7 DAYS OF ENTERTAINMENT

The big question I have is, in what ways has the loss of Justin changed your world view?

I set my memoir aside because it was largely a book about recovery. I’ve been working on it for years and Justin dying of an overdose of fentanyl changed that book. It’s a big hole I get to walk around in for the rest of my life. It’s not gonna get better. It’s not supposed to. You have to just accept that. You know, people will say the one thing that you should never have to do is bury your child, but that’s kind of bullshit. Somebody’s doing it every day. I’ve tried to keep that in mind as well. It’s just sort of disrespectful to think it’s something that’s only happened to you.

Has your creative process bent to the will of your grief?

I wrote one song, which is on the last record, right after he passed away. I’m a different person than I was before I lost my firstborn son. Just like I’m a different person than I was before I got sober, and a different person than before I moved to New York when I was 50 years old. All those things are kind of landmarks and they do change you. I write – that’s what I do. You know, that’s the only way I can kind of justify the space I take up. What are you looking forward to seeing this year in Byron?

It’s my favourite festival in the world – in a tie with Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (a festival held in the fall in San Francisco). But Byron is a great place to be for that three or four days. I’ve done some of the best shows I’ve ever done there. I’ve done it solo, and with bands, and there are always great audiences, they’re there for music. Byron’s my kind of town – every dog has a bandana. Find out more about Steve Earle and other great sets coming your way at: www.bluesfest.com.au.

SYDNEY’S HOTTEST MEN IN THEIR BRAND-NEW SHOW – LIVE ON STAGE @ MULLUM EX-SERVICES!

Welcome to the best hen’s night, bachelorette party or ultimate girls’ night out. Get frocked up and come out for a girl’s night out, with strippers from London, Vegas, Rio, Barcelona, and Sydney. The current Sydney Hotshots show includes some of the sexiest men on stage.

The hunks from Sydney Hotshots are set to sizzle and seduce you for one night only live at Mullum Ex-Services Club, Friday 17 February 8pm (strictly 18+).

Aside from their performers’ well-toned and ripped bodies, the Sydney Hotshots show is also renowned for its high-powered dance routines, spectacular lighting, unique costumes, and for blending sex appeal with humour, games, and big... personalities. Their brand-new show is a two-hour, nonstop exciting male cabaret show touring Australia now. With all new choreography, a wide range of hit music and classic cameos that include the Hot as Hell Fireman, the sensual and sensitive Officer and a Gentleman, the ‘Lock Me Up’ Policeman, the Special Forces SWAT Team and more. Get out, get naughty and let the cocktails wash over you.

Tickets from $35 + BF online or at Club reception www.mullumexservices.com.au/what-s-on

FLOW MUSIC PRESENTS: BYRON BAY

Let’s connect the world as one, with the love in our hearts, to the beat of the drum. After the magic of their Portal event in December, Flow Music invites you to gather together once again on the dance floor for a night of festival alchemy.

Featuring some of Europe’s biggest and most respected names in the electronic music scene, Flow Music will be delivering the European festival scene to Australia and create that much-loved vibe again at the Byron Bay Community Centre

The theatre will be transformed into a festival wonderland, with pre-show entertainment from 6pm, including body and face painting by donation, incredible dancers from Epic Creations, lighting by Tone from Crystal Grid and decor by Bare Foot Beat

Leading the musical charge will be melodic maverick Seth Schwarz who will be bringing his mighty bangers of symphonic dimensions to town. Seth incorporates elements of house, techno and electronica, while improvising with his violin for an emotional imprint, creating a unique signature on the virtual world of sound. His powerful productions have been moving dance floor communities across the world.

Fellow German, Franca, is set to heat things up with energetic, creative and groove-driven DJ sets. Playing on the fringes of techno and house, she is as tight on the controls as she is playful in her storytelling. Franca’s devoted approach to her work cannot only be heard in her continuing development as a DJ but also in her rising qualities as a producer.

We also welcome Dutch native, Joep Mencke, whose deep and melodious tracks, intertwined with organic sounds of nature, create a compelling and explorative experience. His sets at Burning Man, The Gardens of Babylon, Moga Festival and Afrikaburn, alongside his club residency at KUN in Istanbul, epitomise how his music radiates happiness, bringing people together across the globe.

Melbourne-cum-Amsterdam local, Deep Ghosh, is no stranger to expressing himself in the global music world, with selections of unabashed love of emotional, vocal melodies juxtaposed with the deeper end of the sonic spectrum. Deep is one of the curators of the Flow Sessions long-format mix series.

Flow Music is so excited to bring these headliners to Byron on the last stop of their Australian journey, which started at the wonder-filled Festival 23, then travelled south to move audiences in Sydney and Melbourne.

Music connects us all, from Europe to Australia to Indonesia, and back again. So let’s come a little closer to each other and set our souls alight as one on the dance floor. Saturday, 6.30pm at the Byron Theatre. Tickets: byroncentre.com.au.

Flickerfest returns to the Northern Rivers for it’s 26th year screening a smorgasbord of the best short films from the Byron region, Australia and the world, across four amazing sessions in one cinema-packed short-film weekend. All films are handpicked from a record 3200 entries, promising our Northern Rivers audiences an entertaining journey through the most remarkable short films in the world today

THURSDAY 16th February

7pm: Opening Night Gala

Includes complimentary drinks from Four Pillars Gin, Gage Roads Beer, Rosnay Organic Wine , PS Organic Juices & snacks on arrival before the Opening Night screening.

8pm: Best Of International Shorts Flickerfest is thrilled to present its Best of International Shorts programme, a selection of stunning film gems from our Academy® Qualifying and BAFTA recognised competition in Bondi. Highlights include the Australian premieres of the delightful Canadian Animation ‘The Flying Sailor’ and the masterful Danish Inuit drama ‘IVALU’ both recently nominated for an Oscar and the heart warming and uplifting UK comedy ‘Dream Big’ about a women who finds her power in mysterious ways.

FRIDAY 17th February

8pm: Best of Australian Shorts celebrates a diverse range of stories from across Australia that honour our unique identity and culture.

Selected from our Academy® Qualifying Australian competition in Bondi. Highlights include: the colourful and insightful Torres Strait cultural drama Katele (Mudskipper) about a woman longing for home, winner of Best Australian Short Film at Flickerfest 2023, the moving Teacups, based on an incredible true story, winner of Best Australian Animation: and two outstanding Northern Rivers’ films fresh from their Flickerfest premiere Bangay Lore by director Jahvis Loveda, and Six Of One by director Minka Bleakley.

Celebrating 26 years as National Flickerfest Festival Director in 2023 and 32 years of Flickerfest , Bronwyn Kidd says, “I’m always excited to be bringing Flickerfest home to the Northern Rivers where I live. The films we are presenting are clever, soulful, insightful, moving and funny and I think they will really resonate with our local audiences. Our Bangalow Flickerfest and Byron All Shorts weekend is for people of all ages who love cinema and great stories and want to celebrate the best of short cinema with other local cinema lovers, in a fun and welcoming festival environment.”

Info & tickets: Tickets and programme: www.iQ.org.au (booking is recommended, tix at the door subject to availability).

SATURDAY 18th February

4pm: Byron All Shorts returning for the 18th year presenting the Best of Northern Rivers’ Shorts; encouraging local audiences to experience the many amazing films and local stories that are produced on a range themes in the region each year. 14 incredible local short films will screen in competition for a range of prizes, and the filmmakers will be along to engage with audiences before and after the session.

8pm: Short Laughs Comedy Is an evening of joy with clever comedy from Australia and across the world. Highlights include the delightfully heartywarming French comedy romance, Born To Cry where a man confronts his fears and gets the girl, alongside an incredible band of followers, winner of Best International Short Film at Flickerfest 2023; and the stunning Australian animation An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It, just nominated for an Oscar for Short Animation.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN (PIANO) ADVENTURE

Award-winning pianist Andrea Lam throws open the doors to an interactive, ever-changing experience with Choose Your Own (Piano) Adventure

The audience ‘chooses its own musical adventure’ determining the playlist from a selection of works by composers ranging from J. S. Bach, Frederic Chopin and Claude Debussy to George Gershwin, Bill Evans – and more. A list of musical choices will be made available on the day, and audience members can submit their choices via their phone.

Interwoven through the concert, Lam performs Schubert’s breathtaking ‘Sonata in A major, D. 95’. This large-scale work encapsulates beauty, nostalgia, grandeur, intimacy, melancholy, joy, stillness and whimsy – all of the elements explored through the audience’s selection of works, whichever they will be.

Pronounced a ‘real talent’ by the Wall Street Journal, New York-based Australian pianist, Andrea Lam, performs with orchestras and leading conductors in Australasia, Japan, China and the United States, including the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and all major Australian symphony orchestras. From New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to the Sydney Opera House, she has played for Sydney Festival, Musica Viva’s Huntington Festival (Australia), Orford Festival (Canada), Chelsea Music Festival (USA) with works from Bach, Schumann and Chopin to Aaron Jay Kernis, Lilya Ugay, and Nigel Westlake.

See this exciting show on Sunday 19 February at 3pm at the Byron Theatre. Tickets: byroncentre.com.au.

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Celebrating Love

The Paddock Project is hosting a (pre) Valentine’s Day picnic at the home of the giant LOVE sign that welcomes everyone to Mullumbimby. The LOVE sign has set the tone for all visitors and locals who pass by on their way into town and has probably been the most photographed local influencer for the past three years.

The LOVE sign has taken its share of beatings with the extreme weather events of late; it is miraculously still standing, however, as it was not built for outside living it is slowly showing signs of ageing. Rather than letting LOVE die, the Paddock people have decided to have it remade in a more permanent material and will host a Family Fun Day to give the community the opportunity to help raise money to remake the LOVE sign.

The event will have music from 9am with Jay Squidge, Tony and the Thief, Zac Cracka Laka, Mia Bloom and Sophie Wilksch

Visitors will have the opportunity to walk through the gardens and pick flowers to make their own arrangements, with two florists on hand to assist. There will be face painting, art and craft stalls, an art display, and workshops. Photographs will be taken of young, old and new lovers at the LOVE sign and the kiosk will be serving a special menu and more.

Come and join in for this LOVEly community event. Saturday at 64 Argyle St, Mullumbimby from 9am to 3pm.

A Big Month In The House

There’s a lot of awesome stuff happening at Brunswick Picture House this month – coming soon is Wil Anderson’s Whatchu Talkin’ ‘Bout Wil? He’s back with an all new night of laughs – this is a completely improvised night of stand-up comedy. Every show is completely different, made up on the spot with the help of the audience. ‘Savage intelligence and rapid-fire riffing…’ according to Time Out Magazine

Wednesday, 15 February at 7pm.

After releasing three hit albums with Killing Heidi, Ella Hooper embarked on her solo career. Her forthcoming album, Small Town Temple has been hailed as a new beginning, showcasing Ella’s deeply personal songwriting.

Thursday 16 February at 7pm.

Grab your tickets fast for Libby Donovan. A powerful vocalist and sassy cabaret performer, Libby will take you on a retrospective journey, celebrating the high notes, big hair and fashion moments of her 20-year career.

Saturday 18 February at 7pm.

Back by popular demand is the Moontide Ensemble in their farewell show before heading overseas. The Moontide Ensemble returns to the Brunswick Picture House to perform their highly regarded audiovisual show. This performance, which is largely improvised, offers a glimpse beyond the veil of Moontide’s previous productions along with other unreleased material.

Friday 24 February at 7pm.

Book tickets for all of these shows now through brunswickpicturehouse.com.