all of the instruments on the EP himself Brett Hammond is a musical force to be reckoned with. Check out our interview with Brett in the December edition.
With five albums and over 11 million streams on Spotify The Blackwater Fever have found a worldwide cult following for their niche blend of dark, moody, garage rock and will not be disappointing their massive fan base with the release of their powerful new single ‘My Weakness’. Described by the band as a ‘dynamic and visceral’ track they set an unsettling mood from the very first off-kilter guitar note, continuing throughout with haunting, delicate production and ambient whispers that will put shivers down your spine. ‘My Weakness’ is a sensory overload that begs to be listened to again and again.
After blowing us away with one of the most powerful Gold Coast songs of the year ‘Standards’ in September, Beckah Amani has done it again with her breathtaking new offering ‘Stranger’. Written in the wake of a broken heart, the stripped back track cries with raw emotion using nothing more than voice and an electric guitar. Lyrical brilliance, jazz influenced melodies and a voice that will stop you in your tracks, Beckah Amani is your new favorite artist.
Novus have been making waves on the Australian hardcore scene this year with their polished, technically proficient sound and have just rounded out the year with their strongest release to date ‘Mythomania’. Featuring the guest vocal of Jack Bergin from Void of Vision! the track expands on the definition of its title describing a condition that is an abnormal or pathological tendency to exaggerate or tell lies. Deep, dark and beautiful ‘Mythomania’ will provoke thought and spontaneous moshpits.
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Phoebe Sinclair is proving that she is one of the best indie pop songwriters on the Gold Coast with her stunning earworm of a new single ‘Whiplash’. As a prolific songwriter for other artists, Sinclair has recently taken focus on her own music after finding a new understanding of herself, what she stands for and how her experiences can connect to listeners. Simplistic modern production techniques lay the foundation for a catchy threeminute pop gem that will be stuck in your head all day.
18-year-old Fingal Head musician Budjerah has taken the Australian music industry by storm this month with the release of his impressive debut single ‘Missing You’. The pop infused, RnB stunner is the first offering from a forthcoming album produced by Matt Corby and has been released off the back of some major signing announcements with the likes of Warner Music Australia Lemon Tree Music Management. With the clever songwriting, worldclass production and a voice that will melt your heart it’s no surprise that Budjerah has been turning heads everywhere he goes.
Daste are getting us excited for their debut album with the release of the silky smooth new single ‘either way’. Co-written with Sydney artist Maina Doe after hitting it off at the 2019 Electronic Music Conference the bones of the song were first penned on a lazy Sunday afternoon, which is exactly where this track will take you when hit play. Blissful ambient synths and an in-the-pocket drumbeat are beautifully accompanied by delicate vocals to create your perfect Sunday soundscape.
Super Massive will get you dancing all the way to 2021 with their turbo charged single ‘I Like It’. A throwback to the analog synths of 70’s disco, the song is complete with funk-wah keyboards, tacky synths and snappy up tempo drums. Having fun with some sexually provocative lyrical content the whole track oozes with good time energy and is sure to put a smile on your face. Got new music? Send your music, press kit and a high resolution to newmusic@blankstreetpress. com.au Curated monthly by Zac Fahey
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Amy Shark: Back on home turf Words by Niamh Sullivan
Amy Shark has announced she’ll be back on home turf next year, as part of a huge all-ages arena tour of Australia.
KATE LEOPOLD Rebirth Dreaming Since 2011, delightful Gold Coast singersongwriter Kate Leopold has regularly displayed her exemplary pedigree as an indie folk performer of truth and conviction as part of her Leopold’s Treat band project. Having taken out ‘Emerging Artist Of The Year’ at the 2016 Gold Coast Music Awards, the band are currently in hiatus, which has afforded Kate the opportunity to move onto a new stage of her musical journey and release a bunch of tunes under her own name, which she’s been working on over the past four years. Her eight track EP, ‘Rebirth Dreaming’ represents the first fruits of her artistic rebirth and through her words and music Kate channels an uplifting musical presence with an empowering message of reverence to spirit, culture, the sacred feminine and nature. The EP, produced by Aria Award winner Jordan Power (whose credits include Kasey Chambers, Angus and Julia Stone and Xavier Rudd), rides an aural template of breezy acoustic guitar augmented with hand percussion (courtesy of Charles Wall, aka Bobby Alu) and lashings of harmonica, slide guitar, banjo and bass. Opening number, ‘Rebirth Dreaming’, sets the scene, with acoustic strums sprinkled with tasteful drumming and a dash of harmonica courtesy of Neil Macleod, as Kate orates her musical and universal truth. ‘We Rise’ is an up-tempo, folk inflected toe-tapper tailor made for breezy summer
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afternoons, while two of the EP’s finest tracks come in the form of its first two singles; ‘Highest Truth’ featuring sweet female co-harmonising courtesy of Julia Hays and ‘All The Colours’ delivering a lilting sway coloured in with slide guitar washes and tambourine flourishes, delivering one of the EP’s most evocative and memorable moments. ‘Hee-Oh’ tweaks the vibe to a more moody, contemplative realm, with just Kate and her guitar offering a sweet counterpoint of shade to the EP’s overall uplifting lightness. ‘Medicine Woman’ follows suit with washes of ghostly ambience giving the track an ethereal vibe.
Riding on the high of her recent ARIA wins for Best Live Australia Act and Best Pop Release, Amy Shark today announced a massive 2021 headline tour of Australia in support of her highly anticipated sophomore album, ‘Cry Forever’. “I think the first name I saw on an email a few months ago was Rod Laver Arena, and firstly I was quietly shitting myself but to be doing another run of bigger arenas is so wild,” Shark said. “I’m really looking forward to it, and I think these songs are going to be so great live.” The tour will kick off at Qudos Bank Arena (Sydney) on 12 June, before heading through the capitals and finishing up in Perth at RAC Arena on 3 July, with the only regional stop being HOTA on the Gold Coast, on 25 June.
On penultimate number, ‘Julie’, things get a touch country noir-ish, while EP closer, ‘Embrace Divine’, takes things full circle, stripping things back to an indie-folk lightness of touch, with the stellar banjo work of Kieran Richardt coming to the fore on both tracks.
She’s no stranger to the big stage, having headlined many major festivals, along with winning over the entire stadium at Fire Fight and wowing a national audience with her recent NRL Grand Final appearance. But it’s the stop in at her old stomping ground that has Shark most nervous.
With ‘Rebirth Dreaming’, Kate Leopold has delivered an uplifting and moving suite of songs that resonate with the best of her Leopold’s Treat back catalogue.
“It’s nerve-wracking playing your hometown…when you know that you’ve got friends and family that will be at the show.”
Rebirth Dreaming will be officially released on 20 December. Keep your eye on @katelopoldmusic on FB for live announcements.
“But hopefully they’re ready for me to come back and torment the town again!”
by Anthony Gebhardt
Following on from her debut #1 ARIA album, ‘Love Monster’, Shark’s new release is expected to give fans a behind-thescenes glimpse of the rollercoaster that has taken her from moving 82 tickets in
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her home state to selling out arena-sized venues across the country in just a few years. “I’m definitely at a stage where I’m more confident to share a lot more, and I think I wasn’t really ready around the ‘Love Monster’ era to give that yet.” “I had so many songs that were banked up from older problems and situations and relationships, so this one is very relevant to how I am feeling today and what’s it’s been like for the last few years.” “People really do think it’s popping champagne bottles all the time, but it’s totally not, and I feel like I’m at a stage now where I’m not really scared to talk about all of it.” While the 13-track album is set to be a little more personal than Shark’s previous work, fans can still expect the same gorgeous, indie vibes they’ve come to love. And she’s promising more in the pipeline for next year too. “There’ll be a couple of little surprises throughout the year but one step at a time because it’s been a big week for me releasing all this info that I’ve been sitting on for eight months. “I think it’s going to be fun – I’m going to put some cool music out and try not to overtalk it too much so that the music can just do what the music needs to do.” ‘Cry Forever’ is available now to preorder via Sony Music Entertainment Australia, and tickets to the tour go on sale Friday, December 11 at 10 am local time at amyshark.com.
Get it done in 2021 with TAFE Queensland With four out of five TAFE Queensland students securing a job within three months after graduating, there has never been a better time to explore study options at the Online Open Day.
Tourist in my Town: KALM Clinic Words by Natalie O'Driscoll
It’s not very often we take a closer look a health-related experiences, but in the case of KALM Clinic, the business and brainchild of Southern Gold Coast therapist Chelsea Brazier, we were too curious about her approach not to check it out. From 13-15 January 2021, a virtual booth will be open to the public to discover course options, watch on-demand videos, check out the new and existing facilities and read about past student experiences. Interactive information sessions hosted by teachers are scheduled on 14 January for those who want to ask questions or learn more about particular study areas and career paths. From becoming a nurse, chef, educator, hairdresser, beautician, film maker, personal trainer, musician, interior designer or trades person, there is an info session to get the confidence to jump right into study in 2021. TAFE Queensland General Manager on the Gold Coast, Karen Dickinson said choosing the right course is a big decision and the Online Open Day is designed to help people make the right choice. “The virtual booth means anyone who is considering study in 2021 can discover every career option available to them at TAFE Queensland and determine the right study path to their ultimate job outcome,” she said. “The info sessions with our teachers provide an engaging feature for eager learners to find out about the exciting opportunities we have and how they can get the qualifications, industry experience and personal skills they need to build the career they want.” Ms Dickinson said with new facilities opening at the Ashmore and Southport campuses in 2021 it is an exciting time to start studying with TAFE Queensland.
“The Southport campus is set to open its brand new simulated aged care, disability, health and nursing labs with state-ofthe-art augmented reality hologram patients allowing students gain valuable experiences to prepare for them for a job in the real world,” she said.
“Meanwhile our specialised Trade Training centre at Ashmore is about to get even better with a brand new training facility, specially designed for our building and construction students.” “The new training centre will boast diverse practical learning zones, a large outdoor undercover space, open plan classrooms, glass viewing platforms, interactive data screens and much more.” “A new innovative contemporary student hub will also open at the Ashmore campus with kitchen amenities and break out study areas.” Register now to receive all the details to gain access to the TAFE Queensland Online Open Day. Plus go in the draw to win a $50 digital Prezzee voucher. Visit go.tafeqld.edu.au/Online-Open-Day
Originally from England, Chelsea began her journey into the world of wellness after spending over 10 years in the corporate world and experiencing a high level of stress and burnout. Shortly after this, she lost her Mum at a young age to cancer and experienced her whole world change in an instant. Study and a subsequent career change saw Chelsea heal herself while also learning to heal others. Chelsea studied multiple neurological and health studies including but not limited to hypnotherapy, applied kinesiology, positive psychotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming, yoga and breathwork, and has combined these practices into her own unique technique in order to help predominantly women with their mental health concerns, particularly those dealing with anxiety, stress and burnout. I was invited to see Chelsea at one of her practice spaces in Kirra, and was immediately put at ease by her open and cheerful demeanour. We had instantly connected in our pre-treatment phone call, where Chelsea had asked me questions about what specifically I would like addressed in the session (my severe social anxiety), and by the time I got there she already felt like an old friend. This feeling of trust and rapport is critical when you are making yourself vulnerable for these kinds of treatment, so it was wonderful to feel so at ease.
lines, I lay down for the hypnotherapy part, for which Chelsea had written a bespoke script based on my requirements. This is the part I was quite sceptical about, having tried hypnotherapy for smoking many years earlier to no avail, and had since developed the narrative that I “couldn’t be hypnotised”. Well, I was forced to eat crow when I emerged from what felt like five minutes of blissful relaxation to find that the half an hour hypnosis session was over. I stretched and was overcome with a sense of extreme energy and wellbeing, as though after a wonderful night’s sleep. The sun shone brighter, the breeze blew cooler, and all seemed right with the world for several hours. I won’t say that in one session my social anxiety was cured, but I have noticed a slight improvement already, and I have our recorded session to listen to as many times as I like while relaxing, in order to reinforce the messages. All in all, a highly recommended experience, especially after the disaster that has been 2020. Visit https://kalm.clinic/ to discover more about the experience, and to get in touch with Chelsea. NOTE: Blank was a guest of KALM Clinic for this initial session.
We began with some fairly intense breathwork, which I had never done before, and I was surprised at how effective it was at moving energy around the body, with tingling sensations starting in my hands, which I was able to shift around at will. Once we’d “unlocked” those energy
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Christmas School Holiday ideas that won’t break the bank With Christmas school holidays just around the corner, Simone Gorman-Clark has put together a list of free or low-cost activities right here on the Gold Coast to keep that holiday boredom at bay. 1. Participate in the City of Gold Coast School Holiday Program
2. Try a unique movie experience at the Yatala Drive-Inn
There are literally hundreds of free, low cost and fun school holiday activities across the region provided by the City of Gold Coast where kids can get active, explore nature and try something new.
This will be a movie experience the kids won’t forget in a hurry. With a range of kids and Christmas movies on offer there is something for everyone. Visit the candy bar for some snacks then set up your spot to watch your movie under the stars. Prices are $35 per carload and for more information or to book your tickets, go to the Yatala Drive Inn website: fivestarcinemas. com.au/drive-in
The NaturallyGC program connects kids with nature through activities such as kayaking, bushwalks, nature play, coastal education and wildlife shows. This program is primarily for kids aged between 6 and 14 years. Our Community Youth Centres across the city have programs that are jam packed full of free and fun activities designed for young people aged 12 – 17 years. The Active & Healthy holiday program encourages kids to discover the outdoors where they are learning and being physically active in our many parks, beaches and natural playgrounds for kids aged four – 18. The City Libraries Holiday Program provides free, fun holiday activities, which will include a summer reading challenge to encourage kids to keep reading and enjoying books during the school holidays For more information and to book into an activity head to the City of Gold Coast website: goldcoast.qld. gov.au
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3. Get Crafty at The Craft Parlour The Craft Parlour have you covered with a range of activities on offer for the kids which include things like weaving, wreath and paper making, pottery classes and mini Kokodama making. For more information go to the Craft Parlour website: thecraftparlour.com.au
4. Enter the Kids Take Over Artist Competition at HOTA Do you think the kids have what it takes to be HOTA’s next Mini Artist? HOTA are calling for all mini Van Gogh’s to pick up their pencils, paints or texters and get to work creating a Kids Take Over Monster, which will be the face of their Kids Take Over Campaign. The
competition is open to kids aged 6-13 years and should represent something they love doing, inspires them or can only do in their imagination. For more details go to the HOTA website: hota.com.au
5. Hit the arcades Who doesn’t love a bit of competition on some arcade games? Time Zone Surfers Paradise has reopened with bigger, better attractions including glow in the dark golf, laser tag arenas, bumper cars, mini bowling and over 200 games. Located: Level One, Paradise Centre, Surfers Paradise. For info and prices head to timezonegames. com Level Up Arcade Broadbeach is the newest entertainment venue to hit the coast with an 80’s & 90’s inspired amusement venue featuring 62 of the best games from the era, plus bowling, a pool table, 3D pong, Lakers hoops and heaps more. Located: First Floor, Oasis Shopping Centre, Broadbeach. For more info and pricing go to oasisshoppingcentre.com.
6. Get up close with a dinosaur at Jurassic Creatures Jurassic Creatures, is an interactive walk through event that will Blank - issue #82 - Summer 2020/21
captivate young and old alike. Explore a prehistoric world full of moving dinosaurs. Get ready to be amazed and thrilled as the greatest creatures ever to walk the earth return and come alive before your eyes. Jurassic Creatures will be taking over Robina Town Centre, Gold Coast from 26 December 2020 - 31 January 2021. Tickets will be on sale via Ticketmaster.
7. Go on a hike and get out into nature Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area. The area is ideal for short and long walks, bike riding, trail running, bird watching and is the perfect spot to get up close with native wildlife. Insect repellent is a must. Federation Walk, The Spit. Get back to nature, and explore the array of natural flora and fauna that this park has to offer. Grab your walking shoes, breathe in the fresh air and experience the thrill of the outdoors. The sandy tracks are perfect for mountain biking and walking. Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens. The Botanic Gardens are a natural playground and a haven for wildlife in the heart of the city. Explore more than five kilometres of walking tracks and boardwalks, winding through landscaped native gardens, a sensory garden and peaceful lagoons.
Schuster Park. Schuster Park is a great spot to take the family to enjoy the playground, bushwalking, horse riding, fishing or a barbeque by the creek. There’s lots of space to explore and a sandy beach for launching kayaks. You can bring your dog and let them run free in the designated off-leash area. Queensland national parks. There are a range of destinations right on our doorstep with worldclass waterfalls, bushwalking trails and picnic areas with a variety of experience for everyone. Head to Burleigh Headland National Park, Springbrook National Park, Lamington National Park or Tamborine National Park for a hike to remember in the rainforest.
8. Learn about local Aboriginal culture at Jellurgal Children can learn about Aboriginal culture at the centre and also include in a tour for kids aged 5-12 years that explores the magic of the ‘Dreaming Mountain’, Jellurgal (Burleigh Headland) with a guided walk, activities and an art workshop. For more information or to book a tour, go to the Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre website: jellurgal. com.au Read our full list at blankgc.com.au. Words by Simone Gorman-Clark
The Fox & Hounds 7 Elevation Dr, Wongawallan - Ph: 07 5665 7582
The Dinner Ladies hit the Gold Coast
Words and photograph by Marj Osborne - follow Marj @foodgoldcoast
Words by Natalie O'Driscoll
In the foothills of Mt Tamborine lies a piece of Mother England, the Fox & Hounds Country Inn. The 18th century old Sussex Arms in Tunbridge Wells was dismantled, shipped over from England and its interior reconstructed in Wongawallan, opening as the Fox & Hounds in 2007.
The Fox and Hounds is a must for royalty lovers, football fans and Dr Who followers. From the red telephone box and London bus parked outside to an interior filled with an eclectic mix of antiques and paraphernalia, there’s something to catch the eye at every turn. There’s quite an extensive menu of British favourites, including a Ploughman’s Platter, Toad in the Hole, Lamb’s Fry, Giant Yorkshire Pudding and a Pork Pie served cold with accompaniments of cheese, English mustard, pickled onions, gherkins and piccalilli. The pork pies are the real thing, made by Tony Wensley, who managed one of the most prestigious bakeries in Melton Mowbray which regularly serves the Queen.
The home-cooked food more than meets our expectations. The hugely generous Beef and Guinness Pie is served in a charming ‘Simple Simon’ pie dish, the crestfallen face of the child visible in the crockery dish. “Oh no, she stole my hat,” you can imagine him saying. Of course, I did! I whip the pastry off, as crispy as it is, taking only a bite because the pie filling is steaming and scrumptious, made rich by the Guinness, the slowcooked cubes of beef tender and juicy with a tasty sauce that I mop up with forkfuls of mash. Likewise, the Pork ribs are smothered in sauce and packed with flavour. They fall off the bone at the touch of the fork. It’s a hearty meal, the rack of ribs accompanied by excellent beer-battered chips and coleslaw. This is ‘fine fayre’ indeed! With an extensive range of British and Irish beers and ciders available on tap or by the bottle, the Fox & Hounds brings us bucketloads of nostalgia, all only a short drive away from home. Pop in for a Greene King IPA or a London Pride at the British bar, a Kilkenny or Guinness from the Irish bar. This cosy pub may soon become your British home away from home. NOTE: Blank dined as a guest of The Fox & Hounds.
Originally established in Sydney in 2007, The Dinner Ladies meal delivery service has grown in popularity to such a degree that they are not only expanding to other major cities but to the Gold Coast as well. Clearly there is a market for a meal delivery service that prides itself on fresh, quality ingredients that your grandmother would recognise (as long as she was a worldly and well-travelled grandmother who knew her turmeric from her tamarind), with no pesky preservatives or additives. Founders Sophie Gilliatt and Katherine Westwood share a passion for quality home cooking that utilises family recipes passed down through generations, with the odd contemporary twist. And that shows in their hearty, soul-nourishing meals, mostly delivered part-cooked and just requiring some form of heating and putting together. We tried out a week of The Dinner Ladies meals and were seriously impressed by the easy-as-pie ordering system and thoughtful selections. While everything was delicious, we particularly adored the Spinach, ricotta and fetta filo pie ($24 for large), a low-fat twist on traditional Greek spanakopita, which I chose to serve with my own homemade salad and sweet potato mash. Of course the Ladies do sides as well, including a garlicky root vegetable mash, grain salad, lentil dal, macaroni cheese, fried rice, Asian greens and more.
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Other favourites were the Dukka crusted barramundi fingers, a tasty, healthy and versatile protein which we turned into fish and salad wraps, and the delightfully creamy Chicken and roast vegetable pie ($18), the small version of which was plenty for two. The menu changes regularly, apart from a handful of continuous faves, and currently includes such tempting gems as Prosciutto and parmesan pizza ($11 small), Butter chicken ($14 small), Ginger soy salmon ($28) and Vietnamese caramel and lemongrass chicken ($22), as well as a handful of vegetarian options. If you want to go all out, the Dinner Ladies all do a range of snacks and desserts, including Molten chocolate puddings ($20) and a range of Dumplings ($13). One of the more exciting specials now available is the Christmas range, available for delivery between 22 and 24 December. The Christmas offerings are generally traditional, with ham, turkey, salmon, stuffing, duck fat potatoes and gravy all featuring, alongside a range of charcuterie and antipasto platters, including prawns. Why slave for days to create the perfect Christmas dinner when you can get it delivered in one handy box? Visit dinnerladies.com.au page to browse the mouth-watering menus and find out if they’re available in your area now. Orders close 14 December and reopen 11 January.
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Our summer guide to board purchasing Words by Erin Bourne - Photograph Bryan Bates
Community Grants helping rebuild the GC Gold Coasters are spoiled for choice when buying a surfboard. The market is competitive and yet not all boards are created equally. Apart from size, performance, shape, etc, when looking for a new board there are many other factors to consider. Once you know what you want, how do you know who to go to? This depends on whether you want custom or off the rack, locally made or imported, hand or machine made. Not all local brands are made here, not all boards are hand shaped, not all shapers glass and finish the board themselves. The following is a brief guide to what to look for depending on what you want. Artisan boards
If you’re wanting a unique board that is handmade from start to finish by one skilled craftsman then you will need to look hard for small manufacturers. The time it takes to make a board from blank to fins, combined with the small profit margin on surfboards makes this a tricky business model. The handmade board is becoming more rare as technology for the industry improves and shapers can get blanks machine shaped. As shaper D’Arcy says, “I’ve gone from being able to shape 20 boards a week to 50.” Few board makers still hand shape, glass and sand all of their boards, fewer still hand make their fins too.
Locally Made
While some board makers like D’Arcy, Chris Garrett, Takeda and 1-DA can, and sometimes do hand make their boards, they have embraced technology. With technology the precision increases. Their shapes may be hand shapes that were scanned and digitised, or computer designed, then computer cut. The shaper usually hand finishes the computer cuts. The glassing and sanding is outsourced to local glassing shops, although Takeda and Garret still do their own. This method does allow for the exact same shape to be replicated but these manufacturers maintain a focus on custom orders only. Other local manufacturers such as JR have their own factory, most boards are
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machine cut, hand tidied, and the glassers and sanders in their own factory finish the boards. Even their Epoxy boards are made in house at JR.
Mixed
Some brands are a mixture of local and overseas, custom and stock boards. While some custom boards are made locally, the stock board manufacturing is outsourced. The value of the stock board is you don’t have to wait weeks or months for your board, you can ride it the day you decide to buy it. You can also buy the exact same board every time you need a new board. The Surfboard Warehouse focus on racks of stock boards, they manufacture some boards in factories here, many are manufactured elsewhere.
Imported
Another brand that focuses on stock boards is Firewire. Firewire board shapes are mostly from notable shapers from overseas, the boards themselves are produced in Thailand. It’s important to know where your board is coming from, the impact it may be having on the environment and the people your hard earned dollars are supporting. Once you know what board you want you get to choose a manufacturer whose production and values align with your own.
Words by Courtney Thomas
In response to impacts of COVID-19, the Gold Coast City Council established a temporary grant program as part of its business and community recovery package. Two grants were provided to organisations across the Gold Coast, either recovery or hardship relief, with a total of $1,481,616 distributed.
Ms Shearer also said COVID-19 restrictions had caused the theatre to cancel its entire program for the year, producing significant financial loss.
The funds are being used for food and care packages, moving essential services online, equipment, maintenance and repairs, and a range of other recovery projects.
“All income provided from council was a godsend,” said Ms Shearer.
The City has allocated funding to 345 organisations. Gold Coast Special Olympics, a not for profit organisation providing sporting opportunities for athletes with an intellectual disability, received a Hardship Relief Grant from the City. Head of Team Delegation Chris Nott said the grant was instrumental in getting their program up and running again after their COVID-19 hiatus. “With all sporting programs, training and events closed down during COVID-19, it was a very difficult time for athletes who had their physical activity grind to a halt,” said Ms Nott. “Many athletes rely on the activity for health and wellbeing and it affected many aspects of their daily life not to have that outlet of activity,” she said. “We received a $5000 to use towards our Junior athletes team camp, which is a training opportunity for the athletes attending the Junior National Games in 2021.” Vice President of Gold Coast Little Theatre, Julanne Shearer, said the Hardship Relief Grant they received helped fund cleaning services required to employ a COVID Safe plan.
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“After receiving the grant, we were able to put in place the mini season which has resulted in the Gold Coast Little Theatre (pictured above) reducing its [financial] loss,” she said. “We still have two further productions of the mini season, namely Love Letters and our Christmas show on the 12 December 2020.” Ms Shearer encourages the community to show their support by purchasing tickets to future shows. Empower Golf Gold Coast, a program facilitating and promoting Golf for less able Australians, received a Recovery Grant from the City. Ben Tullipan from Empower Golf said during the peak of COVID 19, they temporarily ceased their ‘Come & Try Clinics”. “This Grant [was utilised] specifically to assist us in re-establishing our activities,” said Mr Tullipan. “We have used this grant to hold free ‘Come & Try’ Clinics at various venues with various Professional Golfers' Association coaches,” he said. “We provide all adaptive equipment, the golf clubs and of course the incredible Paragolfer machine. “Our next upcoming free ‘Come & Try’ Clinics are on 11th January at Top Golf and 4th February at Royal Pines.”
Justice matters, says Tim Buxton Words by Nicole Browne - Photograph by Vladan Gajic Photography
TIM BUXTON is the founder and host of the podcast Justice Matters where he interviews those leading the fight for a world where everyone belongs. Returning from Iraq in 2017, Tim and his wife Sarah also founded youBelong Australia, an organisation based in Toowoomba which aims to empower newly arrived refugees to Australia via the facilitation of community integration programs, community events and programs facilitating growth through training and development. There is an interesting story behind how all of this began, and Nicole Browne got together with Tim to find it all out. Firstly, congratulations on youBelong and the podcast Justice matters where you have interviewed some incredible people along the way. Can you take us back to when all of this came about? That is a big question. Where to start… I had been living in New York for a time which is where I met my wife, working for a church that was doing some incredible humanitarian work all around the world. I was overseeing all of their short-term humanitarian trips and it was on a trip to Iraq when I realised, I wanted to give more of my life to the people we support. Rather than go back and forth supporting these people, I actually I wanted to stay and live there. I had a young family so that wasn’t really my decision to make alone. After a couple of years and a family trip over to Iraq finally, together we came to the decision to actually make the move over there. Iraq of all places? I have never seen Iraq as a place one would choose to move to with a family. Well, it just so happened that our move coincided with the time ISIS invaded the city Mosul, a 45-minute drive away from the airport we flew into. That gave our whole trip new meaning and purpose. We were now facing probably one of the largest refugee crisis’ of the 21st century with what was happening in both Syria and Northern Iraq, so where originally our purpose was to assist in community development our main focus was in crisis relief and humanitarian work with refugees. Unfortunately, three and a half years into our stay, we had to reassess whether it was where
we needed to be due to what was unfolding in the area and quite quickly, we had to jump on a plane, which is how we ended up back here in Australia. That was at the end of 2017. Fleeing Iraq, leaving your work behind then arriving in Australia must have felt like a completely different world from the last almost four years. What was it like integrating back into life here? It was tough at first coming back. It felt like I hadn’t completed what I set out to do over there. But then something crazy happened. We weren’t back long when we found out that these families we were helping in Iraq, Yazidi families had been granted humanitarian visas to come and live in Australia. Some families were in Toowoomba, and because the culture, their language, their religion, the Yazidi people in particular are so familiar to me, as soon as I could I got in the car and drove to Toowoomba to meet with the families. Over weeks, months I would go up and sit with the families, spending time asking, ‘how can I serve you?’ ‘How can we help you in your new life here in Australia?’ and it all weaves in from there. I then started meeting some incredible local Toowoomba people who jumped on board and that is kind of how youBelong began. In three years, we have grown to providing a vast array of programmes and support to these incredible families. And now you also host your own podcast Justice Matters. What inspired to move in this direction?
I wanted to create this comfortable space where we can have the uncomfortable conversations. I love that podcasts allow us to take time to have a conversation with someone and bring their story to life. It is easy to get caught up in the negativity of the news today – or how the media are portraying certain issues. Justice matters is about bringing something positive to the world. I wanted to lean into the fact that there are some incredible people around the world doing remarkable things. Yes, there are these huge issues coming up. Human trafficking is happening, people are fleeing their homes, genocide exists, but let’s have these conversations, get uncomfortable, learn from others and what they have experienced. But not only that, lets listen to those on the ground making a difference, because they are the leaders in what they do. What’s next? Next year we are starting up another podcast where our refugees will be the hosts the podcast and sharing their stories. It is important for us to hear what they have to say, and it is important for them to have an opportunity to speak it. We have so much to learn from those who come here and make Australia their home and the more we get to know them and learn about where they are from and what positive contributions, they are making to our community the better for our whole community. Join Tim on his podcast Justice Matters by heading to www.youbelong.org.au where you will also find out more about the work his organisation does, or follow the podcast on Spotify or iTunes.
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Words by Natalie O'Driscoll
Thanks to funding received from the City of Gold Coast’s Music Action Plan, a series of stunning and uber-professional videos showcasing the Gold Coast music have been created and are set to roll out until Christmas. The Gold Coast Sounds Like video series, created by Mermaid Beach video production and photography company The Edit Suite at the behest of Gold Coast Music Awards team, are part of a national marketing campaign designed to showcase the extraordinary musical talent of our fair city. Each video contains an intimate interview with a Gold Coast Music Awards 2020 winner, namely Artist of the Year Casey Barnes, whose national and international profile is growing at an exponential rate, and on-the-rise Gold Coast indie rock darlings Eliza and the Delusionals, who took home Breakout Artist of the Year. Designed to both build awareness of Gold Coast music as well as foster positive sentiment during what has been a trying time for the music sector, to say the least, these videos will be rolled out across the Gold Coast Music Awards social media platforms over the coming weeks. So stay tuned to (FB) @goldcoastmusicawards and (Insta) @gcmusicawards for more.
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Daste – ‘About Us’
Understated yet deeply intricate, Daste’s ‘About Us’ sees the band tactfully blend live and electronic elements together with catchy vocal melodies to produce a sound reminiscent of early Chet Faker. Lyrically the track hit the mark during COVID, empathising with those who battle with uncertainty in times of change.
Bianca Power – ‘I Need You’
Building from sparse percussion and electric guitar into a haunting jazz-influenced band track, ‘I Need You’ is a slow burner gelled together beautifully by Bianca’s sensational vocals. Said to be written about fresh high school freedom the track displays the musical maturity of a seasoned artist with vocal depth and control to match. Listen with headphones to grasp the true intimate delicacy of this beautiful piece of music.
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Jade Jupiter - ‘HEART-BREAK’
Michael McCartney - ‘Too Long’
Saint Lane – ‘Hickeys’
Love Level - ‘Bad Buy’
Ladia - ‘Happy For You’
Tully John & Liza-Jane - ‘Airport Lights’
Peach Fur - ‘Funkn Oath’
Eliza and the Delusionals - ‘Swimming Pool’
The bar was set extremely high with the very first track I reviewed for 2020. ‘HEART-BREAK’ from 21-year-old Gold Coast singer/songwriter Jade Jupiter is an absolute stunner. Opening with a beautiful piano part, the track slowly progresses with the introduction of layered vocals, synth sounds and some very tactful production techniques. An endearing track that only got better with time.
After blowing us away with her 2019 single ‘Leave Me Stranded’, Ladia exceeded expectations with her first release of the year for 2020 ‘Happy For You’. Simplistic, squeaky-clean production sits behind Ladia’s soulful vocals, delivered with the kind of relaxed intimate confidence of Billie Eilish. With its interesting pitch shifting call response parts the chorus takes the song to the next level resulting in an overall pop package that comfortably sits on the same level as any high rotation radio hit we heard this year.
‘Too Long’ was the entry statement for Michael McCartney’s ambitious 12 month release plan which has now seen him release 12 tracks over three EPs. With rock at its core, ‘Too Long’ borrows pop sensibilities from Harry Styles while carrying the swagger of Mark Ronson. Featuring an all-star cast of collaborators, McCartney worked with fellow Gold Coaster’s Ian Peres and producer Mitch Finglas to create this well-crafted vintage pop stunner.
Based around a driving acoustic guitar pattern, ‘Airport Lights’ is complemented by sparse piano and delicate strings sections. Stunning contrasting male/female vocal performances express the beautiful story of a longdistance relationship between the two members. Expression of authentic passion and love for one another brings the listener into their world, creating a truly mesmerising experience.
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With a simplistic beat over a chilled reggae guitar loop, Saint Lane’s catchy melodies and carefree vocal style prove that sometimes less is more. ‘Hickeys’ marked a departure from Lane’s standard rap swagger, showcasing a vulnerability and depth that earned him national recognition this year.
Peach Fur’s five track sonic journey of an EP ‘Awake’ is intriguing from start to finish, taking unexpected stylistic turns, plying with unconventional time signatures while leaving space for extended instrumental parts. The band did an excellent job of defining their own style with this release by keeping their sounds generally clean rather than fuzzed out and rough around the edges like psych rock contemporaries King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard. ‘Funkn Oath’ is the highlight track but the EP is best consumed as a whole.
Laying dormant for almost 12 months the track was given a new life after being resurrected and reworked by their good friend Callum MacDonald from fellow Gold Coast band Daste. ’Bad Bye’ kicks off with one of the catchiest hooks of the year and never really lets up, resulting in an absolute earworm that will be buzzing around in your head all day.
Eliza And The Delusionals had big plans for 2020; releasing ’Swimming Pool’ at the beginning of the year alongside the announcement of a 28 date US tour. Unfortunately the tour was cut short due to COVID, just before the band were set to showcase at the biggest music conference on the planet - SXSW. However, an unfortunate situation does not take away from the brilliance of this track. ‘Swimming Pool’ sees the band present a rich body of sound led by soaring guitars and timeless vocal melodies to create a nostalgic familiarity that will have you dreaming of days past.
Chutney - ‘Genie’s Lamp’
Beckah Amani - ‘Standards’
Veople - ‘Maverick’
Family Jordan ‘Big Grass’
Karl S. Williams ‘Hungry’
Lily Papas - ‘Jackson’
The first offering from Chutney’s EP ‘Genie’s Lamp’ was a five minute epic that solidified these pioneers of condiment rock as one of the Gold Coast’s most exciting new bands. Recorded locally at Lovestreet Studios the track tips its hat to classic indie rock by channelling the punchy guitars of The Strokes while keeping things modern with the vocal delivery and song structure reminiscent of Catfish & The Bottlemen.
This track is exciting for many reasons; not only is it an excellent single that will get your toes a-tappin’ but was also the first signing from brand new Gold Coast label ‘Holiday Maker Records’. ‘Big Grass’ is timeless folk at its finest, complete with violin accompaniment and train chugging percussion. The commanding baritone vocal of singer Jordan Rochefort is delivered with a rough Australian twang that gives the track an irresistible charm.
Written during the height of the recent Black Lives Matter movement ‘Standards’ is a beautifully composed blend of folk/ RnB that offers a firsthand reflection on Beckah Amani’s experience with white privilege and the weight of bearing black skin. Amani’s impressive vocal range is pushed to the limit conveying the intense emotion that the songs message portrays. This track is everything that music should be and will leave you completely floored.
One of Gold Coast’s most loved musicians Karl S. Williams released his sophomore album ‘Lifeblood’ on 2 February. Seven years in the making, the 11 tracks did not disappoint, bringing his signature heartfelt blues together with a notable progression towards a heavier, more fullyfledged band sound. All killer, no filler from start to finish, ‘Lifeblood’ is an absolute winner but it’s the heartfelt epic ‘Hungry’ that stands slightly above the rest. Goosebumps every time.
With everything set to 11, Veople rightfully describe the ‘Maverick’ as their boldest, loudest and most intense statement to date. Led by a man-possessed on the drums the fully instrumental ‘Maverick’ powers forward with the help of wild synths and some impressive electric guitar parts. Skip your morning coffee and take a hit of Veople’s ‘Maverick’ to get you pumped for the day instead.
After coming onto the scene in a big way with her successful debut 2019 ‘Wild’, we predicted that Gold Coast vet nurse by day could be our next Amy Shark coming into 2020. With COVID stalling release plans, Papas held off like most other artists but eventually gave us what we expected with her alluring single ‘Jackson’. More of a low key number ‘Jackson’ showcases Papas’ depth as a musician while still managing to find that pop edge reminiscent of Lana Del Ray. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Lily Papas is destined for great things, definitely one to watch.
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Lastlings - ‘Take My Hand’
Tomorrows Forecast - ‘ur baby’
Paper Round ‘Rabbit Hole’
JVMIE – ‘You Don’t Even Know That I’m Alive’
Lastlings ‘Take My Hand’ was the first release on the duo’s new label Liberation Records and helped skyrocket the band even further onto popularity through 2020. Written about two people unprepared to let go the track is emotive electronic pop at it’s finest and has stood tall as one of the strongest releases to come out of the Gold Coast all year.
Paper Round were marked as ones to watch after the release of their effortlessly cool single ‘Rabbit Hole’ back in May. Led by a beautiful sounding organ, the track slowly builds in intensity, finishing off with a fabulous crescendo of guitars and vocal harmonies. Offering a healthy mix between Britpop and modern psychedelica the band created a sound that was unlike any other at the time. Likely due to the pandemic ‘Rabbit Hole’ was all we heard from Paper Round this year, fingers crossed for new material in 2021.
Drawing influences from early San Cisco, Tomorrows Forecast put their own spin on the tried and tested indie-pop formula with their jangly guitar driven single ‘ur baby’. The defining charm of the track lies in its simplicity and the carefree nature of the call/ response vocal parts. Bursting with joy ‘ur baby’ still leaves a smile on my face every time I hit play.
Written in hotel quarantine ‘You Don’t Even Know That I’m Alive’ is one piece of a fantastic body of work JVMIE has released as a reaction to uprooting her life in the USA and relocating to the Gold Coast. Stripping things right back, JVMIE produced a spacious, slow burning electronic track that will have you relaxed and floating after the first 10 seconds. Think Massive Attacks ‘Teardrop’ meets Dido’s ‘White Flag’ and you’ll end up somewhere close to this atmospheric gem.
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Reset your future at Coomera creative campus Creativity and talent deserve the very best. Southern Cross University students at Coomera creative campus have access to outstanding facilities and equipment. Bachelor of Contemporary Music Bachelor of Digital Media Bachelor of Information Technology Apply now for 2021.
scu.edu.au/study CRICOS Provider: 01241G TAFE TEQSA PRV 12043