Forte 756

Experience life in technicolour this New Years as BEYOND

makes its return.

WHAT’S ON

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Geelong Arts Centre stands, the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past, to Elders present and to emerging leaders, recognising their continuing connection to land, water, culture and community. Please note: all information within this ad is correct at time of print.

EDITOR

Tammy Walters

PARTNERSHIPS

& CAMPAIGN MANAGER

Matt Wilkinson

DESIGNER

Riley McDonald

GIG GUIDE

Tammy Walters

CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Callan, Chester Ogilvie, Chloe Cicero, Kaya Martin, Lucas Radbourne, Benjamin Lamb, Jacob Mccormack

FOR ADVERTISING OR SPONSORED CONTENT ENQUIRIES advertise@fortemag.com.au

ACCOUNTS accounts@furstmedia.com.au

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PUBLISHER

Furst Media Pty Ltd 03 9428 3600

EDITORIAL NOTE

There

are two people in the world when you hear the words “Life In Technicolour”. You either think of the joyous mandolin-led opening track and part two of Coldplay’s 2008 Viva La Vida or you think of the vibrancy of new year festival Beyond The Valley.

Æ We sit in the latter, ready to shred the monotony of the daily greyscale and sink into the technicolour festival fountain of Beyond The Valley. Returning for 2024/25, Beyond The Valley is oozing with vibrance and their teaser campaign has us feeling radiant. In a first, editors collide to discuss the beloved festival’s reemergence.

In beautiful synergy, this issue is popping with colourful characters from San Cisco’s light-filled album and regional tour, the bold and brilliant creations of design brand Dowel Jones, the neon rays of Voodoo Glow Skulls, the shades of blue that Sarah Carroll brings, to the green and gold that surrounds local Olympian and gold medalist hopeful Mia Gross. We also chat to Australian music industry veterans Kate Ceberano and Brian Cadd and dip into hot streaks of Cooper Alan and Bootleg Rascal.

On the food side, pubs, pastries and plenty of wine are at the forefront with Bellbrae Estate, Meredith Hotel, Midtown Cellars and Bar, Interlude Cafe and Charlie Bakery inviting you into their menu.

Jump into our August rainbow now!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TRADITIONAL OWNERS

Our magazine is published on the lands of the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation, and we wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners. We pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.

SOCIALS

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DISTRIBUTION

Forte Magazine will be distributed for free monthly to hundreds of regional Victoria locations. To enquire about having Forte Magazine at your venue email distribution@fortemag.com.au

COVER

Our August cover is Beyond The Valley.

NEWS

UK POP-PUNK ACT BUSTED ARE TOURING AUSTRALIA THIS OCTOBER

Busted, one of the UK’s most loved pop-punk acts, is coming to Australian shores for their East Coast tour. The tour kicks off on Wednesday 30 October at Melbourne’s Forum, then moves to Eatons Hill Hotel Ballroom in Brisbane on Friday 1 November, before wrapping it up at The Roundhouse in Sydney on Sunday 3 November.

SUZI QUATRO ANNOUNCES 40TH ANNIVERSARY

AUSTRALIAN TOUR

“Get ready to ROCK... cuz I take no prisoners!” ‘Devil Gate Drive’ and ‘Can The Can’ rocker Suzi Quatro warns audiences as she makes a huge return to Australia. Having just been in the country playing a round of Red Hot Summer Tour shows, unapologetic rocker Suzi Quatro will return to Australia in January 2025 to play her full theatre show Rockin On

BETWEEN YOU & ME AND TEENAGE JOANS TO HEAD ON REGIONAL AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Australia’s pop punk scene is screaming as two hard-players, Melbourne belter’s Between You & Me, and Radalaide rebels Teenage Joans team up for a mammoth co-headline tour, taking through regional Australia this August and September 2024. The bands will tour the country on their 1800-Painless tour heading to Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, Prince Bandroom St Kilda, Barwon Club Geelong and Volta, Ballarat in Victoria.

ABILITY FEST LINEUP LED BY OCEAN ALLEY, ONEFOUR, CUB SPORT AND MORE

Ability Fest has announced its 2024 lineup, featuring Ocean Alley, ONEFOUR, Cub Sport, King Stingray, Bag Raiders, Middle Kids, Brenn!, jamesjamesjames, Kita Alexander, Asha Jefferies, and more. The one-of-a-kind festival expands, returning to Alexandra Gardens/ Birrarung Marr in Naarm/Melbourne on 19 October, and for the first time heading to Victoria Park/Barrambin in Meanjin/Brisbane on 26 October.

PALM TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL BRINGS OUT CHAINSMOKERS, ALESSO FOR 2024 LINEUP

Following a non-stop tour of international instalments, the intercontinental tropical party is back for the second year running with a stacked lineup featuring the Chainsmokers, alongside Alesso, Gryffin, Austin Millz, Daya, and more. The iconic global event will set up paradise at Sydney Showground on 6 December, Sandstone Point on 7 December, and Sidney Myer Music Bowl on 8 December.

BIGSOUND 2024 ANNOUNCE ITS LINEUP OF MUSIC LEADERS AND PERFORMERS

BIGSOUND has announced lineup of speakers and performers. Among those heading to Brisbane this September to share invaluable knowledge are Lutz Leichsenring (VibeLab), Lyndsey Havens (Billboard), Josh Simons (Vinyl Group & Vampr), and Mark Davyd (Music Venue Trust). On the artist front, Tones and I leads the charge.

TELENOVA SHARE NEW SINGLE AHEAD OF NATIONAL TOUR

Melbourne outfit, Telenova unveil new single ‘Discothèque Inside My Head’, the third single from their 16 August debut album release of Time Is A Flower. The track follows on from singles ‘Teardrop’ and ‘Power’, leaning into their trip-hop, disco meets altpop cinematic soundscape. It comes before their Australian tour where they will be appearing in Rye, Ballarat, Castlemaine and Torquay this month.

OUT ON THE WEEKEND EXPANDS INTO BALLARAT AND KORUMBURRA

Dust off your two step - Out On The Weekend returns for 2024, celebrating ten years by expanding into country Victoria. Out On The Weekend will be held across the weekend of 11 – 13 October, starting at Itinerant Spirits at The Goods Shed in Ballarat, heading to flagship location of Seaworks Williamstown, and finishing up at Coal Creek Community Park and Museum, Korumburra with a huge lineup of alt-country acts.

JAZZ LEGEND HERBIE

HANCOCK

HEADS JAZZ AT THE BOWL, ANNOUNCES AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Jazz luminary Herbie Hancock will ignite the Sidney Myer Music Bowl stage for Jazz At The Bowl alongside a huge lineup of artists, kicking off the 2024 Melbourne International Jazz Festival. The living legend trumpeterturned-composer will extend his stay playing his own headline shows across the country and New Zealand at our most iconic concert halls. It’s all going down in October.

STRAWBERRY FIELDS

DROPS LINEUP OF DJ EZ, KINK, TSHA AND MORE

In one of the most challenging periods for the festival industry globally, Strawberry Fields has defied trends selling out 95% of capacity for its 15th anniversary edition in just three hours before even announcing a single act. The acts that followed include Daddy G (Massive Attack) X Don Letts, Harvey Sutherland, Kee’ahn and more.

THE WIGGLES ANNOUNCE ARENA SHOWS AND CELEBRATE 100TH ALBUM RELEASE

The world’s most beloved children’s entertainment group, The Wiggles will be taking to arena’s across November and December. Bringing a revised version of their ARIA award-winning live act Wiggle and Learn BIG Show, The Wiggles will be heading from Perth to Sydney for ten interactive and highly entertaining musical extravaganza shows.

MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA HITS THE ROAD FOR 21ST ANNIVERSARY TOUR

Melbourne Ska Orchestra take their unique genre fusion around the country across August and October in a big birthday bash, celebrating 21 years since their inception. Titled the Outlaws and Offbeats Tour, they are set to bring all of the party elements – the vibrance, the fun and of course the music!

POP SENSATION TROYE SIVAN ANNOUNCES SOMETHING TO GIVE EACH OTHER AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES

The trailblazing global pop icon returns home for a string of dates on his highly-praised world tour this November. After selling out arenas across Europe, the pop star will ignite stages in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney, for an unforgettable show celebrating his critically acclaimed and globally celebrated album.

JET AND THE MSO JOIN FORCES TO ROCK THE SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL

In an Australian exclusive, Australian rock royalty will meet orchestral excellence in a special one-off performance this November. Taking place on Friday 8 November, Jet will make their first foray into the world of symphony orchestras to perform a string of classic singles and timeless tracks arranged for orchestra by conductor Nicholas Buc.

KATE CEBERANO AND JON STEVENS TAKE ON HITS FROM JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR IN SUPERSTARS LIVE

Australian music titans Kate Ceberano and Jon Stevens set to share their greatest hits live this October/November. In their spectacular new Superstars Live Show Jon Stevens and Kate Ceberano will perform spine-tingling hits including the ARIA Award-winning ‘Everything’s Alright’, and ‘I Don’t Know How To Love Him’ – songs that helped made them household names in the theatre world and outside of their solo careers.

DIESEL RETURNS TO THE STAGE WITH BOOTLEG MELANCHOLY ALBUM TOUR

Following the acclaimed release of his seventeenth studio album Bootleg Melancholy late last year, Australian icon Diesel has announced a national headline run to close out 2024, hitting the road with a full band for the Bootleg Melancholy Album Tour, presented by New World Artists. The thirteen date tour heads to Adelaide, Melbourne, Warragul, Hobart, Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Batemans Bay, Canberra, Perth, Darwin and Caloundra.

COHEED AND CAMBRIA HEAD MONOLITH FESTIVAL’S RETURN THIS NOVEMBER

Australia’s Monolith Festival has announced its return, bringing an unbeatable curation of international names and local favourites to venues around the country this November. The single-stage prog festival held at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall, Melbourne’s PICA, and Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion will be bringing out Nyack, New York progressive rockers Coheed and Cambria for what is bound to be a huge set.

COG HEAD UP REGIONAL VICTORIA, NSW AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA FOR THE VINYL TOUR CONTINUED

Following their acclaimed East Coast run earlier this year, revered Australian rockers Cog have unleashed the continuation of The Vinyl Tour, ready to close out 2024 with live shows in regional Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia this October and November, as well as an appearance for Crowbar Sydney’s birthday week.

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS WITH HUGE 2024 PROGRAM

Returning to Melbourne and Victoria in person, and Australia-wide online, the annual screen event Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) unveils a sprawling 2024 program for 8 – 25 August. It boasts a worldclass roster of international features, world-premiere local titles, a shorts collection alongside immersive XR experiences, curated retrospectives, insightful talks, special one-off events, and international guest appearances.

ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES ANNOUNCE NOVEMBER TOUR DATES

Punk five-piece Me First and The Gimme Gimmes will be heading through Australia on their Band of the Long Weekend Tour. After last year’s blitzkrieg tour, punk rock’s premier cover band are back with their new album ¡Blow It…At Madison’s Quinceañera! and are ready to do it all again! They hit Torquay Hotel on Friday 8 November.

CASTLEMAINE’S TOWN FOLK FESTIVAL REVEALS LINEUP AND EXPANSION

Town Folk Festival, Victoria’s beloved single-day music festival, announces its expansion in 2024, bringing an enormous lineup of local and international talent to Djaara / Castlemaine on Saturday, 16th November 2024. The Teskey Brothers, Marlon Williams, Ngaiire and A. Savage lead this year’s Town Folk Festival expanded program lineup.

MIDDLE KIDS GO REGIONAL ON FAITH CRISIS PT 1 TOUR

Fresh off the back of sold-out shows in cities across Australia and North America, Middle Kids are announcing their first Australian regional tour in support of their new and highly-acclaimed album Faith Crisis Pt 1. They make three stops in Victoria where they will play shows at Torquay Hotel on 17 October, Meeniyan Town Hall on 18 October and Civic Hall, Ballarat 19 October.

MISSY HIGGINS HEADS PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL FIRST LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT

Returning for its 48th year, Victoria’s most beloved folk festival’s is back for 2025 with a huge first lineup announcement of global superstars.US, Scotland, England, Ireland, Canada and homegrown Australian talents all make the first billing, maintaining Port Fairy Folk Festival’s international stake, and global experience for the whole family. It includes Missy Higgins, The Brother Brothers, The East Pointers and more.

THE BALLOT IS OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL’S 32ND YEAR

Often referred to as the greatest music festival on the planet, Meredith Music Festival is ready to return to the Supernatural Amphitheatre for its thirty second year, officially opening the ballot. You’ll need to enter the Meredith ballot before 10:32pm AEST on Monday 12 August to be in with a chance for tickets, with Meredith set to return to the Sup from 6 - 9 December.

JAMES MARRIOTT TO HEAD TO AUSTRALIA THIS DECEMBER

Musician, YouTuber and Twitch streamer, James Marriott makes a long-awaited return to Australia and New Zealand. Landing in Auckland on Monday 2 December, the multidisciplinary creative will visit Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne before a final show at Perth’s Astor Theatre on Wednesday 11 December.

HOTTER THAN HELL DROPS FLAMING LINEUP FOR 2024 DATES

The hottest tickets in town have arrived for the annual touring festival Hotter Than Hell, which makes a mammoth return for 2024. Announcing a gigantic lineup led by Australian favourites – the ultimate party starters Regurgitator, Hotter Than Hell is bringing out US rockers Less Than Jake and Unwritten Law, along with Australian royalty Jebediah, Little Birdy, Adalita, The Kickons and The Bennies.

BOOTLEG RASCAL RETURN TO THEIR ROOTS WITH NEW SINGLE ‘OTI’, ANNOUNCE EAST COAST TOUR

Yugambeh/Gold Coast-based trio, Bootleg Rascal, have returned with cut ‘Oti’ feat. Danté Knows. To celebrate, the four-piece have announced a thirteen date East Coast tour, starting on the Central Coast on Friday 13 September and working through to finish up in Victoria for two dates at Geelong’s Barwon Club on Thursday 31 October and Sooki Lounge Belgrave on Friday 1 November.

BARKAA, THE KID LAROI LEAD NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS

The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAS) have announced the finalists for the 20th anniversary event to be held at the Darwin Amphitheatre, Larrakia country, on 10 August. Barkaa and The Kid Laroi lead the nominations. Sponsored by Amazon Music, the event will be broadcast on NITV on Saturday 10 August at 8 pm.

R&B STAR KESHI IS COMING TO AUSTRALIA THIS FEBRUARY

Keshi, the acclaimed Houston-born singer, songwriter, producer, and multiinstrumentalist, has announced his Requiem world tour in support of his forthcoming sophomore album, Requiem The tour includes 35 cities across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. He will be playing a special Valentine’s Day show at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Friday 14 February 2025.

TRAVIS SCOTT BRINGS RECORD BREAKING CIRCUS MAXIMUS WORLD TOUR TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer superstar, Travis Scott has announced Spring dates for his acclaimed Circus Maximus World Tour, adding Australia and New Zealand to the list. The UTOPIA and ASTROWORLD artist will be heading into Sydney on Thursday 17 October, Melbourne to play Marvel Stadium on Tuesday 22 October, and Brisbane on Saturday 26 October.

A. SAVAGE ANNOUNCES EAST COAST TOUR IN ADDITION TO TOWN FOLK FESTIVAL APPEARANCE

Mistletone brings Parquet Courts frontman Andrew Savage, known in solo territory as A. Savage, to the Australian East Coast. Supporting his record Several Songs About Fire, out via Rough Trade / Remote Control, A. Savage will be embarking on an Australian tour, covering Melbourne, Castlemaine’s Town Folk Festival, Sydney, Brisbane and Anglesea.

MARCIA

HINES EMBARKS ON MASSIVE 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

The Still Shining: The 50th Anniversary Concert Tour is a celebration of the singer, songwriter and beloved member of the theatre and music community’s never-ending career inventions. The tour follows on from her 2023 album of the same name, taking through 37 towns and cities including stops at Ballarat, Nunawading, Melbourne, Warragul, Wangaratta, Traralgon, Bendigo, Shepparton, Warrnambool, Narre Warren, Horsham and Geelong.

CKY AND ALIEN ANT FARM JOIN FORCES FOR COHEADLINE AUSTRALIAN TOUR

California ‘Smooth Criminal’’s Alien Ant Farm, and Pennsylvania quite bitter beings, CKY, have announced a mammoth Australian co-headline tour for February 2025. The double trouble will hit Brisbane on 7 February, playing Princess Theatre, before heading onto Sydney’s Metro Theatre, 8 February, Melbourne’s Northcote Theatre, 9 February, Adelaide’s Lion Arts Factory, 11 February and finishing up at Perth’s Magnet House, 12 February.

THE

ANNUAL BENDIGO BENDI-CON CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF COMICS, COSPLAY AND TOYS THIS AUGUST

Bendigo’s annual comic book convention, Bendi-Con returns for 2024, celebrating a huge 10 years of putting pop culture at the front. Taking place on Sunday 25 August, from 10am at Red Energy Arena in Bendigo, Bendi-Con is a huge day for the fans, run by the fans. The convention includes the popular Artist Alley along with 170 merch tables, cosplay competitions, fangroups and much more.

K-POP SENSATIONS, STRAY KIDS ANNOUNCE AUSTRALIAN LEG OF WORLD TOUR

Global K-Pop superstars Stray Kids are set to thrill Australian fans this October with two exclusive stadium shows on their <dominATE> World Tour. The tour announcement comes following the release of the group’s new mini album ATE which dropped last month. The tour will commence at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on 19 October, followed by Sydney’s Allianz Stadium on 26 October.

MELBOURNE’S RADIO FREE ALICE DROP NEW SINGLE ‘JOHNNY’, ANNOUNCING NEW EP AND NATIONAL TOUR

Fresh from a 24-date tour of the UK and Europe, Naarm/Melbourne-based new wave/post-punk band Radio Free Alice share the new single and music video for ‘Johnny’, unveiling details of their second EP Polyester due for release 21 August and announcing a national EP tour this August/September.

BEYOND THE VALLEY

Experience life in technicolour this New Years

WORDS BY TAMMY WALTERS

It’s 6:30am Monday morning. The alarm has chimed the stock sound to signal a new day. Press ‘Stop’, open the sheets, fold out of bed and drearily head to the bathroom. A shower, a skin care and hair routine, get dressed, make the bed, wander downstairs, feed the cat, make breakfast, check emails, head back upstairs, brush teeth, go for a walk around the neighbourhood, return home, drink a glass of water, go to work. Work. Work. Work. Lunch. Work. Work. Work. Head home, make dinner, catch up on television shows, brush teeth, and go to bed.

It’s 6:30am Tuesday morning…

The rinse and repeat cycle continues on. Until one day you see that Beyond The Valley is returning and a glimmer of colour re-enters your life, one technicolour pop at a time.

Æ Australia’s largest music festival, Beyond The Valley, is back, launching a powerful campaign to lead their highly-anticipated 2024 year. Helping us to escape the cyclical rotations of day to day life, Beyond The Valley is like an annual holiday; the signs of the new year tradition are there long before it arrives. Beyond The Valley’s reemergence comes in colour, dripping teasers in bold shades. Following a sold-out 2023 event, the indications of the festival’s long-awaited return are already as bright as a technicolour rainbow.

Paying homage to films like Pleasantville and Wizard of Oz, the festival’s first teaser portrays ordinary life as dull and monochromatic with signs of Beyond The Valley ’s return highlighted in bold colour; a metaphor for the life and colour that the festival brings. It embeds a person and a bespoke Beyond The Valley object displayed in colour into a contrasting black and white setting to signify the colour that the highly-anticipated festival brings to our life. There’s a reference to the music that is an integral part of the festival anatomy and a The Valley Times hints that BTV is a larger more colourful world, the publication features exclusive festival content and lineup clues to boot.. It all draws Beyond The Valley back to the front of our thoughts, capturing the essence of the festival.

The teaser campaign comes ahead of a highly anticipated lineup announcement for the ninth edition, set for release shortly. 2023 saw the festival lineup enlist Australia’s electronic wizards RÜFUS DU SOL, Peggy Gou, Central Cee, Destroy Lonely, DMA’s, Ferg, Flight Facilities, G Flip, Mall Grab and The Jungle Giants all in tow.

Speaking with the resourceful editor of the festival’s dedicated fictional publication The Valley Times, they offer the exciting inside scope that the vivid Beyond The Valley is back.

“Beyond the Valley isn’t just another festival; it’s an ethereal place, not found on any map. It appears only once a year, offering people a break from the mundanity of their ordinary lives. It’s an opportunity to escape monotony, and add a splash of colour to your world.”

“The largest New Years festival in the Valley and Beyond is back, and it’s bringing a kaleidoscope of surprises that will elevate your ordinary life to new heights,” they confirm of the festival’s return. The colour is not just a visual output. Held at Barunah Plains in Hesse, Beyond The Valley is a chance to not only farewell the year, but to experience a plethora of music, art, culture and unity in one setting, with all elements set to awaken your senses. The Valley Stage sits at the heart of the festival, welcoming in some of the biggest names from across the globe with this year’s site featuring an updated amphitheatre experience with unmatched audio and visual production. The iconic custom built Dance Dome returns for electronic music enthusiasts boasting some of the biggest DJ’s and producers globally. An architecturally designed stage, Dr Dans is a space that unites artists and dancers, where you can expect a multi-sensory experience with world-class audio visual production encompassing music and arts, confirmed to be updated this year with an industrial twist. Finally, Schmall Klüb is a hidden intimate party filled with spontaneous sets from tastemaker selectors. It’s a mysterious place on the map that only the adventurous will find.

Beyond The Valley is celebrated as one of Australia’s most exciting showcases of music talent with lineup’s that thrill. In addition to last years sterling lineup, across a whopping nine years, Beyond The Valley has welcomed giants of the music world including Tyler, The Creator, The Kooks, Duke Dumont, ScHoolboy Q, Stormzy, Chance

The Rapper, Nelly Furtado, Jamie xx and Dom Dolla to name a few.

“Spanning four days of non-stop entertainment, Beyond the Valley offers a rich tapestry of music across multiple stages. Featuring both renowned artists and emerging talents and a variety of genres, there’s something for every musical palate,”

The Valley Times editor says.

Outside of the music and stage elements of the festival, Beyond The Valley stays true to their oasis intentions, creating a blissful area for yoga and wellness (whilst helping Valleygoers kickstart those new year’s resolutions) called The Sanctuary. They will be bringing presenters of your favourite podcasts to the stage for live recordings, and of course there is the Poof Doof which offers outrageously fun entertainment including their hilarious drag bingo.

“It’s not just about the music. Beyond the Valley is a haven of experiences. With more to explore than ever before, prepare to discover hidden pockets of wonder and creativity. A chance to reconnect with nature and forge new friendships under the starry

skies the camping element is a key part of the BTV experience. Whether you prefer pitching your own tent or a Lux experience, the festival grounds become a vibrant community of like-minded Valleygoers, creating colourful memories that last a lifetime.”

Whilst we are witnessing a downturn in festival’s in Australia, Beyond The Valley puts the heart back into festivals, creating a space for community. At the core, Beyond the Valley is a celebration of connection. It’s a reminder that the best moments are often shared, and the importance of taking a break from ordinary life to make colourful new memories. As another year comes to a close, so does the chance to connect with new and old friends alike.

The Valley Times editor adds, “Adding an experience like Beyond The Valley to your calendar is essential if you’re seeking more colour in your life.”

As Beyond The Valley gears up for another bright, technicoloured year, the figurative flares start to spark, and Valleygoers’ curiosity skyrockets. What can we expect for Beyond The Valley 2024?

“Renowned for surprising and delighting Valleygoers each year, organisers have promised BTV 2024 will be no different. In previous years we’ve seen secret sets, surprise guests, unexpected collaborations and more,” they confirm.

“Anticipation is high for what’s to come. But you’ll just have to attend to find out.”

Are you ready to live life in technicolour?

The Beyond The Valley lineup is dropping soon –keep your ears peeled for more news and information on tickets for this years edition.

BEYOND THE VALLEY

WHEN: 28 DEC 2024–1 JAN 2025

WHERE: BARUNAH PLAINS, HESSE, WADAWURRUNG AND EASTERN MAAR LAND

Credit: Chloe Hall

Credit: Chloe Hall

The Superstars are back. Old friends KATE CEBERANO and JON STEVENS are teaming up for a live show

WORDS BY JACOB MCCORMACK

From the hearth of a recently fueled fire Kate Ceberano answers my call. “It’s like experiencing Christmas in July,” she remarks as we relate to the coziness, homeliness and comfort that a roaring fire provides in the depths of the colder months.

Æ The contemplative state that Ceberano feels sitting by a fire is an experience she likens to live music. The fire acts as an appropriate segue into our discussion about her upcoming show with dear friend and longstanding musical collaborator Jon Stevens.

The duo will grace the Geelong Arts Centre stage for one night only on Friday 25 October at 7:30pm. Performing their greatest hits as individual singer/songwriters, as well as music they have made famous through performing together.

32 years on from the incredible success of the 1992 Australian iteration of Jesus Christ Superstar the night will act as an opportunity to recreate the iconic hits from that production, as well as a special musical tribute to one of Australia’s other superstar singers and musicians John Farnham.

For Ceberano this show will act as a coming together of two friends, who in their respective careers have had major impacts on the Australian music industry, after too many years of waiting for the right time to collaborate on stage together.

“My friend Jon and I are very Polynesian; we’ve known each other for over 40 years. He’s like a brother from another mother, yet we don’t get to sing together as often as we like, so it is going to be a very, very beautiful evening.

“If we were to open the trunk of a tree, our friendship would be emblematic of the black ring you find. But when Jon and I saw each other out in concerts or out working before COVID, we were cavalier about this type of show.

“We’d see each other at gigs and part ways by saying “I’ll see you down the road”. And a year or two passed and we didn’t really connect again, until we got together last year where we were asked to perform some material that we’d done 25 years ago together on stage, which was the Superstar material. And I thought, “Why have we waited so long to do this?””

What subsequently came about is the show Superstars Live that will also go on tour around Australia. A show that Ceberano is immensely proud of, and one that she is extremely excited to share.

“What better performance to have than two Polynesian singers with such big voices. It feels great to be back performing with Jon, it barely needs any amplification.”

Despite the importance placed upon Stevens’ and Ceberano’s musical chemistry and connection, what remains a vital aspect of this show is the experience all can enjoy through being involved in live music.

“Live music is the last bastion of communality. We all agree that once we’re experiencing it, we let ourselves off the hook, we take ourselves off that treadmill for a minute and release into the experience. I’d like to see some AI try to reproduce that.

I’m just saying.”

Ceberano plans to lean into this idea with total immersion and conviction, all with the knowledge that the talent supporting the show and the energy that they will bring will make for a spectacle of a show.

“I’m going to immerse myself into the band at times, I’ll also be playing piano and doing backing vocals for Jon. He’ll pick up a guitar and accompany me on other songs, sometimes just sitting and singing. It will be intimate, we, as well as the audience will settle in for the night, and tell stories and sing.

“It certainly won’t be mellow though, as I said, we’re both big singers and we’re bringing a full rock band on tour with us. It’s going to be a beautiful thing. When you’ve got a live performance and you have not only just Jon and I but you have the combined experience of all the band members. I mean there’s hundreds and thousands of hours of talent on that stage. It is going to be very fun.”

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Jesus Christ Superstar as a production itself, and so Superstars Live will act as a celebration woven together by a troop of superstars. This will be a must see concert to remember for at least another 32 years.

Tickets for Superstars Live are available now.

KATE CEBERANO & JON STEVENS

WHERE: GEELONG ARTS CENTRE, GEELONG

WHEN: FRI 25 OCT

SAN CISCO on 2024’s touring landscape, new music and regional gigs

WORDS BY BENJAMIN LAMB

There’s no question we’ve got plenty of musos doing the indie rock thing here in Australia, unless you’re doing something cool, it’s pretty hard to stick outside of the pack. Rockers San Cisco have managed this throughout their decade-and-a-half long career, finding many fans around the world along the way.

Æ They’ve just dropped new music and are about to hit the road again, so we caught up with San Cisco’s Jordi Davieson to dive into it all.

“I’ve been really enjoying the first leg of this regional tour,” Davieson says. “Then going to Europe, I’ve been loving doing a bit of consistent touring, which I feel like we haven’t really had an opportunity to do since COVID. It’s all been like, quite sporadic.

“So being able to get into a rhythm as a touring group with the crew, and then also being able to replay shows every night, I think really gets you to refine the show to a point that you can’t do in rehearsals.”

The group have often noted the tenuous world of touring post-covid, and when coupled with rising costs, it’s been a tough slog for musos over the last few years.

“There was a period there for a year where there was a 50% chance if we’d actually play the show or not, when it was booked.

“Also ticket sales, I think the landscape of going and watching live music is changing. And we’re seeing that now on a bigger scale with festivals. But it’s also just for the audience with how expensive the cost of living and how expensive it is to buy tickets.

“But I think the dust is starting to settle. And we’re starting to realise what the new musical world looks like.”

March saw the 3-piece drop album number five, Under The Light The record hit the top 50 in the ARIA charts, plus admiration from fans and critics alike. While the group has certain connections to moments on the record, Davieson dives into the new life songs take once fans hear the album.

“It’s really fun playing new songs, because it’s a new thing. There are [songs on Under The Light] that have connected far more than I thought they would, which is pretty fun when that sort of stuff happens. It takes a while for people to build them into their lives, and learn how to love them.”

The record was also brought to life with Neal Pogue, and Anthony Dolhai, who’ve worked with artists such as Tyler, The Creator, TLC, and Kelly Clarkson respectively. While the group didn’t work in the room with these two, they helped bring the record to a different level.

“We’d often send the stems off to Neil [Pogue]. He would have an incredibly fast turnaround, and he would send them back and we would tweak a few things with the mix, but I think one song, we didn’t touch anything because he’s such a pro. I think he’s like a little bit of a fan now and he comments on our video clips and stuff which is pretty cool.

“Then with Anthony [Dolhai], he was a little bit more hands on with the mixing, we were sending him the whole Ableton session for him to mix from, which is a really interesting way to mix. But it worked really well, because it wasn’t a huge jump from where we had it, but it would just sound much better.”

The band are about to pack their bags and hit the road again, heading out to a bunch of regional stops across the land, from Albury to Byron and Coffs Harbour, before heading to Victoria, where they’ll play San Remo, Traralgon, Torquay and Ballarat.

“I do love a capital city crowd, they are great. But there’s something about a rural town - they’re not even that rural, some of these towns, but I think they don’t have a lot of live music.

“They’re going to a pub, where everyone kind of knows each other. And there’s a real sense of camaraderie, and they are just there to have a good time. I think people that live in the smaller towns are probably just having more fun in life, they’re less on the grind.

“They’re just up for anything, which I’m very into. The smaller venues just means that you can kind of connect with them on a bit more of a level, like we might physically be on their level, as opposed to being up on a huge stage. And you’re just all in there having a hot sweaty time. And, and that’s what I love.”

San Cisco’s new record Under The Light is available now. They hit the Torquay Hotel on 17 August.

SAN CISCO

WHERE: TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY

WHEN: SAT 17 AUG

COOPER ALAN on Aussie Fans, Country Music Camaraderie, and Writing an EDM Song

WORDS BY BENJAMIN LAMB

There’s no question that Country Music’s on a bit of a hot streak at the moment, with Beyonce, Post Malone, and many more pop stars veering their pickups into the world of denim and yeehaws. But unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d know plenty of artists have been in the genre for much longer, and aren’t strangers to doing super cool stuff.

Æ Cooper Alan is one of the industry’s hottest acts, his approach showcasing him as someone that isn’t afraid to do things a little bit differently — and Australia’s noticing, with a killer crowd during his recent CMC rocks appearance, and a string of sold out and upgraded shows on his upcoming tour.

“Before we came down [to Australia] for CMC, I could tell from socials that it was going to be pretty awesome,”

Cooper Alan notes. “Maybe even a step above what we do over here.

“We felt like rock stars on that stage, and as soon as we played that first song, in my I’m like, “Okay, we got to come back here”.”

“Fans just continue to make me feel cool and make us feel at home there. And if it weren’t a 14-hour flight, we’d probably do a show every other month.”

Whether you’re a diehard country fan or have never heard a country song in your life, one element everyone’s aware of is the humour and laid-back nature of the music.

“When you write something that you know is kind of a banger, there’s no better feeling. And I’ve never really been the guy to take myself too seriously.

“But it’s so fun to have landed on something that connects with people, whether it’s a funny song, or a serious love song, or even a song about losing people in your life. We do this to try to enhance people’s lives in some way. We write our stories, and we hope that they connect to it. So we’re blessed that people have connected to some of our stuff.”

Cooper’s love of sticking outside of the ordinary continues to his production too, starting his own record company with a business partner.

“Me and my business partner Victoria started this label when things started moving on social media.

“I knew I kind of had a vision for this whole thing that was probably a little bit left of centre of how it’s usually done in the music industry. So, we’ve been rocking that independent route for a while. I can kind of do what I want, which is fun. I can make an EDM song, I can make a classic country sound and song and everything in between.”

“I don’t necessarily want to be independent forever. I do believe that you got to at least partner with the record label or find a way to be part of that world.”

Check out Cooper Alan’s biggest influences to find he’s one to veer from the norm when it comes to genre. Non-country vibes can be seen in everything from recording to gigs. “I’m taking a lot of influence outside of my genre for the live show aspect. Just great bands and great artists and music is to me, not necessarily within the one box.

“I love the crazy live show aspect of a rock show. I run around probably more like Angus Young than George Strait, that’s just my style. There’s so much

inspiration from so many different areas because there’s so much good music, and I just grew up on it all.

“Now more than ever, you can draw inspiration from kind of everything. I mean, one of the biggest songs I’ve had was ‘Colt 45’, which is a sample and remix of ‘Crazy Rap’ by Afroman. Biafra man.

“I never thought I would make a country song that started with Afroman, but here we are,” Alan adds with a laugh.

The world of country music has moved into other areas as of late, pop stars like Sabrina Carpenter drip vibes of the genre, and icons like Beyonce and Post Malone are releasing full albums of the stuff. Cooper chats about the new energy that’s been brought to the world of country.

“You can definitely feel it. Just scrolling on Tik Tok and seeing videos of shows. From what I remember, only artists like Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks and maybe George Strait could sell out a football stadium, and I might be missing a couple.

“But now Zach Bryan could sell out a stadium, Morgan Wallen could sell out a stadium, Luke Combs could sell out a stadium. You can just feel the energy around it, and even walking around not just in Nashville, but around in big cities where it used to not be this at all.

“People kind of dress a little more country now too. Sometimes they might be wearing cowboy or cowgirl boots, it does feel cool. And it feels cool when big artists out of the genres such as Post Malone, or Beyonce, like they want to come and make country music.”

Cooper Alan hits Melbourne this November as part of the Ridin’ Hearts Festival.

COOPER ALAN

WHERE: CARIBBEAN GARDENS, MELBOURNE

WHEN: SUN 3 NOV

“We’ve been doing this since 19 6 4”:

BRIAN CADD

is back out on tour

WORDS BY JACOB MCCORMACK

Brian Cadd is arguably the most influential and key role player in recent Australian musical history. He has been deep in the fray since the emergence of contemporary music in this country in the ‘60s.

Æ Riding alongside him for most of the years has been dear friend and musical collaborator Glenn Shorrock. And yet after decades and decades of touring they are set to be back playing Geelong Arts Centre. Their show The Two Amigos! will fill the theatre space on Sunday 11 August at 2pm. They are set to play classics they have concocted together as well as favourites we have come to know of them writing individually.

Although times have indeed changed, despite Cadd joking about his long standing friendship with Shorrock, “Excuse me, I’ve been on tour with Glenn for my whole life,” Shorrock and Cadd have changed. Despite aspects of their being remaining quite the same. For Cadd this is a passion for playing live shows, particularly to audiences that reside outside of the major metropolis of Australia.

“This tour is definitely not like the old days of driving 300 miles in a Kombi Van to play two gigs,” says Cadd. “It’s really much more a question of being able to be us and go out and do the stuff that we really love doing without driving around the country.

“These shows are so special, because when the audience was growing up in Geelong, or the areas around Geelong you would never get to see a show like ours at an Arts Centre. The show would have been at a pub with limited production, and so it’s become just like playing anywhere in Australia. That’s a wonderful thing for our musical industry, and for the people of regional areas to experience.”

That contribution to a musical industry that Cadd views as so incredibly unique and special is one reason why he keeps on touring.

“One thing it is we do have is a beautiful structure to the way that music has developed here in Australia. It’s unique and it’s helped us raise a special music industry. It’s not like anything else I’ve encountered in the world.”

It is in this vein of ensuring the Australian Music Industry propels forward that Cadd plays with a band comprised of members younger than him. Although they aren’t in their 20’s, they do sit a generation below him and provide another layer to the way in which music develops and evolves in this country. “Everyone that we’re playing with are much younger than us,” he says. “So their interpretation of our music is based on their musical growing up, and their unique musical journey. The guitar player might be essentially playing what he thinks is on the record, but it’s in his style rather than the original recording.

“It isn’t a very conscious thing though; I might just hear it and be like “oh that’s nice”. But our band members were young, they were very young when the records came out, and in a lot of cases that means there is a different style and flair added to our songs we wrote a long time ago.”

So as much as the upcoming Geelong Arts Centre show will act as an ode to the arts in regional parts of Australia, as well as how the music industry has flourished since the ‘60s, what remains as perhaps the most important and prominent feature of the show is a celebration to long standing friendship.

“Isn’t that the coolest thing to still be best friends with such an old friend? And Glenn and I have been friends since about 1964. There’s nothing we haven’t been through. We’ve been through hell together, and so this show is about just getting out there and rejoicing in our friendship.

“So when we get on stage, based on 60 years of friendship, all the records we have made together, having the closeness of being best friends, we will spend half the time having fun with each other and telling stories about the other one.”

In its essence the show will encapsulate the title of The Two Amigos! As Cadd says “It won’t just be about playing the jukebox hits. We will feature lots of those, but it is set to be a hilarious evening, full of entertainment rather than just being an introspective and terribly serious musical thing.”

Tickets to The Two Amigos are on sale now.

WHERE: GEELONG ARTS CENTRE, GEELONG

WHEN: SUN 11 AUG

BRIAN CADD

Credit: Lisa Businovski

With

BOOTLEG RASCAL on ‘Oti’, new eras, and regional touring

WORDS BY BENJAMIN LAMB

sold out shows in almost every corner of the world, features on Spotify, NME, Rage and Apple Music, it’s safe to say Bootleg Rascal are on a bit of a hot streak at the moment. Now with a new single, tour, and plenty more on the way, it’s a great time to be a fan of the group.

Æ

“It’s been a minute between drinks,” Jimmy Young notes. “We’ve been working on a lot of songs, and once you finally put it out to everybody, it takes on its own little life. And it’s cool to see.”

“I feel like for us, this is kind of a new era of Bootleg”, Carlos Lara notes. “I feel like there’s been a very big new energy into it all lately.”

The new energy has come in the form of a fresh single, ‘Oti’, which is the brand-new track from the pair, written about Young’s son; an area they thought would never be the basis for a Bootleg Rascal song.

“It’s got a lot of personal meaning for both of us. We didn’t really plan to write a song about it. But then we started getting lyrics and ideas down.”

“You were trying to get him to sleep,” Lara adds. “I was downstairs and started working on that idea. It almost happened almost as a little nursery rhyme.

“And then we’re like, “oh, this is actually really cool”.”

‘Oti’’s taken to the next level with a feature from Dante Knows, a mate of the pair who is an artist everyone should keep an eye on.

“I was chatting to him about it. And I was like, “Do you want to be on this?” Then it got right down to the point where we’re in the studio. I was like, hey, “do you want to send us some ideas?”

“He was like, “let’s just see what happens”. And he literally, almost did that verse, at least very close to that, straight off the bat. And I just remember thinking like, “holy shit”, like, I would not have thought of a lot of those ideas.”

Stories about the road change vastly from band to band, some struggling with the day to day, some finding it inspirational, others wanting to do it 24x7. Bootleg are definitely in the latter, loving opportunities to see rural Australia and get inspired to write.

“A lot of the time, we’re just trying to recover from a violent hangover from the night before,” Young adds with a laugh. “There’s a lot of times we’re just staring out a window, driving or flying, or just sitting in the back of a green room hearing someone hit a snare drum while you’re waiting to get on stage and do your thing. So, the ideas for songs come at the weirdest times. It often is like the most, kind of, mundane scenarios for me that I get little ideas”.

It’s clear Bootleg lives the touring life, hitting the road a bunch over the last few years. We’re about to receive a fresh tour from the group, hitting the regional path, including a stop at the iconic Barwon Club Hotel in the heart of Geelong.

“It’s often very hard to not get stuck in that loop of just doing the capital cities, we were always like, “there’s got to be a way to get other spots popping”. It’s kind of the key, the whole key to touring in Australia, I think is being able to link up these other little pockets.

“I think a lot of people maybe get afraid, it’s a lot of work, obviously, I think it’d be times with not many people at some of these shows, potentially. But it’s actually a matter of putting in that effort.

“We’re willing to be like, “alright, let’s just try it, let’s risk it. If we can build something out of it, awesome”, which means we can bring more bands with us, and hopefully help build that kind of touring around Australia.”

Meeting people in these off beaten path spots is also a big part of a Bootleg Rascal tour, sharing music with people who don’t get it that often.

“I think they are some of the best, funnest little shows, when we go to the places that are off the beaten track.

“You get different interactions with people, and they’re super thankful that you have come out. Shows don’t usually go out there, I love going and checking out the local food and wine, and what cuisines they’ve got.”

Late mornings, motels, and pub meals seem to be the stereotypes whenever us music fans ponder a tour off the beaten path, but Lara and Young love the less glamorous side of regional touring as well, as Lara notes.

“I’ve said I’ve really wanted to start like a Getaway style show when we’re on tour. I’d love to visit local spots, do it ourselves, and review all the sad little things, everyone thinks it’s like fancy hotels. And it’s really just me and Jim sharing a double bed!”

‘Oti’ is out now. Bootleg Rascal hit the Barwon Club Hotel on Thursday 31 October and Sooki Lounge on Friday 1 November.

BOOTLEG RASCAL

WHERE: THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG, SOOKI LOUNGE, BELGRAVE

WHEN: THU 31 OCT & FRI 1 NOV

Forefathers of Ska-Punk VOODOO GLOW SKULLS are heading back to Australia

WORDS BY JACOB MCCORMACK

Voodoo Glow Skulls are the forefathers of Ska-Punk music, a genre that emerged out of Los Angeles in the 1990s when bands of all walks of life were experimenting with fusing the hard hitting and up-tempo chaos of punk with an assortment of other genres.

Æ With Ska Nation returning, a two day festival celebrating all things Ska it makes sense that the veterans of the sound, Voodoo Glow Skulls will be headlining the Colac Showgrounds based festival. This year the festival will take place on Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December.

Propping up Voodoo Glow Skulls on the headliner acts are Japanese band Hey Smith, who as a group have acted as a continuing ode to the musical genre that Eddie Casillas and his band members formed 30+ years ago.

For the Voodoo Glow Skulls their influences stemmed from the experimental juggernauts, or as Casillas describes “The Hollywood trifecta of Fishbone, Jane’s Addiction and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They are the reason we became what we did. We fell into our own style in a way, but those bands acted as major influences at the time.”

It was their record Firme, released in 1995, that really launched the band onto the scene. But when prompted about its relevance today, Casillas speaks of the resounding impact it has had on the band as well as listeners and ska enthusiasts globally.

“That’s [Firme] the biggest claim to fame or whatever you may call it,” he says. “It’s that record that still gets held in high regard, but those first three or four albums were the ones that really helped us. It was hard to replicate though, we went off in different directions a little bit because it’s like, “how do we make a record as good as that?”

“I think it still holds up. I don’t go back to it too much because we’re always playing that stuff live, but on occasion I’ll go back just to see where we’re at. To listen to some of the crazy tempos and what we were thinking about and coming up with at the time.”

It will be at the Ska Nation Festival that their prominence in the world of ska will truly be felt. The longstanding impact that Voodoo Glow Skulls have had on the music, but also how they continue to be influenced by bands who in a cyclical way have found Voodoo Glow Skulls an inspiring force.

“I get influenced by younger bands that have blown me away that I’ve seen in random places,” he says. “Sometimes I’d catch

myself saying “shit there’s so many people that are good at what they do”. And if you come across the right band at the right time how can you not be influenced or become a fan?”

It was Hey Smith that fell into this category for Casillas and the Glow Skulls, particularly when they saw the live show they are capable of.

“I became a fan of that band when I listened to their music, but when I saw them live I really became a fan. There’s almost nothing like their live show. You could watch YouTube videos all day of the heavyweight bands, from Metallica to Green Day to whoever, but Hey Smith is one of the coolest live experiences I’ve seen in any band.”

“I’ve paid to go see bands sell out arenas. I’ve paid to see Iron Maiden, but the Hey Smith live show in front of 2000 Japanese kids in a packed and sold out theatre is some of the best, craziest, gnarliest shit I’ve ever seen. And this is over a Slayer slam pit in Southern California where people are lighting trash cans on fire.”

For a band who have done and seen it all like Voodoo Glow Skulls to be a part of Ska Nation festival and touring with Hey Smith instills nothing but hope.

“It just gives you hope. What we managed to achieve as a band, despite it being a long time ago, I’m really happy with. We put out so many records and did so much stuff, but when we see new bands that are rad and they’re nice people, it gives you hope knowing the world’s gonna be cool. The world’s going to be fine without us doing our shit one day. Some of these great bands are out there carrying the torch in their own way.”

Ska Nation festival will act as a handing over of the baton from one legendary band to an emerging one and all the other acts rounding out the lineup.

Tickets for Ska Nation are available now.

VOODOO GLOW SKULLS

WHERE: COLAC SHOWGROUNDS

WHEN: SAT 30 NOV & SUN 1 DEC

SARAH CARROLL embraces

the notion of not being quite right

on new record

WORDS BY TAMMY WALTERS

“I’m glad and fortunate that I have been able to continue developing as an artist. I’m not striving for that self-actualisation anymore, moreso the search for truth-telling.”

Æ At 57 years old, Bellarine-based blues musician and multi-instrumentalist Sarah Carroll is at peace with her songwriting.

Known for her work with the likes of GIT, The Pirates Of Beer, Soft Gold, The Left Wing, The Junes and The Cartridge Family, as well as pairings with her late husband, the legendary harmonica player and singer-songwriter Chris Wilson, and her and Wilson’s sons, the acclaimed singer/songwriters Fenn Wilson and George Carroll Wilson, Carroll has had a long and successful career as a mainstay musician. More recently her collective collaboration as the drummer of Tin Stars has taken flight but it’s her solo work that continues to bring Carroll back into the spotlight.

Hailed as the ukulele queen of the Bellarine, Carroll has added another title to her resume as Australian Musician ’s June 2024 Musician of the Month, proudly positioning Carroll back at the top of her game. It’s all thanks to her latest endeavour, album NQR&B (Not Quite Rhythm and Blues), released via Cheersquad Records on 5 July.

CREDIT: Tim Chmielewski

“It’s been by far the most successful album release I can recall ever having in my life. All of the feedback I have been receiving about the album has been great. I couldn’t be happier,” Carroll exclaims.

The album success is largely due to Carroll’s stirring songwriting which sees her draw from life experiences for storytelling, making NQR&B her most vulnerable and authentic body of work to date.

“My songwriting has changed since losing my husband, and also other various big life changes. I feel much more driven to write about things that are true to me rather than inventing characters and inventing stories. I may come back to that but at this point in my life I feel the need to tell the truth as beautifully and as economically and poetically as I can. That’s the train I’m on and people seem to be responding to that really well,” she explains.

“I’ve realised this the more I’ve talked about it but the album does talk about, and the songs deal with, the life experiences I’ve had over the last ten years or so. A couple of the songs have been around for quite a while and then a few of them are newer, but they all in a way deal with the things that I have encountered and had to cope with and work through and realise over the last decade of my life.”

Not just a discount supermarket chain, the cleverly crafted dual play on words of NQR, or ‘not quite right’ partnered with final symbol and letter of &B shifts the album title to take on the notion of the album being “Not Quite Rhythm and Blues” in musically in essence but also contextualises the lyrics. Surprisingly the album title also has a third unexpected nod.

“The other point of reference was the NRBQ, which was a fantastic band that not many people know about, that played in America through the 70’s and into the 80’s. I’m not even sure if there

is still an incarnation around these days but they have been an inspiration to me a lot of other musicians so there is a sly reference to them I suppose. That whole NQR idea is really important to me because the whole album is largely about problems, and bumpy bits of life and the times you don’t feel quite right or you don’t feel super confident and how I’ve dealt with those times. It chimes with that too.”

Serving the storytelling through instrumentation and collaboration, Carroll enlisted a suite of musicians to bring NQR&B to life including contributions from sons Fenn and George, longtime collaborators and guitarists Leigh Ivin and Shannon Bourne, as well as Bourne’s fellow member of Checkerboard Lounge, Tim Neal on keys and clarinet. Singer-songwriter and close friend Jackie Marshall, also makes an appearance, dueting with Carroll on single ‘I Love The Way We Talk’. Each member was selected not just for their talents but due to the level of trust they held to convey Carroll stories with care.

“I like to think that when we were recording, everybody had their own take on what I was talking about or singing about and injected their own feeling into the performance that they gave. We talked a bit about what would happen and ideas were flying around as they always do in that studio setting when you might try something and you think ‘no no no, let’s change that’, or whatever, but I did find that it came together very easily and I felt extremely heard and understood by everybody that was involved,” Carroll says. Carroll will be taking NQR&B on the road for a handful of Victorian shows including celebrations in St Kilda, Creswick, Terang, Castlemaine and a hometown show in Geelong. Be sure to get down and support a local music icon.

SARAH

CARROLL

WHERE: THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

WHEN: SUN 22 SEP

ARCTISKY jets onto the Melbourne music scene

WORDS BY TAMMY WALTERS

The Maldives is a place of paradise for Australians. The elevated version of Bali holidaying, Maldives offers a place of relaxation, restoration, reset and refuge from the nine to five grind that is societally pinned on us, where you can submerge yourself in the Indian Ocean’s bluest of blue waters, consume cocktails on demand as if being served on an endless conveyor belt and bake in the sun’s radiating heat to the point of warming your soul.

Æ As a holiday destination at the resorts far removed from the mainland culture, Maldives are unbeatable. For the locals, however, the Maldives comes with an air of melancholy stemming from political unrest.

This is the narrative lived by Maldivesraised, Melbourne-based musician Arctisky (pronounced Arc-ti-sky).

“I grew up in the Maldives where I saw these political situations where they played out the “us versus them” narrative. There was a lot of weight that the right-wing carried through propaganda and instilling fear in citizens. It really had an impact on me mentally and creatively and I couldn’t be there anymore,” he explains. “I had to get out of that societal conditioning.”

Starting his music exploration at the ripe age of 6 years old, impelled by his brothers rock and roll ruckus within his household and the formative foundations of Jack Black classic School Of Rock, Articsky moulded his rock roots into talent, ultimately leading him to stardom in the Maldives.

However, stifled by the political plays of his country, Arctisky seeked out creative refuge from the land of paradise. Arctisky found his creative sanctuary in the city of arts and culture, Melbourne, making the permanent international transition to Australia in 2019 after country-hopping to avoid his home country. It is here that solo music project Arctisky was realised.

“That’s actually a pretty fun story - so ‘Arctisky’ used to be a cargo vessel my dad used to be in business with and there’s a bunch of stories like that go with that name. It’s a very personal name for me and I figured if I was gonna be known as something, that would be it. It just sat right for me and I liked how it clicked.”

Casting your mind back to the fever dream of 2020, freedom and Melbourne didn’t quite go hand in hand, however the housing confines of Melbourne paled in comparison to the conservative and creative confines of the Maldives, with Arctsiky finding a state of musical solace during lockdown.

“A lot of the songs were written during lockdown,” says Arctisky. “My friend Nic Rippon was in my bubble during the lockdown period and we gel together well and were able to collaborate and create the foundations of my album.”

The result is a 13 track “brain baby” album, Roots Vol. 1 which sees Arctisky contextualise his experiences with conflicting political views into raw and powerful tracks with messages of hope and empowerment, breaking down the taboos along the way. Each song is a culmination of years of introspection and sonic exploration, carried by infectious funk grooves, soulful melodies of blues and reggae, and of course his rock and roll rebellion. The title encompasses all of his learnings and honours his background.

“The name Roots Vol. 1 came from, one, I was paying homage to my musical heritage, not cultural heritage, but because I grew up listening to rock and roll, and two, it felt like the root of my career; the beginning of something fresh.”

With singles ‘Loose (featuring Nic Rippon)’ and ‘Unreal Love’ already floating through the music stratosphere as released 12 and 14 July respectively, the third single from Arctisky’s debut album ‘Let Freedom Ring’ is due for release 9 August. It’s the seed of something much bigger for Arctisky.

“I think this album has definitely set the foundations,” Arctisky says. “I like to take things as they come so who knows what will be next.”

Once the album happens upon the world, Arctisky envisions a journey beyond the studio walls, embarking on a tour accompanied by a full live band. Touring dates are still swirling around with nothing set in stone as yet. For now you can enjoy Arctisky’s musical offering and await the drop of Roots Vol. 1

ARCTISKY

WHERE: ON ALL GOOD STREAMING PLATFORMS

WHEN: 9 AUG

Credit: Connor Robertson

From the Surf Coast to the World Stage: MIA GROSS’ Inspiring Road to Olympic Success.

WORDS BY SARAH GROSS

Mia Gross, a 23-year-old sprinter from Torquay, is one of Australia’s most exciting athletic talents. Her journey to the Olympics showcases her determination, resilience, and the support of her family and local community.

Æ Mia has shown exceptional talent and dedication from a young age, setting records and earning an athletics scholarship in high school. She has made her mark at the Commonwealth Games and the prestigious Stawell Gift. This year, she achieved a lifelong dream by securing a place on the Australian Olympic team, representing Australia in the women’s 200m and 4x100m relay.

In an exclusive interview, our very own Sarah Gross speaks with Mia about her preparation for the Paris Olympics and her future aspirations. As Gross gears up for her Olympic debut in 2024, her story highlights the vital support from her family and the vibrant community of Torquay and Geelong.

Fun fact: Sarah and Mia are cousins, so we hope this interview offers a unique insight into the person behind the athlete.

SG: Firstly, I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it another 78 times: We’re all so proud of you! I know it’s been a chaotic couple of weeks between races, PBs, international travel, and your bags getting lost as you touched down in France… So we appreciate your time today.

MG: *laughs* Thank you so much! It’s been a journey and a half to get to this point, but I wouldn’t change it for the world!

SG: Becoming an Olympian is a huge achievement – describe the rush of emotions you felt when you found out you were an Olympian.

MG: When I got that call, my eyes immediately filled with tears! It’s been a really tough couple of months chasing fast times and points all around the world, so it was a really special moment of realisation that I’d just achieved a lifelong dream! It was also a beautiful feeling being able to call my family and friends, as they have been along the journey with me for so long, with all of the highs and all of the lows that this sport has to offer!

SG: Can you share with the community what initially sparked your passion for sprinting, and when did you realise you had the potential to shine on the global stage?

MG: My story has been a long one as I’ve been injured every year since I was 13 years old. But Mum put me into little athletics when I won the school athletics carnivals, and she used to compete when she was younger! I first realised I had some potential when I turned 15 and made my first Australian team going to the Bahamas. It was definitely a really big experience for me as I was the youngest on the team, but it really made me want track to be my future!

SG: Take us through a typical training day in your Olympic preparation. What does it involve?

MG: I’ve really worked on building my tolerance to a lot of training. Last year I made the goal to become a brick wall in all areas of my training. My only rest day is on Sunday, but I am training 12 sessions a day throughout the week. Saturday is my biggest day of the week, as we have a lot of track work and a lot of gym to get through, which usually takes me about five hours; from there I go home and sleep because I am absolutely gassed! This Olympic prep has definitely been a lot both physically and mentally, so I have made sure that I really focus on recovering my body for these aspects. Something that I have not put as a priority in the past.

SG: You have one of the most incredibly positive and enthusiastic personalities of anyone I’ve ever met. Despite this, your journey to the Olympics has had its challenges. How do you stay motivated and focused, especially during challenging times?

MG: Why thank you!! *laughs* I think it is one of my best assets as both an athlete and a person that I am very positive on life! A lot of people can get wrapped up in performances and view this as their self-worth. It is very easy to do as an athlete in an individual sport. I am very lucky that I have an amazing support system of family and friends that never encourage negativity in my life, and when I am going through those unfortunate stages like an injury, I am always aspiring to better myself in some sort of way.

SG: Lastly, what’s been the most surprising or unexpected aspect of being an Olympian so far?

MG: Being able to call myself an Olympian is still taking some time to get used to, but the whole process and journey has been so wildly exactly what I could’ve dreamed and more! From the hard road to get to qualifying, to opening up my first Olympic Australian uniform; I am still yet to get into the village, but I know it will exceed expectations, and I will most likely be overwhelmed, but I will try to control all of my excitement! When I step out on that line, I want to give everything I have and more to my race, and hopefully, I can make Australia proud!!

Follow Mia’s olymic journey on Instagram: @mia.gross

For sponsorship or partnership conversations, email sarah@storyfolk.com.au

ARTS GUIDE

WORDS BY

CHESTER OGILVIE

YOUNG PORTRAIT PRIZE

Budding young artists living in South West Victoria are at the forefront of the Young Portrait Prize. Open to those up to the age of eighteen, portraits will represent someone they know personally who is special to them. As well as encouraging creativity in young artists and giving them a platform to show their talents, twelve winning portraits will be selected for WAG’s Young Portrait Prize calendar. Interested parties should know entries close at 5pm on 16 August.

WARRNAMBOOL

ART GALLERY 24 AUG–20 OCT

GEELONG CONTEMPORARY ART PRIZE

For eight decades, Geelong Gallery has awarded acquisitive prizes for paintings, watercolours and prints, stretching back to 1938 and the Geelong Centenary Art Competition. The Geelong Contemporary Art Prize is a signature event, one that not only assists with the ongoing development of the Gallery’s collection, but also nurtures Australian artists and contemporary painting practice. A full list of the 2024 finalists is available through geelonggallery.org.au

GEELONG GALLERY 10 AUG–3 NOV

DIMENSIONS:

ART & SOUND

Does that place actually exist in this reality, or is it a place from another realm? Who and what do we experience when we visit these realms? These are the questions asked in Dimensions, an exhibition inspired by the places artists go inside their minds when creating works. This group show features Anni Laloba, Cat Richardson, Daniel Armstrong, Declan Armstrong, Danni Sandford, Pollyanna Day, Sam Lee and Steph Drewry.

ARTS INC. GALLERY, APOLLO BAY 30 AUG–1 SEP

ROB MCHAFFIE: WE ARE FAMILY

Whether it’s family life, pop culture references, relationships or the quirks of contemporary times, the observations of everyday life and the performativity of our public and private selves fill the canvases of Rob McHaffie. McHaffie won the Geelong Contemporary Art Prize in 2014 and has exhibited throughout Australia and New Zealand for two decades. We Are Family will feature recent and new paintings, as well as collage, works on paper and ceramic sculpture.

BENDIGO ART

GALLERY 10 AUG–27 JAN 2025

DIOKNO PASILAN: IMPRINT

A founding member of the artist-run space Kurb Gallery in Perth, Ballaratbased Diokno Pasilan’s art world includes painting, printmaking, installation, video, performance and music. Here, in Imprint, he uses found images from magazines and books from the 1930s to present to print onto wood using gel medium technique. His idea is to examine memory in relation to belonging, drawing upon childhood memories of growing up in a boatmaking community in the Philippines.

ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT 31 AUG–13 OCT

AFTER WALTER HOPPS

In 1978, at Washington’s non-profit Museum of Temporary Art, museum director, gallerist and curator of contemporary art Walter Hopps (19322005) hung all works delivered to the gallery by local artists across a 36-hour period. Honouring his legacy, After Walter Hopps will allow artists from Geelong, Surf Coast and Bellarine, as well as surrounding areas, to install and exhibit their artwork on a first come, first serve basis across eighteen days.

PLATFORM ARTS, GEELONG 12 AUG–20 SEP

PORTRAITS FROM THE COLLECTION

Exploring the play of light on skin and fabric is at the heart of this current exhibition and includes paintings by Polly Hurry, Arnold Shore, W.D. McInnes, Hugh Ramsay, Mary Cecil Allen, A.M.E. Bale and May Vale. Also part of the exhibition is James Henry’s 18 Families which represents the living culture of the Jaara and Dja Dja Wurrung community, as well as various photographs and cartoons from CAM’s Historical Museum Collection.

CASTLEMAINE

ART MUSEUM UNTIL 15 SEP

EXPLORATIONS IN PRINTMAKING

A lot can change over a short period of time. In an exhibition that showcases the skills developed and styles refined over the course of the semester, secondyear students at Federation University will step outside the familiarity of uni with this carefully curated selection of works. Exhibiting outside of the university is an invaluable experience. Your artists are Alyssa Goodwin, Jennifer Hart, Brielle Hogan, Clayton Keefe, Rachel King, Blythe Plier, Tahlia Roberts and Izzie Sterk.

UNICORN LANE, BALLARAT 21 AUG

DOWEL JONES

own their ten year anniversary thanks to National Wool Museum

WORDS BY TAMMY WALTERS

A collaboration of serendipity, the Ten Years of Dowel Jones exhibition at the National Wool Museum is an unlikely match made in heaven.

Æ When curating the great walls and floors of the restored 1872 bluestone woolstore that makes up the National Wool Museum, collections generally steer away from the humble chair but when it comes to the craftsmanship and considered practices of business partners Dale Hardiman and Adam Lynch of Dowel Jones, there is no denying their creations are works of arts.

Founded in 2014, Dowel Jones has become a leading Australian design brand, producing award-winning furniture, lighting, ceramics and textiles and they are predominantly based in Geelong. Moving away from the flat-pack fast furniture trends, the brand was created to craft custom pieces that have longevity and life.

“The way that we run our furniture company is different to others in that we exclusively custom create every single piece for customers. We set up a point to that when we first started our business which was to not create waste,” explains Hardiman. Straight from graduating university to going into business, Hardiman and Lynch have not only created a robust brand identity, verging on cult-like status, their pieces shine and become the statement of the home, symbolising more than just being an object but a treasure. Celebrating furniture that is colourful, dynamic and playful, the duo put in the hard yards to bring the Dowel Jones dynasty to life.

“Adam [Lynch] and I had never had normal jobs - as in we graduated from university and then did this, so the past ten years has been us doing Dowel Jones so it’s not as if we had worked for other design brands or furniture companies in the past to know the way to do it - the “this is how you build a brand”, “this is how you build brand language”. It was really just trial and error for the last ten years,” Hardiman says.

“It evolved incredibly naturally and we didn’t know it would be a full time company ten years later. That’s why our brand name is a joke. We needed to register the business and we didn’t have a name but we did have a lamp that we designed the year prior that we called Mr Dowel Jones because it was a joke on the stock exchange and then dowel referring to timber. I like to think that we named our business after a joke and ten years on that is our life.”

The big ten year celebration could not have been more perfectly timed. Approached by the National Wool Museum to be part of their exhibition program, the proposed dates happened to coincide with their decade milestone.

“Josephine [Rout, Senior Curator of NWM] reached out to me and said, “Would you be interested in presenting at an exhibition at the National Wool Museum?” - because our factories are based in Geelong, so we’re predominantly based in Geelong - and we of course said “yes” and then instantly recognised that the day of the exhibition opening was the day of our 10 year anniversary so instead of having a general exhibition we decided to celebrate 10 years.”

Opening Friday 26 July to over 130 eager eyes, The Ten Years of Dowel Jones exhibition will be presented across five months until Sunday 24 November 2024. For those picturing a showroom floor, think again. The Dowel Jones brand leans into boldness and brightness, so why wouldn’t they make that count for their diamond birthday?

“I think the exhibition is a really great display of the way in which you can present furniture in a furniture design studio. We were thinking about this Saturday night at the opening, if another furniture company were to do a show, they would more than likely present 10 years of furniture in a room for potentially seven days, they would invite clients through and then move on,” Hardiman explains.

“The exhibition runs for 5 months in partnership with a museum nearby to our factories and has 2000 people named in this exhibition on the walls of the gallery – we have credited 2000 different people who have attributed to the work presented in the show. It’s a great representation of the way we work. We have brought in people from all over the world to create an object, we have a rug that 600 children from Geelong have helped to create, we have 10 artists from James Street Gallery, which is a gallery that works with artists with disabilities, so it’s really this all encompassing idea of ‘community and people make companies’. That’s what is important to us.”

Ten Years of Dowel Jones is on display now at National Wool Museum and is a must-see show.

TEN YEARS OF DOWEL JONES

WHEN: NOW SHOWING UNTIL SUN 24 NOV

WHERE: NATIONAL WOOL MUSEUM, WADAWURRUNG COUNTRY, 26–32 MOORABOOL ST, GEELONG

STAGE GUIDE

WORDS BY CHESTER OGILVIE

UNDER MILK WOOD

A radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood invites the audience to share in the stories of the inhabitants of the fictional small fishing town of Llareggub (Buggerall backwards). In reality, it could be a village anywhere at any time. Skin of Our Teeth Productions, playwright and director Dr Christine Davey and a cast of seven will perform more than sixty characters – from butchers and bakers, to sea captains and wives.

THE ENGINE ROOM, BENDIGO 10 AUG

LIGHTHOUSE STUDIO, WARRNAMBOOL 17 AUG

FOURTEEN

The year is 1999. Shannon is a Year 9 student at an all-boys Catholic school in regional Queensland where rugby is king. He is also gay. Based on the best-selling memoir by award-winning journalist Shannon Molloy, Fourteen is the honest, funny and heartfelt true story of what it is to be gay in regional Queensland, taken on by Shake & Stir Theatre Co. It also happens to be set to a soundtrack of ’90s classics.

THE PLAY HOUSE, GAC 30 & 31 AUG

PAST THE SHALLOWS

On the south coast of Tasmania, Harry and Miles live with their often absent abalone-diving father. They turn to each other as best they can. Come school holidays, Miles works on the boat while Harry begins an unlikely friendship that unsettles the delicate waters of their relationship. Brotherhood, family secrets and morality are explored in his play directed by Ben Winspear and adapted by Julian Larnach from Favel Parrett’s award-winning debut novel.

LIGHTHOUSE STUDIO, WARRNAMBOOL 3 SEP

KYNETON FESTIVAL OF ONE ACT PLAYS

“I love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.”

RITA RUDNER.

As part of the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival, the Kyneton Festival of One Act Plays will celebrate the creative spirit of the community. It is one of the oldest in Victoria, one that has entertained for more than six decades. In 2024, the theme is ‘Love and Marriage’.

BLUESTONE THEATRE, KYNETON 7 SEP

FESTIVAL OF AUSTRALIAN QUEER THEATRE

Led by some of Australia’s most influential queer theatre makers, thinkers and artists, the Festival of Australian Queer Theatre aims to revolutionise the theatre landscape with a program of talks, script readings of classic queer local plays, open rehearsals, theatre masterclasses and talks. Events include the neo-vaudevillian variety show Polite Mammals and staged readings of Numa and Karl: Extraordinary Man That He Was and Chasing Dick: A Love Story BALLARAT 22–24 AUG

CHICAGO

Passion, murder, greed, betrayal and redemption is the theme of every longrunning soapie, but here it is life in a city where jazz reigns supreme and fame is the ultimate currency. First performed in 1975, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a wannabe vaudeville star and murderess who meets her hero, Velma Kelly. When they both hire the same lawyer, there is only enough limelight for one. This special ‘High School Edition’ of the six-time Tony winner is presented by the Geelong College Senior School.

THE STORY HOUSE, GAC 29–31 AUG

LADY WHISPER PRESENTS LAUGH OUT LOUD

Is Lady Whisper really the love child of Joan Rivers, Dita Von Teese and Bear Grylls? The alter ego of Stephanie Harrison, Lady Whisper entered the cabaret industry in 2018 with her soldout show Archetypal Outrage. In Laugh Out Loud, it’s all about comedy, music and mayhem as a talented cast of performers aims to have you rolling on the floor with laughter – any maybe a touch of shock.

THE PHEE BROADWAY THEATRE, CASTLEMAINE 17 AUG

A VINTAGE DEATH

In 2013, Bendigo novelist Colin King published his debut novel, A Vintage Death. The novel, which is set against the backdrop of Bendigo and Heathcote, revolves around Detective Sergeant Rory James, whose return from stress leave has him opening the door to a murder-mystery across three timelines. Who would kill for a Heathcote Shiraz? Pour a glass with local theatre troupe Synchronicity Performing Arts as they bring this novel to life.

THE ENGINE ROOM, BENDIGO

30 AUG –7 SEP

Tailem Bend

Æ When I say we’ve been waiting forever for a new ORB record, I really mean we’ve been waiting forever. To put into perspective how long it’s actually been, their previous effort, The Space Between, would have started and finished high school in the years since its release. Six whole years. A lot can change in that time – and in this instance, it has.

As Zak Olsen gently hums on album opener and title track, ‘Tailem Bend’, it’s been “time enough to grow”, both as a group and individuals, so six years down the track, should we be expecting the same sound rehashed for album number four? Probably not.

Although, as the opener progresses Olsen’s assertion quickly turns into self-doubt, questioning both his sanity and motivation, before accepting, “I don’t know it all. ”

So should we be expecting ORB in their final form? God no.

But that’s not what Tailem Bend is. It’s an album of exploration – a fun, experimental release that plays out like a ‘time capsule album’, reflecting back and exploring a range of the group’s early influences before culminating with the ORB we’ve grown to expect.

‘Karma Comes’ sees the now four-piece channelling elements of earlier projects, with its slow-draw snare arrangements, psychedelic melodies, and soft, Zeppelin-esque folk-rock guitars infusing in elements of the group’s first outfit, The Frowning Clouds. ‘Can’t Do That’ toys with the flashy theatrics of T-Rex glam-rock riffs and guitar-driven melodies before diving head-first into a jungle disco break reminiscent of the Afro-Jazz movement. In other moments, the aptly named ‘Golden Arch’, sees the group pay homage to English rock pioneers The Stranglers, with a fluid, jam-like interpolation of ‘Golden Brown’.

It truly is an album that explores each of the members individual influences from birth up until now. Which at times makes it feel like less of an album and more like a teenager still trying to find their style, but that’s ultimately where its biggest strength lies – it’s courage in trying something new.

Considering ORB have long been a group whose albums have been rooted in concept and cohesion, it’s refreshing to hear them tackle a more idiosyncratic approach and find new ways to pack the same signature punch they’ve always had, without simply relying on guitar tuning and distortion pedals.

Overall, the impact is evident. By the time Tailem Bend rolls around to ‘Morph’ and ‘Commandment’, its final two tracks which see the group returning to the psychedelic doom fuzz they have always cut their teeth on, it’s hard not to notice the difference to their earlier material, with both tracks relying more on stripped back riffs, shoegaze dissonance, and slow, grimey time signatures, than blaring doom metal chuggs.

It may not be the ORB that so many fanatics were expecting when they announced their return, but it’s a welcomed change up that redefines the once niche scope of the much-loved local outfit.

LABEL: FLIGHTLESS RECORDS

RELEASE: OUT NOW

EMMA RUSSACK

About The Girl

Æ Emma Russack could sneeze and it would somehow turn out a good song. She simply doesn’t miss.

It’s this exact reason that the prolific indie-folk luminary has resonated with so many over the course of the last decade, with the Naarm-based artist’s candid records on loss and devotion unanimously winning the nation over with each and every release.

Although, on About The Girl, Russack changes it up pretty significantly. While it continues to explore themes of love and loss with Russack’s trademark candour, it’s certainly not the alt-folk release that one would largely expect from one of our nation’s biggest folk stars, with the majority of the record leaning more into a notable shift towards the world of experimental art-punk.

Yes, you read that correctly—Emma Russack has ventured into art-punk territory. But don’t expect her to join a Devo tribute band anytime soon. About The Girl isn’t punk in the traditional sense. Instead, it channels punk’s ethos through its witty, candid lyrics and fearless attitude.

I know, I know, it sounds like a bit of rogue claim, but when you listen Russack’s thought-provoking lyrics alongside the muddy post-punk basslines of ‘About The Girl’, the angular riffs of ‘I Know I Feel It Too’, or the heavy industrial rhythms of the French new-wave inspired, ‘Everything Is Big’, it really does feel like an avant-punk release.

For an artist known for her meticulous and deliberate approach to songwriting, it’s a shift that’s both surprising and refreshing, adding a whole new dimension to Russack’s ever-impressive discography.

LABEL DINOSAUR CITY RECORDS

RELEASE: 23 AUG

JAMES BLAKE, LIL YACHTY

Bad Cameo

Æ Mannnnnn, James Blake is such an enigma. Maybe unsurprisingly so, given the unique subdued and introspective nature of his music, but as an artist, Blake feels like that elusive high school friend you seldom see but know is out there making waves.

It’s this unpredictable, genre-hopping versatility that’s seen the 35-year-old multi-instrumentalist cement his reputation in the rap/hip-hop sphere, collaborating with heavyweights like Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyoncé.

On the flip side, Lil Yachty has proven himself as a musician with the adaptability to seamlessly fit the styles of whatever artist he’s collaborating with, whether that be Yungblud, Fred Again or Calvin Harris.

So naturally, Bad Cameo seems like a match made in heaven.

As expected, it’s a seamless blend, with songs like ‘Save The Saviour’ perfectly balancing Blake’s tense, swirling layers of loops alongside Yachty’s deep vocal tenor and fluid cadence, and tracks like ‘Midnight’ blending so holistically that it resembles one singular vocalist, despite their contrasting vocal styles.

In other moments, ‘In Grey’ channels ambient, neo-classical stylings akin to Jon Hopkins’ ethereal take on dance music, while ‘Woo’ transitions into hard-hitting trap beats, bridging Blake’s 2010s indie-dance stylings with Yachty’s contemporary hip-hop.

That being said, as an album, Bad Cameo tends to favour fans of Blake more than Yachty, with its slow-burning, effusive soundscapes likely feeling too minimalistic for Yachty expecting a more traditional rap release.

YOURS TRULY

TOXIC

Æ It’s been a whirlwind few years for Melbourne-based trio Yours Truly. Just a couple of years ago, they were making their mark in local dive bars, playing to small crowds and hustling to build their reputation. Fast forward to now, and they’re headlining sold-out shows in London and landing major festival slots alongside Blink-182 and Fred Again.

So what better time for the poppunk upstarts to finally unveil their longawaited follow-up to the ARIA-nominated, ‘is this what i look like?’ and continue their stranglehold on the punk scene both at home and abroad than right now?

Expanding on the foundation laid out on their previous work, TOXIC sees Yours Truly refining their signature dancepunk style with impressive versatility. From drum and bass samples and Pink Pantheress-inspired hyper-pop vocals on ‘Love Feels Like’, to industrial nü-metal riffs and down-tuned fuzz distortion on ‘Call My Name’, and genre-bending collaborations with Bloom on ‘Sinking’ –TOXIC defies easy categorisation.

Instead of sticking to one style or genre, each track’s direction is largely guided by Mikalia Delgado’s introspective open-diary lyrics, which, throughout tracks like ‘Let Go’ and ‘All That I’m Not’, largely explore the isolation and selfdoubt that come with seeing an ex move on with someone new.

Despite the heartbreak, TOXIC remains a vibrant release, showcasing Yours Truly’s signature disco-punk sparkle and infectious rock energy in all its pop-punk glory.

SOFT PLAY

HEAVY JELLY

Æ It’s been a transformative few years for SOFT PLAY (fka. Slaves). Having established themselves as one of the most formidable punk outfits to front the UK festival scene over the past decade, the group went into an indefinite hiatus following the death of guitarist Laurie Vincent’s longtime girlfriend, Emma Jane Mulholland. So, when the band announced their return under a new name and released the fiery callout anthem ‘Punk’s Dead’, challenging claims that their rebranding was merely a publicity stunt, it undoubtedly created a stir. Then, on HEAVY JELLY, the lads decided to double down further. Unrelentingly aggressive and unapologetically crass, the boys are back, and this time, it’s with a vengeance. As soon as it kicks off you’re faced with Isaac Holman’s spit hitting the microphone with each discordant snarl introducing opener ‘All Things’. Quickly after, ‘Act Violently’ urges you to do just that, hitting you in the face with jagged staccato riffs, frantic tempo changes and System of a Down chaotic energy, before ‘Mirror Muscles’ comes along to deliver the duo’s heaviest effort to date. Although, while slating and provocative, the duo’s message avoids feeling contrived or preachy. Instead, each track is doused with a healthy dose of caustic wit, delivering class-clown lyrics that tackle serious topics, very unseriously –albeit with an extreme level of aggression. While the blueprint was already laid out, a name change has seemingly seen Slaves transform into a completely new outfit, and to be honest, if it came down to it, SOFT PLAY could beat the shit out of Slaves.

LOCAL BEAUTY EXPERT EMBARKS ON NEW EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY

Æ It’s never too late to study or upskill. Take Lisa McAuliffe for instance. At 50 years old, the Geelong mother of two has recently added another qualification to her impressive list of accolades by completing a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment at The Gordon. This achievement marks a new chapter in her 23-year career in the beauty industry, which began with a Diploma of Beauty Therapy many years ago. Her story serves as an inspiration to those who want to build on their existing skills, or pivot their career.

McAuliffe’s journey and her passion for education and training led her back to the classroom, demonstrating that learning is a lifelong process.

“I first graduated from beauty therapy studies at The Gordon in 2000 and became an industry leader with a loyal list of clients. Looking back, I often discussed my intentions to explore opportunities of Vocational and Educational Training (VET) with my colleagues”, she shares.

The Gordon’s Certificate IV in Training and Assessment is designed to equip professionals with the skills to train and assess in vocational education settings – it has allowed McAuliffe to take her beauty therapy career even further and fulfil her desire to share her expertise with others.

“I have a passion for quality education and I’m looking forward to beginning my new pathway in providing exceptional training, by sharing my skills and knowledge. I have proven that achieving goals takes determination, organisation and above all, a lot of discipline.”

As a business owner, McAuliffe understands the importance of staying current in a rapidly evolving industry. Her new qualifications will allow her to contribute to the beauty therapy field in new ways, potentially as an educator or trainer.

“As an industry leader, I have always attended ‘training’ to enhance my skills and learn about the latest advancements within the industry. Considering the challenges I have conquered, and as a ‘mature-aged’ student, it is extremely rewarding to be able to empower others, as an educator, when they are experiencing self-doubt. A positive growth mindset and hearing others’ stories who have shared similar experiences allow us to never feel alone”, she shares.

McAuliffe’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. She was recently honoured as a recipient of an Excellence Award within The Gordon’s Business and Technology category, recognising her outstanding performance and dedication to her studies.

Applications to study at The Gordon in 2025 are now open. Apply today and take the first step to boost your career at thegordon.edu.au

2024 WONDER CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL IS BACK AT GEELONG ARTS CENTRE

Æ Following the resounding success of last year’s inaugural Wonder Children’s Festival, Geelong Arts Centre marks the return of the festival with an enchanting program set to wow young hearts and minds.

Taking place from 12 to 26 September, Wonder Children’s Festival celebrates the end of term three with a colourful lineup of events from vibrant live music performances to imaginative theatre pieces, stepping inside books and beyond the screen.

The tale of Wonder Children’s Festival starts with Alison Lester’s iconic best selling booking, Imagine is brought to life during IMAGINE LIVE. A celebration of creativity, friendship and our precious natural world, the performers sing and play their way through the story, as produced by NCM and Jolyon James.

Up next from 18 to 19 September, audiences will be transported in space at Little Blue Dot. From Lemony S Puppet Theatre, this visually striking theatre piece developed in collaboration with the team from Monash University School of Physics and Astronomy tackles the big questions we ask about space, our place in it and why this precious little blue dot floating in space matters so very much.

Bridging the epic two weeks of family fun, is a weekend full of headliner talent. Jump in with iconic family rockers and environmentalist The Teeny Tiny Stevies as they sing through their latest album The Green Album and enjoy the classic stage adaption of beloved children’s tale The Gruffalo by CDP and Tall Stories.

Finishing off the festival with a bang on 24 and 25 September, I Wish offers an acrobatic journey into the magic of individuality and the limitless possibilities of imagination in an exciting collaboration between two internationally renowned leaders in children’s performance, Patch Theatre and Gravity & Other Myths.

While an abundance of whimsical performances await, children and families are also encouraged to join interactive workshops, create their own art, and explore the world of performing arts in a way that sparks curiosity and fosters a lifelong love for creativity.

An unmissable few weeks of family fun lies ahead. Tickets are on sale now at geelongartscentre.org.au/wonder-childrens-festival/

WONDER CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

WHERE: GEELONG ARTS CENTRE, 50 LITTLE MALOP STREET, GEELONG

WHEN: 12–26 SEP

BITES GUIDE

A NEW BAR HAS OPENED ON LITTLE MALOP STREET, GEELONG

Geelong’s hospitality precinct receives a new bar. Called Astray, the establishment has opened between burger spots OK Smash and Hot Chicken Project, serving up local beer and wine as well as a selection of cocktails, and snacks. Owners Stephanie and Chris put elbow grease into the space to transform it into Astray. Giving the space a facelift including a paint job in colours dark navy and grey, and building a glorious L-shaped bar from scratch, Astray is designed to have an intimate mood. A neon Astray sign hangs over the bar with a second neon sign of a cat hanging over the shelving.

WHERE: 86 LITTLE MALOP STREET, GEELONG

WHEN: THU 5–10PM, FRI 5PM–LATE, SAT 2PM–LATE, SUN 2–8PM

TORQUAY SANDWICH BAR, GOOLEY’S OPENS IN CENTRAL GEELONG

One of the best sanga’s you’ll ever have, Torquay’s Gooley’s finds home in central Geelong. From the mind of long-time barista Daniel Gooley who grit his teeth at several cafés around Geelong, including Coffee Cartel and Paddington Café in Belmont, Gooley’s is his namesake sandwich bar that draws inspiration from the New York sandwich scene as well as Japanese bars. Two thick slices of bread filled with fresh, juicy deli ingredients including pastrami, ham and chicken, topped with a selection of cheeses, salads, and sauces, the Gooley’s sandwich is a must. They’re just across the street from Astray for a double dose of fresh hospitality.

WHERE: 89 LITTLE MALOP STREET, GEELONG

WHEN: DAILY, 7AM–4PM

BLACKMAN’S BREWERY

CELEBRATE TEN YEARS AS A PREMIUM BEERMAKER OF GEELONG

From a humble beer to a huge range along with three popping venues, a beer festival, outdoor cinema events and collaborations a plenty, Blackman’s Brewery have made strides in ten years. It has been milestone after milestone for Jess and Renn Blackman. From taking over the Surfriders restaurant in Torquay to having three venues in the region, Blackman’s has become a signature brewery and beloved beer brand in Geelong. Last month they celebrated the beer brand’s 10 year anniversary, marking it with a special event. Their trajectory continues as they bring us a craft beer festival, Point Break Brewery Invitational on Saturday 17 August.

WHERE: 26 BELL STREET, TORQUAY

WHEN: 17 AUG

BALLARAT HUNTS FOR REGIONS BEST PIE, SETTING UP A PIE TRAIL ACROSS THE CITY

It’s a pie party in Ballarat this August with a tasty pastry trail setup to determine Ballarat’s best pie. From a Chicken truffle pie through to the humble footy meat pie, Ballarat sure knows a thing or two about the flaky friend. Across the month of August pies are back on the menu as Ballarat hunts to crown the regions best pie in the return of beloved competition Ballarat’s Best Pie. With 28 participating cafes and bakeries, including last years winners Flying Chillies with their Mum’s Curry Laksa Pie, the competition is high. Sink your teeth in from 1 - 31 August.

WHERE: VARIOUS, BALLARAT WHEN: 1–31 AUG

MEXICAN GRAFFITI SAYS “ADIOS” TO GEELONG AFTER 42 YEARS

Farewell fajitas, see you later quesadillas – the home of Mexican food in Geelong is closing down. Mexican Graffiti has served as a beacon of Geelong’s hospitality life since 1982, its twostory sprawling location in the centre of Yarra Street a place of celebration over a delicious Mexican menu for the Geelong community. From birthdays to anniversaries to graduations; the restaurant has been a go-to for locals across its 42 year history. Raising a coloured flag on a pole to signal service, Mexican Graffiti was as bold and colourful as its name. The restaurant will have its final days this month.

WHERE: 43 YARRA STREET, GEELONG

WHEN: TUE–THU 4–8PM, FRI–SAT 12–8:30PM, SUN 12–8PM

URBAN CRAFT BEER CRAWL FILTERS THROUGH GEELONG CBD THIS MONTH

Bringing a curated selection of craft beers together across one neighbourhood, the Urban Craft Beer Crawl hits Geelong on Saturday 31 August. Across nine epic venues, including The Edge, Eureka Hotel, Geelong Hotel, Malt Shovel Tap House, Medusa, Sailor’s Rest, The Brewery, The Inn Hotel and There There, this fun afternoon out is all about great venues and even better beer. Tickets are on sale now.

WHERE: NINE VENUES IN GEELONG CBD WHEN: SAT 31 AUG

VENUE GUIDE

BELLBRAE ESTATE

Æ Planting their first vines back in 1999, on the world famous Great Ocean Road, and then establishing a business – these are real life goals. 25 years later and the brains behind Bellbrae Estate clearly know what they’re doing.

Focusing on premium cool climate wines with really strong varietal characters and an excellent flavour intensity, wine is what they do best!

Bellbrae Estate isn’t just a vineyard, you can head on down to the Estate for a sit down wine tasting, as their very friendly and knowledgeable staff walk and talk their way through the 12 core range wines on offer, and maybe even some of the estates exclusive museum range.

If wine and tasting and the Great Ocean Road weren’t already doing it for you, then maybe the idea of a brand new charcuterie board will – showcasing some of the best local produce around. They also have some award-winning wood-fired pizzas made from Pete’s Woodfired Pizzas on the weekends, with some perfect hot food pairing bites to accompany the wines - like their marble score 6 wagyu eye filets bites and wood charred halloumi – I really don’t think life gets better than this.

They make all of our wine on site with 7.5 hectares of vines and a 250 acres block. Where they can, they source their ingredients as locally as they can. They have produce from the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie, DK’s potato farm, Bellarine Brownies, Blackman’s Brewery, The Otway Kitchen and so much more. Bellbrae Estate also has soy candles used from our old Bellbrae Estate bottles thanks to a local winemaker, Michelle, from Misuki Candles. Throughout the cell door you will see amazing paintings and artwork from local artist Andrew (Drew) Middlehurst, which are also for sale here at Bellbrae Estate.

Head on down to Bellbrae Estate for a casual and relaxing dining experience, with a real focus on quality produce and wine –and it won’t break the bank.

If you go on a Sunday, you can look forward to some local acts, with life music going every weekend, from 1- 4pm.

So sit down, relax with a glass of wine in one hand and cheese in the other, and listen to some relaxing tunes, because that’s really what life is all about… right…?

Æ

INTERLUDE CAFÉ & CHARLIE BAKERY

“Interlude is a temporary amusement or diversion that contrasts with what goes before or after…”. We are your amusement and your diversion, your break from work, life, kids and whatever else you need a moment from.

Here we have the meaning behind the café, Interlude, this is a container café, located on the busy Torquay Highway, offering an outdoor space for a range of takeaway food and coffee, providing gourmet toasties - made with care and love - and a range of menu items including smashed avocado, and acai bowls, as well as belly warmers such as porridge and soup coming into the cold winter season.

Employing a humble little team dedicated to serving their loyal and new customers to the best of their ability - always with a smile and a willingness to have a long chat over their morning or afternoon coffee, Interlude is the definition of a local Geelong café.

Back in May 2023, the team opened their third venue, Charlie Bakery – which is just located around the corner on Burdoo Drive in Grovedale. This is where the incredible and to-die-for pastries are made, and then they travel on down to Interlude Café, giving customers the option to order something sweet, tasty and homemade with their delicious coffee. Charlie Bakery features a range of sweet and savoury options, including their mouth-watering house made Shokupan bread sanga’s AND muffins, a croissant sandwich, and a range of delicious other goodies to keep you coming back for more.

The team at Interlude pride themselves on freshness and quality and believe their customers keep coming back and passing on the word, knowing regulars and newcomers won’t be disappointed.

The best thing about a container café, is that they are pup friendly – and even include a range of doggo treats from Baked By Bree, so it’s the perfect morning, afternoon or weekend outing for you and your furry friend – coffee, pastries and dog treats, this is the best of all three worlds.

Having opened up initially as a little coffee van in the height of the COVID 19 pandemic, the team at Interlude are incredibly grateful for the continuous support from the community, saying that if it wasn’t for the local and wider community cheering them on and supporting them the way we know best, they would have never grown to be what they are today.

INTERLUDE CAFE

CHARLIE BAKERY

WHERE: 520 GREAT OCEAN ROAD, BELLBRAE

OPEN: WED–THU 12–4PM FRI–SUN 12–5PM

WHERE: 272 TORQUAY ROAD, GROVEDALE

OPEN: MON–FRI 6AM–3:30PM, SAT–SUN 7:30AM–1PM

WHERE: 3/122 BURDOO DRIVE, GROVEDALE

OPEN: MON–FRI 6AM–4PM, SAT & SUN 7AM–12:30PM

MIDTOWN CELLARS AND BAR

Æ Midtown Cellars and Bar is situated in the heart of Sturt Street’s 400 strip. It has quickly become Ballarat’s go-to place for craft beer and independent wine. They have been trading for 3 years now and have been slowly expanding the whole time. Being a hybrid of a bottle shop and bar means they have a very extensive range of products on offer for customers to takeaway or to consume on the premises.

There are six beer taps that are continually rotating new beers. There is also a selection of around 150 different of the latest craft beers, as well as about 200 wines to choose from.

In the bar, on top of the aforementioned bottle shop, they offer an extensive classic cocktail list, wines by the glass and many spirits, including a range of locally made gins and vodkas. All the beer on offer is sourced directly from the craft breweries, and they are all Australian – Aussie Aussie Aussie, oi oi oi.

The wine is from all over the world, but with a focus on independent, emerging winemakers – always gotta support the little guys. Now, Midtown does serve bar snacks but they also encourage people to order in their favourite foods from the surrounding restaurants. However, if Middle Eastern is your vibe, you can enjoy a meal from the Woodside Food & Co food truck every Thursday through Saturday night. They’ve got you covered, with halloumi fries, choban salad, slow cooked lamb wraps, falafel bowls and more. Vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free diners are absolutely looked after, kids regularly clear their plates ready for seconds and the whole show creates little to no landfill. In fact, they encourage you to bring your own takeaway containers for extra karma points!

The vibe at Midtown is a cross between wine bar and dive bar. Think dark lighting, rock music, relaxed casual atmosphere but with amazing products, not your usual dive bar swill. Owner Johnny is proud to say that they don’t really have a demographic, they attract all sorts of people and have developed an incredibly loyal customer base, but are also ever-welcoming to newcomers.

Midtown is open every day of the year, except Christmas Day. Ballarat can fall into the trap of being a sleepy regional town from Monday to Wednesday and Johnny wanted to provide a place for people to enjoy a few drinks and some chill vibes, whenever they desired. That was the catalyst to deciding to open the place. He wanted to not only bring new amazing products to the people of Ballarat, but he wanted to create a space that was accessible all the time, and so far so good, as it seems to be working a treat.

WHERE: 405 STURT ST, BALLARAT CENTRAL

OPEN: MON–TUE 3–9PM, WED, THU & SUN 12–9PM, FRI & SAT 12–10PM

MEREDITH HOTEL

Æ In August 2020 – right in the middle of the beginning of Covid – Meredith Hotel owners Jas and Chris decided they wanted to take their passion for hospitality to the next level, - both lucky enough having hospitality backgrounds since young teens, where Chris worked for venues around Geelong as a Chef and Jas as front of house.

In the downtime they had during Covid, Chris realised that he wanted something of his own, to have free range to use his skill set, knowledge and passion. Jas was working as a nail tech but was happy to go along for the ride and use her experience in the hospitality industry to bring Chris’s dream to life.

Originally looking at venues in Bannockburn and Geelong, and then one day, they came across the Meredith Hotel. On first inspection they thought the venue was beyond them, initially referring to it as “like something out of the walking dead” as a description, as the venue had been closed for over a year. However, the pair decided it was a challenge they wanted to accept, and at the start of February 2021, the pair launched the grand openingonly to go into a snap lockdown the day before a fully booked out Valentines Day – absolutely NOT ideal hey!

Since the pandemic the Meredith Hotel (Top Pub) has gone from strength to strength, with most Friday - Sundays being completely booked out. Jas and Chris pride themselves on providing not just the typical country pub vibe, but a vibe the whole family can enjoy!

The seasonal menu features a crispy skin duck breast w cauli puree, dutch carrots, roasted beetroot, walnuts, kale chips, jus & capsicum emulsion - this has been a real favourite with the customers.

They also have many of the pub classics on offer, and a big selection of parmi’s to choose from. The specials board is forever changing, and head chef Chris prides himself on using the specials board to reflect his fine dining background, creating dishes you would find in an inner city restaurant. Some of the most recent specials have been 9+ marble score wagyu, truffles and fresh seafood.

The Meredith Hotel pride themselves in using local produce where viable, this can be Shazzas Fruit and Veg in Bannockburn, Meredith Dairy, FarmGate store in Elaine, Western Plains pork and Meys meats in North Geelong, but have sourced ingredients and wines from all over the world. They believe their menu has something for everyone – and they aren’t wrong!

The team can’t stress enough how important it is to book in advance where possible to avoid disappointment.

WHERE: 53/51 STAUGHTON STREET, MEREDITH

OPEN: WED 5PM–LATE, THU–SUN 12–2PM & 5PM–LATE

GIG GUIDE AUGUST 2024

For more gigs go to fortemag.com.au/gigguide

WED 7 AUG

NIRVANA TRIBUTE BAND

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7:30PM $64.80

THE DESERTERS

ARARAT TOWN HALL, ARARAT

8PM $30

BEN LEE

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

PIANO BAR, BALLARAT

7PM $45

THU 8 AUG

BEN LEE

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

PIANO BAR, BENDIGO

7PM $45

SOFAR GEELONG PRESENTS: HEIN COOPER + SPECIAL GUESTS

TBA, TORQUAY

7PM $30

FRI 9 AUG

HAZEL RAY

BELLS BEACH

BREWING, TORQUAY 9PM FREE

RUM JUNGLE

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY

8:30PM $35.70

RAWTISM

+ FORKLIFT ASSASSINS, MÜLSHLUCKA, IN THE ESKY

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7PM $13.30

JERRY CAN AND A VAN

+ THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS, SUNFRUITS, HOLLY HEBE, UNDERLAY VOLTA, BALLARAT

7PM $21.45

BE HEAR NOW: PULL OVER KANK WOLVERANG RECORDS, BALLARAT

4PM FREE

BE HEAR NOW: FREE FROM SPRING

TRADE HALL, BALLARAT

7:30PM $10

BEN LEE + SPECIAL GUESTS

QUEENSCLIFF TOWN HALL, QUEENSCLIFF

7PM $55.85

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE

+ TUMOR AND GOOD TIME AUSSIE BOGOLARS

THE EASTERN, BALLARAT

7PM $11.75

BOLLARD

+ GOOD MOON, SOLDER, I SLEEP YOU DREAM

TRASH CULT, EAGLEHAWK

7PM $22.49

SAT 10 AUG

NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE + SACHI

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY

8:30PM $65.30

JERRY CAN AND A VAN

+ THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS, SUNFRUITS, HOLLY HEBE AND UNDERLAY

THE BARWON CLUB

HOTEL, GEELONG

7PM $21.45

COCKER DIAMOND EXPERIENCE

THE GOLDEN VINE HOTEL, BENDIGO

8:30PM $28

RUM JUNGLE

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

VOLTA, BALLARAT

8:30PM $28.85

BE HEAR NOW: AUGIE MARCH + CODA CHROMA, DAYFEVER

HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE, BALLARAT 6:45PM $45

PROMISES PROMISES

ULUMBARRA THEATRE, BENDIGO

4PM $18–$49

THE BEACH BOYS EXPERIENCE

ARARAT TOWN HALL, ARARAT

7:30PM $49–$69

DEAD + POTENTIAL

TRASH CULT, EAGLEHAWK 7PM $17.90

SUN 11 AUG

DJ’S COASTAL SOUNDS

BELLS BEACH

BREWING, TORQUAY 7PM FREE

CHARLIE MCILVENA + MUSIC TRIVIA

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 5PM FREE

BE HEAR NOW: SURFE & AALIYAH CIVIC HALL, BALLARAT 12:30PM FREE

BE HEAR NOW: OPEN MIC NIGHT IRISH MURPHYS, BALLARAT 5PM FREE

SHORROCK & CADD – THE TWO AMIGOS

THE PLAYHOUSE, GEELONG 2PM $76–$79

MOODSPILL

THE TAPROOM SHEDSHAKER, CASTLEMAINE 7PM DOOR TIX

THU 15 AUG

OPEN MIC

BELLS BEACH

BREWING, TORQUAY

7:30PM FREE

FRI 16 AUG

TAYLOR HENDERSON + SUPPORTS TBA THE GOLDEN VINE HOTEL, BENDIGO

8:30PM $40

RIORDEN

BELLS BEACH BREWING, TORQUAY 6PM FREE

WITCHGRINDER + DISTORTA, ORDER OF TORMENT, DHERT VOLTA, BALLARAT 8PM $23.75

MIKE OLDFIELD TUBULAR BELLS

THE PLAYHOUSE, GEELONG 8PM $79–$109

SMITH AND WESTERN JURY + DAYFEVER, THE DARLINGS FAMILY TRUST THE EASTERN, BALLARAT 7PM $13.30

SAT 17 AUG

AUSSITALLICA

BELLS BEACH BREWING, TORQUAY 6PM FREE

LITTLE RAVERS + LENNY PEARCE

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

11AM $18.40–$28.60

LITTLE RAVERS + LENNY PEARCE

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 2PM $18.40–$28.60

SAN CISCO

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY

8:30PM $56.10

THIS EP TOOK 5

YEARS: NOAH

VERNON EP LAUNCH

+ MADELIENE COPE AND GRACE TERPSTRA

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7:30PM $18.40

TELENOVA

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

VOLTA, BALLARAT

7PM

PIZZA DEATH + GRIM

$39.99

TRASH CULT, EAGLEHAWK

7PM $22.49

SUN 18 AUG

ANDY B

BELLS BEACH BREWING, TORQUAY 3PM FREE

LITTLE RAVERS + LENNY PEARCE

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

11AM, 2PM $18.40–$28.60

DJ’S COASTAL SOUNDS

BELLS BEACH BREWING, TORQUAY

7PM FREE

LUKE WATT

THE BRIDGE HOTEL, CASTLEMAINE

3PM FREE

WITCHGRINDER

+ SPACEGOAT, RISE FROM ASHES, NO HOPE, PAEON

THE GOLDEN VINE HOTEL, BENDIGO

8:30PM $15

SAN CISCO

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

VOLTA, BALLARAT

7PM $55.85

THU 22 AUG

BETWEEN YOU AND ME X TEENAGE JOANS

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7PM $39

FRI 23 AUG

FAITH NO MORE VS RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7PM $23.50

HAZEL RAY

BELLS BEACH BREWING, TORQUAY

6PM FREE

JORDIE LANE

THE BRIDGE HOTEL, CASTLEMAINE

9PM $37.50

BETWEEN YOU AND ME X TEENAGE JOANS

VOLTA, BALLARAT

7PM $39

PRINNIE STEVENS

LADY SINGS THE BLUES VOL 2 GEELONG ARTS

CENTRE, GEELONG 7:30PM $59

THE PAUL MCCARTNEY EXPERIENCE

GEELONG ARTS CENTRE, GEELONG

7:30PM $60–$65

MOODSPILL

TANSWELLS HOTEL, BEECHWORTH

7PM DOOR TIX

SAT 24 AUG

DRENCHER FEST

FT: Snake Mountain (QLD) , Nicolas Cage Fighter, Pizza Death, Hidden Intent, Munitions and more

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 2PM $44.90

FULL FLOWER MOON BAND THE BRIDGE HOTEL, CASTLEMAINE 9PM $20

SPY VS SPY + SUPPORTS TBA THE GOLDEN VINE HOTEL, BENDIGO 8PM $35

HELLCAT SPEEDRACER

VOLTA, BALLARAT 11PM $18.40

BE HEAR NOW: EXPLORE THE COSMOS WITH ZOJ BALLARAT MUNICIPAL OBSERVATORY, BALLARAT 6:30PM $10

SEVENTH WONDER

GEELONG ARTS CENTRE, GEELONG 8PM $69.90

ERIC BOGLE

ULUMBARRA THEATRE, BENDIGO 8PM $69–$79

OTRERA + 11:33, ABSENTIA THE EASTERN, BALLARAT 8PM $17.85

BALLARAT BLUES FESTIVAL: WOMEN IN BLUES SHOWCASE

FT: Anna Scionti, Rhiannon Simpson, Andrea Marr Band and Paula Maki PIANO BAR, BALLARAT 1PM $15

BALLARAT BLUES FESTIVAL: AFTER PARTY

FT: Rod Paine and the Full Time Lovers

PIANO BAR, BALLARAT 5PM $10

BALLARAT BLUES FESTIVAL: AARON POLLOCK THE HOP TEMPLE, BALLARAT 1:30PM FREE

SUN 25 AUG

GARDEN OF EDEN BELLS BEACH BREWING, TORQUAY 3PM FREE

SOFTWARE UPDATE ‘GOD HELP ME’ SINGLE LAUNCH + STRAWBERRY LIPSTICK, APOLLO PROJECT THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 4PM $18.40

QUEEN SUPREME: THE MUSIC OF DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES ULUMBARRA THEATRE, BENDIGO 2PM $55–$62.50

SOFAR GEELONG: MCM BOOKINGS SHOWCASE + SPECIAL GUESTS TBA, JAN JUC 7PM $30

BALLARAT BLUES FESTIVAL: MATT KATSIS THE HOP TEMPLE, BALLARAT 1:30PM FREE

BALLARAT BLUES FESTIVAL: STEVE PLATTER AND THE DIRTY BLUES RJM WINE BAR, BALLARAT 1PM $10

BALLARAT BLUES FESTIVAL: RHYLEY MCGRATH + AUNTY JACKS, BALLARAT 3PM FREE

WED 28 AUG

JORDIE LANE AND BAND

ARARAT TOWN HALL, ARARAT 8PM $30

THU 29 AUG

BOSTON MANOR + SUNBLEACHED

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7:30PM $69.90

FRI 30 AUG

GRIM RHYTHM + SMOKE WITCH, CLIFFORD PARADE

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

8PM $15

PHIL AND HONI

BELLS BEACH

BREWING, TORQUAY

6PM FREE

TELENOVA

THE BRIDGE HOTEL, CASTLEMAINE

7PM $39.99

DR SURE’S USUAL PRACTICE + IT THING

THE EASTERN, BALLARAT

7PM $24

SAT 31 AUG

THE IANS + TONEMARROW, SOLE MAGE, BRAND

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7PM $13.30

ROCK NIGHT

BELLS BEACH

BREWING, TORQUAY

6:30PM FREE

TELENOVA

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY

8:30PM $39.99

HEARTLINE

+ SILVERFANG

VOLTA, BALLARAT

8PM $24.99

THE HOTTEST HOT AUGUST NIGHT

HONOURING NEIL DIAMOND AND OLIVIA

NEWTON JOHN ULUMBARRA THEATRE, BENDIGO

8PM $59.90–$79.90

SOFAR GEELONG FREEZA SHOW + SPECIAL GUESTS

TBA, POINT LONSDALE

7PM $30

WED 3 SEP

RAVE ON –THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY

ULUMBARRA THEATRE, BENDIGO

11AM $15–$20

TEAM PICKS

TAMMY Editor

‘Von dutch’ Charli xcx

“Charli kills on brat! ‘Von dutch’ has the grit and grime of Skins era trashy parties, and I’m ready to go full Effy Stonem again”

THU 5 SEP

KING BROTHERS + THE MEANIES, THE GRINDING EYES

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7PM $29.80

BLEEDING THROUGH

+ SPECIAL GUESTS VOLTA, BALLARAT

7PM $57

FRI 6 SEP

MAJAK DOOR

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY 8PM $29.99

HAZEL RAY

BELLS BEACH BREWING, TORQUAY 6PM FREE

RICHIE WEED

+ IMMIGRANT UNION THE BRIDGE HOTEL, CASTLEMAINE 9PM $20

FLAMING WREKAGE

+ BLACK LAVA, FALL AND RESIST

VOLTA, BALLARAT 8PM $28.85

THE QUIVERS

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

THE EASTERN, BALLARAT 7PM $17.35

SAT 7 SEP

FLAMING WREKAGE

+ BLACK LAVA, FALL AND RESIST

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 8PM

WOLFGANG

MATT Partnerships & Campaign Manager

‘The Touch’ Stan Bush

From the 1986 animated film

‘The Transformers: The Movie’

$28.60

BELLS BEACH BREWING, TORQUAY 6PM FREE

DUNE RATS X FIDLAR

+ SPECIAL GUESTS TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY 8:30PM $66.20

THE QUIVERS + SPECIAL GUESTS

THE BRIDGE HOTEL,

HINDLEY STREET COUNTRY

SUN 8 SEP

DJ - COASTAL SOUNDS

BELLS BEACH BREWING, TORQUAY 3PM FREE

BSO CONCERT

ULUMBARRA THEATRE, BENDIGO 2PM $20–$52

“This song has ignited a household-wide obsession with blast beats. Suddenly, we’re all relaxing to Hate Eternal drum playthroughs. What the f*#k is happening?!” What we’re vibing this month

“One day, an Autobot shall rise from our ranks, and use the power of the Matrix to light our darkest hour.”

RILEY Designer

‘I Can Never Die’ Fleshgod Apocolypse

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