#669

b a l l a r at bell arine

M u s i c

/

ARTS

/

Bendigo castlemaine

geelong & surf coast wa r r n a m b o o l

CULTURE

FREE

“I kind of identified with the fact that there isn’t enough funding for emerging artists in Australia – we’re actually one of the most underfunded arts community in the world” f e at u r e s to ry – PG. 12 Local:

The Mane Event

PG.20

food:

Clogs

PG.28

ARTS:

Ballarat Biennale 27 / 07 / 2017

PG.32

JOSH PYKE

2 Intro

FORTÉ 669

FORTÉ 669

Intro 3

4 Intro

FORTÉ 669

FORTÉ 669

Intro 5

6 Intro

FORTÉ 669

FORTÉ 669

Intro 7

M u s i c

/

ARTS

The Know Feature Story The Loop Local Feature

/

CULTURE

10–11 12 16–19 20

News

21–27, 29–31

Food

28

Creatives

32–35

Reviews

36–37

Columns Scenepix The Guide

38 40–41 42

Well the post-Splendour depression is starting to sink in and I’m finding myself spending my well-deserved coffee breaks watching You Tube clips from the stellar weekend (Amy Shark, I actually adore you) to exploring random festival goers Instagram feeds of their glitter-filled, glorious time.

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

Publisher Furst Media Pty. Ltd. Editor Talia Rinaldo

While it’s back to reality, there’s no shortage of live music to keep the splendour vibe alive, well into the cooler Victorian months.

talia@fortemag.com.au

Win!

Coming up at Geelong’s old favourite Wool Exchange is Australia’s most respected and beloved artists Josh Pyke, who chats to us about his new ‘best of’ album release and his longtime coming hiatus, along with an interview with The Mane Event Music Festival’s directors Jon Gilchrist. We’ve also got interviews with Vera Blue, the Teskey Brothers, comedic Neel Kolhatkar, Perth’s Crooked Colours, Someday June, a Bearded Bros x Surefit Gym collaboration and many more.

It’s been another busy week for us at our humble Forté office, but with the exciting number of live gigs coming up in the region - we’ll be heading to Karova Lounge for Crooked Colours and the Wool Exchange for Josh Pyke.

Advertising Josh Dowling

Win a double weekend pass to the LESS THAN JAKE 25th Anniversary tour on Thursday October 19 in Melbourne.

To enter: Email your name, number, and code word ‘JAKE’ to: talia@fortemag.com.au

Editorial Assistant Helena Metzke Art Director Riley McDonald

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

@thenewsavages

Contributors Anthony Morris, Alastair McGibbon, Amanda Sherring, Chris Lambie, Dr John Lamp, Natalie Rogers, Paul S Taylor, Tex Miller, Wylie Caird.

Advertisers and agents are advised that all advertising copy is their responsibility under the trade practices act. Advertisements are published in good faith and on the understanding that the content is legitimate and lawful. Advertisers and or agents submit advertisements at their own risk. The editor and creators hold no responsibility whatsoever for the content of the magazine in the case that it may offend. Forté accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions. Forté reserves the right to edit all articles and letters.

Talia and the Forté team xx

FORTÉ 669

glenn@fortemag.com.au

Interns Ruby Cairns, Perri Digby, Vittoria Di Martino

@_allira

8 Intro

Glenn Lynch

artwork@fortemag.com.au

See you there for a pint, or two! Enjoy!

w w w . fortem a g.com.au

josh@fortemag.com.au

@helenachelsea

FORTÉ 669

Intro 9

Vance Joy returns with new single and Melbourne show The singer/songwriter’s new song ‘Lay It On Me’ is a bouncy, vivacious number which treads a similar line to his prior releases.

It’s the first disclosure from the Melbourne musician since his hugely successful 2014 record Dream Your Life Away.

Music & Wine Festival Grapevine unveils its debut line-up

The Forum on Wednesday November 22.

Tix via Frontier Touring.

Amy Shark: ‘Drive You Mad’ Fresh off an extensive North American tour and her Splendour In The Grass appearance, Amy Shark’s music video for her latest single, ‘Drive You Mad’ is worth a watch. Directed by the artist herself, the clip plays on the theme of being hounded by your own skeletons, both metaphorically and physically.

From the team that brought you Hot Dub Wine Machine, Grapevine will feature a bunch of instrumental and electronic acts, with the likes of Sydney band The Preatures, German producer Claptone and meme-kings Bag Raiders set to headline the Rochford Winery on November 25 in the Yarra Valley, joined by Cub Sport, George Maple, Running Touch, Lovebirds, Nora En Pure and more.

The Smith Street Band’s Wil Wagner Announces Free Melbourne Show Wil Wagner has locked in a free show to perform some of his new material, and it will take place in a stop-gap spot between The Smith Street Band’s tours of Europe and the USA. Wagner announced on Facebook that the show will be free, kicking off at 3pm on Saturday, 29th July, and that he’ll be performing “heaps of new songs.”

The show is going down at the The Reverence hotel in Melbourne.

10 The Know

FORTÉ 669

Fall Out Boy Announce 2018 Australian Tour Dates

Sigur Ros Release Tee-Shirt in Support Of Marriage Equality

The US pop-punk kings haven’t toured down under since the very last Soundwave Festival back in 2015, but the wait is officially over because they’ve just announced four new all-ages shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth between February and March to celebrate their forthcoming new album Mania (released September 15).

Sigur Ros have released a tee-shirt in support of marriage equality, with all proceeds going towards Australian Marriage Equality after being made aware of recent comment by former tennis player Margaret Court. The Iceland band are returning to Australia for concerts at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion and Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena.

Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne – March 3.

Aussie Rock Supergroup Announce Easybeats Tribute Tour

A new Aussie rock supergroup featuring Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson, The Living End’s Chris Cheney, Kram from Spiderbait, Tim Rogers from You Am I and fellow rocker Tex Perkins for an east coast tour in tribute to Sydney rockers The Easybeats and their late frontman Stevie Wright.

Tickets on sale 9am Monday July 31. Forum Theatre, Melbourne – December 19.

The tee-shirt will be available at all of the band’s Australian performances.

Northlane announce 2017 Australian tour It is an exciting time to be a Northlane fan, especially since they are bringing their Mesmer World Tour to Australia later this year with a string of shows planned in capital cities around the nation. Dates for their Australian shows are out, and after kicking off in Adelaide on October 19, Northlane is arriving in Melbourne on Friday 20th October for their only Victorian show.

170 Russell on Friday October 20. Tickets via Live Nation.

FORTÉ 669

The Know 11

Josh Pyke On his last run of shows before taking a well-deserved break – Written by Talia Rinaldo

ongevity in music is a rare beast, but Josh Pyke has proved that timeless song writing trumps all. Creating a bold and distinct path into the music scene since his breakthrough album Memories & Dust 10 years ago, selling out shows worldwide and delivering a unique sound which has garnered him a wealth of respect from fellow musos and fans alike, Pyke has regularly been at the forefront of the Australian live music scene.

Calling in from his Sydney home, taking a breather from playing his twelve-string guitar, Pyke takes a moment to discuss his two-disc Best Of album release and massive regional tour next month, after which he will hanging up the boots and going on hiatus at the end of the year.

“I’ve been putting together this ‘best of’ and I’m touring right up until the end of the year, going to the UK and Europe, but I actually do feel like after this run I will take some proper time off from touring my own stuff,” Pyke explains. “There’s other projects that I’ve got on the boil, but in terms of just going out and doing a tour supporting an album or supporting my own material, I actually do think I will take a break after this, and focus on not being away every weekend for a year.”

Well-loved for his intricate storytelling, thoughtful folk pop arrangements and finely-honed stage performances, Josh has released five studio albums, all of which have gained prestigious accolades and critical acclaim.

From his first appearance in the Hottest 100 with the breakthrough single ‘Middle of the Hill’ coming in at number 19 in 2005, to the 2017 release of his greatest hits album The Best of Josh Pyke + B Sides and Rarities, Josh Pyke has been a part of the Australian music landscape for more than a decade, and is celebrating his illustrious career with a two set performance for his

L

12 Feature Story

upcoming tour, performing the whole Memories & Dust album, whilst devoting a second set to crowd favourites such as ‘Leeward Side’ and ‘The Summer’.

“We’re playing Memories & Dust from beginning to the end so we’ve actually had to go back and re-learn the songs,” Pyke says. “It’s quite a nostalgic and cool process. I have to admittedly look up a few chord progressions online. Some of the songs we definitely haven’t played live, and some of them I haven’t played since I made the record so it’s been a fun process.”

With five acclaimed top 10 albums, four ARIA Awards and countless sold out tours to his name, Pyke has firmly established himself as one of Australia’s most respected and beloved artists, and one who believes in, and gives back to the music community with the Josh Pyke Partnership.

Now in its fourth year, the partnership aims to connect an unsigned musician with the exciting opportunity to receive a $7500 grant along with valuable insight and mentorship from Josh Pyke himself to help kick-

There’s other projects that I’ve got on the boil, but in terms of just going out and doing a tour supporting an album or supporting my own material, I actually do think I will take a break after this, and focus on not being away every weekend for a year.

start their career.

“It was just an idea that I had because I was given a couple of grants early on in my career and it really helped. I kind of identified with the fact that there isn’t enough funding for emerging artists in Australia – we’re actually one of the most under-funded arts community in the world,” Pyke says.

“I know mentorship is really important and having an open line of communication between myself and the grant recipients is important, but also the $7500 makes a massive difference in people’s musical careers.

I just wanted to do it and was fortunate enough to be in a position to do so.”

Last year’s winner, Alex Lahey, has gone from strength to strength since receiving the award, while this year, Melbourne’s Angie McMahon captured Pyke’s attention to become the recipient of the funding and mentorship that will help to grow her career.

“I sort of had to figure out a lot of stuff out for myself, but a that’s a big part of being a musician, particularly solo artists,” he continues, “I went on a couple of really early seminal early tours with John Butler, and then with Eskimo Joe, and then the first tour I did with Bob Evans, and I learnt a lot from them. We’re all kind of the same age, but they’ve been musicians for a solid ten years. I mean, I’d been trying, but I wasn’t a professional musician for the whole period of Jebediah and Eskimo Joe. “I wouldn’t say they were mentors though, only because that would be embarrassing to say that about them because they’re my mates,” he laughs, “but I definitely learnt a lot from them back in the day.”

Between chatting about his strong friendship with Bob Evans, and the re-release of Memories & Dust on vinyl, Pyke touches on his search for his famous guitar boat to allow him just one more spin around Sydney Harbour. The search was made public last month as part of an eight-part web documentary series that looked

FORTÉ 669

back at his career over the last 10 years. And as for the whereabouts of the illustrious SS Maton? Well, Pyke’s search is giving Big Brother a run for his money.

“I think we did [find the boat] actually,” Pyke laughs.

“We had a bit of a dilemma which is why we haven’t really announced it. We think it’s in someone’s front yard. Somebody tipped us off saying it’s in bloke’s front yard in Frankston in Victoria’, so we google mapped it, and then street searched it and we could see it. We could see that it was all wrapped up in plastic to protect it from the weather I guess. But we don’t have any form of contact with the guy and we don’t just want to go knock on his door.”

The boat, an exact replica, except for size, of Pyke’s Maton CW80E acoustic guitar, was used in his 2008 music video for ‘Make You Happy’ and was sold for $7,000 back in 2009 in an Ebay auction with proceeds going to the Indigenous Literary Foundation.

“It was all a bit Big Brother, you know checking it out on Google maps and being a detective, but we sold it to raise money for the indigenous producing foundation and whoever ended up buying it (presumably this person) wanted to remain anonymous.

“I think that I’ve mentioned it enough that if this person is a fan they’ll know and they can contact us if they want to. I want them to, but it’s their privacy. It’s been off the radar for a solid eight years, but I think we do know where it is,” he says.

While it’s goodbye for now, we’ve got our bets on Pyke’s return to song (and that boat) sooner rather than later. Regardless, he certainly has a career in Big Brother to fall back on.

When & Where: The Corner Hotel, Richmond – August 3 & 4; The Wool Exchange, Geelong – August 5

FORTÉ 669

Feature Story 13

14 Feature Story

FORTÉ 669

Loop

b a l l a r at bell arine

FORTÉ 669

Bendigo castlemaine

geelong & surf coast wa r r n a m b o o l

The Loop 15

Up the Guts II: They Gut Game

Bendigo Writers Festival The program is in for the 2017 Bendigo Writers Festival (August 11-13). Highlights include a Saturday night sit-down with Hunters and Collectors drummer Doug Falconer and Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens and a Sunday session with Judith Lucy and Denise Scott.

It’s always a very popular event, so make sure you book your best as soon as possible.

Welcome back, Up the Guts. The rockin’ regional road-trip is back with another bus full of amazing acts, including Dumb Punts, Loose Tooth, Neighbourhood Youth, Jack Parsons (The Pretty Littles), Jo Syme (The Big Scary) and Joe Alexander (Scott and Charlene’s Wedding).

The Karova, Ballarat – August 11; The Vine, Bendigo – August 12; and The Loft, Warrnambool – August 13. No guts, no glory.

Get the full details through bendigowritersfestival.com.au.

2 Worlds Festival

↑↑ Alex Lahey heads to Bendigo Alex Lahey is set to perform an evening gig (5:30-8pm) at Bendigo’s RPM Rock Pride Music on August 11, following a songwriting workshop at Bendigo Library. She’ll be joined at the gig by Bill Barber and Tom Hadlow. Alex not too long ago released her debut album B-Grade University.

A familiar story now is that the album was afforded after Alex hocked her 1999 Corolla.

Tickets are available through eventbrite.com.

A new cultural, not for profit event coming to the Fyansford Paper Mills, Geelong on September 2. The 2 Worlds festival is a celebration of two cultures, indigenous and western, with a focus on bringing people together.

Headline acts include Archie Roach, Jeff Lang, Shane Howards Trio, Neil Murray and Yirrmal and the Miliyawutj, with at least another 15 local and national musicians performing across four stages. These include local talent Imogen Brough, Mdrn Love, Immy Owusu, Alice Skye and emerging indigenous talent Philly with more acts to be announced.

Hoodoo Gurus & You Am I Travel far and wide, and you will be doing well to find such a glorious pairing of bands than Hoodoo Gurus and You Am I. Between them, the bands have just shy of twenty albums and a tidy collection of ARIAs. Both bands also make two appearances in the 100 Best Australian Albums collection.

This tour is about as rock and roll as you are gonna get. Tickets remain for their show at Bendigo’s Ulumbarra Theatre on July 28.

Boo Seeka strike early Boo Seeka recently performed a bunch of shows from April through to June, but they have a lot more to give before the year runs out. That includes their debut album Never too Soon, due for release early next month. Sammy Seeka: “This album best reflects our recent life experiences, encapsulating all we’ve encountered over the past two and a half years.” The Karova, Ballarat – November 3 & Workers Club, Geelong – November 4.

16 The Loop

Fused Entertainment

Battle of the Bands last chance

Daniel Fusella has extensive expertise in quality audio and visual service and is armed with some of the best PA, lighting, staging and vision solutions available lighting the way in audio and visual services. Fused Entertainment is a one stop shop for all your event entertainment needs - even offering a roster of solo acoustic acts to original bands as well as DJ’s and cover acts to fit any function you may have planned.

One of the local premier audio and visual services, Fused Entertainment is capable of offering a tailor made experience to fit every client’s requests - this has earned them a highly praised reputation in the music industry.

The Battle of the Bands is in full swing, but there are a couple of spots remaining for August the 11th. Once these spots are gone, it is filled. With $5,000 prize money up for grabs it’s definitely worth entering. Finals will take place in September, with the crowd deciding the winner throughout the competition – so make sure all your mates are free. To enter email Kylee at kylee@ blackhatt.com.au.

FORTÉ 669

Ukulele Heaven concert It’s on again! Our annual fantabulous ‘Ukulele Heaven Concert’ for lovers of ukulele and other things. If you want to be delighted, wowed and inspired by exceptionally talented ukulele players, players of other instruments, and singers then this concert is for you! It’s going down on August 12 at 7.30pm at Portarlington Senior Citizens Club.

Georgia State Line knows Americana collective Georgia State Line has a stack of gigs in Forte territory as they welcome the release of their debut EP, Heaven Knows.

Stamp Out And About

Why Do We Live In A Constant State Of Apology?

Torquay Bowls Club, Torquay – August 5; Old Hepburn Hotel, Hepburn Springs – August 6; Saints & Sailors, Portarlington – August 11; The Loft, Warrnambool – August 12; Martians Café, Deans Marsh – August 13; and Old Church on the Hill, Bendigo – August 19.

Stampsy is the Music Director and Drive Announcer at K Rock in Geelong

Luka Lesson makes a statement

This middle age man swaggers past me on Corio Street. “Excuse me miss, can I bot a ciggie?”

With two best-selling poetry books and a couple of EPs, Luka Lesson has a far-reaching reputation as Australia’s premier slam poet.

Kahl Wallis (The Medics) has joined him on new single, ‘Living Artefact’. Lesson: “It is a statement to combat the sterilisation of both of our cultures, where difference is celebrated as a part of our lineage which has brought both of us to our contemporary experiences.”

His low hung jeans and baseball cap tilted to the side are clearly borrowed from, what I assume, is his son’s bedroom floor.

“I don’t smoke, sorry,” I reply. Sorry? Why am I sorry? I’m proud that I’ve never taken that nicotine death stick, placed it between my lips and inhaled years off my life.

Why do we use the word “Sorry” so flippantly? We apologise. We pardon ourselves. We disclaimer our right to say “No”, with a soft landing.

Workers Club, Geelong – September 9.

“Have you seen the stapler?” “No, sorry.” Sorry?

I didn’t use the stapler. I’m not responsible for the stapler. I didn’t kidnap the stapler and now have Liam Neeson tracking me down to reunite the stapler with its father.

Kingswood won’t slow down Before they had completed their latest tour, Kingswood announced another batch of shows that will keep them busy throughout October and November. After Hours, Close to Dawn is album number two for the rockers, the follow-up to 2014’s ARIA-nominated Microscopic Wars. Whalers, Warrnambool

We live in such fear that we are going to offend the person next to us that we take responsibility for all actions. Our actions and the actions of others.

We are so self-conscious about leaving a positive impression with everyone we meet that we defend our statements with a warning. “We mean no harm”. We aren’t greeting a new life form. Not knowing the whereabouts of that stapler will not have you unfriended on Facebook.

– November 10 & The Karova, Ballarat – November 17. Dear Seattle and The Vanns support.

Mildura Country Music Festival Australia’s biggest showcase of independent country music

When & Where: Mildura & District, September 29 – October 8 For more information visit www.milduracountrymusic.com.au or phone 1800 039 043.

Can we go back to the use of the word “bot” for a moment. When I was four years old, it was endearing. You’d say bot bot for your arse and it would be cute. When you want to “bot a ciggie” I imagine you smoking a butt crack.

So I ask you. Spend 24 hours not apologising.

I mean, if you back into someone’s car in the Belmont Village Shopping Centre carpark, apologise. Or if you spill red wine on your boss’s white lounge, apologise. And offer to have it steam cleaned. Maybe offer a fluffy pillow and a throw rug in the meantime. Just don’t say sorry for the things that are out of your control.

When you go to reply to someone’s question, take a deep breath and reply without the disclaimer.

It’s hard. Really hard. But guess what, you can be polite AND not have the answer. When you are asked a question and the answer is no, say no.

Full stop. No is as acceptable as the word yes and does not need to be wrapped in cotton wool.

I still don’t know where the stapler is. By now, I’m speculating it’s in witness protection. It’s seen something it can’t unsee and for its own safety its living with a new identity in Switzerland.

Free yourself of the negative. You have done nothing wrong. You do not have to apologise for who you are and what you do with your life.

Unless you took the stapler.

Follow the inner workings of a Stamp online - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @only1stampsy

The Mildura Country Music Festival will celebrate its 31st year from Friday September 29 to Sunday October 8, drawing thousands of country music fans to Mildura.

The festival runs for ten days with over 80 artists performing at 26 venues in Mildura and district. Each day fans will be entertained at both indoor and outdoor venues in the warmth of spring and the best country music.

Hailed as Australia’s biggest showcase of Independent entertainers, this festival celebrates a seemingly unending cast of highly talented professional country music artists who aren’t signed to major record label deals.

This year will see 22 new artists that were not at the festival last year. This includes the likes of Rachel Fahim, Connie Kis Andersen, Taylor Pfeiffer, Angus Gill, Tracy Coster, Kylie Castle, Don Costa, Melissa Robertson, Dave Prior, Aleyce Simmonds, Aly Cook, Marie Hodson, John Krsulja, Becci Nethery, Hayley Marsten, John O’Dea, Dean Perrett, The Long & Short Of It, Gina Timms, Anita Ree, Laurie Muggleton and Chooka Williams.

The festival line-up also includes Allan Caswell, Reg Poole, Rodney Vincent, NeillyRich, Johanna Hemara, Stephen R Cheney, Tom Maxwell among many others.

The jewel in the crown of the festival is the live concert and radio presentation of Southern Stars - The Australian Independent Country Music Awards which recognises the achievements of Australian Independent recording artists. This will go down on Saturday October 7. Applications for award entry is now open and available online via the website.

FORTÉ 669

The Loop 17

Queenscliff Music Festival The Queenscliff Music Festival has announced its second lineup, and it is just as good as the first. Allysha Joy, The Bamboos, Beccy Cole, Bob Evans, Hat Fitz & Cara, Jazz Party, Little Georgia, Mia Dyson, Sammy J, The Southern River Band, Stella Donnelly and The Wilson Pickers will join the likes of Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Bernard Fanning and Xavier Rudd.

Queenscliff – November 24-26.

Steve Smyth returns home Songman Steve Smyth has been busy touring and recording in Europe in recent times, but a small number of local shows will help him feel at home. It will also give him a chance to let fans know just what he has been cooking up abroad. It has been three years since the singer-songwriter released Exits, his second album and first for Ivy League Records.

Workers Club, Geelong – August 5.

Shakespeare’s classic comedy tale comes alive in Drysdale A Midsummer Night’s Dream is set in the great city of Athens where the lives of four Athenian lovers’ are twisted and turned by the meddling of the fairies who live in a forest.

When the young lovers find themselves lost in the woods, they mysteriously become infatuated with the wrong person.

In this hilarious tale of how falling in love can make fools of us all, Shakespeare’s classic tale has been re-interpreted by the Melbourne City Ballet.

Choreographed by Artistic Director Michael Papparlardo, audiences will see a range of diverse

Destrends know their limits Destrends will head out for an east coast tour next month, playing a handful of shows with some fine company. At their Geelong show at the Barwon Club on August 18, they’ll be joined by The Burbs, Snake Oil Psychics and The Floaties. At their Ballarat show at The Karova on September 2, they’ll be joined by Trucks, Mourning and Dewey and the Panel Beaters.

Their debut EP is Lousy Lover.

Forever Son keeps it simple Melbourne-based Jack Robbins began a solo project under the moniker Robbins before he picked up a couple of strays and Forever Son came to life. Recorded over a ten-month period in Robbins’ home, Ten Months is Forever Son’s appropriately titled debut album. The album was written, recorded and mixed by Robbins and combines elements of folk and psych-rock. Quicksilver Bar 61, Torquay – August 4.

Gymnastics in the Seventies

BuzzConf Technology Festival 2017

It looks like Gymnastics in the Seventies have a swanky new EP for you. Can you dig it? Too Long is the follow-up to last year’s Daylessness and features more of the Geelong outfit’s earthy indie rock. Shows alongside Hockey Dad, Northeast Party House, Polish Club, and The Treehouse Children has meant for a productive run since forming in 2015. Kubu Studio, Geelong – August 11.

We’re giving you early word about the BuzzConf Technology Festival, a tech festival for all the family.

Events include cutting edge technology in exhibitions, presentations and workshops. There is also live music, fire pits, and camping in the bush. The festival will be held in Ballan from December 1 through December 3.

Tickets are available now, with further information available through buzzconf.io.

River Rocks turns ten Good news! While we were busy strapping this issue of Forte together, the lineup for River Rocks dropped (have a quick squizzo at page 4). It is happening on Saturday, November 11, so make sure you set the date aside. No weddings or any junk like that.

CL ASSI FIEDS Send your info to: enquiries@Fortémag.com.au For individual use only, not for commercial purposes.

18 The Loop

Quarter Street feels the rhythm Camila Serrano runs Castlemaine’s salsa school, SalsaSocial. A native of Colombia, Camila has invited Quarter Street to perform at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal on September 16. Quarter Street is Melbourne’s

Guitarist and drummer looking for musicians to start high school band Influences include: Metallica, Black Sabbath, Nirvana, Violent Soho. Looking for 15-16 year old musicians (vocalist, lead guitarist, bassist) to play rock music. Covers and originals. For more info, please call Zac on 0410711446

movement, executed by some of Australia’s most talented artists.

“A beautiful, colourful and fast paced ballet, so much love and planning has made this work simply divine” Papparlardo says.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed on stage at the Potato Shed in Drysdale on Thursday August 24.

Tickets can be booked at the Potato Shed or over the phone on 5251 1998 or at the City of Greater Geelong Customer Service Centre.

For more information about the Potato Shed and other forthcoming performances, visit geelongaustralia.com.au/potatoshed.

premier Latin band who released their debut self-titled album in 2015. Formed in early 2011, the collective “revisit an era where the music of the streets resonated with the voice of the people”.

outfit Creek. The band has released their debut single ‘Crossing over the Rocks’, which you can get to know a little better on their tour. The Bridge, Castlemaine – August 6 & Pistol Pete’s, Geelong – August 26.

Fountaineer’s local heart

The Blues Train

Back in 2015, Bendigo band Fountaineer kicked off the local leg of the Groovin the Moo festival. More recently, after putting as much of their free time as they could towards their debut album, they have come up with Greater City, Greater Love (released August 4). With a strong flavour of indie-rock, the album is largely inspired by living in a regional place. Hotel Shamrock, Bendigo – August 5.

The turn in weather isn’t quite here yet, but we’re getting closer. Still, you can always leave it to a musical journey on a train to warm your fingers and toes. For those unfamiliar, four themed carriages host a solo act, a duo, a trio and a full band. At each interval, passengers move to a different carriage. The Blues Train has seats available over the next few months, with bookings available through thebluestrain.com.au.

The charm of Charm of Finches

Lloyd Spiegel gives a deadline

Charm of Finches is the musical partnership of sisters Mabel and Ivy. They released their debut EP in 2014, followed in 2016 by their debut full-length album, Staring at the Starry Ceiling. The Melbourne-based “dream-folk” duo recorded the album with the assistance of the City of Melbourne Arts Grants Program.

Old Church on the Hill, Bendigo – August 6. William Alexander supports.

Lloyd Spiegel is a name that carries a lot of weight in Australian blues. He has been touring the world since he hit his teens, and since 2004 has been the worldwide demonstrator and premier endorsee for Cole Clark Guitars. His latest album is This Time Tomorrow.

Speaking about the new songs, Lloyd says, “I’ve travelled most of my life so really, they’re like letters home” The Old Church on the Hill, Bendigo – August 12.

Devil Electric’s lucky lady

For the love of Wintersong

Hell hath no fury like a band that combines riffs of old and new in a collision of unholy matrimony. Formed in 2015, Devil Electric has supported Truckfighters, Endless Boogie and The Sword on their riff-heavy journey. They are soon to release their self-titled debut, which is getting a limited edition 180gm vinyl run (August 11). The band’s latest single is ‘Lady Velvet’.

The Loft, Warrnambool – August 26.

As the annual Love Winter in Aireys continues along its merry way, one of the highlights, Wintersong, will take place at Aireys Pub on August 12. Gretta Ziller, Levi Anderson, Rach Brennan and Andrew Swift will perform. Gretta Ziller’s upcoming debut album is Queen of Boomtown. A finalist in both the Toyota Star Maker and Telstra Road to Discovery competitions, the album is a reflection of the singer-songwriter’s childhood soundtrack.

Creek watch their step Having been raised on a diet of CCR, the Stones, Zeppelin, T. Rex and The Allman Brothers Band among others, it is little surprise there is a hearty dose of southern-spiced blues-rock in the music of Melbourne

Drummer looking for band

Seeking Position with Band

Bass Player

Band looking for Keys

Drummer available (Geelong area) for playing/Jamming.

Covers or originals. Blues rock is my main style but I’m into lots of different music. Any age is okay, just as long as you can play.

Contact Josh on 0430971319

On the lookout for more projects, styles such as indie rock/ alternative rock or metalcore anything hard and indie folk. Hit me up I play guitar and drums.

I want to play electric guitar in an indie band or drums in metal, rock or indie rock. If anything you see catches your eye text me or call Joel on 0414628813.

Bass player with extensive touring and recording experience looking to play blues, funk, rock, jazz based music in a working band or close to. Buzz 0499232857

Ocean Grove based originals band Zeffa is looking for a keyboard player. We’re not after a virtuoso, rather someone who has a good feel for and liking of our music. We are looking for a team player who can commit to regular rehearsals and gigs.

Vocal ability would also be a plus. Please contact David on 0419 367 647 if interested.”

FORTÉ 669

Ball arat Blog

The 27 Club There will be readers familiar with ‘The 27 Club’, a group of musicians, artists and actors that died at the age of twentyseven. Ballarat’s Suttons House of Music has put aside August 25 in order to celebrate and honour artists including Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse. Your performers for the evening are Zack Anthony Curran, Keane Fletcher and Andrew Kroenert.

Bad habits of Los Scallywaggs The time has come for garagefuzz-rock trio Los Scallywaggs to head out on their debut national tour. Why? It’s to tell everyone about their album, Bad Bones Bad Habits. Influenced by the like of Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall and Night Beats, the trio was formed in 2014 by Joel and Nat Tyrrell, along with their mate Dale Smith.

The Eastern, Ballarat – August 26. They’ll be joined by White Bleaches and Electric Mud.

Written by Glen Anderson

Hollow Everdaze will play at Karova Lounge this Saturday July 29. With their unique surf-tinged British Invasion sound, the boys from Western Victoria have recently released their rip-snorter album Cartoons. It is only 10 bucks to get in, so get down on it and cheer the lads on.

Salty Dog are playing just around the corner at Suttons House Of Music on the same night. Swamp Rock and Mississippi Hill Country Blues will be the flavour of the night. The high energy outfit are bringing a stripped back, reworked sound to the Rat. Having travelled far and wide in recent times, the lads are in great form and if this genre rocks your boat, you had better pencil this one into your diary.

Alárìíyá play Suttons on August 5 and this will be a super fun night. Fronted by trumpet player Olugbade Okunade aka GP Saxy ( from Fela Kuti’s Egypt 80) the band will bring Nigerian afrobeat to Ballarat for a night. Having recently played a sellout gig at The Toff In Town, the band are hot to trot and blazing horns, driving rhythms and punchy

lyrics will awaken your spirit and have you dancing all night long.

The Sunday Sesh on the following day provides local vocalists with an opportunity to present their songs in a live venue. This talented group of singers are all students of Carolyn Bennett and will be accompanied on piano by Jane Nice. I’m tipping a “parent pack-out”!

August 3 at Karova Lounge will have the extremely gifted Jesse Cerro, better known as Montaigne appearing. Coming off the back of her awesome debut album Glorious Heights, Montaigne is set to support Cyndi Lauper and Blondie at A Day On The Green. I Know Leopard and Alex The Astronaut are the support acts and it’s 30 bucks to get in.

Crooked Colours have recently completed a sold out national tour, and there is no rest for the trio as they promote their highly anticipated album Vera throughout August. These guys have a really interesting sound and if you love groovy new age electronic sounds with a real drum sound, get down to Karova for this.

On the food front, Freight have impressed yours truly lately with their pub grub. I was lucky enough to tuck into the Freight Burger last week and it was an absolute delight! $15 Burger Night on Wednesday’s! Ciao!

RUNK’s slam dunk We’ve got one more cheer for RUNK, the funk-infused rap rock outfit behind single ‘Rush Hour’. With a “focus on earnest songwriting and chaotic soundscapes”, the Warrnambool four-piece has already supported the likes of The Bennies and The Hard Aches and released the EP Y.E.T.I.. The Karova, Ballarat – July 28. (The band also has a date at The Evelyn on August 4.)

FORTÉ 669

The Loop 19

The Mane Event Music Festival

The festival giving back to the community – Written by Helena Metzke eturning for its fourth year running, The Mane Event Music Festival is the local festival giving back to the community. Partnered with the Lions Club, the event this year aims to reach a total fundraising goal of $10,000, which will be donated directly to headspace Geelong.

The festival is the brainchild of directors Jon Gilchrist and Tristan Gall, who after enduring their own battles with mental health, acknowledged the need for a safe space to discuss the topic.

Alongside creating this safe space, the event is aimed at raising awareness to combat the growing rate of suicide.

“We [Tristan and I] both had our battles with depression and we just wanted to create a safe space where people could talk about depression and suicide, but also have fun,” says Gilchrist, “What me and Tristan found was that, we didn’t really know what to do and who to turn to, so I guess it [having a safe space] was a really big thing for us. Another important thing we really felt was that we didn’t talk to each other about it, being mates, so we’d like to really promote that you talk to your mates about it, that’s one of our biggest pushes this year.”

Directors Gilchrist and Gall are joined by Mick Ryan, and the three share an immense passion towards

R

20 Local Feature

music, making the choice of raising awareness for such a cause in the form a music festival, an easy choice.

“We have a passion for music, so it was a no-brainer having a music festival to promote talking about mental health and suicide… I’ve been in The Glitter Gang for about 20 years and I’ve played in various other bands as well. I play in a duo and a few Blues bands over the years, but the Glitter Gang has been my main band. We also have a lot of friends in bands, so we already had a lot of contacts and connections in the Geelong music scene,” says Gilchrist of the choice to make the event a music festival.

The music festival is now a permanent date in Geelong’s music calendar, taking place during Mental Health Week each year.

“We chose that date because it was in the middle of everything, like other festivals that were on during the year, so it didn’t clash with anything. And it just happened to be mental health week.

It’s a good build up to the event, because people are already talking about it and thinking about it. It’s a good way to end off mental health week, having a music festival at the end,” he says.

Taking place at The Barwon Club, the one-day event is set for Saturday, October 14. With yet another stellar lineup, widely-known Blues band The Teskey Brothers, will headline the event.

Featuring a three-stage setup, there will

also be a headline band for each stage, and several different genres on offer.

Boasting a relaxed environment, there will be information and merchandise on hand, to allow for open discussion surrounding mental health and suicide.

“We have a lot of Headspace pamphlets, we have a lot of information that people can collect, if they want to. We also have merchandise people can buy which have Lyons Club and Headspace logos and info on it. During the day, we just want people to come along and have a relaxed vibe, we don’t want to force a message down anyone’s throat,” says Gilchrist.

“We find that people will come and talk to us and open up to us regardless.

And they’ll thank us for putting on the event and tell us about their own struggles, so it naturally becomes a safe place where people can talk about this stuff, without anyone forcing it upon them.”

After raising an incredible $8,000 for Headspace Geelong in 2016, event directors have raised the bar this year, with an aim to raise $10,000.

“I think with the line-up we’ve got, we’ve got a good chance of reaching our $10,000 goal. We do need a few more sponsors; we’re always after sponsorship and donations,” he says.

Funds raised will again go towards National Youth Mental Health Foundation, headspace; Geelong branch.

“Headspace target youth and young adults and we just felt that it’s one of

FORTÉ 669

...If you haven’t spoken to your mates, or you notice they’re a bit down, have that conversation with them.

See whether they’re travelling okay...

the better organisations that are trying to get into the young people’s heads, that it’s something you need to come out and talk about,” says Gilchrist of why they have chosen to award raised funds to headspace.

“They’re also actively involved, they’ve got three clinics around Geelong, they have psychologists and psychiatrists, professionals you can physically go and talk to. They run school programs and indigenous programs as well, they do a lot of work with indigenous youth …

And the biggest thing is we can actually keep the money in Geelong, so as long as you donate to Headspace Geelong, it stays in Geelong.”

The guys want to place a particular focus on being there for and supporting your friends, this year. And with this, have made use of a hashtag to get the topic trending.

“We’ve started a hashtag, #matesoncall – just a bit of awareness. So, if you haven’t spoken to your mates, or you notice they’re a bit down, have that conversation with them. See whether they’re travelling okay,” he says.

If you or someone you know needs help or information regarding mental health, please contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, or beyondblue on 1300 224 636.

If you’re interested in sponsoring the event, or making a donation, you can contact the guys through their Facebook page, or via their website.

See the Facebook event page for the full festival line-up and to purchase your tickets.

Crooked Colours One of the hottest rising acts in electronic music today Written by Talia Rinaldo

They started with a bang before taking time off to hone their craft. Following an eighteen-month hiatus, Crooked Colours recently released their debut album Vera, featuring top singles ‘Flow’ and the Ivan Ooze collaboration ‘I Hope You Get It’, and proving themselves as ‘one of Australia’s hottest rising acts in electronic music today’.

Dabbling in the worlds of indie and electronic music on their debut record, Crooked Colours gives listeners a lot to listen to and making it work to form a cohesive, related body of music that ranges from upbeat, danceable pop tracks to contemplative and wandering instrumental tunes.

It’s a true feat for a first album to encompass this smooth production with multiple styles, but it’s well-deserved after the amount of time the trio put into it, with the guys aiming for quality over quantity.

“We took our time with this record, so there were a lot tracks we had been sitting on for quite awhile,” says keyboardist Leon De Baughn.

“When it came time for release, we were really just excited more than anything to get new music out there and see the reaction it would get.

“It’s the end result of a lot of hard work for us and also our team and we’re all really happy with the feedback so far,” he says, “We’ve had different responses from a lot of people and I think that’s a really positive thing. It kind of shows there’s something for everyone on the record.”

Hailing from the south west of Perth, the guys met through mutual friends before beginning jamming together and testing out their musical cohesiveness by DJing at house parties. Fast forward a few years, the trio have been making

the most of their time: invited to support Crystal Castles on their Australian and New Zealand tour as well as performing with the likes of RÜFÜS and San Cisco, playing at festivals Groovin The Moo, Parklife, Wonderland, Southbound and Hot Dub Wine Machine – all perfect opportunities to test out their new tunes, with De Baughn saying they now have a large catalogue of songs to perform at their six headline shows this August.

“Once the record was done we got together and listened back and pick out the most important elements to the songs and focused on playing them,” he says. “Before this album we didn’t have many tracks, so it’s been refreshing having the

the songs there to work with and create a solid set for this tour.”

With listeners already captivated by single ‘Flow’ and follow-up ‘I Hope You Get It’ earlier this year, anticipation is mounting for fans to hear the guys live, already selling out shows for their VERA tour.

“It’s pretty special jumping back on tour and selling out shows. The thing we love about touring is getting to travel to places you probably never would have gone to otherwise and meeting new peeps. We’re good friends so touring is a breeze,” he laughs.

FORTÉ 669

Following on Crooked Colours album tour, the guys will be embarking on a run of shows in Europe in October including Germany, Switzerland and France before heading over to the US early next year.

“After that we’ll knuckle down and get the second album under the belt.”

If Vera is anything to go by, their next album will be an equally well-crafted and enjoyable release.

When & Where: Karova Lounge, Ballarat - August 4

Local Feature 21

The Teskey Brothers On their love of analogue recording equipment and their first performance at Queenscliff Music Festival Written by Alex Callan

It’s quite common to listen to a band and hear the obvious influence of the decades that came before it, but sometimes a very special act comes along that genuinely sound like they are from that era. This is the case for The Teskey Brothers.

Whilst the influence of Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and the ’67 Memphis Blues is very prevalent in their music, if you were to find their debut LP ‘Half Mile Harvest’ in your local record store, you would fairly assume they were an unknown act from the 1960’s.

For The Teskey Brothers, elements of this vintage sound came from the analogue recording equipment used, according to the bands suave lead vocalist Josh Teskey.

“We had a great time with recording it. One of the reasons we were so excited to do this record was Sam’s [lead guitarist] love for analogue recording equipment. So he got hold of an old tape machine, like an ultra 70’s reel-to-reel tape set-up and then we recorded it all analogue which was a really cool adventure,” Josh says. “Not only do you get a really cool sound, but you are slightly limited in what you can do. You can’t copy and paste and edit things in, so that keeps it really fresh and real and that was what we really loved about it.

“I’m of the opinion that it’s almost stupid to record blues and soul music digitally. It’s too polished and always sounds a bit too crystal clear.

It really does affect the sound; I really loved the sound of my vocals when they were recorded analogue, because for me it sounded like those old Otis Redding records,” he says.

...It seems everyone’s digging the blues and soul music as much as we are!

But it’s not just Josh who is loving the finished product, with the albums first single ‘Pain and Misery’ quickly finding its space in Melbourne community radio stations playlists.

“It’s been amazing for us,” Josh says, “We record music that we love and we have always recorded blues and soul music, but more so because that’s what we enjoyed. It’s been a really good response.

Especially considering we didn’t do a whole lot to promote it - it seems everyone’s digging the blues and soul music as much as we are!”

Off the back of the release ‘Half Mile Harvest’,The Teskey Brothers are hitting the road for their first

ever Australian headline tour, playing 13 dates across the country. The bad news for fans is that every single show is a sell out, but the good news is that they will be rounding up the tour with a performance at this years beloved Queenscliff Music Festival, and the guys are stoked about it.

“Absolutely cannot wait. It’s a fantastic festival.

We have never played Queenscliff as the Teskey Brothers, we played there when we where about 16/17 with the Ella Thompson band,” Josh explains.

“We are regulars down on the blues train down there, and it’s an incredible line-up, especially 30/70 - I am a big fan of those guys. Hopefully I get to meet some people backstage, I mean, Bernard Fannings playing! It’ll be great!”

When & Where: Echuca Winter Blues Festival 2017, Echuca – July 27 – 20, Queenscliff Music Festival, Queenscliff – November 24 - 26

On kinky music videos, their progression as a band and the upcoming release of debut LP Tremolow

The goal of Your Choice is to help influence a culture of positive behaviour through shared responsibility – together as industry organisers and patrons attending.

Written by Helena Metzke

22 Local Feature

A collective of Australian festivals, musicians, venues, promoters and record labels have launched a new campaign called ‘Your Choice’, in an attempt to address the growing cultural issues around behaviour and lack of personal accountability within Australian venues and event spaces with the aim of helping everyone have a fun and safe time at gigs.

Supported by the likes of 123 Agency, Laneway Festival, Groovin the Moo, Splendour In the Grass, Falls Festival and UNIFY Gathering — as well as artists like Birds of Tokyo, Boy & Bear, The Amity Affliction, Amy Shark and Bernard Fanning — ‘Your Choice’ is seeking to raise awareness of ongoing safety issues, as well as everyone’s personal responsibilities at live events.

The Creases

It’s onwards and upwards for The Creases, a band which began as an act of satire. The recent announcement of their largest headline tour to date has been warmly welcomed by fans, as they set out in support of their anticipated debut LP, Tremolow.

Despite curious beginnings, the band quickly legitimised itself as it was picked up by iconic UK label, Rough Trade Records.

“It [the band] was just a bit of a joke for Jarrod and I to muck around in on the weekends. We just recorded a song on video one night together and put it straight online, without any real second thought,” says Joe Agius, lead-vocalist of the Brisbane quartet. “As soon as we realised that people were really into it and that we could make this a real band, we added Aimon and Gabe and it just all changed and happened really quickly. Suddenly we were taking things really seriously and we were playing shows where people wanted to see and hear us.”

Now several years on from the release of their debut EP, Gradient, Tremolow sees The Creases slightly older, significantly wiser and a lot more self-assured.

“It’s been a long time between the album and the EP. And I’d never really played in bands before The Creases, so our [growth in] ability as musicians and songwriters, from then to now, has just been huge,” says Agius on the difference between the music the band is creating now and what has been created in the past. “It was hard to make the record at the right time, because every month we got a better song or a better idea, and we’ve just grown so much; and we keep growing every single week we play together.

“The EP was much more shoegazing and reverbed out and I think it was because we weren’t too

Aussie Festivals, Musicians & Venues Launch ‘Your Choice’ Campaign

Australia’s festival circuit has seen a number of distressing incidents take place in the last few years, including alleged sexual assaults at UNIFY Gathering and Rainbow Serpent Festival, as well as a horrific stampede and multiple alleged sexual assaults at Falls Festival.

In a statement, Laneway Festival’s Danny Rogers says:

comfortable with how we were as musicians … now, the album is very cleaned up and everything’s a bit more upfront and it’s just because we’re more comfortable with ourselves. There’s just a natural progression to it,” he says.

Regardless of the growth of the band and its members, The Creases maintain their spontaneous and fun nature, evident in the recent release of their NSFW video for ‘Is It Love’.

The band joined forces with director Dylan Duclos in the production of the kinky video, which sees them mistakenly perform the track at an underground BDSM club, to a completely baffled audience.

“When we were looking at doing clips [for Is It Love], I think because of the nature of the song and title, all of the video treatments we were getting were very cheesy and we were like, ‘lets just do the complete opposite of that’. Dylan, the director of the clip, came back to us with the idea and we just thought it was really funny. And it wasn’t cheesy or anything, it was just totally unrelated. So, we went

with it and any weird idea we had that we’d put forward as a joke, we made happen. I joked about having a gimp trumpet player and Dylan coerced his housemate into doing it,” he laughs.

The Creases are currently warming up for their upcoming headline tour, supporting indie-rock sensation Two Door Cinema Club, on their string of Splendour In The Grass Sideshows.

“I really liked Two Door when I was young, 16 year-old me would be screaming at the fact that I was playing with Two Door. They were a band that made me want to start a band when I saw them when I was 18. So, it’s a really big deal in that sense. And we’re just excited to play shows that are just giant, they’re probably the biggest shows we’ve ever played.”

Tremolow will be available for purchase from August 4.

When & Where: Howler, Melbourne – September 15

FORTÉ 669

“Laneway Festival supports and encourages any positive initiatives that opens up a conversation that encourages awareness, education and a creation of safe spaces for artists to perform for their fans. Respect for everyone is a mandate of the Laneway team and we believe that Your Choice is a positive message that reflects our core values.”

‘Your Choice’ is calling on all music fans and industry representatives to adopt a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to bad behaviour at shows, and has even developed a series of ‘Your Choice House Rules’.

They’ve got hundreds of industry people on board with Your Choice to date, and would love many more, head to the Your Choice website for further details on how you can be involved.

FORTÉ 669

Local Feature 23

24 Local Feature

FORTÉ 669

Vera Blue On her most vulnerable record and the emotional roller-coaster of touring Written by Molly Slater

It’s safe to say that folk pop songstress Vera Blue has had a huge rise in popularity in the last two years; from going platinum with Illy to closing out Splendour with Flume, sold out national tours and now on the brink of releasing her debut album Perennial, Celia Pavey AKA Vera Blue is unstoppable.

The stunning singer-songwriter wrote her first song when she was just 15 years old, after being exposed to musicians such as Joni Mitchell and Simon and Garfunkel. It was then that sparked her ear for folk music and she realised music was her calling.

“I was exposed to a lot of folk artists and started listening to a lot of Joni Mitchell and I think that really started my passion to write music. I taught myself the guitar, started writing songs myself and I think that’s when I realised that maybe this is something that I could give a good shot at and I loved it,” Pavey says. “I was passionate about it and my parents seemed to really believe in me so it was a really special thing to be given the opportunity to be able to continue on.”

She first emerged into the music scene as Celia Pavey, a contestant on The Voice Australia, however it was her time after The Voice that she began discovering new sounds, and it was a new-found love for electronic music that Vera Blue was born.

“I was very focused on folk music and writing folk songs which is where I was at an artist at that time and that was totally cool, that’s what Celia Pavey music was. But I started listening to electronic music, like people like Alt J and I just thought that this was just the coolest thing ever and I said to my producer Andy Mak that I really want to blend the folk music with the electronic and he was just like ‘cool sweet’ and we just experimented and we got my EP ‘Fingertips’,” she says.

“That’s when I realised it deserved its own project name and I see Vera Blue not just as myself, but as Andy and Tom and a few other people who have come to the collective as well.”

The very original Vera Blue sound that we know and love can be heard on her latest two singles for the forthcoming Perennial album, with her latest release ‘Mended’ a beautifully raw and honest ballad that gives insight into

Splendour in the Grass Foregoing clothing in favour of glitter, sub zero temperatures and surprise performances from the very best.

When: Friday 21 July, Saturday 22 July, Sunday 23 July Where: North Byron Parklands Reviewed by: Talia Rinaldo Photography: Justin Ma (above), StillsInTime (right)

They don’t call it Australia’s biggest winter music festival for nothing. Heading into the festival with a huge line-up with sets from worldwide like QOTSA, LCD Soundsystem, The xx, Haim and homegrown heroes in Vance Joy, Tash Sultana and Bernard Fanning, there was no doubt this year’s event was going to be fearless in every single way.

what the album will sound like.

“This record is very vulnerable and it’s kind of like a healing journey and a personal development in growth record about myself, it’s very special to be able to release it. It’s all very honest,” she says. “I think people can relate to it as well because sometimes you might be saying something that other people might not have the courage to say.”

Pavey said she is both excited and nervous to tour the album, performing new songs with a fresh live stage show but can’t wait for the world to go on this musical journey with her.

“It’s been quite an emotional roller-coaster so I’m just really excited for people to be able to connect to it. We’ve kind of structured it into three different chapters and the chapters show the emotional journey and the phases I went through to overcome a relationship and really repair from it, I learnt so much about myself and I’m really excited for people to feel what I feel.”

When & Where: Tap House, Bendigo – August 8 & The Wool Exchange, Geelong – August 12 Release: Perennial is out now

Fountaineer On their album launch, a love for regional, and tracks that focus on the transitions in life Bendigo three - piece Fountaineer have been hard at work on their debut album, and have previously shared bills with the likes of Gang Of Youths and Middle Kids, as well as performing at 2016’s BIGSOUND. Forte chat to Fountaineer’s Anthony White ahead of their album launch next month.

Hi Tony, thanks for taking the time to talk to Forte Mag. We understand Bendigo and small town Australia are a big part of what Fountaineer is all about - tell us a bit about that.

You end up writing about what you know, because people can see straight through things that aren’t genuine. Whilst the band isn’t made entirely of Bendigonians any more like it was originally, Chris and Kieran are Albury/Wodonga boys respectively (don’t ever confuse the two!) and growing up in a regional area is all in our blood.

There’s a shared understanding between us of the stuff we sing about. I think this is true for most country people. I’ve lived in the city before, and it’s amazing how at work and other places how you gravitate towards people from the country. It even happened when I was living overseas!

Your new LP - Greater City, Greater Love - is such a diverse amalgamation of sounds, with powerful anthems like ‘Sirens’ and sombre electronically driven tracks like ‘Still Life’.

How would you introduce Fountaineer’s music to someone who may not be familiar?

It is a very eclectic record. It’s a soundtrack to a small town, and it is very much steeped in

And with the grass green and the weather perfect, the North Byron Parklands played the perfect host to the seventeenth annual Splendour in the Grass Music and Arts Festival, offering up the event’s biggest ever program of music, art, craft, food, discussion and debate to date.

While there’s nothing to fault about the festival itself, let it be known that it was god damn freezing this year, despite the stunning blue skies. The temperatures barely reached 20 degrees and the nights truly felt like we were in the depths of winter, but that didn’t deter festival-goers from showing off some skin as many channelled their inner-hippy with see-through mesh tops, lace dresses, velvet, eighties denim, gold, and silver and law-enforced bum bags.

Among the 35,000 people who attended each day of Splendour in the Grass, it was all about the glitter this year, creatively painted on cheekbones, hair, beards, and there was even a ‘disco boob’ glitter trend taking over, with an abundance of revellers lining up for their share at the Glitoris body art tent between sets (yep that’s a real thing!). If anything, I am impressed with their commitment to opt for a glitter bra despite the freezing cold temps that had me rugged up like an Eskimo.

As for the music? Well Splendour really lived up to its name with some stellar performances across the three days. Friday places as my favourite, with sets from Vance Joy, Kingswood, Tash Sultana, RL Grime, Maggie Rogers, Banks, Cut Copy and San Cisco taking over the Parklands.

Personally, it was Peking Duk’s massive Amphitheatre set that took the cake for the whole weekend. Teasing fans with a promise of surprises in the Splendour lead up, the guys made sure their live show debut was one to remember. With a history for bringing crazy party antics to their sets, the duo topped any previous performance by stepping out from behind the decks to

Americana sounds. But there’s equal measure drum machines, synths, atmospherics, and punk-inspired moments. A bloke from work got to have a sneaky listen to it the other day, and he likened it to Arcade Fire. Thank you, Andrew we’re very happy with that.

Tell us a bit about the process of recording the LP - I understand you were all off the grid when you recorded it as you hired a farmhouse?

There are no recording studios in town, so doing it here was not really an option. We feel comfortable in regional surroundings, so a quick Air BnB search resulted in us stumbling across the perfect farmhouse to make our album, set amongst the trees of the beautiful Victorian town of Alexandra.

We got our handsome mate Chris Wright to engineer the record (who has since joined Fountaineer), and pressed record. Trying to fit everything into five days meant we couldn’t afford any distractions, so being away from home was a definite consideration. We’ve got around 50 pubs here in Bendigo, so we might not have got any work done here.

play an array of different instruments, from bass guitar, keyboards and live horns on stage.

But it wasn’t just the epic production and bombastic partying, or the Stephen Curry video intro and premiere of the Duk’s remix of Lorde’s ‘Perfect Places’ that made Peking Duk the highlight, it was the all-star cast of guests. Bringing in the likes of Ben from SAFIA, a surprise solo from Dan Sultan, AlunaGeorge, Ivan Ooze and an appearance from Vera Blue, playing the part of Elliphant for ‘Stranger’, the surprise line-up only added to the blockbuster show that looked, sounded, and felt like a headlining set in every way, except for the time slot of course.

On Saturday Dune Rats were early party starters, throwing inflatable tinnies to the crowd and inviting Aussie rock mainstay Phil Jamieson on stage prior to the Amphitheatre becoming a haven for riff-lovers with back-to-back sets from Catfish And The Bottlemen and Royal Blood. But California’s Queen of the Stone Age were the kings of the evening.

In saying that, it was Bernard Fanning performance which shocked fans with a surprise Powderfinger reunion that had crowds running to the Amphitheatre from all directions. Marking 10 years since Powderfinger played at Splendour, it was one hell of an anniversary party.

It was a strong final day for Splendour in the Grass with early adoring sets from Amy Shark and Kuren, through to heroic performances from Smith Street Band, Thundamentals, a feel-good spectacle by Client Liaison and a final hurrah from LCD Soundsystem with a marathon set laden with all the bangers and finishing off with ‘All My Friends’.

Splendour is one of those places where you blink and you miss something incredible. Whatever you were seeking at Splendour, and even what you didn’t know you were, finding it was more than possible with the

FORTÉ 669

The context and lyrics of tracks on the LP touch on so many aspects of maturing and growth - even the opening track Sirens essentially being a metaphor for taking charge of your life before the final siren sounds - was it a concious effort to make a collective of tracks that focus on rights of passage and transitions in life?

Most definitely. For us this record has become the one thing we’ve really tried at. It’s meant not seeing friends, sacrificing a lot to pursue a dream. There’s also a much more collective notion to the stories. Our town is in transition also. It sometimes feels like one of those antiquated establishments that hasn’t moved forward, stuck in its ways; in the arts, in its politics, in the town’s identity. But to remain beautiful and prosperous, this place has got to pull together and start to understand each other.

Greater City, Greater Love has been a long time in the works - after everything that has gone into this record, what are you most looking forward to about its release?

I think the greatest thing about releasing it to the world will be the reaction from friends and family, all of whom have been so supportive and loving. Finally people will be able to hear it for themselves, and hopefully we’ve made something special that vindicates the effort we’ve put in and helps people understand why we have strived so hard for this from day one. We played Festival Hall for the first time the other night (which transformed us into giddy school girls), but I’m way more nervous to see if anyone is going to turn up to our hometown album launch. Hopefully we can do better than the six that came to our first Bendigo show.

When & Where: Gold Dust Lounge Bendigo, Bendigo - August 5

diverse array of artists on this year’s line-up.

Despite the usual festival issues with parking, transport and toilet cleanliness, the wealth of talent spread across the three days is more than enough to admonish any ill-thoughts. And scraping the drink token process was a real winner for the festival – improving lines and speeding up beverage consumption – until of course some of us got too ‘tap-happy’ and pay-waved all her money away (guity!).

The real winners of the day are the treasured memories we’ll leave North Byron Parklands which are linked with ferocious rhymes, happy vibes, a whole bar dedicated to the Yak beer collection (my fave!), the giant inflatable Happy Kanye which made for some wicked selfies, stunning voices, and of course, a shit tonne of glitter.

Until next year friends, keep the Splendour good vibes flowing!

Local Feature 25

Hot Wings With a secret recipe of surf, soul, rockabilly and swinging guitar boogie instrumentals With influences drawing far and wide from Les Paul, to Stevie Ray Vaughan and The Break to The Ventures, stellar guitarist Liz Sedman has carefully hand-picked a band to bring her new surfy, swingy, guitar boogie sounds to life – and doing so without a vocalist.

“We’re an instrumental surf rock band,” Liz laughs. “We wanted to do something different, the people in the band have been playing together in various projects for years and years, but for this one we wanted to do something a little bit different.

Three of us played in a funk band for a long time so switching to a surf rock band with no vocalist is pretty different, it’s pretty awesome though.”

While it is different, there is no denying that Hot Wings can rock without vocals, bringing the focus straight to the music, instantly down to the knitty gritty with an impressive line-up of talent.

Not only is Liz herself one of Australia’s most skilled guitarists, the rest of the band is brimming with talent. Backing Liz on the guitar front is Rob McPherson (Garagee, Telltale) who is a master of many instruments with a highly tuned ear. Joining Rob and Liz comes bass wizard Scott Cherry (The Charlies), and rounding it out is Julia Watt (La Bastard,

26 Local Feature

The Charlies, The Claremont, Street Singers) on the drums and having played for Australia’s great Circus Oz, she never misses a beat.

Instrumental rock’n’roll bands are far and few between in Melbourne. As a result, Hot Wings stand out with their four to the floor rock’n’roll and an added surf tinge. Last year Hot Wings took to the stage at many festivals around Australia, proving this band spans far and wide for all.

After the release of their highly anticipated debut album rounding out the year, Hot Wings was ready to take on the world, beginning new touring adventures not only in Australia, but also in Mexico.

“That Mexican tour was amazing, we only just got back last month,” Liz says. “You never know how your music is going to be received somewhere else.

You never know what people in a new town or new country are going to make of it. Are they just going to blankly stare at you, or are they going to enjoy it,” she laughs, “It was amazing, they [Mexico’s punters] were very responsive as an audience and at quite a few gigs we had these little mosh pits happening, I mean who does that to a surf band!? Crazy!”

And Hot Wings aren’t slowing down yet, with their second album already underway.

“We started recording our second album right before we left for Mexico so we’ve come back and done a couple of extra tunes. I would say probably early next year it will be ready to go. Why not hey?”

Why not indeed.

Visit their site at: www.hotwingsband.com

Matty T Wall WA blues guitar slinger Matty T Wall announces that he’ll be legging it over to the east coast this August in support of his new single ‘Broken Heart Tattoo’. We chat to Matty ahead of his tour.

Hey Matty thanks for chatting to us! How are you and what have you been up to recently?

I’m really good thanks. Feeling good and really pumped for this upcoming tour. I have been doing a long of song writing over the last few months and will be playing a bunch of songs on tour that will definitely be making it onto the next album.

I’m due to head into the studio in November with the boys to lay some tracks down. As much as I love playing live, I really enjoy creating stuff in the studio and creating songs that never existed before.

You have just announced that you’ll be touring the east coast this August in support of your new single ‘Broken Heart Tattoo’. What do you enjoy most about touring?

Playing new venues every night to new audiences and seeing new places about sums it up. I feel more free to experiment and have fun on stage when I’m on tour - I don’t know what’s up with that. Maybe the fact that on tour I don’t have to go to work in the morning! But yes, I really do love experimenting with the songs and arrangements on tour, and really tightening up with the band. When you play shows with a band every night of the week, it

FORTÉ 669

morphs into this brilliant organic music machine that just has an incredible impact.

‘Broken Heart Tattoo’ tells a tall tale of treachery over a walking bass line – one night, two protagonists, two gunshots and a deadly duel over the girl with the self-referential trademark and was inspired by the track ‘Be Cool’ by Albert Collins. Is there another back story to this?

Well, if you’re asking if this is based on real life events - no. I’ve never been shot at in a club because of a crazy tattooed girl! And there was no particular thing in my mind when I wrote it. It was actually one of those songwriting moments, when the story just came outta nowhere.

I did go back and rewrite a few lines here and there to make things fit better, as you do, but the idea just flowed out. The Albert Collins song is very comedic and I don’t think I can pull off comedic - it’s just not my thing. And coming from a heavy metal background, well, comedy is just not there either.

With a few dates coming up at multiple venues (Winter Blues Festival, Coburg, Blue’s Train etc), why did you decide on these particular stops?

The Blues Train has become a favourite of mine for touring, but this time around I also wanted to make sure I had the chance to play the local blues clubs and blues festivals in Victoria - really get out and see as many blues fans as I can, rather than limit it to one or two shows. I really love the community feel of blues clubs and regional festivals.

The album Blue Skies features 10 tracks, most of which are originals, but there are a few covers sprinkled in. Do the covers have particular meaning for you?

For me, playing blues covers all comes back to Cream’s rendition of Crossroads. It literally sounds nothing like the original and is their own creation. So when I record covers, I will only do them if I have managed to bring the song to a point where I have really stamped my sound all over it. I think that playing covers as a blues artist, is important, so the old can be reinterpreted into something new. Music must evolve, not forcefully, but naturally. A musician brings with them all the songs they’ve listened to and loved into how they play and write music. It happens naturally.

What CD is spinning in your car right now?

I actually have Metallica’s new album in there at the moment – I bet you didn’t see that coming! I have also been listening to some Gary Clark Jr, Steve Vai and Jeff Beck. But you know, it changes from month to month and I’m always out buying new CDs of old and new music.

When & Where: The Winter Blues Festival, Echuca – July 29, Pistol Pete’s Food & Blues, Geelong – August 4, The Melbourne Guitar Show, Caulfield Racecourse – August 5, The Blues Train, Queenscliff – August 5

DEX AUDIO

Dex Audio manufactures CDs, DVDs and cassette tapes in their factory in Melbourne’s West and can also provide mastering and graphic design. Dex are also associated with recording services through Newmarket Studios and are essentially a one-stop shop for your complete music package.

Newmarket studios

As a manufacturer for over 30 years, Dex Audio have a strong understanding of the needs of the music industry. Offering flexible turnarounds and very competitive rates, they are happy to assist with any project of any size. Dex Audio can oversee every aspect of your project from concept to completion.

Starting in audio production in the late 1970s, Dex’s founders Greg Williams and Daniel Desiere transitioned into tape and then disc manufacturing in order to oversee a level of quality control that standard brokers can’t achieve. Since then Dex has grown into one of the most diversified audio and media manufacturers in Australia.

From offering advice on special packaging to delivering on tight turnarounds, Dex Audio’s client service team can manage even the most complex orders.

At Dex you deal directly with the manufacturer, not with a middle man.

Newmarket Studios offers a professional experience accompanied with a relaxed atmosphere, managed under the safe hands of successful engineer/producer Callum Barter.

www.newmarketstudios.com.au

Located in the heart of North Melbourne the studio can be described as a musician’s heaven, equipped with 4 isolated tracking rooms with sight lines between them (allowing bands to track live together with acoustic isolation), an assortment of vintage microphones, a 40 channel Harrison analogue console, a grand piano, 24 track analogue 2” Tape and Pro Tools HD. Newmarket Studios has everything an artist or band could possibly ask for in a creative recording environment.

Featuring a big, bright and sunny common area to relax between takes - the creative juices are nurtured and encouraged to flow at Newmarket, which has attracted some big names such as Courtney Barnett, Kurt Vile, Saskwatch, Jim Lawrie, Dorsal Fins, & The Seven Ups to name a few. Newmarket is run by musicians, for musicians, and that is a recipe for success for any recording that you may have planned.

Get your Quick Quote at www.dexaudio.com.au or call on 1800 444 339

FORTÉ 669

Local Feature 27

di s h ed up

Clogs Bendigo’s place to be

↑↑ Cupcakes with a cause Geelong’s Bridie Bakes is taking fundraising to the next level with goodie boxes full of gorgeous handmade sweats and treats. Full of cupcakes, macarons, slices and a whole lot more mouthwatering deliciousness, Bridie Bakes A Wish goodie box are available for $50 on the 4th or 5th August in chocolate overload or sweet n’ fruity with all profits going to the Make A Wish Foundation!

↑↑ Gluten Free Donuts Gluten Free by Isaac has hit Geelong this month! These donuts can be made to order in plain cinnamon, jam filled, Nutella filled or custard filled. And they are 100% gluten free. Created by young entrepreneur, Isaac was diagnosed coeliac at six years old – but has found a way to share the love of donuts for all. Follow him at @glutenfreebyisaac

F o r 43 y e a r s, the van Haandel family’s vibrant, late night restaurant and home delivery service have been responsible for shaping Bendigo’s social landscape.

Still owned and managed by the van Haandel family, co-founder Martin van Haandel’s youngest son Michael is now at the Clogs’ helm after crafting his trade at the iconic Stokehouse Restaurant, Nobu London and as restaurant manager at Longrain Melbourne whilst maintaining the Clogs philosophy, ensuring everyone feels at home in the venue.

“We like to believe that we are suitable to anyone, but really I think Clogs is perfect for anyone who just wants a fun night out with great food, great drinks and some buzz in the atmosphere. We see all ages come through our doors, young people on a big night out, older people after the theatre,” he says. “Couples in for an intimate dinner, young families with kids, pumped up sporting groups, you name it, we see it.

If you want to laugh loud and not feel out of place, or don’t want the stress of trying to keep the kids quiet, Clogs is for you.”

Whilst the Clogs hospitality recipe will never change (the original pizza base recipe is still being used daily, and Grandma’s secret chocolate mousse is a menu staple), locals and visitors alike have been watching the intriguing transformation of the dining institution into a new phase of vibrancy.

“The pizza is the same original recipe that my father and his brothers created when they opened more than 40 years ago. That’s testament to how good they are,” Michael says. “We also boast Bendigo’s first Gourmet pizza range when we launched it all those years ago. We like to mix our traditions with seriously good a la carte – our head chef Brent Loam knows exactly what he is doing and has worked in some of the best venues in Melbourne and overseas.

On the Clogs menu, you’ll find both comfort food like pasta and interesting flavours.”

For Clogs’ traditionalists, the ‘Clogs Special’, ‘Super Supreme’ and Bendigo’s first gourmet pizza

range from past decades are still on the menu, while for the experimentalists, Clogs offer early week winter specials to keep you warm with the option of home delivery.

“I think in winter people are happy to keep it simple, a bowl of pasta and a beer, steak and Shiraz, we try to create a great deal that we know the majority of our customers will be keen on,” he says, “Obviously not everyone will venture out into the cold so the free home delivery means the homebodies and hermits are cared for too.”

As for the beverage offering, Clogs likes to mix the classics and the new, with a range of cocktails on the menu - and even Frose!

“We’re serious about our booze, the wine list is hand-picked by me, the cocktails are well made, interesting and balanced, and we like to change up the selection regularly,” he says. “My brother Wayne manages another venue in Byron Bay and is always on the lookout for new products and trends, so between us we can keep things exciting.”

Clogs is currently in the final stages of their six month renovations, but are always one to stand out from the crowd, with the exterior of the Clogs

Allira Eats That Chick from Grub Guide ↑↑ Game of Thronesinspired Gelato Messina creations are here Game of Thrones has returned to our screens and Messina is getting around it with some seriously delicious flavours. Messina will release one GOT-themed flavour every week (on Monday) with each episode. We know it’s winter, and you might be tempted to forfeit the battle of the store visit, but trust us – it will be worth it. You can find Gelato Messina in Fitzroy, Richmond and Windsor.

Bomboras Torquay

The joys of being a food and lifestyle photographer around this great region is when I photograph food, I do get to sample everything!

On my most recent shoot I was inundated with all types of food... including glorious thin crust pizza.

The Bomboras menu boasts so many culinary delights to cater for everyone. Through the week they have themed nights with Monday nights being Pho night, and Thursdays being steak nights.

‘Bombys’ as the locals call it, have not one but three locations! One being along the esplanade in Torquay in a renovated house turned restaurant, one in Fishos Kiosk located along fisherman’s beach and the Point Roadknight kiosk which is open over the warmer months in Anglesea.

I would highly recommend getting down to this place ASAP – especially over the weekends where they sometimes have home-made doughnuts (insert heaving breathing and drooling)!

↑↑ ALMA opens in Geelong Located 93 Ryrie Street, ALMA defines themselves as ‘modern Australian with a good splash of South American flavour’ and is now open! From grilled octopus and chorizo to pork belly, Jamon and cheese Polenta chips and dry aged rib eye, there is something for everyone. Our eyes are on the desserts though, with Vanilla flan, caramel and nuts, or the milk cake with hazelnut and berries – we’re sold.

28 FOOD

Follow Allira’s food and lifestyle photography on Instagram via @grub_guide

FORTÉ 669

building in Pall Mall being a bright shade of bluegreen and pays respect to the architecture designed

by William Vahland. Inside, Clogs has been re-energised by one of the country’s most notable interior artists, Christo Gillard, with an artistic reflection to Bendigo’s iconic landmark The Conservatory, located nearby.

Clogs welcome the next generation of pizza, pasta, and late night enthusiasts to take their place at the bar.

“It’s amazing how many people tell us they had their first date here, or met their future wife over a Clogs Special – it’s a great place to be and to kick back with friends, we’re still open until 2am on Saturday nights, so if nightclubs aren’t your thing but you’re not ready to go home just yet Clogs is the place to be.”

Where: Clogs is located at 106 Pall Mall, Bendigo.

Ph: 5443 0077 Site: clogsbendigo.com.au

The Bearded Bros x SureFit Personal Training The Geelong collaboration we are loving Written by Talia Rinaldo

Bearded Bros are getting a new HQ, and Surefit Personal Training are launching their second location in a partnership that caters to the many fitness-conscious patrons.

Nik Pfarrer, Bearded Bros owner and best mate Mitch Waters, owner and certified personal trainer at Surefit Personal Training came together after a year of collaborating on a small scale.

Now SureFit’s Mitch is Pairing up with Nik to bring the Bearded Bros Headquarters to life, incorporating the freshest and best house made healthy lifestyle produce in the same space of SureFit’s new gym facility, expanding on their current buzzing gym in Breakwater.

Here, the first smell that will hit you when you walk into the gym is, surprisingly, not the familiar mixture a training gym, but the heady aromas of freshly ground coffee. This will come from Bearded Bros HQ, situated in the back half of the gyms space.

The collaboration makes sense: exercise and diet are the pillars of health.

“We started stocking Nik’s [Bearded Bros] stuff about twelve months ago at the Breakwater Gym, and started getting friendly through that, and then we were just sitting down having a coffee one day, and I said I was keen to open a second gym,” Mitch says. “We thought it would always be cool to pair the two together because they go hand in hand – the healthy snacks that people were loving out at the gym, and I said well how about we put something together – literally together.”

“This was just the next step for me business-wise,” Nik adds. “We currently have a kitchen where I produce

Bendigo Writers Festival Written by Perri Digby

The 2017 Bendigo Writers Festival is almost here, from August 11-13 a myriad of talented writers and performers will descend on the city. The weekend has a lot to offer, whether you are a budding writer, professional or freelance, or just someone who loves to put pen to paper, the Bendigo Writers Festival is sure to strike some form of interest for you. Here are some of Forté’s top picks.

Where We’re At Friday nights main event, Where We’re At, has high expectations.

Hosted by David Astle and featuring Maxine Beneba Clarke, Rebecca Huntley, Leigh Hobbs and David Marr. It promises to live up to those expectations with 90 minutes of lighthearted talk covering serious issues including ideas of race, politics, and modern culture.

everything from, but no one really comes there, it’s not a shop front so this will be like a takeaway cafe with minimal prepared items – paninis and healthy goodies for people after their workout session.”

Three weeks into renovations, the guys have been spending their days and nights on sketchy ladders, with paintbrushes tapped to sticks to get the space ready for opening day on Saturday August 5.

The gym will feature a full set out with brand new equipment, new classes, new sessions such as yoga, kettle-bells and the well-known personal training, boot camps and an on-site physio. With four years at Breakwater, the new gym already has keen members signed up.

“We’ve just been running foundations members at the moment and we already have over 30 people who are signed up and ready to go so it’s looking good,” Mitch says. “We’ll then run a six week challenge at the end of August for here which will be good. We got lucky with this space – it’s perfect for what we want to do.

“You obviously want to exercise, eat well, drink well, and so it’s all of those things put into a one stop shop, and hopefully with us doing the physio as well, it will be a place to go for those needs as well.”

While Mitch will be running between his two gyms, Nik will be at the Bearded Bros HQ everyday, serving the committed gym goers with the hole in the wall with delicious wholesome nutrition options, with the aim to build a one-stop, healthy lifestyle centre.

“We’re thinking we’ll open at 6am with bootcamps that start then so we’ll be here to get them sorted,” Nik says. “It’s going to be good to have everything in one place, and be open to the public as well. People can now put orders in and come pick them up, we can have our wholesalers that are close by as well coming in to grab their stuff,” Nik says.

“But you also have the large amount of people who aren’t necessarily businesses who still do bulk orders, like they’ll buy up to 30 packs of Granola bars just for themselves, so now they can also just swing by whenever. You’ve got it all in one spot,” Mitch adds, proving these guys are more than just a business collaboration, but two very supportive mates who believe in this venture.

Bearded Bros will stock a variety of his own products,

Saturday night then with some of Australia’s best slam poets, stage actors and comics.

Hosted by Miles Merrill this event promises an hour of pure entertainment with inspiring writers and performers. #LOVEOZYA Super Session This super-session is three back to back sessions all about Australian YA literature. The three sessions, Transported by the Story, Amazing, and Winners and Losers include some of Australia’s best YA authors and topics – and are a shining example of why you should “read local”.

I Became A Writer Because…

Fiona Parker talks to novelists Libby Angel, Steven Amsterdam and Jenny Valentish about how and why they became authors.

The range of experiences, and stories is a promising Sunday afternoon activity for anyone with an interest in writing, no matter current level of experience.

Creepy John Richards discusses modern horror writing with Naja Later, Michael Pryor and Jay Kristoff. This event will cover if the art of subtle horror writing is dead, how horror literature

FitFast food and Downtown Juices, among other local collaborations of healthy food – there’s even a donut collabaration in the works with Uncle Donut.

“We’ll have some healthy and sometime food,” Nik says.

“That’s what we’ve always been about,” Mitch adds.

We have some athletes who push it quite far but the majority of our people are focussed on a bit of weightloss, toning and maintaining a balanced lifestyle so that’s why Nik’s stuff really fits, it ties in well.”

Healthy eating aside, the space also provides a space for people to mingle, now offering a place for post-work out catch ups to help build a community

with Nik adding in bench seating and tables which can be accessed through the rear entry of the gym/ cafe space.

If there’s a word to sum up the collaboration it would be atmosphere - the friendly, social atmosphere that a coffee shop adds to the whole gym. The fact that so many people need that daily caffeine fix means that access to coffee at the gym can enhance the overall customer experience “The good thing about this is Bearded Bros products promotes our lifestyle, and that’s the type of thing we are trying to get across to people. We’re not trying to make instagram fame or anything like that, we’re more about have your exercise and your wine too, but also snack healthy, eat healthy and enjoy a healthy fun lifestyle,” Mitch says. “If this all goes well, we’re already thinking about going coastal, replicate this and bring it to the coast. But one thing at a time, we have to get this one happening first.”

“This will be the teething baby and we will work it out from there,” Nik adds.

With a possibility of a liquor license in future and a basketball ring, a Friday night work out and beer could be just what we need.

When & Where: Open day will be held at the new space at 63 West Fyans, Geelong - August 5 at 3 PM - 8 PM.

can compete with big budget special effect films and daily horrors of the ‘real world’.

Other highlights include speakers such as Van Badham, Merlinda Bobis, Bryan Dawe, Robert Dessaix and Evripides Evripidou.

Workshops covering topics such as how to set up conflict, thickening the plot of your work and researching for writers.

The events take places all over Bendigo, showing some of the cities best. This includes Capital and Ulumbarra Theatres, the Engine Room at Old Fire station and the Old Court House Dunolly.

Each location gives a unique experience and often a look at the history of Bendigo. For those coming from out of town the festival also provides a key guide to Bendigo. This includes the best places to stay, eat and visit – if you have time outside all the incredible events on offer.

When & Where: Bendigo Writers Festival, various locations in Bendigo – August 11 – 13.

Tickets can be purchased via bendigowritersfestival.com.au.

Seeing Stars Dava Sobel explores the hidden history of the Harvard College Observatory and the women who acted as “human computers”.

Hosted by Robyn Glass the conversation centres around Sobel’s novel The Glass Universe.

4Words with Miles What better way to spend your FORTÉ 669

FOOD 29

Photo by Bea Shot

PHIA

Live-looping wunderkind Phia is hitting the road for her Sky and Sea Tour alongside indiepop chameleon Georgia Fields, as they re-imagine songs from their recent albums. We chat to Phia in the midst of the tour.

Hey Phia, thanks for chatting.

You are known for being a whiz on the loop pedal in your live performances. What initially drew you to looping and did it take much practice to get right?

The loop pedal took quite a few hours of practise in my room until I had enough confidence to bring it to a gig! I started out as a piano player and I loved the concept of the loop pedal that you could create your own world of sound.

You have a very soothing DIY art pop tone, and you often include an unusual instrument that’s become a definitive feature of your work, a kalimba. Could you tell us a bit about what it is and why you’ve decided to use it in your music?

Why thank you! A kalimba is a westernised version of an African musical instrument called an mbira. It’s a wooden board with metal tines that you pluck with your thumbs. I studied improvisation and composition at university and around the end of my studies I became interested in toy instruments, so I had a toy piano, a glockenspiel, a melodica and then I saw someone playing the kalimba at a gig and thought I’d get one to add to my collection. But when I played it for the first time I absolutely fell in love with the sound. It resonates in your hand and is the perfect instrument for looping - it has a percussive attack and also a harp-like resonance. It creates such a gorgeous soundscape.

In 2011 you made the move to Berlin and lived there for five years where you toured and recorded your debut album.

What was the appeal of the European music scene for you, and is it much different to the Australian music scene?

I was eager for a change when I moved. I bought a one-way ticket and wasn’t sure how long I’d stay, never expecting I’d stay for five years! What’s so wonderful about Europe is how close everything is, the touring opportunities are endless because you can jump on a train, or get a cheap flight to another country.

So I had the opportunity to play so many gigs in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy… it was so fun and really helped me develop my live show.

Australia has an incredible live scene, but it’s a lot harder to play as often as our population is so much smaller and spread over a huge amount of space so touring is a lot more expensive.

The title of your debut album, ‘The Ocean of Everything’, is very interesting. Could you talk a bit about what inspired that title, and some of the central themes you’ve expressed within this album?

The title comes from a line in one of the songs ‘Begin Again’. “..in the ocean of everything, who knows where it ends or begins.”. The album is about growing up, what changes as

Abbey Road Institute Become part of the global music industry Want to become an award-winning audio engineer or world famous music producer? Abbey Road Institute Melbourne is opening its doors to all potential students and future music industry professionals on Saturday August 26. This is your opportunity to come along, meet leading Australian music producers and find out why Abbey Road Institute is the global music industry’s preferred education partner.

At the Open Day, you can tour the state-of-theart studios, recording space and editing suites and see practical demonstrations of the best music technology available on the market today. Speak to our students and receive first-hand accounts of the Abbey Road Institute student experience, and learn about Abbey Road and Universal Music Group’s global education initiatives at a detailed information session.

Have all your questions about our courses, campus and industry advantages answered, and interact with leading music producers as they share their insights on how to succeed in the music industry at the Producer Panel.

Abbey Road Institute’s Producer Panel is always a major drawcard at their Open Day events. For this August’s Open Day, Abbey Road Institute is proud to

30 NEWS

you leave childhood behind, reflecting on youth and family and discovering myself in a new city far from where I grew up, over many oceans.

You’ve been doing a co-headline tour with Georgia Fields, who you’ve previously collaborated with, featuring on her song ‘Open Orange’. What do you see in Georgia that’s made you want to work with her?

I’ve always loved Georgia’s work. She’s such a fantastic songwriter, I feel I learn something every time I hear her songs. I love the vivid imagery in her lyrics and her incredible band and string arrangements.

Thanks for chatting with Forte.

On a final note, have you got any plans for the future of your career, any new music coming?

Thank you Forte! Yes I’ve been working on a new EP with my guitarist and producer Josh Teicher. I’m really proud of it, it’s got distorted guitars and intergalactic juno synths and songs about science and feminism. I’ll be releasing it later in the year and touring it back to Europe. It’s a busy year!

When & Where: Old Castlemaine Gaol, Castlemaine – August 6

Someday June Melbourne indie-folk duo Someday June consists of guitarist Troy White and singer/songwriter Bec Sykes who have joined forces to create their uniquely beautiful style of music through their debut EP. We chat to Bec ahead of the EP release.

Your debut EP is released soon – how are you feeling?

It’s been a long time coming so we’re definitely relieved to see it all come together. It’s also a bit daunting, especially because our songs are so personal. More-so because people close to us are going to hear it. I don’t mind telling my story to a stranger.

You’ve supported acts like Patrick James and Ayla, any difference now you’re preparing for your own tour?

We’ve got a third member, Pia, performing with us on backing vocals and violin, and we’re incorporating some percussion this time around.

We’ve been playing these songs live as a duo for a while so it’s been rejuvenating coming up with different arrangements for the tour.

‘Look Closer’ is an amazing song and the music video is gorgeous – what was it like filming/preparing for that?

Thank you! It was our first music video so it was a cool experience. The preparation mainly consisted of finding a location and dancer, then the rest unfolded naturally. The dancing was mostly improvised, and in terms of filming, it was a one-camera affair by Geelong creative, Jess Walters. We wanted the video to reflect the spacious, minimalist nature of the song.

The EP has a mix of genres; folk, pop and indie – was this the aim?

Was there one genre that had the most influence on your sound?

It’s interesting because we didn’t really think about how the songs were a bit pop-leaning until after the EP was finished and we had to classify it. I would say that contemporary folk music has had the strongest influence. We look up to artists like Daughter and Paul Dempsey.

What’s next for Someday June?

I’m planning to do some travel, and hopefully switch off a bit so I can really tune into my creative side. We’ve got a bunch of song ideas floating around, so I’m sure another EP isn’t too far off the horizon.

When & Where: Babushka Bar, Ballarat – August 5, Analogue Academy, Geelong – August 11 & The Basement Bar, Bendigo – August 12

present Beau McKee (Closure In Moscow, Sky Ferreira, Oakland Studios), Alex Braithwaite (Trumpdisco, Slumberjack) and Jimi Maroudas (The Living End, Pete Murray, Eskimo Joe, Kimbra) as the speakers on the Producer Panel. These three producers between them have decades of real-life industry experience.

Having earned numerous ARIA and Grammy nominations and awards and even more #1 charting hits, they possess a wealth of knowledge, and on August 26, they will be sharing it with you!

Abbey Road Institute invites all budding young producers to come along, armed with any questions you’d like answered about success in sound production, ready to gain invaluable insight into production techniques and the recording industry. This is a rare opportunity and not to be missed.

The producer’s panel will focus on topics including:

Throughout the rest of the day, find out exactly how Abbey Road Institute can teach you the skills and industry-know-how needed to become the next big thing in sound production, and achieve your dream career in the music industry.

→→ What are the most important attributes a young producer needs to generate work? →→ How did you go about establishing your personal brand and reputation in the Industry? →→ How would you describe the state of the Australian music industry today? →→ What role will producers play in the digital online space that the industry is rushing towards?

Afterwards, the floor will be opened for a Q&A session among the producers and attendees.

OPEN DAY PROGRAM 11:00am

Greetings & Tours of the Facilities

When & Where: Abbey Road Institute, 1/135 Sturt St, Southbank - August 26, 11am - 3pm

12:00pm

Paul Ledingham CEO Presentation

12:30pm

Tea/Coffee/Biscuits

This event is completely free to attend, but places are limited, so register at abbeyroadinstitute.com.au/august-open-day or phone 1800 274 338 to ensure your place now!

1:00pm

Producer Panel and Q&A

2:00pm

Competition Winners Announced & Meet the Students

3:00pm

Conclusion

FORTÉ 669

FORTÉ 669

NEWS 31

Ballarat International Foto Biennale

For the photographers, photography enthusiasts and arts lovers. Written by Alex Forssman

Raising the bar yet again for regional art in Victoria, the Ballarat International Foto Biennale is set to commence on August 19. Following the success of the Archibald in 2016, Ballarat are backing up their arts prowess with over 100 different local and international artists cleverly selected by creative director Fiona Sweet.

We had a chat with Fiona and discovered her motives behind weaving the intricate artistic threads together for the only event of its kind in Australia. She has managed to lure David Lachepelle to Australia to exhibit for the first time and organised a fringe review program on offer to the public.

Fiona has had an illustrious career in the photography world, recently curating the 2015 Acland Street Projection Festival and judging past Biennales worldwide, not to mention being the recipient of many prestigious graphic design and photography awards. As the new creative director of the BIFB, she feels that regional Victoria and in

particular Ballarat, is the perfect fit for a Biennale.

“A small town, a regional town, means that it’s not too big, people don’t get lost and can immerse themselves in the art form whilst enjoying the country town,” she says.

When asked about program highlights, obviously, David Lachappelle’s first solo exhibition in Australia which will take place in the Art Gallery of Ballarat, is significant. Over 60 of his photographic images spanning his career will be featured for the photographer, the art lover, the celebrity crazed fans to adore. Lachappelle’s early career in commercial photography has transitioned easily into creative photography with pictures that have ventured from Rolling stone to the cover of Vogue, they will now grace our very own backyard making a significant impact to the BIFB showcase.

“Lachapelle takes a very irreverent sort of stand when he looks at celebrities and celebrity voyeurism, and he uses his hyper realistic style to really I suppose, highlight

Geelong Gallery is temporarily closed

Melbourne International Film Festival

With the aim of transforming visitor experiences, Geelong Gallery has shut down to spend time creating an exceptional entrance to the gallery. Whilst the refurbishment work occurs, the doors will be closed until August 12.

However to celebrate their return and twenty-first-century foyer, the gallery will re-open with the 2017 Geelong acquisitive print awards exhibition and The You Yangs exhibition by Mark Dober.

The 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival just got even bigger with the announcement of multiple new additions to the already impressive program.

Notable Australian highlights include Eddie Martin’s Have You Seen The Listers? about the cost of success for Australian street artist Anthony Lister and Tom Zubrycki’s Hope Road which tells the inspirational story of a Sudanese refugee returning to his village to build a school.

MIFF runs from Thursday August 3 to Sunday August 20. Visit the MIFF website for full program and ticketing information.

32 CREATIVES

social issues and political events,” Fiona explains.

Representing on a national level, a very exciting exhibition ‘Tell’ has been curated by emerging Indigenous curator, Jessica Clark. As part of the fringe program, this event is free to the public and features 17 Indigenous artists including Destiny Deacon, Richard Maynard and Warwick Thornton. When asked what she loves about this exhibition Fiona says, “From a personal perspective I think indigenous photography in Australia and worldwide is saying something that’s very, very interesting and exciting for the rest of the world to engage with about who they are and their history and their culture, but in a contemporary way.”

The Portfolio Review is a personal favourite of Fiona’s, with a small fee attached for adults or students, emerging photographers have the opportunity to gain feedback from International and National expert reviewers.

Standard practice for most photography Biennales, Fiona

Back and Forth, Come and Go Back and Forth, Come and Go is a series of images created by local photographer Nicole Marie in the year following her sea change relocation to Geelong. A new space was born out of her daily rail commute between Geelong and Melbourne. The series provides glimpses into a liminal space where we are not one place or another; we are halfway between, with no need to be anywhere else. The full series can be seen on her instagram @miss_geelong and will be on show at Little Creatures Canteen Gallery Geelong until August 20.

FORTÉ 669

feels this is so important for the public.

“It’s very rare that you can put your work in front of someone who can give you really good critical discussion,” she says. “This is an opportunity for international significant photographic, curators and directors Australia wide to come and give up their time to look at people’s work.”

When & Where: Ballarat International Foto Biennale August 19 – September 17 Note - Book your David Lachappelle tickets in advance.

For more information go to www.ballaratfoto.org

William Shakespeare Returns to the Otways in 2017 This October and November, three of Shakespeare’s best-loved works will be brought to life in three unique outdoor settings in The Otways. First in the trilogy will be the comedic classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream on 21 October, then the enigmatic fantasy The Tempest, to be performed at Australia’s oldest working lighthouse - the Cape Otway Lightstation on 4 November and finally the primal passions and timeless themes of Romeo & Juliet will be staged amongst the beauty and romance of the vines at Otway Estate on November 18.

Geelong’s Monster Book Fair It’s cold this winter and there is no better time to just curl up with a good book!

The Rotary Club of Geelong West is once again giving the opportunity to stock up on your winter reading with $1 books.

With thousands of books from every genre for just $1 The Club’s Monster Book Fair will run from Friday 4 August to Sunday 6 August and there have never been more books to choose from! Proceeds of the Book Fair are directed to Rotary approved projects locally in Geelong as well as national and international programs.

Neel Kolhatkar

KYMBA

There are few things in life that are better than a belly-achingly good laugh. So, if you don’t yet know the name Neel Kolhatkar, make sure to list it at the top of your things to do because he guarantees just that.

Comedian, writer, actor and internet sensation, Neel Kolhatkar, has spent the last several years rising to the forefront of modern comedy in Australia. Born with a natural flair for making people laugh, he began his career as a comedian after winning the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Class Clowns competition, at the young age of 15.

“I think I was just a bit of an attention seeker when I was a kid, and that grew into public speaking and acting, which then transitioned into more comedic acting and improvisation,” he says, “The next step after that was stand-up comedy. I tried it first when I was 15, it’s a weird thing to want to do but I genuinely wanted to do it, so I tried it and I loved it from the moment I started doing it. And I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Some years into his career as a comedian, Kolhatkar skyrocketed to internet fame as an impressions video he posted – titled ‘Australia in 2 minutes’ – went viral overnight.

“It’s so weird [going viral] because it’s so immediate. Within a day or two it’d been viewed over a million and a half times,” says Kolhatkar of the experience. “When I finally stepped out of my house, I went to the train station and I was getting recognised everywhere. It was so offputting, I didn’t know how to react… It was just such a strange experience and almost like I was living in a film or something. I still find it quite crazy that people come up to me and recognise me. It’s a pretty unique time that we’re living in, with the internet; and I’m very thankful.”

During recent years, such videos have been superseded by the release of his critically acclaimed short films. With titles ‘Equality’ and ‘Modern Educayshun’ of particular note, the films allow us to delve further into the brilliant mind of Kolhatkar.

“I never really saw myself as a filmmaker, especially not as a political satirist, but I tried my hand at it,” he says, “There were restrictions creeping in around comedy, particularly in restricting what comedians could say. And for the most part, it came from a good place, but there were parts of that culture that was detrimental to comedy and art in general, and I did really want to say something about that.

“I first did Equality, which skyrocketed. I had no idea it would go that well, because it was so different and it was quite dark, so I didn’t really know how my audience was going to react. But now that’s my biggest video by far.”

After spending the first half of the year performing his new stand-up show at the likes of Adelaide Fringe Festival and Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Kolhatkar is now set to share the love with regional Australia on his upcoming tour.

“Audiences can expect all of my usual style and content. Talk about media, about politics a little, talk about ‘Straya quite a bit – considering I’m touring regional Australia – I’ve got to talk about that. My experiences… relationships, sex, all that sort of stuff that I don’t get much of,” he laughs, “I’ve never performed down in Geelong or Bendigo before, so When & Where: I’m just really looking forward to it. I extend an invitation to the various Geelong Performing Arts Centre, people in the cities to give me a crack… at the show. I mean, at the bar Geelong – September 2 & Capital afterwards as well if they’re keen, but mainly at the show.”

KYMBA is Geelong’s answer to unique shopping, with a wide range of gifts, essential oils and products for body, skin and hair. As Geelong’s Healing Hub, the store offers alternative resources to explore your spiritual side and get back to basics with a range of healing therapies, treatments and workshops for overall wellbeing, including remedial massage, spiritual healing and reiki, among others.

Kimberlee Bone aka Kymba, the brains behind Kymba, has worked on her personal growth and self healing through trust, faith, affirmations, power of the mind and letting go of all limitations – and now she has brought this together in her new store, a safe space for like minded people and community.

Closing since early July, the new store celebrated its opening on Wednesday July 19, revealing a spectacular bohemian masterpiece in the new space – just three doors up from her previous location on Ormond Road.

Celebrating with live music, cheese boards and wine, the space was filled with Kymba’s loyal and committed customers, as many explored the abundance of crystals and holistic products on offer.

“It’s awesome. I’m really blessed. I have the loyalty of my customers which is huge. The fact that we closed was too much for them,” Kimberlee says.

“Restocking was hard because we’ve never really done a shop with this much stock. So finding everything was hard, but it was good for a change, it was good to start again. I’m a bit of a job gypsy so I was thinking I’ve been there nearly five years, so moving was like another awakening.”

The new shop space is inundated from corner to corner with stunning crystals, a wide range of essential oils, glass tea flasks, bath salts, lip balms, bold candles, incense, oracle cards, dream catchers, natural personal products, gift ware, books, and salt lamps.

“Everything in the store I absolutely love, that’s why it’s here,” Kimberlee says of all the products on offer.

As for the space itself, Kymba now features a rustic wooden tier table, an incense stand with a massive range of masala, plant based and herbal incense, and a stunning golden feature wall. This combined with the beautiful decorative pieces around the room channels a stunning overall woodland theme, designed by the talented creative Shonel from Leafy Design Co. Regardless of your belief system on the healing properties of crystals, Kymba will introduce you to the basic practical benefits of crystals in everyday life and help you understand how they help assist you to love and empower yourself.

Set to share the love with regional Australia on his upcoming tour. Written by Helena Metzke

Geelong’s magical forest wonderland. Written by Talia Rinaldo

When & Where: KYMBA is located 29 Ormond road, East Geelong.

Follow Kymba on Instagram @KYMBA1

Theatre, Bendigo – September 8

Off Ya Tree Winter Blizzard Sale.

When it comes to living an edgy lifestyle– there’s few shops that come to mind in being able to offer fashion and design. Off Ya Tree is one of Australia’s pioneering brands in the altern world, and pride themselves on being one of the forerunners in the alternative lifestyle and body modification industry.

And now the brand has put on their Winter Blizzard sale. Stay warm with their new Hell Bunny coats, or get some cardi’s to complete your pin-up outfit! They also have 30% off all clothing and accessories until July 31 so don’t miss out!

With stores at Ballarat and Bendigo, Off Ya Tree can help complete your outfit with some accessories, or assist you with a whole new outfit!

But if you don’t want to head out in the cold, they’ll come to you. Simply shop online at www.offyatree.com.au with free shipping for all orders over $70! Don’t miss out on these massive savings!

They’re also one of the only fashion brands in Australia that offer piercing and tattooing at selected stores with the offshoot in-house studio Punktured Body Piercing and Tattooing. Offering all types of piercing and tattoos (in a totally profesh and hygenic matter) it’s the perfect accessory to all the fashion pieces you’ll be picking up on your way out.

If you’re also partial to a smoke – their site will redirect you to a host of cute, novelty and practical smoking paraphernalia which will surely keep you set for life (or maybe just the weekend.)

With access to two of the 30+ year stores, Off Ya Tree ensures we’re at the forefront of living on the fringe.

FORTÉ 669

CREATIVES 33

Technology and Gadget Expo

Photo by Jason Leibhart

Australia’s launch pad for innovation and technology that is changing the world is back

Skin of our Teeth Productions A Room with A View Independent Geelong theatre company Skin Of Our Teeth Productions recently turned three years old – three successful years of eight fantastic productions from Pride and Prejudice to Macbeth. Now, just in time to celebrate their birthday, Skin Of Our Teeth is proud to present their bold and sumptuous new adaptation of E.M. Forster’s novel, ‘A Room With A View’, which is widely regarded as one of the 20th century’s greatest novels.

Adapting Forster’s sun-splashed novel that has already spawned an iconic movie is, one imagines, a tricky business. Yet Geelong’s Emma Watson’s adaptation bolsters EM Forster’s career defining literary ideas: of feminism, the belief in freedom and truth, whilst adding grace and a gentle learnedness, making for an enjoyable evening of uplifting storytelling and theatrical escapism.

34 CREATIVES

Following the story of English rose Lucy Honeychurch touring Italy with her prim spinster cousin Charlotte Bartlett as chaperone, this is a beloved play about change and loss, pretension and honestly, expectation and entitlement, and ultimately how spontaneous actions in a rigid world of set social codes can shatter and explode into life changing potential.

With its cast of vivid characters, this elegant comedy, written in 1908, is widely recognised as one of the finest novels of the twentieth century. Foster was the master of building romantic suspense out of psychological repression.

“Since launching in 2014, Skin of Our Teeth has been dedicated to presenting exhilarating and egalitarian theatrical experiences to Geelong audiences,” says the company’s artistic director, Christine Davey.

“Our rendering of well-loved pieces of literature will be a feast for the senses,” says Davey.

A Room With A View will be performed at Shenton Theatre in Geelong from August 11 – 26.

For more information, interviews and photo opportunities, please contact Christine Davey 0409 389 461 or on chriskppd@westnet.com.au

Tickets via www.trybooking. com/NSWF

T h e a n n u a l T e c h and Gadget Expo in Melbourne is Australia’s largest technology expo, providing a launch pad for innovation and technology that is changing the world. Over the weekend of August 19 and 20, people are given the chance to come and interact with the latest products, meet with hundreds of the best and most innovative brands and individuals in an interactive show floor.

Held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, TGE invites everybody from individual’s, business’s to families and kids to come see demonstrations, test out products, purchase the latest gadgets and be educated via the TGE Stages.

And with record breaking number of consumer attendance at last years event, TGE is double the size this year allowing more interactive areas and exhibitor displays.

Catering to anyone with interest in new and about to be released in our technical age, there will be plenty to see with exhibitors ranging from genres of health and fitness, virtual and gaming, kids - innovation, safety and fun, lifestyle, home tech, auto and water craft, Drones and UAV and start-ups – just to name a few!

The event will also host two open stages which will run consistently over the two day event where there will be a number of presentations and demonstrations held by the exhibitors and special guests.

This will give you the chance to witness how particular products were developed and where technology is heading next and experts will be providing demonstrations with give-aways, interviewing champions of sport, industry, and entertainment, and running hands on STEM based activities to build STEM curiosity, problem solving skills and resilience.

FORTÉ 669

This year also sees the addition of another brand new area - the amazing Virtual Reality and Augmented reality Experiences. Here, attendees will get to see a whole new world and be immersed in wonder, and the new test track / trial areas covering over 1000 square metres offering visitors the chance to have a go on the latest and quirkiest personal transportation devices (electrics bikes, seaways, electrics scooters and electrics skateboards).

TGE2017 boasts top products putting it in at the largest technology show in Australia, connecting hundreds of the best, brightest, and most innovative brands and individuals in an interactive exciting show floor. For two days, leadingedge companies, ground breaking exciting new technologies and never-before-seen products will be showcased. A super central gathering place for all who thrive on technologies, the expo is where next-generation innovations are introduced to the Australian marketplace.

See everything from robots, autonomous vehicles, hand controlled drones, home convenience to solar charged backpacks to help always stay connected.

When & Where: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Melbourne - Saturday August 19 & Sunday August 20.

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.

For more info visit www.tge.melbourne

FORTÉ 669

CREATIVES 35

Reviews

Films reviewed by Anthony Morris

↑↑ Una

↑↑ The Trip to Spain

When Una (Rooney Mara) turns up out of the blue at the suburban factory where Ray (Ben Mendelsohn) is a mid level manager, he’s terrified – and with good reason. Years ago she was his next door neighbour and he abused her – or was it a real relationship? She has a lot of questions and a lot of anger to offload, and he just wants to sweep it all under the rug.

But as she goes on her real feelings become harder to figure out, and is he telling the truth when he says he only ever had these feelings for her, or is he a serial offender trying to escape with his new life intact? This adaptation of a successful stage play fumbles the ball a bit despite strong performances from both leads; it poses questions but fails to put any urgency behind them, leaving it hard to tell whether the characters feelings are shifting or the film itself isn’t sure of which way to go next.

For their third outing as duelling impressionists-slash-restaurantreviewers, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon (playing caricatured versions of themselves) are taking their restaurant review road trip to Spain. The first film had Coogan as a status-obsessed ladies man while Brydon was the settled family man, then the second one reversed their roles. This returns to the status quo: Coogan is again worried about his Hollywood career (only now it’s as a writer) and is trying out his Spanish on every passing young woman despite having an “it’s complicated” relationship with his (now married to another man) girlfriend from the first film. Meanwhile Brydon is once again settled in his home and work life and happy to annoy his friend as they visit a series of classy eateries and take in some gorgeous countryside. The impressions are a little flat (though Coogan’s Mick Jagger is a delight) and the story runs out of steam well before the end credits, but the chemistry between Coogan and Brydon is a delight. It’s still very funny at times, but hardly essential: if not for a weird cliffhanger ending (which it’s hard to see a fourth film starting with), there’d be no reason to expect a fourth Trip.

↑↑ War for the Planet of the Apes When we left Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his ape brotherhood, they’d defeated the forces of rival ape Koba, only to have an bigger threat on the horizon: humans. That’s now a fullblown conflict, with the forces of the obsessed Colonel (Woody Harrelson) and the remaining apes from Koba’s faction now teamed up to track down Caesar’s tribe in the forests of northwest America. It’s a dirty war, and it gets dirtier once Caesar’s family bear the brunt of the Colonel’s assassination mission: now Caesar is out for revenge, and he’s going to track down the Colonel and get his payback in person. The quasi-Bibilical theme of previous Ape movies is cranked up to the max here: freeing slaves, leading them to the promised land, being strung up on a cross and being stabbed in the side all get a look in, while long stretches are closer to a western in feel while the war side of things comes from countless Vietnam-war era films (“Ape-pocalypse Now” is spotted as graffiti). It all works: this mash-up is a consistently entertaining action epic, helped in large part by flawless ape CGI and a great performance from Serkis. The Ape trilogy has been consistently strong: they just might have saved the best for last.

↑↑ Dunkirk

↑↑ The Beguiled

War is a big subject, and Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk puts it under the microscope. This isn’t a sweeping saga of epic conflict: by focusing on the World War II retreat at Dunkirk (where the British forces, having been pushed out of France by the invading Germans, were saved from capture by a flotilla of small craft from across the Channel), and then narrowing that focus to a handful of characters who rarely speak, he’s created a immersive experience that operates almost entirely as experience. The Germans aren’t even shown (in focus) – rather the escape is an obstacle course of dramas spread across three eventually colliding storylines: a week with the troops trying to get off the beach, a day with a small boat heading out across the channel to rescue them and an hour with a Spitfire pilot providing air cover during the evacuation.

Ships sink, snipers shoot, planes fly out of the sun and the message is in large part that death often comes from a direction you least expect. Hans Zimmer’s ultra-tense score – ticking clocks and pulsing heartbeats abound – would make anything an unnerving experience, but with sudden death the order of the day this is a nerve-wracking experience even without blood or gore. It’s about war in the abstract, and it’s an unforgettable experience.

While the American Civil War rages just outside the gates, life at the girl’s boarding school run by Martha Farnsworth (Nicole Kidman) goes on.

Well, kind of: most of the students and all of the slaves have fled, leaving only teacher Edwina Morrow (Kristen Dunst) and a handful of students behind. So when an enemy solider (Colin Farrell) is found wounded in the woods nearby, they’re stuck: do they hand him over to their troops, or nurse him back to health? Well, he is kind of handsome… Director Sophia Coppola brings her trademark female gaze to this somewhat trashy gothic noir (previously adapted by Don Siegel and starring Clint Eastwood), resulting in a stylish and thoughtful version that still loses something in translation. Usually her films feature universal characters (vaguely defined white women the audience can project onto) and situations in specific locations, so the audience can connect on a “I’ve felt like that” level. Here the story is too specific for that approach - most of us haven’t tended a sexy wounded solider – but the characters remain mostly vaguely sketched. Her dreamlike style doesn’t quite work when specific things have to happen for a reason; the result is a stylish story that never quite comes into focus.

Record Watch

Don Bryant Don’t give up on love

Singles Simply Summed

Fat Possum

01. Shut Down

75 year old Don Bryant’s second solo album since his debut in1969. Having worked with Ann Peebles, Al Green and Willie Mitchell through the 60s and 70s the pedigree is certainly there. He wrote the hit song “I Can’t Stand The Rain” and was destined to be a mere footnote in Soul Music, but not now! This new album shows wonderful soul, funk and gospel elements with a voice that hasn’t been spoiled by endless years of touring. The track “How Do I Get Here” is a very uplifting highlight. No doubt this album will reach many Top Ten end of year lists.

Leisure Suite Larry / Marshmallow / Tranquil

02.

Tigertown Warriors Luminous / ‘Noice!’ / Incandescent

03. IV League Change My Mind Modern-retro / Angst / Tiptoe

04.

The Contortionist

For fans of: Al Green, Mavis Staples & Solomon Burke

Absolve Translucent / Nuanced / Weaving

Available at Prehistoric Sounds/Sweet Little Hi Fi (online or in Newcomb or Warrnambool).

A Quiet Passion PG | 2016 | 2h 5m July THU 27: 1.00PM, FRI 28: 3.30PM, SUN 30: 11.00AM, August TUE 1:1.30PM, WED 2: 6.00PM, SAT 5: 6.00PM, SUN 6: 3.30PM, TUE 8: 11.00AM, WED 9: 6.00PM

Cnr. Moorabool & Verner St. South Geelong www.pivotcinema.com.au

36 Reviews

SAT 5: 4.00PM, SUN 6: 6.00PM, MON 7: 4.45PM, WED 9: 4.00PM

Hounds of Love MA15+ | 2016 | 1h 48m

Lady Macbeth

Neruda

Una

MA15+ | 2016 | 1h 29m

MA15+ | 2016 | 1h 47m

M | 2016 | 1h 34m

August THU 3: 11.00AM, 7.30PM, FRI 4: 1.00PM, 7.00PM, SAT 5: 8.30PM, SUN 6: 11.00AM, 8.00PM, MON 7: 1.00PM, 6.30PM, TUE 8: 1.30PM, 6.00PM, WED 9: 8.30PM

July FRI 28: 1.00PM, August TUE 1: 11.00AM, THU 3: 3.00PM, SUN 6: 1.00PM,

E | 2017

July THU 27: 11.00AM, 5.15PM, FRI 28: 6.00PM, SAT 29: 5.30PM, 9.30PM, SUN 30: 1.30PM, 7.00PM, MON 31: 4.30PM, August TUE 1: 6.00PM, WED 2: 8.30PM, THU 3: 5.30PM, FRI 4: 11.00AM, 9.00PM, MON 7: 11.00AM, TUE 8: 3.45PM

Chicken People

July SAT 29: 7.30PM, SUN 30: 9.00PM, MON 31: 2.30PM, August WED 2: 12.30PM, FRI 4: 3.00PM, MON 7: 8.30PM, TUE 8: 8.00PM

PG | 2016 | 1h 23m

Kedi

Met Opera Der Rosenkavalier

G | 2016 | 1h 20m

E | 2017

July SUN 30: 5.15PM, MON 31: 12.45PM, August WED 2: 2.30PM, FRI 4: 5.15PM, MON 7: 3.00PM

August SAT 5: 11.00AM, WED 9: 11.00AM

July THU 27: 3.30PM, FRI 28: 11.00AM, SAT 29: 3.30PM, SUN 30: 3.30PM, MON 31: 11.00AM, 6.30PM, August TUE 1: 4.00PM, WED 2: 11.00AM, 4.15PM, THU 3: 1.00PM,

FORTÉ 669

NT Live. Obsession July SAT 29: 11.00AM, TUE 1: 8.00PM,

PorkPie M | 2017 | 1h 45m July FRI 28: 8.00PM

Whiteley M | 2017 | 1h 30m July SAT 29: 1.30PM

Magic Bones

ear-bleeding music and that was exactly what they delivered. After an hardcore hour, the boys from Jelly Mammoth stepped in and delivered so much more than just your average rock band.

These self-described “stoner rock dudes” showed off their mad dancing skills as they passionately sung, or screamed (which ever you prefer) their ‘crazy loud’ lyrics.

A definite highlight was the their final song which lead singer Unx moulded with the crowd and danced away in the mosh to the clapping of an absolutely adoring crowd.

But after this is was time for the magical Magic Bones, who from their first single which was released in March this year, ‘Hotter than the Sun’, rocked and

rocked and did not stop.

From the moment the rock foursome took the stage there was an applause that could be heard from miles away.

Their first song ‘Hotter than the Sun’ was loud, yet accompanied by the perfect dance tune which had the crown moving already. It was the perfect mix of upbeat lyrics and hardcore groovy tunes which absolutely encapsulated the crowd!

Another definite highlight was the atmosphere when Magic Bones played their third song ‘Close to You’. Personally this song seemed like an absolute crowd pleaser. It was loud, dancy yet screamed “I’m in a punk band”! And I think the crowd agreed. The lyrics were perfectly moulded with the guitar and

drums and it was the perfect tune to rile up the crowd and remind them why they were here.

As the band continued to play some truly memorable tunes, it was their final song ‘Devil’ which was an absolute show stopper. I don’t believe there was one person in the room who was sitting down as the groovy guys from Magic Bones performed this track - it was an absolute their ripper song. The song itself was the perfect recipe of hardcore garage rock with a 60s infusion, and was the perfect send off for what was an amazing show.

If you were lucky enough to get on down to the show on Friday night, I’m sure you had no regrets and to those who didn’t go, I’m sure you do.

↑↑ RUNK

↑↑ The Kite String Tangle

↑↑ Grinspoon

↑↑ Localles

Y.E.T.I

The Kite String Tangle

Guide To Better Living

Not A Contender

Independent

Exist. Recordings

Universal Music Australia

Independent

Reviewed by Ruby Cairns

Reviewed by Vittoria Di Martino

Reviewed by Tex Miller

Reviewed by Tex Miller

4 Stars

4/5

3.5

3.5

Guide To Better Living was released in September 1997. I don’t really remember the hype surrounding the album but in the year’s following, Grinspoon have gone on to become one of our greatest exports.

Celebrating 20 years since it’s release, the band are back out on the road and have released a special edition featuring live tracks, B-sides and rarities.

‘Pressure Tested 1984’ sounds as loud and brash as it ever did with Jamieson’s signature vocal stylings shining through the mix. On this deluxe edition of GTBL you are given a great insight into the early classics of the band and over the course of two and a half hours, you can hear both studio and live versions of fan favourites such as ‘Sickfest’, ‘Pedestrian’ and ‘Just Ace’.

20 years on, the band may be a little older yet the spark and charisma to their performance has been their since day one and can be heard throughout this album.

Chuck this on the stereo and turn it up loud, because really can you listen to Grinspoon at a quiet level? No, I didn’t think so.

Everyone remembers the Vasco Era right? Sid and Ted O’Neil, brothers from Apollo Bay teamed up with their mate Michael Fitzgerald and took on the world playing ballsy rock n’ roll. Now in 2017, two thirds of the Vasco Era have combined forces on their new band Localles, who have just released an EP entitled Not A Contender. On the opening track ‘JFK’ some funky Rhodes electric piano beats along with drums to create an infectious groove that opens to a big sonic space in the chorus before condensing back for the verse. It’s a little grungy rock and roll which will bring you back to your teenage years in the mosh pit.

‘Going Home’ sounds like standing on the beach looking out towards the distance and seeing the shoreline stretch on forever. Wistful electric guitar chords transpire in the chorus and are complemented by catchy vocal melodies. There are two counteractive sounds in play on this release, one - the grungy rock pub vibes and two - reverb drenched and soaring guitar lines that are present in the track ‘Coat of Religion’.

Time passes and bands break up, but Localles is a strong new project for Ted O’Neil and Michael Fitzgerald. Not A Contender is an EP that features ebbs and flows of emotion as well as some good pub rock.

When: Friday July 14 Where: Kubu Studio, Geelong Supports: Jelly Mammoth, High As Hell Reviewed by: Ruby Cairns

Who would have thought a mix of hardcore punk rock with a 60s infusion would be the ingredients to something wonderful... But for everyone at the Magic Bones concert, it was quite literally ‘music to their ears’.

Of course supporting Magic Bones, was the High as Hell three piece clan who promised loud, heavy,

cd re vi ews

These South West Victorian cool kids have adopted Breakthrough ARIA nominated artist, The Kite String their own personal version of funk infused rock rap in Tangle (Danny Harley) has finally dropped his longtheir Y.E.T.I album which embraces some surprisingly awaited self-titled debut album. This album is a real and edgy lyrics which are oddly relatable to the triumph; an experimental, electronic trance, coming typical thoughts and feelings experienced particularly from a former bedroom-producer with 11 standby young people today. alone tracks that take you through a journey within The album addresses issues such as depression, Harley’s mind. the hidden agenda of radio companies today and The first two singles to have been released were having a love that doesn’t quite love you back yet ‘Selfish’ and ‘The Prize’, both dance tracks suitable to amongst the desolate lyrics comes an almost com- amaze, with the potential to set a crowd ablaze. Many forting guitar, bass and drum backdrop which bring artists in this genre, however, become mesmerised the lyrics to a new sense of life and a catchy beat that by this aspect of their influence and tend to revert accompanies the lyrics perfectly.. back to clichés to keep people dancing and enjoying Listening to the albums namesake, Y.E.T.I it is defi- themselves. Other tracks ‘Terracotta Warrior’ and nitely a highlight on the album release. The depth of ‘All I Need’ are further examples of The Kite String Tangle’s ability to weave emotion with sound. the lyrics converse with the cruisey vibe of the music and are able to build up on significant lyrics within the The Kite String Tangle stands out for the pack with song, all of which tells a depressingly sad story. his emotive lyrical style and deep, dreamy overtones.

The Y.E.T.I album appeals to no specific audience He has not lost touch with himself, all while keeping as the emotional voice of lead singer, Jacob Pugh are an intimate hold on his listeners. If you make it to Splendour this year, this is an artist not to miss if enough to capture the attention of anyone. you want to experience a true, passionate, electronic Whether you are feeling like something heavy to sing along to or something a little more heartfelt and connection. In short, one of the best Aussie electronic slow, the RUNK’s ‘Y.ET.I’ album is the one for you! albums in a long time.

FORTÉ 669

Reviews 37

pop culture

pulp

blues news

too heavy to hug

SURFBEAT

Written by Anthony Morris

Written by Alastair McGibbon

Written by john (dr john) lamp

Written by Paul S. Taylor

By John Foss

With the Melbourne International Film Festival just around the corner – it runs from August 3rd to the 20th at nine venues in the heart of Melbourne – film buffs have never had it so good. Which is something of a problem. With 366 films on offer over the seventeen “spoilt for choice” barely seems to cover the range of options: considering there’s no way you can see everything, where should you start?

After giving the listings a once over, a few films stand out as must-sees. If you’re after big names on the festival circuit, then MIFF has you covered: there’s Terence Malick’s latest Song to Song, Todd Haynes with Wonderstruck, Michael Hanake with Happy End, James Gray’s The Lost City of Z (not to be confused with The House of Z, a documentary about fashion designer Zac Posen), Yorgos Lanthimos’ Killing of a Sacred Deer, and Sally Potter’s latest film, The Party, a darkly comic satire of a broken England starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall and Patricia Clarkson.

Ruben Östlund was the hit of the Festival with his grim yet spot-on comedy about a family under pressure Force Majeure: he’s back this year with The Square, which broadens his comedy outwards to take on the entire art world.

Fellow Festival fave Alex Ross Perry is also back with Golden Exits, an ensemble drama with a star-studded cast including Emily Browning, Chloë Sevigny, Jason Schwartzman and former Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz.

There are programs worth checking out too: Guest curator Alexandra HellerNicholas has teamed up with the National Screen and Sound Archive this year to put together “Pioneering Women” a selection of rarely seen 80s and 90s classics directed

by Australian women. The entire line-up is worth a look, from Clara Law’s Chinese immigrant story, Floating Life, to Nadia Tass’s classic comedy The Big Steal – though perhaps the highlight is Ann Turner’s 1989 psychological horror film Celia.

The popular music documentary program has been renamed Music On Film, and features the aforementioned Terence Malick feature (set in Austin’s thriving music scene), a screening of the recent restoration of Gillian Armstrong’s legendary Australian 80’s musical Starstruck, and the hip-hop coming of age film Patti Cake$ featuring Aussie newcomer Danielle Macdonald. For animal lovers there’s a small program of documentaries, ranging from the small scale and sweet like the New Zealand poultry-fancier tale Pecking Order to the controversial Trophy, which connects the dots between selling out and saving life in South African big game hunting.

There’s also a series of true crime documentaries, including Abacus: Small Enough to Jail about the only bank that was taken down by the GFC, and Kim Dotcom: Caught in the Web, about the notorious cybercelebrity and piracy advocate. There’s also a well-regarded trio of films looking at the lives of young people: School Life examines the hallways and classrooms of Ireland’s unique Headfort School, STEP follows the senior year of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women’s step-dance team, and Swagger merges fact and fantasy to look at the lives of teenagers in the underprivileged Parisian district of Aulnay-sous-Bois.

And if that’s not enough for you? Pick up a copy of the MIFF guide – you’ve still got a week to book your seats before the festival starts.

38 COLUMNS

Hey everyone! Hope you’re all having a great week, what with the return of Game of Thrones and the enormous slapfight regarding the casting of a new Doctor. Thankfully, my comics library is here to distract me from the drama/ excitement/general hullabaloo, and this week I’ve gone back to the decade of my birth to revisit a comic book classic – Spawn. Since its creation in 1992, Spawn has been a mainstay of the superhero landscape. Arguably one of the best examples of an anti-hero in comics, Todd McFarlane’s dark, moody creation has been around for almost as long as I have.

Considering how long Spawn has been around, it’s pretty darn convenient that Image have released a bunch of trade paperbacks collecting Spawn from its very beginning. Naturally, that’s where I’ve started: Spawn: Origin Collection, volume 1.

Once a government agent – a specialist in black ops, and a trained killer – Al Simmons was killed by his own men.

Thrown into the depths of Hell, he makes a bargain with a demonic entity – he gets to see his wife, and the demon gets his soul.

Resurrected as the warrior Spawn, stripped of his memories and struggling to come to terms with his new powers, Simmons is desperate to regain his identity. With malign forces hunting him at every turn, Simmons is determined to find the woman that haunts him day and night, and reclaim his identity.

I could place Spawn’s 90s origins from the minute I opened the book. McFarlane’s artwork practically screams 90s comics, warts and all, but at the same time it was wonderfully nostalgic. While some of the art – particularly close-ups of characters – was dodgy, the action-packed spreads and weird ‘n’ wonderful demons made for some great pages. Spawn’s costume, while a bit cheesy, makes for some great images, particularly when brooding on a rooftop; I have to wonder how much Batman and Spawn fed off each other at the time.

The chains, swirling cloak and glowing hands scream “edgy” in the modern day, but they’re still a potent combination; I couldn’t imagine a character as dark and tortured as Spawn looking any other way.

I also got some serious Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vibes from some of the panels, though that may be more down to the hallmarks of 90s comic art rather than any specific reference to Kevin Eastman.

In terms of writing, Spawn is a little cliché, but still interesting; I must admit I was more interested in Simmons coming to terms with his new place in the world rather than the demons that were pulling his strings. There are plenty of horror tones throughout the series, so it’s not the kind of book you’d give to a kid; some of the horrible characters seemed like they’d be more at home in a series like Hellblazer.

Given the sheer longevity of the series (it’s still going today!) I really am curious as to how McFarlane and the series’ subsequent writers kept it going for so damn long; after all, titles at the big two are lucky to last 50 issues before a reboot these days.

I’m also interested to see how the character has changed throughout the years; I think it’d be interesting to pick up a modernday Spawn book and compare it to the very beginnings of the character.

All in all, Spawn: Origins Collection seems to be the best place to start if you want to delve into the world of Spawn. It’s dark, edgy and a whole lot of fun – the perfect way to start reading a classic series.

proudly presented by the sleepy hollow blues club We’re nearly at August, and the good news is that the Blues Train rolls again!

The Blues Train took a much needed and deserved winter break for June and July before its brand new season kicks off on Saturday August 5. Tickets for the new season have been on sale for a while and might be in short supply, but for us locals, there are a few tricks we can do.

It’s also the time to think about and start booking the all important Christmas party. Why not have a Christmas party everyone will love? The Blues Train can cater for groups from 2 - 200, head to the website for more details.

But first, and I know it’s hard to believe, but there are still a few people out there who don’t know how the things works, so let’s recap.

The driving force behind The Blues Train is Hugo T. Armstrong, who has been promoting and organising music and events in our region for quite a few years now. By the way, buy him a beer and ask what the “T” stands for, you won’t be disappointed.

Anyhow, think of a steam locomotive and four carriages, well five really, and that’s an important distinction! The musical journey will take you from Queenscliff to Drysdale and back, starting at 6:30pm and returning by 11:30pm.

The evening starts with a meal before you set off on the trip. When you get your ticket, it will have on it a carriage ID – either A, B, C or D. Carriage A and C have dining tables, Carriage B means you are eating off your laps, and Carriage D (for “dance”) has pretty much no seating, and you’ll be eating on the station before you leave.

The more astute of you will have noted that there are four carriages, and by stopping half way at Suma Park when going up and back, there are four segments to the journey.

At the Suma Park and Drysdale stops, everyone moves up a carriage. That means everyone gets a chance to dance and to hear all the artists booked for the trip.

You also need to know about the all important fifth carriage – the bar! The bar is in the all important fifth car, which can only be accessed at the stops. It has a range of beers, wines and spirits, including local products.

But what is the local advantage? Well, the proverbial happens, and often people buy tickets and then find they cannot make it down. The Blues Train has a ticket exchange, a much more civilised process than turning up at the platform hoping there will be some desperate punter trying to offload tickets at the last minute.

That puts us locals in a much better position to make it down.

You can find details of the Blues Train at www.thebluestrain.com.au Oh yes, “Gunzel ( noun, slang Australia): A person who pursues useless and pointless railway enthusiast activities.” And I mean that in the nicest way!

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

The announcement that Akercocke will be releasing a new album this year has cemented 2017 a massive year for releases. Satyricon, Cradle Of Filth and Wolves In The Throne Room all have albums due for release and they join the likes of Mastodon, Exist, Soen, Pallbearer and Ghost Bath who has already dropped massive albums this year.

RIP Adrenaline Mob bassist David Zablidowsky who tragically lost his life recently in a road accident as the band were on tour in the US. In other news Nucleust will release their new album Terra Cerebral on Friday July 28.

Alice Cooper will release his new album Paranoiac Personality on Friday July 28.

Thy Art Is Murder will play Melbourne’s Max Watts on Saturday July 29.

Geelong doomgaze outfit Mountaris recently signed to US label Transcending Records and will release their debut EP Desolate in August.

The Brewtaltity Metal, Rock & Beer festival is back this year and will be held on Saturday August 5 across both of Melbourne’s The Tote and Bendigo Hotel.

Playing the festival will be Blood Duster, In:Extremis, Nothing, Hadal Maw and plenty of others with more to be announced.

Thy Art Is Murder will release their new album Dear Desolation on Friday August 18.

Frankenbok will be at Melbourne’s Evelyn Hotel on Saturday August 19.

Akercocke will release their new album Renaissance In Extremis on Friday August 25.

StoneSour will play Melbourne’s Festival Hall on Friday August 25.

King and special guests Blackhelm will be at Melbourne’s Evelyn on Friday August 25 and, great news for Geelong’s live music scene, The Barwon Club on Saturday August 26.

Tool tribute band Third Eye will be at Ballarat’s Karova Lounge on Saturday August 26.

Make Them Suffer will perform at Melbourne’s Max Watts on Saturday September 16.

Dream Theater will play Melbourne’s Palais Theatre on Wednesday September 20.

Wolves In The Throne Room will release Thrice Woven on Friday September 22.

Satyricon will release their new album Deep calleth upon Deep on Friday September 22.

Cradle Of Filth will release their new album Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay on Friday September 22.

Cavalera brothers Max and Igor will perform Roots in its entirety at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre on Saturday September 23.

Ministry and Filter will be at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre on Saturday September 30.

Napalm Death and Brujeria will be play Melbourne’s Max Watts on Tuesday October 10.

The Dillinger Escape Plan will play their final ever two Melbourne shows at the Corner Hotel on Friday October 20 (sold out), and there’s still tickets available for their second show on Thursday October 19.

Northlane will be at Melbourne’s 170 Russell on Friday October 20.

Alice Cooper will play Margaret Court Arena on Friday October 20.

Mono will be at Melbourne’s Max Watts on Friday November 10.

Miss May I will play Melbourne’s Max Watts on Friday November 24.

Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress will perform Mike’s 12 step suite and other Dream Theater classics at Melbourne’s Croxton on Saturday November 25.

Anathema will play 170 Russell on Wednesday December 6.

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

FORTÉ 669

James Cruickshank…

Guitarist with the ocean eyes.

THE CRUEL SEA were an Aussie band that captivated audiences around Australia with a mix of funky surf guitar sounds and bass driven grooves. While Tex Perkins stole much of the limelight as lead signer, it was the guitars standing behind him that provided the groove and drive. James Cruickshank was lead guitarist with The Cruel Sea. This is an excerpt from an interview I did with him just on 25 years ago when the band were at their peak.

Cruickshank: I lived in Melbourne and I always had a thing with the ocean so I sailed a lot until I was ten on Port Phillip Bay and then moved to Sydney to a place called Stanwell Park which had surf. I got a foamy, a little Midget Farrelly one and then I started riding a kneeboard for a while then when I was 16 I knicked off from home and went up to the Gold Coast and stayed up there for four years and just generally hung out.

I was a builders labourer and just went surfing all of the time. It was just in that period of your life that I’m sure everyone knows where you just dream about surfing and you have nightmares about, how when you were young and you just go ‘imagine how fucked it would be if you couldn’t go surfing all of the time.’

I’m a goofy footer so I really like places like Kirra which can be a lot of fun because people see you on their backhand and just go ‘see ya’ but I loved Currumbin before they built the harbour there. It was a beautiful long wall and you’d flick off because your legs would be so tired and it was just great for big round house cutbacks and re-entries and stuff.

I grew up listening to Daddy Cool, Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin, The Doors.

I guess that I look to the older music more then the new stuff. I don’t look to U2’s new record to see where I am going to go, I might buy a Billy Johnson record or something like that cause just to hear the spirit of people that’s what I listen to. I listen to heart and feel.

There is a real pure spirit and feel to just a microphone and acoustic guitar and voice and being able to get intensity out of just that because then when you start to amplify it and put it under lights then it just gets better. I’m a big fan of rhythm and space. To me it is just as important where you don’t play as it is when you do play.

To me surfing is just going away with your mates up the coast, smoking a bit of pot and just doing it for the love of it, the love of being in the water and checking out your mates. It’s the one thing I love about Australia. I was in Biarritz recently and they have got great beach breaks around Hossegor and stuff like that but the French people its just not in their blood, you see it in the eyes, the ocean eyes.

It’s a really strange thing, a really unique thing to Australia I guess.

FORTÉ 669

COLUMNS 39

#Fortéscenepix

barwon club

D e a kin w a t e r front

pis tol pete’s

c o ffe e c a r t e l

beavs bar

barwon cl ub

Japandroids Photo Review When: Barwon Club, Geelong Where: Wednesday, 12th July Photographed by: Opus Imagery

connect to people, places and events on socialpagesvip.com 40 Scenepix

FORTÉ 669

c o ffe e c a r t e l

deaki n waterfront

g e e lo n g h o tel

the edge

i ris h m urphy’s

the inn

t h e in n

i r ish mu r p h y ’ s

petrol

petrol

i r ish m u r p h y ' s

connect to people, places and events on socialpagesvip.com FORTÉ 669

Scenepix 41

The guide

KAROVA LOUNGE: RUNK, Matt Murray & the Durry Busters, Good Wives, Foxtrot & Dedmedics

THE LOFT (Warrnambool): The Go Set

THURS 27TH BALLARAT WINTER FESTIVAL BEAVS BAR: Andy Forster CHERRY BAR: KATTIMONI THE DECK: Uni Night ECHUCA-MOAMA WINTER BLUES FESTIVAL EDGE GEELONG: Live Music and DJ HER MAJESTY’S BALLARAT: The Exotic Lives of Lola Montez MUSIC MAN MEGASTORE: Frenzal Rhomb PISTOL PETES: Pistol’s Blues Roulette with Julian Byrne from Catfish Voodoo SUTTONS HOUSE OF MUSIC: The Price is Wrong TASTES OF CENTRAL GEELONG

FRI 28TH ADELAIDE BEER & BBQ BABUSHKA LOUNGE: Teira Birthday Party – multiple line-up BALLARAT WINTER FESTIVAL BARWON CLUB: Rates, Framework Production, Nymphlow, Retayner, DJs PCPS + Pinky

PISTOL PETES: Andy Layfield Band

SUN 30TH ADELAIDE BEER & BBQ BALLARAT WINTER FESTIVAL BARWON CLUB: Five Buck Sundays!

BEAVS BAR: Beavs Disco

MUSIC MAN MEGASTORE: Three Wise Monkeys, Eater of the Sky, Cobra & Guests PISTOL PETE’S: Live music THE WOOL EXCHANGE: Grinspoon

FRI 4TH

SUTTONS HOUSE OF MUSIC: Mariah & Zach

THE BENDIGO HOTEL (MELBOURNE): Angelcorpse

AIREYS PUB: First Friday’s Open Mic

TASTES OF CENTRAL GEELONG

BELMONT HOTEL: Sunday Sessions

BARWON CLUB: DJ PCPS, Pinky

THEATRE ROYAL (CASTLEMAINE): The Kill Devil Hills

CHERRY BAR: THE NATIONAL EVENING EXPRESS, Steve Boyd’s Rum Reverie

ULUMBARRA THEATRE (Bendigo): Hoodoo Gurus and You Am I

SAT 29TH ADELAIDE BEER & BBQ THE ANZ GEELONG SMALL BUSINESS EXPO AIREYS PUB: Tommy Castles BALLARAT WINTER FESTIVAL BARWON CLUB: Vintage Crop, Gonzo, Bones and Jones, The Floaties, DJ Blackwave BEAVS BAR: Jeff Jordan BELMONT HOTEL: Live Band CHERRY BAR: DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF SURF, BATZ THE EASTERN: Drug Sweat, Tim & The Boys, Parsnip, Vertigo, and Lime Lagoons

CITY QUARTER: Live music and DJ from 4pm ECHUCA-MOAMA WINTER BLUES FESTIVAL GROVEDALE HOTEL: Rach and Liam HER MAJESTY’S BALLARAT: The Exotic Lives of Lola Montez PICCADILLY MARKET GEELONG PISTOL PETES: Phil & Trudy Edgeley TASTES OF CENTRAL GEELONG QUEENSCLIFF BREWHOUSE: Blues & Roots with Chris Wilson WINTER WILD FESTIVAL

MON 31ST CHERRY BAR: Cherry Jam Mondays

ECHUCA-MOAMA WINTER BLUES FESTIVAL

TUES AUG 1ST

EDGE: Live Music and DJ

CHERRY BAR: THE SPITTING SWALLOWS, Cash, The Diecasts

GROVEDALE HOTEL: Dean Cockerell HER MAJESTY’S BALLARAT: The Exotic Lives of Lola Montez HOMEHOUSE: Zac De Petro, DJ Shook, Holmes John Irish murphy’s: Good Faces For Radio KAROVA LOUNGE: Hollow Everdaze PISTOL PETES: Alex Burns Trio

PISTOL PETE’S: Live music

WED 2ND THE BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Master of Dartness and Poker from 7pm BEAVS BAR: Open Mic, Karaoke, Luke Biscan GPAC: A Tribute to Bing Crosby

BEAVS BAR: Nick Tabone BELMONT HOTEL: Live Band CITY QUARTER BAR: Friday Unwind from 5pm. Live with live entertainment and DJ EDGE GEELONG: Live Music and DJ

IRISH MURPHY’S: Jeff Jordan KAROVA LOUNGE: Crooked Colours, Muto THE LOFT (Warrnambool): Three Wise Monkeys, Cobra, The 2nds & Karma Charmer PISTOL PETE’S: Matty T Wall

QUIKSILVER BAR 61 (TORQUAY): Forever Son

BEAVS BAR: Beavs Disco

CITY QUARTER: Perfect Sunday Sesh Live music and DJ from 4pm EDGE GEELONG: Live Music

MONDAY ELEPHANT & CASTLE: GOLD DIGGERS: OLD HEPBURN HOTEL (Hepburn Springs): THE SPORTING GLOBE:

ELEPHANT & CASTLE: GEELONG RSL: GOLD DIGGERS: IRISH MURPHY’S: THE SPORTING GLOBE:

Frugal Foodies $20 menu Half Price Wings, Ribs & Pints

Pizza Night $23 Steak & Drink night Steak Night $13 $15 Burger or Parmi $15 Parmi Night $15.90 Angus Rump or $19.90 Porterhouse

WEDNESDAY GEELONG RSL: GOLD DIGGERS: IRISH MURPHY’S:

Pot and Parmi Night $13 $25 Express Lunch $15 Burger Night

OLD HEPBURN HOTEL (Hepburn Springs):

Frugal Foodies $20 menu

THE SPORTING GLOBE:

$14.90 MVP Parmas & $8.90 Pints + Jam Jars

THURSDAY

GROVEDALE HOTEL: Dean Cockerell THE GORDON TAFE: OPEN DAY

GOLD DIGGERS:

OLD CHURCH ON THE HILL: Charm of Finches

$10 Lunch Specials

TUESDAY BARWON HEADS HOTEL:

BARWON HEADS HOTEL:

OLD CASTLEMAINE GOAL: Georgia Fields and Phia

$23 Steak & Drink night

ELEPHANT & CASTLE:

IRISH MURPHY’S: OLD HEPBURN HOTEL (Hepburn Springs): THE SPORTING GLOBE:

Parmi Night $22 Seafood & Chips Night Happy hour 5-6 $20 Steak Night Frugal Foodies $20 menu $14.90 burgers, &15.90 Jugs

FRIDAY BAR 61 TORQUAY:

PISTOL PETES: Live music

BARWON HEADS HOTEL:

Steak Night

ELEPHANT AND CASTLE:

Thank Guinness It’s Friday!

AIREYS PUB: Didirri

QUEENSCLIFF BREWHOUSE: Open Mic Sunday Session with ZIGGY

BABUSHKA LOUNGE: Someday June

SUTTONS HOUSE OF MUSIC: Mid Year Showcase

IRISH MURPHY’S:

SAT 5TH

BARWON CLUB: Glitter Gang, DJ Eddie Example BEAVS BAR: Jeff Jordan BLUES TRAIN: Matty T Wall

CITY QUARTER BAR: Live entertainment and DJ

THE SPHINX: Regular Boys

THE DECK: Uni Night

THE EASTERN: A Miner, Juan Alban and Matt Malone

SUTTONS HOUSE OF MUSIC: Salty Dog

GPAC: A Tribute to Bing Crosby

GROVEDALE HOTEL: Ben Dew

ECHUCA-MOAMA WINTER BLUES FESTIVAL

TASTES OF CENTRAL GEELONG

EDGE GEELONG: Live Music and DJ

UNO DANCECLUB: ANYO

GPAC: The Coodabeen Champions - Celebrating 37 Seasons on Air

42 The Guide

SUN 6TH BARWON CLUB: Five Buck Sundays

EATING OUT

OLD HEPBURN HOTEL: Heaven Knows

SUTTONS HOUSE OF MUSIC: Ian Moss

EDGE: Live Music and DJ

HOME HOUSE: Homehouse Fridays Party with Djs

WOOL EXCHANGE: Josh Pyke, Kyle Lionhart

MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

POTATO SHED (DRYSDALE): The Exotic Lives of Lola Montez

CHERRY BAR: Sweethearts

HOMEHOUSE: Lucille Croft, DJ AK GOLD DUST LOUNGE BENDIGO: Fountaineer

HUME BLUES CLUB: Matty T Wall

IRISH MURPHY’S: Betts and Boon

KAROVA LOUNGE: Montaigne, I Know Leopard, Alex The Astronaut

KAROVA LOUNGE: Winfield (Last Show)

THE LOFT (Warrnambool): Shag Rock ‘Loosen Up Tour’

WORKERS CLUB GEELONG: Steve Smyth

CHERRY BAR: DAVE, ‘Rock N Roll’ single launch, Baker’s Eddy, Three Kings

THE EASTERN: Requiem

HER MAJESTY’S BALLARAT: The Exotic Lives of Lola Montez

TORQUAY BOWLS CLUB: Heaven Knows

HOME HOUSE: Homehouse Fridays Party with Djs

BEAVS BAR: Dean McInnes

GROVEDALE HOTEL: Levi & Cody

THE SPHINX HOTEL: Wooshka

GROVEDALE HOTEL: Luke Hindson Duo

QUEENSCLIFF BREWHOUSE: Levi Anderson

WINTER WILD FESTIVAL

SUTTONS HOUSE OF MUSIC: Alariiya

THE BRIDGE (CASTLEMAINE): Creek

THURS 3RD

CHERRY BAR: SEBASROCKETS, The Credits, White Devil Detroit

PISTOL PETE’S: Live music

QUEENSCLIFF BREWHOUSE: Hannah Petrie

BELMONT HOTEL: Sunday Sessions

ROYAL MELBOURNE HOTEL: Rates

BELMONT HOTEL: Live Band

PISTOL PETE’S: Live music

EMERGING ARTISTS OF GEELONG EXHIBITION OPENING

CHERRY BAR: ZOMBIE MOTORS WRECKING YARD, Pegbucket, O.D. Tommydogs

BEAVS BAR: Nick Tabone

OLD CASTLEMAINE GOAL: Kestral

THE LOFT (Warrnambool): Nucleust MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

FORTÉ 669

MON 7TH CHERRY BAR: Cherry Jam Mondays

TUES 8TH CHERRY BAR: THE SPITTING SWALLOWS, Excuse For An Exit, Dangerous Curves TAP HOUSE BENDIGO: Vera Blue

GOLD DIGGERS:

THE SPORTING GLOBE:

Burger & Beer Happy Hour 5 - 7

Happy hour 5 - 6 Happy Hour 5 - 7 Double Desserts - Buy 1, Get 1 Free

SATURDAY BAR 61 TORQUAY: THE SPORTING GLOBE:

Burger & Beer Happy Hour 5-7 $20 Bud, Heineken 3 & Sparkling Buckets

SUNDAY GEELONG RSL: IRISH MURPHY’S:

$13 Carvery lunch $15 Fish & Chips

OLD HEPBURN HOTEL:

Roast Rendezvous

THE SPORTING GLOBE:

$10 Cocktails

PISTOL PETE’S: Live music

WED 9TH THE BARWON HEADS HOTEL: Master of Dartness and Poker from 7pm BEAVS BAR: Open mic, karaoke, Luke Biscan PISTOL PETE’S: Live music

TRIVIA BARWON HEADS HOTEL:

Trivia Thursday Night from 7:30pm

ELEPHANT AND CASTLE:

Trivia Wednesday from 8pm

GOLD DIGGERS ARMS: LORD OF THE ISLES: the deck: WORKERS CLUB: Irish Murphy’s:

Trivia Wednesday Night Trivia Thursday Night in the Courtyard Trivia Thursday Night Themed Trivia Wednesday Night Trivia Tuesday Nights, 7:30pm

FORTÉ 669

The Guide 43