Blank - issue 87 - June 2021

JUNE 5 AWA DANCE SATURDAY ON THE GC, MUDGEERABA FOUNDATION CENTRE, 8 SCHOOL STREET Awa Odori is the festival of dance of Tokushima, featuring teams of dancers and musicians. At Awa Dance Saturdays you can come to dance or play in the band, with no dancing or musical experience required.

7pm – 8pm tensuiaustralia@outlook.com JUNE 5 WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY TREE PLANTING

Creek through assisted weed control and maintenance works 8am – 10am eventbrite.com.au

6pm – 8pm JUNE 6 THE MUDGEERABA WEDDING EXPO, MUDGEERABA SHOWGROUNDS Presented by Planning Weddings. Come along and spend a morning with local, interested wedding & party vendors who want to talk to you about your special day and event 10am – 1pm eventbrite.com.au

BONOGIN BUSCHARE GROUP, FIRTH PARK MUDGEERABA Celebrate World Environment Day with Bonogin Bushcare Group and lend a helping hand planting 2000 trees along Mudgeeraba Creek. A council officer is in attendance, all materials are supplied and the holes are dug.\ 8am – 10am HINTERLAND BUSHCARE GROUP, HINTERLAND REGIONAL PARK Join the Hinterland Regional Park Bushcare group and the City of Gold Coast to help restore areas adjoining Bonogin

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step by step through each stage of the process by an Artist.

Catch up with your friends for a night of eating, drinking, chatting and getting creative.

JUNE 6 HINTERLAND DISTRICT NETBALL, FIRTH PARK, MUDGEERABA NetSetGO Carnival (7-10 years) Junior Carnival (11-17 years) will take place - July 18 hinterland.qld.netball.com.au JUNE 8 BONJOUR PARIS PAINT ’N PARTY / WHISKEY LOUNGE, 58 RAILWAY STREET, MUDGEERABA Join in recreating an acrylic BONJOUR PARIS painting on stretched canvas. Be guided

readart.com.au/store/0608Bonjour-Paris-p314740005 Limited tickets JUNE 23 – JULY 4 D’ARCY DOYLE ART AWARDS AND EXHIBITION 2021, MUDGEERABA MEMORIAL HALL The Awards and Exhibition showcase the best of Australian art from professionals and emerging artists. After cancellation of last year’s event the organising committee is excited to confirm there will be a -2021 event and is now accepting artwork submissions.

A major art prize of $10,000 will be awarded to the landscape category winner, with minor prizes for portraiture, still life and junior categories. Entries close 26 May 2021.

For more information visit darcydoyleartawards.com.au JUNE 27 NATURALLYGC WILDLIFE RESCUE (KIDS), MUDGEERABA SHOWGROUNDS FREE event. This workshop

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includes key safety points and suggestions for first response to an injured native animal.

10am – 11am eventbrite.com.au/e/naturallygc JULY 17 – JULY 18 GOLD COAST KOKODA CHALLENGE, HINTERLAND REGIONAL PARK, MUDGEERABA Get ready for this event next month – a 96km Challenge!

Raising funds for Aussie kids who participate in Youth Programs run by the Kokoda Youth Foundation. All ages eventfinda.com.au / search for Kokoda Challenge Mudgeeraba ACTIVE & HEALTHY I CAN BE RESILIENT –ACTIVE & HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROGRAM. The 2020/21 Active & Healthy Lifestyle Program is out now and offers a range of affordable activities delivered by qualified and supportive professionals.

Activities happening in Division

9 include women’s and men’s fitness group, new free toddlers gym class, tai chi, yoga, aqua fitness and a range of senior strength and fitness classes.

To find an activity near you visit: goldcoast.qld.gov.au/ activehealthy MUDGEERABA PARKRUN D’ARCY DOYLE PARK, SOMERSET DRIVE, MUDGEERABA 7am Saturdays This FREE weekly 5km event is for participants of all standards and ages. Participants are encouraged or run, jog or walk together.

A COVID Safe Plan is in place and you must bring along your printed barcode. A QR code will be available to scan.

Registration essential.

Every week runners grab a post parkrun coffee in the Lucky 7 Tallai, 1 Tallai Road. parkrun.com.au/register

Study in the morning, surf in the afternoon.

This is Bec Woods, she was a pro surfer. She’s a Southern Cross graduate.

That’s Excellent (life balance).

Whether you’re looking at on-campus or online study, at Southern Cross University we understand that study shouldn’t take over your life.

Southern Cross has more than 20 years of delivering online flexible study.

Plus, with a five-star rating in student support* we’re with you every step of the way.

Choose from a large range of courses in business and enterprise, creative arts, education, engineering, health, humanities, Indigenous knowledge, IT, law, science, social work and community welfare, or design your own degree with our range of shared majors.

Apply now to start in July.

scu.edu.au/study

*Good Universities Guide 2021 CRICOS Provider: 01241G

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Your local stories Hey Blankers, Welcome to your June edition.

Managing Editor: Natalie O’Driscoll

This month sees both the United Nations World Refugee Day (20 June) and Refugee Week (20 to 26 June). You still have time to sign up for Bike To Belong (a fundraiser we featured in last month’s mag), and ride 80kms for the estimated 80 million displaced people around the world. It kicks off 13 June.

Creative Director: Chloe Popa Advertising & Partnerships Manager: Amanda Gorman Content Coordinator & Photography: Simone Gorman-Clark TeamWriters: Anthony Gebhardt & Zac Fahey Graphic Designer: Heidi Glasson Distribution: Swingin' Safari Crew Contributors (print and online): Natalie O’Driscoll, Anthony Gebhardt, Zac Fahey, Marj Osborne, Samantha Morris, Philippa Arrowsmith, Dani Teveluwe, Anne Janelle, Nikki Archer, Jarrod Knight.

Cover: Lystra Biscchop by Ray Bisschop.

Acknowledgement of Country: We genuinely respect and acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and play. We honour their elders past, present and emerging as well as the rich contribution that continues to be made to society through art, story and music.

About us: Blank is independently owned and published by Samantha Morris, Chloe Popa, Amanda Gorman and Natalie O'Driscoll. Founded in 2013 we are an independent voice for local music, arts and lifestyle and we rely on advertising as well as our generous contributors to keep us ticking. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor, publishers or the writing team.

Editorial: news@blankstreetpress.com.au Advertising: advertising@blankstreetpress.com.au Gigs: gigs@blankstreetpress.com.au

With all the stress of life, work, study, parenting and all the rest it’s easy to forget how incredibly lucky we are to live in a peaceful, prosperous country like Australia, and in one of its most privileged cities no less. Let’s all take the opportunity that Refugee Week affords us to do something for our fellow humans that weren’t born into the same fortunate set of circumstances. If you don’t feel like riding, you can always check out refugeeweek. org.au for other ways to get involved. And check out our article about upcoming documentary ‘Scattered People’ in this edition, because it looks amazing.

This edition’s cover is graced by an extraordinary human with an extraordinary story. Lystra Biscchop is the first woman to ever helm a mainstream surf magazine, and the first Indigenous person to do so. She’s also overcome a near-inconceivable amount of adversity to get where she is, and to top it off is a

Follow us: Facebook/Instagram@blankstreetpress

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proud Gold Coaster. So be sure to read her story.

We’re also pretty excited to be sharing the news about Creekfest, a brand new three day music event happening at Currumbin RSL at the end of June, as well as getting a sneak preview of a banger of a new track by Atticus Chimps. We really loved chatting to dead set legend that is JK-47 ahead of his appearance at Festival of the Stone, and the fabulous JOOLZ as well, who is definitely going places. So. Much. Talent.

Until next month, stay well and take care of each other.

Yours, Natalie O’Driscoll Managing Editor

Paul A George: Cassowary Kids Words by Anthony Gebhardt

Ethno-fusionist trailblazer Paul A George is best known as the multi-talented guitarist and singer-songwriter for euphoric world-music/dance hybrid Tijuana Cartel, as well as his more organic Black Rabbit George side project. And clearly the challenges of a COVID inflected reality have hardly put a handbrake on his creative output, which sees him now deliver a blissful opus under his own name, entitled ‘Cassowary Kids’.

On this sonic journey, George has set out to deliver music “that people can happily dance or simply dream to”, inspired by the Sunshine Coast hinterland where he currently resides. In turns dreamy, and exotic, an earthy, ‘back to nature’ vibe pervades many of the album’s grooves.

The desert/flamenco vibes and dance music heartbeat which infuse his work with Tijuana Cartel are still evident within the musical DNA of ‘Cassowary Kids’, it’s just coming from a slightly dreamier place, with the trippedout echoes of dub, world music and trance inducing beats simmering under the surface of these eight delightfully atmospheric, groove-based soundscapes.

‘Underworld delivers a dose of spaced-out Morocco, while tracks such as the marvellously monikered ‘Sneaky Blighter’ bring an electro-tinged soundscape intertwined with organic world music vibes. While penultimate track, ‘Daylight’ turns up the dial on the tranced out, club beat side of the equation.

Overall though the album is designed to be immersed in a single, complete sitting and choosing individual highlights becomes an exercise in following whichever headspace and mood you choose to imbibe at any particular time.

One thing is certain though for those with a penchant for such blissed-out and hypnotic soundscapes – the ‘repeat’ button is never too far away from being invoked.

Welcome to the world of the Cassowary Kid, Paul A George.

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Boys, syrup, go on and even an 80s night for all those big-hair-loving Gen Xers out there. Visit fb.com/burleighbazaargc for deets.

Memory Walk and Jog Gold Coast

Glossy Black-Cockatoo Birding Day back after COVID hiatus

Locals are getting ready for the Gold Coast Pop Up Memory Walk & Jog 2021, which will be held on Sunday 13 June at Pratten Park, Broadbeach. Funds raised through the Memory Walk & Jog series help provide invaluable support, education and resources for people living with dementia in Australia, their carers, families and friends.

Visit memorywalk.com.au to sign up.

Glossy Blacks are one of Australia’s smallest and rarest cockatoos. Once a year, volunteers come together to participate in the Glossy Black Conservancy’s bird count.

This year, the Birding Day takes place 11 – 12 September across Southeast Queensland and North-eastern NSW and registrations to volunteer are open now. Volunteers receive a welcome pack, free ID training and support from local coordinators.

Register at bit.ly/GBCvolunteer.

Brunch with the Queen(s)

$5 Rump at RSL Club Southport

The return of Gold Coast Green Week

RSL Club Southport have decided to bring back their hugely popular $5 Rump + Chips promotion. On Thursday nights only, just five bucks get you a rump with chips. Yep – five bucks. Any salads, sauces or toppers are an additional charge, but you’ll certainly have plenty of leftover cash to splash out on those! (Please note, last month we incorrectly printed that this promotion was happening at Southport Yacht Club – apologies).

Spill that tea honey, QT is serving sass sunny side up with immersive theatre and dining experience in partnership with the Pink Flamingo. The Gold Coast’s favourite Spiegelclub will take over Bazaar Marketplace for – Brunch With The Queen(s) – serving a fusion of drag, cabaret and burlesque alongside QT’s famous Bazaar brunch. Brunch runs from 12pm to 3pm, before sashaying over to the Pink Flamingo to watch the Flamboyance show from 4pm. Tickets at qthotels.com/ gold-coast.

Gold Coast Music Awards are open for nominations

Gold Coast Green Week returns in June, in a glorious celebration of our City’s unique natural surrounds. This epic ten day calendar of events explores Gold Coast’s natural environment, flora and fauna, and all the local expertise, passion, and work to preserve and protect it. Get a look at the program over at goldcoastgreenweek.com.

Flow premieres at NORPA

Decadent Degustations at JW Marriott

Burleigh Bazaar turns up the heat this winter Burleigh Bazaar has a cracking line up of musical acts raring to tear up the stage this month. Be sure to get your toes a-tappin’ to Caravana Sun, Tailgate, Sunny Coast Rude

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The fourth Wednesday of every month is now officially degustation night at Citrique, the flagship restaurant of JW Marriott in Surfers Paradise. These fivecourse experiences feature an ocean and paddock-to-plate menu that focuses on locally sourced produce and fresh ingredients, and are designed to be enjoyed over time (and with plenty of wine). Call 5592 9772 to book your spot.

Go deeper into Country to discover ancient stories and the power of music, family and connection, when Flow comes to NORPA on 1, 2 and 3 July. Mitch King is a Yaegl Bundjalung man with a story to tell.

Joined on stage by long term collaborator and sound artist Blake Rhodes, Mitch tells his story inspired by community, Country and the first native title claim on a body of water in Yamba. Tickets at norpa.org.au.

IMAGE © Tree Faerie.

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Just a reminder that nominations are now open for this year’s Gold Coast Music Awards, with nominations closing midnight Sunday 20 June. The nomination eligibility period is from 1 January 2020 through to 31 March 2021, for all categories. Visit gcmusicawards.com.au for more. IMAGE © Dan Maynard.

Get the low-down on local festivals, gigs, theatre, art, comedy, eats, drinks, amazing humans and more by joining our e-list for a-list news.

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S MONTH MUSIC THI SHARKS! FREE, LIVE T R UTHPO AT THE SO

CHRISC MAC BAND 4 JUNE

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PANIK BUTTON 12 JUNE

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AGENT 77 19 JUNE

THE CROWDPLEASERS 25 JUNE

MISCHIEVOUS 26 JUNE

southportsharks.com.au Corner Olsen & Musgrave Aves, Southport QLD | 5532 1155 *Entertainment subject to change at any time.

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“Ray and I now have our surf date once a week, and we go for a family surf too,” Lystra describes.

“I try to get out as much as I can. It covers so much more than physical – it makes me a better writer, it makes me better at everything.

“Surfing was also a leap outside of my comfort zone. That vow I made on that hospital bed, it didn’t stop with just surfing.

“It’s something that reminds me my whole life that fear is an ally not an enemy, a vessel that can extend you, draw you out to be better and try harder and keep going, which I guess is what surfing is about itself; it’s forever changing and flowing - the swell, the waves.”

Lystra’s decade-long surf therapy and dedication to tackling fear head on has served her well during her stint as editor of ‘Surfing Life’, where she has run the gamut of obstacles and challenges that are unfortunately par for the course when one upsets the status quo.

“It can happen with anyone outside of the boy’s club - you’re dealing with being completely ignored or haggled and undermined,” Lystra shrugs.

“But I think for me, I had to stop worrying about what other people did or what they said. That quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson - ‘Do not follow where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and make a trail’ – that’s been in my office for a long time.

Words by Natalie O’Driscoll Gold Coast, meet Lystra Bisschop. Of course, if you’re a consumer of mainstream surf media, then chances are you already know who she is. A proud Guugu Yimithirr, Birri Gubba and Erub woman with a splash of Scottish-New Zealand ancestry thrown in for good measure, Lystra is not just the first female magazine Editor in mainstream surf media, she’s also the first Indigenous one.

Lystra and her husband Ray bought Gold Coastbased surf magazine ‘Surfing Life’ just over three years ago, with Lystra taking on the Editor role in 2020. This glossy, bimonthly publication is largely reader-supported and prints six issues a year, each totally dedicated to a single topic; among them surf travel, surf culture, waves, technique, surfboards and surfers.

While Ray has surfed for over 35 years, Lystra’s interest in the sport was peripheral at best until the debilitating events that followed the birth of her second child more than a decade ago.

Lystra experienced a rare triple prolapse, where

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her bowel, uterus and bladder literally fell out of her body.

“I was bedridden for a year,” Lystra recalls. “I couldn’t stand or walk, I was in agony, and pain medication only made my condition worse.”

A year after the prolapse, doctors decided to try a series of corrective surgeries. Three in a row failed. After the fourth, which achieved a degree of success, Lystra came out of the surgery in a bad way, almost unable to breathe, close to death, and requiring blood transfusions.

“In that moment I’m lying in my bed thinking ‘Is this it? Is this how it ends for people? What happens if it is? Have I lived my life to the best possible extent I can?’” Lystra recalls.

“And I thought about surfing and how I didn’t do it because I was afraid of big waves and sharks.

“We all control our lives in a way to show that we’re not scared but we actually are. We stay in our comfort zones.

I vowed if I get through this, I’m never going to let fear stop me from doing anything again.”

Following months of physio to learn how to walk again, and excruciatingly incremental progress, Lystra was given a lengthy list of all the things she would never be able to do, including but not limited to: blowing up a balloon, playing the flute, and carrying her own children (she can’t lift more than 5kgs).

Her husband Ray then asked the doctor: “Is she allowed to surf?”

This is what Lystra refers to as that “life changing moment”. Like many who hit the waves on the regular, once getting the okay from her doctor, she discovered the deep emotional therapy factor of surf, the boon to creativity, and the bonds it can create with your family.

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“It’s what I always draw back to, and that’s how we've come up with some many great ideas for the mag that have never been done before. All of it has come from us and me going ‘we are who we are and that’s okay’, and I’m happy with that.”

One of the main things Lystra and Ray had in mind from the start was a desire to be a positive influence in surf culture.

“There are so many negative influences out there who would bag on people or exclude minorities or are just part of the boys club and don’t even care about the everyday surfer who is trying to improve,” says Lystra.

“It’s such a privilege to be able to be in that place to make that change.

“This year I introduced a writing competition, and it was open to all ages because I wanted groms to enter, anyone to enter. That’s one of the joys of being editor and owner — you can open it up to a whole group of people who never had an opportunity to be published and have a voice in the surf community.”

Become a part of the ‘Surfing Life’ community over at surfinglife.com.au.

Legends of the Surf Words by Anthony Gebhardt

Saturday 26 June sees the launch of a unique new exhibition celebrating the rich and esteemed surfing talent that has long been ingrained within the fabric of the Gold Coast.

The exhibition will showcase an epic array of surf themed art, music and film and is the brainchild of local artist Emily Rose Hastie. With a background in drawing and paint media, Emily has forged her own artistic path through her exploration of pyrography (wood burning), holding exhibitions and exhibiting artworks as well as founding the Mint Art House in 2019.

As part of the exhibition, Emily has incorporated a live fundraising auction of a series of pyrographic portraits of local surf legends (to support the important coastal conservation work of Surfrider Foundation Gold Coast and Gold Coast World Surf Reserve, and the empowering mental health education and stigma reduction work of LIVIN.) Says Emily of her pyrographic works: “I used a combination of soldering iron and butane torch tools to create this body

of pyrographic artworks. If anyone has seen me work, they know it is a patience game which is why I began embarking on this body of work back in October 2020.

“I have made sure to preview each resolved portrait with the surfing legends before the exhibition and have been stoked with their responses. Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholemew told me he was impressed, and felt I had captured his and Michael Peterson's personalities. It's the highest compliment, especially as he had spent much of his time out there alongside MP. “The idea just seemed to snowball with each email and phone call with hearty support from the surfing legends I reached out to, but ultimately lifted off the ground with the constant and generous support of Andrew McKinnon. Andrew, fondly known as Andy Mac, beloved surf icon, conservatist, activist, historian and reporter, has been the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable ally I could have asked for with this project. He has made every challenge I've encountered surmountable and taught me so much.

“Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew, Dick Hoole and Lachlan McKinnon are also supporting the big opening event, and so too Coolangatta Sands Hotel, The Art Space Coolangatta and The Surfboard Warehouse who are key sponsors of Legends of the Surf. Community is truly the lifeblood and heart of this project.”

Sands Hotel. The exhibition (free entry) will then be open from 26 June – 8 July 2021 at The Art Space on 19 McLean Street, Coolangatta, featuring portraits with permission of our surfing legends including Steph Gilmore, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Rabbit, Mark Occhilupo and Michael Peterson.

Legends of the Surf launches at 6pm on Saturday 26 June at the Coolangatta

Tickets are available now at Humanitix.

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Gold Coast Music Awards: Meet Jess

Misery loves company Words by Natalie O’Driscoll

Atticus Chimps have taken on bushfires in their blazing new track, dropping the single alongside a fresh vid and announcing a follow up gig at Burleigh Bazaar.

The new track will have some company, with Sam confirming there is an accompanying video all set to be released on YouTube on 9 June.

‘Misery’ is the absolute thumper of a new track from arguably Gold Coast’s loudest duo, Atticus Chimps. The song serves as a reminder to listeners that even though we’re all caught up with the global pandemic, climate change is still a massive threat. It looks at the devastating bushfires that ravaged Australia in 2019 and the ineffective response from the government.

It’s hard. It’s mad. And still somehow manages to be a little bit playful.

“Hopefully you'll recognise some of the locations that we filmed on the Gold Coast! It was edited and directed by myself and a couple of film students, so it's all done completely independently but I think it came out pretty good.”

“The bushfires have now become a distant memory, an afterthought in a world that's now more concerned about scanning QR codes in restaurants than scanning the landscape for koala bear skeletons,” Sam Chimp tells us.

‘Misery’ features a driving beat, thunderous hard rock riffs, blues infused scales, and has all the hooks and melodies that any die-hard alternative rock fan can resonate with. It was recorded at Gold Coast’s Blind Boy Studios and only features a bass guitar and drum kit, with all seemingly non-bass sounds achieved through a guitar effects pedal board.

“All of the bass and guitar-sounding tracks were played at the same time using an effects switcher that triggers one bass and two guitar amplifiers to come on and off by the switch of a button,” explains Sam of the set up.

“It can get a bit complicated and it's hard to explain without having the setup right in front of me, but we can replicate this sound perfectly fine in a live format. It's just a matter of using pre-recorded loop sounds for the introduction then turning amplifiers on and off using the switchboard.”

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Since the guys are obviously so passionate about the environment, I ask Sam what he would fix right now if he could.

“A rapid and drastic shift to renewable energy sources all around the world,” he states immediately.

“Isn't it kind of embarrassing that us humans are still farting around in our little combustible-fuel-mobiles? Imagine a silent, odorless highway with just the thrum of rubber on the asphalt. No road rage or fatalities because every car is autonomous. That is the future.

We have the technology to solve this problem, we just do not have the will to change as a species.”

It's often artists like Atticus Chimps that utilise their platforms to not just entertain but also to cry out for social change. And with a couple more releases slated for this year to round out an EP release, they’re certainly not done.

You can catch the boys live then they hit Burleigh Bazaar on 30 July. Keep your eyes on their socials on 9 June for the YouTube premiere of ‘Misery’ and its video.

This month we’re introducing the newest member to the Gold Coast Music Awards team: Jess Hardcastle, Event Producer. Jess applied for a placement with Gold Coast Music Awards through City of Gold Coast’s arts and culture department, beating out many quality applicants to nab the role.

We thought we’d get to know her a little better.

Words by Natalie O’Driscoll

What is your connection to the Gold Coast?

Why did you apply for this placement?

I’m one of those rare few that are actually “from” the Gold Coast, I’ve had the privilege of watching the Goldie grow from this random rural town to the urban city it is today. One of my favourite things about our city is that one minute you can be standing on a world class beach, then half an hour later, be in the presence of stunning waterfalls and world heritage rainforests.

I applied for this placement because I feel that I’m at a crossroads in my life. I’ve been working in hospitality for over 15 years, and I’m currently due to complete my master’s degree in Interactive Media later in the year. This placement seemed like the perfect opportunity to apply my hospitality experience with my technical skills, and provide me a stepping stone to transition from hospitality into the arts sector. Aside from this, the local music scene has been supporting and entertaining me for as long as I can remember, so this placement felt like a great way to give back to a community that has given me so much over the years.

Everyone sees the Gold Coast in different lights but for me it’s my community and my home.

Tell us a bit about your history with the Gold Coast Music Awards I remember the first GCMA awards I went to, I was just a plus one tag along with my partner, it was in this brewery warehouse in a Burleigh Heads industrial estate. It was raining so there was all this last-minute scurry to move the awards in doors. I fell in love with the awards, the atmosphere, the people, and I’ve pestered my partner every year since to make sure we are attending.

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Gold Coast Music Awards are now open for nomination, with nominations closing midnight Sunday 20 June. The nomination eligibility period is from 1 January 2020 through to 31 March 2021, eight categories are open for self-nomination including: Artist, Breakout Artist, Live Act, Musician, Release, Song, Venue and Video. In addition, the Gold Coast Music Prize will be awarded by the judging panel to a musician nominee under the age of 25 and the People’s Choice Award will be open to all musician award finalists. Visit gcmusicawards.com.au for more.

JK-47 to headline Festival of the Stone Words by Natalie O’Driscoll

We chat to Bundjalung hip-hop MC Jacob Paulson – aka JK-47 – who was recently announced as the headline act for Stone & Wood’s Festival of The Stone 2021.

Hailing from the Northern Rivers, JK-47 first came to the nation’s attention in 2020 when material from his debut album, ‘Made For This’, saw him named as one of triple j Unearthed’s best artists to come through that year.

Recently, his Like A Version cover of 2Pac’s ‘Changes’ lit up triple j’s switchboard and cemented his place as one of the country’s most exciting new hip hop talents.

“I think you can hear in the Like a Version that I was trying to speak about things that were bigger things than myself,” Jacob tells us when we catch up.

“I want to talk about issues in a way that people would want to understand. I’m thankful that people are hearing and understanding and that I can make music for the younger generation that won’t lead them astray.”

Having an authentic message in his music has always been hugely important to the talented Tweed local.

“I’m a strong believer that words have power,” he states.

“If you’re saying it on the track you’re sort of confessing, and then later on manifesting it in your own life. I can’t just make songs about anything, I’ve gotta be real and be myself the whole time.”

Growing up under difficult home circumstances, Jacob used music as an escape.

“It was something I could relate to. It let me know I wasn’t the only one going through it and feeling the way that I was.

“It gave me a lot of hope at times,” he continues. “I had to pick the right music to listen to – something that was going to lift me up and not drag me down. Archie Roach and other artists that had a message and were speaking on issues that didn’t have a voice; those are the people that led me to being the man I am today.”

While JK-47 might seem a strange moniker for an artist that is determined to spread messages of unity and positivity, the gun reference makes perfect sense when Jacob explains it.

“Growing up people used to tell me I was a weapon when I was writing music,” he laughs. “But now it’s more like spiritual warfare; my songs can be used as a weapon against bad thoughts and the negative stuff we have to deal with.”

True to brand, JK-47 is an artist who likes to be authentic with an audience, something he is excited to bring to the stage at Festival of the Stone.

“I like connecting with the crowd - I want to feel connected with them, and just share my story with them, and hopefully they can understand where I’m coming from,” he muses.

“Also, expect to be hearing some stuff you’ve never heard before.”

With the festival set to be Byron’s biggest neighbourhood block party, JK-47 will be joined by a line-up bursting with locals. Indie-pop crew Seaside, underground DJ Casimir, musical misfits The Hombres, funk outfit The Booty Affair, Club Raiders DJs and local DJs are all locked in with more acts to be announced shortly.

An annual event celebrating this year’s limited winter release, Stone Beer, Festival of the Stone is a chance for Stone & Wood to invite the amazing local community and beer lovers alike to take a moment, come together and welcome in the winter.

General tickets are on sale now ($36 +BF) through Eventbrite, which includes a tasting of Stone & Wood’s seasonal limited Stone Beer.

Festival of the Stone hits Stone & Wood Brewing in Byron on 5 June. Visit stoneandwood.com.au for tickets.

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better managing parks should be part of our economic and biodiversity recovery.”

When it comes to development inside national parks, NPAQ has undertaken a review of several ecotourism models in Australia, New Zealand and Canada and found that accommodation outside parks resulted in the best economic outcomes.

“It encourages park visitors to spend in regional restaurants, galleries, and other businesses,” Laura explained.

"Accommodation is best located adjacent to or near national parks, rather than within. Supporting infrastructure within national parks is to be temporary in nature and suitable for easy removal."

National Parks under the radar at Gold Coast forum Words by Samantha Morris

We take for granted in Australia that we’ll always have access to natural places and that Governments will do a good job of protecting and maintaining the integrity of those places.

Yet despite boasting some of the country’s highest levels of biodiversity (85% of all Australian mammals), Queensland has the lowest percentage of national parks in Australia – less than half of other states.

And while we’re lagging behind on that front, the Government is actively encouraging ecotourism development of those national parks.

An upcoming forum hosted by Gecko Environment Council will explore both the lack of investment in national parks in Queensland as well as the clash of ideals between development and protecting what’s left of our precious natural environment.

Lois Levy is one of the Forum Convenors and she said that most development proposals for national parks are contrary to the purpose of actually having protected areas.

“The prime purpose of national parks is the conservation of nature and the parks are starved of adequate funds to manage them properly,” she explained.

The forum, to be held 10 June at Robina Community Centre will feature six

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speakers. One of those speakers is Laura Hanh, Conservation Principal at the National Parks Association of Queensland.

“The purpose of national parks is to protect nature and cultural values,” Laura reiterated. “Activities and infrastructure that are inconsistent with this purpose should be directed to other tenures.”

Laura worked in environmental management and biodiversity offsets before realising that protecting critical habitat in perpetuity is one of the best ways to reverse the current rapid decline in our biodiversity. Laura’s role at NPAQ focuses on tracking threats to existing parks, promoting opportunities for new parks and influencing government policy.

The Queensland Government made an election promise to expand protected areas from 8.2% to 17% and Laura’s organisation is one of a slew of Queensland conservation groups demanding the Queensland Government meet that commitment.

Laura said they’re “calling for a doubling of national park and other protected areas.”

“We also need a step change in ranger numbers and management resources in line with the economic and other benefits of these areas,” she said.

“We can't wait 100+ years to achieve the target of 17%,” Laura said, adding that 23 leading organisations are lobbying for a budget of $65 million a year for new national parks.

“Park visitation supports thousands of jobs in regional Queensland so expanding and Blank - issue #87 - June 2021

“For the record, a cableway through Springbrook National Park is still inconsistent with protecting nature.”

Laura will open proceedings at the National Parks and Ecotourism Forum in June.

She’ll be joined by Queensland’s Chief Scientist Professor Hugh Possingham, Nick Weirnert and Fiona Wright (Department of Environment), Dr Sally Driml (University Queensland) and the Focum’s Co-convenor, Sonya Underdahl who’s a PhD candidate examining the disadvantages and benefits of ecotourism within national parks. A panel Q&A will wrap up the evening.

Register and get more details at bit.ly/ NPforum.

Six ways art is amazing for mental health As an art lover, artist, or both, we know we feel so much better when looking at or creating art. But why?

Here are six reasons that answer that question.

Words by Jarrod Knight

1. IT’S A LOVE THING

3. JUST CHILL

5. ESCAPE BACK IN TIME

Do you perhaps need a little bit of love? The University of London conducted a study that showed when a person views a piece of art that they consider beautiful, there is an instantaneous release of dopamine, a chemical that is linked to feelings of love, into the brain.

The next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious, try taking a step back and looking at a piece of art. It can be a piece you have in your home, in a book, or even one that you pull up on your phone or computer. Take five minutes and really look at the piece, considering the colours, the perspective, the setting, the subject, and anything else you notice, and really think about it. Chances are, at the end of your five minutes, you’ll feel better than you did before.

Art has existed for nearly as long as humans have existed. By looking at art from a different time, you’re transported to the time and place that the artist has depicted and that helps your brain make you feel as if you’re doing a little bit of escaping. The next time you step into a museum, think of it as time-traveling instead!

2. THE POWER OF CREATIVITY Exercising our creativity can give us an outlet from our daily routines, helping us express emotions and boost our happiness levels.

Participants in a 2014 study who produced art demonstrated: ‘a significant improvement in psychological resilience’ as well as increased levels of ‘functional connectivity’ in the parts of the brain responsible for introspection, self-monitoring and memory.

While creating a healthy state of mind it also reduces stress, distracts from our worries and helps build self-esteem.

4. AN ART STATE OF MIND When you’re looking at a new piece of art, your brain starts looking for patterns, shapes, and anything else that is familiar to make you feel more connected to the piece.

Even if you don’t “get” it, your brain is still going to work, trying to find meaning in what you’re looking at.

6. BREAKING BLOCKS One study found that a single hour in an art gallery changed how people thought and felt. The subjects of the study exhibited improved critical thinking skills, increased empathy for how people lived in the past, and improved tolerance for people different from themselves. The next time you’ve got a brain-block, looking at art just might help to clear it up!

SOUTHPORT YACHT CLUB

Waterfront 4Shore Bar

LIVE MUSIC

FRIDAY SUNDAY from 430pm

from 3pm

All Welcome

1 Macarthur Parade, Main Beach 4217 +61 7 5591 3500 | southportyachtclub.com.au Blank - issue #87 - June 2021

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Hudson & Rosie’s Table

Beun Modern Japanese

Highland Park Shopping Plaza, 16/106 Alexander Dr, Highland Park Ph: 07 5574 7953

Shop 1b/1 Lake View Bvd, Mermaid Waters Ph: 07 2103 3255

Words and photograph by Marj Osborne - follow Marj @foodgoldcoast

Words and photograph by Marj Osborne - follow Marj @foodgoldcoast

It’s one thing to open a café in a ‘tried and true’ area, another completely to step outside the box and bring new life to a relatively untouched suburb. Hospitality veteran Kate Bennett has never trodden the well-worn pathway. From pubs and bars to cafés, Kate and her husband Graham have taken on challenges and won.

“I’ve always wanted to open a café in Nerang,” Kate tells us, saying that she saw the huge untapped potential in an area where many would hesitate to venture.

Hudson & Rosie’s Table is the couple’s second café, following on from their opening of Mudjira in Mudgeeraba, six years ago.

What Hudson & Rosie’s offers is an allday, all-comer menu, a parade of dishes ranging from açai bowls and toasties to burgers and Sichuan noodles. From vegan to Asian and slow-cooked meat to the Americas, this menu has it all.

“Most of our menu items are vegetarian or plant-based and gluten-free, with extras such as brisket, smoked salmon and bacon available to be added in,” Kate says.

Healthy is the name of the game in the drinks menu too, with smoothies, coldpressed juices and organic coffee all on offer.

Of course, lots of us love an indulgent take on classics, the Cornbread Bene being a prime example on this menu, as well as an Avo smash with balsamic beetroot purée and sweet pickled tomatoes adding flavour. Seeds and our favourite soy quinoa sourdough bring loads of texture to the dish. Optional extras allow you to make the dish your own.

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Prefer traditional? There’s bacon and eggs, a cabinet of quick meals and homebaked goodies far too scrumptious to share. Coffee and a treat? You’ll be eating a cake that’s truly homemade and Gabrielle Coffee’s organic FatCap blend, the beans sourced directly from farmers.

All stunning in presentation and taste…

So, what’s the highlight?

To us, it’s the high standard of food and service to which Kate Bennett aspires.

“When a customer comes into our café, everything has to be perfect,” Kate says.

“From the greeting to the music, the table service to the meals, their experience must be next level. It’s all very well to hear good things about us, but it must measure up when people come here,” she adds.

We have chefs we love, and Chef Yusuke Ito is one of them. Chances are, though, that unless you have been paying close attention, you may have missed knowing about Yusuke.

Quiet and unassuming, as are many Japanese chefs, he has worked his way up through the industry to Head Chef position of some of our most reputed restaurants. Now, with his partner Yayoi Lovern, Yusuke has opened his own restaurant beside a service station off Bermuda Street, Mermaid Waters.

We are fortunate to have a number of exceptional Japanese restaurants on the coast, including some best described as ‘Modern Japanese’ for either their innovative presentation or their fusion of Japanese techniques with Western food elements.

Beun is one of them.

In line with that, Kate’s building of hospitality culture is next level, investing in her team of young locals to develop their confidence and independence. Building community, making diners feel welcome at the same time as she’s mentoring staff…it’s all part of Kate’s daily role.

A child of parents who owned a bakery, food was in Yusuke’s blood. He trained as a chef of Italian cuisine after completing university in Japan. Unusually, it was after moving to Australia working at Restaurant Ten Japanese, Etsu Izakaya and Iku Yakitori, that he acquired his Japanese culinary skills on his way up to Head Chef position.

Great food, coffee, service and ambience – the tenets of an outstanding café are all here. Our dining experience shows us that passion for true hospitality always shows.

At Hudson & Rosie’s table we not only glimpse that passion, it’s a shining light.

Yusuke has named his first restaurant ‘Beun’ in memory of his mother who was killed in a snow accident. Meaning ‘a beautiful cloud’, Beun pays tribute to Yusuke’s mother’s as well as referencing her mastery of ikebana, the Japanese floral arts.

NOTE: Blank dined as a guest of Hudson & Rosie’s Table.

In Beun Modern Japanese, Yusuke brings together the different strands of his culinary experience, combining ingredients and cooking methods from other countries while still retaining Japanese culinary principles and traditions.

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Shared appetisers, one cold and one hot start our journey, one being Chirashi, traditionally a Japanese bowl of rice loaded up with seafood and vegetables on top.

In Yusuke’s chirashi, salmon, salmon roe, Hokkaido scallop and crab meat, with the addition of puréed avocado, are beautifully arranged along an oblong platter, better showing off the seafood.

One of Yusuke’s signature mains follows, a Japanese version of marinara, the tagliatelle loaded with bugs, prawns, clams and scallops, one of the lightest versions of the dish that we have tried.

We don’t often choose chicken as a main course, however the sous vide chicken breast served with truffle soy butter and potato salad at Beun is perfectly moist and flavoursome. It’s a feat to get chicken breast so succulent.

Belgian chocolate mousse follows, two scoops of the richest velvety chocolate that slides across the tongue. Magnificent!

In the last two dishes especially, Yusuke is the master of understatement. Retaining the elements of purity and simplicity so prized in Japanese cuisine, he presents dishes that look quite simple on the plate yet taste exquisite.

In an extremely visual culinary arena which values presentation, sometimes pretentiously overt in its detail even at the expense of taste, Yusuke bucks the status quo to forge his own flavour-driven path. Yusuke’s food takes the best of East and West, skilfully prepared by a master. Completely different to anywhere else, Beun is not to be underestimated.

NOTE: Mon & Wed BYO; Blank dined as a guest of Beun Modern Japanese.

HERITAGE GOLD COAST PART 2: MUDGEERABA Last month, we began our tour of local heritage places at the Wallaby Hotel in Mudgeeraba.

The township is said to have sprung from its watering holes, after all. This month, we continue to look around Mudgeeraba at other sites of cultural significance. We visit three heritage places that have played an ongoing role in building this strong bush community.

Image supplied

by Gold Coast City Libraries

Mudgeeraba is a shining example of how a community can grow by recognising and preserving its heritage. Its historical sites play an ongoing role as community hubs.

Local lore, memories and nostalgia have been continuously carried through these hubs over generations, even when a building undergoes physical change.

The church is still used for traditional worship and as a place of quiet prayer. Worship services every Sunday at 9am at 89 Franklin Drive, Mudgeeraba. mudgeerabauniting. org.au/about.

These sites offer the public access to increasingly rare communal spaces used for ceremonial, recreational and social activities.

Cultural heritage is made of people as much as buildings.

This is exemplified by the Mudgeeraba School of Arts Memorial Hall. Built in 1922, the original hall was the largest in the South Coast.

Gold Coast Hinterland Heritage Museum, Mudgeeraba If you really want an insight into the lives of early pioneering families in the Gold Coast hinterland areas, this museum is definitely worth a visit. Several buildings of significant heritage have been relocated to the site from nearby districts, forming a historical village of its own.

One building is the former Nerang Railway Station, built in 1889. After closing in 1964, the station lay dormant until transported to its current home in 2007. The reconstructed station features four rooms, perhaps one of those more interesting being what was once a waiting room to the ‘Ladies WC’. This tiny room displays an enviable collection of cameras in a range of different ages. Other rooms are set up with items of bygone eras - a rail station master’s room, a gaslit classroom and a saddle room laced with military artefacts.

Open Sundays 10am-2pm at 238 Mudgeeraba Rd, Mudgeeraba. Check out gchheritagemuseum.org.au for more info.

The Old Presbyterian Church By late 19th century, the southern districts were still lacking spiritual houses. Tallebudgera, Mudgeeraba and Southport were all without resident clergymen until the turn of the 20th century.

Now part of the Uniting Church, the Old Presbyterian Church has been a part of the Mudgeeraba community for over 130 years and is the oldest church on the Gold Coast.

The little chapel remains in its original location, on land donated by pioneer settler, William Laver.

Mudgeeraba School of Arts Memorial Hall

The hall played host to any and every social event in the village – celebratory occasions, ceremonies, school events, dances. It was renowned for its beautiful dancefloor cut from locally hewn timber. It even served as an exhibition space for the Mudgeeraba Show. The hall was a true cultural hub and gathering place for the local community.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck in the week leading up to ANZAC Day in 1993 when the hall went up in flames.

Just like that, it was gone. The profound loss was felt by the community, exacerbated by the recent death of local legend, world champion wood-chopper, John ‘The Local Butcher’ Franklin.

The community did what it had always done and came together. Locals decided to rebuild a new hall in a similar style to the old (including a bespoke ash timber dancefloor). Connections, memories and nostalgia of the growing bush community deeply motivated locals to return the site to what it had always been. Two years later on ANZAC Day 1995, the new building was in service once again as the community’s hub.

Today the hall continues to play a vital role in providing space for public to gather and participate in a wide range of activities from fitness classes to nationally acclaimed art exhibitions. 62 Railway St, Mudgeeraba fb.com/ Mudgeerabaschoolofartsmemorialhall.

The prestigious D’Arcy Doyle Art Awards will display over 500 artworks at the hall from 23 June to 4 July. Opening Night 6-9pm on 24 June. darcydoyleartawards.com.au.

New documentary gives voice to scattered people In acknowledgment of the upcoming Refugee Week 2021, touching new documentary ‘Scattered People’ will be showing around Australia during June.

Music can heal and transform on a personal and community level. But can it build a bridge between middle Australia and some of the world's most vulnerable people?

Through the eyes and hearts of two Iranian musicians, ‘Scattered People’ is a story about the healing power of music, bringing together people, cultures and countries while exploring Australians' attitudes towards people seeking asylum.

‘Scattered People’ is an inspiring and thought-provoking documentary about our music and our humanity which paint a picture of life as a musician seeking asylum in an unwelcoming country.

It is a story of restitution and hope, of shared humanity and the role music can play in forging bonds of friendship and respect and giving voice to otherwise unsung heroes.

It features interviews with music icons including Missy Higgins, John Butler, Archie Roach, Michael Franti, Katie Noonan, Dan Sultan, Baker Boy, Harry James Angus and more.

The Scattered People are a band of kindred spirit musicians in Brisbane, Australia who play, write and record the music and stories of asylum seekers they encounter in detention and community centres, producing high quality albums.

The film follow their relationships, rehearsals and public performances and hear their heartfelt stories of courage and character as they create ‘Sugarmill Road’, their last album.

Refugee Week is 20 – 26 June 2021. Visit refugeeweek.org. au to get involved. ‘Scattered People’ is showing at the Regent Theatre in Murwillumbah on World Refugee Day, 20 June. Visit scatteredpeoplefilm.org for more.

by Natalie O’Driscoll

by Nikki Archer Blank - issue #87 - June 2021

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Creekfest is headed our way Words by Natalie O’Driscoll

Get ready for three days full of epic live music on the Currumbin Creek in June, when Soundlounge presents the inaugural Creekfest, an innovative, all-ages music event featuring more than twenty artists.

This totally free program will take place on two outdoor stages at the Currumbin RSL, nestled right alongside the stunning Currumbin Creek. The line-up features an eclectic mix of established national acts, emerging local artists and talented high school students. They’ll even host a break dance world qualifier, food trucks and a pop up bar, just for funsies.

This exciting new addition to Gold Coast’s events calendar heralds a promising return to the heady gig-and-festival-going days of yore, with locals able to bring the kids along, grab a bite, and pop in and out to get their musical fix at any point during the festivities.

While there is no shortage of talent to explore on the roster, we thought we’d take a closer look at five of the artists who will be making waves in the creek over the course of the event.

Sofia Isella

Felicity Lawless

Karl S. Williams

This 16-year-old singer/songwriter/ violinist was born in Beverly Hills, California. She draws her inspiration from Phantogram, Amy Winehouse, Marian Hill, Lana del Rey, Queen, Alessia Cara and Melanie Martinez. “I’m experiencing both crazy homesickness for Los Angeles and my friends and mad love for Oz, so both those elements are coming out in the music I’m writing now. I love blending my voice and the wildness I can free from my violin.”

Visionary, bohemian rocker Felicity Lawless stimulates the senses and elevates the soul with music which is extremely hard to pigeonhole. Her sound fuses the gypsy world with a vibrant smorgasbord of flamenco, rock and folk. Her music is characterised by a flashy, Spanish guitar style, soaring vocal melodies and hypnotic rhythms, and she performs with an energy that elevates and inspires while infusing her crowds with enthusiasm and joy.

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, visual artist and poet – an artist that you never saw coming. A genre defying and multifaceted musician for whom music is an urgent calling and the solution is, to love more. What makes Karl truly remarkable, is that he is unafraid - he wears his heart on his sleeve, he speaks universal truths and he crosses boundaries. This is blues, roots, folk and Americana, if you will… but not as you know it.

Bobby Alu Amidst smooth harmonies, rhythms inspired by a strong family lineage of Polynesian performance, and unassuming grooves that work a gradual, smileinducing high through even a casual listener, Bobby Alu tunes have a way of sneaking into the subconscious and taking up residence. Though it’s not all palm trees and daydreams from the Australian singer, ukulele-strummer and drummer – there’s a robust energy in Alu’s mastery of traditional Samoan log drums, and a vitality to his songwriting that nods to world, roots and pop intelligence.

Jack Botts

Creekfest will hit the Creekside at Currumbin RSL on 25 to 27 June.

Visit creekfest.com.au for more. Creekfest is presented by Soundlounge and supported by the City of Gold Coast.

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Jack Botts is a breath of fresh air out of the Northern Rivers of NSW, creating a brand of surf folk drenched in depth and substance.

Jack has spent the last 18 months on the road across Australia and on the streets of Byron Bay building his fanbase organically. He has coupled headline shows with supporting the likes of Tash Sultana, John Floreani, Pierce Brothers, Ash Grunwald and more.

Deep-thinking, heart-string-pulling and utterly endearing, Jack Botts is a breath of fresh air poised to command widespread attention before too long.

JOOLZ: Sparkling New Horizons Words by Anthony Gebhardt

Following a successful stint as part of Gold Coast groove collective Electrik Lemonade, locally born and bred song writer and performer Joolz has recently struck out on her own terms, with her sassy indie pop, rnb and hip hop concoction sure to intoxicate ears and airwaves under her new solo moniker: JOOLZ. The first fruits of her new beginnings come in the form of a cruisily delicious ditty by the name of ‘Sunday’. A collaboration with indie pop artist Katanak, its bouncy, goodtime vibes deliver the perfect prescription for those pining for an endless summer.

We recently had a chat with the lively lass herself to get the gossip on working with Katanak and how being in Electrik Lemonade helped shape her musical journey.

Congratulations on your collaborative new single with Katanak, 'Sunday'. Can you put us in the picture as to how you came to work with him on this track?

We were brought together during COVIDlockdown when we came across each other's work on social media. I took a

liking to his style and sound, sent him a message, and about a week later we met up! In one writing session we found a new groove, friendship and song.

me the freedom to find my own feet and position in the band and allowing me an incredible live performance experience, of which I had little of previously.

You recently performed a single launch for 'Sunday' with Katanak in Brisbane. Any other plans to tour the single or perform shows around it?

What other plans do you have on the horizon, musically speaking, for the rest of 2021?

Yes indeed. This is my first release under my solo project JOOLZ, so while working on some new releases for this year I've been joining Katanak for his shows performing 'Sunday' and also his last single release 'Valentine'. Later this year I should hopefully have a set list ready to go and start booking some shows.

You were previously part of Gold Coast band Electrik Lemonade - how did this experience help shape your musical journey?

Yes I was, and I have so much love for those boys. Singing with Electrik Lemonade was the absolute time of my life. I grew so much on not only a creative level, but also a personal level. I gained great confidence being on stage with those guys, giving

This year my focus is to keep writing, recording and releasing some frequent fresh sounds.

Being inspired by so many genres and sounds, I guess I'm finding my musical flavour, and as a solo artist now I want to share it with you all along the way!

I also have some local collaborations lined up, so stay tuned for some more local GC love!

You can wrap your ears around JOOLZ & Katanak’s vibing new single, ‘Sunday, via all major streaming platforms now.

Faces of the Gold Coast: Leroy I'm absolutely convinced that to be human is to create. We're always creating: whether it be new ideas, new relationships, new approaches to things, or tangible projects, products or works of insanely beautiful art.

I just love it when the artists in our town prod us to remember that!

Meet Leroy (@leroysurfboardart) a funloving surfer who just can't throw away the beauty of a beloved board. We chatted one moody arvo on Burleigh beach, and here’s what he had to say.

"I started carving boards about 18 months ago but I've always been creative. As a kid my parents said 'the only rich artists are dead ones' hence why I became a chef, but I've learnt to be creative there too.

“I reckon every surfer has a quiver of boards in the garage, ones you know that will never see surf again but you just can't throw them out. They all have a history, a reminder of a surfing experience. It's kinda like every board has a soul to it, a personality. Each one that I carve is a "surfed" board with its own story, dings and marks so for me, carving it is like a preservation of that energy in a new form.

“There seems to be more opportunity now for artists, more platforms to connect with other artists which is great. Not a lot of people actually sculpt surfboards so it's nice to make connections. My dreams? I would totally love to do this full time. I've been a chef for 30 years now so I am just starting to get to know the art scene here on the coast and play a bit. It's a whole different world and I'm really encouraged by the creative hub growing on the GC. I just need to be consistent and do it because I love it not because I'm fixated on an outcome. There's a whole lot of love in doing this work so yeah, that's what I will focus on".

I'm beginning to learn that it's that 'whole lotta love' thing that is the fuel for it all.

Perhaps creating what we want is possible when we ignite that fuel in ourselves to dream into the empty space between where we are and where we want to be. It's a potent time to believe in ourselves and the creative pursuits we feel drawn to in whatever form they take. Let's do it. To be alive is to create. Perhaps there's no time to not make art with a whole lot of passion.

by Anne Janelle

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Follow Anne and Alli @facesofthegoldcoast.

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Sofar Sounds: The Secret’s Out Words by Philippa Arrowsmith

At a time when supporting live music is more important than ever, a special group of Gold Coasters offer their skills, resources and passion to deliver intimate gigs in secret locations around the city.

Launched in 2017 by Dani Miller, Sofar Gold Coast is a branch of the global community known as Sofar Sounds, which reimagines the live music experience through curated, intimate performances in more than 325 cities around the world, including ours.

What started as a hobby at the home of its London founder Rafe Offer quickly transformed into a global community that connects artists with audiences, delivering personal live music experiences to many cities around the world, including the Gold Coast due to the efforts of Dani Miller and her team.

Dani Miller, currently an Associate Producer at HOTA, introduced Sofar Sounds to the Gold Coast in 2017, after returning from London where she first came across the concept.

“I wanted to make the most of my time living in London, so when someone told me about this event called Sofar Sounds that’s BYO, cheap and really amazing, I had to check it out,” she explained.

“So I went to a few and became absolutely hooked on the concept.”

When Dani heard that Sofar Sounds existed in Australia but not on the Gold Coast, she jumped at the chance to bring Sofar Gold Coast to life. With help from fellow Sofar

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Sounds enthusiast, Mindy Davies, the pair set out to bring these special events to Gold Coast artists and audiences.

Now, with the help of a small but solid team of dedicated volunteers, Sofar Gold Coast has established itself as an esteemed Gold Coast community, delivering monthly gigs at secret locations and featuring diverse line-ups.

Proudly supporting local, up-and-coming talent since its inception, Sofar Gold Coast has collected an impressive repertoire of artists, including Budjerah Slabb, Robbie Miller, JK-47 with the Kinship Collective, Asha Jeffries, Girl and Girl, Bronte Eve and The Oogars, just to name a few.

“I think it’s important for artists, especially those who are lesser known, to play for people who really want to listen,” Dani said.

“It’s nice to be heard.”

Hosted each month in different locations, Sofar Gold Coast scours the city for unconventional spaces where live performances could be held. With some previous locations including a craft parlour, office space, barber shop, even horse stable, each event provides a distinct experience for everyone involved, whilst also connecting venues with new potential customers.

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During a trying time for the music and arts industries following COVID-19, Sofar Gold Coast has acted as a pillar in the community, providing multiple opportunities to many people, from artists and venue owners to small businesses.

“It really feels like a like-minded community; the audience, the artists, the venue owners, and our team,” Dani told us.

“We are all there because we believe in the power and magic of live music in its purest form. The artist gets to tell their story to an audience that wants to listen, it restores your faith in humanity. And to be welcomed with open arms into someone’s venue is pretty damn special.”

Offering a new way to experience live music, Sofar Gold Coast is first and foremost about community, connecting people with artists and venues that they may not have been aware of, as well as other music loving Gold Coasters.

“I hope people who attend leave feeling more human, I know I do,” Dani said.

With an abundance of local talent and quirky venues right on our doorstep, there are plenty more spellbinding Sofar Gold Coast events scheduled for 2021. So keep an eye out for their next gig in May and prepared to be welcomed with open arms and enveloped in live music.

For more information, visit the Sofar Gold Coast website sofarsounds.com or find them on Facebook and Instagram.

You can also check out Sofar Sounds videos from around the world on the YouTube Channel.

“The songs I have written for the album have been percolating for a while, along with a few new songs added into the voluminous musical pint. They just sounded right when we played them live somewhere - they strung together thematically and it was only a matter of finding the right time to lay them down and put them out for yearning ears. The flight path had already been charted on this one.”

More recently Dawn Of Dusk have consolidated their ranks with the addition of drummer Joh Kotoda and bassist James Dent, whom Zabic describes as “bringing a whole new canvas to paint on - it keeps things new and evolving for Dejan and I.” In September 2020 the band entered Studio One16, in Burleigh Heads, to commence their first recording session for the album. Zabic describes how they captured the raw, grungy tones of the record in the studio.

“To capture the raw emotion of our music and our always evolving sound, we decided to do a Studio ‘LIVE REC. SESSION’ instead of the now generic Track Layering System.

We initially went in with nine songs and over three hours the whole album was recorded. Vocal sessions were creative and fun, and I say that with great fondness. The whole album was mixed and mastered at StudioOne16.”

With the album ‘in the can’ the band are now ready to launch it into the stratosphere, having recently performed at the ‘Gnarly Terrain Music Festival’ at Vinnies Dive on 1 May. Says Zabic of where things are headed with the band over the coming months: “We are looking forward to more gigs in places we have not christened yet, a little south east tour perhaps, and maybe putting out another EP later this year or next. Who knows... right now, let us focus our newly birthed ‘Flight Trajectory’ album and see what happens.”

To celebrate the launch of ‘Flight Trajectory’, Dawn Of Dusk will be stepping up on stage and pumping out the jams on the following dates: •

18 June: Solo Performance at the Singer Songwriter showcase @ Ground n’ Sound.

•

8 June: acoustic unplugged live show at Vinnies Dive, supported by Brad Kennedy from the Wayward Suns

Dawn of Dusk: Flight Trajectory

•

18 June: solo performance at the Singer Songwriter showcase at Ground n’ Sound, Labrador

Words by Anthony Gebhardt

•

26 June: album launch at Vinnies Dive

•

4 July: a suicide and mental awareness benefit at The Zoo, Fortitude Valley

Local self-confessed ‘vagabond rock band’ Dawn Of Dusk have just dropped their debut record, ‘Flight Trajectory’, an album in thrall of the visceral thrills of the 90s alternative/ grunge era of bold guitar stylings and impassioned vocals.

Founding member, singer and Guitarist Petar Zabic, has been evolving the Dawn Of Dusk concept since the band’s embryonic beginnings as part of the open mic night and jam band scene some seven years ago.

Zabic recalls this formative time.

“After starting out in solo mode for a little, we kicked off as a trio. It all started at the tail end of 2014 at an open mic at the old O’Malley’s in Surfers. From there, we all knowingly flocked to The Loft (restaurant and music venue on Chevron Island) on a Wednesday night to show off our newly written tunes and had the greatest of jams. There I met a fellow guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Dejan Stantic, who is still

in Dawn of Dusk to this very day. He has had an indelible influence on the new album’s sound and direction.

And along with the many wonderful friends who have imparted some magic with this band over the years, constantly evolving and never receding, I am very appreciative of that process of development and growth.”

The build up to the launch of the ‘Flight Trajectory’ album has been a steady evolution since that time, as Zabic elaborates.

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Gold Coast Villages: Burleigh Words by Natalie O’Driscoll

We just love how all the little villages of the Gold Coast have their own distinct personalities. So we thought we’d check in with locals and find out just where they love to stop and shop when they’re pottering around their local precinct. First cab off the rank was Burleigh. Here’s where you told us you love to spend some quality time:

Jellurgal

Govinda’s

Commune

Iku Yakitori Bar

Every Gold Coaster needs to visit the Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre at least once. Named for magical mountain that towers above it, the centre runs tours, exhibitions, educational days and more, all focused on the culture and fascinating history of the region’s first inhabitants.

Just look for the line out the door, and you’ll find Govinda’s. This popular vegetarian hole-in-the-wall has been a Burleigh institution for years. Well priced, generous and tasty, it’s not hard to see why Govinda’s has fans of every possible dietary preference.

Commune café and eco shop is arguably one of the Gold Coast’s most popular casual dining affairs, with a patient queue waiting for their seats out the front more often than not. You can’t call yourself a local until you’ve been to Commune.

Adding its own particular flavour to the profusion of delicious Asian dining options on the Gold Coast is Burleigh’s popular Iku Yakitori Bar. Be sure to stay for live tunes and try a whisy while you’re there, too.

Sobah Beverages

The Damn Good Store

Burleigh Bar and Bites

For drinks with a difference look no further than Sobah Beverages, an Aboriginal owned and led family business based on the Gold Coast. They brew non-alcoholic craft beer infused with bush tucker, and they’re absolutely divine.

The Damn Good Store is well, damn good.

This Burleigh-based print and gift shop is on a mission to change gift shopping for the better and support the local economy.

If you’re after a present from the heart, one of their dashing gift boxes loaded with handmade, locally sourced and high quality goodies is definitely the way to go.

Situated on the iconic James St, Burleigh Bar and Bites serves tasty tapas, cocktails, wines and beers amongst a luxe fitout.

Definitely one for the in crew..

NEXT MONTH WE’RE TAKING A LOOK AT BROADBEACH! KEEP YOUR EYE ON OUR @BLANKSTREETPRESS SOCIALS ‘CAUSE WE’LL BE ASKING YOU WHERE YOUR FAVE BROADY PLACES ARE FOR THE NEXT EDITION.

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Meet you at the Markets Part 4: Clean and Green Organic Produce Words by Dani Teveluwe

Gandhi said, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” So let’s be that change. By shopping locally and with small businesses we can be sure of who our money is going to.

With all of her produce sourced from a local organic supplier, Mel has plans to eventually have her own commercial kitchen, as her business and customer base continues to flourish.

If you don’t meet Mel at the markets, you might find her in the water, catching a wave on one of our glorious beaches, salt in her hair and a smile on her face. This month Blank caught up with Mel from Clean and Green Organic Produce.

Mel truly lives her life in service to the community.

She told Blank that the turning point for her to make changes was definitely triggered from stress caused by her previous corporate job. Finding it unfulfilling, she took her employment into her own hands, leaving the corporate world to serve as a disability support worker whilst building a successful and meaningful business that nourishes the public and builds stronger connections within the community.

Selling delicious, fermented products is not all Mel does.

This kind-hearted human works as a disability support care worker during the week and sells her organic products at various markets around the Gold Coast of a weekend.

Growing up on a farm in Tasmania, Mel was always blessed with consuming high-quality foods, directly from the source. When she moved north when at 18 to live in the sunshine state and surf the waves of the Gold Coast, these values remained.

Mel’s love for fermented foods first began when a friend introduced her to kombucha. Gifted with scoby, Mel began to brew her own fermented drink and eventually started selling starter kits and kombucha at local farmer’s markets, with a goal to educate and empower her customers.

Mel ebbed and flowed with her market stalls, selling kombucha, kombucha starter kits and cooking healthy breakfasts.

The benefits of fermented foods are plenty. Consuming these delicious products will nourish your gut flora, enhancing not only your digestion, but your entire immune system. We are a huge fan of Mel’s zucchini sauerkraut and her variety of Kefir’s often sell out at the markets on a weekly basis.

Catch Mel of a weekend at the Palm Beach or Burleigh Markets of a Saturday and the Turf Club markets of a Sunday. You can also choose to have her delicious kefirs and krauts delivered by touching base via email cleanandgreenkombucha@gmail.com.

RizeUp brings red bench project to Helensvale Words by Natalie O’Driscoll

National domestic and family violence support organisation, RizeUp Australia, recently commemorated Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month by partnering with the Red Rose Foundation on the Red Bench Project, unveiling a red bench at Helensvale Library and Cultural Centre in May. The Red Bench Project, an initiative by the Red Rose Foundation, aims to raise public awareness of domestic and family violence and start an important dialogue about domestic violence in local communities.

RizeUp founder and CEO, Nicolle Edwards said the bench is a symbolic permanent reminder that domestic and family violence occurs within all communities and it is unfortunately a very harsh reality for many families on the Gold Coast.

“This bench is a place for locals to visit and reflect on how we can change as a community and continue the conversation on putting an end to domestic violence,” she said.

Gold Coast Division 2 Councillor William Owen-Jones said he hoped the bold red bench, installed in one of Helensvale’s busiest community areas, would serve as a strong reminder that there is zero tolerance for domestic and family violence.

“This red bench is a powerful, visual reminder that we, as a community, must work together to raise much-needed awareness of the impact domestic and family violence has on so many lives and to begin calling out abusive behaviour in our families, neighbourhoods and broader communities,” said Cr Owen-Jones.

“I’m proud to work with RizeUp and Red Rose Foundation to have this red bench installed in Helensvale and I have no doubt that it will spark much-needed conversation among the community,” he said.

Across Australia, close to 240 red benches have been installed since 2019, with local governments and a range of community groups all raising their hands to be involved.

The Helensvale red bench joins the Gold Coast’s only other red bench install, located in Mudgeeraba.

The Red Rose Foundation works to end domestic and family violence-related deaths in Australia including homicide, suicide and accidental deaths that arise from incidents and/or histories of domestic violence.

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RizeUp supports affected families with a range of programs that enable women and children to safely escape the traumas of domestic and family violence. Founded in 2015, the organisation has rapidly grown across Queensland and New South Wales, and now Melbourne, as has worked hard to meet the ever-growing need.

To find out more about RizeUp or to sign up as a volunteer, visit rizeup.com.au/volunteer.

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Blank - issue #87 - June 2021

Under pressure: Meet Sophie Longworth

Standing Together

100 Wave for 100 Kids

Words by Natalie O’Driscoll

Words by Anthony Gebhardt

For Bachelor of Nursing graduate Sophie Longworth, working under pressure and helping others is in her DNA.

Life Apparel is a boutique Gold Coast clothing brand that collaborates closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to create meaningful, unique designs.

Legendary Gold Coast surfer and all-round ‘good bloke’ Joel Parkinson, who was anointed World Surfing Champion in 2012, has displayed his commitment to helping the local community with the recent announcement of an exciting new corporate and community surf challenge, ‘100 Waves For 100 Kids’.

In a family full of paramedics, nurses and hospital workers, a career in health services might seem like a natural progression for her. But she is not your average nurse, outside of the hospital Sophie is also a trained firefighter and surf lifesaver.

"I knew working full-time as a registered nurse would already be busy but that’s the kind of the environment I thrive in, so I applied while I was at uni and managed to get in," Sophie said.

"I’ve always had the drive to do what I can for my community, plus who wouldn’t want to get on the big red truck?"

Working as a retained firefighter at her local station fits in well with Sophie's work as a registered nurse, as she responds to calls for fire and rescue when she isn't rostered on shift at the hospital.

"I initially thought it would just be a fun thing to do on the side when I’m not at the hospital, but it’s become an important part of my life.

The people I've met and experiences I’ve had from being a part of Fire and Rescue NSW have been the highlight of my year," she said.

"It perfectly complements the achievement of successfully gaining a graduate position at my first preference hospital and ward within the hospital."

She credits practical classes at Southern Cross University with preparing her to hit the ground running working in a busy hospital.

“My studies gave me the ability to understand what I need to do for my patients and then get my foot in the door to become the best nurse I could possibly be.”

To find out more about studying at SCU, visit scu.edu.au/ study-at-scu.

Their newest collection Standing Together was born from the recent tumultuous period where conversations around racial injustice and division have been dominating the social and media landscapes, and features the varied aesthetic styles of artists from around the country including Glenda McCulloch (Kalkadoon), Lara Went (Worimi), Scott Rathman (Eastern Arrernte) and Tyrown Waigana (Noongar / Saibai Islander).

We chatted to Natasha from Life Apparel about their business and the new line.

How does Life Apparel choose the artists they want to work with?

We often select our collaborating First Nations artists from in and around our online community. We are always open to being approached by local and interstate artists sometimes we find them, sometimes they find us.

Usually, an idea for a collection will be developed and then we will keep an eye out for an artist that we think might work well for that particular theme. We try to select a diverse range of artists from around the country so that we are representing a broad range of artistic styles and cultural stories.

Tell us a bit about the messaging of this line, and the major themes.

The Standing Together collection is aimed at advancing social change and sparking conversations through fashion.

“Our land, our people, our younger generation need us to come together, to work together to build a brighter future for all.” Lara Went, Collaborating Artist.

Each artwork created for the collection sends a unique message of solidarity among all cultures, with an emphasis on Australia’s First Nations community. The theme aims to inspire conversations around the connection between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian communities, with a focus on strengthening that connection through listening, learning and growth.

You can check out the designs over at lifeapparel.co/ pages/standing-together.

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The fundraiser, known as ‘Parko’s Surf And Sand Challenge’, will see him shred the waves and, together with a bunch of Fund My Challenge ambassadors, participate in challenges on the sand and in the surf at two of his favourite surfing haunts, Snapper Rocks and Rainbow Bay, where he’ll be surfing 100 waves in order to raise funds to help 100 local youths.

It will take place to raise funds and awareness for Youth Insearch, a national charity who provide direct assistance to young people in need. One of the most successful youth intervention programs in the country, Youth Insearch is an organisation which empowers young people to help fellow youths in the 14 to 21 year age bracket turn their lives around and reach their full potential. Since 1985 they have helped over 30,000 young people to rebuild their lives, and they currently assist around 1,000 young people per year.

Parko’s Surf And Sand Challenge will be co-ordinated through a new Charity Challenge App called Fund My Challenge, which recently became available through the Google and Apple play stores. The App is extremely simple to use and provides a unique point of difference by inviting individuals, groups, charities and organisations to actively engage with the fundraising process.

Former rugby league player Chris Walker was the first to launch a challenge with Fund My Challenge, setting off on a walk from Cairns to the Gold Coast to raise funds and awareness for Beyond Blue, RizeUp Australia, Drug and Alcohol Foundation and the Global Awakening fund.

Parko describes it as “a brilliant platform enabling people around the world to raise money through fun challenges for causes and charities close to their heart. The fact that I can go out and spend the day surfing my home break with local surfers and the corporate community, knowing that every time we ride a wave, we are assisting Youth Insearch to work with troubled local youths is outstanding, and I am wrapped to be in a position with Fund My Challenge to make a difference.”

Parko’s Surf & Sand Challenge will be held Rainbow Bay from 8am till 3pm on Sunday June 20 where the community are invited to surf with Joel from 8am to 9am for the charity. For more details visit fundmychallenge. com and follow Fund My Challenge on social media.

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Riding The Wave Of Success With CooeeGC Words by Anthony Gebhardt

Cooee GC is an Education Queensland Senior High School campus with a pathway’s focus tailored for those students with an aptitude for surfing. Currently offered at Elanora State High School, the program nurtures participants love for the ocean within a meaningful learning framework in order to develop both outstanding future citizens as well as budding grommets.

Year 11 and 12 students participating in the course complete their core subjects for their Queensland Certificate of Education and then are given the flexibility to select Certificatebased courses of their interest, to create a meaningful learning experience within a framework of surfing culture and its associated health and wellbeing benefits.

We recently had a chat with CooeeGC convener Matt Barber to discover more about the program and how it helps to develop quality students, surfers and citizens.

How did the CoooeeGC program start out and what was the inspiration behind it?

Most people have been to school. Which means most people have an opinion or an idea of what school SHOULD look like. This has been my biggest challenge the past five years with Cooee. I see the biggest growth in young people when the school community builds close connections with the wider community and when possible, our global community because that's where the real lessons are. So for me, it came from wanting to bridge that gap, and make young people an integral part of the community. Looking for ways to build relationships and connections to people from all different walks of life and people with real expertise that will add value. Suddenly leaving school isn't an issue because they have support networks, qualifications and confidence. It's nice to see.

Can you describe how the surfing culture component of the course works?

The UK has some fantastic research coming out of Exeter University which supports the positive impact that the ocean has on one’s mental health. The great work from organisations such as "The Wave Project" and "International Surf Therapy Org" gives me great confidence in how Cooee approaches young people and their education. Cooee has become family to sponsored surfers, surfers who have represented their country and also the weekend warrior.

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The beautiful thing about the program is that they are given the opportunity to disconnect from their technology-filled lives, and reconnect with our ocean environment, and with each other.

They are provided with performance coaches so they are challenging themselves, and growing in more ways than they would realise. It's about developing a quality citizen, student and surfer.

How many kids are enrolled in the course this year and what’s the approximate gender split?

Out of the 20 students enrolled this year there are 7 females. It is refreshing to have that balance, because what I have found is, the boys really lift the girls in the water, and the girls lift the boys in the classroom.

What’s the feedback on the course been like from participants?

We received some great feedback from former surfing champion Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew, who told us; "Since making the decision to enrol my son Keo in Cooee GC we have never looked back. Keo has suddenly had qualifications, experiences and most importantly confidence. With this confidence he could foster his love of surfing and the ocean, but also found a passion for music. The open-minded approach and personal touches are something I feel very fortunate to have my son a part of. Cooee GC is 'Busting Down the Door' of education.

Finally, I think a good indication of feedback is the number of students who return to Cooee just to touch base. That's a community!

To find our more about enrolling in the CooeeGC program, head to the Elanora State High School website.

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HELP THE NLA SHARE WOMEN’S VOICES With the help of the Australian public, the National Library of Australia will soon start work to make available online the papers of the Australian Federation of Women Voters (AFWV).

In 1921, West Australian Bessie Rischbieth convened a meeting of feminist groups that brought about the AFWV. Between the World Wars, the AFWV was one of the strongest voices advocating for Australian women’s rights.

‘This collection uncovers the work and actions of pioneering Australian women in a period bookended by the Women’s Suffrage and Liberation movements,’ Director-General of the National Library, Dr Marie-Louise Ayres said. ‘It is a collection that, “rouses the spirit of our fighting grandmothers”.’

‘Some of the women named in the collection and who fought for so much are well known to us, such as Bessie Rischbieth and Ruby Rich, but there are countless others whose names have largely disappeared from history,’ Dr Ayres continued.

Some of the issues raised and acted on by the AFWV between 1921 and 1983 included a blanket bill for equal status, child immigration, divorce laws, education, equal pay, human trafficking, gender discrimination and slavery.

The AFWV records were donated to the National Library in two instalments, the first part received in 1970. The collection now comprises 52 boxes of material, including reports, meeting minutes, pamphlets and correspondence.

The National Library has launched an appeal to raise funds for the collection to undergo preservation and digitisation, ultimately making the collection accessible to Australians online.

To support the preservation and digitisation of the papers of the AFWV, visit nla.gov.au/content/appeal-australianfederation-of-women-voters.

Humans of the Gold Coast Words by Natalie O’Driscoll

Record Store Day 2021 Words by Anthony Gebhardt

For those with a passion for all things vinyl the annual Record Store Day (RSD) pilgrimage, taking place since 2008, is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year.

This year in Australia it will be happening across two separate days in June and July, with the aim of evening out congestion to ensure a COVID safe and comfortable RSD experience for everyone. Many countries are only doing RSD online this year due to their COVID situations, so we can count our blessings that we will still get the real-deal experience of visiting your local independent record store and walking out with an armful of black revolving bounty on the day.

Once again a mouth-watering array of new, rare and limited-edition records will make their way into record stores for the first time. RSD Drop 1, taking place on 12 June, will feature the biggest batch of the 2021 releases, with some of the most eagerly anticipated releases including The Cure, The Doors, Linkin Park, Beastie Boys, Prince, Steely Dan, AC/DC, Tom Petty, Rage Against The Machine and Thelonious Monk.

The second drop, taking place on 17 July, will take the form of a ‘dig for treasures day’, with some highly limited-edition records to be unveiled including The Matrix Soundtrack as well as releases by

Gold Coast local Pearce Brennan was one of seven photographers across the country recently involved in a poignant national portrait series by ride share service DiDi. Photographers across the country were tasked to capture the things Australian people are looking forward to as we continue to recover from the pandemic.

Pearl Jam, Miles Davis, The Ramones and The Sisters Of Mercy.

Recently the series was launched and exhibited with public projection in the Sydney CBD.

Your best bet for keeping abreast of RSD activities in Australia is to visit the official Oz site: recordstoreday.com.au. Here you’ll find a comprehensive round-up of all RSD 2021 releases as well as what’s happening in the lead up to and on the day.

In a Humans of NY-inspired shoot, the portraits humanise and tribute the hardships of the restrictions while offering an optimistic outlook on the things we used to take for granted and can now collectively look forward to.

On the Gold Coast you’ll be able to get in on the RSD action at Beatniks Records, in the Niecon Plaza in Broadbeach. Beatniks owner Jayden Faass has some words of wisdom for those planning on getting along.

Dancing with strangers, less stress, introducing newborns to relatives, planning life with confidence and without fear of cancellation, feeling safer at work, jet setting, festivals and more simple things like no QR codes were some of the responses in the series.

“If you have your heart set on something, be sure to arrive nice and early. Every year we have a big line-up of people queuing all the way down the footpath – a few of our most eager customers get here at the crack of dawn to be first cabs off the rank.

“Once we throw open the doors, we’ll be letting in 10 people at a time to remain COVID safe and compliant. This year we’ll be stocking the greatest number of RSD titles we’ve ever had! We’ll have them all behind the counter, so make sure you have your wish list prepared before you visit.”

Above all, remember that this is a day of celebration, so revel in the joy of the revolving platter. Happy, bountiful record hunting!

We shot a few questions over to Pearce about his experience on the project.

Tell us about your connection to the Gold Coast.

I was born on the Gold Coast and have lived here all my life. I love it here. It has everything from the beaches to the hinterland, and entertainment.

Since COVID I have felt even more blessed to not only live in the Gold Coast but also Australia. We’ve been very lucky with the level of freedom we have experienced in relation to restrictions and this content series

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by DiDi made me proud of the resilience we have all shown during this time.

As a local it was an honour to be involved in DiDi's content series and capture the faces and sentiment of my hometown.

How did you choose your subjects?

As this was a national campaign capturing everyday Australians it was really important to both DiDi and myself to capture diversity. I looked for diversity in my subjects across all things including age, ethnicity, gender.

As to be expected not everyone I approached was keen to be involved but it was amazing to have so many who were.

Many of my subjects sparked from random conversations which reminded me of the power of connection.

Did any of the stories particularly resonate with you?

I thoroughly enjoyed discussing and hearing about what ordinary Australians are looking forward to as we continue to move towards less restricted world. This DiDi campaign allowed me to connect with strangers and reinforced that COVID impacted and was tough for all. While it might have affected us all differently it was still a collective experience but the Aussie's in-it-together spirit was uplifting to witness and capture.

A common theme was looking forward to travelling overseas again for greater opportunities, to be reunited with family or simply longing to explore the world. A lot of my subjects had relatives or friends based internationally and the uncertainty of when borders will open again continues to be a hardship many face.

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Mitch King Reconnects

Local favorite Mitch King has found his form this month with beautiful acoustic guitar driven single ‘Passing Phase’. Slowly building from a campfire jam to a fully-fledged band track, Mitch King tells the story of overcoming a dark time in his life with positivity and connecting with nature. Probably his strongest single to date, ‘Passing Phase’ has the potential to join some of his other hugely popular songs in the multi-million Spotify streams club.

Heavy Wax Loosen Things Up

Fresh off the back of their impressive Blues On Broadbeach set, Heavy Wax are continuing their high with the release of ‘Bourbon St. Swindler’.

Renowned for mixing genres, the single blends elements Rock, Soul, Funk and Reggae led by a hook heavy horn section that wouldn’t sound out of place on an early Cat Empire track. With a carefree, spontaneous nature to the recording ‘Bourbon St. Swindler’ sees Heavy Wax loosen things up a little more than their previous singles and it really works for them.

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Cassie Kendal’s Anti-Love Anthem

Jxdah’s Impressive Hip-Hop Blend

DENNIS. Delivers A Modern Pop Gem

Dawn of Dusk’s Distorted Goodness

Tully John & Liza-Jane Continue To Impress

Eliza & The Delusionals’ ELEEA Takes You 90’s Nostalgia To Spain

Cassie Kendal has followed up her ‘Elevator Selfie’ debut with the anti-love anthem ‘Never Been in Love’. Recorded in Sydney at Skeet Music studios the track is brought to life with layers of production and classic pop vocals that you’ll be humming in your head all day. An autobiographical piece about the pressures of trying to find love and constantly failing, Cassie Kendal manages to bring a carefree notion to some troubling emotional turmoil.

90’s rock inspired local outfit Dawn Of Dusk have served up a heavy dose of distorted goodness this month with the release of their latest album ‘Flight Trajectory’. Opening with their wonderfully dirty riff based lead single ‘Minority’ the album continues down a gravelly path with the Perl Jam-esque pace of ‘One Sided’ and the thrashing rhythms of ’Lucky Stars’. Backing up the album releases with a big run of album launch shows including June 26 at Vinnie’s Dive Dawn of Dusk are ready to lift the roof of a venue near you. Check out our interview with the guys in this month’s edition.

Fresh hip-hop talent Jxdah has knocked it out of the park with his latest offering ‘White Tee’ this month. Mixing the rawness of the hip-hop sub genre known as drill with a fresher pop / Drake style influence, Jxdah adds his award winning flow to this impressively complex and diverse track. Clearly spending a lot of time perfecting his sound in the studio ‘White Tee’ is the kind of track that unveils new intricacies and subtle changes the more you listen.

Tully John & Liza-Jane are continuing their slow burn of quality single releases with their newbie ‘Hunger’. Starting strong with a powerful verse by Liza-Jane backed only by an unassuming acoustic guitar, the song evolves naturally into something grand and triumphant with the help of some excellent studio production.

With the promise of a forthcoming EP this year, Tully John & LizaJane’s music just seems to get better with every release which has us excited for what’s to come.

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After a stand out live performance at HOTA’s Echoes of Gold gallery opening, DENNIS. is continuing her momentum with the release of a stunning new single ‘Stuck In My Ways’. Powerful vocal melodies sit front and center on this well written modern pop gem with some clever production qualities to match. A love song written about moving in with a partner for the first time ‘Stuck In My Ways’ is bursting with charm and is DENNIS.’ strongest single to date.

After playing their first Gold Coast show in well over a year at HOTA’s gallery opening, Eliza & The Delusionals have kicked back into gear with the release of their new single ‘YOU’. Taking a poppier approach than previous releases, ‘YOU’ was released alongside a killer video that channels the nostalgic late 90s style that all of the band’s music seems to radiate.

With a massive tour alongside The Vanns about to kick off, Eliza & The Delusionals are set to fly the flag for Gold Coast music around the country once again.

Mia Muze’s Stylistic Curveball

Mia Muze has thrown a stylistic curveball at us this month with the release of her bold new single ‘Got It Wrong’. One part deep grimy techno one part quirky plastic pop, the track seems to flow surprisingly well and is delivered in the kind of confident carefree manner that will get you on board with its obscurity. Check out Mia’s Spotify for even more musical diversity.

ELEEA will help cure your unquenchable wanderlust with her new single ‘Red Wine’. As another installment of her anthology of songs inspired her backpacking adventures around the world titled ‘The Travel Collection’, ‘Red Wine’ is about Spain, seeing the magical sunset at San Sebastian beach and passionate flamenco performances in Madrid. Again teaming up with local production wizard Brad Hosking, ELEEA’s latest single is rich with sound but places her commanding vocals front and center where it belongs.

Candice Dianna’s Izzy Day’s Refreshing Powerful Tribute Approach

Candice Dianna is channeling Izzy Day hits the sweet spot this some serious RnBsoul vibessoothing on her month with her powerful new ‘Silence’ single ‘Love Peacea new single . With Help The World’ . Inspired by refreshingly modern approach the folk finalmusic, words Izzy left byblends Candice’s to the late elements nephew who tragically took raw of guitar and vocal his ownanlife ambient at the age electronic of 17, the with track wastoreleased the one-year backing create on a truly unique anniversary of his deathmelodies to help experience.

Haunting spread his message further. flow beautifully with Truly the stunning stuff here from Candice accompanying video fittingly Dianna. shot in a 100-year-old historic sugar mill in the hinterland of northern NSW.

Lemaire’s Got PopHarry J Hart’s The Right RockTime Belter

Lemaire time firmly Harry J has Hartthehas made a fixed huge on 4:20pmwith withthehisclimatic new tune statement first ’Two Featuring a guitar single Puffs’ from. his forthcoming EP loop wouldn’t soundwith outjust of ‘Makethat It Easy’ . Beginning place on apart 1970s James Brown hit, a guitar and Harry’s vocal, the groove heavy backing tracka song quickly builds into provides the pop-rock perfect template for fully-fledged belter with Lemaire’s cheeky tribute to Marythe help of masterful production Jane. his third single to date and Just cleaver instrumentation.

Lemaire already established ‘Make It has Easy’ has pop at its himself as majorboth player the core, channeling the in singer local hip-hop sound scene andofwithDean the songwriter kind confidence oozing from Lewisofand the anthemic rock of this single Impressive we can’t wait see Sheppard. stuffto here what’s next. J Hart. from Harry

Bella Finds 50 LGEPaton Authentic Her Place Vintage Rock

Bella Paton is guitars continuing to 50 LGE bring to the develop hertheir sound her front with latestwith vintage nostalgic pop .gem rock EP ‘Loaded’ The ‘Spacey’ opening.

Written about love and frustration tracks ‘Coachella’ and ‘World’ at thestraight state of up themeat world,n’ the track offer potatoes begins commanding a rock n’ with roll awhile the closing cappella slowly two mixvocal things up adeveloping bit with into rich body of sound with the the ainstrumental surf vibes of help of some production ‘Hooked’ and tactful the punk attitude and clever instrumentation.

One of ‘Raising Cain’. Without much part onepresence part SarahtoBlasko, of anLorde online speak Bella seemstotorelease be finding of andPaton preferring their her place on in the ever-diverse genre material vinyl, 50 LGE are as of contemporary authentic as they pop. come.

JOOLZ’s Energetic Satisvibes Bring Collaboration The Summer Vibes

Former of the Satisvibes front-woman are holding onto much loved summer vibeslocal withband their Electrik reggaeLemonade, JOOLZ teamed fueled debut singlehas‘Beautiful up with Brisbane based indie onepop Kaos’ . Based around a classic songwriter-on-the-rise Katanak drop reggae formula, the track for theiralong laid confidently back duet ‘Sunday’ pushes with the.

Mixing raw elements of guitar help of athe tactful horn section and driven rock with a The sprinkle smoothindie dub production. first of commercial pop production, single from a forthcoming EP that the the to energetic was track put onfeatures hold due border hip-hop flare’Beautiful of JOOLZ andputs the restrictions, Kaos’ charming guitar/vocal combo Satisvibes back on track, with a lot of Katanak’s previous work. A more in store for fans in 2021. promising collab for two excellent artists in their own rights. Check out our interview with JOOLZ in this edition.

Lust Is In The Air

It seems that lust is in the air this month with yet another intimate track here from local favorite Doolie. ‘Woke Up Feeling Dramatic’ offers the signature downtempo R&B/electronica production that has earned the young artist national acclaim and millions of streams over the past few years. Written about the feeling of infinite possibility with a new lover, ‘Woke Up Feeling Dramatic’ is another strong release set to build upon Doolie’s growing profile.

Send your music, Send music, pressyour kit and a press kitphoto and a high res to newmusic@ high res photo blankstreetpress. to newmusic@ com.au blankstreetpress. com.au Curated monthly

by Zac Fahey

We're not just a magazine; We're a community and we pride ourselves on helping you to explore local. Through music, arts, lifestyle and landscape.

Get the low-down on local festivals, gigs, theatre, art, comedy, eats, drinks, amazing humans and so much more by joining our e-list for hot a-list news on the regular.

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#87 - April June 2021 Blank - issue #85 2021

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Maddy Breen - Nightjar

No Scrubs - The Coolangatta Hotel

Nuz & Kevin (Koi Boys) - Koi

Triplickit - The Coolangatta Hotel

Strictly Acoustic - The Coolangatta Hotel

Maddy Breen - Precinct Brewing

Mañu Lima - Maggie Choo

Zak Keenan - Precinct Brewing

Kate Mckay - Bine Bar & Dining

Flora & Juan The Gold Coast Italo-Australian Club

DJ & Singer Yasmina Despot - Loose Moose

Benno & Kesh - Currumbin RSL

Benny O'Dwyer - Nightcap Nobbys

Zac Hubbard - Hotel Brunswick

Kent Dustin - The Lucky Squire

Thursday 3 June

Jason Delphin- Nightcap Nobbys

DJ & Live Sax Player (various artists) Roosevelt Lounge

Benny O'Dwyer - Nightjar

Benny D Williams - Kingscliff Beach Hotel

Monday 14 June

Zak Keenan - Nightcap Nobbys

Saturday 19 June

Nick Waters - Bine Bar & Dining

Dan Hannaford - The Railway Hotel

Kent Dustin - Choofas Smokehouse & Seafood

Maddy Breen - The Scottish Prince

DJ Jack Rabbit - Nightjar

Sunday 6 June

Bob Evans - Kingscliff Beach Hotel

Zak Keenan - Nightcap Nobbys

Greer Sullivan - Bine Bar & Dining Soul Sounds by Yasmina Despot Roosevelt Lounge

Greer Sullivan - Nightcap Nobbys

DJ & Live Sax Player (various artists) Roosevelt Lounge

Game of Tones - Southport Sharks

Brooke Supple - Currumbin RSL -

VULGAR DISPLAY OF 90'S / BEAST MACHINE - Vinnies Dive Bar

Resonance - Currumbin RSL

Naomi Connell - Currumbin RSL

DJ & Live Sax Player (various artists) Roosevelt Lounge

Kate Mckay - Nightjar Late For Woodstock - The Coolangatta Hotel

Jordan McRobbie - Kingscliff Beach Hotel Mescalito Blues - Hotel Brunswick Ally Palmer - The Crafty Cow Stephen Lovelight - Nightjar Maddy Breen - Bine Bar & Dining Cuban Divas & Los Muchachos The Gold Coast Italo-Australian Club

Panik Button - Southport Sharks

DJ Lucas - Frida Sol

The Hitmen - Currumbin RSL

Jeremy Cook - Burleigh Brewing Co

Ben Jansz - Hotel Brunswick

Kyle Lionhart - Hotel Brunswick

Zac Hubbard - Currumbin RSL

Brett Gannon - Bine Bar & Dining

Gavin Doniger - Sheoak Shack Gallery Cafe

Nuz & Kevin (Koi Boys) - Koi

Greer Sullivan - Nightjar

Mañu Lima - Maggie Choo DJ & Singer Yasmina Despot - Loose Moose

The Chad - The Coolangatta Hotel Destrends - Vinnies Dive Bar Grant Carruthers - Currumbin RSL

Jason Delphin - The Coolangatta Hotel

Kate Mckay - Nightcap Nobbys

Zak Keenan - Bine Bar & Dining

Brett Gannon - Precinct Brewing

Benny O'Dwyer - Nightcap Nobbys

DJ & Live Sax Player (various artists) Roosevelt Lounge

Nudge Nudge Wink Wink The Billinudgel Hotel Raff De - The Gold Coast Italo-Australian Club

Luke Pauley - Currumbin RSL

James D'Khan - Burleigh Brewing Co Maddy Breen - Bine Bar & Dining DJ & Live Sax Player (various artists) Roosevelt Lounge

Tuesday 8 June

Rob Rhodes - The Coolangatta Hotel

Gregg Peterson - Nightjar

OOZ - The Park Hotel

Nick Waters - Bine Bar & Dining

Anna Gozlan - The Park Hotel Harry Nicols - Kingscliff Beach Hotel

Cuban Divas & Los Muchachos The Gold Coast Italo-Australian Club

Jock Barnes - The Rails

Sunday 13 June

Lisa Hunt - The Coolangatta Hotel

Kent Dustin - Nightjar

Bearfoot - Hotel Brunswick

Maddy Breen - The Cambus Wallace

Luke Morris - Currumbin RSL Stephen Green - The Coolangatta Hotel

Greer Sullivan - Bine Bar & Dining

Kate Mckay - Nightcap Nobbys

DJ Jack Rabbit - Nightcap Nobbys

Maddy Breen - Bine Bar & Dining

Byron Music Festival - Dening Park

Jason Delphin - Nightjar

Matty Rogers - Currumbin RSL

Ben Walsh - Beach Hotel -

Thursday 10 June

Friday 18 June

Jock Barnes - Beach Hotel

Andy Jans-Brown - Cozmic - Beach Hotel

JaFFer - The Railway Hotel Jesse Witney - Saltwater Social Club DJs - Saltwater Social Club James Scott - The Park Hotel Ben Amor - Currumbin RSL Sarah Grant - Hotel Brunswick

Saccharo - Southport Sharks

Maddy Breen - Nightcap Nobbys

Luke Pauley - The Scottish Prince

Simon Meola - The Coolangatta Hotel

Kent Dustin - Mr P.P.'s Deli and Rooftop

Benny O'Dwyer - Bine Bar & Dining

DJ Here's Johnny - Frida Sol

Mescalito Blues - Eddie's Grub House

Jock Barnes - Currumbin RSL

Grant Carruthers - The Scottish Prince

Kate Mckay - Bine Bar & Dining

Eastside Allstars - Southport Sharks

The Smashed Crabs - Currumbin RSL

Soul Sounds by Yasmina Despot Roosevelt Lounge

Zak Keenan - Nightjar

Tahlia Matheson - Kingscliff Beach Hotel

DJ Jack Rabbit - Nightcap Nobbys

Kate Mckay - Bine Bar & Dining

Nick Waters - Precinct Brewing

Phi11a - Nightcap Nobbys

Cal Creelman - Currumbin RSL

Megan Core - Burleigh Brewing Co

Zak Keenan - Nightjar

Matt Musella - Bine Bar & Dining

James D'Khan - Currumbin RSL

Byron Music Festival - Dening Park

Ben Amor - Burleigh Brewing Co Mescalito Blues - Sheoak Shack Gallery Cafe Jethro Andrews - The Coolangatta Hotel Leigh James - Kingscliff Beach Hotel

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Friday 11 June

Blank - issue #87 - June 2021

Justin Jones - The Coolangatta Hotel

DJ & Live Sax Player (various artists) Roosevelt Lounge

Nathan Kaye - Beach Hotel

The Pete Neville Jazz Experience ARTEMUS at Dust Temple

-

AGENT 77 - Southport Sharks

The Dirty Channel - Hotel Brunswick

Kate Mckay - Nightjar

Matty Rogers - Hotel Brunswick

Steven Michael - Currumbin RSL

Maddy Breen - Nightjar

Marshall Okell - Beach Hotel

Soul Sounds by Yasmina Despot Roosevelt Lounge

Locky - The Coolangatta Hotel

Scott Dann - Robie Ropati & Ricky J Mendez - The Gold Coast Italo-Australian Club

Broadwaters - Saltwater Social Club

Hayley Grace - The Railway Hotel

Wednesday 9 June Saturday 5 June

DJs - Saltwater Social Club

Kate Mckay - Nightcap Nobbys

ChrisC Mac Band - Southport Sharks Andrew Taylor - The Coolangatta Hotel

Tim Stokes - Kingscliff Beach Hotel

Issi Dye - Glenn Douglas The Gold Coast Italo-Australian Club

Monday 7 June

Jason Delphin - Nightcap Nobbys

Thursday 17 June Saturday 12 June

Matt Musella - Precinct Brewing

Friday 4 June

Isaac Frankham - Saltwater Social Club

Wednesday 16 June

Sunday 20 June

Gregg Peterson - Precinct Brewing Byron Music Festival - Dening Park EPIC - The Coolangatta Hotel DJ Gissala - Frida Sol Phil & Tilley - Currumbin RSL Benny O'Dwyer - Bine Bar & Dining Naomi Connell - The Village Markets Jay Hoad - Hotel Brunswick Mono - Currumbin RSL Zak Keenan - Nightcap Nobbys Kate Mckay - Nightjar Luke Ferguson - Beach Hotel Moebius - Beach Hotel The Hombres - The Railway Hotel Matty Rogers - Saltwater Social Club Jock Barnes - The Park Hotel

Nuz & Kevin (Koi Boys) - Koi

Kate Mckay - Nightcap Nobbys

Mañu Lima - Maggie Choo

Zak Keenan - Bine Bar & Dining

DJ & Singer Yasmina Despot - Loose Moose

Naomi Connell - Dune Cafe Steven Michael - The Coolangatta Hotel

Monday 21 June

Maddy Breen - Bine Bar & Dining Benny O'Dwyer - Nightcap Nobbys

Wednesday 23 June

Kate Mckay - Bine Bar & Dining Kent Dustin - Nightcap Nobbys

Remedy Duo - The Coolangatta Hotel DJ & Live Sax Player (various artists) Roosevelt Lounge

Sunday 27 June

Brett Gannon - Precinct Brewing The Smashed Crabs - The Coolangatta Hotel Zak Keenan - Nightjar Creekfest - Currumbin RSL

Thursday 24 June

The Lyrical - Hotel Brunswick

Greer Sullivan - Nightcap Nobbys

Benny O'Dwyer - Nightcap Nobbys

DJ Jack Rabbit - Nightjar

Matt Musella - Bine Bar & Dining

Flora & Juan - The Gold Coast Italo-Australian Club

DJ Jack Rabbit - Frida Sol

Soul Sounds by Yasmina Despot Roosevelt Lounge

Nuz & Kevin (Koi Boys) - Koi Mañu Lima - Maggie Choo DJ & Singer Yasmina Despot - Loose Moose

Friday 25 June

Kate Mckay - Nightjar Creekfest - Currumbin RSL Greer Sullivan - Precinct Brewing

Monday 28 June

FIRESIDE at HOTA this winter Words by Natalie O’Driscoll

Following the success of 2020, FIRESIDE returns to the cosiness of the Lakeside – and once again great art, tasty food, and glittering winter evenings are on the menu.

Strictly Acoustic - Bine Bar & Dining

Across three weekends in August, and in collaboration with Bleach* Festival 2021, you’re invited to warm up with friends, enjoy a glass (or two) of wine and a bite to eat while incredible Australian artists and performers take centre-stage.

Wednesday 30 June

GRAN SLAM LIVE | EVERYBODY NOW

front-men and queer icon, Freddy Mercury. Presented as part of Bleach* Festival 2021.

Wordsmiths spitting wisdom, entertaining anecdotes, and freeflowing creativity. All on stage for a night of slam poetry with a difference. Hosted by awardwinning comedian Jenny Wynter, a razor-sharp collective of poets, aged between a spritely 60 and streetwise 99 years, flow beside special literary and musical guests. Presented as part of Bleach* Festival 2021.

HEART IS A WASTELAND | ILBIJERRI THEATRE COMPANY

Zak Keenan - Nightcap Nobbys

Maddy Breen - Nightcap Nobbys Mark Bono - The Coolangatta Hotel Kent Dustin - Choofas Smokehouse & Seafood

Gregg Peterson - Bine Bar & Dining

Rick Barron - The Coolangatta Hotel Stephen Lovelight - Bine Bar & Dining Harry Nicols - Hotel Brunswick Noy Ben Ami - Kingscliff Beach Hotel The Big Duo - The Coolangatta Hotel DJ & Live Sax Player (various artists) Roosevelt Lounge

Saturday 26 June

Bronte Eve - The Crafty Cow Jack Casey - Burleigh Brewing Co Brad Johns - Kingscliff Beach Hotel Mischevious - Southport Sharks Benny O'Dwyer - Nightjar Creekfest - Currumbin RSL Rogue Elements - Hotel Brunswick

Blank Gig Guide brought to you by:

Fri 13 August

KILLER QUEENS Sat 14 August

Five females stepping into Freddy’s shoes (and shorts, leather jackets and leotards) in a celebration of Glam Rock.

Electrifying performances of Queen’s greatest hits, with a few tracks from Prince and David Bowie thrown in, Killer Queens pays tribute to one of the greatest Blank - issue #87 - June 2021

Fri 20 August

Two broken wanderers begin a love affair on their fight to the top of Australian country music charts. Conceived and performed in a sell-out season

by Malthouse Theatre and Brown Cabs, combining First Peoples storytelling with live music, in a whisky-fuelled battle of egos.

Presented as part of Bleach* Festival 2021.

BEN LEE

Sat 21 August Beloved Australian musician, actor, activist, and indie-pop cult icon. Writer and performer

of songs you’ve had stuck in your head for weeks at a time, acoustic, live, and for one night only. Presented as part of Bleach* Festival 2021.

CARLOTTA | THE PARTY’S OVER Sun 28 August

A living legend. Australian Icon.

Political activist. Carlotta has led an extraordinary life. No gold watches necessary, just keep the champagne flowing and send her out with a BANG. Your last chance to see her up-close and personal, accompanied by a three-piece band led by Helpmann Award winner Michael Griffiths.

FIRESIDE runs 30 to 28 August.

Explore the full program at hota. com.au/fireside-2021.

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