7 See Mandy live at www.echonetdaily.net.au LISTENING IN STEREO I remember Mum’s stereo. It was her pride and joy. A vintage Magnavox Stereo record player. It was a coffin of honey-coloured wood, lacquered to within an inch of its life, standing miraculously on four spindly little legs with shiny gold shoes. It looked like a fat woman in stilettos. The speakers were built into the unit, and the stereo was housed in the top. To play a record you had to take the doily, the ornamental fruit bowl and the ornamental fruit off the top so you could open the secret compartment. The arm would need to be secured with a small latch to make the turntable accessible. Mum’s entire record collection was hidden in another secret compartment. You had to ask permission to use the stereo. You had to be respectful, very careful; in retrospect it was more like an old aunt than a piece of furniture. Unlike most people who boast of how great their parents’ record collection was, how it formed the foundation of their love of music, Mum’s was not and thus my foundation has a few significant cracks. Mum had terrible taste in music. But it didn’t matter, there was magic in the pomp
LIVE MUSIC JACK JOHNSON RETURNS TO BLUES Yesterday Bluesfest Byron Bay revealed its third round of artists to perform at its 25th Anniversary for 2014. The latest announcement welcomes Bluesfest icon headliner Jack Johnson back to its main stage. Jack’s fanbase reaches from young to old and he truly represents what Bluesfest is all about. He is not just an all-time favourite, who makes the top-three list of ‘most sought-after Bluesfest artist’ each year; Jack Johnson is also synonymous with Bluesfest, as well as being a very gifted performer and a great person. Jack Johnson’s new album From Here To Now To You is receiving worldwide accolades. It is his third numberone album in a row in the Billboard charts in the US. Also on the forefront of this announcement is the legendary Elvis Costello, who made his Bluesfest debut with two roof-raising performances with The Imposters in 2011. Elvis Costello will be bringing The Imposters once again to Bluesfest’s 25th Anniversary celebrations. First-ever Bluesfest performances, which have been anticipated by many, include renowned British folk-rock solo artist Passenger. His song Let Her Go is approaching seven-times platinum status in Australia and is a number-one chart-topper in 16 countries including Australia – not to mention the 110 million+ views of the clip on YouTube. His album All The Little Lights is nearing double platinum status on our shores, as well as in Canada and the UK. Passenger has parked himself at the top of the charts all year, as well as reaching that status all over the world. Jack Johnson and Passenger will be both performing exclusively at Bluesfest 25 off the back of Jack Johnson’s adding shows to his almost sold-out Australian tour set for December this year and Passenger’s selling out his theatre run also in December this year. RocKwiz Live, the hugely popular TV series, is coming back for some juicy Bluesfest entertainment. After the incredible success of their 2013 debut season opener, RocKwiz Live will be shooting their 2014 season opening program at Bluesfest. Here’s
North Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au
of gently placing a shiny black disk, lifting the arm and watching the stylus crackle as it bounced through the dust and scratches on Mum’s Johnny Mathis album. Or her Englebert Humperdink. Of course when Up Up and Away had finished there were more delights up for grabs. While my peers all had their musical foundations established by listening to their parents’ old Beatles albums, or Hendrix or even The Doors, I donned a cowboy hat and rode the broom around the loungeroom to Glenn Campbell’s Wichita Lineman. We even had a 45 of Chad Morgan’s Sheik from Scrubby Creek. It’s with significant irony that I now realise we both came from the same small country town. It’s certainly made me more conscious of my personal dental hygiene. There was something ceremonial about the stereo cabinet. It wasn’t a personal listening device. You couldn’t hide in the bedroom listening to music. It was in the loungeroom. If you had a risqué album and you wanted to play it, the entire family would be subjected to it. I don’t even know what my kids listen to. All I know is that when they are listening to music they’ve tuned me out. Music was shared. You had to tolerate musical choices you wouldn’t have made. Ironically in my teenage years my mum became a David Bowie fan. Not because she would have ever bought Bowie, but because I loved it and I played it over and over, and in the end she either kicked me out or decided to love Bowie too. A new album always held such mystique. It was big. You needed two hands to
hold it. There just isn’t the same thrill going on iTunes and accessing everything you ever could want. The entire family were expected to be seated while they listened to the latest acquisition. I remember the tingles of excitement that pulsed through me when Mum put on Neil Diamond’s Hot August Night. Unfortunately it wasn’t ours. It was just borrowed from the family next door. We played it ten times that night. But we did have our very own Shirley Bassey. I knew every word. When Mum was at work I’d put on her clothes and I’d sing to the empty loungeroom. It was amazing; my rendition of I Who Am Nothing at just 11 reduced the dog to tears every time. I have just bought a stereo, and I’m struggling to have it connected properly so any sound comes through, but I just love the look of it. I love the nostalgia, the crackle. I love that you can’t put it in your ears. You can’t keep it all to yourself. You can’t hide it. You can’t take it in the car. You can’t take it on the bus. It won’t come to you. You have to come to it. It’s the simple technology that existed before the ‘i’ revolution that gives individuals everything they want, whenever they want it, wherever they want it. As it turns out, I don’t want it. I’m much happier sitting in the garage playing Great Accordion Hits. Fuck, it pisses the kids off no end.
OPEN MIC NIGHT Wednesday 23 8.30pm
JOHN FOG AND FRIENDS Thursday 24 9.00pm
METHOD Friday 25 5.00pm
BEACHY FRIDAYS $4 Schooners of Coopers Pale Ale, more drink specials and nibblies
Read more of Mandy in her book, What I Would Do If I Were You, available at all good bookshops
WITH
another fantastic opportunity for all Bluesfest fans to see themselves, as well as their favourite artists, on television. Enjoy the sassy and seductive Julia Zemiro at her comedic best. Bluesfest director Peter Noble may well take part in another serious outrageous interchange on stage again. He asked her out on a date this past Bluesfest… what a dirty old man. JACK JOHNSON AND ELVIS Also COSTELLO REVEALED IN announced, is the return of BLUESFEST THIRD ROUND the big hit of OF ARTISTS AT ITS 25TH Bluesfest 2013 – ANNIVERSARY FOR 2014 American rock band Grace creating an ongoing momentum. Potter & the Nocturnals, who will have the audience eating out The 25th Anniversary is shaping up to be an of the palm of their hands once again – and how exceptional occasion with more headline could we not bring her back? After her blistering announcements scheduled in the next few weeks. debut Grace blew everyone away with her fine musicianship, incredible voice, CASTING CALL – TALENT WANTED great band and gritty rocking blues songs. Plus she is not hard on the eyes – what a winning package. It does not stop here: Australia’s muchloved and award-winning queen of country singer Kasey Chambers, whose career spans many Bluesfest years, is also returning to the Bluesfest stage and is welcomed with open arms. In 1999 Kasey first performed solo on the small stage at Bluesfest and only one year later she was headlining the Bluesfest main stage with her incredible No. 1 album The Captain, propelling her to the forefront of Australia’s most popular musicians. Kasey’s playing at Bluesfest 25 will mark her ninth performance overall. That’s an extra Bay FM and the Spoken Word Theatre reason to celebrate! are producing a live-to-air production of Also added to the growing Bluesfest Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. lineup is Belgian-American multiinstrumentalist Trixie Whitley; the The radio show will be broadcast across incredibly charismatic The Soul Rebels, Australia live on Christmas Eve, 2013. who will be bringing their blistering brassfunk all the way from New Orleans; and We are looking for actors and voice talent the nine-piece soul band from Melbourne, who would like to play a role in the show. Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes. The first two announcements included Auditions are Oct 30 musical giants John Mayer, The Dave and Oct 31 at Bay FM Matthews Band, The Doobie Brothers, Aaron Neville, Erykah Badu, Gregg Email production@bayfm.org for more Allman, Boz Scaggs and many more. information and an audition script. Bluesfest has established a reputation COMMUNITY RADIO BAY FM 99.9 of increasing the strength of its lineup bayfm.org Telephone: 6680 7999 with each announcement by releasing Bay FM Public Fund Donations are Tax Deductible more and more headliners each time and
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Tuesday 22 7.30pm
THE PIERCE BROTHERS 9.30pm
WOLF & CUB W/ BADLANDS Saturday 26 9.00pm
BYRON HOUSE MAFIA Sunday 27 4.00pm
THE FEREMONES 8.00pm
WAXHEAD 10.00pm
THE DELTA RIGGS Monday 28 7.00pm
HIT THAT HIT MUSICAL BINGO Free entry, great prizes Tuesday 29 7.30pm
OPEN MIC NIGHT Wednesday 30 8.30pm
SCOTT DAY-VEE DUO COMING UP... Thursday 31
CLOCKS AND DICE Friday 1 Nov
AKOVA & RAGGA JUMP Saturday 2 Nov
RHYTHM AND CUTLOOSE Sunday 3 Nov
HORRORSHOW BAY STREET BYRON BAY 6685 6402 www.beachhotelgigguide.com.au
The Byron Shire Echo October 22, 2013 17