Forte #612

ISSUE #612 ball ar at | bell arine | Bendigo | ca stlemaine | geelong | surf coa st | warrnambool |

14 / 05 / 2 015

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K E V I N B L O O DY WILSON “ I’m having the time of my life!” pg.21

doug anthony allstars pg.44

ruby boots

pg.22

REECE MASTIN

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tired lion

pg.37

ahn do

pg.40

ALSO FEATURING: Epicure, Chocolate Starfish, Brian Kennedy, The Bearded Bros, AngryDad and heaps more!

10 0 % l o c a l ly o w n e d & o p e r at e d

Plus all the latest local entertainment news, music and movie reviews and all your favourite Forte columns!

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ed's note There must be a little bit of Aussie pride lingering around since ANZAC Day as there are quite a few Australians in this issue holding out our larrikin ways. Of course there’s Kevin Bloody Wilson on the cover – it doesn’t get much more Aussie than that – but we also had a chat to the funny guys behind YouTube sensation AngryDad on page 27 and comedian Anh Do on page 40.

If you’re feeling a little bit hungry chances are your stomach will eat you from the inside by the end of these pages, as we have quite a few

forte issue #612 thursday 14 MAY 2015

drool-worthy inducing stories to follow. Flick to page 41 and 42 for some Geelong locals making waves in the healthy food scene with Bearded Bros and the Daily Food Co respectively. We also had a look at local cafe Two Sugars (I had to resist ordering everything from the displays) in our Cafe Culture section.

While we’re on the topic of food, let me just say that Groovin’ the Moo last weekend more than catered for my taste buds. I’m sure I doubled my daily eating requirements and I don’t regret a single mouthful. As

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for the festival itself, as it was my fourth time – I’d like to consider myself a veteran – it was easily the smoothest run I’ve had. There weren’t any clashes, and aside from a few moan and groans from Andrew Stockdale from Wolfmother, I couldn’t fault it. Actually, I take that back, my veggie burger could have been three times bigger. Flick to pages 53 and 54 for our run down of the festival.

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Anthony Morris, Adem Ali, Alastair McGibbon, Amanda Sherring, Andrew Pretorius, Cameron Brogden, Chris Cruz, Chris Lambie, Daniel Lock, Emily Hurst, Jessica Alves, Dr John Lamp, Kara Ready, Montana Agustin, Natalie Rogers, Paul S Taylor, Tex Miller, Wylie Caird, Xavier Fenell, Tony Montana printed by

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Connect with the very best of Celtic Culture

Music as well as Theatre, Dance, Workshops, Song, Markets, Trad Talk, Language, Sessions, Children’s program, Pipe Bands, Buskers, Storytelling...

Brian Kennedy (IRE) / CherryGrove (SCOT) / The Duplets (SCOT) / Feis Rois (SCOT) Damien Leith (IRE) / Fiona Ross Band (Scot) / Mairead Hurley (IRE) Theatre C21 (IRE) / Sásta / Moondance — Van Morrison Tribute Band Melbourne Scottish Fiddle Club / Tolka / Barleyshakes / Shamrock Sheila’s Classically Celtic / Tawny / Taliska / Zeon / Working Dog Union + full lineup on website.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW Find us on: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

www.nationalcelticfestival.com.au

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Ed Sheeran Can’t Stay Away It seems like Ed was only just finishing off his show to a screaming cohort of fans, but it seems he’s announced another tour, with supports Rudimental, Passenger and Foy Vance, and has already sold out the first Melbourne date. Clearly us Aussies love the redheaded singer. Luckily though, for those who have missed out there’s a second date at AAMI Park in Melbourne on December 6.

Logie Sum-Up

Team Work Makes Dream Work In between running their own cafe and having a baby (why hey there little Soda) we can’t blame The Grates for their absence from the live setting. Though there’s no more waiting (well there’s a little bit), as The Grates have just announced an east coast tour and they’ll be hitting up The Corner Hotel in Melbourne on August 15.

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Aside from the night’s highlight of Carrie Bickmore speech involving her donning a beanie and creating #beaniesforbraincancer to raise awareness there were a few worthy winners and surprises through the night as well. Here’s a brief look at the luck few who went home with a chunk of silver or gold; Most Popular Actor was Stephen Peacocke from Home and Away, Asher Keddie took home Most Popular Actress and Most Popular New Talent went home with Miranda Tapsell of Love Child fame.

Most Popular Reality went to (no surprises here) The Block and

the Most Popular Sports Program was the NRL Footy Show.

Woody Gets Rational There’s a certain charm (and formula) to all Woody Allen films that makes them what they are. Starring Joaquin Pheonix and Emma Stone, the newest Allen film tells the story of a tormented philosophy professor who after performing an existential act finds the will to live. Love it or hate it, it’s set to be another Woody Allen classic.

Allday Goes Vinyl Startup Cult was a biggie for young rapper Allday. Not only did it debut at #3 on the ARIA charts last July, it helped catapult him into the industry and sell out his national tour in 48 hours. Wanting to relive a good thing, Allday is releasing Startup Cult on vinyl exclusively through 24Hundred.

There’ll only be 250 copies printed so I’d get onto it quick smart!

SOAD Show They Care It’s easy as a famous band to sink into the world of money, fast cars and exploiting others, but that’s not

the life that System of a Down are about. They recently performed a 2.5 hour set in Armenia to coincide with the th 100 anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As they told Rolling Stone: ““Part of it is bringing attention to the fact that genocides are still happening, whether you use the word ‘genocide,’ ‘holocaust’ or ‘humanitarian catastrophe’,” frontman Serj Tankian says. “None of that is changing. We want to be part of that change. We want the recognition of the first genocide of the 20th century to be a renewal of confidence that humanity can stop killing itself.”

The full performance (of 37 songs) can be seen on YouTube.

The Chemical Brothers Go Hard There’s a new Chemical Brothers track and it’s a stunner. Working again with Q-Tip, as they did in hit track ‘Galvanize’, the new track ‘Go’ perfectly contrasts the hyperactive verses of Q-Tip with the relentless bass. The track is the lead single from their upcoming album titled Born in the Echoes out July 17.

The Espy’s New Look In a time where music venues are teetering on the end of closing every day, news that the Espy was closing on May 17 shocked many. Though the closure couldn’t be for better reasons as the whole venue is seeing a significant upgrade. There’ll be new rooms opened, upgrades to existing spots and even better bay views all hopefully in time for summer.

Take a Journey with Flight Facilities Flight Facilities can really do no wrong, and to further prove that they’ve created a show on a scale never seen before – at least not in the Flight Facilities world. The Aussie two-piece will touch down in Melbourne on October 17 for a one-off show with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The show will take a run through their back catalogue as well as some new releases and feature a handful of special guests to be announced on August 4.

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Love Beer, Love Music

Hellish Times of a Young Seth Sentry Seth Sentry has released a brand new single ‘Hell Boy’ and it’s time you got it in your ear holes. The track will feature on the upcoming LP Strange New Past (out June 5) and tells the tale of a young Seth Sentry.

A Bit on the Side Not all of us can get tickets to Splendour Music Festival, and while that hurts in a part of you deep down that nobody sees, there’s still a chance to see some of the bands on the line up. Here’s a quick snippet of some of the side shows you can fight for tickets to; Azealia Banks (Prince Bandroom, July 26), The Wombats (Margaret Court Arena, July 28), MS MR (170 Russell, July 22), The Vaccines (Corner Hotel, July 27), Wolf Alice (Corner Hotel, July 23) and more.

We love beer, and we love food, but we love more that Love Like Hate are performing in a special free event called Girl Power as part of Good Beer Week. The show will be at the Fox Hotel in Melbourne on May 17 and feature such acts as Emma Wall & the Urban Folk, Dear Buffalo and Sally Dastey.

Time to celebrate some good tunes by some even more incredible ladies with a few beers.

Strawberry Fields Foreverrrr Attention electro lovers, Future Music Festival may be done and dusted but there’s still a festival worth your time, and that’s Strawberry Fields. Set to play over November 2022, they’ve just dropped the line up and it’s killer.

Playing the festival will be; Apparat, Bicep, Cobblestone Jazz, Glenn Astro & IMYRMIND, Lapalux, Lord Echo, Mathew Jonson, Max Cooper and more.

Ceres Take the Scenic Route Winter may make you want to rug up inside and avoid the cold chills of the outside world. That would be an easy thing to do if

Ceres, the Pretty Littles and Sincerely Grizzly weren’t teaming up for a winter tour. Seems like you’ll have to get out of the house, even just for their gig at the Tote in Melbourne on June 27.

Amy Schumer Gets Sketchy Amy Schumer is one funny lady, and she’s just stepped up in the ranks for us with her One Direction-inspired sketch ‘Girl You Don’t Need No Make Up’. The clip features Amy with a crushworthy boy band who sing of her not needing make up while performing a choreographed routine.

Though when Amy goes make up free the tune changes for the boy band.

Overall the underlying message is that girl, you really don’t need that make up, and feeling inspired many women have taken to sharing their make up free selfies.

Downtown Trouble As it seems to be, Mark Ronson’s hit ‘Uptown Funk’ isn’t as original as you’d think, and as a result five new writers have been added to the credits. Just who are these writers you say? Well the grand total for contributing writers now comes to 11 and the newies are from The Gap Band who penned the

Silent No More The Dinosaurs Are Alive and Well A few years on from their debut release in 2012 and the Last Dinosaurs are back for more with their new single ‘Evie’ which fuses their trademark buzzing guitar pop sound with rich layers and synth textures. With the release also comes a few shows, they’ll be hitting Howler on June 27 with I Know Leopard and Reika.

1979 hit ‘Oops Up Side Your Head’, which is very similar to ‘Uptown Funk’.

The claim was made by publisher Minder Music and has now meant the new additions are liable for a 17 per cent take, things could get tricky in the Mark Ronson world.

Tame Yourself So remember how Tame Impala were being super secretive of their upcoming album? That was until there were

leaks about its release via Japan's iTunes. Well the questioning is put to rest as their newest 13-track album Currents, will be released worldwide on July 17. If you preorder now you can get yourself four extra singles (‘Let It Happen’, ‘Disciples’, ‘Cause I’m a Man’ and ‘Eventually’).

Double J Hip Hip Hooray It’s officially been one year since the older sister

He may have been silent for eight years, but Daniel Johns has just announced his new album Talk will be out on May 22. It’s a slight change in sound from the Silverchair releases you’ve come to love – or maybe hate – but we’re certainly excited to see what he comes out with. “Music’s the best way I know to express how I think and feel but over time you don’t think and feel all the same things in the same ways so the music has to change,” says Johns. of triple j burst into our airwaves (with a Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ track nonetheless) and we’ve got to say, well done team. Since starting a year ago the station has played over 100,000 tunes, both old and new. Now with fresh statistics to suss out, you can see just how closely the station followed on to how you thought.

One surprise was that 69% of songs were played from this decade. Looks like it’s not for the oldies at all.

Instagram Gets Musical There’s no denying that Instagram is one of the highest growing social media sites to date, and clearly on the ball they’ve just announced a music dedicated account (@music) that could mean great things for emerging musicians. As the account blurb says it’s about ‘capturing and sharing the world’s musical moments’.

Time to start snapping, tagging and sharing.

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Kevin Bloody Wilson FEATURE STORY

Written by Natalie Rogers

Kevin Bloody Wilson may be infamous – but he’s ours. He’s regarded as a national treasure and an icon to many comedians of the new generation. Over a career spanning more than 30 years he has sold millions of albums and continues to push the boundaries of musical comedy, armed with only his acoustic guitar and his trademark grin.

Now he can add superhero to his list of achievements as he’s made it his mission to rid the world of all things dreary and dull with his Helping To prevent Global Boring tour throughout 2015.

“These shows have been fantastic so far. I’m making my way around the country in short bursts, rather than being on the road for an extended length of time,” Wilson says. Also billed as the ‘First of the Final Farewell Tours’, Wilson admits he may be slowing down a little, but the idea of stopping has never seriously entered his mind.

“I’m in a very good place – I’m having the time of my life.”

These days life on the road is very much a family affair. His wife, Betty, is also his tour manager. “She travels with me everywhere I go. We’ve been married for 45 years – we’re very much in love and it’s wonderful. We have grandchildren now and it doesn’t get much better than that.”

A family man to the core, Wilson was delighted when his daughter Tammy Jo announced that she wanted to follow in dad’s footsteps. “She calls herself Jenny Talia from Australia!” Wilson says proudly. “I was thrilled when she told me, although it was unexpected because she’d always been a great country singer and she moved to Nashville to pursue a career.

“While she was there she’d sometimes whip out her guitar and do a few of my songs to make her friends laugh and everybody loved it. Apparently someone said, ‘You’re wasting your time trying to do serious stuff because that’s what everybody in Nashville is trying to do’ – so they encouraged her to continue down the comedy path.”

From there he challenged her to write 12 original bawdy songs and put them on an album. “If she could do that and change her name I promised her I’d take her on tour with me. So she did and together we’ve been very successful,” Wilson beams. “She also does solo shows – in fact she’s up in Darwin gigging around as we speak.”

Not everyone in the Wilson clan is in show business: “Some of them work for a living,” Wilson laughs. “My son’s a Qantas pilot, so he often has to fly us around the place – I love that, it’s very cool.

“Actually we all caught up for Mother’s Day. We celebrated by going to watch one of our grandsons play Aussie Rules Football – it was such a special day. I think the trick is to remind your partner that they’re special in your life and you appreciate the things they do for you …”

With such sweet sentiment, I found myself thinking maybe it was all an act – the political incorrectness? The crude language? The fart jokes? The man responsible for such classics as ‘D.L.L.I.G.A.F’ and ‘Ho Ho Fucking Ho’? Is Kevin Bloody Wilson really a SNAG? “Oh, it sounds a bit bullshit but it’s true. Hmm, bullshit-ish! There’s a new word for you.” And he was back.

Kevin Bloody Wilson is the real deal – a boob signing, beer drinking, lovable larrikin. Just don’t ask him what he thinks of today’s up-and-coming comedians. “I don’t like a lot of them to be honest with ya! But I couple that with the fact that I only see them on TV. I never go out to see stand-up comedians other than my friends in the industry. I’ve got better things to do – you know like organising my sock draw or drying my hair!” he jokes.

“Seriously though, I know they’re hobbled when they go on TV. All of the television stations have their own agenda. In other words I couldn’t get on TV and do or say what I do, because it doesn’t fall into their guidelines. I’m sure that happens to almost every comedian, but the ones I see on TV are pretty sanitised. So many of them are politically correct these days – which is bullshit anyway. That’s something I don’t adhere to and don’t subscribe to. Too many people are playing it too safe.”

Years of success has seen Wilson stick to what he knows, remembering to always road test new material the typical Australian way: “I’ll get mates around, get a carton of booze in and subtly bring the guitar in. If I can get them laughing, that’s the yardstick and a job well done to me.”

“I’d like to think that if you took out the colourful words or the bad language that I use in my songs, they would still be funny. A lot of these guys start with material that isn’t funny to begin with, so when they do perform live and colour it up with language, that’s not going to make it any funnier. Am I being too heavy or too harsh on them?

Oh fuck ‘em! It doesn’t matter any way.”

When&Where: Werribee Plaza Tavern, Werribee – June 17, Village Green Hotel, Mulgrave – June 18, Ballarat & District Trotting Club, Ballarat – June 19 & The Sphinx Hotel, North Geelong – June 30

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Ruby Boots Q&A

As a young, unsettled teen, Ruby Boots hitched her way up to Broome where she worked for a number of years as a deckhand. The hands that once scrubbed the boats surface, now make beautiful music. We had a chat to the musician on her journey and the release of her new album.

Hi Ruby, thanks for taking the time to chat with us!

How are you and what are you up to at the moment?

I just got back to Perth after spending a month on the east coast, rehearsing up for the WA album shows.

Congratulations on getting the debut out! How has it been in the week or so since its release?

Busy and really exciting, it’s been great hearing everyone’s different take on the songs – feeling really good about being so close to taking it out on the road.

Your music is often filled with tales of lots of different characters, are they ones that you’ve passed at some point in your life or from your imagination?

It’s 50/50. Some of them I could introduce you to in the flesh, that is if I could track them down and find them again haha. Others are my interpretations of all kinds of walks of life, they are real in a sense because they probably exist somewhere or even everywhere around us.

I understand that you worked as a deckhand for a number of years, what got you into that job?

I needed to get out of Perth, I was young and impressionable, and had been living out of home from a very young age and was finding myself in situations

that weren’t helping me in anyway – so it was a get out of the city and go as far as you can scenario.

I hitched in trucks up to Broome and the pearling industry was really thriving up there at time.

And music was something you really took pleasure in while working there, did you know pretty instantaneously that you then wanted a career in music?

I learnt to play guitar out at sea and that’s where I started writing also, but no, not at all. I travelled overseas with my guitar after working on boats and kicked around busking and playing open mic nights ... I knew I wanted to always sing and write but I wasn’t thinking about a career in anything, I was still just trying to please my restless soul

any which way I could.

You’re also a bit of a wandering gypsy of sorts, do you think living life on the road with no set address allows you more creative freedom in your music?

It allows me to tour that’s for sure! I actually feel that being constantly uprooted has hindered my creative soul of late, I find myself making the most of my time on planes because it’s when things are stable, still and familiar – even if it’s just for those few hours. I’m finding that every time I’m somewhere for more than three or four weeks (which is a rare occurrence) that ideas really start to surface a little more freely again.

Do you think you’ll ever get to a point in life where you’ll want somewhere to call home?

Yes, absolutely. This really has just been a means to an end, but I need to settle and start writing again and that time is drawing near, this will be my third year with a suitcase to call home. My friends all laugh at me because I keep saying in a few months when I’ve done this tour or that tour I’ll settle down, but I think if by the end of year if I don’t have a base I’ll start to go a lil’ batty – I think I already am a little!

Thanks again for having the chat with us, is there anything you’d like to share before we finish up?

Just a shout out to the live gigs happening for the launch of this album. Oh and the shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are double headliners with Raised By Eagles who are AMAZING, hope you can make it along somewhere! Thanks for chatting to me Forte Magazine! You’re lovely!!

Though with all the testing moments, they’ve all paid off thanks to the help of Bendigo Trust and Bendigo Tramways.

“As with any new endeavour there was a bit of trial and error before our little team became proficient at it.

Providing a consistent and appropriate power source for the PA and instruments was one of the first hurdles to overcome. We had a couple of early Blues Trams where the battery went flat but the artists didn’t let it stop the show – they just went purely acoustic and turned it into a fun experience for the audience and the crew.

That hasn’t happened since however,” Colin says.

“The other challenge for the artists performing is to manage the motions

of the tram while playing and singing. It’s easy to get a microphone in the mouth if you’re not careful and it’s not easy to hit every note on your instrument perfectly when the tram sometimes lurches or sways.

Our performers seem to take it all in stride though and it invariably becomes a humorous and endearing part of the show, one way or the other.”

The Blues Tram recently collaborated with the ROCKS on Rosalind for a special dinner and a show event where punters enjoyed a ride of the tram before stopping at the restaurant to then continue the night with more performances from the musicians on the tram. The first event ran in March and sold out quicker than they anticipated, and it’ll certainly be the same situation for their second dinner and show experience on September 25.

While they’re expanding the experiences on the tram, music will always be the heart of it all: “Every ride is first and foremost about the music and the artist’s ability to share it in a way they can’t in any other setting or any other venue,” he says.

“We have the best of younger and older singer/ songwriters and blues & roots devoted performers; we keep mixing up the best of our local artists with touring and visiting acts from near and far, male and female artists, playing originals as well as tasteful covers. We cover a lot of musical ground with who we book to play the tram.”

For more information or upcoming shows visit their website: www.bendigobluesandroots.com.au.

Definitely! We’re all big fans of the format and have pretty decent collections at home. Having an Epicure album on vinyl was always a dream we thought would go unfulfilled so when it all came about we were suitably stoked!

Have you had a chance to listen to it yet?

I have! It sounds lovely on vinyl… brings back some wonderful memories of the band’s heyday.

It’s nice as well that Heart of the Rat are releasing it as it is a Ballarat run company. Are you pretty proud of what the guys are doing?

Yeah those guys are doing amazing things and we wish them every success. The guys who run the label are exceptional musicians in their own right so I think it’s great to be involved with people who are as passionate

about their craft as we are, and have experienced the highs and lows of being in bands themselves. It really shows in the way they run the label.

Why do you think it’s important to keep vinyl records around?

I think a lot of people have special memories associated with vinyl records. For me it’s listening to my parent’s records as a kid. They’re some of my earliest memories and no doubt influenced me to become a musician myself.

There’s something about vinyl that gets you more involved as a listener. The process of taking it out and laying it down, turning it over etc and then sitting down with the cover and reading the lyrics as you listen.

As for the show, was it hard deciding what tracks of yours to play?

It was yeah. We’re playing a lot from The Goodbye Girl, but choosing the other tracks was tougher. The sets at the both shows will be a little different too, just in case people are coming to both Have you missed performing as a band?

I have personally yeah… We did it for so long that there’s been something really comforting about performing with Epicure again. Besides, the guys are some of my best friends. We went through a lot together and it’s been nice to just do some shows without any of the pressure that you deal with with when the band is a going concern.

Thanks again for chatting with us, is there anything else you’d like to share?

Yes! To coincide with the reunion shows we’re also hosting an exhibition of our bass player Tim’s artwork.

When & Where: Howler, Melbourne – May 22

The Blues Tram Written by Alexander Lightfoot, Photos by Jim Marshall

Not many people would associate a form of public transport as a place for a live gig, though lately these unique performance spaces seem to be increasing every day. Bendigo Blues & Roots Festival Treasurer Julius Porlai was onto the idea and had suggested the stunning Bendigo trams as the perfect setting for a live music venue.

“The idea was born out of our desire to show the best Bendigo has to offer while presenting the incredibly talented artists whose music we get to share through our events,” Colin Thompson Director of the Bendigo Blues & Roots Festival says.

“Riding Bendigo’s beautifully restored vintage trams is a great way to experience our city and the wonderful architecture we all too often speed past in our day-today lives. You can’t help but take a breath and enjoy what’s around you when you find yourself on one of our slow moving comfortable trams on a Saturday afternoon.

“The Blues & Roots music we share as part of our events is a perfect accompaniment to that experience.

Because of the reasonably confined space of our vintage mobile music venues, every audience member feels like they’re in the front row to a very special concert. It’s so intimate, for audience and artist alike, it really is an unforgettable experience to be part of.”

With any gig there are always problems to overcome, and one on a tram instantly becomes a lot more difficult.

Luke Watt

Monique Shelford

Where: Where: Central Deborah Goldmine, Bendigo Upcoming performances: Marisa Quigley & King Maxwell - 2pm, May 30 & Tony J King, Alawishus Jones & The Outright Lies - 2pm, July 11.

Epicure Q&A

Five years ago they had their last gig, or so we thought. Ballarat band Epicure are back for a few strictly limited shows in support of the re-release of their hit album The Goodbye Girl on vinyl. We had a chat to Juan Alban [guitar/vocals] on what the band has been up to since their last good-byes.

Hi Juan, thanks for taking the time to chat to Forte magazine, how are you and what are you up to right now?

I’m well! Busy preparing for our hometown reunion show at Karova lounge on May 16.

How has life been since the last few gigs in 2010?

It’s been great! Been Living in Melbourne the last four years, and I released my debut solo album 18 months ago called ‘Dr Pelican On Holiday’.

And how are you feeling about these upcoming shows?

Really excited! We played The Northcote Social Club to a big crowd on May 2nd, which was our first show in five years and we can’t wait to catch up with all our friends in Ballarat.

Given it has been five years since the last show, was there much rehearsal that you guys needed to do or have you picked up where you left off ?

We’ve only rehearsed a couple of times and we’ve all been really surprised how quickly it’s come back to us. The band’s sounding the best it ever has which is surprising!

The shows are in support of releasing your hit album on vinyl, is it nice for the songs to now have that beautiful rich sound of being on vinyl?

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Tim did all of Epicure’s artwork throughout the years but he’s never exhibited them publicly before. The exhibition will be held at The Lost Ones gallery, located at 14 Camp St in Ballarat, just around the corner from Karova. The opening is on Friday May 15 from 6-8pm and the exhibition will also be open from 1-9pm on May 16… the day of the gig!! Admission is free.

When & Where: Karova Lounge, Ballarat – May 16 Exhibition: The Lost Ones Gallery, Ballarat – from 6pm May 15 until 9pm May 16

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reece M A S TIN “ For me, I think that was my main goal, to give people the confidence to say ‘no’ and acknowledge that it’s not okay.”

- Reece Mastin, White Ribbon Australia ambassador, on stopping violence against women pg.31

Tim, Have You Met The Bamboos?

Tim Rogers and The Bamboos have added a show at Torquay Hotel on June 26 and it’s all got to do with a collaborative album between Mr Rogers and The Bamboos, the first taste of which we know as ‘Easy’. The album, The Rules of Attraction, is set for release this month, which gives you more than enough time to get familiar with the album. Tim and The Bamboos have had a relationship for a few years, but they’re finally ready to take it to the next level with this, their first full-length album. The man on the street says that it is “a heady brew of down-home grit, driving rhythm and largerthan-life technicolour swagger” – and the man on the street has never let me down yet.

Alpine’s Foolish Games It takes a brave band to call their album Yuck, but Alpine don’t seem to give a hoot. Co-produced by band guitarist Christian O’Brien and Dann Hume, the newie, set for release next month, is the follow-up to 2012’s debut, A is for Alpine. To keep you occupied until then, you should check out lead single ‘Foolish’.

Of course, being the upstanding, nonmessing-around readers that you are, you have probably already done that.

Back to the album and according to the band it is heartily inspired by Tropicália, which they discovered by listening to the sounds of ’60s and ’70s Latin and South American pop. The Barwon, Geelong – June 25 & The Karova, Ballarat – June 26.

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If I Were a Carpenter There was a time in her life when Mary Chapin Carpenter wasn’t really feeling music, so much so that she briefly quit performing.

Long-time producer and collaborator John Jennings would convince her to return, and in 1987 Carpenter worked with Jennings on her debut album, Hometown Girl. 1992 saw the release of her most successful album to date with album number four, Come On Come On. You may be familiar with its standout track ‘Passionate Kisses’.

She is a five-time Grammy winner who was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012.

She returns Down Under for the first time in more than a decade as part of her acoustic world tour.

Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo – September 3.

We Have the Cure In 2010, when Ballarat darlings Epicure announced they would be parting ways, Rhythms Magazine asked frontman Juan Alban about his 14-year journey with the band.

He replied: “… We’ve been lucky in that we’ve been able to release four albums exactly the way we’ve wanted them to be and we’ve been privileged to tour them around the country many times over. And I’m really proud that the band got better as it went along. So, in that regard, I guess it was long enough for Epicure … most bands get far less.” Well, it looks like there is a wee bit more to come. The Karova, Ballarat – May 16. The gig is in support of the first-time vinyl release of The Goodbye Girl, courtesy of local label Heart of the Rat Records

Do You Believe in Magic?

Yo, you heard Magic Bones’ ‘Anytime Anywhere’ yet? It would be surprising if you haven’t, considering it’s being getting a lot of love. Drawing influences from ’70s rock and ’80s new wave garage-punk, the track was recently featured in a playlist

by Deviate Magazine.

At the time of writing, the band was also busy putting the finishing touches on a new single, so be sure you keep tabs on that one. Now, I don’t want to get your hopes up, but you may, you just may, get to hear this new track when the band hits Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on June 20. Joining them on what is sure to be a night of perfection is Bad News Toilet. If you believe in magic, come along with me.

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Gonna Get Myself Arrested

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How the River Runs He’s warmed himself up with a date at Bluesfest and now Ash Grunwald is hitting the road to play a healthy number of dates in support of ‘River’, the first track from a new album coming your way. And let me just say that the new track is chock-full of talent, landing the skills of Ian Perez (Wolfmother), Pete Wilkins (formerly Blue King Brown) and Nick DiDia (Pearl Jam/Springsteen). From the presser: “Full of groove, River bounces towards a wall of sound to bang your head on in frustration for a Government trying to divide it’s people; a reminder that division amongst a country’s citizens creates a smokescreen for Governments to sneak behind unnoticed to make their corruptions law … Finding inspiration in the famous words of David Suzuki ‘We all live downstream’, River observes the unavoidable impact we have on each other as ‘one people, one planet, one circumstance’ and encourages that impact to be full of wide-eyed support of each other rather than naïve collaboration for corporate greed and government lies.” As for the new album, that one is called Now and is set to drop in September. Barwon Heads Hotel, Barwon Heads – June 6.

Summer days remain with Arrester’s new EP Endless Summer Days.

As a ’90s kid, Simon Connolly (aleks and the ramps, Potential Falcon) was enamoured with the likes of local acts The Fauves, You Am I and Knievel, as well as US acts including Dinosaur Jr., Buffalo Tom and Wilco. It is little surprise, then, that his journey has led him to this little indie-rock three-piece with a heart in the ’90s.

Making up the numbers are Joe Foley (aleks and the ramps) on bass and Jacqui Brannelly (Pourparlour) on drums, who came together when Connolly’s other bands had entered hiatus/ break-up. For those who love name trivia, they take their moniker from arrester beds. The Bridge, Castlemaine – May 23.

I Love the Chorus Share houses, hey?

You gotta love ’em.

Arguments over stolen food, whose turn it is to do the dishes and, from time to time, the blossoming of a band. In a rundown old Queenslander upon the Sunshine Coast is where bluesroots outfit The Dawn Chorus spent most of their days jamming and recording away. Here they pretty much lived and breathed music.

They also quite possibly consumed it, as it added extra nutrients to their two-minute noodles.

Following on from their debut Letters from Ropeshoe comes Into the Dark, set for release later this year. To help prep us for the newie, the band has dropped its second single ‘Big World’, featuring Kyla Van Mason. The Loft, Warrnambool – June 7.

When a Plan Comes Together There are plenty more good times to be had with The Getaway Plan in 2015, the best of which is sure to be the release of their third album, Dark Horses. Towards the end of last month the band finally gave us a release date for what is their first album to be written and recorded in Australia – and that date is July 3. The album was given a helping hand by a successful PledgeMusic campaign. From the band: “After 10 years of funding and putting out releases with the help of record labels, we have decided to avoid that route and take the plunge to create and release our third LP, Dark Horses, completely independently … This is an exciting move for us. We see pledging as a way of the future for all artists, of all kinds. It’s a perfect way in which we are able to cut out the unnecessary middle-men in the industry and give power back to the people (you!). We can’t tell you what our new album is going to sound like. We can tell you that we have put more blood/sweat/tears in to these songs than anything we’ve written before and we are absolutely busting to share them.” Werribee Plaza Hotel, Werribee – October 29 & The Workers Club, Geelong – October 31. [photo: Tim O'Keefe]

V for Vendetta Since 1996 Geelong’s Vendetta has been doing the heavy stuff with pride and passion. They made their live debut at Pako Festa’s Battle of the Bands in 1997 and have gone on to share the stage with the likes of The Butterfly Effect, Teramaze, Veil of Anguish, The White Room, Medusa, Behind Crimson Eyes and many, many more. With two albums, an EP and a stack of demos under their belt, the band released their latest EP, the five-track Standing Tall, in August of last year. The Barwon, Geelong – May 30 (with Damnations Day and Stormtide) & Music Man, Bendigo – June 5. If you’re looking for a trip down memory lane, the band recently added a 2003 demo to their Facebook page.

Looking Pretty Hopefully you’re on the ball when it comes to Melbourne’s fuzz-rock-shoegrunge-shoegaze-whatever else outfit Pretty City. Throughout this month they have been (and will continue to) divide their time between The Workers Club in Melbourne and Geelong. That’s right, buckaroos – it’s double the fun. All this has to do with spreading the good word of their forthcoming debut album, the first single of which is set for release in June. Hitting the scene in late 2012, the band released the EP Heights in late 2013. Last year saw the release of three singles and three national tours. The Workers Club, Geelong – May 20 & 27. With some 250 shows played in a touch over two years, they’ve got it going on.

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A Tale of Three Cities Three outstanding talents in Imogen Clark, Darcy Fox and Paige Renee Court have teamed up for the A Tale of Three Cities tour. Imogen is a young folk/pop singersongwriter from Sydney. A graduate of both the Australian Academy of Country Music and the NSW Talent Development Project, in April 2014 Clark’s track ‘Ceaseless Goodbye’ was given an Honourable Mention in the Nashville-based International Songwriting Competition. In 2015 she has performed showcases at the Tamworth Country Music Festival and the Adelaide Fringe and also performed to some 100,000 people as part of Sydney’s Australia Day Spectacular. A winner of the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands, Moe’s Darcy Fox recently released a video for her track ‘Options’. She writes songs, plays guitar and is known for going a little loopy.

My Own Happy Ending is out now. South Australia’s Paige Renee Court picked up the guitar at the age of fourteen to begin her alternative-folk journey. In 2013 she was selected as a Top 7 Australian Performer in the Telstra Road to Discovery. This month sees her buckling down on her debut EP. Ararat Live @ Ararat Hotel – May 20. They also have a date with Ballarat’s Babushka Bar tonight, May 14.

Good News For British India Fans Good news for all those who missed out on tickets to British India in Geelong. Due to popular demand, the show originally scheduled for The Worker’s Club on Saturday 30th May has now been moved to The Wool Exchange Entertainment Complex, with plenty more tickets now on sale.

We suggest getting in quick, before they sell out again. Get them here: http://woolexchange.oztix.com.au/

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A Bunch of Clowns

I’m the Wildeornes

Slowly Does It, Fraser

How many clowns does it take to make a hardcore band?

Four. Hailing from Melbourne’s Eastern Bayside, Clowns released their second album earlier in the year. It’s called Bad Blood, in case you didn’t know, and it received enough good press to fill up a clown car. Punknews.org wrote: “You could play Bad Blood to a teenager in a Backtrack hoodie or a grizzled mosh veteran with a Black Flag tattoo and both would find something to love about it. If there’s one band seriously screaming out for overseas recognition, it’s Clowns.” The Loft, Warrnambool – May 15; The Karova, Ballarat – June 13; Music Man, Bendigo – June 26; and The Barwon, Geelong – June 27.

What happens when the two guitarists/ vocalists from seminal Melbourne stoner doom band Downriver (who also both spent the ’90s playing grind and hardcore together in the Melbourne gigmachine W.A.R.) listen to a heap of duellingguitar-NWOBHM, old school ’80s metal and dabble with the icy grasp of blasting old school black metal over a few beers and backyard bonfires?

That is the question posed to us by the Wildeornes, which in turn gives away the answer to the question. To be fair, it’s something everyone should know. In a Facebook update midApril, the band let fans know that they have finished recording their new album and have begun the mixing stage. The Eastern, Ballarat – May 23.

It has been a magical month of May for Fraser A. Gorman, who has spent his time gigging around the UK as his name continues to grow. Growing up in Torquay, a place widely known for its surf scene, Fraser instead found his home in music. With his old-world style of storytelling, the young songman falls into the Dylan/Woody Guthrie camp, strumming his way across wry poetry, bent Tropicália, country-soul and rock. Since 2012 he has released an EP and a dose of singles but at the end of next month he will finally release his debut fulllength release, Slow Gum. ‘Broken Hands’ is his latest single, which will hopefully keep you satisfied until the main course arrives. The Barwon, Geelong – July 24.

Gather Ye Brains Trust

Spray Paint Your Wagon

The Stylish Christine Anu

So, how’s your music trivia? Do you know Van Halen’s original name? Do you know what the first CD pressed in the US was? Do you know the name of the longest officially released song? These questions and so many more probably won’t be asked at the Queenscliff Music Festival’s Trivia Night, but there will be plenty of music-related questions to test your knowledge. Actually, 100 per cent of the questions asked will be music-themed.

Taking place on June 13 at the Monahan Centre, the night will raise funds for the festival’s Emerging Artist Grant. Be there at 6:30 p.m. for a 7 p.m. start. BYO nibbles, drinks at bar prices. Book your table through 5258 4816.

The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas. The prairie sky is wide and high, deep in the heart of Texas. You know what else is alright in Texas? Music, ya’ll.

With their “paranoid art punk”, Spray Paint will be delivering their tunes to Australian crowds for the first time shortly.

And they’ll have a nice collection of tunes when they do so, with the band, whose members hail from projects including When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Expensive Shit and Dikes of Holland, releasing album number four, Punters on a Barge, next month. The Eastern, Ballarat – June 19 & The Barwon, Geelong – June 28. I reckon there’s a good chance you’ll find some helpful friends performing on the night as well.

In 1987 the Warumpi Band released ‘My Island Home’, a track written in reference to lead singer George Burarrwanga’s home at Elcho Island off the coast of Arnhem Land.

Christine Anu, who was a back-up vocalist for Neil Murray and The Rainmakers, would record a version of the track for her 1995 debut, Stylin’ Up. Anu, who changed some of the lyrics in the song to suit her circumstances, would take home ‘Song of the Year’ at the 1995 APRAs. Stylin’ Up, meanwhile, took home the prize for ‘Best Indigenous Release’ at the ARIAs. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the songbird will be revisiting the album through a series of very special shows.

Drama Theatre @ GPAC – May 16.

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Fly A Kite to a New Venue

Like, Totally Massive The story goes that one day, as daydreaming students, the members of Massive were asked what they wanted to do with their lives. They simply responded with: I wanna rock. And rock they did. People told them to turn it down, but all they had to say to those people time and time again was No! No, no, no, no, no. People told them not to play, but all they had to say to those people time and time again was No! No, no, no, no, no. They simply wanted to rock, and so rock they did. And so within six months of coming together they were playing showcase gigs in Los Angeles. Then they released their debut album Full Throttle, an album with so much rock it came with a warning label.

It scored a stack of great press, including a number of five-star reviews from the likes of PlanetMosh and Metal Temple. Last year they smashed it on their tour across the UK and Europe before turning home to begin work on album number two. They actually had such a good time in Europe that they’ll be relocating there by year’s end, so with that news I think you know what you have to do. The Loft, Warrnambool – May 22 & The Workers Club, Geelong – May 23.

A Friend in Need Originally a solo project, Olly Friend stumbled upon a couple of dudes he liked in Nick Rushbrook and Tyler Crimmin and so invited them to join his musical gig. So now Olly Friend is a three-piece, still called Olly Friend. Tomorrow night, May 15, at Geelong’s Workers Club, Olly Friend will launch the single ‘Runaway’. For regular readers of Forte, if you’ve got a long memory you may remember we spent time with Olly as part of our Nature Sessions last year where he performed Runaway. You can check out that performance by doing the YouTube thing and searching Nature Session 1: Olly Friend – Runaway. Velvet Bow and Alma Kalorama will support. Get to it, folks.

Gig Alert: Planning on heading along to the Lunatics EP Launch for the Kite Machine? Make sure you jot this down: the Kite Machine will now launch their EP at the Barwon Club on May 24. Any tickets purchased for the original May 3 event will still be valid for the new gig, so keep them in your wallets for a little while longer, they’ll prove themselves as worthy soon enough.

Local Launches Off To celebrate the launch of her new album ‘Electricity’, Claire Birchall will be suiting up with her band of fellow Geelongians-in-exile, The Phantom Hitchhikers (Paper Planes, The Happy Lonesome, The Coves) at The Barwon Club on Saturday May 23rd. Joining them will be pals Fraudband, The Attractor Beams, and Dark Pool. Birchall & The Hitchhikers have been lurking around the last few months playing songs from ‘Electricity’ and Birchall’s previous work in preparation for the album release and found an immediate chemistry that let them swing between country, blues, rock and indie while retaining the heart of each song. All agree this is a band that was meant to play together. ‘Electricity’ not only confirms Birchall’s DIY credentials but cements her as one of the most unique songwriters and recording artists in Melbourne with simple and memorable melodies slicing through thick layers of distorted guitar and moody yet powerful vocal performances. Entirely produced and recorded

by Birchall at home, bar a couple of appearances from Matt Green on harmonica, ‘Electricity’ is available through Night Owl Records.

This is Lucky Phil When it comes to the blues in Australia, few do it as well as Phil Manning. Some may know him as a member of Chain, that legendary blues band whose commitment

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to building the scene in Australia would be hard to find an equal. He’s also been a solo artist since the mid-seventies. He has played at just about every venue you could imagine and has supported names including Muddy Waters, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, George Thorogood, Canned Heat, Albert Collins and Freddie King. With a handful of dates scattered throughout the year, fans are receiving a ripping opportunity to witness Chain in all their glory. The Piping Hot Chicken Shop, Ocean Grove – May 30.

Wild Bill Chambers He is the country music hillbilly-daddy and one of the country’s finest altcountry guitarists. He is Bill Chambers, father of Kasey Chambers, a producer and songman whose years of outback living can be heard in his music. “What I love the best is to get out on the road and perform the songs,” he says. “I still play in Kasey’s band when she’s on the road and the gigs take us all over the world.

That’s where I get many of the stories for my songs.”

His latest collection of stories is Drifting South.

You can also pick up Live at the Pub, Tamworth, his first DVD release, and one featuring appearances from Kasey, Shane Nicholson and Kevin Bennett. Old Hepburn Hotel, Hepburn Springs – June 12.

You in Your Autumn Sweater The seasonal revues at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal have been growing in size since debuting last year, and now it’s time to escape the coolness of the autumn evenings by warming up with their Autumn Revue. Sol Nation, The Exit Crowd and Pork Chop Party will warm up the crowd before Dysmorph and Rhath turn things into a massive dance party. When it comes to warming your soul, you’re in very good hands when it comes to Sol Nation.

Fatty Phew's Top 5 Places to Eat in Geelong

It’s not just about the best food, it’s about the best experience, food, atmosphere, price and, most importantly, service. Here’s my list:

5. LAVISH SPECIALTY COFFEE

4. SAKURATEI

3. PIZZA BAR 137 Pakington St,

2. PARKERS STEAK HOUSE

1. THE COTTAGE

161 Shannon Ave, Geelong West

Geelong West

2 Shorts Pl, Geelong

Newtown

161a High St, Belmont

This is staple Japanese take away with amazingly friendly service.

Can’t get enough Tori Dons!

The place that makes you realise you have been eating pizza wrong this whole time.

Also, incredible eggplant chips!

Parkers makes you realise you have never tasted a steak properly before.

Atmosphere, service and not a thing bad on the menu... if you have the money.

My favourite place to eat. This ticks every single box for me. You have to have the chicken toastie (ask for hollandaise on it too)!

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c a s t l e m a i n e

359 Pakington St,

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A Palace in the Sky Formed in 2012, Palace of the King have shared the stage with the likes of The Tea Party and Airbourne, while racking up shows in every corner of Australia. To put it simply, the band is not used to being away from the road.

So when they are, you know it must be for a good reason. And you will find few better reasons than an album.

Steeped in bluesy swagger and riff-heavy psychedelia, this rocking and roll band is set to release their debut album next month. It’s called White Bird/Burn the Sky and it follows on from a couple of EPS and a full-length vinyl release. From the presser: “On June 19, 2015, it’s time for the White Bird to take flight. From three minute funkinfused rockers through to seven minute Sabbath-esque crushers, Palace Of The King has seized the opportunity to explore every intricate corner of their influences and craft a debut album that captures a band at a point where ‘scratching the surface’ isn’t nearly enough. White Bird/Burn The Sky tears apart the 100-year history of the blues, adds a distinctly modern edge and smothers a ‘no holds barred’ attitude across 44 minutes worth of riff-a-minute, hook-laden rock and roll.” Beav’s Bar, Geelong – May 24 & The Loft, Warrnambool – June 7.

With influences in reggae, East Timorese folk, Cuban salsa, Brazilian samba, Latin dance and funk, Sol Nation is a product of Melbourne’s communal music scene. Theatre Royal, Castlemaine – May 29.

Welcome Home, Papa Wild blues – check. Slick soul – aha. Country rock’n’roll – you better believe it. Oh, and you can’t forget about those horns. Sydney’s Papa Pilko & the Binrats came together in 2011 with their hot, hot, hot mix of howling vocals and versatile mix of strings, horns and percussion.

They have dropped a few smaller releases but right now the band is putting the final coat on their debut full-length release.

You may ask how long you have to wait, and that I cannot tell you. But I can tell you that ‘How Long’ is the name of their new single, which will give you a mighty fine taste of what to expect. Suttons House of Music, Ballarat – June 23. Get there with enough time to catch Mick Dog’s Bone Yard.

Nothing but a Good Time

You may know him as Geelong’s local hip hop artist, but he is also known to frequent many of Geelong’s eateries. With his finger on the pulse and a hand in the cookie jar – Phew puts down the mic and picks up a fork to tell us his Top 5 places to eat in Geelong. Over to you Phew!

If you’re looking for clean eating this is the place. Amazing smoothies and baked potatoes.

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The Apia Good Times tour is stepping out again, this time with Brian Cadd, Joe Camilleri, Glenn Shorrock and Kate Ceberano. In case you’re lousy with names, let’s get to know a couple of them a little better. Brian Cadd is one of the country’s most prolific musicians.

He has performed with The Groop and Axiom and has written hits for the likes of Little River Band, Joe Cocker and John Farnham. Check out tracks ‘Ginger Man’ and ‘Making it on Your Own’. Kate Ceberano is an award-winning jazz and pop singer and was the

first woman to be inducted into the Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Check out tracks ‘Pash’ and ‘Bedroom Eyes’.

Regent Theatre, Ballarat – May 21 & GPAC, Geelong – May 23.

A Figment of Your Imagination May 30 is the date to have tattooed on your arm for that is when FIGMENT Geelong rolls up its sleeves and gets creative.

For those not hip to be square, FIGMENT Geelong is an outdoor interactive arts event and social experiment; an opportunity to express creativity, spontaneity and collaborate with like-minded souls. The grassroots event, organised and run entirely by volunteers in partnership with Diversitat and supported by a City of Greater Geelong’s Community Arts Festival’s grant, FIGMENT removes the barriers of museum and gallery walls, creating an open space that offers free, inclusive and participatory art to the community. Discover more through facebook. com/FigmentGeelong.

Dewayne Everettsmith’s Love Days Descended from both the Aboriginal community of Cape Barren Island and the Gunai/Kurnai people of Victoria, songman Dewayne Everettsmith first gained attention back in 2007 as part of Australian Idol. It is his track ‘It’s Like Love’, however, that took him from his day job as an Aboriginal health worker to a touring musician.

Some of you may know the track from his 2014 Surrender; perhaps a greater number will be familiar with the song from Tourism Australia’s

$250 million international advertising campaign.

COPACC, Colac – May 20; The Capital, Bendigo – May 23; and Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat – May 24. Very special guest for the evening will be Sietta.

A Bunch of Dolls The Cherry Dolls have got the way to move you and they’ve got the way to groove you. Hailing from Melbourne, the rock and roll enthusiasts proudly wear the influences of the Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Strokes and Velvet Underground on their sleeve – plus early Kings of Leon, before they became, well, you know. Now, for all those lovers out there with an eye still on your ex, ‘The Last Time’ is the song for you. Yes, hooking up with your ex – that wonderful pastime that only ends well is behind their new track. There is more to come, too, with EP Wasted Pearls due later in the year. Join them on their first headlining tour. The Karova, Ballarat – May 30 & The Workers Club, Geelong – June 13.

That’s When I Think of 1927 As 1988 drew to a close, 1927 released their debut album …ish. In what remains one of the highest-selling Australia releases, the album spent four weeks atop the charts in early 1989 and remained in the Top 50 for forty-five weeks. The 1989 ARIAs also served the band well, scoring them ‘Breakthrough Artist – Single’ for ‘That’s When I Think of You’ and ‘Breakthrough Artist – Album’. Two more albums followed before the band disbanded. The band reformed in 2009 in support of the re-issue of their debut, and it wasn’t long before we heard some new tunes.

Generation-i became

their first album in 21 years, recorded at House of Rock Studio in WA. Music Man, Bendigo – May 17.

Simply Divine With their blend of thick, driving rhythms, atmospheric layers, intricate solos and powerful, emotive vocals, Divine Ascension has struck a loud chord with metal fans.

Part of the band’s appeal is frontwoman Jennifer Borg, whose voice once heard is not easily forgotten. They formed out of Melbourne in 2007 after guitarist Robb Inglis placed an ad in melband. Drummer Luke Wenczel was first to spot the ad, and the others were soon to follow. Divine Ascension was chosen as their name – it was the only one everyone agreed upon.

The band has released two albums in 2011’s As the Truth Appears and 2014’s Liberator.

Music Man, Bendigo – May 15 & The Barwon, Geelong – May 30.

What’s the Buzz?

Tell me what’s a-happening.

Dec McKinnon and the Knockabouts check into The Eastern, Ballarat on May 21 & The Workers Club, Geelong on May 27 (supporting Pretty City).

Groove, rocky, bluesy and jazzy with lots of spunk – Trio Manipulato will deliver the goods at Martians Café, Deans Marsh on May 16. The launch of the 2015 Lorne Film Festival program will take place at Qdos Arts on June 7. Vonda Bouys & The Falsettos have a date with Ballarat’s Suttons House of Music on May 16. The Bridge in Castlemaine hosts Parading, Hideous Towns and Rolling Blackout on May 22 and Human Face and Wes Green & The Plastic xx on May 29. Steve Grady & Dan Parsons swing

by Bellarine’s Harvest Moon Café on May 23.

A N G R YD A D If you haven’t played a prank, you’re not a true Aussie larrikin. Dylan and Mitchell are as Aussie as it gets as they’ve garnered a massive following from pissing off their Dad and posting it on YouTube. We had a chat to the pranksters about their clips, the fame and just how angry their Dad really is.

Hey Lads, thanks for taking the time to chat with Forte Magazine, on a scale of 1 - 10 how angry is your old man?

Fair to say an easy 10.

But who can blame him, we ask for it.

Who wouldn’t be angry having their kids constantly filming him, and waiting for his next reaction – we’re poking the bear and I don’t think we’re far off getting bitten.

How did the concept start? Was it just a case of having a video posted and it taking off, or did you think, ‘This is a pisser, we think people will love this’ and you decided to push it?

Dylan uploaded a video one day of AngryDad cracking it on Snapchat and we had a massive response to it. People took time out to message us and say how good it was. It sparked an idea, we had always filmed him but never

did anything with it. So we started putting them on our personal profiles, and we had randoms tagging randoms.

Before we knew it we made the page and had a few thousand likes, and that’s all she wrote. Now we’re at almost 450k and we haven’t spent a cent on boosting.

Is it a bit of a trip watching those ‘ likes’ on Facebook pile up each day after every video? I bet you wouldn’t have guessed this could be possible 12 months ago?

Six months ago we had 2,000 likes on our page and we screenshot it like, ‘Oh my god this is insane’. Watching videos have millions of views and thousands of likes is something we just never planned for. It’s fair to say it’s still surreal.

Do you think you lads are internet savvy,

or is this all purely by chance, learn as you go type stuff?

In terms of being Internet savvy, we are both technically equipped with basic knowledge in terms of social media. We understood how good content has value, and we worked out our target audience quickly, but we have learned so much as we have gone from public figures such as Fortafy, that have showed us how to take it to the next step.

What do you think it is about your vids that makes people relate to/ love them so much?

People love the organic nature to our videos. Everyone has angry parents – to a certain degree – ours so happens to be to the most heightened value. It also allows other people to get a good look inside other Australian families to see where they can and can’t relate. Being a typical Aussie also helps.

of it (which he has done well if he can find any) but he still hates us for our pranks and will one day get his revenge.

We would imagine that the powerful following and interest would have led to some opportunities, what sort of doors have opened as a result of AD? As well as every database it strikes opportunity. The value of having access to hundreds of thousands of people at the click of a button is powerful, and it’s shown moderate interest. We are smart with how we use it and what we do, we don’t want to damage our brand. But yes, we have a few things in the making that hopefully everyone looks forward to seeing.

We know you’re selling tee’s, is there a way in which you boys can make some coin off all the fame?

Forte mag think Foxtel or Channel 10 would be pretty keen on an AD series?

We are selling some merchandise, not so much to profit, but just to market our brand – which we love.

We often think it is perfect for reality TV, such as I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Big Brother etc. But we would be more than happy to discuss TV opportunities if given the chance, as it would be a remarkable opportunity.

Do your friends constantly want to come over and watch you fire him up?

Our friends generally love hanging out with AD more than they do with us, cause he’s fun to observe.

Watching us razz him up as well as doing it themselves is truly the most entertaining experience. So yes – our house is always full.

Is there ever a time you think, ‘This is a bit too far for the old boy’ or is it just open season 24/7?

We are clever in the way we pick our times and know when it will and when it won’t affect him long term.

He has a short fuse, so we play on that. We try stay clear of doing anything that will cause a major grudge.

What’s do you think has been your best video so far?

Best video so far is the chilli one – it’s just so Aussie and raw. Brings me to tears still.

What’s in store for the team at AD? Can you give us the scoop on any pranks you’ve got lined up?

For now we just want to keep making videos and growing our database.

Keep it modest and if any opportunities arise, we will be sure to jump on them given they are the right circumstances.

Good luck lads and keep posting the goodness.

Check them out at angrydad.com.au, on Facebook (www. facebook.com/ pages/AngryDad/ 1500022046943639) or on Twitter (@ itsangrydad).

Joel Fletcher meets #Angrydad

How is AD dealing with it all, he must be getting stopped in the street a bit and stuff like that?

Is he embarrassed about any of it?

It’s now at a point where every day AD is stopped and filmed etc.

He is starting to adjust and find positives out

Residual Shake It Off With a Cover

Whether you’re a closeted T-Swift fan or out and proud, chances are you’ll love Residual’s cover mash-up of ‘Shake It Off ’ and Chet Faker’s ‘Talk Is Cheap’ – we certainly do! We had a chat to Josh Carter on how exactly they came up with the idea and naturally of Taylor Swift.

Hey Guys, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?

Hey! We’ve been great, very busy but there’s nothing wrong with that!

At the moment we’re just polishing off the final touches on a new single we’ll be tracking at the end of May and planning everything that’ll go along with the release of that.

It’s a pretty exciting time for us, the EP will have been out for a year in September and this will be the first thing to follow on from that.

Clearly you’ve been doing some awesome covers too. So a ‘Shake It Off ’ cover, are you all a

bit of a T-Swift fan?

I’m sure one or two of us are closet T Swizzle lovers.. I will admit that her more recent single ‘Style’ gets me every time.

I may have turned it up just that notch more while in the car.

It is a pretty catchy number, have you had many good times to that track?

We’ve probably collectively seen more people have a good time to that track than ourselves. If you’re out on the town and this comes pumping through the speakers, you’re bound to see at least 1015 lads who’re shaking their hips so well that you find yourself really appreciating their ability to do that..

You’ve mashed it up with ‘Talk Is Cheap’

by Chet Faker as well, where’d the idea come to mix the two together?

Well, Sam [Burtt] performed his own acoustic rendition of

‘Shake It Off ’ when he was doing some smaller sets on The Blues Train at Queenscliff Music Festival. It got a really great response so we all thought we’d try and Residual-ify it. That also happened to be around the time when there was a massive controversy about ‘Shake It Off ’ being removed from the triple h Hottest 100 due to people abusing the right to vote for it, and Chet Faker was the favourite to take out the #1 spot. So it actually started as a bit of comical kind of thing but turned out really well!

Was it tricky to find what went where and when?

It wasn’t too difficult – it was just a bit of trial and error but it didn’t take us long to find the parts that would resonate well with the different sections of each song. We had a solid structure of it early on, and we were all pretty happy with how it turned out after just a few hours.

It is a pretty awesome mash-up, you’ll have to share it with Taylor Swift and Chet Faker’s people!

The response to our posts on Facebook and Instagram have been insanely positive and it spread to upwards of 75,000 people in just two days – which wasn’t something that we’re used to. I’m sure there’s plenty of other covers that are worthy of watching over ours but if we happen to get an email from either of their teams, we’ll happily take it!

So are there any other mashups/covers we can be expecting of you guys?

I honestly don’t know.

We’ll probably focus more on our own music for the next little while but if we happen to have something brewing, you’ll be the first to know!

Check out the clip on YouTube: ‘Residual – Talk Is Cheap/Shake It Off Cover’ (https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9ry6j1Aa83U) forte 27

Café Culture

TWO SUGARS Walk into Two Sugars café at any given moment and it’s abuzz with life. There’s no denying that the Highton venue has become a favourite for locals and its success helped create their second venture on Pakington Street in Geelong West.

“Highton has a very local and community feel – it’s a very rustic, very warm ambience. We have a lot of regular customers here where they eat for breakfast and they’ll come back and dine in the evening as well,” the owners of Two Sugars remarked.

Part of the charm of Two Sugars – aside from its sophisticated yet rustic décor – is its ability to transform from all-round café by day to modern Italian restaurant by night.

“What we wanted to achieve is to give people what they wanted and give a variety of food. There’s modern Italian and obviously Australian on the menu as well,” the owners say.

During the day indulge yourself with the all day breakfast on offer with a New York Bagel, pancakes and brioche French toast featuring on the menu or opt for a traditional lunch option of Thai beef salad and salt and pepper calamari.

For those wanting a quick snack, there’s even more on offer in the display cabinets at the front and you’ll soon find yourself wanting one of each.

When the sun sets the Italian side of the venue comes to the forefront and instantly the mood shifts. There’s a strong focus on authenticity with various ingredients from the menu made from specific regions in Italy and the restaurant even hires Italian staff to share their culture.

It’s not surprising then that customers are visiting for breakfast and dinner, as with the shift in menu Two Sugars turns into a completely different venue, though one thing that stays the same is their focus on quality dishes and attentive service.

Where: 7/65-71 Barrabool Road, Highton When: Mon 7am-5pm Tue-Sun 7am-late Contact: 5244 5711 Website: twosugarscafe.com Written & photographed by Amanda Sherring (food photos supplied by Two Sugars)

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Reece Mastin LOCAL FEATURE STORY Written by Abbey King

Fast Five with Reece Mastin!

Song in your head right now: ‘The Stealer’

by Free (1970)

Favourite holiday destination:

It’s hard to believe Reece Mastin is just 20 years of age, having been so active on the Australian music scene since taking out the top prize in Australia’s third season of X Factor in 2011 at the age of just 16. Since then he has released two platinum selling albums, with his debut release hitting number one in the ARIA charts.

Earlier this month, Reece brought out a brand new sounding, five-track EP called Rebel and Reason – a release he is so excited to be sharing with his fans, also known as ‘Lil’ Rockers’. “It feels great, I mean it’s been a while since I got to put anything out but it’s good, I’m really happy with it. Everyone seems to be liking it at the moment so it’s all going quite well.” he says.

This release is his first recording since signing with new label Social Family Records, and it’s been good so far at his new home. As Reece explains he is enjoying the new freedoms he has when it comes to making his music with the label.

“Oh it’s beautiful, it’s so good. We got to go in and record it all with the full live band and they are all 100 per cent behind it and just really helpful. We approached it a bit differently and I’m glad we did, it was all about capturing that live, organic sound and we definitely achieved that with this recording,” he smiles.

“I have really been looking to head this way for a while and I think the fans have definitely been waiting for a bit of guitar work.”

The music video to the title song, ‘Rebel and Reason’, is quite powerful and addresses the issue of domestic violence – something Reece is passionately against. The video depicts the traumas and repercussions of violence in families, with three beautiful sisters and many wonderful women in his life, Reece has willingly taken up a new role as a White Ribbon Australia ambassador.

“It has been really great for me, I’m really proud that I get to be a part of it. It’s an issue that we don’t really speak about on a day to day basis, but the figures are pretty massive. It’s something like two women a week are passing away at the hands of their partner or ex-partner at the moment. When I heard this I wondered, ‘Why aren’t we hearing about this more in the media? We need to bring it out into the public eye!’ So I wanted to get the clip out so we could put that message out there and to let people know it is actually going on – it is a really serious issue and one that we could very easily just say ‘no’ to. For me, I think that was my main goal, to give people the confidence to say ‘no’ and acknowledge that it’s not okay,” Reece says.

Having not toured since September last year, Reece is gearing up to hit the road, preparing for an East Coast Tour with his band.

“We’re just picking the setlist now, then we will launch back into rehearsals and stuff before we head back out into all the madness. But I can’t wait – I love touring. We haven’t been out there this year just yet so I’m dying to get back out there and see everyone,” he says.

“I’ve got a guitarist, a drummer a bass player and a keyboard player and I’ve got my manager and singer along as well, Mahaila Barnes, it’s a great band and they’re really fun to play with – pretty amazing when you get to watch what they do.”

You may recognise Reece’s manager and singer, Mahaila, who is the daughter of legendary Cold Chisel front man Jimmy Barnes and who has had plenty of her own success as an established artist and was also featured n the first season of The Voice. The Rebel and Reason tour promises to get you up and grooving, with Reece’s new edgier and rock-laden sound the shows will not be there to just sit back a relax to – you’re guaranteed to get up and move.

“It’s still loud and still nuts, but we’re going to play a bit from the EP and maybe chuck in a few freshies, we’ll have to hash them out a bit before we get in to do the album and stuff, but yeah it’s going to be loud and a lot of rock-and-roll.”

Following this tour, Reece and the band don’t plan on taking a break and will jump straight back into the studio and get recording on their next set of hits.

“We just got back from LA a couple of weeks ago, we did two weeks straight of writing for the album, then in the last two days we got to go to Disneyland, it was so cool we got to stay in the hotel there and everything. After the madness of the touring we’re going to sit down and record the album, then later on in the year do a tour around the album.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, call 1800 RESPECT for advice or support. In an emergency, call 000.

The Caribbean

The last gig you went to: Mahalia Barnes Your last tattoo what & where: I got my

Granddad on my right arm

Favourite meal to make right now:

Probably the only thing I know how to make – beef on toast!

When&Where: The Capital, Bendigo - June 19 & The Prince Bandroom, Melbourne - June 20.

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FROC K IT Bare and Bold Makeup Trends

Written by Katherine Reynolds www.katthewanderer.com | facebook/katthewanderer | @katthewanderer

Written by Jessica Alves | @jessicazalves

Makeup isn’t something I focus on a lot in this column, but I think it needs to be brought up more often, as it’s actually a very important part of how an entire look turns out. Putting together your outfit — including shoes and other accessories — is obviously a very important part of your look. But, without makeup, your vibe can get totally misinterpreted.

Just like clothing, makeup has different trends that follow the seasons. I love autumn/winter makeup, debatably more than I love autumn/winter clothing – which is saying something.

I thought I’d give a brief run-down of my favourite trends you can expect to see in magazines and in real life over the colder months.

Unsurprisingly, the runway is usually where makeup trends come from and there has been no shortage of inspiration from the runways this season.

We’ve been seeing a lot of skin focused makeup looks paired with a super dark berry or a very bold lip from fashion designers – which has gotten me slightly obsessed. Keep the skin supple and glowing with a dewy finish foundation.

Use a translucent finishing powder to set specific areas of the face that are likely to become oily quicker or areas that are prone to creasing,

to the next. Even better!

such as under the eyes, around the nose and over smile lines.

As for the lip, go for whatever feels right, but there have been mostly bright red lips, dark red lips and deep purple lips that almost look black – channel your inner vamp for that one.

Strangely enough, I’ve been super into bronzed-up skin and eyes with strong brows and a matte pink lip. Use a satin finish foundation to achieve a natural skin finish with a soft sheen. Foundation with a satin finish has a texture that’s very skin-like, so it’s great for those of you who like the natural look.

Charming Cinque Terre Ah, Cinque Terre. It’s definitely one of those ‘must see’ places in the world.

Seeing as it’s winter, use a matte bronzer that’s around two shades darker than your natural skin tone to bronze all over. It’s important to use a matte bronzer, as one with shimmer won’t look as natural. You want to look like you’ve just been a little sun-kissed.

On the high points of your cheek bones, lightly dust a champagne coloured highlight to give a glowingfrom-within look. On the eyes you can go super bronzed with a little shimmer – to give a little dimension to the eyes – and use a rose pink lipstick – or gloss if you’d prefer – to add an extra pop of colour to the face.

Along the coast of the Italian Riviera, Cinque Terre is made up of five fishing villages scarily clinging to the side of the cliffs – one of the most beautiful sights you’ll ever see. It is a major tourist attraction, yes, but it is one you’ll be glad you visited once you see it for yourself !

There are so many more makeup trends around, but these two very different looks give such different effects and can add to your overall look dramatically. Play around with colours, go for a more cooltoned eye, or skip the highlight if it’s not your thing. Makeup is a form of self expression in the same way that your sense of style is, so don’t be afraid to express yourself !

The five villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore have all been built upon an incredibly steep landscape and continue to hold onto the charm they had when they were first built. The villages have preserved their true nature and the people in them are incredibly welcoming.

TAKE in up close and personal performances from Bendigo Blues & Roots Music Festival’s finest talent as you travel the streets of THE CITY aboard AN historic tram.

UPCOMING DATES

Saturday May 2nd - 2pm

Emilee South + Benjamin James Caldwell

Saturday May 30th - 2pm Marisa Quigley Duo + King Maxwell

Saturday July 11th - 2pm

Tony J King + Alawishus Jones & The Outright Lies

Saturday August 22nd - 2pm Luke Watt + Cass (Cassie Ward & Bianca Maes)

Friday September 25th - 6pm Rattlin’ Bones Blackwood + Michael Pollitt (Mr Black & Blues)

FESTIVAL WEEKEND

Friday November 6th - 7pm, Saturday November 7th - 2pm Saturday November 7th - 8pm, Sunday November 8th- 1pm Artists to be announced.

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TICKETS Tickets are limited and are available from the Bendigo Visitor Centre on

(03) 5434 6060 or online at: www.bendigotourism.com/ bendigo-blues-tram

I stayed in Monterosso al Mare, the biggest of the villages, which was a gorgeous, and more of a beach side kind of village that was a little more flat than the rest – which was a relief for my uncooperative legs! It was fantastic there, and I must admit I definitely took advantage of the range of wine bars at my doorstep. Too good!

Monterosso is definitely a good place to base yourself while you’re exploring the other villages, as it has the most amenities and everything you will need is easily accessible.

There’s a crazy amount of walking tracks and ‘old muling tracks’ connecting each village to the next for those of you that love a good trek. But for those like me, there’s an incredibly convenient train that takes you from one town

Questionably safe, the train runs along the coast right by the sea and is a slightly scary experience but gives you a splendid view. The trains leave roughly every hour and are really busy on weekends. If you do a whole day exploring the villages, it will give you about 45-90 minutes at each. Enough to walk around and find a nice view point, as well as grab some food or go for a mini trek, before heading back to the station and on to the next one.

It’s difficult to get to the villages by car, so I’d recommend arriving by train. It’s best to get the train from Genoa heading to La Spezia and then get the connecting train to your particular village. You can get there by car, however it isn’t for the faint hearted.

The roads are on the edge of the incredibly high cliffs and are very windy, and once you reach the village you’ll have to park your car in a certain parking area as it’s similar to Venice where there’s no use of cars. Have a plan of action ready for when you arrive, and know where your hotel is in comparison to the parking areas, as you might have to do a bit of walking (like I did!).

Cinque Terre is beautiful, a place I’d like to relax and enjoy during the summer, and something I hope you’ve just written on your list of things to see in life!

World Sideshow Festival Ballarat will be taken over on 21st to 23rd of May by the most interesting and extreme sideshow performers on the planet. Fans of circus and sideshow are in for the ultimate treat as they are honoured and celebrated in the World Sideshow Festival.

The cast of talent for the World Sideshow Festival comprises of a who’s who of Sideshow expertise including The Space Cowboy, The Lizardman, Shep Huntly, The Dark Party, The Syndicate, Aerial Manx, and The League of Sideshow Superstars (featuring The Lizardman, Lilikoi Kaos, The Space Cowboy and Shep Huntly).

The Space Cowboy who is Australia’s most prolific world record holder, currently holds 33 world records. Performing since the age of 8 there is nothing this sideshow superstar cannot do. The Lizardman, is true Sideshow royalty. Hailing from Texas USA he will make a guest appearance in the Opening Night Cabaret on Thursday 23rd of May and also be one of the featured performers in Friday night’s headline acts The League Of Sideshow Superstars.

The Lizardman with his heavily tattooed body and other modifications to give himself a reptilian appearance, has been changing his appearance and performing with sideshows all over the world since the early 90s. The subject of hundreds of TV appearances, thousands of magazine articles and literally millions of YouTube hits, there is a statue of him at every Ripley’s Believe it or Not museums in the world.

The festival will also feature established and up and coming Australian artists from Melbourne and interstate including The Dark Party, who are 3 hobo clowns performing a deranged and surreal world of dark sophisticated comedic clowning at its very best. The show has been seen at The Sydney Opera House, Vic Arts Centre, Famous Speigeltent and was featured at The National Theatre of London.

The Syndicate, is Australia’s newest sideshow sensation featuring two of the hottest women in

Lizardman His green skin, split tongue and general Lizard-physique are iconic, but do you really know much about the story behind what he does? We had a chat to Erik Sprague, aka Lizardman, ahead of his performance at the World Sideshow Festival in Ballarat.

Hi Lizardman, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?

I’m well and I’m just putting the finishing touches on everything before I fly out for Bergen, Norway. I’ll be performing there and then Copenhagen the next week before I make my way to Ballarat for the World Sideshow Festival A lot of people wouldn’t know but you actually studied philosophy of language and your transformation was for a body based art piece project. Has it been interesting for you seeing people’s reactions to your transformation?

It’s been very interesting and educational. There’s an old saying in tattooing that goes, ‘I can tell more about you from how you react to my tattoos than you can tell about me from my tattoos’. I’ve found that to be absolutely true. By reading someone’s reaction to seeing me I get a pretty good sense about them but all they know about me is that I’m green.

Did you find that as you were undergoing the transformation that your personality changed at all due to your appearance?

I always kind of thought of it as making my appearance a better match for my personality, so I don’t think it really changed me but it certainly did reinforce certain aspects.

And are you still modifying your appearance currently? What’s the most recent thing you’ve had done?

I’m at a stage now where I’m most focused on getting my tattoo finished – I schedule sessions whenever I can during time off from the road. My last session was several hours on my ribs and armpits, not very pleasant.

With all the procedures that you’ve had done, does it get easier with each one?

I think I’ve gotten better at preparing myself and then handling the healing process, but I wouldn’t say it has gotten any easier – it still hurts, every time.

I read that you’ve taken a break on lifting/pulling with your piercings, but you’re working towards doing it again. Are you far off doing those stunts?

I set a world record last year for lifting and spinning 16 kilograms with my earlobes. In

sideshow and two of the freakiest men, this show brings potent, mesmerizing imagery and edgy, stunt-driven physical theatre.

There is only one solo performance at this year’s festival. The one man show is called Not Dead Yet and it is the autobiographical journey of a remarkable individual. Aerial Manx is the first and only man in the world to combine sword swallowing and acrobatics... Yes you read it right. He swallows a sword and performs acrobatics, this is the story of one mans journey from childhood blackbelt martial artist through the circus arts and into the world of the sideshow.

The League of Sideshow Superstars is a collection of the superstars of sideshow. The Lizardman will be joined on stage by Lilikoi Kaos, a second generation circus girl, currently starring with Circus Oz, she has been given one night off to runaway with the sideshow. The Space Cowboy also appears, and the cast is completed by Shep Huntly, founder of the Sideshow Superstars, World Sideshow Festival producer and the voice of Australian Sideshow, also known as “ the man with the iron skin”.

All the performances of The World Sideshow Festival have been hand selected because they are responsible for the rebirth of New Sideshow and an element of surprise, fun, shock and awe is guaranteed at this must-see event to be held in the picturesque township of Ballarat from 21st to the 23rd of May at the historically significant building of The Mechanics Institute at 117 Sturt Street.

A very limited allocation of tickets are available via www. worldsideshowfestival.com which punters are encouraged to snap up quickly to avoid disappointment.

For more information go to www. worldsideshowfestival.com. preparation for that I was actually doing a lot more weight as I wanted to be able to beat any number they set for me when I got there. That put a lot of strain on my earlobes so I gave them a rest for a few months with only light or rare lifts and now I am working back up to record strength again – which is really more about endurance than weight.

I can lift just as much weight now but it’s very hard and I can only do it once or twice a day but after another month or so I should be able to do it easily several times.

It’s interesting that you chose to be a human Lizard and yet you have 11 ferrets, what do you love about the furry creatures?

My wife and I have five ferrets, though we’ve had a total of eleven over the years but never more than five at once. She had two when we moved in together and I just fell in love with them too. They are fun and interesting pets and I like fun and interesting things.

Do they ever make an appearance in your performances?

I’ve suggested it before, maybe something along the lines of Harry Anderson’s classic ferret trick, but Meghan doesn’t think any of our ferrets would like life on the road.

You’ll be coming down for the World Sideshow Festival in Ballarat soon, do you think it’s important to recognise the Sideshow performers on a large scale?

I think that anyone who devotes themselves the way that sideshow performers have to in order to learn the craft and make a living doing it deserves recognition. Sideshow continues to grow every year and it’s important to set precedents, establish the history, and recognise the people making it happen.

Thanks again for chatting with us, is there anything you’d like to add before we finish up?

Nothing left to say but make sure to get your tickets for the festival!

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Bass Player Wanted Experienced Bass player required for established working covers band: think Blondie, Free, Cream, SRV, CCR, Fleetwood Mac, Garry Moore and popular ‘60s/on wood bands.Own gear and transport a must. rehearsals at Ocean Grove.Call Ray on 0418512975 for more info.

Forte’s Top Festival Picks 5. Aerial Manx: He first started

out eating fire in nightclubs across Melbourne at 18 years old and by 22 years old, he was redefining extreme sword swallowing as he performed the world’s first handstand sword swallow. Wow. 4. Captain Ruin: With a

background in physical theatre, circus and sideshow and a serious knack for telling stories, Captain Ruin is a pleasure to witness.

He’s even been heralded by John Safran as “Australia’s Harry Houdini”.

3. The Syndicate: Lead by

Captain Ruin and Bam Bam featuring Samora Squid, the

trio sent shockwaves for their performance at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. All three are weird and wonderful and worth your time!

2. Tigerlil: You can’t attend a

sideshow festival without seeing Tigerlil. Arguably the first lady of Australian sideshow she was a core member in Australia’s first modern freakshow. She’s been imitated by many but nothing beats the real thing.

1. The Lizardman: He’s known

around the world for his unique appearance and that’s reason enough for us. His transformation took over 700 hours of tattooing and multiple surgeries. You can read more about him below.

Singer wanted for original band doing a mix of retro styles - soul, funk, latin rock, gospel, R&B, groove based stuff.

Over an album's worth of material already written, studio recordings, gigs etc.

Looking for the right voice so drop us a line and we'll take it from there! ben@ bellemusique.com.au Experienced 22 y/o singer, songwriter, guitarist looking for a drummer, bassist and lead guitarist to start up an original rock band based in Geelong. Inf luences: QOTSA, Sublime & Dave Grohl. Contact Tom at: 0487067083

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE! CALL LUKE ON 0422 809 042

When&Where: Mechanics Institute, Ballarat – May 21-23

forte 33

Dan Parsons

Steve Grady

Dan Parsons & Steve Grady Q&A

It’s time we introduced you to the terrible two-some touring our shores, well they’re not so terrible actually, they’re quite wonderful. Both masters of their genre we had a quick chat to the musicians about pairing up on tour and how they get along.

Hi Dan, thanks for chatting to us, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?

DAN: Hello! I am actually feeling pretty good, a little bit hungover... Just got in the clear of a lingering throat thing. Garlic is the answer! I’m in a Hostel in Canberra, it’s freezing.

We had a cool show at The Front Gallery last night as a part of our Autumn 2015 Tour and now we’ve got a couple of days off.

In 2012 you actually taught yourself the recording process, was that a tricky thing to master?

D: Yes, it was.

34 forte

Technically, it is very difficult, but once you get some results and become familiar with the process, the hardest thing actually becomes the time sharing between the creative and analytical sides of your brain. ‘Does this guitar part work’? vs ‘How do I make it sound great’? Is the constant conversation.

Are you glad you spent the time doing it, so that now you can ensure an even more hands on approach to your releases?

D: Absolutely, for an independent artist I feel it is essential to know how to record yourself semiprofessionally. Money

is often an obstacle and if you can eliminate just one aspect of the many financial demands it’s a liberating feeling.

So you’re on your east coast tour with Steve Grady this month, how would you describe Steve in three words?

D: Indelible, frugal and comical And how did you two first come across each other?

D: We met at QUT in Brisbane doing a music course. We just seemed to share the same musical instincts, and initially we really taught each other a fair bit – we still do,

When&Where: The Workers Club, Melbourne – May 21 & Babushka Bar, Ballarat – May 22

of course but back then we were pretty green.

Steve didn’t know much about folk or country music and I knew little about pop music.

What sort of difference does touring with Steve make to your performances/demeanour?

D: It seems to spur on a healthy competitiveness – which only ever makes the music better in my opinion. We get up and play together at the end of each other’s sets, people seem to dig it.

I read that ‘I’ll Live and I’ll Die’ is less autobiographical than your past tracks, does

that then make it easier to perform live?

D: It does lend a certain emotional freedom, in which I can almost get more emotional.

Because I’ve created the characters I can allow myself to get inside it without feeling too exposed or self-conscious.

You’ve spoke of the move from Brissie to Melb as a challenging one, are you glad you took the risk?

D: Definitely! I miss Brisbane for a lot of reasons, but the Melbourne music scene has been really good to me so far. I didn’t really mean to move, it just so

happened I tumbled down there with my girlfriend – who was the one who really wanted to go.

Thanks again for the chat, any last words of wisdom you’d like to share?

D: Keep an eye out for my new album coming out in August!

Hey Steve, thanks for chatting to Forte, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?

Steve: Slightly hungover, we just woke up at the YHA in Canberra after playing a show at The Front Gallery last night.

Great little cafe/venue I saw a few days ago

you shared a picture of a little ‘cottage by the sea’, are you someone who really takes joy in the little things in life?

S: As a musician living on the road, you do tend to take joy out of the little things. It’s the little things which provide most of our inspiration for songs and art. Plus the ‘cottage by the sea’ just looked cool!

Congratulations on the EP launch last week as well, is it nice to officially have it out into the world?

S: Anyone who has made an album/EP would know the relief and feeling you have once you finally put it out. A lot of work and mental stamina goes into making an actual music product. I’m happy it’s out of my hands now.

You’ve partnered up with Dan Parsons again for the tour for it, what was the idea behind getting back together?

S: I don’t know many other singer songwriters who are willing to tour.

Most of them have full time jobs. But really, Dan and I have been good mates for a long time and we both love playing music together. It’s like he “finishes my sentences” in a musical sort of way...

And you toured together back in 2011, did you learn a lot about each other over that time?

Any annoying habits we should know of ?

S: Well Dan has a notoriously short attention span, so that makes it difficult :) Plus he eats a lot. We’re having a competition this time of ‘who can put on the most amount of weight

on tour’ – he’s winning.

How would you describe Dan in three words?

S: Ineffable, indescribable and mystical.

Kasey Chambers has often mentioned you as one of her favourite Australian artists, and she even covered your track ‘She Waits ‘Till I’m Asleep’, what did you think of her version of the track?

S: I love it. First of all it’s crazy to hear Kasey sing one of your own songs. But that song was obviously written about a girl, so it was cool to hear a woman sing it.

I never play it but it’s one of my favourites.

You’re quite known as well for your organic approach to music, having played over 300 gigs, do you really enjoy the process of getting to see people faceto-face and hearing what they say about your music?

S: I just figure if you’re a singer-songwriter you should be working, aka “gigging”. I enjoy the approach, and touring is a great way to meet new people, collect stories, make fans and a great way to see Australia. Dan and I make a habit of if we see a sign while we’re driving which looks cool, we’ll go and see it. Yesterday we checked out the Bradman Museum in Bowral. Such a beautiful looking town.

Thanks again for chatting with us, is there anything else you’d like to add before we finish up?

S: Drink lots of water and watch our clip about the health benefits of eating garlic on my Facebook page.

The Sporting Globe Written by Amanda Sherring

It was five and a half years ago when James Sinclair and Brad Harris first opened The Sporting Globe and what would soon become a wellknown and loved brand across Geelong and Melbourne.

Where: 175 Ryrie Street, Geelong When: Mon-Wed 11.30am-10.30pm; ThuSat 11.30am-1am; Sun 11.30am-10.30pm Website: www.sportingglobe.com.au

“Thinking back to those early days when we bought the first venue it was really head down bum up. It had been a failed business so we were really working hard to build some customer loyalty and have people trust in our brand as a place to dine,” James says.

“Initially we were just hoping we could deliver on that and make that venue really good. It wasn’t until we were about a year in that we came up for air and thought, ‘Wow, the business is actually doing really well’.”

The Geelong venue was recently closed for renovations – much to the dismay of regulars – and opened again in March with a fresh new look and streamlined processing.

“Since it’s reopened it’s been trading really strongly.

I think the changes we’ve made, particularly in the kitchen and with cooking times are much better – which is fantastic and that was a big part of our renovation to improve and streamline our kitchen design,” he says.

“The booths have always been highly in demand for our product and now there are more booths and our proprietary booth TV screen technology –

which is touch screen sports entertainment at your fingertips with the ability to split to up to four screens and watch different content on each of those.”

Over the years, and with their growing business expertise, each renovation has become better than the last. This time around the TV additions – which were inspired from those they saw at the MGM Grand Hotel – red leather booths and various sport related prints and murals have created a unique sports venue suitable for friends, family and a good time.

“It’s been an evolution of different renovations that each time we do one we’re getting better at it and the product is improving. If we had the money five and a half years ago I don’t think we would have been able to deliver the same product just from that knowledge,” James says.

A feature in the beer garden is the large wall mural of Cadel Evans painted by artist Sabine Kahwati. “We’re really proud with the Cadel Evans mural we had hand painted by Sabine in the beer garden – which was a concept that came from

our marketing guys,” he says.

“The job she did down there was better than I ever expected so I’m really delighted with it. My life is made easier with all of the team to effectively agree and I just sign off on it all at the end.”

Having a nice looking venue certainly draws a crowd, but what keeps it is your attention to each customer that sets foot within the venue – a factor James is well aware of.

“Number one first and foremost is always about the customer. You can have the fanciest screens and technology in the world, but if our service isn’t A1 then and we’re not focused on our customer needs and the food quality isn’t exceptional then unfortunately your fit out isn’t enough,” he says.

Also a fan of football, chances are you’ll see James at the venue enjoying in some of the classic Australian and American dishes while watching the game on his private TV at the booth.

With various parmis, burgers and main meals, there’s plenty to head to the Sporting Globe for – whether you’re a sports fan or not.

forte 35

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Forte Columns

PULP Written by Alastair McGibbon

too heavy to hug Written by Paul S Taylor

If all goes to plan, by the time you’re reading this I’ll be getting prepared to see Nickelback! Live!

Before you groan and turn the page hear me out. Actually, if you are groaning or making wisecracks then you’re a sheep, a simple minded fool who has been told by people who you perceive are cooler than yourself, sheep people all the same, that Nickelback suck and that Nickelback are for simple minded fools. Herein lies the irony, you’re claiming, like all the other sheep in your flock that Nickelback are shit when in fact being a sheep is more shit than liking a band.

It’s cool to hate, according to The Offspring (the band, not the show you silly sheep) and you and your flock think you’re so cool because you can scoff at a band and look down on someone for liking a band.

We all do it but it’s way too easy to think someone is lower than yourself based on being a Nickelback appreciator. What’s so good about them? I hear you think-ask to yourself. So, while you’re trying to be all hip with your e-cigarette, beard and fixie and ironic in an un-ironic ironic way, let me say this.

Nickelback don’t give a shit what you think. They’re wiping their arses with one hundred dollar notes and you’re wiping your arse with a paper.

Then when you’re done with it you put it in the trash bin next to your toilet, because you went to Thailand and saw that done and thought it was better for the environment so you then compost it. Nickelback are touring the world and don’t have to hang around similar travelling arseholes to make their trip viable.

Chad Kroeger gets to go to bed with Avril Lavigne every night, yet you’re worried your next night out at a bar won’t warrant any rewards because you’re nowhere near as good looking as Chad. Nickelback have more silent fans than loud detractors and you going to a dive of a pub to see a folkrock band so obscure their parents don’t even know they’re in a band doesn’t make said band any better.

No, it actually makes them worse.

Put that in your e-cigarette and puff it as you ride down your hip street listening to Bob Marley on your iPhone 6.

In Other News King Parrott will release their new album Dead Set on Friday May 15.

Voyager will play The Evelyn on Friday May 29.

Karnivool will play The Wool Exchange on Saturday 16 May. Voyager will play The Evelyn on Friday May 29.

Decimatus and Envenomed will play the Barwon Club on June 5.

The Black Dahlia Murder will play three shows at the Northcote Social Club, one on Saturday June 20, an all ages show on the arvo of Sunday June 21 and 18+ evening show on Sunday June 21.

Machine Head will play 170 Russell on Tuesday June 23.

Baptiss will release their new album Biomass on Friday June 26.

The band will also play Melbourne’s Howler on Friday July 17 and The Eastern in Ballarat on Saturday August 1.

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 38 forte

blues news Written by John (Dr John) Lamp Proudly pesented by The Sleepy Hollow Blues Club

If you’ve hung out at the Chook Shop, then you know The Hornets; If you’ve hung out on the Blues Train, you know The Hornets, and if you don’t know The Hornets as a group, then you’ll almost certainly know their members.

The band sounds like a roll call of who’s who of the Australia’s blues and roots music scene from the past four decades.

Craig Horne is their lead vocalist, acoustic guitarist and songwriter.

He’s also an accomplished novelist! Guitarists Jeff Burstin and Wayne Burt have both played with the Black Sorrows, Wayne also played in Daddy Cool with bassist Wayne Duncan. Drummer Chris Tabone played with Chris Wilson’s Spidermen and the Bad Loves. Bruce Haymes has played keys with Renee Geyer, Russel Morris and Paul Kelly, but locally he’s also played regularly with Jeff Raglus in Victoriana Gaye and The Beachniks!

So by now, you should be getting the idea that with such talented individuals, putting them together should be amazing, and that’s exactly why The Age and others have called them the best!

The band has become a regular fixture on Australia’s blues and roots music scene for nine years.

They have released four CDs, to rave reviews and have gained a regular following of devoted fans as a result of their many incendiary live performances.

Blues music has always been a vehicle for giving vent to the pain and frustration of life, and The Hornets are plugged into that.

‘Climate change’ is the theme of The Hornets 6th album Dangerous Dancing… a blues first. The CD was given a four star rating by Garry Williams in the Herald Sun, July 13 and praised as … earthy blues played by a pedigree of outstanding musicians by Warwick McFadyen in The Age, June 20 “When Robert Johnson wrote about squeezing his lemon until the juice ran down his leg, he wasn’t talking about fruit,” said Hornets singer songwriter Craig Horne.

“The songs from our latest CD are also analogies –not for illicit sex- but climate change. This may just be the first blues album dealing with this deadly issue.”

The theme and title of the album refers to the dangerous dance of climate denial by politicians and sections of business; a dramatic topic played with a relentlessly good-time feel by a band made up of Australian rock and roll royalty.

“This show can be viewed as a call to action, or simply enjoyed as a ground breaking, entertaining and, at times amusing, night to remember,” says Horne.

Incidentally, check the cover of Dangerous Dancing it’s our own Chook Shop getting right into the groove.

The Hornets played at Pistol Pete’s last Saturday, but you haven’t missed them.

They will be playing again at Sleepy Hollow Blues Club May 24th, Maldon Blues Club June 7th and will be back at the Piping Hot Chicken Shop in August.

I can’t wait till August – see you Sunday week at Sleepy Hollow!

Time travel is a tricky subject.

Sometimes it works, and other times it’s just plain confusing. My first encounter with this most wibbly-wobbly of concepts was when I first watched the classic Back to the Future series years ago (1.21 GIGAWATTS!), and while that was relatively straightforward in its approach, other series haven’t been as willing to use time travel in a way that’s not out-andout confusing. Take Doctor Who, for example. Previously, it treated time travel as simply a plot device for moving the setting around – one week the Doctor and co would be in ancient Rome, and the next they’d be on some hightech space station playing a deadly game of ‘The Weakest Link’.

In more recent years, however, “paradox” seems to be the word of the moment, and there’s been time loops and universe resets and a whole bunch of other rather tricky concepts. While they’re less palatable to those who prefer their stories more straightforward (i.e. me), the fact is that that’s what time travel is really like – it’s complicated. You generally end up with a sore head and if you do something stupid you’re likely to destroy the space-time continuum – or, at least, mess up something pretty damn important.

That’s more or less what happens in this week’s comic – The Accelerators vol. 1, written by R.F.I Porto and drawn by Gavin P. Smith. The Accelerators follows the story of Spatz, a teenager from the ‘90s who is drawn into a decades-spanning struggle between two time travellers – Alexa, the last survivor of a 1960s research team studying time travel, and Bertram, a soldier desperate to wipe out any trace of her research. Oh, and he’s Alexa’s husband. Yup, there’s some marital issues there. Spatz tries to intervene in their struggle and is inadvertently dragged into the future. There’s just one catch – the donut-like Accelerator devices can only jump forwards, so there’s no going back. The unlikely trio are eventually trapped in a Hunger

PUNK! Written by Christopher Cruz

Friday May 15 sees Sydneysiders Hostile Objects annihilate The Public Bar in Melbourne in support of their brand new 7” Cave In. If you dig Aussie hardcore, you cannot afford to miss this. And grab yourself a T-shirt while you’re at it, because they look frickin’ AMAZING! F*ck You We Rule OK! may be a weird name for a music festival, even for a PUNK ROCK festival – as it’s more of a slogan than a name! But the line up is certainly nothing to laugh about! If you can get your butt all the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the 3rd, 4th and 5th of July, you’ll get to witness one of the handful of Cheap Sex reunion shows, as well as sets by the Lower Class Brats, the Casualties, Brutal Dildos, Monster Squad, Complete Control, Virus, The Agrestix, Special Duties and heaps, heaps more!

If you’re part of the Aussie contingent heading over to the US for the Punk Rock Bowling shows, you’re in for a treat! Bad Manners have pulled out, but they’ve been replaced by none other than Agnostic Front. I shit you not.

Am I jealous? No. Not at all. Sniff.

Okay, so who saw Millencolin guest program Rage the other week? They played sooo many awesome videos (never would’ve picked ‘em for fans of Suicidal Tendencies, but

Games-style gladiatorial match, with its contestants drawn from across the ages; Nazis battle cavemen, and Spanish Conquistadors take on British Redcoat soldiers. Bertram and Spatz must try to find a way out of the arena before they’re brought down by its bloodthirsty contestants, and rescue Alexa – missing since a time jump gone wrong.

The Accelerators is a fantastic, fresh take on sci-fi and time travel in general. Spatz’ ‘90s humour and general demeanour, matched with Bertram’s strong-and-silent personality makes for a real buddy-cop feel and makes the comic that much more enjoyable.

Porto’s writing has a slow-burn pay off – once the initial introductions are made, the storyline develops more and more as the central characters keep working towards their goal – and the revelation that the future version of one of the characters is manipulating events is particularly well-planned and foreshadowed. On top of having really disgusting hair, he’s also developed a rather twisted and manipulative personality – so seeing him develop into this evil future self will no doubt be particularly interesting.

Smith’s art perfectly complements the story – the dystopic future is appropriately dark, dingy and bloody, while the “time donuts” themselves stand out perfectly no matter what scene they’re in. I couldn’t get this far without mentioning the sheer delight that is seeing time-displaced warriors taking on a very pissed-off T-Rex – and yes, it does have a suitably bloody ending. It might be a little bit tricky to get a hold of, but I definitely recommend picking up The Accelerators when you can – I have a feeling this one is going to be big. hey), but also showed another side of themselves by picking some of the most random garbage imaginable.

One of the radder clips on offer was Blue Cheers’ rendition of ‘Summertime Blues’. Soooo effing metal for its late ‘60s time frame, especially the drumming. Yowsa!

The 2015 Billboard Awards are on Foxtel this Monday May 18. What are the chances we see some punk, metal or hardcore bands take the stage?

Slim to none. And no, 5 Seconds of Summer don’t count, no matter HOW much Kerrang! magazine hypes them up. I mean, this is a magazine that covered the likes of Metro Station and Simple Plan back in the day...

Could Fat Wreck stalwarts Good Riddance be out here on tour later this year?

Speaking of Fat Wreck Chords; can you believe the label turns 25 this year? Aye carumba! They’ve brought us records from the biggest punk rock bands in the biz, including No Use For A Name, Strung Out, MxPx, Swingin’ Utters, NOFX, the Ataris, Frenzal Rhomb, Lagwagon and Wizo. God Wizo were awesome!

Local nutso funboys Lizard Punch have dropped their new album, Cantaloupe Sucks. If you dig the likes of Regurgitator and Frenzal Rhomb, check it out!

So, Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba is hoping his stint filling in for Tom DeLonge in Blink 182 becomes permanent... Very interesting! I’d certainly like to see this line up live, but with Travis playing drums, they won’t be out here any time soon, I’m guessing! Which kinda sucks, because back in the day, you couldn’t KEEP them outta the country. Oh well.

More next time, kids!

pop culture

THE NIGHT VIBE

Written by Anthony Morris

Written by Tex Miller thenightvibe.com.au

By the time you read this (unless you’re reading this really early), Mad Max: Fury Road will finally be in cinemas. And it’s not just ‘finally’ – because the (awesome) trailers have been hyping it up for close to a year now – a long awaited fourth Mad Max film has been on the drawing board literally since the late ‘90s (the film was basically planned out as a series of detailed storyboards by UK comic book artist Brendan McCarthy so it would work visually first and foremost).

Bumped back numerous times for reasons ranging from funding to 9/11 to Mel Gibson aging out of the role to the Australian outback getting rained on and losing that barren and desolate look so important to the franchise, it’s been the kind of delay that can often build expectations to a point where they can’t be met. That’d be a shame here as much of the charm of the Mad Max franchise has been its (relatively) straightforward nature rather than the overblown hype increasingly used to drive audiences to blockbusters. I hope you like Star Wars as you’re going to be hearing about it non-stop from now until Christmas.

By all accounts Mad Max: Fury Road sticks extremely close to the formula established by the second and third films – it’s the future, the world’s a wasteland, Max is cruising around being haunted by his dead family when the local mutants grab him, and then the rest of the film (around 90 minutes worth going by the rumours) is basically one big insane chase scene. Director George Miller has always been a guy who knows how to modulate big action sequences – no “and then they punch each other in the face for ten minutes” for him – so presumably the action will ebb and flow. No doubt there’ll be various smaller stories taking place in the midst of the chase too (there’s already been reports about the feminist angle taken with the white-clad “wives”, the characters that everyone is chasing after), but still, the previous Max movies have worked best when they’ve kept things simple. With reports of an extremely stripped-back script (supposedly Tom Hardy’s Max barely says 100 words across the entire film) it sounds like all involved have taken that message to heart. And maybe despite the long delays the time is right for Max to return: comic book movies are currently the hottest thing at the cinemas, with rival studios Disney (Marvel) and Warners (DC) each planning two or three films featuring their characters each year for the foreseeable future. And Max is a comic book movie too in style if not source material – only he’s out of the punk UK tradition exemplified by classic comic anthology 2000AD (home of Judge Dredd, amongst many others) where action and violence was – and still is – valued over the talky soap opera antics of the US comic scene.

Comics have never been just about superheroes talking about their problems: hopefully Fury Road will remind audiences that actions speak louder than words.

Without a doubt one of the most exciting tours of the year was released the other day.

We already know that Fleetwood Mac are coming out to play at the end of November for the Day on the Green concert series, however, if you were paying attention to the local music scene over the last week, you will have heard that the Tiny Dancer himself (Mr ‘Bennie and the Jets’ Reg Dwight aka. Elton John) is coming to town. Furthermore, he is coming down to Geelong to play and I think it’s fair enough to say that this music journalist is excited.

Although I am an up and coming blues music player, the influence of Mr John on my music is quite significant. I know that I have probably prattled on about growing up in a house of singer-songwriters, however if you’re a musician, you will know exactly what I’m talking about and just how important it is to your development both as a musician and songwriter.

My first encounter with Elton was funnily enough just by accident. I was about eight years old, and I was looking for a Black Keys CD or something a bit bluesy when I discovered a copy of Madman Across The Water on top of all the boxes. It’s quite funny how naïve I was at that time, because I didn’t realise how important this album was to music. Released in 1971 (the second album that John had brought out that year after Tumbleweed Connection) the album was most noted for its opening track ‘Tiny Dancer’. Clocking in at 6 minutes and 19 seconds – this was in the days whereby radio stations were a bit iffy to play tracks of that length – it was deemed in the same space as the devil and hence radio edits were introduced for tracks of a certain length such as ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and later ‘Money for Nothing’ by Dire Straits.

From the very first moment that I put on Madman Across the Water I was transfixed by the melodies of Tiny Dancer. Lyrically, the song is genius and it is one of my all time favourites both cause of Bernie Taupin (John’s writing partner) and the incredible band that are playing on that album.

Yes of course I’d heard ‘Crocodile Rock’ and ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ before, however, up until this point I wasn’t aware of the genius of Elton John. The next encounter was when I was about 15 and decided to borrow a video from the store (back in those days!) and on a whim picked up this film Almost Famous. It was at the start of my journalism career and I guess I was a little bit impressionable, but man oh man, that soundtrack! From Simon and Garfunkel to Led Zeppelin and the Bus Scene, that movie has everything.

After watching it, I delved into John’s back-catalogue and discovered Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and songs such as ‘Your Song’ and ‘Bennie and the Jets’.

It has to be said that not everyone likes Elton John and that’s cool, everyone is entitled to their opinions, however the evolution of his music from 1969’s Empty Sky to 2013’s The Diving Board has to at least be appreciated. I never really thought that I would get the opportunity to see such a musical legend play in my backyard. Branded as a ‘All The Hits’ tour, John is – without the pun intended – going to be playing all your favourites. From looking at his recent headline spot at Jazzfest in New Orleans that also boasted a line up of Ed Sheeran, The Who and Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, it’s impossible to be disappointed at what John is going to play. Starting off with ‘Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding’, according to all reviews from just hitting one night on the piano, all the hits are instantly recognisable.

It may be seven months away but that’s okay, if you’ve got tickets it’s definitely going to be one of the concerts of the year. Let’s be honest Forte readers, when is Sir Elton likely to be playing in your backyard again? Even if it’s just to hear ‘Tiny Dancer’ live, this concert is set to be amazing. Fanboy moment over!

forte 39

Refining the Palette

Anh Do

Good Beer, Good Times Maybe you haven’t heard, but Good Beer Week is upon us. Ones to get involved in the celebrations, Blackman’s Brewery in Torquay will be hosting a special event to celebrate the week. Partnering up with Camden Town Brewery (all the way from London), they’ve pieced together a beer degustation of sorts. There’ll be five craft lagers expertly paired with a five course Asian degustation.

Tickets are $75 each – and selling quick – so get to www. goodbeerweek. com.au for yours.

Written by Tex Miller

Anh Do is about to embark on a regional tour of Australia with his highly acclaimed stand-up show, The Happiest Refugee. However, if you have read his 2010 novel about his family’s journey to Australia, you will know that it was far from a happy one.

After being attacked by pirates and having his life in jeopardy, Anh has gone on to become a household name within the comedy circuit.

“My uncle and my father fought amongst Aussie soldiers in the war, and so after the war my uncle’s life was in danger and we had to flee Vietnam. 40 of us get on a nine metre fishing boat and we were crammed in like sardines. The thing is, when you leave your country, you sell everything you own and you buy the international currency. On the fourth day of our voyage we got attacked by pirates who were after all the personal belongings of people on the boat. One of the pirates ripped one of the nappies of one of the babies and a sliver of gold fell out. He thought we were hiding it, and so he dangled the baby overboard and threatened to throw him in the ocean,” Anh says.

“It was quite a harrowing experience, nine pirates, 30 refugees and a kid dangling over the ocean. The pirate spared the kids life, which is lucky cause that kid was my brother, Khoa, who is a film director now. Khoa was the young Australian of the year in 2005, so mum’s got a son that was an Australian of the year, and another that does all the silly stuff on the side.”

The success of the stage show has been incredibly positive, with critics and audiences alike saying that the show made them both laugh and cry due to Do’s life experiences. Having presented travel shows on Channel 7 with specials on Vietnam, Britian, Scandinavia and Iceland, to name just a few, talking about the new series on Italy, he was quick to learn from a local about how to cook the best barbecued chicken.

“I love doing those TV shows – it’s a dream

come true. Channel 7 send me around the world and I get to meet all these amazing and interesting people. I went to this beach that was next to this active volcano, the guy showing me around digs a hole a metre into the ground with a shovel and it’s nearly 100 degrees down there. He drops a chicken wrapped in tinfoil down there and covers it with sand. We came back after an hour of sight seeing to perfectly barbecued chicken. Beautifully cooked and we just took it out of the sand and ate it. It’s all you need for perfect chicken every time, a volcano and a really hot beach,” he adds with a laugh.

Talking about the success of his career, the simple things in life such as being recognised in the street offer the best material for Do’s stand up show. “ This lady approached me in the street the other day and said, ‘It’s you! You are my son’s favourite person in the whole world, can he have your autograph?’ So I’m signing this autograph for this little 4-year-old, and the mother says, ‘You’re Jeff From the Wiggles!’

I didn’t want to let him down, so I ripped off the bit that said Anh Do and signed it Jeff Wiggle. Is it bad that I gave him a fraudulent Jeff Wiggle autograph? If that ends up on Ebay that kid is going to get arrested and it’s going to be my fault,” Do laughs.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Anh’s stories, so be sure to head along to his Geelong and Warrnambool shows for a great night of laughs and tales from a true Australian comedy legend.

Under the Rotunda In a first for GPAC, the New Zealand Dance Company and Geelong West Brass Band will share the same space in a new work that brings to life the world of the band rotunda as an iconic symbol of community. It’s a show of beautiful contrasts with the strength from the brass instruments and the fluidity of the dancers combining to tell the tale. The show runs from May 21 – 23 at the Geelong Performing Arts Centre.

[Photo by John McDermott]

BUYMARR

When & Where: The Palms at Crown, Melbourne – May 28 & 29, Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool – May 30, GPAC, Geelong – May 31 & Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo – June 25

GPAC’s 2015 Deakin University Theatre Season presents

GPAC’s 2015 Deakin University Theatre Season presents

Thursday 21st - Friday 22nd May, 8:00pm Saturday 23rd May, 1:00pm The Playhouse

Wednesday 27th May, 7:30pm | Thursday 28th - Friday 29th, 7:00pm Saturday 30th May, 1:00pm & 7:00pm The Playhouse

Rotunda

40 forte

Storm Boy

After retiring from AFL in 2012 after stints with Geelong and the Western Bulldogs, Nathan Djerrkura has returned to Geelong as the Artist in Residence at Courthouse Youth Arts.

Nathan will have his first exhibition BUYMARR at the gallery which explores his passion for the arts and shares his rich indigenous cultural heritage which can be traced back to the Yolngu people. Opening night is May 27 at 6-8pm and the exhibition will run until June 9.

Refining the Palette

23 Times a Charm The 23rd annual Buninyong Film Festival will run again this year showing some of the finest films from around Australia and the world. The festival will take place at the Buninyong Town Hall from May 22 – 23. Visit buninyong.vic.au for the full program.

A Million Paws for a Good Cause Have you got a cute pooch that needs walking? Are you someone who stands against animal cruelty? Then make sure you head along to the RSPCA Million Paws walk this Sunday (May 17) to walk for the fight against animal cruelty in the biggest dog event in Australia. You can register online (http://www.millionpawswalk.com.au/) or on the day. The walk will take place Ballarat, Bendigo, Castlemaine, Geelong and Warrnambool, be sure to visit the site to see where you need to get you and your furry friend to.

The Boom Gallery Escape

Bearded Bros

Written by Amanda Sherring Photos by James Raimondo

After struggling with his weight and generally being stuck in a rut, it was a lifestyle change and a new outlook on life that lead Nik Pfarrer to a healthier existence – one aided by his product Bearded Bros.

“I’d always stopped and started things. I’d do something for a week and get side-tracked and then not do anything.

But for some reason my training and not being lazy with food just stuck this time around,” Nik says.

The change was spurred on by partner Calista and a new addition to the family, and since things took the turn for the better, they’ve worked beside each other in their new venture.

Essentially Bearded Bros aims to take away the difficulty with eating right thanks to a range of healthy products they’ve

carefully created. The Breakfast Bowls, protein bites and bars can be picked up from numerous cafes around Geelong or put together in a power pack and delivered to your door or office space.

Though it all started with a few bowls at Nik’s local gym: “When I was training at the time I ended up giving it out to people there and they were amazed how nice it tasted, how clean it was and how easy it was. So then we just started making cups and bringing them to the gym and it branched out from there,” he says.

Since hitting the

gym scene, the Breakfast Bowls have since become a regular feature at cafes and Nik and Calista are creating over 50 breakfast bowls, 50 bites and 300 bars per week.

With a market that seems to be so focused on healthy eating, Nik and Calista were determined to do it right and create a product they’d be happy to feed their kids.

“Even though you’re having something that is good for you, you want it to be a pleasant experience. You don’t want to think, ‘Well I don’t really want to buy that’,” Calista says.

As a result there were many late nights and early mornings perfecting the formula; a process Calista relishes. “I don’t enjoy cooking at all, but I enjoy the foundations of it all: being in there and working out if the flavours work, then what we can use to bring these products together,” she says.

Part of getting it

right was using local protein powder supplier Dynabolics in their recipes, that and figuring out the perfect texture, taste and balance. With over 10 stockists in Geelong Bearded Bros are quickly becoming a go-to for healthy snacks, but easily their favourite customers are closer to home.

“It’s so easy to go down that commercialised fast food road, but now we’re prepping our own juices at home and instead of grabbing chocolate biscuits the kids are grabbing the protein bars that we make and instead of grabbing soft drink they’re grabbing the juice we’ve made,” Calista says.

You can pick up Bearded Bros products at Box Office cafe, 10 sq M or Cartel Roasters Brew Bar, for a full list of stockists or to purchase online visit their website (www.beardedbros. com.au) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/ beardedbrosbreakybowls).

Boom Gallery is well known as one of the best spots to find quality art, inspiration and a perfectly made coffee – thanks to the new addition of Dirty Rascal to the venue.

Proving they’re always ones for great curating, Boom Gallery has announced their next exhibiting artists.

Philip Cordingly will use the intersection of colour, tone, lines and objects to transport the viewer into a dream space, Meredith Earls will showcase her whimsical collaged landscape and there’ll also be a return of some of the gallery’s favourites in a group show.

The exhibition will run until June 6 with the opening night festivities held on May 15 from 5.30pm.

Market on Noble

Cultural Experience

There’s something about a local market that guarantees crafty wares that you won’t find anywhere else. So Geelong locals, have we got a market for you!

Market on Noble (All Saints Hall, Newtown) will be running on Friday May 15 from 1-7pm full of one off goodies for your perusal.

Has your life been lacking the inspiration gained from art and music? Well be sure to head down to Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre on May 22 at 6.30-9pm for a night of entertainment and unique Central Australian Aboriginal art. There will be finger food and light refreshments to celebrate the gallery launch ‘A Journey Through the Desert’ as well as a cultural performance from Yirrmal & the Yolngu Boys (pictured).

www.courthouse.org.au

What’s on this month at

CHYA

A FUNNY THING

NED HAPPE AT SCHO OL

DONNIE DARKO: THE DIRECTORS CUT

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED AT SCHOOL

Arthouse Film Screening

10 week Theatre workshop

Friday 29th May 7pm P: 5224 2815

FREE

23rd April – 25th June

BUYMARR The artwork of Nathan Djerrkura, as part of Reconciliation week.

27th May – 9th June

FREE

E: reception@courthouse.org.au

forte 41

Refining the Palette

Daily Food Co. Written by Amanda Sherring

Music festivals are a place to make memories, throw yourself into things and release your inhibitions, while all of this was true for Stuart Irwin and Liz Gant, Rainbow Serpent Festival also served as the beginnings of their working relationship.

“We did Rainbow Serpent Festival together,” Liz adds with a cheeky grin to Stuart.

“That’s where it all sort of began,” Stuart adds. “It’s just non-stop from the morning until the evening. It really can be fun especially if you’ve friends there and once you’ve closed you can sort of put up your own private kitchen and have your own private party.”

“And you never know what disaster or problem solving opportunity will come up either and we’re both problem solvers so that’s probably our biggest strength. We’ve never had we couldn’t fix. We’re adrenaline junkies,” Liz says.

Both with a love of music, food and fastpaced work, the festival quickly ignited their pathway into catering.

Since then the business partners made the move to Geelong after

42 forte

working in a catering company in Melbourne for a number of years.

Their move to the region also welcomed the addition of their food van, Lola, which currently sits happily in a vacant block on Pakington Street and brings a focus on creating healthy takeaway options to the area.

There’s even the plan to create a 12-day clean eating detox for those wanting to rid their body of toxins, an idea that stemmed from frequent questions from customers.

“A lot of people kept coming off the street and asking us what they can do to make themselves feel better when they’re overloading on carbs,” Liz says.

Far from a onetrick wonder, the food truck also caters for TV productions

– with Reno Rumble and The Block shows they’ve previously catered for – engagements parties, events and the occasional festival.

“There’s a bit of a gap down here in the market for cool catering that’s a bit trendy,” Liz says.

“We’re just trying to avoid that sit-down service, our stuff you can obviously sit down and eat it as well, but it’s a bit more casual than that,” Stuart says.

Alongside their passion for catering, their love of food was always present, and both have proven to be a huge factor in their lives.

“Every party we had we always ended up in the kitchen,” Liz adds with a laugh.

“Even when we weren’t cooking we ended up sitting in the kitchen. We love a feast with friends and a feast banquet where you all get together and there’s lots of wine, beer and amazing food.”

While food is a passion, the duo are even more passionate about being able to source their ingredients locally to make it all happen, with meat from Siketa butchers and bread from Pane di Matteo.

“We’ve got main suppliers locally and we try to get as much local produce as we can. My parents have got an amazing organic vegetable patch in Point Lonsdale – it’s huge. So we actually get our really fresh produce from their gardens as well. If you see a lot of pictures on Instagram about us getting vegies from the vegie patch they’re often from there,” he says.

A local supplier they share a similar passion with are

Liz Gant

the boys from Pane di Matteo in Highton.

“They’re excited by what they do and that gets you excited too. We love dealing with people like that,” Stuart says.

Pane di Matteo shared such a passion that they stayed up late making 5cm dinner rolls to put in lunch boxes for The Block production staff the next day. A last minute decision that was successfully executed – an ode to their problem solving abilities.

“It’s amazing how sometimes we’ve had

to substitute products on the fly when we’ve had busy days, and then something really cool will come to us.

The main thing is just trying to remember it, so we jot it down…”

Stuart says.

“And chuck it in the register,” Liz adds with a laugh.

A huge part of what makes the Daily Food Co. process work, is the underlying faith both Stuart and Liz have, which stems hugely from their friendship of over 20 years.

“We’ve both got

faith in each other too, so if she wants to take care of something then bang it’s done and I don’t have to worry about it. I know she’s going to do a good job and vice versa. We’re really confident in each others abilities,” Stuart says.

You can find the Daily Food Co. at 334 Pakington St, but be sure to follow them on Instagram (@ dailyfoodco) and on Facebook (www.facebook. com/pages/Daily-FoodCo/) to keep up to date with their rotating menu and general happenings.

Stuart Irwin

Refining the Palette

FIGMENT 2015 Figment returns to Geelong this year on Saturday May 30th in Lt Malop Street and laneways and promises to be bigger and better than ever. Figment Geelong is a free interactive arts festival aimed at everybody, young and old.

People of Geelong are invited to participate in many forms of art that will be set up on the day. Everyone is asked to SHARE, CREATE and PLAY TOGETHER. Art takes endless forms at Figment and is only limited by what you can imagine.

Jessica Schwientek, Camera Obscura Where are you from and why are you a part of Figment?

I worked for nine years all over the place as a chef, including a short stint in Perth and then about two and a half years ago I gave up that career in hospitality to find my creative side. My partner encouraged me to head to Uni (in Geelong) where I realised that photography has always been my passion – in particular analogue photography – which has since taken over my life. I had attended the previous two Figment projects as a participant and last year I reached out to Miriam (Figment producer) to assist me with a Uni assignment and got to know the crew a bit better. My partner also held a project in 2014 Figment, so I thought this year I should personally get involved and use it as an opportunity to display the principles of my art.

What will you be bringing to Figment and what do you hope will happen when participants engage with your art?

My project is about going back to the beginning and exploring the process behind an artistic medium. It’s really a simple project but will hopefully enlighten and inspire people to re-think the way they take photographs. These days photography is such a taboo, it’s almost like everybody has a camera on their phone and every second person has a DSLR. To me I find it really devalues photography as an art and my project is to remind people of the importance of simple photography principles. Ideally, my project will inspire everybody who participates to go home and pull their analogue cameras out of storage and shoot some film and create art. And for people that have never used analogue to give it a go, or build a pinhole camera, bring some excitement back to the process.

How does Figment fit in with and/or stand out from Geelong’s cultural scene?

Figment is a bit different to the rest of Geelong’s cultural scene which can sometimes require you to have already made something of yourself in the arts world.

Figment is this amazing platform for ANYBODY to be an artist – all you need is an idea. The event is defined purely by the people who attend and the projects that are submitted, it puts art in the hands of the community and not limited to the wall of a gallery. You can touch the art, add to the art and more importantly play with the art.

What are you most looking forward to at this event and who would you recommend coming along?

I’m looking forward to a change of scenery for Figment this year. Being on the street in the city opens the event to more people to happen upon it by chance; which is a good thing because people may not expect to have this creative experience. I would recommend everybody to come to Figment; children, adults, grandparents – it’s designed for everybody to be able to have a meaningful experience. You don’t even need to be a creative person, just an open mind and willingness to participate.

Rachael Westbrook, Bic Lighter Wind Chime Where are you from and why are you a part of FIGMENT? I was born in Geelong and now live in Indented Head. I am a part of FIGMENT because last year some of my friends got engaged in FIGMENT. When I saw the set up I loved the idea of it and wanted to become more than just a visitor and onlooker.

What will you be bringing to FIGMENT and what do you hope will happen when participants engage with your art?

I’ll be bringing a decorative piece made from goods that would have otherwise been thrown away. The idea is to show there’s beauty in everything; don’t waste stuff.

How does FIGMENT fit in with and/or stand out from Geelong’s cultural scene?

It’s something new and exciting that seems to be growing with popularity each year it’s held.

What are you most looking forward to at this event and who would you recommend coming along?

I’m looking forward the most to seeing what all the other artists have been up to. I’d recommend anyone with a sense of fun or appreciation of art to come along.

Laura Martin, The Blind Artist Where are you from and why are you a part of FIGMENT? I have lived in Geelong my whole life and have held an interest in the arts since a young age. I discovered Figment in 2013 not long after finishing my visual arts degree.

Before this, I didn’t really know where or who the Geelong art scene was, with the exception of the Geelong Gallery and also the Geelong Fine Art Gallery where I used to do after school art classes for many years.

I wanted to get more hands on experience in the arts industry for better job prospects so I signed up to FIGMENT as a Curatorial Liaison. The last two years I have stepped up to be the Curatorial Director and this year I will submit my own project as well. I have friends and connections in Melbourne but before Figment, was not sure where to find the Geelong scene – to me Figment is about communication, networking and the friendships that come from that.

What will you be bringing to FIGMENT and what do you hope will happen when participants engage with your art?

The project I am bringing to FIGMENT is The Blind Artist. This project incorporates and highlights the way in which artists rely on their imagination – and sensors other than sight – in the creation of their artworks. The project will consist of two stations. One has a box with an object inside which the participant is invited to put their hand in to feel – they then have to draw the object on paper using only their touch and memory. The second station has a pad of paper with a box covering it – participants are invited to put their hand inside and draw from selected object or pictures they are presented which they can refer to at any stage.

This exercise emphasises how important your use of memory and motor skills are in the art making process, as well as indicating how socially aware someone is or how imaginative they are. I would hope that participants will be able to have a laugh about their creations which will hopefully remove any anxiety or self-consciousness about their artistic skills. There is a huge misconception that fine arts have to be ‘realist’ in appearance; art is interpretive, diverse and conceptual, not about how ‘real’ you can make it.

How does FIGMENT fit in with and/or stand out from Geelong’s cultural scene?

FIGMENT attempts to work with other arts organisations in Geelong in a way to unify the Geelong’s arts industry – support and networking are key. It differs in some ways to some other organisations in Geelong’s cultural scene in its ideologies of inclusiveness. Many galleries and events ask for proposals for artworks and projects with strict guidelines and boundaries – FIGMENT attempts to offer broader opportunities to anyone that has a great idea, not just artists. The event holds so many different art forms and the concept of ‘participatory’ can be interpreted in many different ways. Figment features projects such as workshops, fine art, installation, sculpture, performance art, photography, graphic arts, recycling and sustainability, printmaking, craft, storytelling and music. Such a diverse range of art held in the one place, all of which the public can participate in in some way, shape or form.

What are you most looking forward to at this event and who would you recommend coming along?

This year I’m looking forward to seeing how lively FIGMENT can become. The last two years, we have held the event in Johnson’s Park which is a beautiful place to have an event, however the park was so wide, it often felt a little sparse. This year the dynamics will have changed as we will be featured in a street in the Geelong CBD. It will be cosier and have a more vibrant energy. We also have many new artists on board this year, bringing fresh concepts and artworks. Participants will be able to interact in so many different ways – I recommend this to almost anyone. You don’t necessarily have to be creative or skilful in the arts, just curious and open minded. That’s the beauty of FIGMENT.

Spy Emerson, Hops with Cops Where are you from and why are you a part of FIGMENT? My name is Spy Emerson and I live and work in Oakland, California. Figment is a well known festival in the USA, and the opportunity to have a cultural exchange was very attractive to me – as was producer Miriam Fathalla’s fantastic enthusiasm.

What will you be bringing to FIGMENT and what do you hope will happen when participants engage with your art?

As a conceptual artist, I bring to FIGMENT an idea on which to focus, followed by the ability to created a multi layered, participatory project illustrating the original idea. Initially, I arrived in Geelong from the United States with police brutality on my mind – understandably. Instead of being critical, I wanted to find a way for civilians and police to unify on an energetic level, to cast off these bodies that separate us, and to connect for deep healing. I heard from local people that Geelong police were especially open to public outreach, so I imagined us all jumping in a bouncy castle together, and named the project ‘Hops with Cops’. Unfortunately, the police declined my invitation, saying they could not remove their weapons during times of terror. I asked the officer if there had been many threats of attacks and she declined to comment.

The ultimate goal of the proposed project was to energetically connect in times of great discourse. With that mission in mind, the project evolved into a modern day healing ceremony called ‘Pathways to Bliss’ after I visited an Indigenous art class and was deeply inspired.

In honour, and in collaboration with the students I met, we will engage people to participate in this project from the cue to the ‘Pyramid’, and walk away feeling euphoric, and filled with love.

How does Figment fit in with and/or stand out from Geelong’s cultural scene?

Being a foreigner, I don’t know much about Geelong’s cultural scene. I can tell by my experiences here so far that the culture widely varies. I am very happy to be part of it.

What are you most looking forward to at this event and who would you recommend coming along?

I am looking forward to see Little Malop street full of happy people, bright colours and creative vitality!! I will be happy to see unity among people, something we all should strive towards everyday!

Miriam Fathalla, Let us Walk Upright and In the Light Where are you from and why are you a part of Figment?

‘Where are you from?’ is a question I loathe. My American accent and 10-year residency in Geelong means I get asked it a lot – even when I respond that I’m from Geelong (it’s the place I’ve lived the longest in my life and the most recently). People rarely accept that answer.

I like to just say, ‘I put on an American accent to get attention.’ Anyway, I grew up in Oregon and Alaska, and I’m passionately proud to call Geelong my hometown.

I have led the team to produce FIGMENT Geelong for the past three years, and I have produced collaborative artwork for each event too. I am a part of FIGMENT because it’s a platform for me to explore new things in my arts practice (I’d never made an installation before) and I believe FIGMENT’s guiding principles are awesome ideals to practice and part of the imminent creative revolution of consciousness that is underway.

What will you be bringing to Figment and what do you hope will happen when participants engage with your art?

Besides wrangling the team and volunteers to produce the event and two projects (a confessional and an invitation to face fear and/or fall in love), I’m bringing a willingness to be surprised and be in awe and wonder of the strength and beauty of our community to FIGMENT. I hope that people find a rare freedom when they interact with my artworks and with FIGMENT in general. I want everyone to keep thinking, “Wow, What else don’t I know ? What else is possible?’

How does Figment fit in with and/or stand out from Geelong’s cultural scene?

FIGMENT is a part of the artistic and creative upsurge that’s happening throughout our city – people are getting braver and riskier and therefore brighter and bolder – that’s what FIGMENT is about. FIGMENT is different in that it is not curated or programmed – it is an authentic and immediate expression of the creative culture that is present in our community. At FIGMENT, the answer is always ‘yes’.

What are you most looking forward to at this event and who would you recommend coming along?

I’m most looking forward to transforming an iconic part of Geelong into a world of wonder and possibility, experiencing the other artists’ projects and being invited to other future events and projects that are led by other teams.

I’d recommend coming to FIGMENT to anyone and everyone – it’s truly life-changing. forte 43

When&Where: The Capital, Bendigo – May 15 & GPAC, Geelong – May 16.

Doug Anthony Allstars: Tim Ferguson Written by Amanda Sherring

“We’ve always had a principle where we have 100 per cent freedom and zero support. So if you go out on a limb, and the limb breaks, you better learn how to fly – I spend most of my time in free-fall,” Tim Ferguson says.

While Tim may jest of the ‘one-your-own’ atmosphere of the stage, the Doug Anthony Allstars crew have actually developed an uncanny sense to predict each others’ actions “Paul McDermott knows when I’m going to make a fool of myself and he gives me all the freedom I need. Paul Livingston can read my mind – it doesn’t take him long, just a couple of seconds and he slips to the back to see what happens,” he says.

“So our dynamic is built upon simple principles so we can walk on stage and it doesn’t matter what happens, even if the others are about to screw up we all capitalise on that.”

Screwing up is part of the game, but even in the comedic world screwing up may come at a high risk. In the past the Doug Anthony Allstars group have been banned from TV in Japan and Germany – the latter due to a skit about a Mexican Hitler – and cheating death in Scotland’s Bear Pit riot.

And while many comedians may teeter around the edges of being ‘politically correct’, there’s no limit, no line or anything of the sort stopping the group from acquiring their next laugh.

“The function of comedy – like a drama or even tragedy – is not to show fear in the face of subject matter. So if you can have a dramatic story about some social problem, then that story is no more valid than a comic one about exactly the same thing,” Tim says.

“It’s important that people laugh at the dark stuff and the scary stuff. It’s in the vital human function, so there are no ‘no-go’ areas. Even a film like Schindler’s List has jokes that are clearly written narrative jokes. The audience is supposed to laugh because laughter is one of the emotional responses that we all need to go through to deal with the crimes of the Nazis.”

“Humour is really designed to make people laugh and laughter comes from surprise, surprise and anxiety. When you put the two of those things together, chances are if you do it right, you’ll get the laughter response. In fact, ISIS don’t like jokes about ISIS, and they will kill people to stop jokes about ISIS happening – as we saw in Paris. So what’s the thing that scares them the most, is the same thing that was scaring

Tony Abbott for quite some time: ridicule.”

There’s a certain admiration in the Doug Anthony Allstars care factor level, and clearly with a list of sold out shows behind them, the public equally appreciate their habit of approaching subjects other comedians wouldn’t dare touch.

“The show and the act has always been generated to create hype – and it still works. All these crazy kids hang around the hotel because the hype and they want to be part of something that makes them feel special,” he says.

“We’re trying to tap into a zeitgeist and it seems to be working.”

While most of the Doug Anthony Allstars fans filling seats and hanging around backstage for the chance to see them are misfits, Tim can’t help but comment on the rise of hipsters.

“The trouble with hipsters is that they’re so original as a group it would be great if they were original as individuals. Hipsters as a group are kind of like the mob in Monty Python’s Life of Brian, ‘We’re all individuals, we are all different’ and they just aren’t,” he says.

While I reassure Tim that – unfortunately – Geelong is a town also afflicted by hipsters, he still expresses his love for the coastal wonder and a place where they spent many of their early days.

“Geelong is like our spiritual home. We went busking in Geelong a lot when we first moved to Melbourne and Geelong was where we polished a lot of our material when we were babies.

People gave us coins and they’d stand around and it was kind of premall, and now people have gone and put a mall in there!” he says.

“And the pier became more than just a bunch of sticks with a house on it, it’s a whole different thing now.

It’s part of our folklore.

We always had fun in Geelong, they’re fun people and welcoming and they dress better than Melbourne people because they don’t try so hard.”

Brian Kennedy Written by Natalie Rogers

The Irish born singer/song writer has come a long way from harmonising with police sirens back home in Belfast during the Troubles.

“When I was a boy I lived on Falls Road – everyday was a struggle but finding music helped me through,” Kennedy says in his rich Northern accent.

By the age of 18, Kennedy found himself on the streets of London. By day, he would busk to buy food and by night he would crash at illegal squats. Many people would have given up and gone home, got a real job and a mortgage – but not Kennedy. His dreams of making a living as a musician were too strong to ignore. That inner strength would see him succeed in other endeavours later in life.

Kennedy’s undeniable talent and hard work paid off in the late ‘80s when he caught the eye of a young, up-andcoming talent manager Simon Fuller (who would go on to manage The Spice Girls, Amy Winehouse, The Beckhams, Jennifer Lopez and a slew of others). Soon Kennedy would be playing to sold-out venues across the UK. “Just incredible stuff for a little fella from Belfast, I’m telling ya!” Kennedy laughs. “It’s wonderful!”

With his career on an upward trajectory, Kennedy was invited to a rehearsal by Belfast legend Van “The Man” Morrison, which resulted in him earning a guest spot on the album that Morrison was working on at the time – the now revered classic Blues and Soul Revue. “Van and I 44 forte

are still firm friends – we toured together for years and I owe him a lot.”

In a career that spans almost three decades, Kennedy has rubbed shoulders and shared the stage with superstars of different generations and genres – Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Boy George and Jeff Buckley, just to name a few. “I met Jeff just before he made his first record in the early ‘90s when he lived in the East Village.

I wanted to see him play because I was aware of his dad Tim Buckley’s work.

He was really friendly, very chatty – he had a lovely girlfriend at the time,” Kennedy adds.

“We had a little sing around the piano that night. I knew there was something special there – and then it was so sad of course when he left us way

“ ...everyday was a struggle but finding music helped me through.” too early. I feel really honoured to say that I actually sat and sang with that fella around the piano – it doesn’t get much better than that.

“I do a little name-dropping during my shows because I love telling stories about the people I’ve met and sang with. Like the time I was invited to a launch party for Stevie Wonder at Ronny Scott’s in London. Of course he ended the night by playing music and called a bunch of us up to join him. I sang ‘You Are The Sunshine of My Life’ with him – just incredible.

“But Joni Mitchell is my absolute favourite!” Kennedy admits. Last year he released A Love Letter To Joni, a cover album full of his favourite Mitchell classics. “I’m very proud of this record. It’s a tribute to her – she wrote such beautiful love songs. I can’t wait to come back to Australia and sing them live for you all.”

Kennedy will be appearing at the National Celtic Festival in the exquisite seaside town of Portarlington next month. His show is not to be missed – you’ll be thoroughly entertained. These days the charismatic crooner is also a best-selling novelist – proof he can spin a yarn or two.

When & Where: National Celtic Festival, Portarlington – June 5-8

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Forte Columns

THE TOP TEN SUPERHEROES OF ALL TIME Each week, Michael and Dando discuss their Top 5 of a particular topic, and combine them to make the Torrent This Top Ten. DANDO

MICHAEL

5. Iron Man

5. Aquaman

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HOW ‘STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS’ WILL BENEFIT FROM THE PREQUELS The Star Wars brand, in my opinion, epitomises pop culture. Obviously there are going to be many people who disagree with that statement, however I can’t think of any other franchise that has achieved more widespread appeal than the one from a galaxy far, far away. The original trilogy captivated audiences unlike anything before them, cementing themselves in cinematic history. Then we got the prequels.

If anything, the prequel trilogy did more harm to the brand’s overall legacy than anything else. Simply put, they were boring and off-putting to any newcomer to the Star Wars universe who had yet to see the originals. Besides the corny dialogue, cheap humour and overall lack of intriguing storytelling, what hurt the prequels so much was that we all knew how it would end. How are we as a viewer supposed to get invested in a lightsaber battle, when we know the people involved don’t die? It all seemed arsebackwards if you ask me. It’s hard to imagine that the Star Wars movies would be anything more than a Summer filler if the prequels were released first, since there’s no denying they lived off of the hype of the originals. Episodes 4,5 and 6 probably would have never seen the light of day if this were the case. However this is where ‘The Force Awakens’ comes into the equation.

trilogy, millions of people around the world united as one in a collective cheer. For the first time in over 30 years, we’d get to see our favourite characters grace the big screen, taking us into the story post-Galactic Empire (or so we think). Now ask yourself this, will these new films be ruthlessly compared to the originals, or will they be seen as redemption for the prequel fiasco? I tend to think it will fall more towards the latter.

The majority of fans have had a bitter taste in their mouth for over a decade, which is something Disney should be very thankful for. The whole attitude towards these films would be a complete contrast if the prequels didn’t exist, since rather than ‘changing’ or ‘extending’ the saga, they are seen as ‘saving’ it.

In saying that, I must admit that the prequels did in fact teach me a very important lesson; do NOT buy into the hype. We all suffered a cruel fate in May of ‘99, itching with excitement and expectations,

only to sit through two hours of Jar Jar Binks (no it’s still not ‘cool’ to like him, he was an epic failure of a character). As a result, I’ll remain cautiously optimistic during the lead up to ‘The Force Awakens’, and will probably benefit much from doing so.

So J.J Abrams, you should be incredibly grateful to Mr. Lucas for making the prequels.

Whilst they certainly didn’t live up to expectations (let’s be honest they never really stood a chance), at least they’ve provided us with a reason to want more. I have no doubt you’ll provide us with a masterpiece come December, but if not, the worst case scenario is simple; at least it’s not ‘The Phantom Menace’.

Written by Brendan Dando @BrendanDando For new articles everyday, go to torrentthis.tv/articles

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Chocolate Starfish Written by Tex Miller

It’s been 12 months since Adam Thompson and Chocolate Starfish came to Geelong to play at the inaugural Motor City Music Festival, and now they’re set to return for a set at the Sphinx Hotel on July 11. This time around however, the band has a new EP out and like the rest of their discography it is nothing but sensational.

Entitled Primitive, this new release makes the first new material from the band in years and talking about this upcoming run of shows, Thompson is very excited that the band has new material to showcase and to get back out on the road again.

“Straight up mate, I’m going to tell you that it’s fantastic that we finally have some new material we can shop around and show people. It was a long time coming to put it together, because everybody has other things in their lives going on and Starfish isn’t a full time thing anymore. It freshens everything up and it’s a welcome change for us I think,” Thompson said.

In 2015, Starfish are getting out and playing gigs to the masses, however, it isn’t like the mid ‘90s when the band were originally together. Throughout the four years that the band were active (‘94-’97), they played around 700 gigs and at one point played 22 shows in a row. The writing process for piecing together albums as Adam tells me, is different to 20

years ago. “The writing process between Zoran and I was something that we just did everyday.

For Primitive Tim Henwood and I had to fit writing in between our other commitments.

Everything from inspiration to finding the right time to write was different. When it was your full time job back in the day, it was easier to set aside time to do it. Everyone now has other jobs and businesses, it’s a little bit of a process to find time to dedicate to Chocolate Starfish.”

In 2014 following on from the likes of the Foo Fighters, U2 and Crowded house, the band recorded a wholly acoustic album of favourites called Born Again Versions (BAV) with the premise

When&Where: The Sphinx, North Geelong – July 11

that “If a song can stand the rigours of a rework and still hold up, then hopefully it has the hallmarks of a good song”. If you are headed along to their Sphinx show, you are lucky because you get to experience the Starfish in all their different platforms. “In Geelong we will certainly do a BAV segment and I used to love it when U2 used to do that where they would bring it down to just acoustic guitars. Crowded House did it

as well. I think that this Geelong show is going to be very special for us,” he says.

“Most of the members are from Geelong and K-Rock was the first commercial radio station to play our song which was quite a surreal experience let me tell you. It’s been a very gracious city to us and it will be good to get back to play there once again. Come out Geelong and Rock!”

Given that the band aren’t playing six nights a week anymore, take the opportunity to see a legendary Australian outfit, while they’re in town. You won’t regret it.

Tired Lion Written by Amanda Sherring

The film Almost Famous has warped our senses a little bit of just what it’s like to tour as a rock band, and while it mightn’t always be the case, it seems for Tired Lion life matches quite closely to the Hollywood release.

“I remember we played a show in Brissie and we had to be at the airport by 5am, so we thought we probably shouldn’t sleep. It was one of the best shows at the Crowbar, and Luca Brasi was hanging out with the Violent Soho dudes and we were just like ‘OMG’,” lead singer Sophie Hopes says.

“So we ended up getting drunk, just hanging around and by the time we got home I think we literally got to close our eyes for 20 minutes before we had to leave for the airport.”

It seems that with each antic behind the stage, it’s matched equally in front of the crowd, and as the band develops their confidence performing, there’s soon to be no holding them back with the risks they’ll take.

A gig in their hometown of Perth served as the first crowd-surf for Sophie, of what we’re sure will be many more to come.

“I don’t know what was in the air that night but it was definitely the best Perth crowd we’ve ever played to. They knew all the words to our songs and I kind of got the inspiration from being on tour with Luca Brasi – there were so many shenanigans that went on in the moshpit. They’d get people up crowd-surfing and I remember at one point in Tassie something from the

roof fell down because there were two people crowd surfing. I kind of just felt in the moment and thought, ‘Yeah man, the Luca dudes can do it’, and so I just went for it,” she says.

With crowd-surfing mastered there have been attempts at other tricks, possibly not quite as successful as that time in Perth: “I always pretend I’m a rock star in the jam room, just to piss the boys off. I’ll be really silly and I jumped up on the bass drum and jumped off but my shoelace got caught on the kit and I fell over and hurt my wrist,” she says.

“As it was just before we were going away to Singapore all the guys were like, ‘You’re such an idiot man, you have to play guitar’. And I was pretending I was totally fine, but it was so sore.

When&Where: 170 Russell, Melbourne – May 29 & The Wool Exchange, Geelong – May 30

It healed but I don’t think I’ll be doing any crazy tricks because I need my bones to be in order.”

After witnessing Isabella Manfredi’s impressive performance side of stage at Groovin’ the Moo and soon to tour with the British India boys, there’s certain

to be some more tricks for the four piece to pull out – perhaps just ones without the risk of broken bones.

Though there’s no tricks when Sophie and I speak about the upcoming EP, which as she reveals to me is called Figurines will be released in June and have

Earth Caller Q&A

Doin’ it yourself is a big thing for bands, it’s hard to do, but when done right there’s no limits to what you can achieve. Earth Caller are one such band following the DIY ethos, and after turning down many labels they’ve just released Degenerate. We had a chat to vocalist Josh Collard about it all and sending a message to their fans.

Hey guys, thanks for chatting to Forte Magazine, how are you and what are you up to at the moment?

No worries, thanks for having us! We’re great, we’ve been really busy as of late preparing for the drop of our debut record Degenerate and playing a bunch of shows.

So the debut is officially out, how are you feeling about it all?

Everything has been progressing nicely, and the response has been overwhelming! Big love to everyone who has pre ordered the record so far, you guys are g’s!

We understand that you turned down a lot of labels to release it independently, are you glad you stuck to your DIY ethos?

We are, we’ve always gone about things with the intention and assumption that we’ll be doing everything ourselves. We’re lucky enough to have members with multiple talents and we’re not afraid of a little hard work! We’re really excited to have our own label as well.

The cover image is quite striking too, how’d you come across that one and what made it the right image for your album?

It is isn’t it! We found the image on the net. The reason that we thought it would be perfect for our cover-art is because it is a symbol of defiance and that is exactly what we consider our record to be.

It is such a strong image, do you think it’s important to make some sort of statement in your art form?

It absolutely is. As an artist, you have at your disposal the language of emotion and that is a really powerful thing and with that comes the responsibility to use it properly. There’s so many people in this world who are lost and/ or disenfranchised and as artists that’s who you’re supposed to be representing and we hope that our work makes everyone feel like they’re not alone in their suffering

Release: Degenerate is available from all good retailers now

and that it can be better.

Short.Fast.Loud and The Racket have been a really good support of your new album too, have those guys given you much feedback or advice on the industry?

Yeah they have, Josh and Lachlan from Short.Fast.

Loud and The Racket (respectively) have both been absolute gurus to us. They both care so much about music and the people involved in it and it’s such a great gift to have people who actually give a fuck in the position that

they’re in. Big love to both those guys <3 Were you ready for the first time your track was played on the radio or was it a surprise?

We actually found out the day that it happened!

Lachlan from The Racket messaged me on Facebook while I was at the studio recording something and asked for a high quality version of our track ‘Your Enemy’ – which features Dre from Hellions. He told me the guys from Aversions Crown were coming into the studio and

a national tour to support it. Until then you can catch Tired Lion as they support British India.

wanted to play that song.

We were naturally all surprised in the greatest kind of way, big love to Aversions Crown also! <3 Some people would say that the hardcore scene is dying off, what’s your take on where it’s at?

I’m a little bit surprised that people would say that.

It has never been stronger!

I watched my friends in The Amity Affliction sidestage at Festival fucking Hall. I looked around me and saw thousands of people in one place all loving hardcore music and it almost moved me tears. In my time, I’ve seen Parkway Drive go from playing at The Arthouse (R.I.P) to Festival Hall as well. Hardcore isn’t dying, it’s thriving and about to take over.

Thanks again for having the chat, anything you’d like to share before we finish up?

Thanks again for having us! I think we’ve covered everything, those questions were great thank you! forte 47

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Film Reviews

Films reviewed by Anthony Morris

t h e wra p

A Royal Night Out

Ex Machina When software programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) wins a weekend with billionaire tech genius Nathan (Oscar Isaac) in his extremely remote and isolated home, he has no real idea what to expect. Even then, the last thing he expects is to be confronted with Ava (Alicia Vikander): an artificial intelligence inside a robotic (yet clearly female) body.

Ava certainly seems to be fully conscious, and alive in every way that counts. But merely seeming to be conscious isn’t enough for Nathan, and it turns out that a weeks chit-chat with Caleb is Oscar’s way of confirming – or disproving – her true nature. It

quickly becomes clear that Ava’s real nature is far from the only question that needs answering here: for one thing, why does the power keep mysteriously failing?

Who is Nathan’s silent assistant?

And what could have cracked the glass wall in one of the rooms?

Long time writer turned firsttime director Alex Garland’s chilly thriller is a compellingly low-key exercise in suspense and paranoia, managing to pose some interesting questions about the nature of artificial intelligence and human nature (Ava isn’t female in a human sense and Caleb knows that, yet he still treats her differently because she looks “female” – and it’s soon clear that she knows this too) while slowly cranking up the tension.

Excellent performances from all three leads are a massive help in fleshing out what is basically the story of three people in a handful of rooms, and as a beer-swilling bro-genius Issac is the clear standout – convincing both as the smartest person in the room and an alpha-jock who doesn’t seem to get just how much of a douchebag he comes off as. It’s the kind of film that encourages audience speculations, so the way things play out – they’re not what they seem, but not insanely so – might feel a little flat if you’ve been letting your imagination run wild.

But that’s a minor issue: this is a very smart thriller that’s as much about big questions as it is pushing you to the edge of your seat.

It’s V.E. Day, 1945. Hitler is dead, Germany has surrendered, and all of London is celebrating.

Well, almost all: inside Buckingham Palace there are still duties – lots of duties – to be fulfilled, and for the young princesses Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) and Margaret (Bel Powley) that seems frightfully unfair. King George (Rupert Everett) and Queen Elizabeth (Emily Watson) are somewhat sympathetic (especially when it’s mentioned that the princesses can monitor the public’s reaction to the King’s speech out amongst the public), and a fully chaperoned official engagement is agreed to. But when the duo slip away from their chaperones and hit the crowded streets, that’s when the real excitement begins.

Based somewhat loosely on a true story, Director Julian Jarrold keeps the events here on just the right side of farce, relying on the fairy-tale aspect of the idea of

princesses out in secret during the biggest party in the UK’s history to sell some of the more silly plot contrivances. Thankfully, this doesn’t shy away from the more dangerous and hedonistic aspects of the celebration either, and airman Jack ( Jack Reynor) has a streak of anti-Royalist sentiment and a desire to simply get on with his life that balances out the somewhat stuffy nature of our heroines.

The princesses remain sketches – Powley’s boozy, lightweight Margaret is fun, while Gadon’s future Queen Elizabeth the Second is level-headed – but it’s hardpartying London that’s the real star here. While this can’t quite avoid the rom-com conclusion it’s been steering towards for much of the final hour, even there it manages to strike just the right balance between wish-fulfilment and reality. This may not be as memorable as the princesses’ own night out, but as a right royal romp this isn’t quite as superficial as it first seems.

Avengers: Age of Ultron Pretty much everyone from all the Marvel movies is back (not their girlfriends though) in this big screen attempt to make a major blockbuster feel like part of a seemingly endless television series. James Spader as the killer robot is kind of fun though.

Boychoir There’s a choir, it’s full of boys – what more do you need to know? Okay, there’s a troubled teen who’s challenged by a stern choirmaster (Dustin Hoffman) to find his full potential, and if that sounds a bit sappy to you there’s a good chance you’re right.

The Longest Ride It’s Nicholas Sparks time once again. This time what’s keeping his young lovers apart is that one loves fine art and the other is a professional rodeo rider. Also, in the past a guy gets his balls shot off.

Testament of Youth

Unfriended A year ago tonight Laura Barnes killed herself after a somewhat unflattering video of her went viral. So when five of her friends get together on Skype to have a chat, it’s not all that surprising that a mysterious sixth person they can’t get rid of joins the group. Is it a computer glitch?

A hacker? A ghost? Whoever or whatever it is, when you end up seeing a fat guy shoving his hand into a blender you know your Skype night’s turned into more of a fright night. Dodgy gore aside, director Leo Gabriadze and screenwriter Nelson Greaves have created something a lot more interesting than the usual found footage film.

The entire 80-odd minute movie is just one continuous screencast from the computer of Blaire Lily (Shelley Hennig), complete with aforementioned Skype session, text message windows, Facebook pages, Spotify playlists and eventually an ill-advised Chatroulette session.

Through all this they manage to

create a surprisingly complex look at her life and what’s going on in her head – she has a habit of typing out revealing messages then deleting them unsent – which, together with a steady side chat to her boyfriend, provides plenty of opportunities to watch on with unease as she waits for a suspicious attachment to download or for someone to reply to a probing question. The engine of the story is online bullying but that feels a little superficial: the real menace here is the way social media offers the illusion of connection but actually just leaves us none the wiser about others real intentions. When we see Blaire constantly working to hide parts of herself from her friends, how can we be sure her friends aren’t doing the same? And what if what they’re hiding gets them all killed? This even explains some of the film’s shoddier elements (the acting) – if everyone’s putting on an act online, no wonder the cast all seem like marginally talented teen soap stars. It’s more interesting than scary, but Unfriended is still scary enough to make it a must for horror fans.

You know how all movies about World War One really hammer home the idea that the war was a senseless waste, usually by killing off a bunch of characters you’ve come to like? This is based on the book that pretty much started all that.

While We’re Young

Pitch Perfect 2 Sometimes sequels are made because there’s more story to be told; other times they’re made because there’s more stuff to explode. And then there are the sequels that promise more fun times with all your favourite characters, and they almost always suck. Movie characters are almost always created to fit into a story; once that’s story’s finished, trying to fit them into a new story rarely succeeds. But who cares when you can have Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) making wisecracks?

It’s been three years since the first film and the Barden Bellas are national stars – until Fat Amy flashes her naked groin at the President during a performance

mishap. Now they’re banned from pretty much everything – but there’s a way out. If they can somehow do the impossible and win the world a cappella championships – defeating Germany’s sinister Das Sound Machine in the process – Beca (Anna Kendrick) and the rest can restore at least some of their dignity.

Plenty of things then happen which presumably looked like a story at some stage: they have an a cappella battle in the basement of a creepy millionaire music fan (David Cross), they put on a terrible performance at an old folks home, they go on a corporate retreat to team-build, and all the while Beca has a secret internship at a music studio because she’s looking to a Bella-free future.

But it never feels like anything more

CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA May 14 – 7pm / May 16 – 8pm / May 17 – 6pm / May 20 – 7.30pm / May 26 – 7.30pm DIOR & I May 15 – 6.30pm *ALL TIX $15 / May 16 – 4pm / May 17 – 8.30pm / May 24 – 4.30pm / May 28 – 5.45pm IT FOLLOWS May 15 – 8.45pm / May 19 – 7.30pm / May 23 – 9pm / May 29 – 9.15pm

than a bunch of vaguely connected scenes through which the cast repeat old jokes and character tics.

The first film’s big hook – they’re old-timey barbershop singers singing hip-hop! – made sense and was fun; this film’s version – they’re singing originals – doesn’t have anywhere near the same punch. But the jokes are often okay (they’re just not as edgy as they think they are), the singing is decent (apart from Wilson, who gets a big solo number and butchers it) and the characters retain enough of their original charm to scrape by. Even the film knows it: there may be a Pitch Perfect 3 one day, but after this it’s going to be a struggle to get the band back together.

Tickets: $10 concession $12 adult Licensed Candy Bar

LOVE IS STRANGE May 16 – 6pm SHAUN THE SHEEP May 16 – 2pm/ May 17 – 4pm / May 24 – 2.30pm LEVIATHAN May 17 – 1pm / May 23 – 4pm X+Y May 18 – 7.30pm KUMIKO May 22 – 7pm / May 23 – 1.30pm / May 24 – 12pm / May 27 – 7.30pm BANKSY DOES NEW YORK May 22 – 9.15pm / May 23 – 7pm / May 24 – 6.30pm / May 28 – 8pm

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More movie times and info available online pivotcinema.com.au The Ukranian Community Hall, 57 Pakington St, Geelong West

A couple of slightly adrift 40-somethings (Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts) befriend a pair of hipster 20-somethings as a way of staying youthful. It doesn’t really work out, but it is pretty funny watching them try.

The Duff It’s been way too long since we had a high school comedy, let alone one as fun as this turns out to be. While the “DUFF” (designated ugly fat friend) gimmick is a good one, this is basically a solid teen romcom with a good line in witty quips, and as such should not be missed.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 He’s back! In a slightly bigger mall! It’s difficult to believe that every single person who saw the first one hasn’t grown out of the desire to see Kevin James on a segway, but just in case you haven’t, you now have this.

Fast & Furious 7 The best action franchise of our time continues to be pretty darn good, as the joys of driving fast cars around while stuff explodes is explored even further in a variety of exotic locations while Vin Diesel occasionally talks about the importance of family. The best movie currently in cinemas.

Music Reviews

Groovin’ the Moo Prince of Wales Showgrounds Bendigo – May 2

Groovin’ the Moo is one of those festivals where you can pack your bags, leave the city behind and take part in good music with even better people. I’d be lying if I said GTM wasn’t in my top three for festivals over the year, because it is. Hell, 2015 was my fourth time at the festival so they’re doing something right to keep me coming back!

This year saw more of an Australian flavour to their line up with Hilltop Hoods, Flight Facilities and Wolfmother as the headliners for the day. Hilltop Hoods have been long known as one of the most interactive performers Australia has to offer, and the rumours are true. Always moving around stage, picking out audience members to comment on, requesting for lighters (and regrettably phone lights) to be held up and generally delivering a unique performance from what you can hear on their records were just a few of the things you could expect.

Unfortunately Wolfmother didn’t live up to the hype though. Listening to their self titled debut (released in 2005) it became the centre for many of my teen years and so I was looking forward to experiencing it in the flesh. For nostalgic reasons and all that. For such a late set, and such a well known band, there wasn’t much of a crowd and through the whole thing there wasn’t much of a vibe either. Lead singer Andrew Stockdale complained for far too long about TV show Friends and how they’re real musicians, blah blah blah. Though there was solace when they played ‘Apple Tree’ – my favourite – and I could barely fault it.

Special mentions go to The Delta Riggs and their on stage Tiki Bar (seriously guys, where can I get one of those?), Meg Mac and her flawless vocals, Ball Park Music’s cover of the Friends theme song, San Cisco just in general because they are San Cisco and I’m sure the list could go on. Also props to GTM for upping the festival game and proving that touring festivals can survive. This year was an improvement on an already amazing annual event, the food, the atmosphere, the set times and everything just worked in harmony. I did rate the free Four ‘n’ Twenty pies too, nice move GTM. Until next year.

For pictures of the day flick to page 54.

Reviewed by Amanda Sherring

Guantanamo Baywatch

DIAMONDS IN THE BLOODSTREAM

JACKRABBIT

Vitamin Records

Create/Control Downtown Records

Looking to make music country style? To get in touch with your folk roots? Forget the West and ‘Go North’ my friend. Seriously, what is in the Merri Creek waters? Australia’s largest population of (often independent) songwriters outside the pop market is officially found in Melbourne’s northern ‘burbs. Maybe it’s because these artists thrive on collaboration.

They seem to welcome company over competition. This group of four brought a few mates in for the follow-up to their 2013 self-titled debut.

Diamonds In The Bloodstream was engineered in Northcote (Roger Bergodaz) and mastered in Brunswick (Adam Dempsey) with some locals adding backing vocals (Liz Stringer, Tracy McNeil, Van Walker, Jacqueline Tonks). Guitars, mandolins, harmonies and stories combine to stand equal to the best of the genre – Americana Darebin-style. RBE makes the kind of roots blend that is oh-so-easy to listen to. Comparisons to Tom Petty and The Boss are valid. I’d add John Hiatt and Steve Miller. ‘Jackie’ is driving southern country rock building to a fade out of classic guitar runs. ‘Sugar Cane’ returns to their quiet side, reminding us which hemisphere we’re in.

There’s a nicely edgy twang within ‘Window Seat’. Lead vocals are shared between Luke Sinclair (acoustic guitar/harmonica) and Nick O’Mara (strings a’plenty). More backing vocals come from drummer Johnny Gibson and bass player Luke Richardson. Funny thing, I reckon I’ve been seeing those names on someone else’s albums too… (PS- I love that the eight songs are divided into Sides A and B.) Reviewed by Chris Lambie

There’s folk and then there’s Jackrabbit by San Fermin. Lyrically captivating, this is one beautiful album; the poetic genius is only amplified by the incredible complexity of the music. Get ready to do some serious soul searching, deep thinking and reflecting while listening to this.

The first song on the album ‘The Woods’ is an orchestral masterpiece filled with words that fill you up with the nice and yet strangely ominous childhood memories of playing outside. ‘Ladies Mary’ was one of my least favourite tracks, it seemed a little poppy to fit with the rest of the album and I don’t think it was the music but more so the vocals.

Strangely enough the title song, ‘Jackrabbit’ wasn’t a stand out especially when compared to the likes of ‘The Woods’ or track three, ‘Emily’, which is broodingly insightful and beautifully dark and twisted.

By far the absolute stand out track is ‘Astronaut’, musically it hits all the right spots and really takes you somewhere. The lyrics, combined with the music are dark and menacing – but in a fascinating way.

Personally I found the tracks featuring the male vocals more captivating and enjoyable to listen to, but the combination of the two throughout just didn’t seem to add to the overall cohesiveness of the album. Folk just got a whole lot more interesting and by interesting I’m not politely saying bad. A really well written and produced album that’s pretty different to anything I’ve listened to in a while.

Reviewed by Montana Agustin

ELANA STONE

may have a firm place in ‘70s rock there are a few strange sound additions, I’m guessing seagulls and dolphins?, that make you remember it’s from 2015.

As soon as ‘Corey Baum’s’ started I knew it was going to be one of my favourites.

In Hearts Wake

– the guitars sound like they’ve been tuned down beyond the norm and the gain has been turned up to 11, the drums pound away like nobody’s business and the bass chugs along in the background and growls like a rabid dog when it’s given the opportunity to stand out. Vocalist Wade MacNeil changes

his style a few times over the course of the album – on some songs (for example, ‘Mystic Death’, the opening track) it’s a punk yell with an Alice Cooperstyle growl, and on other songs reverts to a more subdued croon – if only for a brief moment.

Tracks 3 and 4 – ‘Leviathan Rot’ and ‘Chains’ – sound like they’d be more suited to a death metal album, but Gallows pull the tracks off with aplomb. While the changes in style make the album a little less cohesive, Desolation Sounds still isn’t an album for the faint of heart. It’s pretty full on, and would probably appeal more to metal fans than your traditional punk enthusiasts, but it’s still damn good music.

Definitely worth a listen!

Reviewed by Alastair McGibbon

Create/Control Records

Gallows DESOLATION SOUNDS Venn Records / Double Cross / Cooking Vinyl

As it stands, Gallows’ latest record is like an audial punch to the face – and yes, that’s a good thing. While generally classified as a hardcore punk outfit, for their fourth studio record, the British four-piece have crafted a record that sits somewhere between their usual punk and a much darker, heavier style that’s reminiscent of death metal. In fact, it’s much darker overall

San Fermin

Maybe it was the dark jangly guitar at the start or the car engine rumbling but the track just had that appeal. If anything, it’s more likely that the track resembled something you could possibly hear in a Quentin Tarantino film, I’m thinking given the car sound effects something in the Death Proof realm.

I’ve got to admit I skipped right over ‘Too Late’, there’s something about those old gushy songs that have me getting terrible ‘70s flashbacks. Darling...It’s Too Late is a pretty quality release if you’re looking for something in that ‘70s rock realm, and it’s certainly not too late to get this one at your local record store – this would sound tops on vinyl.

Reviewed by Amanda Sherring

DARLING...IT’S TOO LATE You know those old school records your Mum or Dad might throw on that seem to echo around the house with that old school ‘70s twang? Well Darling...

It’s Too Late is that record, though a few decades late.

Opening track ‘Jungle Bride’ is the kind of track you have to fight back the urge to do the twist too. And while it

Raised By Eagles

how I feel about opener ‘Panic Attack’, which seems to be stuck between a brooding power ballad, slow number and synth laden track – there’s even a guitar solo thrown in. It just seems to be a bit of a mish-mash of ideas that weren’t quite

pieced together all that well (ironic given the EP name).

‘Gravity’ is a beautiful number that lets Elana Stone’s vocal ability come to the forefront. It isn’t cluttered with too many ideas and her voice really is wonderful.

The lyrics are quite well thought out on this one and it’s definitely a highlight of the EP. A surprise on the release is the Mariah Carey cover of ‘Emotions’. It’s actually a really great track with the slow beat and gentle crooning of Elana Stone. If only she could claim it as one of her own because her version has certainly done the track justice.

Reviewed by Amanda Sherring

vocals on track 11 (‘Intrepid’) have an early Linkin Park sound to them, and perfectly complement the growling lead vocals of Jake Taylor.

There’s a few glimpses of melodic death metal-style guitar wizardry here and there, as well. While there isn’t a huge emphasis put on

it, it plays a big part in the album’s appeal. The melodic style is used sparingly, and is placed perfectly in the mix. While there are a few times where the rhythm guitars sound like they’re repeating the same chord over and over, there is enough going on outside of the rhythm that it’s a completely minuscule problem.

The album is mixed really, really well, and despite the band’s heavier style every song has a great flow to it. It’s a bit hard to classify just what In Hearts Wake plays – the official definition from their label is “metalcore”, but to be honest I don’t think that’s accurate – personally, I’d go for “kickass”. There’s a bunch of different influences in there, but In Hearts Wake still manage to produce music that’s interesting, fresh and entirely their own.

Reviewed by Alastair McGibbon

Kintsugi Independent

Don’t mistake this release as the Kintsugi from Death Cab For Cutie around the same time as you’ll surely be confused. There seems to be a certain popularity over the word, and given it’s a Japanese art of piecing back together broken pottery to look beautiful again, it’s a very fitting EP name for Elana Stone’s release.

I can’t really decide

SKYDANCER Unfd

While metalcore generally isn’t a genre I’d find myself attracted to – I find it to be a bit “samey” – In Hearts Wake’s latest effort, Skydancer, is something of an exception. While there are some hardcore influences in there – the vocal style, breakdowns etc. – there are also enough deviations from the genre to make the album so much more interesting. Bass player Kyle Enrich’s clean

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Last Words

grog watch Tony “making brmm-brmm noises in the back row” Montana

So like all sensible people I’ve been basically camped out the front of my local cinema for the last few weeks waiting for the new Mad Max movie to come out, because despite my general dislike of cars in real life there’s nothing I like better than watching car crashes on the big screen, which come to think about it fits in perfectly with my general dislike of cars in real life so there you go. It’s a little weird how growing up I seem to have bypassed all the crap movie franchises I’m now meant to be obsessed in. Hands up everyone who couldn’t give less of a shit about Star Wars, oh look, just me again what a surprise. With a new Terminator movie due out soon too (yeah, okay, alright, that one does look pretty lame) it’s shaping up to be a

pretty good year for spending a bunch of time in a dark room thinking about how amazingly crappy the future is going to be. But the thing is, it’s been so long since the first Mad Max film established the grim future of Mad Max that the grim future of Mad Max now isn’t even remotely likely to happen. Not that it ever really was going to happen: even at the time the road warrior future of the second film felt like a situation that could only really exist for a year or two before even the crappy cars broke down and everyone was left just wandering around hitting each other with sticks, which would have been a much less interesting movie. Let’s not even go into the third film, which was pretty much a straight-up fantasy. The fourth film looks like it’s going down the same path, though fingers crossed they remember to make the car chases cool this time around.

See, the problem is that even now the idea of society collapsing so

PHOTO REVIEW

GROOVIN THE MOO bendigo, VIC SATURDAY 2 may 2015 Photos by Amanda Sherring

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everyone grabs a car and hits the road to become killer nomads doesn’t work because today’s cars don’t work that way. Thirty years ago, sure, the local blacksmith could make most of the parts you needed for your car: these days your car is basically a computer on wheels, and I can’t imagine a Mad Max film that features some Home & Away actor playing a dude with a mohawk who can get your digital speedo to work properly by hitting it with a hammer. And it’s only going to get worse as far of the future of cars go: give it another 20 years and most cars are going to be tiny bubble things that drive themselves that you won’t even own – you’ll just have an app on your phone that summons one when you want to go down the shops. Not that you’ll even need to drive down the shops yourself, because you’ll just order what you want online then send the car to pick it up for you. Which suggests that the car of the future is going to be some super lightweight

disposable thing like a four-wheeled scooter only more crap: after all, with computers controlling all the cars on the road it’s hardly likely you’re going to crash into anything, is it? So there goes all the safety features. And if hardly anyone owns their own car, there’s no longer any real need to make cars look cool – they’ll just be bubbles covered in ads, like buses only much, much smaller. When civilisation collapses, they won’t be the last things left, they’ll be the first to go. After all, they’ll all be electric; where are they going to plug them in?

And yet, I reckon you could still make a decent Mad Max-esque car movie in this crappy future. Consider this: the roads are full of perfectly safe computer-controlled bubble box cars cruising around in orderly patterns – then out of nowhere comes this hoon in a hotted up Monaro fanging it down the street. What happens?

The computer can’t stop him, it can’t predict what he’s going to do, and

he’s smashing through all the bubble cars like they were nothing – bodies flying, wreckage everywhere, it’s total carnage (more like car-nage, hey?).

Maybe there’s a bunch of these hoons, a gang smashing up the roads, going nuts, wiping out anyone in their way.

The computers that control the roads can’t stop them – they can’t even get the cars out of the way (a top speed of 60ks is probably fine when computers mean you never have red lights or traffic jams). And it’s not like they can abandon the roads to these hoons, because even if the cars are peoplefree, they’re still needed to transport stuff (which the hoons are stealing – that’s how they survive). So after maybe 15 or 20 minutes of having weeny regular folks getting splattered on the roads, the cops find the one guy who still knows how to drive – maybe he’s an ex-hoon, maybe he’s just a violent nutcase – and they deputise him and give him some insane speed machine out of the Museum of Auto

Fatalities. Then it’s just him versus them on an endless stretch of futuristic roads that are packed with stuff to smash into and through: cue 90 minutes of berserk car crash action as the roads once again become a battlefield – especially when the hoons hack into the car-controlling computers and turn every car on the road against our hero. Hollywood, you know where to find me. Unless you just want to rip my idea off, which does seem slightly more likely now that I’ve explained it.

Damn. Probably shouldn’t mention I’m calling this idea SLAUGHTERMATIC either, should I?

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