Forte #716

#716 06.06.19 FREE

Tastes of

Central Geelong

FREE

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DOORS

ENTRY

OPEN AT

WITH SUMMER PASS

10PM

BEFORE 11 PM

08 JUNE

15 JUNE 40-42 MOORABOOL ST, GEELONG 03 5222 7333 2

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STAR OF BLACK BOOKS

★★★★

“HIGH-OCTANE RIFFS FROM IRISH MASTER OF GRUMPINESS… SPELLBINDING” EVENING STANDARD

SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER DEAKIN’S COSTA HALL DYLANMORAN.COM

“O BRIAIN HAS A LASER EYE FOR THE ABSURD AND THE SPURIOUS” THE GUARDIAN

MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER HAMER HALL, ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE

SATURDAY 22 JUNE

HAMER HALL, ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE

DARAOBRIAIN.COM

JOINED ON STAGE BY GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING BLUEGRASS BAND THE STEEP CANYON RANGERS

ONE SHOW ONLY

FRI DAY 15 N OVE M B E R M E LBOU RN E ARE NA

BOOK AT ABPRESENTS.COM.AU 4

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Allensworth•Alysha Brilla•Amaru Tribe Ash Grunwald•Brekky Boy•The Cat Empire Charlie Collins•Claire Anne Taylor Clare Bowditch•The Delta Riggs Dubarray•Fools•Hiatus Kaiyote Merpire•Missy Higgins•Newton Faulkner Paul McDermott&Gatesy•Steve Poltz•Stevie Jean Tim Finn•Troy Cassar-Daley•The Waifs

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Feature Story The Loop Local Feature Winter Warmers

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Creatives

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Reviews

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Columns

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The Guide

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PH: 03 5229 7969 2/105 Skene St, VIC 3220 enquiries@fortemag.com.au

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food,” George Bernard Shaw said, and judging by the number of amazing dishes out there, he was right. Food is not simply stuff that people eat when their hungry. Food is awesome, delicious, inventive, colourful, inspiring, and so much more. A mutual love of food can bring different people together and can make the saddest person feel a little better without even meaning to.

Publisher Furst Media Pty. Ltd.

FREEBIES Get a good dose of the Furphy Funny’s when the Furphy team bring TV comic, Lehmo to the Geelong stage this month. As one of Australia’s most experienced and well traveled comedians, this is a not to be missed comedy event. Support comes from radio personality, Gabe Hogan & the quick witted (and at times outspoken) funny man David Tulk. To celebrate, we’ve got some tickets up for grabs!

This issue we are all about food (as per usual really), especially with Tastes of Central Geelong on our cover. This 24 day festival of food, flavours and fun is where you can sample gourmet food and drink, learn tricks of the trade from local chefs, wine and dine and participate in food themed events. With hundreds of activities on offer, it doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned foodie or a new found food lover, young or young at heart, there’s something for everyone at Tastes of Central Geelong.

TO ENTER:

talia@fortemag.com.au

Advertising Josh Dowling

josh@fortemag.com.au

General Manager Glenn Lynch

glenn@fortemag.com.au

Email your name, number and code word ‘LEHMO’ to talia@fortemag.com.au

Art Director Nathan Mossop

artwork@fortemag.com.au

Further in, feast your eyes and control your drooling because we’ve also got a handy little winter warmers feature, where we’ve highlighted a few of the regions best food options for you to enjoy this winter when you don’t feel like cooking.

Interns Chloe Cicero, Liam McNally, Kayla Macleod, Jordyn Workman, Naseem Radmehr.

FORTÉGRAM Tag us @Forte_mag or #Fortemag to be featured!

@robsnarski

If you’re sick of food, we do have features with powerhouse songstress Meg Mac, all-round legends The Bennies, pub rock greats The Angels, Geelong-based bluesy rocker Josh Dance, Melbourne bred progressive alternative rock juggernaut Circles, plus heaps more.

Enjoy!

Talia and the Forté team xx @dero.band

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Editor Talia Rinaldo

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@pivotsummit

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.

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TGI FRIDAYS GET BEHIND AUSSIE MUSIC Global restaurant group, TGI Fridays, will be getting behind Australian musicians this year, revealing they’ll be rolling out live original music with regular gigs and showcases in-house across their Australian restaurants (including Chadstone, Eastland and Melbourne Central in Melbourne) from June 21. Live music will be booked by entertainment solutions service, Generation, heralded by Marcus Knight who is himself an illustrious DJ, music producer, songwriter and also the director of Generation. Each artist booked will be considered according to the location of the restaurant, while Generation hopes to book a variety of acts within the funk, soul, disco and folk genres, with both live acts and DJs on the roster. Pairing food and music, we can definitely get around that!

MICHAEL BUBLÉ AUSTRALIAN TOUR

ANNOUNCES

2020

Lock up your mothers: the eternally lovable global superstar Michael Bublé has announced his highly anticipated return to Australia. After a staggering five sold-out world tours, the very special An Evening with Michael Bublé Tour is set to thrill Australian audiences with performances featuring a full 36-piece orchestra, in support of his most recent hit album ♥, which was released in November 2018, debuting at #2 on the ARIA charts and quickly achieving Gold certification. “I’m really excited to be heading back on tour and to play for Australian audiences again,” Bublé said in a statement.

“It’s been six years since my last Australian tour and so much has happened in that time. I can’t wait to sing some of my all-time favourites and to share my new songs and stories.” Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne – February 15 & 16. Tickets via Ticketek.

YOURS & OWLS ANNOUNCE HUGE 2019 LINE-UP! Returning once again to the green, green grass of Stuart Park for the sixth consecutive year, this wildly-diverse line-up will see likes of homegrown songwriting heroes Amy Shark, Courtney Barnett, Angie McMahon, Meg Mac, No Mono, Odette and Kira Puru grace the four stages, along with party starters Golden Features, Hot Dub Time Machine, Slumberjack and Sneaky Sound System, rockers Skegss, Frenzal Rhomb, Ceres, West Thebarton and The Delta Riggs, alongside hip hop stars Baker Boy, Kwame, Thundamentals, Genesis Owusu plus so many more. Yours & Owls will hit Stuart Park, North Wollongong from Saturday October 5 to Sunday October 6. Tickets are on sale Monday June 3 at 9am.

MELBOURNE’S MASSIVE FIRE, WHISKY, AND WINE FESTIVAL RETURNS Winter is well and truly here, and Whisky, Wine & Fire is proving to be the best way to escape the chill this July. The tasting festival inside a fire garden returns for its second year, featuring makers of some of the country’s most acclaimed Whisky and Wine, while Provedores and restaurants will cook using fire as both heat and theatre (think smoked meats, heirloom beets and winter feasting). Celebrating bespoke makers and distinguished brands, Whisky, Wine & Fire includes talks, tastings and tips from leading whisky and winemakers. Enjoy music whilst drinking hot spirits and indulging in a gourmet feast, all while surrounded by incredible fire sculptures. This year’s event will take place at Caulfield Racecourse from Thursday 18 July until Sunday 21 July.

AN EVENING WITH BENITA COLLINGS DATE: THURSDAY 11 JULY 2019 TIME: 6PM – 9PM

Get ready to be tucked in for a night at the Museum! Benita will revisit your childhood memories of Play School – serving up anecdotes and stories from the popular ABC children’s program and her life on screen, whilst you indulge in wintry cocktails from The 18th Amendment Bar. Retro sweets inspired by the Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Cake Book will complete your trip down memory lane.

Ticket includes access to exhibitions and one welcome cocktail.

Dress code: Pop on your nightgowns, classy PJs and nightcaps!

Book soon to avoid disappointment!

FOR ADULTS MORE INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS: nationalwoolmuseumgeelong.eventbrite.com ‘Happy Birthday Play School: Celebrating 50 Years’ exhibition.

Showing: 28 June - 7 October at the National Wool Museum.

A travelling exhibition from the National Museum of Australia developed in collaboration with the ABC. 10

26 Moorabool Street, Geelong Open: Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.00pm Sat & Sun 10.00am-5.00pm nwm.vic.gov.au FORTÉ 716

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GIVE ME CHEESE

CITY OF MELBOURNE IS OFFERING MUSIC GRANTS UP TO $20,000

Hard or soft, blue or white, fresh or aged. As if cheese isn’t one of the best human creations ever!? What’s better is there’s a whole festival dedicated to it, in all its beauty. Australia’s favourite cheese festival Mould is back for its third year, once again bringing together the best artisan producers from across the country, for a day full of cheese, wine, masterclasses, tastings, conversations, demonstrations and more. 60 cheeses, 15 producers, and 0 tokens.

Sounds like something we need to get to. It all goes down at Melbourne’s Meat Market on August 16 & 17. Oh, and ticket prices include ALL cheese tastings – hell fricken yes!

KISS HAVE ANNOUNCED AUSTRALIAN SHOW EVER

FINAL

AUSSIE PUBLICIST TO CYCLE 300KM FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES

In bittersweet news, KISS have just announced an extra Melbourne show for their End Of The Road tour. However, it’s been confirmed as their final Aussie show ever, slated for Saturday November 30 at Rod Laver Arena. KISS have had some memorable performances when they’ve travelled to Australia. In a statement, KISS frontman Gene Simmons said it’s sad to bid Australia adieu, but they’re going out with a bang. “This is a bittersweet moment. We love Australia. And Aussies have been so kind to us over the years. But now is the time. We want to go out on top. And we promise to give you the show of shows, and appreciation for all the love you’ve shown us for so many years.” Tickets are currently on sale via Ticketek.

Australian music publicist and Forte favourite Chris Maric had such an awesome experience during his two previous Heavy Metal Truants rides in 2016 and 2017 that he is returning to the UK to do it all again. Next month, Chris will be undertaking an epic, near 300km bicycle ride from London to Castle Donington & The Download Festival with the Heavy Metal Truants, in the name of several children’s charities. The seventh annual Heavy Metal Truants ride, officially dubbed HMT VII – Seven Deadly Spins in honour of its Iron Maiden connections, sees a global group of heavy music industry people come together to raise money for Nordoff Robbins, Teenage Cancer Trust and Childline.

You can donate via his donation page www. justgiving.com/chrismaric2019

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If you’re a musician, artist or creative working in any art form, you’re in luck. The City of Melbourne is opening its annual arts grants round on Friday May 24, with up to $20,000 per grant on offer. The grants are available to artists or organisations looking for support to deliver a project or residency. Hopeful applicants can be based anywhere, but the funding must result in a public outcome within the City of Melbourne boundary. If you’re not quite sure how to ask for the cash in a convincing way, a number of grant writing workshops are being held over May and June. The grant round closes on Monday June 24. For more information, head to the City of Melbourne website. Photo: Briannagh O’Loughlin

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Tastes of Central Geelong COMING TO GEELONG FOR THREE MOUTHWATERING WEEKS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF JULY IS THE ‘TASTES OF CENTRAL GEELONG’ FESTIVAL, CELEBRATING ALL THINGS DELICIOUS IN THE REGION. HELD THROUGHOUT THE HEART OF GEELONG, YOU CAN SAMPLE GOURMET FOOD AND DRINK, LEARN TRICKS OF THE TRADE FROM LOCAL CHEFS, WINE AND DINE, AND PARTICIPATE IN FOOD-THEMED EVENTS. With hundreds of activities on offer, it doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned foodie or a new-found food lover, young or young at heart, we can guarantee that there will be something new and enticing for you to devour.

One event that we are excited for (and is sure to be one of the biggest treats of the entire festival, for Forté readers especially) is the Fried Chicken & Froths event.

Whether it’s doused in gravy or hot sauce; sustainablysourced or gluten-free; Taiwanese, Korean, or South American, fried chicken is the epitome of soul food in any language, and Geelong’s vibrant restaurant scene brings you this heavenly bird done every way imaginable.

But of course, fried chicken is nothing without its golden counterpart. Best paired with a crisp pale ale, golden ale or pilsener, it is truly one of life’s little warm, crunchy constants — especially in the cold, cold heart of a Geelong winter.

Running across three dates (July 10, 17 & 24), this Tastes of Central Geelong event will see guests spending an evening with this ultimate couple. Sample tasty Korean, Japanese and Southern fried chicken while washing it all down with crisp local beers found in Central Geelong.

Your tour guide will lead you to five locations where you will receive a delicious tasting at each.

Let’s take a quick look at the five participating businesses.

BIG EARS Pioneered by the team from the far-famed Piano Bar, it was the rise in craft beer both here in Australia and around the world that inspired the creation of Big Ears – a bar dedicated to good beer and good food.

Making itself a home on Little Malop street almost a year ago to date, Big Ears has become a favourite for the avid beer lover with a list of more than 70 beers, providing an ever-evolving collection of stellar finds.

Ranging from locally made small batch craft beers to boutique treasures from some of the oldest breweries across the globe, there is just one thing constant on their changing menu; passion. The team loves what they do and they love what they serve. We can be sure your taste buds are going to love you for making this 12

stop on the tour. been teaching Geelong about this style of dining in a drinkable” beers, with beers that will excite and It’s not just alcohol, however, that has Big Ears warm environment tucked into a cosy space on Little interest dedicated craft beer drinkers, yet also provide earning its stripes. They’ve also mastered the recipe Malop St, a space you’ll get to check out during the tour. an enjoyable experience for the average beer drinker. for the best meatballs using only the best ingredients.

‘Tomodachi’ is the Japanese word for friends, so it Just take a look at their range and you’ll see what we Comforting in every guise, the lure of a meatball is hard makes sense that Tomodachi Izakaya is best-enjoyed mean. Some of their honourable mentions include the to beat – and why would you want to? Big Ears is quickly tapas style. Tomodachi’s menu lends itself to this Obsidian Black Ale (fuelled with black malts with bold becoming Geelong’s Meatball Mecca, revolutionising perfectly, it’s centered around sharing: from succulent grassy hoppiness), their Aragon – India Pale Ale (coined the humble meatball you were once served alongside meats like pork belly, beef, chicken; to fresh sea food a warrior of a beer), the Gallowtree Oatmeal Stout and the three serves of vegetables, and embracing a ‘build and sashimi; plus, plenty of vegetarian options too.

Freya Moon Passionfruit IPA. How’s that for creativity? your own dinner’ concept. The moment you smell the All the classic Japanese options are available, like With ten taps in the middle of the bar, Valhalla heavenly aroma from the kitchen, you won’t be able mouth-watering takoyaki, tempura, karaage, unagi, and features four to five of their own beers, with some on to help yourself from devouring these round morsels okonomiyaki. A number of more unique dishes are on rotation, while the other taps will focus on showcasing of awesomeness so make sure find a time to head back offer to try as well, such as renkon chips (made from independent Australian and New Zealand craft beer and try them following the event. sliced lotus root), kani korokke, and chicken curry udon. and cider. Alongside the beers on tap, you also have Big Ears is a clear favourite amongst the locals… and A relaxed setting that brings unique flavours to access to an ever-changing collection of more than 40 we can absolutely see why.

Geelong’s palette, you can expect some mouth- bottled beers, as well as a modest, prime collection of Located at 86 Little Malop Street, Big Ears is open watering chicken, Japanese style.

Victorian wines, and quality spirits.

Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30am – late.

Tomodachi Izakaya is located at 85A Little Malop Street.

This unique taproom oozes elegance, class, and LEEGA KOREAN BBQ PISTOL PETE’S FOOD N BLUES quirkiness, infused together in the best possible way, Have you ever wanted a sensory experience of It wouldn’t be a Tastes of Central Geelong tour you’ll be coming back time and time again. authentic Korean cuisine? Well lucky for you the Fried without a stop at Pistol Pete’s.

Valhalla is located at 12-14 Union Street.

Chicken and Froths tour will take you inside Geelong’s Known as the only place in the Geelong region where Alongside the chicken and froths tour, there is so first genuine (and #1) Korean barbecue restaurant to you can taste, smell, hear and actually feel like you are much more to do at Geelong’s Tastes of Central Geelong fulfill all your cravings. right in the middle of the Southern States – minus the festival, including more guided tours, a series of food Upon first look, you’ll quickly realise it’s all about travel fare, owner Pete Raimondo has aimed to create a and drink-related classes, checking out The Central the theatre of Korean barbecue. Here, each table has truly American experience since opening back in 2014. Geelong Bake Off, fancy high teas, wine dinners and its own charcoal grill and extractor fans, so you can Their menu consists of three sections. A range of themed nights, as well as a huge range of special offers eagerly watch your dinner sizzle before it lands piping ‘Vittles’ are great for something to nibble on, while from an enormous number of cafes. hot on your plate.

‘In Ya Hand’ covers your range of burgers and po boys, There’s even a variety of kids activities including a If you’ve never been to a Korean BBQ before, the aim from the crispy Southern Chicken BLT, the tasty Mojo VR experience, cooking classes and food crafts, and a of the game is to pick a staple – so BBQ beef, pork, duck Burger, to the Shrimp Po’Boy and Pete’s famous New Sweet Street Friday event which sees dessert pop-ups, and/or chicken and with it comes four delicious sauces, Orleans style Gumbo. entertainment, and giveaways take over Little Malop West. and a range of side dishes (think pickled radish, kimchi, ‘On Ya Plate’ steps it up with scrumptious eats like With hundreds of activities on offer, Central Geelong coleslaw, fishcakes) to help you create the very best meal. tender Pulled Pork, Jambalaya or Southern Style will become the ultimate food hub to indulge in all of There’s even a vegetable platter for the vegetarians Chicken with your own choice of sides, or there are your senses. so no one misses out on the DIY Korean experience. sharing options like the Pistol Platter and The N’Awlins Who can resist the multiple sensory pleasures you can Taster Plate to take your taste buds directly to The THE FRIED CHICKEN & FROTHS TOUR WILL experience from Korean barbecue? A combination of Southern States.

KICK OFF AT 6PM AND BOOKINGS ARE spicy salty flavours, mixed with the different textures Pistol Pete’s is located at 93A Little Malop Street, Geelong. ESSENTIAL. YOU CAN SAVE YOUR SPOT and temperatures, and the hands-on fun of creating VALHALLA BREWING VIA WWW.TRYBOOKING.COM/BCBYS. your own meal to top it off, this is a sensory experience Luckily for us here in Geelong, we’re blessed with *PATRONS MUST BE 18+ TO ATTEND THIS TOUR that we highly recommend you give a go. a heap of taprooms, bars, and pubs, so you can sip Leega Korean BBQ is located at 37 Gheringhap Street freshly brewed beer and get your hands on limited TASTES OF CENTRAL GEELONG 2019 in Geelong. edition releases, just-tapped one-off kegs and to pick PROGRAM WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT TOMODACHI IZAKAYA & BAR the brains of the knowledgeable brewers at any time.

WWW.CENTRALGEELONG.COM.AU/TASTES Izakaya style dining is about eating, drinking and One taproom you’ll get to visit on the tour is Valhalla TASTES OF CENTRAL GEELONG IS AN INITIATIVE sharing in a casual environment with good people, and Brewing & Taproom. Located in Geelong’s Union OF CENTRAL GEELONG MARKETING. is a staple of Japanese cuisine.

Street, Valhalla creates craft beer that honours the Izakaya is a relatively new concept in Australia, and Viking philosophy: That life is to be lived to the fullest. over the last couple of years Tomodachi Izakaya has Honouring the philosophy, Valhalla create “seriously FORTÉ 715 Forté 716

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BENDIGO CASTLEMAINE

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SKYSCRAPER STAN STAYS GOLDEN

IT’S TIME FOR AROCKALYPSE

Skyscraper Stan will have his full band with him as he tours his new album, the half dark, half light Golden Boy (volume I & II, out later this month). Stan: “If this seems bleak, I apologise. I promise I’ve tried to deliver some light amongst the dark. I’ve explored my understanding of song craft, carving out the tidiest niche I can lyrically and melodically and I think it’s my best work yet.” Ararat Live – July 3 & The Bridge, Castlemaine – July 26.

The Loft may be shutting up shop, but the beloved Warrnambool venue will leave a footprint on your behind as they unleash Arockalypse on June 9.

Dallas Frasca, Abbe May, The Pretty Littles, The Motorvators and King of the North will be there, plus many others. No express lane here. You will have artists you know and love, old venue favourites and new artists with whom to fall in love. Get in touch with an old friend and bring ’em on down.

BILL CHAMBERS & AP D’ANTONIO Between playing in his daughter Kasey’s band to performing solo, from playing coffee lounges to festivals, Bill Chambers has a lot of ink on the calendar. His new album is 1952. With his trusty guitar and banjo, Adelaide’s AP D’Antonio battled hard throughout The Voice 2018 and earned a lot of love and respect along the way. He tips his hat to the country, folk and blues of the 1920s-1940s. The Bridge, Castlemaine – June 16.

ANDREA ROBERTSON HITS THE ROAD

DEM HORACE BONES Horace Bones have released their debut album, Terra. Speaking about the track ‘Not from Around Here’, Oisin Kelly says: “As a first generation Australian, the premise of the song deals with the Australian immigrant experience, whether you arrived yesterday or 200 years ago. The identity crisis of non-indigenous people and the damage caused by that.” The Eastern, Ballarat – July 6 & The Bridge, Castlemaine – July 19.

THE BROTHERHOOD OF KRISIUN

Andrea Robertson is giving you plenty of opportunities to join her on her album tour, and our lovely In the Loop friends are getting a generous feed. Live at New Hall is her newie, recorded over two sessions at New Hall, Point Lonsdale in October 2018. Old Church on the Hill, Bendigo – June 8; Blue Bean Love Café, Daylesford – June 14; and The Mex, Ocean Grove – June 29. Note that Andrea will also shine as part of the Low Light Festival.

Brazil has a strong metal scene, so you have to fight hard to get ahead of the pack. Admirably and fortunately, after more than 25 years together, death metal outfit Krisiun have lost none of their fury or passion. Comprised of brothers Alex, Moyses and Max, the band released their eleventh album, Scourge of the Enthroned, last year.

Barwon Club, Geelong – June 20. They will be joined by the mighty Destruktor, Stormtide and Nemesium.

FRANKSFEST Four bands for only $5, you say? Surely this is the work of a crazy person. No, it’s not. It is Franksfest, a place where dreams can and do come true. Smoke Rings, The Palpatines and Elliot Weston will be joined by a reunion of Gold Coast outfit Govern the Sky at The Bridge, Castlemaine on July 6.

Govern the Sky recently released the three-track album, A Seminar Held by an Army of Sharks.

WOMEN OF WIT 4 Women of Wit will make its fourth outing in July, with Bendigo’s Engine Room hosting the event on June 28.

Once again the line-up is a ripper, with Claire Hooper leading the way with support from Urvi Majumdar (Sass Attack), Lisa-Skye (1900-LisaSkye), Sharon Andrews (2017 RAW National Comedy Finalist), Simone Amohanga (ABC Central Victoria), Sarah-Jane Fawcett (Bubble Bubble) and Annie Louey (Before I Forget).

SAY HELLO TO NARDIA BRANCATISANO You have got to be sharp to keep track of Nardia Brancatisano. The blues/soul/jazz singer-songwriter performs in the Justin Yap Band and Soul Chic, and you will also see her popping up in solo mode. She has also toured with Mo-Tunes (Supremes tribute band) and the Eva Cassidy Experience show and supported artists including Adele, Pink and Beyoncé. An album should be on the way in 2019. Entrée Bar, Bendigo – July 6.

LOW LIGHT, QUEENSCLIFF

CHOCOLATE STARFISH PERFORMS KICK Kick, INXS’s sixth album, is pretty much hit after hit.

You would think another band tackling this album would prove a task too great, but Chocolate Starfish nailed it. Their inaugural INXS:KICK show led to a multi-state tour where tickets were snapped up by hungry fans. And so it is that the band has decided to go around again and play the album from start to finish. But why would you want to skip a track?

Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo – July 12.

One month down, but there is plenty to go with Low Light continuing on weekends throughout June.

The second incarnation of the boutique fringe festival plays host to art exhibitions, film premieres and screenings, spoken word and literary readings and music performances. The QMF winter series will run as part of the event, with Dan Sultan (June 15), Clare Bowditch (June 21) and Archie Roach (June 22) performing gigs at the Queenscliff Town Hall. Get the goods through lowlightqueenscliff. com.au or qmf.net.au.

THE GATSBY PARTY There ain’t no party like a Gatsby Party. Direction from London, The Gatsby Party brings the roaring twenties to life. With music from the Shuffle Club, acrobats and a performance of the Charleston by the Gatsby Girls, it will be a night to remember at The Palais, Hepburn Springs on July 20. If you are interested, you can book in for a Charleston workshop on the day – adult and kid classes are available. Get more through palais-hepburn.com.

DYLAN MORAN IS DR. COSMOS In 1996 at the Edinburgh Fringe, a 24-year-old Dylan Moran became the youngest ever winner of the Perrier.

He went on to co-write a little TV show people dig called Black Books, and in 2012 became the first Englishspeaking comic to perform in Russia. His new show is Dr. Cosmos, which gives his take on “love, politics, misery and the everyday absurdities of life, all served with poetical panache”. Costa Hall, Geelong – October 27.

LEARN TO LOVE THE FILLMORE BROTHERS

Thursday 6th Andy Forster Friday 7th Dave Anderson Saturday 8th Jeff Jordan Sunday 9th Steve Jones Luke Biscan Wednesday 12 Open Mic Karaoke Luke Biscan

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Thursday 13 Andy Forster Friday 14 Jeff Jordan Saturday 15 Ryan Bell Wednesday 19 Open Mic Karaoke Luke Biscan

The Fillmore Brothers play a brand of honest and catchy guitar rock centred around the sincere yet sarcastic song writing of brothers Jack and Seamus Fillmore. Never taking themselves too seriously, the brothers claim to be “raised by a colony of seals off the South West Victorian coast, only learning English through the Paul Kelly songbook and The Go-Between’s Greatest Hits”. Releasing their debut EP ‘A Quick Cuppa with The Fillmore Brothers’ in early 2018, they’ve now followed it up with their new EP ‘Learning To Love The Fillmore Brothers’, recorded with friend Snowy (The Ocean Party, Ciggie Witch, Jade Imagine) and released via Brown Truck Records.

ACMF ANNUAL SONG WRITING COMPETITION The Australian Children’s Music Foundation (ACMF) 17th Annual National Song writing Competition is now open and accepting entries. This competition is open to school-aged children ranging from grades 4-12, with entrants gaining the chance to win a share of over $22,000 to be put toward musical equipment and tuition. This year prizes are not limited to individuals – schools have the opportunity to win the newly introduced “Song writing School of the Year” Award. The winning school will receive $5,000 for the resources to put toward starting or improving their school music program. Head to www. acmf.com.au for more info. Entries close August 29.

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KING PARROT REGIONAL RAMPAGE It’s that time of year again. After a long hot summer we descend into the dark, cold and bitter months. There’s only one thing that can breathe life back into the Victorian heavy metal scene this winter and that’s King Parrot’s Regional Rampage tour! The metal lads are keen to revisit some of their favourite venues with Frankenbok, Black Rheno and Mason stepping up to the plate for what is set to be a raucous few shows. Karova Lounge, Ballarat – June 14 & Pelly Bar, Frankston – June 15.

ECHUCA-MOAMA WINTER BLUES The 20th Echuca-Moama Winter Blues festival warms up your winter towards the end of next month, July 25-28. The line-up is a doozy. You have Matt Katsis, Steve Boyd’s Rum Reverie, Chubby Rae & the Elevators, Cass Eager & the Velvet Rope, Jimi Hocking’s Blues Machine, Jules Boult & the Redeemers, 8 Ball Aitken, 19-Twenty, Bill Barber Duo, The Mojo Corner and Broderick Smith. There is a whole lot more through winterblues. com.au.

WINTERWILD 2019 No pressure, but we reckon you should keep an eye out on the program for Apollo Bay’s WinterWild. The program drops this month, with the event taking place under the theme ‘Visions & Ecstasies’ in August and early September. “Walk the path that countless others have walked before you. Mystics. Visionaries. Shamans. The choice is not where you are going, but how you will get there.” Keep that eye on winterwildapollobay.com.au.

T H I S S TAT E W E ’ R E I N I N D U S T R Y U P D AT E S F R O M M U S I C V I C T O R I A HELLO FORTE READERS, Laura Imbruglia here – I’m Event Producer and Marketing at Music Victoria. I’m also a working musician and thought I’d give you a little update from the life of a touring muso. Throughout May, I’ve been touring Australia to promote the release of my fourth album which has been a massively rewarding undertaking after spending a year working on it behind the scenes. I wanted to cover a little more ground to grow my Victorian fanbase so I booked shows in Tallarook, Castlemaine, Kyneton and Ballarat in addition to my Melbourne headline show.

I was lucky to receive a Creative Victoria Quick Response Grant to help cover the regional touring costs including van hire, accommodation and promo, which eased some stress for me. I urge all artists to apply for grants in the interests of career sustainability and business growth. The regional shows were a real delight, too. The hospitality of the regional venues and the genuine enthusiasm from attendees (some of whom travelled two hours to get to the shows) has reminded me of the importance of regional touring. There’s a hungry audience out there and they want to support local artists.

My colleagues Patrick Donovan and Dale Packard visited Ballarat last week after they heard that Karova Lounge would be closing after an incredible 15 years. They reported back that there will still be plenty of live music options for bands and fans after Karova shuts its doors. The Eastern is doing a roaring trade, catering to diverse styles of music, as is the Cabaret Club, Main Bar and Lost Ones.

Rex Hardware is starting to showcase shows at the historic Trades Hall. The White Night Festival will be promoting Ballarat’s rich creative offerings in September, and the council has just hired an

experienced gallery and venue owner, Tara Poole, to oversee the implementation of the Creative City Strategy (to be launched on June 7) and the Ballarat Live Music Strategy. And Music Victoria members can get a 10 per cent discount on vinyl and the best breakfast in town at Léspresso!

In the meantime, make sure you get out and support your local live music venues.

Til next time, Laura from Music Victoria MEMBER MOMENT ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER Describing their musical formula as “tough pop/ soft punk”, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever churn out bright, energetic rock & roll with lively guitar lines, pop hooks and dry wit. They’re currently on a world tour in support of their excellent debut album “Hope Downs” Check out their music at www.rollingblackoutsband. com/ GIG OF THE MONTH BALL PARK MUSIC, COSTA HALL, GEELONG – SATURDAY 15 JUNE As part of their massive ‘Good Good Mood’ tour, Brisbane’s Ball Park Music will be playing Geelong’s Costa Hall. This tour will see the band exclusively playing in regional areas, highlighting the importance of live music outside of major cities. Support will come from indie songstress Tia Gostelow and electronica act Butternut Sweetheart.

Get your tickets thru eventfinda.com.au

CJ RAMONE IS COMING TO GEELONG AND BALLARAT In BIG news for Aussie punks, CJ Ramone is heading Down Under for a massive run of dates this September. CJ is best-known for his stint in seminal punk group The Ramones, where he played bass from 1989 to 1996 after taking over from Dee Dee Ramone. In addition to his work with The Ramones, CJ has released three solo albums, including the recently released The Holy Spell, and has been signed to iconic punk label Fat Wreck Chords since 2013.

The Aussie tour will kick off at Edgehill Tavern in Cairns on 11 September before heading to the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne, Geelong, Canberra, Sydney, Newcastle, Narrabeen, Ballarat, Adelaide, Hillary and Bunbury, with the tour wrapping up in Perth at the end of the month. You can catch him at Geelong’s Barwon Club on Sunday, September 15, and Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on Wednesday, September 25. Tickets can be purchased via davidroywilliams.com/

SPILT MILK IS HEADING TO BALLARAT THIS NOVEMBER One of Australia’s favourite music, food and art festivals, Spilt Milk has announced its biggest year yet, returning to Canberra and unveiling a second home in Ballarat. On Saturday November 23 at Commonwealth Park Canberra and Saturday November 30 at Victoria Park in Ballarat, Spilt Milk will treat festival-goers to another superb music line-up, fun and bewildering visual artists and mouth-watering food and beverage vendors. While the lineup was yet to be announced at time of writing, we can bet that it’s going to be HUGE, especially with their history for delivering line-ups of almighty homegrown talent and international superstars, including Flume, Lorde, Vince Staples, Vera Blue, Gang of Youths, Hayden James, What So Not & so many more. Having sold out in less than 30 minutes every year since launching in 2016, you’ll want to be quick to lock in a weekend getaway to the nation’s heart in Canberra, or a new adventure to Ballarat. Regardless, Spilt Milk promises it’s most exciting year to date. Save the date, sign up to the Spilt Milk website for pre-sale info, tune into triple j today and be ready for what’s in store this year.

Photo by Jordan Munns

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LEAVE KIKI DEE’S HEART ALONE

The 80s were all about fame and being fabulous and getting into the main papers or magazines of the day.

The paparazzi stalked and watched, taking that snap that they needed, that perfect shot of you, leaving home, at a nightclub or a glitzy event.

Capturing your emotion, your imagination, and your attention, to try, and for you to enjoy, the moment, Andy wants to take you out of your comfort zone, and turn you into a Star. “I’m very interested in making this immersive theatre experience unlike no other, a one –off, only you will see it – never to be repeated, it will be very live and active for you, the spectator, to become the art”.

The show is performed every 45 minutes from 5pm until 8pm Saturday 15 June.

It’s hard not to think of ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ when the name Kiki Dee is mentioned and its accompanying video, featuring of course Elton John and some awkward dance moves. But in a career spanning five decades, that is but one highlight of many. Following more than 100 sell out shows in the UK, Kiki is heading to Australia with songs including ‘I’ve Got the Music in Me’ and ‘True Love’.

GPAC – August 8.

THE ELECTRIC ED KUEPPER First comes shows with The Aints!, next comes a run of solo dates. Also worth noting is Ed Kuepper is hopeful of releasing his new album, Electricity, the High Priest of all Security, before too long. Ed: “I’m hitting the road again this September and doing a pretty select number of mainly solo shows (mainly solo because there is a good chance of some very special guests popping up from time to time).”

The Bridge, Castlemaine – September 7.

Get Ready to be Captured Fancy being a star? The Potato Shed will give you the chance, from 5pm on Saturday June 15 in the up-coming show, Captured – Art Installation.

Created and performed by internationally acclaimed dance artist Andy Howitt (Sunshine Boy; Of Mice and Men; Geelong After Dark), Captured is a dance show like no other.

Andy puts you Centre Stage–the Main Event–The Star!

LAND OF PLENTY Shepparton is getting a festival, folks.

It’s not happening until November, but it’s never too early to share the love. Land of Plenty will take place on November 2 and welcomes Illy, Briggs, Alex the Astronaut, Slowly Slowly, Ocean Grove, Tones and I, Eliott, Jack Botts and Heard Instinct Collective, with more to be announced. Carnival rides, food trucks and market stalls will also feature. Tickets are already on sale through landofplentyfestival.com for a sweet, sweet $99. You beauty.

ROCKABUL IS SCREENING WITH A SPECIAL Q&A Rockabul is a documentary about Afghanistan’s first metal band, District Unknown, that existed on the fringes of Afghan society and beyond comprehension of conservative Islam. While living in Afghanistan for seven years, Australian filmmaker Travis Beard began recording his friends to chronicle a part of Afghan life that is rarely shown in Western media. You can catch the film over the long weekend at The Regent Cinema in Ballarat, or at the Theatre Royal, Castlemaine on Sunday June 16 for a special Q&A session with Director Travis Beard.

ROB SNARSKI RETURNS Rob Snarski [lead singer of The Blackeyed Susans] unveils the songs from his second solo album Sparrow & Swan - finishing his national tour at The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine Friday June 14 and Lost Ones Basement Bar, Ballarat Saturday June 15.

Accompanied by guitar maestro and producer Shane O’Mara [Paul Kelly, Chris Wilson, Lisa Miller, Stephen Cummings]. Tickets available at venues or robsnarski.com

AIREYS PUB IN JUNE A Saturday night spent at Aireys Pub is a Saturday night well spent, and in June you have multiple chances to take in some tunes. The Beachniks will perform this Saturday, June 8. On June 15 you have Rhyley McGrath.

Levi Anderson will perform on June 22, while June 29 sees five-piece outfit Doc Halibut and their ironically described “regressive rock”. Also, the first Friday of the month is Open Mic Night.

THE FAUVES CHECK THEIR HEALTH The seven-year wait since The Fauves’ last album has been made up for with the release of a double album, Driveway Heart Attack. As an added treat, the album will also be released on vinyl – their first recording on the format since 1990. Yep, that’s right, 1990. The band has been doing their thing since 1988, in which time they have released a tidy dozen albums. The Bridge, Castlemaine – June 15. Lloyd Meadows supports.

HAVE WE GOT MORE FOR YOU! Jen Cloher – The Bridge, Castlemaine on June 7 & 8; Boogie Nights (with Kyle Auldist) – The Palais, Hepburn Springs on June 8; Joel Fletcher – Home House, Geelong on June 9; King Parrots – Karova Lounge, Ballarat on June 14; Pseudo Echo – Gateway Hotel, Corio on June 15; Ivan Ooze – Karova Lounge, Ballarat on June 21; and Freya Josephine Hollick – The Palais, Hepburn Springs on June 22.

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DAVE GRANEY & CLARE MOORE If you can say Zippa Deedoo What Is/Was That/This? ten times quickly, you’re in the hall of fame. The new mouthful of an album is the latest work of Dave Graney & the mistLY, the title taken from track ‘Song of Life’ which celebrates the life of It’s a Wonderful Life actress Gloria Grahame. If you have the time to spare, you can learn about all the album’s songs through davegraney. com. Major Tom’s, Kyneton – June 15.

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ALWAYS SOMETHING AT THE SHED. PHOTO BY REG RYAN

NATIONAL CELTIC FESTIVAL Hand your heart and soul over to the National Celtic Festival this weekend, June 7-10. Widely regarded as Australia’s premier Celtic folk festival, the community halls and spaces, restaurants, cafes and churches of Portarlington will be filled with music and cheer. Just make sure you exchange your ticket for a wristband.

There is plenty more on offer, so take a tea break and have a look at nationalcelticfestival.com.

CASTLEMAINE JAZZ FESTIVAL There is a lot cooking over the Queen’s Birthday weekend, but you will be coming back for seconds and thirds at the Castlemaine Jazz Festival (June 7-10). Performers include The Seven Ups, Diamonds and the Blues, Nardia Rose Band, Bete Noire, Paige Duggan, Jungle Fusion, The Mystic Charmers, Limelight and the Ben Charnley Trio. There is a lot to take in, so check it out through castlemainejazzfestival.com.au.

METAL GOES MENTAL IN GEELONG If you like your metal to come with two more servings of metal, the Forte presented (yay us) The Darkest Winter Night is for you. Damnations Day, Nemesium and Requiem, who earlier in the year released a video for their track ‘Blackened Winter’, will turn Geelong’s Workers Club into a metal sanctuary on July 5. Side effects may include temporary loss of hearing, excessive sweating and a stiff neck.

A MID-WINTER’S NIGHT You have your hot food from Soul M8’s food truck. You have a selection of wine and beer. And you have the top tappin’ and thigh slappin’ tunes of Izzy Losi & the Auracles, Echo Del Tusker and Doc Halibut. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a fine way to spend a winter’s night. A Mid-Winter’s Night takes place at Heathcote’s Munari Wines on June 8. Return transport is available from Bendigo.

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RINEHEARTS THEIR DEBUT

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Likening their sound to a cross between The Replacements and Reigning Sound, Perth powerpop trio and long-time friends Rinehearts have been mixing business with pleasure since 2016. Can’t Do Nothing is their debut album, recorded in the living room of drummer Ross Di Blasio. The Eastern, Ballarat – June 28. They’ll be joined by New Rock Syndicate, Thee Cat Burglars and Broad Arrows.

Winter is upon us, and the past week saw our coldest day in 20 years. Not great if you have to work outdoors like yours truly.

You can warm up at Karova Lounge when King Parrot and Frankenbok explode into Ballarat on Friday 14th June. The Regional Rampage Tour will have you reaching for ya earplugs and shaking your head at the awesome power of the lads from Melbourne!

Alternative hip-hop artist Ivan Ooze will make his way to the Goldfields on Friday, June 21. Having recently released his latest EP Ringwood Rich, Ooze has a reputation for being one of the hardest working artists around. This gig will have a hint of sadness about it though, as this tour has been advertised as “Final Shows”. Needless to say, this is your last chance to catch this superbly talented artist before he heads off on an indefinite hiatus.

Tickets are going like hotcakes and there are very few left, so get on ya bike or you will end up at home watching re-runs of Game Of Thrones!

There is a cracker gig coming up in mid-July when Third Eye present “Tired Of Waiting”…An Evening Of Tool. Word is that the Melbourne tribute act are not only renowned for sounding like their

THIRD EYE IN BALLARAT

Tool fans are still coming down from the news that the band will release a new album in 2019, so the time is perfect for another night of Third Eye. Playing their first show in twelve months (which is nothing compared to Tool’s album gap), the ultimate Tool experience act will hit up The Karova, Ballarat on July 20 with their three-hour show, Tired of Waiting. Hits and fan favourites will be performed.

At least the wait is almost over.

idols, but you also get the whole visual light show shebang that Tool put on also. There’s some bang for your buck! Saturday July 20 is the date to set aside.

Katie Bates has a debut EP out now called New Gold. The Lost Ones will host the sweet-singing country songstress on June 15 from 3pm. Some beautiful guitar work on the EP and ‘Alone’ stood out to me as one of the feature tracks. Katie has a really beautiful voice and what a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Up on the highway at Cabaret Club, Shaun Kirk will play on Saturday, June 22. Kirk has just announced a 13 date regional tour after a huge year in 2018 where he had 20 sold out shows across Australia and New Zealand. Kirk’s gritty vocals come from a place beyond his years and he is already being praised as one of Australia’s finest Blues artist ever heard! Now that is quite a wrap!

While we are on the subject of Blues, Jimi Hocking’s Blues Machine will play at Cabaret Club on July 13. Support act will be John McNamara.

Gig of the month could well be Rob Snarski & Shane O`Mara playing at Lost Ones on June 21.

Keep your scarves and thermals within arms-reach!

THE LOST ONES DOUBLE The Lost Ones, Ballarat has you covered on June 15. Katie Bates will perform an afternoon show, from 3-5pm. With influences including Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Gillian Welch and Tom Petty, the singer-songwriter released New Gold last year.

New material is on the horizon.

Following a small breather and perhaps a drink, Rob Snarski (Blackeyed Susans) performs in the evening. His new album is Sparrow & Swan. Photo by Lord Media

BENDIGO AU GO GO

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W R I T T E N B Y LY N E T T E WA L K E R

Our very own patron saint of the blues, Geoff Achison – along with his long-time cohorts The Souldiggers – is bringing his 25th anniversary celebrations with the band to town this month.

The guitar virtuoso, who grew up in nearby Malmsbury, will be unleashing his renowned brand of the blues at the All Seasons Hotel on Friday, June 7.

From Melbourne to the US, the UK and Europe, Achison took an ever-changing band line-up around the world before deciding to strike out on his own.

Taking inspiration from British bandleader John Mayall, whose Bluesbreakers group also had a floating membership, Achison decided to instead hire local players wherever he toured. As a result, his long-time band The Souldiggers now boasts line-ups across three continents, with Australian, American and United Kingdom versions.

Despite his widespread globetrotting, Achison has never forgotten his roots and is a frequent visitor to this town, including a series of acclaimed performances at the annual Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival. “There’s a big music community in Bendigo, with a lot of people dedicated to a common interest,” Achison has said. “I see Bendigo as a kind of ‘homeland’ for me.”

Supporting Achison and The Souldiggers is local blues firebrand Bill Barber. From 8.30pm; entry $20 at the door.

In other musical highlights around town this fortnight, local combo Loudmouth Soup are rocking out at the Golden Vine on Friday, June 7, from 9pm.

Jump on board the Blues Tram on Saturday, June 8,

with this month’s featured artists John McNamara, and Jess Parker and The Troubled Waters.

McNamara’s latest album Rollin’ With It, recorded in Memphis with a host of Stax Records luminaries, has attracted rave reviews around the world, while Melbourne-based Parker and her band perform a potent mix of dark Australiana and swamp blues. From 2pm; tickets $35 from www.bendigotourism.com Andrea Robertson and her band will launch her new album Live At New Hall at The Old Church On The Hill on Saturday, June 8. The singer-songwriter, based in Ocean Grove, runs the gamut from blues to soul to folk to rock. Robertson will be joined by special guest Aaron Wales. From 7pm; free entry.

Melbourne-based trio SheWolf, triplet sisters who combine classic hard rock with harmony vocals, will perform an acoustic double set of originals and covers at Entrée Music Bar on Saturday, June 15.

From 7pm; free entry.

South Australia’s Kelly Brouhaha is bringing her self-titled debut album launch to The Old Church On The Hill on Saturday, June 15.

Brouhaha, who made a splash at the Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival with her melting pot of Americana, big blues and soulful country, will be supported by local singer-songwriters Luke Harrington and Steph Bitter. From 7pm; entry $15 from www.stickytickets.com.au

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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF PLAY SCHOOL

THERE’S A BEAR IN THERE, AND A this exhibition provides a rare opportunity for guests CHAIR AS WELL. THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH to relive their childhood memories, looking through GAMES, AND STORIES TO TELL. OPEN the Round, Square and Arched windows as we bring our WIDE. COME INSIDE. IT’S PLAY SCHOOL… childhood stories alive of Big Ted, Little Ted, Humpty, I think you would be pretty hard pressed to find a Jemima, the Rocket Clock, and reminisce about our child or adult that cannot sing the entire opening jingle all-time favourite presenters. to the iconic children’s show.

If you grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, you might For over 50 years now, since its initial broadcast in remember one of the most beloved Play School 1966, this much-loved children’s program has been a presenters, Benita Collings. staple on our national television sets and has featured Benita, aka the Queen of TV, was at the helm of the regularly in our lives as a legion of talented presenters show for three decades (1969-1999) and more than takes turns hosting this beloved show.

400 episodes, becoming one of the most recognisable Designed specifically for pre-schoolers, Play School faces and voices of Play School for generations of aims to encourage a child to wonder, to think, to feel Australian children, and simultaneously one of the and to imagine, and explore new experiences and longest-serving cast members of the show. learning opportunities through a simple yet clever If you were anything like me and you would spend mix of colour, stories, music, craft, fun, and laughter. most mornings and afternoons singing, dancing and Overflowing with smiles and full of imaginative play, making crafts alongside Benita and her stuffed-toy while also reflecting a modern, diverse Australian colleagues Big Ted, Little Ted, Jemima, and Humpty society, it is little wonder Play School is Australia’s Dumpty, she was also very likely a lot more than just a longest running children’s program – and the second recognisable face, but she was also your on-screen mum longest in the world too.

– a reliable friend, a confidant and mostly, a role model.

Now over half a century later, Play School continues From teaching us how to brush our teeth (“brush, brush, to adapt with the times. After a revamp in 2000 (where brush; you mustn’t rush, rush, rush”), to her animal the rocket clock and the windows retired, RIP), the show impressions which were a thing of beauty, Benita had generated outrage after featuring a rainbow family in a giant heart of gold, and always made us want to be 2004, which it didn’t try again until 2016, maintaining a better person. their commitment to reflect the diversity of Australian In news that’s just as good as the show itself, the team children, embracing all manner of race, religions at The National Wool Museum are bringing Benita to and family situations. Its diverse cast now includes Geelong for one night only to coincide with the arrival Indigenous Australian actor Hunter Page-Lochard and of the Happy Birthday Play School: Celebrating 50 Years Kiruna Stamell, who was born with a form of dwarfism. exhibition.

To celebrate the legacy of the children’s television Encouraging guests to embrace their inner child, program, an exhibition filled with Playschool nostalgia on Thursday evening of July 11, Benita will revisit is coming to the National Wool Museum this winter! your childhood memories of Playschool – serving up Happy Birthday Play School: Celebrating 50 Years anecdotes and stories from the popular ABC children’s marks a milestone birthday for this ABC TV show, and program and her life on screen.

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Further appealing to the child within, this evening is channelling a classic sleepover vibe and encouraging guests to dig out a pair of your favourite PJs, whether that be lace slips that nod to the 90’s trend, oversize shirt-dresses, and silk blouses, to matching button-up flannelette, a fleece dressing gown and your favourite pair of Uggs. As long as it’s classy and relatively warm (it is the middle of winter!), you’ll be all set to be tucked in for a night at the Museum!

Don’t be fooled though, this won’t be quite the same experience you had as a child. While you’ll have Benita, some serious nostalgia, and if you ask nicely maybe even a rendition of ‘Little Peter Rabbit’, this time you’ll also get to indulge in retro cakes, inspired by the Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Cake Book by famous Geelong cake boutique Cakesmith, and wintery cocktails from Geelong’s renowned cocktail bar, The 18th Amendment. Oh, and better still, your first cocktail is free! We’ll cheers to you, Benita!

If you’re loving the idea of getting up close and personal with the history of Play School, but would prefer to take the family approach, the NWM have you covered with their ‘Morning With Justine Clarke’.

Similar to ‘An Evening with Benita’, this will see the Playschool superstar and 2018 ARIA winner perform three fabulous live shows for families on Wednesday July 3.

Performing her favourite songs as well as hits from her TV show and new album, The Justine Clarke Show!, the homegrown queen of children’s entertainment will sing songs that will make your family smile, stomp like a dinosaur and dance like a silly sausage!

Book a session and stay the full morning at the Museum to enjoy the exhibition, crafts and much more!

Though Benita and Justine are enough to get us there alone, your tickets will also grant you entry the aforementioned Happy Birthday Play School:

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Celebrating 50 Years exhibition, along with entry into Wildlife Photographer of the Year 54 exhibition.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BOTH SPECIAL EVENTS AND THE EXHIBITION, VISIT WWW.GEELONGAUSTRALIA.COM.AU. PLEASE NOTE: AN EVENING WITH BENITA COLLINGS IS AN 18+ EVENT. BOOK SOON TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PLAY SCHOOL IS A TRAVELLING EXHIBITION DEVELOPED BY THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA AND THE ABC.

THIS EXHIBITION IS SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL COLLECTING INSTITUTIONS TOURING AND OUTREACH PROGRAM, AN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PROGRAM AIMING TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO THE NATIONAL COLLECTIONS FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS. COLLECTION OF TOYS READY FOR HAPPY BIRTHDAY PLAY SCHOOL PHOTO - © AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION 2018

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hand-made flour tortillas, street tacos, big burritos, sizzling fajitas, crisp quesadillas and nachos loaded with toppings. They also offer complimentary, refillable baskets of tortilla chips and salsas all day, and cater to the vegetarians, vegans and gluten-frees diners.

EL CAMINO CANTINA OPENS IN FITZROY If you’re in Fitzroy for the night and have a hankering for a truckload of tacos, burritos and Buffalo wings, all washed down with a giant frozen Margarita, you’ll be stoked to hear that El Camino Cantina is opening up this month.

Located at the iconic 222 Brunswick Street in Fitzroy (made famous by Little Creatures and Fitzroy Social), El Camino Cantina is a large and loud, margaritafuelled bar, with big-hitting Tex-Mex flavours and awesome tunes!

The huge, 400-seat, illuminated warehouse features an expansive bar, intimate and large dining areas, and is perfect for either a quick drink or a party-group fiesta. Flooded with enough neon to light up the Las Vegas strip, El Camino Cantina Fitzroy is where TexMex meets rock’n’roll and where the tequila, music and fun flow until the early hours.

Unashamedly bringing legendary Austin, Texas Tex-Mex comida to the forefront, the menu boasts unlimited free chips and salsa served in restored Ford and Chevy trunks, cheesy queso goodness,

Centra served up. Maybe that was because it was a focaccia, and maybe that was because it was crispier than your standard pub fare, but whatever the reason, it was good… really good. There’s even a cheese option which I can guarantee is just as delicious.

While the food is unparalleled, it’s the giant margaritas that steal the show. Now home to Melbourne’s biggest and best margaritas, they’re served frozen and on the rocks, in four flavours – classic, mango, strawberry and tropical Red Bull – and a new, limited-edition margarita is unveiled every month! Seems like a pretty good reason to visit time and time again. Not forgetting the cold Mexican cerveza, you’ll also find a range of cold craft and Mexican beers and over 100 tequilas and mezcals are also available.

If you’re craving those Tex-Mex flavours during the week, you’ll be pleased to know El Camino offers some unmissable weekday deals that will have you saving some serious cash. On Wednesday’s you can get 10-cent buffalo chicken wings with the purchase of a 500ml tap beer/cider or 24oz margarita, there will be $2 tacos every Tuesday, and half-price fajitas every Thursday. A $15 beer and burrito lunch special is available every weekday, while happy hour is from 4pm-6pm weekdays with $7.50 margaritas, house beer, wine and tequila, and there is a $19 brunch offer every weekend. What’s not to love about that?

Embrace the Tex-Mex festivities: choose a colourful sombrero, pick a ‘rita’, enjoy loud 80s, 90s and 2000s rock, R&B and pop, and have yourself an unforgettable experience.

El Camino Cantina opens its doors on Friday June 14 from 6pm. If you book in over opening weekend, you’ll be privvy to a free Jose Cuervo tequila shot + Limited edition sombrero on arrival!

VISIT WWW.ELCAMINOCANTINA.COM. AU FOR ALL THE JUICY DEETS.

CENTRA

Got an urge for Italian done right? Look no further than Centra, which has become the go-to place for authentic rustic Italian in the Geelong region.

Modern, stylish, classy, and winner of 3AW’s 2017 Pub of the Year, the main focus is the food, but you must not disregard their extensive wine list, with a wide range of local and international varieties. If you prefer enjoying a meal with some damn fine Shiraz or Pinot Gris, Centra is a MUST, having worked closely with local grape and grain growers to provide exclusive beverages that best suits the atmosphere and menu. If you are more into liqueurs and spirits though, rest assured, your tastes will be catered for.

As for the food, Centra is all about locally sourced seasonal produce that’s flavoursome, expressive, honest and (most importantly) delicious.

Boasting a lavish European-inspired menu, Centra have the ability to cater to every type of foodie. From the Salumi Misti and ricotta gnocchi, to lemon and rosemary chicken mattone and the four cheese pizza, you’ll in love with the food - time and time again.

If you’re wanting to keep it simple and stick to a pizza, then you won’t be disappointed here. Centra is probably overlooked when it comes to the best Pizza in Geelong, but it would easily be in the mix - especially when they’ve got options like the prosciutto and rucola, or the ‘Pizza Ortolana’, complete with mozzarella, eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes and olives. With a crispy, yet cloud like base, paired with the traditional Italian style of not overloading toppings, allowing each flavour to distinguish itself, the pizza is a standout.

Winter is the get-out-of-jail-free season when it comes to tucking into indulgent old-school desserts, and lucky for us, Centra know how to satisfy the sweet tooth with their selection of comfort foods. Sit back and indulge in the tiramisu or the baked lemon tart with cream and strawberries. If the chill doesn’t faze you, opt for the yoghurt and honey pannacotta or the authentic gelati and sorbet.

Whilst food and drink is their Forte (pardon the pun!), an inviting courtyard, common room and lounge ensure a catch up for an after-work drink, function or get together are all catered to with ease.

Go on, check it out for yourself. Your tastebuds will love you for it.

YOU CAN FIND CENTRA AT 131 YARRA ST, GEELONG, OPEN TUESDAY TO SUNDAY FROM 12PM. CALL THEM ON 5224 1515 TO BOOK YOUR TABLE.

A standout, however, is the garlic focaccia. I don’t recall ever having a Garlic Bread quite like what

WAURN PONDS HOTEL Affordable Tasty Snacks that are Music Themed OUR FOOD INSPIRED SNACKS ARE PROVING TO BE POPULAR WITH THE MUSIC LOVING AUDIENCES. FOOD IS AVAILABLE WHENEVER WE ARE OPEN AND WE DON’T HAVE SET MEAL TIMES.

FANTASTIC FOOD NIGHTS 1154 PRINCES HWY, WAURN PONDS VIC 3216 OPEN 7 DAYS 5243 1154

THE NAMES CREATED BY OUR STAFF ARE A TALKING POINT FROM ALL WHO VISIT. WE HAVE MADE THEM ALL AFFORDABLE AND THEY ARE LOVINGLY PREPARED BY OUR SMALL TEAM IN THE

MONDAY

KITCHEN LED BY OUR CHIEF COOK TOM SEFTON.

PASTA

OR

PIZZA NIGHT

TUESDAY

SCHNITZEL

OR

PARMI NIGHT

WEDNESDAY

STEAK NIGHT THURSDAY

BURGER NIGHT

ADDRESS: 54 MCIVOR HWY, KENNINGTON VIC 3550 • PHONE: 0400 913 747 OPEN 5PM - 11PM THURSDAY TO SATURDAY • OPEN 2PM - 8PM ON SUNDAY 22

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CAFE BAR/MUSIC VENUE OPEN WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY 8/100 LOWER PAPER MILL RD, FYANSFORD 0438 846 078 FUNCTION ENQUIRIES WELCOME antique indian door display centre + sales JUNE 1 - SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND, TIM HULSMAN, ANDREA ROBERTSON, ETHAN FARMER 7.00PM JUNE 2 - JAM AND CREAM, OPEN MIC WITH LUKE O'CONNELL AND SANDY DICKINSON FROM 10.30AM JUNE 7 - KALEB OWEN JUNE 8 - JOHN DALLIMORE + KENNY MILLER JUNE 9 - JAM AND CREAM, OPEN MIC WITH LUKE O'CONNELL AND SANDY DICKINSON FROM 10.30AM JUNE 14 - LIVE RED WHYTE 6.30PM JUNE 15 - THE ORIGINAL SOUL SISTER SWING 7.00PM JUNE 16 - JAM AND CREAM, OPEN MIC WITH SANDY DICKINSON FROM 10.30AM JUNE 21 - ANNIE MCGLADE SINGS THE BLUES JUNE 22 - BAYSIDE DRIFTERS, MUSIC OF THE SHADOWS JUNE 23 - JAM AND CREAM, OPEN MIC WITH LUKE O'CONNELL AND SANDY DICKINSON FROM 10.30AM

PRAYAG BNB ACCOMODATION

JUNE 28 - TBA JUNE 29 - MOVIE NIGHT - THE LAST WATZ JUNE 30 - JAM AND CREAM, OPEN MIC WITH LUKE O'CONNELL AND SANDY DICKINSON FROM 10.30AM FORTÉ 716

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THE SALTBUSH GATEWAY FINE HOTEL FOODS Corio’s Gateway Hotel has a host of reasons to keep you coming back, but one of the most popular reasons is the famous ‘all you can eat’ food buffet offered to patrons - every single night.

You can go absolutely nuts on as much pizza, pasta, noodles, rice, roast (with all the trimmings), salad, chips (the list goes on) as you want. Just make sure you leave room for the wide selection of cakes, slices, and our favourite, soft serve from the Ice Cream Bar, complete with a variety of topping. Yum! You can even get creative and mix cake with your ice cream. The sky is the limit with this buffet.

The value for money is unquestioned, and our pick of their deals is the Monday to Friday ‘Family Deal’, feeding not only two Adults for $60 ($70 on the weekend), but up to three kids should you wish to drag them along. They do have a cool arcade machine in the kids area, so you’d be mad to leave them at home.

Did I mention never-ending soft serve..? If that isn’t enough, they also have face painting from 6pm to 8pm on Fridays, and a Magic Show 6pm to 8pm on Sundays which is sure to keep the kids entertained if they can move after their seventh bowl of ice cream.

Aside from the buffet, they’ve got other meal deal specials, with Monday to Friday having perhaps one of the best parmi deals around: Get a parmi for $11.90 with any drink purchase (during certain hours).

Nothing says winter warming like feasting on a parmi, regular drink specials, live music and an all-you-caneat buffet surrounded by loved ones.

Saltbush Fine Foods is Queenscliff’s answer to an eclectic mix of all things food.

Alongside a delicious breakfast and lunch menu which boasts amazing soups and curries to warm your soul, this decadent cafe hosts a provedore featuring local produce such as olive oils, tomatoes, lettuce, honey and condiments, as well as products from further afield such as truffle oil, Italian pasta & sauces and much more.

Our absolute favourite menu item would have to be the Portugese tarts. Said to have originated in Lisbon, the way Saltbush Fine Foods have perfected this delicacy, you would have us fooled. These light puff pastry cups filled with vanilla bean custard are baked on the daily, and are lightly dusted with icing sugar once hot out of the oven. They’re the ultimate treat over this winter season, so make sure you get in quick.

With winter well and truly here, you’ll always find the fireplace roaring, making it feel like you’re walking into a loving home which the locals love.

From sit down, to take-away to everything from the provedore, Saltbush Fine Foods is your one-stop shop.

WAURN PONDS HOTEL

THE NORLANE HOTEL

The Ponds Hotel is the ideal place to stop, freshen up, stock up or just relax. As the perfect all-round venue, catering to all ages with something for everyone, The Ponds is open seven days a week and has been serving the local community since the 1970’s.

Following major renovations the last few years, it now boasts a great new space with a fabulous, vibrant atmosphere, a sports bar, pool tables and TAB and new function and conference facilities. They’ve also installed a brand new children’s play area, alongside an outdoor beer garden and alfresco dining, so it will be the ideal place to bring the kids on your journey to the Great Ocean Road, The Otways or the Western District.

The Ponds know the importance of great meals for great value, and hence offer bang-up meal deals during the week. Be it $12 pizza and pasta on a Monday, $13 parmi’s on Tuesdays, $15 steaks on a Wednesday or $13 burgers on a Thursday, there will be something to suit your budget.

Enjoy a friendly relaxed atmosphere, quality meals and service with excellent value.

Located on the Princes Highway as you come into Geelong, you can’t miss the Norlane Hotel!

Also known as Oppy’s (a homage to Sir Hubert Opperman, one of Australia’s sporting heroes in cycling during the early part of last century), the hotel is the perfect place this winter if you’re looking for a place to eat with family and friends, have a punt in our Super TAB or enjoy a drink after work before heading home. The Norlane Hotel has something for everyone.

It’s also the place to go if you’re looking for some mean daily meal deals. On Monday’s you can snag a bowl of pasta or a pizza for $12, on Tuesday’s schnitzel is a cheeky $11, while Wednesday will get you a $15 steak. They also do $13 burgers on Thursdays and $16 curries on Fridays. How is that for value?

Pop on in and see for yourself!

WHERE: 1154 PRINCES HIGHWAY, WAURN PONDS WHERE: SHOP 3&4, 44 HESSE ST, QUEENSCLIFF WHEN: 9:30AM – 5:00PM DAILY

WHEN: SUN – WED 9AM – 12AM, THURS – SAT 9AM – 3AM

PH: 03 5258 4829

PH: (03) 5243 1154 SITE: WWW.WAURNPONDSHO

WHERE: 218-230 PRINCESS HWY, CORIO PH: 03 5275 1091 SITE: THEGATEWAYHOTEL.COM.AU

opulent era in which it was built. Art deco influences can be found in the herringbone design laser cut panels found all around the main dining area. Vibrant teal upholstery brings a splash of colour and warmth, offset by the deep red of the brick.

As for the food? It’s a touch of Melbourne, a touch of Geelong, a touch of modern Australia and a touch of Lebanese culture, and they’re just about to launch their new winter menu.

Channelling flavours from the Middle East, you’ll find items such as the Shakshuka eggs, the Rosewater Waffles, the Chia Muhlabiyeh Milk pudding, the chickpea fatteh, and the Lamb Sharwama loaded fries, which are all modern takes of the family heritage.

THE FEDERAL Nathalie Moussi, along with her brothers Marc and Carlo, grew up with an inside look into the hospitality world. The Moussi family has been building their hospitality empire ever since they arrived in Australia, after immigrating from Lebanon in the 1950s. The siblings’ father John owned a host of venues along McCann and Little Malop streets; it was only natural his children end up opening their own.

Enter restaurant, cafe and bar The Federal, in North Geelong, which opened in early May of 2017. Visually stunning, the original red brick and black trusses across the roof pay homage to the era in which the building was originally constructed. So too do the finer details of the venue. Industrial style chandeliers hark back to its woolen mill history and of course, the

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For diners who fancy themselves traditionalists, there will also be staples like smashed avo and the classic eggs benedict, but you’ll be treated to more options that will warm your soul in the midst of a cold winter morning. They’ll be doing five different types, including the traditional, the Atlantic Salmon, the Harissa Lamb, the Beef Brisket and the Pulled Pork.

Other breaky options include Warm Quince Porridge and a range of delicious omelettes.

There will also be a range of hearty classics such as the chicken and leek pie, and seafood chowder in a bread roll to see you through lunch, as well as a Lebanese Vegetarian Board and a nutritious burrito bowl.

Sweet tooth’s haven’t been forgotten either. The new menu will see the Forbidden Apple Hotcake, a Turkish Delight Dough Waffle, and Banana Bread French Toast.

THE FEDERAL IS LOCATED AT 13-35 MACKEY ST, NORTH GEELONG AND IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. VISIT THEFEDERALGEELONG. COM.AU OR PHONE (03) 5210 8000.

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WHERE: 2-8 PRINCES HIGHWAY, NORLANE WHEN: EVERYDAY FROM 9AM TO 5AM. PH: (03) 5278 2423 SITE: WWW.NORLANEHOTEL.COM.AU

Fitzroy

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developed using a refined version of Little Creatures’ stout recipe in a bid to create the perfect dark beer to warm you up this winter.

Russ Gosling, Head Brewer at Little Creatures Fremantle said they are always experimenting to perfect brews as well as create new beers.

“We want people to take a sip and feel like they’re in a cosy London pub by a roaring fire. So, we’ve gone hoppier and amped up our signature Fuggle hops along with US Loral to get that noble, earthy, dark fruit quality with chocolate and roast to create a balanced, smooth stout,” Gosling said.

With perfect stout drinking weather well and truly here, Goslingh has shared some tips on how to pick (and drink) the perfect stout:

LITTLE CREATURES LAUNCHES LATEST WINTER BREW Just as you might adjust your wardrobe when the temperature drops and the days get shorter, Little Creatures has recognised the need to produce different brews to match the seasons, and with beer lovers are setting down their Pale Ales, pulling on their jumpers and reaching for something a little darker, Little Creatures have fronted up with their new Winter Stout.

It follows the Norfolk Pine-apple Pale Ale inspired by the iconic trees that grow in Little Creatures’ home of Fremantle, and the East Side Pale Ale which explores Eastern culture with aromatic Cashmere hops and Osmanthus Fragrans tea for the annual GABS festival.

1. Red is the new black: you want your stout to be black but with a red tinge when you hold it up to the light.

2. Smoother than Bublé: the taste should be smooth, with rich chocolate, some roasted coffee notes and a hint of liquorice.

3. Keep it cool: always pour it into a glass and serve at 12°C. 4. It is better in pairs: make the most of your stout by pairing it with a crumbly blue cheese or aged Gouda.

5. Relax and savour: preferably in your PJs and uggs on a cold winter’s night.

Sounds like something we can definitely get around this winter.

LITTLE CREATURES WINTER STOUT IS AVAILABLE ON TAP AT SELECT VENUES NATIONALLY AND IN STORE FROM LEADING RETAILERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

The latest brew to come out of the brewery in its 19th year, this limited-edition seasonal has been

WINTER MENU COMING SOON AVAILABLE FOR FUNCTIONS

13-35 MACKEY ST NORTH GEELONG VIC 3215 • (03) 5210 8000 • WWW.THEFEDERALGEELONG.COM.AU MONDAY - THURSDAY 7AM - 4PM FRIDAY 7AM - 6PM SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 8AM - 4PM

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“We were also looking back through old tours recently and saw heaps of the old bands like AC/DC, when they started they just played in the suburbs all the time – we thought if we could do that it’d be cool.”

Speaking of the advantage of playing albums in their entirety, John spoke of some of the Angel’s classics that may now get their time to shine on stage. “There’s songs like ‘Thorn is Breaking’ which features incredible poetry that Rick came up with in ‘79 and to play that live is wonderful because it’s not a straight ahead hit single but the audience is always singing it. I love to play songs like that.”

With a new tour comes new tunes. The Bennies are writing new songs right now. “We’re fully deep in it,” says Horgan. “We’re going away for the weekend to record demos, about 10 songs, and we’ll be playing a few [new songs] on tour, as well.”

THE BENNIES ARE ROCKIN’ THE SUBURBS WRITTEN BY ANNA ROSE

As tour names go, it doesn’t get more epic than Punk Rockin’ The Suburbs.

The Bennies are back – well, almost.

Now’s about the time you’ll want to get reacquainted with the back catalogue of the Melbourne psychrock legends because they head out on tour later this month and are hitting up all the rural nooks and crannies of the country. And don’t forget, everything The Bennies have ever done is all about putting the fun in music. No prejudice, no socio-politics, they’re just out for a good time. This could almost be a point of criticism, or so says vocalist Anty Horgan. “I dunno, it’s just like, we wanna have fun playing music.”

Check out The Bennies’ social media and you’ll see the guys are pretty hyped for this tour, taking photos of themselves and the tour poster in any which way possible with some hilarious results. To some level, it’s important the band get people on board and as involved as possible, asking the important questions like what town has the best tuck shop? It’s important, Horgan says, for The Bennies to drum up as much love as they can before they’ve even hit the stage.

“On a basic level, it’s promotion so people know we’re coming, but we try and keep thing pretty fun – one way of doing that is to involve people.”

And in terms of involving people, The Bennies have just decided who they’re taking out as supports on tour – though Horgan, because they’re so many, doesn’t know who they are off the top of his head.

It’s local bands, though, bands who The Bennies best feel represent the towns they’re from. “Because we’re playing places we don’t normally play we wanted to see bands from the area, like, those bands might not get a chance like this so it’s like, cool!”

WHEN & WHERE: THE WHALERS HOTEL, WARRNAMBOOL – JUNE 28 THE WORKERS CLUB, GEELONG – JULY 12

Based on the places The Bennies are going, there’s a huge community vibe happening within the band, like they’re trying to give back to the little people.

“It’s awesome going out to different places and stuff,” says Horgan. “It’s not the kind of thing you can do all the time, but we had a bit of time and it seemed like a good idea.

KAROVA LOUNGE, BALLARAT – JULY 13

THE ANGELS WRITTEN BY ALEX CALLAN

It’s no surprise that Brewster finds enjoyment playing the lesser known Angel’s numbers, mainly because throughout their 45 year career the Australian pub rock icons have refused to stay stagnant. Most recently, The Angels have even branched out with their first ever orchestral shows.

“We’ve just come off a symphony show with 32 piece orchestras and 40 piece choirs it the Sydney Opera House and Hamer Hall in Melbourne and sold both out which was fantastic.

This one’s for the Shadowboxer’s of Geelong: The Angels will make their return to the Gateway Hotel in July for a massive double set headliner “The process is with a guy called Rob John who is show performing the entire ‘No Exit’ album in full. a wonderful composer, conductor, violinist who became great friends with Rick and I. We’d choose “Geelong audiences have always been wonderful to songs and send him the studio versions and he’d us,” reminisces the groups founding member John compose the orchestra parts and bounce them Brewster. “The Gateway is one of our favourite back to Rick and I and we almost didn’t make any venues in the whole country. It’s very intimate and suggestions, he was just so in tune with what we the acoustics are great so it’s all wonderful playing wanted. there.”

“We did the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at the Taking some time away from recording the groups end of July last year and it was such an amazing 14th studio album, the tour will be in support of the experience that we decided to do a couple more. It’s 40th anniversary of ‘No Exit.’ something that I think we will do again so make sure to watch this space.”

“The bands been together for 45 years now,” remarks John, “We did the ‘Face To Face’ tour last year and THE ANGELS WILL BE HITTING that was our massive seminal breakthrough album THE GATEWAY HOTEL ON JULY 12. and now doing ‘No Exit’ which is mainly songs TICKETS AVAILABLE VIA OZTIX. written by Rick and I. “I have wonderful memories of writing those songs and recording that album. We play the ‘No Exit’ album, have a 20 minute break and then another set of Angels classics so we play the whole show.”

little bar/restaurant in Hepburn Springs. Delicious food, great service, and a very cruisy atmosphere. I will be playing two acoustic sets from 6pm to 8pm, focusing on original songs, but with a few covers thrown into the mix as well. I’ve been told I do a pretty nice version of ‘Little Red Corvette’, so I’ll probably play that too.

You’re well known on the local busking scene, winning Geelong’s Best Busker in 2017. What is it that you love about performing on the street?

Well, busking has been a really good thing for me.

I appreciate the different people who come up to me and have a chat. Occasionally someone will say to me “keep going mate, you sound really good”, that’s always great to hear. Busking is fun in the way it’s spontaneous. You just head out there and do it. No need to book a gig or haggle with some venue owner over a price. I do it for the money too; busking can pay for my groceries, sometimes even my gas bill!

It’s cool when the kids dig what you’re doing too.

Josh Dance might be a familiar face and after Are you still busking around the region as much busking and performing around Geelong and as you used to? surrounds for around 15 years now, chances I’ve actually been sick this past couple of months. are that’s why. We had a chat with the Geelong- I came down with some full-on laryngitis, then a based bluesy rocker ahead of his performance in cold, then a stomach bug, and finally… acid reflux Hepburn Springs this month. as an encore. So vocally I’ve been out of action and Hey Josh, thanks for chatting to Forte therefore unable to busk, gig, or sing at all. But I’m Mag! You’re a familiar face to the Forte finally back on track now and hoping to head out this pages, and you’ve been playing around the Saturday. It’s all systems go. Again. region for more than a decade now, how Where’s your music currently at? Do you have have you grown musically over the years? any upcoming releases?

Really… has it been that long?! Time flies when I’ve just written a couple of new songs. One is you’re having fun I guess and I probably don’t qualify called ‘Shame On You’ and the other is either called as a spring chicken anymore! I think I’ve grown as ‘Ragged Blossom’ or ‘No Good For Me’. I want to get a a musician in the way that I’m probably a lot more band together, or at least find a drummer who wants open minded musically than I used to be. Also, I think to play, do some more recording, and play more gigs. that just by doing something day after day, you’re My style is basically blues rock with a folk twist. I’ve going to improve. My vocals are definitely getting got some songs on YouTube, so if any musicians out better as is my guitar playing. You’ve gotta keep there google Josh Dance and like my music, please chipping away. contact me on Facebook or email joshdance23@ You’ve got an upcoming gig at the Blue Bean hotmail.com Cafe in Hepburn Springs this month! What can WHEN & WHERE: people expect from this performance? Have you ever performed there before?

BLUE BEAN CAFE, HEPBURN SPRINGS – I’ve played at the Blue Bean Cafe probably about SATURDAY JUNE 29, 6PM – 8PM 15 times in the past 18 months or so. It’s a great

JOSH DANCE

GEELONG’S FAVOURITE SWEETHEARTS WRITTEN BY SOPHIE BARKER PHOTO BY PATRICK CALLOW Originating in Geelong some 30 years ago, the all-female band, Sweethearts is ready to hit the stage at The Worker’s Club Geelong for their gig on Saturday June 15. The “energetic, neo soul band” has recently landed their monthly residency at The Worker’s Club, and are gearing up for their last gig before hitting the road on their Europe tour.

Playing a “big mix” of covers and originals, Sweethearts Music Director, Michael Fitzgerald describes that, “the current line-up is very much influenced by funk”, and that “[the set] will include

a lot of songs that we will play over in Europe”, including “some specific soul songs written by the festival director from Italy”.

Rachael Hobbs, Sweethearts Band Captain, adds that, “We will be playing many songs yet to be released in our latest EP which means the audience will get a taste of new originals”.

With their new venue, “supporting our sound and our program to offer kids opportunities to perform”, the band is “highly anticipating” this upcoming gig, especially since, “[Band members] are all going to be on [their] game as a ‘Europe ready’ band and excitement will particularly high as a result”.

Hobbs details that, “There’s nothing like being on stage, ‘vibing’ with the band and raising each other’s spirits as the set goes on. There is nothing like the satisfaction of sitting on a groove and having the audience be completely immersed in the feel and rhythm you are playing.”

To feel their soul and groove, head on over to The Worker’s Club on Saturday, June 15 to catch Sweethearts before they head off on tour.

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KRISIUN ARE COMING TO GEELONG Scourge of the Enthroned, Krisiun’s 11th studio album released last year, saw the Brazilian death metallers decide to head for a faster and extremely savage record. Clocking in at an intense 38 minutes, Scourge of the Enthroned is a real monster and one they’re bringing down under when they descend on their Australian tour this June. We chat to guitarist Moyses Kolesne ahead of the shows.

Hi Moyses, thanks for your time, great to have you in our pages. We can’t wait to see you at the Barwon Club.

Thank you so much brother, we can’t wait to be down under again. It’s a great honour for us to have the chance to play in Australia again.

To those totally unfamiliar with KRISIUN, describe your music in five words.

Two can describe it better – Death Metal! But if you want five, ‘Extreme South American Death Metal.

You have played some of the worlds biggest metlfests including Wacken. Do you enjoy playing to smaller audiences?

We always play wherever we get the chance and

BLASPHEMY Canadian Gods of War, Blasphemy, are an icon in the underground Black and Death Metal scene.

With only two albums released back in the earlier part of the ‘90s, they have managed to reign in blood after all these years, and have toured the world with their heavy metal of the extreme kind.

We chat to Nocturnal Grave Desecrator and Black Winds; and Deathlord of Abomination and War Apocalypse ahead of their Aussie tour in July.

Welcome to Forte! For the not so familiar readers, give them an idea of Blasphemy live?

Black Winds: Well they’ve been different from time to time, but in general we like to use a lot of barbed wire, bullets beers, and bitches.

Deathlord: There has been a certain vision that Blasphemy has had since day one: We wanted to bring an over-the-top image to the stage to compliment the over-the-top music. That included bullets, chains and spikes worn by total Black Metal barbarians! We wanted to have an impact as soon as we walked on the stage and keep up the desecration overkill from the first song until the very last! Like Venom, but Venom on stronger steroids. So we are coming at you with a malicious intent!!

Do you see Blasphemy ever doing another album or are you happy to leave the legacy of Fallen Angel of Doom and Gods of War as they are, and just play live?

Black Winds: I am always angry enough to play to the legacy of Fallen and God, but I’m sure I have

where the conditions are acceptable to make a decent show. Definitely when you play huge festivals or huge tours it’s different; you have a much better opportunity to put out a great show but I love the feeling of small club shows too – it has more intimacy with the audience.

What are a couple of the favourite gigs you have played? And favourite songs to play?

We love to play in many places, there’s so many great cities and courts we played that it’s too big to mention everyone. I don’t have favourite songs to play. We have so many records that we need to sort out what to play or not; sometimes when you keep playing the same set list it starts getting boring so we always try to make different set list covering our discography.

Who is the oldest brother? How did it come to be that you all ended up on different instruments and play the music you do?

Alex is the oldest. He first started on drums playing with another band then I joined the band as a guitar player. When Alex wasn’t practising, Max was playing on his drum kit. He was very young at the age of 12 years old, then Alex needed to study in another city and left Max and the drums alone. I started jamming with Max, then Alex realised Max could be a good drummer and he started to play bass guitar. We tried out a singer but it didn’t work out so Alex once again took a position left.

Brazil has a tradition of great metal bands such as Sarcofago, Expulser, Mystifier etc.. Who were your favourites growing up?

I was really into Old Sepultura, Ratos de Porão, Sarcófago, Taurus, and Dorsal Atlântica.

Do you know of many Australian Bands? What are your memories of your last tour here?

Yes, specially AC/DC. I know many bands from the Australian underground, like Destruktor, Nocturnal Graves, Martire, Hobbs’ Angel of Death, Portal, Truth Corroded, and many others.

WHEN & WHERE: BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG – THURSDAY JUNE 20. WITH SUPPORTS FROM LOCAL BANDS DESTRUKTOR, STORMTIDE AND NEMESIUM.

enough rage and fury to put out something new as soon as the stars line up.

Deathlord: The plan is always to do another album, but the chaos keeps getting in the way.

Usually, when I see a band that has been around for a while live I am only interested in hearing their oldest songs. Of course, they end up playing newer songs and get quite distracted and/or annoyed. With Blasphemy we do every song from those albums now, and pretty much every song has become a classic in one way or another! We can keep people fully immersed in the entire show! Pretty much everyone in Blasphemy are active in the underground though, even if it isn’t through Blasphemy. We have Blasphemagoatachrist, Death Worship, Vassafor and Weregoat all releasing new music!

What is one of the more extreme ones you can share with our readers, other than the blood licking?

Deathlord: Violence has followed Blasphemy since the band was established. For many years at the beginning of this band, Blasphemy was banned from all of the local clubs in the entire region. If the band members weren’t getting into fights with shit disturbers in the audience, the audience were fighting each other. We saw heads bounce off of metal parking meters outside, we saw legs broken and the ambulance workers coming directly into the club while we were on stage at maximum volume, and many, many more similar stories. Come have a couple of beers with us and you will hear some great stories. It’s nothing to boast about though. It comes with the territory.

Sum up Blasphemy in as few words as you can.

Black Winds: Brutal, Loud, Fast.

Deathlord: ROSS BAY CULT ETERNAL

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ANDREA ROBERTSON WRITTEN BY ANNA ROSE

The first word that’ll spring to mind when you hear Andrea Robertson’s new album, Live At New Hall, is “intimacy”. This isn’t just an intimately themed third album from the Ocean Grove musician, but a consistently intimate project, from conception to recording. To call this album a passion project would be an understatement.

“It was a really beautiful, creative, intimate experience for everyone involved,” says Robertson.

Recorded over two live performances at the beautiful New Hall, Point Lonsdale, Robertson says though she’d never tackled a project like this, she wanted an audience presence to really accomplish a raw and natural energy in her sound. “It’s very different when you have an audience present,” she says. There were challenges, of course, namely Robertson had a tough time letting people into her creative vision.

But spurred on by sage advice given to her by her friend and fellow blues musician, the late Chris Wilson, Robertson captured her sound and story in this beautiful double CD. “Initially it was carefully collecting the people who were involved,” says Robertson. “A lot of the control

was out of my hands once we were sinking our teeth into it – I had to know the people I’d chosen would cope under the pressure of recording in front of a live audience.

“Personality-wise, you want to really gel – to bounce off each other. In that situation you want it to be as enjoyable as possible, as stress free as possible – I really think we achieved that.”

The solid relationships Robertson formed throughout this experience mean many are now housed under the roof of her heart – musicians, local people whose talents Robertson wanted to showcase, and sound engineers, her faith was completely put in engineer Nick Huggins in particular, who captured Robertson’s grassroots vibes effortlessly. “He’s really beautiful to work with, very respectful. I don’t think I could have had a better person to work with, from a recording perspective.”

Prior to the recording of the album, Robertson realised this wasn’t just a recording, she was essentially managing an event – another challenge presented itself. “Getting info out to everybody, getting organised – my background in office management probably came in handy!

“The amount of work involved in organising the event was massive! That was probably one of the things that stretched me in many ways because I had to have so many hats on.

“I had a few near meltdowns, but there’s been a lot of growth out of that, too.”

Overall, Live At New Hall has been a rewarding experience for Robertson, she says. “I’m sharing something I love with others so I feel really fortunate.

WHEN & WHERE: THE OLD CHURCH ON THE HILL, BENDIGO – JUNE 8 BLUE BEAN LOVE CAFE, DAYLESFORD – JUNE 14 THE MEX, OCEAN GROVE – JUNE 29 LOWLIGHT FESTIVAL, QUEENSCLIFF – JUNE 30

HERE’S A FEW EVENTS TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE LONG WEEKEND WRITTEN BY KAYLA MACLEOD In case you’ve missed it, this week we’re blessed with a long weekend thanks to our linkage to the ol’ monastery in Britain and it being the Queen’s birthday (or thereabouts). It’s going to be our last long weekend for a while so it’s time to make the most of it! We’ve selected a few events to spice up your three days of freedom, whether you want to spend it partying or chilling out we’ve got you sorted.

Art is... festival The Art is… festival is a not for profit organisation that presents a community festival program based in the western Victorian regional centre of Horsham each year in June. As part of the festival, Winter

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MARCIA HOWARD Hi Marcia. We’re excited to have you bring your one-woman show House of Song to regional towns.

In a performance that recounts your past 30 years, how did you go about selecting the songs?

One of the songs included is the first song I wrote as a 14-year-old girl. There are songs I recorded with Goanna in the show and songs that I have written throughout the story of my life. Some of my songs are from my solo albums, recorded in Ireland, Nashville and my home studio. There are new songs as well as sing along songs. I really believe everybody can sing and encourage people to sing along during the show and become a part of my house of song.

You’ll be performing without your band for this show. How do the performances compare when you’re up there by yourself?

My last album, Everything Reminds Me, was a band album and so I have been performing those songs with my band, Issac Barter, Lee Morgan and Justin Olsson. In my House of Song show, I am performing with my son, Liam Gubbins on bass guitar and vocals and Matiss Schubert on fiddle and mandolin. Liam performed in my band at this year’s Port Fairy and Blue Mountains Festivals. It is the story of my life through song and it includes images, video and storytelling. It is wonderful to be performing with my son. He is a great musician and songwriter in his own right, He has just released a single called ‘Getting Over’ as Gub. These will be the last couple

of shows he will perform with me before heading to America to live.

You’ve sustained a very diverse career over the years – as a singer, musician, songwriter, recording artist, a contestant on The Voice and music educator and vocal director, studio recording, music business administration, and education.

Is there anything else on the bucket list?

I have been teaching singing, classroom music and now music at university level part time for many years alongside writing and performing. I have created ‘House of Song Geelong’ this year and I run professional development sessions for singers every fourth Thursday of the month. I have loved welcoming people into my space and singing with them and teaching them songs. The focus of the last session was Aboriginal language songs with Aboriginal facilitator in the arts education space here in Geelong, Kylie Clarke. Each workshop has a different focus each month. Sometimes its harmony or the use of the voice. Our next sessions features Yoga and singing so watch this space!

Your time with Goanna was during the coming of age of Australian rock music in the early 1980’s.

What are your views on the ability to be a touring musician now?

So much has changed and for the better particularly for female musicians. It has always been a very male dominated industry. There were not many women performing on the circuit when I started. I was the youngest band member in Goanna when I joined in 1980. Over the years so many live gigs have been replaced in the pubs by gaming machines. As a consequence, sadly that has affected many musician’s livelihood. On a positive note though these days you don’t have to be signed to a major label to get your music out to the world. The digital revolution has enabled songwriters and composers to record our music at home in our studios and has enabled people from all socio-economic backgrounds and corners of the globe the chance for their music to be heard.

WHEN & WHERE: THE F PROJECT GALLERY, WARRNAMBOOL – JUNE 22

Warmer is something we’re loving the sound of. Set for Saturday June ‘Jehovah’s Whispers’ which consists of 6 songs. The event is 18+ and 8, this will be a winter celebration around a blazing bonfire with DJs, tickets can ONLY be purchased at the door. The event also has a happy dancing, projections, and a range of performers. You can even make a day hour running from 3:30-4:30pm! of it by taking a workshop during the day, then burn away your worries Shaun Kirk at the Loft with the Dump Stump later than night. You beauty.

If you feel like indulging yourself in some hearty blues music, get Art Show in support of Cancer Research yourself to The Loft Warrnambool on Saturday June 8th. Shaun Kirk is an Geelong Region Cancerians will host their inaugural Art Show over independent Australian soul and blues singer, songwriter and musician the Queen’s Birthday Weekend at Sacred Heart College McAuley Hall from Melbourne. Kirk’s gritty vocals come from a place beyond his years (Aphrasia Street Newtown entrance). It will be open to the public 10.00- and has seen him be labelled “one of the finest blues voices Australia has 6.00pm on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 of June, and 10.00-4.00pm on Sunday heard” (Buss Mag). Tickets can be purchased online at www.musicglue.

June 9. The exhibition will feature more than 100 paintings from artists com/shaunkirk or at the door. 18+ Event. in the greater Geelong region and from intrastate. Prizes, donated by Queens B’Day Sessions local businesses, will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd artwork judged by A Sunday sesh is always good in our books. Here’s a few places you Paul McDonald Smith OAM on the Friday. All art on exhibition is for can do just that… sale, and there will be a raffle for the chance to win return flights for Lambys – Get the crew together and come celebrate the Queen herself, two to Kuala Lumpur. treatin’ yourself to a few Mario Karts and Espresso Martini’s along the Queen’s Birthday Match way! Sunday School will be supplying the drink specials, with $5 drinks If sports are more you thing you cannot miss the annual Queens happening all night and live tunes from Good faces 4 Radio. Does a long Birthday AFL Match. Watch Collingwood FC and Melbourne FC battle it weekend get any better than that?! out at the MCG on June 10th at 3:20pm. The teams have been playing this Home House – One of the mainstays on the club scene, Home match since 2001 with Collingwood winning last years match. Another House is guaranteed to keep you up late into Monday morning with important part of the day is the ‘Big Freeze 5 at the G’, where celebrities their Melbourne Invasion, featuring the likes of Joel Fletcher, Nathan plunge into a pool of ice to raise money to find a cure for Motor Neurone Thomson, Eliza Brayshaw, Madeleine and more.

Disease. This is a special day for the AFL and a great event to be apart Wah Bah – Get down in your best Royalty themed get up and crown of, you can grab tickets at www.afl.com.au/tickets yourself the unofficial Dancing Queen (or King) of Wah Bah for the night!

High Tea With Noel Coward Complete with delicious Bao Buns, cocktails, Lachy Cartledge supplying For something a bit different, try celebrating Lizzie’s birthday with the acoustic entertainment from 2.30pm, and DJ Trudi on the decks High Tea With Noel Coward at The Palais-Hepburn in Daylesford on from 5.30pm, Wah Bah is the place to be this Queen’s Birthday Eve! Sunday afternoon. In the style of a country house party, rock up with The Inn – It’s BLOCK PARTY season and The Inn’s famous car park your emeralds and furs darling. This is presented by the dazzling Tim event just got bigger, with not one but two headlines in KLP and Benson.

Mckew, who will be bringing Noel Coward to life, accompanied by Peter Enjoy the all the perks of the summer festival dance tent this June in De Ryk on Piano. From Melbourne to Shanghai and New York, Tim’s high our fave inner-city car park, you know the one. tea shows are legend! Oh and it includes a glass of bubbly!

Bloom – With a love of seeing local talent flourish, Bloom are handing Geelong Record Fair over the keys to the most talented dude they’ve ever come across – the If you’re less interested in getting out and about over the weekend, multi-faceted, DJ, producer, internationally acclaimed steeze merchant vinyl enthusiasts should consider making just one stop to The Geelong that is Dean Turnley. It’s all killer, no filler.med steeze merchant that Record Fair. There will be 30 tables of music treasures to sift through, is Dean Turnley. It’s all killer, no filler. with two tables covered in CD’s, 45’s, 78’s and memorabilia, while the rest is purely dedicated to original 12 inch vinyl albums. Starting at 11am YOU’LL FIND A TONNE OF OTHER EVENTS TO GET TO IN on Sunday June 9, they’ll be slinging LP’s, cassettes, memorabilia and THE REGION INCLUDING THE CASTLEMAINE JAZZ FESTIVAL, heaps more til 4pm at The Malthouse on Lowe Street in Corio.

NATIONAL CELTIC FESTIVAL, AROCKALYPSE AT THE LOFT, God Save the Fiends: Album Launch TONI CHILDS AT GPAC, HEATHCOTE ON SHOW, AND MORE. Young Henry’s and The Barwon Club Hotel Geelong are presenting God Save the Fiends Swazi Gold album launch. Held on June 9th running from 3pm until 1am, the Barwon Club will have three rooms full of music including live bands and DJ’s. This is Swazi Gold’s debut album

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put a lot of effort into the vocals and lyrical content.”

Expanding on the difference in writing and recording, Ted spoke of how Circles credo reflects constantly trying new approaches.

“For ‘The Last One’ the writing process was predominately the same in terms of technique but the mindset was completely different.

“When I was writing, I gave myself no boundaries.

If I wanted to add something classical, I would. That was the mindset and I think it was cool because previously we were kind of funneling everything together; with the Last One we just wrote everything and then cherry-picked the good stuff.”

With the groups material also being produced

by Ted, he elaborated on how he has to approach writing with “two different brains.”

“Previously to Ben joining the band, I was writing all of our material. When you’re writing but also producing the album, you think about creative WRITTEN BY ALEX CALLAN production techniques that you can use while you are recording. At the same time, you know what you With events like ‘Progfest’ (amongst others), are in for later so sometimes aspects of our songs there’s no denying Melbourne has an incredible are definitely impacted by the amount of work it will prog-metal scene. On top of that, we consistently require. Like if you want to add an electronic part have a string of international prog acts along that will add a huge crushed sound you can know the lines of TesseracT and Periphery hitting our the impact that will make while you are recording.” stages. You may have noticed that Melbourne Performing songs from their entire catalog, bred progressive alternative rock juggernaut Circles will be hitting the road for their 11 dates Circle’s will usually be sharing the same stage. Aus/NZ ‘Winter Tour’ and it may actually turn into Being at the forefront of the Melbourne scene, a filmed piece of Aus music history.

Circles are one of our biggest prog exports and “I love band documentaries and I love watching now for the first time in a while, they will be hitting the process of them writing and recording so I have Australia with a headliner tour. been documenting a lot. I’m not as interested in Forté caught up with the group’s guitarist Ted the end product, I’m interested in how bands got Furuhashi to find out what the Circles’ lads have to that finished result. That’s what I like to watch been up to recently. The answer was writing. so a documentary is an idea that I’d love to expand.

“This time it’s different,” reflects Ted, “The Last “We’d love to take it on the road with us as One’ [2018] we had all the music written before Ben well. Dave is the video guy so he’s always stuck was appointed as vocals. This time around Ben is documenting everything we do on top of his role included in the songwriting from the start so it will as a drummer. The toughest thing is budget but we be a bit different; it’s interesting to have another would love to do it and will try and do it as much songwriter to bounce off.” as we can by ourselves.”

“Vocals shape the band in my eyes,” he continues.

“As much as music can be emotive, you can write WHEN & WHERE: a piece of music that’s inspired by love but it will KAROVA LOUNGE, BALLARAT – AUGUST 3 never be as impactful as saying ‘I love you’, so we

Spectacular showmen The Cat Empire; Melbourne’s own future soul quartet and (twice Grammy hopefuls!) Hiatus Kaiyote; folk trio stalwarts The Waifs and fan favourite intergalactic rockers The Delta Riggs will also be heading to the Bellarine in November.

Canada’s Juno Award nominated artist and producer Alysha Brilla will showcase her cross-cultural roots, Southern Californian surf rockers Allensworth are perfectly placed to bring the coastal grooves whilst Nashville-based touring troubadour and cultfollowed entertainer Steve Poltz will once again grace our shores with his dynamic and dexterous on-stage antics.

CIRCLES

QUEENSCLIFF MUSIC FESTIVAL UNVEILS FIRST LINEUP

More Aussie acts rounding out the announce are adored satirical singer-songwriters Paul McDermott & Gatesy, Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt’s indie-pop alter ego Merpire, Americana eight-piece Fools, six piece rhythm n’ roots outfit Amaru Tribe, Sydney jazz trio Brekky Boy, dance-inducing Dubarray from the Sunshine Coast, Tamworth-raised, Sydneybased singer-songwriter Charlie Collins, Tasmanian folksinger Claire Anne Taylor and eighteen year-old indie, rock & soul up-and-comer Stevie Jean have been announced to perform too.

The music jewel of the Bellarine the Queenscliff Music Festival has given a taste of what’s to come at this year’s event, announcing a handful of iconic local and global artists for its first lineup reveal.

A weekend-long celebration of live music, familyfriendly activities, craft beers, fine wines, local produce and more, it’s no wonder the Queenscliff Music Festival and its picturesque locations attract musicians, entertainers and visitors from all over the country as well as overseas.

Returning for its 23rd year, the Peninsula will soon see an eclectic mix of homegrown and international performers.

Weekend passes and Camping & Glamping are on sale now with single day tickets going on sale on the 1st of July.

Acts unveiled so far include multi-award winning singer-songwriter Missy Higgins; multi-talented musician, broadcaster and sometime actor Clare Bowditch; country music star Troy Cassar-Daley; blistering blues-rocker Ash Grunwald; New Zealand legend Tim Finn, and British percussive guitar master Newton Faulkner.

THE 23RD QUEENSCLIFF MUSIC FESTIVAL WILL RUN FROM 22ND – 24TH NOVEMBER 2019.

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The Brisbane Hotel, Hobart

08/06

Dicey Riley’s, Wollongong

05/07

**Album launch**

09/06

Hamilton Stn Hotel, Newcastle

14/06

The Northern, Byron Bay

06/07

The Eastern, Ballarat

15/06

Vinnies Dive, Gold Coast

13/07

Dead of Winter Fest, Brisbane

16/06

Crowbar, Brisbane

19/07

The Bridge, Castlemaine

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TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FROM WWW.DAMAGEDMUSIC.COM.AU FORTÉ 716

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MEG MAC EPISODE III: A NEW ‘HOPE’ WRITTEN BY TAMMY WALTERS

song and a different process. It’s not always at the piano and it’s not always a lyric, and you might write something in the shower and you never know! So I’m kind of looking forward to the next album and I’m wondering how I will put that one together.”

Titled ‘Hope’ after the songwriters favourite album track, the mini-album explores the two sides of notion; the positive impact of maintaining a hopeful mindset, and the all-consuming turmoil of holding onto hope as a survival mechanism.

“I got really fascinated with the whole idea that we all need hope and it’s what kind of keeps us alive in some way and keeps us going, but it is also a curse and it can drive you crazy and feel like you’re killing yourself sometimes living this life of hope. There’s this really dark side of hope that I wanted to look at,” Mac says.

The forthcoming album includes current single ‘I’m Not Coming Back’, the self-belief, emotionally driven, and first co-written track, ‘Something Tells Me’, and opens with the anthemic, ‘Give Me My Name Back’, a track that deals with regaining identity.

“I wrote [Give Me My Name Back] around the time of the ‘Me Too’ movement when all of these women were standing up and I was seeing people with so much strength and courage to just get up and stand up for what’s right. I pushed that message when I put the song out and I received so many private messages from people telling me their story and how the song related to them and there were so many stories from the LGBTQI community with people coming out to their family.”

“I never could have imagined that ‘Give Me My Name Back’ could mean so many different things to so many different people.”

While the tracks cover deep content, the Meg Mac sound we’ve known and loved over the last five years is still prominent.

“I’m so happy with how this album turned out because I feel like it’s really made a step forward in sound but it also still sounds so much like me and my songs.”

The deeply talented powerhouse songstress, Meg Mac, has been making her way across the country on her sold-out ‘Give Me My Name Back Tour’ and if you were lucky enough to get a glimpse of her on stage, you will know she has a new mini-album coming out.

Not an EP, not an album- no, a mini-album.

“When I started the process of making this album there was no pressure of an album or anything hovering over the process. It was made with a guy called Miles Wheaton who was in Melbourne and I was going over to his house because he lived just down the road and we started putting some songs together in his bedroom,” says Mac. “I didn’t know if it was going to be an EP or if it would be an album.

It kind of came together and then we realised ‘there’s seven tracks here’, and it just got to the point where it felt complete. It wasn’t a deliberate ‘I’m going to record seven tracks’, it just fell into place.”

She continues, “It was made without a plan. It was made treating each song as a song and seeing where we could take it even stylistically, taking my songs where I haven’t been before. I’ve realised now ‘HOPE’ IS OUT 7 JUNE 2019. as I look back at each song and how it was written that I have a different story for how I made up that

LEAPS AND BOUNDS MUSIC FESTIVAL RETURNS WRITTEN BY LIAM MCNALLY PHOTO BY NATALIE JURRJENS Yarra City Council have announced that Leaps and Bounds Music Festival is swangin’ on back to town pretty soon to bring some heat to Melbourne’s coldest month, taking place from July 5th to 14th.

The City of Yarra is home to some of the finest live music Melbourne has to offer, from rock dens to dance halls, over fifty venues in walking distance means the place is bursting with boutique venues for fans of any genre to get amongst it. It’s makes it even more exciting then that the program for Leaps and Bounds is actually put together by the venue owners that know the scene best.

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This year the festival offers some new treats to the lineup, including Yarra’s first Winter Record Store Day on Saturday July 6 featuring in stores by the likes of DRMNGNOW. There will also be some hot-to-trot store sales across the day.

Another new addition this year is Draw the Band, a competition bringing visual arts and music together; asking artists to attend one of the festival events, create an artwork and submit it for judging by an industry panel to take home a grand prize of art materials!

This year will also feature singles launches from dark electro duo Asylum Sisters (Bar Open), grunge rockers Moaning Lisa (Grace Darling Hotel) and three-piece punk powerhouse PISS Factory (The Burrow).

Some of 2018’s festivals hit nights return with: Crème de le Femme (The Evelyn), a selection of Melbourne’s best female fronted bands; Queering the Pitch (Hares and Hyenas), two nights of music that takes us beyond the binary; and Women of Country (The Standard Hotel), showcasing Melbourne’s finest

What can we say though? These guys know how to make quality music. But arguably just as importantly, they also know how to put on a damn good live show.

If you managed to catch them earlier this year, either on the Groovin The Moo stages and supporting Eminem on his Australian run, you’d agree that Hilltop Hoods seriously rattle the keys to the Australian hip hop Kingdom in a live setting.

Performing tracks like ‘Leave Me Lonely’, ‘The Nosebleed Section’, ‘1955’, ‘I Love It’, ‘Clark Griswold’, ‘Exit Sign’ and the unfortunately named but seriously infectious ‘Cosby Sweater’, the Hoods manage to get everyone singing the same song at the top of their lungs and jumping around to the music. No matter where you are at a Hilltop Hoods show, I guarantee you are in a mosh.

It’s no secret the Hoods have a highly energetic set, but in all their live shows, it’s as if each song they perform is bigger than the last. It’s like a game – ‘which song could possibly be next, surely that was their biggest hit?’ It makes you realise how many After forging an exciting local hip hop scene hits they actually have – absolute fucking legends. with their early releases almost 25 years Seriously, check out their Spotify playlist and you’ll ago, Adelaide trio Suffa, Pressure, and DJ see what I mean. Love them or hate them (not sure Debris – otherwise known as Hilltop Hoods – why you would though!), these guys are absolute smashed into the mainstream with their third performers and they can put on one hell of a show. album (and break out record) The Calling in If you haven’t been lucky enough to witness a 2003. It turned the heads of rock fans, dance Hoods live gig thus far, you’re in luck, as the hip music devotees and everyone in between, and hop legends announced a string of Australian tour changed the Australian hip hop scene forever. dates, covering five capital cities this coming August Fast forward a few years, and Hilltop Hoods are and September in support of their latest record The still sitting pretty on the top on the urban music Great Expanse. This is their first headline tour since world in Australia with nine ARIAs, multi-platinum the 2016 ‘Restrung Tour’ which saw over 50,000 fans sales, countless tours and festival appearances, half attend sold-out Arenas in what became their biggest a billion global streams and songs cemented in tour to date.

Australia’s DNA. They’ve already sold out a handful of their shows This year however saw the Hoods make ARIA charts so get in quick if you want to see these guys live history with their latest album The Great Expanse in action! becoming their sixth #1 on the Albums Chart, Just. Do. It. You won’t regret it. crowning them the ARIA record holder for most #1 albums by an Australia band or group.

YOU CAN STILL GET TICKETS THEIR NEW SHOW It’s the hip hop trio’s eighth studio album, and AT MELBOURNE’S ROD LAVER ARENA ON places them behind only Jimmy Barnes, John FRIDAY, AUGUST 9. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE Farnham and The 12th Man for most #1 albums on FROM TICKETEK. the ARIA Charts by an Australian artist, which is one hell of a feat.

HILLTOP HOODS ARE HEADING ON A NATIONAL TOUR

women of Country.

The Laundry will have you dancing all night by famed UMAMI collective, featuring a hot pot celebrating all the flavours Burn City has to offer, with a delicious serving of looks and live music acts.

Girls Rock! Melbourne brings their epic ALL AGES fundraiser to the Tote featuring A+, Affection, All Cats Go To Heaven, Alphington, Carpet Burn, Deader, Dominique, Dover Island, El Tee, Face Face, Fiz Eustance, Honey Hunter, House Deposit, Kee’ahn, Party Pest, Racerage, Ruby Gill, Ruby Soho, Thibault, Uboa & Yukambabe. Having nurtured a growing community of musicians and industry relations passionate about supporting and providing opportunities for women and gender nonconforming people, this is an event to seriously get behind.

Afrohub and Abbotsford Convent present two events: After Party, featuring Pookie, Daniel Elia and Ijale; and the Melbourne Traditional African Ensemble, supported by a DJ Eva Lubulwa set to make you move.

Australia’s iconic electro-punk heroes turnedchildren’s performers Regurgitator will bring their eccentric kid’s music project ‘Regurgitator’s Pogogo Show’ to the 10th birthday celebration of Rock-A-Bye Baby at The Corner Hotel.

Yah Yah’s will present the spectacular glam fab Lip-synchronised Grand Slam showcasing a culmination of six weeks of competition for the title of “The Lip Synch Slayer”.

The 2019 Leaps and Bounds Music Festival will span 10 days from July 5-14 and includes a selection of free and ticketed events.

Leaps and Bounds Music Festival is commissioned by the City of Yarra, programmed by Yarra venues and co-presented by Yarra community radio station PBS 106.7FM. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW. LEAPSANDBOUNDSMUSICFESTIVAL.COM

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THE ENGAGEMENT RELEASE POWERFUL NEW SINGLE WRITTEN BY NASEEM RADMEHR Powerful, uplifting, rich, entrancing – these are a few words to describe The Engagement’s new single In The End. The five-person ensemble from Melbourne have made themselves known across Australia and all over the world through their empowering pop/rock style that vibes well with people into One Republic, Imagine Dragons and Linkin Park.

After a booming 2018 that saw The Engagement producing hits on Denmark, Germany and USA radio – not to mention their successful Aussie tour – the band has re-emerged with their new single that enchants listeners with its edgy melody, strong vocals and deep lyrics.

‘In The End’ which explores the concept of resilience – rising up from a negative situation – is something everybody can relate to. This explains their whopping 3000+ Spotify streams in the first week of their release.

Keep an ear out for The Engagement – big things are brewing for these boys!

Thursday 12 Sep

Saturday 14 Sep

The Palms at Crown

Costa Hall, GPAC

Friday 13 Sep

Sunday 15 Sep

Melbourne

Geelong

The Palms at Crown

Wangaratta PAC

Melbourne

Wangaratta

tickets at kaseychambers.com FORTÉ 716

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we were going to have a few drinks’’. It’s hilarious as a story solely on its laugh factor. But amongst the surrealism, quips, and astute observations exists genuine opportunity to philosophise about human connection and our priorities.

His First Agenda is Comedy Although he will mention politics or world events, Moran doesn’t use his platform as a medium to promote political agendas. He just finds comedic angles and swipes at any horse in any race.

Every celebrity on twitter, from Amy Schumer to Dennis Rodman took sides in the presidential election campaign. When asked about it, Moran’s contribution was limited to jokes about all sides involved. It’s refreshing to see a comic without an obvious political leaning. The heightened polarisation between left and right political leanings have diluted much of modern comedy. Whilst he is never primarily motivated by controversy, Moran won’t let an unpopular opinion get in the way of creating great comedy. Moran always delivers his observations without fearing a lack of crowd agreement, only motivated by creating laughter.

He’ll make you laugh Self-described as the ‘you that doesn’t want to get out of bed’, Moran embodies all of the pessimism that a drizzly Sunday morning brings, with the unexpected optimism and subtlety of a rainbow.

When you boil it down, the intention of comedy is to make you laugh. Whether it be through his appearances as Bernard Black in TV Show Black Books, or his stand-up comedy releases, Moran will have you in stitches. The work of Dylan Moran was introduced to my life from a woman I dated in the early noughties. She later slept with a bandmate, and married a work colleague of mine rendering me devastated and heart-broken. Even if, after all of that, the only positive thing she contributed to my life was the introduction to Dylan Moran’s comedy, her impact has been a net positive. If you’re not already acquainted with Moran’s work, don’t wait for heart-break before you seek it out. It’s never too soon to laugh.

WHY COMEDY NEEDS DYLAN MORAN WRITTEN BY CRAIG FRIDEY Dylan Moran is the curmudgeon of modern comedy that brings enlightenment disguised as apathy and he’s exactly what comedy needs right now. As our understanding of gender outgrows existing bathroom constructs, people debate the spherical nature of earth, and an ex-owner of the Miss Universe pageant leads the free world, we need a hero… although we’ll settle for a chuckle.

Here are three reasons comedy needs the metaphorical gunslinger with no-name right now.

Moran’s Comedy has Layers gfihnkgnskgnsg Originally an aspiring poet, Moran’s literary background has clearly shaped his stand up. He’s gifted with words and a deep thinker, so his vivid imagery and anecdotes mean much joy can be found in Moran’s language alone. Moran’s comedy at a high level addresses relatable topics such as ‘meeting life partners whilst drunk’. “We wouldn’t buy a toaster when drunk” he’ll comedically proclaim.

Then through to a series of Shakespearean style, whimsical plot twists he’ll arrive at middle-aged couple silently staring at each other across a cafe wondering ‘what exactly happened, “I just thought

Centre to bring award-winning stage sensation Catherine Alcorn to town with her hilarious portrayal of Bette Midler.

Midler, otherwise known as The Divine Miss M, is a singer/comedienne/author who is most notably known for her showgirl performances.

Here, Catherine channels the People’s Diva with sophistication and class in the masterful performance, with Adelaide Now calling naming Catherine “a jewel in the crown of Australian theatre”.

PIANO BAR TAKES OVER GPAC WRITTEN BY NASEEM RADMEHR

There’s only one place in town where you can sing at the top of your lung to all those guilty pleasures, where you can dance on top of the tables and where you can make friendships for life, or even just the night… That’s right, we’re talking about Piano Bar.

With the accompaniment of an electrifying live band, Catherine will take you on a thrilling musical rollercoaster through time, back to the Palace Theatre in New York 1973, where she belts out the diva’s early classics. “In this particular show, we go from disco to rock to pop to blues to jazz – like there’s basically every kind of genre. Even a little bit of opera. So there’s something for everyone”, says Catherine.

The evening begins with entertainment at the Piano Bar foyer at 6pm before The Miss Divine Bette begins at The Playhouse Theatre at 7:30pm.

Following the show, head back to Piano Bar for further entertainment that will take you well into the night.

Catherine is excited for fans to see “the whole hob of what they’d expect from a 1950s Bette Midler show. We do all of the hits: ‘Friends’, ‘Delta Dawn’, ‘In The Mood’, ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’, ‘Stay With Me Baby’.”

There’ll also be the classics, of course, including As Victoria’s only dedicated piano bar, Piano Bar ‘The Rose’ and ‘From A Distance’, BUT “as [we] have offers the unparalleled atmosphere that only a piano never heard or seen them before,” Catherine teases. bar delivers. With nightly entertainment from the “Fans can expect a high-energy, funny, leave-thebest piano bar performers in Victoria, and the local world-at-the-door-for-the-night show!” talents of singing waiters and waitresses, it’s the go-to place for a fabulous night out with your crew. TICKETS RANGE FROM $48-$65 AND CAN BE PURCHASED FROM WWW.GPAC.ORG.AU OR In an exciting collaboration this month, Piano Bar AT GPAC. have teamed up with the Geelong Performing Arts

SEE DYLAN MORAN AT DEAKIN’S COSTA HALL IN GEELONG ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 27.

WHAT’S ON

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WOODEND WINTER ARTS FESTIVAL Returning for its 15th year running, Woodend Winter Arts Festival is bringing an assortment of artists, performers, thinkers and audiences to the regional Victorian town for the Queen’s birthday weekend. This year’s program encompasses a range of events, including pottery workshops, art exhibitions, live music performances from both international and Australian artists and talks.

If the arts is what you love the most, The Macedon Ranges potters are back again to display their works across the whole weekend. The exhibition will include a variety of functional, sculptural and wearable art pieces. Moreover, there is an open invitation for anyone to take solace from the cold weather and meet the artists on Saturday afternoon.

Another art event running across the weekend is WILD, an exhibition of Visual Art with Vigour.

Created by Macedon Ranges Art Trail Members, this collection will display an array of native and exotic wildlife among stormy seas, rugged lands, riotous abstracts and bold statements.

If music is more your jam, the festival has a healthy number of live music performances scattered across the weekend. For classical fans, Ensemble Gombert and Accademia Arcadia’s choral renditions of Mozart and Haydn’s sacred works at St Ambrose Church on Saturday June 8 will have you in awe. Spanning a wider range of influences, Soprano

Cristina Russo and pianist Konrad Olszewski will explore the nature of longing and sorrow with How to Disappear Completely: Songs of Love & Loss.

The show will draw upon the works of Alessandro Scarlatti, Luciano Berio, Stefano Landi, Nina Simone, Henry Purcell, Michelangelo, Jeff Buckley and Nick Cave in a bid to answer love and life’s big questions.

Presenting sounds from beyond the Western bubble, Sketches of Mesopotamia by The Alwan Trio highlights the music of the Mesopotamian region on Saturday June 8. The ensemble is made up of a Ney, quartertone accordion, Oud, vocals and percussion.

Meanwhile, The Art of the Oud will bring four time ARIA Award-winning Oud player Joseph Tawadros to the stage, melding Arabic jazz with classical music in a stunning showcase of the Middle Eastern instrument on Sunday June 9.

It wouldn’t be the annual Woodend Winter Arts Festival without the literature. The Words and Ideas program includes stalwarts of politics, publishing and media, including George Megalogenis, Gabrielle Chan, Michael Bachelard, Clare Wright, Elizabeth Kleinhenz, Sally Warhaft, Toni Jordan, Robert Hillman, Jan McGuinness, Mark Brandi, Kelly Gardiner, Eliza Henry-Jones, Robert Gott, Angela Savage – and one for the kids – the enormously popular Leigh Hobbs (at the Woodend Library Children’s session). Local authors Dee White and Ann Bolch offer up a range of writers workshops on self-publishing, blogging and plot development, while David and Sara Gormley-O’Brien present a salon-style event, inspired by Roger Sworder’s passion for philosophy and open conversation at the Cravat Club, and the Victoria Hotel will again host to enormously popular Poetry Slam thanks to the Chamber Poets.

That’s just a slice of the diverse program on offer at this year’s Woodend Winter Arts Festival, which will also play host to fireworks, Japanese drummers and an Italian-themed dining experience.

WOODEND WINTER ARTS FESTIVAL IS RUNNING BETWEEN FRIDAY JUNE 7 AND MONDAY JUNE 10. FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS, HEAD TO THE FESTIVAL WEBSITE.

MINIATURE ART ON THE BELLARINE Returning with its scintillating celebration of the senses for all of June, Low Light Queenscliff curates a stunning constellation of Australia’s finest artistic endeavors. One artist we’re excited about is Tinky, who delights with her diminutive dioramas. We sit down with Tinky (aka Liz Sonntag).

We understand you work with miniature figurines and models on a tiny scale. Can you tell us how you began creating this form of art?

It’s a strange little story. I just woke up one Sunday morning about four years ago with a strange desire to buy vintage toy soldiers. To this day, I’ve no idea why I woke up feeling so strongly that I had to do that! I dragged my husband, Karl, along to a trash and treasure market on the Mornington Peninsula with the aim to find toy soldiers. As we walked into the market, the second stall I went to had two very large jars of toy soldiers. I continued to walk around the market looking for something that I could use with the soldiers. I stumbled on a plastic Big Bird, about 8cm tall – he had his arms outstretched and I thought it would be funny if I glued a scene in a laneway of Big Bird being surrounded and held up by toy soldiers. I told Karl I wanted to drive to Collingwood (which was an hour drive away for us) to put the scene in a laneway, and off we went.

Can you tell us what is involved in creating these works? We imagine it to be quite fiddly

WHY you do it. Whether it’s about your work, personal life or that side hustle your heart keeps reminding you to start, I bet it will be improved and/ or gain momentum when you pop a little time aside to STOP and think about it creatively.

COLLABORATE

working with this tiny scale!

Yes, it’s fiddly because the models are H0 scale – they’re so tiny, about 15mm – and I have big hands, so I’m often gluing my fingers together, or knocking something that I’ve just glued in place. But the process will start with an idea – then I go on the hunt for a particular item (like a piece of vintage plastic fruit, scrabble piece, clown nose, fake dog poo, denture, or a disco ball, for example). This often leads me to markets or antique centres where I find all sorts of oddities that I know I’ll be able to use in a miniature scene, provided I can then find the right miniature figurines to go with it. I have a large collection of things. I often think of the pun as I’m putting the scene in place because for me the miniatures take on a personality of their own.

Is there any particular theme to your work?

For me, the overarching theme is comedy. If I come up with a concept that makes me giggle, then I know it’s going on the street.

Congrats on your upcoming involvement with Low Light Queensliff. Can you tell us about some of the works that will be on show?

Thank you – it’s a real pleasure to be part of Low Light Queenscliff. There will be 20 miniature installations in total and a real mix of things. There’s a piece that is based on a real fossil – a polished Orthoceras from Morocco (it’s an ancestor to the modern-day squid) so there will be a fishing theme with that one. There will be some cheeky ones (a little small-scale nudity; and maybe a flasher), an EOFY party scene, a “giant” mandarin (which is normal size, but giant to the miniature), workmen demolishing a real eggshell, and someone trying to crack a walnut.

Where could we find your work in the future?

I’m based in Melbourne, so I frequently install in city laneways: Presgrave Place, ACDC Lane, Duckboard Place, Loveland Lane, Croft Alley, and others. Unfortunately, many don’t last long in Melbourne (though there is one that is still there after three years!).

YOU CAN FIND TINKY AT LOW LIGHT & ON THE GRAM @TINKYSONNTAG

featuring the music of

Irving Berlin • Cole Porter George Gershwin

ONE DAY TO GO!

One of my focuses this year was to personify the phrase “collaboration, not competition”. We truly are better together, and the more diverse the people whom you collaborate with, the stronger your ideas will be. Truly. So ask yourself, “who in my world, sector or community can I collaborate with?” How can you strengthen and inspire each other and be inspired by sharing ideas and resources? You never lose when you choose collaboration over competition or segregation.

THIS HOT MESS

LISTEN

Recently, I was lucky enough to attend (and speak at, total humble brag moment!) the Victorian Creative State Summit. Our hostess opened the summit with a bit of a theme for the following few days, a challenge if you will… It was inspired by the wise words of the same man who wrote famous lyrics about a cold, cold, child. The one and only, Vanilla Ice.

So often when we are busy, hustling or just consumed with our own world we find ourselves talking about, well, to put it bluntly, ourselves. All the time. The problem with this is that by isolating conversions to telling people simply about ourselves, we get no smarter, we get no new or inspired ideas, and we miss out on having a break from ourselves by jumping into the warmth that comes from immersing ourselves into someone else’s world for a few minutes. So make sure when you’re out and about next that you’re listening, REALLY listening.

I promise you won’t ever regret it.

Our hostess encouraged us that whilst being immersed with some of the world’s best creative thinkers and innovators to STOP. COLLABORATE. AND LISTEN. And I put the same challenge out to you for the next few weeks…

Shoot me a DM on insta at @kimelisecooper or @thishotmessau and let me know how you went with the “STOP. COLLABORATE AND LISTEN” challenge over the next two weeks! I’d LOVE to know!

STOP

ALL MY LOVE, KIM XX

Wisdom from great theologian, Vanilla Ice…

TOP HAT • ANYTHING GOES • EMBRACEABLE YOU NIGHT AND DAY • I GOT RHYTHM • EASTER PARADE

DEAKIN’S COSTA HALL, GEELONG

Fri 7 June 2019 • 7.30pm

LIMITED TIX!

GPAC.ORG.AU OR 03 5225 1200

ATHENAEUM THEATRE, MELBOURNE Sat 15 June 2019 •

Take time to stop that sometimes mind-numbing routine of eat, sleep, rave (work), repeat. Interrupt the flow of your life to think creatively about what you do and how you do it. Or even more daringly,

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SOLD OUT!

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BENDIGO WRITERS FESTIVAL 2019 Inspiration can come in many forms, but there’s no greater way than hearing from those you idolise – and the Bendigo Writers Festival is full of people who fit the mould perfectly.

From August 9 – 11, the festival will be featuring a glittering line-up of 150 household names, commentators, writers, entertainers, and many more, in more than 100 events across seven venues in the heart of Bendigo.

This year – with the city bidding to become a UNESCO City of Gastronomy – food, health and sustainability are at the heart of the festival agenda.

Australia’s top food writer, Jill Dupleix, will be telling audiences about the finest and most innovative restaurants in the country. As one of Australia’s best-known food writers, the long-time restaurant reviewer, reporter and recipe columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age will take the festival by storm with 16 cookbooks behind her.

Joining the foodie ranks, the Friday night event will feature popular SBS Food Safari presenter, Maeve O’Meara. As the founder of food-tour company Gourmet Safaris, O’Meara has spent the past two decades collecting culinary treasures and stories from all around the globe and is sure

to bring a wealth of knowledge to the festival that will inspire foodies and writers alike, while ‘food and mood’ psychiatrist, Felice Jacka, will also be there armed with her new book on how to feed a healthy brain.

Alongside the foodies, the program also includes American fire management expert Stephen J. Pyne; PEN International President and novelist Jennifer Clement; bestselling Korean- American novelist Min Jin Lee; and British philosopher A.C. Grayling, whose books include “Liberty in the Age of Terror” and most recently “Democracy and Its Crisis”.

Representing down under, Australian writers include scientist Peter Doherty, feminist Clementine Ford, comedian Greg Fleet, money-man Alan Kohler, revolutionary farmer Charles Massy, Jessica Rowe and best-selling doctor and writer, Ranjana Srivastava.

“Saturday night’s event in Ulumbarra Theatre tackles the biggest question of them all – What Is Life?, with astrobiologist Paul Davies returning to Australia to deliver this keynote address which reveals the very latest in what scientists believe is the foundation of life itself,” Capital Venues and Events Manager David Lloyd said.

It’s Sunday’s Closing Address this year that will have your heart swelling with hope and joy.

“To close the festival, inspirational surgeon Munjed Al Muderis will talk about going back to Iraq, 18 years after he fled to Australia as a refugee, to perform the life-changing limb replacement surgery on people who had lost limbs in the war against ISIS,” David explains.

Munjed Al Muderis’ extraordinary story is told in the book, Walking Free, and now, he has written about his return to Iraq, as a world-renowned limb replacement surgeon, in a new book. Going Back.

This brilliant speaker and influential human rights advocate is a must-see so mark Sunday 11 August, 4.30pm in your diaries now.

FOR YOUNG AND OLD, FOR WRITERS AND READERS, THIS FESTIVAL WILL PROVIDE A FRIENDLY, EXUBERANT, TEMPTING PROGRAM. YOU CAN VIEW THE FULL PROGRAM ONLINE AT BENDIGOWRITERSFESTIVAL.COM.AU.

TOM BALLARD WRITTEN BY BELLA DALRYMPLE

With Tom Ballard’s latest comedy tour ‘Enough’ about to hit the Geelong Spiegeltent, we had a chat to him about what REALLY goes on off-stage for the Australian comic. Read on to learn about the development of his own comedic voice, the corruption of the Australian media landscape and thoughts on comedy as a political tool to overthrow capitalism.

Tom, we are so thrilled to have you feature in Forté Mag! First up, for anyone who seems to be living under a rock, give us the rundown on what you do and how you manage to make people laugh for a living?

I try to do comedy, I try to tell jokes about my life and the world, trying to make sense of its wackiness and hopefully make people feel better about how terrible the world can be, that’s the dream anyway.

We were so excited to see you return to the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2019, your commentary on baby boomers has us absolutely dying with laughter. How would you say the festival and the content of comedy has changed over the years?

Thank you, the festival certainly has changed and grown, I think they are now doing around 600 shows every year. There are more people doing comedy now than ever before which is awesome and great, but

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GEELONG GALLERY PRESENTS THE MOON WRITTEN BY NASEEM RADMEHR 20 July 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing. Geelong Gallery exhibition, The Moon has been programmed to coincide with this significant milestone, and brings together artistic responses to the celestial body that orbits the Earth. We chat to Geelong Gallery curator Lisa Sullivan.

July 20 marks the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Why is this event so important? What does the moon mean to us?

It was certainly a huge milestone that NASA achieved. The actual moon landing and the walk

by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin just signifies such a great achievement for humanity. What’s also significant is this journey to the moon enabled us to look back on Earth. It wasn’t just about venturing off to a new entity, but an opportunity, especially for those astronauts, to turn the camera back onto the Earth and see what we look like from afar… But apart from the space race, this exhibition is about the moon itself and its great inspiration to artists for centuries, whether it’s visual arts, literature, film – any of these creative fields. The moon has really elicited incredible responses from people. It’s a very evocative presence in our night sky, and it impacts us all in terms of illuminating the night sky, and the phases of the moon that we see. Of course, the shape of the moon doesn’t change but our perception of it constantly changes through its monthly cycle

that does mean it gets a little bit harder to stand out sometimes. I think that comedy has exploded, with the internet changing everything. The young comics who are just starting out now have probably seen more comedy by the time they do their first gig, more than other comics have seen in their entire comedic careers. I think you have to work really hard to create your own unique comedy voice, and not do something people have already seen before. I also think that Australian comedy exploded in a really positive way. Previously, the focus was predominantly on international talent, but now some of our homegrown talents is thriving.

Having travelled overseas to Edinburgh and Montreal, I believe that Australian comics are as good as anyone else around the world.

While discussing how comedy has changed, how would you describe the nature of your material when you first started out and how has it progressed to be in the position that it is in today?

Well when I started I was talking about myself, I guess I’m still doing that really, very self-involved like all comedians. My first couple of shows were about me coming out, and it was very personal, storytelling-based.

Whether as now, I think I’ve progressed in a way where I like to talk about the state of the world. As I’ve become more politically conscious and outraged, I see that’s what I find myself talking about a lot more in my act. I hope I’m funnier and closer to finding my comedic voice, the most honest expression of what’s going on inside my head, I think it’s very important in comedy to not provide an audience with what you think they want to see, but instead honestly discuss the things that you find funny yourself.

Your thoughts on the Australian media and television landscape are explicit, to say the least. It is easy to notice that there is quite a lot of corruption underneath its surface, how have your opinions been strengthened following the cut of your hilarious late night show Tonightly with Tom Ballard?

I definitely think its all a bit of a conspiracy. There was no real other explanation for the cut of Tonightly with Tom Ballard, it certainly wasn’t because of bad ratings but instead conservative government was afraid of our satire. Australia seems to be this very difficult place where if you want to make interesting provocative comedy, the public broadcasters are really the only places to go and they are getting undervalued by the government and people who don’t think they should exist. There was no follow-up or replacement for Tonightly with Tom Ballard, all those young comedic voices don’t have another avenue to do their work.

Commercial networks in Australia seem to be hanging on for dear life to reality television and with our local content laws, we don’t have the opportunities that others do around the world. I guess we are still in this transition period where we don’t have as many new wave media outlets, and our more traditional media is floundering. Having said that I will do anything, so what do I know?”.

Alike many other successful comedians, the technique of mixing

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around us. I’ve tried to represent this in the exhibition, with different works being displayed in different rooms based on the era, showing how the shape of the moon changes depending on time.

Give us an overview of the exhibition?

With our focus being on visual arts, it will largely be on visual arts – 3D art, sculptures, painting, photography, drawings, moving image work. There will also be some documentary works. We also have access to a private collector who has a lot of original NASA photographs, so I’ve selected around seven photographs. I’m also putting together SoundCloud soundtracks of music that has been inspired by the moon – from classical music to music of the time.

Can you touch on some of the works that will be on display at The Moon.

There’s a thematic that looks at the light of the moon in two single-room installations. One is a very scientific work by an artist who has done research into what globe would simulate moonlight, and she’s created a globe that simulates moonlight. In fact, she’s created 289 of them that simulate the average lifetime of a person in the year in which she made that work, 2008. So with the 289 globes, she is saying if someone lives until around 80, they would experience this amount of moonlight. Within the building, we’ll be sharing the experience of moonlight with our visitors. The second installation for that theme is Louise Weaver’s Moonlight Becomes You, which is a beautiful, immersive installation, in which 3D animal forms have been crocheted, and Louise is speculating on what nocturnal animals get up to at night under the light of the moon.

What makes this exhibition a not-to-miss event?

I think it’s the caring of the significant milestone of the 50th anniversary, and the bringing together of the diverse array of works. There are 77 works in the exhibition that will never be seen together in this context. That’s what makes it a not-to-miss event.

PHOTO: GEORGES MÉLIÈS: A TRIP TO THE MOON (LE VOYAGE DANS LA LUNE), 1902 THE MOON IS EXHIBITING AT GEELONG GALLERY UNTIL 1 SEPTEMBER

comedy and politics seems to be a clever way to get peoples attention, it certainly gets them laughing. How do you approach developing and testing this content? Are there any topics you steer away from or lines you won’t cross?

No, as a general rule. I’m very much up for joking about anything in the world as long as you are tackling it from the right place and you are thinking about it in a clever way. The powerful people who run out society, oppress and profit from other peoples suffering, they are the ones who deserve to be joked about and ridiculed. I think that joking about people who don’t have any power is kind of a waste of stage time, to be honest. If we are going to overthrow capitalism we have to do it through comedy!

You are about to commence your newest stand-up tour ‘Enough’, with Geelong being the third pit-stop! What can we expect from the show and what makes this different from other routines you’ve done in the past?

Well, it’s obviously the funniest show I’ve ever done. Even though I do say this every year I genuinely believe it this year. It’s about how capitalism is destroying our society and robbing us of a future. There is a lot of yelling. It’s also about trying to buy a house and not having enough sex. There is something for everyone.

When in Geelong you will be featuring in the Geelong Spiegeltent which will debut a stellar line-up of the best in comedy, music, cabaret, dance and more. How are you feeling about returning back to GTown?!

The Spiegeltent is a really beautiful venue, I’ve done a couple of shows there before. It’s bizarre really, with all the mirrors in the old Dutch tent. Definitely, an interesting place to be talking about my sex life, but that’s what I’ll be doing. I do suggest that everyone does come and see it, I love Geelong its so beautiful. I think that no matter where you are from, if you are annoyed at older people, the state of the world and feel like we are getting ripped off by the current economic-political system then you are going to love ‘Enough’ by Tom Ballard.

After sitting down with Tom, there is simply no way we can miss his one night only live special in Geelong. Referred to as “bold, daring and delightfully offensive” by the Advertiser, we don’t doubt that we will be laughing hard in our seats.

HE’LL PERFORM AT THE SPIEGELTENT GEELONG ON FRIDAY JUNE 21. TICKETS VIA COMEDY.COM.AU

2019 Bendigo Writers Festival All that glitters

9-11 August

Join us for an end-of-winter celebration that warms up our beautiful Central Victorian region with a friendly, exuberant, tempting program for young and old.

Tickets available now

bendigowritersfestival.com.au #bendigowritersfestival

PROUDLY PRESENTED BY

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37

THE NIGHT EATS THE WORLD

RED JOAN

Waking up after a big party, Sam (Anders Danielsen Lie) discovers a surprising change on the streets of Paris: the city has been overrunning by fast, silent, hungry zombies. The good news is that, after a few close shaves, he manages to make himself relatively safe in the top floor apartment of his zombie-free building; the bad news is that living alone day after day and being unable to go outside or make any loud noise (it attracts the undead) isn’t exactly great for his mental health.

This French zombie movie doesn’t exactly have a new twist on the genre – the zombies are still zombies – but the way the story plays out definitely gives it an edge. The biggest threat with zombies has always been the way they can simply outlast the living, and this turns that idea into compelling – if confined – viewing.

It’s May 2000, and the police are at the door of Joan Stanley (Judi Dench).

It seems her past has finally caught up to her – but what exactly did she do? In flashbacks we see a much younger Joan (Sophie Cookson) off to Cambridge to study science, where she quickly falls under the sway of a glamourous group of socialists, especially Sonya (Tereza Srbova) and her cousin Leo (Tom Hughes).

His overtly communist actions make him a figure of suspicion, while her smarts see her recruited to type up reports (and occasionally chip in with ideas) at the UK’s wartime atomic bomb project. Despite falling hard for Leo, she equally firmly rejects his proposal that the Soviet Union needs nuclear secrets to keep things balanced between the Allies – until Hiroshima hammers home what’s really at stake.

Based on the real-life “granny spy”, this is a fairly straightforward drama that (a few tense scenes once the UK spy agencies realise there’s a leak aside) is more about moral dilemmas than actual espionage. The real drama here is how Joan makes her way in a man’s world; suspicion rarely falls on her because she’s just a woman, and when it does she can always hide her spy gear in a box of tampons.

GODZILLA II: KING OF THE MONSTERS After the city-smashing events of 2014’s Godzilla, humanity is terrified that giant monsters – here called “titans” - will once again start wrecking up the place. Monarch, the mysterious organisation that’s been tracking these creatures (and which also played a part in the recent Kong: Skull Island), knows more than it’s willing to tell. This becomes a problem when a bunch of eco-terrorists led by Alan Jonah (Charles Dance) steal the Orca, a device created by Dr Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) that can wake up and communicate with the titans buried around the world.

Do giant monsters led by the threeheaded “Monster Zero” rise up and wreak havoc? Is Emma’s ex-husband Mark (Kyle Chandler) the only one who can stop a disaster not everyone wants to stop? When you have a roll call that includes glowing songstress Mothra and flying death-dealer Rodan, telling the tale of a grumpy dad who just wants his daughter back feels like a failure of nerve. But while the drama is uneven and the characters are rarely memorable, the monsters get enough big moments to overcome the story’s many small flaws. It’s worth it for the moments of primeval devastation – Rodan destroys everything under him simply by flying overhead – alone.

ROCKETMAN

ALADDIN

With the echoes of Bohemian Rhapsody still bouncing off cinema walls, does the world really need another tale of the rise and fall (and rise) of a 70s glam rocker? Rocketman aims squarely for the same toetapping retro audience that made that Freddie Mercury biopic such a smash, but – suburban origins aside, and even there there’s big differences – Elton John is a markedly different figure, and his music makes for a very different story. The performer formerly known as Reginald Dwight (Taron Egerton) had a grim home life thanks to a disinterested mum (Bryce Dallas Howard) and emotionally constipated dad (Steven Mackintosh), but his kindly gran (Gemma Jones) nurtured his musical talents and then suddenly he’s the biggest star in the world – but could money, drugs and meaningless sex fill the void in his heart? John has an extremely strong back catalogue, and his story-based style of song-writing lends itself to illustrating moments in his life; treated as a jukebox musical, this delivers all the hits and then some, and Egerton throws himself fully into the large-than-life performance scenes.

The drawn-out boozy decline is a bit of a grind, but the songs are great and it’s more bitchy than you might expect (Elton does not like his family); bring your dancing shoes.

Disney’s ongoing efforts to turn their animated back catalogue into live action money-spinners has had mixed results at best to date. This Aladdin comes down (mostly) on the positive side, though director Guy Ritchie only manages to display occasional flashes of interest in what is otherwise a very much by-the-numbers version of the animated feature. The story here is largely unchanged: Aladdin (Mena Massoud) is a “street rat” who falls for Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) but fears she could never love a commoner.

Fortunately the evil Grand Vizier Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) sends him into a magical cave to retrieve a lamp with a Genie (Will Smith) inside, and it’s wall-to-wall magic shenanigans from there. The songs are blandly professional, with only traces of the original spark; the one obvious addition, Jasmine’s “Speechless”, is a definite clunker. Likewise, the cast are fine but not memorable, feeling more like a perfectly decent touring cast for the stage show – with one exception. Smith’s Genie has plenty of CGI antics but remains a less manic version of the Robin Williams-voiced original. He’s no less funny though, and his slightly more human take is charmingly entertaining. Disney products are advertised as a safe choice for your entertainment dollar: this is no exception.

REVIEWS BY ANTHONY MORRIS

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RECORD WATCH

Coloured Balls

The First Supper Last Or Scenes We Didn’t Get To See (Just Add Water Records)

Lobby Loyde and the rest of the Coloured Balls originally recorded the album in 1972 for Havoc Records but was shelved until 1976 when the band was no longer active. Rainbird released it but the company soon folded making this an impossibly rare and expensive collectable LP to find. Now available again thanks to Just Add Water Records in the USA.

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and ‘True North’ was an absolute honour and it was awesome to see people getting involved with singalongs and getting their fists in the air for the Swedish extreme metal legends.

TOMAS LINDBERG

AT THE GATES: THE ULTIMATE TRIPLE BILL KILL WHEN: SATURDAY APRIL 27 WHERE: MAX WATTS, MELBOURNE SUPPORTS: IN MALICES WAKE, WITCHERY, THE HAUNTED REVIEWED BY NATHAN MOSSOP So, if you’re into melodic death metal and you weren’t at this gig then I feel sorry for you. At The Gates are without a doubt the best in the genre and they proved that to everyone at Max Watts who had the pleasure of seeing the Swedish death metal band from Gothenburg. Here are some of the highlights ‘from the night itself’.

WITCHERY

That’s right, At the Gates’ Tomas has his own highlight in this review for being one of the most unique vocalists I’ve ever been lucky enough to see perform live. His vocals have constantly grown since 1990 and his voice nowadays at 46 years old is really something else; his screams aren’t your predictable death metal growls. You can hear so much of his own unique voice in his screams and his stage presence knows how to pump a crowd right up. You can just tell that he’s been doing this shit for years and the vocals on the new album (in my opinion) are the best they’ve ever been, which brings me to the next highlight...

The Maes

Igor Columbia Records Reviewed by Darby-Perrin Larner

STEVE HUGHES WHEN: SATURDAY, MAY 18

TO DRINK FROM THE NIGHT ITSELF

WHERE: ATHENAEUM THEATRE, MELBOURNE

Every song from their latest album ‘To Drink From The Night Itself’ that they performed live were my favourites from the amazing set list and for that reason, it’s my new favourite album by them, and the best melodic death metal album I’ve ever heard.

They opened with the title track to get shit going fast, then included songs such as ‘Daggers of Black Haze’, ‘A Stare Bound In Stone’, ‘Daggers of Black Haze’, ‘The Mirror Black’, and my personal favourite ‘The Colours of the Beast’ which features the most evil riff you’ll ever hear about halfway through the track. Old songs like ‘Slaughter of the Soul’, ‘Cold’ and ‘Under a Serpent Sun’ were insanely cool to witness live and the crowd absolutely loved it. As cool as it would have been to hear something from ‘The Red In The Sky Is Ours’, I truly think they have outdone themselves with the new release and I’m so excited to see what they do next as a band, and hopefully see them perform live again.

Wow, what a support. I’ve wanted to see Witchery for a couple of years now since first hearing their music, and they did not disappoint at all. Seeing them perform songs like ‘Legion’, ‘Awaiting the Exorcist’

THE MAES

TYLER THE CREATOR

AUSMUTEANTS …Present the World in Handcuffs

REVIEWED BY CHRIS AND ANGELA NEWELL There was an exciting and diverse audience at the Athenium Theatre, with several metal fans present (who clearly knew of Steve Hughes’ musical past as a thrash metal drummer), as well as some political party candidates, who were treated to some witty observations of today’s society.

His show ‘Are you serious?’ is an observation of the current obsession with today’s oversensitive climate and a warning for the easily offended was advised before the onslaught began. Known for his acid tongue approach and common-sense thinking, he surely made some of the crowd squirm in their seats with his insightful observations of today’s shackled way of thinking, but he was equally hilarious at the same time.

For about an hour and a half, we were treated to some harsh, old-style Australian humor. We had a great night and Steve Hughes cynical and brutally sarcastic style of comedy is a dying breed, but much needed in this time of sterile and robotic conformity.

True to his word, Steve pulls no punches and makes no apologies with his words.

Tyler Okonma has long had a fascination with alter egos: Wolf Hayley; a Goblin; therapists. He likes the bad parts of ourselves we’d rather not discuss – like Victor Frankenstein rejecting his horrendous monster. Tyler embraces it with a warm hug instead.

“Igor”, then, feels the closet we’ve been to Tyler yet.

Though he takes on another moniker, Igor, replete with a blonde-bob wig, Tyler lets us right in on the twelve-track record. With ‘friendlier’ melodies and love songs, “Igor” explores the light and dark of affection. “You control me, I’m your puppet”, he sings with Kanye West on ‘Puppet’.

Much has been said about to whom is Tyler impressing, confessing and apologising on Igor. Does it matter? Not really.

Whether it’s a man, a women, or both, Tyler’s arrangements here bounce between sublime and scat, and his voice vibrates between high pitch and a low, insane growl – fluid. “Igor” proves he’s a polymath, blending every genre, every gender into a ring-spun soft cotton knit. Perhaps one of the unisex pastel-pink polo’s from his brand, Golf le Fleur.

Tyler has always made his own reality.

Tyler’s creative output till now has been aggressive, but “Igor” is the sweet fruits of his labour – the by-product of a lifelong lab experiment. Like Frankenstein creating his own malformed life, it’s unconventional. But this is Tyler.

ROB SNARSKI

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS

Sparrow & Swan

Amyl and The Sniffers

Independent

Anti Fade Records

Independent

Rough Trade Records

Reviewed by Chris Lambie

Reviewed by Liam McNally

Reviewed by Chris Lambie

Reviewed by Liam McNally

I first heard sisters Maggie (banjo and guitar) and Elsie (mandolin and violin) Rigby around my Central Victorian home. Born into an extended family of bona fide professional folkies, their career path seemed set even then. Now Melbourne-based, the snowballing profile of the award-winning pair indicates a lifelong place in the musical landscape. A massive crowd awaiting one of their WOMADelaide gigs in March, left me listening from a distance.

Formerly The Mae Trio, the duo now work with an open position for third wheel. Currently in the cellist’s chair (also adding bvs) is Brisbane’s Monique Clare.

This self-titled collection of melodic dialogues was recorded during tours of Canada, Scotland, Ireland and in Melbourne. Contributing producers include John Fitzgerald (Christy Moore), Daniel Ledwell (Oh Pep!, Jenn Grant) and Brendon Love (Teskey Brothers).

The songwriting has an easy appeal, with room to mature as life experience accrues. Thoughtful lyrics are delivered with refreshing diction and conviction. They draw influences from Celtic, colonial and Americana traditions – in structure and spirit.

Sisters who grow up singing at play create unique harmonies. Consider some of Australia’s finest vocal pairings: Vika &Linda, The McClymonts, The Waifs.

The Maes’ latest recording signals a stellar phase for these sisters doing it for themselves.

Ausmuteants are back after three years with a new LP. They’ve brought their usual style of high-strung punk, with ten blistering tracks that never make it past to the two-minute mark. They’ve packaged their tunes into a slightly different box this time, too, with a bit of a concept album written entirely by guitarist Shaun Connor. The album delves into the mind of a power-crazed, egomaniacal man of the law with a hair trigger-finger.

The album kicks off with ‘Favourite Cop’, the fauxtough growl of COPS RULE in the intro sets the tone for the healthy dosses of piss-takery on the record.

The pace slows down for the next couple of tracks, the more tumultuous ‘Born into the Badge’ and ‘They Wanna Get Caught’. The loose sounding bass guitar in the latter sounds awesome, and the lyrics are like a stream of consciousness of this character they’re building and his attitude towards the people he’s arresting.

‘Right To Force’ sees more cool interaction between the bass guitar and synth, with guitars only added when needed as a kind of accent to bring the mood up a level.

For me, Ausmuteants psychotic sound is always a treat, and it lends its self brilliantly to the perspective of this crazed-cop-character, and the album does a great job of mixing system-biting anger with smartarse humour that punk music is awesome at.

The intoxicating croon of singer-songwriter Rob For the amount of notoriety Amyl and the Sniffers Snarski takes you to places of sublime serenity. The have gained over the last couple of years, it’s hard to caress of a carpet of sand, the sweep of a fluttering believe they’re only just dropping their first album. kite, a stroll, a dream… Snarski’s second solo release Amyl’s new self-titled LP shows big steps forward of original songs echoes his dreamlike input on The in instrumentation, songwriting and production, and Blackeyed Susans’ 2017 album Close Your Eyes & See. sidesteps the pitfall of punk bands becoming too The elegant title track swoops across a piano-laced ‘polished’ as they get popular, delivering a manic aerial image, layered with guitar and breathy backing punch of unhinged, gritty energy. vocals. ‘Robert Mitchum At Mitcham Station’ (gotta The massive instrumental intro to ‘Starfire 500’ love an unlikely local reference) strives to find a little kicks off the album: the heavy, highway drivin’ kind Hollywood in the suburbs. “That smile that could crush of riffs in show off a step forward in shred-ability for or save you/Or keep your hopes alive...” the band, with the vocals kicking off halfway through Piano shimmers in the sultry air as ‘All God’s with one of the catchiest hooks on the album.

Creatures’ dances across an Aussie summer with a ‘Gacked On Anger’ and ‘GFY’ are Amyl on their Spanish sway. home turf; short, sharp and angry, with a healthy A passing parade of salt-of-the-earth characters get dose of bogan lingo in the hooks. It’s what they do, a guernsey: ‘Number 44’ honours footy fans, ‘Equine and they do it good.

Dreaming’ considers the dedicated punter. A rote For me, ‘Monsoon Rock’ is a little bit of a weak list of localities (with a gentle hint of tabla) aptly point on the album. Amy’s singing feels like it’s characterises ‘Conversation with a Brisbane Cab Driver’. struggling just a bit to keep up with the pace of His qualifications not recognised here, the migrant the music and takes away from the intensity that’s cabby ‘does what he knows’ one long day after the next. normally in her voice. They bring it back though, with Sparrow & Swan looks to the heavens and takes ‘Got You’ and ‘Punisha’ being two tracks of the group you there. at their absolute best.

The album ends on ‘Some Mutts (Can’t Be Muzzled)’. This track seems like it could be a perfect advertisement for the band as a whole, full of unpolished anger, tongue-in-cheek sneer, and just fuckin’ rocks.

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WRITTEN BY ANTHONY MORRIS

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PULP

WRITTEN BY PAUL S. TAYLOR

BY JOHN FOSS

Now that Game of Thrones is over, it’s time to just throw our televisions into the bin, right? Hold up a second: there’s still a lot of decent home viewing available. Here’s a few of the recent releases in the world of DVD and BluRay that I (for one) have been enjoying now that I have a dragon-shaped hole in my viewing schedule.

Happy season 1: Demented ex-cop turned nutty hitman Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni at his craziest) is a crumbling mess drifting through an amoral world when he gets shot and starts to see a child’s imaginary friend (voiced by Patton Oswalt). Yes, it’s a buddy story featuring an amoral monster, a relentlessly positive flying unicorn, and a lot of extremely weird crime (it’s directed by Brian Taylor, one half of the team who made the brilliant Crank movies); if you like your television crazy, this is one for you.

The Mule: Clint Eastwood gets back in front of the camera for the first time in a decade to play a 90 year-old former florist who, having fallen on hard times and with his family openly loathing him for a lifetime of neglect, somehow becomes a drug trafficker for the Mexican Cartel. It’s less a thriller (though it definitely has tense moments) than a character study of a man realising he’s lived a life that’s left him with nothing, a film that manages to say some substantive things about race and aging while still letting Eastwood outsmart the cops and have a Cartel-sponsored threesome.

Miss Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries: These four telemovies spinning off from the ABC’s hit Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries series aired on Seven earlier this year shifted the action to 1960s Melbourne, as Peregrine Fisher (Geraldine Hakewill) looked to step into her (now missing over New Guinea) aunt’s mystery-solving shoes. The mysteries themselves are nice and twisty and the show itself doesn’t take things too seriously – one murder involves a pop star; another leads to a top secret military instillation and rumours of alien abductions – and while the series doesn’t exploit Melbourne’s 60s side quite as well as the original did the remaining 20s-era streetscapes and buildings, it’s definitely a lot more colourful than an old episode of Homicide.

Aquaman: You couldn’t call it the surprise hit of last year because Jason Momoa was easily the stand-out in Justice League – obviously people were primed to see him playing Aquaman in his own movie. But on the other hand this is Aquaman we’re talking about: his superpower is being able to swim well. So okay, it was a little surprising that this turned out so well, as director James Wan went and invented an entire crazy undersea world then figured out how to make sub-surface fight scenes work. Momoa’s Arthur Curry turned out to be the most normal thing in this film, and he ends up riding into battle on a giant sea monster; at a time when often superhero movies feel like they’re starting to play things a little safe now that they’re basically dominated pop culture in all it’s forms, Aquaman is an extremely fun reminder that superhero movies are at their best when they’re pushing reality to breaking point and beyond.

Hey guys! I hope you’re all rugged up and out of the cold, because with the coming week (at the time of writing, at least) looking like it’s going to be absolutely bloody freezing, it seems like we’re all going to want to be bundled up with a good book.

Funnily enough, this week’s book definitely qualifies, and it’s the kind of book that this column was created for. This week, I’ve picked up Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye, written by Gerard Way (Doom Patrol, The Umbrella Academy) and Jon Rivera and drawn by Michael Avon Oeming (Powers, Portal’s Lab Rat).

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that truly fits into the pulp category, and hot damn, is it pulpy.

Cave Carson, once the world’s greatest underground adventurer, was thoroughly enjoying the ins and outs of suburban life.

While he spent his youth exploring the deepest caverns of the earth, he has since settled down with his wife, Eileen, to raise their daughter Chloe. He’s traded in his trusty vehicle, the Mighty Mole Mark 1, for a desk and keyboard and a quiet life. He’s constantly distracted by his cybernetic eye, but things are good – until a sudden illness claims Eileen’s life.

When his employer turns on him and attempts to kidnap Chloe for some nefarious purpose, Cave finds himself thrust back into his old life, complete with cults, hidden civilisations and a terrifying elder god attempting to break free from its prison.

There’s only one man that can stop all hell breaking loose – and he’s got a cybernetic eye.

Like the rest of the Young Animal imprint, Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye is a freakin’ weird book. It channels all of the Kirby-esque, camp, bizarre tales from the 60s – think early Fantastic Four or even the weirdness of Flash Gordon – and updates them for the modern era. That kind of pulpy, far-out sci-fi stories have died out in modern times, and Cave Carson really ramps up the nostalgia factor and demonstrates the best of their mania.

One of Cave Carson’s standout features is its artwork. Michael Avon Oeming maintains a blocky, cartoonish style for most of his character designs, which contrasts beautifully with some seriously trippy scenes scattered throughout the book – special shout out to colourist Nick Filardi – that would make Jack Kirby proud. Avon Oeming is responsible for one of the trippiest yet engaging comics I’ve read – the Portal tie-in comic, Lab Rat – and while Cave Carson doesn’t quite reach the artistic heights of Lab Rat (Avon Oeming had help on that one) his artwork is still fantastic.

You have to be aware of what you’re getting into when you pick up a book like this one, especially when it’s from the Young Animal imprint. The books are unashamedly weird, and while it can leave you feeling a bit disconnected from the story, this is the kind of book that the weirdness is absolutely perfect for. Cave Carson is the perfect book to switch your brain off with, and enjoy the ride – it’s pulpy, camp and thrilling all in one, and I definitely recommend giving it a go.

It’s June, and by definition, it’s winter.

Now, there’s really not a lot you can do about the weather, but at least you can get into some really good music to take your mind off of it. We’ve got a couple of interesting gigs coming up.

First up a good one this month at Sleepy Hollow Blues Club: Paulie Bignell and the Thornbury Two will be at SHBC on June 23rd.

The rest of the band consists of Peter Beulke (bass and backing vocals) and Craig Hadlow on drums, but Paulie is well known around Australia for his work with The Detonators, a band he formed over 12 years ago, that has covered every corner of this wide brown land including Geelong on more than one occasion.

Paulie is one hard-working guitarist.

As with all artists who stand out from the pack, he has developed a unique sound and style. His sound, a driving rhythmic guitar, that twangs, yet hypnotizes, screams but seduces. A little juke, definitely rollicking and getting the feet tapping. Time to dance!

Their first CD is “Lost and Dangerous” and according to Paulie, “When it came to naming this album, the title wasn’t sticking out. We could have used a title track but I wanted to be sure it was doing justice to the rest of the songs and the album. I wanted to describe the vibe of the album and the ride we take you, the listener on.” It’s no surprise that they went off like a frog in a sock when played at Bluestone – a very impressive and tight combo.

On the 12th we have something a bit different at Pistol Pete’s – Kelly Brouhaha.

I have to admit I’m pretty stuck on the name, “noisy and overexcited” is definitely a good handle for your music!

Roots warrior Kelly Brouhaha is all about the “feel-good” side of life. She’s a multi-instrumentalist who has awards to her name for her songwriting and achingly soulful vocals, her uplifting music is more than a simple band-aid to the blues. Clare Bowditch described her as having an extraordinarily rare voice.

She was described on Triple J Roots and All as having “amazing pipes, she sounds like Amy Winehouse – but with more of a soulful edge as opposed to a jazz hook” She was shortlisted for the Americana Music Prize in 2018 for her Americana soul. This South Australian spends most of the year around a campfire, traveling in her 1992 Toyota Hiace Van called “Pamela Vanderson”.

Her debut self-titled album, which was released on June 7, tells the story after leaving her marriage and mortgage behind in the pursuit of happiness. The single ‘40,000 Star Hotel’ co-written with Aleyce Simmonds is a big, ballsy, freedomesque blues which captures the heart of the Australian landscape and the lure of off-grid living. A diverse first offering from an artist you absolutely need to hear.

You cannot put her unique style into a box.

Put these gigs in your calendar now, Kelly Brouhaha on June 12 at Pistol Petes, and Paulie Bignall & Thornbury Two on June 23 at SHBC.

Welcome to THTH, Forte’s premier source of all things heavy, hard, fast and metal.

The Dynamo Open Air live album releases are still coming, the next one to be released on Friday July 19 will be Machine Head’s 1997. Details on upcoming releases are scarce as it appears the release schedule for future albums is nowhere to be found as yet, although one website appears to mention a Cradle Of Filth set from 1997 that looks like it will be released as a Dynamo Open Air album as well. With so many years of live recordings, so many sets by so many bands to release, it’s confusing why these are all being drip-fed to us sporadically, seriously why not just release one gigantic fuck-off box set with videos and albums and vinyl of everything all at once, charge a fortune for each coz people will pay it (think, if you were at a 1997 Dynamo, chances are you’re rich right now and have a lot of disposable income) and be done with it. Also, some of these sets are obviously more than 20 years old, strongly doubt the kids will be buying them what with YouTube vids they can watch.

KO N G I R H G N S I G N S F I G H F N S G The recent Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach featured some amazing waves. The second last day of competition saw solid ugly 2-3 metre waves roll into Bells Beach providing a spectacle of beauty, courage and mayhem rarely seen on the professional tour.

It was the type of day when many surfers from the past would have thrived in the big conditions – Simon Anderson, Tom Carroll, Jeff Hakman and Mark Richards are just a few of the surfers who have surfed big waves at Bells, revelling in its size and power.

One bloke would have been frothing at the thought of paddling out in those waves on that last Friday of the contest.

For two decades, Kong (AKA Gary Elkerton) was one of the world’s most explosive big wave surfers. Bells, Sunset, Cloudbreak… the bigger and uglier the waves, the better Kong surfed. He never won a world title but for a time was one of the best surfers we had seen. He didn’t surf waves... he blasted holes in them with power and style.

Gary Elkerton grew up around Evans Head on the New South Wales coast in the seventies. Motocross was his early passion: “I was into motorbikes when I started surfing. I was attracted to the fact that surfing was such a pure thing. Just a kid riding a wave… you didn’t have to worry about anything.”

Kong started going in clubs events and soon won a Pro Junior Title. Sponsorship and a chance to surf on the professional tour followed; “My first event at Bells Beach I won the Quiksilver Trial. I had one heat down here where I eliminated Shaun Tomson from the World Title race. It was perfect Bells 6-8 foot and I was frothing.

God he must have been pissed off.

“Hawaii was on my radar. As a surfer you had to excel at Sunset Beach, you had to charge and put your life on the line or you were nobody. The young kids of today don’t have to do that. Sunset Beach will chew you up and spit you out. Kelly Slater has won 11 world titles but has never won at Sunset. Those first years in Hawaii we spent many months without competing.

When I put my singlet on a lot of Hawaiians weren’t happy. The Ho brothers didn’t like it.. it was war! I became close to Eddie Aikau, Marvin Foster. It was heavy… Hawaii was heavy. Today a lot of guys are scared to surf Sunset.”

Kong never won a World Title but in Hawaii he excelled: “You would kill your mother to win a Triple Crown. Andy Irons and myself are the only two people to have won the three rated events in Hawaii.

Winning a Triple Crown was huge. Its bigger now then back then.

“The one event I never won was at Bells. Bells Beach is a magic place, it is the best event in the world. There is so much history. The bell means a lot of things... my one regret is that I never rang the bell.”

In other news ++ Hate will release their new album Auric Gates of Veles on Friday June 14. ++ Rings Of Saturn will be at Melbourne’s Stay Gold on Wednesday June 19. ++ Teramaze will release their new album Are We Soldiers on Friday June 21. ++ Born of Osiris and Chelsea Grin will play the Corner Hotel on Thursday June 27. ++ Damnations Day, Nemesium and Requiem will be at Geelong’s Workers Club on Friday July 5. ++ Disentomb will be at Melbourne’s Northcote Social Club on Friday July 12. ++ Thy Art Is Murder will be at The Corner Hotel on Saturday July 13, the band will also release their new album Human Target on Friday July 26. ++ Tool cover band Third Eye will play Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on Saturday July 20. ++ Brewtality 2019 will be held across both Melbourne’s The Tote and the Bendigo Hotel on Saturday August 3 and will feature Psycroptic, High Tension, Lo! And many more. ++ Diabolic Rites will launch their new album at Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on Friday August 9 and with them will be Whoretopsy, Christ Dismembered plus more. Get on down and check out a show before it closes for good! ++ Slipknot will release their new album We Are Not Your Kind on Friday August 9. ++ DevilDriver and All That Remains will be at 170 Russell on Sunday August 25. ++ The currently untitled new Tool album will be released Friday August 30. ++ Opeth will release their new album In Cauda Venenum some time during our Autumn. This new album will be available in both English and Swedish versions. ++ Combichrist with special guests Darkcell will play the Corner Hotel on Friday October 4. ++ Metallica, with Slipknot as support, will be at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday October 22, which is now sold out. A second show has been announced for Thursday October 24. ++ Mayhem will release their new album on Friday October 25. ++ Opeth will play the Palais Theatre on Friday December 13. ++ Blacken Open Air festival will be held over Easter weekend, 2020. Easter Sunday will be April 12. Handy to know if you’re looking for cheap flights to NT well in advance. ++ 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

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GUIDE THURS 6TH

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