ENTERTAINMENT
AAMAN MAN APART APARTININ BELLO BELLO BRITISH SINGER / SONGWRITER BEN OTTEWELL HAS ANNOUNCED THE IMPENDING RELE ASE OF HIS THIRD SOLO ALBUM A MAN APART ON 25 MAY.
and have a really interesting dry tone. I certainly got more use out of them than the kids did.
I’ve been playing solo on some level now since 2011 when Shapes and Shadows came out and Gomez have been on a break for three years, so it’s kind of become the norm for me now. It’s definitely different without the safety net of the band, particularly live, as I’m no longer part of this 10-legged beast. The shows are more intimate and there’s nowhere to hide. It’s also different writing and recording without the guys. There was always a sense with the band that I was writing more universally, as though representing Gomez, the solo songs are a little more direct, or feel that way.
that we both ended up in music. He’s exceptionally talented and there’s a trust there which I find important. With collaboration the rule for me is to find people who are better than you; don’t let ego get in the way; makes things better.
How did recording in LA and Sheffield influence the shape of the songs? Not sure. They’re both places with which I have deep connections, both musical towns, both places where I feel comfortable creatively. Need a test case – perhaps I’ll record the tunes again in say Vienna and Timbuktu – who knows, might be exactly the same.
Tell me about your relationship with co-writer Sam Genders. I The former Gomez vocalist will imagine it’s quite ‘special’ to find tour Australia soon after its release, someone you can write with. taking in major cities across How does the collaboration Australia as well as the Bello Winter make your songwriting better, or Festival in Bellingen. perhaps different? After years of touring and I’ve known Sam literally since I working in a band, how is it now was nought. We grew up together to stand, as your third solo album in a small Derbyshire village declares, ‘A Man Apart’? called Bonsall; strange really
You move across genre like it’s a road trip and you’re crossing borders in the night. What is your take anyway on this concept of an artist being a proponent of a particular ‘genre’? It’s tricky as influences, musically or otherwise, shape so much in terms of style and expression that sometimes I think that even if I tried not to, I’d end up sounding like me, particularly with my voice. I think if it feels right musically, if it serves the song, do it. I don’t really judge in terms of genre; if it’s good it’s good. Tell me about the songs on the album. How did you write them? I’m not much of a craftsman when it comes to songwriting, never really give myself a brief or attempt to write a certain kind of song. I’m more in the Keith Richards school of waiting for them to come to me. This time round I started three or four of the songs on these little guitarleles that I’d purchased for my then-7year-old twin boys. They’re a cross between a guitar and a ukulele
How do you move the music from the album to the stage? Do you lose much in translation? Well at the moment I’m playing solo, just me and a guitar, so it’s different from the record and you lose the drums, bass and keys immediately. The songs are stripped back to pretty much how they were written; same with the Gomez tracks I play but I think they translate well. At first with the acoustic shows I’d rattle through the tunes but I’ve learnt a little more about dynamics of an acoustic show. Crowds are different too. When I first started playing solo I think 50 per cent of the crowd were expecting a Gomez show, came to get pissed, throw beer about and dance. People get it a bit more now. You’ve had what you call a ‘20year run’. How has your approach to music and being in the industry evolved in that time? My approach to music is surprising pretty much the same. Dealing with the industry is a different universe. People used to buy music. What should we expect for your performance at Bello Winter Music? Something good. Ben Ottewell plays Bello Winter Music Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 July. For tickets and program info go to bellowintermusic.com.
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POPPING BYRON Byron Bay’s Surf Alley comes alive this weekend when a team of Byron’s most talented street artists transform the area off Jonson Street that was once nicknamed ‘spew alley’. This is the first of what is planned to be a series of laneway activations and the vision is to make these places buzz with creativity and community engagement. The event will encompass live art, street food, bar, music, cool lighting, green walls, bespoke sustainable furniture, Live Ideas Program, and much more. The event creates a platform for emerging artists who would not otherwise have an opportunity to engage with the local community, launching The Fresh Air Gallery: a live street art gallery that will be a game-changer for community engagement with art. Bringing the gallery to the street, Fresh Air Gallery is an innovation born of Byron Bay-based artist Nitsua, promoting accessible arts, sustainability, philanthropy, and performance. Saturday will also see a Live Ideas Program in the style of TED talks where artists and community members share their vision and experience of making art. Popped launches this Friday at 5pm in Surf Alley, Byron Bay CBD. Tickets are $10 each, per person per session, and can be purchased via www. poppedcreative.com or at the door. Saturday’s Live Ideas runs in the Laneway over 12–3pm.
UNFUCK THE WORLD Imagine… a Rockwiz-style event with Mark Swivel as MC (fresh from Melbourne Comedy Festival) rockin’ it with local band MercyMercy, showcasing the innovative ideas from everyday people for positive local actions to ‘unfuck the world’! Then, imagine you get to vote for your favourite idea and all the profits from the event go to fund that project to make it happen! Now, imagine that every day people, across the globe, also joined us in creating positive change on the same day. Sheer unfuckery! That day is coming! Come and help us celebrate the fifth annual global Unfuck The World (UTW) Day on 10 June at Mullum Civic, noon till 5pm!
To vote for your favourite ‘unfuck the world’ idea go to unfucktheworldbyronbay. wordpress.com/. Voting closes 31 May.
SURF ALLEY COMES ALIVE WITH POPPED THE LANEWAY ACTIVATION ON JONSON STREET THIS FRIDAY & SATURDAY
COMEDY IN THE SUN Nick Sun emerged from the suburbs of Sydney during 2004 and quickly became one of the hottest comedy prospects on the scene. In a stellar career acceleration Nick made it to the prestigious invite-only ‘Just For Laughs’ comedy festival at Montreal and returned to the UK for a full season of shows at Edinburgh just a year later. This winner of the RAW Comedy national competition was also the only comic to take out the UK comp for So You Think You’re Funny. Amazingly he took on the best the UK had to offer and went on to become the national champion of that event as well. This resulted in a unique double for Nick, winning both Australia’s and the UK’s top comedy competitions in the same year – a feat not before achieved. Nick Sun brings his unique, existentialist, sometimes politically incorrect perspective to the stage sharing the unique insights from this very Aussie bloke of Tibetan parentage. Nick Sun is the MC at this month’s Home Crafted Comedy at the Byron Bay Brewery on Thursday at 8pm. Free entry. Come and see the best in show on the local comedy scene!
NICK SUN MCS HOME CRAFTED COMEDY AT THE BYRON BAY BREWERY ON THURSDAY
A SHOWCASE OF NNSW FEMMES FATALES Billinudgel Pub Sat 20th May 5–11.30pm R D A Y
2 7 T H
M A
'S E MUSIC AND DJ 2 STAGES OF LIV + AL FRESCO + RAVE CAVE
AL ROYALE LIPPO IAN HA! YES HOT ROB BEN POPP ANTON LEAF AKOVA (LIVE)
CONTINUED P34 FREE ENTRY BEFORE 5PM | $10 AFTER
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