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JAMES REYNE By Melissa Walsh
RETURNING to Between the Bays for the fifth time, old favorite James Reyne will grace audiences with his presence again with a repertoire from his 30 year career. “We will be playing a good cross section of music from my Australian Crawl stuff to solo songs, right across the whole spectrum,” says James, who has been involved with the festival since its inception 10 years ago. “I first became involved as my daughter was going to the school. When Paul and Vivienne came up with the idea for Between the Bays to raise money, they asked me to perform. I was just like any one of the parents there,” he says. “The people who run it are lovely and they run it very well. It’s a great day out for the family, with lots of stuff for the kids to do and great food and wine as well.” With James’ reputation for all things charitable, and having just received an OAM for his charity work, there is a synchronicity to the performer’s involvement, with the money raised going to the Wugularr School in Katherine. “I don’t really have a lot to do with the cause but I know it is a terrific one and Penbank School do a great job with the music festival,” says James. With a career spanning three decades, first with Australian Crawl and then his solo career, James still has no idea where he gets his inspiration from.
The band features James on lead vocals, Phil Cebrano and Brett Kingman on guitar, Andy McIvor on bass, and John Watson on drums.
For James, 2015 looks promising with a new band and new album by The Magnificent Few, the first album to be a new EP of songs.
Now in its 10th year, Between the Bays is firmly established as Mornington Peninsula’s best, annual music festival on the summer
calendar - a day not to be missed. Over the last decade, Between the Bays has offered music lovers a festival option that is safe and entertaining for everyone, is inexpensive and has an all-inclusive community feel. This year, along with James Reyne, artists will include Mark Seymour, Custard, Wagons, Sweet
Jean, Combo La Revelacion, Indigenous Hip Hop Projects and The Billabong Boys. Between the Bays is on Saturday 28 February at Penbank School, Rickards Road, Moorooduc. Tickets are on sale now via www. betweenthebays.com
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“I really don’t know. I just write the songs and get inspiration from where I always have,” he says.
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mint magazine A music, arts, events & entertainment magazine for the Peninsula & Bayside.
previously known as...
EDITOR
Simon has collected his extensive record collection from my place and I have collected my metaphorical toothbrush from his.
Maria Mirabella creative@mintmagazine.com.au
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John Davidson. 0405 154 540 sales@mintmagazine.com.au
CONTACT US 1/2 Tyabb Rd, Mornington, 3931 Ph: 5973 6424 FREE MONTHLY - 15,000 COPIES Available in over 1,000 outlets from Sandringham to Portsea to Hastings and everywhere in between. For more info on locations, visit: mintmagazine.com.au For advertising enquiries or info about sponsorship or event packages, contact John Davidson on 0405 154 540 or sales@mintmagazine.com.au Facebook: Mint Mag
If Snoop Dogg can change his name to Snoop Lion, if Prince can change his name to “The artist formerly known as Prince”, and if Cat Stevens can change his name to Yusuf Islam, why can’t we change the name of Pearl Magazine? The room went silent as minds ticked over what was about to happen. The great magazine with 35 terrific editions under its belt was to undergo a metamorphosis? But why? Pearl Magazine has long been the baby of one Simon Mills. Promoter extraordinaire and president of the Peninsula Music Network (among many other things), Simon has his thumbs in many pies and, let’s face it, is as busy as anybody would want to be. Simon and I collaborated with Pearl last May, and have had a great working relationship. Over time, we have drifted apart. Maybe he liked the night life, while I liked long walks on
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the beach. I can’t exactly put my finger on it. Suffice to say, we’ve decided to go our own ways.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTORS Terri Lee Fatouras, Kog Ravidran, Simon Mills, Simon Burke, Ray McGrotty, Andrea Louise-Thomas, Stuart McCullough
P26 URIAH HEEP P48
WELCOME TO MINT MAGAZINE
Cameron McCullough editor@mintmagazine.com.au
PHOTOGRAPHERS Gary Sissons and Yanni
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TWILIGHT JAZZ
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VIKA BULL
BO JENKINS
KASEY CHAMBERS
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...INSIDE
While Simon may not be as much of a visual presence as the past, his mark will still be all over Mint Magazine. Let’s face it, he is arguably the face of music in this area. Also, he will still keep the Peal brand alive with PearlHQ which is his booking and music management business. For marketplace clarity, we wanted to let him run with the brand he has worked so hard to build up, so we decided to rebrand. We wish him and his crew all the best. It was one hell of a ride, and we loved being part of Pearl history. Inside you’ll find a great guide to the best in music, arts and food for February and March If it’s not in here, it is really not worth going to! One event not to be missed is the Between the Bays music festival on 28 February. Great acts including James Reyne, Mark Seymour and Custard are just the start. There is also great food and drink, an unbeatable atmosphere and even free rides to keep the kids happy!
Even better, all the proceeds raised by Between the Bays goes to Penbank School’s partnership with the Wugularr School in the Northern Territory. A brilliant cause! So Mint Magazine it is. We’ve worked hard on it, and hope you enjoy our efforts. Let’s leave the last word to the great Hunter S. Thompson: “Music has always been a matter of Energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio.” Let’s get started... Cameron McCullough (Editor)
Download a QR Code Reader to your smartphone or tablet to watch videos and listen to music in this edition! bayside & mornington peninsula
TRUE LEGEND By Simon Burke SUZI Quatro returns down under for the last time this month after 50 years performing at the highest level. The legendary singersongwriter/ bass player has toured Australia no less than 30 times and is now prepared for an emotional farewell. Her sold out show at the Frankston Arts Centre promises to bring plenty of tears, laughter and rock ‘n roll with Suzi bringing her best game to the stage. It was this A game that caught the attention of famed record producer Mickie Most who offered her a solo contract in 1969. She then went to the UK, sold 55 million records and had a string of hits such as Can The Can, 48 Crash, Too Big, Devil Gate Drive and much more. You may also remember her from Happy Days playing Fonzi’s girlfriend Leather Tuscadero along with parts in other TV shows such as Absolutely Fabulous and Midsomer Murders. Tickets are sold out but you can register to standby for cancellations on the Frankston Arts Centre box office hotline.
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KASEY CHAMBER’S LEAP OF FAITH
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I’m really excited about getting out on tour again. My voice has had its ups and downs in the last few months but I’ve been really looking after it.
“
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bayside & mornington peninsula
By Melissa Walsh
JUST two days before Kasey Chambers headed back out on the road to start her Bittersweet Tour, she takes the time to chat about life, love, parenting and songwriting. “I’m really excited about getting out on tour again. My voice has had its ups and downs in the last few months but I’ve been really looking after it,” says Chambers who had to reschedule her Bittersweet tour in October when she was diagnosed with voice nodules. “My voice is naturally husky and I had nodules when I was a teenager and went to voice therapy for a while. It was disappointing to have to postpone last year but I’m glad I didn’t need surgery. I had to learn how to look after my voice again, no screaming at the kids for not having their room tidy for a few months,” she says with a laugh. Chambers’ down to earth attitude is infectious as she talks about day-to-day life with her three children. “Kids have a way of keeping you grounded. We live such a normal life even when they come out on the road with us, it’s just everyday to them. They don’t really have a clue about the awards and albums. When were at home and down at the school, I’m literally just Arlon and Poet’s mum. My life is non-celebrity like, it’s definitely not glamorous.” Just like any other mum, Chambers is dealing with the fact that her eldest son is about to start high school. “He’s super ready, not nervous at all, he’s totally got this. He won’t be able to come on tour with us but it’s not like were away for three months at a time. The tour is set up so it’s away for a few days then home again.” On the subject of balancing motherhood and career, Chambers says she couldn’t get by without the support of her family and friends. “I’m so lucky with my family who come on the road with me, also one of my best friends lives in our granny flat and she helps out a lot with the kids, and they love her.” One of the family traditions has been for all of them to go to Tamworth at the start of the tour and this year is no different. “The kids don’t come out on the road with me all the time but would be very upset if we didn’t take them to Tamworth,” she says of the 12 year old, seven year old and three year old brood. “It’s a real family event.” With a reputation as one of Australia’s most famous performers, Chambers grew up in a home where listening to country music was a way of life, singing with her family’s “Dead Ringer Band” and travelling all across the country. Quarter of a century later, she is releasing music arts events entertainment
her seventh solo album, and has no plans of slowing down. There is a wonderfully natural flow to Chambers’ life, however, with the singer songwriter determined to maintain a good work life balance, and a healthy attitude to parenting. “I used to feel a lot more guilty and wanted to be a supermum. Then I realized that there’s no such thing. I think it’s a mum thing to want to please all the people all the time but you just can’t so now I weigh up different situations and try to be as balanced and fair as possible. Just like any parent, sometimes there are work commitments, which mean you miss out on things. Last year my son made the rep team at AFL footy and I had a tour planned then but I knew this was important to him so we moved the tour,” says Chambers, who believes that it’s also important for our kids to see us make mistakes. “When my children first started school I would freak out if I took a note in late. I thought I had let them down but they actually didn’t care. It made me realize the things that are important to our kids are not always what we think. My child doesn’t care if I have a note in late; he cares if I hang out with him after school. It’s unrealistic for our children to see us as perfect. Nobody’s perfect. They just need to see you doing your best.” After just taking home another ARIA award for Best Country Album for her record Bittersweet, Kasey now adds this to her collection of 10, so the country singer must be doing something right. “I believe in positive energy in my life and in my songwriting but I also believe in telling the truth. Songwriting is my outlet for recognising all the emotions that we go through in life,” says the woman with one of the brightest personalities in the business. “The reality is that even though I am a positive person most of the time, I do have to recognize the other side. Sometimes my songs come out sounding sadder than I am.” Chambers says her album Bittersweet is a leap of faith, being the first solo album in five years. “Like all my records, it is still a testament to who I am at the time,” says Chambers, whose new album shows she still has the ability to tap into raw emotion. On Bittersweet, Chambers teams with some old and new faces, enlisting former Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning and acclaimed singer songwriter Dan Kelly to join the band. Her dad Bill contributes to backing vocals and good friend and long-time band member Ashleigh Dallas co-wrote the first single, Wheelbarrow.
“I tried to do something different with this album as it signifies a new chapter in my life. I’m sure people will expect it to be a depressed divorce album but it’s not. I really am a positive person but the funny thing is the title song Bittersweet is one of the saddest songs on the album,” says a laughing Chambers, who wrote half the record before the divorce and the other half after.
single parent. “My writing allows me to reflect and use my creative world as an outlet and my new beginning is also reflected in the album.”
Chambers split from her husband Shane Nicholson two years ago after eight years of marriage but, in true Kasey style, she remains philosophical.
“I wasn’t positive every day. Some days I would wake up and be sad but it’s not my personality to stay that way and eventually I started looking on the bright side. Life is not about being happy all the time but I do believe in positive energy. If you put good things out in the world it will come back to you.”
“I believe you learn more from the negative things than the positive things in your life,” she says of her new journey and becoming a
Chambers says she learnt a lot about herself as a mother, as a partner and as “a failure”, with Bittersweet a way to step outside the box and reflect the changes in her life.
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GATHERING NO MOSS By Melissa Walsh
ROLLING Stones tribute band, Jaggers Banquet, played to their biggest crowd to date at last month’s Waterfront Festival, when they performed to an incredible 2500 people. The band, which started in 2005, saw a niche in the marketplace with no other Rolling Stones tributes acts in Melbourne, and it has already been quite a ride. Lead singer Brad Coppens says the show originally started as a non-look-alike concept based around the music but has developed into a more colourful performance. “It is now a high energy Mick Jagger 70’s style show, and we play off the record or recorded live version, doing sets in character,” says Brad. “We don’t go for a full look alike but a definite feel with the same dance moves and mannerisms as the Rolling Stones front man.” “We were the headline act at the Waterfront Festival and played from 8pm till 9.45pm.
The crowd response was amazing. It’s the biggest crowd we’ve played to and yes I was a bit nervous as the time came to go on stage, but the adrenalin kicked in and we cranked out Jumpin’ Jack Flash as our first song,” he says. Jaggers Banquet band members include lead guitarist, Adrian Chynoweth of ex Nick Barker and the Reptiles fame, who reformed in 2012 for a series of gigs, and has been in the band since day one. Drummer Darren McCarthy joined early days and now manages the band. “Dave Miles is our regular rhythm guitarist and vocalist, however Jeff Weiner played the Frankston gig and has filled in many times for us and adds a distinctive Mick Taylor sound to the performance with his skill and Gibson SG guitar,” says Brad. “Ian Smith plays bass, and we had Tony Bonnici play acoustic guitar and backup vocals to make sure we had a full sound for the huge crowd.”
For Jaggers Banquet, it was the longest set they’ve played in Frankston, and one the guys all agree will be memorable. “The festival was basically 100 minutes of hit songs which kept the crowd dancing right up to the fireworks at 9.45pm. We hope to
be invited to play next year as it was a lot of fun,” says Brad. For information on booking Jaggers Banquet Australia’s Rolling Stones Experience, call Nick Karr from Bands Plus on 0403 539 946.
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HIP TO HAVE CLIPP? By Simon Burke DANGEROUS or evidence of the increasing practicality of the 21st century? That should be the question you ask yourself before you download the latest app called Clipp. Essentially, Clipp sits on your phone to be used to pay for your drinks just like a bar tab. No longer will you have to go to your local and have to worry about someone stealing your credit card or bringing wads of cash (not that you would) out with you. Now it’s all on your phone in a neat little package. It’s a great way to manage your money. Instead of supplying a credit card, Clipp provides a number that is given to the server for each purchase. A pre-installed credit or debit card number is then used to pay for the total at the end of a session. A punter can literally walk out the door and he/she and the publican know the costs of the tab will be covered. All sounds dandy you say? But whilst your pockets may feel comfortable your bank balance can still make you feel incredibly uncomfortable the following morning. The
music arts events entertainment
sinking feeling we all know too well is not going to be a thing of the past just yet, ladies and gentlemen. Whilst you can set a bar tab limit the website clearly states: ‘Manage your spend. You can increase your tab in seconds directly from the app’. How is this any different than getting a little too tipsy with work colleagues on a Friday arvo, going to a bank machine, withdrawing copious amounts of money and regretting it the next day? Or being tappy-golucky with your credit card? It’s nearly easier to spend money with the Clipp app! It does have advantages, however, if you’re entertaining on behalf of a company and this is why it has gained a lot of attention from companies that have become dissuaded from providing a firm credit card for entertainment. Libraries of receipts don’t have to be kept and the tax invoice is emailed to you. So in short, if you enjoy more trouser space on a Friday night then get this app. And it was invented by an Aussie.
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BO JENKINS UP CLOSE & UNPLUGGED By Terri Lee Fatouros
RECENTLY I was fortunate to meet and chat to an extremely talented muso, Bo Jenkins. While listening to this lovely southern country speaking gent recall his musical life, I couldn’t help but conjure up so many fascinating thoughts of what it would have been like growing up in the heart of the Delta, cotton-growing Mississippi River land. YOU see Jenkins was born on a small farm in Bottleneck, Arkansas, in the Central Southwestern part of the United States to Joe and Thelma Jenkins. He spent his early years living next door to Levon Helms, future drummer and vocalist for “The Band.” Growing up as a child while listening to his father singing and to his full-blooded Native American grandfather-playing guitar, it is no wonder that the blues and country soul was fused into his being. Bo Jenkins is the real deal! In fact the city Helena, where he moved to with his family, boasts the longest running on going radio show in the world, King Biscuit Flower Hour, hosted by the original DJ Sunshine Sonny Payne, now in his 90s, has had Elvis Presley, the then senator JFK, BB King and so many more incredibly famous people, including Bo Jenkins on his legendary radio show over the years. So growing up in the heart and amidst some of America’s finest blues and country musos was taken for granted for people like Jenkins; cause it’s what everyone did. In fact, Harold Lloyd Jenkins, better known as Conway Twitty was Jenkins father’s cousin. No wonder the Mississippi soul pulses in his blood. Jenkins chuckles “my Pa bought me a new shotgun for Christmas and my brother a guitar. A little while later for my 18th birthday I saw my first concert in Memphis, which happened to be Jimi Hendrix. I was totally blown away. I had my calling and knew I had to play music. So when I got home, I pulled my shotgun on my brother and told him I’m playing his guitar, so we swapped!” Because Jenkins is left handed he figured there would be more right handed guitars around so he ought to just learn how to play them that way; so he simply turned the guitar upside down and taught himself how to play. Which is an amazing feat in itself. Jenkins has played in roadhouses and bars
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in Helena and up and down highways 49 and 61 made famous by the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson, Conway Twitty, Houston Stackhouse and Willie Dixon just to name a few, who gigged there before him. Jenkins says, “This delta region is where Blues met Country and rock & roll was fashioned, and where the likes of Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich and Ronnie Hawkins learned their trade.” Jenkins music style is versatile and he plays a combination of Blues, Country and Rock. During his amazing career Jenkins’s has shared the stage with Albert King, Reba McIntyre, Earl Thomas Conley, BB King and Kansas - thus being one of the few musicians to play major US venues in the three main styles Rock, Blues and Country. In 1992, Jenkins formed his own band called the The Bo Jenkins Band, in order to have the freedom to play the type of music he wanted and to write originals. Luckily for us he uprooted his life in Arkansas and moved with his wife Vanda to our lovely city, Melbourne. “Everything I writes starts out as an instrumental cause I play guitar. Most of my songs come from something I’ve found out from my guitar and what I like. But I believe if I’m going to get better then I need to put it in a song. You can hear the difference between a singer songwriter and a guitarist writing a song. It pushes me that bit harder to get it right,” Jenkins smiles. He now plays in a trio with Steve Donald on drums and Jimi Fewing on bass, and also works solo with acoustic guitar and stomp box. Since coming to Australia he has released his first CD titled Razorback Road, which is a mixture of his musical talents. The CD is a combination of Rock n Roll, Blues and Country. His second CD is called Skin It Back with the title based on a musician’s phrase used in Arkansas. It reflects his growing talent as a songwriter and guitarist, as well as his recording studio skills. Both of his CDs are awesome, and I particularly love Skin It Back. It showcases his diverse gift and definitely worth having in your music collection. Luckily for many, Jenkins will be teaching guitar at Nepean Music in Mornington commencing in February. For more information visit www.bojenkins.com It was a sheer delight sitting in front of
a man who’d grown up in a world where music came from soul seeped in life’s harsh realities of pain, love, freedom and much more, which I guess ultimately shaped
America’s musical history into a rich tapestry we call the Blues today. Until next time ….. Live well. bayside & mornington peninsula
NEIL FINN RECORDS HIS FIRST ITUNES SESSION By Cameron McCullough THERE aren’t many artists whose songs and emotive performances have infiltrated the hearts and minds of a generation in quite the same way as Neil Finn and, with his iTunes Session now released, fans worldwide will soon be able to hear a very special live performance from Neil Finn’s extensive repertoire. Recorded at Roundhead Studios in Auckland late last year, the exclusive seven- track set is only available on iTunes, spans his exceptional career and includes brilliant live versions of four tracks from Finn’s third solo album Dizzy Heights interspersed with songs that are now intrinsically part of Australian culture. As he says, “It was a pure joy to record my first iTunes Session completely live with my band after all last years’ touring and knowing
intimately, all the cracks and grooves of the songs but still discovering delicate new spaces to inhabit. This music is seriously good.” The Neil Finn iTunes Session also includes a previously unreleased and reworked version of the well--known Crowded House song Something So Strong. Entitled especially for this release Something So Strong – Naïve, this is the first time the song has been recorded in this form, close to the way it was originally written. Naïve is co-produced by Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev, The Flaming Lips, Tame Impala) the Dizzy Heights album was recorded between Finn’s Roundhead studio in Auckland and Fridmann’s Tarbox studio in upstate New York.
STRAIGHT OUTTA SORRENTO By Nick Fiske HIP hop’s history is littered with hometown heroes from the wrong side of the tracks. Think NWA’s Straight Outta Compton album for starters. Sorrento born and raised Seth Sentry has now joined the rap ranks of those who tell it like it is/was about their lives growing up and sometimes never growing up - in a small town neighbourhood. Sentry’s latest single Run, the first sample of his forthcoming new album, dropped late last year and features a tale of trouble on the streets of Frankston. An excerpt from Run‘s lyrics document life on the mean streets of Frankston and the peninsula: ‘I used to think the whole town was against us, on seconds thoughts maybe we were just against the town/An environment that was pretty good for a childhood and retirement providing that cited you get the f**k out There’s a bunch of Frankensteins up on the Frankston line, dead folk, scratching their neck bolts, it’s not their fault cause they were
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just never given chance, zombies in button up filler pants doing the thriller dance It’s been a long time since Frankston was on a postcard, most of the kids I know from the Peninsula stayed/But if you don’t have a trade then everything is just so hard And your last words are ‘Rosebud’ like Citizen Kane/Man, it all feels like it was yesterday’ Sentry got his big break to escape to Melbourne’s big city in 2009 when Triple J’s Unearthed search for new artists featured his The Waiter Minute EP. His debut album This Was Tomorrow was released in 2012. Sentry’s star is on the rise. A gig at The Hi-Fi venue in Melbourne as part of the Run Tour has sold out and another date has been added on Sunday 8 March. See www.sethsentry.com for details. Listen to Run here:
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‘AT LAST’ VIKA BULL COMES TO THE PENINSULA By Melissa Walsh
LIFE has come full circle for Vika Bull who grew up listening to the late, great Etta James, and now returns to the soul sister’s songs she studied 30 years ago. Following a sell-out season at the Sydney Opera House and major theatres, At Last: The Etta James Story is returning to the stage on 27 March at the Frankston Arts Centre, for one night only. Starring the powerhouse talent of Vika Bull, one of Australia’s most respected, powerful soul singers, At Last has garnered standing ovations and rave reviews throughout its Australian tour. Vika Bull has sung alongside some of Australia’s most iconic voices, but it is in At Last, her first solo headline show, Vika showcases the true depth and range of her soulful, gutsy voice, as she belts out the repertoire of one of the world’s most powerful female singers. “It was actually hard to decide whether to do it when they first asked me. I originally said no because she is my favourite singer and I thought if I didn’t do it properly I would get crucified,” she says with a laugh. “I grew up listening to Etta James and studying her voice to sing like her so it was all the more important for me to do a good job.” After some serious soul searching, Vika says she knew it would be a great opportunity, and after two years on the show she hasn’t looked back. “It has been a bit of a challenge for me but a wonderful experience. The show started exactly a year after Etta James passed away in February 2013, and is a real tribute to her. She is such an amazing singer and most people only know her for At Last, but she has such a huge repertoire,” says Vika, who puts her heart and soul into telling the telling the story of Etta’s turbulent life. “During the show I sing a lot of Etta’s most beloved songs including Tell Mama and Something’s Got A Hold On Me, but there are very low points in her life, and we take the audience through an emotional journey,” says the singer. “The great thing about her is she was a survivor. She talks about her life as a roller coaster and if she had to do it all over again, she wouldn’t change a thing,” says Vika, who is embracing the chance to be a singer and a storyteller. “I believe one of the reasons she had such music arts events entertainment
a magnificent voice was because of her life experience.” Described as a show of raw emotion, punctuated by an intimate telling of Etta’s tumultuous life, Vika guides us through a twohour narrative concert of the 57 year career of the woman who has been recognized as bridging the gap between rhythm and blues, rock and roll and pop. For Vika Bull, whose career continues to take her to amazing places, the journey is still going. “Singing has taken me to some really amazing places and I have met wonderful people,” says Vika, who has been busy touring with Paul Kelly and The Merri Soul Sessions. “The Etta show is completely different from anything I have ever done though. Compared to a tour like this, the whole theatre world is completely different. I like it because it’s a new kind of discipline.” Vika has already had a lifetime of adventures, from singing with the Black Sorrows to performing for the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela, but this down-to-earth songstress finds memorable moments in the simplest things. “Every gig you have great times, and meet interesting people. I even had a great time in Canberra when I went to a couple of exhibitions and saw Sidney Nolan paintings which were a highlight.” For Vika, being on the road is not all sex, drugs and rock and roll. In fact, she explains, it is quite a subdued life. “Because I am using my voice all the time, I have to rest it when I can so you have to sleep, drink lots of water, warm and cool down. And I don’t drink alcohol anymore because that’s really bad for your throat.” As for advice for would-be singers, Vika says it is most important to remain passionate about what you’re doing and also have a thick skin. “You have to be committed to singing because you have a love of it. There are many times when you make no money. You have to have a thick skin because there are times when you are flavour of the month, and times when you are not,” says the mum of a 17 year old. “My daughter plays bass in a band, and we’ve told her she can do whatever she wants but it is a commitment.” For Vika the decision to be a singer happened
when she was 5, having grown up listening to a lot of country music through to Bill Haley, Mahalia Jackson, Elvis and gospel. “We grew up in Doncaster and my parents often got Linda and me to sing at church dinner dances. We were surrounded by music and it was common for the Tongans to go to church a few times a week. Afterwards people would come back and sit around playing guitars and singing songs,” says Vika, who was born to a Tongan mother and Australian father. “I just knew it was what I wanted to do and I have always remained passionate about it.” As with all great artists, the learning still continues for Vika as she takes the show into its second year.
“I’ve had to learn to speak to an audience and have had a lot of help with actors coming in and giving hints on how to connect and tell a story,” says Vika who admits to still feeling nervous before a performance. “One thing I know for sure is we are always respectful of Etta when we tell her story. She was an incredible singer who lived the blues and it is an honour to be able to pay tribute to her in this way.” Vika Bull is backed by the sizzling hot 8-piece The Essential R&B Band in At Last, The Etta James Story at Frankston Arts Centre on Friday 27 March. Call 9784 1060 or see www. thefac.com.au
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COMMEMORATING
100 YEARS OF ANZAC
HAPPY GO BLUES By Simon Burke
HASTINGS’ very own garage rock ‘n’ roll blues band Happy Go Blues are here and what better stage for them to play on than the Hastings Day Westernport Festival on the weekend of 20-22 February. The three-piece formed in 2013 channelling rock gods like Cream and Jimi Hendrix into songs with classic rock inspired vibes and old school grooves. Initially intending to be a slightly larger group, Sean, Callum and Jesse had trouble finding musicians able to cope with the many songs spilling out of their heads so Sean took over lead vocals as well as base. Since then they have been jamming and annoying the locals and even recorded their first live demo in two days. Happy Go Blues will now be shake rattle and rollin’ with Dirty Boogie, Rob Papp, Safari Motel, Atomic HiTones and many more as one of the festivals top acts. Catch Happy Go Blues at the Westernport Festival, Hastings Foreshore, Friday 20 February, RPP FM Stage, 6-7.15 pm.
SUPPORTING OUR OWN BACKYARD By Sarah McLennan Featuring an all local live music line-up for the first time in many years, the 2015 Western Port Festival – in conjunction with its main stage sponsor RPP FM – will feature three days of live music at the Hastings Foreshore, 20-22 February 2015. Festival President, Chris McLennan, explains: “It was an important step forward for the festival to focus on supporting local artists. It’s a big leap for an artist to perform in front
of a crowd, but it can be just as difficult to be presented with such an opportunity. As a community festival, we have the ability to support and expedite their potential through such opportunity, after all – some of the best artists in this country come from our own backyard, the Mornington Peninsula.” The Western Port Festival, now in its 46th year is one of only a handful of remaining volunteer run ‘free’ community festivals in
Victoria. Going from strength to strength, its anticipating some of the largest crowds it has ever experienced thanks to its free entry and alcohol free, family friendly environment. Make sure you don’t miss the largest event on the Mornington Peninsula events calendar. To find out more, scan here:
DEEP IN THE NIGHT TOUR
The The Etta James Story
Etta James Story
SSTARRING TARRING VVIKA IKA BBULL ULL AAND ND TTHE HE EESSENTIAL SSENTIAL RR&B &B BBAND AND facebook.com/atlasttheettajamesstory fac aceb eboo eb o k. oo k co com/ m/at m/ a laast at stth thee th eett ee tttaj ttaj ajam am mes esst stor st oryy or
music arts events entertainment
@ @AtLastEttaJames AtLasstEtt ttaaJ aJames am mes e ww www. www.room8.com.au w.ro w. rooom m8..cco com. om. m auu
THURSDAY 26 MARCH
GGEELONG EELONG PPERFORMING ERFORMING AARTS RTS CCENTRE ENTRE GGPAC.ORG.AU PAC.ORG.AU – PPHONE HONE 55225 225 11200 200
FRIDAY 27 MARCH FFRANKSTON RANKSTON AARTS RTS CCENTRE ENTRE
TTHEFAC.COM.AU HEFAC.CCOM.AU – PHONE PHONE 9784 9784 1060 106 0 visit mintmagazine.com.au like us at facebook: mint mag
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WHAT’S ON AT...
CNR NEPEAN HWY & DAVEYS ST FRANKSTON PH 9783 7255 DAVEYSHOTEL@ ALHGROUP.COM.AU WWW.DAVEYS.COM.AU WWW.FB.COM/DAVEYSHOTEL
TO NAME A FOO By Simon Burke
HOT on the heels of the ‘Foo Fighters’ new album Sonic Highways last November, Melbourne tribute band Fighting Foo show their appreciation for the US rock band at the Somerville Hotel on Friday 20 February. With decades of live gigging behind them, Ken Galea has teamed up with Dan Cass ,Warren
Vassallo and singer/guitarist Nick Fletcher to form Fighting Foo aiming to deliver all the Foo’s greatest hits. The guys pack a mighty rock ‘n’ roll punch as they blast hit after hit in a great live show that presents material from all over the Foo Fighters catalogue. Fighting Foo play just eight days before their
heroes rock out Melbourne at the Etihad Stadium and will no doubt have this in mind as they perform a masterful tribute to the audience. So if you can’t get a ticket to see the real thing, hear all your favourite Foeys’ songs played live a week earlier. Or even if you are lucky enough to have a ticket then warm yourself up for the main event with a
bit of Best Of You or Monkey Wrench. Either way, this will be an unmissable event, almost as popular as the real thing. Let’s make the Somerville Hotel, 84 Station Street, Somerville, feel like the Etihad Stadium on Friday 20 February. More info at somervillehotel.com.au
Singing, Guitar & Piano lessons BOOK NOW for our Songwriting Workshop !!
music arts events entertainment
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The Social • Gary Sissons
hot shots
TIDBITS & TALES
hot shots
By Terri Lee Fatouros
The Sandy Hotel • KJD Photographyy
WELL something exciting is happening around the traps for local bands, with the first event occurring in Frankston on Saturday 28 February. Black Thorn Music Promotions hope to engage punters in their local communities by setting up venues for non-working bands to showcase their talent.
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MINT Magazine February
The first venue to start is the Frankston Football Club in Plowman Place, Frankston starting at 7.30pm (28 Feb). A well-priced entry fee of $5 goes towards the bands, so please come along and support your local talent. Any bands interested in jumping aboard this fast speeding express are best contacting Blackthorn music promotions Facebook page or emailing Rita at blackthornpromotions@gmail.com EXP, the Hendrix and British rock band will be playing on the night
2015
with The Burn and The Hadron Kaleidoscopes which DO EXIST!!!! Speaking of great talent, I saw my friend, Debbie Lobley Wright’s, (former Size Matters and Green Arrows band) gig the other night at the newly refurbished OneFourteen bar at Mentone. Deb was front vocals for the night with MLC (Midlife Crisis) consisting of Barry Smith, Gary Brown, Mike Greenwood, Peter Newson, Frank Briner and Conrad De Silver. Looking so sexy in her black faux leather top and tight leopard pant and boots, this quintessential rock chick belted out some cool tunes in her husky voice. It was a real pleasure seeing Deb doing her stuff after a short sabbatical. Ok lovelies, I hope to see you dancing and having fun around the various venues. Hugs and kisses.
bayside & mornington peninsula
Saturday 28 FEB AND Sunday 1 March $2RY
PETER SCULLIN RESERVE MORDIALLOC
ENT ILIES
$5 FAM
PERFORMER highlightss Saturday PIER STAGE
KINGSWOOD SATURDAY 9PM
12pm Benny Walker Band 2pm Sal Kimber & the Rollin Wheel 9pm Kingswood
PIER STAGE 12pm Renee Geyer 3pm Hat Fitz & Cara 5pm Russel Morris
SUNDAY 5PM
CHEF’S KITCHEN Spice People blend your own spices Firegreen Foods vegan nibbles Oscars Hangout chef challenge
Beach stage 11.30AM Harrison Storm 2.45PM The Dirty Boogie Band 7.45PM Paul Williamson Hammond Combo
Sunday
RUSSELL MORRIS
culinaryI N dT HeElights
Beach stage gee 11.30Am Savore 1.45pmTodd Cook 3.45pm The Blue Souls
KINGSTON.VIC.GOV.AU/MORDIFEST
DELISH!
grab a bite from one of our food vendors
Gozlame FALAFEL GOURMET BURGERS
gourmet sausage rolls
pizza
twisty potatoes
calamari
icecream
! CHICKEN HICKE
For full program listings and the latest updates go to
kingston.vic.gov.au/onlineprogram
WINE & MUSIC FESTIVAL By Simon Burke
MORDIALLOC Food, Wine & Music Festival coming soon! A massive line-up of musicians headlined by breakthrough indie rock band Kingswood on Saturday and Aussie music legend Russell Morris on Sunday are set to draw the crowds to Kingston’s two-day Mordialloc Food, Wine & Music Festival. The much-loved annual event is on Saturday 28 February and Sunday 1 March at Peter Scullin Reserve, Beach Rd, Mordialloc. It will feature non-stop music across three stages, roving performers, chef demonstrations, gourmet food and wine stalls, rides, children’s activities and more. Mordialloc by the Bay Fine Food, Wine and Music Festival is Kingston’s most well-attended event in Kingston’s season of festivals. It is renowned for attracting legendary musicians, up-and-coming bands, top chefs and a mouth-watering selection of gourmet food, regionally-made wines and boutique beers. The festival runs from 11am to 10.30pm on Saturday and 11am to 6pm on Sunday and is expected to attract more than 60,000 people over two days to the magnificent Mordialloc foreshore. The Mordialloc Food, Wine & Music Festival is a family-friendly event with no BYO or dogs allowed. While parking is available in Mordialloc around the festival site, patrons are encouraged to use public transport to attend the event. A free shuttle bus will run each day of the festival from Parkdale Station to the festival (and back) stopping all bus stops every 20 minutes. The Mordialloc Food, Wine and Music Festival is presented by the City of Kingston and sponsored by Bank of Melbourne and Quest. For further details visit www.kingston.vic.gov. au or call 1300 653 356.
MUSIC ALMOST 50 bands featuring rock, pop, blues, jazz, folk and country will perform across three stages during the two-day festival including:
KINGSWOOD MELBOURNE rockers Kingswood have taken the country by storm touring with Grinspoon, The Living End and even music arts events entertainment
Aerosmith as well as performing on the festival circuit at Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass, Pyramid Rock and more.
RENEE GEYER AUSTRALIAN music legend Renee Geyer has been thrilling audiences for four decades with her jazz, blues and soul hits. She has performed with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Sting and Joe Cocker.
RUSSELL MORRIS
KINGSWOOD
BUDDHA IN A CHOCOLATE BOX
RENEE GEYER
SPICE CRATE
RUSSELL Morris is one of Australia’s most enduring singers. A major pop star in the late ‘60s, with major hits including international smash The Real Thing, he went on to become one of the country’s first singer songwriters.
BUDDHA IN A CHOCOLATE BOX THE five-piece alternative/folk group is developing its own Aussie folk/roots sound showcased on their recently released debut album that is making waves in the Aussie music scene.
FOOD & WINE Enjoy the world on a plate with a host of food offerings from across the world, watch chef demonstrations, browse market stalls featuring gourmet products and sip on wine, beer and cider from some of Melbournes best including local favourites 2 Brothers Brewery, Mordialloc Cellar Door and Northway Downs.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE Chef Ryan Harris: from Black Rock newcomer Ebenezer Coffee and Wine Bar, will demonstrate some of his favourite recipes honed from his years working in top restaurants including Circa, Pei Modern and the Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder.
SPICE CRATE THEY bring the Deep South to Down Under demonstrating a range of delicious salsa, sauces and rubs learnt in his youth spent in Texas. The Spice People: Founder Liz Edgecombe presents recipes that embrace food that comes straight from the farm to the table. Learn how to introduce herbs and spices to your cooking for healthier, tastier meals the whole family with love. For a full rundown of festival performers and events see kingston.vic.gov.au
RUSSELL MORRIS
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WE LOVE URIAH, HEEPS By Simon Burke GET ready to welcome back to Australia one of the biggest rock bands of the 1970s on Sunday 22 March as Uriah Heep perform live at the Chelsea Heights hotel. Once known as one of ‘The Big Four’ alongside Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, the British rock group have been tearing up the music scene for over 45 years with their unique, progressive, hard sound.
a part in all 23 studio albums that includes Demons and Wizards (1972), Abominog (1982), and their most recent release, 2011’s Into The Wild. Their 40 million record sales worldwide speaks for itself. The band have retained a cult following and a ‘never say die’ spirit during constant upheaval throughout their history and their performance at the 2013 Download Festival in the UK was hailed as the highlight of the weekend.
Uriah Heep have been a mainstay of the rock circuit for four decades, famed for their accomplished musical talents, diverse song writing and powerful live performances. It is for this reason that Australian audiences have taken them into their hard rocking hearts with the band scoring consecutive charting albums and singles in the country. What’s more, in 2003 Uriah Heep enlisted the vocal talents of none other than Aussie rock legend Jimmy Barnes on the Relentless album, thus cementing their affinity to this country.
If the history of Uriah Heep proves anything, it is that the band will endure, with their diary for the foreseeable future as full as ever. So, be quick to get your tickets to Uriah Heep, at the Chelsea Heights Hotel,Cnr Springvale Rd & Wells Rd, Chelsea Heights, Sunday 22 March, as the group’s last tour of Australia in 2011 resulted in sell out shows. Ticket information at chelseaheightshotel.com.au
Original member and lead guitarist Mick Box still helms this incredible outfit and played
Listen to Uriah Heep’s “Look at Yourself”:
Davey’s Hotel • Gary Sissons
hot shots
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MINT Magazine February
2015
bayside & mornington peninsula
THE HALLAM HOTEL Cnr Princess Hwy & Hallam Rd Hallam TICKETS & ENQUIRIES CALL 8786 0200 FIND US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/HallemHotel www.hallamhotel.com.au
BABBA ARE BACK IN TOWN By Cameron McCullough THE Somerville Hotel is going back to what was the hysteria of the 70s in modern Australia with the best ABBA experience in Melbourne. Babba will be playing LIVE on the Friday 20 March. BABBA is the most exciting and musically accurate tribute to ABBA in the world. In a spellbinding performance of all the hits BABBA takes you on a musical journey that will have you on your feet uncontrollably.
BABBA performing live at Melbourne Zoo:
Since 1994 BABBA have performed all over Australia, Asia and New Zealand to sold out audiences and rave reviews. Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Frida have returned (with the help of a cryogenic freezer and some cosmetic surgery) to transport you back to the 70s with a show full of humour, great costumes, Swedish accents and fun-filled dance floor action. With spine tingling harmonies and a band that will rock your socks off, BABBA is simply the best night out. You can book now with tickets starting at just $30! Visit www.somervillehotel.com.au
Peninsula Blues Sessions
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MINT Magazine ď ¸ February
2015
bayside & mornington peninsula
PRESENTS
DRaKE AVICII PRODIGy THE
FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN AUSTRALIA
KNIFE PARTY · AFROJACK MARTIN GARRIX · HILLTOP HOODS NERO · EXAMPLE · DIE ANTWOORD · SIGMA · 2 CHAINZ · KIESZA · TCHAMI BLASTERJAXX · TIMMY TRUMPET CARNAGE · ROBIN SCHULZ GORGON CITY · KLINGANDE · BASSJACKERS · YELLOW CLAW · THROTTLE
DARUDE COCOON SVEN VäTH SPECIAL GUEST
SPECIAL GUEST
PRESENTS
SETH TROXLER · GREEN VELVET · ART DEPARTMENT APOLLONIA : SHONKY · DAN GHENACIA · DYED SOUNDOROM & MORE SUNDAY 8TH MARCH FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE FULL INFO FUTUREMUSICFESTIVAL.COM.AU
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WHAT’S ON AT...
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Peninsula Short Film Festival • Yanni
hot shots
music arts events entertainment
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31
MORE JAZZ THAN EVER BEFORE! TWILIGHT JAZZ AT DAME ELISABETH MURDOCH’S CRUDEN FARM By Lyn Johnson
MCCLELLAND’S ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT IS BACK AGAIN IN 2015 SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2015 FEATURING •Mrs mippy jazz band featuring Pippa Wilson, Dukes of Debonaire, the Beckitt •Brothers & The Frankston High School Senior
across two locations within the grounds of Cruden Farm. Browse the gift stall or purchase Elgee Park wines, soft drinks, tea, coffee or the ever popular gourmet sausage sizzle. TICKETS $20 pre-purchased Incl $3 non-refundable booking fee
•Stage Band – Directed by Leon de Bruin
Pre-purchase available up to 3pm on Friday 27 February
4.00pm to 8.00pm
$25 on the day (only available at the gate)
Enter via Cranhaven Road, Langwarrin (Gates open at 3pm) MEL REF: 103 G6
Ticket price includes a free coffee at McClelland Cafe, valid 28 Feb to 31 March.
Bring your picnic basket, rug, table and chairs and sit back and enjoy the ambience and surrounds of the beautiful gardens and lakes whilst being entertained by a variety of bands
Children under 12, free.
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MINT Magazine February
2015
Bookings 03 9789 1671 www.mcclellandgallery.com bayside & mornington peninsula
Twilight Jazz at Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s Cruden Farm Saturday 28 February 2015 4pm to 8pm Enter via Cranhaven Road
(Mel Ref 103 G6)
Featuring: mrs sippy jazz band featuring Pippa Wilson, Dukes of Debonaire, the Beckitt Brothers & The Frankston High School Senior Stage Band – Directed by Leon de Bruin Bring your picnic basket, rug, table and chairs and sit back and enjoy the ambience of the beautiful Cruden Farm garden and lakes. Wine, soft drink, tea, coffee and gourmet sausages available for purchase.
Tickets: $20 pre purchased on 03 9789 1671 or $25 on the day at the gate. Children under 12 free
www.mcclellandgallery.com
© ivorydesign.com.au
AWARD WINNING
ROSEBUD
KITE FESTIVAL ROSEBUD FORESHORE JETTY ROAD SAT TH & SUN TH MARCH 201 SATURDAY: 10am - 1pm
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Proudly presented by Rosebud Chamber of Commerce www.rosebudkitefestival.com.au More info: 0403 889 559
WINGED WONDERS IN THE SKIES OVER ROSEBUD! THE ROSEBUD KITE FESTIVAL NOW in its eleventh year, the special atmosphere generated on the foreshore at Rosebud over the Labour Day weekend will be boosted by a spectacular, world first, aero display. Spectators will be delighted with the new trio of maxi kites which will be flown on Sunday 8 March, which is the main festival day. Star of the show will be Toothless, the black dragon, most frequently seen on the big screen, animated in 3D. This ‘dragon with attitude’ has recently been involved in hair raising, promotional stunts across the world, including the technically complicated, but successful spectacle of him flying under London Bridge on the Thames. This once-in-a-lifetime flight, as you can imagine, involved many complicated approvals and logistical issues. Similar stunts planned for San Francisco were foiled by American red tape but there are no such issues at Rosebud, when Toothless will be unrestricted in his aero adventures! Joining him will be Puff, the red dragon and graceful Pegasus, a white winged horse. This will be the first time these three flying beasts have featured in the one arena and will be a treat for the Rosebud spectators. With its iconic location on the Rosebud beach, festival goers will look to both the skyline and shoreline for an impressive array of beautiful kites and fun, family activities. This ‘all ages’ event has grown to include a host of kids workshops, kite craft, carnival rides, food stalls, kite surfing displays, ‘come and try’ stand up paddle boarding as well as a full program of live entertainment. The Dreaming Space yellow, circus tent will be back with a program of comedy shows and skills workshops plus, for the brave at heart, Blacksnake Productions’ wildlife and reptile marquee will be there for some ‘touch and feel’ sessions. Close by will be Coralia the Mermaid, educating kids on sea life in a light hearted way but while wandering along the foreshore, remember to keep an eye out for the roving appearances of the ever popular Tubby the Robot and new guest life-size Gemma the Giraffe.
music arts events entertainment
Gracing the main stage from 11am-5pm on Sunday will be a variety of live acts including young local musicians, Trudy and the Cowboys, Suga Tree, Heidi Luckhurst, Nicola Brown and Corz and the Collier. There are plenty of food stalls throughout the site, but bring a rug, or folding chair and be prepared to stay a few hours, as you won’t be able to tear yourself away from all the activity! Free entry. Parking available on Village Green and along Pt Nepean Road. Facebook: RosebudKiteFestival.
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HIP TO BE COUNTRY By Lachlan Bryan
FOR over two years now I’ve been preaching the merits of alt-country, Americana, country-folk and country-blues – urging you, the music-loving population of the Mornington Peninsula, to give this great music a shot.
and a festival obviously open to the word ‘country’, even when preceded by the word ‘alternative’. But what about us? How far do us southern suburbs folk need to go to experience the joys of alt-country and Americana? Well, the answer is a definitive ‘not very’.
Only trouble is, this kind of music doesn’t get a lot of media attention, even within country music circles. As a result, when you guys here me say the word ‘country’ you probably think of ‘the usual suspects’ - the Australian country music stars that were on your TV screens in the late 90s (thanks to Hey Hey It’s Saturday) or the American big shots that visit our shores every now and again.
Whilst The Caravan Club in Oakleigh, Baha in Rye and MOTH (Music on the Hill) in Red Hill continue to serve up a fine array of artists that adhere to the alt-country aesthetic, this month I’m going to turn your attention to The Melbourne Folk Club, located in the old Trades Hall on the corner of Lygon and Victoria Streets, Melbourne. The reason is that some one of my favourite exponents of this genre, Jordie Lane, will be performing on March 11. For me, Jordie is one of Australia’s most under-rated artists – a guy that should be much more famous than he is. He probably calls himself ‘singer-songwriter’ or even ‘folk singer’ rather than country artist, but there’s no doubt in my mind that his music typifies alt-country.
Now I have nothing at all against those ‘usual suspects’. In fact, I’m pleased to call a handful of them good friends. But the style of country music that I’m particularly interested in takes place mostly in dark, sticky-carpeted bandrooms in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and hardly ever makes it to The Palms at Crown or even The Hallam Hotel. Lately, however, I’ve gotten the distinct feeling that things are about to change. You see, I’ve just gotten back from the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival and, from my perspective, this year’s event was all about alternative country. I couldn’t be more proud of the fact that folks like Dan Waters, Ruby Boots, Mustered Courage, Henry Wagons, Matt Henry, Jemma Nicole and others made the trek to the Country Music Capital – nor could I be more pleased with the way that Tamworth venues, promoters and crowds received these left-field country-practitioners with open arms. Alt-country even made it onto the main stage with the first ever Americana in the Park concert, hosted by the Peninsula’s own Weeping Willows.
Tickets for Jordie and the wealth of other artists playing Melbourne Folk Club are available at www.themelbournefolkclub.com I recommend you get to the website and check out the program. Lachlan Bryan is primarily a singer songwriter. His third album Black Coffee is out now. He also moonlights as a gifted observer and music journalist, writing monthly for MINT Magazine on all things folk/country/bluegrass.
But of course that’s Tamworth – a town
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bayside & mornington peninsula
BLUES ILLUSTRATED By Greg Fisher
PENINSULA BLUES SESSIONS ARE BORN
ANDY PHILLIPS & THE CADILLAC WALK
THE Mornington Peninsula Blues Sessions (pictured) has arrived on the Australian Blues calendar with the first instalment (LEGENDS) launching at the Peninsula Community Theatre in Mornington on Saturday January 10. Fiona Boyes, Lloyd Spiegel, Geoff Achison and Chris Wilson entertained a packed house of over 250 people. Each of the artists showed us why they are indeed Blues Legends and the audience was treated to a series of rotating micro sets in both an acoustic blues and electric blues format. In the second half of the show Tim Burnham (drums) and Karl Willebrandt (bass) stepped up to provide a rhythm section and the sparks began to fly as the Blues royalty let out all stops ending with an all in Jam; no surprise that a standing ovation followed the Blues classic Killing Floo. Well done to all involved. Please check out www. morningtonpeninsulabluessessions.com for the next session planned for around July this year. It’s going to be a hard act to follow.
ANDY Phillips & the Cadillac Walk returned to the Frankston waterfront festival and pushed back the clouds for a great Sunday afternoon show. The band (Andy Phillips guitar-vocals, Glenn Sharp bass and Chris Mann drums) have just recorded their debut EP. The album was produced by Sean O’Sullivan and Mike Elrington at Highway 9 Productions in Jan 2015 and is well worth a listen. Get a sneak peak here:
CHAIN
THE originators of Oz-Blues, CHAIN will return to the Caravan Music Club on Feb 28. Having formed some 46 years ago this iconic band has some unforgettable hits from the early 1970s – BLACK ’N BLUE, JUDGEMENT and Matt Taylor’s I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS YOUNG. Their Blues show was a sell out last year and should not be missed this time around.
BALNARRING MUSO NIGHT BALNARRING Music Nights are back for 2015 at the Balnarring Hall, FrankstonFlinders Rd Balnarring. Doors open at 7pm
and the music starts at 8pm. Anyone who enjoys music can be a part of Balnarring’s music night. For more details please check:
MORDIALLOC FOOD, WINE & MUSIC FESTIVAL
THE Mordialloc Fine Food, Wine and Music Festival is a two-day event held at Peter Scullin Reserve, Mordialloc on Saturday 28 February and Sunday 1 March. There is a talented lineup of Jazz, Blues and Swing performances over two stages, in addition to the intimate performance space of the Jam Café. The Blues duo, Wilson and White will be appearing at 3pm on the Pier stage on Beach road. Please check out for more details:
PENINSULA BLUES CLUB WHO better to kick start the Peninsula Blues Club (PBC) calendar for 2015 than the Peninsula’s own Rob Papp and Dave Nunn? Rob and Dave opened the night‘s proceedings with a great mix of
blues fusion and acoustic blues. Rob and Dave’s masterful skills continued on into the evening throughout the house band’s electric set and on to the Jam sessions which had many in the audience up and dancing.The PBC Patron Alex Burns and Andrew Swann will return as the feature act next month. For more details please check:
DON’T MISS THE Bruthen Blues and Arts festival, Australia’s biggest little blues festival 13-15 February 2015. Until next month, let’s keep the blues alive and support our local artists. If you know of something happening in the Blues world please drop Greg a line at: bluesillustrated@gmail.com or www.facebook. com/GregFisherBluesIllustrated. Greg can also be heard on Thursdays evenings between 10 pm-1am on 88.3 Southern FM as the host of the all Australian BLUES ILLUSTRATED show.
the latest news, artist profiles, exhibitions and artist studio trails, performances, festivals and events
artsonthepeninsula.com music arts events entertainment
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MUSIC BETWEEN THE LINES... By Kog Ravindran MAYBE it was Picasso, maybe it was Stravinsky, maybe it was T.S Elliot, but one or potentially all of these great cultural giants once said ‘Good artists borrow, great artists steal’. IT’S an interesting thought, the idea that these creators of imaginative beauty would subscribe to such a theory. But how much is inspiration and how much is fraudulent? How much is calculated reinvention and how much is ignorant imitation? I tend to think that truly prolific creators have an ability to see and hear the world from a different perspective and while they may admit to artistic robbery, the imprint of their creative DNA on an obvious copy makes it uniquely their own – These ability is reserved for the top 1%. Art, as a product of human behaviour, can never be truly original. Charlie Chaplin once said, the only way you could make a truly original movie was to not show a child a film for the first five years of his or her life and then hand them a camera. What am I trying to say? It’s a slightly convoluted musical vent. Recently it came to light that Tom Petty sued Sam Smith because his 2014 hit Stay With Me had a resemblance to Petty’s 1989 hit I Won’t Back Down. There was an out of court settlement
creativity. All I can say is that it’s all quite Petty – oh yeah! Pun of the day. Moving on. I’m annoyed by this lawsuit because I don’t think Petty’s claim is strong, but I’m sure there’s more to the story. Often writers don’t own their songs and it’s their publishers who pursue these legal ventures. Saying that, there have been some very legitimate cases in the past where songs with vital and often unique elements of a song appear to have been lifted. The owners of The Chiffons 1963 hit He’s So Fine sued George Harrison because it sounded a LOT like Harrison’s My Sweet Lord. The same goes with The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony and the orchestral version of The Rolling Stone’s The Last Time. These, despite the lack of intent, sounded like direct copies. late last year, Petty and song writing partner Jeff Lyne are now credited as co-writers on the song and the pair will receive royalties in the future. Smith claims the resemblance which might I say exists, but in a very weak form- was purely accidental. I tend to believe Smith, but quite smartly he has settled out of court in order to save himself the financial pain of a court battle and the most valuable commodity to a rising musician
SUNSHINE AVENUE
– time. Petty on the other hand doesn’t care too much for time, he hasn’t made a decent album in decades and when he was making good music it wasn’t exactly Mozart. Speaking of Mozart, do you think when Mozart’s teacher and mentor Franz Joseph Haydn first heard the original work of young Amadeus he considered taking him to court? Unfortunately, the music industry today is much more about economics than it is about
UPTOWN SPECIAL
ANDY Jans-Brown & COZ*MIC
MARK Ronson
(Independent)
(Sony Music)
FOLLOW Your Heart Records and Andy Jans-Brown & COZ*MIC are proud to announce the launch of their second double album Sunshine Avenue.
SOMETIMES it’s tough being a successful DJ and producer. Being a backroom boy or girl can grind down the power behind the throne of many a pop success.
What is so inspiring about Jans-Brown’s latest, apart from him writing and mixing all his songs, is that most of the tunes reflect Jans-Brown philosophy and thoughts on life. THE album is filled with an upbeat collection of catchy sing along indie rock pop sprinkled with some moving ballads.
It’s not a situation Mark Ronson has settled for. The 39-year-old has carved out a successful career under his own name alongside adding his production sheen to monster hits by the likes of Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Adele and Bruno Mars.
Sunshine Avenue explores the impact of our conscious awareness around our own mortality through optimistic rose-colored glasses and a shake your booty Carpe Diem attitude. Jans-Brown grew up in suburban Melbourne in the 70s and 80s, and feels this album draws its influence from him listening to everything from Bowie, Stones, Doors, Eagles, Springsteen, AC-DC and Jackson Browne. His earlier music, particularly Dressed in
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It’s a tough question. How similar is too similar? Often we take ourselves too seriously when it comes to what we do in life and musicians have a particularly rare kind of arrogance and ego when it comes to what they do. Some focus too much on how their creation shapes their own identity and their own influence. But if they all focused on their creation as a means to connect and move the human population around us, we should all be fine.
2015
a Woman’s Clothes, made it to number one of the triple j Unearthed indie chart and was nominated for a Music Oz award in 2013. The film clip stared seven times Logie award winner, Paula Duncan. JansBrown plans to tour Melbourne in March. TERRI LEE FATOUROS
Uptown Special is his fourth album and builds on the momentum of successful second shot Version (2007) and third effort Record Collection (2009). Moving in music’s upper decks of success means Ronson has access to the latest movers and shakers. Uptown Special is no exception. The Bruno Mars fronted Uptown Funk single gave a hint of the funk bursting to erupt from the album’s 11 tracks. Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker and soul legend Stevie Wonder are just two of the
collaborators to bring their vibes to Uptown Special. Nothing else matches Uptown Funk’s superior strut (‘Girls hit your hallelujah/cause Uptown Funk gon’ give it to you’) but, to be fair, nothing else has since Daft Punk’s Get Lucky waaaaay back...in 2013. Other highlights include the ghost of James Brown haunting Feel Right’s grooves - even if The Godfather of Soul is not present - and the peak Prince alike pop of In Case of Fire. NICK FISKE bayside & mornington peninsula
CLASSIC CUTS AMERICAN born singer songwriter JJ Cale first came to the attention of the music world when Eric Clapton heard a 1966 demo of Cales’ After Midnight which he subsequently recorded and released as a single in October 1970.
There is nothing pretentious with this guy. No heavy or commercial rock stuff, just lashings of his own blend of blues, bluegrass, jazz and country rock which he has since been credited with as being a co-founder of the sound we now call the Tulsa sound. There are no filler tracks on Naturally, just gems like the slow ballad Magnolia, the bluesy Call the Doctor and his hit single Crazy Mama which is probably as good an example of Cale’s typical style as you will get.
Clapton’s cover version was included on his self titled debut solo album of 1970 bringing the spotlight to the otherwise virtually unknown JJ Cale. Cale was encouraged to capitalise on the songs’ success by recording his own album which he promptly did and was released in December 1971 titled Naturally. The album, which cover features a cheeky looking raccoon became reasonably successful, reaching number 51 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Naturally was to be the beginning of a long music career of over 40 years releasing 14 albums until his death in 2013. The album opens with Call Me The Breeze
Hendrix were the world’s two best electric guitar players. Whilst I don’t exactly agree with him, it’s certainly a great compliment coming from someone like Neil Young who has himself been a great influence on many musicians over the years. It’s no big surprise that JJ didn’t become a household name as his musical style was more of an opposition to the commercial pop rock sound of the day.
River deep was a song that influenced Mark Knopfler in a big way, particularly on Six Blade Knife which later featured on Dire Straits’ self titled debut album in 1978.
He preferred to maintain his couldn’t-careless approach to popular music with an electric guitar in a similar way that Dylan did during his early acoustic days.
which Clapton claims to have been an influence on him particularly with its shuffle type rhythm. The song was also covered later on by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Other tracks include Don’t go to Strangers, Woman I Love, Clyde, Nowhere to run, Bringing it Back and the closing track Crying Eyes.
In 1976, Cale released his fourth album Troubadour which many regard as their favourite, probably due mainly to the inclusion of his massive hit Cocaine.
The entire album is very laidback, non-urgent with smooth guitar licks delivered with Cale’s typical relaxed, mellow vocal style.
Over the years JJ Cale has influenced many musicians.
My advice would be to go out and get both Troubadour AND Naturally, but the latter remains my favourite by a raccoon’s whisker.
MISSED THE MARK PROGRESSIVE rock was a curious beast. A unicorn, most probably. Or maybe a typhon. It’s difficult to say with any great degree of certainty. With an emphasis on good musicianship, progressive rock bands felt the need to demonstrate every last inch of their virtuosity through interminably long, widdly solos. They saw themselves as ‘serious’ musicians who made serious music. And if that sounds harmless enough, it should be remembered that it was precisely this environment that allowed ‘Disco Fever’ to prosper.
Neil Young once stated that Cale and Jimi
By Stuart McCullough Truly.) They’re probably best known for their instrumental rendition of Theme for the Common Man. There’s something horribly condescending about a progressive rock band performing the Theme for the Common Man. To be honest, I would have thought that any song laying claim to such a title would have to include the lyrics ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi’ in there somewhere. Or, perhaps, ‘More Beer, More Beer, More Beer, More Beer’ etc.
Of all the progressive rock bands that bestrode the earth in the 1970s, none represented all that was good, bad and ugly about the genre quite like Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Even the name affixes it squarely to the past. For a brief period in the seventies, bands took a shine to simply listing their surnames in lieu of a proper moniker. It made them sound like accounting firms rather than rock groups. Not only did Emerson Lake and Palmer sound like people who should be filing your tax return, they committed the other great sin of the age: they were a supergroup.
Back in the 1980s, band posters in Melbourne used to follow a very precise formula. It wasn’t enough to simply tell you which band was playing where; you had to list the various band members and list the bands the used to play in. Thus, you might see a poster for a Thursday night slot at the Village Green Hotel with The Toilets (featuring Troy Dingle, ex Barry Spaz and the Nuff Nuffs, Gavin Twizzler, ex The Chrome Domes and Trevor Cesspit ex roadie). You get the idea. Supergroups are also guilty of this sin.
Sometimes the total is not nearly the sum of the constituent parts. It’s certainly true of my attempts to cook paella and it’s also true of music. Without exception, supergroups are all rubbish.
In case of Emerson, Lake and Palmer (or ‘ELP’ if you prefer), it was a matter of Keith Emerson (ex The Nice), Greg Lake (ex King Crimson) and Carl Palmer (ex Barry Spaz and the Nuff Nuffs, ex Atomic Rooster.
music arts events entertainment
By Ray McGrotty (Record City)
For much of the decade, the seventies were theirs. By that, I don’t mean that their fans were older but still willing. Rather, that nearly everything they touched seemed to turn to gold records. That is, until their final album. The album Love Beach is every bit the putrid stinking mess the title suggests it might be. Exhausted after an extensive bout of touring, the band were pretty much sick of the sight of each other. To say nothing of the sound of each other. What better way to test whether the world, en mass, was equally sick of them than to send them to an island and force them to make an album? Surely there’s a reality television series just waiting to be made along these exact lines. They must have reasoned that if they stuck to what they do best, things would work out. Outrageously pompous fifteen minute song-cycle? Check. Heroic guitar and drums? Double check. Squibbly wibbly synthesizers?
Present and accounted for. Songs? Songs? Are there any songs here? Alas no. I guess everyone forgets something sometimes. Sadly, Love Beach has the overwhelming stench of contractual obligation hanging over it. They were forced together to make an album they weren’t interested in and it shows. In fact, two of the three members of the band left the island even before the album was mixed. Within a year of completing the record, the band broke up. Although the music is terrible, the album sleeve is an entirely different matter. It features the three members of the band standing on a beach. Presumably not just any old beach but Love Beach. There’s a lots of hairy chests and gleaming teeth on display. Say what you will about their music, but their commitment to quality dentistry is beyond criticism. One member of the band has on a pair of white trousers that are so tight, they may technically constitute a second skin. They later complained that it made them look like ‘the Bee Gees’. If only they had sounded like the brothers Gibb, we’d have all be better off. Things are seldom as they appear. To look at the album cover, you’d think ELP were having the time of their lives. Instead, contractually shackled and forced to work in the Bahamas, they did the best they could. Poor Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
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YOUTUBE GEMS
Mint Magazine, PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915 Email: letters@mintmagazine.com.au
By Hadyn Levett
ENTER SANDMAN BY THE MINI BAND Metallica is a no-go zone when covering songs but these kids pull it off. Heavy stuff.
JAMES ANDERSON – SOMEONE LIKE YOU COVER - ADELE Anderson’s voice is heavenly. It’s smooth, textured and everything in between. Any kid that can cover Adele deserves a gold medal.
GREYSON CHANCE SINGING PAPARAZZI This kid has a voice and skills on the keys. Confidence is everything in the music business, something Chance has by the bucket load.
MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS – THRIFT SHOP FEAT. WANZ The kid believes he is bigger than Bieber. What’s not enjoyable about that?
7-YEAR-OLD MINI BAND GUITARIST ZOE THOMPSON PLAYS Zoe (playing sweet child of mine by guns ‘n roses) can play better than most that are twice her age. Some serious promise from this young gun.
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2015
Dear Mint Magazine, Just a little note to say welcome to your new premises. This humble little industrial complex is very pleased to have your magazine here, and I am sure you will add to the vibrancy of this proud and hard working group of businesses. I regularly attend power-breakfasts and motivational sessions with likeminded business people. I’d like to invite you along to one of these as they are great for networking, and building confidence, and getting a hot breakfast. Yours sincerely, Gavin Tompkins Settlers Conveyancing Dear Mint Magazine, Thank you for your letter dated 2nd February 2015. As the Body Corporate managers for the complex in which your business now operates, we are responsible for the management of the building for the good of all tenants. For this reason, we must decline your request for a helipad to be installed on the top of the building.
My late husband had/has Eighty Million USD ($80,000,000.00) specially preserved and well packed in trunk boxes of which only my husband and I knew about. It is this sum that I seek your assistance to get out of Nigeria as soon as possible. We will deposit the sum of Thirty Million USD dollars ($30,000,000) to your nominated account as your share in assisting us with this transaction. Please forward your account details to me as soon as possible. Your faithfully, Dr (Mrs.) Mariam Abacha (M.O.N) Dear Mint Magazine, Please find attached a tax invoice for services rendered. As a concierge service, we pride ourselves on getting people what they need any time of the day or night. Having said that, to receive a phone call at 2am requesting the urgent delivery of 100 candles, and goat, and a book on witchcraft to your office was a challenge. Understandably, the difficulty in procuring the required items at that time of the morning added considerably to the amount we had to charge.
Why would you send us the request in ransom note form, with cut out letters from the Herald Sun? A simple email would have sufficed.
Regards, Kelvin SchniderConcierge R Us.
Kind regards, Paul Thurogood A1 Body Corporate Management
Dear Mint Magazine, Thank you for writing to the School of Ancient Language at the University of Melbourne.
Dear Mint Magazine, (CONFIDENTIAL)
You are correct in stating that Jesus Christ is believed to have spoken Aramaic, but forwarding you an English-Aramaic dictionary is not as easy as it might seem.
Good day and compliments. This letter will definitely come to you as a huge surprise, but I implore you to take the time to go through it carefully as the decision you make. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dr. (Mrs.) Mariam Abacha, the wife of the late head of state and commander in chief of the armed forces of the federal republic of Nigeria who died on the 8th of June 1998. My ordeal started immediately after my husband’s death on the morning of 8th June 1998, and the subsequent takeover of government by the last administration. I and the entire members of my family have been held incommunicado since the death of my husband, hence I seek your indulgence to assist us in securing these funds. We are not allowed to see or discuss with anybody. Few occasions I have tired traveling abroad through alternative means all failed.
I called your office and spoke to someone who claimed to be a doctor. He explained that you believe you have discovered ancient Aramaic texts that you wish to interpret. While initially this news caused great excitement in our department, your explanation that the texts were found on Balnarring Beach throws some doubt on your claim. Despite the beliefs of your “doctor”, it is not likely they “may have floated out here on an ancient iceberg”. His further claims that he believes them to be the “long-lost Ten Commandments of Rock” have caused us to discount your claims completely. We will not be assisting you any further. Yours in science, Professor Milton Thurskin bayside & mornington peninsula
PICNIC TO BE A FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT THRILL By Cameron McCullough TICKETS are now on sale for The Peninsula Picnic on Sunday 29 March, the most extensive food, wine and music gathering ever created on the Mornington Peninsula, showcasing the very best local chefs, resident restaurants, expert vignerons and vineyards. Picnickers will discover the hidden gems from the region’s leading producers, growers, orchardists and gourmet storeowners set to the serene soundtrack of some of Australia’s finest live music acts.
culinary senses throughout the day with a memorable experience created by the executive chef from the Terminus at Flinders Hotel, Pierre Khodja. Pope Joan’s chef, Matt Wilkinson, will be cooking with the best seasonal and local produce hand selected for the Picnic. Andrew and Samantha, founders of The Long Table Restaurant will work with head chef, Daniel Whelan, to create passionately produced food that reflects their love of wine, food and art.
The Mornington Peninsula has recently been named in National Geographic’s annual Best Trips of the World 2015 List and The Peninsula Picnic offers a perfect opportunity to visit for one unique day in the leafy and sea-salted surrounds of Mornington Racecourse. Australia’s top chefs will provide picnickers with tastes from sunset-mellowed wineries and foraging expeditions, curating a feast of locally sourced produce and decadent wines to be enjoyed whilst lounging on picnic rugs with family and friends.
Dee’s Kitchen’s will bring a multicultural menu, a hearty celebration of food, heritage and culture. The iconic first winery restaurant on the Peninsula, Max’s, will showcase mussels from Flinders, cheese from Red Hill and honey from Moorooduc for their homely fresh menu. DOC Mornington brings old-world Italian hospitality while remaining thoroughly modern with their authentic taste of Italy.
Leading the culinary line up is Melbourne Racing Club’s consultant chef, Ian Curley, also the owner of Kirk’s Wine bar and executive chef at the European. Ian will feature alongside his good friend Craig Gorton, head chef at the National Golf Course on The Peninsula. The world-renowned delights of Terre will be exhibiting their unusual and eclectic recipes that include indigenous wild produce and seasonal ingredients. Montalto will offer a unique taste of two coasts, inspired by regional France, but anchored in the fresh harvests of South Victoria’s vineyards and olive groves.
Catering for a cultured musical palate The Peninsula Picnic will showcase some of Australia’s best live acts and up-and- coming artists. The Waifs will bring their beloved mix of folk, blues and rock sounds, playing their classic tracks with trademark storytelling skill. Something for Kate’s Paul Dempsey will be performing his new solo material for a unique must- see treat. The Pierce Brothers will showcase their energetic and exceptional stage presence that has seen them grow from street buskers to one of the country’s most recognised, exciting young acts. The intoxicatingly romantic folk of Tinpan Orange and the lush sounds of electronicfolk musician Hayden Calnin complete the soundtrack to this event.
Picnickers can continue to indulge their
music arts events entertainment
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A BREWERY, A UTE AND A DOG By Melissa Walsh
WHEN blokes around the world think of the perfect job, owning a brewery would be right up there, and peninsula man Matt Bebe made it happen. On the night of his 40th birthday, Matt quit his day job and started his journey into the wonderful world of beer making, culminating in the ever-growing Mornington Peninsula Brewery. As with all great tales, this leap of faith started a couple of years prior, over a beer and a ball game. The year was 2008 and Matt’s beloved Hawks had won the premiership when he and good mate and neighbour, Malcolm McLean got together to celebrate. “Over a long night of drinking and talking, the focus soon turned to beer and breweries and how great it would be to start one,” says Matt. “We even looked at possible locations, beer types and labels.” A throbbing head the next day didn’t dampen Matt’s spirits as he enthusiastically began writing up a plan, and the rest is history. “We knew we didn’t have enough money and soon had investors that were interested in a craft brewery,” says Matt, whose background in science, sales and finance came in very handy. “Meetings with Mal, myself and a creative director, Rod Attenborough, sealed the deal with starting a brewery based on tradition, industry and honesty that is aligned with the essence of the Mornington Peninsula.” When the guys enlisted the services of head brewer, Andrew Gow, the mastermind behind the infamous Mornington Peninsula Brewery drops, the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. “When Andrew accepted the offer we knew we were onto something. He has been so
On Grand Final Day, 2010, two years after that euphoric Hawthorn win, Mornington Peninsula Brewery opened its doors, and the boys would never look back, recently opening a second huge factory around the corner, lovingly referred to as the ‘mothership’. “The brewery became all-consuming to me for at least two years. It was my oxygen,” Matt says with a laugh. “Even my wife said ‘why not just buy a Harley?’ But it was in my veins and something I had to do. I wanted to do something I was proud of. I wanted to be able to sit my grandchildren on my knee and say I followed my dreams. I wanted a brewery, a Ute and a dog and now I have them. Life couldn’t be better.”
RN
MARCH 15 2015 MORNING STAR ESTATE|MT ELIZA
info@grazethebays.com.au www.grazethebays.com.au M
A celebration of the Peninsula’s Bays and its 42 MINT Magazine February 2015
E e ew ng g AT N iti han T ST c c E e x e W A AR nu O ST ve N G IN
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A new event is coming to the Mornington Peninsula!
successful at Mountain Gate, Matilda Bay and 5 Islands, and puts his heart and soul into creating the perfect blends for our brewery,” says Matt, of the serendipitous chain of events.
bayside & mornington peninsula
STARS SHINE AT PENINSULA SHORT FILM FESTIVAL By Melissa Walsh
A RECORD crowd of movie lovers hit the Village Green Rosebud for the 2015 Peninsula Short Film Festival, on Saturday 7 February. For the fourth year in a row this exciting and unique event continues to attract the cream of the crop in short film makers, celebrity judges, and growing crowds. A far cry from its humble beginnings in 2011 at the Broadway Theatre when 450 locals packed into a makeshift theatre with a blow up screen, the 4000 strong crowd watched our up and coming filmmakers on a 30 square metre LED screen. This year the festival was even streamed to Fed Square in Melbourne. Festival Director Steve Bastoni had the brilliant idea for a short film festival after starting his acting school on the peninsula, and wanting a medium for his students to be able to music arts events entertainment
experience film making. Sitting at a cafe in Rosebud one day, he looked over and saw the wooden statue of Frank Whitaker, the original projectionist and operator of Rosebud Cinemas, and the idea for the short film festival was born. This year patrons were treated to films from 12 finalists from around the country, three documentaries and three animations. Films of the highest calibre were screened, some of the best short films in Australia making their national debut, with everything from drama to comedies and even a musical. Three new categories were added this year with Best Documentary, Best Animation and Emerging Filmmaker Award, which was won by 16-year-old Liam Kelly for his six minute film Drawn.
A star-studded panel enjoyed the balmy February evening where even the weather was kind, with the rain coming down everywhere except Rosebud. Celebrity judges included resident judge Lachy Hulme, Samuel Johnson, Michala Banas, Nadine Garner and Jane Hall. Prolific producer, Andrew Mason, with film credits including The Water Diviner, The Matrix, Dark City and Saving Mr Banks to name a few, made his inaugural appearance on the panel, later doing a Q & A session about making the transition into filmmaking. Festival patron, Fred Schepisi once again lent his time and support on the night, encouraging burgeoning filmmakers merely with his presence.
by Ben Plazzer and Ann Murison that had the audience in stitches. Second prize went to a musical film, Loving Myself by Kai Smythe, and Palindromes by Nicholas Colla took out third prize. The festival is open to any filmmaker, amateur or professional, and continues to get bigger and better every year with the cream of Australian filmmakers pumping out the highest quality short films and blowing the audience and judges away. In Fred Schepisi’s words, it’s “Foresight on the Foreshore” and we are lucky to have it. The short films can be viewed until February 20 at Rosebud Plaza where they are playing in rotation at a pop-up cinema.
First prize went to Noddy, a six-minute comedy
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THE SPIEGEL GLAMOUR By Melissa Hodge
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bayside & mornington peninsula
HOT, saucy and delicious, smoke fills the air of the 95 year old Spiegeltent as it opens for our very own Sorrento extravaganza.
envisaged, Spiegeltent is a delight to the senses from the moment you enter, with its dark corners of decadence, leadlight windows, rich timber and luxurious velvet fabrics.
The epitome of decadence and glamour, the Spiegeltent experience reveals a world of Parisian charm and sultriness with a cigarette haze floating just below the blush or ruby red drapes and exotic mirror walls.
The entertainment begins long before the stage performance, with the history and nostalgia of this intimate Berlin mirror tent infectious in transporting you to a world of old European cabaret. All your senses are awakened in this feast for the eyes where anything can happen.
Sexy young can can dancers envelope the stage with their high octane performance, with more than a hint of naughtiness. The anticipation among the audience is palpable as if the Spiegeltent still holds the sultry energy of the ghosts of past performers, and the mirrors have eyes. A chill shoots up the spine as leggy, red head Catherine Hancock channels Marlene Dietrich on the same stage the star graced many decades before. Wayne Scott Kermond gives a wildly entertaining performance as the show’s Emcee; Jude Purl mesmerises the crowd with her sultry vocals; and Seann Miley Moore leaves the audience breathless and wanting more. A special event for the peninsula, Spiegeltent is the dream of Three Palms owner James McPherson, who collaborated with Jason Coleman (So You Think You Can Dance/Ministry of Dance fame) to bring song, dance and circus excitement to the streets of Sorrento. Already creating a buzz with leading critics, Spiegelicious brings together a mix of Cirque Du Soleil aerialists, seasoned professional dancers, and some of Australia’s leading talents. Just as creators James and Jason had
music arts events entertainment
During the day Spiegeltent is home to Animalicious, a fun filled rip roaring journey through the animal kingdom that delights hearts young and old. With tap-dancing penguins, hip-hopping hippopotamus, rapping rhinos, very cool polar bears, harmonising monkeys, a spectacular flying rosella and even a foot-stomping elephant, this show is at once educational and a spectacle for the senses. If you’re lucky it might even snow. The colourful costumes, thoughtful lighting and heart-pounding music for both shows make for non-stop toe-tapping, clapping and belly laughs, with a delightful touch of audience participation that makes for a party that lingers long in the memory and the heart. And now due to full houses and incredible reviews, Spiegelicious will run for three additional weekends (Friday and Saturday nights at 7pm and 9.30pm) and Animalicious will be performed on Saturdays at 11am until Saturday 14 February. Spiegelicious tickets are $79.50 and Animalicious tickets are $45.00, on sale at the Three Palms Box Office or via Ticketmaster 136 100 www.ticketmaster.com.au
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ART OF ONLINE STORIES By Andrea Louise Thomas
MOUNT Eliza writer Rowena Wiseman is an enthusiastic advocate of the digital revolution. Having published everything from microfiction to novelettes online, she’s well versed in the virtues of digital publishing. Her latest work capitalizes on some of the advantages of this medium. Aunty Arty and The Disquieting Muses is the first in a series of six junior ebooks snapped up by Melbourne epublisher, Jet Black Publishing. Inspired by Italian metaphysical/ surrealist painter, Giorgio de Chirico, this story follows two young girls and their magical paintbrush wielding Aunty Arty on a journey through de Chirico’s painting where they discover interesting characters while participating in the unfolding narrative. One advantage epublishing brings to her art-focused books is colour. Chapter books for older primary school children usually have black and white line drawings, but illustrator Narelda Joy’s colourful, textural images greatly enhance these stories. Moving from picture book to chapter book can be a loss for children who not only enjoy the art, but also rely on it for context. What motivated the Aunty Arty series was her growing disappointment with the narrow subject matter, predictable formulas and often dull series books produced for older kids. Wiseman wanted to create something more sophisticated and culturally enriching. She also thought colourful ebooks might be more engaging for reluctant readers. Like Aunty Arty, Wiseman’s own sense of inquiry led her to some interesting places. She spent a year in Latvia as a high school exchange student, a summer in Siberia as a camp counsellor and her gap year in London where she worked and lived before travelling
through Europe and South America. Returning to Melbourne, she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and Editing. She’s been working as Marketing and Publications Coordinator at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery for ten years meeting hundreds of artists and viewing countless artworks fuelling her passion for art and sowing seeds for future stories. In her Aunty Arty books, Wiseman chose international artists whose works feature interesting characters she hoped would provoke questions and appeal to children. With the advantages of ebooks, she’s created a winning combination. Digital technology is rapidly changing the publishing world opening up opportunities for new writing. “It’s hard to get published as an unknown writer, but with epublishing on Wattpad, I can publish chapter by chapter and get instant feedback from a worldwide audience who become part of the journey,” she explained. “Writing is usually a solitary craft, but epublishing is a whole new landscape where readers and writers connect and share intellectually,” she added. A site like Wattpad, where Wiseman was voted one of the 30 most influential writers, becomes a launch pad for emerging writers. Another advantage is that editing and republished can be facilitated very quickly. In addition to contemporary fiction and children’s books, Wiseman writes a blog, Out of print writing, where she posts interviews, useful tips for writers, and insights into the rapidly evolving digital revolution. Her blog was selected by the National Library of Australia for its archive program, PANDORA. In order to pull all this off she has to get
up at 5am to start writing before her family wakes and her day job starts, but Wiseman is neither short of energy nor ideas.
jetblackpublishing.com/shop Read Wiseman’s blog posts and archives at www.outofprintwriting.blogspot.com.au
Discover the world of Aunty Arty at www.
DREAM TEAM By Andrea Louise Thomas
IMAGINE a mash up of dance, music, sport and theatre in a show about football that examines endemic social issues with humour and compassion and that’s the gist of KAGE Theatre’s uplifting play, Team of Life.
dance theatre production criss-crosses the globe looking at sport as a metaphor for overcoming hardship. Informed by workshops with young refugees and Indigenous youth, Team of Life tells of their varied quests for freedom and salvation while breaking down barriers between theatre, sport and identity.
Set in Melbourne on Grand Final day this
Moving music from Kutcha Edwards and Kelly
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Ryall further enhances the story. See this innovative re-conception of dance theatre expressed through the physicality of the human body on Saturday 28 February at 1pm at Southern Peninsula Arts Centre, 245 Eastbourne Road, Rosebud. Bookings: www.southernpeninsulaartscentre. com or 5986 8204. bayside & mornington peninsula
ON THE CUSP OF GREAT DESIGN
beatseeking bluestocking’s blue heartdrought broken reverie reviving handy candidate
By Andrea Louise Thomas CONTEMPORARY designers examine human problems and devise creative solutions. CUSP: Designing into the next decade focuses on some of the best Australian product designs of the past 10 years. Designer George Khut creates products to soothe children undergoing painful hospital procedures. Brighthearts is an application used in conjunction with an iPad and a heart monitor. The app creates a biofeedback loop activating colour and sound to reduce anxiety. Healthabitat assess and address living environments of disadvantaged Indigenous people in remote Australia, Nepal and public
music arts events entertainment
just in time for Hallmark and floral display
housing projects in Brooklyn, New York by focusing on simple design fixes to create housing with improved health outcomes.
a flourish of rose returning to cheek and cheeky
Materialbyproduct makes fashion garment ‘systems’ that respond to the wearer. Their Bleed project garments activated the coloured marker applied to them. The wearer’s body temperature and mood changed the colour of the fabric.
© 2014 Andrea Louise Thomas
VALENTINE VALE INVALIDATED
happy valentine’s day
See exciting ideas come to life in CUSP at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Civic Reserve, Mornington from Friday, February 27 to Sunday, May 3. www.mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au
Fifty Shades Of Grey (12TH FEBRUARY) Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Rita Ora
Project Almanac (26TH FEBRUARY) Amy Landecker, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Virginia Gardner
Somewhere Only We Know (12TH FEBRUARY) Kris Wu, Xu Jinglei, Wang Likun
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (26TH FEBRUARY) Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith
The Interview (12TH FEBRUARY) James Franco, Seth Rogen, Randall Park
Focus (5TH MARCH) Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro
Wyrmwood: Road Of The Dead (12TH FEBRUARY) Jay Gallagher, Bianca Bradley, Leon Burchill
The Seventh Son (5TH MARCH) Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges
Jupiter Ascending (19TH FEBRUARY) Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean
Top Five (5TH MARCH) Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union
A Most Violent Year (26TH FEBRUARY) Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo
Unfinished Business (5TH MARCH) Dave Franco, Vince Vaughn, James Marsden
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AND THE WINNER IS… By Andrea Louise Thomas
IN addition to becoming part of a permanent exhibition in one of the most beautiful locales on the Mornington Peninsula, the winner of the annual Montalto Sculpture Prize receives $30,000. All finalists’ sculptures will be on display and for sale until end of April, but the winner will be announced on Sunday 22 February. See a wide array of cutting edge outdoor sculptures interspersed amongst verdant rolling hills, wild wetlands and wellgroomed gardens at Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove, 33 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South. Call 5989 8412. www.montalto.com.au
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LAST BOHEMIAN IN SPACE By Andrea Louise Thomas
SEAFORD artist, Jacqueline Goedhart sits pretty in her lovely microgallery opened as part of Frankston City Council’s Space Innovators initiative intended to breathe new life into vacant city shopfronts. The Last Bohemian, a gallery and studio space showcasing photography, verse, video and visual arts does just that. Patrons are invited to browse, chat and enjoy a cup of tea. “My work explores the human experience. I like to focus on what’s left behind, what we made, what we destroyed and what we behold. Big stories in brief moments,” she stated. There is a quiet beauty in her work. She’s also created an opportunity to include local community. Postcard Poetics invites submissions of poetry, microfiction or artwork on postcard-sized paper to develop into a community exhibition. Submissions must be original work relating to Frankston or Bayside and she’d like them to be sent in the post. The Last Bohemian, 1/16 Playne Street is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10am-3pm and Friday from 1–7 pm. See what she’s up to at www. thelastbohemian.com.au Go to www.frankston.vic.gov.au/Business/ Frankston_Space_Innovators for information on how to apply for this program.
VENTANA FESTIVAL KICKS OFF By Andrea Louise Thomas
VENTANA Feista in Frankston celebrates Latin American, Portuguese and Spanish cultures with a month of visual and literary arts, dance, music, film, sport, food and cultural events. Each year a different influence on these cultures is highlighted. This year’s festival focuses on ancient and recent Asian influences. Opening night gala is on Friday 27 February from 7pm at Cube 37 (Frankston Arts Centre). Enjoy Treasures of Pachamama, an interactive food trail, Marco Polo in Pinata, a performance installation and Elixir, an interactive installation. Mingle, listen to live music and have a look at interesting arts and crafts. Find more information at www.thefac.com.au
music arts events entertainment
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FIRST THINGS FIRST FRANKSTON ARTS CENTRE FROM one of Australia’s most innovative performing artists comes First Things First - a one-man show of technically virtuosic dance and hilarious physical theatre that explores the art of ‘getting used to it’. Joseph Simons blasted onto the international dance scene winning the Outstanding Emerging Artist Award for WA AusDance in 2009, since then, he has toured the world with many of Australia’s major dance companies, including the enormously popular Chunky Move. Now, you can catch him live performing his own special brand of dance theatre, in an evening of firsts you’ll never forget at Frankston Arts Centre on Saturday 7 March. Do you remember your first day of school? The first time you rode a bike? Your first kiss? The first time is always memorable. But then you do it a second time, then a third. Suddenly, it’s second nature. Join award-winning performer Joseph Simons in this mind-blowing display of physicality with his signature charm and wit. First Things First begins in the foyer of Cube 37, where Joseph is hosting a party for all his friends – you! This is your chance to meet Joseph, have a chat, and be introduced to other members of the audience. Then head into the Cube theatre to watch Joseph doing what he does best! Joseph will also spend a week at Cube 37 rehearsing and perfecting his show as well as running a number of community workshops. First Things First is also (very aptly) the first in the season of “Make’n’ Move Frankston”, a dance initiative for creators and audiences alike. Make ‘n Move Frankston will present a broad range of contemporary dance performances and engagement opportunities for dance makers and the general community over the next two years. The project is funded by the Australia Council for the Arts. Make’n’ Move Frankston include workshops, artist residencies, professional development, Q&As and industry nights. There’s no better way than Simons return home to perform First Things First at the FAC to kickstart the Make’n’ Move Frankston initiative. There’s a first time for everything! Don’t miss your chance to experience the physical comedy showman in action. PERFORMANCE DETAILS: Cube 37 Saturday 7 March @ 7pm PRICES: Member$20, Full $25, Conc $22 BOOKING INFO: thefac.com.au Call 03 9784 1060
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Saturday 7 March, 7pm Cube 37 Frankston Arts Centre
Tickets: Member $20, Full $25, Conc $22 Duration: 90 minutes, no interval
03 9784 1060 thefac.com.au
Tickets:
@the_FAC | #the_FAC FIRST THINGS FIRST
Frankston Arts Centre is a Business Unit of Frankston City Council
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