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CHRISTMAS MARATHON
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THURS 20 DEC
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SAT 22 DEC
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BOXING DAY
WEDNESDAY 26 DECEMBER Support Jo Jo + Jubtek Doors 9pm · Free entry before 10pm
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The Know Feature Story The Loop Local Feature
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C U LT U R E
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The Guide
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Festival season is finally here and if you’re anything like me you’ll want to make sure you fit in as much dancing to music in the sunshine as you can. One festival favourite of ours is the legendary Beyond The Valley which is back again for round five this year! Running over the New Year’s weekend, thousands are expected to overtake Lardner Park to check out this musical paradise with sets from the likes of PNAU, The Kooks, Tash Sultana, Duke Dumont, Alex Lahey, Ball Park Music, Boo Seeka, City Calm Down and Client Liaison – just to name a few.
PH: 03 5229 7969 2/105 Skene St, VIC 3220 enquiries@fortemag.com.au
FREEBIES Acclaimed world music outfit, Hello Tut Tut, have announced an east coast regional Australian tour 3-28 January 2019, including a fun stop by Newstead Live in our part of the region. Because it’s Christmas and we love our readers we’ve got some fun Chrissy giveaways for you guys which includes a Hello Tut World Music Dance Band CD, a Hello Tut Tut T-shirt and even Hello Tut Tut Tea.
We’re particularly keen to see Canberra nu soul electro over-achievers SAFIA return to the Beyond The Valley stage in 2018. Having clocked up over 50 million streams globally, ARIA nominations and two gold selling singles, the Forté cover stars are sure-fire faves on the Australian electro scene and a much-loved live act, thrilling fans at all the best festivals Australia has to offer. We chat to the boys ahead of this years sold out festival!
T O EN T ER:
Publisher Furst Media Pty. Ltd. Editor Talia Rinaldo
talia@fortemag.com.au
Advertising Josh Dowling
josh@fortemag.com.au
General Manager Glenn Lynch
glenn@fortemag.com.au
Email your name, your number and the code word ‘TUT TUT’ to talia@fortemag.com.au
Art Director Nathan Mossop
artwork@fortemag.com.au
Interns Chloe Cicero, Lauren McKinnon, Ellen Gorman.
Further in this issue we also chat to Nashville’s Soccer Mommy, American rockers Taking Back Sunday ahead of their appearance at Unify Gathering, Ballarat’s progressive metaller’s Ebonivory, Byron Bay’s In Hearts Wake, as well as a chat with the mastermind behind the region’s new Cereal & Cream Bar, plus heaps more!
FORTÉGRAM Tag us @Forte_mag or #Fortemag to be featured!
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Contributors Anthony Morris, Alastair McGibbon, Chris Lambie, Dr John Lamp, Natalie Rogers, Paul S Taylor, Tammy Walters, Wylie Caird. Advertisers and agents are advised that all advertising copy is their responsibility under the trade practices act. Advertisements are published in good faith and on the understanding that the content is legitimate and lawful. Advertisers and or agents submit advertisements at their own risk. The editor and creators hold no responsibility whatsoever for the content of the magazine in the case that it may offend. Forté accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions. Forté reserves the right to edit all articles and letters.
With Christmas just around the corner, we’ve also done our bit for you last-minute shoppers, highlighting some local businesses to source your presents from, as well as a list of the legendary locals staying open on Christmas morning for all your caffeine needs! Merry Christmas ya filthy animal!
@tammywalters
@marcwelshpaints
OPEN FOR DINNER 4:30PM - 9PM TUES - SUN
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PIXAR PUTT TO TEE OFF IN MELBOURNE
YALUK-UT WEELAM NGARGEE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Kicking off the new year in the best possible way, Australia’s newest pop-up mini golf experience, Pixar Putt, will land in Melbourne on January 4. Inspired by the beloved stories, characters and icons from some of Disney-Pixar’s most iconic films including Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E, Inside Out and Coco, Pixar Putt is anticipated to take guests to infinity... and beyond! Located on the River Terrace at Federation Square, guests can choose between playing 9-holes for a bit of fun or just keep putting on the 18-hole course. As the newest must-do attraction in Melbourne for summer, this one’s for both the young and the young at heart. Tickets are on sale now via www.pixarputt.com.au so get your friends and family and prepare to kick some serious putt.
The Yaluk-ut Weelam Ngargee Festival will be making its way to the iconic Memo Music Hall in St Kilda early next year. The festival will be led by Mojo Juju, who has had a huge year off her acclaimed third album, Native Tongue, which recently saw her nominated for a slew of ARIA Awards. Juju will be joined by The Merindas (who showcased at BIGSOUND earlier this year), Squid Nebula and Willow Beats’ Kalyani Mumtaz. The music concert will fall on the eve of the traditional free, family-friendly festival taking place on Saturday 2 February in O’Donnell Gardens, all in celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture held in St Kilda. The festival will be kicking off Friday 1 February 2019. Tickets for the festival are on sale now via https://www.memomusichall.com.au
PROGFEST REVEALS FULL LINEUP FOR 2019
REVERENCE HOTEL WILL BE CLOSING ITS DOORS IN MARCH
Progfest has kept the hype ball rolling on its 10th year anniversary show by dropping a killer second lineup across its Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane shows, featuring the likes of Circles and Chaos Divine. The first lineup announcement in September revealed The Ocean will be heading over from their hometown of Berlin to shake up the stage. The Ocean were joined by progressive metal group Monuments and the incredible Skyharbour. The Ocean and Monuments have also unveiled sideshows in Perth and Adelaide. Now, Progfest have capped off their biggest lineup ever, bringing on Circles, Chaos Divide, Opus Of A Machine, Ballarat’s Ebonivory, City Of Souls and Toehider and loads more to put together one hell of a 10th anniversary. Progfest is hitting Melbourne on January 26 2019. For tickets, visit wildthingpresents.com.
In sad news for the music community, Footscray gem the Reverence Hotel has announced it will be closing in March next year, following uncertainty around its lease. The hotel has been operating on a month-by-month lease, making it difficult to plan for the long-term. After difficulty finding a more secure solution, the owners have decided to call it quits. It’s been just over six years since The Rev started serving up drinks and good times. In a statement on the venue’s Facebook page, the owners said they’re proud of what they’ve accomplished, thanking the bands, staff and loyal customers for their love and support. Gigs, drinks and taco Tuesdays will still go ahead up until the last call, which is set for Saturday March 2.
WHAT’S ON
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TRIPLE J ANNOUNCES DATE FOR HOTTEST 100 COUNTDOWN
PEKING DUK ARE BACK FOR THEIR BIGGEST TOUR EVER
For the second year in a row, The Hottest 100 will land on Sunday January 27 in 2019, keeping true to triple j’s promise of running it on the fourth weekend of January. Those who are looking to party hard will luckily have Monday’s public holiday to recover from any potential consequences. Voting for the Hottest 100 of 2018 is open now until Tuesday, 22nd January. We’d be expecting to see songs by the likes of Childish Gambino, Drake, Amy Shark, RÜFÜS DU SOL and Post Malone to place highly in the countdown. For this year’s Hottest 100, triple j is also teaming up with Lifeline, the leading provider of crisis support and suicide prevention in Australia with funds raised going towards Lifeline making it possible for their trained volunteers to reach around 4,000 more calls.
Australia’s favourite duo Peking Duk return in 2019 with their Biggest Tour Ever. After selling out The Wasted Tour across Australian capital cites, Peking Duk will share the epic live show and reveal brand new music to 50,000 fans across capital cities and regional areas. “We are so damn stoked to announce this tour. 2019 is going to be the best year for Peking Duk yet. We’ll be releasing a lot of the best music we’ve ever written and we plan to put on the biggest, sweatiest and wildest shows of all time. First taste of the new music is out in January and more to follow early in 2019. We can’t wait to share it with everyone and see your faces at the shows.” Catch them at Melbourne Arena on May 10. Tickets via pekingduk.com
UNIFY GATHERING ADDS FINAL BAND TO 2019 LINEUP
MELBOURNE’S MIDSUMMA FESTIVAL RETURNS FOR 2019
With its return set for January, UNIFY Gathering have added one final band to its 2019 lineup. Melbourne-based rockers Pridelands have joined the UNIFY lineup, after claiming first place in a triple j Unearthed competition. The band will open the festival on Saturday January 12 with their blend of metalcore and post-hardcore. The five-piece — originally from Mount Gambier in South Australia — moved to Melbourne in 2014, and have since released debut EP Natives, second EP Any Colour You Desire and supported the likes of Dead Letter Circus, Northlane and Hellions. Pridelands join a UNIFY lineup which already includes the likes of Underoath, Karnivool, In Hearts Wake, Taking Back Sunday and Every Time I Die. Better start limbering up to hit the mosh pit, this one is going to be a doozy.
Midsumma Festival will reveal itself in all its finery once again, bringing a kaleidoscope of pre-eminent queer arts and cultural festivities from 19 January to 10 February 2019. Celebrating LGBTQIA+ cultures since 1988, Midsumma Festival offers a diverse array of spectacular performances, exhibitions, talks and social events with leading international, national and local artists. 2019 will see 165 events created by 1,600 artists and performers across 75 venues aiming to foster LGBTI pride. Highlights include the ever-popular Midsumma Extravaganza featuring Joel Creasey, Zoe Coombs Marr and Trevor Ashley, Truly Madly Britney, the tale of two boyfriends embarking on a pilgrimage along the holy sites of Britney Spear’s 2007 breakdown, and MDSLX by Motus, touted as a “perceptions-scrambling trip” by the New York Times. Check out the full lineup at midsumma.org.au
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BEYOND THE VALLEY GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THIS YEAR!
WRITTEN BY TAMMY WALTERS
DECEMBER IS HERE! AS MOST OF THE The boys are going even bigger and better for BTV with us music is very visual. We write with a strong visual in It’s only up from here for Safia in 2019, with a new album POPULATION PUT UP THEIR CHRISTMAS TREES, the trio expanding on the production and theatrics of mind and even more so with new music. It’s more about on the horizon and international ventures in sight. HAVE A FEW TOO MANY DRINKS AT THE WORK the live show. vibe and building rather than big hook moments and CHRISTMAS PARTY AND JAM TO MARIAH ON elements like that. I think particularly because there is “Hopefully next year is album time and kind of bringing REPEAT, MUSIC ENTHUSIASTS ARE CELEBRATING “We did the screens for the Starlight shows and it such a strong visual element, even more so with music this new show to fruition and getting to as much of THE START OF A DIFFERENT SEASON. THAT’S actually worked really well so I think we might start right now, that’s why we’ve looking at different avenues this country as we can at some stage, and try to take it RIGHT, MUSIC FESTIVAL SEASON IS UPON US doing that everywhere else. It kind of plays into the to bring that to life.” overseas as well. Hopefully it’s going to be pretty busy. AND SPIRITS ARE HIGH AS OUR FAVOURITE NYE shows theatrics and dynamics, and really used the idea We’ve got a few shows in January to get it off to a good FESTIVALS STEP UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH of darkness and simplicity a lot more as well,” vocalist It’s anticipated the crowd will come to life as well during start but I’m just keen to get this new music out there.” THE MOST ENTICING OF LINE-UPS. Ben Woolner says. “It’s easy to kind of get carried away the highly spun new single, ‘Starlight’, with phone and do all of these show effects and all of these crazy torches held high and Instagram stories in the making, The same sentiment goes for Beyond The Valley as they Celebrating its fifth year, Beyond The Valley have truly lights, screens, visuals, everything going at once but I adding a bit of magic to the moment. So make sure you set their sights on an even bigger line up and event. stepped up their game securing none other than the think now we’re kind of looking at incorporating that head down to Electric City before their set to recharge! While this year’s festival is sold out [in record time I bright and shiny lads from the UK, The Kooks, along simplicity into the set where it all goes to black or we might add] there may still be tickets on their official with Joey Badass, Tash Sultana, Duke Dumont, PNAU, just use the spotlight effectively at the right moment, “I’ve never seen so many phones up during a song at resale site Tixel. Get on it now and make sure your Fisher, Alex Lahey, Client Liaison, and DZ Deathrays make it almost more like a theatre piece now which is those shows which is ironic as it’s a song about being prepared for 2019! to name a few. what we are aiming to get to.” present [laughs]. I was like ‘okay, cool. This song must be connecting with a few people’. It’s very hard to gage in Beyond The Valley takes place from But the real ‘stars’ of this festival will be Canberra Expect the integration of technology as well, an avenue this day and age when there’s so much music it’s almost boys, Safia. 2018 has seen the trio release two singles, the boys have been exploring this past year through paralysing but it seems like people are enjoying it. the 28th of December 2018, through ‘Freakin Out’ and ‘Starlight’, playing “less shows but augmented reality in their album artwork and virtual to the very early hours of January 1st bigger shows” on their Eastern Australia tour, taking reality gaming for the ‘Freakin’ Out’ premiere. “I feel like it has the summer festival potential!” Woolner 2019 at Lardner Park, Lardner – just on China and appearing on just about every festival continues. “We’re playing a few shows over summer and 90 mins drive outside Melbourne. line up including a Splendour in the Grass set which “We’ve been playing around with a lot of different the end of the year. It should be interesting to see how received huge praise for its massive production and technologies and trying to work out different and it goes. I think last time we played [BTV] it was a lot engaging performance. So what better way to cap off interesting ways to roll out the single and then make of fun and I think The Jungle Giants are playing either the year than with BTV? the art either side of it engaging,” Woolner says. “For before or after us so it’s going to be good!” 12
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, s w e r b 0 0 2 d o r e o f v O t a e r g , c i s u live m of fun s d a o &l . . . n u s , e r e h m m t u s is in h t t u o y uiet da q a D. r e A t f g a n e o r r ’ ew h t if you t a g in k o o l e r ’ you
FEB 16 2019 geelong racecourse
BEERS, CIDERS & WINE . 3 STAGES OF LIVE MUSIC . FOOD TRUCKS & BBQ . PIANO BAR . WACKY RACES . AND LOADS MORE
tickets @ gabf.com.au 704
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Summyesr Sunda
Chilled tunes. Delicious food. Relaxed vibes. Sunday 6, 13 and 20 January 2019. 3–7pm at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens. Sunday 6 January
Fulton Street
Honey Hunter
Fraser Gorman
Ruby Wragg
Round the Way, lil’ nomnoms, Dos Diablos, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Enchanted Caravan (Knife, Fork, Spoon), Bianco Latte, Boost Juice, Bean me Up Espresso
Sunday 13 January
Alice Skye
Gangz
FLOC
Kee’ahn
The Gypsy’s Lunchbox, Forge Pizzeria, Dos Diablos, Round the Way, Wholefood Simply, Luigi’s Gelato, Boost Juice, Bean me Up Espresso
Sunday 20 January
Jazz Party
Sahara Beck
Laura Imbruglia
Candi
Grill your Hunger, Forge Pizzeria, The Dumpling Man, East India Trading Company, The Classic Milk Bar Co., Luigi’s Gelato, Boost Juice, Bean me Up Espresso
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BENDIGO CASTLEMAINE
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DIVINYLS HONOUR GREAT CHRISSY AMPHLETT
TROPHY EYES WIN THE PRIZE Newcastle punksters Trophy Eyes will begin 2019 with a tour, showing their regional fans that their love and support has not gone unnoticed. Frontman John Floreani: “Over the last few years, our home has shown us unconditional love and support … We finally have the chance to share our story in some regional areas and give some love back.” Barwon Club, Geelong – January 9 & Karova Lounge, Ballarat – January 10.
Long is the time since billboards across the country have lit up with the name Divinyls. Well that time has come again as founding member, guitarist and co-songwriter Mark McEntee returns in 2019 with a talented new line-up hitting the road in March to honour the legacy and celebrate the indelible music created with the late, great Chrissy Amphlett. Feeling an organic need as a musician to perform the songs he co-wrote once again, McEntee will lead a major Divinyls tour in 2019. It’s time. And it’s also, as McEntee says, a Divinyls Mission. You can catch Divinyls at the Lorne Hotel on Sunday March 10. Tickets via Oztix.
GRAND SALVO’S LUCKY SEVEN
SMOKED & OVERDUE Tackle the silly-season this December with the soon-to-be ‘Hot New Thing’ (if they aren’t already) - Smoked & Overdue. They play with first time headliners Dirty Dance Machine, on their last gig for 2018. Coming from Melbourne, Jezzah, Tysonator & Hollywood, better known as Cranes Against Clouds, bring their unique Pop/ Rock inspired by love, loss & pets! Two sisters and drummer Ty are opening the night with a load of sweet pop and smiles a plenty. FREE ENTRY for original gigs at the Petrel Hotel. It goes down Saturday December 15 from 8pm.
COUNTRY MUSIC & CARAVAN PARKS Hey look, it’s the Great Australian Caravan Park Country Music Showcase Tour featuring Andrew Swift and Gretta Ziller. 21 shows in as many days is a solid effort, but these two are pros. Anglesea Family Caravan Park, Anglesea – December 27 & Ocean Grove Holiday Park, Ocean Grove – December 28. Joining them throughout will be 2018 Toyota Star Maker winner, Brad Cox.
Under the moniker Grand Salvo, Melbourne’s Paddy Mann has released seven albums. His latest, Sea Glass, is his first in six years and utilises qanun (Persian dulcimer), kora (African harp), koto (Japanese stringed instrument) and Indian percussion. It is the baroque-folk artist’s first album for Mistletone Records. The Bridge, Castlemaine – December 15. He will be joined by Jonathan Michell (The Ancients).
BLUESTONE BLUES FESTIVAL A highlight on the Sleepy Hollow Blues Club’s calendar, the Bluestone Blues Festival has become the place to be for blues lovers with people trekking across the country for the NYE celebration. On New Year’s Eve you have Dollar 20 Blues Band, Simon Kinny-Lewis Band, Catfish Voodoo, Blue Heat and Louis King and the Liars Klub. On New Year’s Day you have Wayne Jury Four, Rhythm X Revival, PJ O’Brien Band and The McNaMarr Project.
THE RIGHT FIT FOR DIDIRRI He has been dividing his time between here and abroad, and fortunately Didirri keeps the shows coming in 2019. You may be aware that the Melbourne singersongwriter released his debut EP, Measurements, earlier this year. Performances at The Great Escape, Primavera, SXSW and Splendour in the Grass and a signing to Paradigm Talent Agency have also been a part of his fruitful year. Torquay Hotel, Torquay – January 4.
SUMMER IN THE PARKS Bendigo’s Summer in the Parks features more than 100 free or low-cost events throughout December, January and February. The music series, which takes place every Friday throughout February, is always popular, while the outdoor cinema is a fantastic event for the family. Christmas carols, New Year’s Eve fireworks and Australia Day celebrations also get a work out. Browse the program through bendigosummerintheparks.com.
TIA GOSTELOW’S TOUGH SIDE PARTY HARDY DARK PARTY Premiering in 2008, the enormous popularity of The Dark Party has meant they have not performed in Australia for three years. For the uninitiated, The Dark Party consists of Dirty Shep, Dirty Pat and Dirty Gordo whose gothic sideshow theatre is a mixture of trick-based performance, comedy and sideshow stunts. An exclusive show hits up Ballarat’s Mechanics Institute this Saturday, December 15.
LOOKING AT YOU, CONFIDENCE MAN Confidence Man is an electro-pop quartet that knows what they want and how to get it. They released their debut single, ‘Boyfriend (Repeat)’, in 2016, and before you could put together a choreographed dance routine the band was playing Glastonbury. Confident Music for Confident People is their appropriately titled debut. Torquay Hotel, Torquay – January 6. You can also catch ’em at Golden Plains.
Sixteen was a sweet year for Tia Gostelow, who wrote the song ‘State of Art’ that was later recorded with Konstantin Kersting of The Belligerents. The song would wind up winning triple’s j 2016 Indigenous Initiative and score a place in their Unearthed High Top 5 of 2016. The working relationship with Kersting proved solid, and now the singer-songwriter has released her debut album, Thick Skin. Workers Club, Geelong – February 9.
SHAKE N BAKE 2019 Thursday 13 Andy Forster Friday 14 Jeff Jordan Saturday 15 Dave Anderson Sunday 16 Nick Tabone and Lune Biscan Monday 17 Andy Forster
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Tuesday 18 Jeff Jordan Wednesday 19 Karaoke Luke Biscan Thursday 20 Luke Biscan and Andy Forster Friday 21 Dave Anderson
Sunday 23 Nick Tabone and Luke Biscan Monday 24 Luke Biscan
Sureshaker has got the right stuff for you in 2019. The fourth instalment of Shake N Bake is coming to Geelong, invading the Workers Club on January 27. Gold Member, The Moving Stills and The Vitriots will represent the Sureshaker family. To get to know the bands a little better, Gold Member’s new single is ‘Wild Stories’, The Moving Stills’ new single is ‘Almost There’ and The Vitriots’ latest jam is ‘Pinball Wizard’.
Saturday 22 Jeff Jordan
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THIS STATE WE’RE IN INDUSTRY UPDATES FROM MUSIC VICTORI A Hi Forte readers! After a busy November, we’re very happy to sit down, relax and take a look back on what went down over the last month. It was amazing to see such an overwhelming number of quality nominees in the running to win at this year’s The Age Music Victoria Awards. A massive congrats to this year’s regional and outer suburban winners This Way North for Best Regional/Outer Suburban Act, Meeniyan Town Hall for Best Regional/Outer Suburban Venue - Under 50 Gigs Per Year, Karova Lounge (Ballarat) for Best Regional/Outer Suburban Venue – Over 50 Gigs Per Year (all of which received $3,000 each courtesy of Bendigo Bank) and Golden Plains for Best Festival. A further congratulations to both Baker Boy and Courtney Barnett for netting several gongs each with 4 and 3 awards respectively. This week we’re excited to announce the launch of Cultivate, a new leadership program aimed at mid-career and established women in the Victorian music industry who wish to further their leadership and management skills. Supported by the Victorian Government, Cultivate aims to foster the development of some of the state’s key decision makers, business owners, and industry leaders within the music sector, by partnering them up with CEOs, senior role holders and experienced mentors to support and guide the advancement of their careers. Participants will also be engaged in personalised leadership training programs, group masterclasses and networking opportunities. Applications are open now and close 14 January 2019. The Music Victoria/VMDO office will be closed for the festive break from 5pm Friday 21 December 2018 and will re-open for business on Monday 7 January 2019. Have a wonderful and music-filled month until we next write... Christmas cheers, and happy new year! The Music Vic crew
MEMBER MOMENT Sanicki Lawyers Proudly a Music Victoria member, Sanicki Lawyers is a boutique entertainment and commercial law firm. It offers legal services across a range of areas. Focusing on creative industries and small businesses, they have acted on the behalf of many major Australian entertainers including British India, Megan Washington and Darryl Braithwaite. Their hard-working and experienced team pride themselves on their practical yet cost-effective legal advice. Music Victoria thanks the team at Sanicki Lawyers for supporting us and the Victorian music community. Sanicki Lawyers offers all Music Victoria members a free initial consultation – check it, and other benefits, out on our website (www. musicvictoria.com.au). GIG OF THE MONTH Mulatu Astatke & the Black Jesus Experience at Theatre Royal, Castlemaine (Friday January 25 2019) Mulatu Astatke is the creator of an entire musical genre as the Father of Ethio-Jazz and one of Africa’s most influential and enduring musical figures. Mulatu was at the heart of Ethiopia’s urban music renaissance during the latter part of the 20th century. He came to renewed world prominence through the ‘Ethiopiques’ record series and the soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Broken Flowers’. As part of his final Australian tour, Mulatu will be touring with locals Black Jesus Experience, Australia’s premier Ethio-funk ensemble who are born of Australia’s vibrant multiculturalism. Come and see this unique performance in one of Victoria’s best theatres! Tickets via theatreroyalcastlemaine.oztix.com.au/
A NICE DAY TO GO TO THE PUB The Torquay Hotel Summer Series is as refreshing as a Zooper Dooper, and arguably the best flavour of them all is the mini-fest that goes by the name A Nice Day to Go to the Pub. Although more artists are to be announced, at the time of writing you already have Cosmic Psychos, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks, Warped, Bitch Diesel, The Living Eyes and Jelly Mammoth. January 26 is the date.
COASTAL JAMS Kick out the Coastal Jams. UNO takes a scenic stroll down the coast for two shows early in 2019, hitting up Lorne Hotel/View on January 5 and Warrnambool Laneway Bar on January 6. Luke Million and Benson head up both gigs, with a fine support cast rounding out the day/night party. Both shows take place from 2-11pm. There are still a few tickets hanging around, but not too many. Get the full details through coastaljam.com.
BEECHWORTH MUSIC FESTIVAL The Beechworth Music Festival takes place across January 25 & 26 with a line-up that’s not too shabby at all. Tumbleweed, Sal Kimber & the Rollin’ Wheel, The Rubber Band, School Damage, Emilee South, Pablo Pace, 3 Deadly Rivers, Black Magic and Amaya Laucirica are among the performers, plus there will be a DJ set from Architecture in Helsinki. Learn a little more through beechworthmusicfestival.com.
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GOING ON A BEER RUN
The Season will feature Melbourne Theatre Company’s ‘The Violent Outburst that Drew Me to You’; Melbourne City Ballet’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’; and HiT! Production’s ‘Waistwatchers – The Musical’.
Three beer festivals in three months are heading your way in 2019, and we’ve got the dates covered in one convenient blurb. The Ballarat Beer Festival takes place on January 19, shifting to the Northern Gardens. The Great Australian Beer Festival takes place on February 16 at the Geelong Racecourse. And the Bendigo Craft Beer & Cider Festival takes place on March 23 at the Tom Flood Sports Centre.
Rising musical theatre star Lorinda Merrypor will make her debut at the Potato Shed next July in Tony Brigg’s award winning play ‘The Sapphires’, which will be at the Shed for two big nights. Cabaret is once again a strong feature of the programme, with the return of the 2018 sold out show Paris Underground. Anya Anastasia will present Executioner, and after touring the globe, Valerie Hex (aka James Welsby) dazzled the audience with her brand of breathtaking drag, dance, circus and burlesque, next May 2019 with YUMMY DELUX.
BY THE C (AGAIN) There have been further By the C shows added, and Geelong is one of the lucky ones with the travelling showcase set to hit Leura Park Estate on March 17. Lucky, because one John Farnham headlines the event – we’re talking a touch of paradise with him alone. Jon Stevens, Vanessa Amorosi, The Black Sorrows and Ross Wilson are also on the line-up. Further information is available through bythec.com.au.
POTATO SHED 2019 SEASON LAUNCH
BOXING DAY AT LAMBYS Have you got the day off and stuck on what to do Boxing Day? We’ve got you covered, making a pitstop of their world tour, the super talented duo that is Mashd N Kutcher, will be keeping the Christmas celebrations going, with an unmissable Lambys sesh this Boxing Day. Give your best attempt to dance all the Christmas food away as this DJ duo play originals and even some remixes of your fave tracks, making this set one of the biggest #LambysSesh of the year, so don’t miss out. Doors open at 9pm, with FREE entry before 10. Tickets are $15 after 10pm. #NeverLambAlone
DAMIEN RICE FINALLY RETURNS It’s been a long time since Damien Rice made a visit to Australia, a touch over ten years in fact, but the sun will shine a little brighter on his fans next year. The Irish songman has announced a handful of shows, and while there has been a recent tease of new music, his three albums continue to provide great entertainment. My Favourite Faded Fantasy is his most recent. Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo – February 9.
The Mayor of Geelong Bruce Harwood launched the 2019 POTATO SHED Season on Wednesday December 5th.
BY THE C just became even more of a Summer 2019 ‘Must-See’ with the thrilling addition of Australia’s global stars The Church to a superstar line-up featuring ICEHOUSE, Sunnyboys, Do Re Mi and Mental As Anything. These five GIANTS of Australian Music are the perfect summer treat for music fans and it is the first time they have played together on the same stage. These shows are special ‘one-off’ treat for music lovers at some of Australia’s best outdoor locations and are not to be missed – you will not see this same line-up again! Leura Park, Geelong - February 9.
GIGS O’ THE TIMES Mike Noga – The Eastern, Ballarat on December 14; Russell Morris – Sphinx Hotel, Geelong on December 15; The Old Married Couple – Cabaret Club, Ballarat on December 15 & Piano Bar, Geelong on December 18; Roadshow Deluxe Tour – The Bridge, Castlemaine on December 16; Malcura – The Loft, Warrnambool on December 21; and The Resignators – Horvat’s Spa Bar, Daylesford on December 21.
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BEAUTY OF THE BEASTS
Psychedelic favourites Earthless will make their fifth Australian visit next year. 2015 was the last time they spread their Californian charm, but they have a couple more albums with them this time. One is new studio album Black Heaven, the other is live album From the West. While primarily known as an instrumental outfit, Isaiah Mitchell’s vocals appear on more than half of the tracks on the new album. Barwon Club, Geelong – March 8.
ROBYN HITCHCOCK’S QUICK RUN Robyn Hitchcock is widely regarded as one of the father figures of alternative rock, founding The Soft Boys in 1976 and since releasing more than twenty albums. His latest release is his 2017 self-titled album, which features guest appearances from Gillian Welch and Aussie country singer-songwriter Emma Swift. Playing a blink and you’ll miss it tour next year, Robyn has a date with The Eastern, Ballarat on March 3.
ARARAT LIVE IN 2019 Ararat Live has announced a few treats coming your way in the first half of 2019, including some international guests. Canada’s “tenderly skewed folk” artist Dana Sipos performs on February 13. Old-time roots, newtime sounds duo Red Tail Ring perform on March 13. The Frank Burkitt Band performs on April 10. Daniel Champagne performs on May 1. And Mark Lang (Skipping Girl Vinegar) performs on May 15.
THE IDEALISTIC MUNCIE GIRLS It’s nice when bands get along. When the UK’s Muncie Girls supported The Hard Aches last year, they returned the favour by taking the band on a UK/EU tour. Now the trio is coming back in support of their second album Fixed Ideals, and they have The Hard Aches’ Ben David along for the ride. The Lazy Suns will also join them. Catch them all at The Loft, Warrnambool on February 9.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, DARREN HANLON He has been in the US writing, recording and touring, but no matter how busy he may be Darren Hanlon won’t let slide his annual Christmas tour. This will be his thirteenth run, and he has something special in store for the occasion. Through his travels he met Walmatjarri elder and Gospel singer Kankawa Nagarra (Olive Knight), who will accompany Darren on what will be her first national Australian tour. The Eastern, Ballarat – December 19 & Northcote Social Club – December 21.
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latest news and information. Always something
They’re the Beasts of Bourbon, but not quite as we know them. The history of the band is more than likely well known by fans. Both Spencer P. Jones and Brian Hooper passed away this year, the latter a week after his final performance. Yet Tex Perkins and the gang realised there is unfinished business. In respect, they are now The Beasts and will release Still Here in February 2019. Theatre Royal, Castlemaine – February 21.
TWO FOR EARTHLESS
The fighting spirit is strong in Meg Mac and her new single ‘Give Me My Name Back’, which she describes as “reclaiming your identity, your dignity, self-worth. For anyone that’s ever lost an important part of themselves, that part you need to reclaim and get back in order to be yourself again and move forward”. A tour is locked in for next year. Wool Exchange Entertainment Complex, Geelong – May 3.
potatoshed or Facebook and Instagram for all the
It’s a good day when J Mascis announces an Australian tour. Set to play a few festivals around Australia next year, the songman has tagged on additional dates as his latest album Elastic Days keeps spinning. The album features guest vocals from Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), Mark Mulcahy (Miracle Legion) and Zoë Randell (Luluc). Theatre Royal, Castlemaine – March 16. He is supported by Rot TV.
Pierce Brothers have announced a bunch of regional dates for 2019, because that is just the kind of guys that they are. The lads released their debut album Atlas Shoulders not too long ago following a tidy number of EPs. Writing for the album began in Denver while the pair was on tour with Tash Sultana. Karova Lounge, Ballarat – March 14; Barwon Club, Geelong – March 15; and Halls Gap Hotel, Grampians – March 29.
MEG MAC TAKES BACK
Check out www.geelongaustralia.com.au/
THE FLEXIBLE J MASCIS
ON THE SHOULDERS OF PIERCE BROTHERS
5 GIANTS OF AUSTRALIAN MUSIC COME TOGETHER FOR BY THE C
A bit of southern USA style was added with the announcement of Sun Rising: The Songs that Made Memphis, written by Melbourne musicians Dave Cosma and Damon Smith. Cosma and Smith gave a stripped back performance of their show, celebrating Sun Studios, the acknowledged birthplace of Rock n’ Roll.
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WAAX REFLECTS Brisbane’s WAAX will kick out their latest single ‘Labrador’ and a whole lot more at Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on January 11. Vocalist Marie DeVita: “This song is the first time I’ve ever spoken so candidly about my past … The title is named after the suburb where I spent a lot of time when I was in my late teens and it’s where a significant relationship ended. Basically, the song underpins the way I felt around the time.”
W R ITTE N B Y G L E N AN DE R S O N
Lime Cordiale are on their way to Ballarat as the year rockets towards its end. Permanent Vacation was released last year and it’s a beautiful album dishing out lush blue-eyed soul, funk and rock-influenced pop. Lovely vocals and catchy hooks run right throughout the album and ‘Temper Temper’ was a bit of a stand-out track to me on the album. They arrive in sunny Ballarat on December 14 and have had an amazing year with the album topping the AIR charts and also rising to number 15 on the ARIA charts. It’s $24 to get in and it will be a great way to kick off your weekend. The following night the White Blanks bring their atomic surf-rock sound to Ballarat. Having just come off their My Own Mess Tour, the boys are fired up to finish the year off with a real bang. Adelaide indiepunk band Siamese will be supporting on the night and you had better buckle yourself in for this gig, as it is going to go off like a frog in a sock. Over at Cabaret Club,The Little Brass Band play on December 20. The quintet have been playing together for around fifteen years and the repertoire mainly consists of movie and television themes, opera, classical, traditional jazz and popular songs
FUNNY BUSINESS OF CREPES Ballarat-bred bandits Crepes will kick off a 2019 tour with a show at local venue The Eastern on January 12. The tour supports the now Melbourne-based band’s new album In Cahoots, which in case you didn’t know marks the first time the band has written and recorded together as one splendid unit. Track ‘Dark Demons’ has been receiving the love, written as a light-hearted take on someone battling their inner demons.
from today and yesteryear. Hop Temple still have regular music on most weekends and are getting on the front foot with getting into the spirit of Christmas. The light show currently on display down the laneway is something special. On Wednesday’s until Christmas, they will have live carols, Santa and even SNOW! Follow them on Instagram to keep on top of what else is cracking. Blues and Brews will no doubt attract a few punters on Sunday December 23 as it gives shoppers a chance to take a break from the hussle and bustle of the Festive season. The Freight Bar have started Karaoke night’s and the first one was a real scream according to Sarge down behind the Bar. $15 Burger nights are still great value and a Wednesday night at the Freight can break the week up just nicely. Trivia nights are always loads of fun too, so get a few friends together and book a table. For something really out there, why not hit the Miners Tavern on December 14 for Drag Bingo. The Lane have Dave Anderson playing covers on the same night if you want to hear some covers as you wash the week away with a coldy. Stay safe and look out for each other.
QUIET YOUR GUTTERMOUTH Tickets are being snapped up left, right and centre for Guttermouth’s 2019 Australian tour. They’ve got a show at The Eastern in Ballarat on April 18, so it is probably wise to get them now or forever live in disappointment. Sure, back when they toured in 2013 the skate punks said it would be their final Australian tour, which at best makes them mind changers and at worst filthy liars, but either way will not bother people too greatly.
A free leadership development program for mid-level to established women leaders in the Victorian contemporary music sector. To apply go to musicvictoria.com.au/cultivate Applications close January 14
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TAKING BACK SUNDAY PERFORMING AT UNIFY GATHERING WRITTEN BY ANNA ROSE
THERE’S SO MUCH GROUND TO COVER WITH that with the release of Twenty alongside all that, he’s standing in still water. With that said, it’s hard to say TAKING BACK SUNDAY FRONTMAN ADAM contradicting his statement. “I did worry about that at where we’re headed in the future, but those two songs LAZZARA, 20 YEARS OF GROUND TO COVER, first,” he admits, “But the more we got to talking, during are a real good snapshot of where we are right now.” NO LESS. WITH THE RELEASE OF TWENTY, those conversations our manager, Jillian [Newman] – A COMPILATION OF THE NEW YORK ALT- she’s more like family than anything else – it was her You can catch Taking Back Sunday at 170 Russell in ROCKER’S BIGGEST HITS OVER THEIR who convinced me to look at it differently. Melbourne on January 11, or at Unify Gathering when it goes TWO DECADE TENURE, LAZZARA AGREES down at Tarwin Lower in South Gippsland, between January 11 IT’S A TIME TO REFLECT AND TO REJOICE. “She said, ’How about trying to picture it as you joining – 13. Tickets are on sale now from unifygathering.com/tickets/ The album has been described as a retrospective compilation, and yet it feels like the tracks chosen stem from a place of introspective selection. “One of the things with our band is, what could be considered a hit varies from person to person,” says Lazzara, “So that’s how we approached it. “Everything we do in the band is very democratic. We individually went through every record and when we were combined the list, we were surprised to see a lot of them were similar.” The elephant in the room when it comes to the anniversary release is that guitarist and founding member Eddie Reyes, departed Taking Back Sunday earlier this year. It was difficult for the band to make the choices of how to reflect their history without the presence of someone who was a pivotal part of said history. “It was a choice, we’re not gonna force anybody to stay,” chuckles Lazzara. “Life sometimes comes at ya in different ways than you’d expect – it’s like Bob Dylan said, ‘You change with the times or you sink like a stone.’”
this band changed the course of your life, and look at everything you’ve been able to accomplish since then. That to me should be celebrated.’ “A switch flicked in my brain – rather than basking in this nostalgia, it’s more of a celebration. And what better way to celebrate than to take it and share it with all the people that helped us do this over the years. That’s how I’m looking at it.” Headlining at UNIFY Gathering is the ultimate celebration for Taking Back Sunday. Lazzara’s steady tone, one he’s used throughout this conversation up until mention of his band’s headlining slot at the Aussie festival, rises a decibel or two as he admits his excitement. “The lineup looks incredible,” he says. Performing at UNIFY Gathering will be for the band, a celebration of where they’ve come and an indication as to where they’re going. Releasing a compilation might indicate for some that Taking Back Sunday are calling it a day, but that is not the case at all. Taking Back Sunday included two new songs on Twenty, ‘Song For Dan’ and ‘All Ready To Go’, indicative of the continuing journey of the band and where new music might be headed. “There’s all kinds of new ideas kicking around all the time,” says Lazzara.
Earlier in the year Lazzara commented on the recent craze for throwback, nostalgia releases and tours, saying he ‘hoped people would take Taking Back Sunday as a progressive entity’ – even though the band will be here in January for a headline slot at UNIFY “I feel like we’ve maintained over the years this forward Gathering and a run of sideshows, Lazzara doesn’t feel momentum for our writing. It never feels we’ve been 20
Peep the full Unify Gathering 2019 lineup below. FRIDAY JANUARY 11 Underoath [Exclusive Australian Performance] Karnivool [First East Coast Show Since 2016] In Hearts Wake Hellions Ocean Grove While She Sleeps [Exclusive Australian Performance] Crossfaith [Exclusive Australian Performance] Dream On Dreamer
Citizen Waax Clowns Endless Heights Harms Way Saviour Stand Atlantic Thornhill Pagan Pridelands Gravemind After Touch Falcifer Yours Truly
The Plot In You [Exclusive Australian Performance]
SUNDAY JANUARY 13 (ACOUSTIC SUNDAY SESSIONS)
Hand Of Mercy [Exclusive Reunion Show]
Little Brother
Dream State [Exclusive Australian Performance]
Endless Heights
Ocean Sleeper
Stand Atlantic
Better Half
Far Away Stables
SATURDAY JANUARY 12
Yours Truly
Taking Back Sunday [Playing ‘Tell All Your Friends’ In Full] Every Time I Die [Exclusive Australian Performance] Trophy Eyes State Champs [Exclusive Australian Performance]
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“We’re excited to be sharing these three acts up front as they give an almost perfect sectional view of what’s to come in the 2019 bill,” says festival co-director Cameron Wade. “Collarbones have been in hiding for some time now, so we’re so grateful that they’ve chosen By The Meadow as one of the first spots to showcase their brand new music. Late, late night future feeling pop - I think everyone can dance to that.
By The Meadow, the much loved boutique music festival, is back for its sixth year in 2019.
“Thando has been knocking people over with her voice nationwide for several years now,” he continues. “She’s also put out one of the best hiphop tracks we came across in 2018. We couldn’t not drop her a line to see if she might join us in Bambra. Then The Goon Sax are an exciting and completely unique musical force. Three vocalists!” Wade beams. “Lyrical delivery that’s so blasé it nearly falls out from between their lips. Plenty of dry whit. It’s right up our alley. It feels like the whole music media world is digging their 2nd record and we’re sure it’ll be received with open arms at By The Meadow.”
Set to take place on March 29-31, the three-day and two-night celebration returns to the lush farmland hamlet of Bambra (Victoria’s enchanting Otway Surf Coast region), and has just dropped the names of three awesome local artists for its first announcement.
These three acts simply mark the beginning of a carefully curated lineup set to be announced in January. The complete bill will soundtrack an immersive three day journey through the current Australian music scene.
Leading the local menagerie is Brisbane threepiece The Goon Sax, still hot from dropping their September album, We’re Not Talking. The trio just wrapped up an east coast tour to celebrate the launch of their sophomore record, and are set to support Parquet Courts early next year.
Grab your mates, grab your tents and escape the rat race to the picturesque Otway Hinterlands just 90-minutes South-West of Melbourne. A lush gathering of rolling hills that eases you into the rugged national park ahead. An exceptional place to behold. Both strong and welcoming. All, together.
Next up is Melbourne’s queen of soul, Thando. 2018 has been a jam-packed year for the alternative RnB singer, having played Queenscliff Music Festival in addition to making her way across the country for a national tour.
A very limited collection of just 200 tickets are now available from $150.00 +BF until January 9th (unless sold out earlier). All tickets can be purchased at www.bythemeadow.com
BY THE MEADOW RETURNS FOR 2019
That’s not all though. Following a mysterious twoand-a-half year absence, pop duo Collarbones have come back swinging with a new music clip for ‘A.I.’. They’ll be bringing a fresh wave of synth to Bambra this coming autumn.
Much of this time was fodder for her debut studio album Clean. “Songs like ’Last Girl’ and ‘Your Dog’ definitely were about that time, I spent a lot of time alone, feeling depressed,” she says.
SOCCER MOMMY WRITTEN BY NATALIE ROGERS Last time Soccer Mommy - AKA Sophie Allison - was is Australia she took in a little tennis and beach culture while waiting to play at Splendour in the Grass. “It was totally awesome! I didn’t really know what to expect because I’d never been to Australia and neither had any of the other guys in the band. We loved it, it was a really relaxing trip, we got a bunch of days off, the weather was beautiful and it was super nice.” This time, the Swiss-born, Nashville bred singersongwriter will see more of what our beautiful coastline has to offer when she arrives to ring in the New Year as part of Falls Festival. “I don’t know much about it. I mean, I’ve obviously heard of it but I’ve never seen videos or anything from it,” Allison adds, “So it will be interesting to get to experience it.”
Stay tuned for more information in the new year...
The unassuming 22-year-old has experienced a lot in the last few years. In 2015 she left home for the first time to study Music Business at NYU, leaving behind her best friends and a toxic relationship.
Australia without the Red Hot Summer Tour or Jimmy Barnes. Held at the North Gardens Reserve, the concert will also feature Joan Jett and The Living End as well as Diesel, Richard Clapton and Chocolate Starfish. There’s a day of rock if ever we did see one. Ballarat Beat at The Laneways – February 8-10 The annual Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival has re-jived into something new this year. Now called Ballarat Beat at The Laneways, the three-day festival will be held down the city’s loved alleyways, and will feature music, stalls, classic cars as well as an open-air cinema, bar choir, dance lessons and more! For more events in Ballarat during the summer season, head to visitballarat.com.au
SUMMER OF MUSIC IN BALLARAT It’s time to don the floppy sunhats and breezy outfits and head outside to discover the summer joys of the region. Over the next couple of months, Ballarat will play host to several gigs, festivals and events combining music, entertainment and great food, making for a perfect summer getaway. So make sure to plan your visit to coincide with one (or more) of these events. Karova Lounge Xmas Weekend – December 22-24 You’re going to want to clear the weekend before Christmas and organise a nice Ballarat getaway. Karova Lounge will play host to some very rocking acts in the lead up to the big day, including The Yacht Club DJs, followed by Regurgitator (in celebration of their latest album HEADROXX), and a special Xmas Eve party.
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Jazz Convention – December 26-31 Bringing the cityscape to life every year, the annual Jazz Convention is back in Ballarat from Boxing Day and set to re-invigorate the city with all the New Orleans vibes. Settle into one of Ballarat’s chic bars or cafes, and soak up the surrounding reverberations. Summer Sundays – January 6, 13, 20 The perfect summer session, these outdoor gigs are held in the beautiful Ballarat Botanical Gardens and bring together some of the most-loved musicians from around Australia in what is an afternoon of fine music, fare and natural ambience! Line-up still to be announced, so watch this space. Ballarat Beer Festival – January 19 There will be beer, and music, and wine, and the sun, and loads of activities for all ages. Headlined by nine-piece soul/funk outfit Butterfunked with the likes of Kelly Auty, Justin Yap Band, Blues Roulette and Frank Sultana also on the bill (amongst others), this day-long festival sings summer, brews and tunes.
Now, back at home in Nashville things are looking rosy for indie rock’s new obsession. Not only did the New York Times rank Clean at No.1 on the list of the 28 Best Albums of 2018, she is now in a steady relationship with her band’s guitarist Julian Powell, and she’s just moved into some new digs downtown. “I’m actually moving into a new place right now which is really nice. It’s so cheap but that’s good because I’ll only be there half the time anyway and it will be great to have my own space.” Having launched her career with music made in her bedroom with the help of a TASCAM recorder, Allison has a passion for the DIY ethos and strong sense of how she wants her albums to sound. “I don’t really like writing with other people. I just kind of want it to be my ideas - and my ideas only. I don’t want to sacrifice or compromise on anything. “I like being involved in every aspect of recording also,” she continues. “I like to write a lot of the guitar parts and I play a lot of the guitar parts on the tracks too. I like to mess around with little toys in the studio as well when I can,” she laughs. Naturally the conversation turns Nashville’s DIY live scene (where Allison cut her teeth) and I’m saddened to hear it’s going the way of many capital cities around the world. “Nashville has been struck with every single all-ages venue I went to when I was younger closing down, so it’s definitely harder for young people to be exposed to live music these days, and that sucks because I think that exposure was really important in shaping the artist I am today.” When & Where: Falls Festival, Lorne – Dec 28-31. Soccer Mommy will also play a solo show at HOWLER in Melbourne on Monday January 7 with special guest Kelso.
BIG BASH FAMILY FUN IN GEELONG Last issue we spoke about Big Bash cricket coming to Geelong this summer with the Melbourne Renegades playing at GMHBA Stadium. It’s exciting news for local sporting nuts, especially with news that the Renegades will be playing three WBBL and two BBL matches, including TWO double-headers. To get us all ready for the action in January, the Renegades host their annual Family Day at Geelong Cricket Ground on Sunday December 16. This is the part we’re (most) excited about! You’ll be able to meet all your favourite players while engorging on great food and enjoying giveaways (including free Mars ice creams). There is also a ton of off-field interactive activities, including Nickelodeon Paw Patrol and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Inflatable activities, the Nylex Big Splash, and the Melbourne Renegades brand new Classic Catches Inflatable which gives you the chance to take a screamer like Harry, Ludes, Inglis and Finchy. The Gades Memberships team will also be onsite selling memberships for fans wanting to #GETONRED this season or answering any general enquiries fans and members may have. You can also ask about this year’s new Geelong specific Membership options. In addition to these off-field festivities, you’ll be able to watch the Women’s BBL side play against the Brisbane Heat in a WBBL fixture for FREE, whilst the Men’s side will line up for their final practice match before their season begins. IT’S TIME TO #GETONRED AND SUPPORT YOUR MELBOURNE RENEGADES THIS SUMMER!
Red Hot Summer Tour with Jimmy Barnes – January 27 Because you can’t go a summer in regional
THE FESTIVITIES OFFICIALLY KICK OFF AT 10:00AM AND ENTRY IS FREE!
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when we were in our teens that has been voted as one of the highest tracks which is going to be a funny one to play.” Essentially, this is your chance to make the Byron Bay metaller’s play the intro to that rare song they never break out live and think “dance, musical puppets, dance?” With members currently scattered around Sydney, Gold Coast, Byron Bay and even California, this seven date tour marks the bands first show in six months, with it all kicking off in Geelong in January. “We played [Geelong] in early January this year and it was nuts. There’s a few rafters in the roof and people were climbing them, there was a boat ride that went down on an inflatable with three people in it, it was hilarious. It was one of those shows, rather than it feeling like a show, it just felt like a circus.” I mean, we are talking about Geelong; it has a Nailing a setlist can be tough. You’ve often pretty solid reputation for hosting some rowdy (but gotta find the right balance between crowd equally amazing) gigs. pleasing classics and new material to avoid the “There’s always so much laughing on stage. You inevitable loo breaks and awkward low energy just can’t believe what’s happening. We even had a dips. So wouldn’t it be great if bands could fan come up and play bass for one of his favourite bypass those kind of decisions all together and songs – that’s never happened before,” he laughs. let the fans handle it? “That’s the beauty of touring; it can just get crazy.” In Hearts Wake have done just that with their It’s a statement the In Hearts Wake guys know upcoming Summer Setlist Tour. But don’t be all too well, since wrapping up their ‘Ark’ World mistaken; these guys aren’t trying to get out of the Tour earlier this year, which saw the band play arduous task of curating a setlist... an impressive 166 shows throughout Europe, “A lot of fans have been asking us for older songs, Australasia, Asia and North America, including a and because we’ve been promoting the new record stint on the final US Vans Warped Tour. recently [Ark], it’s been very difficult to do so,” “We get along really well thank god,” Taylor laughs. explains frontman Jake Taylor. “When we were asked “We didn’t have any punch ons or fights, we were just to play Unify, we thought why not play some shows like a functioning family. You’ve just got to learn to on the way there and on the way back, and do a tour work with each other and learn to give each other space. that encompasses older songs, giving fans a chance “We were definitely ready for a break,” he continues. to vote for songs they want to hear.” “Just to recharge and get perspective and do new Listing their tracks online, fans can vote for their things; the touring can get monotonous after a while favourite songs from each of their four albums – and it’s really hard work, physically. Divination (2012), Earthwalker (2014), Skydancer “It’s the longest break we’ve had in eight years (2015) and their most recent record Ark (2017), as but I feel coming back to the Summer Setlist Tour, well as from a cheeky little wildcard category. we’re going to be refreshed and excited to see each “We’ve had over 1000 submissions already and other again.” we’ve got a really interesting setlist that’s looking like it’s going to take shape into something we Bring your A game and show the guys what haven’t done before,” Taylor explains. “Without Geelong crowds can really do. They’ll hit up The giving too much away, there’s an old song from Barwon Club on Thursday January 10.
CULTIVATE
IN HEARTS WAKE
WRITTEN BY TAMMY WALTERS Music Victoria have partnered with The Victorian State Government this week to launch a new leadership and management program for women in the music industry. The Cultivate Program will aim to grow the careers of established women, and those who identify as women, already working within the contemporary music sector, developing their skills to take them into senior and leadership positions. Program manager, Sarah Deborre is excited to be bringing this project to life in 2019. “We want to see more women in those leadership roles in the Victorian music community,” she says. “There’s a lot of entry to the music industry sorts of programs out there but it’s nice to have something out there for people already in the industry.” Aimed specifically at women in the business side of the music industry, from music lawyers to venue operators, publicists and everything in between, the program comes at a time where women are severely under-represented in senior positions within music based organisations with many females feeling “overlooked for work place opportunities in the music industry”. A 2015 report, ‘Women in the Victorian Contemporary Music Industry’ further highlights this with some alarming statistics that still hold true today.
“There was also an examination of men verses women in senior positions in selected music industry based organisations and it found that only half of the organisations that were looked into had 50 per cent or more females in senior positions and several organisations at the time had no females in senior roles. Of the senior positions that were available across all of the organisations only 28 per cent were held by women.” Kicking off in early to mid March and running for a duration of two to three months, the program will include master classes and individual training, with Music Victoria and the Victorian State Government investing financially in each participant to deliver the training. As part of Cultivate each participant will be assigned a female mentor in a complementary role who will offer guidance to nurture career growth. The mentor may not necessarily be from the music industry but they will have considerable experience and some level of success within their field so participants can develop transferable skills across industry. “It’s not a professional development program. We’re not teaching people business based skills. It is leadership so we are looking at training for being on music industry boards, conflict resolution, public speaking and building emotional intelligence and empathy as a leader, negotiation skills, how to lead and motivate others and how to strategise and put ideas into actions, and how to be an influential communicator,” Deborre says. As for application criteria, the applicant must be a female, or identify as a female, of any age based in Victoria who already works within the music industry in a mid-tier or management role. “It’s all about finding the right people that need to get to that next point in their career. We want to see that people can demonstrate that they want to be able to take their career to the next level and that they will have an impact on the future of the Victorian music industry.” Deborre continues, “This is all just about trying to bring women into a position where we can have a bit more diversity in the music industry in leadership positions.” Apply to be part of the Cultivate program at www.musicvictoria.com.au/cultivate
MUSIC
FESTIVAL
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2019 SKIP GORMAN THE NORTHERN FOLK ANDY BAYLOR JUSTIN BERNASCONI
HONEYFIELDS
JED ROWE
LIZ FRENCHAM
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15-17 FEB 2019 HALLS GAP Big Mountains, Huge Sounds
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FIVE MINUTES WITH BALLARAT’S EBONIVORY Hailing from Ballarat, Ebonivory is the project of five young lads, and are proving to be a force of progressive metal with a tasteful blend of technicality and accessibility. Lead by Charlie Powlett, Ebonivory is rounded out with David Parkes (drums), Connor McMillan (bass), Jake Ewings (guitar) and Aidan Simpson (guitar) and have been going from strength to strength since their very first release back in 2014. Now a serious force to be reckoned with, they’ve landed a spot on Progfest’s lineup for 2019 for its 10th Anniversary Edition. We have a quick chat with the guys. Progrock from Ballarat? Tell us what is the most progressive thing about your hometown? Ballarat has a super inclusive music community, there’s no line in the sand any more between the indie crowd, the metal crowd or the punk crowd; everyone just supports everyone and comes to everyone’s shows. We’re really lucky to have a community that has so much mutual respect regardless of what peoples tastes are. Tell us about the rock / heavy music seen in Ballarat in general these days? I can remember in my high school days I was playing busy shows every fortnight in a thrash metal band but as the years go on it’s turning into
a quality over quantity kind of thing. We’re seeing a lot more Melbourne based bands make the trek down, and big ticket names on tours come through as well. There’s still plenty of room for all the new talent that comes up every year with all-local lineups and shows at smaller venues, but it’s great to see the shift in opportunities for locals looking to take a step up. Does it translate? Do you see people coming to Ballarat from other places like Geelong or Melbourne or is it a one way push from your side? In some particular instances people definitely make the trek here for bigger bands, for example Northlane’s last show here was packed; I think it’s a much better experience seeing your favourite band at Karova Lounge when they’re a maximum of two meters away from you at all times. Smaller regional venues give you a kind of intimacy you just can’t get anywhere else. What do you think events like Progfest do for this sub genre in the overall Aussie music scene? I think everyone that is in to prog is aware of how fringe the genre can be. I guess that’s the whole point; so we can miss out on the more mainstream conventions of music. I think it’s killer that we have a prog festival at all, let alone one that brings in so many big names and provides opportunities to local prog acts to get on stage with massive artists! It’s so important for the prog community to get together (and get out of our bedroom studios haha) for something like this! What’s 2019 hold in store for you guys? Playing at Progfest this year marks the start of a really big year for Ebonivory. We’ve spent the last two years off the radar creating and perfecting three LP’s worth of recordings, the first of which will be available in early 2019. As for gigs, we’re looking to play as many shows as possible, as well as an extremely special show planned in Ballarat that hopefully takes us back where it all began! Catch Ebonivory at Progfest in Melbourne on January 26 2019. For tickets, visit wildthingpresents.com.
GET INTIMATE WITH YOU AM I UNDER THE SOUTHERN STARS WRITTEN BY TAMMY WALTERS “You could be 70 and sit down and have a conversation with a 16 year old about punk rock or Gibson guitars or a minor chord into a major seventh. That shit doesn’t have anything to do with age. Everyone can have those conversations passionately which is the beautiful thing about music. It’s available to anyone who gives a shit of any age, anywhere in the world. Anyone can listen to it and anyone can get it.” You Am I, one of the greatest rock bands christened under the Southern Cross, are still just as passionate about music as they were at the start of their 90’s career, with 2019 set to be a mammoth year. “This year has been about kind of doing stuff that we just enjoy doing which is not necessarily big long You Am I tours with studio albums,” bassist Andy Kent says. “It’s been a year of a bit of everything which is what you want to do when you’re a musician. At the moment we’re playing some shows with PP Arnold for example so it’s about mixing it up and having fun with what you do and next year we will probably look at doing some more serious focused You Am I stuff.”
have always liked but one I’ve previously struggled a welcomed surprise. to get into. But, with Kim Deal being in The Pixies The Pharcyde took out the usual hip-hop time slot at a point, I had to suss them out and I’m really glad of the late Saturday afternoon and were another one I did. Performing tracks from their whole catalogue of my favourites from the weekend. Showing just (with a specific focus on the album ‘Last Splash’) the how relevant old school hip-hop is Imani and Bootie set was concluded with ‘Cannonball,’ a song Kim had Brown had the crowd bumping, with hits such as initially recorded whilst still with The Pixies. ‘Runnin’ and ‘Passin Me By’ scoring huge roars from The Seven Ups proved to be my favourite act of the punters as they kicked in. As did the inclusion of the weekend with their set consisting of heavy afro- Bootie Brown’s verse from the Gorillaz’ track ‘Dirty beat psychedelic funk, an amalgamation I hadn’t Harry,’ which simultaneously scored a lot of boots quite come across before but one that worked really from the crowd as well as a lot of bewildered faces well. Blending between heavy funk sax to droney asking their mates, ‘is he actually the guy from the shoegaze riffs, the Melbourne up and comers song?’ definitely established themselves as an act to keep For a set that was primarily just one man on an eye out for. stage with a guitar, Billy Bragg, who was the only After being one of my favourite bands for years act for the weekend to score an encore, had the now, seeing Pond at Meredith was a bit of a dream crowd hypnotised by his unique punkish vocals and come true. Opening with ‘30,000 Megatonnes’ it was melancholic guitar riffs which was really on display evident that I wasn’t the only one feeling that way, with his slowed down rendition of The Buzzcocks with the stacked crowd quickly rushing from their ‘Ever Fallen in Love’. couches down to the dance floor. Although cheeky Mildlife are well and truly one of Melbourne’s WRITTEN BY ALEX CALLAN numbers such as ‘Don’t Look at the Sun or You’ll most hyped acts at the moment and deservingly so. Go Blind’ and ‘Giant Tortoise’ made an appearance, Having now seen them at Meredith and recently at PHOTO BY FRASER LEVER their set primarily consisted of songs from their 2017 Kennedys Creek, their unique blend of synthy jazz release, The Weather, which truthfully, was the first electronica is the perfect festival set, pair that with I can’t begin to think of any other Victorian Pond album I wasn’t really a fan of. But still, there is the setting sun and their most popular song ‘The festival that even comes close to the unique no denying it was a terrific performance, with songs Magnificent Moon’ and you have yourself a truly vibe that Meredith has going (excluding golden such as ‘Paint Me Silver’ and ‘The Weather’ being a unforgettable experience. Plains of course), and with 2018 marking my mesmerising experience as a glittery Nick Allbrook Kicking in after the conclusion of the light show, fifth consecutive year to the ‘sup I can confirm, commandeered the stage. The Presets did not disappoint. Newer songs such the quality certainly hasn’t dropped. Yaeji played the 2am set Friday night, which was as ‘Martini’ and ‘Do What You Want’ found their way The ‘Aints opening the weekend was a huge a pleasant change for inebriated punters. People into their set early on and got people up and about surprise when the set times were released, but after where already losing their shit to her upbeat yet whilst the latter half included older songs such as seeing their set, I wouldn’t have it any other way. spacey dance tracks, but when ‘raingurl’ kicked in ‘This Boy’s In Love’ and ‘My People,’ both which Packing the same intensity I can imagine The Saints it was a sight to be seen, the crowd’s energy was were earth-shattering in their response. The Presets did in the 70’s, it was evident that Ed Kuepper wasn’t contagious. weren’t just a dance act for fucked up festival-goers, just an old school punk rocker trying to relive his Mental As Anything was the first band I ever saw instead they were an act who had their set rehearsed heyday. Performing with finesse, Kuepper’s raspy live (at the ripe age of seven) so it was an incredibly and performed to precision. Their live show was vocals and the bands impressive horn arrangement nostalgic treat seeing them in the Saturday spectacular and one that I would recommend to was the perfect way to kick start the weekend. afternoon sun. Opening with ‘Too Many Times’, it anyone regardless of their personal taste in music. Mim Suleiman pumped up the party vibes with kick started what was an incredibly fun greatest her Swahili lyrism and hard-hitting beats which hits set. ‘Live It Up’ had by far the loudest crowd As always, thanks to Aunty Meredith for provided a great soundtrack for the afternoon sun, singalong of the weekend whilst other hits such as having me back. For the last five years clearly being an unexpected (or previously unknown) ‘The Nips Are Getting Bigger’ and ‘If You Leave Me Meredith has been my yearly highlight and I favourite for a lot of punters. Can I Come Too?’ had the vibes high. Throwing in can’t see that changing any time soon. Let’s The Breeders are a band that a lot of my friends a cover of Johnny Cash’s ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ was start counting down the days until Plains.
HOW BLOODY SPECIAL IS MEREDITH?
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And they sure have a fair chunk of stuff in the processor at the moment. The foursome will be off to a strong start to the New Year playing at the Australian Open, then heading on a regional road trip as part of the Under The Southern Stars festival circuit alongside Hoodoo Gurus, Eskimo Joe, The Superjesus, British India, The Getaway Plan and Scott Darlow. “You can play Sydney and Melbourne and Adelaide and Brisbane and Perth all you want but it’s when you get out there to where people really live in regional areas and country towns, that’s where there’s a kind of energy out there. Those people like rock and roll and they like going out and they call it how they see it,” Kent laughs. “So this tour is going to be good in that we can get out to those people nationally. The tour is a great idea and we’re happy to be along on that tour!” With 10 ARIA awards and an equal amount of studio albums to their name, You Am I may be adding another disc to their collection in 2019. “We are going to do a charity fundraising event in Sydney for an old manager of ours who had a stroke and it has been financially crippling for them so we’re going to raise some money and put a gig on. We’ve spoken to a bunch of people who know this person, they’re 90’s profile people so that will be really fun and purposeful night to help this person out and we might actually put together a single or an EP and give that away to raise more money. So that might be the start of us getting together and writing some songs and recording.” Kent continues, “So yes next year we will be putting something out, in what way, we don’t quite know yet but there is the desire to do it.” You can expect their classic rock sound and if you don’t like it, Kent says, “Yeah well tough shit we’re going to do it anyway!” We suspect another ARIA will be added to that list, and we’re definitely starting the petition for a Hall of Fame induction! Sign here > Catch You Am I when Under The Southern Stars makes its way to Victoria, Saturday, 12 January at Hastings Foreshore Reserve.
MALCURA DOES IT AGAIN Sometimes in music you see a combination that sounds odd, but somehow works flawlessly. Malcura are a band that are a shining example of that, combining the technical ability of Flamenco with the in-your-face attributes of rock. An acoustic trio who’ve earned their stripes busking in Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall, Malcura have refined their sound and created a vibe that is a complex meld of Flamenco instrumentation and Latin structures with a rock’n’roll approach. Their breakthrough came when they attracted some world wide attention with their rendition of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” which functioned as a good foundation for their debut album in 2016. Their self-titled debut record launched at the Fed Square main stage in February of 2016 which was closely followed by two East-Coast tours and busking performances in support of the record. The album received critical acclaim and was nominated as 2016’s “Best Global/Reggae Album” at The Age Music Victoria Awards. Malcura are a workhorse of a band with an impressive gig history under their belt including Illawarra Folk Festival (NSW), Wallaby Creek (QLD), Bendigo Blues and Roots, St. Kilda Festival and Tanglewood NYE Festival, not to mention they’ve performed along side Tijuana Cartel, Tash Sultana, The Pierce Brothers, Clowns, Kenta Hayashi (Japan), Dallas Frasca; and Mexican guitar heroes Rodrigo y Gabriela on stage at the Palais Theatre which was met with outstanding praise from gig goers. The band’s upcoming second album is currently in production and will likely deliver an unprecedented energy accompanied by outstanding technical performances. But while you wait for the new record, why not see them live? Malcura are out on the road and you’ll be able to catch them in Warrnambool at one of Forté’s Favourite venues, The Loft on Friday December 21.
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the kutcha Edwards band | 19-twenty The fret drifters (USA) | kings and associates Dave orr band | louis king's royal blue trio mick kidd & dave blight | bill barber electric blues trio | aaron pollock rod miller blues explosion | anita george the road worn healers | rattlin' bones blackwood George mcfloyd blues band | organic joe for full line up, festival information and ticket sales go to our website or facebook page
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the ice cream infused cereal is a very close second. Have you got any must haves that you recommend customers to try? The overwhelming favourite option from our customers is the choose your own combo menu. We also have a Cereal Society blends menu and the most popular items are Nutter Butter (a blend of Reese’s Puffs and Coco Pops, topped with Reese’s pieces, peanuts, pocky and chocolate drizzle) and the Cookie monster (a blend of cookie crisp and Oreo topped with choc chips, Oreos, pocky and condensed milk). Will you give our readers a sneak peak of the secret limited-edition combinations that could be coming soon? We wouldn’t want to let out all of our upcoming secret menu items. We can share with Forte that we will be releasing a cereal with the flavour of Banana Split Ice Cream, but for all the latest you should follow us on our socials.
:DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR IN LOVE OF THE ROASTED BEAN. There are so many great cafes these days giving us such numerous choice when it comes to enjoying our daily grind. With good coffee, to me it’s all about consistency and all steps to making good brew are so important. There’s the bean source, the roasting, the grind, the machine and its cleanliness, the milk, and most importantly, the barista! I set out this week in Geelong to find the best latte and give some thumbs up to those who keep us happy with our life dependant cups of Java. Here’s my top 10 coffee establishments and the roasters they use. #1 9Grams, using Bella Coffee. Located at 343 Pakington Street, Newtown. #2 Bear & Bean, using DC Roasters. Located at 7 Warner Place, Geelong. #3 Pakington Pantry, using Five Senses Coffee. Located at 3/328 Pakington St, Newtown. #4 Ebony & Ivory, using Genovese Coffee. Located at 189 Moorabool St, Geelong. #5 Zigfrids Dining Hall & Bar, using Mahalia Coffee. Located at 66 Pakington St, Geelong West. #6 Born & Bread Bakehouse, using Roastcraft Roasters. Located at 364 Pakington St,
CEREAL SOCIETY WRITTEN BY CHLOE CICERO Cereal Society was a little idea that has quickly grown to be what you see today - a retro van serving up cereal art. One thing that has become clear since opening last month is just how many cereal lovers are out there in the community, especially with how much praise owner Jordie Mounsey has received from opening a Cereal & Cream Bar. We sit down with Jordie for a quick chat about all things Cereal Society. What gave you the idea to combine two of the best things on earth? I always prefer cereal and milk in the morning over a hot breakfast out at the local café. In 2016, we were on a family holiday in America and I was amazed at the choice of cereals on offer. Even though I was on holiday, the inner ice cream maker was always on the lookout for new inspirations and there was
a trend of cereal-flavoured soft serves being made and dressed with cereals. From this, the idea grew of how we could adapt breakfast cereal to best suit our ice cream business. You have over 16 flavours of cereal, both locally and imported, how did you decide which cereals made the cut? I have a devoted team of taste testers who had to try many cereals from abroad. It’s a hard job but finding volunteers wasn’t hard! Over time we will refine our cereal selection to reflect what our customers like the most... Along with new or limited-edition cereals which maybe hidden in a secret menu where only our social media followers will find out (wink wink, nudge nudge). Can you give us a run-down of the menu process? Our menu consists of just three options of cereal infused ice cream, cereal infused shakes and the traditional bowl of cereal & milk. Each of these options are fully customised by the customer and our ‘cerealists’ transform them into individual food art pieces. What is your favourite combination? My personal favourite cereal combo is Apple Jacks & Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I’m a traditionalist and can’t go past a cereal bowl with flavoured milk, but
Looking forward to your next Cereal Fix? Follow them on Facebook for details of all upcoming locations and Instagram @cerealbarsociety
Newtown. #7 Geelong West Social Club, using Supreme Roasters. Located at 1B Yuille St, Geelong West. #8 Cafe Go, using Proud Mary Coffee. Located at 37 Bellerine St, Geelong. #9 THAT PLACE Patisserie & Cafe, using Seven Seeds Specialty Coffee Roasters. Located at 110B Mt Pleasant Rd, Belmont. #10 Rook : Sri Lankan Fusion, using St Ali Coffee Roasters. Located at 92-94 Malop St, Geelong. This is just a snapshot. All of these fine cafes do healthy, hearty house made treats as well, not to mention some seriously good meals, breads and pastries. So, do yourself a favour and get out and enjoy our really great local coffee and cafe culture. Written by Stewart Clarke. Stewart is a local chef and traveller of the region. Follow Stew’s adventures, dishes and recipes via
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MURPHYS H EAD INTO SUMMER WITH TH IRD LEVEL SKY GARDEN Lording it over the rest of the city, drink in hand, is truly one of life’s great pleasures. There’s just something about the taste of a white wine, fresh mojito or a cold beer at high altitude... we can’t explain it, but we love it. Lucky for us, we can escape to the echelons of summer delight where a cool breeze and a chilled beverage provide the ultimate refreshment high above the steamy streets below with Geelong’s hottest new venue Murphys, which is coming to life for the first time over summer with their Rooftop Bar and the launch of its brand-new third-level Sky Garden. Built for long summer days and warm summer nights, Murphys Rooftop boasts a stunning view over the bay and is the perfect place to watch the ships roll in and world go by... especially with this
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new third-level sky garden, which has been designed specifically for summer – from the fit-out and views to the cocktail list and menu items. “From the get-go we designed the Rooftop and Sky Garden with summer in mind,” says co-owner Shaun Aspinall. “You’ve got views of the bay, you’re tucked away from the city and you’re high up in Geelong West – add ice cold beer, crispy wines, a fresh cocktail list and a distinct summer vibe menu – and you’ve got the perfect place to spend a summers day. “Not to mention, our third-level Sky Garden that has a panoramic 270-degree view of Geelong, is soon to be complete with a bar and open to the public.” What’s even better is that the guys have also launched Brunch on the rooftop every Sunday from 10:30am this summer! It’s not your typical Bottomless Brunch though (like they’ve been doing for Spring) as there’s no fixed priced tickets or finger food. It’s a la carte with everything from eggs benedict to house made muesli, or you can just simply enjoy a latte and Geelong’s best Rooftop views. If you think drinks with a view is what Instagram was made for, or if you’re down for a delicious brunch with the crew every Sunday, than these guys have you well and truly covered for the entirety of summer. So rise above the burning concrete and stuffy interiors this summer and tone those thighs with some good old-fashioned stair climbing, Murphy’s is your go-to destination this summer. Located at 30 Aberdeen Street, Geelong West, Murphys is open 7 days a week, with weekday specials and live music and live sport every weekend. For more information, head to www. murphysgeelong.com.au.
COME WITH ME WRITTEN BY CHLOE CICERO
Along my recent travels, I stumbled across one of Geelong’s hidden gems. Come With Me is a Narnia themed café in East Geelong. You enter through the front door and then walk through a wardrobe entryway, right into the world of Narnia. We chat to owner Leonie Hoekstra about her new adventure. How did you decide on the theme for the café? C.S. Lewis is one of my favourite authors. There is so much more to the Chronicles of Narnia than is written on the pages. I still read the books regularly to keep me inspired to make more special little things to fill my shop. Your café is quirky and is a bit like an escape from reality, just like a book. Is this the idea you were going for when you opened up? Yep! Quirky just like me. It was definitely my intention for my shop to be an escape from the mundane things of life, for myself as well as all those who enter. If I had to go out to work again I wanted it to be somewhere I’m happy to be; it had to be somewhere creative for me, and for others it had to be a place where they could just ‘imagine’ they were elsewhere for a while. I love seeing ‘more mature’ people get a little excited and a little childlike again because of where they are. It has never been my intention to make a space for kids, although they are welcome if they behave... or they could possibly be turned to stone by the Queen. You have over 36 flavours of musk sticks, why did you decide to focus on these specific sweets? Mmmmmm the musk sticks, or should I say flavour sticks? I wanted a 40’s style, Willy Wonkaish kind of lolly section. I googled ‘how do I make musk’s sticks’ and the rest is history. I never stick, pardon the pun, to recipes. Come With Me is located at 150 Garden Street, Geelong and is open Monday to Friday 9am-4pm. Check out the Instagram page @ comewithme.garden
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A GIFT FOR THE GEEK THIS CHRISTMAS Xmas is already here, and if you are like a lot of us, you are still getting presents sorted. Well we’re here to help. If you’re buying for someone who loves anything pop culture, rock/punk/metal, horror and the like, than look no further than Gifts for the Geek.
XMAS WITH OFF YA TREE WRITTEN BY CHLOE CICERO Still stuck on what to buy your friends and family for a Christmas present they won’t forget? Head on down to Off Ya Tree, they have you covered in all aspects of present shopping – whether it’s for your co-worker, your Secret Santa or your best mate.
You simply can’t go wrong with a tee reppin’ a favourite band, but if you’re looking for that something special, a record is a great gift for any discerning music fan. Gifts for the Geek also stock the biggest range of hard rock/ heavy metal in Geelong, and specialise in Horror Soundtracks. The Exorcist is a timeless classic with a great soundtrack, but maybe a slasher flick such as the latest Halloween movie, or the legendary Evil Dead soundtrack is more their style?? And if the scary stuff isn’t of interest, soundtracks from Star Wars, Frozen and Avatar are just a sample of what else can be purchased at Gifts fro the Geek. Comics, supernatural merch, superheroes, clothing and much Being a home of alternative clothing in Australia, Off Ya Tree have you sorted with graphic T-shirts and singlets, dresses, skirts and shorts, and accessories, as well as pin-up style dresses by Ophia for the classy people in your life, and they have a new range of tees from Tree House Clothing to spice up any wardrobe. Off Ya Tree also stocks a large range of manic pain products, which include their haircare items, such as dyes, chalk and hair accessories, as well as freaky (but equally cool) contact lenses, various types of makeup, and a range of HexBomb bath bombs for when you want to change the colour of your bath water because why not? They also offer super cheap and super legit piercings, for all your
DONNY GALELLA’S TIPS FOR CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN STYLE Just in time for the Christmas season 2018, Disaronno® is introducing ‘Disaronno Wears Trussardi’ — an exciting Limited Edition collection where, true to form, it chooses an Italian lifestyle brand to make its unmistakably unique bottle extra special. Teaming up with celebrity stylist Donny Galella, Disaronno have collated his top tips for celebrating Christmas in style: The Liquor I grew up in an Italian household; Mum and Dad are from Southern Italy. Dad always has a nice bottle of Italian liquor such as Disaronno to serve at our
more are all a part of the extensive range at Gifts for the Geek, and if you can’t choose yourself, let that loved one choose for themselves with a cheeky Gift Voucher! But say you can’t get there before Christmas? Well, order online!! There is no excuse for getting Dad some socks and hankies (or a foot spa for your Mum) when you can get something kick arse from the comfort of your own home. Gifts for the Geek is where it is at! Gifts for the Geek make it easy for the hard-to-by-for loved one, so go in and ask for a hand from Darren and he will guide you in the right direction.
King of the Castle Enjoy a cup of coffee at local King Of the Castle and one of their selections of raw slices from Pana Chocolate, because it is Christmas after all… As their little chrissy gift, all service people only pay $2 for their coffees. Where: 24 Pakington Street, Geelong | 7am – 11am
CAFFEINATE YOURSELF THIS CHRISTMAS WITH THESE LOCALS STAYING OPEN
Gifts for the Geek is located at 153-155 Ryrie Street, Geelong.
piercing needs. This is perfect if you’re looking to shout your mate a cheap Christmas present. It’s all totally profesh and hygienic with a trained piercer is in store at all times. All you need to do is make a call in advance to make sure the piercer has an available slot, and then walk right on in. Perhaps you have a Kris Kringle that you need to shop for? Well, they have you covered for that too, with various homewares such as graphic coffee and travel mugs, themed salt and pepper shakers, cookie jars and plates, coasters, silly cushions, smoking paraphernalia and other little knick knacks. Seriously… they’ve got you covered for everything, so head in and see them in store, or shop online at www.offyatree.com.au.
Christmas Eve dinner. It’s a really special tradition and every year we look forward to a family drink while we munch on panettone, mums homemade fruit cake (usually also made with Italian liquor)and watch Carols by Candlelight. The Panettone Every year I look forward to Panettone, a traditional Italian Christmas cake. My tip is to invest in a good quality one, I love the Scarpato brand (available from Harris Farm). Always get the original recipe and I highly recommend toasting a slice and spreading a little top quality butter (such as Lurpak). Buon Appetito! The Scent I have a candle obsession and love burning a special Christmas themed candles. The house is filled with festive scents of cedar Leaf, fruity clove, Eucalyptus and Pine. The Centrepiece Create a stylish table centrepiece using in season flowers and berries. I love white oriental lillie’s, red
WRITTEN BY CHLOE ‘SANTA’ CICERO Whether you’re having a relaxing one this Christmas, or you’re rushing around getting ready for family and loved ones, a good cup of coffee in the morning is sometimes just what you need to get prepared. We’ve rounded up five cafes who are doing the good deed this season and staying open to make sure you get your much-needed coffee fix. Merry Christmas folks! That Place Patisserie Perfect for a cup of coffee on the go, That Place Patisserie is the perfect drop in for those in a rush on Christmas morning but don’t want to compromise on quality and taste! They’ll also be serving croissants and mince pies, but it’s first in, first served with service from the coffee window only. This is your last chance to get your dose of TPP before the team shut up shop until January 9. Where: | 8am – 11am (last orders at 10:45am)
anthurium, Christmas bush, red or green berries and some blue gum leaves. For an extra festive touch, get some gold spray paint and lightly coat some native gum nuts branches and add them in too. Elegant glass vases will make the centrepieces look even more special. The Table Go for Gold when setting the table, making it feel extra festive and special. Use the special glasswear! I always raid my mums most special credenza full of crystal glasses and flutes. Gold cutlery is trending and really adds to the festive fabulousness. Get creative and personal with the place settings too. Instead of a traditional name card use a special photo of that person and write a handwritten note on the back it it. Or place the photo in a frame and write a message on the back of the frame. This year I’ll be using miniature Disaronno Wears Trussardi bottles with a handwritten name tag attached. The Presents I love wrapping my Christmas presents and making them look chic. I always look for unique wrapping ideas. The Style Curator, always inspires me. This year I am loving the black and white pinstripe wrapping paper with gold ribbon, gold bow and gold gift card will be my gift wrap style of choice (idea number 36). For a super personal touch, choose your favourite photos and make your own Christmas wrapping paper. And if you’re buying gifts for stylish friends and family (that have everything), it can be really tricky. This year, I’m planning to get them all personalised gifts. The Daily Edited offer everything from chic black notebooks, leather card holders, phone cases and key rings. The Outfit If you are getting Christmas party invites and the dress code says “Dress festive”, then look for something in red, white, green or on-trend Metallics silver and gold. Sequins are the perfect go to for the festive season. Start with tip number one and find ‘Disaronno Wears Trussardi’ in Dan Murphy’s nationwide.
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Sprout and Bean No need to roam the streets aimlessly sniffing for fresh brews, these organic gods are ringing in Christmas day for you guys with hot coffee and quick treats like delicious muffins and healthy wraps. I mean, Christmas coffee AND breakfast sorted? Yes please. Where: 1/163 Malop Street, Geelong | 7am – 12pm 9 Grams Bless those that know Christmas should not be devoid of caffeine. If you’re looking for a brew en route to your December 25 destination (and you need a decent coffee hit to deal with the fam who have already started bickering about the right way to cook the ham), these guys are your saving grace and will be slinging takeaways coffees and sweets from two of their three locations on Chrissy morning. We’ll be asking for a double shot… Where: 1/343 Pakington St, Newtown & 101 Unity Drive, Mount Duneed | 7am – 12pm Avanti Drive Thru The team at Avanti know that December 25 is a marathon that needs the right start. In keeping their promise of providing coffee 365 days a year, these legends are opening both of their stores this Chrissy… and you don’t even have to get out of your car. Consider this your Christmas present. Where: 35 McClelland Avenue, Lara & 174 Cox Rd, Lovely Banks | 7:30am – 12pm If you went a little too hard on Christmas Eve and you’re desperate for a coffee past noon, we hear that McDonald’s in North Geelong will be able to provide some assistance in bringing you back to life.
TOP 10 CHRISTMAS SONGS WRITTEN BY CHLOE ‘SANTA’ CICERO With just over a week until Christmas, it’s time to make sure your holiday playlist is equipped with all the right songs. From timeless classics to new hits, these holiday tunes are necessary listens every year. In no particular order, except for no. 1, which is exactly where it’s supposed to be. 1. Every single Christmas song ever sung by the legend that is Michael Bublé, but shout-out to ‘It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas’ 2. ‘Last Christmas’ – Wham! 3. ‘Thank God it’s Christmas’ - Queen 4. ‘Go Santa Go’ – The ORIGINAL Wiggles (don’t fight us on this) 5. ‘White Christmas’ – George Ezra 6. ‘Do they Know it’s Christmas?’ – Band Aid 7. ‘Here Comes Santa Claus’ – Elvis Presley 8. ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’ – Dean Martin 9. ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ – Daryl Hall & John Oates 10. ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ – Mariah Carey Special mentions also go out to ‘Sleigh Ride’ by TLC, ‘Mistletoe’ by Ginuwine, ‘Christmas in Hollis’ by Run-D.M.C, ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ by Cat Power, ‘Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays’ by *NSYNC and John Legend’s entire Christmas album, A Legendary Christmas.
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as present or just to eat for yourself, Cookies By Qui is the way to go. This super talented chick puts so much detail into her work, you almost feel bad eating them, but once you taste them, there are no regrets. @cookiesbyqui
LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SHOP WITH THIS CHRISTMAS WRITTEN BY CHLOE CICERO Christmas shopping can be super stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. This year I am encouraging you to shop small and shop local for Christmas, and here are some local businesses I recommend you take a look at. You won’t be disappointed. C&M CREATIONS The legends behind C&M create sweet and savoury gift boxes that are to die for, and this Christmas they have joined forces with SweetGems and Grace and Marie Soy Candles to launch a limited-edition gift box, filled with a candle of your choice, baked goodies, and plenty more yummy things. @_cmcreations COOKIES BY QUI If you want kick ass cookies this year, either to use
GRACE AND MARIE If you’re like me and can only afford to get your loved ones a candle at Christmas, look no further than Grace and Marie. These insanely amazing soy candles are a must have this Christmas. With 10 mouth-watering scents, you will have a hard time trying to decide which ones to buy, so I recommend you just admit defeat and get one of each. @graceandmarie_ MOONDUST One of my favourite little shops Moondust, has something for everyone. They stock a wide range of clothes, gifts and beauty, you won’t be disappointed. Their products are super quirky, and they love to do things differently, which is why you should shop there. @moondustgeelong LUSHIOUS AUSTRALIA If you dread Christmas shopping because it can be crazy, the you definitely need to head down to Lushious Australia and buy some bulk bath bombs for presents, and for yourself of course. Stocking products such as bath bombs, candles, whipped soaps, reed diffusers and shampoo bars, you are definitely bound to find something for everyone. @lushious_australia RUBY AND LEO If you know someone who loves vintage everything but is super hard to shop for, then Ruby and Leo is a must see. They have vintage inspired hats, clothing, décor and quirky accessories, so you are bound to find something for the vintage lovers in your life, and maybe even a little something for yourself. @rubyandleostore
it? Well this Christmas is your chance, and Meg-Fay Makes has your back. This babe makes festival, flower, mermaid and Christmas themed crowns (YAY) for any event, and they also make great presents, so why not get the group together and rock a Meg Fay exclusive this Chrissy. @megfaymakes
COCO & FRIDA
KYMBA Want to give the gift of good juju? Kymba is the must shop stop for anything Zen, spiritual or just a feel-good gift. With an abundance of crystals to help with every need, you will be sure to find something here to help those who need some extra love this Christmas. @kymba1
WRITTEN BY CHLOE CICERO
THE CUCKOOS NEST If you know someone like me who loves books and everything to do with them, then you definitely have to check out The Cuckoo’s Nest. This secondhand bookshop is for all booklovers, and it is full of pre-loved classics and newbies. Owner Pam also make mugs with some of your favourite literary quotes displayed on them which would be a great personalised gift for any booknuts you know. @thecuckoosnestgeelong BLUE SUEDE If you are looking for non-boring gifts this Christmas for someone who is close to impossible to shop for, look no further than Blue Suede. With a range of quirky but cool socks and male undies, as well as hipster wallets, geek tees and bulk vintage signs, the people in your life will love you even more than they already do if you shop here. @bluesuedegeelong
COCO + FRIDA CAN BE SEEN AS THE ‘NATURAL CHOICE FOR THE CONTEMPORARY, AGELESS WOMAN’. IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU, HEAD ON DOWN TO 49A KING STREET, QUEENSCLIFF AND CHECK OUT THE RANGE OF PRODUCTS IN STORE, OR VISIT WWW.COCOANDFRIDA.COM
MEG-FAY MAKES Have you always wanted to rock a flower crown but never thought you had a good enough excuse to wear
DO YOUR MOST DAUNTING TASK FIRST UP.
Restaurant. Meg felt the journey of learning was far more valuable than any artwork created, but The Gordon is delighted that we have to keep her mural to share with others. She aims to keep on painting, drawing, welding and sculpting for here on in, and attests her enthusiasm to the excellent teachers she encountered at The Gordon.
Get it out of the way so you don’t have anxious feelings about it throughout the day. Go and quickly buy that persons pressie or run that errand you’ve been avoiding. I know it can be hard, but I promise the pay off of peace during your day is worth it. DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHERS ARE THINKING.
THIS HOT MESS Hey Forte crew! As the silly season is officially in full swing and Christmas fast approaches I want to have a quick look at creating peace because this time of year can get a lil crazy... Hello random angry, rude people at shopping centre car parks, gah! I read a great quote once that has always stuck with me from Brian Tracy. He says “set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organise you life around it”. It’s brilliant advice because it’s so true; there are things we can do on purpose to help bring peace into our lives when it (or we) are being a hot mess!
The hands-on learning gives students a real connection to their course and provides them with the skills industry is looking for. Fashion students have a six-week internship with major labels such as Cotton-On, Sportgirls, Witchery and country road to name a few. These internships allow students to gain strong industry connections and can provide great job outcomes upon completion of their course. Designing their own collections and mastering construction, give Gordon students a real edge.
We all know comparison is the thief of joy, but I would say that being obsessively concerned with others opinions will destroy your peace just as much. Let it go and do your thing. Don’t want to go to every Xmas event? Then don’t. Need to say no to something at work because you’ve already got too much on? Then do it! What’s that saying? “Those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter”. Prioritise who is important and be ok with not being able to be everything to everyone.
FEED YOUR CREATIVITY AT THE GORDON
LIST THREE THINGS YOU’RE GRATEFUL FOR. An attitude of gratitude will help bring peace where you feel disorder as you choose to focus on the good whilst you deal with the craziness of Christmas. Feeling overwhelmed with the amount of shopping still to do? Try sitting and thinking about the parents out there who can’t afford Christmas lunch let alone presents for their kids. It will help hopefully shift your thinking a little from it feeling like a chore, and more into a privilege.
The Gordon continues to develop and inspire hundreds of students with their creative vocations. From fashion design to visual arts and graphic design, the skills and experiences students the students will have, can set them up for future careers and let them explore their resourcefulness.
So please, don’t be afraid to slow down and prioritise your peace this time of year guys, we are at our best for others when we ourselves are feeling at our best <3 ALL MY LOVE, KIM XX
Follow Kim’s blog @thishotmessau
Meg Lee (pictured) a certificate IV in visual arts student, recently completed her course and cannot wait to see where her ideas can take her. Her eightmetre history of art (and her journey through the course) is now on display in The Gordon’s Davidson
So here are three ways to increase your peace during the festive season.
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If you love to shop, with the added bonus of purchasing ethically sourced products, then Coco + Frida is your next must visit. This Queenscliff shop has been around for a little while now, with creator Tammy Honey ensuring all the products in her store are mostly made up of a collection of boutique designers within Australia. All these designers are well-known with the growing trend of conscious, sustainable and ethical fashion Coco + Frida have a wide range of quality leather accessories, as well as jewellery, clothes, skincare, and candles. There is something for everyone, and they are a definite must see for this upcoming Christmas. Some of the labels you can find here include Banana Blue, EOS, Morgan Marks, fallenBroken Street, Alchimia, Lois Hazel, and many more. Tammy has said she loves to source designers that have a passion for what they do, and she enjoys to be able to find things that no one else can... what’s not to love about that?! Alongside her wide range of products, Tammy also hosts workshops and events at the store, the most recent event being ‘Designers Leading the Way’, with ticket sales being donated to Queenscliff Primary School for workshops on sustainable, conscious and ethical practices.
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Graphic design students have the opportunity to work on real client briefs and can see their work materialise throughout Geelong. With small class sizes, you are recognised as a person not just as a number, and your learning style and creativity are always supported. As our graduates often say you started your learning journey on your own and complete with a group of lifelong friends. The Gordon offers art and design courses for all ages (17+) and abilities, so whether you have just completed Year 12 or are looking to return to study, we actively encourage you to apply! Prospective students are encouraged to get their folios together and apply online today. Applications are now open for 2019 but do not leave it too long as positions fill quickly.
January information sessions are Tuesday 15 January at 5pm (fashion and visual arts) and 6pm (graphic design). For all course information and to register for information sessions, head to thegordon.edu.au
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FILM REVIEWS BY ANTHONY MORRIS
NORMANDY NUDE
PEPPERMINT
Those who saw the 2016 French rural drama Irreplaceable will have no trouble recognising star Francois Cluzet’s character here: as a dairy farmer who’s also the mayor of a small French village, he’s basically playing the same, extremely helpful, character. This time the problems he’s tackling are a bit more external, as wider economic conditions have the town struggling and a farmers’ protest (that he helps organise) attracts little attention – apart from an American photographer (Toby Jones) who decides the villages’ rolling paddocks would be perfect for one of his famous shots of hundreds of totally naked people. The wide-ranging plot takes in a number of characters in a web of subplots, but the main point of the film – that things are tough on the land – is consistent throughout. But if you’re expecting a feast for the eyes, be warned: despite the title, this is much more interested in taking in the Normandy countryside than the naked body.
There’s a car with steamed up windows rocking back and forth in a parking garage late at night, and the twist – the people inside aren’t having sex, it’s a Latino gangbanger being murdered by Riley North (Jennifer Garner), soccer mum turned vigilante – is pretty much the only surprise this predictable action film delivers. Which is kind of the point here: director Pierre Morel (Taken) seems to have thought that he could spice up (or at least speed up) this generic plot by skipping over various predictable elements. For example, while we get the usual happy family stuff before North’s husband and child are gunned down by a Mexican gang, her five year mission to turn herself into a killing machine is skimmed over in a police report, and then a number of her payback murders (oh yeah, the killers get off scot free because of corruption) are only mentioned rather than shown. There’s still plenty of violence as she goes up against the Mexicans (who aren’t exactly stereotypes, but it’s still a touch iffy), but it’s mostly her just against the Big Boss and his minions, which strips out what little power the vigilante genre has going for it. Garner at least is a good lead; she deserved better than this.
RECORD WATCH
MORTAL ENGINES
Gaspar Noe has been pushing the
Author Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) is in trouble. Her last book was a flop, her agent is ducking her calls, she can’t make any progress on her next book and she’s hitting the bottle pretty hard. So when she stumbles across a letter written by Fanny Brice (the subject of her next book) she promptly tries to sell it - only to discover the lack of spicy content means it’ll only bring in a small sum. Adding a gag-tastic PS bumps up the price, and soon Israel is forging celebrity letters left right and centre. With this boost in her fortunes comes a boost in her personal life, as she makes a friend: Jack Hock (Richard E Grant), a flamboyant and itinerant local character. But as her forgery career blossoms, how long can she keep getting away with it? Israel may be abrasive but this film is a delight, shot through with wry humour as Israel flails from disaster to disaster. McCarthy’s recent comedies have been dubious at best and forgettable on the whole, but with this rounded and very real performance she re-establishes herself as one of America’s strongest comedic actors. It’s funny and thoroughly authentic: this is one of the films of the year.
boundaries of cinema since at least
A thousand years after a war that literally reshaped the face of the planet, large swathes of Earth are ruled by giant mobile cities that devour all before them. There’s also a teeming and savage society living off their scraps, a thriving market in salvaging the remains of the “old tech” dug up by scavengers and archaeologists, a largely airborne terrorist organisation with their own floating base dedicated to defeating the mobile cities, an oldstyle ground-based civilisation living behind a giant wall that protects them from the roving predators, floating prisons, thousand year-old terminator robots, and a surprisingly large number of jokes about Brexit. So it’s safe to say there’s a lot going on in this adaptation of the first of the Mortal Engines series of novels, and while the whole things eventually collapses under its own weight – roughly around the point where it becomes that the epic final battle is really three or four battles in one – it does manage to be solidly entertaining for longer than you might think. There’s far too many characters (even Hugo Weaving barely makes an impression) and much of the action is generic, but director Christian Rivers aims big and packs a lot into this very bumpy ride.
2002’s reverse rape-revenge drama Irreversible, but it’s been a fairly restricted kind of boundary-pushing, designed to shock and stun rather than educate or illuminate. Supposedly based on a true story, his latest film Climax features a mid-1990s French dance troupe going through intensive three-day rehearsals in an isolated hall before heading off on a US tour. To celebrate their last night of rehearsals, the twenty or so dancers have an impromptu party that opens with the film’s high point; a lengthy dance routine set to thumping 90s dance tracks involving the whole group. Everyone has their own styles and skills but they’re all working together as a unit – and then gradually this unity is torn apart. Someone has spiked the sangria with LSD. For most of the troupe, this will not be a mellow trip. Unfortunately this hellish nightmare never becomes all that nightmarish no matter how many buttons Noe pushes. The nature of the troupe’s madness leaves the audience observing it from the outside, and as the bad behaviour builds to a crescendo even his swirling camerawork can’t mix these ingredients into the Hell on Earth he’s striving for. It is often darkly funny though; maybe Noe’s future lies in comedy?
TALIA GLASS ANIMALS - HOW TO BE A HUMAN BEING
An American Prayer is the ninth and final studio album by the Doors. In 1978, seven years after lead singer Jim Morrison died and five years after the remaining members of the band broke up, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore reunited and recorded backing tracks over Morrison’s poetry (originally recorded in 1969 and 1970). Other pieces of music and spoken word recorded by the Doors and Morrison were also used in the audio collage, such as dialogue from Morrison’s film HWY: An American Pastoral and snippets from jam sessions.
NATHAN REVOCATION - THE OUTER ONES GLENN NAZXUL - TOTEM
SESSION TIMES Decembb 13th - 31st pivotcinema.com.au
N OR M A N DY N U DE NEW F R A N C E 9 6 m i n s C o m e d y - D r a m a M
Thu 13th 11am Fri 14th 1.15pm & 8pm Sat 15th 1.15pm Sun 16th 3.30pm M o n 1 7 t h 1 . 1 5 p m & 7. 3 0 p m Tue 18th 11am We d 1 9 t h 3 . 3 0 p m & 8 p m Thu 20th 6pm Fri 21st 3.40pm Sat 22nd 11am Sun 23rd 5pm Mon 24th 1pm We d 2 6 t h 3 . 3 0 p m Thu 27th 3.15pm F r i 2 8 t h 5 . 2 0 p m & 9. 3 0 p m S a t 2 9 t h 1 1 a m & 7. 2 0 p m Sun 30th 3.20pm M o n 3 1 s t 3 . 1 0 p m & 7. 3 0 p m Tue 1st Jan 3.40pm
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C OM I N G S O ON
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We d 2 6 t h 1 . 1 5 p m & 5 . 4 0 p m T hu 2 7 t h 1 1 a m & 9. 1 5 p m Fri 28th 3pm S a t 2 9 t h 3 p m & 9. 2 0 p m Sun 30th 11am & 5.30pm Mon 31st 1pm & 5.15pm Tue 1st Jan 5.40pm
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CLIMAX
STAFF PICKS
Jim Morrison & The Doors - An American Prayer
Jan. 1st Jan 10th Jan 17th Jan 24th
CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
T H E N U T C R AC K E R & THE F OU R R E A L M S NEW DISNEY U S A 9 1 m i n s Fa m i l y P G
Thu 13th 1pm Fri 14th 6pm Sat 15th 3.20pm Sun 16th 11am Mon 17th 5.30pm Tue 18th 1.15pm & 6pm We d 1 9 t h 1 1 a m & 6 p m Thu 20th 1.15pm Fri 21st 11am Sat 22nd 5.20pm Sun 23rd 11am Mon 24th 3.15pm We d 2 6 t h 1 1 a m Thu 27th 5.20pm F r i 2 8 t h 1 p m FINAL
Thu 13th 3pm Fri 14th 11am S at 15th 9.10pm Mo n 1 7 t h 11am & 3.15pm Tue 18th 3.30pm & 8pm We d 1 9 t h 1.15p m Thu 20th 3.20pm S a t 2 2 n d 1 p m FINAL
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LADIES IN BLACK
T hu 2 0 t h 1 1 a m & 8 p m Fri 21st 1.20pm & 6pm S a t 2 2 n d 3 . 1 5 p m & 7. 3 0 p m Sun 23rd 1pm & 7pm Mon 24th 11am & 5.20pm We d 2 6 t h 8 p m T h u 2 7 t h 1 . 1 5 p m & 7. 1 5 p m F r i 2 8 t h 1 1 a m & 7. 3 0 p m Sat 29th 1pm & 5.15pm S u n 3 0 t h 1 . 1 5 p m & 7. 4 5 p m Mon 31st 11am
Thu 13th 8.30pm Fri 14th 3.30pm Sat 15th 11am S u n 1 6 t h 1 . 1 5 p m FINAL
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S T R A N G E C OL O U R S AUSTRALIA 89mins Drama MA
Sat 15th 5.30pm Sun 23rd 3.15pm
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AUSTRALIA 79mins Drama PG
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AUSTRALIA 99mins Comedy Drama M
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Are we currently living in a time where bands of the 90’s and 00’s need to play their most acclaimed and fan favourite albums in full to pack out stadiums? If so, this 90’s kid is not complaining! Silent Alarm, the critically acclaimed debut album for London foursome, Bloc Party, is always an album I find myself returning to so seeing it played in full live at Margaret Court Arena was bound to be electrifyingly epic. To start us on that wave was electro-pop trio (plus one on this tour), Haiku Hands. From the minute they took to the stage the girls owned it. With their energy levels set to jumping-out-of-your-skin high, the four utilised every inch of their stage setup, even down to the barrier. Singles ‘Squat’, ‘Not About You’ and ‘Jupiter’, paired with their eclectic choreography that screamed Spice Girls, seamless synchronisation vocals, and their coordinated outfits, left the crowd reeling. So here we are! Nearly 14 years after the release of
the groundbreaking album, ready to lose ourselves in the nostalgia. Bloc Party did not hesitate as they entered the stage to a recording of ‘Every Time Is the Last Time’, jumping straight into ‘Compliments’, the final song on the album, a gentle ease into the evening. With one whammy driven shaky guitar strum, ‘Plans’ was announced and it was evident the set list was the album played in reverse. Kele Okereke has made comments in the past about the idea of anniversary tours being ‘cringeworthy’, however he seemed genuinely happy to be in Melbourne and revisiting their monumental album. ‘Luno’, ‘So Here We Are’, ‘Price of Gasoline’ and ‘The Pioneers’ kicked the set up another gear but the real kick was in the form of ‘This Modern Love’. The two note guitar introduction with the crawling build lead to the biggest moment of the night- arms flailing through the air, not one still body in the arena, echoes of ‘jump right’ and ‘jump left’, the confetti canons showering the crowd in pink. And we were only seven songs in! Louise Bartle shined on drums in ‘She’s Hearing Voices’ matching the styling of the original drummer, Matt Tong. Strobes of blue light capered on the crowd as the foursome launched into ‘Blue Light’ but the anticipation in the room was suffocating at the conclusion, with fans aware of what was coming next; ‘Banquet’. While this song is there most popular I still find it… to take the words right out of the song… ‘so underrated’, and seeing it live further cemented that. This song is damn iconic and the impact live is twofold- like reliving a favourite memory but experiencing that magic for the first time. ‘Positive Tension’ brought the party with a united cry of the lyric ‘so f**cking useless’, yet again making it blindingly obvious that each track off of Silent Alarm is an anthem. The main set finished with ‘Helicopter’ and ‘Like Eating Glass’, an end to the trip down memory lane, but the encore would serve as another reminder of how visionary Bloc Party are. The six song encore included ‘Two More Years’, ‘Skeleton’, ‘Little Thoughts’, ‘The Prayer’, ‘The Love Within’ and ended on a high note with ‘Flux’. More confetti rained on the crowd as the evening closed and with a roar of applause for the indie outfit. You can bet that the album was played in every car on the way home.
GLASTONBURY 2000 (LIVE)
VENTURE IN VAIN
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Ace Frehley
David Bowie
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Alpha Hall
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Parlophone Records
Independent
Hidden Shoal Recordings
Reviewed by Glenn Lynch
By Tammy Walters
By Tammy Walters
Reviewed by Alex Lynch
The Lost Lands Werribee Park Mansion was a beautiful setting for what would be an amazing weekend at The Lost Lands Festival and fortunately, no one got lost but they certainly found an assortment of riches of the entertainment kind. With a two day line up featuring The Teskey Brothers, Alice Ivy, You Am I and Tim Finn just to name a few, the adults were already covered with good music. But it wasn’t just about the grown ups here... A mini Spiegel tent, circus acts, a bubble master, ferris wheel, food and drinks galore, toy and craft workshops, School of Rock, comedy, market stalls, poem writings, games and so much more ensured the kids had as good a time as any, and are probably already hassling the parents to go back next year. In a twist on conventional face painting, the children got to paint the faces of the parents. My daughter Zoe had a blast colouring every bit of skin
visible on my face. The inside of my ears was a bit over the top, but hey, you gotta let the kids do their thing I guess... A personal highlight was seeing Tim Finn up on stage playing some Split Enz and Crowded House tracks. ‘I Hope I Never’ was a personal highlight, but I also loved seeing ‘Dirty Creature’ and ‘I See Red’ in particular. You Am I rocked as you would expect, Boo Seeka gave some great afternoon vibes, and the quality of the line up for the weekend could not be questioned. In the circus tent, another highlight was Gravity and Other Myths. It’s no wonder they are gaining attention worldwide and demand is surging. There was people climbing on top of each other, falling and getting thrown around the place. It’s hard to describe in a few words, but check it out if you get the chance. After the event, The Lost Lands laid claim to having 4500 campers, and only half a bag of rubbish left behind. This is an amazing testament to the ecofriendly mantra they were pushing, and credit to the punters for being eco-friendly as well. I could not have imagined a music festival having such wide appeal, whether you’re 6 or 60 (or more), but they do! Hats off to the crew for pulling off such an event. I’m looking forward to next year already!
SPACEMAN
When: November 3 & 4 Where: Werribee Park & Mansion, Werribee. Reviewed by Glenn Lynch
Bloc Party: Silent Alarm Tour Tuesday 27 November 2018 Margaret Court Arena Reviewed by Tammy Walters
Kicking thing off with ‘Without You I’m Nothing’, For those that never got the chance to see David Bowie ‘Venture in Vain’, the debut EP for Riley Catherall, Ace instantly shows he’s not a spent force with an live, Glastonbury 2000 (Live) is the closest thing we will transcends genres, blending the Canberra bred upbeat rocking track, great riffing and some catchy, ever get to seeing and hearing the wonder of the legend musicians blues and jazz background with his relaxed vocals. It continues on with ‘Rockin with the in perhaps what was his greatest performance ever. newfound country inspiration across a cathartic five Boys!’, which is similar, but has a more anthemic Coming in a double disc combo of 22 tracks from track journey. chorus, and some classic Ace leadwork. Something a nearly 2 hour set, Glastonbury 2000 (Live) captures ‘Watered Down Man’ sets the tone for the album about the chorus didn’t resonate with me, but aside the essence of being in the claustrophobic crowd. With with its pure and honest song writing. Catherall from that, this is some solid rock indeed, and as you a brief introduction from Mike Garson, the piercing delivers the opening line, ‘Well I’m two parts water would expect, it has the regular Kiss flashback, which screams from fans, the whistling and applause and and three parts sin’, in the same fashion that Bradley is never a bad thing. the anticipation awaiting Bowie as he steps onto the Cooper presents ‘Maybe It’s Time’ from Oscar-bait, ‘Your Wish is my Command’ and ‘Bronx Boy’ and stage is much too real, before the band launch into A Star Is Born; with sincerity shaking through. Slide so on are a further testament to how much influence ‘Wild Is The Wind’, an unexpected opener for punters guitar, subtle harmonies and the gentle caress of piano Ace really had on Kiss’ sound and style back in the 70’s. awaiting the classics. keys are humble and understated. How it stacks up in this day and age is not clear cut, The set list for this extraordinary performance Harmonica draws you into, ‘House That’s Meant but fuck it, good music is good music, and this sounds is a mixed bag from Bowies catalogue. And what a For More’, a stripped-back track seemingly about more like Kiss than anything else I have heard Ace do catalogue he has- from ‘China Girl’, ‘Changes’, ‘Under the loneliness of moving cities and the trials of love. in a long, long time so I’m just going to enjoy it... OK? Pressure’, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Ziggy Stardust’ to ‘Stay’, ‘Halo 2018 ARIA Hall of Fame inductee, Kasey Chambers, His voice has held up better than expected Spaceboy’, ‘Golden Years’ and ‘Absolute Beginners’. joins Catherall on vocals for ‘Robin’, a match made in over the years, and it makes the ‘middle of the It’s hard to believe that the musical genius had country heaven as their voices intertwine and softly road’ lyrics a lot better than could have been the been “struck down by laryngitis earlier [that] week”, graze each other. The delicate vocal runs and falls in case. I’m craving just that bit more lead though, as he shows off his vocal abilities, always delivered the final minute are simply divine. ‘Maybe You’re Right’ that bit more swagger, but this is about as good with that trademark dramatic styling. Bowie again reflects the loneliness and melancholy, as does as I would expect at this stage in Ace’s career. offers insight into song release dates as mid song ‘Meet Me There’. ‘Mission To Mars’ elevated my interest as it was commentary, which serves as reminder of how long Catherall’s song writing is mature beyond his years, wavering. Ace pulls off the 90’s punk/rock/grunge we have loved these songs and how relevant and well but the influence of Kevin Bennett, Mike Carr and Matt surprisingly well and is one of the stand-out tracks. received they still were in 2000, and are still today. Scullion, with whom he wrote tracks, and the guidance However the last two tracks just don’t cut it like a Glastonbury 2000 allows you to experience and relive of Bill Chambers in the studio are clear. If ‘Venture majority of the first seven tracks, and bring this one the magic of David Bowie; what more could you want! In Vain’ is anything to go off of, Catherall has a very just below the 4 shaka mark. promising future in the music industry..
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Ballarat’s own Alpha Hall have made landing with the release of their debut album, Omens - a hypnotic album with psychedelic and mesmerising tracks. It’s not easy to put a label on Alpha Hall’s music genre, but it would probably be something along the lines of adult contemporary, a mixed bag of soft rock, blues, pop and easy listening. Opening up for the album, ‘Find’ is a gritty visually invoking song that ranges from mellow and peaceful to loud and powerful. The rough husky voice of the lead vocalist and his synergy with the rest of the band give this song the strong impact it needs as the opening track. One of the tracks that stood out for me personally was ‘Salt’, a slow paced emotionally driven ballad that expresses a beautiful sadness and a sense of solitude. Violin and voice working together to send shivers down my spine. A beautiful track to be appreciated. Throughout the album you will find seven solid tracks, ranging from pretty standard rock/pop tracks, to slowed down beautiful ballads and psychedelic sensations. Alpha Hall’s debut album is quality from start to finish, showcasing a unique combination of instruments and influences, a testament to the value of synergy between band members.
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Visual Arts
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Artwork by Nay Bu, graphic design student Entry for the International Poster Biennial in Mexico 2018.
Real skills. Real experience. Real outcomes. thegordon.edu.au | 8373 9193 Government funding for eligible students. TAFE 3044.
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WRITTEN BY ADRIAN ALOI
BLUES NEWS
WRITTEN BY JOHN (DR JOHN) LAMP
TOO HEAVY TO HUG
SURFBEAT
WRITTEN BY ANTHONY MORRIS
POP
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WRITTEN BY PAUL S. TAYLOR
BY JOHN FOSS
With Christmas right around the corner, there’s been a sudden flood of new DVD and blu-ray titles hittingstore shelves. Sure, you could ask for a Netflix subscription for Christmas instead, but where’s the fun in trying to unwrap that under the tree on December 25th? So if you’re looking for gifts for your near and dear, or for suggestions to pass on to anyone who might want to add you to their shopping list, here’s a few recent release suggestions that I for one would be happy to find in my stocking on Christmas morning… except that I’ve probably already bought them by now because my family seems to feel useful presents are the best (it’s a whole thing, let’s not go into it here). First off, Mandy (Madman distributors): Nicolas Cage has been the king of directto-DVD schlock for a long time now, but this particular feature received a limited run in cinemas here earlier this year and for good reason. While the plot is your basic revenge tale – Cage is a somewhat intense dude whose peaceful forest life with his partner is disrupted by a nutty cult and it’s chainsaw time – it’s directed with a gonzo over-the-top intensity that constantly verges on parody while still delivering crazy thrills. Even now Cage almost never gives a truly bad performance (or even a disinterested one) and here he manages to give depth and texture to a role that’s largely just an excuse to give the most “Nicolas Cage” performance in years. Batman: The Complete Animated Series (Roadshow Entertainment): in the early 90s the Batman cartoon show broke new ground in animation by going back to the 40s stylings of the Fleisher cartoons and bringing that moody, stylised approach to the small screen. Surprisingly violent and dark for the time, it laid the groundwork for the endless parade of Warner Brothers cartoon superheroes we have today and set a standard for animated storytelling that’s yet to be surpassed. Now fully remastered, this set collects all four seasons and the two movies, and while the extras are decent enough, this show is good enough on its own to deserve a second look even if you already own the previous edition. Westworld: season two (Roadshow Entertainment): this season doubled down on the puzzle box approach that was so compelling (and frustrating) the first time around, but with a stronger idea of who the characters are – and the occasional visit to other worlds in the robot-filled theme park – this manages to build on the first season in a way that makes the characters’ various quests more engaging even when they seem to be spinning their wheels. Plus samurai! The Quiet Earth (Umbrella): New Zealand director Geoff Murphy passed away at the start of December, and while he worked on bigger films – he did second unit on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and directed Under Siege 2 amongst others – 1985’s The Quiet Earth remains his masterpiece. Bruno Lawrence plays a man who wakes up to find he seems to be the only person left on Earth; eerie and haunting, it takes an idea that wasn’t exactly original even than and turns it into a memorably effective and compelling film.
I’m back, baby! It’s been a while, gang. Considering that I’ve been writing for Forte for the better part of five years, I figured I was overdue for a bit of a break. Now that I’ve had some time away to recharge the ol’ batteries, I’m ready and raring to go with a whole lot more comic-y goodness. Before I get started, however, I’d like to extend my thanks to Adrian for his stellar work filling in for me – especially considering that he basically came out of retirement for me! Cheers for the help, bud. As luck would have it, this week’s comic has a similar kind of “back from the dead” vibe – purely coincidental, I swear – that seems pretty fitting. This time around, I’ve picked up Titans Volume One: The Return of Wally West, written by Dan Abnett (Guardians of the Galaxy) and drawn by Brett Booth (Backlash) and Norm Rapmund (Teen Titans). Dan Abnett is probably one of my favourite authors going around, and surprisingly, it’s not for his work with comics – Abnett is one of a team of writers for the Black Library, the publishing house of Games Workshop that is known for its Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 novels. Given that I’m a long-time Warhammer 40k nerd, I’ve been reading Abnett’s work for years, and he is easily one of my top three authors. Once, the Teen Titans were one of the most formidable superhero teams in the DC Universe. While they began their careers as the sidekicks of some of the most famous heroes around – Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Arrow, to name a few – they bonded over the years, and became the closest of friends. Everything they thought they knew was wrong – they had a member they never even knew existed. Wally West, formerly Kid Flash, had ceased to exist, and his teammates – his closest friends – had forgotten him. Stranded outside time itself, Wally could only look in on the universe he was once a part of. Pulled back into reality, and emerging from the Speed Force with the assistance of his mentor – the Flash – Wally must adapt to a reality that has forgotten his very existence, and answer one key question. Why has the world forgotten him? Titans was one of my favourite Rebirth titles. I wasn’t super familiar with the characters – with the exception of Nightwing, Arsenal and Wally – but the little I knew was enough to get me by. The absence of OG Wally West was something of a sore point for me during the New 52 – I grew up with Wally as the Flash, after all – and this is a fantastic reintroduction for a beloved DC stalwart. Abnett does a fantastic job of quickly throwing all of the main players back together again, and jumping right to the action. Booth and Rapmund produce some seriously great art between them – any of the splash pages could be posters, and the panels where Wally is streaking around look absolutely amazing. It’s surprisingly high-quality all the way through – in my experience, DC’s art can vary drastically from page to page in non-headliner books. Titans has a cracker of a story, and some of the coolest characters in the DC universe kicking around in its pages – I reckon it’s well worth a spot on your shelf if you haven’t read it already.
The year is drawing to an end, but paradoxically, things are getting busier as we head into our end of year celebrations. In Geelong, the end of year blues event is the Bluestone Blues Festival, so here’s a rundown on what we can expect... Bluestone takes place at the Murgheboluc recreation ground, just 15 minutes out of town on the Hamilton Highway. If you get to Inverleigh, hang a uie – you missed it! The name of ‘Bluestone’ came from the walls of the Inverleigh Hotel where our first Festival was held in 1996. It was an amazing event that is still talked about today and the music from that Bluestone is still played. Sleepy Hollow Blues Club has put together an outstanding line-up, including the two Victorian bands who are off to the International Blues Challenge. There are five bands counting down the hours to New Year’s Day. The Dollar 20 Blues Band is kicking off the event at 6pm on New Year’s Eve. The band’s name came when a group of kids listening from a nearby park pushed a pocket full of small change through the holes in their shed’s cracked and broken walls. One dollar twenty, not a huge paying first gig, but a good sign right from the very start. Next up is the Simon Kinny-Lewis Band. Simon was on the bill last year and is back again this year with Winston Galea (drums), Liam Kealy (keys) and Peter Neagoe (bass). Catfish Voodoo then takes over. Their sets consist of their own material and original takes of classic blues songs such as; Mojo Workin’, Smokestack Lightnin’, and a high energy version of the John Lee Hooker classic, Boogie Chillun’. Blue Heat is back and is definitely a highlight of the event. They don’t perform together frequently these days so don’t miss this one. Blue Heat is Barry Galbraith (drums) Graeme Galbraith (bass) Marco Goldsmith (guitar, vocals) Brad Harrison (sax, vocals) Paul Lemke (trombone, backing vocals). Louis King and the Liars Klub will take us through to the midnight countdown. They also played last year. The band has been the featured support act for B.B King, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan and Screamin’ J Hawkins. New Year’s Day, or Recovery Day as we prefer to call it, brings in 2019 at 11am with the Wayne Jury 4 featuring Sandy Brady, JP and Troy Love. The Wayne Jury 4 are essentially a blues band, but like the personalities in the band, the idea of being pigeon-holed is about as much fun as having a Tasmanian devil in your sleeping bag. Rhythm X Revival is one of the Memphis bound bands. They are an energetic rockin’ country blues band formed through songwriting and the friendship of JohnLuke Shelley and Johnny Tesoriero. P J O’Brien’s blistering fretwork has been turning heads around the world. The McNaMarr Project is the second of the IBC competitors, combining the powerhouse vocals of John McNamara and Andrea Marr Camping is available, no dogs, no fires! You can get your tickets at the gate, or online at Trybooking.
Welcome to THTH, Forte’s premier source of all things heavy, hard, fast and metal. Let’s continue to count down THTH’s Top 5 albums of 2018: 5) Sevendust – All I See Is War 4) Sumac – Love In Shadow 3) Rivers of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name Progressive death metal can be hit and miss and Rivers of Nihil have definitely hit the mark with their third album, Where Owls Know My Name. The album is a flowing musical journey that includes jazzy undertones, electronic highlights and acoustic passages throughout the progressions while maintaining crushing heaviness, amazing chugging riffs and great vocals. ‘Subtle Change (Including the Forest of Transition)’ is the most progressive track on offer and is definitely not subtle, ‘Hollow’ is straight up traditional metal that pounds its way across nearly six minutes, while ‘A Home’ and ‘Old Nothing’ best exemplify Rivers of Nihil’s brand progressive metal. The instrumental ‘Terrestria III: Wither’ is a haunting, heavily electronic, dragging instrumental. There’s also parts of saxophone peppered throughout the album but they don’t come across as a gimmicky since they fit so well within the tracks. Where Owls Know My Name is a dense and layered album that requires many listens to appreciate all that is going on within and the progressive nature of the album makes repeat listens all the more enjoyable. As stated above, progressive death metal can be hit and miss, much like all the other sub genres of death metal, and Rivers of Nihil have pushed metal forward with this album as it shows that there really are no boundaries when all is considered. Next issue we’ll finish off THTH’s Top 5 of 2018.
It’s that time of year again with thousands of people heading off to surf shops looking for gift ideas. I have two rules for Christmas shopping this summer… buy environmentally friendly and buy local (and good karma will bring you lots of waves this summer). Surfing has become increasingly environmentally friendly in the last decade. Surfers have always had a bit of a guilt complex. We love surfing, we love the environment and yet our surfboards and wetsuits (both with high levels of oil based products) are about as toxic as you can get. For the last three decades Patagonia have been setting the pace when it comes to environmentally friendly surf wear and products. They have been producing amazing clothing from organic cotton for a long time that is high quality and feels good (they have also created one of the world’s first truly organic wetsuits). Patagonia also ensure that their suppliers comply with Fair Trade and Fair Labour regulations. And to top it off they donate a heap of money to support environmental programs and also support a heap of environmental, community and social groups here in Australia and overseas (last year in the USA they donated over a million dollars to environmental groups). Patagonia’s boss, Yvon Chouinard is also known for giving polluters a hard time. He has given US President Trump a ‘bake’ on a few occasions over his environmental policies. Back on the Surf Coast, Rip Curl have been planting trees for over ten years through their big day out initiative. Rip Curl have also embraced solar power at they’re Torquay Headquarters and hands out grants around the world to support environmental programs. They also hold surfing events with zero carbon emissions that also run on renewable energy. Just up the road at Quiksilver they have been making boardshorts out of coke bottles for a number of years (they are great) and supporting a large number of environmental and social programs through the Quiksilver Foundation. They also hold regular planting days on the surf coast and support environmental programs in the Pacific. So when you hit the shops during the next few weeks spare a thought for the surf companies doing something good for the environment. Do your research and support them to continue helping our planet. It’s not a bad trade off… and you might end up with a nice shirt or pair of shorts!
In other news ++ Ballarat’s Blaze Music Festival featuring Dead City Ruins, Hadal Maw, Dreadnaught, Whoretopsy, Frankenbok and many more will be held at Karova Lounge on Saturday January 26. ++ The 10th annual Progfest featuring The Ocean and Monuments, with more to be announced, will be held at Melbourne’s The Croxton on Saturday January 26. ++ Alestorm will be at Melbourne’s Croxton on Saturday February 9. ++ Watain will play Melbourne’s Max Watts on Friday February 22. ++ Devin Townsend will release his new album Empath in March 2019. ++ Ensiferum will be at Melbourne’s Max Watts on Saturday March 2. ++ Download 2019 will be held at Flemmington Racecourse on Monday March 11. ++ Soilwork will be at Max Watts on Saturday March 16. ++ Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals along with King Parrot will play Max Watts on Friday March 22. ++ Emperor will play their landmark album Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk in its entirety at 170 Russell on Wednesday April 3. ++ Sevendust will play the Forum on Saturday April 27. ++ If you have any news about local metal bands, shows or albums, let THTH know by emailing to tooheavytohug@ hotmail.com or get in touch via Twitter at @TooHeavyToHug
Proudly presented by the Sleepy Hollow Blues Club 704
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If you like John Fogarty, Matt Corby, Neil Young, Nirvana, Lana Del Rey and Johnny Cash, you’ll love the vast musical influences of Mr Biscan.
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