ISSUE# 32.24
ENTERTAINMENT
NOV 22 – NOV 29, 2017 Editor : Mandy Nolan Editorial/gigs : gigs@echo.net.au Copy deadline: 5pm each Friday Advertising : adcopy@echo.net.au P : 02 6684 1777 W : echo.net.au/entertainment
LIVE MUSIC...P36 | CULTURE...P37 | CINEMA...P43 | GIG GUIDE...P44
ALL YOUR NORTH COAST ENTERTAINMENT
Dead Set Live COMEDIAN AND MUSICIAN ROBERT GRAYSON RETURNS FROM FOUR YEARS IN NEW YORK WITH AN EXCITING NEW PROJECT DEAD SET. Dead Set is a project that is inspired by the music and the way of making music and the repertoire and the body of music by the Grateful Dead.
and enjoy and in some cases if people wanted to imbibe substances that enhanced their experience they were in a setting where they were safe.’
For Robert the lasting appeal of The Grateful Dead is the music’s non commerciality.
The other thing that characterised the Dead was that they were the house band for the LSD Haight Ashbury Acid Tests.
‘The music is still revolutionary in that they blended so many different styles of music, they are pan-genre even though their roots were rock n roll and country’ says Robert Grayson. ‘They listened to the jazz improvisers and Jon Coltrane and incorporated the culture of jamming and improvisation into the music and when you make music that is different every night and has that edge of interaction of listening there is more juice in it. More life energy left in it then something that is played the same every time.’ Stepping into that as a musician Robert says 'it's much more exciting. It pulls something out of you to be responding to human beings without competing or selling. I think when Jesus said when two or more are gathered in my name he meant if you aren't beating each other up or trying to sell each other stuff magic will happen. Music back then (In Grateful Dead time, not Jesus time) was about building a community and setting a tone where people can stretch out
Grayson laughs, ‘We are so ready to play the Ayahuasca nights! Just no vomit on the guitar pedals!’ Grayson may not be performing standup comedy at the moment, but comedy is never far from his lips. His journey back to music came with his return from the northern rivers to New York four years ago. 'I went back to New York caring for my dad, I was wondering what fall down and get down buttons to use. At night I started to strum guitar and sing and it became like a medicine to me, and the tunes that really spoke to me were the Dead tunes. I think they have a repertoire as amazing and fantastic as the Beatles but the Beatles can be translated, the Grateful Dead is about community – when you try to explain it its like trying to explain Burning Man.’
Live Music BANTON THE BUBBLER Macky Banton – World MC, began his career as a soundsystem champion bubbler at the age of 14. Guided by his good friend the great Errol Bellot, he became affiliated with the East Londonbased sound Jah Tubbys World System, who last year celebrated 45 years in the biz. After taking a hiatus Macky reunited with the Jah Tubbys posse in 2007 and in 2010 he made a great partnership with Mark Iration of Leeds-based Iration Steppas, touring as the main mic man. Still on duty with these two
Robert did a couple of recording sessions with Aussie musicians who hadn't heard Grateful Dead and was surprised how easily they put a fresh take on the music.
we have stripped back. Within the lyrics of the Grateful Dead there is little co-dependency or blame or bullshit – they are kind of stories and life lessons..’
‘I was surprised how many people were responsive to playing the music and embraced it as strong stuff.
Robert believes that playing the music of the Dead is the ultimate way to connect and uplift the audience.
‘I first connected with Rod Coe, whom I knew from the country music industry, then happenstance took me to Azo Bell and Alan Park. Azo was repairing one of my guitars and I said Azo do you know any good guitarists? And he said: I play guitar. And then I reached out to Vasudha as the female backup vocalist and she sings a couple of leads and we found some other songs that really suit her husky voice.’
‘One of my drum teachers said the consciousness you play the music from goes into the music and it can uplift people.’
So what to expect from the Dead Set set?
Dead Set present music of The Grateful Dead at Coorabell Hall on Saturday night with a support set by Robert's comedy song crew The Fun Nuggets. ‘Think of as ecstatic dance with a live band doing good songs you have never heard before.’
‘We have worked songs from the Grateful Dead set; a couple of songs we have mashed up and funked up. A couple of songs we have pretty well left as they were and a couple of songs
stalwarts of the UK scene, he is known for hyping up dance halls across the globe, performing with the likes of OBF and Stand High Patrol in France, Green Light in Spain and Australia’s own Heartical Hi Powa. Macky Banton is one of the world’s most travelled and respected soundsystem MCs. He’ll be performing alongside Stryka D (Heartical Hi-Powa) and performing on the Champion Sound sound system, returning to the Shire following the awesome unity session held at a Durrumbul session earlier this year. Chris Jay (Dubwise Productions), soundman for Champion Sound, will be showcasing 20 years of Dubwise Productions – from early jungle through to modern roots. Performing at Coorabell Hall on Saturday 2 December at 6pm, $20 pre-sale (www.bit.ly/DCB1217), $25 on the door. Miss Brown’s Caribbean Kitchen will be cooking up the good stuff.
8pm Saturday at Coorabell Hall. Tickets $10/15 online at deadsetband.com or at the door. Food by Heart & Halo – bring your dancing shoes.
DUCK & LOVER Since being the first house band for Sydney’s jazz Basement, Galapagos Duck has been a household name. With many international career highlights and a great discography, the band’s lineup now includes original and brand-new members including Willy Qua and Wil Sargisson. For this special event they will join one of the cream of Australia’s jazz vocalists, Byron Shire’s own Sharny Russell.
coming soon 1 DEC 2 DEC 8 DEC 9 DEC 10 DEC 15 DEC 16 DEC 22 DEC 23 DEC
TAY OSKEE & BAND THE RUMINATERS BLEACH GIRLS LA WITCH DEAN LEWIS MAR HAZE VINNIE LA DUCE COG THE BADLANDS
WED 22 TAY OSKEE SAT 25 NOV WEDNESDAY NIGHT JAZZ THE STRIDES THUR 23 FRIEND ZONE DROP LEGS FRI 24 WILD HONEY, THE RUIINS, 420 SOUND KAZUAL TEA ANIMAL VENTURA SUN 26 DAN HANNAFORD MON 27 DAN CLARK TUES 28 MARSHALL OKELL HOTEL GREAT NORTHERN • thenorthern.com.au • 6685 6454 36 November 22, 2017 The Byron Shire Echo
Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo