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Take a journey into the history of hero instrument, the guitar, at the Art Gallery of Ballarat ’s electrifying exhibition,

MEDIEVAL

TO METAL:

The Art and Evolution of the Guitar

Saturday 2 Nov 2024

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.

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FRIDAY,

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SATURDAY, NOV 2,

EDITORIAL NOTE

EDITOR

Tammy Walters

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Matt Wilkinson

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Riley McDonald

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Tammy Walters

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

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As

a musician you always remember your first - the first concert you played, the first song you learnt, the first moment you realised you wanted to be a musician, your first guitar.

Æ I had two hand-me-down guitars growing up, an acoustic my brother abandoned and an electric my cousin built, but MY first guitar when I decided that I wanted to be a rock chick was a 3/4 slick black Jixing acoustic that I bought on ebay - the perfect size for my height deficit body to comfortably play. I immediately learnt Paramore’s ‘My Heart’, soon followed by Joan Jett’s ‘Crimson and Clover’ cover trying to follow in the two powerhouses’ footsteps. Soundwise that Jixing was trash, but nearly 20 years later I still love that guitar to death!

How fitting that our cover story this month features two of my first music awakenings, with the ultimate rock chick Joan Jett gracing the cover for an exhibition that dives into the evolution of the guitar. Taking over the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Medieval to Metal: The Art and Evolution of the Guitar unpacks the rich history of the 6-string melody-maker, chronicling its rapid rise, product development and pioneering players.

This month also features chats with Xavier Rudd, Kate Miller-Heidke, Jess Ribiero, Sweethearts, HOWQUA, Duo Hoop and Custard. We take you on an exploration through the Otway Harvest Trail and have a look at culinary excellence in our venue spotlight featuring Surreal, Two Noble, TEMPO Kitchen & Bar, and The Kyn. We also have record reviews for Amyl and The Sniffers, Dom Sensitive, High Vis, Jon Toogood and Kublai Khan TX. What a rockin’ issue - powerslide in!

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.

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 October cover is Joan Jett for Medieval to Metal

Credit: Tony Mott

TAMMY Editor

MATT Partnerships & Campaign Manager

‘Can I Borrow a Feeling?’ Kirk Van Houten

“‘Can I borrow a feelin’? Could you send me a jar of love? Hurtin’ hearts need some healin’, Take my hand with your glove of love!’”

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NEWS

KASEY CHAMBERS ANNOUNCES BACKBONE AUSTRALIAN TOUR TO KICK OFF 2025

ARIA Hall-of-Famer and revered singersongwriter Kasey Chambers is heading back on the road, announcing a massive Backbone Australian Tour in celebration of her thirteenth career album. The mammoth 30-date tour will commence on 23 January at Tamworth Town Hall as part of the Tamworth Country Music Festival extending across capital cities and regional centres across Australia.

DUA LIPA BRINGS WORLD TOUR TO AUSTRALIA

Dua Lipa is set to bring her electrifying live show to Australia in 2025, much to the excitement of fans across the country. Known for her powerhouse vocals, infectious pop anthems and dynamic stage presence, Dua Lipa’s upcoming Australian tour promises to be a standout event of the year. It includes 5 stadium shows at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

DARYL BRAITHWAITE IS BRINGING HIS ‘YOU WON’T GO HOME WHISTLING THE LIGHTS’ TOUR TO GEELONG

Iconic Australian singer/songwriter and ARIA Hall of Fame Inductee Daryl Braithwaite is bringing his You Won’t Go Home Whistling the Lights Tour to Geelong Arts Centre next month, as well as heading through Warrnambool, Frankston, Ballarat, Mornington and back around to Torquay in Victoria, and stop-in’s across NSW, SA, QLD and TAS to close out 2024.

KYLIE MINOGUE TO MAKE HOMECOMING WITH TENSION TOUR

Our one and only Kylie Minogue has announced her highly anticipated ‘Tension Tour’ for 2025, which will see the global icon perform in cities across the globe. It is set to be Kylie’s biggest tour since 2011. In celebration of her upcoming album Tension II, the tour will open in Australia before heading across to Asia and the UK with more countries to be announced.

LUKE COMBS IS HEADING BACK TO AUSTRALIA

Global superstar Luke Combs is heading back to Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2025 and is set to break records as the first country artist to headline a full stadium tour down under. The multi-platinum, award-winning singer-songwriter will be playing eight huge shows across Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, warranting two shows at Marvel Stadium no less.

MEATSTOCK PROMISE BARBEQUES, BANDS AND BEDLAM FOR BENDIGO 2025 RETURN

Meatstock 2025 is bigger and better than ever, returning with a funfilled sensory explosion on 7 and 8 March in Toowoomba and 14 and 15 March in Bendigo. Set across two huge days, each event celebrates the best of barbecue culture, live music, and unforgettable good times. The music lineup includes USA headliners of Chace Rice, Oliver Anthony and Redferrin alongside big gun Brad Cox.

SUPERGRASS CELEBRATE 30 YEARS OF I SHOULD COCO WITH AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Frontier Touring are bringing Britpop legends Supergrass to Australia in June 2025 for a 30th anniversary tour of their UK #1 debut album I Should Coco. The three-date East Coast run will be their first headline shows on our shores in 17 years which will see the band perform I Should Coco in full plus additional hits. They will be heading to Melbourne’s Forum on Saturday 7 June.

THE MOJO CORNER AND CHECKERBOARD LOUNGE TEAM UP FOR DOUBLE HEADLINE SHOW

Two of the Geelong region’s most exciting live acts are teaming up for a double dose of blues and soul splendour. Taking over The Bridge Bar in the Barwon Heads Hotel on 11 October, in a unique experience to the space, audiences can expect excellent music and dancing as both bands perform on the floor on rugs for an intimate experience/house party vibe.

ESOTERIC’S 2025 LINEUP LED BY KAYA PROJECT, ARJUNA AND MORE

Esoteric has announced its first wave of international music acts for the highly anticipated 2025 event. The lineup, which promises to take the festival’s psychedelic circus to new heights, includes some of the most exciting beat blasters on the scene, with more artists to be revealed soon. Kaya Project, Killerwatts and Arjuna join the lineup.

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE JUMPS BACK ON THE ROAD FOR FEB/MARCH TOUR

So much more than a judge of Channel 7’s The Voice, Kate Miller-Heidke is a storyteller with an unparalleled history in music, opera and theatre. Across pop and folk chorus’, the songwriter weaves tales of tragedy, humour, pain, love and life into her songs, all of which will be on display during her February and March 2025 The Telling Tales Tour.

COTERIE, CHECKERBOARD LOUNGE, CHARLIE NEEDS BRACES JOIN QUEENSCLIFF MUSIC FESTIVAL LINEUP

The beloved Bellarine festival has just added to their already marvellous lineup of international and national talent. We have the three C’s coming in; Coterie, Checkerboard Lounge and Charlie Needs Braces, in addition to Bondi Cigars, The Weeping Willows, and Tides of Welcome. A host of locals with the most are jumping up on the Queenscliff Music Festival stage as well including Bella Deer, Hassall, Elizabeth Riordan, Winksy, Jasmin Adria, Maddie Jackway, Joe Terror, and Sweethearts.

SCOTTISH PIONEERS PRIMAL SCREAM ARE PLAYING IN MELBOURNE IN JANUARY

Scottish music pioneers Primal Scream are set to return to Australia in January 2025 for their first shows down under since 2018. Presented by Frontier Touring, the band will bring their cosmic energy to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth, as they perform tracks from their iconic album Screamadelica, as well as new material from their upcoming release, Come Ahead

RED HOT SUMMER TOUR 2025 COOLS OFF WITH ICEHOUSE, ESKIMO JOE AND MORE

The first series of the Red Hot Summer Tour for 2025 has unleashed a very cool class of Australian rock royalty headlined by one of Australia’s most celebrated bands, Icehouse. They are supported by anthem-makers Noiseworks, Wolfmother, Eskimo Joe, Baby Animals, Killing Heidi and Bachelor Girl.

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT ANNOUNCE 21 YEARS OF BEGINS HERE REGIONAL TOUR

Jump back to the beginning with The Butterfly Effect as they embark on a massive 25 date regional run in 2025, celebrating 21 years of their seminal debut Begins Here. The regional tour kicks off in Cairns and heads to Torquay, Ferntree Gully, and Frankston, followed by a WA break before returning to Castlemaine and Mildura and wrapping up with dates in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

RIPPLE EFFECT BAND BRING NEW ALBUM ACROSS VICTORIA THIS NOVEMBER

Maningrida’s Ripple Effect Band share their touching debut album, Mayawa, out now. To celebrate, the band announce their forthcoming tour of NSW, ACT and Victoria, igniting stages across 11 stops this November including Wangaratta, Brunswick, Castlemaine, Main Ridge, Melbourne and Geelong’s Murran First Nations Hub.

ELECTRONIC ICON PEGGY GOU

ANNOUNCES AUSTRALIAN HEADLINE TOUR THIS NOVEMBER

DJ and producer Peggy Gou is set to light up Australia’s East Coast this November with a highly-anticipated tour. The Korea-born, Berlin-based artist, known for her innovative fusion of dark, pulsing house and techno with broken beats and abstract compositions, will make her return to Australia for the first time in two years.

PETE MURRAY IS HEADING TO BARWON HEADS HOTEL THIS SUMMER

Stalwart of the Australian music industry, Pete Murray picks up after his Greatest Hits tour to take to the Bellarine. Diving into the New Year, Murray will be taking over the Barwon Heads Hotel on Wednesday 8 January for an evening of hits.

THE BLACK SEEDS TO HEADLINE SKA NATION MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Black Seeds have announced they will be headlining Ska Nation Music Festival on Sunday 1 December. The annual music festival that celebrates the best in ska and reggae music will be returning to Colac Showgrounds for the weekend of Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December.

GREEN DAY TO PLAY DOOKIE AND AMERICAN IDIOT IN FULL IN AUSTRALIA

Global rock superstars Green Day – Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool – have officially shared details of the Australian leg on their massive 2024/25 global stadium tour – The Saviors Tour, presented by Live Nation and Triple M. In their biggest live undertaking to date, the band has confirmed they will play Dookie and American Idiot in full, along with tracks from the new album Saviors and cuts from their vast collection of hits.

LIKELY LADS, THE LIBERTINES RETURN TO AUSTRALIA

Secret Sound are bringing English lads, The Libertines back to Australia for the first time in what will be nearly seven years, playing East Coast dates across April 2025. Kicking off in Sydney at the Enmore Theatre on Saturday 12 April, Carl Barat, Pete Doherty, John Hassall and Gary Powell will head across to Melbourne’s Forum on Tuesday 15 April and finish up at Fortitude Music Hall Brisbane on Thursday 17 April.

HILLTOP HOODS, XAVIER RUDD, JOHN BUTLER ADD TO A GROWING BLUESFEST 2025 LINEUP

Adding to an already delicious assortment of talent led by Crowded House, Ocean Alley and Tones and I, Byron Bay Bluesfest have dropped an all-Australian second lineup announcement for the festivals final instalment. It includes Hilltop Hoods, Xavier Rudd, John Butler, The Cat Empire, Kasey Chambers, Melbourne Ska Orchestra and C.W Stoneking.

THE

KILLERS RETURN TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEDICATED ALBUM SHOWS FOR HOT FUSS AND REBEL DIAMONDS

‘Somebody Told Me’, ‘Mr. Brightside, ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’; Hot Fuss is an album that catapulted Vegas indie rockers The Killers to fame. Years later the hits continued and culminated on the compilation album Rebel Diamonds including ‘When You Were Young’, ‘Human’, and ‘Spaceman’. These two albums get their time to shine this November and December as The Killers return to Australia.

PETER GARRETT AND THE ALTER EGOS JOIN PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL IN SECOND ARTIST ANNOUNCEMENT

As Port Fairy Folk Festival returns to its Campbell Street centre on the weekend of 7 – 10 March 2025 for their 48th year, they welcome one of Australia’s most renowned musical figures, Peter Garrett and his band The Alter Egos, amongst a lineup of local and international talent.

CODY JOHNSON, JON PARDI, THOMAS RHETT LEAD CMC ROCKS ARTIST LINEUP

Celebrated country music festival CMC Rocks returns to the home ground of Willowbank Raceway in Ipswich for the weekend of Friday 21 March until Sunday 23 March 2025 in a huge way. Celebrating its 18th anniversary event, 2025’s CMC Rocks will be spearheaded by US country talent Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi and Thomas Rhett, leading a lineup of international and national stars.

JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN ANNOUNCES 2025 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES

Highly acclaimed American songwriter Joan As Police Woman (Joan Wasser) returns to Australia following the success of her 2022 Australian tour, performing key songs from her vast and rich career alongside music from her new album Lemons, Limes, and Orchids. She will be playing Melbourne Recital Centre and Angleseas Sound Doctor 24 and 25 May respectively.

NOTORIOUS NORWEGIAN BLACK METALLERS, MAYHEM RETURN TO AUSTRALIA FOR 40 YEAR CELEBRATION

Utter carnage is set to be unleashed on Australian in January as pioneer black metal madhatters Mayhem hit our shores. Playing only three shows along the East Coast, Mayhem will jump into Brisbane’s Princess Theatre on 9 January, Sydney’s Metro Theatre on 10 January and Melbourne’s Northcote Theatre of 12 January.

KATY PERRY TO GIVE AUSTRALIA THE TOUR OF A LIFETIME

TEG DAINTY has announced that one of the best-selling music artists of all time, Katy Perry, is set to embark on an Australian tour – The Lifetimes Tour presented by Snaffle. Renowned for her spectacular live shows, Katy Perry has confirmed dates for June 2025. She is playing stadiums in Sydney, Melbourne for two back to back dates, Brisbane and Perth.

KIM CHURCHILL ANNOUNCES OVER 50 SHOWS ON ‘LOVELY’ TOUR

Celebrating the announcement of his forthcoming album It’s Lovely To Have You Here, due for release Friday 11 October, Kim Churchill is embarking on his biggest Australian tour to date. Hitting the road in December, Kim will be playing over 50 shows across the country from metro centres to his favourite small town gems.

THE FERGUSON ROGERS PROCESS WILL LAUNCH NEW ALBUM ON THE ROAD

Meet Ferguson Rogers Process: a creative coming together of two of Australia’s biggest musical-minds in Tim Rogers (You Am I) and Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos). The new project sees the two take to stages across the country this November to celebrate their debut album Substance And Or Style

THE BALLOT FOR GOLDEN PLAINS XVII HAS BEEN UNLOCKED

And just like that, Golden Plains parachutes back into sight, ready for eager festival goers to grab tickets. Back for its seventeenth year, Golden Plains is bound to be mind blowing. Taking place across the weekend of 8, 9 and 10 March 2025, the festival has just unlocked its ballot for tickets, closing at 10.17pm Monday 14 October.

OPERA AUSTRALIA

TAKES GEELONG BY STORM: THE MAGIC FLUTE & CHORUS!

Opera Australia is bringing two spectacular productions, The Magic Flute and Chorus! to the Geelong Arts Centre this November, offering a unique chance to experience world-class opera right in the heart of the city.

Kicking off the Opera Season is The Magic Flute showcasing on the 9,12,14 and 16 November. Mozart’s timeless opera combines adventure, humour, and a touch of magic. Follow a brave hero and his quirky sidekick as they set off to rescue a princess in danger, all while navigating an enchanted world where nothing is quite what it seems. With a little help and a lot of mischief from the powerful Queen of the Night, this opera will have you on the edge of your seat, laughing one minute and mesmerised the next. We’re talking an all-star cast, stunning costumes, and heaps of magical moments brought to life by award-winning director Kate Gaul and designer Anna Cordingley. Plus, it’s not every day you get to experience a show direct from the Sydney Opera House right here in Geelong. So, whether you’re new to opera or a seasoned fan, The Magic Flute promises to be a night full of fun and surprises.

For those seeking something more musical, Chorus! hits the stage on November 13 and 15, showcasing the best of Opera Australia’s legendary choral repertoire. The Opera Australia Chorus has been stealing the show in productions for years, and now they’re stepping into the spotlight. Chorus! offers a musical journey through some of opera’s most iconic choral masterpieces. Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Tchaikovsky. This is your chance to hear 48 powerhouse voices, all singing in perfect harmony, giving you goosebumps as

FINNEAS RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA

GRAMMY® and Academy Awardwinning songwriter, multiinstrumentalist, and producer, FINNEAS is set to perform in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in January 2025, his first time since February 2023 where he headlined Laneway Festival and played sideshows in Melbourne and Sydney. The tour comes in celebration of his highly anticipated sophomore album For Cryin’ Out Loud!

they belt out iconic pieces from opera legends. Renowned Chorus Master Paul Fitzsimon takes centre stage in a production that’s all about the magic of voices coming together to create something truly awe-inspiring. Expect powerful emotions, breathtaking moments, and a performance that will leave a lasting impression.

In addition to stunning vocals, both productions bring exceptional design elements and staging. The Magic Flute combines whimsical visual artistry with rich storytelling, while Chorus! elevates the emotional power of opera through its intense, harmonic resonance. Together, these productions give a comprehensive look into the depth and versatility of opera, from playful storytelling to heart-stirring musicality.

Get ready to experience the playful energy of The Magic Flute or prepare for the emotional power of Chorus!. Either way, Geelong Arts Centre is where you need to be this November.

It’s a week of unmissable performances, bringing the drama, the excitement, and the kind of music that sticks with you long after the final note fades.

Grab your tickets and get ready for a week of world-class opera at the Geelong Arts Centre! Head to geelongartscentre.org.au to secure your tickets today.

MEDIEVAL TO METAL:

THE ART AND EVOLUTION OF THE GUITAR TO STRIKE A POWER CHORD IN BALLARAT

0, 3, 5, 0, 3, 6, 5, 0, 3, 5, 3, 0. These are a sequence of numbers that most will know.

Æ You probably learnt it by passing a battered up Valencia 100 Series Classical Guitar around the classroom, positioning your tiny fingers on the fretboard to the rocking tablature and receiving the buzzed feedback of the steel strings from the lack of pressure. Maybe you discovered it through watching the movie classic School Of Rock or you’re an old school friend from ‘72, picking up Deep Purple’s Machine Head and immediately being drawn to the hero riff of ‘Smoke On The Water’. It’s become a bit of a meme in the guitar world but alas the power of the tab speaks to a collective cultural experience.

The guitar is not only a leader of the instrument and music world, it’s a pivotal piece of history, culture, education and evolution traced back to medieval times. From the four-string oud, the European lute, to the Spanish originated guitarra latina and the guitarra morisca introduced before 1200, there was always someone serenading crowds with the stringed instrument, perhaps with the medieval equivalent of ‘Wonderwall’.

With the modern guitar taking form in the 1850’s by the hands of Spanish craftsmen Manuel de Soto y Solares and, perhaps the most significant guitar maker of all, Antonio Torres Jurado, the sound of music multiplied as new genres emerged. Then came the introduction of electric guitars, patented in 1937, along with all of its accessories that would follow including the pick, the amplifier, pedal boards, whammy bars and more. As the musicians became drawn to the chest-guard instrument, the type, sound, shape, techniques and players continued to evolve. There are at least 15 types of guitars to choose from, not to mention the brands that have made their mark on the instrument including big-guns Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Jackson, and in Australia, our very own Maton. Let’s not even get into the world of bass guitars…

The instrument is single-handedly credited for the development of new genres, contributing to the sound structures of blues, bluegrass, country, flamenco, folk, jazz, jota, ska, mariachi, metal, punk, funk, reggae, rock, grunge, soul, acoustic music, disco, new wave, new age, adult contemporary music, and pop, and all of their sub-branches. It also plays a part in hip-hop, dubstep, and trap music, being one of the most diverse instruments and one upheld by some of the world’s greatest musicians and songwriters.

That’s just scratching the surface of the way in which the guitar has developed and the way in which it continues to impact both the music world and modern culture. This is all being put under the microscope, as the Art Gallery of Ballarat tracks the history of the guitar through their exhibition, Medieval to Metal: The Art and Evolution of the Guitar

From Saturday 12 October, the oldest and largest regional gallery in Australia will be displaying 40 iconic guitars procured from the world’s first guitar dedicated museum, National Guitar Museum in the US, alongside a curated assemblage of photographers, paintings, drawings, illustrative designs and objects. The exhibition is a celebration of the stringed-instrument in all of its forms.

WORDS BY TAMMY WALTERS

“Often when there have been guitar exhibitions in the past, they might focus on the artist who owned the guitar rather than the design of the guitar itself. I think that is one of the different aspects of this show is that it is about art and design,” explains Art Gallery of Ballarat Director and Medieval to Metal exhibition curator, Louise Tegart.

“Each of the 40 guitars has a piece of text which explains the design and the company that made them. It’s more about the guitars as objects. It means that you can track how it has changed over a long period of time - so you have the really early guitars like the oud and the lutes right up to guitars that are being manufactured in the last couple of years. You can really trace the design and style changes over time and also across different manufacturers as well. We have a number of Fender guitars, there’s a number of Gibson guitars so you can see that style change.”

The collection boasts guitars from across time periods including early Spanish guitars through to unique modern designs including a guitar made out of licence plates. For Tegart, her favourite piece in the collection is the most accessible and lightweight of the instrument’s form.

“My favourite is actually the empty case which is the air guitar,” she laughs. “We’ve developed an interactive as well where people can take a selfie with them playing the air guitar.” Whilst the collection has been internationally acquired, the recognition of Australia’s rich guitar history and the relation to Ballarat’s music scene has been incorporated.

“There will be two booths in the exhibition where people can play guitars and one of those will be a Maton. One of the other guitars that we felt was missing from the show was the flying V. It’s such an iconic guitar so we’ve actually commissioned a group of Indigenous artists in Ballarat called The Pitcha Makin Fellas and, in the spirit of Jimi Hendrix who painted his own flying V guitar, they have painted three flying V’s and created extraordinary artwork. It features in a section which is about the history of music in Ballarat because that was an important thing for us. Whenever we bring in a show from elsewhere we have some local flavour or connection to the gallery or our collection, so there is a bit about the history of the Gold Fields through to today, featuring a video which is being put together by a local video producer which features footage of gigs that have taken place in Ballarat across the past 50 years.”

Elevating the museum display, Art Gallery of Ballarat will make the exhibition an immersive experience, intertwining the art experience into the impressive collection. A photographic display of images by English-born Australian rock and music photographer Tony Mott will transport you to the stage. Works have further been borrowed by The NGV, the National Gallery of Victoria, and other galleries throughout Australia to world-build the art exhibition.

Adding to the guitar’s grand history, Art Gallery of Ballarat will partner Medieval to Metal with their live music series Art Late, featuring gigs from Rose City Band (USA) on 19 October, RVG on 2 November and CIVIC on 30 November. Additional public programs will complement the exhibition including Art Classics, which celebrates the Medieval origins of music with displays of classical performances from an internationally acclaimed lutenist, classically reimagining Cold Chisel classics, and Art Talks will bring music experts to Ballarat to discuss the guitar’s position in art history and popular culture. Zane Rowe, Jane Gazzo and Stewart Coupe will lead a talk called Writers Who Rock, discussing music journalism and documentation.

That’s just within the Art Gallery of Ballarat. The business community of Ballarat have also rallied behind the exhibition, staging gigs and events as part of the show.

You will be buzzing after experiencing Medieval to Metal.

01. Michael Parekowhai

Tua Wha (no.4 from Patriot: Ten Guitars series), 1999 QAGOMA

02. Giannini Craviola CraViola, 1969, design by Paulinho Nogueira, manufactured by Giannini Courtesy of The National GUITAR Museum

03. Fender Stratocaster Stratocaster, 1954, design by Leo Fender, Freddie Tavares, et al, manufactured by Fender Musical Instruments Courtesy of The National GUITAR Museum

04. Kunmanara (Tiger) Yaltangki Malpa Wiru (Good friends), 2019 synthetic polymer paint on linen 198 x 243 cm

Art Gallery of Ballarat Collection, purchased with funds from the Colin Hicks Caldwell Bequest, 2023 Tiger Yaltangki: © Tiger Yaltangki/Copyright Agency, 2024

“My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am.”

JOAN JETT

Find out more about Medieval to Metal: The Art and Evolution of the Guitar via the Art Gallery of Ballarat’s website.

WHERE: ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT, 40 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat Central, VIC 3350

WHEN: 12 OCT 2024–2 FEB 2025

XAVIER RUDD is celebrating the good stuff at Live at the Gardens this year

WORDS BY JACOB MCCORMACK

Xavier Rudd has become a household name over the 20 plus years he has been releasing music. Yet this year he shared what could be dubbed as his most outstanding album to date. Freedom Sessions compiles 6 tracks, inclusive of the standout multipart openers ‘World Order Pt.1’ and ‘Pt.2’.

Æ Having just returned from an international tour that saw Rudd play to crowds in Europe and the USA, he is set to bring his newest show to audiences in Australia. A major date on this tour is his show Live at the Gardens, an outdoor performance set to take place at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Naarm/Melbourne.

The show will take place on Saturday 23 November, with the multi-award winning Warnindhilyagwa woman from Groote Eylandt, Emily Wurramara singing in both English and Anindilyakwa, as well as Calypso Cora, an emerging four-piece led by none other than Xavier Rudd’s son Finojet Rudd.

Roundhouse Entertainment have teamed up with the Royal Botanic Gardens for this new multi-part concert series, with the Observatory Precinct being transformed into a unique outdoor concert space for up to 5000 music lovers to revel in the open urban green space.

Despite all the years of touring and making music, this particular show bears resonance and significance for Rudd in ways not yet experienced in his musical journey.

“When I recorded Freedom Sessions COVID was well underway,” says Rudd. “When that was happening I was focused a lot on what our freedom actually means. I also didn’t have other people playing on the record right in the heart of COVID, I did it myself.”

“That sparked the desire to want to do my first solo show in years. I wanted to play all the instruments that I played during the recordings and although I’ve been a multi-instrumentalist for years and dabbled in looping, that stuff is a real challenge. It’s a real journey and I’m locked in when I’m doing it. But the audience is right there with me and it feels like we’re all on the journey together.”

This collective journeying is a special part of Rudd’s shows, an outcome that allows for celebration of life and love even amidst the darkest of times.

“My shows are a celebration of the good stuff,” he says. “It’s always been that way. I love the natural world and that comes out in my performances, but my music remains true to the human experience. It’s about stuff that we all go through, the different struggles.

“It’s a very loving kind of environment where people seem to be attracted to the music, there’s a celebration in all of it, even if it is sad. The focus of the music is that we all struggle here and there, but we have a lot to be thankful for. If we can find that in our hearts then we can find that balance.”

This idea of collective journeying and storytelling has been apparent for Xavier Rudd for the duration of his experiences as a musician. It was the monumental moment of being given the blessing to play the Didgeridoo or Yidaki upon a time spent in Arnhem Land.

“I was given a skin name 25 years ago when I spent time in Arnhem Land, I was essentially given the spirit of Yidaki, the permission to take it, to travel with it, to use it, to share it. And despite playing the didgeridoo for many years when I’m playing music I’m not in control of it.

“I’m not part of it, I’m just holding space for it. It’s a spirit that moves through me and is part of my past, but I don’t really understand it and I don’t think I’m meant to understand it. But when I play it sometimes, I feel a presence. There’s a power in some of those old people from up there. It’s not like anything else that I’ve ever experienced.”

The sharing of this spirit, alongside the recognition of the significance of the place on which the concert will be hosted, provides a great opportunity to work towards truth-telling.

“There’s something extra special happening down there these days,” he says. “I think about being on that country and doing a show outside, touching on how it would have been back in the day when there was ceremony. Yet still from a government point of view there’s not much progression, but on a street level there is.”

“There’s a lot of good people wanting to understand culture, wanting to understand country, wanting to get to know more Aboriginal people. There’s a real shift on a social level compared to when I started playing music, it was totally different.”

Live at the Gardens will be a great opportunity to collectively gather and work towards a future we all want to be a part of.

Tickets to Live at the Gardens are available now.

XAVIER RUDD

WHERE: LIVE AT THE GARDENS, ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, MELBOURNE

WHEN: SAT 23 NOV

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE tells tales of touring and traditions

WORDS BY TAMMY WALTERS

What a year Kate Miller-Heidke has had.

Æ We’ve seen her sparkling with soaring vocal performances and outfits, stealing singers as a judge on Channel Seven singing competition The Voice, and audiences across regional Australia have witnessed her shine during her mammoth Catching Diamonds Tour.

Rounding out its final dates in Victoria this month including a stop in Warrnambool, Geelong and Healesville, the vocal and songwriting superstar has showcased her catalogue in some of the country’s more beautiful theatres. Whilst having experienced some epic production settings throughout her career, including representing Australia in Eurovision in 2020 and being a contestant on The Masked Singer, The Catching Diamonds tour saw Miller-Heidke put the songs at the forefront alongside her biggest collaborator and champion.

“I’m performing with my partner in life and music Keir Nuttal, he plays guitar. It’s my favourite way of performing at the moment.

It gives us the scope to be really dramatic with dynamic actually. We can pull things back to a whisper and we have the freedom to improvise within the songs and change things. Both of us get bored quite easily so it’s fun for us to paint the songs with slightly different colours each night.”

Whilst still on the road, finishing off what has no doubt been an exhausting yet exhilarating tour, Miller-Heidke has just announced a secondary tour, the Telling Tales tour for February 2025. Taking to capital cities, the run will put a spotlight on the songwriting ability of Miller-Heidke and her diverse collection of songs.

“This tour [Catching Diamonds] was regional Australia only so we still haven’t done the capital cities. The atmosphere of this tour is a basis, but there are a bunch of new songs that I will be road testing. It will be quite different from this tour.”

It’s almost unheard of for an artist to announce a whole new tour whilst still in the midst of an epic live show run, but for Miller-Heike, it’s where she thrives. She will be trying to translate that vigour on her next record.

“This year has been pretty epic and I’ve loved every second of it but I’m looking forward to being in a songwriting cave for the last couple of months of the year,” says Kate Miller-Heidke. “Live shows have always really been at the heart of what I do. The goal for my next record is to somehow capture the magic of what we do live. I actually think what we do live is better than anything I have captured on recording before so I think I am really digging deep into that because I want to bring that energy to the next record.”

Whilst encapsulating the energy of her live show, the record will hone in on Miller-Heidke’s extraordinary storytelling ability. Reflective of the title of her next tour, the emphasis on this album will be about continuing her tradition of telling tales.

“For me as a songwriter it has always been about telling stories. I came up through the folk tradition. I have a lifelong love of pop music as well obviously but in my heart of hearts, folk is where I came up. The Woodford Folk Festival is the single biggest influence of my life in music and it’s about connecting with people through story and letting them in,” she explains.

“Music is communication and storytelling and mythology and my new songs are very much in that tradition in that folk tradition. There’s a thread of gothic folk, dramatic folk and storytelling through the new songs that I’m really looking forward to playing for people live.”

Theatrical, operatic, folk, pop; there is not a genre that Miller-Heidke cannot master. The return to her roots for her current writing state, as with all previous records, is reactionary to her last record, Child In Reverse, which saw her push deeper into her pop pulses.

“For me every record is a reaction against the previous one. My previous record was about pop music and trying to crack that illusive formula to the perfect pop song and pop music is about minimalism and about being super efficient with a few core ingredients. I do feel like I’m done with that now, for now anyway and I want to go back to a place that is more expansive, maybe more experimental and possibly a little more florid, and I want to get away from electronic instruments and back to real wooden instruments and the voice. I don’t want to put it into too tangible terms because it is still in an amorphous phase but that is the thread that I am following.”

Before she takes rest in her creative cocoon, Kate Miller-Heidke will be jumping up for A Day On The Green dates supporting Missy Higgins on her The Sound of White Anniversary Tour, and finishing off her Catching Diamonds tour. Be sure to see the songstress shine on the stage across all of her tours.

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE

WHERE: HAMER HALL MELBOURNE

WHEN: 28 FEB

OTWAY HARVEST TRAIL is your path to premium produce

Not just picturesque views of still volcanic plains, umbrellaed and draping rainforest ferns and foliage, and concealed cascading waterfalls as mapped by winding roads, the Otways region is so much more than a pretty face.

Æ These lands double as a breeding ground for some of Victoria’s best produce and product. With a perfect seasonal combination of aspect, soils, climate and farming practices, the distinctive and exceptional flavours derived from the Otway hinterland are second to none. From berries to beef, chilli to cheese, wine to wool and stores to stays, Victoria’s South West is littered with hidden gems to explore.

Highlighting the local makers and growers in the Otway region is a dedicated travel guide, Otway Harvest Trail. Otway Harvest Trail connects the bountiful boastings of the Otway Ranges, mapping out the exquisite food, wine, produce and other attractions that make up the district’s DNA. As the go-to tourist information hub since 2009, the Otway Harvest Trail appears as both a literal map and in guide form detailing the best the Otway hinterland has to offer according to season.

The Otway Harvest Trail currently sits at 68 food, drink, fibre, flower and related businesses long, covering the Surf Coast inland through to the basalt lakes and plains to the Heytesbury.

WORDS BY TAMMY WALTERS

There is a fountain of food on the Otway Harvest Trail. Award-winning restaurant and proud owner of three hats in the Good Food Guide, Brae is the peak of fine dining. Alongside it on the trail sits fellow restaurants and cafes Berry World and Berry Good Thai, Dar Teta, Fusion Restaurant Colac, Gentle Annie Pennyroyal Valley, Otway Estate, Lake View Cafe Colac, and Schulz Organic Creamery and Cafe. If you’re looking for a take-home jarred item, the trail includes homemade jams, preserves, sauces and relishes from 3 Full Jars, Buukaar Waaruung Boutique Apiary & Artisan Honey, Hot Chilli Mama, Sandy Creek Olives and Mountain Pepper, The Otway Kitchens selection of traditional and gourmet jams, chutneys and relishes, and Unearthed Produce’s chemical and pesticide free garlic paste.

To accompany all of that food, a drink is deserved. Be it from one of the many wineries on the list, such as Alt Road Wines, Babche Wines, Babenorek Estate, Blakes Estate, Heroes Vineyard, Keayang Maar Vineyard, and Otway Estate, or from the selection of breweries and distilleries including Otways Distillery, Timboon Railway Shed Distillery or at Forrest Brewing Co, something is sure to wet your whistle!

Spring is without a doubt a season of bloom in the Otways region with flowers at the forefront. Coming in at number 31 on the trail is Otway Flower Farm, a must in spring. Otway Flower Farm supplies fresh locally grown roses, dahlias and other blooms to the cut flower industry and the public. With a bee friendly and sustainable practice, they are a favourite for nature’s most beautiful perfume. Birregurra Wildflowers and Country Dahlias are also favourites for arrangements.

On the stays front, the Otways is a stunning sanctuary for a relaxing retreat. Forrest Guest House is a great spot to stay in spring, with king parrots popping up to greet guests, Country Wide Cottages is a quaint and cosy stay and Heytesbury House is a multi-award winning historical luxury 4.5 star B&B ready to receive guests.

If you’re after something a little different from your Otway adventures you can always try the retail scene or get lost in the markets. Tarndwarncoort Wool Shop offers the most beautifully soft and warm craft yarn and they host wool craft events and classes. The Vault in Winchelsea is a boutique offering quality gifts and souvenirs. Buy ostrich products direct from the farmer or book a tour of the breeder farm while you’re at it! Want to visit a working alpaca farm? Heritage Alpaca Co is the spot for you. Enjoy seeing alpacas up close and take home a souvenir from the shop which stocks a range of alpaca products including yarn, clothing, accessories and homewares. In addition, the Otway Harvest Trail has seven markets in their guide where you can find the best produce all in one place.

Speaking of convenience, a perfect spot to explore the wide range of produce, products and places on the Otway Harvest Trail is at the upcoming Otways Producer Festival. Taking place at Colac Showgrounds on Sunday 20 October, the Otway Producers Festival will not only show off their growing list of wonders, but includes, demonstrations and informative speakers. Otway Harvest Trail will be launching their new printed guide to visiting and discovering produce from the Otways at the festival.

There is a world to be explored in the Otways – let Otway Harvest Trail lead the way!

OTWAY HARVEST TRAIL

WHERE: COLAC SHOWGROUNDS

WHEN: SUN 20 OCT

Credit: CMcConville

Djaara/Castlemaine acts as an anchoring point for JESS RIBIERO

WORDS BY JACOB MCCORMACK

On a windy day in the wide streets of Carlton adorned with urban greenery Jess Ribiero speaks to me on the phone. We quickly discover that we are both positioned in this verdant suburb and that if only circumstances could have permitted a coffee catch-up would have been most fitting.

Æ But life is busy for this singer-songwriter whose authenticity and genuineness is like no other. She’s just returned from the Northern Territory and amidst playing live shows and moving through day-today life she’s preparing to play Town Folk Festival; a day-long musical celebration held in Djaara/Castlemaine on Saturday 16 November.

The festival is about to enter its fourth year running and there are intentions to expand the layout, incorporating another stage amongst other new offerings. The relevance of this festival for Ribiero resides in not only having lived there in Djaara for a period of time, but for how the sense of place, and ubiquitous connection allowed for the writing of her most recent album, Summer of Love

“At any given opportunity where I based myself in Castlemaine, whenever we were allowed to go out, I just went on these long drives to different places on my own,” says Ribiero. “If I hadn’t have moved to Castlemaine, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get all of those songs together for the album.

“There’s just so many friends, musicians and artists in and around Castlemaine that really contributed to the making of Summer of Love. The primary artists who helped with the record came from around Castlemaine.”

The resonance of a festival in that very country town speaks to Ribiero, who, in the same vein as the organisers of Town Folk, can taste a sense of emergence and excitement at the prospect of what this year’s iteration might be capable of achieving.

“I love Castlemaine and the people who are running the Town Folk Festival,” she says. “I think it’s going to be more exciting and bigger this time because we’ve been out of lockdown for a couple of years now. Castlemaine is a special place. I come from the country and I’ll always have that inside of me, it’s nice to be playing in regional places.”

The Town Folk Festival will act as an extension of a tour that Ribiero has been on for a large chunk of this year; a run of shows celebrating

the release of her fourth studio album, Summer of Love. It was in fact the music video for her song ‘Everything Is Now’ that was shot in Castlemaine, adding an extra layer to the relevance of Town Folk Festival.

“The music video was shot at the Chinese restaurant in Castlemaine, and if you have been to Castlemaine or you live in Castlemaine, you will know this Chinese restaurant. They were generous and gracious enough to let us film in there. The restaurant is very nostalgic to me because I grew up in Chinese restaurants like that in regional Australia.”

“I wanted to make a music video to visually represent the sense of place that came with my childhood. We collaborated with Tony Yap, who is a profound dancer. He’s a master in his creative practice and a shaman too.”

“It was a really special occasion to have those three elements come together, which was, the Chinese restaurant that’s in the country town, just like when I was a child, and then to meet Tony and end up collaborating with him.”

For Ribiero, as her latest LP Summer of Love acts as a “collage of songs that are organic and imperfect, that came about at a fragmented time, recorded in an unorthodox way,” it’s particularly fulfilling to be playing the album with a full band at the upcoming Town Folk Festival.

“It’s been a pleasure to play it as a band, and it’s been a pleasure to bring it together from the whole to the parts, bring the parts to the whole. The making of the album was very much patched together and now we can actually play as a whole group instead of having restrictions on how many people you can have in the room.”

“It’s been a really enjoyable experience to perform as a group, with so much pleasure, it’s been really special to bring that to other people.”

Town Folk Festival is set to be a beautiful day of community, music and story-telling alike.

Tickets are now on sale.

JESS RIBIERO WHERE TOWN FOLK FESTIVAL

WHEN SAT 16 NOV

Credit Nick Mckk

Æ

35 years on, SWEETHEARTS still have soul

WORDS BY TAMMY WALTERS

Sweethearts are not a band, they are an institution. They are a legacy.

For years, 35 to be exact, the Sweethearts have swung through stages across the region and around the world, sending toes tapping with their larger than life sound. The collective of talented young women, comprising up to 30 musicians, combine to inject rhythm into the roots of our local music scene with a staying power like no other.

You see, the vibrant stage presence of the band runs deeper than class playing. It drills down into dedication from both the performers and the program.

“The thing about the Sweethearts program is that it is quite unique because it’s really about industry immersion. It’s about being able to offer the opportunity to young women, who are still really under-represented, to be able to give them the kickstart in their career. They learn first hand what it’s like to be in the industry working as an artist. It’s not just playing and learning about the industry, it’s about doing and being in that environment. Learning what it’s like to set up and load the truck, and market and do all of the things besides performing. It’s a lot different to a lot of bands for young girls at that age,” explains Manager and Secretary of the Sweethearts Foundation, Sandy Thompson.

Sweethearts is a commitment that involves firstly an audition process open to musicians across regional Victoria and private institutions, an undertaking in a Certificate IV in Music during Year 10 and 11 studies, covering the theoretical and practical elements of music making and performance, regular rehearsals, and live performance opportunities.

“It’s like a football team, they have to audition every year, people leave and new artists come along. It’s a constantly changing phenomena.”

But the outcome is worth it. This year, as the music project gears up to celebrate 35 years of performing excellence, the current Sweethearts cohort have taken on Europe and developed an EP ready for release in November.

“It’s been a big year for Sweethearts because we took 25 of the girls to Switzerland to the Montreux Jazz Festival and then we really featured significantly at the Porretta Soul Festival in Northern Italy. We opened the festival and played there quite a lot, and in Bologna and the surrounding Tuscan towns. They were really well received. Graziano Uliani, the Director, wants the girls back which is a great thing. We have played there, I think this is our seventh time since 2002 and each time we

bring a different band. It’s an excellent showcase and one that the girls all gain significant experience from,” says Thompson. Before the year is out, Sweethearts will be launching their EP at the trusted Barwon Club in November and will be adding another festival stage to their 2024 to-play list, this time a local gem. The girls will be returning to Queenscliff Music Festival on Sunday 24 November.

“Queenscliff Music Festival is another iconic festival that the Sweethearts have played at for many years. It’s a great festival for supporting youth, and has been a big part of our Sweethearts story across the years,” says Thompson. It’s these experiences and the development of tangible and transferrable industry skills that have enabled and kickstarted the careers of some of Australia’s most talented names.

“We’ve had some girls that have gone on to great things; Georgia Van Etten is now a UK artist, Geneva Burrell who is a songwriter bases in London, Annika Schmarsel or Alice Ivy, Jess Selwood who is a drummer and Imogen Brough who has been a Celtic artist here and on The Voice, Bec Goring. Others have gone into theatre, sound, teaching, others have their own bands.”

Some of these names will be returning for the 35 year Anniversary Annual Party Fundraiser. Happening on Saturday 19 October at the Sphinx Hotel, the milestone will raise funds for the Sweethearts Foundation to support the ongoing development of and opportunities afforded to the artists within the Sweethearts program.

For the special event, between 40 and 50 alumni will return to perform once again under the Sweethearts band. Like a sorority, the Sweethearts status has become a badge of honour for many of the former members and it’s not hard to understand why. It’s the soul behind the Sweethearts that keeps the revolving musician program churning all of these years later and will continue into the next 35 years.

Join the celebrations and see Sweethearts across the decades settle back into their swinging sound.

THE SWEETHEARTS

WHERE: SPHINX HOTEL GEELONG

WHEN: SAT 19 OCT

Credit Jeremy

Dyson

Masters of aerial arts, DUO HOOP, reinvent the circus and expand the industry

WORDS BY TAMMY WALTERS

If you were lucky enough to see the vaudevillian variety show, Dracula’s Sanctuary, as it haunted Geelong Arts Centre across three nights from Thursday 12 September until Saturday 14 September, you will know exactly who Caitlin Tomson-Moylan and Spencer Craig are.

Æ They were the two death-defying artists contorting their bodies through a single hoop raised high in the trusses of The Play House theatre. Collectively Tomson-Moylan and Craig are known as Duo Hoop.

Having entered the world of circus through youth arts programs in their respective hometowns of Calgary, Alberta and Saint Paul, Minnesota, Tomson-Moylan and Craig rapidly developed their professional careers as internationally touring and renowned aerial artists but it’s when they came together in 2015 to form Duo Hoop that they really started gaining recognition for their groundbreaking act.

“We both started when we were pretty young in our youth circuses and we both came up in a similar way and both ended up working on a contract together almost ten years ago now [Cavalia’s Odysseo]. We became friends on that and slowly became a duo. It was almost a passion project in our spare time that snowballed and developed into something bigger than that. Not long after that we started performing professionally,” explains Spencer Craig.

“Spence and I just started playing and learning the ways our bodies work together really uniquely. It happened organically,” TomsonMoylan adds.

“We quickly realised that we are the first male, female aerial hoop duet and when we started creating our work together we realised that we were going to have to create an entirely new vocabulary than what there was before. There was nothing to model or be inspired by other than our previous experience. We saw a hole in our market and that’s something really important in our industry that has become more and more competitive. What we have is really innovative and unique.”

It has made them a standout act across the world with our Australian touring companies finding their act attractive to our audiences. Duo Hoop made their Australian premiere at perhaps the most iconic Australian venue, the Sydney Opera House, in 2019, kicking off their ongoing love affair with the country.

“Our work has been incredibly successful in Australia because we bring something very unique within the realm of aerial arts that no one else is doing here.”

It’s not just the male/female combination that sets them apart; it’s their innovation from a technical standpoint that has forged their identity. From developing a new technique called ‘porting’ on aerial hoop, in which they position their bodies in complementary but rarely mirrored ways to offer the audience a breathtaking view, to playing with the laws of physics of the apparatus, suspending the aerial hoop on a long rope, creating a skill that had never been tackled before, the Duo Hoop performers have diversified the discipline of aerial hoops. They are, however, most well known for their innovative technique titled the ‘lasso’, a high intensity and high speed manoeuvre that not only required the development of a specialised rope, but has to be seen to be believed.

Whilst these groundbreaking and jaw dropping displays have captivated audiences and made Duo Hoop an extremely enticing entertainment package, the level of their skills and their execution has not come without limitations especially in Australia who seem to be dwindling behind in the circus arts sector.

“People are flying us in from all parts of the world to perform here so that speaks to the fact that we are not something you can find in Australia and there has not been that level of artist readily available. There are a lot of youth circuses but from what I’ve seen is that if artists have that level of skills to advance, they leave Australia because the international circus hubs aren’t developed here,” explains Tomson-Moylan.

“The access to resources internationally is incomparable to what there is in Australia. There just doesn’t seem to be the same level of focus or attention being put on the Australian community here, especially for aerials. They’re really lacking the resources and the infrastructure to even have the chance to try these skills,” agrees Craig.

Thankfully, the ever opportunists that Duo Hoop are, they aim to continue their engagement in the circus culture in Australia and lead the advancement of aerial art across the board.

“It’s something that is exciting for us in Australia. We see how valued our skill set is here from the perspective of the audience but also coming from youth circus backgrounds we can see very clearly how we could support growing the circus culture here which is really cool. We love Australia and have been fortunate to travel to so many parts of it. It’s a place we love spending our time and look forward to growing with the community here.”

You can witness Duo Hoops unparalleled performance works throughout the rest of their Dracula’s Sanctuary tour of Australia.

A tale of adversity and misfortune has brought HOWQUA back to life

WORDS BY JACOB MCCORMACK

It’s been a massive 10 years for Ben Campain who makes music under the elusive pseudonym of HOWQUA.

Æ There are many references to this name in history, one of which refers to the mining town in Victoria, another an influential Hong merchant of the 18th and 19th century. But Campain and I never touch upon the decision to make music under this name, rather our time together is filled up by sharing the undulations that life often dishes out.

A decade since his maiden EP release Campain is gearing up to play his first live performance in roughly the same amount of time. On Sunday 17 November, the unique and full sounds of HOWQUA will be filling out the Northcote Social Club in a show set to be a re-emergence like no other.

It’s been a long time coming for Ben Campain who has moved around the country from Mildura to the Mornington Peninsula and all the way up to Queensland only to return to Melbourne since he started making music under the moniker of HOWQUA.

He bases himself out of Barwon Heads now, living a much slower pace of life. The experiences he’s been subjected to in between all the relocation is what has truly shaped his being. Grappling with mental health, undergoing open heart surgery this year and taking nearly 10 years away from music to move through it all.

“Since I stepped away from performing, I’ve been focusing on working on my mental health,” says Campain. “I did a lot of internal work and got to the stage just before moving down here to Barwon Heads where I was in a really good headspace.

“Then in December last year I was told that I’d need to go in for open heart surgery. The idea of my own mortality became so apparent. It’s really serious surgery and obviously you hope that everything goes well, but it does start to make you think about your life, and, of course, death. It’s a bit of a moment where you weigh up a few things and to me that triggered something in me that inspired me to share my music again.”

What a blessing it is for audiences to be able to witness Campain performing live once more, approaching it with a newfound curiosity and sense of expression.

“When I’m writing a song, I write it based upon what is relevant for me at the time. But when I look at the songs I wrote for that first EP I don’t allow my mind to bring me down too much. I’m in a clearer headspace now compared to when everything was still very raw and I was deep within that.”

“I’m at a point now where I can share this from a different perspective and still feel comfortable to go back to that space. I’m hoping that people can still take something away from these tracks though.”

It’s this knowing in his truth, as well as recognition in the human condition and experience that is driving Campain to step back into music.

“Music allows for people to look at their own journey and decide if they find connection in someone’s artistry or not. All I can really do is be true to myself and share my experiences and how I’ve felt through my journey. I want to share that as honestly and in the most raw way I can, all the while allowing for everyone to engage with it in ways most appropriate to them.”

“I’ve promised myself that I can go and do this show if I share what I’m saying with my guards down and heart on my sleeve, sharing my story in as real a way as I can.”

Campain has been through so much in life already, but the grace with which he makes and performs his music can only enable audiences to be empowered to allow themselves to feel with depth.

He seemingly and so effortlessly reminds us that “things happen in life and everything can change very quickly,” so it’s best to share your story and do what you love.

Tickets for Howqua’s Northcote Social Club show are available now.

HOWQUA

WHERE: NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, MELBOURNE

WHEN: SUN 17 NOV

Spontaneity drives the recording process for CUSTARD ahead of their impending double LP release

WORDS BY JACOB MCCORMACK

Custard made a name for themselves in the 1990s with their quirky, unique and up-beat take on pop music. They followed similarities in sound that famed bands such as Pavement, Pixies and Violent Femmes carved out around a similar time.

Æ Despite 30 years of churning out catchy, driving tunes, the group, comprising of David McCormack, Glenn Thompson, Paul Medew and Matthew Strong, are set to release another Double LP entitled Suburban Curtains on 10 October.

They are also set to embark upon an Australian wide tour throughout November and December that will see them play at the iconic Theatre Royal in Castlemaine on Sunday 24 November.

The recording of Suburban Curtains proved to allow for Custard’s spontaneous and time-efficient process of writing, recording and mixing, a process that Glenn Thompson and his bandmates stand by.

“We work quickly, because we like spontaneity,” says Thompson. “In the past, as was the case with this album, we wrote all the songs separately and then we came together at my house, jamming on the acoustics and teaching each other the songs. We recorded that session and put the songs on hold for a little while.

“We went our separate ways and learnt each other’s tunes, which meant that when we hit the recording studio, it only took two days to record. I don’t think any of the songs required more than three takes to finalise in the studio.”

However, the recording sessions themselves were quite unique for the band this time around. Custard had heard of the old Abbey Road hardware at MONA’s Frying Pan studios and made sure they booked in to utilise the historical and quite specific gear.

“Out of all the band members I am the most interested in audio engineering,” he says. “So when I learned of the existence of the studio I jumped at the opportunity to record there. I just thought “we’ve gotta go there, it’s fantastic” but it was also great to be remote so that we could solely concentrate on the album.”

Using the Frying Pan space also allowed for a simplification of the final sound output, all the while generating a richer sound that the band hoped for.

“The desk at Frying Pan has an 8-channel tape machine,” he says. “So that meant we could just go old school and be restricted to only 8 channels. It gave the recordings a certain vibe and meant we didn’t fiddle around too much.

“The sound is big and fat because it’s going through these old electronics and that adds extra harmonics rounding out the sound. It is a little bit hissy here and there, and you can certainly hear that, and that is because those machines aren’t as clean as modern-day electronics, but I think it’s worth it for the extra kind of fatness that comes with it.”

The whole experience came about so fluidly for Custard, who as Thompson describes it, has developed an adhesive musical chemistry so intuitive that each band member can pre-empt the others next maneuver. “We’ve played together for so many years now that we pretty much know where each other’s going. It’s totally intuitive and actually kind of funny. After a while, you start to think “Oh hang on this is uncanny as to how well we understand how each of us play”.”

“Although we don’t really jam much, to me, jamming is long and groove-based, and we’ve done a bit of that, but normally we just pump out short pop songs.”

They have indeed been a prolific pop band, Suburban Curtains will be their ninth studio album, not to mention all the other releases that have threaded together their discography. A way of creating that has required ongoing adjustment.

“We’re basically just music geeks,’ says Thompson. “We enable that however we can these days, because we have much more involved lives. We’re not young people that can just do anything we want, and so blocking out the seven or eight weekends during November and December to go on tour, and playing in Hobart as well as Fremantle is a big deal.”

“It’s the only time we see each other. So to just jump on a plane, say “how you doing?” and go and play live makes me feel really lucky. I feel lucky because we are still able to do that.”

Suburban Curtains will act as an echo of the sound we’ve come to love from Custard, whilst incorporating the nuances that are so apparent with growing older.

Tickets to Custard’s nationwide tour are available now.

CUSTARD

WHERE: THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE

WHEN: SUNDAY 24 NOVEMBER

ARTS GUIDE

WORDS BY CHESTER OGILVIE

ART IN THE VINES

Renowned curator Malcolm Thomson makes it a half-dozen years leading Art in the Vines. Featuring 26 renowned local and national artists, Art in the Vines is a stroll through sculpture against a stunning backdrop. Artists include Zeke, Andrew Kasper, Anthony Vanderzweep, Anton Hasell, Brigit Heller, Darren McGinn, Mela Cooke, Angela MacDougall, Matt Hill, Lynne Edey, Simon Normand, Ralf Driessen and Horvik Israelian. Works can be viewed through the Hanging Rock Winery website.

HANGING ROCK WINERY 19 OCT 2024–30 APR 2025

I THINK FUTURE, I THINK PAST

In a conversation with Andrea Lissoni, artist Peggy Ahwesh uttered the words ‘I Think Future, I Think Past’. And so it became that artists Sophia Al-Maria, Peggy Ahwesh, Daniel Boyd, Jessie French and Jemima Wyman explored the idea of thinking through the past and future simultaneously. Across sculpture and moving image, technologies used include new algae polymers, computer-generated imagery, CRT televisions, high-definition video and found digital source material.

VIEW STREET, BENDIGO UNTIL 10 NOV

BEC HILL: UNVEILING PERSPECTIVES (EMBRACING NEURODIVERSITY)

“Neurodiversity is the future of innovation and progress” – author and activist Steve Silberman. Artist Bec Hill invites the viewer to dive headfirst into the complexities of neurodiverse experiences as they seek to live in a world for neurotypical individuals. Bec does this by the portrayal of animals in an unconventional manner. It is hoped by doing so, a dialogue will be opened that will lead to greater understanding and celebration.

THE F PROJECT, WARRNAMBOOL 9–27 OCTOBER

JXSH MVIR:

FOREVER I LIVE

Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta and Barkindji artist Josh Muir was a Ballarat-born artist who shined bright before passing away at the age of thirty in 2022. Holding his debut exhibition in 2013, he developed a reputation for working in themes of mental health and cultural identity. In 2015, he created a selfportrait titled Forever I Live, adorned with a scribbled-down crown. In 2017, he designed the ‘Dreamtime at the ’G’ jumper for the Richmond Football Club.

ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT 26 OCT 2024–2 FEB 2025

DAYLESFORD ROTARY ART SHOW

More than 200 local and regional artists will have their works displayed across six categories at the popular Melbourne Cup weekend event. As well as showcasing the region’s talent, 25% of the sale price of each painting sold during the exhibition will be donated to Rotary community projects. The Blooms the Chemist is a separate section of the exhibition, one that is open to all secondary school students.

STANBRIDGE HALL & CHURCH, DAYLESFORD 31 OCT–5 NOV

ASSEMBLED LINES

One man’s spare parts are another man’s playground. Objects that were the foundation for tooling and forging raw materials into production parts are behind Robbie Rowlands’ ‘found objects’ Assembled Lines exhibition. His tool of choice is the angle grinder, with equipment sourced from Geelong. Coinciding with the exhibition is Kaitlyn Church’s Fordtown. On October 7, 2016, after nine decades, the last engine rolled off the Ford Geelong assembly line. This is the expanded documentary project exploring that and the after effect.

PLATFORM ARTS, GEELONG 12 OCT–30 NOV

BELLARINE ARTS TRAIL

Make room for the first weekend in November because it’s going to be a busy time. More than 90 artists and 45 venues, open studios, artist demonstrations and exhibition spaces will make way for the Bellarine Arts Trail throughout Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale. Also, the Taste of the Trail opening exhibition will be hosted by the Barwon Heads Arts Hub from October 19. The Bellarine Arts Trail map will be made available in October.

ACROSS THE BELLARINE 2 & 3 NOV

SURF COAST COMMUNITY ARTS CALENDAR COMPETITION

There is something about a calendar with pleasing pictures that can boost your mood. When your birthday month has the best picture, it’s even better. The Surf Coast Community Arts Calendar Competition is a way for Surf Coast Shire artists to have their work hanging on a wall, reminding people of important and special dates while giving them an uplifting kick. 13 winners will be chosen, with the cover reserved for People’s Choice.

ANGLESEA ART SPACE, ANGLESEA 12–26 OCT

17-20

THURSDAY 9.30 AM - 4 PM - NO ENTRY AFTER 3 PM

FRIDAY 9.30 AM - 10.3PM - NO ENTRY AFTER 8 PM

SATURDAY 9.30 AM - 10.3PM - NO ENTRY AFTER 8 PM

SUNDAY 9.30 AM - 4 PM - NO ENTRY AFTER 3 PM

STAGE GUIDE

BY

WORDS

CHESTER OGILVIE

BENDIGO COMEDY FESTIVAL

Laughter can help strengthen the immune system, boost your mood and reduce stress. In short, it just feels good. The Bendigo Comedy Festival is bigger than ever as it welcomes Dave Hughes, Damian Callinan, Claire Hooper, Ray O’Leary, Luke Heggie, Nick Capper, Chris Ryan, Zoë Coombs Marr, Tess Birch, Bron Lewis, Daniel Muggleton, David Rose, Gocsy, Ashley Fils-Aime, Ben Richardson, Kristy Webeck, Nath Valvo and more. You’ll also find the Local Legends showcase featuring some of Bendigo’s brightest.

VARIOUS VENUES 5–20 OCT

CYMBELINE: A ROMANCE

Presented by the Arts Academy 2024 Graduating Company, Cymbeline is a Shakespearean play that tells the story of an ancient British king, his children, a scheming queen and a jealous husband. In what is sometimes called his last Roman play, we meet Innogen, the daughter of Cymbeline, who defies her father’s wishes and marries the lowborn Posthumus. Banished from the court, Posthumus makes a wager with Iachimo on Innogen’s fidelity. What will become of our lovers?

HELEN MACPHERSON

SMITH THEATRE, BALLARAT 9–13 OCT

THE VESSEL & UNTIL THEN

Written by Hugh

MacDiarmid

shortly after the passing of his mother from Lewy body dementia, The Vessel is the poem on which this play is based. Here we meet Mary who, despite being largely non-ambulant and nonverbal, has a zest for this thing we call life. In Until Then, we meet Rhys and Tony. Both are losing their way in life and what they hold important. Please note there are references to family violence and abuse in both plays.

POTATO SHED, DRYSDALE 20 OCT

DAMIAN CALLINAN: DOUBLE FEATURE

In 2018, on the night of his dad’s funeral, Damian Callinan and his siblings discovered their mother’s diary from 1946. So intriguing was it, it led to a new show. Double Feature is both a tale of love and loss as well as a time capsule of Australian life as it adjusted to the trials of post-WW II.

APOLLO BAY

MECHANICS INSTITUTE 23 OCT

VICTORIA HOTEL, PORT FAIRY 25 OCT

LEGALLY BLONDE

She’s the perky sorority girl whose life is flipped upside down when she is dumped by her Harvard-bound boyfriend. But when you dress in pink, your life is not going to stink. So off to Harvard Elle Wood goes to prove to her former boyfriend he messed up and that there is more to her than good looks and a keen fashion sense. Presented by the Kyneton Theatre Company, this musical has songs and moves so good it should be illegal.

BLUESTONE THEATRE, KYNETON UNTIL 27 OCT

TRANSMANSPLAINING

Meet Ben MacEllen. Ben is a selfdescribed “short, balding, bearded, gay, trans man” whose memoir A Cut Closer to Whole tells his story of a life that started out as Susan. Tackling depression, self-harm, emotional and sexual abuse as Susan, a true sense of self was found as Ben. The one-man stage show Transmansplaining draws on his memoir, which would sell out performances at Midsumma Festival 2023. Returning to where it all began, share in Ben’s journey as part of the Transmansplaining farewell tour.

THE ENGINE ROOM, BENDIGO 11 & 12 OCT

A BUNCH OF AMATEURS

Jefferson Steele is a fading Hollywood action hero hoping to boost his flagging career. He arrives in Stratford, England to play King Lear, only to find out it is not the birthplace of the Bard but rather a sleepy Suffolk village. Will his ego find a way to work with a bunch of amateurs hoping to save their local theatre?

Written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newham and presented by The Mount Players.

MOUNTVIEW THEATRE, MACEDON 1–17 NOV

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS

Cartoon Darkness

Æ The label “one of Australia’s hottest exports” gets thrown around pretty loosely these days. More often than not, if an act is achieving any level of success on the international touring circuit, they’re “one of the hottest live acts in the country.” Although, for Amyl and the Sniffers, it’s a statement that actually rings true.

Sure, other acts may also be able to boast that they’ve supported the Foo Fighters, toured internationally, or won an ARIA award, but they can’t claim that they went from the sticky band room floors of the Barwon Club and Cherry Bar to fronting campaigns as the faces of Gucci.

It’s a pretty uncommon feat for any artist, let alone an ocker punk band from Melbourne, but yet, it’s easy to see why they’ve made such a mark. Amyl is authentically Aussie. They’re gritty, loud, and authentic as hell. From their bogan-core aesthetic, to their raucous punk output, and high-octane live sets (which see the groups savagely provocative vocalist, Amy Taylor packing all the energy of a caged rottweiler), Amyl feels like a true insight into Australia. As if, every other Aussie act is Baz Lurman’s Australia, and Amyl are Two Hands.

As such, they’re a group that it’s hard to ignore – especially when they’re opening album’s with the lyrics, “you’re a dumb c*nt”...

But that’s where the group’s at on album number three, Cartoon Darkness. They’ve conquered the world, and now it’s time to piss off the haters. Which is exactly where opener ‘Jerkin’ kicks in, calling out online trolls who “love [Taylor’s] outfits but hate [her] success” with a flurry of insults that rivals the profanity found on Blink 182’s ‘Family Reunion’.

‘It’s Mine’, ‘Motorbike Song’, and ‘Pigs’, continue to chaos, barraging your speakers with all the adrenaline of a souped-up Camry speeding down the hume highway, while both ‘Big Dreams’ and ‘Bailing On Me’ try out a melancholic, distortive grunge changeup reminiscent of ‘Miss World’-era Hole.

In line with the “if you don’t like it, piss off” ethos deeply embedded into the group’s sound, Cartoon Darkness is an album fuelled by hedonism and the unrestricted desire to do whatever the hell you want. Taylor’s lyrics shift from sleighting themes of self-deprecation to full-on self-ownership (‘Chewing Gum’), as if she listened to One Direction’s ‘You Don’t Know You’re Beautiful’ and thought, “you know what, you’re fkn right”, while Declan Mehrtens’ pub-rock riffs further push boundaries of the group’s sound, spanning everything from doom-metal (‘Doin In Me Head’) to glam-rock swagger (‘Tiny Bikini’).

Through and through, Cartoon Darkness shows a band with nothing left to prove. They’ve gone through the tough years, hustled the gig circuit, and now they finally have the freedom to be themselves – boy, oh, boy, doesn’t it sound good.

LABEL: VIRGIN MUSIC GROUP

RELEASE: 25 OCT

DOM SENSITIVE

Leather Trim

Æ If you’re someone who likes to comment, “they don’t make music like they used to”, you’re not looking hard enough. Even if you’re into obscure genres from 40 years ago, there’s something new out there that’ll both appease your lifelong palette, and catapult it into the modern world.

Cue, Dom Sensitive.

As the newest project from Port Adelaide based musician Dom Trimboli (Wireheads/Dom & The Wizards/Critical Energy), Dom Sensitive channels the best elements of 80’s proto-punk, neo-psychedelia and avant-pop, delivering an unconventional approach that somehow encompasses both jaded anger and innocent naivete all in one eccentric bubble.

Think Roxy Music in the KEXP era: sophisticated musicianship delivered with an effortless, hyper-stylised demeanour. As if Leather Trim is an improvised flow of Dom’s consciousness; each sound is unexpected, yet always works perfectly with the tone of the song, no matter how left of centre that may be.

‘Digital Random Hat’ pairs childish qualities and kaleidoscopic synths alongside Trimboli’s nonchalant drawl to resemble post-punk icons like Jonathan Richman or Mark E. Smith. ‘R&D’ toys with restrained riffs and slurred vocal cadences, gradually building tension as the track unfolds, while 11-minute epic ‘The Second Day of Spring’, invites listeners into a world of syncopated samples, patchwork production, and naturalistic foley, in-line with 70s inspired Café Exil psychedelia.

As an artist, Trimboli has never been one to be influenced by the norm, and Leather Trim gives him a chance to embrace that, bringing his distinctive weirdness to the forefront for his debut multi-instrumentalist release.

LABEL: DINOSAUR CITY RELEASE: OUT NOW

Guided Tour

Æ High Vis has to be one of the most interesting punk/hardcore acts around at the moment. If you were to pick up one of their records at random, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a rogue cut from the early 80’s post-punk scene that birthed Echo and the Bunnymen and Jesus and Marychain, not the modern day punk/hardcore scene.

But High Vis don’t need the same aggression every other band uses to prove their point. They’re blue-collar, working-class lads, and as a result, they’ve got enough to be pissed off about without forcing their sound to be angry.

And it’s evident, with the group’s vocalist, Graham Sayles, delivering every line with such a matter-of-fact conviction that the group’s messaging could never feel manufactured. He’s got something to say, and he’s got that opinion because he lived it, not because he caught a newsgrab on Instagram and decided to channel faux rage.

Title track ‘Guided Tour’ mixes riotous vocals against shimmery guitar licks and downtrodden post-punk basslines, signature to the sound the group have become known for. ‘Drop Me Out’ delivers commanding drum grooves that battle for your attention alongside Sayles’ hammering vocal delivery, while both ‘Untethered’, and standout, ‘Mind’s a Lie’, take influence from UK house, combining loops, MPC’s, and in the latter, vocal samples of DJ Ell Murphy, to strike the perfect balance between ambience and abrasiveness.

It helps give Guided Tour a distinctive point of difference — it’s poetic punk that’s hardcore in ethos, not tone, proving that sometimes that’s even more powerful.

JON TOOGOOD

Last Of The Lonely Gods

Æ It’s amazing to think that Jon Toogood has been winning over audiences for close to 40 years now. Having caught his first break with Shihad in the early 90’s, the last few decades have seen Toogood establish himself as one of New Zealand’s most prolific songwriters, with his previous efforts in Shihad and Ashani-Al-Banat inspired supergroup, The Adults, earning him 2x Double Platinum records, and 5x Gold-certified albums in New Zealand and Australia alone. Yet, somehow, 2024 marks the first ever solo effort in Toogood’s catalog.

An album of self-discovery, Last of the Lonely Gods sees the multi-platinum artist venturing into his most surprising territory yet, alternative country. As introduced on opener ‘Lost In My Hometown’, which quickly steps away from Toogood’s rock roots, to instead ignite his vision through orchestral elements, delicate string harmonies and slow-waltz balladry.

But while Lonely Gods stylistically cuts its teeth on country/folk soundscapes, lifelong fans will be relieved to hear that vocally, Toogood still sounds pretty bang on to Shihad’s 1999 release, The General Electric, with tracks like ‘Shouldn’t Leave It Like That’ and ‘Swallow Song’ subtly giving a nod to his punk-rock roots through the use of elongated notes and nasally vocal cadences.

Although the stripped-back nature of Lonely Gods does mean that Toogood no longer has the freedom to hide behind walls of distortion, highlighting fairly wellworn lyricism that, at times, feels safer than a Jonas Brothers song in Camp Rock (“It’s just us against the world”).

Still, it’s refreshing to hear Toogood pushing the boundaries of his songwriting 35 years later.

KUBLAI KHAN TX

Exhibition of Prowess

Æ While Kublai Khan TX may not be regarded in the same vein as Knocked Loose, Speed or Zulu as one of the acts rewriting the blueprint of beatdown hardcore, they’re a clear favourite amongst the scene for a reason.

It’s all about that Texas heat, baby – gutsy breakdowns, earth-shattering 808 drops, and that sweet, sweet, drop #G chug that, in the words of vocalist Matt Honeycutt’s famous pitt-call, makes you wanna “shake yo’ f*ckin’ ass, mama”.

So if the Texan beatdown heroes offered up anything outside the norm for album number five, we wouldn’t have just been severely disappointed, we would have been bloody mortified.

Thankfully, their newest addition is exactly what we’d been asking for. As proudly asserted on opener, ‘Supreme Ruler’, “KHAN IS KING”, on Exhibition of Prowess, the Texan juggernauts once again prove why they’re deserving of their crown. In particular, with tracks like ‘Darwinism’, ‘Mud’, and crowd-favourite, ‘Theory Of Mind’, which deliver the group’s trademark intensity through huge, open breakdowns, and a tried and tested ability to create the heaviest tones imaginable, through the use of incredibly slow riffs.

It’s the kind of album that’ll make your speakers grow biceps. Exhibition of Prowess is unbridled, seething anger that doesn’t waste time slowing down to provide anything for the two-steppers–it’s straight beatdown hardcore from start-tofinish, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Khan truly is King.

LABEL:

GO GLOBAL WITH THE GORDON

Æ Sarah Gross, Creative Director and co-founder of Storyfolk, alongside her best friend and business partner, Cass Mackenzie, are living proof that the path to business success can begin in the most unexpected ways. For both women, their journey into the world of graphic design and entrepreneurship started at TAFE in Geelong, where they have recently been nominated for the region’s prestigious 2024 Business Excellence Awards.

“Before pursuing graphic design, I explored various creative paths – writing, photography, and even working for Forte Magazine. But it wasn’t until I found graphic design that everything clicked. It felt like a revelation,” she shared. Graphic design offered Gross the perfect blend of creative thinking and strategy she had been seeking. That’s when she knew she had found her career path.

Her journey to enrolling at The Gordon was a turning point, and it began with a dramatic shift. At the time, Gross was working in retail selling mattresses, when an unexpected event made her question her career direction.

“I attended to a customer who collapsed on a mattress and got them straight to hospital where they recovered. As I drove home, I thought, “What am I doing with my life?”. That weekend, I submitted my portfolio to The Gordon, and by Monday, I was in an interview with design coordinator, José Rodriguez. I handed in my notice and haven’t looked back since.”

“The fact that José was reviewing applications over the weekend says so much about the care and dedication of the teachers at The Gordon. I’ve since studied at both The Gordon and Monash University, and I can honestly say that without that level of personal investment from The Gordon’s staff, I wouldn’t be where I am in my career today.”

Gross notes that The Gordon’s hands-on learning style and smaller class sizes were the perfect environment for building industry and social connections.

“The people at The Gordon were amazing. I met Cass there, and without our teacher introducing us, Storyfolk wouldn’t exist.” The two friends became inseparable, and their complementary skills – Gross’ strategic mindset and McKenzie’s love of the craft of design– formed the foundation of their future business. Fast forward nearly five years, and Storyfolk is an award-winning design agency catering to global clients from Kenya to the Netherlands –even working on a space program.

With projects ranging from branding and digital strategy to working on national government non-profit initiatives, Sarah and Cass’ passion for impactful work and making a mark on their community continues to shine through.

THE BELLARINE’S FAVOURITE FISHING FESTIVAL RETURNS

Æ Pack the tackle box, grab your hooks, lines and sinkers, and chuck on your cork hats - it’s time to go fishing!

To celebrate National Gone Fishing Day, Victorian Fisheries Authorities (VFA) are inviting recreational fishers and seafood lovers down to Portarlington on Sunday 13 October for a family-friendly event, Hooked on Bellarine Festival.

With Portarlington a praised seafood spot in Victoria, thanks to their award-winning blue mussel harvesting courtesy of Portarlington Mussel Tours and the picturesque pier being a trusted spot for securing snapper, mullet, garfish and whiting year round, Hooked on Bellarine Festival shines a spotlight on the ports fishing excellence. The day boasts fishing activities for the whole family.

As supported by the Victorian Government’s $96 million investment in improving fishing, boating and piers, Hooked on Bellarine aims to encourage people of all ages and skill levels to give fishing a go. If you don’t know how to fish, that’s fine and exactly what the festival is about! Angling club volunteers and Fishcare will be offering fishing lessons for youngsters through ‘come and try’ VicFishKids sessions – with rods, and bait provided to make it easy for newcomers to reel in a new hobby.

The event further boasts workshops and demonstrations across both the recreational activity of fishing and the preparation of the win to become food. It includes knot-tying demonstrations, fish filleting tutorials, trailer reversing instructions and general cooking demonstrations. For the kids there is a fishing simulator, fly fishing demonstrations, casting clinics, giveaways, virtual reality fishing and more. Don’t miss your chance for a selfie as VFA’s Pinky the Snapper mascot makes an appearance, and get up close with reptiles and native species at the animal experiences pop-up.

As promised the foodie will not only get the chance to learn about the food they have caught but get to indulge in great seafood from a bunch of food stalls. There will be freshly cooked catches of seafood and local produce including the famous mussels. You can enjoy these delicacies whilst watching entertainment from local musicians. From food for your stomach to food for thought, join an educational talk from the Victorian Fisheries Authorities to learn about snapper, whiting, calamari, fish anatomy and aqualife and gain an understanding of our local marine ecology.

In a first for the festival, Hooked on Bellarine has introduced a Fishing and Outdoor Swap Meet. Adapted from a Clothes Swap Meet, the Fishing and Outdoor Swap Meet allows locals to bring their unused, and unwanted fishing gear down to the site to swap it for something that they need or might get use out of. It’s a great way to clear out the shed and give items their life back.

Thinking about studying in 2025? Take the first step to building your lifelong career at TAFE. Attend an upcoming information night at The Gordon on 8 October at City Campus, 9 October at East Geelong Campus and 10 October at Werribee Campus.

To help encourage people to give fishing a go, the requirement of a recreational fishing licence will be waived for the day not only on the Bellarine, but across the state. Hooked on Bellarine is a great opportunity to learn more about the relaxing and rewarding recreation of fishing, as well as celebrate the impeccable marine offering of Portarlington.

Geelong’s FRANKIE. BAR AND EATERY has a new upstairs function space

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well”

VIRGINIA WOLF.

It’s

a mantra that Geeong’s frankie.

Bar

and Eatery lives by, and gosh

do they have the best dining on offer.

Æ As the end of the year celebrations start heating up, consider frankie. Bar and Eatery as the host of your next event!

Geelong’s Pan-Asian-Fusion restaurant and cocktail/wine bar frankie. Bar and Eatery have expanded their space! Having moved across the road into their new 26 Malop Street location at the end of last year, frankie. has moved up again, extending their space with an upstairs function room.

Located in the heart of Geelong’s CBD, just a quick walk from Geelong train station and the bus interchange, frankie. Bar and Eatery is a favourite amongst locals for gatherings over delectable food and refreshing cocktails. Now that gathering can include even more people as they launch their function and venue hire packages.

The beautifully renovated space boasts stunning hardwood floors designed to elongate the open-plan area, a gorgeous wraparound bar that includes the most aesthetically pleasing vertical tile pattern of pinks and whites, partnered elegantly with gold hardware, Malop Street-facing natural light and large circular mirrors lining the wall. The function room echoes the comfortable yet chic styling of the downstairs dining area.

Following a small set of stairs accessible at both the front and rear of the building leading to the second story, the function space can hold 120 persons standing and up to 40 seated, tailored to your occasion. If accessibility is a barrier, the downstairs dining space also doubles as a function space, catering to over 120 persons for standing space and up to 85 persons seated. If your party is not requiring that size, partial hire is also available for up to 40 seated occasions. Ambulant bathrooms are accessible at both levels of the restaurant and venue.

Combined, both upstairs and downstairs can be hired for private functions as well for a 220 standing option. Whether it’s for a wedding, engagement, milestone birthday, anniversary, hens, baby shower, corporate function – you name it, frankie. can make the space work for you. It’s super adaptable with their elegant arrangements of banquet seating, booths, soft, and comfortable chairs and ample floor space.

It’s obviously not all about look when it comes to venue hire with the biggest players of party planning being food and drink. It starts with their signature Golden Balls and just gets better! Tiger prawn skewers, open duck wrap, pad thai nachos, frankie.’s delicious donuts, crispy cheeky chicken bao – you will want to try everything that the chefs have to offer. The best part is that their menu is already designed to share which translates perfectly to the party setting. Wash it down with a party for your mouth thanks to their expansive cocktail menu. A no-fail Amaretto Sour, a Lychee Gim Gim, a Clover Club, a Lamington Bliss and an Espresso Martini are just the start of their 30 long-list.

The team at frankie. go above and beyond for the customer experience on any given night, no less during their functions. Expect the most hospitable service, all served with a smile.

Bring people together for a celebration but keep them there with the frankie. function experience!

FRANKIE BAR & EATERY

WHERE: 26 MALOP STREET, GEELONG

OPEN: MON–SUN

VENUE GUIDE

SURREAL

Æ Contemporary Asian dining just got a whole lot better. Readers, from the creators of the much-loved Donco restaurant, it’s time to check out their new baby, Surreal. Opening in June 2022, this Korean, Japanese and Australian inspired restaurant is a must-do dining experience.

The name Surreal came from the artistic word ‘surrealism’ as well as a name they have created in Korean, with the owners wanting the restaurant vibe to be a “restful place, in the auspicious town”, and they have most certainly achieved that. Located in the old Chapel on Ryrie building, the vibe of the venue was modelled after the concept of a traditional Japanese building, and a Korean temple. The interior concept is indeed unique and fun, while still ensuring to be a comfortable and restful dining experience for patrons.

The experience at Surreal is curated by a team of creative and multicultural individuals and this is shown through both the food and drinks menus at Surreal. The menus are very fun, and very different, with the concept of Surreal being to mix and twist, and the team loves to play with ingredients and different cultural flavours together, to create something new and unique.

New dishes are created by visiting the local markets to see what’s in season, pulling inspiration from these. While Korean dining is known for its fermented foods, one of the highlights of the Surreal menu is their very own Kimchi and pickles, which features on each dish.

Surreal also offers a wide range of vegan, gluten free and vegetarian dishes - there is truly something for everyone here.

Talk about mixing it up – Surreal creates classic cocktails, but they feature Sake, Shochu or Soju. They also have an extensive wine list, as well as a large variety of Korean and Japanese spirits for you to try. The non-alcoholic drinks on offer include quality coffee from Newtown’s Constant Coffee and traditional Korean and Japanese teas. Now, if you thought it couldn’t get any better, you were wrong. To top off your evening, there are also HOMEMADE Asian flavoured and inspired desserts, such as a Rare Yuzu Cheesecake, a Korean Style Sticky- Rice and Jujube Date Slice, and a very special ice-cream; it is a once in a lifetime to try.

Not only offering contemporary dining, Surreal also offers the venue as an event and function space, with a mix of seating, standing, indoor and outdoor options available, which is sure to suit any event you have in mind. The venue is wheelchair and pram accessible, and pet friendly. What more could you want really?

WHERE: 10 LITTLE RYRIE STREET, GEELONG

OPEN: LUNCH = TUE–FRI, 11AM–2:30PM DINNER = TUE–SAT, 5PM–LATE

THE KYN

Æ Sitting pretty along Torquay’s vibrant Esplanade, The Kyn emerges as a refreshing addition, bringing Middle Eastern-inspired dining to the coastal scene.

Positioned amidst the lively esplanade, The Kyn retains its classic white weatherboard exterior, but step inside, and you’re instantly transported into an impeccably designed space.

Formerly known as the Kyndarlin library, The Kyn holds a significant place in Torquay’s history, evident throughout the dining experience. The interior is a delightful blend of bright toffee-hued walls, snug leather booths, rattan cane, beechwood dining chairs, timber tables, a vibrant tiled feature tabletop, an edible textured concrete bar, and a colour palette in rust pink, brown, and beige.

Crafted by Jacobsen Love, the venue exudes warmth and sweetness, embracing an unapologetically extravagant vibe.

Guiding the culinary journey is Head Chef James White, presenting a Middle Eastern-inspired menu meant for sharing with friends and family. Highlights include fried school prawns with chilli salt, fried beef cheeks with hummus and coriander Doug, and overnight lamb shoulder with olive and lentil pilau and labna. The menu offers numerous mouth watering options, and for those who can’t decide, fear not – The Kyn provides a ‘FEED ME’ option, leaving the decision-making in capable hands.

For those with a sweet tooth, cap off the evening on a sugar high with chocolate and pistachio cannoli, peanut butter parfait (featuring baklava praline and salted caramel), and a rhubarb and blood orange “mess” with sweet labna and rose.

The comprehensive cocktail and wine list, now with a premium cellar selection, complements both local wineries and renowned international wines. The must-try margarita menu, ranging from classic versions to the signature chilli grapefruit margarita, is a crowd-pleaser.

Whether it’s lunch, dinner, or an afternoon drink in the sun overlooking the iconic Torquay beachfront, The Kyn stands as the perfect venue for all occasions.

WHERE: 41 THE ESPLANADE, TORQUAY

OPEN: WED–THU, 5PM–LATE, FRI–SUN, 11:30AM–LATE

TEMPO KITCHEN & BAR

Æ Located in the heart of Geelong, get ready to embark on a culinary journey like no other. TEMPO Kitchen and Bar focuses on providing a unique dining experience that celebrates the local produce and flavours of Victoria.

It’s your chance to dine somewhere passionate about using the freshest and seasonal ingredients, sourced directly from local farmers, fishermen and producers around the region. The Geelong business and hospitality landscape is set to experience an unprecedented culinary transformation, and we are all here for it.

A tribute to the vibrant flavours of Victoria, we are looking at a vibrant new concept restaurant, redefining the dining experience and celebrating the rich and local produce and flavour of Victoria. TEMPO’s innovative approach to dining sets it apart as a tribute to the vibrant culinary heritage of the region. Inspired by the abundance of local products, the menu boasts a seafood and grill focus that showcases the best of Victoria’s bounty. The dedication to using the freshest seasonal ingredients, sourced directly from local farmers, fishermen and producers, ensures that each dish captures the authentic taste of Australian cuisine. The culinary excellence and skill of TEMPO’s chefs elevate these ingredients into innovative, mouth-watering creations, promising a dining experience that delights the senses and celebrates the best of the region’s flavours.

TEMPO embodies the essence of Australian cuisine, providing a unique and unforgettable experience for locals and visiting enthusiasts alike. TEMPO caters to all dining preferences, making it the ideal destination for any occasion. Whether you seek a casual lunch with friends, an intimate dinner for two or a joyous feast with family, TEMPO’s menu is thoughtfully designed to offer an array of options. From fresh seafood and succulent steaks to delectable vegetarian choices, every dish is prepared to perfection and served with a smile.

This new hotspot is looking to become the social hub of Geelong and will be showcasing local entertainers in the form of local DJs and musicians and will offer not only a beautiful private dining room for special events, but also a wine nook for added privacy for more intimate groups.

TEMPO also boasts a thoughtfully curated bar menu. This menu will be showcasing a selection of wines, beers and cocktails, the bar complements the restaurant’s culinary delights, offering guests a comprehensive and indulgent experience.

Whether you are a local resident or a visitor to the beautiful city of Geelong, you are invited to join the team and experience the best of Australian cuisine at TEMPO Kitchen & Bar.

WHERE: 10/14 EASTERN BEACH RD, GEELONG

OPEN: 7 DAYS, 6:30AM–9:30PM

TWO NOBLE

Æ We’d like to welcome you all to Two Noble, one of Geelong’s newest fine dining destinations.

This acclaimed new contemporary Asian restaurant is located directly above Sawyers Arms Tavern in Newtown.

Focused on locally sourced produce and regional wines, prepare your tastebuds ready to combine the flavours of a South East Asian cuisine, fused with a modern Australian flair, it surely is a delightful culinary journey – what more could you want?

Led by chef Mario Tambajong, the menu at Two Noble has an emphasis on shared dining, encouraging this exploration to enrich your fine dining experience. With this year’s menu, you can expect a sensory overload, with the signature house roasted duck dish with a Cointreau hoisin, crunch on the crispy Barongarook pork with green papaya som tum, or the standout Hiramasa Kingfish, burnt onion and chilli oil and whipped soy.

Restaurant Manager Adam Zelley has curated an ever-changing drinks list, in his quest to introduce diners to new things. Think Poppys Martini – featuring Roku gin, elderflower, rhubarb and lemon – YES PLEASE, keep them coming.

Two Noble’s contemporary aesthetic is a nod to the Asian infused cuisine from renowned local interior designer Pip Johnson. Through a selection of organic materials, suspended lanterns and curated artwork, the space really does exude warmth and comfort. With a palette of soft greens, natural timber and fluted glass, you can’t help but feel relaxed and at home as soon as you sit down.

The team behind Two Noble chose a crane to symbolise their dining experience – a crane signifies happiness, good fortune, wisdom and eternal youth. Cranes are extremely social creatures, flocking together and feeding alongside each other – and that is the aim of the Two Noble experience, bringing people together, surrounded by delicious food and drinks, in harmony with a uniquely comfortable dining space.

They also cater to a range of dietary requirements – there is absolutely nothing stopping you from heading down and trying the Two Noble experience for yourself.

WHERE: LEVEL 2, 2 NOBLE STREET, NEWTOWN

OPEN: MON & THU, 6PM–LATE FRI–SUN, 12–2:30PM & 5:30PM–LATE

GIG GUIDE OCTOBER 2024

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

THU 10 OCT

HYPER DOG

TRASH CULT, EAGLEHAWK

7PM $10

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE + GEORGIA MOONEY LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE WARRNAMBOOL

7:30PM $79.90

FRI 11 OCT

FLOODLIGHTS

‘CAN YOU FEEL IT’ AUSTRALIAN TOUR

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY

8:30PM $45.40

OCEANS LUMINOSITY

ALBUM LAUNCH

+ PARAQUAY, SOUP & THE CROUTON

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

8PM $13.30

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE + GEORGIA MOONEY

THE PLAY HOUSE, GEELONG ARTS CENTRE, GEELONG

7:30PM $79.90

OUT ON THE WEEKEND

FT: Uncle Lucius, Nick Shoulders, Jonny Fritz & Joshua Hedley, Margo Cilker, Freya Josephine Hollick & More

ITINERANT SPIRITS (GOODS SHED), BALLARAT

5:30PM $53.05

PYREX

+ DAYFEVER AND HAP & RYDA THE EASTERN, BALLARAT

7:30PM $17.85

THE MOJO CORNER X CHECKERBOARD

LOUNGE + GEORGIA MOONEY

THE BARWON HEADS HOTEL, BARWON HEADS

7:30PM $29.60

WORLD MUSIC SERIES: RAZIEL GUTIERREZ SOTO DUO

NORTHERN ARTS HUB, CASTLEMAINE

7:30PM $15

PORT FAIRY SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL

FT: Kawai Opening Gala: Cosmos, Cabaret Constellation, Interstellaire, Shards of Light, MCO + Allara, The Shortest History of Music, and more

VARIOUS LOCATIONS, PORT FAIRY

11–13 OCT $30–$59

SAT 12 OCT

KHAN

+ TREEBEARD, EARTHOMEN

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

8PM $28.60

CHOCOLATE STARFISH

THE PLAY HOUSE, GEELONG

7:30PM $84.30–$94.50

PSEUDO ECHO + SPECIAL GUESTS

THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE

8PM $59

ROSS WILSON AND THE PEACENIKS

50 YEARS OF HITS TOUR THE CAPITAL, BENDIGO

8PM $69

DAVID BRIDIE

ODESSA AT LEAVER’S, CRESWICK

7PM $50

RAUL SANCHEZ I JORGE

+ THREE MONTH

SUNSET, GROVE

THE EASTERN, BALLARAT

7PM

MILKMAN MANIA

$17.85

FT: Good Sniff, Dead Rodeo, Madam York Collective,Fifth Quarter, Blondehouse, Violet, Sargent Baker,Blake (DJ)

BARWON HEADS HOTEL, BARWON HEADS

5PM

$29.60

SUN 13 OCT

G-STRING NICOTINE + BUSKING IN POMPEII AND GASLIGHT

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

4PM $15

CHECKERBOARD LOUNGE

THE THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE

2:30PM $30.10

WILLIAM ALEXANDER

THE BRIDGE HOTEL, CASTLEMAINE

3PM FREE

DAKOTA EAST

THE TAPROOM (SHEDSHAKER BREWING), CASTLEMAINE

7:30PM FREE

EDDY AND THE EXCITERS

BEAVS BAR, GEELONG 2PM $15

THU 17 OCT

MIDDLE KIDS

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY

7:30PM $69.90

FORTAY, NTER & RIBBY247

+ JUGADA, KUSSIN & BOBBY SODA, C CHEF & D THA ARTIST, CREATION, NAZZA AND DJ JUNGLE J

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7PM $71.40

EMILY BARKER FRAGILE AS HUMANS TOUR

ODESSA AT LEAVERS, CRESWICK

7PM $30

FRI 18 OCT

FRENZEL RHOMB + SPECIAL GUESTS

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY

8PM SOLD OUT

OCEANS ‘LUMINOSITY’ TOUR + FLYWIRE THE EASTERN, BALLARAT 7PM $11.75

JESSE LAWRANCE SOME LITTLE TOWN ALBUM LAUNCH NORTHERN ARTS HUB, CASTLEMAINE

MOTOR CITY SOUNDS THE THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE 7:30PM $30.10

SAT 19 OCT

PINK PONY CLUB TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY 8:30PM $22

THE SMITH STREET BAND + RAGING HORMONES, HOLD//FIRE

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 8PM $56.10

MIDDLE KIDS + SPECIAL GUESTS

CIVIC HALL, BALLARAT 7:30PM $69.90

ART LATE: ROSE CITY BAND + DAYFEVER

ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT, BALLARAT 6PM $60

THE SWEETHEARTS CELEBRATING

35 YEARS OF THE SWEETHEARTS THE SPHINX, GEELONG 6PM $30

HIGH PASS FILTER & MACHINE TRANSLATIONS

THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE

7:30PM $40.80

STEVE KILBEY

ODESSA AT LEAVERS, CRESWICK

7PM SOLD OUT

SAND PEBBLES

THE BRIDGE HOTEL, CASTLEMAINE

9PM $20

NO SCRUBS

90’S + EARLY 00’S PARTY

BARWON HEADS HOTEL, BARWON HEADS

8PM SOLD OUT

HEAVEN AND EARTH CASTLEMAINE

CHAMBER PLAYERS

NORTHERN ARTS HUB, CASTLEMAINE

7:30PM $30

SUN 20 OCT

AN EVENING WITH RICHARD CLAPTON

ACOUSTIC SET, Q&A, FULL BAND SET

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY

7PM $50.50

WORLD MUSIC SERIES MIGUEL RIOS

NORTHERN ARTS HUB, CASTLEMAINE

6PM $20

WENDY RULE

ODESSA AT LEAVERS, CRESWICK

4PM $30

TUE 22 OCT

WENDY STAPLETON

HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE, BALLARAT

10:30AM $8.50

THU 24 OCT

UMLAUT

TRASH CULT, EAGLEHAWK

8PM $25

SALT TREE

VOLTA, BALLARAT

7PM $34.95

JAMES MORRISON

QUARTET

THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE

6:30PM $66.85

FRI 25 OCT

COOLDAD ‘MAJOR SEA’ SINGLE LAUNCH + NINA LEO AND HEATH ROBERTSON BAND

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

6:30PM $13.30

TOBY MOBBS

BEAV’S BAR, GEELONG

7PM $10

JON STEVENSON & KATE CEBERANO SUPERSTARS LIVE

COSTA HALL, GEELONG

7:30PM SOLD OUT

THE ANGELS

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

BARWON HEADS HOTEL, BARWON HEADS

7:30PM $50

SOS

ARARAT TOWN HALL, ARARAT

8PM $48

SOVEREIGN SLAUGHTER FEST

FT: Van Diemen, Aerons Abyss, Spacegoat, Distorta, Order Of Torment

THE EASTERN, BALLARAT

6:30PM $20

TAYLOR MOSS FIRECRACKER ALBUM TOUR

SAT 26 OCT

SALT TREE

‘DREAMING OF A FAILURE’ TOUR

+ SPECIAL GUESTS

THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7:30PM $34.70

GORD BAMFORD

+ MAX JACKSON

GATEWAY HOTEL, GEELONG

8:30PM $39.80

KISS THISS THE ULTIMATE KISS TRIBUTE BAND THE SPHINX, GEELONG

8:30PM $20.07–$32.28

GEELONG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

COSTA HALL, GEELONG 5PM $60

SUN 27 OCT

SEMANTICS – I FEEL IT ALL AT ONCE TOUR + LOSER, IVY BLACK THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 5PM $18.40

DARYL BRAITHWAITE THE STORY HOUSE, GEELONG 8PM $79

THU 31 OCT

BOOTLEG RASCAL ‘OTI’ TOUR + SPECIAL GUESTS THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG

7PM $34.70

FRI 1 NOV

THE ROAD TO SKA + BUSTAMENTO, THE RESIGNATORS, LOONEE TUNES

THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE

7:30PM $45.90

SAT 2 NOV

CONFIDENCE MAN + LOODS

TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY 8:30PM SOLD OUT

DAISY KILBOURNE 7 FRIENDS: A SINGERSONGWRITER’S SHOWCASE + LUCY LORENNE, HASSALL, RACH BRENNAN, JASMIN ADRIA, AND CATIE ALISON THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 5PM $23.50

ART LATE: RVG + PYREX ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT, BALLARAT 6PM $60

THE ELVIS BIG BAND THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE 7PM $75

THE DREGGS

CIVIC HALL, BALLARAT 7:30PM $64.75

SUN 3 NOV

PISCO SOUR + SPECIAL GUESTS THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 6PM $13.30

BEN OTTEWELL AND IAN BALL (GOMEZ) + BUDDY THEATRE ROYAL, CASTLEMAINE 6PM $66.20

WED 23 OCT

WENDY STAPLETON

LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE, WARRNAMBOOL

11AM $10

GOLDEN VINE HOTEL, BENDIGO

8PM $44.90

DARYL BRAITHWAITE THE LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE, WARRNAMBOOL

7:30PM $79

BAREFOOT SPACEMEN + VIOLET, INSUFFICIENT FUNDS THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 8PM $20

THE DREGGS + SPECIAL GUESTS

BARWON HEADS HOTEL, BARWON HEADS 7PM $66.30

MON 4 NOV

HARD-ONS 40TH ANNIVERSARY AUSTRALIAN TOUR + NURSERY CRIMES AND DEAD THE BARWON CLUB HOTEL, GEELONG 7PM $39.80

The Gordon’s Information Nights

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Whether you’re looking to upskill, gain a side hustle or start a new career, The Gordon can help.

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Tuesday 8 October

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Wednesday 9 October

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Thursday 10 October

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