Boom 2 final

An Australian Entertainment Online publication

IZZY FOREAL

Bawdy n extremely funny (……..Oh and talented too)

Izzy Foreal - Front man for the Legendary Zarsoff Brothers A rarity in Australia’s music scene

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Inside this issue Front cover story

…………IZZY

Countdown Psychedelic Rock Cavalia Dragon Capitol Theatre Sydney The festival trail

AND A WHOLE LOT MORE

FOREAL

IZZY IS FOREAL ….

During the late 1970;s Peter Knox morphed himself into Izzy Foreal and formed the Zarsoff Brothers , famously recognized for their bawdy, rude and crude onstage antics who were called “The Marx Brothers”of music. They were also well known for The Kazoo (a musical instrument which adds a "buzzing´ to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. Called a Membranophone –which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membraneThe Zarsoff Brothers had a strong following among the pub and club scene in Sydney back in the 1980’s and extensively toured throughout Oz. Their album Rude Awakening reached the album charts in 1984.

Izzy Foreal’s appellation came into being when he was writing letters to the local government (and to anyone who he had a comment to make). He did not want to place his real name so through deep deliberation came up with “I will write yours truly Izzy Foreal!”

The Peter Knox story Peter Knox was in fact born as Brian Peter Knox grew up in Old Guildford/Yennora a suburb west of Sydney. At 13 he discovered an old ‘Hawaiian’ acoustic-electric slide guitar his father bought a long time ago but never played, sitting on top of his wardrobe. He “borrowed” a radiogram and reinvented it as an amplifier dangerously joining bared cables from the end of the guitar lead to the cables where the record player needle plugged in but trouble was, he didn’t know how to tune the guitar His mate Bob Daisly, soon taught him the fundamentals.

At 16 Peter started growing his hair long, moved out of home to a unit in Burwood with an English school friend Glynn Williams. Now both free young long haired teenagers who ventured into the big City, hanging out at venues like Beatle Village and Rhubarbs in Kings Cross with other long haired dudes. Peter and his mate formed a duo called “The Twain” and dreamed of fame and fortune. They eventually went their separate ways with Glynn as lead singer with the 1960’s band The Soul Survivors, and gave up music some time later. Peter joined Sylvester Quincy Barker’s Music Box playing regularly at the Trolley Car Bar in City Road, and the Wayside Chapel in The Cross. Then with legendary outfits “Fluke “(a pisstake of Flake, who were the pop flavor of the moment). Eventually Peter became the resident bass-player at a little coffee lounge in Brougham Lane, Kings Cross, called The Ball Pants. He would sit on one of the quad boxes and play bass with whoever could bring a guitar in and whack out a tune or two. Then for over a year was in a band called “Quill” In 1970 Peter joined The 69ers and had his first gig with them at the Clique Wine Bar in Surry Hills. Peter also teamed up with Dave Ovenden , Red McKelvie and Graham Lister to form Johnny & The Ringworms – They screen printed some Ringworms posters, featuring a cartoon of an arse with a top-hatted worm crawling out of it, wearing a silly grin on its face and put the same logo onto tee shirts – I wonder if any of those survived?

When Red McKelvie finally worked out the Ringworm joke, he immediately changed our name to The Third Union Band. Peter is seen In the GTK clip of the Third Union Band playing ‘Highway Ryder” on YouTube, http://youtu.be/3F1xWzMHT14 Later on, towards the end of the 70s, Peter got another residency at Clique Wine Bar with Toons, who existed for a few years just before he morphed from Peter Knox into Izzy Foreal and formed the Zarsoff Brothers

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Rude Crude offensive and extremely funny and really a shit hot band as well.

IN THE BEGINNING “One afternoon working as a pub act with The Robin Lee Sinclair Band (just before Robin left the band), I just thought that the name of this band was a bit unimaginative. Many roadies and other people just as a joke call themselves Zarsoff, so I thought why not call ourselves the Zarsoff Brothers? How about Dirty Zarsoff, Terry Zarsoff and I can be Izzy Zarsoff? “The Zarsoff Brothers was created.

“We actually brought it into the Robin Lee Sinclair act for a little while just towards the end of our time with them. There was a band overseas unofficially called the Zarsoff brothers. They were a backing band for Winifred Atwell but they never quite got the essence of the name and they only did one single which didn’t go anywhere.”

Izzy’s venture into musical comedy began as a youngster “I tried to be serious but every time I opened my mouth something funny came out! When I was a pupil at Chester Hill High School, I used be the MC all the school concerts, so naturally you had to tell a joke or two and I just developed from there. “ Izzy recollects the early years of the Zarsoff Brothers “The band were meant to be a complete piss take, we were not meant to get popular at all! We just had enough of the straight shit that was going on. There were a lot of cover bands around, and we thought we would take the piss out of them. We thought we would only be around for 6 months but it didn’t happen that way. We became popular and thought now we can really let loose and realised what we can get away with and what we couldn’t.”

“I remember a guy who did the dance of the flaming arseholes! This guy came out stripped naked with a guitar in his hand he got backstage, had a screwed up bit of newspaper in his bum and burnt himself…….there is a ½ a song written about it which will probably be finished when the next Zarsoff band is put together” Izzy now has a smirk on his face “Sefton Pub was right into the Zarsoffs.”

“My career has been up and down, when I started, the popular music was disco. The first six months was feeling out our audience. The first time we played at Sweethearts (STARDUST HOTEL) .they threw chairs at us. We had to go not finishing our set. Then, 6 months later we returned to a packed out crowd. .I recognized some of the guys who threw the chairs…….but they were getting into us.”

“It was really hard to do anything wrong back then. I loved playing at Sweethearts. Five encores, packed to the hilt and they loved us. A sweetheart at Cabramatta was the best venue that comes to mind. I remember every single time I played there. We were a western suburbs band because we grew up around Chester Hill, but when I was living and performing in the Eastern Suburbs at Bronte for a time, the crowd didn’t quite get the humour of the Zarsoff brothers.”

“People came to see the Zarsoff’s to listen and have fun, people went to discos to dance and possibly get a root basically. It was good back then. Live bands had to do something special otherwise they would never get a look in”

Izzy wrote all the Zarsoff Brothers songs “I always made sure I had really good musicians in the band. When we rehearsed, me music had to be really tight, then we could fart arse around.”

We all have our favourite Zarsoff Brothers song and Izzy recalled how he wrote Nose Picking Boogie “I just woke up one morning and had this song in my thoughts (probably because I had a boogie that particular time of the day) and then I quickly wrote the words down.”

I asked Izzy if he had a favourite Album from the Zarsoff’s. “I have no answer they are all my favourites for different easons and they all occupy different basis in my mind. The Rude Awakening Album took a lot of work and a lot out of me. I invested a lot of creativity but there were things that I wasn’t happy about in the production of it at Studio 301 (EMI). I just found the mixing and sound a bit different.”

“The Album Mixed Businesses was different with a bit of a rock edge It was produced in smaller studio at Damien Gerrard’s at Rozelle. It was easier to put together and it was good to record and perform new songs and take them on the road.” nd

In between The Zarsoff’s 2 round of musicians Izzy performed with The Bullamakanka. “I basically decided to put the Zarsoffs off the road for a while, then I received a phone call the next day a member of the Bullamakankas. I had played with Dave from the band in another band called The 69’s, so I went up to Tweed Heads and played with them for nearly a year, and played with them for their first album ”Yellow “ then headed back to the Big City (Sydney) and put the second classic Zarsoff band together.

IZZY ACEDEMIC Izzy Foreal is a scholarly lad, with a Bachelor of Creative Arts with Honours in Writing with a Double Major in English Studies achieved at The University of Wollongong in 1990 and a Masters with Honours in English Studies where carried out a History of Illawarra literature.

“I Got about 2/3rds of the way through a PhD in Australian Literature as one of my supervisors suggested I take a year off to take a position at the University of Queensland in Brisbane as a Research Assistant in Australian Literature (my area of expertise) which extended for 2 1/2 years, then I got back into the PhD for a year and the University wanted me to write a theory paper. By that time I had enough!” th

Izzy’s specific area of literature is of the 19 century “I am putting together a book in relation to Henry Kendall’s mother Melinda Kendall who was a well-known poet and writer. Unfortunately Melinda Kendall has been omitted from history. It is a fascinating story but it is very difficult to find correct information on her.”

IZZY RALEIGH RUMBLING Izzy and his partner Lynne, moved to Bellingen (Raleigh) about 3 years ago.

“Raleigh was the biggest town around this area; it used to be a big railway exchange, a good town that even had their own newspaper. It was a happening joint but now sadly, the focus has moved away from the town.” Izzy and Lynne have now commenced a local informative newsletter about Raleigh.

“We are in the process of helping to restore a beautiful piece of history – The Old Raleigh School of Arts.

My birthday was coming up in May, so we decided to hold an event at the Hall, which has classic big stage at one end, and big open windows. It needs a bit of TLC but is a great hall for acoustics. We are hoping to restore the hall by holding more jam sessions and events every month.”

“I want to encourage Raleigh Rumblings every month in the hall and if any musicians want to come to Raleigh to play we have somewhere to stay and somewhere to play!’ th

I attended the first Raleigh Rumblings to celebrate Izzys 64 birthday celebration and had a blast. There were so many talented musicians jamming with Izzy and met a bunch of beautiful people.

I implore any musician, or music lover to travel to the beautiful township of (Raleigh) Bellingen on the Mid North Coast of NSW and jam with Izzy and friends. You can even bring your Kazoo and have a blow.

If you want to have a jam you can contact Izzy on his website www.izzyforeal.com.au

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IZZY NOW AND TIME AHEAD “I have moved around a bit, so now I would like to think that I would like to be a little bit more settled, hopefully at Raleigh. I am content to just continue to build the smaller intimate semi acoustic performances as I don’t want to do the full on touring thing anymore. I play most of my own funny ditties, some about the local identities and a bit of blues. I now play an Acoustic fender bass and play with Brett Divola, a local young fellal around Bellingen. He’s good value as he interprets what I do. He laughs at the right places.”

Izzy has a busy schedule but for 3 days a week he donates his time as Project Officer at Boambee East Community Centre as a coordinater for the 'Life Skills For Blokes' programme.

Izzy is also Director of his own company Foreal Enterprises.

Izzy enjoys the creativity of making his own music and is busily writing and working on an album in his own recording studio (a 24 track portable) and rumour is that if Izzy found the right musicians again, we might see a return of the Zarsoffs. “I would love to perform to a wider audience possibly at the Enmore Theatre. No more corner pub band anymore. I would love to play to a packed house.”

Izyy looks at me with a cheeky grin when he said “I am still rude and crude but now- in a slightly different way.”

I questioned Izzy on his thoughts of today’s music “Music today depends on what genre you listen to. There are a lot more genres than in my time. I think there are some gems, probably just as many as in my time and some bad ones too. Music could mean anything.

Most venues ask what genre of music does Izzy Foreal play. Do you play country? NO! Are you Indie? NO! A bit of blues? Yeah Man! I would like to personally thank Izzy for this interview, Lynne who is Izzy’s dedicated partner, The Federal Hotel Bellingen for their fantastic hospitality and exceptional good tasting food, The Hyde Wine and Food Bar for allowing us the interview in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere at Bellingen. My partner Brian (Wazzy) just because and the wonderful beautiful people at Raleigh and the town of Bellingen

WHAT DOES ZARSOFF MEAN? I’LL LET YOU THE READERS FIGURE THIS ONE OUT. Write on BOOM Entertainment’s Facebook page – a great surprise awaits.

https://www.facebook.com/Boomeonline for more information on Izzy please go to his website www.izzyforeal.com.au

“The Magical Mystery Tour is waiting to take you away,

waiting to take you away……” Were the words from the classic Beatles hit song “Magical Mystery Tour”back in the late 1960’s when they were experimenting with mind enhancing drugs including Hashish, Marihuana, Cocaine and LSD. The Beatles experimented with various narcotics and much of their music was "informed" by drugs. "Got To Get You Into My Life" was "about pot" while "Day Tripper" was about acid. "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" famously referred to LSD. “The consequences of the Fab Four's propaganda in the 1960s were still being felt today” quoted Yevgeny Bryun at a press conference in Moscow. "After The Beatles went to expand their consciousness in India ashrams, they introduced that idea – the changing of one's psychic state of mind using drugs – to the population," he said.

"When business understood that you could trade on that – on pleasure and goods associated with pleasure – that's probably where it all began.

The term "psychedelic" is derived from the Ancient Greek words psuchē (ψυχή psyche, "mind") and dēlōsē (δήλωση - "manifest"), translating to "mindmanifesting". Its origins can be traced back to classical culture, and to European social movements in the early 20th century i.e. Fabians and Bohemians.

During the early 1960s the Hippie culture experimented with the use of Psychedelic drugs and its use quickly spread around the world including Australia..

The Australian and New Zealand rock scenes that formed in wake of Beatlemania were mostly influenced by British psychedelia. Among the most successful were The Easybeats, formed in Sydney but who recorded their international hit "Friday on My Mind" (1966) in London and remained there for their forays into psychedelic-tinged pop until they disbanded in 1970. A similar path was pursued by the Bee Gees, formed in Brisbane, but whose first album Bee Gees' 1st (1967), recorded in London, gave them three major hit singles and contained folk, rock and psychedelic elements, heavily influenced by the Beatles. The Twilights from Adelaide, also made the trip to London, recording a series of minor hits, absorbing the psychedelic scene, to return home to produce covers of Beatles' songs, complete with sitar, and the concept album Once upon a Twilight (1968).

Australia’s first Rock festival at Narara on the Central Coast of NSW brought many of the “hippie” cultures’ Psychedelic induced fans, to “trip out” dance and trance to Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, Tamam Shud, Wendy Saddington, The Zarsoff Brothers and Doug Parkinson In Focus.

Last but never least is the most famous Psychedelic song in Australia in 1969 was “ The Real Thing “sung by Russell Morris which was produced

by Ian "Molly" Meldrum and written by Johnny Young. “The Real Thing” was a huge hit in Australia and has become an Australian rock classic.. It also achieved success in the United States of America, reaching the top of the charts in Chicago and New York City.

I doubt that, without the extensive use of experimental mind enhancing drugs used by musicians back in the early years, if some of the most influential, unforgettable songs of all time, from this era would have been written.

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COUNTDOWN FIRST AIRED on Australian Television on 8th November 1974 and was hosted by guest D.J’s with John Farnham hosting the first one hour program. The Show was initially a half hour program shown on Saturday night. By January 1975, after the firstly six half-hour episodes the ABC relaunched Countdown, moving it to the prime time slot of 6pm Sunday and extending it to a full hour.

COUNTDOWN was the most popular music program in Australian TV history and commanded a huge and loyal audience. It soon exerted a strong influence on radio programmers because of its audience and the amount of Australian content it featured. For most of the time it was on air, it also gained double exposure throughout the country by screening each Sunday evenings, then repeating it the following Saturday evening. The majority of performances on the show were lip synched.

Molly Meldrum, the program's talent coordinator, began appearing on-air in 1975, presenting the Humdrum music news segment and conducting interviews. Molly soon became the "face" of Countdown. He appeared regularly on-air until 1986. Another attraction to the program was the local & international acts who would host an episode - usually performing as well. During the show, Molly would interview them (while co-hosting) or have a chat with them before the show went out with the number 1 single of the week.

Ian "Molly" Meldrum was responsible for the institution that was Countdown. For an amazing run of 13 years, it was the showcase for some of the finest from the music world both locally and internationally, and for the nurturing of new talent.

COUNTDOWN was instrumental in the worldwide success of a number of important overseas acts of the period.

Madonna achieved her first hit single in April 1984 when "Holiday" was screened on Countdown. Subsequently "Burning Up" reached the top twenty following repeated showings of the video clip on the show; this second song was not a hit in other countries. Other international artists including Blondie, ABBA, John Mellencamp, Meat Loaf, Boz Scaggs and Cyndi Lauper achieved their first hits in Australia, thanks to their video clips being aired on Countdown, and this in turn led to their records being picked up and becoming hits in America and/or Europe.

COUNTDOWN was crucial to the success of many leading Australian acts, including AC/DC, Olivia Newton-John, INXS, Hush (band) Kylie Minogue, I'm Talking, John Paul Young, Sherbet, Skyhooks, Marcia Hines, Mark Holden, The Angels, Mondo Rock, Men at Work, Icehouse, Australian Crawl, Mental As Anything, Little River Band, William Shakespeare, RenĂŠe Geyer, Wa Wa Nee and Jon English.

The final episode of Countdown aired on 19 July 1987, followed by the Countdown Awards. It was a sad night for many, yet a celebration of musical achievements in '86/'87. Molly made his appearance at the end of the show wearing his well known, and internationally recognized, Akubra hat. Molly saluted the music industry and fans and then bared his shaved head to the audience.

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Ian "Molly" Meldrum was responsible for the institution that was Countdown. For an amazing run of 13 years, it was the showcase for some of the finest from the music world both locally and internationally, and for the nurturing of new talent.

Mark Metcalfe, Getty Images

ZZ Top has a new box set coming out in June, and this time they’re getting it right. The 10-CD ‘ZZ Top: The Complete Studio Albums (1970-1990)’ will include, for the first time, the Original mixes of the band’s early records. That’s great news for anyone who’s been stuck listening to the ’80s remixes of these classic albums for all these years.

The box, which will be released on June 10, includes ‘ZZ Tops’ First Album’ (1971), ’Rio Grande Mud’ (1972), ’Tres Hombres’ (1973), ’Fandango!’ (1975), ‘Tejas’ (1976), ’Degüello’ (1979), ’El Loco’ (1981), ’Eliminator‘ (1983), ’Afterburner’ (1985) and ’Recycler’ (1990). Each will come packaged in a sleeve that reproduces the original album. For ‘Tres Hombres’ and ‘Tejas,’ this means gatefold sleeves.

Best of all, ‘ZZ Top’s First Album,’ ‘Rio Grande Mud’ and ‘Tejas’ will feature those LPs’ original mixes, not the mixes included on the 1987 box set ‘Six Pack,’ and subsequent reissues, which beefed up the ’70s production with ’80s-style percussion to mirror the more modern sounds found on the multiplatinum ‘Eliminator’ and the follow-up record, ‘Afterburner.’

(Information courtesy of Ultimate Classic Rock http://ultimateclassicrock.com)

MUSIC GIVES A SOUL TO THE UNIVERSE, WINGS TO THE MIND,

Follow the FESTIVALS May-July 2013

Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival 23 - 26 May 2013 Blues on Broadbeach has announced the largest line-up ever for the 2013 festival on the Gold Coast.

Check it out now!

Transcending the barriers of age, gender and culture Blues on Broadbeach is one of Australia’s most iconic Blues festivals. The Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival is unique as it feeds on the unique village like atmosphere and relaxed ambience that is Broadbeach.

The Blues on Broadbeach nurtures Australian Blues talent as well as providing a stage for international acts. The festival provides a musical experience like no other in Queensland, whilst still remaining a FREE and non-ticketed event. www.bluesonbroadbeach.com

Splendour in the Grass at North Byron Parklands. Picture wide green meadows, flower covered dams, trees, trees and more trees. From July 26 – 28 this eden will be transformed into a nirvana for music and arts enthusiasts.

“It has been a long road but it’s been so worth it! We’re finally presenting Splendour at its permanent home at North Byron Parklands. The site is currently being prepared for our ‘housewarming’ and we are super excited to show off our new digs!” said co-producers Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco.

Over three monumental days, punters can random shuffle their feet between 80+ of the hottest acts on offer today, from global tastemakers to the “ones to watch” to festival favourites as you’ve never seen them before, to seasoned internationals and truly iconic Australian acts.

SPLENDOUR 2013 will include all of the event’s popular festival features plus some super new additions! www.splendourinthegrass.com

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“Tears and fears and feeling proud To say "I love you" right out loud Dreams and schemes and circus crowds I've looked at life that way”

Internationally acclaimed spectacle comes to Sydney’s Theatre Royal The multi award-winning international sensation SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW storms into Australia for a Limited season playing at the Theatre Royal from 11 to 23 June 2013. Tickets on sale NOW

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Since its creation by renowned Russian clown Slava Polunin in 1993, SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW has played to millions of people in more than 30 countries and 120 cities including New York, London, Los Angeles, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro and Moscow.

The show comes to Australia in 2013 following a second sell-out Winter season in London and is already confirmed to return to London for its third year this Christmas.

The show has garnered worldwide popular and critical acclaim, as well as a growing number of awards – in the USA SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW earned a Tony nomination for Special Theatrical Event in 2009 and won the Drama Desk Award in 2005 for Unique Theatrical Experience; in the UK, the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment (1998) and the Time Out Award (1994); and in Australia, the Helpmann Award for Best Visual or Physical Theatre (2000); as well as a host of other awards in Russia, France, Mexico, Denmark, Spain and the UK. SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW has been lauded as "a theatre classic of the 20th century" by The Times in London, and Slava Polunin praised as "the best clown in the world".

Slava Polunin created his Snowshow following his sensational performance as part of Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria, drawing on the influence of artists such as Charlie Chaplin, Marcel Marceau and Leonid Engibarov.

He and his company of clowns have taken clowning out of the world of circus, and brought it into the theatre.

SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW is a fusion of traditional and contemporary theatrical clowning arts, and a beautifully crafted visual spectacle.

The show brilliantly creates a world of wonderment and fantasy that transports the audience to a joyous dream-like place, where a bed becomes a boat in a storm-tossed sea; a woman is wrapped in cellophane and becomes flowers in a vase; a child walks in amazement inside a bubble; SLAVA boards a train and then becomes the train, his chimney-pot hat billowing smoke; and a web of unspun cotton envelopes the audience. The stunning finale sees a letter turn into snowflakes, and the flakes turn into a snowstorm, which whirls around the auditorium, leaving the audience ankle-deep in snow.

"Slava’s Snowshow is to clowning what Cirque du Soleil is to circus. Slava’s Snowshow is as theatrical as it is simple, as involving as it is inspiring.”

- Variety, USA “The mind boggles. SNOWSHOW achieved something I’ve rarely seen: a spontaneous eruption of playful energy which lifted the entire audience in a bubble of pure delight. Magic! Slava’s Snowshow touches the heart as well as the funny bone. Full of laughter and joy it is a thing of rare theatrical beauty not to be missed” . London Daily Telegraph "The single most beautiful thing I have ever seen in a theatre in my life."

- Simon Callow, Sunday Express, UK “Slava’s Snowshow is to clowning what Cirque du Soleil is to the circus…”

Variety “Slava’s Snowshow is thoughtful, accessible comedy. Highly recommended”.

Melbourne Sunday Age VENUE: THEATRE ROYAL SEASON: 11 JUNE TO 23 JUNE PRICES $69 - $99 BOOKINGS: www.ticketmaster.com.au 1300 7230 038 GROUPS 10+ SAVE! GROUP BOOKINGS ON 02 1300 889 278

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THEATRE FOR THE GRANDKIDS Marian Street Theatre for Young People Presents DANNY AND THE TOYBOX Richard Tulloch

Music and songs by Catherine Martin Directed by Sher Kearney and Margie McCrae

Suitable for 3 – 10 year olds Thousands of children know Danny in the Toybox off by heart. Now young audiences have a chance to enjoy Danny live on stage when Marian Street Theatre for Young People present this hilarious adaptation by Richard Tulloch, one of Australia’s most popular writers of books, plays, films and television For children, live on stage from 11 May to 13 July 2013.

Danny is in trouble. Not only has he forgotten his Grandmother’s birthday present, he’s also been loudly telling everyone how wonderful his present will be. Danny doesn’t know what to do, so he hides in his toy box in his bedroom. Meanwhile Rumpus the dog creates havoc, as his Mum, Dad, little sister Emma, the family Doctor and the district Fireman all try to persuade him to come out.

How Danny solves his problem, with the help of a mysterious and magical creature, forms the basis for this warm-hearted play about family relationships, with surprising results for the whole family.

RICHARD TULLOCH has written more than 50 children's books, including Stories from our House, Cocky Colin, Beastly Tales and the popular Weird Stuff series of novels. He has written numerous episodes for the television hit series Bananas in Pyjamas, Playschool, New McDonald's Farm as well as the animated feature film FernGully II. His plays for young audiences include Year 9 Are Animals, Stella and the Moon Man, Snow on Mars and stage adaptations of The Happy Prince, Hating Alison Ashley, Midnite and Paul Jennings’ stories in Unbeatable!

His adaptation of Guus Kuijer's novel The Book of Everything was a big hit for Belvoir St Theatre before transferring to the New Victory Theatre, 42nd St, New York in 2012. He is also now a travel writer, published regularly in the Sun-Herald and on his own blog Richard Tulloch's Life on the Road.

When: 11th May -13th July 2013 Where: Marian Street Theatre, 2 Marian Street, Killara Performances: School Holidays 1-12 July weekdays 10.30am &1pm Saturday 6th July & Saturday 13th July 1pm only Saturdays 11th May – 29th June 10.30am & 1pm Prices: Children $18 Adults $22 Families of four $68 Birthdays: Birthday parties available after Saturday 1pm show s Bookings: 1300 306 776 or www.mcatix.com.au (booking fees apply) Info: www.mstyp.org.au

SAVE THE OLD COTTAGE The old Burra cottage on Midnight Oil's album cover Diesel and Dust (Source: courtesy of adelaidenow) MADE famous on the cover of Midnight Oil's 1987 album Diesel and Dust, the old Burra cottage is starting to show its age.

With its weathered tin roof and crumbling foundations, the oft-photographed early settler's cottage is at risk of collapse, prompting the Burra community to launch a fundraising campaign to preserve it.

Standing in a field just outside the former copper-mining centre 160km north of Adelaide, the disused farmhouse has also served as a backdrop for filming television commercials with the Qantas Children's Choir.

The cottage built in the 1920s stands inside a cropping and sheep-grazing property owned by relatives of Bruce Stockman, chairman of the Burra Community Management Committee.

Mr. Stockman, 75, said Burra locals had urged the committee to preserve the building.

It hopes to raise about $13,000 to stabilize the roof and rebuild a collapsed wall.

A retired farmer who was born in Burra, Mr. Stockman said the campaign had raised $3000 so far.

He said the committee had sent former Midnight Oil front man, now federal government minister Peter Garrett a letter about the campaign. "(The cottage) is in a bad state of repair and it's about due to collapse (and) the roof is in big danger of blowing off," Mr. Stockman said

"If we don't stop the deterioration it will be in ruins, gone forever."

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Mr. Stockman said about three car loads of visitors a day stopped at the site to take photographs and it had also been used for wedding photography. "We consider it quite an icon in the district and even in Australia," he said.

The cottage often referred to as the Midnight Oil house was chosen as the second-best view in the country

by Australian Traveller magazine last year. Australian photographer Ken Duncan captured the Diesel and Dust cover image. The album signalled Midnight Oil's global breakthrough, featuring their most successful single, Beds Are Burning.

Donations to the Midnight Oil Preservation Fund can be made through

https://www.facebook.com/MidnightOilCottagePreservationFund

Mrs Brown’s Boys – Announces 2014 Tour dates Feckin’ better buy your tickets early or you’ll miss out! in Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle, Canberra Agnes Brown and the entire Brown Family to visit in 2014 From 26 February 2014

On Sale Monday 13 May 8 Melbourne shows sold out and a 9th on sale Brendan O’Carroll alias Agnes Brown of the Channel Seven smash hit television series Mrs Brown’s Boys today proudly announced that the entire Mrs Brown’s Boys cast will appear live on stage and add performance in Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle and Canberra from 26 February 2014 to the already 8 sold out shows in Melbourne.

Speaking from her dressing room in her current UK sell-out live Stage tour Agnes Brown said: “Yes I’m going to the other end of the world for a visit to all my Australian friends and I’m going to get myself a boomerang and I’m going to Feck it in the air. Yes I am and maybe it might be a stick it mightn’t be a boomerang. If it comes back it’s a boomerang if it doesn’t it’s a stick. I’m planning to go everywhere: Melbourne, Perth, Hobart, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong, Adelaide, Sydney, and Brisbane - I might even get to see your Big Banana. I haven’t seen a big Banana down under in a long time. It’s live it’s dangerous it’s Me and I’m coming to Australia in 2014.”

The live Australian show includes Agnes and the entire Brown family in person performing on a specially constructed stage set with big screen projection.

Mrs Brown’s Boys third television series commenced back on the Channel Seven on Thursday 11 April and is already smashing ratings.

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The show has been a huge hit both on stage and on TV. The 2013 UK tour was announced at Christmas and within one week had sold 240,000 tickets. In the UK the TV series regularly captures 8 million viewers per episode. The double episode Christmas special kicked off the launch of series 3 with a record 15.3 million UK viewers. The Mrs Brown phenomenon has over 2 million DVD sales worldwide with the show picking up multiple UK Television awards including Scottish, Irish and British BAFTAS and People’s Choice awards. In Australia over 1 million people watch each amazing episode of Mrs Brown’s Boys on Seven.

Performance Dates, Times & Booking Information.

Wollongong – Wednesday 26 February 2014 at 7.30pm Venue – Wollongong Entertainment Centre Bookings – Ticketek.com.au or 132 849 Bookings Open – 9am Monday 13 May Sydney – Saturday 8 March 2014 at 2pm and 7.30pm Venue – Allphones Arena Bookings – Ticketek.com.au or 132 849 Bookings Open – 9am Monday 13 May Newcastle – Monday 17 March 2014 at 7.30pm Venue – Newcastle Entertainment Centre Bookings – Ticketek.com.au or 132 849 Bookings Open – 9am Monday 13 May Canberra – Monday 31 March 2014 at 7.30pm Venue – AIS Arena Bookings – Ticketek.com.au or 132 849 Bookings Open – 9am Monday 13 May Melbourne – 9th Show Now On Sale Friday 28 March 2014 at 7.30pm Venue - Plenary Melbourne (Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre) Bookings – Ticketmaster.com or 136 100

The tour to Australia by Mrs Brown’s Boys is produced by Andrew Guild, Simon Bryce and Tim Woods.

www.mrsbrownsboys.com.au

RHONDA BURCHMORE’s first ever intimate Sydney show

“RUDE AWAKENING” Spend an evening with the longest legs in the biz.

Fri 31 May 2013 at Slide Lounge, Darlinghurst.

"Totally embraceable…larger than life…” – SYDNEY MORNING HERALD “Her numbers are explosively delivered” – THE COURIER MAIL Try taking your eyes off this dazzling performer for one moment…we dare you! This May at Slide, we invite you to embark on an audacious journey with Rhonda through the highs and lows of her remarkable career.

From television to the big screen, musical theatre to opera, cabaret to the stage, there are few entertainment mediums that multi award winning Rhonda Burchmore has not embraced.

Says Rhonda, “I’ve never even done an ‘up close and intimate’ show in Sydney, ever in my life. Usually I am in town to do the big productions. But what a fabulous venue to do ‘Rhonda Unplugged’ - it’ll be like Rhonda after a few champagnes at a dinner party; all my guards let down. That’s why it’s called Rude Awakening – it’s a Rhonda that not many people see – unleashed”.

Rhonda will be backed by musicians Hugh Fraser on Double Bass, and piano legend Ray Aldridge.

Slide’s Live Entertainment Producer Jeremy Brennan says that “Rhonda’s first ever appearance at Slide is a truly exciting proposition. We have seen such growth in the cabaret scene in Sydney. Having a schedule that includes artists of Rhonda’s calibre is certainly testament to the quality of our ‘little’ venue. We are soon to announce the lineup for our cabaret festival in June with some amazing interstate and overseas artists as well as some of our favourite local performers.”

Join us for an intimate evening with one of Australia’s most beautiful rogues… It’s not your usual high-kick routine; it’s a RUDE AWAKENING! Venue: Dates: Prices: Doors: Bookings: 21

Slide Lounge, 41 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst 2010 Friday 31st May $80 Dinner and Show tickets Doors open 7pm. Show at 8.30pm.

02 8915 1899 or www.slide.com.au

.

CAVALIA EXTENDS SYDNEY SEASON UNTIL JUNE 2, 2013 DUE TO STRONG TICKET SALES The internationally acclaimed theatrical production set to open May 15, 2013, under its signature White Big Top, on The Showring at the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park, will now run until June 2, 2013 Touted by TODAY`s Richard Wilkins as “the most brilliant production imaginable”, Cavalia is currently wowing audiences and critics alike in Brisbane.

Starting next month, the second Australian leg for the multi-disciplinary spectacular created by Normand Latourelle - one of the co-founders of Cirque du Soleil will kick off in the state capital of New South Wales. Following Sydney, the Canadian-based troupe will travel to Melbourne, where opening night is scheduled for August 7, 2013, under the gleaming White Big Top at The Docklands.

Enjoyed by some 3.5 million people across North American and Europe, Cavalia is a lavish production involving 44 magnificent horses and featuring 36 riders, aerialists, acrobats, dancers and musicians from all over the world. Charged with poetry and pure emotion in a dream-like environment, Cavalia celebrates the relationship between humans and horses, virtually reinventing the equestrian arts.

Cavalia has received critical acclaim from around the world, including The New York Times, which noted that the theme of Cavalia is “Celebrating horses, humans and their bond”, while The Washington Post described the show as “Horseplay of the highest order”. Las Vegas Magazine claimed it is “One of the most spectacular hybrids of modern theatre in the world”, The Toronto Star said “A new fairy tale-like show from the imagination of a Cirque du Soleil founder”, while Paris Match defined it as “Pure poetry”.

Bild in Berlin called Cavalia “A wonderland full of mystery and poetry” and Telecinco in Madrid raved “One of the most beautiful shows in the world”.

ABOUT CAVALIA INC. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Cavalia Inc. operates two separate touring shows, Cavalia and Odysseo, both of which marry the equestrian arts, stage arts and high-tech theatrical effects at neverbefore-seen levels. Cavalia, seen by some 3.5 million people across North America and Europe since its 2003 debut, celebrates the relationship between humans and horses by loosely recounting the evolution of this bond. Odysseo, which premiered in autumn 2011, takes the next step, leading viewers on a journey through some of the breathtaking landscapes horses have helped humans discover around the globe. Follow Cavalia Inc.’s latest developments at www.twitter.com/cavalia o TICKETS – For its exclusive season in Sydney, Cavalia will be presented under its signature White Big Top on The Showring at the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park. Tickets are priced from $44.00 to $164.00 + applicable taxes and fees. For guests who desire an extraordinary outing, the show can be customized for an extended experience from $144.00 to $325.00, including a Horse Lovers Package that lets patrons tour Cavalia’s stables after the show, and the VIP Rendez-Vous Package that includes a post-show tour of the stables, a cocktail/dinner reception and much more. Special pricing is also available for children (2-12), juniors (13-17), senior citizens (65+) and for groups.

WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:

Premieres May 15, 2013; Extended until June 2, 2013 Under the White Big Top, on The Showring at the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park Available at www.cavalia.com.au or by calling 1800-765-955.

$44.00 to $325.00 + applicable taxes and fees. Special pricing and packages also av ailable for groups, children (2-12), juniors (13-17) and seniors (65+).

INFO: www.cavalia.com.au OR ON www.facebook.com/cavalia.

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Sydney Opera House & Melbourne Recital Centre present

Mahler Chamber Orchestra One of the world’s best chamber orchestras to visit Australia for the first time "The orchestra sounded superb, light and robust, graceful and full." New York Sun "The plaintive warmth of the string playing was beyond belief." New York Times

Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Recital Centre announces the premiere visit to Australia of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (MCO).

Regarded as one of the most artistically interesting and successful ensembles on the international classical music scene, the MCO gives two performances at Sydney Opera House on 10 and 11 June followed by two performances at Melbourne Recital Centre on 12 and 13 June.

When the MCO made its debut at the Teatro Real in Madrid in 2008 Le Monde called it “the best orchestra in the world.” The MCO is a travelling orchestra with 45 core members from 20 different countries including one Australian, Kirsty Hilton. The MCO is on the move for approximately 200 days each year and in 2012/13 will perform in 13 countries with performances in major musical centres as well as exclusive festivals from the North Pole to the Red Sea. The MCO has been recognised as an official European Cultural Ambassador for the years 2011 to 2013.

The ensemble's flexible structure makes it possible for them to perform a very wide range of repertoire, including everything from chamber music to large symphonies and operas, from baroque to world premieres of contemporary works.

The Orchestra’s name refers to their roots in the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra. Alongside founder, Claudio Abbado, Daniel Harding is the conductor who has played the most significant role in the Orchestra’s history. In the summer of 2011 the musicians voted unanimously to give Harding the permanent title of Conductor Laureate. As the protégé of Sir Simon Rattle, Daniel Harding will be making his Sydney debut with the Orchestra on this tour.

The first performance of the Sydney season features internationally renowned violinist Christian Tetzlaff, who was recently profiled in The New Yorker and who has been described by The Guardian as a performer “…few can equal today.” Teztlaff performs the virtuosic Beethoven Violin Concerto on a bill including Australian composer Brett Dean and Schumann’s Symphony No. 3, Rhenish. The second performance of the Orchestra in Sydney features American star cellist Alisa Weilerstein whose playing has captivated everyone from Daniel Barenboim to local audiences with some of the “most technically complete and emotionally devastating” playing to be heard on the international stage. Weilerstein performs the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No.1and the program concludes with the Orchestra’s thrilling interpretation of Dvorak Symphony No. 9 from the New World.

SYDNEY Where: When: Time: Tickets: Bookings: MELBOURNE Where: When: Time: Tickets: Bookings:

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Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House 10 & 11 June 2013 7pm $49 (transaction fees apply) www.sydneyoperahouse.com 02 9250 7777 Melbourne Recital Centre 12 & 13 June 2013 7.30pm from $49 (transaction fees apply) www.melbournerecital.cm.au 03 9699 3333

Dragon has been an Australian Icon in the Australian Music industry since 1973.

The name of Dragon is a story within itself.

The tale began on New Year’s Eve ain the middle of a living room in Mount Maunganui on The Bay of Plenty in New Zealand.

The unnamed band had just finished playing for the night and were consulting the iChing (the ancient

Chinese ancestor to Google) a name they desperately needed as they were invited to play at The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival, New Zealand’s first ever rock festival 7 days away. They huddled around a single candle as the power was out due to a severe electrical storm and the night was charged with a slight smell of sulphur.

As they tossed the iChing a name was revealed “DRAGON” If it wasn’t for that particular stormy night, with the candle and their Iching beliefs who knows what their destiny would have come to be.

Throughout their 40 year journey in the late 1970’s I had the opportunity to see them on numerous occasions at the Bondi Lifesaver grooving along to “This Time, Get That Jive, Sunshine, April Son In Cuba,” and a crowd favourite “Are You Old Enough”. I was continuously offered the opportunity to party with at their pad in Paddington after their Lifesaver gigs with a colleague and friend whom I worked with at EMI Records; but was way too wasted to humiliate myself, so I always declined and taxied home.

Through the years of their upward and downward spirals, they have developed a personification within the music industry and even after the heart-breaking,, untimely departure of Marc Hunter and in 1985 Kiwi keyboardist Paul Hewson, who co-wrote some of the band's best-known songs including April Sun in Cuba, died of a drug overdose.

Dragon have re-formed now led my Todd Hunter and implementing their destiny as projected many years ago conferring with the iChing .

In MARCH 2011 a biography of Marc Hunter, was released “Chasing the Dragon” The Life and Death of Marc Hunter can be purchased through Angus & Robertson and all good book stores (click on the image to purchase from A & G) This intimate and revealing portrait (written by Jeff Apter) is the first biography of one of the original hard men of Australia rock. It has been written with full co-operation of Marc's mother Voi and his brother and former band mate Todd, with contributions from many high-profile Australian music personalities such as James Reyne, John Paul Young, Kate Fitzpatrick, Richard Clapton, Don Walker, Kevin Borich, Tommy Emmanuel and Robert Forster.

The 40th anniversary tour coincides with the recent The Dragon Years – 40th Anniversary Collection album – released late last year and features 40-tracksof 40 years music .

Disc one features all the original hits – with legendary Kiwi front man Marc Hunter on vocals.

Disc two features new material recorded since Dragon’s reformation in 2006, with the current line-up of founding member Todd Hunter (bass), fellow Kiwi Mark Williams (lead vocals / acoustic guitar), Bruce Reid (electric guitar) and Pete Drummond (drums).

“Now you can get 40 songs for 40 years on the one double CD,” Todd says “We are doing the 40th anniversary concert series to celebrate the band’s 40th birthday by playing one exclusive show in each city. We did the 40th anniversary tour of New Zealand to capacity crowds and we had a fabulous time. We are really looking forward to these shows. Now, everyone in the room is in the band and has a part to play. The feeling of solidarity when everyone is singing along is amazing and we love it. The songs are part of our shared history and belong to everyone.”

For tour dates and further information on Dragon just click on this link to their website

Dragon

STOMP - THE BROADWAY, WEST END AND

INTERNATIONAL SENSATION RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA FROM 13 AUGUST, AND IT’S BETTER THAN EVER! Tickets on sale 18 march for Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra.

Adelaide on sale from 21st March.

Following their acclaimed performance at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, STOMP returns to Australia from 13 August, with new routines, new choreography and new music.

Wordless, witty and fun, STOMP has become a global phenomenon over the last 22 years. Its universal language of rhythm, theatre, comedy and dance has resonated with audiences throughout the world, setting feet stamping, fingers drumming and adrenalin rushing for over 15 million people in 50 countries across 5 continents.

STOMP is currently playing in the UK, US, throughout Europe and South America.

Eight performers use everything from supermarket trolleys to Zippo lighters, plastic bags to bin lids, and even the kitchen sink to hammer out an explosively feel-good rhythm.

STOMP is a show that continues to evolve – new music and choreography now join a fresh array of ordinarily mundane objects, onto which the cast work their musical magic.

Two new routines that have been introduced in 2013 include “Trolleys” and “Frogs”. Trolleys taps into the everyday experience of negotiating a busy shopping aisle with a fully laden supermarket trolley, with the piece transforming into STOMP’s first ever fully fledged drum corps march. Certainly an eye-catching spectacle.

Frogs explores the bizarre sonic possibilities of a variety of plumbing fixtures. It has to be heard to be believed!

In one spectacular routine, paint cans are tossed between the performers, as they simultaneously build an astonishingly complex rhythm over every surface of the airborne cans . With the emphasis very much on ‘spectacular’, the Stompers are also joined by inflated monster truck inner tubes strapped around their waists to create both a dance of bobbing, whirling rubber skirts and pounding, portable drum kits – the ultimate redefinition of ‘surround sound’.

Still remaining is STOMP’s signature high-octane mix of slick choreography, tight ensemble work, industrial percussion, and continuous comedy; as the irrepressible troupe of eight performers turn brooms into soft shoe partners, clapping into intricate conversations and water cooler bottles into sophisticated instruments.

Producer James Cundall, CEO of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions says “STOMP has to be one of my favourite shows. It is a unique and supremely clever idea, to create music from everyday objects and combine it with side-splitting comedy and intricate choreography to produce a polished theatrical performance, the likes of which you’ve never seen before.”

Loved by audiences of all ages, this multi-award winning show has just celebrated its most successful year yet in its 11-year run in London’s West End, breaking the record for highest annual audience ever at the Ambassadors Theatre. And on Broadway STOMP is enjoying its 20th year, breaking the record for the longest-running show at the Orpheum Theatre.

The fun started back in 1991 at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, with a single drum hanging around Co-Creator/Director Luke Cresswell’s neck. STOMP was an instant hit, becoming the Guardian’s “Critic’s Choice” and winning the Daily Express’s “Best of the Fringe” award, and went on to play to capacity audiences around the world.

In 1994 STOMP received an Olivier Award nomination for “Best Entertainment” and won the award for “Best Choreography in a West End Show”. With appearances at the Oscars, the Emmy’s, on prime-time US TV shows such as Letterman and Leno, and most recently at the London 2012 Olympics, STOMP has become a household name across the world

STOMP last visited Australia in 2009 and enjoyed a sell-out season.

“We are really excited about coming back to Australia,” says STOMP’s Co-Creator/Director Steve McNicholas. “If you’ve never seen STOMP you should come and see what all the noise is about, and if you’ve seen it before then this show has plenty of new routines to enthral.”

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Sneak peak at the show…….. http://www.stomponline.com/show.php Over a period of one week, the cast of STOMP goes through quite a few "instruments," in addition to some other things that keep the show running:

VENUE AND DATES PERTH • 13 TO 18 AUGUST 8 SHOWS ONLY - REGAL THEATRE BOOK AT www.ticketek.com.au OR 1300 795 012 GROUPS 10+ SAVE! CALL 1300 364 001 MELBOURNE • 20 TO 25 AUGUST 8 SHOWS ONLY - COMEDY THEATRE BOOK AT www.ticketmaster.com.au OR 1300 111 011 GROUPS 10+ SAVE! CALL 1300 889 278 ADELAIDE • 27 AUGUST TO 1 SEPTEMBER 8 SHOWS ONLY - HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE BOOK AT www.bass.net.au OR 131 246 GROUPS 10+ SAVE! CALL 08 8205 2220 CANBERRA • 3 TO 8 SEPTEMBER 8 SHOWS ONLY - CANBERRA THEATRE BOOK AT www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au OR 02 6275 2700 GROUPS 10+ SAVE! CALL 02 6275 2700 SYDNEY • FROM 10 SEPTEMBER THEATRE ROYAL BOOK AT www.ticketmaster.com.au OR 1300 72

Starsonline.com.au launched December 2012 Starsonline.com.au is a newly launched official entertainment memorabilia website. It is Australian owned and operated and offers an extensive range of personally signed entertainment memorabilia. Starsonline.com.au will regularly be updating and adding products to the range so be sure to check in with the site weekly. If you are looking for something that is not online, please contact us to ask us to source it for you. Every attempt will be made to source your product at the best possible price as we have the official contacts to find most anything! We conduct direct signings and work directly with the entertainers, promoters, managers and record companies to provide ‘Genuine Entertainment Memorabilia’. All our products come with our 100% money back guarantee and an official Certificate of Authenticity.

Personally signed by Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, Johnny Diesel, Glen Shorrock, Steve Croper and Dave Gleeson

Certificate of Authenticity: Yes, official certificate Price: $1495.00 plus $65.00 delivery This Ritmuller electric guitar has been personally signed by 6 Australian music legends as listed above. It would be a monumental task to assemble these great musicians at one time for a signing but this has been done and this ‘one off’ guitar is the result.

This guitar comes with a stand so it can be displayed proudly and is ready for immediate delivery.

For more exciting memorabilia including framed autographs of Jimmy Barnes and Ian Moss go to http://www.starsonline.com.au Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/StarsOnlinecomau/33 0158477079426?ref=stream

CC ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

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SOME GREAT AUSSIE TALENTS VIA U TUBE

BILLY THORPE – SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW http://youtu.be/SXgUB4_QAnw

HANS POULSON – THERES A LIGHT ACROSS THE VALLEY http://youtu.be/dbDYM5KVaaU

CHAIN – BLACK AND BLUE http://youtu.be/KBqtPZWLPPA

ZARSOFF BROTHERS - BUMSWEAT http://youtu.be/jCJFPrGNNLU

WENDY AND THE ROCKETS – TONITE http://youtu.be/R_S76pcIiQ0

SPORTS – WHO LISTENS TO THE RADIO

http://youtu.be/TAVzYLPgUlc

DRAGON – SPEAK NO EVIL http://youtu.be/jyAHryG2K8o

AXIOM – ARKANSAS GRASS http://youtu.be/gIrqs-FUPbo

ROSS WILSON – COOL WORLD

http://youtu.be/sANiE_4M1Ss

COLOURED BALLS - WORKING MANS BOOGIE http://youtu.be/vHE2c_vZeC

THE EXECUTIVES – MY AIM IS TO PLEASE YOU GIRL

http://youtu.be/tNuSjOXus_Y

Introducing the Older Musicians Club Australia (Qld) The Older Musicians Club is for mature people to get together to play live music with like-minded people in Warwick and the Southern Downs of Qld. This club is for older musicians/musical people who would like to meet up with other like-minded musicians, and receive some encouragement and self-confidence to perform musically in front of people - and just get out and about socially again!

There are a lot of musicians who played when they were younger, or who took up an instrument later in life, or who "just play at home". It's a chance to get out there and give it a go, regardless of your experience, whether you want to have an occasional jam with other musos, or whether you are looking to create a band or whether you'd just like to share your knowledge of music with less experienced members.

Are you stuck in your basement or spare room playing along with your favourite recorded music? Why not join this club?

Meet others with the desire to form a band, or just play with other musicians, to satisfy that inner need to make music and make new friends.

Details and contact: http://omcau.blogspot.com.au

Older Musicians Club Australia - QLD

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BON JOVI

BECAUSE WE CAN - THE TOUR

Bon Jovi fans, you've been waiting for this day! We are excited to announce the dates for "Because We Can - The Tour" hitting Australian shores this December 2013.

Fans will be treated to an unforgettable night of Bon Jovi's huge arsenal of hits, as well as new tracks form the band's latest album WHAT ABOUT NOW which debuted at #1 on the Australian Charts.

As the presenting partner of the Australian leg of the tour, Telstra is running a special pre-sale for its customers. The Telstra Thanks Pre-Sale, powered by BangTango, will run from 9am Monday 13th May to 8.59am Wednesday 15th May local time. For more information visit www.telstra.com/music.

The group's return to the road in 2013 has launched the latest chapter in an ongoing blockbuster run which has already secured Bon Jovi's status as the essential live rock band - having performed more than 2,700 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 35 million fans.

"Because We Can - The Tour" kicked off in February and is currently making its way across the globe with dates in the US, Europe, the Far East, Africa, Latin America and Australia.

General Public tickets on sale Monday 20th May at 12noon AEST.

Australian Tour Dates 2013 Etihad Stadium, Melbourne on Saturday, December 7 Tickets from www.ticketmaster.com.au

AAMI Stadium, Adelaide on Wednesday, December 11 Tickets from www.ticketmaster.com.au

ANZ Stadium, Sydney on Saturday, December 14 Tickets from www.ticketek.com.au Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane on Tuesday, December 17 Tickets from www.ticketek.com.au For Fan Club and Circle Packages go to www.bonjovi.com

See The Tour video here - www.youtube.com/user/daintytouring See Jon's personal message here - www.youtube.com/user/daintytouring/JBJ See you on the road!!

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For the first time in more than 20 years America's legendary folk singer, songwriter and activist Joan Baez, returns to Australia for a series of concerts.

Joan Baez is a musical and political force of nature whose influence is incalculable - marching on the front lines of the civil rights movement with Martin Luther King, inspiring Vaclav Havel in his fight for a Czech Republic, singing on the first Amnesty International tour and standing alongside Nelson Mandela when the world celebrated his 90th birthday in London's Hyde Park.

She introduced Bob Dylan to the world in 1963 and continues to serve as an inspiration for generations of songwriters, most recently on her 2008 Grammy nominated album Day After Tomorrow produced by Steve Earle with material by Earle, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett and Patty Griffin. Her music encompasses everything from folk rock to country and gospel music. The powerful messages, sung in her passionate, sensitive voice remain as compelling today as when they were first heard.

Joan Baez is backed by her son Gabriel Harris on percussion and multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell (banjo, guitar, keyboards and fiddle).

A rare opportunity to experience one of the world's greatest performers.

The most accomplished interpretive folksinger of the 1960s, Joan Baez has influenced nearly every aspect of popular music in a career still going strong. Baez is possessed of a once-in-a-lifetime soprano, which, since the late '50s, she has put in the service of folk and pop music as well as a variety of political causes. Starting out in Boston, Baez first gained recognition at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival, then cut her debut album, Joan Baez (October 1960), for Vanguard Records. It was made up of 13 traditional songs, some of them Child ballads, given near-definitive treatment. A moderate success on release, the album took off after the breakthrough of Joan Baez, Vol. 2 (September 1961), and both

albums became huge hits, as did Baez's third album, Joan Baez in Concert, Pt. 1 (September 1962). Each album went gold and stayed in the bestseller charts more than two years.

From 1962 to 1964, Baez was the popular face of folk music, headlining festivals and concert tours and singing at political events, including the August 1963 March on Washington. During this period, she began to champion the work of folk songwriter Bob Dylan, and gradually her repertoire moved from traditional material toward the socially conscious work of the emerging generation of '60s artists like him. Her albums of this period were Joan Baez in Concert, Pt. 2 (November 1963) and Joan Baez 5 (October 1964), which contained her cover of Phil Ochs' "There But for Fortune," a Top Ten hit in the U.K. Like other popular folk performers, Baez was affected by the changes in popular music wrought by the appearance of the Beatles in the U.S. in 1964 and Dylan's introduction of folk-rock in 1965, and she began to augment her simple acoustic guitar backing with other instruments, initially on Farewell, Angelina (October 1965). It was followed by a Christmas album, NoĂŤl (October 1966), and Joan (August 1967), albums on which she was accompanied by an orchestra conducted by Peter Schickele. Baez continued to experiment in the late '60s, releasing Baptism (June 1968), in which she recited poetry, and Any Day Now (December 1968), a double album of Dylan songs done with country backing, which went gold.

In March 1968, Baez had married antiwar protest leader David Harris, who was imprisoned as a draft evader. Harris was a country music fan, and Baez's turn toward country, which continued on David's Album (June 1969) and One Day at a Time (March 1970), reflected his taste. Blessed Are... (August 1971) was a gold-selling double album that spawned a gold Top Ten hit in Baez's cover of the Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." It was followed

by Carry It On (December 1971), the soundtrack to a documentary about Baez and Harris.

Baez switched record label affiliation to A&M Records with Come from the Shadows (May 1972), which moved her in a more pop direction. Where Are You Now, My Son? (May 1973) included sounds taped during Baez's visit to Hanoi in December 1972.

In the late '60s and early '70s, Baez moved toward pop/rock music and also began to write her own songs, culminating in the gold-selling Diamonds & Rust (April 1975), which was followed by the entirely self-written Gulf Winds (October 1976).

Baez moved to the Portrait label of CBS Records with Blowin' Away (June 1977), but she left the label after Honest Lullaby (May 1979), and her next album, European Tour (1980), was released only outside the U.S. It was another seven years before she found an American record label, Gold Castle, for Recently (1987), which was followed by the live album Diamonds & Rust in the Bullring (January 1989) and Speaking of Dreams (October 1989). Baez moved to Virgin Records for Play Me Backwards (August 1992).

In 1993, Vanguard released Rare, Live & Classic, a three-CD boxed set retrospective. Ring Them Bells, a live album on which Baez was joined by musical descendants like Mary Chapin Carpenter and Indigo Girls, came out on Guardian Records in 1995. Gone from Danger, her first studio album in five years, followed in 1997, and it was another six years before the release of Dark Chords on a Big Guitar in 2003. A November 2004 concert in New York was documented on the 2005 release Bowery Songs. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide Tuesday August 6

th

Adelaide Festival Theatre th

Thursday/Friday August 8 & 9 Bookings: Monday August 12 Bookings: Friday August 16 Bookings:

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Brisbane Concert Hall QPAC QTIX 136 246 / qpac.com.au

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Perth Concert Hall Ticketek 1300 795 012 / ticketek.com.au th

BASS 131 246 / bass.net.au

Melbourne Hamer Hall, the Arts Centre 1300 182 183 / artscentremelbourne.com.au

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Tuesday/Wednesday August 20 & 21 Bookings:

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Bookings:

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Sydney Opera House 02 9250 7777 / sydneyoperahouse.com

Saturday August 24 Bookings:

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Canberra Royal Ticketek 1300 795 012 / ticketek.com.au

THE GLORIOUS CAPITOL THEATRE IN SYDNEY The capitol theatre Sydney is considered one of Australia's finest theatres located in Sydney's Haymarket district with the main entrance situated in Campbell Street.

The Capitol Theatre is at the former site of the Belmore Markets. The latter were built in 1891 by George McRae, City Architect, and the structural engineer Norman Selfe, but were commercially unsuccessful because they were located too far from Darling Harbour. The old site was divided up between the Manning Building (1895–1924), facing Pitt Street, and the western half, which was rebuilt as a theatre in 1928.

The current theatre is a brick building designed by R.H.Broderick. It was intended as a hippodrome for arena theatre and featured stone cornices, terra-cotta capitals, rosettes and tiled panels. The architect Henry White turned the interior into a movie palace in 1927, creating the effect of an internal Italian garden or piazza. It also featured an internal imitation courtyard which is the only one surviving in Sydney. The building is listed on the Register of the National Estate.

The site of the Capitol Theatre has provided entertainment to the people of Sydney since the early 19th century when this piece of land was used by early settlers as a market place for produce and hay, giving this area its name “Haymarket”.

The building initially functioned as a fruit and vegetable market called "Belmore Markets" which in 1912 were moved to another location. In 1916 the building was converted to a hippodrome designed specifically for the Wirth Bros circus. Part of the specification was the reinforced concrete water tank 12 metres in diameter and 3.6 metres deep for performances by seals and polar bears. The tank had a hydraulically controlled platform that was raised from the base to form a cover that doubled as a circus ring when the pool was not in use. This tank still exists but is covered by the new floor. Although performing with some success for a decade, the circus became financially unviable and Wirth Bros initiated the idea of converting the theatre to a picture palace or movie theatre.

In 1927 John Eberson, a renowned American designer of theatrically themed theatres, was commissioned to create the Capitol Theatre for its new tenant, Union Theatres. The classical reproduction statues and architectural props were manufactured in the US, scrupulously numbered for shipment and reassembly – supervised by Sydney theatre designer Henry White.

The Sydney Morning Herald covered the opening in 1928: “The effect of the new Capitol Theatre on the crowds which entered it on Saturday night was bewildering and a little overwhelming. One seemed to have stepped from under the dull skies of everyday life and passed into an enchanted region where the depth of the blue heavens had something magical about it and something heavily exotic, clouds passed lightly over then stars began to twinkle. Then again all was blue and clear.”

The public were captivated by the whimsical decor and the lavishness of the surroundings. They went to hear the orchestra and the mighty Wurlitzer, to watch the newsreel and soak up everything Hollywood had to offer. The Capitol was in its Glory days.

The Capitol Theatre was an "atmospheric" picture palace for many years, but went through a dark period in the 1970s and 1980s. It seemed the only real value was the land, the Sydney City Council considered demolition to allow a new lyric theatre to be built on the site. But in 1981 Australia’s last remaining atmospheric theatre was snatched from the jaws of the bulldozer by a Heritage Council conservation order and plans were made to restore the building and create a world-class lyric theatre.

For the first time in its history the theatre underwent a complete and thorough restoration that took two years and cost over $30m to complete. The orchestra pit was expanded with space for 110 musicians. New dressing rooms and technical areas incorporated part of the old tunnels used by the animals in the theatre's former life as a hippodrome.

The fly-tower was extended to become 30 metres high and 37 metres wide extending nine metres into Hay Street making it one of the largest in Australia. In July 1995 an acclaimed production of Miss Saigon put the Capitol back on the world stage.

Finally the Capitol had the second chance it deserved and Sydney has a theatre to be proud of.

Since 1995, the theatre has been host to many productions including classics such as West Side Story in 1995, My Fair Lady in 1997, Fiddler On The Roof in 2005, Billy Elliot The Musical from 2007-2008, Wicked from 2009-2010, The Boy From Oz in 2011, Love Never Dies in 2012 and running now – The Addams Family and in 2013/2014 The Lion King.

Would you like to find out more about the fascinating history and unique architecture of the Capitol Theatre? I recommend you Book a tour!

The knowledgeable tour guide will take you on the Capitol’s journey over the last century from hippodrome to picture palace to rock venue to finally become a world-class musical theatre venue - it’s quite a story.

You’ll have the opportunity to experience the beautiful atmospheric auditorium and observe the quirky architectural elements of John Eberson’s theatrical design vision. You’ll also gain an insight into just what it takes to stage a major musical production.

Tour duration: 1.5 - 2 hours For enquiries please email capitol@ctm.com.au or phone (02) 9320 5005 during business hours Quick Facts: Total audience capacity: 2038 seats Orchestra pit configurations: 30, 76 or 110 musicians The big Wurlitzer from the Capitol Theatre was acquired and was eventually rebuilt and installed into the Orion Centre in Campsie in south-western Sydney.

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CROSSING commemorates the 200th anniversary of the best-known European crossing of the Blue Mountains, performed live at venues across Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Lithgow from 9 May to 15 June 2013.Award-winning writer Wendy Blaxland is a direct descendant of Blaxland, who crossed the Blue Mountains with Wentworth and Lawson 200 years ago.

Set in the 1820s, CROSSING takes you on a journey travelled by generations of Aboriginals, explorers, road-builder Cox, pioneering free settlers such as the Hawkins family and their eight children, through the harsh and wonderful scenery of the Blue Mountains over fertile plains to Bathurst.

Three actors, Carl Batchelor, Lisa Bluthal and James Lee play twenty characters to recreate the excitement, danger and humour of crossing the Blue Mountains in colonial times. Listen to the bellbirds calling, watch out for fearsome ‘tarantulopes’ and mmm, is that damper baking?

Wendy Blaxland is co-producing CROSSING with her daughter Jessica Blaxland Ashby. The creative team includes director Terry Ryan, composer Sarah de Jong and designer Deirdre Burges.

Dress colonial and be in the running to win a prize.

Ticket prices range from $28 - $32. Performance duration: 1 hour 10 minutes.

To book and information www.blaxlandanddaughter.com or phone 1300 306 776

Eagle Rock Entertainment www.eagle-rock.com My Recommendations for this month……

Moody Blues Live at Montreux CD/DVD | Rock | Release: 20/05/2013

Rolling Stones Crossfire Hurricane Blu-ray | Documentary | Release: 07/01/2013

Supertramp Live in Paris Supertramp Blu-ray | Rock | Release: 27/08/2012

YES Symphonic CD | Pop | Release: 28/05/2012

Bad Company Live at Wembley CD/DVD/Blu-ray | Release 06/06/2011 41

THE LAST WORD

Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand….. a quote by Stevie Wonder.

I recall while growing up in the Western Suburbs of Sydney In my early teens, every day would be a day I shared with music, if I couldn’t listen to music I sang and danced to my own musical resonance. I recall when I was about 12 I would cart my portable record player everywhere I went, even to the local park where friends would gather and listen to The Easybeats, The Executives (My Aim is to Please You Girl), Pink Floyd, Normie Rowe and numerous popular records of the late 1960’s. At High School instead of listening intently to my English lessons, (I was always an A grade student) I drew black and white images of Jimi Hendrix and sold them for $5 each.

This era was the beginning of my popular music journey, of which I am still travelling along the path of musical enlightenment. .

Thank you for sharing part of the journey with me. “thedebstar”

For comments and inclusions on facebook, please go to https://www.facebook.com/Boomeonline or email me at boomeonline@gmail.com

web: http://boomeonline.wix.com/boom-entertainonline

Every piece of entertainment is made with the idea that 'This is going to be terrific' and 'This is the best thing I've ever done’ and then it hits the public and then the public tells you whether it's good or bad.

William Shatner