Blank Gold Coast issue 26 - October 15

free Oct‘15

leopold’s treat launch album the old fashioned way issue #026

MUSIC The Waifs The Paper Kites Parkway Drive Hussy Hicks Cheap Fakes

FOOD Oktoberfest Cicchetti Burgster The Farm 52 Espresso

ART

CULTURE

MUSIC

Flesh Energies Hillier & Skuse LMTD Space My Story

Buskers Festival Luka Lesson Wakeboarding champ Plastic solution Glitter Festival

The Rubens Evol Walks Mullum Music Festival Summertime Sessions Lane Harry x Ike Campbell

Tone Deaf, Wonderlick & Select Music presents

The Paper Kites (AUS) ‘Twelvefour Australian Tour 2015’ with special guest Patrick James

FRI

30 OCT

Tickets at soundlounge.com.au

JIMMY THE SAINT THE SINNERS NEW EP “Voodoo Vivisection” OUT NOW!

L I V E R E S I D E N C Y T H R O U G H O U T O C TO B E R AT Q U I C K S I LV E R B OA R D R I D E R S , CO O L A N G AT TA

OCT 2ND BOARDRIDERS, COOLANGATTA OCT 9TH BOARDRIDERS, COOLANGATTA OCT 16TH GREASER BAR, FORTITUDE VALLEY /JIMMYTHESAINTANDTHESINNERS

OCT 23RD BOARDRIDERS, COOLANGATTA OCT 30TH BOARDRIDERS, COOLANGATTA

@THESINNERSOFFICIAL

GET THE NEW EP FIRST AT JIMMYTHESAINTANDTHESINNERS.BANDCAMP.COM

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#026 OCT 2015 Editor: Samantha Morris Guest designer: Kylie Cobb, Kitty Kitty Bang Bang Advertising: Amanda Gorman Music Coordinator: Mella Bunker Photographer: Leisen Standen, LAMP Photography Money Coordinator: Phillippa Wright Logistics Coordinator: Elli Webb Mothers at large: Chloe Popa (designer and co-owner) and Natalie O’Driscoll (cultural editor) are both on maternity leave and this edition is dedicated to their sleepless nights and the beautiful boys responsible.

Front cover: Leopold’s Treat, by Emily Painter Lifestyle cover: Kinship by Bangarra Dance Theatre Contributors: Kyle Butcher, Marj Osborne, Yanina Benavidez, Tiffany Mitchell, Mella Lahina, David Simmons, Sarah McEwan, Jariah Travan, Jesse Kenny, Nev Pearce, Janek Hrana, Kylie Daniel, Jake Wilton, Anthony Gebhardt, Catherine Coburn, Lizzy Keen, Terry “Tappa” Teece, Natalie O’Driscoll, Pip Andreas, Emily Russell, Nathan James, Ashleigh Wadman, Andrew Scott Acknowledgement of Country We show our respect and sincerely acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land and their elders past, present and emerging.

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

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Earth Frequency Festival lineup announcement One of the most grassroots festivals you’ll find has announced its 2016 lineup, with none other than Blue King Brown headlining. Spanning the full range of the Earth Frequency sonic spectrum, the event’s early offering is a full size serve, but they say it’s just a taster to get things started with a second announcement due any date. Other artists included in the first announcement are Funk Hunters and Chali 2na, Boris Brejcha, Opiuo, Stickybuds, Mindex, Fabio Leal, D-sens, Merkaba with Eve Olution, Vinja, Hugo & Treats, Ryanosaurus, Interpulse, Staunch, Ruby Blue and Positive Thought.

The Festival runs 12 – 15 February, 2016. earthfrequency.com.au.

Motez launches Nautic Giants third season A little over a year ago, the crew at Nautic Giants presented Motez for the first time in this part of the world. Since then, he’s gone on to perform twice at Splendour In The Grass and was requested by Disclosure and Sam Smith to do an official remix of Omen (out a couple of days ago) that will take him even further internationally. Now the undisputed king of Australian house music is making his return thanks to a group of local presenting partners including Black Coffee Lyrics, About A Girl and Crave Yard. Motez will headline the launch of Nautic Giants’ third season at Fishermans wharf, supported by Silversix from Revolver Melbourne, live bands and more. It goes down Sunday 4 October from 2.00pm. Early bird tickets have sold out. Standard tickets available via Moshtix, so get on it.

Jimmy the Saint and the Sinners announce October residency According to Jimmy The Saint and The Sinners, black magic and rattling bones reign supreme in their upcoming EP Voodoo & Vivisection. The EP marks the third in a series of themed releases starting with 2014’s Boozehounds & Badmen and the sophomore Lovenotes & Obituaries, released this past June. Anyone that knows The Sinners knows that the air surrounding them hangs thick with themes of dark rituals and supernatural forces. Implicit in its title, Voodoo & Vivisection makes no effort to hide the influences. With an expected release date of early October, the band will be supporting the release with a string of shows throughout October before heading back into the studio once more to begin work on the final stage of their journey into what will be a quartet of themed EPs. You can catch the Sinners in all their voodoo glory at a month-long residency at Coolangatta Quicksilver Boardriders Club: Friday 2, 9, 23 and 30 October and also at Greaser Bar, Fortitude Valley on 16 October.

Jones, Gallagher and Browne top 2nd Bluesfest announcement Bluesfest has released the second installment of its lineup for the five-day event to be held from Thursday 24 March to Monday 28 March next year with Tom Jones, Jackson Browne and Noel Gallagher all included.

Tom Jones will appear at the festival for the

first time in his 50 year career. And Noel Gallagher will perform with his new band following a multi-platinum career with Oasis, also making his Bluesfest debut. Get the full announcement at blankgc.com.au.

Dead Letter Circus bring Aesthesis to the Gold Coast

Paper Kites killer album on tour: Soundlounge Melbourne indie-folk darlings, The Paper Kites have released new album twelvefour, and while reviews still come in, are touring it nationally this month. The tour kicks off in Adelaide before taking in WA, Victorian and Queensland dates and wrapping up in NSW and ACT in early November. “The album is a concept record, based around a theory that an artist’s creative peak is between the hours of midnight and 4am,” explains lead vocalist and songwriter Sam Bentley, who’d been searching for a theme to shape album number two. “So every night I’d sit down when the clock ticked over to midnight and just start writing.” And the album is an absolute cracker – on high rotation at the Blank office in the leadup to their Soundlounge gig on 30 October. Tickets via soundlounge.com.au.

Zac Gunthorpe’s rollicking rock roots If I had friends like The Wilson Pickers, The Gin Club, Mexico City and The Living End, I’d probably invite them to help me make music – which is exactly what Zac Gunthorpe did when he recorded his debut album Glory Bound in northern NSW. He enlisted members of those bands to create a back-up band of epic proportions. Imagine what that sounds like? You can find out by checking out the album orrrrrrrr going to see him live when he passes through town for a set at Sunhouse Coolangatta on 21 November.

Playing their way across the country in some of their favourite venues, Dead Letter Circus will showcase tracks from new album Aesthesis as well as fan favourites from their 100,000+ selling catalogue spanning the last decade. They are also bringing their good friends from the USA, 10 Years on the string of shows from Melbourne onwards. They’ll blow in to the Cooly Hotel, with Guards of May also on the lineup on Friday 23 October.

Gold Coast’s Shakespearian Chick Local songstress Jessie Ryan-Allen has announced a new EP, Shakespearian Chick alongside her new song Let Me Breathe.

The releases come on the back of a big 2014 which saw Jessie finish her music degree, releases a self-titled debut album and tour the east coast of Australia. 2015 is looking big too: she’s just returned from New York where she studied songwriting at NY University and she’s also released her studio side project EP, The World of Lost Luise. Check out Jessie’s work at youtube.com/jessieryanallen.

Miller’s debut EP due for release Indigenous singer-songwriter Robbie Miller makes a welcome return to the fray this month, picking up where he left off, warming hearts with his smooth, delicate melodies.

His debut EP The Faster the Blood Slows is out 2 October and comes on the back of lead single Sunday. Robbie will be familiar to Blank readers after taking out the Triple J NIMA award in 2013 for his track Don’t Go Walking Away. We caught up with Robbie at BIGSOUND and you can read the full story at blankgc.com.au.

Lawn Party ME LB OU R NE CU P

JOIN US FOR THE GOLD COAST’S MOST STYLISH CUP DAY EVENT TUESDAY 3 NOVEMBER GATES OPEN AT 11AM – FREE ENTRY 8 Big Screen TVs Indoor & Outdoor Event with DJs Mumm Sabrage Free Wi-Fi for personal betting accounts Sweeps and best dressed prizes OPTIONAL PACKAGES AVAILABLE STARTING AT $89 per person, includes two hour beverage package (12pm – 2pm) & canapés.

All guests on a package will also receive a glass of Mumm Champagne on arrival.

Book the packages online at goldcoasttickets.com.au

qtgoldcoast.com.au

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Stranglers back in 2016 They were the seminal stars of 70s and 80s Brit-punk and they’re celebrating more than 40 years of raising hell with another Australian tour. The Stranglers are revered as one of the most influential bands to have emerged from the British new wave scene and when they hit Brisbane they’ll play hits as well as tracks spanning their back catalogue – from 1977’s debut Rattus Norvegicus through to 2012’s return to form Giants. They’ll bring their golden brown sounds to The Tivoli, Brisbane on Monday 18 April and tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

Shark Bar the home of Bad Dreems Fresh from a 12-date tour of the UK and a sold-out east coast tour of Australia, Bad// Dreems are hitting the road for tour which will thankfully, include the Gold Coast. And they’re bringing Green Buzzard – just signed to label I OH YOU, with them. They’re one of the most exciting guitar acts in the country and they absolutely set tongues wagging after their two breakthrough singles Dumb Ideas and Cuffed and Collared. Now they have a debut LP to their name, in the form of Dogs at Bay and they’ll be at the Shark Bar, Miami on Saturday 17 October.

TiMBAH at Southport Sharks Hailing from Brisbane and Northern Rivers in New South Wales, uniquely talented and charismatic collective TiMBAH relentlessly tour the east coast of Australia, winning over crowds with their acoustic folk rock and roots sound. Lead by the intricate guitar work and voice of Nye Stewart, and backed by the rollicking percussion of brother Abe, the TiMBAH line-up also includes Bart Stenhouse on bass guitar, violinist Liz Young and Ronaldo Januario on the banjo, guitar and harmonica. “Timbah is very much a live band, improvising, changing and jamming on the songs in a live environment,” Nye says.

They’ll be at Southport Sharks on Friday 16 October from 8.30pm.

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Miller (producer/bass Guitar), Taylor Duggan (lead guitar) Jared Adam (guitar/ keys) and Reece Baines (drums). Despite being together for only a short time, their energy as a live band has already earned them a steady following, as gracing stages at Bleach* and Teneriffe Festivals and supporting British songwriting royalty Joan Armatrading at QPAC’s concert hall. Listen to lead single Shadow on Soundcloud.

Stan Walker live at Jupiters Hotel & Casino He’s the platinum-selling artist whose undeniable vocal-gift and engaging boynext-door charm took the nation by storm and now, the former Gold Coast local Stan Walker is coming back to where it all began for an intimate show at Jupiters Hotel & Casino. Walker will woo audiences with the soulful sounds of his latest hit album, Truth & Soul, as part of his landmark Australian tour when he comes to the Gold Coast on 20 November. More at jupitersgoldcoast.com.au.

James Reyne brings Moving Pictures for A Day In The Sun tour It feels like James Reyne has never stopped touring and on Boxing Day he’ll be back on the Gold Coast with none other than 80s/90s chart-mates Moving Pictures. Both acts dominated the charts with multi-platinum albums and sold out tours and over the summer months they will wind their way across Australia together for A Day In the Sun. It’s the first time since those halcyon years that Moving Pictures have re-formed.

They’ll be at Jupiters Hotel & Casino on Saturday 26 December. Tickets via Ticketek.

Kindness gets you everywhere Creature Kind, hailing from Mt Tamborine have delivered a nine-track EP, Songs to Get Young To. It’s the debut offering from this five-piece which comprises David Baker (lead vocals, guitar, keyboard) Zachary

A platform for sinners, pirates and lotus ships With a vision to support and foster upand-coming artists, Southport Sharks in conjunction with MoonZoo entertainment recently introduced Platform – an opportunity for brand new music on the Gold Coast to receive exposure. It’s an awesome platform (see what I did there) for great new music to get the exposure it deserves. And the October lineup just proves this point. Jimmy the Saint and The Sinners headline alongside Pirates of the Tempest and Lotus Ship doing an acoustic set. It goes down 30 October at Southport Sharks and we say you should go.

Wash away those weekday blues with Devil’s Kiosk Devils Kiosk have taken it up a step and wowed fans in recent years at music festivals across Australia. They’ve done stints at The Sydney Blues and Roots Festival, Brisbane’s Grottofest and Agnes Blues & Roots and this month they’ll bring their contemporary blues to Southport Sharks. Jamie Symons is their singer and dynamic harp player – he took out the Höhner Golden Harmonica Championships in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and their sound derives from elements of the earthy sounds of the 40s and 50s along with the soul of the 60s and 70s. They’ll hit Southport Sharks on Friday 9 October from 8.30pm.

Calling cultural heroes The City is calling for nominations for its Australia Day heroes list with six categories open for nominations. The categories are Citizen of the Year, Young Cityizen of the Year, Community Service Award, Sports Achievement Award, Environmental Achievement Award and Cultural Achiement Award. Nominations close 13 November and the ceremony will take place 14 January at a cocktail function at Q1. You can download a nomination form online or pick up a hardcopy from libraries and Council service centres.

Brisbabes launches Brisbane is lucky enough to have a music scene rich with female artists, it’s just sometimes hard to see them through the beards and sweaty flannel. Enter Brisbabes; a brand new quarterly event, pioneered by honorary Brisbabe Emma Jones, one half of blog Howl & Echoes, to shower love and affection on all the musical ladies in this fair city. The iridescent MKO SUN will be heading up the first estrogen filled evening bringing with her all the soul infused RnB that an audience can handle. Gabriella Cohen will also be lending her enigmatic stage presence and indie rock tunes while dynamic duo OK Badlands will round off the night with their brooding brand of pop music.Brisbabes happens Friday 9 October at the Foundry from 8.00pm.

Buskers announced as national finalist After being named the Live Music Event of the Year in the Gold Coast Music Awards earlier this year, Currumbin-based Buskers by the Creek has now been named a finalist in the Best New Event category of the Australian Event Awards after only its inaugural year. Buskers by the Creek made a splash last October, attracting more than 10,000 people to the shores of Currumbin Creek to watch more than 140 performers.

This year’s headline act is the world-record holder for sword swallowing – Space Cowboy. The Festival will run October 17 and 18. More at buskersbythecreek.com.au.

Leopold’s launch Cold River the old fashioned way Shying away from contemporary trends such as crowdfunding, Leopold’s Treat have instead opted to launch their new album Cold River the good ol’ way – with a ticketed launch event. And it’s about much more than just the music. With poetry, art and worldclass performances, it’s a family-friendly hoedown of epic proportions. Tickets are $30.

The launch takes place Saturday 10 October at Board Culture Surf Store, Mermaid Beach.

#NOCURFEW for the Gold Coast

Organisers struck the right chord at the No Curfew rally for Gold Coast’s live music scene, according to Jake Wilton.

Walking onto the Surfers Paradise Foreshore for the No Curfew rally I, admittedly, was expecting your typical protest rally with clever, yet cheesy, chanting, megaphones and big signs with witty remarks toward our Government. Alas, my ideology was instead replaced with a roomy tent placed in Surfers Paradise beach with plenty of seating and a stage.

Foiled again by American TV. This didn’t stop me, however, from taking notes and sitting up straight. Something a little different from your typical Saturday night on the Gold Coast. Yet that was whole point of tonight’s rally – to showcase the Gold Coast nightlife community’s frustration and negligence toward the impending lockout laws looming over Queensland.

Image: Jake Wilton

Simply put, the Labor Government wants to ban serving high alcohol content drinks (shots, cocktails and straight drinks) after midnight, introduce a lock-out where you can’t enter a venue after 1am, and mandate a 3am shut-down

where every venue has to close for the night, ejecting all the remaining patrons onto the streets.

No Curfew’s purpose is to ensure that the majority of late night revellers that abide by the law have their voice heard.

With a flurry of special guests – including solo performances from Von Villain’s Jack Field, Jimmy The Saint And The Sinners’ James Turner and Yes Sir Noceur’s Marc Cowie – as well as John Paul Langbroek and sister Kate Langbroek among other official Queensland and Gold Coast voices to voice their dissatisfaction with the lockout laws.

The Gold Coast music scene has been hit enough with regulations and laws which do nothing to help us build momentum . Let’s not ruin what’s left of it by forcing punters and musicians out on the streets by 3am.

You can help by signing their petition at nocurfew.org

OCTOBER Fri 02 October / 8.00pm / $10 Baltimore Gun Club + TV Ghosts + Aralunar Beagle + Stone Witches Sat 03 October / 8.00pm / $10 The Vultures + Timber Bones + Your Man Alex Smith + Scarlet Kill + Lachy Lyne Thur 08 October / 8.00pm / $15 Facegrinder + Inhuman Remnants + Decryptus + Those Who Endure + Rogyapas Fri 09 October / 8.00pm / $10 Undermine the Supremacy + Amicable Treason + Gutter Tactic + Frayed and the Fallen + Noose for a Necktie Fri 16 October / 8.00pm / $10 Just Monday + Stav and the Dark + United States of Oz + Toyko Beef + Psychoibis Sat 17 October / 7.00pm / Free BUSKERS BY THE CREEK presents “Battle of the Buskers” Fri 23 October / 8.00pm / $10 Peach Fur “EP Launch” + Aralunar Beagle + Deja Vudu + Pauly B Sat 24 October / 7.00pm / $70 per person Scotchmans hill wine dinner / 5 wines 5 courses Bookings essential 5534 2322 Restaurant + Bar + Gaming Serving tapas until 10pm Courtesy bus available – 5534 2322 www.currumbincreektavern.com.au

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Sam Morris caught up with Leopold’s Treat in Miami Marketta’s brand new Studio 56 to chat about how it all came together, what they learned on the way and what’s in store for you at the launch.

Image: Emily Painter 8

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T

hey may be a three-piece but they had plenty of extras to help record their debut album and they’ll have plenty of people help launch it as well. And you can’t wipe the smiles off their faces.

“We had an amazing jam last night,” Kate Leopold said. She and Dave Honeyman reel off a list of friends who jammed with them. Scotty French, Crick Boue, Sarah Dern. They’ve been jamming and rehearsing for the public launch of their new release.

“We’ve been warming up,” they tell me. “Just sort of piecing it together.”

They’re talking about the launch event for Cold River, their debut album. Kate says the feedback on the title track off the album – their first single has been good.

“I’ve had a lot of really cool feedback, text messages and stuff. People are saying they really like it,” she said.

Dave said that making the album was the best recording experience he’s had.

“Scotty (French) just made it so easy, really. And also the music … it was… easy to play that music. We were just jamming out on what we normally do.”

“Scotty was just so helpful. Just because he knew what he was doing,” Kate agreed, speaking of the recording process and how she felt.

“He’d just say ‘do this’ and it would pick things up. Or he’d use an effect or whatever.”

We speak briefly about the song-writing process. Dave says Kate is the main song-writer but Kate says she doesn’t consciously write songs. “Some ideas are just stronger than others,” she said. “I’ve never intentionally sat down to write a song.”

Even Dave is surprised at that. “No? Really?” he asks. “No, the original ideas are just like this…wooooo,” Kate says as she does an interpretive style dance. They tell me how a couple of songs were born.

“There’s ones like Old Mississippi,” Kate said. “Where we were playing with Lani (Motiekaitis) one day and she started jamming the bassline and Dave started playing along.”

“Another one was Penniless Man, which Kieran started playing on charango and then I started playing those chords on guitar,” Dave explains. “Keiran and I have a habit of when we song-write together… it’s like an oppressed jailbird time song – you know, put in there for a minimal offence, and struggling through the system to get out… but finding camaraderie in the people he meets there. So I guess it’s writing about stories that emerge from the melodies and rhythms of the music.”

Dave and Kieran Richardt were originally brought into the fold to help Kate record her solo debut EP, It Goes By. Kate tells me the album was supported by a City of Gold Coast RADF grant.

Image: Elise Daw felt natural to keep up the rehearsals,” Kate said. “For at least a year after that we rehearsed once or twice a week.”

“Somewhere in amongst all that I’ve started to feel like a musician,” she laughed.

“It feels like a growth period for the band,” Dave tells me.

“Just with the album, and maybe pushing it a little bit. It feels like we’re doing things that we haven’t done before, maybe taking it somewhere we haven’t gone before.”

We move on to talking again about the launch of their album. They’ve chosen Board Culture on the highway at Mermaid Beach for the event – which on the surface seems odd, but regular readers would know the surf shop’s affinity to the local music scene. The launch takes place Saturday 10 October from 6.30pm.

“It’s going to be pretty special, with Adam Biggs doing sound and some of the Gold Coast’s most amazing musicians,” Kate tells me.

On the lineup are the Ella Fence Trio, as well as Josh Holms and his spoken word magic. And Scotty French and Crick Boue and of course, Leopold’s Treat. At the time of writing, they also just announced that local artist Rebecca Cunningham, fresh from exhibiting at SWELL would also be there with some of her work.

One of the things I love about Leopold’s Treat – apart from their music and their love of the natural environment – is their pragmatism. They decided against crowdfunding the album’s production and release opting instead for a good old fashioned ticketed gig.

“We just want people to buy a ticket and come along,” Kate said, and then tells me again how eclectic the evening will be. “We want to sell 200 tickets.”

“It got played nationally through the AirIt Program,” Kate said of her EP, “and it was the EP recording that brought us together and inspired us to come up with a band name.”

The $30 ticket price includes a heap of entertainment, with the main course being Leopold’s Treat themselves. It’s BYO, it’s family friendly and there’s a kids’ corner to boot.

“Leopold’s Treat became a unanimous decision for a band name,” Kate said. “Despite my suggestions that were a bit less revealing of my identity… Little Tree was my favourite idea.”

“There’ll be artistic things for people to participate in,” Kate explains. “Everyone will get a bunting flag to make, some candles to light and some little post-it notes for writing affirmations and sticking on the wall.”

“From my point of view, I did that EP and it was just really good,” Dave said. “I was just going to keep doing it until Kate gave me the sack or something. That hasn’t happened. And I still feel like doing it.”

Kate said it was a mutual decision to keep playing together as a band.

“We’d been rehearsing together once or twice a week in the lead up for the recording and then after the recording it just

Image: Christine Tobia-Philp

Leopold’s Treat launch Cold River Board Culture Community Surf Store (Mermaid Beach) Saturday 10 October, 6.30pm Tickets via leopoldstreat.yapsody.com www.blankgc.com.au

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Image: Samantha Morris

Tsun

Evol Walks all the way to L.A. and Europe and back again

Gold Coast’s newest music venue comes out of the blocks firing

Summertime Sessions announces its 2015 lineup

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We catch up at BIGSOUND, where Leah is just another punter with a shock of gorgeous red hair. She’s champing at the bit to tell me about her adventures and I couldn’t be more stoked. Since discovering Leah through her prior project Lily Rouge and having many conversations via email and social media, this is actually the first time we’ve met in person.

The space will be used for live music on Thursday nights, a much-needed gap-filler for the local music scene.

Opening the series will be Ella Fence and Jake Whittaker on Friday 23 October. The lineup for the rest of the season includes City Over Sand, Alone Alaska, Jackson James Smith, Bobby Alu, Hanlon Brothers, Tsun, Karl S Williams, Frankie and the Moon. There’s more. There’s lots more.

old Coast rock goddess Leah Martin-Brown flew the coop last year. Now based in LA with her band Evol Walks, she’s spread her wings and hasn’t looked back. Except for frequent homecomings for gigs.

“I left LA in July and went to Europe – I’m living between the two at the moment,” she tells me. “We had Musexpo this year and that gave us a lot of opportunities and since then we’ve played the Viper Room, Rainbow Bar…,” she rattles off a list of classic Sunset Strip music venues, making me green with envy.

“As part of Musexpo, they were doing an opportunity where Andy Gould who’s the manager for Rob Zombie was looking for new acts for his label – and our management said we should submit. There were 200 people who submitted and we got into final seven being considered,” Leah said.

“We didn’t get the opportunity but at the end they were announcing the decision, then the guy from polish Woodstock who could only speak Polish – he started excitedly speaking – and his translator said ‘don’t end the panel yet – if that Australian band want to come play the festival at Woodstock, we want to put them on the main stage.’ So they came to see us that night at the showcase, and we got the chance to play at the festival over there.”

Read Sam’s full interview with Leah at blankgc.com.au ahead of her acoustic showcase at; The Loft, 15 October

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Samantha Morris

iami Marketta’s latest offering to the Gold Coast’s cultural scene will come out of the blocks strong with a full schedule of live entertainment launching 15 October.

Named Studio 56, the space will be familiar to Marketta regulars, only with a new stage and sound equipment installed – purpose built for live music with a capacity of 450.

The space will open with captivating songstress Aquila Young’s EP launch with Creature Kind and The Ruiins in support. Young has been receiving rave reviews for her first single and although Creature Kind and The Ruiins have only been on the scene for a short time, they’re definitely a reason to get to the gig early with a strong live track record and captivating songs. It’s a perfect combination of local talent to see this new space enter the fray.

But that’s only the opening night. Thursday 22 October sees The Waifs (see interview in this edition) supported by Mia Dyson and 29 October will be the first headline show for trio Th’Fika with Trapdoor and Tommy Sheehan opening.

Samantha Morris Studio 56, 23 Hillcrest Parade, Miami 15 October | Aquila Young + Creature Kind + The Ruiins 22 October | The Waifs + Mia Dyson 29 October | Th’Fika + Trapdoor + Tommy Sheehan

ver eight Fridays, Mudgeeraba will show the Gold Coast why it’s the friendliest village west of the freeway. After a killer 2014 season, Summertime Sessions in the Village is back – with an incredible lineup of local talent and plans for finding new opportunities for musicians within its Divisional boundaries.

The Councillor for Division 9, which takes in Mudgeeraba is Glenn Tozer. He’s been working hard to support local music and also to drive the growth of Summertime Sessions and its impact on the local economy.

“I think the impact of music in the park – like SSITV is threefold – firstly, people come in and enjoy pizza or fish and chips in the park, which supports local business. Secondly, they get to connect with local musicians and buy their music and be patrons of the arts – and thirdly, they get to know their neighbours and their community better – by sharing interests. That’s what makes this event successful and a great contributor to the city.”

The shows run from 5.30 – 7.30pm every Friday night from 23 October and takes place at Cuddihy Park, right in the middle of Mudgeeraba Village. Blank is proud to be a media partner for Summertime Sessions in the Village.

Samantha Morris The full lineup for the series is as follows: 23 October | Ella Fence + Jake Whittaker 30 October | City over Sand + Alone Alaska 6 November | Walrus and the Carpenter + Felicity Lawless 13 November | Tommy Sheehan + Jackson James Smith 20 November | Bobby Alu (solo) + Hanlon Brothers 27 November | Tsun + Frankie & the Moon 4 December | Little Georgia + Blues Stomp Holding Co. + The Adventures of Herbert and Valerie 11 December | Aquila Young + Karl S Williams

Hussies’ heartache That Old Heartache will be one of seven songs on a minialbum the power duo recorded in Alabama earlier this year.

“We recorded enough songs to make a full album but decided that these seven were the most stylistically in line.

We lean more on our Alt Country / Southern Americana side,” Julz Parker told Blank. “With a bit of surf guitar thrown in for good measure.”

Julz said that although the other songs also sounded great, they decided to record again, along with some “absolute freshies. It just means we can take the songs wherever we want stylistically without producing an album that needs psychotherapy.”

COOLANGATTA HOTEL

THE GO SET

FRI 16 OCTOBER

METALFIELDS

SAT 12 DECEMBER

KISSCHASY

SAT 31 OCTOBER

MODELS

SAT 19 DECEMBER

thecoolyhotel.com.au

Hussy Hicks are heading to Germany in December. But before they do, they’ll be launching a new album. But they’re teasing us first – with a good ol’ fashioned single launch.

It’s surprising they’ve had time to spend in the studio since being back in town. When we speak they’ve just returned from Mitchell Creek Rock n Blues Festival and they’ve done stints at Peak Festival, Bangalow Bluegrass, Broadbeach Country Festival and a heap of local café gigs.

We know the Hussies love a collaboration so it’s no surprise they’ve got good friends Allensworth (California) sharing the bill with them at their Currumbin Creek Tavern single launch.

“Apart from being great guys they are making some real special music at the moment - definitely one of our favourite bands. If you like vocal harmonies those boys nail it and just have groove for days,” Julz said.

And it goes without saying that they’ll be peddling out not just the new single but a bunch of other songs off the album.

“Yeah, and possibly the album after that too,” Julz said.

“Since we have new songs coming to life at the moment, we’re most likely going to want to play them.”

Hussy Hicks launch That Old Heartache at Currumbin Creek Tavern on Friday 30 October.

Tickets at hussyhicks.iwannaticket.com.au.

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MMF not to be missed

2015 sees the eighth Mullum Music Festival roll into the gorgeous northern NSW town. With a policy that sees a massive one third of the program being local and a lineup that gets better and better every year, this is one event you do not want to miss.

They mix things up a bit from the contemporary festival routine too. The MMF crew don’t ship in massive tents and stages from out of town. They utilise existing venues and cafes, bringing the streets of Mullum alive for four incredible days and nights of music.

“I grew up in Sydney and owned a night club in the rocks for 16 years. Every year for the month of the Sydney Festival our venue suffered as the existing venues were rarely used and similarly local artists were regularly overlooked for internationals,” Festival director Glenn Wright told us last year.

“I think this happens way too much with major festivals.

They in general don’t support the local arts scene, but rather look elsewhere, so that tickets can be sold. I have wanted to sell tickets also, but try to combine international, national and local artists in the program. The most exciting outcomes at a festival usually occur when artists collaborate, and it’s really exciting if it’s a local with an artist from another place.”

Canadian troubadour Ron Sexsmith headlines this gem of a festival. Often referred to as a ‘best kept secret’, Sexsmith’s gift for songrwriting that fuses melody with melancholy has gained him a niche.

Gomez singer and lead guitarist Ben Ottewell (UK) is also on the bill, along with contemporary pianist Hauschka (Germany) and the California Honedrops. Plus there will be a very rare solo performance from Robert Forster.

Also on the lineup are We Two Thieves, Trinity Roots, Harry James Angus, Tin Pan Orange, Emma Donovan and the Putbacks, Montainge, All our Exes Live in Texas, Hat Fitz and Cara, Mt Warning, Starboard Cannons, Bullhorn, Chris Tamwoy, Tora, Irish Mythen, Cheap Fakes, Juzzie Smith, Allensworth, Walrus and the Carpenter, Kyle Lionhart, Greg Sheehan, Madre Monte, the Northern Rivers Uke Orchestra and more.

Samantha Morris

Mullum Music Festival runs 19 - 22 November 2015 tickets, programs & lineup details at mullummusicfestival.com www.blankgc.com.au

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Casey’s big year continues

Lane Harry x Ike Campbell’s Youth certainly not wasted

On the back of taking out the Gold Coast Music Award’s People’s Choice Award, Casey Barnes was straight into the studio to record a new track and then just as he was about to release it, won a NCEIA Dolphin Music Award to boot.

“That was pretty cool,” he said of the Awards night. “They put it together really well. It was a different array of music down there, there was a metal band and a bit more of a cross-section -some folk and some country and some rock – a real mix.”

“I was stoked to get the best male vocal award,” he said.

The new track, The One You Love, was released 30 September. He says that while on the surface it appears to be a love song – it’s a little bit darker than that. It’s about a guy that’s trying to win a girl’s love – in not necessarily appropriate ways.

“The lyrics are about him concocting this play of winning her over,” Casey told Blank. “It’s like poisonous snake and the heart of a snow white dove…”

Casey says the response to the track, which was recorded at Studio 301 in Byron with ARIA Award winning producer Nick Didia, has been good. Didia is known

Lane showed Samantha Morris the cover of the yet to be released record during a bustling Bigsound break.

for his work with music heavy weights such as Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine and Kasey Chambers.

60 odd radio stations have already picked up the track – a mix of commercial, community and country.

“Some people have said it’s the strongest song I’ve released to date,” he added.

Casey is also now under the wing of US based management company, Arrow Entertainment after signing an exclusive worldwide management deal. This new union will help build Casey’s profile internationally creating opportunities both here and outside of Australia.

But there’s no sign of Casey slowing down just yet. He plays the main stage at Caloundra Music Festival on Monday 4 October joining artists such as Angus and Julia Stone, Josh Pike and Hoodoo Gurus on the lineup. And then he’s off to Western Australia for a Telethon in Perth which features high profile artists raising funds for the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. He’s particularly excited about his 14 November show at The Arts Centre Gold Coast with Rick Price though.

Samantha Morris

Get Casey’s dates and releases via caseybarnes.com.au.

Image: Samantha Morris

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ong of the Year winners, rising hip-hop stars, and all ‘round nice guys Lane Harry x Ike Campbell will launch their new album sometime in the near year. It’s is all but ready – with just two more songs left to record.

“I’m like six and Ike is five,” Lane said.

He’s showing me an image of he and his bandmate as kids. Quite fitting too. The new album will be called Youth.

“There’s heaps of subtle references to our childhood,” he said. “Our new song San Luca has a sample from The Horse with Striped Pyjamas by Captain Kangaroo – a song my grandparents used to sing to me when I was a kid.”

Lane tells me he travelled a lot as a kid.

He grew up on a farm west of Auckland with his grandparents and was back and forth between there, his parents, England, America for a while. I asked him why they were always on the go.

“I think my parents wanted me to get cultured,” he said. I ask if it worked. “I hope so, otherwise it was a fucking waste of money.”

Lane shares another memory of growing up. He says at the time his dad was living New Jersey. “I remember, 9/11, he was meant to be at the World Trade Centre. So when that happened, we fully thought he was involved. It’s one of the earliest memories of my life.”

Image: LAMP Photography

“My first, first, original memory – and I am not lying, I would have been maybe three or four and my granddad had his guitar and I remember touching the strings of this guitar. I remember it was so dope. It was so cool.

The strings were nylon and making this

sound that was so awesome and I wanted to pay guitar from a young age.”

Lane tells me their Youth album will be quite different to its predecessor Renaissance. Firstly, their music will be less technical. But Lane also admits the new record might be considered more suitable for a youthful audience.

“Like some 15 year old kid doesn’t want to hear about some intense breakup. Youth is for a younger audience. Renaissance is quite a mature album, but this one is more fun,” he said. And he’s hoping the next single Rendezvous – due November - will be their first commercially successful record.

“It’s also our first song without swearing,” Lane said. “The album is way cleaner than our other stuff. With Rendezvous, the song is so playful and happy and I wanted to make a song that my little sister could listen to.”

“I got a snapchat months ago from this ten year old girl, rapping Anarchy and it made me feel really uncomfortable… it wasn’t cool. Like, anyone can like my music… but I just wanted to make a song that could be a bit better for the kids - because we are starting to get younger fans.”

Looking to the future, Lane says of course around the album launch there’ll be a tour and that they’re in talks with artists like Remi, Bam Bam and Double L about the possibility of doing shows together. “But yeah, we’ll do a heap of shows,” he said.

“And hopefully some festivals too.”

Samantha Morris

Visit lanexike.com for dates, releases and news.

Still standing out from the folk crowd With The Waif ’s seventh studio album freshly released, and American and Australian tours happening August through November, Tiffany Mitchell posed five quick questions to Vikki Thorn regarding their new album Beautiful You and other beautiful music moments.

The Dark Highway ballad with its refreshing Americana/country tones and the songs When a Man Gets Down and 6000 Miles have shown that The Waifs are morphing to this steely resonant sound. Your indie genre label that has tagged the band for so long, has this evolved too?

Our bass player Ben Franz is such a good pedal steel player we just have to use him.

I’d use more of it, everywhere, if it was up to me. I don’t know about labels and tags. We try to stay true to our acoustic folk roots but some songs just call for a different approach.

We found that to be the case on these new songs. We intended to make an acoustic record but it didn’t come out that way…

You played last year with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in your hometown of Albany WA, describe the buzz around that concert.

It was wonderful to be a part of that celebration in our hometown. It was probably the biggest event the town had ever pulled together. Donna read from our great uncle’s diary describing fighting in the trenches in France. We felt connected to the event in many ways. Playing with WASO felt like hearing our songs fully realised. Very special.

When I was of age the great Aussie rock bands toured through. Hoodoo Gurus, The Divinyls, The Angels, Jimmy Barnes, Johnny diesel, Hunters & Collectors, Icehouse. It all had an impact.

In August you’re playing in some pretty slick venues in the US, from Ogden Utah to Macarthur Park in Los Angeles. How did American fans discover The Waifs and truly ‘get’ you?

The Waifs got picked up at a folk alliance convention in Vancouver 2000 and got put on the main stage of every major folk festival in the northern continent that year.

WE didn’t know why it happened that way.

We kept hearing things like ‘refreshing’ … ‘energetic.’ I guess we played what they needed to hear at that time. Maybe it sounded just different enough to stand out back then…

The Waif’s Australian tour kicks off in September with a show at Miami Marketta on Thursday 22 October with special guest Mia Dyson.

Tickets via oztix.

SUMME RTIM E IN THE VILLA GE

If you could take a little piece of that orchestra on tour with you - what instruments would you select and play on Beautiful You? I’d take the horns for 6000 Miles, the strings for Black Dirt Track and Beautiful You and probably everything else!

While we’re speaking of your hometown, what WAS your musical upbringing? Who did you drive miles to see?

We had lots of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Cat Stevens, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Animals’ vinyl in the house. Donna introduced me to Prince and my other sister passed along Billy Joel tapes from Bali.

Gold Coast

IT’S FREE!!!

abc.net.au/goldcoast

music art event s

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Anti-Flag: 25 years of punk rock glory H

Anti-flag have been at the forefront of political and social issues since before they were even a band. Which is a phenomenal 27 years!

aving successfully toured 12 albums, the leaders of punk are bringing their latest makings, American Spring, to our shores with Pennywise as they celebrate a lifetime of music together. Their message is clear and concise; there are no undertones, just straight up truth and transparency on many of the subjects facing the world, which are just as relevant today as they were 30 years ago.

After a long night of networking (partying) at the Bigsound pre-parties across Brisbane Yanina Benavidez woke at a sensible time to make the call to Anti-flag’s front man Justin Sane only to realise the call was not at midday but at midnight.

So after staying up late it was finally time to make the call, Justin asked first “how are you? Tired of course. But he promised to make the call worth the wait. He said that weeks earlier he’d done the same thing, staying up late waiting on callers on to realise 45 minutes into waiting that his interviews were scheduled for the following morning, not late that night. After a few laughs and introductions it was time to get to work discussing not only their latest album but also what inspired it, class warfare and its place in the global issues that stand today.

Who has been your greatest influence sound-wise?

The Clash and Joe Strummer are huge for me musically and for Anti-Flag. There have been a lot of different influences, but when it comes to Anti-Flag I would say that they are the biggest influences for me, personally.

How does it feel to be touring American Spring and bringing it to Australia?

F##k yeah, it’s been great. I mean we are definitely loving plugging our new record, the hard work is done and now to get those songs on the stage and play them, that is sort of the completion of the journey, especially having people respond to the songs its really special.

What is your first memory of political misconduct, civil rights or social disorder?

I would say that my first memories of political discussions and political discourse really began around my parents’ kitchen table. My parents were organisers and activists, our house

was always buzzing with people who were passionate about politics.

How do you feel about everything that is going on with Syria and the state of refugees?

That is a huge question, but ultimately what it comes down to is the fact that we have great wealth inequality all over the world.

It’s not by mistake it’s by design. There’s a billionaire class, there’s an oligarch class that works together and they protect each other, they have power struggles between one another. They fight to gain more wealth; they use average people as a means to their end, which is not a positive end.

So what we really have to recognise in all of this is that we are living in a time of class warfare.

have been through so much and they have experienced so much pain, grief and loss.

When I saw these images of these people coming off buses in Munich Germany they were being cheered and greeted with so much love and respect. These refugees are going to be so dedicated to Germany, whether they stay there or they go back to Syria. I think it’s just amazing that we have these politicians who miss this fact, that when you help someone, when you take in someone at their lowest point those people are going to be the most loyal people in your society.

Anti-Flag played The Cooly just before going to print. Their American Spring album features an essay booklet packed full of statistics, quotes and reading material.

Yanina Benavidez

Working people, poor people around the world have to come together and connect globally. What I think is absolutely amazing is to think about the fact that these refugees

O

ne message that I’d like to put out to people, there is a lot of good, there is a lot more good happening than people realise or are led to believe. That gives me hope for the future.”

Justin Sane, Anti-Flag

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17

exploring the creative hours Melbourne indie folk quintet, The Paper Kites this month released an endearing video for single one, Electric Indigo from their new record, twelvefour. And they’re backing it up with a massive tour of Australia, including the Gold Coast. Sarah McEwan spoke to Christine from the band ahead of the album’s release.

Sipping on rocket fuel

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e’s just released his fourth album, mixed by Byron Bay’s Nick Didia (RATM, Kasey Chambers, Bruce Springsteen) and although he’s spent the majority of the past ten years on the road, Marshall Okell says his favourite ever musical memory was something very close to home.

You’ve only just released Electric Indigo, can you tell us about it?

I have read that Twelvefour, is primarily based around lack of sleep?

Yeah we’re really stoked with this track, I think for all of us it was a stand out single from early on, even before all of the songs had been written, it felt like a really good introduction to the album. The sound of Electric Indigo resonated well, it became a bridging song for our new sound, it still sounds like us but just a little different.

The idea came from Sam, who wrote the tracks, he decided to stay up from 12 to 4.00am as a different process. The concept behind it is when we stay up between those hours our body isn’t used to it, you seem to let a go a little bit and get the creative juices flowing. The idea is to explore where your mind goes when you are tired, and sometimes you think of things out of the box. Somebody was speaking to Sam about a documentary where a bunch of artists did a similar thing, where they explored those creative hours, so he gave it a go.

What have you been up to lately other than writing a new album?

We’ve been touring a lot over in South America, the States and Canada, and we did an Australian tour for our album States, so yeah lots of touring over the past couple of years. Lately we’ve obviously been doing a lot of writing and recording for this new album.

Read full story at blankgc.com.au and catch the Paper Kites on Friday 30 October at The Soundlounge.

“Playing Byron Blues Fest and having my father Glenn Poppy Okell jump up and rock out a fast Winters-Esk Boogie on a nice Strat … he was terminally ill with Cancer that was one his last shows,” Marshall told Blank GC. “We had the boys from Chase The Sun that show, it was just one of those whole body goose bump moments. Actually that track Tell Me appears on new record.”

One of Marshall’s press releases says he regularly plays 200 gigs a year. I had to see for myself. I googled the hell out of this guy and found that figure was not an exaggeration. I asked him how he stays grounded working so hard.

“We don’t work we play music,” he said, quoting Tex Perkins. “It’s the best job in the multiverse. I love playing, creating, and listening to music, it’s my everyday, what keeps me grounded sane and drives me insane.”

“We listen to a lot of Peter Tosh in the van, we don’t argue, everything’s pretty mellow.

Any yes, we definitely have our routine to keep us sane but I’m not going to jail writing about it,” he laughs.

With Sipping on Rocket Fuel being Marshall’s fourth release he says each

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record brings its own set of challenges, highs, lows and evolution as both human and musician. He says with this album “we had a much more free and creative approach, almost like having five friend, musicians, producers all contributing and not being too protective of the songs.”

“And loads of guitar solos,” he adds. “Bring back the solo yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew…”

Speaking of guitar solos, I can’t help but ask him about his friends and mine, the Hussy Hicks, who joined him as guests on the album. He says they “are the bomb.”

“We have been friends for quite a few years now, shared many a bottle of Jaegermeister and played ‘til the sun comes up. Exceptionally talented Musicians who I love dearly, having them on board made the recording process a total blast!”

But back to the album. Sipping on Rocket Fuel brings the boogie, the shuffle and the slide back into Okell’s dirty blues sound. I ask him what he has to say about the album.

“If you like Woodstock and music from the late 60s and 70s then have a go at this bottle of Rocket Fuel, Everyday.”

Sipping on Rocket Fuel is available in stores now and Marshall hits The Great Northern in Byron, along with the Hussy Hicks on Saturday 24 October.

Samantha Morris

Vice grip on the global scene

Who is one of the biggest players in the global heavy music scene? It’s a band from Byron Bay. Janek Hrana spoke to Parkwood Drive vocalist, Winston McCall just before the band embarks on their first Australian tour in two years. Touring, new album, crazy new video for single Vice Grip (where they all skydive), hailing from a hippie capital of Australia and the recent shark hype around Byron. Janek covered it all with Winston.

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arkway Drive have gained a huge worldwide following in twelve years of their amazing career and they just returned from touring some of the biggest summer festivals in Europe – including (not surprisingly) – headline slots. They have been working hard and it’s been paying off.

Already holding legendary status the Byron Bay boys have just released their fifth album.

On it they venture to brand new musicscapes challenging both themselves and their dedicated fan base.

How was the summer in Europe?

Fantastic. Summer in Europe. It’s always awesome. The shows were really good and it was pretty much like the craziest tour we’ve done. Some of the festivals were insane.

When was the last time you played home in Byron Bay? Oh man I think it was the ten years anniversary tour we did which was two years ago. That was actually the last time we toured Australia. It’s been a long time.

It seems your new album sets out to intentionally test the limits of your fans’ dedication?

You end up with the sense of doing something people totally expect and there’s not much anticipation and the interest slowly declines a little. We weren’t interested in continuing the same thing. We wanted to do something different … trying to get different sounds working into what we already have and continue the aggressiveness and the melodiousness in different forms. It’s one of those thing where I guess at any point in time when a band

does something different it’s always gonna cause people to question it.

Change is a recurrent theme in the lyrics of the new album IRE, right?

Yeah there’s definitely a strong theme of change. The album is called IRE and it’s obviously very angry. At the same point in time the message is simply the idea that we’re falling into rhythms and patterns of society that are displacing a large number of people on the planet. They’re definitely songs that call for change. People need to actually stand up and say “this shit’s broken, we need to change it” and the only way that’ll happen is if people actually acknowledge it and choose to act.

There are times when I’ll play PWD and friends will say it’s angry in a negative way.

How do you connect “angry” with positive?

I think one doesn’t exist without the other.

No matter who you are in life and where you go you’re always gonna have something that makes you happy and something that makes you angry or sad. The music is where you put those feelings instead of bundling them inside until something horrible happens.

Can we talk about the Vice Grip video? I read you’re afraid of heights and that you guys wanted to do this stunt to prove you’re not just talkers. How did you feel just before jumping out of a plane for the first time?

Terrified, absolutely terrified. There were a lots of jumps and we had to get qualified to actually do it. First time you do it you’re strapped to someone’s back and it’s still really really scary. After that you do it all yourself and you’re in charge of everything so if you fuck up you die. Yeah doing this was kind of terrifying…

What’s it like being country’s biggest export in heavy music and hailing from a hippie capital of Australia at the same time?

It’s very strange. It’s very very strange. It is such a juxtaposition and it’s still is because we’re at home in Byron. People know that Parkway exist and I think they’re proud of it but it’s not like I have people stopping me in the street. The only time people stop me is when someone comes to Byron on a holiday “oh fuck you’re from Parkway”. I feel like the biggest export much more when I come to Brisbane or Sydney than a city on the other side of the planet.

Have you been surfing or bodyboarding much now that you’re at home?

There’s been so many sharks and the ocean is very alive at the moment and surf ’s been kind of crappy at home so I didn’t wanna push my luck. I actually just got back from a trip. There was a good forecast down the coast so I went down and surfed for four days.

What’s your take on the recent shark hype and locals voting for culling?

Ah, fucking hell. I don’t understand it to be honest. We do what we do because we enjoy it and we’re lucky to be in the ocean full stop. It’s been a few months of crazy things happening and if you wanna be safe it’s quite simple - you don’t get out or you go somewhere else. It’s a simple thing. The last thing I wanna do is to take an animal’s life simply because I wanna do a sport. One of my friends is a person who got attacked in Ballina several months ago and it’s a horrific situation.

Can you introduce Parkway in a nutshell, for our readers who aren’t familiar with your music yet?

In a nutshell? Ah god. We’re a heavy band of people making music for an outlet of the negative, and if you wanna see smiles and happiness at the same time come along to our show.

These guys very firmly rule the world of heavy music and that’s something to be mighty proud of.

Parkway Drive play a rare home show in Byron on 3 and 4 October.

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LISTEN OUT FOR HEMSWORTH

One track he’s sure to bring to Australia is his brand new cello based Afterglow. He says he wanted to get that out to show the direction he’s moving in.

“Sonically, it’s definitely the way I’m heading, I’m playing a lot of guitar and doing a lot more live recording,” he said.

Ryan is traditionally known for his fun and almost kawaii remixes of Chief Keef, Drake, and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, so the incorporation of live instruments into his music is a big change. Despite this, Ryan says he’s the happiest when he can find the middle ground, playing instruments and incorporate live elements but mixing it up with samples.

We spoke to Ryan Hemsworth on the phone when he was in Toronto in the lead up to this year’s Listen Out festival. Known for insane variation in the types of music he makes, David Simmons had to ask just what his festival set will be like.

H

emsworth is one of those enigmatic personalities that seems to transcend label or genre. As soon as you think you have him pinned, he will do something unexpected that will make you reconsider everything that came before. There is no doubt that Hemsworth is an incredible producer and writer. And as an artist he has created his own collective - a curator of sorts - collecting, finding, and exploring sounds that buck trends and envelop the listener.

Secret Songs is an external project really blowing up for Ryan. His ‘label’ of exciting young producers has taken the world of electronic music by storm. But it started with the idea of finding brand new artists just to be mates with.

David Simmons

“That’s always the dilemma with my stuff I guess,” he said, “deciding whether I want to go with the nice stuff. But that’s the thing with festivals, there’s always the pressure of just playing electronica and getting everyone going insane. But it’s kind of fun for me to fuck with that and kind of take a step back and let some songs breathe a little.”

Read more at blankgc. com.au. Ryan Hemsworth is at Listen Out at RNA Showgrounds, Sunday 4 October.

Tickets for the 12 December event are on sale now through Oztix.

Nev Pearce The Godfathers of heavy metal, Black Sabbath (pictured) have announced a run of shows down under as part of their The End world tour in April 2016. It’s a must-see, as after 46 years, 19 studio albums and countless tours, the band have decided to call it a day. They’ll hit town on Monday 25 April. Tickets are available through livenation.com.au.

In other huge tour news the mighty Iron Maiden have announced a world tour in support of their latest album, Book of Souls. The band have also unveiled the new and improved Ed Force One, the gigantic Boeing 747 jumbo jet which will take Maiden across the skies for the world tour, which will also be piloted by front man, Bruce Dickinson (is there anything he can’t do?). They’ll fly in to Brisbane Entertaiment Centre on 4 May. Tickets through daintygroup.com.

Sad news this week as Bolt Thrower have cancelled their upcoming Australian tour due to the tragic and sudden passing of drummer, Martin “Kiddie” Kearns. The band released the following statement. “With the heaviest of hearts, and still numb from shock, we have to share the very sad news that on Monday, BOLT THROWER lost our powerhouse drummer, Martin ‘Kiddie’ Kearns. After the 20

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first rehearsal for our upcoming tour of Australia, Kiddie suddenly felt unwell which continued throughout the night, and the next day he passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was a fantastic dad, husband, son, friend, but to us he was always Kiddie, the same 17-year-old Coventry kid whose drumming style and personality blew us away when he first walked into our rehearsal room more than 20 years ago.

Kiddie enriched our lives and the BOLT THROWER sound.

He leaves a massive hole in the lives of everyone who knew him and will be very sorely missed by many.”

Canadian post hardcore favorites Alexisonfire have officially announced their reunion. The band split in 2012 but recently reunited for a run of live dates earlier this year. Hopefully we will see a new album and tour down under in the near future!

The Gold Coast’s Metal Fields Festival is returning for its second year at the Coolangatta Hotel in memory of one of the scene’s biggest supporters - Kris Field - who sadly passed away last year. This year’s massive line up features Azreal, In Death, Hammers, SIV, Last 9 Days, Snake Mountain, Deraign, Dead End Kings, Massic, Killers Creed and Wurmzer.

The Soundwave Festival has just announced Finnish masked rockers, Lordi and metal supergroup, Devil You Know to its 2016 line up. Bands already announced for the festival so far are Bring Me The Horizon, Northlane, Refused, Failure, Dead Letter Circus and Bullet For My Valentine. The full line up is set to be announced once early bird tickets have been taken off sale. Keep an eye on soundwavefestival.com as it shouldn’t be too far off!

WIN a double pass to the Metal United Down Under Festival at the Globe Theatre in Brisbane on October 10.

To go into the draw email your name and contact number to rabidnoiseradio@hotmail.com. The winner will be drawn on Sunday October 4.

This year’s Metal United Down under lineup consists of Kyzer Soze, Holistic, Silent Knight, Darkc3ll, Shifting The Paradigm, WORLDLINES, Expulsed, Decryptus, Last 9 Days, Antichrists Anonymous, Found In Trees, DEMONFIRE and Terror Parade.

Doors open at Midday and the event will run through ‘til midnight .

Presale tickets through Oztix for $25 or through the bands for $15.

Got some metal news we should know about? Email rabidnoiseradio@hotmail.com. And get the latest metal tracks and interviews with Rabid Noise every Wednesday night from 9.00 pm live on rabbitradio.com.au.

Picture: Black Sabbath, image supplied

NEVER SAY NEVER

BANG ON!

with kylie cobb

a bangin’ bio is a must for every band, big or small, emerging or established.

E

ver wondered why or how the band/ musician next door is getting all those interviews, reviews and cool gig opportunities?

Never have emerged onto the burgeoning Australian stoner-rock scene in timely fashion with their riff and hook orientated 2015 demo release through Fair Dinkum Records. The band have formed from long tenured and storied bands of the Melbourne heavy music scene, pushing out a three track demo across the country with a grass-roots physical distribution. It’s this ‘hand to hand’ delivery that landed one of these such CDs in the hands of Jessy Kenny at Blank and it in itself is well worthy of your attention.

T

he band’s short sampler opens up with the bass lines of Graham Wilson and the groove of drummer Ando McDougall before the remainder of the band enter the fold on Serpent Woman. From the get go the song speaks immediately to vocalist Jason Richmond’s ability. His delivery is clever with repeated phrasing and vivid imagery. What could be considered a conversation between guitar riff and the lyrical hook ensues, both vocals and guitars taking turns and interlacing to inform the melody of the song. It’s punchy, it’s heavy, it’s concise, it channels the blues and it feels like it has always belonged on your stereo.

Trampled Like a Goat builds upon an impressive start with Richmond’s rich, powerful vocals again captivating the listener’s attention, strong but with a touch of a rasp. The middle eighth of the track sees guitar tandem Aaron Butler and Dan McDougall swap funk and blues infused voicings in a break-down, traditional in the sense of the term. The demo ends all too shortly with the heavier hitting Revenge is a Skull leaving the expectation of more riffing to come.

Fans of Melbourne’s Don Fernando or the Gold Coast’s own Baltimore Gun Club would do very well to add Never to their regular rotation of Aussie rockers.

Blank GC chatted to Never guitarist, Dan McDougall about their emergence..

Thanks for chatting to us. How did the band come about? Is it a situation where you all weren’t as active as you had been with your other bands?

Well, we are all pretty busy. Azza plays in two other bands (Frankenbok, Heaven the Axe), my brother Luke plays in other bands (Dreadnaught), Jay plays in another band (Red Sky Burial), so Wilso and myself are the only members who play just in this band. I’ve been playing with my brother since I was twelve and everybody in this band has been playing for up to twenty years on various projects either together or separately. Never pretty much started as a jam amongst mates on a Monday night, which is what it still is, we didn’t have a vocalist to begin with. It was the four of us for about a year and we’d get together and smoke a bit, have a chat and then jam. It was really cool for all of us to go away and do something that wasn’t too serious in comparison to our other [established] bands. We just wanted to do something that was a bit of a release. Soon enough a few songs started to formulate.

We came across Jay–he’s an old friend of ours–singing in his new band Red Sky Burial and we thought fuck he’s good, and said, let’s just ask him and see if he’s up for it. He heard the music and he was very up for it. He came in and he belted out vocals over the top, we all had smiles from ear to ear, and we knew we were on to something then.

You’ve all played in heavier bands before but Never is leaning more toward a stoner rock vibe. Is that because of the combination of musicians, or one particular members writing style? Where did the direction come from?

I’m a guitarist in this band after being a vocalist with Frankenbok, The stuff we are writing is not as technically difficult as you might have heard in some of our previous outfits, but it’s the

kind of music that is very much up my alley, music that I’ve listened to for a very long time. It’s very much a product of the environment rather than a purposeful direction. It’s a different kind of challenge, I mean with Azza and I in Frankenbok–which is a pretty brutal thrash band–it was fitting a lot more into each song. When we did this we had one rule, just keep it simple, less is more, really strip things back.

What influences are at play? Would American genre stalwart Clutch be a fair comparison or a fair influence?

Well its funny, definitely Clutch are a band that a few of us are in to. A song like Trampled Like a Goat is kind of Clutch-y but Wilso brought those riffs to the table and he hadn’t really been into Clutch at that time, so it sounds a bit that way but not so intentionally. Jay’s voice is just fantastic, it just suits exactly what we are writing. That song for instance he came in when we recorded and I said ‘dude I’ll just check the levels and you have a vocal run through’ and he just nailed it and that became the take on the record. We could have been a pretty pedestrian band had it not been for him. For me, who was a screamer in a heavy metal band (Frankenbok), to have a singer who you can ask ‘Can you do this?’ and he just kills it every time, its an absolute ball.

It seems as if the stoner rock-sludge genre is doing well both internationally and here in Oz. Why do you think that is and are there any newer Aussie bands currently peaking your interest in the genre?

Yes most definitely, it’s exploded and I think that there’s a reason for that. I’ve really started getting interested in this myself. The music coming out again is really influenced by the seventies. The seventies decade of music was, to me, the pinnacle of rock music writing. The stuff that they were doing then is just unbeatable and has been ever since and I think people are just longing for a really good song to be written. There’s two bands that have really caught my attention from Melbourne. One is Child, just really durdgy and slow and blues/Hendrix influenced stuff. And the other one is Fuck the Fitzroy Doom Scene, awesome record, basically all of them sing vocals, great live band, they’ve blown me away every time I’ve seen them.

How did the demo come about?

We had looked at booking a show for the band which came along quickly and we though oh shit we’d better get some music out, we’d been demoing a whole bunch of songs in our studio in our rehearsal space and we sent them through to our producer and he came back with some unreal mixes and we thought lets just get this stuff out.

The first Never show is at The Rev in Melbourne with Dave Tice Band, any gigs coming up in the SE Qld region? How do you feel about the scene here?

From what I know it’s absolutely killing it, in Brisbane especially there are some great venues opening up like the Triffid which is amazing. We are looking forward to getting interstate where we can. Stay tuned!

Good music aside, a bangin’ bio is one of your most powerful weapons to power-up your industry profile.

At its best, a biography can be the difference between someone listening to your tracks, making you the feature article, or receiving more prominence on the event website.

Or, at its worst, being dismissed, dropped to the cutting room floor, passed over for a band with a more credible, interesting story or worse still, simply used as is, doing no favours to raising their profile.

So, what does a bangin’ bio look like?

The biographies that stand out to me are descriptive yet succint (one page, 2 MAX!), as they:

f f f f f f

Tell a story - albeit brief, concise and intersting! This is your chance to stand apart from others. You could view this as the part where a journo might find your story headline.

Establish credibility - notable achievements including venues, events, tours, collaborations, festivals, releases, nominations, awards etc.

Evoke the senses - create a clear picture in the reader’s mind of what they will see, hear, feel and smell (mabye?!) when listening to your tracks or watching a show.

Contain one or more media quotes other people are vouching for your brilliance, how cool is that?

Include quality, professional, high resolution photography - a range of landscape vs portrait, closeup and full-body.

Link to ONE place to view and hear tracks and videos - create a press kit, don’t send them traversing all over the internet to hear and see you because they most likely won’t. But, more on that in next month’s column!

Sound like a tall order? So is sifting through hundreds of submissions! Take the hard work out of promoting you and watch your bangin’ bio work harder for you.

Have a topic you’d like discussed? Wish to comment on this article? Email powerup@ kittykittybangbang.com.au

www.blankgc.com.au

21

WOLF LOVE IS COOL Wolf Alice. They’re the band on everyone’s lips off the back of a huge year. They’ve released their debut LP, played high profile festival slots on Glastonbury, SxSW, Splendour in the Grass and Outside Lands’ stages. Their unique sound has impressed fans worldwide and their crowd at Splendour in the Grass was no different. Kyle Butcher caught up with Wolf Alice the day after that Splendour set.

“It was amazing. We were just saying it was a really good festival. It’s probably one of my favourite festivals this year.”

Ellie said, of the band’s Splendour experience.

“The Ampitheatre looked like a warzone when we played it.

It was insane.” Joff added.

“Most of us (artists) were in this one really cool hotel. That type of vibe is great. You get to have parties and hang. And beg people to drink with you. ‘Can I come in to your room please?’ ‘No!’ ‘Pleeease?’ ‘No!’” Theo’s re-enactment of the night prior elicited laugher from his bandmates.

I questioned whether he truly found no-one up for a drink.

“Well, no one I wanted to drink with. I was looking for Azealia Banks really, because I wanted to talk to her about a few things that have been noted… slagging off Kendrick Lamar…” Theo laughed.

The conversation turned back to the release of their debut LP My Love Is Cool, some five weeks prior to our chat. The band signed over 2000 sparkling gold vinyl copies of their album for the fans lucky enough to preorder the album.

“Oh yeah, that was loooong,” Joff recalled.

Kyle Butcher

Wolf Alice are due to be back on our fine shores sometime soon. We haven’t seen them on any of the summer festival lineups, so perhaps their own headlining tour is in the works. Stay tuned and read Kyles full interview with Wolf Alice at blankgc.com.au

22

www.blankgc.com.au

Bringing the memories of Dr Hook to the GC

rockabilly from Seattle to Tamborine

Dennis Locorriere still finds it astounding that people want to talk to him after all these years! Who’s he kidding? Dennis Locorriere is the legendary lead singer of iconic 70s supergroup Dr Hook. Sylvia’s Mother, Only 16, When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman, Baby Makes Her Blue Jeans talk, and talk he did. In fact, once Dennis gets a run on, he’s literally hard to stop, so Kylie Daniel just pressed record and let the man talk.

It’s a full-blown celebration of 1950’s culture, complete with hot rod, rockabilly and all things vintage. Mt Tamborine plays host to the seventh annual Garterbelts & Gasoline Nostalgia Festival this weekend.

“I’m just so very thankful that people still wanna hear what I’m up to. Surprised, yes, but very thankful,” he said.

Dr Hook, at the height of their career, provided the soundtrack to people’s lives. Mine as well. To this Dennis replies “no doubt, it’s a great body of work.”

“You realise people are still congratulating you on stuff you did when you were in your 20s and 30s. I respect it because it’s probably the biggest thing I’ve ever done. But I also toured for ten years as a solo artist, just me and my guitar and I wanted people to go, hey, there’s the guy from Dr Hook, look what he’s doing now.”

“I got three solo albums I’m really proud of, and a book of poetry, but it came back around last year that Universal has acquired the bulk of the Dr Hook catalogue, and they’ve asked me to put together 40 of my favourite tracks for this new album, Timeless … it made me start thinking, gee this would make an interesting show” So now Dennis is bringing the Dr Hook Timeless album shows Down Under.

“And there’s something a little bit special in the shows only for the Australian audience. But you’ll have to come along and see for yourself.”

Kylie Daniel

You can see Dennis Locorriere’s Dr Hook Timeless album show at Jupiters Casino, 25 October and read Kylie’s full interview at blankgc.com.au

And rockabilly legends The Roy Kay Trio have flown in all the way from Seattle to entertain the masses.

Roy “Kay” Konitzer spoke to us from the Gold Coast where he’d just arrived before the weekend’s fun. Australia is not the first international destination for the band but it is the first time the “original” lineup for the band has been here.

“This year we did the Rockabilly Rave in the UK,” Roy told us and then rattles off a list of other countries: Germany, Holland, Sweden, Spain. I ask him to give us an insight into the rockabilly scene.

“It’s a place where like-minded folks get together,” he said.

“And by like-minded I mean liking the aesthetics of 50s style music. It’s not being in or loving the past – just loving the aesthetic and design of stuff that happened during that time.”

I’m curious if Roy’s own musical tastes are broader than the rockabilly soundtrack he plays. He says he listens to “everything” but it’s obvious the music of the 40s and 50s is his thing.

“I just like the sound of those classic, analogue years,” he said. “It’s just a natural sound to me. As things progressed in time, it got a bit more machine-like and less natural. The rhythm and blues from that time and early country music – just the ideas of the time, have a natural sound.”

GC isn’t the only stop on the band’s Aussie itinerary.

Following at Garterbelts & Gasoline this weekend they’re off to Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide where they’ll do one show as The Roy Kay Trio and one as The Margraves.

Samantha Morris

The only place in Queensland to catch The Roy Kay Trio is at Garterbelts & Gasoline, 2 – 5 October at Mt Tamborine. More at garterbeltsandgasoline.com.au

Rockin’ scars In September, 21 year old cancer survivor Michaela Gunn put her traumatic teenage years behind her for a day of rock stardom.

She tells Blank GC about the limo, penthouse, makeup and hair and then a photoshoot with her music idol, Reece Mastin.

S

car Stories uses photography, music and art to raise awareness and funds for young adult cancer. They run creative projects to empower young people affected by cancer to embrace their post-treatment bodies.

“They tore me apart,” Michaela said. “It took me three years to start revealing my cancer scars on my stomach, but with the whole Scar Stories team giving me support and Reece Mastin’s arms around me I had the courage to do it today.”

The double platinum, twotime ARIA Award winning singer/songwriter didn’t hesitate to jump on board, making his number one fan’s year. But as you’d expect, Michaela

wasn’t the only one empowered by the experience.

“I don't think I can ever wake up the same anymore after meeting you and hearing your story,” Reece told Michaela after the photoshoot.

“What you go through on the daily...it just amazes me.”

Battling severe illness for almost a decade,

with rock stars Michaela sure has the scars to show for it.

Doctors were forced to remove her bowel and stomach due to Crohn’s, chronic bowel disease and stomach cancer.

And, at the tender age of 14, when most kids are concerned with selfies and school dances, she mysteriously broke out in scarring and abscesses over her face, chest, back and shoulders.

“My teenage years were suddenly totally taken

over with being sick. I was hardly attending high school,” Michaela said. “And when I did, the kids in my class would make horrible comments about me giving them something contagious or saying I look ugly.”

“It was heartbreaking, still is some days,” she said, “Because I’m just me. I’m Michaela.”

There was true magic created in the studio with Reece and Michaela becoming fast friends, giving photographer Angelo Kehagias many amazing moments to capture. The final photographs will be toured and exhibited as part of the RockScars collection, which also includes shoots with Dead Letter Circus, Michelle Xen and many more to come.

Follow the Rock Scars story at scarstories.org or facebook.com/scarstories.

www.blankgc.com.au

23

the return of...

P

eaches as a performer and songwriter is outrageously daring and willing to live and breathe outside of the box. Her electronic sex punk style has featured globally in films, on TV, on many other artist’s albums and regularly in many clubs and events. For over 25 years she has exceeded common limitations of expressionism and sonic production boundaries whilst questioning gender specific identity.

The scandalous genius’ latest release Rub features 11 single-worthy tracks, Sonic Youth badass bass queen Kim Gordon, her long time friend songstress Fiest and niece Simone Jones who is a talented rising star in her own right, and was produced once again by her close friend Vice Cooler. Peaches is the kind of woman who likes to leave the ego at the door and get down to the nitty gritty of life and her work.

The electro erotic rap priestess spoke to Yanina Benavidez just as her album Rub was being launched.

Outside of ruling in theatre and film what inspired you to get back to writing and producing music?

After making the four albums, I felt like I needed a little break from it all. Even though I would only make an album every three years I would tour it for two years and it became this constant cycle and it became somewhat tiresome. So I needed a break and that’s when I did all my other film and all that stuff and that was so good to do so then I got it out of the way and then I was excited to do an album again. Even though it was a great routine, it was still a routine and I needed to break that. It was good to do other projects.

Did working with the legendary Kim Gordon and Fiest help you come closer to fulfilling your dreams of an all girl band?

(Giggles)… ahh, yeah in a way. Fiest and I are good friends and we have worked together before, it was really nice to work together this time. It was really wonderful to have her feature properly on the album, not just for backing vocals and support, but to give her the spotlight a bit. And she (Kim Gordon) is so spontaneous, she just did it all in one take. She came in and nailed it, she is the coolest.

Do you have a favourite track on Rub? Rub, currently is my favourite song on the album. Its really fun to sing and I really feel like it’s a quintessential style of mine, it just feels totally like my very own. Like it couldn’t ever be anybody else’s as a song.

What are your thoughts on Vaginoplasty?

The reason I wrote that is there’s so many songs about - I got a big dick, I got a big ass, I got big tits and nobody every writes I got a big pussy. Nobody gives big pussies a chance and I thought what are you gonna do? You got a big pussy, use it. You don’t have to have surgery, I am sure there’s lots of ways you can still enjoy yourself and it should be ok. But if you need it, like you had an accident or you need gender reassignment then of course go for it, but I don’t want people to feel bad cause they have a big puss.

Peaches is a powerhouse of genius, a spectacular entertainer and a creative queen in her own right. She has so much more to give and has noted that she is currently making a collection of short films to coincide with the album Rub, each song will with its own short film, which she has directed herself.

She tells me that her live show currently features two Australian dancers, they are good and “slutty”, and will hopefully bring the live show here after her tour of the Americas and Europe.

She is positive she will be here for a good run of club and festival shows.

Rub is now available on vinyl as well as digital formats.

Nothing will empower, activate or excite you more than this collection of phenomenal tracks.

24

www.blankgc.com.au

Road-tripping

Three years ago five boys from the small country town of Menangle, New South Wales, went to New York City to record their debut album with only 14 songs and just $20 per day to spend on food between them.

It wasn’t all bad though. They had the attention of Grammy Awardwinning producer, David Khan.

Three years, a platinum album and numerous sold-out tours later, The Rubens are back with their second record, Hoops and a national tour underway.

C

omprising the Margin brothers, Zaac, Sam and Elliott, and childhood friend, Scott Baldwin, The Rubens have had a whirlwind year. Elliot explained that the writing process for the album was intense and to knuckle down the band relocated to Coledale on Sydney's south coast. They rented an old fibro house, fitted it out with a bunch of old furniture, threw bedding on the floor and set up a makeshift studio.

“We stayed there for five months drinking beers and having barbeques, it was great, we hadn’t really done the whole writing thing like that together,” he told Blank. “When we did the first album we only had 14 songs under our belt, this time we could actually sit down and think about what it was that we wanted the album to be. And we had 35 songs in the end which meant we had a lot more to choose from.”

“People say the second album is a scary one because you’re competing with your old self and hit all the same marks as you did on the first one but go further. I feel like we didn’t really have any of that anxiety because we were just confident in the material and we enjoyed recording it. If we enjoy it hopefully the fans enjoy it.”

Their sophomore album went head to head with Dr Dre and debuted at #2 on the ARIA charts.

“It’s crazy to be number two under Dr Dre of all people, if someone told me that would happen two to three years ago I’d be like ‘piss off, no way’. Then you wake up and see on twitter that you debut at #2 and it’s like holy hell this is amazing”.

Proving things got a bit deep during their five months get away, Elliot’s favourite song on the album, Hoops pretty much explains that one weird relationship I’m sure

everyone’s experienced once in their life “It’s about someone in a relationship doing damaging things to you in the hope to try and keep you and keep you with them. But it’s like I’m here anyway, I love you despite that so stop doing this weird creep shit.”

Still riding the wave, the boys are currently on tour and Elliot says he’s more excited than his fans.

“We are definitely a tighter band, and we had to learn as we were going. By the end of two years of touring the first album we had progressed so much. Especially now going back on the road we can really use that and make sure the shows are as tight and good as possible” “You go away to write, spend ages away, stuck in the studio, weird hours, you lose sight of why you’re doing it, then once you’ve finished, you get to go out on the road and play it live for people, that’s why we do this. And that’s our favourite part of being a band. It gives you a reason to get up in the morning” Clearly keen to get on the road again I asked him what he wants to do when he hits the Sunshine State. Laughing he said he’s always wanted to go to the theme parks but everyone’s always too drunk and hung over.

“We’re really really excited, it’s been a long time since we’ve been on the road – we’re looking forward to having a good time and forcing people to have a good time with us.”

Jariah Travan

The Rubens play Cooly Hotel on 24 October.

Butel Busks by the Creek Zed Butel is a confident and talented singer /songwriter and at just 17 is already finding his feet in the local music scene with an EP on the cards and a steady string of gigs to keep him on his toes.

W

ell known for playing around GC and Tweed regions, and with gigs at Swell, Bleach and the International Kite Festival to his name, he’s looking forward to returning to Buskers by the Creek this year.

“Although this is not the most exciting answer, school has been taking up a fair amount of my time,” Zed said when asked what he’d been up to since we last saw him at Bleach. He’s entering his last year of school and so isn’t able to play as many performances as he’d like.

“I have also been doing some recording at Vox Studio in Currumbin and will hopefully be releasing something soon,” he said.

Zed says Buskers was a great event last year.

“I like how it gives people with a completely different skill levels opportunities to play at the same event,” he said, though also admitted that his busking experience is limited – having mostly played at small venues and festivals.

Up and the Kirra Kite Festival to name a few, there has been gigs on offer to many in the local music community. I’ve noticed cafes and restaurants don’t mind original music being played and the amount of these venues is increasing. It is a pretty exiting time to be an emerging artist on the Coast.”

“That whole aspect of garnering tips from people can be intimidating,” he said. “It is beneficial as an artist to be able to pursue music irrespective of public opinion.

Busking can help artists learn to do this, detaching from the audience and focusing on the music. There is the added sense of freedom and casualness when busking in comparison to other gigs, yet it is still a performance and it is very much in the public eye.”

Zed is one of a truckload of local musicians on the Buskers by the Creek lineup. He joins headliners Karl S Williams and Hussy Hicks as well as more, ummmmm, non-traditional entertainers Space Cowboy and Lizardman (see our story in the lifestyle section of Blank).

Zed says what he loves most about being an emerging artist is the Gold Coast’s burgeoning cultural scene – particularly at the southern end.

Also on the music front are Grizzlee Train who recently took out the Bluesfest Busking competition. They’re joined by Stav and the Dark, Crown the Humble, Ash Perrow, Ry, Eleaa Navarro and Kenny Slide, to name but a few.

Samantha Morris

“It’s great to see and it has resulted in a range of different opportunities,” he said.

“With the induction of events such as Bleach, Buskers by the Creek, Tugun Lights

Buskers by the Creek takes place 17 – 18 October at Winders Park, Currumbin.

criticism and give criticism and not take it too seriously.”

“I guess it makes it hard, you know, whenever I’m away at gigs and stuff, I miss my little man, but it’s also good because I kind of want to make him proud and I want him to come to gigs and think ‘that’s my dad’ and he loves our music,” Hayden said.

BABY THEY’RE GOOD: A BIG FESTIVAL SEASON When you think festival bands, Cheap Fakes have got to be somewhere near the top of the list. The day after we spoke they were headed to Mitchell Creek Festival, but that was just the first of many. On the horizon are Red Deer Music Festival, Brisbane Festival, Bulimba Festival, Mullum Music Festival and they’re dropping hints at more.

“I can’t actually say,” Hayden says, speaking to Blank from his workplace. He’s a picture framer by day, rock and roller by night. He’s being deliberately vague and with so many awesome festivals yet to announce their summer lineups, I can only guess. But let’s talk music.

“It’s such an earworm, it’s so catchy, it is a hard one to get out of your head once you start singing it,” Hayden says of the track Baby it’s a Good Song off soon to be released album Modern Vintage.

“I had to get it out of my own head and get it recorded because it’s just something that’s been annoying me for years,” he said.

“But it’s annoying in a good way. If that’s possible.”

Modern Vintage is Cheap Fakes’ third album, following 2010’s Stones & Sticks and 2012’s Hand Me Downs. I had to ask about the band’s slick dance moves.

“It’s never been something that we consciously do,” he said. “We’ve never been in the studio and said let’s do this awesome dance move. It’s more been that when there’s a hit in one of our songs we just do the same thing, I guess, not even consiocously.”

“Unless I’m up the front and the boys are copying my dance moves,” he laughs.

One of the things that makes Cheap Fakes such an excellent festival band is their ability to have fun on stage.

“Yeah, I guess, one of the main things about being in a band is that you’ve got to be mates with the guys you’re working with,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to take

“It’s better than any drugs,” he says, “It’s just…. good.”

But back to the album, before speaking I spend some time online checking out the band’s latest news and I see there are a lot of fans very eagerly awaiting the album.

Cheap Fakes raised more than $13,000 via crowdfunding to produce it – but that was nearly two years ago.

I tell Hayden that I’m one of those eager fans and he laughs. “Thank you so much,” he said and then tells me it’s been a bit stressful.

“But it’s also been very positive. We just sort of – we’re just happy to finally get it out there and start working on new stuff,” he said.

One of the reasons for the lengthy recording and production process was life. Children to be exact. Hayden has a 14 month old son and drummer Aaron has a one year old.

“His favourite song is Just in Case and every time we put that on, he goes crazy and claps in all the right places. I think that little kids are so honest, they don’t’ really know how to lie…” he trails off as we talk about how hilarious toddlers are.

Hayden also lets us know that vinyl is on the way. Cue happy dance.

“We should have it in a couple of weeks – definitely before the album launch,” he told me. “That’s always been a dream of mine – my very own vinyl.”

Cheap Fakes hit Brisbane’s The Triffid on 9 October and Miami Marketta on 11 October before playing a heap of awesome festivals, including Mullum Music Festival which runs 19 – 22 November.

www.blankgc.com.au

25

album reviews

ANTI-FLAG

BALTIMORE GUN CLUB

GREYS

Leopolds Treat

American Spring

Innerspace

Lyre

Cold River

Anti-Flag are currently touring the country with this very album and it’s one of their greatest and most enthusing yet.

\m/ \m/ \m/

Pay tax and fall in line / They break backs and don’t stop trying

Active on the Gold Coast music scene since 2011, three piece Leopold’s Treat spin a sweetly delicate web of evocative, country tinged folk infused with subtle, pastoral washes on brand new single Cold River.

Being on top of the punk scene for 30 years is no easy feat and these guys put up a good fight in the studio as well as the boardroom.

Their message is clear and this time ‘round the album features a booklet of essays alongside their pointed and noteworthy lyrics. These essays are a collection of pieces that inspire and back the lyrics within.

It’s a compilation of moving facts illuminating some of the situations and agendas facing the world today and in history. It illustrates the state of wealth inequality and the continuous problems facing humanity as well as the various classes and groups; some of which have power and most of which have none.

If you are a fan of the punk movement you will no doubt already have heard this album and made your way along to one of their shows. If not, what are you waiting for? This is a brilliant album which touches on the strengths in community. It demands that we seek the truth and not be blinded by those above us; to stand tall, seek freedom.

And if that’s not punk, I don’t know what is.

Yanina Benavidez

I wish that’s what I could write for this review because that’s essentially what I was doing through my first listens of local threepiece Baltimore Gun Club’s debut album, Innerspace. Never have I heard a stoner-rock band infuse so much variety and unique Australiana into their music.

Much to my surprise, the album opens with Goumar, a hotly tuned harmonica whiff that lulls you into a false sense of unwavering security before separating into a four-tothe-floor, stadium rock anthem. Innerspace shows no sign of slowing down in its early inception with I Knew It Was A Crime But I Did It Anyway punishing a magnetic toned guitar line and the drums echoing an early rock ‘n’ roll era. Deeper into the debut, Hooker Blvd is a monstrous, fuzzy, balls-out, heavy rock slammer that makes no apologies, crushing everything in its way.

Guitarist and frontman Psymon Benson screams and thrashes through the distortion but pales in comparison to the wall of vigorous noise emitting from his guitar.

Dross Radio is the closest you’ll get Baltimore Gun Club to sounding like a Foo Fighters cut. Which is precisely why I love this band so much. When asked who they most sound like, I was left dumbstruck searching for easy comparisons. Simple answer: there isn’t anything like this. It’s so utterly refreshing to find a band – a local band at that – who challenge reasonable comparisons and strike their own line into hard rock music.

I fell in love with Foo Fighters’ debut, self-titled album thanks to its daring simplicity and aptitude in defying a few establishments. Baltimore Gun Club’s own debut record doesn’t necessarily rest its laurels on this formula, but it does repurpose it to a smaller, more endearing state of success.

Jake Wilton

The opening line to Greys’ debut effort, Lyre is as politically charged and charismatically emotive as you’ll get from a local release this year. Appearing on previous single and album opener, Data Meta Theta, Greys lay out a dire sense of apocalyptic hopelessness which bleeds and builds through its short two-and-a-half minutes. Lyre rides a fractured line of minimalism and dense distortion fluttering between electronic blips and crushing templates of guitar noise.

Drawing from almost a decade of production experience, the duo of Greys – Mark Duckworth and Morris Lauga – have shrouded the mystery of the group in thickets. Having only played a handful of live shows and with this, their debut album, being kept in the fire for several years, Greys now deserve the limelight.

Each track encompasses the outstandingly passive yet austere artistic direction the band ensure through their aesthetical being. The Golden Years broadcasts an eerie French vocal sample over a delicately plucked guitar line. A track worthy of art film soundtrack. El Eternauta draws from Greys’ more punk prodigy and typically stands out against the nostalgic and fretful, SS. The ambitious space and juxtapositions that Greys create in just an eight-track journey is an impressively, self-directed path formed through slow, dramatic tension and mind-bending electronic and guitar deformation. Lyre, while skewed more toward the building melodrama, gives us Fly Near My Dear acting as the album’s middle ground crux. Thoughtfully playing on an undemanding guitar riff, the track explodes during the chorus with a gathering of precise punk noise and Duckworth’s emotionally draught vocal wails, “Tension’s passed / I’m falling fast”.

Greys homogenise nostalgia, political awareness and minimal, exploitative walls of ambience with melted pastoral psych and post-rock elements. Lyre is a catharsis of itself; mirroring euphoric bliss onto its bleak and unbridled themes of dark corruption.

Jake Wilton

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Not 100 miles removed from the sound of bands such as The Waifs, the track commences with a moody, descending, guitar motif embellished with tasteful touches of Weissenborn lap slide guitar, low clarinet and glockenspiel, before the strikingly emotive vocals of singer Kate Leopold enter the fray, driving the track forward into a gentle canter.

The supporting ensemble of Kieran Richardt and Dave Honeyman provide tasteful accompaniment as the track traverses organically onwards, like a meandering stroll along the banks of a countryside waterway. A twangy guitar interlude midway through adds further resonance to the palette, the group’s inherent ability to display their musical dexterity without overwhelming the canvas allowing the song to breathe and flourish in equal measure.

And as the track rises then ebbs to a satisfying conclusion, one is left bathing in a warm glow as the sun sets and the cold river washes over and invigorates ones musical soul…

Cold River serves as the first taste of the band’s upcoming long player, and from the strength of this movingly uplifting snapshot, the Gold Coast music scene will be glowingly enriched with their further presence.

Anthony Gebhardt.

Cold River is the title track off the debut album from Leopold’s Treat. They’ll launch it, with a heap of friends in support at Board Culture (Mermaid Beach) on Saturday 10 October. More at leopoldstreat.yapsody.com.

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats Overnight success has been a long time coming for Nathaniel Rateliff.

The Missouri-born performer and his hometown guitarist pal Joseph B Pope III have spent years in both solo and band guises plugging away to a dedicated following within the Denver music community. But all this changed with a new bunch of musicians, a detour to a soul sound and that one hit song to create an instant impression. Truth be told THAT song, S.O.B made a dint not an impression from the opening handclapping, gospel humming, Aretha Franklin style rant chant.

In perfect harmony the Memphis based Stax music label, itself having experienced a rebirth with its traditional southern soul spirit, signed a deal with the Night Sweats giving Rateliff deserved billing on the legendary Stax Artist’s roll call in front of Otis Redding.

I Need Never Get Old is another hit in the wings - Rateliff ’s voice builds into a resonate roar similar to Neil Diamond complete with 70’s guitar riff and killer horn section.

With those emotionally driven dynamics you can’t help but start moving with the music. The foggy distorted bass and guitar lines in Trying So Hard Not to Know takes you back to those live venues where sound waves were bouncing off low slung ceilings, however on this song a shaking tambourine is raising the roof. The mood shifts with the saloon style piano tinkling I’ve been failing and the pensive steel pedal on Wasting Time and Thank You. The Rateliff and The Night Sweat’s debut album gives us shades of R & B - from raspy belt it out songs to ballads seeping in southern gratitude. We can only hope a nearby Blues & Roots festival has the paperwork signed for this artist to tour Australia early next year.

Tiffany Mitchell

Vision

The Wrath

Tim Wheatley

Inertia

Disillusions and Resolutions

Cast Of Yesterday

From the first track of this album, you just wouldn’t think this band was based in LA. Formed in the summer of 2011 by brothers Christopher Valer and Phillip Dominick, they only shortly after recorded their first self-titled EP, released by Burger Records in 2012.

The Wrath are one of the Gold Coast’s longest running and consistent bands.

Having followed them from their beginnings in the early 2000s, I’ve seen them countless times and can attest to their reputation as an amazing live band.

I didn’t know that Tim Wheatley was -isGlen Wheatley’s son. Not that it makes any difference, just an interesting fact, and you can sort of see a resemblance now, come to think of it. I don’t think Tim wanted to use his famous father’s connections in the music biz. He’d rather find and forge his own way through the mire. I saw him a few years ago at The Rails in Byron under his alter-ego Crooked Saint.

I was surprised, because I did not expect what I heard when I pushed play on the first track What I Need. Straight away I was thrown to the UK in the early 1980’s post punk era. This sounds very reminiscent of Joy Division and the Jesus and Mary Chain.

The drum beat in particular is very much of that style, and the roaring and driving guitar beckons harks back to that time. On their Facebook page they describe their genre as Britpop, which is unusual but spot on.

The band has achieved a lot in the 12 years since they started, they have toured the country, played the Big Day Out and supported some of the biggest names in punk including The Misfits, Nekromantix, Tiger Army and Lagwagon to name but a few. But since hearing their set at Wallapalooza and the few new tracks they previewed there it’s become evident that the band has evolved into a bigger monster than before and have pushed themselves further as songwriters.

It does have that Britpop influence but inside is the grinding, screaming of a sound of Sonic Youth, and a touch of Psychedelia to boot. Dreamy, yearning, screaming sounds, lift and transfix, and each song seems to have a life of its own.

The big question before listening to Disillusions & Resolutions for me was whether these new tracks had the same energy and effect that they had when I saw them live, and the answer is a resounding ‘fuck yes they do!’

What they also have as well is a driving rhythm, which moves each song along a quick but not frenetic pace. The lyrics ride and lift and fall with the sound, and it is very well put together… so many different sounds combine to rock you, roll you with a sway, and in some ways your mind seems to want to take off and wander.

Not only does this album have a furious punk rock kick but it is also catchy as hell.

The first single Misgivings Are Through is definitely a stand out but it’s tracks like Serpent Tongue, Blood On Your Hands and Cold Asphyxiation that were the real gems for me.

I must say I do hear a ton of Joy Division in this band, but not quite as dark. Well worth a listen and if you happen to be over in the US, I would be making a detour to go check these guys out.

Terry “Tappa” Teece

The Wrath has had several line up changes through the years but I feel that the heart, soul and frontman of the band Tommy Kreeper has finally found a line up with the talent and chemistry to complement his vision and voice and to take it to the next level.

I cannot recommend Disillusions & Resolutions enough, not just for the punks but for anyone who wants an album that is not only diverse and full of depth but will also make you want to drive fast, party hard and throw your fist in the air.

Nev Pearce

The album Cast of Yesterday has him reminiscing over people and incidences he has encountered over the past few years on his travels. Opening track, The Heathen begins the ride down the desert highway, warm breeze in the air, sultry blues and haunting harmonica the soundtrack for the ride.

I love that country, with a modern twist, banjo on Burning the Midnight Oil. The guitar intro and guitar and harp outro on Dumb Luck is beautiful and haunting.

Tim spent some years in the States, mainly LA, where he “stopped to smell the roses and my 20s got away”. On the song 78 Benz, he takes us on a ride - in that old Mercedes - through that era and soundscape.

References to Hemingway and McQueen.

The single Valerie has an intriguing though odd subject matter. It is based on a book, Delinquent Angel about Shelton Lea, poet and adopted son of the matriarch of the Darryl Lea confectionary empire. It was a dysfunctional relationship. A sad tale.

“Valerie was Queen of the sweets, different kinds in a line with heart shaped chocolates in the window for some sweet persons’ Valentine” The title track, Cast of Yesterday has Tim pondering languidly, “Well I’m just happy to be in the sun”.

Tim Wheatley is humble, focused and deep.

A troubadour telling his tales, his inner essence captivates and so does this album.

Carmel E Lewis

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GOLD COAST GIG GUIDE

OCTOBER

Sunday 4 October

Thursday 1 October

Safia | Beach Hotel Byron Bay

Local Muso Jam | The Loft Chevron Island New Age Notion | Upper Coomera Library (3.30 – 5.00pm), all ages

Friday 2 October Jimmy the Saint and the Sinners | Coolangatta Quicksilver Boardriders Club Baltimore Gun Club + TV Ghosts + Aralunar Beagle + Stone Witches | Currumbin Creek Tavern The Smith Street Band | The Northern, Byron Bay Benny D Williams | Vikings SLSC Hayley Marsten + Jennifer Sjaan + Alexander William + Kristie Lea | The Loft Chevron Island Andrew Baxter Band | Burleigh Brewing Co Devil’s Kiosk | Miami Marketta Chocolate Strings + One Dragon Two Dragon + Unity Roots, Byron Bay Brewery Halcyon Drive | Beach Hotel Byron Bay

Friday 2-5 October Murwillumbah Country Roots Festival with Archie Roach + Kasey Chambers + The Audreys + Sara Storer + Shane Howard + Richard Clapton + Busby Marou + Renee Geyer + Bill Chambers + Henry Wagons + The Flood + Pierce Brothers + Good Oak + The Davidson Brothers + James Blundell + Normie Rowe and the Original Playboys + Lou Bradley + Paul Greene + A Woman’s Voice: The Ruby Hunter Project + Karl S Williams + Round Mountain Girls + more Garterbelts + Gasoline Nostalgia Festival, Mt Tamborine

Saturday 3 October Parkway Drive + Thy Art Is Murder + Memphis May Fire + The Word Alive | Byron Bay High School Katchafire | Parkwood Tavern Christian James | Byron Bay Brewery Wandering Eyes + Mr Speaker | Sheoak Shack Brooke Lambert + Alexandra + Ken Kunin + Dion Cerreto | The Loft Chevron Island Felicity Lawless | Mandala Arts The Vultures + Timber Bones + Your Man Alex Smith + Scarlet Kill + Lachy Lyne | Currumbin Creek Tavern Hayden Hack Infusion | Miami Marketta Drunk Mums + White Lodge + The Slips | The Northern Hotel, Byron Bay

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Nautic Giants: Motez + Silversix + more | Fishermans Wharf Parkway Drive + Thy Art Is Murder + Memphis May Fire + The Word Alive | Byron Bay High School Benny D Williams | Sunhouse Coolangatta (4.00 – 7.00pm)

Linda Marigliano | elsewhere Nick Saxon + Andy Jans Brown | Sheoak Shack Benny D Williams + Linda Angledale + Kasey J | The Loft Chevron Island Julie Hayes band | Miami Marketta Catherine Gunther | Helensvale Westfields (11.00am)

Christian James | Players Showgirls

Bootleg Rascal | The Northern Hotel, Byron Bay

Reel Big Fish + Less Than Jake | Coolangatta Hotel

Sunday 11 October

Felicity Lawless | Bread N Butter Felicity Lawless | The Boasted, 12.30pm Sarah Frank | Surfers Sandbar Open mic | Zullaz Bar and Eating Place, Burleigh Open mic | Scuttlebutt Cafe, Springbrook Road, Springbrook Catherine Gunther | Helensvale Westfields (11.00am)

Cheap Fakes | Miami Marketta Felicity Lawless | Nobby’s Surf Club Timberwolf + Stonefield + Scott Day Vee Duo | Beach Hotel Byron Bay Open mic | Zullaz Bar and Eating Place, Burleigh Open mic | Scuttlebutt Cafe, Springbrook Road, Springbrook

Wednesday 14 October

Wednesday 7 October

Open Mic Night | The Loft Chevron Island

Open Mic Night | The Loft Chevron Island

Thurday 15 October

Keelan Mak + Broken Arrows | The Garden Theatre, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus (from 12 noon)

Thursday 8 October Local Muso Jam & Variety Night | The Loft Chevron Island A Little Province | Beach Hotel Byron Bay

Evol Walks “Intimate Acoustic Show” + Livvia + Sophia Koop | The Loft Chevron Island Aquila Young + Creature Kind + The Ruiins | Studio 56, Miami Marketta

Friday 16 October

Friday 9 October

Just Monday + Stav and the Dark + United States of Oz + Toyko Beef + Psychoibis | Currumbin Creek Tavern

Cheap Fakes | The Triffid, Brisbane

Aquila Young | Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane

Jimmy the Saint and the Sinners | Coolangatta Quicksilver Boardriders Club

EVOL Walks | New Globe Theatre, Brisbane

Amicable Treason + Undermine The Supremacy + Gutter Tactic + Frayed And The Fallen + Noose For A Necktie | Currumbin Creek Tavern King Louie + Uke Pete | Burleigh Brewing Co Shameem Taheri-Lee + Danae Patrice + Tiarne | The Loft Chevron Island LIVVIA | Hotel Pacific Hot Potato Band | Miami Marketta Devil’s Kiosk | Southport Sharks The Badlands, Fait Accompli + I.Kid.K | The Northern Hotel, Byron Bay The Delta Riggs + Vanns | Beach Hotel Byron Bay

Saturday 10 October Leopold’s Treat, Cold River album launch + Ella Fence + Human Love Bird + Josh Holms | Board Culture

Jimmy the Saint and the Sinners | Greaser Bar, Brisbane Gabrielle Lambe | Burleigh Brewing Co Emma Ballard & Myles Larsen + Chris Rose + Eleea Navarro + Whitney Veitch | The Loft Chevron Island Benny D Williams | Kingscliff Beach Hotel (5.00pm) TiMBAH | Southport Sharks Felicity Lawless | Marty’s at Cabarita The Weather Man | Miami Marketta Julie Hayes (duo) | Dust Temple (as part of Luka Lesson book launch)

Saturday 17 and 18 October Buskers by the Creek: More than 120 live acts including the world record holder of the most world records in the world | buskersbythecreek.com.au.

Saturday 17 October

The GC Duo | Burleigh Brewing Co

Matt Stillart | Sheoak Shack

Sarah Frank | Kingscliff Saltbar

Women Who Rock + Valhalla Lights + Tequilla Mockingbyrd + Bandintexas + Smoking Martha | Coolangatta Hotel

Kingfisha | Beach Hotel Byron Bay

Ardijah + Beau Monga + more | Parkwood Tavern

Athena Joy + The Kobra Fuzz + Daneel + Super N*dist | The Loft Chevron Island

Saturday 24 October

Bad//Dreems Dogs at Bay Tour + Green Buzzard | Miami Shark Bar

Cold Chisel | The V8 Supercars Castrol Gold Coast 600

The Stetson Family | Miami Marketta

The Rubens + Saskwatch + Winterbourne | Coolangatta Hotel

The Convergence Method + Wally Howlett (Melb) + Nina Ward + Loddy Whitmore | The Loft Chevron Island

Sunday 18 October Ash Grunwald | Studio 56, Miami Marketta

Marshall Okell + Hussy Hicks | The Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay Benny D Williams | Cooly Hotel (downstairs from 5.00pm)

Hussy Hicks + Allensworth | Currumbin Creek Tavern Platform: Jimmy Saint and the Sinners + Tangerine + Pirates of the Tempest + Lotus Ship | Southport Sharks Frankie and the Moon | Miami Marketta Sarah Frank | Coolangatta Sands The Gold Hearts + Mark Boulle + Stara Jane | The Loft Chevron Island

Saturday 31 October Infectious Halloween | Clock Hotel Kiara Jack and the Jills | Palm Beach Currumbin Markets, 7am Kisschasy | Coolangatta Hotel

Ruby Montey | Southport Sharks

Luke Houselander + Joshy Dredz + Brad Kennedy | The Loft Chevron Island

The Convergence Method + Running Left Handed | Sheoak Shack

Benny D Williams | House of Brews (2.00 – 6.00pm)

Andrew Morris | Sheoak Shack

LIVVIA | Coast Bar and Cafe, Coolangatta Airport

Sounds of Sunday: Benny D Williams | Broadbeach Tavern

We All Want To | Miami Marketta Marshall O’Kell | Great Northern Byron Bay

Lucy and the Wayward Suns + Pauly B + Peter Korzuch | The Loft Chevron Island

Sunday 25 October

Halloween at BUD: Lazyeye (fancy dress) | Burleigh Underground Drummers

Open mic | Zullaz Bar and Eating Place, Burleigh Open mic | Scuttlebutt Cafe, Springbrook Road, Springbrook

Marshall Okell | The Shaws Bay Hotel, Ballina

Wandering Eyes | Miami Marketta Halloween Massacreade | elsewhere

Lisa Hunt | Beach Hotel Byron Bay

Dennis Locorriere (Dr Hook) | Jupiters Hotel & Casino

Tuesday 20 October

Open mic | Zullaz Bar and Eating Place, Burleigh

Halloween Music Night | Springbrook Hall, Carricks Road, Springbrook

Open mic | Scuttlebutt Cafe, Springbrook Road, Springbrook

Sunday 1 November

Loft Out Loud | The Loft Chevron Island Wednesday 21 October

Julie Hayes | Cafe Dbar (solo)

The Kransky Sisters | Byron Community Centre

Julie Hayes | Ultiqa Cafe, Freshwater Point Resort (1.00 – 3.00pm)

Felicity Lawless | Bread N Butter

Open Mic Night | The Loft Chevron Island

Wednesday 28 October

Open mic | Zullaz Bar and Eating Place, Burleigh

Voices Of The Owls | The Garden Griffith University (from 12 noon)

Thursday 22 October Thirsty Merc | Coolangatta Hotel The Waifs + Mia Dyson | Studio, Miami Marketta Hazel Phillips + Scott Phillips | The Loft Chevron Island

Open Mic Night | The Loft Chevron Island

Thursday 29 October Mat McHugh | The Northern, Byron Bay Michael David Thomas + Amela + Jax Haze + Astrid | The Loft Chevron Island Th’Fika | Studio 56, Miami Marketta

LIVVIA | Club Helensvale

Open mic | Scuttlebutt Cafe, Springbrook Road, Springbrook

NOVEMBER Monday 2 November Natiruts + Nattali Rize | Coolangatta Hotel

Benny D Williams | Southern Cross University (12.00 – 1.30pm)

Baltimore Gun Club + Payments In Gold + Killers Creed + Bleeding Gasoline + Hunt Muerto | Currumbin Creek Tavern

Friday 23 October

Friday 30 October

Open Mic Night | The Loft Chevron Island

The Paper Kites + Patrick James | The Soundlounge Currumbin

Thursday 5 November

Jimmy the Saint and the Sinners | Coolangatta Quicksilver Boardriders Club Summertime Sessions in the Village: Ella Fence + Jake Whittaker, Cuddihy Park, Mudgeeraba (5.30pm) Mescalito Blues | Miami Marketta Dead Letter Circus + 10 Years + Guards of May | Coolangatta Hotel Peach Fur “EP Launch” + Aralunar Beagle + Deja Vudu + Pauly B | Currumbin Creek Tavern

Summertime Sessions in the Village: City over Sand + Alone Alaska, Cuddihy Park, Mudgeeraba (5.30pm) Jimmy the Saint and the Sinners | Coolangatta Quicksilver Boardriders Club Kill your EMO Darlings with Love | elsewhere Josh Lee Hamilton | Burleigh Brewing Co

Two questions: Who’s playing?

What’s pouring?

Wednesday 4 November

The Vernons | Studio 56, Miami Marketta

Friday 6 November Summertime Sessions in the Village: Walrus and the Carpenter + Felicity Lawless, Cuddihy Park, Mudgeeraba (5.30pm) Pierce Brothers | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay Brewhouse Bash: Benny D Williams | Burleigh Brewing Co www.blankgc.com.au

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Environment

Plastic pollution solution for the GC

Image: Supplied

Gold Coast community groups came together in September to launch a cash for containers campaign for the Gold Coast.

T

he event was coordinated by Gecko and Surfrider Foundation, to support a call by Boomerang Alliance for the Gold Coast to lead the way and support container deposit legislation and to ban plastic bags.

According to Toby Hutcheon from the Boomerang Alliance, Queensland is the most littered state in Australia with plastic bottles and plastic packaging representing the bulk of that litter.

Toby was at the event to introduce people to the benefits to community organisations of collecting bottles and cans which are then redeemed at 10 cents per item.

“There are such schemes already operating in over 40 jurisdictions around the world,” Toby told Blank.

“All the evidence shows that when you have a cash for containers scheme you drastically slash litter and dramatically increase recycling of containers.”

“In South Australia for instance, they have one third less plastic litter and they’ve got a container recycling rate over 80%,” Toby said. Queensland only recycles 40% of its containers.

Toby says that a cash for containers scheme is also a boon for community organisations such as scouts and surf clubs.

“The fact is that 15% of people don’t redeem their deposits, so all those unredeemed deposits can be redeemed by other organisations and go towards their fundraising.”

Coastal education the winner with Federation Walk learning space

A

new amphitheatre, smack bang in the middle of the Federation Walk Coastal Reserve will help promote stewardship of the city’s ocean beaches.

City of Gold Coast unveiled the new $110,000 outdoor learning space, which will seat up to 36 children, and purposefully designed for coastal education programs at The Spit.

Friends of Federation walk said the space is one where people can learn, relax or just enjoy the surroundings.

“This project was initiated in 2009 as an outdoor classroom and became so over designed it had to be stopped...it was not what we wanted,” they said in an announcement. “We wished for a peaceful area where student groups from all schools involved could learn about our Project, the fauna and flora....and Council made our wish come true.”

Mayor Tom Tate said Council wants everyone to enjoy a beach experience.

“The amphitheatre is perfectly positioned to give the hundreds of students participating in CoastEd and Naturally GC each year easy access to the nearby wetlands and beach,” he said.

“We’ve worked closely with the Friends

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of Federation Walk and other community stakeholders to ensure the design complements the existing landscape, surrounding topography and the new interpretive signage recently installed.”

Friends of Federation Walk’s Lyn Wright said the amphitheatre would also support other community activities such as bird watching groups.

“This facility will be invaluable for attracting more groups to Federation Walk to learn about this regionally significant corridor of coastal vegetation and the wildlife it attracts,” she said.

The Federation Walk mini amphitheatre was funded by the City and Division 7 Local Area Works funding.

You can visit the Learning Place by entering from the beach access path opposite Muriel Henchmen Drive on Seaworld Drive, Main Beach and learn more about Friends of Federation Walk at federationwalk.org.

Toby told us that in South Australia, Scouts have an annual income of $40 million. We asked for clarification – surely that’s not all from container deposits. “Yes, all from the container deposit scheme,” he said.

“City of Gold Coast Council as the number one tourist destination in Australia will benefit enormously from the scheme,” Greg said. “As will all cafés and catering businesses and tourist destinations.”

Surfrider Foundation President Greg Howell said that once the organisations in attendance at the launch were given the facts “the feeling was very positive with all requesting to join the Boomerang Alliance.”

“We are asking the City of Gold Coast to support our community efforts to keep our beaches clean by backing a container deposit scheme and banning plastic bags,” Toby added. “It’s good for the environment good for the community and good for local jobs.”

Those organisations included Gecko, Boomerang Bags, Responsible Runners, Sea Shepherd, Intrepid Landcare, Labrador Scout Group, Nerang Girl Guides, National Service Gold Coast North, Beach Volleyball Gold Coast, Waste Angels, The Welcome Swallow and Yeskandoo.

Find out more about Boomerang Alliance at boomerangalliance.org.au.

Samantha Morris

Landcare booty for the Gold Coast

G

old Coast environment workers took out two Queensland Landcare Awards at the biennial ceremony held in Caloundra last month.

Attended by the Queensland Premier Anna Palaszczuk and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment Bob Baldwin MP, the night allowed landcare communities from across Queensland to celebrate innovation and dedication to enhancing Queensland’s landscapes.

Nerang Riverkeepers, known for their innovative Gold Coast’s Biggest Tree Planting Day and long-term commitment to restoring critical wildlife corridors and improving the health of the Nerang River was awarded the best Landcare Community Group for the state.

Nerang Riverkeepers coordinator, Mr Mark Tierney, was extremely humble and recognised the wealth of partnerships.

actively involved with countless local environment groups as well as the Gold Coast Catchment Association.

Naomi acknowledged Lyn Wright from Friends of Federation Walk for her inspiration and mentorship.

“It’s been almost 10 years since I first started planting trees and caring for the land and if it wasn’t for Lyn’s vision for Federation Walk Coastal Reserve I wouldn’t have experienced a lasting first impression to care for the environment,” Naomi said.

“This award acknowledges everyone that has helped out over the years and the environmental achievements we have been able to achieve,” Mark said.

Gold Coast Catchment Association, the umbrella network for Landcare groups on the Gold Coast was also acknowledged for the support they provide to groups like Nerang Riverkeepers, along with the City of Gold Coast’s ongoing commitment Landcare.

Naomi Edwards was also acknowledged for her long-term commitment, dedication and passion for the movement, taking out the Young Landcare Leader Award. Naomi is a National Young Ambassador for Landcare and a graduate of Griffith University. She’s

The Gold Coast has always been known for its natural beauty and now it is known for its Landcare champions as well. Good luck to Naomi and Nerang Riverkeepers when they go on to the National Landcare Awards to represent Queensland next year.

Gold Coast wakeboarder Rookie Of The Year

Cory Teunissen is just 17 years old, but he is already making serious waves in the global wakeboarding scene.

H

e has made his way onto podiums around the world and is the first person ever to land a 1080 in a contest. He was just named the Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour Rookie of the Year and ranked second overall to fellow Australian Harley Clifford when the series concluded in August. And it’s only his first year participating in the Tour. To top it all off, he just placed third in the Wakeboard World Championships, held just days ago in Portugal.

And he’s from the Gold Coast.

ON THE EDITOR’S DESK...

T his new edition of the Yates Garden Guide says it’s been revised for the modern Australian gardener and that description is right on the money. And flicking through this comprehensive guide leaves no wonder as to how it’s become Australia’s best selling gardening bible.

With a history of Australian gardening opening the first chapter, the book covers topics as broad as solving problems with carrots, how to compost, chooks in the garden, growing in pots, grafting, soil health, keeping weeds out of bushland and community gardening.

The guide uses plain English to cater for gardeners whether novice or experienced. It details more than a thousand plant species and has an incredibly comprehensive guide to growing for the kitchen – with common fruits, vegetables and herbs covered, as well as a section on permaculture principles.

Cory has seen big changes to the wakeboard industry in just the last two years alone.

“We are seeing the sport get pushed back into the main spot light again with just being added back into the X-Games and ESPN is really getting behind it,” he told Blank. “The contest side of things have sky rocketed as well! This has been the busiest schedule wakeboarding has seen probably ever, with over 18 contests all around the world over the space of seven months.”

absolutely hate it. But I never realised what he was trying to push me towards when I was so young.”

Now his dad helps him with the business-side of wakeboarding, as well as being a travel companion as Cory criss-crosses the globe.

That’s not an exaggeration. In just a few weeks the young man has been in Australia, Portugal, the USA, Russia and China. But his Queensland roots run deep.

“If I had the choice to move the heart of wakeboarding to any city in the world, I would love it to be on the Gold Coast,” he said. “I guess I just love home too much.”

Cory spends his off-season here in Australia and admits that wakeboarding is tough on the body. “When I am back home, I will train in the gym three times a week, as well as stretch and foam roll daily. I also have regular ice and heat baths to help my body recover quicker and more efficiently,” he said when I asked how he counter-balances such an extreme sport. And he spends some time getting inspiration from other sports.

“Lately I have been super into watching snowboard movies,” he said. “I can just see so many different opportunities for new tricks which I think is really cool. Also I watch every wakeboard athlete and identify what makes them unique.”

“I really get a lot of inspiration from watching someone make something their own and that pushes me to make my riding different to everyone else's.”

It’s only a quick interaction we have with Cory – I have a hundred more questions I want to ask. But we might have to save that for when he’s back in town. If they let him back in the country loaded down with so many trophies.

Samantha Morris

If you check out Cory’s Instagram feed you’ll see that his mum and dad feature heavily in his posts. Or maybe it’s luck that those pop up in my feed. Whatever the case, Cory says his family has had a massive impact on his career.

“I wouldn't be where I am today without them,” he said. “Dad used to push me super hard at such a young age and I used to

Image: Brett Hemmings

The 500-page book is packed with images and short, sharp tips from some of Australia’s leading gardening experts, which means you can either flick through this book over a cup of tea while ogling someone else’s hard work, or use it as a handy reference when you just want to know what variety of tomato to grow on your balcony.

I’m thrilled I picked this book up, actually.

You can access all manner of gardening advice online, but if you like the tactile feel of flicking through pages while planning your new garden or working out what fruit trees to plant in winter, this is most definitely the book for you. But for now, I’m off to water the garden – this book will even help you do that more efficiently.

Samantha Morris Published in September 2015, by Harper Collins, the book retails for $39.99. www.blankgc.com.au

31

Books & Film

THE FESTIVAL OF INSIGNIFICANCE

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

Milan Kundera

Karen Joy Fowler

Milan Kundera’s first novel in over a decade was published in Italy in 2013, but only published in English in June this year. Probably best known for his book The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Kundera’s latest offering has been a bestseller in Italy, Spain and the country where he is now a citizen, France.

The first few pages of Karen Joy Fowler’s latest novel, We are all completely beside ourselves, are heaped tablespoons of praise from her peers. A comment from Sophie Hannah claims, ‘Best novel of the decade so far. Flawless.’ While it’s nice that the Karen Joy Fowler fan club are vocal and supportive, a book bloated with praise builds high expectations. High expectations which the author must meet or risk the disappointment of readers.

The story revolves around four ageing male friends living in Paris who meet up intermittently in various parts of the city to ruminate about the increasing irrelevance of their lives.

Ramon even applies the idea to the uselessness of brilliance when seducing a woman: “When a brilliant fellow tries to seduce a woman, she has the sense she’s entering a kind of competition. She feels obliged to shine too....insignificance sets her free.”

The sexist idea that a woman would feel it’s a burden to have to use her brain when interacting with a man was the first problem I had with this book. It would appear that the ageing Kundera’s notion of irrelevance is true about himself if his view of women is anything to go by.

The second problem I had was that what could have been an insightful summation of Kundera’s brilliant writing career became a self indulgent rant involving four old men complaining about becoming old. Ramon states “We’ve known for a long time that it was no longer possible to overturn this world.... There’s been only one possible resistance: to not take it seriously.”

Lastly, I had a problem with Kundera’s notion that humour ended with the toppling of Stalin in Russia, one of the most humourless characters in history, second only to the current Russian President.

Kundera could be suggesting that dark irony is the pinnacle of intelligent humour, and that joyous humour is inferior. However, Kundera redeems himself somewhat when he writes “Insignificance, my friend, is the essence of existence........we must learn to love it........the children laughing, without knowing why - isn’t that beautiful?”

Pip Andreas

We are all completely beside ourselves is a warm and heartfelt story, interspersed with smart humour and family drama. It’s a coming-of-age story about family, friendship, identity, and what it means to be human.

Rosie’s childhood was unconventional. For the first five years of her life, Rosie and her sister Fern were the centre of a scientific study, captained by her father. Every detail of Fern and Rosie’s lives were recorded by a team of grad students.

The experiment ends suddenly and despite their deep bond, Fern and Rosie are separated.

Teasing and name-calling are part of most school-yard memories, but for Rosie the problem is exacerbated. Her father’s experiments have changed her in fundamental ways and even though she tries, she can’t help but be different. She grows up as the weird kid, disconnected from her classmates and seemingly unable to make friends.

While the themes are common, the story is original in its premise. It reads like a memoir and is possibly semi autobiographical as, like Rosie, Fowler’s late father was a scientist and the family also lived in Bloomington, Indiana, where most of the novel is set.

Among the accolades on the cover is another claim; ‘One of the best twists in years.’ Like a hollywood soundtrack that alerts the audience to a scary scene, the reader sits, waiting and forewarned of the upcoming surprise, instead of being genuinely surprised when the inevitable twist finally takes place.

A compelling story with many profound moments, We are all completely beside ourselves suffers from too much praise and a revealing blurb. There’s something to be said for ignoring blurbs and reviews and choosing a novel simply by it’s cover.

Go Set A Watchman Harper Lee If anything from the publishing world was ever going to #breaktheinternet, it would be the release of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman. Controversy has hounded Lee’s second novel; a “lost” manuscript written decades ago. The strange title, coupled with Lee’s declining health, the mystery surrounding the discovery of the manuscript, and Lee’s claims that she would never publish again, make far more interesting reading than the actual book.

Harper Lee, who almost never grants interviews or publicity, stated that Go Set a Watchman was written before To Kill a Mockingbird. She claims it was a first draft to her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Confusingly, Go Set a Watchman is set 20 years after the events in Mockingbird.

The story focuses on Scout who is now in her twenties and living in New York. Go Set a Watchman takes place on one of her annual visits to her hometown of Maycomb, Alabama.

Well-loved characters who were previously frozen in time are brought to life again, albeit with some dramatic changes.

Fans have been outraged over the changes Lee has wrought on Atticus Finch, Scout’s lawyer father, who in Mockingbird famously defended a black man in a doomed case. Gone are the inspiring Atticus quotes and his quiet willingness to take a stand against racism and inequality; two traits that turned Atticus into an American hero. In his old age, he has become conservative and much of Watchman is Scout’s internal struggle to accept Atticus as just a man and not the idol she has built him up to be. “Day before yesterday she would have said ‘Mr Finch’ll help him’ confident that Atticus would turn dark to daylight.”

Being a draft and a predecessor, Watchman unsurprisingly falls short of the brilliance that is Mockingbird. It’s set at a slower pace, with little action and paragraphs of description that offer nothing to the story. The writing suffers from confusing sentence structure, and word repetition. The most interesting parts of the novel are about Scout’s childhood as she recounts the life she has lived in between Mockingbird and Watchman; puberty, school, learning the facts of life from Calpurnia, going to her first dance, getting her first kiss, and dating. It’s a coming-of-age novel and Scout who is an easy character to love.

Even though she has been forced to grow out of her scruffy tomboy ways and become a woman, she remains an individual. It’s clear that Scout is not content to conform Continues

Emily Russell

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www.blankgc.com.au

#

New team For The Gold Coast Film Festival True Romance (1993) Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette

When you’re tired of relationships, try a romance…

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A modern day knight of sorts, Clarence swoops into action, gallantly freeing his lady from the bonds of her crazy pimp. Amidst the chaos he mistakenly retrieves a suitcase full of stolen mob cocaine.

amously written on the front cover of its original script, the tagline to True Romance perfectly prescribes a solution for anybody tired of the cringe-worthy remakes and tedious superhero films invading the cinemas of late.

Seizing the opportunity to start a new life together, the lovers flee across country in a bid to sell the drugs and move to sunny Mexico. But with mobsters hot on their tail, and FBI agents smelling a bust, things don’t come that easy when it comes to true romance…

Why not ditch the flicks this weekend, opting instead for a romantic movie night on the couch, reuniting with one of Hollywood’s lesser-known movie masterpieces?

True Romance is an absolutely star-studded 90’s classic, written by Quentin Tarantino and legendary Top Gun director Tony Scott.

These two story-telling geniuses deliver a punch perfect film packed with more heart and emotion than a kid chasing down an ice-cream truck!

Claimed to be his most autobiographical film to date, Tarantino litters the screen with the trademark wit and realism we’ve come to expect from the movie master.

With an incredible cast longer than Santa’s naughty list: Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer, James Gandolfini, Brad Pitt, Dennis Hopper and Gary Oldman, how could this film possibly disappoint?

Clarence Worley (Slater) is a loner minding his own business in grimy downtown Detroit, when one night a chance encounter with Alabama (Arquette) sets into motion whirlwind of romance and disaster.

Alabama, as it turns out, is a hapless hooker, falling madly in love with Worley on their very first ‘date’.

Go Set A Watchman Book Review Continues

Buy, rent, download or borrow - whichever you choose - just remember where you heard it first. Enjoy!

Nathan James

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to the status quo in Maycomb which is to marry, settle down, and have children. Like other famous women of literature such as Jo from Little Women and Lizzie from Pride and Prejucide, Scout is headstrong, fiery, open-minded, and curious. She’s a modern woman with modern ideals and to her, the people of Macomb seem backward and narrow-minded. Yet she must decide if she can love and accept them for who they are, and not who she wants them to be.

It seems unfair to compare Go Set a Watchman to To Kill a Mockingbird and yet it’s unavoidable. It’s been over 50 years since Harper Lee published a book and while fans may be disappointed in Go Set a Watchman, without it we might never have had To Kill a Mockingbird.

Emily Russell

The Gold Coast Film Festival brings exclusive, can’t-seeanywhere-else screenings of some of the latest indie films from around the world as well as movie classics and events that celebrate filmmakers and their craft from 31 March – 10 April 2016.

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or filmmakers, crew and students, the Gold Coast Film Festival runs free seminars and workshops with local and international filmmakers and screen professionals alongside special event Q&A sessions with distinguished cast and crew open to all audiences.

Gold Coast Film Festival Programmer Anthony Sherratt takes up his post next month and will oversee the film selection for the event.

The Festival has also secured Guest Programmer Paul Alvarado-Dykstra, co-founder of America’s biggest genre film festivals, Fantastic Fes HYPERLINK “http://fantasticfest.com/”t, founder of Texas Independent Film Festival and cofounder of Ain’t It Cool News. Paul will be programming the Film Fantastic genre strand of four films for the 2016 Festival.

the past few years and celebrate the Gold Coast as a film destination.

“I’m really excited about our new team and the 2016 festival. Anthony has a vast film knowledge from almost 20 years as a movie reviewer and Paul brings incredible experience running one of the best genre festivals in the world.

“Along with the wider team, we’ll be working to grow festival audiences overall and make the Gold Coast Film Festival an event worth travelling to by wider Queensland and interstate visitors.”

The 2015 Gold Coast Film Festival was the most successful to date - entertaining and inspiring over 12,600 people, reaching its targeted growth increase of 20%. The festival screened 55 feature films, 30 short films, special events and industry sessions held over 10 days at venues all over the Gold Coast. Special guests included Margaret Pomeranz, Luke Hemsworth, Daniel Macpherson, George Takei and Dolph Lungdren.

Gold Coast Film Festival Director Lucy Fisher said the new team was a fresh opportunity to build on the solid success of www.blankgc.com.au

33

Food & Drink

Image: Catherine Coburn

52 Espresso

3/2221 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach Nobby’s Beach has become a burgeoning foodie haven over the past couple of years with many new and established venues being so hugely popular that locals and tourists flock back time and time again to sample the awesomeness.

Nestled along the popular Nobby’s strip, 52 Espresso has gained a fervent following in its four years of service, no mean feat when you consider the amount of excellent restaurants and café’s that call Nobby’s Beach home. Perhaps it is the sunny position, the ample seating, diverse menu or the exceptional customer service you experience when you are welcomed like family into the quaint café.

Laid back vibes emit from 52 Espresso as Botero beans coffees are made on a La Marzocco machine. The house coffee is the Brass blend, which makes for a big, caramel flavoured milk coffee, almost like drinking a Caramello Koala in liquid form, amazing!

Sampling the Brass beans in an espresso and long black the more spicy flavours of the blend come through the earthy aroma of the coffee, with the espresso having hints of dark chocolate.

52 Espresso change their single origins fortnightly and during my visit the Bali Shinzan ‘God Mountain’ was on offer. A delightful aroma of roasted corn welcomed me as I tried an espresso and long black of the beans. Each coffee was tangy with a sour cherries flavour with the espresso having a fantastic jammy mouthfeel.

Tamara, one of the friendly servers at 52 Espresso, reported that coffee is their speciality with customers flocking back for their best-selling Almond milk latte as they pronounce it to be the best on the Coast.

Definitely one to try then if you prefer an almond milk coffee.

52 Espresso is open every day from 6.00am to 3.00pm and offers scrumptious food options to pair with a delicious coffee or two.

Catherine Coburn

READ MORE REVIEWS AT WWW.BLANKGC.COM.AU

Cicchetti

Image: Lizzy Keen

Capri on Via Roma, 15 Via Roma, Isle of Capri, 07 5526 8868 Call it the post-Byron effect, or perhaps being Goldied. Cicchetti, the latest edition to our local fine dining repertoire, has transcended its single Byron Bay location to establish a new Italian restaurant on Isle of Capri – a Cicchetti Gold Coast of our very own.

Cicchetti Gold Coast is another master stroke from Italo-Australian restaurateur and Gold Coast boy Marco de Vincentiis, the owner of Cicchetti Byron Bay and former owner of Raw Espresso in Sanctuary Cove. He operates it with the help of award winning sommelier Luca Giacomin and an impressive team of hospitality buffs, some drawn from Cicchetti Byron Bay and The Fish House.

There was inherit risk in planting the tricolori flag in the wealthiest though not hippest suburb of Surfers Paradise, let alone franchising a restaurant whose success may be considered partly due to location – Byronites do like to dine. But while it didn’t know it, Cicchetti is the restaurant Isle of Capri needed – so much so that over 400 people travelled to the normally sleepy Capri on Via Roma shopping centre to attend its opening night mid-September.

Welcome, food lovers, to Cicchetti.

On passing the princely wine cellar at the front to stand beneath the multi-thousand dollar Swarovski crystal chandelier over the bar, you’d be forgiven for thinking Cicchetti has blinged up since Byron to match the suburb’s style, but if you’re still looking for casual Byron hints, ask Luca for a Peace and Love cocktail and make your verdict.

First get acquainted with a plate of toasted ciabatta with sheep milk fetta, confit garlic and plenty of the Extra Virgin stuff, whose warm, stretchy dough redefines comfort food. Sure, there’s oysters naturali and grigliate (pinot gris, shallots), but no true seafooder will overlook the baccalá, small triangles of grilled polenta beneath a dollop of creamed cod. The subtle salt-and-butter flavour sings through each mouthful.

Also in the cicchetti menu (Italian ‘tapas’) is a dreamlike fruit of the ocean dish little honed on the coast. The polipo, slow cooked Fremantle octopus tentacles served with baby spinach, smoke paprika oil and celery, has a texture like burnt lychee, and a charred, rustic ocean flavour made piquant with lemon and spice. Simply brilliant.

Lizzy Keen

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Come on down to The Farm!

Image: Marj Osbourne

11 Ewingsdale Rd, Ewingsdale NSW Ph: 02 6684 7888

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outed as a ‘destination’ farm, a ‘community of growers, producers, eateries, educators and more’, The Farm at Byron Bay is an 86 acre property owned by Tony and Emma Lane, heirs to the Oroton empire.

Turn off the Pacific Highway to Byron Bay, and The Farm’s most visible signpost is a full carpark.

With a motto of ‘Grow, Feed, Educate, Entertain’, The Farm espouses idealistic principles together with a status worthy of being preceded by a capitalised definitive article. Certainly, it can be many things to many people.

To families, it’s a place where kids can enjoy the playground within sight of dining areas, look at pigs, chicken and maybe cattle, see vegetables being grown, join in a family picnic on the grass, or generally run free, albeit within the bounds of a large fenced-in area. They can also attend special activities held during school holidays. Pram friendly it is not, but all in all, it’s a great place for families to spend a few hours.

To urban farmers, The Farm offers leasehold land, use of communal sheds and equipment and the negotiated purchase of their produce. Weekend workshops are held monthly by Milkwood Permaculture Courses in such topics as Serious Backyard Veggies, Introduction to Permaculture and Gourmet Mushroom Cultivation.

To gourmet diners the hatted Three Blue Ducks restaurant offers rustic meals of local fare, a daily barbeque as well as a regularly changing menu to maximise use of seasonal produce. While the restaurant’s approach may be seen as ‘paddock to plate’, in reality our tour guide confirmed that only about 30% of the restaurant’s menu is grown on site, with the rest sourced from within 500km. Although our meals were not cutting edge cuisine, they’re producedriven, full of flavor, beautifully cooked and mostly generous portions.

To holistic health seekers, there are cross-fit training sessions and 90 minute Vinyasa yoga classes available from Farm Yoga.

To shoppers, veggies picked from The Farm’s growers as well as local artisan products from local producers are available for purchase from The Produce Store, freshly baked bread from The Bread Social, flowers and homewares from Flowers at the Farm.

The underlying story of The Farm’s foundation, how the Lanes found that their children would eat vegetables on the farm but not in Sydney, reinforces their vision of a holistic, earth-born enterprise.

About 40 acres of the property is used to farm Highland cattle which, along with the heritage black pigs, are taken to Lismore for slaughter, as The Farm is not licensed to slaughter as yet. So all other meat is purchased from off-site, including chickens.

There is a certified egg wash room, however, which allows the restaurant to use eggs laid on the farm. Chickens are kept for around two years before being sold. Macadamia and pecan trees have been planted for later harvest, and all produce is traditionally grown, spray and chemical free.

While not merely a ‘display’ farm or showpiece, most crops are grown within sight of the restaurant along fences bordering walkways, or in close proximity to the buildings. Further afield, sorghum has been planted to restore the soil of this former magnolia farm, previously owned by the Flick family. Mention ‘organic’ and you’ll be told that it’s the ultimate goal; a long term one as the land must be nutrient rich and chemical residue free for certification.

For all its idealistic philosophies, however, The Farm is first and foremost a commercial enterprise. While entry to The Farm is free, tours carry a nominal charge of around $20 per person, and two day education courses cost around $500 per person. With land, restaurant, bakery, coffee shop, flowers and homeware shops all held by leasehold, the Lanes’ huge business investment has guaranteed returns. While there are some elements of community at work, such as the negotiated cross-purchasing of products and the sharing of some common facilities, together with a common belief in farm sourcing and holistic lifestyle tying the whole thing together, The Farm bears far more likeness to a village where land is owned by a common landlord rather than a commune where property is owned collectively.

Nevertheless, it’s a cleverly packaged, highly marketable concept which holds the most appeal to the demographic who has the most to spend: professional ‘30 – 40 something’ parents. At home with casual dining, rural retreats and espoused idealistic principles, the fact that The Farm is also geared to be financially sustainable doesn’t hurt its reputation at all.

Marj Osborne

Burgster

Image: Rochelle Smith

Ein bier bitte: Oktoberfest at

Citrique

One beer, please! This essential German phrase will be echoing throughout Marriott Surfers Paradise and their Citrique Restaurant to mark the classic Oktoberfest celebration.

2 – 3 Philippine Parade, Palm Beach Ph: 07 5525 0637

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here’s a huge space in my heart for earth mothers. You know the sort of woman I mean – the one who’s the hub of her family; the one who makes everyone feel welcome, holding their well-being close to her heart. She’s the matriarch apparent.

When we first meet Rochelle Smith, I know that she’s the beating heart of Burgster. Noticeably pregnant, she’s working the floor, welcoming, taking orders, having a chat, asking how the meals are going…

Rochelle is the one who’s put out the call across the sea, and the men have come. A photographer by profession, she saw the potential for the family-run restaurant they’d all dreamed of, calling together the team, just as her family has done for generations.

“I always wanted us to live close together because of our tight bond, so when I saw the chance, I recruited them,” she tells us jokingly.

“They took the chance, quit their jobs, and moved here. No! Honestly, we all shared the vision for the business, and had numerous meetings collaborating and reaching agreement on our final concept, spending five months together building Burgster.”

They took out the lease on two shops in a quiet back street of Palm Beach, cut out walls and began construction.

Drawing inspiration from Brooklyn NYC, in particular Williamsburg’s warehouse hipster culture, they’ve created a raw but welcoming venue with a small bar on one side, an intimate dining area with a choice of booths or tables in the middle, flanked by a spacious open kitchen at the back.

The team have experience on their side and it really shows!

Rochelle’s brother Jarome, who had designed bars and restaurants in Auckland for the past ten years, spearheaded the design concept and fitout with Rob Rivers (his brotherin-law). Rob managed some of Auckland’s best restaurants and bars before moving to the Coast, where he is well known, working in Commune and Avvia before joining the Smith family as creators and owners of Burgster. Another brother, Peter, a carpenter with ten years’ experience, led the team in the restaurant’s construction. The family team make up Sons of Castle St Pty Ltd, named after their grandpa’s house in Castle Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland.

“We all grew up in Grandpa’s house,” relates Rochelle. “My grandfather cooked and my grandma baked. All the men in the family have cooked for generations. They still do.”

It’s this homestyle hospitality which makes Burgster shine.

I fondly remember staying in a Maori house in Lower Hutt many years ago, the trays of food arriving at the door from other family members because two of us were guests. Pacific cultures welcome visitors with food. I tell this to Rochelle, and she laughs.

“It’s how our family keeps the kids together,” she tells me.

“Mum would put the call out. My mum, sisters and brothers

would all cook together. Someone would say: ‘Are you making that pudding? Yeah!’ It’s Maori hospitality. There’s so much joy around food.”

There’s joy in this menu as well. Somehow I’m expecting big Maori-style burgers riding on the back of the American gravy train, but that’s not what we get at all. Don’t make snap judgements from a name, I remind myself!

Instead, there’s a cross-section of far more interesting food, Auckland-style.

“We shot ourselves in the food a bit, starting with an idea but not a whole idea. We wanted the menu to be more balanced than just burgers. It’s the food we love to eat,” explains Rochelle, “sustainably sourced local produce, free-range eggs and meat, organic where possible.”

Although gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options are not clearly indicated on the menu and two of our choices are out of stock (Bug sliders and King prawns), we’re soon informed of choices, settling on four small dishes ($15 – $19) and a burger ($14) between three of us. We learn that little menu tweeks have already been made for gluten-free diners, the chicken crumbed in potato flour, dairy placed on the side, etc.

The Kingfish ceviche is an absolute hit, the small pieces of sparkling fish served on discs of oyster cream a taste sensation. Crispy chicken skins with kale, anchovy and parsley dressing is an unusual novelty dish with balance of taste and texture, also evident in the Tempura fish burger, the crisp fillet of fish enveloped in a cloud-like brioche bun. Lamb ribs with skordalia and cumin paprika oil are delicious, while our Quinoa salad ticks the DF GF V boxes but makes me think those diners are missing out on the fun!

Fully licensed with no BYO, Stone & Wood’s Garden Ale and Newstead Brewing’s Golden Ale are on tap, and there’s a select choice of bottled beer and interesting boutique wine. We settle on the rare Jilly’s White Wolf of Cumbria, a Tempranillo with the addition of Gewurztraminer, made near Armidale NSW. It’s fruit-driven but light enough to pair well with our food choices.

Regular Blank readers would know that Citrique Restaurant has been taking us on a culinary world tour over recent months. We’ve been to France (hello escargot) and India (hello bellydancers), but this coming month we’ll be sampling Bratkartoffeln and Pork knuckle, Schnitzel and German Spätzle.

Citrique Restaurant’s cultural themes have created an amplified experience for diners, all offered in addition to the decadent seafood fare that is usually available in the restaurant. The team say the promotions stemmed from the culinary team’s diverse cultural backgrounds.

“Citrique chefs are proud of their origins and are delighted to have the opportunity to bring some of their home cooking into the Citrique kitchen,” they say.

Restaurant Manager Carla Yasbek Monteiro said it’s just a lot of fun.

“As we approach the summer month’s people are getting out more to socialise and we are excited to be able to provide them with this delicious food festival,” she said.

“Our beer steins have been ordered and we are ready to cheer!”

The German inspired menu will include Bratkartoffeln, Pork knuckle, Schnitzel, German Spätzle, Berliner currywurst, German sausages, Bayrischer Gulasch (German Gulasch stew), Sauerkraut, Gluhwein, a mix of traditional German salads, pretzels, and a dessert line up featuring Linzer torte, Bee sting cake, Apple strudel, Black forest chocolate cups and more!

Samantha Morris

Oktoberfest at Citrique runs Friday 2 to Sunday 11 of October.

Overall, the disappointment of missing out on seafood is soon overlooked due to the standard of the dishes we tried – innovative and interesting food cooked really well, and friendly efficient service.

Above all, there’s heart and a gratitude that people have understood and come to dine with them.

We felt enveloped in this welcoming space, as much as if we had been dining around the Smith’s own family table. Such hospitality is a rare and beautiful thing!

Note: Burgster does not take bookings.

Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews at www.foodgoldcoast.com.au www.blankgc.com.au

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Food & Drink

Miss Margarita

Shop 101, The Wave, Albert Avenue, Broadbeach Ph: 5538 4463

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here’s a transfer of culture taking place across the border. Art, food and music travel at will from Byron to the Goldie and vice versa. With surf and a casual lifestyle forming a conduit, the interstate cross-pollination seems far more evident than any Brisbane-Gold Coast transfer.

So when Byron Bay locals Emma and Greg Thomson (former owners of Asia Joe’s) extended their Miss Margarita brand, opening a second cantina in Broadbeach, no one was surprised. The Mexican wave had already gripped us a couple of years back with its tasty fresh textures and colourful bright flavours. Even though many of us have had a dalliance with bad boy American street food along the way, deep down we knew that Mexican cuisine put a bigger spring in our step!

With Miss Margarita already popular, a midweek night gave us a chance to dine without a reservation.

Situated at the back of Niecon Plaza tucked around a corner from Surf Parade, Miss Margarita is well placed to cater for both locals and tourists alike. It’s casually decked out, with Byron artist Jai Vasicek’s eight metre long pink floral tiled wall making a huge contribution to the ‘Frida Kahlo meets Our Lady of Guadeloupe’ theming. (You can see more of Jai’s fabulous artwork at MexiCali, Nobby Beach.)

Margaritas are mandatory and these ones pack a punch.

Ranging from the classics to top shelf Patrón and 100% Blue Agave Tequila, my favourite’s the Chipotle chilli and lime margarita, a heady mix of smoky spicy infused mescal (Agave Espolon tequila) cut back with fresh lime and served in a salt-rimmed glass. Not enough bite to turn your head around…just right! Heaven! And of course there are the beers – some Mexican faves as well as locals. Time for some food before we get carried away…

We begin with the slightly bitey Crunchy Jalapeno Poppers (13) and Hip Dips (14) – a platter of three dips and corn chips to share: fresh guacamole, chilli salsa and house black beans with a retro plastic dish of corn chips. The chips are a constant throughout the menu in Nachos, under naked burritos and, of course, to accompany sides. House made, super fresh and crunchy with a good dose of salt, they make us realise that it’s not rocket science to get such a staple right!

There’s little trouble choosing from the menu, neatly divided into sections: Enchiladas, Tacos, Fajitas, Burritos and House Salads, with vegan and gluten-free clearly indicated. $20 would fill up many diners, but of course that’s not counting the drinks. It’s easy to share dishes as well by choosing both appetisers and mains to share. Our dishes were fresh in flavor and texture, not high cuisine by any means, but certainly a great family-friendly place to grab a meal any night of the week. We’d love to see a great ceviche on the menu, but send a kiss to ‘Our Lady’ that there were no mushy beans and melted cheese in sight!

Lunch and dinner menus offer similar fare, the big difference being pricing, a few dollars cheaper at lunch. Same made-toorder freshness, same punchy flavour.

If you’ve blown your weekly budget already, Miss Margarita’s Sundowner Specials happy hour is held between 5 and 6pm.

Specials include $5 beers, $10 cocktail of the week, Jalapeno Poppers and a cold beer for $12 or a Classic Margarita and fresh corn chips for $13. Who knows… you might just see us there… any night!

Marj Osborne

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Images: Supplied

LITTLE BITES FREE WIFI IN CENTRE NOW

Gold Coast Creatives Called to Read, Eat and Drink The Gold Coast cultural scene is about to see a new creative hub being born in Surfers Paradise. An enormous 379sqm waterfront restaurant, previously owned by Clive Palmer at Paradise Island Resort, Surfers Paradise, has been sold to local, Vicki Kersey, who has a unique vision for the premises. Ms Kersey said the premises will undergo extensive renovations and upgrades by Lucky 13 Creative Industries Australia over the next three months to be transformed into REaD Café in time for a summer grand opening. “REaD stands for Read, Eat and Drink,” said Ms Kersey. While this type of establishment is extremely popular in places like Melbourne and New York, REaD will be the Gold Coast’s first licenced café and bookshop. Ms Kersey said the bookcases will be filled with books by local authors and surrounded by comfortable lounges, chairs and cushions and that there will be book launches, music, puzzles, games and more. Stay tuned for more information.

Tastes of Paradise Point

NICE LITTLE PICK ME UP

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Lovers of fine foods can look forward to tasting a selection of delectable treats as local restaurants of Paradise Point showcase their culinary delights under the stars when Tastes of Paradise takes place on Saturday 10 October from 6.00pm. Visitors to the precinct can book at their favourite restaurant or purchase food from food booths whilst soaking up the carnival atmosphere with roving musicians, Zumba and Brazilian dancers, singers, stilt walkers, fireeaters, magicians, and fireworks. The Esplanade at Paradise Point will be closed from 4.00pm and will re-open at midnight.

Glenelg Public House quietly opens its doors

A shopping and dining experience like no other, open 7 days til late.

Cnr Surfers Paradise Blvd and Elkhorn Ave chevronrenaissanceshoppingcentre.com.au

NO DOWNLOAD OR TIME LIMIT

Just in time for the holidays, this steak-based spot was just in time for the school holidays. With large sharing sides, rustic deserts, and entrees that translate well as tapas, GPH is focused on premium products served with minimal interruption. Steaks average between $20 and $30, and starters from $10 and there’s an inviting international wine list on offer. We’ll be in to check it out soon, and you can do the same. They’re open Wednesday to Sunday from 5.00pm and they’re located on the corner of Glenelg Street and the GC Highway at Mermaid Beach. 07 5575 2284 for bookings.

Journeymen now roasting Two friends have recently opened a small coffee roaster in Miami. “We take care to source our coffee from specialty green bean buyers that have developed direct trade relationships with coffee farmers from around the world,” one of the owners told us. “We are a wholesalers that have a little area outside of roastery for people to come try our coffee and take home.” They’re located on the corner of Pacific Avenue and Avalon Parade – basically across the road from Miami Marketta and they’re open Monday to Saturday from 6.00am – 2.00pm.

Dinner Winners: Savour Australia Awards A hearty congratulations to the following Gold Coast restaurants who won categories at the Savour Australia Restaurant and Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence, recognising exceptional service, demonstrating culinary excellence and delivering great ambience and value for money: Bavarian Bier Cafe, Broadbeach - Best Cafe/Wine Bar, BSKT Cafe - Best Cafe Restaurant, Room 81, Sofitel Gold Coast - Best Fine Dining Restaurant, California Tacos - Best Mexican Restaurant, Kiyomi - Best New Restaurant, Trattoria Amici, RACV Royal Pines - Best Pizza Restaurant, Bistro on 3, Sofitel Gold Coast - Best Restaurant in a Hotel, Shuck - Best Seafood Restaurant, Informal, Lobby Lounge Bar, Marriott Resort & Spa - Honourable mention in Small Bar category O-Sushi, Broadbeach - Best Sushi Bar, Donto Sapporo - Social Media Award Hatsuhana Restaurant, Main Beach - Customer Vote Award, SEQ

Gold Coast now has the urge …. The famous Burger Urge that is!

Get ready for a party on the Gold Coast …. Burger Urgestyle on Saturday October 3!

To celebrate the recent opening of Burger Urge Crestwood Plaza, Burger Urge is throwing a Block Party, spilling onto the street with banging tunes and stilt walkers in a free, all ages event from 12noon to 2pm next Saturday, the 3rd of October! But most importantly, there will be FREE BURGERS from 12noon to 2pm! www.blankgc.com.au

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Arts & Culture

Lizardman the main course at Buskers Buskers by the Creek has upped the ante for its second year along the banks of Currumbin Creek. In fact this year, there’ll be a reptile show like no other.

Buskers by the Creek 17 – 18 October, Winders Park, Currumbin.

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izardman began as conceptual body-based performance art but has developed into an onstage persona which you’ll get to witness at the Awardwinning festival that takes place 17 – 18 October.

on stages made from two empty beer kegs and a sheet of plywood. I’ve been carried onto stage by a troop of little people in fantasy garb. The great thing about what I get to do is that it is a constant adventure,” he said.

Erik “Lizardman” Sprague became intrigued with the bizarre and his interest in art developed as he got older – so much so that he left his doctoral program in philosophy to follow his dream.

I ask him how people respond when he’s just doing normal day-to-day things. Like buying toilet paper or boarding a plane, and he says everyone reacts differently.

“I discovered Dadaism and performance art and was influenced by people like Beuys & Burden,” he told Blank. “While in graduate school in the 1990s… an opportunity to do a national tour with a sideshow came up and I never looked back.”

Even though he’s travelled the world “nearly everywhere but Antarctica,” he’s only been to the Gold Coast once but he says he was “awe struck by the natural beauty.” And when I ask about some of his audiences, he says he’s been collecting stories from the road for some 20 years.

“I’ve played soccer with Indonesian fakirs using a flaming soccer ball. I’ve done shows 38

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“It comes down to the individual and how they react is often very revealing in terms of who they are. There’s an old saying that goes, ‘I can tell more about you from how you react to my tattoos than you can tell about me from my tattoos.’ My general strategy is to try and put people at ease.

I know I can be scary or intimidating if you don’t know me and are just suddenly confronted with my image. As much as I like provoking discussion I don’t want to unnecessarily distress anyone.”

The man who’s been described as ‘one of the most unusual people alive today’ by Ripley’s is reluctant to predict what his Buskers’ show will be like.

“If I was predictable enough to provide expectations I wouldn’t be living up to my reputation. I ask that audiences simply come with an open mind to new experiences and we’ll find our way together - with some of the wildest sideshow stunts you’ll ever see along the way.”

The Lizardman is joined on the Buskers by the Creek bill by a diverse group of performers – fire twirlers, hula dancers, comedians, magicians and more. But his friend the Space Cowboy shares the headlining slot with him.

Space Cowboy is currently Australia’s most prolific World Record Breaker. He literally holds a record for holding the most world records – some 38 Guinness World Records to be precise. Some of those records include most swords swallowed underwater, fastest knife throwing, fastest whip cracking, most weight dragged with the eye sockets and the most chainsaw juggling catches on a unicycle.

When I asked Space Cowboy about his friend the Lizardman he said he’s a one-

of-a-kind oddity, a truly magnificent and unforgettable freak.

“He has spent over 700 hours tattooing his entire body with green reptilian scales (face included), he had his teeth filed down to sharp points, implants in his face and his tongue split in two like that of a lizard,” he said. “Not only does he look like a freak he is an amazing performer!”

If you’d like to catch these two unforgettable performers, along with an incredible array of local talent, Buskers by the Creek is the spot to do it. There’s also a heap of local and visiting musical talent with Karl S Williams

Paul’s triumph over brain injury Paul McMahon was celebrating his birthday in March 2014, but he can’t remember the day.

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“We went onto the roof through a window. We did not plan anything unusual, I assume and we just chatted as we sat under the stars in Sydney,” he says, piecing the birthday party together. “Then in one instance I got up and stumbled.

The roof had no railings and my left arm was in bandage, as I had broken it three weeks prior. I had no real control on that situation, I simply stumbled and fell three and a half floors off a roof. I landed on the pavement and that one second of natural reality affected my life.”

Paul has written a book about his experience living with the brain injury he acquired as a result of that fall.

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“I am basically a workaholic and I felt it annoying that I could not work the moment I woke up in the fourth week,” he told Blank. “I studied communications and I always wrote.”

“The book I have written tells much of this journey,” he said.

“Everything from love, work, travel and life is in there - all of me is in there.”

“In simple physical terms I broke my leg (now there is a metal rod inside), broke my arm AGAIN, internal injuries to pelvis and fear of my lungs not working as they were once full of fluid. My left eye once was cloudy when I looked through it but now it is fine, no one told me why but I assume that was the brain injury at work,” he said.

“Recovery and rehabilitation have been long but I was a very lucky boy. I have recovered at such speed that it is almost unfathomable,” Paul said, noting that the Gold Coast featured heavily in his recovery.

“In the beginning I had memory and attention issues. This was hard as I forgot the beginning of 2014 and all sorts of things like passwords and who I was exactly - the nitty gritty details.”

“Once I healed remarkably well, I was then treated as a stupid person. As though I couldn't see or do things as normal, so I was ignored in my own reality and imprisoned in a way,” he said.

Continues

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39

Arts & Culture Paul’s Triumph Over Brain Injury Continued

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Jupiters Hotel & Casino presents “I look as I once did and when I tell people they almost collapse. I have facial nerve damage that is healing and a new scar above my eye. It made me think of what could happen not only my own story, it is the story of many millions.”

Paul is hoping for his book to be published in the US and for it to be international.

“I chose the US because I feel it is a story that is global. It is a story of humanity, and not an Australian story alone.”

“Too many people suffer from brain injuries and no-one knows, cares or understands. That is just wrong.”

“I remember in hospital listening to a woman sleeping on a bed in the corridor. She grunted but could not speak.

She will not write the next bestseller, but she deserves the attention one would bring. She is not alone.”

“Brain injury… is a true story for so many but is overlooked as a non-event. It is not a non-event, it is simply an overly complicated event with different stories and realities despite (being) the same injury. The brain is so complicated and I think it is time we noticed it more!”

Follow Paul’s journey at facebook.com/paulmcmahonauthor

Dean Atkinson Lawrence Mooney

Akmal Saleh

Christopher Wayne

Merrick Watts

Soulla Pants

Nick Cody

Mick Meredith

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 13, 2015 * $ TICKETS 49 Book now at jupitersgoldcoast.com.au

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or 132 849

Greg Sullivan

Shirts off for Glitter

Dash Kruck is one of Queensland’s favourite actors, a familiar face around Brisbane’s theatre scene – and he’s also the star of this production – I Might Take My Shirt Off – which comes to the Gold Coast for one night as part of Glitter.

Also on our radar at Glitter: YY Liza (on an E) – Trevor Ashley channels the iconic Liza Minelli in a show stopping power packed cabaret performance. Trevor is starring in the current national tour of Les Miserables | Friday 2 October YY Joel Creasey – Australian comedian now in popular demand following his TV appearance in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, Joel returns to the Gold Coast to entertain fans with his intelligent observations and pop-culture expertise | Saturday 3 October

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nder duress from his terrifying German therapist to ‘express himself ’, Lionel inadvertently finds himself in a cabaret, drawing on limited knowledge but formidable Wikipedia skills to hilariously stumble his way through his hour on stage.

After covering sex, booze, boys and mythical beasts, he finds that maybe he’s not so bad at expressing himself after all.

I Might Take My Shirt Off is at The Arts Centre Gold Coast on Friday 2 October from 8.30pm and tickets are $28.00. More about that, and all Glitter events can be found at theartscentregc.com.au/glitter

YY Carlotta: life’s still a drag - an outrageously funny journey and a brutally honest look at the ruthless entertainment industry | Saturday 3 October at 7.00pm.

YY Glitter Fair Day – the biggest ‘family’ reunion of its kind | Sunday 4 October YY Pop-up Pictures - launching at the Glitter Festival Fair Day with the screening of The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert | Sunday 4 October

One reviewer said of the show… “this is an actor who can sing beautifully, enchantingly, write some clever lyrics and demonstrate his accolade of experience on the stage.

What is also impressive is his ability to communicate to his audience what it is really like to be gay and to what capacity the GLBT community can go to feel true love.”

Glitter Festival is the Gold Coast’s first ever celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, A-sexual, Pansexual + community, which will run 28 September to 5 October.

From comedy to cabaret, visual arts and long lunches, motion pictures and family; Glitter is an inclusive festival that demonstrates the city’s coming of age and showcases our readiness to be proud and sophisticated in our creative aspirations.

www.blankgc.com.au

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Arts & Culture

No Limits

Christopher McKenzie is an energetic young man with a bold mission to facilitate the artistic ascendancy of the Gold Coast.

Image: The Team (L-R) Melissa Spratt, Aish Saffigna, Virgina Lea, Christopher Mckenzie.

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n emerging artist in his own right, Christopher cofounded the Lmtdspace organisation in 2011. This group of young creatives organise pop-up exhibitions across the Gold Coast to explore artistic practice and investigate contemporary topics.

In an exciting development for both Lmtdspace and the Gold Coast, Christopher and his team (Melissa Spratt, Joshua White, Aish Saffigna and Virginia Lea) were given the chance to operate out of a pop-up gallery in Southport.

Located at 32 Nerang Street in the heart of the CBD, the Lmtdspace Gallery is part of the push to renew Southport and provide more spaces for creativity to flourish.

To bring their vision to life, Lmtdspace worked alongside the City of Gold Coast and mentor, Brand-X through the FOUND initiative. In their effort to invest in the next generation of creative producers, the council are supporting a range of pop-up activations across Southport with the hopes of transforming it into an edgy and young contemporary community.

Since the gallery opened mid August, Christopher and his team have been feverishly organising a host of innovative exhibitions that capture the unique talent of local emerging artists. The opening exhibition Human Identity, explored themes of identity and the self. 12 x 12 focused on affordable art with each piece priced at $120 and Underline_ investigated contemporary drawing practice. Forthcoming shows will draw on artists working in the mediums of painting, sculpture and photography. Concluding this exhibition schedule is a show dedicated to honours students from the the Gold Coast campus of the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University.

Jupiters does The Cup Whether you love the glamour, the fine food, the fashion or the pulse-quickening excitement of spring racing, you won’t miss a moment of the action at Jupiters. To find out more about our fabulous spring racing events visit jupitersgoldcoast.com.au

Although the gallery closes at the end of the year, Christopher has big plans for our city. Lmtdspace will return to its original function of providing pop-up exhibitions while Christopher manages his own artistic practice alongside a burgeoning arts management career. With hopes to convene a 2018 art convention on the Gold Coast, Christopher will not be slowing down anytime soon.

Ashleigh Wadman jupitersgoldcoast.com.au | Bet with your head, not over it.

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Arts & Culture

Lessons in writing rap

Luka Lesson has been writing raps for longer than he’s been writing poetry. And he’s been performing those poems since 2008. On the road to launch a new book, Antidote, we caught up with the national poetry champion ahead of a visit to the Gold Coast.

“I didn't become a full-time poet until after I won the Australian Poetry Slam in 2011,” he told our editor. “I've been writing raps for 12 years and poems for about eight.”

He said his first poetry performance wasn’t even really a poem.

“It was in Brisbane when I got up at an event called Speed Poets and competed in a slam competition there,” he recalled. “I didn't have a 'poem' yet, I just had raps, so I performed one without any music, acapella for the first time. Hinemoana Baker, a great poet from New Zealand, was the judge and I ended up coming second. She has become a kind of a mentor and great friend since then.”

Luka has clocked up four years of touring.

Not just throughout Australia but also Asia, New Zealand and North America. He’s performed at 13 Writers’ Festivals, has nine years of workshop experience and ten years of writing under his belt.

While he’s based in Byron Bay Luka’s notion of home extends a little further.

“I also call Brisbane home, Melbourne home, I've been to Beijing five times now so it has become a bit of a home,” he said.

“People make places feel like homes.”

“I am lucky enough to have strong brothers and people I call family in Auckland, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Soweto, New York, Athens and all the villages in Greece that my family is from. I am very lucky with the people and connections in my life - there are homes all over the place.”

Antidote is the 32 year old’s second book and he is no stranger to writing – he’s written commissions and performed for The National Gallery of Victoria, Greece’s pioneer HipHop group Active Member, South Africa’s OneBlood Festival and China’s most celebrated living poet Xi Chuan in Beijing.

Luka says Antidote is not a book, rather “more like a hand made high quality zone that reads like a script to my life experience over the last few years.”

“Antidote is a collection of spoken word poems and verses that I've written with the idea that our words can be the antidote to the poisonous times we live in,” he said, adding that he learnt from his first publication that less is more. “People really love good poetry.”

It seems people love poets too. I asked Luka how folk respond when he tells them he’s a poet and he says most people are really happy to hear it.

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“It's like poetry has become a dying art and when they hear someone is taking a risk and doing it full time, they get encouraged in some way to do what they really want to as well,” he told Blank.

Luka is a regular visitor to the Gold Coast and a friend and mentor to poets here.

He’ll stop in at both Bigger Than Poetry and The Dust Temple on his national tour.

He says the Gold Coast definitely needs its performance poetry scene.

“I think the Gold Coast has a facade of mainstream culture that people are starting to see through, so there is a great desire to hear meaningful and entertaining poets rocks stages on a weekly basis - and say something real and honest. It is getting very big, very quickly,” he said.

“People used to tell me that no-one would want to buy a book of poetry. But people today are more than ever dying for a chance to have some real meaning in their lives, to read something that makes them really feel - not just reinforce the shallow nature of today's consumer culture.”

I ask Luka what we can expect at his launch events.

“You can expect me,” he says simply.

“Clearly, without facade or costume or hype.

Me, being vulnerable and funny and angry and loving and powerful and the weakest man you know. A wordsmith on stage with no notes or props, pouring everything he has out and leaving nothing behind.”

Luka closes by sharing some advice for aspiring poets.

“Write everyday, be fearless, don't mumble, speak loud, repeat.”

Luka Lesson launches Antidote on Wednesday 14 October at Bigger than Poetry (Miami Marketta), Thursday 15 October at the Byron Theatre and Friday 16 October at Dust Temple’s Hinge Gallery.

You can pre-order a signed copy of the book at lukalesson.com.au.

Taken from ANTIDOTE by Luka Lesson In Ancient Greece healers used to keep snakes they'd let them live beneath the beds of the sick because they believed that snakes represented change, renewal and healing.

Now in Greek the word for poison is 'φαρμάκι' but the word for medicine is 'φάρμακο' like pharmacy because inside the poison is where we find the antidote

And they say live by the sword, die by the sword but the word sword has the word 'word' in it because our words can be the antidote.

So much so that we can retell history I retell my past in any way I choose to I even called my last terrible break up the best thing that ever happened to me

Sometimes I rewrite proverbs just to prove the point Like, it's not: The bigger they are the harder they fall

It's actually - The smaller they are, the harder they brawl

And it's not - Behind every great man is an even greater woman It's actually - In front of every great woman is a mediocre man who just gets all the credit

SLAMMING BEAUTIFUL WORDS poetry [poh-i-tree] noun literary work in which the expression of feelings and ideas is given intensity by the use of distinctive style and rhythm (Oxford Dictionary definition).

slam poetry noun the only thing known to man that makes anyone under the age of 30 like poetry (Urban Dictionary definition)

Poetry Slam at Dust Temple, Currumbin proper noun a rollicking good night where brave people of all ages, backgrounds and degrees of mental stability get up on stage and present their own beautifully evocative words with heart and soul in a poetry performance (Pip’s definition)

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or those Blank readers who are touched by words pieced together emotively and evocatively, I have chosen some excerpts from those brave and creative entrants in the recent National Poetry Slam Gold Coast Heat at the Dusty: "People just aren't good to their own kind.

The rich aren't good to the rich, the poor aren't good to the poor and the mind's not good for the soul." Rachel "Rule 247: Don't step on the ants. They may be your brothers." C.J. Chris the Wizard "There is no end in sight to these raining frogs. And as funny as the curse must be, I fear I have become one before you have time to love me". Benjamin "I can't give him the understanding that nods solemnly. Is it betrayal?" Naomi "The difference is cohered in the unity, that just.... is...... beauty. I just want that flow inside me, not this dissonant sea where now I'm seeking refuge." Caresse (Cowinner) "Was the Word truth, or was the Truth that the word was actually Word?" 'Fats' "Fuel your fire and melt all that is frozen."

Blake "Drizzling with oil that made egg's hard boil...............he realised he would never be makin' bacon babies." Ashley (Co-winner) "An epidemic affecting us all that cannot be cured while drowning in a sea of majority." Melanie

"All the words you heard, it's so absurd.

Our stories told, magic they hold." Louise "My song unheard, my dreams inferred, my hurt incurred." Jules The gravelly voice of special guest, C.R. Avery, the brilliant beat boxing, harmonica, piano, guitar and banjo playing slam poet from Canada, delivered the driest line of the night: "A groupie quoting Nietzsche is still a groupie."

Avery's singing voice emanates from what sounds like the bastard son of Tom Waits, coincidentally a huge fan, and someone Avery has performed with. "We make love like explicit lyrics" is the sort of line that Waits would have sung on 'Closing Time' if he had had a sense of humor back in the 70s.

As a storyteller, Avery could be mistaken for a sort of hip-hop Charles Bukowski: "The river of lies is your precious fountain of youth." Avery sensually oozes words that can transport an audience to a sleazy bar in downtown Los Angeles and turn them all into barflies. Red wine and beer in hands, the audience is soon singing along to "My life is based on a true story"....... with Texas accents.

C.R. Avery is testament to the fact that slam poetry is alive and kicking people's imagination. Some unintended, gravelly voiced advise: "Keep hitting the typewriter with our spoken words."

Pip Andreas

"If I'm not in my skin I will tether with you epherically." Ben

Poetry Night at Dust Temple, last Thursday of the month, 7 to 9pm, 54 Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin Bigger Than Poetry, once a month at the Miami Marketta.

Next event is 14th October.

Speakeasy open mic at Zullaz Bar and Eating Place, Burleigh every Sunday from 5pm.

Open mic at Dune Cafe, Palm Beach every Sunday morning from 8am.

Image: Samantha Morris

Image: Pip Andreas

www.blankgc.com.au

45

Gold Coast: ENERGIES in the Flesh 2015: Gold L

ong acknowledged as a playground for the camera, the Gold Coast’s unique qualities have drawn generations of professional and amateur photographers to record and capture this place.

One such photographer’s work will be the subject of an exhibition to be held at the Gold Coast City Gallery. Graham Burstow has been a passionate black-and-white stills photographer for over seventy years. His silver gelatin prints have been acquired by the National Library of Australia, State Library of Queensland and Queensland Art Gallery and have appeared in solo and group exhibitions locally, nationally and internationally.

Exhibited is an era prior to the internet and digital photography. The region had boomed as tourists and locals alike flocked to the shores for a chance at a relaxed and sun-kissed life; filled with beer belly contests, muttonbird tanning oil and sun girl quests. Graham – on regular family holidays from Toowoomba – moved freely among the crowds, chatting and photographing human shapes and interactions.

Burstow also trained his camera on a far less obviously-photogenic aspect of the city – the City itself. To complement these images, on display will be Claudio Kirac’s images of Pacific Fair’s recent demolition and transformation.

Flesh: The Gold Coast in the 1960s, 70s and 80s will be opened by Robyn Archer AO on Thursday 22 October where a feature will be author-illustrator Narelle Oliver in conversation with her father Graham Burstow OAM. A panel, featuring artists and architects will also take place focuses on history and memory in a fast-changing city. The panel will include Alan Griffith, architect of Council’s existing administration building as well as Cladio Kirac, Dr Nicold Sully who lectures in architecture and year 12 student Della Evans. That takes place Friday 13 November at 3.00pm and is free.

Flesh: The Gold Coast in the 1960s, 70s and 80s is on display in Gallery 2 from 24 October to 6 December.

Images

Coast City Gallery

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NERGIES is an extraordinary exhibition of dynamic proportions. Leaping boldly across the walls are fresh, energetic and compelling marks made on paper, canvas and in sculptural form. This is a showcase of contemporary art like no other, for these artists have not yet graduated from high school.

ENERGIES 2015 showcases the work of secondary school students from across the Gold Coast. Occurring in some form for over thirty years, ENERGIES has a simple philosophy. It is a non-competitive, teacher-organised exhibition to promote the place of visual art in the school curriculum and to present diverse examples of excellent artwork to the public. As part of this philosophy none of the schools are identified, creating equality between students of independent, private and state high schools. Here, the focus is on artistic excellence and the opportunity to exhibit artwork in a regional gallery.

Critics of contemporary teen culture may be surprised at the mature outlook of these artworks, which will find tract with audiences of all ages. The gallery space is full to overflowing with manifestations of feminist philosophies and self-identity, the passing of time and human existence, the preservation of nature and the dismantling of discrimination and segregation.

In addition to this depth of investigation is the diversity of media in which these views are presented. From paintings to textiles, installation works and digital prints, the confidence of technique and the sheer talents of the students are obvious.

Acknowledging the youth of these artists, one cannot help but feel proud of their virtuosity. Gratitude must also be shown to their art teachers, whose efforts have been returned in spades.

ENERGIES 2015 is, simply put, a tourde-force. Bold, inquisitive and personal in their nature, each artwork is a chance to experience and acknowledge the current social, emotional and global views held by young people across the city.

Energies runs until 18 October Read more from Ashleigh Wadman at cultic. com

Top: In the Flesh by G. Burstow Middle: Energies Bottom: Lisa Sorbie Martin at South Stradbroke Artist Camp 2015

Indigenous Stories from South Stradbroke Artist Camp

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y Story will showcase artistic efforts from the recent South Stradbroke Island Indigenous Artist Camp, developed

by City of Gold Coast and Gold Coast City Gallery. It’s the Camp’s second year and it has again uncovered exciting talent.

Collaborative processes, passionate conversations, connecting family histories and exploring new mediums of expression are all part of this creative boot-camp, with artists being mentored by acclaimed artist Fiona Foley. Fiona led the group through various workshops and discussions across art and politics, with creative outcomes ranging from original prints using pencil, charcoal and oxides to multimedia works.

Jo-Anne Driessens, recent Indigenous Coordinator at The Arts Centre Gold Coast, said the artist camp was an inspiration, with artists forming an instant bond when they arrived at Stradbroke Island. She said it became another reminder about the importance of create art practices that are facilitated on Country.

“By day two Fiona had started to push the comfort zones of each artist, which led to the creation of impressive new works being produced,” Jo-Anne said. The group used charcoal, pigments and melted bees wax processes on rag paper and undertook combined group work for site specific installations in the nearby bush and beach setting.

Exhibiting artist Jacinda Washington said it was a rewarding and “mind blowing weekend.”

“12 awesomely talented and wholespirited Aboriginal and Island men and women sharing, learning, appreciating, complimenting and growing together as artists and as strong First Nations people, this opportunity has also brought so many great people together and also added to the growth and preservation of love and culture,” she added.

The exhibition features some of the inspired sketchings, objects and works created during their time on Country. Exhibiting artists are Glenn Barry, Luke Close, Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, Libby Harward, Chantal Henley, Alicia Jones, Anthony Johnson, Lisa Sorbie Martin, Carol McGregor, Jason Passfield, Michael Philp, Christine Slabb, Jacinda Washington.

The exhibition is open at Gold Coast City Gallery until 25 October.

Gold Coast’s newest art space opens: Welcome Hillier & Skuse Three hundred people poured into the Gold Coast’s newest art space at the weekend

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ocated right in the heart of the City’s home décor and furniture precinct and within a stone’s throw of the soon to be developed Cultural Precinct, the Hillier and Skuse Gallery provides an opportunity for local artists to show their work and for art-lovers to see a variety of new, high quality, creative pieces.

“We’ve got a really fabulous local landscape artist – Otto Schmidinger lined up,” Susan said. “And also a completely different artist - Ilia Chidzey as well. Ilia does amazing work using sheet aluminium and mirrors and she airbrushes transparent acrylic colours. She does abstract, figurative work that is really colourful and completely different.”

The Gallery is already displaying more than 200 original works from 30 established and emerging local artists.

Hillier & Skuse Gallery is open every day except Wednesdays from 10.00am – 5.00pm and is located at 88 Bundall Road (one door south of Masters) contact@hillierskusegallery.com

The gallery is the project of Stephen Hillier and Susan Skuse – both local artists and business people. Their aim is to provide a variety of curatorial options in their large exhibition space, providing opportunities for talented regional artists.

Stephen Hillier is the Gallery director and he said the pair are looking to work with committed creative people to “help develop and generate interest in their artistic careers.”

“We believe that we can bring an artist’s eye to the artcuration process, to the benefit of artists and art-buyers alike,” Stephen said. “We value creativity, but we also value skill and professional presentation.”

Susan said the opening was “absolutely packed.” “it was a great vibe, everyone enjoyed it,” she told More Gold Coast.

Susan said the space wasn’t what they’d originally intended.

“We were looking at an industrial space down the back of one of the shops there,” she said. “Thinking about doing a bit of a grungy art gallery / Banksy kind of thing.”

“And we looked at a space, and were on our way back to the car and then saw the space where the Gallery is now and thought WOW, scrap that plan, let’s move on.”

“In a way, finding the space has kind of dictated the kind of gallery that you have,” Susan said. “There’s so many possibilities, because it’s large and has lots of little areas.

Different artists can have a collection of their works together.”

The Gallery is already displaying more than 200 original works from 30 established and emerging local artists.

Those works encompass traditional and contemporary, hyper-realist and abstract, large and small, two-dimensional and three. Steve Hillier says the aim is to create an art space where people can feel comfortable browsing “whatever their taste or art background may be.”

Images: Ilia Chidzey, Visual Emporium

Thirty year milestone most definitely a laughing matter Jupiters’ next Laugh Your Pants Off will mark the property’s 30th anniversary.

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he amazing line-up of comedians will no doubt have you roaring with laughter and includes Akmal Saleh, Merrick Watts and Lawrence Mooney.

Check it: Friday 13 November, doors 6.45pm, show 7.30pm at Jupiters Hotel & Casino Tickets $49 at ticketek.com.au.

Akmal Saleh is known for his quick wit and side-splitting stories and his career has gone from strength to strength with regular television appearances on hit shows like Rove, The Glasshouse and Thank God You’re Here.

The Gallery opened alongside its first exhibition featuring artists Chris Seale and Mark Pryer who take very different approaches to the depiction of the natural world.

Equally brilliant, one of Australia’s most well-known names Merrick Watts first came to the public’s attention as one half of Merrick and Rosso. Over the past few years Merrick has branched out, most notably showing his talent as an actor with roles in Underbelly – The Tale of Two Cities, and Working Dog’s Logie Award Winning comedy/ drama satire, The Hollowmen on ABC TV.

Mark’s response is intuitive and emotive, bold and powerful.

His broad gestural strokes and high chroma palette convey meanings beyond literal rendering. By contrast, the work of Chris Seale is controlled and precisely observed. A sensory artist, Chris Seale manipulates paint with a variety of implements, creating visually exciting textural surfaces. Her forest and ocean scenes are drenched with scintillating light, evoking a strong sense of place.

Lawrence Mooney is a stand-up comedian widely regarded by fans and peers as one of the funniest of the funniest. His brutally honest and hilarious insights have earned him Best National Act 2013 Perth Comedy Festival and Best Comedy 2011 at the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Lawrence has also returned to TV with his own show, Dirty Laundry Live on ABC2.

Ocean and Earth by Chris Seale and All About Earth by Mark Pryer will run until 30 October but Susan and Stephen already have subsequent exhibitions planned.

Dean Atkinson, Christopher Wayne, Nick Cody, Mick Meridith, Soulla Pants and Greg Sullivan are also on the bill. Laugh Your Pants Off takes place Friday 13 November. www.blankgc.com.au

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Arts & Culture

Bangarra brings Indigenous culture to life

Bangarra Dance Theatre is one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies. Last on the Gold Coast in 2011 for the mesmerising Mathinna, they return this month for distinctive theatrical dance work Kinship.

B

angarra is an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander organisation, widely acclaimed nationally and around the world for its powerful dancing, distinctive theatrical voice and utterly unique sound scapes, music and design. Artistic Director and Choreographer Stephen Page spoke to Blank about Kinship and its two dance works Brolga and ID, which celebrate and explore Indigenous culture.

The works show the contrast between traditional culture’s rich embrace and the issues that manifest through the sense of cultural difference and the threat of cultural loss. Stephen says both works are beautifully danced with incredible scores composed by David Page.

“Kinship is a double bill, featuring two works I’ve choreographed at different points in my career,” Stephen said. “Brolga explores the relationship between humans, creatures and the land, reflecting the intrinsic spirituality of the natural world. The songs and dances tell the stories of ancient myths that connect to more than 40,000 years of Aboriginal life.”

“ID investigates what it means to be Aboriginal in the 21st century, asking important questions of identity like ‘who are we’ and ‘where we belong’.”

Bangarra has been around for 26 years now and Stephen says the appetite for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories is becoming stronger and stronger.

“I think because our productions are strong creatively, they have a beautiful spirit, our dancers are world-class, all of that combined is a positive experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

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culture and so we’ve cultivated a very loyal audience,” he said.

“These are aspirations past our wildest dreams,” Stephen said.

Last year the company’s audience grew by almost 35%.

“Audiences are given so much choice these days – there is theatre, dance, live music, but then there is also live streaming, digital content they can watch at home. I think you have to work a lot harder these days to get people off the couch and into theatres.

You just can’t replicate that live theatre experience.”

“I’ve been so blessed to work with an amazing clan – like Wayne Blaire, Archie Roach, Christine Anu among others – and they all help us grow the respect and admiration for Indigenous artists in this country and on the world stage.”

Stephen is descended from the Nunukul people and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh tribe. He grew up as one of 12 kids in suburban Brisbane where he says they were always performing, entertaining the family. So it’s no surprise that the arts became his calling. He notes that it was the calling for two of his brothers too. The late Russell Page was a much-loved Bangarra dancer and David Page is the company’s Head of Music.

Despite his role as Artistic Director and Choreographer Stephen doesn’t see himself as the leader of Bangarra.

“I’m more of a caretaker of these stories – Bangarra belongs to all of us,” he said.

“I joined the company in 1991, two years after it was formed, and it was a much smaller ensemble that achieved a lot without having much,” he recalls. “We basically survived through sheer passion and force of will.”

From those humble beginnings, now the clan is thriving with multiple dancer choreographers, an Artist-in-Residence program, a Youth & Outreach program, touring nationally, regionally and internationally. And Stephen says Bangarra has just made its first feature film Spear/

I literally had tingles up my spine when I read the description for Brolga: Brolga Involves movements that emulate the elongated body of the large bird, the way it delicately places each long limb as it walks with its wings folded neatly out of sight, and is often referred to as ‘dancing’.

I asked Stephen what the response has been from audiences who have seen the performance and he said that people go silent as they watched transfixed and that the female dancers who have performed the role all call it a career highlight.

“Brolga is a quintessential Bangarra work that is inspired from nature and from trips to North East Arnhem Land,” he said. In North East Arnhem Land, Stephen spent time with Djakapurra Munyarryun, a Yolngu Elder and songman who has been involved with Bangarra since the company began, as a singer, performer and cultural consultant.

“We found ourselves on a brolga feeding ground, and we saw these incredible birds coming,” Stephen said. “Djakapurra took me on a boat and we got off and walked, and witnessed brolgas in their environment - it was very quiet and peaceful and all of a sudden the brolgas appeared – it was a special moment and I was able to observe

them in their own environment, and that’s where the initial inspiration for the work came from.”

Each of the 15 dancers who make up the full ensemble, coming on the tour all have Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage. They’ve also been professionally trained, not only in traditional dance but ballet, contemporary, yoga, cardio, crossfit training and Pilates. Stephen says this all fuses together to create Bangarra’s distinctive style of movement.

“While it’s modern and contemporary, its foundations are in traditional movement,” Stephen said. “The dancers are very connected to the ground through their feet, so our movement is often low and grounded.”

I’ve watched Bangarra’s growth since its inception and have been in awe of what they’ve achieved for Indigenous art and culture over the past quarter century.

That said, I’ve never witnessed a live performance. I share this with Stephen and ask him what advice he has for someone like me attending their first dance performance.

“Come along with an open mind,” he told me. “You don’t need to know dance to feel connected to it. I’ve always said that art is a medicine, and will leave you feeling nourished and rejuvenated.”

Samantha Morris

The Internationally acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre will showcase Kinship on Wednesday 14 October at 7.30pm at The Arts Theatre.

Image: Stephen Page by Jess Bialek.

www.blankgc.com.au

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Council commissions public art for Light Rail corridor “Never before have we commissioned and delivered public art at this scale or significance,” said the City’s Mayor, Tom Tate announcing a major public art work which will be installed along the Light Rail corridor.

Council believes commissioning the work heralds a new future for public art, which will pick up on the theme of urban oasis. The work will be selected through a design competition open to local, national and international artists later this month.

The project is fully funded through a Queensland Government grant from stage 1 of the Gold Coast Light Rail project, funds set aside for public art.

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“This a major commission. It marks the start of a new future for public art on the Gold Coast,” the Mayor said.

Up to five finalists, selected by a jury finalists will be invited to develop their designs further, with the judging panel selecting the winning entry for endorsement by Council.

The successful team will be invited to proceed to final installation by June 2016.

“Our continued investment in arts and culture in the lead up to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and beyond sends a clear message,” Tate said. “We value our cultural economy and we’re prepared to invest in it.”

“This will be a first of its kind for the Gold Coast. It’s expected that the calibre of artwork selected will put the Gold Coast on the map when it comes to public art,” he said.

“This project will sow the seeds for future city defining artworks. We’re developing a public art plan and revising our public art policy and creating a framework to give arts and culture momentum beyond 2018,” he said.

For more information visit www.cityofgoldcoast.com.au/ creativegold.

www.blankgc.com.au

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Unique theatre: The Confidence Man Experience theatre like never before where you become part of the story in an interactive thriller. The Confidence Man is an interactive audio theatre experience that places the audience at the centre of the action, and it will run at The Arts Centre Gold Coast between Thursday 22 and Monday 26 October. The Confidence Man is accessible for everyone, either choose to be part of the cast or if you prefer, take your place in the audience and survey the action from the perimeter, eavesdropping on the characters’ most private thoughts and conversations.

Each performance has an intimate capacity of 50 audience members, and the characters are played by six volunteer participants. Being in the middle of a life and death situation has never been so fun – you could be the gun slinging drug dealer, the obnoxious teenage daughter, the smooth talking con man.

OneArts exhibition explores natural beauty of GC A new photographic exhibition at OneArts by local photographer Robert Blackwell will explore the artist’s journey with mental illness and the calming effect of the Gold Coast’s rainforest and hinterland. Robert’s photos will be displayed in prints as well as DVD. The Walkabout exhibition opens this Friday 2 October at 5.30pm and runs for the month. More at oneartsgoldcoast.com.au.

Tweed Fusion focuses on art, culture, food, music The third annual Tweed Fusion will showcase the diversity and creativity of Tweed Valley and Tweed Coast communities over two days this month. There’ll be pop-up galleries, artistic coastal walks, an exquisite Gershwin at the Gallery dinner, gourmet secret Sunday picnic and other rich and unique events. The event takes place 24 – 25 October. More at tweedfusion.com.au.

Coomera TAFE launches Bachelor Programs at Open Day Learn about the launch of Bachelor Programs at Coomera Campus this month when they open their doors to all manner of people.

The Open Day and Launch of Bachelor Programs takes place Saturday 17 October from 10.00am to 3.00pm and will allow visitors to explore facilities and speak with students and industry experts from creative industries, hair and beauty and business and IT streams. There will be workshops, activities, demonstrations, live music, Radio Metro broadcast, interactive gaming, green screen and motion capture demos, glam and 52

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zombie makeup sessions, seated massages, light and sound demonstrations, design exhibition, campus tours, career and course advice and food stalls. The campus is located at 198 Foxwell Road, Coomera.

Bangarra’s back After mesmerising Gold Coast audiences in 2011 with Mathinna, the internationally acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre is returning to The Arts Centre Gold Coast this October with another distinctive theatrical dance work, Kinship. We spoke to Creative Director Stephen Page (see story this edition) about the production, which celebrates and explores Indigenous culture and perspectives.

It’s here for one night only – Wednesday 14 October. Visit theartscentregc.com.au for details.

Pop Up Pictures Inaugural Inflate at Evandale Parklands Butter up your popcorn and get your choc tops ready. Film fanatics on the Gold Coast will soon be able to cosy into a bean bag and watch a flick under the twinkling stars and picturesque skyline of Surfers Paradise with the introduction of Pop Up Pictures, an outdoor blow-up cinema screen at Evandale Parklands on Sunday 4 October. And it’s free! The inaugural Pop Up Pictures will feature the Australian classic The Adventures of Pricilla, Queen of The Desert as part of the Glitter Festival Fair Day on Sunday 4 October. The screening will begin at dusk (approximately 6.30pm) and offers a relaxed atmosphere with access to delicious treats to satisfy the taste buds. Bring your own low seat, blanket or bean bag. The film goes for 1 hour 45 minutes and it all goes down behind the Arts Centre at Evandale Parklands. More at theartscentregc.com.au.

Workshops focus on community group growth Three workshops are being offered through the City of Gold Coast, which will help local community groups thrive. You can learn how to better manage volunteers and increase their numbers at a workshop on 7 October from 6.00pm at Helensvale Cultural Centre, how to write grants on Thursday 15 October from 6.30pm at Kurrawa Surf Life Saving Club and how to use social statistics to better know your local community through the City’s community profiling tool on Wednesday 28 October at Elanora Library from 12.30pm. Register or get more information from Council on 07 5581 6208 or liveable@goldcoast.qld.gov.au.

innovative science If you’re 18-35, this is your chance to apply for a grant of up to $22,000 to fund your project on an innovative or emerging scientific issue that will benefit Australia’s primary industries. There are 11 award categories available and applications close Friday 9 October. More at agriculture.gov.au/ scienceawards.

Chinatown Street Markets | first Saturday | every month Once a month, every month, the streets of Southport turn into a hustling and bustling market full of food vendors with a distinct Asian flavour – it is the Chinatown Street Markets after all. The market takes place on the first Saturday of the month – which means this Saturday 3 October. Taste your way through Asia, right on the light rail line, without leaving the GC. Larry Paradiseo and The Fabulous Dame Farrar One woman.. two genders.. one amazing double bill. Carita Farrer Spencer brings together The Fabulous Dame Farrar and international sex symbol Larry Paradiseo in this hilarious world-class double act (with herself). Larry Paradiseo is a must see. Men want to be him. Women just want him.

The Fabulous Dame Farrar is appalling, unpredictable, shameless…but you can’t help but fall in love with this debaucherous diva. This will be a night of seriously funny entertainment and exceptional music in The Basement at The Arts Centre Gold Coast, Thursday 1 October. More at theartscentregc. com.au.

Greek culture on show at Evandale Experience vibrant Greek culture at its best at

this year’s Gold Coast Greek Festival. Enjoy delectable aromas and tastes of authentic Greek cooking while you feast on mouthwatering souvlaki, grilled octopus, loukoumi, baklava , thousands of loukoumades (honey puffs) and much more. With non-stop entertainment, competitions, activities, children’s fun fair and cultural exhibitions it all makes for a great Greek experience. The GC Greek Festival hits Evandale Parklands, Bundall on Sunday 11 October from 9.30am – 5.30pm and costs $7.00 to enter. $22,000 for young people to explore

A musical? Bring it on!

Bring It On The Musical comes to the Gold Coast direct from its Australian Premiere in Sydney in July 2015 playing for a strictly limited two week season from 8 to 17 January 2016. Bitingly relevant, sprinkled with sass, and inspired by the hit film, the production takes audiences on a high-flying journey filled with the complexities of friendship, jealousy, betrayal and forgiveness.

With a talented cast of 27 performing explosive dance and aerial stunts and elaborate tumbling and flipping routines, it’s an action packed production that will entertain all manner of theatre-goers. More at theartscentregc.com.au.

Broadway in the Basement with Issi Dye Issi Dye is celebrating his 50th Anniversary as a professional entertainer in Australia in 2016. Starting from national television shows in the late 60s and 70s including, Countdown, the Don Lane Show, Bert Newton, he’s racked up thousands of shows in front of millions of people. He’s toured with artists like Roy Orbison, The Everly Bros, Ray Charles, The Platters and Johnny O’Keefe. So it seems fitting that he marks his 50th anniversary with song and style. Catch Issi covering the crooners: Dean, Darin and Jolson on Saturday 24 October with doors at 6.30pm. Tickets $27.50. More at theartscentregc.com.au.

Comedy veteran comes to the GC Darren Sanders has been performing stand-up comedy for over 20 years and is a regular headline act at comedy clubs and corporate events around Australia. From hosting his own late night chat show to working alongside fellow comedians on the podcast Grumpy Old Comedians, Darren’s in a class of his own. He’ll be at The Basement, The Arts Centre Gold Coast on Friday 23 October. Doors at 6.30pm, show 8.00pm and tickets $25.00. More at theartscentregc.com. au.

Dave Stringer performs at Kirtan event Lovers of kirtan and yoga, look lively. Dave Stringer – a well known musician in the kirtan world, is returning to our ‘hood for an energetic and uplifting performance promising to be uplifting and spiritually elevating. This event sold out last time.

It happens 14 November at 6.30pm at Tallebudgera Community Hall and tickets are at tix.yt/davestringergoldcoastconcert.

One step closer to gender pay equality.

Through beer!

H

ouse of Brews is doing something to address the gender pay gap. At a very personal level.

The new Surfers Paradise taphouse and dining outlet has launched Gender Pay Gap Tuesdays – an initiative addressing inequality in Australia one beer at a time.

Women in Australia only earn 82% of the income of men so House of Brews is giving ladies a discount so that they only pay 82% of their bill.

Damien Kanaghines is co-owner of the venue. He said House of Brews had become a popular destination for groups of young women since its opening in August and that they were drawn to the safe environment offered by the Orchid Avenue hotspot, as well as its comfortable interior and friendly vibe.

“We have always been surrounded by strong women. We have a strong female presence in our business and many women managers,” he said, adding that the idea was something they just put together. “It’s not an idea we got from anywhere else.”

“The gender pay gap is an issue that we have to address. It has not been a strong focus in government policy,” Damien told Blank. “We realise that as a bar restaurant, we cannot change the issue, but what we can do is bring attention to it and start a discussion.

Damien said House of Brews was proud to be part of the changing image of Surfers Paradise.

“Girls feel safe here. Ten years ago this was a war zone but it’s not any more. We haven’t seen any fights or aggression. There are cameras everywhere,” he said. “There’s a real renaissance going on. A lot of people our age have travelled the world and come back here to start businesses.”

The three Kanaghines brothers have owned large bars in Bucharest, Romania, Budapest and Cyprus before coming back to the Gold Coast in 2002, opening Nonna’s in Harbourtown in 2005.

This strong social justice message isn’t one completely foreigh to the Kanaghines. At Nonna’s they give away 100 meals for Rosies to distribute to homeless people every week.

“We believe in giving back. When you are in business, you realise that you’re not infallible. You can have a measure of success, but you also have the knockbacks and failures. You learn to be humble. To have a measure of success, you learn to have a fair bit of gratitude,” he said.

True to form then, women aren’t the only beneficiaries of House of Brews’ social awareness. The company has chosen 4ASD Kids as a focus charity.

“It’s an autism charity started by Matt Rogers,” Damien said.

“Personally, I have a daughter with speech and language difficulties, and I understand how difficult it would be to deal with those issues if you didn’t have the financial resources to deal with it.”

“We’ll have a Karma Keg here, and the profits will go to that charity. It’s a way of doing something for others and having fun at the same time!”

And while you’re waiting for that Karma Keg, get along on a Tuesday night between 5.00 – 10.00pm for the Gender Pay Gap discount and be on the lookout for live music, with rock and solo blues artists playing regularly during the week.

ON BRAND ON TIME Promotional Products Printed tees Caps Banners / Signage

Marj Osborne and Samantha Morris More at houseofbrews.com.au.

07 5679 0015 sales@promotionsnow.com.au www.promotionsnow.com.au

YOU’RE INVITED TAFE Queensland Gold Coast

COOMERA CAMPUS

OPEN DAY and Launch of Bachelor Programs

SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER 10.00am – 3.00pm 198 Foxwell Rd, Coomera

THE PROGRAM WILL FEATURE › LAUNCH OF BACHELOR DEGREES From 2017 students will have the opportunity to move from successful completion of a Diploma into a Bachelor Degree at the TAFE Coomera Campus.

› RADIO METRO LIVE BROADCAST (11AM – 1PM) Radio Metro will support the day with a live broadcast with celebrity DJ/MC Bilsy.

› LIVE MUSIC TAFE music students will provide live entertainment showcasing their skills and passion.

› LIGHT & SOUND DEMONSTRATIONS Sound and Lighting students will talk you through what their course entails and showcase their skills using state of the art equipment.

› GLAM & ZOMBIE MAKEUP SESSIONS Grab a seat in the makeup chair with the Beauty students to have your Glam or Zombie makeup applied for the day.

› SEATED MASSAGE Seated massages will also be available with the Beauty team...a great chance for you to relax and talk to them about their courses.

› GREEN SCREEN & MOTION CAPTURE DEMOS Our Screen and Media industry experts will take you through Green Screen and Motion Capture demonstrations.

› DESIGN EXHIBITS Be inspired by design exhibits from Interior Design, Graphic Design and Building Design students.

› INTERACTIVE GAMING STATIONS Test our interactive gaming stations and speak to students and industry experts about courses in IT, Interactive Digital Media, related Bachelor Degrees and career pathways.

› GUIDED CAMPUS TOURS Guided Campus Tours will provide you with an opportunity to speak to current students and view our facilities including film editing suites, sound recording studios and black box theatre.

› CAREER AND COURSE ADVICE

Plus go in the draw to

›

Experience what training and careers in Creative Industries, Business and IT look and feel like.

WIN a 2-person 3 day pass to the Castrol Gold Coast 600!

MAKE GREAT HAPPEN | For more info visit tafegoldcoast.edu.au

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free Issue #26 OCTOBER 2015

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