Eagle Eye Jones heads for Wamberal

A near-death experience in the Himalayas was the inspiration for Eagle Eye Jones frontman Luke Saunders to write the single Alpine Meadows, which kicked off the band’s debut album, New Growth.

Central Coast audiences will have a chance to hear the music first-hand when the band plays at Wamberal on June 16 as part of an east coast tour.

“I was travelling through Nepal at the start of 2020 and as we got to base camp there was two weeks of crazy weather – falls of snow and then sunshine; prime condition for avalanches,” Saunders said.

“Sure enough, we were caught in an avalanche and had to run to a cave for shelter and hide there until the danger had passed.”

Seven people lost their lives at the location.

“It really brought home to me my own mortality and then I came home to COVID-19 and multiple lockdowns, which reinforced the fragility of life to the entire band,” Saunders said.

“We had started off as a bluesy rock groove band, but through that period we grew up.

“We began to take ourselves more seriously as songwriters and our writing became a lot more introspective.

“The result is more orchestral songs, with deeper messages and deeper songcraft.

“We were inspired by such master storytellers as Radiohead – they moved us and impacted us a lot.”

“The music was inspired by dislocation and disassociation in a frightening time.

“There are love songs, heartbreak songs and songs of triumph.

“They more or less follow our journey in chronological order – from feeling hopeful through a descent into madness and then a triumphant return to inner peace and hope.”

New Growth was recorded and produced at Studios 301 by Jack Garzonio, who worked with the band tirelessly throughout 2020 in order to perfect the songs – citing Jeff Buckley, Radiohead/Thom

Yorke as influences.

The trilogy of early singles from the album, Alpine Meadows, Paperskin, and Wardrobe of Masks, have clocked over 80,000 organic streams on Spotify.

As decades of friendship and musicianship strained under battles with addiction and mental health, Eagle Eye Jones banded together, glued by the vision of their sound.

New Growth is a love letter to humanity; 10 songs which are intimate, interwoven stories of five friends.

Eagle Eye Jones plays at the Ocean view Café, Wamberal, from 7pm on June 16.

Tickets can be booked at https://eagleeyejones.floktu. com/

Harvest Festival warmed the hearts of many

The Central Coast Harvest Festival 2023 brought warm hearts and smiles to organisers, locals and visitors alike over the recent long weekend.

Big attendances caused parking challenges at many of the Central Coast’s hinterland venues.

Pecan picking on the Artisan Estate at Somersby saw cars parked along the roadside for almost a kilometre as residents flocked to the popular nut foraging sessions, all of which were sold out.

At Wyong Creek Public School, the Harvest Day Fair was packed out as families enjoyed stalls with fresh local produce, gumboot throwing and a petting zoo.

At Glenworth Valley the Grazing Days were sold out as young revellers enjoyed a series of big-stage musical performances from local and visiting bands as well as a dozen traditional and exotic food stalls.

The national touring exhibition William Kentridge: I Am Not Me, The Horse Is Not Mine will be at Gosford Regional Gallery from June 17-August 27.

Peter and Ruth Donnelly from Coachwood Nursery were thrilled with the numbers attending their plant, flower and fruit farm.

“Everyone’s been having a really nice time, and numbers have been really good,” Peter said.

“They’re coming from all over NSW; we’ve had lots of people using BnBs around here, Airbnb, hotels, motels and they’ve been staying overnight,” Ruth added.

The Sustainable Wetlands and Agriculture Makers Project aka SWAMP of Wyong shared knowledge and sold produce and pumpkins over the weekend.

“The Harvest Festival is a great way of bringing locals closer to the people and places that produce food locally,” SWAMP co-ordinator Sue Bradley said.

Up on the mountain Entopark insect farm opened its gates to allow hundreds of attendees to experience its innovative insect digestive system, which has attracted interest from around the world.

Company founders Romendo and Anne Atayde said: “It’s been a great opportunity to show the locals what we’ve