Mint (issue 14) April 2016 by Mint Magazine

# 14 • april 2016 FREE MONTHLY mintmagazine.com.au – bayside & peninsula

TEX PERKINS FROM THUG TO APE  THE FATHER OF AUSTRALIAN ROCK TASH SULTANA

news

GUITAR SHOWDOWN LEE KERNAGHAN

live & local

hip to be country

EDDIE WEARNE

TWO ODD BIRDS

adrenaline

arts

Corner Springvale Rd & Wells Rd, Chelsea Heights | PH 9773 4453 | www.chelseaheightshotel.com.au

PETTI McINNES

GIVING MUSICIANS A CHANCE TO SHINE By Terri Lee Fatouros Perpetua McInnes, or Petti, is the Festival Events Coordinator for Kingston City. She manages everything from the site layout, build, programming and even contractor management. Her insightfulness has provided up-and-coming musicians with the opportunity to showcase their talent at the many festivals she organizes on behalf of the

City. So, just who is Petti McInnes? Prior to her full time engagement with The City of Kingston, she was employed part time as programmer and selector of the entertainment for the four major festivals (mostly music, but also food-and-beverage themed) each year – a huge undertaking given the limits of part-time labour – but the

City wisened up eventually, recognising the need to bring her on full-time. For ten years she operated Linx, her own events management company in Western Australia, catering for festivals, regattas, sporting and music events. In fact, McInnes was and still is considered a major force in the entertainment community.

To this long list of credits, add the Culture Tour for the Queen when she visited back in 2001. This alone is an honour and an impressive to add to her many talents. She was invited to work at the Sydney Olympics on contract with the company to manage all the international performers on the community stage, and has won state awards for innovation in tourism. Impressive to say the least – how very fortunate for Bayside and Mornington Peninsula residents and musicians alike! Everyone can now experience Petti’s diverse portfolio of skills as seen at these awesome events. Says McInnes, “I try and get diversity in the mix with the performers... I love to blend emerging and up-and-coming performers with long- standing and experienced performers. “I have developed The Jam Café at all the festivals for that reason. It’s basically a smaller acoustic stage designed to give emerging artists an opportunity to perform to a big audience. This also allows the audience to see a good mix of artists performing through the many different types of music on offer. “I love working with creative people because I have a creative background... recently, I changed the layout and mix of the Mordialloc Food and Wine Festival and invited different performers, street theatre shows and entertainers. I’m catering for a broader range of ages because I do believe music can be appreciated from all ages.”

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Petti would love to hear from any performers who want to perform at any of the City of Kingston festivals. She is calling on all musicians to lodge an application by visiting the City of Kingston website: www.kingston. vic.gov.au. Applications open on Friday, 1st July and close Tuesday, 30th August – apply online.

porter NO ADDITIVES. NO PRESERVATIVES.

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A music, arts, events & entertainment magazine for the Peninsula & Bayside.

PUBLISHER: Cameron McCullough cameron@mpnews.com.au

EDITOR: Billy Dixon editor@mintmagazine.com.au ARTS EDITOR: Andrea Louise Thomas artseditor@mintmagazine.com.au

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Maria Mirabella creative@mintmagazine.com.au

SALES & ADVERTISING: Nicky Vassiliou 0433 330 490 nicky@mpnews.com.au

PHOTOGRAPHY Gary Sissons Yanni ...& you?

12 TEX PERKINS BRIDGIT THOMAS

7 DEBORAH CONWAY MINDFUL SUPPER CLUB 28

NICK CHRYSTIE

LEE KERNAGHAN

TASH SULTANA

GUITAR SHOWDOWN! 5

...INSIDE

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WRITING Terri Lee Fatouros terri@mintmagazine.com.au Greg Fisher greg@mintmagazine.com.au Lachlan Bryan lachlan@mintmagazine.com.au Ray McGrotty ray@mintmagazine.com.au Stuart McCullough stuart@mintmagazine.com.au Neil Walker neil@mintmagazine.com.au

MINT is available in over 1,000 outlets and growing, from Sandringham to Portsea and everywhere in between. For advertising enquiries, visit us at 1/2 Tyabb Road, Mornington, 3931, or contact Nicky Vassiliou on 0433 330 490 or nicky@mpnews.com.au

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2016

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GUITAR SHOWDOWN ROCKS THE GRAND By Terri Lee Fatouros

It’s all happening at the Grand Hotel in Mornington this month when two of the Peninsula’s hottest guitar slingers will get together for another infamous Guitar Showdown. Armed with their favourite axes and backed up by a stellar band, Jimi Hocking and Geoff Achison will finally face off on stage! Playing some of their favourite classic guitar riffs as well as their own brand of rockin’ rhythm ‘n’ blues.

music | arts | events | entertainment

Achison has been a fixture on Melbourne’s blues/roots scene since playing with veteran bluesman Dutch Tilders in the ’90s. After several years with Tilders he pursued a solo career overseas and quickly made his mark, winning the Albert King Award in Memphis 1995. He has since spent many years touring extensively throughout the US, UK & Europe. Achison returned to the USA in 2015 to promote his latest 20th anniversary release with The Souldiggers band and

teaching his techniques at Jorma Kaukonen’s famous Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio. Hocking has been thrilling audiences with his astonishing guitar prowess for many years, both locally and internationally. Besides his role as lead guitarist with Aussie rock giants The Screaming Jets, he also won the 2003 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. He leads a hectic pace with his solo career playing brilliant one-man acoustic shows and continues rocking with his group,

the Blues Machine. Achison and Hocking’s Guitar Showdown will kick off with some additional great acoustic blues from Wilson & White, so gather your friends and head over to Mornington’s Grand Hotel for some cool, rockin’ blues. Tickets are $15.00 when booked in advance, or $20.00 at the door – entry from 8pm onwards. Call the venue on 03 5975 2001 or skip the queues by jumping online: www.oztix. com.au.

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POWER CORRUPTS

The appeal of Power is the spontaneous brilliance of live Australian hard-rock music. The heat from relentless live performance in the greasy confines of the typical inner-city pub was strong in the ’70s circuit, and the debut LPs of Australia’s greatest bands are the testimony of many late nights twitching and sweating it out. 2014 was the year Power stepped up, and immediately earned critical comparison to Melbourne’s Coloured Balls, sharing that edge of menace in their affection for boogie rock and the same air of familiarity with the aforementioned greasy-pub confines.

Power hosted their own weekly “rock residency” in the suburbs of Melbourne, kicking through backyard parties and thousands, if not millions of shows at the Tote. During their intermissions and time off the stage, the band recorded a colourful collection of songs at temporally-significant moments, turning their compilation into Power’s latest EP: Electric Glitter Boogie. The savage drive of Power’s atmospheric live sound, as well as their supreme confidence and determination are front and centre with this record. This kind of confidence in one’s own talent is intoxicating, to say the least.

TASH SULTANA

Tash Sultana is a 19 year old roots/reggae/ folk-inspired singer and songwriter from Melbourne. With her hands wrapped tightly around a guitar from the mere age of three, the self-taught artist was only destined for great things in the years that followed.

Tash spent her spare time busking the streets of Melbourne and raising her artist profile. All this hard work has culminated in her 3rd EP, Higher, and Tash is now embarking on a national tour.

Back in 2014, Tash released her second EP Yin Yang, playing regional and interstate shows, festivals, receiving triple j and community radio airplay, and even a couple of television appearances. 2015 rang in a new direction and focus on her music.

Her carefully-crafted edgy fusion of multiinstrumental pieces, beat boxing and percussion styled finger tapping guitar has left audiences in awe. The young one-person musical powerhouse is set for an even bigger 2016.

...A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Have you ever experienced life on the road? Thrown your attachments to the wind and called the back of your wagon “home?” I’m rather proud of the fact that I have. Though it was entirely by choice, there’s something truly special about disconnecting in such a permanent way, but it’s equally as daunting when looked at from the comfort of your arm chair. Even moreso when you consider the fact this sort of homelessness is generally involuntary.

Singing, Guitar & Piano lessons BOOK NOW for our Songwriting Workshop !!

Much as it pains me to say it, money is something you’ve got to take very seriously when you’re starting life as an artist, as income can be sproadic at best and nonexistent at worst. This is as true for musos as it is for painters and actors, or any type of third-person cerative entertainment. Still, many musicians live in just such a frugal manner, whether or not their car is involved. Your next task will be to establish a base of operations... i.e. find a place with a free shower! Maybe a truck stop on a major highway will provide, but you’d better look the part. Alternatively, sinks in public bathroooms generally come with a hot tap, so if you can provide the soap and maybe even one of those mini-bottles of shampoo, you’ll have yourself a deal. Once you’ve cleaned yourself up, you can pop the tailgate and have yourself a jam session under the nearest overpass. You

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2016

might need some sort of computer in order to record anything, as well as specialty software to get the details right. These are multi-thousand dollar purchases we’re talking about here, and all of it assumes your actual instrument isn’t off the top of a hard rubbish pile. Most first instruments are, or might as well be. So even if you don’t have to pay rent and all the modern-convenience utilities that go with it, you’re going to need a source of income. This can be hard to come by, especially for those without a permanent address, but it’s certainly not impossible. A fat wad of savings also helps a great deal in one’s freshman year. But remember, folks: borderline-impossible = not impossible = possible = entirely worth a shot. Then, when your credit as an artist is finally being realised by the rest of the world – hopefully, before your credit as a bank customer runs out – you can skip the part of growing up where you rent a small bungalow in perpetuity and just biuy yourself a mansion. Preferably one with its own recordding studio.

Billy Dixon Your MINT editor bayside & mornington peninsula

THE CONWAY RESILIENCE By Melissa Walsh “Its only the geography that changes. We have been working together for close to 26 years, since I employed him as the guitar player on the tour for the 1991 album String of Pearls. We rarely run out of things to talk about but when we need to fill up our creativity we go to a gallery or a bike ride or walk.”

Deborah Conway has never shied away from hard work. With a career spanning three decades, she continues to be a creative force in the industry, singing songs that chronicle the essential elements of life, love, loss, memory, the mundane and the spiritual. A significant and eloquent contributor to Australian music, Conway’s natural talent and gutsy attitude has ensured a strong following from the moment her band, Do Re Mi released the iconic Man Overboard off their debut album Domestic Harmony in 1985, to present day collaborations with her husband, Willly Zygier.

Being Jewish and atheists is just another way this inspirational couple manage to think outside the square, and their love of the poetry around the Talmud inspired their 2013 album, Stories of Ghosts. “Being Jewish is a large part of our lives. We observe Shabbat dinners on Friday night and find it extraordinarily rich in history and tradition. Jews have been doing the same thing for a long time and there is something very precious about that,” said Conway. “In Stories of Ghosts we were really interested in exploring this kind of thing, and the poetry in the Talmud has been a wonderful resource for many creative artists.”

Grounded, focused and unfazed by the notoriety, Conway, a mother of three, continues to be an inspiration to young women around the globe. “I have always been a very strong personality which is in part because of my father. I always felt I could be in charge of my own destiny and every part of my growing up indicated my future depended on the decisions I made,” said Conway, who moved out of home at 20. “I was modeling at the time but had always been interested in music. I loved singing and performing and was a natural show-off. I dabbled in different bands, and then joined a Melbourne band called the Benders, which was an interesting grounding. We did heaps of shows in the eight months I was with them. When the drummer left the band to go to Sydney, I was a friend of his and decided to make the move and joined Do Re Mi.” Conway’s ability to think outside the square meant the band knew they had to do things differently to get people coming to gigs, so they decided to make an EP before performing on stage. “We decided to do it differently, making the album and sending it to radio stations. Then we started performing live at venues and the audience had already heard the music on the radio.” While modeling would have continued to be a lucrative career, Conway says she knew it was mainly a means to an end. “I modeled from 18 to 23 as a way to pay the rent and earn money to play music. The watershed moment for me was getting the feature film, Running On Empty. That, combined with recording the soundtrack for Sweet and Sour, meant I could give up the modeling money.” Stepping out as a solo artist in 1991, Conway’s departure from Do Re Mi opened up yet another creative element to the iconic singer-songwriter’s repertoire with her debut solo album; String of Pearls’ music | arts | events | entertainment

It was 2004 when the creative couple decided to make their first independent record, another brave move that paid off.

themes of youthful reflection and tongue-incheek irreverence embodied in It’s Only The Beginning, and Release Me. Another gutsy move, the sojourn into a solo career won her the ARIA Award for Best Female Artist that year, making her a rare female agitator in a time when the music industry was male dominated. When it comes to longevity, Conway has a simple philosophy, saying it’s all about integrity. “I’m just me and I don’t have a studied plan to go by but what I think is extremely valuable is your integrity. That stuff is very important to me and that’s the way to be an authentic person is to hold those values,” said Conway. “It affects your song writing and what you represent.” As for raising a family, the 55-year-old singer says it’s been relatively easy for her to juggle kids and career as she basically makes her own hours. “All women who decide to have a family have to make those decisions as to how much time they can afford to take off work, still more women than men make those decisions. I had it easy, I make my own hours, I am self

employed and I decide when I want to work being a performing artist,” said Conway, who is mum to Syd, 21 Alma, 18, and Hettie, 16. “The girls are all musical – they get it from both sides of the family. The oldest two are pursuing university degrees in aspects of music and the youngest is doing VCE music in year 11. Whether they become musicians they are all musical and they get it from the genes.” Being married to Willy for eight years and together for 26, the musical couple have always encouraged the girls to play an instrument. “From the age of four, they were encouraged to play the piano. We wrote a song for them... we were going to go to Tamworth and play it there for the very first time. It came about when we were on a long drive to Jarvis Bay and thought we could keep them entertained. They fought all the way along,” she said with a laugh. “But they do actually sing together like angels.” Working and living together with husband Willy, Conway says there is no demarcation between cooking and writing.

“We really cut ties with record companies and used a distribution company. We could handle the recording process but the challenge was marketing. We weren’t being played on the radio and were trying to find a way to get our music into people’s homes,” said Conway. “So I thought ‘why not just walk in?’ We decided to do it like Tupperware but called them Summerware Parties. We offered a deal that if people bought 30 CDs or more, we would come to their home and do a gig for 20 minutes. It was fantastic, they invited their friends and they got to experience pure music right in front of them with voices and a guitar. It was very successful. You have to be creative as the industry is not like it was... people don’t even buy CDs any more.” Always looking for a way to break down the walls and inspire musicians, Conway is resilient and determined, organizing Shir Madness in Melbourne last year as festival director. “Last year we did a festival in Melbourne called Shir Madness and we will do it again in 2017. It was a huge thing so had to put our own record on hold for it,” said Conway, who is currently working on a new album “We sold out on the day. It was like a mini womad in Elsternwick.” Deborah Conway will be performing as part of PURE GOLD LIVE SALUTES – THE BEST OF THE ’70s, ’80s & ’90s at the Palais Theatre on Friday, 13th May.

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BLUESHEAD BAND By Terri Lee Fatouros

Fusion jazz, Texas blues, hard rockin’ band, Blueshead should basically be called The Rob, Rob, Rob and Rob band because until recently, every band member was actually called Rob. Intrigued and amused, I looked up the meaning of the name Rob and this is what I found on the “She who wants to know” site.

Blueshead rocks solid doing covers from late ’60s to contemporary, with the likes of Charley Patton, BB King, Robben Ford and The Meters to name a few. There’s a healthy “playing off each other” vibe going down with lots of “trading fours” between lead and sax that sits really well within the band’s overall structure.

“The name Robert is a German baby name. In German the meaning of the name Robert is: Famed, bright and shining. It is an alltime favorite boys’ name since the Middle Ages. Famous Bearers: Scottish national hero Robert the Bruce and novelist Robert Ludlum.”

“This works well because these musicians were never picked or auditioned, they virtually turned up. Most bands have line up changes, but for us it seems the vision is and will always be the same; to explore the container of the blues,” Says Papp.

Famed, bright and shinin... I guess there must be some truth in it, because Blueshead band certainly has a rockin’ polish to its repertoire. Rob Papp plays lead and sings, and is the mastermind behind the band. Rob Dallas cruises on his Fender jazz bass while Rob Moe bedazzles on Hammond keys and sax. Peter Hodges contributes a strong blues feel on drums and incorporates improv interplay in sync with the soloist during play.

Like all good bands interpreting the blues, there’s always their touch of originality added to the mix and Blueshead is no exception. They hit their songs with jazz, funk and rock allusions and it works well, particularly during improv riffs when bouncing off each others’ grooves. Hopefully Blueshead will be heading into the studios soon to record some originals, but until that happens they will keep exploring and putting their stamp on cover favourites like BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck,

The Meters, Robert Johnson, Leon Russell, Dr. John, Muddy Waters and a whole lot more. Until then, you can catch Blueshead performing regularly at Double G in Mornington, as well as many other venues across the Mornington Peninsula. Glen Bryant runs the music operation at the Double G, making bookings, researching bands, and ensuring the venue has topnotch blues & rock every weekend. For all

correspondence regarding music, give him a call on 0414 496 654. Glenn Pain looks after the restaurant side of what used to be a little Italian Trattoria, so if you dig well-crafted food & music, the buzz of electric guitars, and perhaps a frosty Budweiser after hours, the Double G is your next stop. www.dgsaloon.com.au For more info on Blueshead, check them out on Facebook.

Live music guide - April

The Double G Saloon - 8 Octavia St, Mornington (Behind Main St.) Bookings - Music. Glen 0414 496 654 music | arts | events | entertainment

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FESTIVAL SEASON IN THE CITY OF KINGSTON

It’s been an action-packed Season of Festivals in the City of Kingston during the warmer weather – with the Harvest Festival coming up soon to close out the season. Crowds of over 40,000 people enjoyed an actionpacked weekend at the annual Mordialloc Food, Wine & Music Festival in March. Mayor Tamsin Bearsley said the event was “a roaring success with fabulous weather and thousands of people enjoying a wonderful

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weekend.” “We had a great time being entertained by a huge line up of musicians – headlined by breakthrough Melbourne band Bonjah and Aussie music legends Brian Cadd and Grace Knight. “Mordialloc Food, Wine and Music Festival is our 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, regionallymade wines and beers.”

Pictures: with so much happening at once, festival attendees were well and truly spoilt for choice, whether it was old-world feasts and gourmet brews (top left), stellar local talent on stage (top right) or just one more taste of festival ambience before winter sets in (bottom).

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BAR + FOOD + LIVE MUSIC

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TEX PERKINS

AND THE EVOLUTION OF AUSSIE ROCK By Billy Dixon

same. The real secret to Tex’s success in pioneering songs (and bands) lies in the talent he seeks to amass every time the creative juices start flowing. Whether it’s Don Walker or Tim Rogers, Tex has pretty much worked with them all at some point in his life.

It’s hard to pin down exactly what kind of impact Tex Perkins has had on the Australian music industry, or on music more broadly. He’s not your typical frontman superstar, yet he’d be more widely recognised than the lead singers of most modern-day pop groups. He’s been making music since for more than 30 years, but is barely a smidge over 50 years old. Although he did find his feet and a degree of early success with the group Thug, how did he gain so much fame and notoriety without a prominent campaign vehicle like Jimmy Barnes’ Cold Chisel, INXS’ Michael Hutchence or Nick Carter’s Backstreet Boys?!

Despite being a “father” of classic Australian pub rock, it’s still surprisingly difficult to put his hits into a nice little genre-specific box. It helps to look at his methodical musical evolution, and the people he worked with, from his maiden “cowpunk” outfit Tex Deadly and the Dum-Dums all the way up to his latest supergroup – and it is indeed a supergroup by any definition of the word.

In all seriousness though, the bands he has played with – many of which he spawned – have been fleeting firecrackers at worst, but recurring, transient successes all the

The Ape is fronted by Tex and made whole through the presence of riff legend Raul Sanchez (Magic Dirt, River Of Snakes, Midnight Woolf) on guitar; Gus Agars (The

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Vandas, The Gin Club, Chromenips, Mike Noga and the Gentlemen of Fortune, The Dark Horses) on drums and Pat Bourke (Ladyboyz, Mike Noga and the Gentlemen of Fortune) on bass and piano. For those who came to know and love him through Tex Perkins and the Dark Horses, the air of familiar grunge and crunchy distortion will be comforting. For those Tex Perkins newbies, however, it’s important to draw a distinction between this effort and his prior work. Perhaps this distinction is best embodied in the band’s name – The Ape is the first Tex Perkins project in a long time to lack Tex Perkins in the name. Think the Dark Horses, Tex, Don and Charlie, TnT, the Tennessee Four and even “his Ladyboys,” a tonguein-cheek response to the demands of the record companies.

And yet, he proudly proclaims The Ape as “the best thing I’ve ever done, or will ever do” – a phenomenally bold statement for a rocker of such pedigree. Whether or not listeners will agree with this sentiment remains to be seen. Get to the Grand Hotel in Mornington on Friday, 27th May to see how he performs on stage with long-time friend and internationally-recognised Australian guitarist Charlie Owen. It’ll be a gift to the senses and an honest display of technical mastery. If you’re lucky, the legendary rocker might even slip in a few songs from The Ape for your perusal. And who knows... he’s spent some time in the recording studio in recent history, so you never know where he’ll pull out a new hit! bayside & mornington peninsula

MAYFAIR KYTES RELEASE NEW ALBUM Melbourne four-piece, Mayfair Kytes have today announced the release of their debut album, Animus, alongside quirky and musically dazzling single, Sleepyhead. The folk-art-pop band will hit the road to celebrate the release with album launch shows at The Workers Club in Melbourne on 8th April and The Vanguard in Sydney on the 28th. Layered with exquisite vocal harmonies and opulent string scores by Willow Stahlut, the single is perfectly textured by bold, discordant guitars accentuating the song’s inimitable musical brilliance. “Sleepyhead is a meditation on two themes, one being the creative process versus the logical world and how choosing your own destiny can lead you down a long road of self-discovery that might clash with more pragmatic streams of life,” lead vocalist and songwriter Matt Kelly explains, “and secondly, it is about dealing with the depression that often comes with such a way of being.” Storyboarded, hand-animated, filmed and directed by Melbourne artist, Thomas Russell (Hiatus Kaiyote, Chet Faker, Flyying Colours), the fittingly-artistic video for Sleepyhead follows contemporary dancer Geoffrey H. Watson as he saunters his way around an empty white room, tearing off layers of bulky clothing in an act of defiance, musing as his

heavy steps become joyful skips with each layer shed. “The film-clip is about coming out of a dark place, shedding the things that hold you back, not being constrained by male stereo types… shedding the past,” says Kelly. Recorded in just over a year with close pal, Nick Herrera between his notable home studio and a converted chapel in Melbourne’s inner-north, the album features performances from string players from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, as well as extra synths and production added by Hiatus Kaiyote’s Simon Mavin and Paul Bender. “We employed Nick for his highly creative streak, his love and respect of tonality and the way he works hard to achieve sounds,” enthuses Kelly, “We used the chapel to record all the string scores as it had a long reverb and delay so we could use the authentic room sounds in the recordings, no extra effects needed.” As you can imagine, fans should expect a very distinctive live set, showcasing interesting and different vocals and harmonies, otherworldly guitar sounds, captivating ambience and explosive-to-the-point-of-post-rock climaxes, as well as a dense layer of modular synths.

LOCAL DJ

TESS VOCKLER Think being a DJ is all about hardcore electronica, cramped and sweaty clubs and intoxicated eight-hour bump-n-grind sessions? Think again.

Tess Vockler is no stranger to the party-hard bars and colourful clubs around town, but she’s equally at home as the MC for corporate events. “I’ve always been musical... I was a singer and violinist in my school years, but when I finished I wanted to pursue music on a different level.” A different level indeed – Tess now DJs for the likes of David Jones, Bardot, Bentley and Polo Ralph Lauren on the corporate side, and has scored residency at Crown Casino and Club23 in Melbourne. She’s had regular gigs from the Portsea Hotel all the way to the Argyle in Sydney. With so many people hitting the decks and distributing their mixes, mashups and other music for free as a parttime hobby, getting regular gigs interstate is a big deal for the local DJ. But the ambition doesn’t end there – Playa d’en Bossa boasts the most popular resort on sandy, sunny Ibiza: “On the beach, I saw a DJ playing at 11am and people were just drinking their coffee and reading the paper while listening to thumping, irresistible deep-house beat playing out to sea. Follow Tess on social media (Instagram / Facebook / SoundCloud) for a taste of her latest in tunes and fashion, or check out her website: www.tessvockler.com.

music | arts | events | entertainment

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HARVEST FESTIVAL Next up in the City of Kingston’s Season of Festivals is Harvest Festival, scheduled for Saturday, 7th May at Bicentennial Park in Chelsea. This year, Harvest is celebrating its 10th anniversary and will be headlined by Aussie breakthrough performers Stonefield. The four sisters hailing from rural Victoria won the Triple J Unearthed High contest in 2010 and have been going from strength to strength on the international festival circuit.

Bicentennial Park, Chelsea 11AM - 10PM

“This is our final event for the season and is always a crowd-favourite,” the Mayor, Cr. Bearsley, said. Harvest also features: •Green Hub featuring innovations in sustainable practices and live a better, greener life, •Harvest Kitchen offering cooking demonstrations from some of the best local chefs,

thearts ’s Rock n Roll Swee Featuring Australia

S tonefield

•a host of performers including The Age Hall of Fame musician Australian music icon Mick Thomas plus The Ian Archibald Band presenting their unique brand of country-rock, •up and coming local acts presenting acoustic sets at the Jam Café. The 2016 Harvest Festival has moved from

its traditional location at Roy Dore Reserve due to construction of the Carrum Family and Children’s Centre and will instead take place at Chelsea’s Bicentennial Park. Entry is $2 per person or $5 per family, with further details at kingston.vic.gov.au/ harvest.

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Patterson Lakes

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BEN SALTER SEASONED CAMPAIGNER FROM THE SUNSHINE STATE By Lachlan Bryan Queensland’s Ben Salter describes himself as a “seasoned campaigner” but there are numerous other titles that might be more apt. ‘Quiet achiever’ is one, for Salter is no household name, yet he has been nominated for an ARIA and collaborated with the likes of Mick Thomas (Weddings, Parties, Anything), Gareth Liddiard (The Drones) and Tim Rogers (YouAmI) and founded at least three bands – The Gin Club, Giants of Science and The Wilson Pickers – all of which have achieved cult followings.

Deliver your event to our local community Applications now open! Close 5pm Friday 29 April

Salter brings a little punk rock to the worlds of folk, country and blues. His disheveled stage presence and laconic vocal delivery mask the fact that he writes clever, engaging pop songs. It’s little wonder that fellow musicians, and particularly song-writers are amongst the most loyal Ben Salter fans – they appreciate the subtlety of his work.

Local community groups and organisations are encouraged to apply for grants to assist with the delivery of

On 6th May, Salter plays Music on the Hill (aka MOTH) at The Red Hill Pavillion with Melbourne songstress Leah Senior. Once a month the pavilion is transformed into an intimate listening-room style music venue, with pristine sound and seating for around one hundred people. Tickets are available now from www.musiconthehill. com.au. Salter’s new album, The Stars My Destination, is out now through ABC Music.

a diverse range of activities and promotion of the region for our local community.

For more information on how to apply and to download the funding guidelines visit mornpen.vic.gov.au/eventfunding or call 5950 1444

TIDBITS & TALES

By Terri Lee Fatouros

There are so many kind-hearted musicians willing to give of their time and help raise funds for people in need.

funds themselves seem to be the most generous of their time and energy when it comes to helping people in need.

The Mornington Peninsula has a few of these generous individuals and on Saturday 23rd April at the newly refurbished Wishing Well Tavern at 502 Station Street, Carrum, The Fundraiser for Living, kicking off at 5pm has been organized.

I guess they understand addictions and “life’s short end” better than most.

The event is for a single mum needing funds for her daughter’s medical rehab treatments. Everyone faces a rocky road at some stage and from my experience, it appears that musicians who have limited

music | arts | events | entertainment

The line up includes Andy Phillips and his special guests, Chain Music Award finalists, Keith Hall and Pat Dow, Diddy Reyes and the Blues Maniacs, Billy Kavanagh, Bluemuse (Maria Cassar) and friends, Tiana V, Jim Love, Sally Carter, Carol Jamieson, Freddo Wright, Danny Oakhill, Larry Dennis plus a few more to be announced.

Silent auctions throughout the night will be held, along with raffles and giveaways. It will be a fun night so please do come along. Tickets are $10.00 and all funds raised go straight back to the mum and daughter at the centre of this effort. Essentially, this is a group of normal people, helping normal people. Please visit the link below for more information and to purchase your tickets. https://www.facebook.com/ events/249019032108414/

The Wishing Well Tavern will be holding regular music jams and events after completion of refurbishment. To kick it off Maria Cassar of Bluemuse and Friends will be performing a cool night of blues/folk tunes on Saturday, 16th April from 8.00pm–11.00pm. Why not get yourself down and check out Maria’s cruisy style? I think you’ll like it. Have a great month, lovelies!

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LEE KERNAGHAN By Lachlan Bryan Country music icon Lee Kernaghan is one of those rare Australians who has used his art form to not only entertain but to educate his own countrymen and women on this nation’s history – stirring up emotions ranging from joyous national pride to solemn grief and regret. He’s been doing this for over twenty years, selling out venues from stadiums to country pubs in the process and continuing to sell hundreds of thousands of albums in spite of the decline of the record industry. His latest work, Spirit of the Anzacs, is perhaps his most poignant – with songs that tell the stories of real Australian soldiers, their families and loved ones. It is also one of Kernaghan’s most collaborative records to date. “I’ve got huge respect for Guy Sebastian”, says Lee, from his Queensland home, where he prepares for another epic Australian tour which will take him most of the way around the country. “He was one of the first to

get on board with all his enthusiasm, and he’s just an incredible singer and a real professional. He got on board and then right after him was Shannon Noll, Sheppard, Jon Stevens, Jessica Mauboy and Megan Washington”. Such an eclectic group of collaborators is not just testament to the respect that Lee has earned in the business, but also to the gravity of the stories told on this record. “I think our kids should definitely be taught more of this stuff,” he answers when asked if Australian military history is under-represented in education – particularly in comparison to other countries. “In fact, I remember learning about American civil war history through song, and even the Jesse James story. Those kind of storytelling records were some of my favourite growing up, and I learned a lot through them.” Undoubtedly Spirit of the Anzacs will be seen as a real timepiece for

Australian audiences in years to come, and Kernaghan is quick to give credit to producer Garth Porter and frequent co-writer Colin Buchanan for their dedication to the project. Without their immense efforts, he says, the album (which took two years to come together) would not have been made. With the album now in the marketplace for nearly a year, Kernaghan’s new tour will combine highlights from the record, hits from throughout his career and even elements lifted from his 2015 autobiography. Fittingly titled “The Songs and the Stories in Concert,” this tour will take in some of Lee’s favourite venues, including The Hallam Hotel (which he describes as “just about the music capital of Australia”). You can catch Lee at The Hallam on Thursday, 19th May, or ten days later at The Frankston Arts Centre on Sunday, 29th May.

LEE KERNAGHAN THE SONGS & THE STORIES

IN CONCERT SUN 29 MAY | 8PM FRANKSTON ARTS CENTRE, FRANKSTON WWW.THEFAC.COM.AU | (03) 9784 1060 SPECIAL GUESTS:

WWW.LEEKERNAGHAN.COM 16

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MICHAEL WAUGH By Lachlan Bryan

“My musical education was in the back seat of a Ford, driving down bumpy tracks on long country drives” says Michael Waugh, the Heyfieldborn singer-songwriter with just about as strong a claim to authenticity as could be imagined. His rural upbringing sits front and centre in the songs from his debut album What We Might Be, recorded with producer de jour Shane Nicholson on the central coast of NSW and released recently through MGM distribution. Whilst Waugh lists the likes of Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves and Kenny Rogers amongst his musical influences, his lyrical approach to the harsh reality of life outside of the

city invites comparisons to Don Walker or even Henry Lawson. “I wanted to give a voice to all of these stories, because they are about brave, beautiful, honest, undervalued and overworked men and women who taught me what to be,” says Waugh. “I’m honoured to have come from Gippsland and to be a dairy farmer’s son.” Waugh’s record is a welcome installment in Australian literary and songwriting traditions – and one that is likely to resonate with listeners long after it slips out of the new releases list. Michael Waugh will launch What We Might Be at The Melbourne Folk Club in Richmond on April 16th.

HIP TO BE COUNTRY By Lachlan Bryan

“Our mama’s don’t know what we’re doing / Why we stay out all night long I told mine I was a drug dealer / She said thank god you ain’t writin songs” Those are some of the lyrics from The Songwriters, a tune Willie Nelson wrote just a couple of years ago (at the age of 80!) and released on his recent Heroes album. They’re tongue-in-cheek, of course, but the song does sum up the life of the songwriter pretty accurately. I myself am lucky to live this life, and one of my favourite parts of the job is the bit where you get to co-write with other people. I’ve been doing that a fair bit lately – and it’s led me to some music I’d like to talk to you about.

that until I heard her in my living room belting out a tune that she, myself and Rob Draper had written just moments before (Rob himself is a fine writer whose songs have begun appearing on records across many different genres). Bex is off to the USA this month, having won the opportunity to live and write in Nashville through the Australia Council’s Nashville Residency program. This woman certainly deserves this opportunity and you deserve to check out her new record, Solitude. Sometimes, in this songwriting game, you get to write with your heroes. That’s quite a thrill, but it’s even better when the hero in question is also a friend and mentor.

Last week I had the chance to write a song with a Western Australian lass named Bex Chilcott – better known to the public as Ruby Boots. Bex has been on tour with The Waifs for the past few months, showing off her strong writing and stage presence to sold-out rooms all over the country.

Such is the case with Allan Caswell. If you’re not a country music fan, you may still know Allan’s work, as he composed the hit theme song to the classic Australian TV show Prisoner back around 1980. If you are into country, you’ll definitely know Allan as the writer of multiple hits and the winner of a staggering eight Golden Guitar awards.

She has a reputation as a vocal powerhouse, but I never truly appreciated

I’ve been lucky enough to write several songs with Allan (including the title track of

music | arts | events | entertainment

my band’s new album The Mountain) and I can say from first-hand experience that noone embodies the Willie Nelson song more than he does. Caswell has a new record out called My Version of the Truth and, if you’re not yet familiar, I reckon it’s a pretty good starting point. Songwriting is a funny process – a bit of a dark art, if you will. But good writing is at the heart of good country music – so check the credits of your favourite country album and spare a thought for the dreamers, schemers and drifters who penned the tunes. You might even spot a Caswell, a Draper, a Chilcott, or even a Bryan tune amongst the track listings! 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. If you’ve got a new release, upcoming show or you’d like to get in touch with Lachlan, drop him a line at lachlan@mintmagazine.com.au.

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BLUES ILLUSTRATED By Greg Fisher

YOUTH IN BLUES - CHARLIE BEDFORD

GUITAR SHOWDOWN HITS TOWN

At the ripe old age of 15 and with 9 guitars already in his collection, Charlie Bedford has emerged from the MBAS Youth in Blues (YIB) program as a rising star on the Melbourne Blues scene. Having already performed on stage with the likes of Safari Motel, Lloyd Spiegel, Billy Kavanagh, Sammy Owen and Andy Phillips, there are no limits on the horizon for this young man. Charlie and three of his YIB contemporaries, Hayden, Cameron and Harvey, have formed their own band called Limelight, and will be heading to Memphis in 2017 to perform in the International Blues Challenge (IBC) youth showcase.

A new guitar showdown is coming to town. Jimi Hocking and Geoff Achison will be shooting it out at the Grand Hotel in Mornington on Friday, 8th April. Supported by Wilson and White, this is a must-see event. Tickets are still available at the door.

BLUES AND ROOTS AT BURRINJA The Andrea Marr Band and Greg Dodd and the Hoodoo Men are coming together for a special Blues and Roots event on 8th April at the Burrinja Lounge cafe in Upwey. The event is hosted by Dave Diprose and Doc White and bookings are available online.

BOOM BOOM BLUES

PHIL PARA The Master of the Stratocaster Mr. Phil Para has been rocking the Seaford Hotel on their Friday night Blues Club sessions. Phil Para is a guitarist, singer, songwriter and undoubtedly one of the most exciting performers in Australia. His distinctive guitar talents push all the boundaries. Phil’s performances include remarkable showmanship, with crazy antics involving playing with his teeth and even behind his head. Phil earns great respect from peers and audiences alike. His treatment of the guitar greats including Hendrix, Clapton, Stevie Ray and Santana attracts a cult-like following wherever he plays.

BLUES HIP JIVE GALA EVENTS The Blues Hip Jive phenomenon has taken the local Melbourne dance scene by storm. After hosting their 2nd gala at Eddies Band Room, the combination of Andy Phillips and the Cadillac Walk and the Jackson 4 is setting the new standard in dance parties. Blues Hip Jive dance parties are held at venues

MINT Magazine | April

2016

and cruise boats all around Melbourne and are now heading interstate. Please check https://www.facebook.com/blueshipjive for details of the next gala event.

ASYLUM BLUES TV SPECIAL John Williams and his Doubleshot of Blues have been setting the stage alight on Asylum TV on C31 (digital channel 44) on the Asylum Blues TV specials. Many of these shows are now available for streaming via YouTube.

WINTER BLUES SESSIONS 2016 The Mornington Peninsula Blues Sessions return to the Peninsula Theatre on Saturday July 16. Another grouping of some of today’s most popular blues artists with an array of blues styles altogether in a single show. The 2016 winter session will feature Chris Wilson, Jimi Hocking, Nick Charles and Jesse Valach

with special guests Sweet Felecia and Tom McEwan. Don’t miss out seating is limited.

MAXON MAXON is in the studio working on their debut EP New World. Details of the release will be available soon – watch this space.

Boom Boom Blues is a new Blues club in the vein of classic Chicago and Memphis venues, set to open soon in Adelaide. Please check the Adelaide Roots and Blues Association for more details – it’s bound to impress and will be open on Sunday afternoons.

PENINSULA BLUES CLUB The Peninsula Blues Club will be closed until further notice. Please check their website for more details.

BLUES FOR LOST SOULS Blues for Lost Souls is back for 2016 at the Williamstown RSL on 6th August. A star-studded lineup including Steve Romig, Alawishus Jones, Dreamboogie, Sweet Felecia, Catfish Voodoo, The Blues Club Revival, Greg Dodd and the Hoodoo Men and Chris Finnen will grace the stage. Anonymous X will be the recipient of all monies raised. Please get on board for this wonderful cause.

Greg writes monthly for Mint and broadcasts on Southern FM - if you know of something special happening in the Blues world please drop him a line at bluesillustrated@gmail.com or facebook.com/GregFisherBluesIllustrated

bayside & mornington peninsula

EDITOR’S PLAYLIST

Tinpan Orange

Tully on Tully

By Billy Dixon

Taste

Rudimental

Rich Man

Honestly

I Am God

Rumour Mill

Love is a Dog

Miles Away

Life on Earth

We the Generation

Tinpan Orange’s new album Love is a Dog is due out on 8th April, so it seemed fitting that I review the duo’s first single. It starts of rather slowly and more than a little melancholic, with tales of falling for the trappings offered by wealthy suitors. Though I can tell you the rest of the album varies from the sad and slow to the sharp and bright, Rich Man is decidedly gloomy in tone. It’s an interesting choice for a first single after listening to the rest of the album –it’s not the light-hearted yet eerily serious Dumb Ways to Die the band produced for Metro back at the end of 2012 But don’t let the theme put you off – it’s written and executed beautifully, it’s as real as it gets and despite the sadness it exudes, is inspiring in its own way. Tinpan Orange are definitely worth a spot on your coveted playlist, especially if you dig local country.

The video clip for Honestly is what really inspired me to include this track in my April playlist. The band have returned from a prolonged stay in New York, where they wrote a cacophony of songs to be recorded at a later date in rural Victoria. Despite their travels and the tyranny of distance, Tully On Tully still call the city of Melbourne home, which is an honour from those well-travelled. The video was part of a project called Around the World in 80 Music Videos, and is composed entirely of 2,500 still images taken around our great city. Even if you’re something of a country bumpkin or suburban hermit, you’re bound to relate to elements of the video, whether it be the wait for a train, the lines on the pavement or the trees in the street. The song itself is equally as inspiring.

We’re in the midst of a comeback season for ‘90s rock bands. But that hasn’t stopped the now-considerably-older gents from Taste reforming their ‘70s rock effort in a bid to revive gods of sound from even earlier times. It’s a pretty good effort, too, which I found more than a little surprising, all things considered. The track I Am God off their forthcoming new album is pure vintage hard rock, or what some people might call “heavy metal,” though by definition it doesn’t really come close. It has everything a Metallica fan of the late ‘80s could want – shredding solos, deep, crunching rythmic chords and eerily airy vocals that descend into well-tuned yelling. Whether it’ll kick-start the “reformed” band’s career (their words!) is entirely up to the whim of fans old and new. If you’re into heavy guitar riffs and a bit of headbanging, at the very least, check out the giant spiders in the video.

Rudimental have been making waves all over the radio recently, and after tuning in to tracks like Lay it All On Me and Never Let You Go, it’s easy to see why. But does their latest single from the 2015 album We the Generation live up to the hype created thus far? In this writer’s sole opinion... no, it doesn’t. In fact, with the sheer depth and complexity of electronic music available these days, Rumour Mill in particular is one I’d call fairly flat, maybe even lazy. The lyrics in particular leave a lot to be desired, even if they are delivered with aplomb by guest vocalists Anne-Marie and Will Heard. Even the video clip is one-dimensional – the entire scene takes place in an old BMW in a parking garage in Europe. It’s not even a classic beamer - just an E30 3-series, rendered in black and white. Boring.

THE GOODLIFE IN PARADISE Canadian born singer-songwriter Tracy McNeil has been releasing albums in Australia to the adulation of critics and aficionados since her arrival in 2007. Now a permanent resident, McNeil and her music have been claimed as Melbourne’s own. Her 2014 release Nobody Ever Leaves received two nominations in The Age Music Victoria Genre awards (Best Country & Best Folk/Roots album) and Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife were named Australian Artist/Band of the Year in the Rhythms Magazine readers’ poll that same year, with editor Martin Jones describing their live show as “fully realized, world-class country-rock.” In 2015, McNeil was busy with international supports for American rock-band Dawes, a Canadian solo tour, and playing with The GoodLife at the Americana Music Festival in Nashville, TN. Throughout her travels, a new record was in the making and the band are excited to announce the release of the first single Paradise from the forthcoming album music | arts | events | entertainment

Thieves, due for release in late June 2016. Paradise navigates a fleeting, utopian space that can exist between two strangers, drawn by an irrepressible magnetism to a place that can be visited but never lived in, and they are inevitably set adrift again... “feel it coming like a roll of black thunder, heat gets heavy underneath the sky, I hear you breathing before you’re standing near me, this feels like something I ain’t ever tried.” Co-producer and engineer Shane O’Mara has applied a healthy dose of Californian shimmer with a driving, double-drum track, and some Laurel Canyon-esque harmonies from The GoodLife harking back to the halcyon days of late 70’s L.A. country rock. Written by McNeil between Melbourne & North America throughout 2015, Paradise is the first offering off Thieves – a collection of songs that traverse the undulating emotional landscape of loss, the elusiveness of time

and new beginnings.

and stepping out into something new.

With the passing of her father during this period, McNeil found solace in song; resulting in some very cathartic and productive writing sessions in Nashville, LA & Canada that would ultimately produce the fruits of this, her fourth studio album due for release in June, 2016. The subject matter shifts from the darker corners of living through heartache and loss, to finding the light again

The GoodLife features Dan Parsons on lead guitar, Luke Sinclair (Raised By Eagles) on rhythm guitar, Bree Hartley on drums and Trent McKenzie on bass. Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife will celebrate the release of Paradise with a free show on April 15 at the Retreat Hotel in Brunswick, with special guests Murdena.

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CLASSIC CUTS

By Ray McGrotty

Born on the Wrong Side of Time and Dual Carriageway Pain both feature some excellent guitar riffs and apart from the hard rock intro, Born on the Wrong Side of Time is a haunting, melancholic song with a lamenting folk sort of feel before eventually breaking back into the type of hard rock part that introduced the song. Same Old Story is possibly the best track on the album. Plenty of heavy riffs here on this fast blues rocker laden with some absolutely superb guitar solos, all propelled into heavy-duty action by a powerful vocal. This is one track that could certainly be regarded as ‘Zeppelin-esque’. Catfish plods along in pain and agony for around 8 minutes with the guitar and vocals once again capturing the desperation of the lyrics. Some very creative soloing highlights this emotionally charged gem which you may want to compare with Hendrix’s version. Strangely, the album closes with a Hank Snow song (which I have never heard, nor am I ever likely to) called I’m Moving On. There have been many different cover versions of this song over the years, including a more garage rock version from the Rolling Stones on their December’s Children album. The version here, however, is more in the country-blues flavour, augmented by Rory’s magnificent slide guitar and some solid bass playing courtesy of Richard “Charlie” McCracken along with a jazz brush drum accompaniment from John Wilson.

Many fans of the blues guitar will be familiar with the name Rory Gallagher. Fewer, however, will be aware of the band he formed in 1968 that helped launch him as one of the most consistent and respected blues rock guitarists of our time. In 1966, having already played with a few bands whilst still in school and becoming proficient in playing many different instruments (most notoriously his 1961 Fender Stratocaster), Gallagher formed his own band called Taste. By 1968, after a couple of line up changes, Taste began performing extensively, with

MINT Magazine | April

2016

performances all over the UK. The following year they released their classic (yet still, to this day, relatively unknown) selftitled album, on which Gallagher penned six of the nine tracks. Gallagher’s unique “dirty” guitar sound gave the band a kind of garage punk edge whilst maintaining their dominant blues rock approach.

Leavin’ Blues features Gallagher playing some very stylish slide guitar over a guitarpicking blues track, revealing his versatility on the acoustic guitar whilst rendering superb vocals that blend perfectly with the guitar part.

In a many ways, they were like a concentrated blend of Cream and Led Zeppelin.

Up next is a 7-minute hard rockin’ Zeppelinesque cover of Sugar Mama once again showcasing the vocal skills and extraordinary guitar work of the man who’s talent has been grossly overlooked.

A good example of this is the album’s opener Blister on the Moon, which was written by Gallagher.

Hail shows more creative style with synced vocal and guitar parts bringing an angelic like blend to the mix.

Although this is my least favourite track on the album, I still find it easy listening and oddly enough, it doesn’t seem out of place in any way. Although the Taste album didn’t make much of an impact, Gallagher’s solo career did, and it followed in the same style as this great piece of late sixties blues rock. Taste released one more studio album before disbanding in 1970, titled On the Boards. Whilst in one sense it was a more creative album, it showed the band was moving in a more jazz-type folk / blues direction. Finally, I couldn’t resist this terrible pun, but... you really ought to add some taste to your record collection... get it?

bayside & mornington peninsula

MISSED THE MARK

Wendy James: Now Ain’t the Time for Your Tears

It was a deal done, if not with the Devil, then with Elvis Costello. After Transvision Vamp, Wendy James was keen to put together an album of great songs and approached one of the finest songwriters of this or any other generation for a tune. He was willing to oblige, on one condition – that he not just contribute a song but write the entire album. Wendy must have thought that all her Christmases, at least three of her Easters and a couple of Grand Final Eves had all come at once. But being a great songwriter does not mean you write only great songs. Getting Elvis on board does not mean that you’ll end up with the sequel to This Year’s Model much less something as good as Armed Forces or (my own favourite) Blood and Chocolate. I can’t say for certain, but I’ll bet that the songs on those truly excellent albums took more than a weekend to knock up. The same cannot be said, however, for the songs on Now Ain’t the Time for Your Tears. Along with his wife, former Pogue Cait O’Riordan, Elvis Costello wrote all ten tracks over the course of one weekend. Clearly, he didn’t want it to interfere with his day job. The results are nothing short of infuriating. There are brief moments of promise, such as the opening song, This is a Test, which

actually sounds like a half-decent Elvis Costello song, complete with invective and just the right level of bitterness. In fact, I’d go so far that to have Wendy James sing it seems like something of a masterstroke. Hearing the words of Elvis in the mouth of someone else does a lot to put a new spin on a formula that by the early nineteen nineties was in danger of getting stale – something Elvis himself soon recognized before embarking on a process of reinvention. But, as promising as it is to begin with, there’s a point at which a bunch of songs, tossed off over the course of a weekend, tend to sound as though that’s exactly what they are. There’s a certain grim fascination at hearing a young singer attempting to strike out on her own and singing songs like ‘Puppet Girl’ and ‘Fill in the Blanks’. But, sadly, these songs aren’t built to go the distance. They are, instead, the Emperor’s new clothes.

Matters weren’t helped by the choice of The Nameless One as lead single. Ostensibly, it’s trying to be a big artistic statement but ends up being more of a stutter. The single stalled just inside the perimeter of the top-forty before quickly fleeing to the safer climes of obscurity. The album eventually suffered a similar fate; It would be another eighteen years before Wendy James

By Stuart McCullough

released another solo album – I Came Here to Blow Minds – to which the obvious response is, ‘You came here eighteen years too late.’ The songs on the follow up were not written by Elvis Costello. Now Ain’t the Time for Your Tears is one of those things that looks like a great idea on paper. In theory, having someone like Elvis Costello write you an entire album of songs is a dream come true.

made her career and seen her cast off the pall of her old band, becoming a star in her own right. Instead, the songs feel as if they’ve been written by the numbers which, in all fairness, they probably were. So close and yet so very, very far.

The fact is, he should have taken more than just the weekend to do it. James does her best with the material but, in the end, it wasn’t enough. Done right, it would have

SKYCHA: OWE SOMEONE Melbourne based neo-soul electrojazz ensemble SKYCHA is a genreblending exploration of past, present and future. Australian songstress and composer Chantal Mitvalsky leads the band’s biggest live show yet to launch Owe Someone – SKYCHA’s debut album – at the Shadow Electric at Abbotsford Convent on Thursday, 21st April with support from DxHeaven and The Do Yo Thangs. The album – set for release on the same day – is a multi-layered compilation of lush, soulful vocal arrangements against a backdrop of dark vintage synths, glitchy grooves, jazz harmony and flickering electronics. Chantal will be joined by some of music | arts | events | entertainment

Australia’s musical elite to launch the album, including Tokyo-based album producer and pianist Aaron Choulai (synths & electronics), Sam Keevers (piano), Kumar Shome (guitar), Ryan Monro (electric bass), Hugh Harvey (drums) and a three-piece choir. Best known for her work with groups as diverse as Jackson Jackson, The Meltdown and Cannonball, Chantal has been making waves as a solo and backing vocalist for the past 12 years, particularly in the Jazz scene.

beautifully soulful, meandering yet meaningful tracks. The ten song opus is packed with energy and drive, its many twists and turns akin to a magical musical carpet ride, rich and laden with a luscious symphonic tapestry all the while harnessed by a potent and honey-drenched vocal.

This latest project, SKYCHA, explores a rich mix of soul, contemporary R&B and hip hop with traditional jazz instrumentation and harmonies.

Chantal is very excited to be launching the album on what will be a night to remember. Don’t miss SKYCHA’s debut album launch at Shadow Electric on Thursday, 21st April, with support from DxHeaven and The Do Yo Thangs.

Owe Someone is a cornucopic mishmash of influences that she has blended into seamlessly cohesive,

Tickets are now available via the venue website for $12 + fees, or $15 at the door if available.

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YOUTUBE GEMS Crazy covers, asinine antics and other weird and not-sowonderful rarities from the web’s deepest & darkest corners! WE PEOPLE ARE NOT HUMAN

Allegiant: Part One (14 Apr) Beatrice Prior and Tobias Eaton venture into the world outside of the fence and are taken into protective custody by a mysterious agency known as the Bureau of Genetic Welfare. -----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Naomi Watts, Theo James

A Month of Sundays (28 Apr) Unable to move on from his past, Frank Mollard receives a phone call from his mother. Which isn’t all that strange, except she’s dead... -----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Anthony LaPaglia, Wayne Anthoney, Nick Batzias

The Boss (14 Apr) When a titan of industry emerges ready to rebrand herself as America’s latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget. -----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Peter Dinklage, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell

Captain America: Civil War (28 Apr) The continued adventures of the Portokalos family, following up on the original 2002 comedy. -----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Elizabeth Olsen, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr

Me Before You (21 Apr) A girl from a small town in the UK forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralysed man she’s taking care of.

Mother’s Day (28 Apr) Intersecting stories about three separate families collide on Mother’s Day.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Emilia Clarke, Sam Clafin, Matthew Lewis

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, Jason Sudeikis

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (21 Apr) A Journalist recounts her wartime coverage whilst in Afghanistan and Pakistan. -----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Tina Fey

Bad Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising (5 May) After a sorority more debaucherous than the previous frat moves in next door, Mac and Kelly have to ask for help from their former enemy, Teddy. -----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne

Mr. Right (21 Apr) A girl falls for the “perfect” guy, who happens to have a very fatal flaw: he’s a hitman on the run from the crime cartels who employ him. -----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Anna Kendrick, Tim Roth, Sam Rockwell

The Man Who Knew Infinity (5 May) Growing up poor in India, Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar earns admittance to Cambridge University during WWI -----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Jeremy Irons, Dev Patel, Toby Jones

MINT Magazine | April

2016

This German (we think) citizen explains in great detail why us ambassadors of other planets (yes, all of us) must continue to mine emotional energy and transmit it back to our homeworld.

WEEK 42 One of the great music videos from the deepest, darket corners of YouTube, “Week 42” may just change the way we think about hip-hop forever.

HIKIKOMORI This video explores the darkness of human spirit that can emerge when hidden behind the veil of anonymity offered up by the worldwide web. Warning: Not Safe For Work, and then some.

RUBBER BAND EAGLE Finally something useful!.. well, not really, but it’s something interesting to do around the office when your manager’s out to lunch.

MARIO SAVES PEACH Some great backyard acting here... Luigi’s death brought tears to my eyes. But like every classic adventure game, the hero saves the princess in the end.

bayside & mornington peninsula

EDDIE WEARN

MINT’S Q&A WITH SHEDNINE MASTERMIND By Billy Dixon through. The digital age is now, it’s exciting.

Eddie Wearne, the Owner and operator of ShedNine Core Store has been running his local Surf, Skate, Snow shop tucked away in a quiet strip of shops near the Rye Ocean Beach for going on Ten years. Bricks and Mortar retail vs the Internet in the modern world is no easy challenge. Eddie is a hardworking, community supportI’ve man always busy helping promote and support local youth, musicians sports clubs, his shop team and running events. Somehow, Eddie still seems to find more surfing time than most people could dream of.

Even going on forty years of age next year, deep down I still feel like I’m a seventeen year old running around in a broken, fifty-year-old body. I wake up and think about going surfing, skateboarding or snowboarding. That is never gonna change. It’s been a natural progression and a dream come true to be able to help others build their profiles, particularly helping the young groms getting their first sponsors. Thats the catch, nowadays with online shopping, its kind of like driving the wrong way down a one way street. You might find some items cheaper on ebay, but are they gonna sponsor your kid, or the kid next door for skateboarding? Are they gonna give prizes to the local surf comp, or footy club, or Lions Club raffle, or clothes to the Friday Club for the hungry or whatever charity it is knocking on the door on any given day of the week? No, they’re not.

MINT: Can you enlighten us on how you find the balance between working and surfing and tell us about the upcoming Indifference gig at Baha? We are familiar of ShedNine as the store and label but what do “FTW” and “Vagrant” Stand for? WEARNE: Yeah for sure. I generally work seven days, sixty to seventy hours per week instore at Shednine. Thats retail, you know – to make it work, you really have gotta be there.

You cant doorknock eBay and ask for some giveaways for the girl scout raffle or for the basketball team. Are they going to raise funds for suicide prevention or for a dying man to fly overseas, to visit his wife for the last time? No, they’re not. People need to support small businesses over the big chains, shop local and think global. Period.

During daylight savings, I get to surf most days either dawn or dusk and for that I am blessed. Without that, I would have given up years ago. We are the closest surf store to the ocean, so we really rely on distinct markets, the hard core surfers, the locals, the tourists and holiday makers. Like many coastal businesses, we are generally busy during school holidays and mostly fairly quiet in between, although a good run of quality surf or snow and a bit of luck can bring in good business on any given day. Some days I’ll sit in the shop from nine am till seven pm and sell nothing. Those are the days where I need to keep busy, to maintain a positI’ve mindset. So yeah, I’m always tapping away at other interests and side projects.

In a perfect world, there would be no darkness – only joy. Unfortunately, the world is not perfect and the reality is that there is huge pressure on the next generation just to survive. The cost of living has risen, unemployment, homelessness, mental health issues, drug and alchohol abuse, addiction, theft, violence, crime and suicide are at an all-time high. Anyone willing to open up has tales of losing friends to suicide. The numbers are rising and show no sign of slowing down.

My main passion is unearthing and promoting the wave of local talent, whether its in the form of the athletes we sponsor, musicians, photographers, film makers, artists or whomever. There is a huge pool of talent on the Peninsula, and plenty that, on a global scale, goes relatively unnoticed.

Many people can’t even afford their rent, let alone fees to take their rubbish to the tip. The streets are a dumping ground. The world is choking by our vicious cycle of pollution and abuse. Australia is no longer the land of the free. Melbourne is one of the most expensive cities to live in in the world.

I foresee change. The time is now, the kids of the Peninsula are surfing, skating, snowboarding, bodyboarding and riding dirtbikes and pushing their skill level higher than ever before. I’m proud and stoked to be a part of that, a member of the both the local Peninsula Surf Riders Club and the

Australia still is the the lucky country, the Peninsula is so beautiful with her seasons and changes, but as locals we need to work together to support each other and look after each other more, so that the next generation can learn from us. It really is one of the best places to live in the world. We

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Peninsula Bodyboarders Club and a friend of The Moss Skate Crew. These groups do so much to inspire the Groms coming up. I have personally driven

over a thousand people, to the snow and back safely over the past decade. It is a lot of work but I’m stoked to be involved. Theres a pile of talented musicians, artists, photographers and filmmakers, coming

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are blessed. Running ShedNine has been very rewarding, supporting a team of athletes, especially connecting them with various sponsors through our store. Some of these athletes have gone on to be international stars in their own right, while some have just had a whole lot of fun. We help promote and support them as much as possible, and as long as we are in business, that will never change, but it’s really all up to them as individuals to see how far they can take it. Vagrant Apparel is our new side project.It’s a fresh venture – a grass roots, premium quality, boutique label. Our philosophy with Vagrant is different – there is no team. Instead, the customers are the faces of our social media and a percentage of profits of all vagrant apparel go directly to various charities, supporting homeless youth, beach cleans and recycling programs. We want to keep the quality as high as possible and keep things simple, humble, grow slowly and shape boards on the side, out the back of the shop, one by one. At the moment the only way to buy Vagrant Apparrel is in store, over the counter at ShedNine. It’s not available online but over the years that may change. We don’t aspire to make this a huge brand at all, quite the opposite, but it is for a genuine cause where every little bit helps. When Matt Dee, the founder of FTW revolution rang me from Sydney and asked me if I wanted to be a Victorian representative for FTW, I was a little anxious. He had already recruited infamous big wave hellmen, Sydney’s Koby Abberton, and Tasmania’s Marti Paradisis and even though Marti is a close friend and rides for our ShedNine store, to be honest I felt a little undergunned next to those guys. As per usual I suggested he hook up one of our up n coming grommets from the ShedNine team. After all, I’m nearly forty and supposed to be winding down. “Brother, I want you man!” Matt said in his deep, rough, but strong and persuasI’ve voice. “I want someone older who’s been through the ups and downs, some one who can talk to the kids in need. As a label we need someone who can ride any kind a board, surf, skate, snow and that is you brother. You got the shop, we put the clothes in there, thats the only shop in Vicco for now, when the kids come in lost and need to talk I know they are in good hands with you man.” Matt Dee, the founder of FTW grew up in poverty, often hungry, surfing the windswept, bay waves of Aspendale as a child in the ’80s, he later moved to Sydney. When Matt lost his brother John to suicide, he bottomed out, his best friend, his rock and his brother was now gone.

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If that wasn’t hard enough, not long after his schizophrenic sister took her own life too. He faced extremely hard times but pushed on through and past the suicidal thoughts and nightmares that were his every day. Matt was down, but he was strong, he came through from ground up and the label that he had started with his brother John was became his outlet. Years later, FTW revolution is a solid and professional movement, a full crew on a mission to reduce and break down the stigma behind mental illness and help reduce the alarming statistics of suicide. They appeal to the youth, the battlers and the demographic that are not going to sit on hold waiting for a five to ten minutes on the phone to someone like Lifeline. They have raised over $340,000 toward suicide prevention, through events and their clothing line alone. They have almost finished creating an app which will be free to download on all mobile phones worldwide. This free app will appeal to the modern day youth, help minimise the number of suicides, not just in Australia but on a global scale. So I been repping FTW revolution, for a year or so now, its available instore at ShedNine. Some of the kids ask me “do they pay you to surf?” Of course not, we pay them, ShedNine pay them, they need and deserve every cent to keep their wheels turning. The most common question is, “what does it mean?” FTW, Free the weirdos? Find the way? For the weekend? Forget that weekend? Full tilt wow? For the water? Free trade world? Fear the worst? Fortunatelty theres wasabi? Fortune this way? Fake tatt warfare? Free the whales? Forever the winter. Forget the web? What the F backwards? Whatever you want. The reason it works is because everyone asks what FTW means, then when you explain to that the person its more than a label, its a movement who raise funds for mental health and suicide prevention, that there is where the magic happens. People start to open up about their problems and once that conversation has started, the stigma around talking about one’s mental health vanishes. Once people are open and can talk freely about it the chances of self harm are reduced. As a Vic rep, with many people opening up to me these days, thats not always easy to deal with – I’m a people person, but I’m no shrink. But all those that have opened up to me are still here and alive, and to me that’s what’s important! On a more cheerful note, come along to our huge, cheerful celebration of life, “#Inddifference”, the FTW / ShedNine collaboration Friday Fest Fundraiser gig at Baha Tacos in Rye on 15th April, from 7.30pm sharp.

bayside & mornington peninsula

THE MEN’S DEN

THE HOT TOWEL WET SHAVE IS BACK! Leanne Barnes of Silk noticed that men were travelling all the way to Melbourne to experience the old school grooming as did their grandfathers. Leanne has realised the growing need for skilled barbering. Thus, she has created a masculine yet luxurious space for the modern man. Mens Den at Silk offers professional, skilled Barbering with a pampered twist. All guests on arrival will experience a head and shoulder massage and a customised shampoo from their extensive range of products like the natural organic Aveda, Kevin Murphy, American Crew and Eleven. Their barber-trained, all-girl team – Nikya, Kaitlyn, Ange and Jurjia – will skillfully style your hair, groom your beard or even give you an old-school hot towel wet shave. Men often shy away from colour as they are afraid of a natural fake look that results in unwanted gold tones. Mens Den can colour match your hair with American Crew in a matter of minutes (5 minute application and 5

minute processing time) – a quick process with great results. American Crew colour is designed for men with up to 70% grey coverage, giving you a natural look that takes a few years off your appearance. The colour gently fades away without leaving undesirable tones. Men’s manicure is also on the menu. If you’re time poor, have this treat whilst you have your hair cut. This service, designed specifically for men, consists of a hand soak, nail scrub and file, cuticles tidied and a relaxing hand and arm massage. So come and see the gang at Mens Den, housed in Silk Hair Beauty Spa. They take group bookings for the Groom. Let them prepare and groom you and your wedding party for the special day with their extensive menu, be it hair, waxing, tanning, massage facials or even youthful ageing injectables. They’ll even provide customised gift vouchers, the perfect present for the special man in your life or a father-and-son treat, great for a boys’ day out!

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Jodi Eames has been part of the cosmetic and wellness industry for more than nine years now, helping people of all ages achieve their optimum in both health and beauty. Now, Jodi brings her wealth of experience and holistic knowledge to a new level, setting up her practise at Optima Gym in Mornington. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have worked on many faces and a variety of different clients, and I have diplomas in beauty therapy and business, a traineeship in dermal therapy and I am very close to completing my Bachelor of Health Science (Complementary Medicine),â&#x20AC;? said Jodi. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My passion is seeing a person transform into the best version of them self.â&#x20AC;? With a more holistic approach, Jodi wants her clients to be healthy inside and out. She can offer advice on diet, nutrition and external

beauty treatments. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beauty and wellness treatments are available in my clinic, including peels, cosmeceutical skincare nutrition, eyelash extensions, cosmetic tattooing, pure mineral make up and much more. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everything I do is based on an integrative approach to health and beauty; there is no one magic cream or diet that will make you feel comfortable and in control of your life. I coach people in healthy lifestyles and teach beauty techniques. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After a few weeks of transformation, clients move on to maintenance. You will have JDLQHG WKH FRQĆ&#x201C;GHQFH DQG VNLOOV WR EH VXFFHVVful in your life. Your health will have improved, you will be excited about more than you thought you could be and you will be in love with how you look and feel,â&#x20AC;? said Jodi.

My name is Amanda Wood and I am a very competent beauty therapist. Having trained in the United Kingdom, I have many years of experience working in both the U.K. and Australia. Now, I own and manage my own business right here in Mornington â&#x20AC;&#x201C; welcome to Miss Wax! Located within Morningtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Optima Gym, Miss Wax offers a range of affordable services LQ D UHOD[HG SURIHVVLRQDO HQYLURQPHQW b I offer a high standard of treatments using only top-quality products, all at an affordable price. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in a convenient location and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always plenty of parking and easy access.

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THE MINDFUL SUPPER CLUB strength,” says Georges. “The Supper Club just sounds like such an original, fun idea and we’re delighted to be involved. We can’t wait to see how it goes.”

Mindfulness, meditation and a mouthwatering meal will all be on the menu on Friday, 8th April, as The Mindful Supper Club holds its inaugural get-together at The Wholesome Nest Café in Carrum. The menu has just been released, and it looks delicious.

The Mindful Supper Club will be held once a month starting on Friday, 8th April. The evening includes a guided mindfulness session followed by a three-course meal, all for a very reasonable $60. For more information, visit the Think-Bubbles website at www.think-bubbles.com.

The Mindful Supper Club is the brainchild of Victoria Gelberg, the founder and director of Think-Bubbles. Held in partnership with The Wholesome Nest and Beach Lane Studios, The Supper Club offers the chance to learn about mindfulness and meditation, engage in a series of guided exercises designed to enhance personal wellbeing by promoting present-moment awareness, and finally enjoy a delicious meal from the talented team at The Wholesome Nest. Think-Bubbles provides a range of coaching and consulting services aimed at enabling the practice of mindfulness and meditation. These include short courses, walk-in sessions, group workshops and bespoke consultations, catering for individuals, families, workplaces and schools. According to Victoria, the idea for The Supper Club stemmed from her experiences running group workshops. “I found with a lot of the sessions I was running that, while mindfulness is ultimately a very personal, individual thing, people were always keen to discuss and share their experiences afterwards,” says Victoria. “Often people might go on for a drink or a bite to eat, so I had the idea to bring it all under one roof, and have everyone break bread together.” Mindfulness is creating a lot of buzz in the media right now, amid a growing body of scientific evidence highlighting the benefits it can bring in every aspect

About Think-Bubbles Think-bubbles is a coaching and consultancy service established to promote and enable the practice of mindfulness and meditation. Established by experienced mindfulness and meditation practitioner Victoria Gelberg, it originated from work she developed in the mainstream education sector, evolving from almost 20 years of practice and instruction, coupled with academic research. of our everyday lives. With food being so fundamental to our daily wellbeing, a mindful approach can enhance our understanding of our relationship with what we eat. “We all need to eat and drink,” adds Victoria. “It’s one of the great pleasures in life. Sadly, in the modern world, it can also be a source of great anxiety. With The Mindful Supper Club, we’ll be examining the experience of eating, of tasting food and our responses to it. And, Shae has put together a wonderful menu for the evening, so I know it’ll be delicious.” Shae Willem at The Wholesome Nest is looking forward to showcasing the team’s

cooking in a new and unique context. “When we first heard about the concept of The Supper Club we were fascinated,” says Shae. “It’s such an interesting way to approach the enjoyment of food and drink, and we’re thrilled that our wholesome food will be featured so centrally. We are looking forward to getting into the kitchen on the night.” For Georges McKail, proprietor of Beach Lane, the Mindful Supper Club is the latest in a fast-evolving partnership with Think-Bubbles. “Victoria has been running Think-Bubbles events at Beach Lane for a while now, and things have been going from strength to

About The Wholesome Nest The Wholesome Nest is a beach side cafe nestled on the ground floor of Beach Lane. The Wholesome Nest serves locally sourced produce, consciously prepared light meals and juices, and really excellent coffee. About Beach Lane Beach Lane is a space designed to foster creative community, artistic works and support entrepreneurial start up ventures. Beach Lane is a multi-faceted space designed with community in mind. Services include a shop, wholesome cafe, four studio spaces for yoga, meditation, events and workshops, private consultation and meetings. www.beachlane.co

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MINT Magazine | April

2016

bayside & mornington peninsula

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LOVE OF THE SEA By Andrea Louise Thomas

Bridgit Thomas is a Mornington Peninsula based artist who specializes in fish and marine themes. She is also passionate about conserving the natural environment. As a scuba diver, sailor and beachcomber she has seen the aquatic domain from all angles. The surrounding flora and fauna of the sea, bays and river systems has been the inspiration and subject of her prints and paintings over the course of her artistic career. She also loves to paint the ships and boats that traverse the ocean, bays and waterways. Her work is exquisitely detailed and her love of the subject matter shines through. MINT: Your work centres around marine and coastal themes. What appeals to you most about this subject matter? THOMAS: I’m very familiar with it. I’ve grown up near the sea. It’s something I see every day and I love looking at it. I’m fascinated with marine life. I was on a boat for four months going up the East Coast of Australia. Sometimes you’d be out at sea with no land in sight, just 360 degrees of horizon and ocean. I would draw everything I could see. The fish were different in each area. To me it was like painting a landscape just by painting the fish. You could see what the ocean floor was doing. I think that’s what started me music | arts | events | entertainment

painting fish – being on a boat so long. When I met my husband, who is a bit of a trout fisherman and more of an inland person, he encouraged me to keep painting fish. MINT: Your watercolours are reminiscent of 18th century botanical and marine illustrations. Were these early works your inspiration? THOMAS: Yes. I would love to have been a naturalist on a ship in Captain Cook’s or Matthew Flinders’ day. That’s when I think I should have been born – at a time when you’d go out exploring and you’d be the first Europeans seeing specimens from new lands for the very first time. They’d bring them back, examine them and paint them very accurately. It inspire me. MINT: Your early training was in printmaking, but you’re also a watercolourist. Do you prefer one to the other? THOMAS: I like both. Printmaking is quite involved. If I see an image I’d like to produce as an artwork I’ll see it as a print, a dry point, a linocut or a watercolour. It’s how I envision things. Printmaking is more involved whereas watercoulor is instant. With printmaking you have to think about the outcome of it. You have to plan it all out.

MINT: How has being a scuba diver influenced your work? THOMAS: It has influenced it very much. Fish change colour as soon as you bring them up to the surface and into the air. The oxygen changes them. Then they die and constantly change colour as they start to decompose. It’s great to see them in their natural environment whizzing around down there because there where their colour is completely different. You have to be there to see that. MINT: What brings you to Art Red Hill? THOMAS: I was invited one year and I have always continued to bring work up to Art Red Hill because it’s a prestigious Peninsula show. Opening night is always such a fun night. I really do love it. It’s a showcase for Peninsula artists. MINT: Where can people find your work? THOMAS: My work is available at Gallery Sorrento on the Peninsula, at Salt in Queenscliff and on my website. See Thomas’ elegant artwork at Art Red Hill, Friday 29th April from 7.30pm–10.30pm, or over the weekend from 10.00am–4.00pm at the Red Hill Consolidated School, 341 Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill.

Pictures: Marion Manifold’s Flowersof the Field (top, 2015) and Laurie Nilsen’s Once Were Fishermen (bottom, 2014) are just two of the works on display at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. Exhibits include Saltwater Country, Australians Will Be There: Victorians in the First World War and Flowers in the Field: Waiting for the Sunrise.

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TWO ODD BIRDS By Andrea Louise Thomas

group of female friends get together for their regular game of Trivial Pursuit, they get to see first hand the conflicts between this odd couple.

Neil Simon’s play, The Odd Couple, featuring a persnickety neat freak and a complete slob, was such huge success that it was made into a wildly successful television program, but Simon also penned a female version of the Odd Couple and it’s just as funny. Roy Thompson directs the Frankston Theatre Group in this all-female version of the play.

Director Roy Thompson chose this play because “It made me laugh out loud the first time I read it.” For lots of laughs, see The Odd Couple (Female Version) on Fridays, 15th and 22nd April at 8.00pm, Saturdays, 16th and 23rd April at 8.00pm or Sunday, 24th April at 2.00pm at Mt. Eliza Community Centre, Canadian Bay Road, Mt. Eliza. There’s cabaret-style seating but BYO drinks and nibbles. Bookings 1300 665 377.

Olive Madison, a divorcee and self professed slob and Florence Unger a buttoned up tidy freak end up living together because Florence has just separated from her husband and needs a place to live. When a

WUTHERING HEIGHTS Emily Brontë’s much-loved gothic masterpiece Wuthering Heights storms into Frankston Arts Centre in May 2016 as part of its four-month national tour and is set to blow the roof off!

COUNTDOWN FAVOURITES

Wuthering Heights tells the story of Heathcliff, a mysterious boy who is rescued from the street and brought to Wuthering Heights, where he develops a passionate bond with Catherine Earnshaw. As time passes, Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship deepens to the point of dangerous obsession, until one day, Catherine marries another man. Overcome with jealousy, Heathcliff flees the Heights only to return, years later, ready to exact revenge on those he believed ruined his one chance at happiness.

stage adaptors, and they continue to carry the mantle in their new adaptation of Emily Brontë’s gothic masterpiece, Wuthering Heights.” Aussie Theatre. shake & stir’s Artistic Director, Nick Skubij who adapted and directed this bold new work said “Aside from being an outstanding story of revenge, love and loss, we chose Wuthering Heights to re-imagine as, with every shake & stir production, we aim to invigorate classics for a new audience.”

From the critically-acclaimed teams behind shake & stir’s Animal Farm and 1984 comes the next adaption in the company’s award-winning cannon. Wuthering Heights has already mesmerised audiences in Brisbane playing a sold-out season at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in 2014 and garnering stellar reviews: “shake & stir theatre co is undoubtedly Brisbane’s (nay Australia’s) best literary

MINT Magazine | April

2016

bayside & mornington peninsula

RHYTHMS OF NATURE By Andrea Louise Thomas

Perth-born artist, Di Crawford knows she lives a charmed life on the Mornington Peninsula. Now based in Cape Schank, the amazing diversity of birds, animals and aquatic life provide daily inspiration for her acrylic paintings and works on paper. Infused with rich colour and vibrancy, Crawford draws on the natural environment to create her unique artwork. In her most recent exhibition, Rhythms of Nature, fish, wetlands and other natural environments and creatures are featured. Having travelled

extensively through Australia including the rugged terrain of the Outback, she is able to draw on source material from many ecosystems. Crawford has a particular interest in the marvelous birdlife she sees. Texture and symbols of the land and water flow through her intricate art. See Rhythms of Nature until April 17 on display Thursday to Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm at White Hill Gallery, White Hill Road, Dromana. 5971 0146 www. whitehillgallery.com.au or www.dicrawfordartist. com.au.

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A DAY AT THE ZOO By Andrea Louise Thomas

Pictures: Sand Sculpting Australia’s works at the Frankston Waterfront, this sculpture consists of a series of steampunk-inspired mechanical animals. Dozens of sculptures like this one will adorn the waterfront promenade until 25th April this year.

If you haven’t been to Frankston Waterfront to see Sandsculpting Australia’s A Day at the Zoo yet – go soon. It ends on 25th April. Featuring life-sized zoo animals crafted with exceptional accuracy, the exhibition also displays a good sense of humour. It’s zoo with a twist, and a dose of the unexpected. The sand sculpting process is as interesting as the sculptures. Sand sculptors use the same sand as bricklayers. The square grain in

MINT Magazine | April

2016

“brickies’ loam” sticks together well, unlike its cousin, beach sand. It bears compaction reliably and that is the secret to success in sand construction. Sculptors work from mountains of heavily compacted and tiered sand shaped by wooden forms. They start at the top and work their way down standing on the tier below. No scaffolding is needed. Once the sculptures are completed, they are treated with a biodegradable spray that gives them a water-resistant coating.

One man, Project Leader and Artistic Director Kevin Crawford, meticulously plans and conceptualises the entire site. Originally trained as an architect, Crawford decides upon the form of each sculpture and the size and shape of each site based the event’s theme. Each sculptor or team is given a concept drawing along with reference drawings for elements within the piece. Sculptors then work their magic, infusing the given piece with their own individual style.

See the work of twenty world-renowned sand sculptors from around the globe who have transformed 3,500 tonnes of sand into a wild assortment of animals in A Day at the Zoo – on now at the Frankston Waterfront until 25th April. Tickets available from the Frankston Visitor’s Centre – call 1300 322 842 or purchase tickets on site (cash only). www.sandstorm.com.au

bayside & mornington peninsula

ART UP AT RED HILL By Andrea Louise Thomas

LAST CALL By Andrea Louise Thomas Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery’s biennial National Works on Paper exhibition showcases artists who work with or on paper traditionally or in novel explorations. MPRG is now making its final call for submissions. One of Australia’s most prestigious awards and acquisitive exhibitions of its type, the gallery receives over a thousand entries of contemporary artworks by printmakers, digital artists, illustrators, painters and paper sculptors. With a

prize of $50,000 it’s not surprising. Judges will narrow entries down to a shortlist of about 60 artists from all around Australia before choosing a winner. Submissions welcomed until April 15 at The Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Civic Reserve, Dunns Rd., Mornington 5975 4395, www.mprg. mornpen.vic.gov.au. Picture: Christopher Pyett.

In autumn Red Hill Consolidated School hosts its annual fundraising gala event, Art Red Hill. Not just any fundraiser, this is a premier art show attracting hundreds of keen patrons. ARH features artists from the Mornington Peninsula and greater Victoria exhibiting their very best paintings, sculpture, jewellery, illustrations, textiles, ceramics, photography, printmaking and hand blown glass. Student art is always a wonderful feature of this show. Each year the children create a different art installation. Opening night is always anticipated, not only as the time to get first choice of what’s on offer, but it’s also a vibrant social occasion for meeting and greeting the artists and catching up with friends. Savoury canapés and quality beer and wine are served while live music enhances the ambiance.

included at the show. Patrons will be well and truly spoilt for choice this year. Don’t miss the chance to see several hundred artworks from more than 200 artists at the 36th annual Art Red Hill event. Opening night is Friday, 29th April from 7.30pm–10.30pm. Show continues over the weekend from 10.00am–4.00pm. Art activities for children and artist talks run cross the weekend. Pick up something for Mother’s Day at the Pop Up Shop or get her an original piece of art at Red Hill Consolidated School – 341 Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill. For enquiries call 5989 2321 or visit www.artredhill.org.au.

Back by popular demand are Susan and Emily McCulloch in the Principal’s Lounge sharing their expertise and talking about the exceptional Aboriginal art for sale and display. ARH’s boutique Pop Up Shop always offers unique crafts, homewares, clothes and gift items for purchase. The jewellery displays showcase the best works from local artisans. A new online gallery launches this year going live from mid-April featuring works that will not be Pictures: Kevin Chin’s Airlift (Top) and No Rest (below) won him the Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize. music | arts | events | entertainment

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