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Dusty Rich daily at the Falls Festival Henge
COMEDY AT LA HENGE Join MC and standup comedian Mandy Nolan when she hosts comedy at La Henge for the daily hour of Funny Fuckers at Falls! Featuring special guest South African comedian Dusty Rich when he gives his daily comedy Download! Rich makes every show different, and has a knack of weaving his environment into his set! Also performing are Brisbane comedy duo Release the
Bees and local up-and-comers Vanessa Mitchell and Alf Arber. This year for the first time ever Mandy Nolan will be running a standup comedy workshop on the last day so that Falls punters can be the stars of the show for the final comedy Download. If you’re onsite, come in and say hi! Or better still, do the workshop, jump up and be part of the show! Shows daily with the workshop on 2 Jan!
WOMEN LIKE US HIT BYRON FOR SUMMER! It’s been a big year for the mouthy mamas of mirth, Mandy Nolan and Ellen Briggs, who performed in excess of 40 shows around the country this year with their touring hit Women Like Us. After a month of waiting on their families, cleaning up after visitors, and packing on a few extra kilos, the two resentful, unflinchingly cranky women get ready to bring the laughs back home by kicking off the year with two local shows: Byron Services Club and Pottsville Hall! Women Like Us started out as an idea by two women comics to step away from the male-dominated comedy scene into venues where women’s stories and experiences are centre stage. They call themselves ‘the bogan woman’s thinking woman and the thinking woman’s bogan’. ‘It’s not a show just for women,’ Briggs says. ‘In the same way a comedy show by two men would never be seen as a bloke’s-only show. Women Like Us is about making our experiences universal rather than ‘niche’. And as it turns out, there are a lot more Women Like Us out there then we ever realised. There’s even a growing tribe of men Like Us too!’ Briggs and Nolan performed at the Up Front showcase at Melbourne Comedy Festival at Melbourne Town Hall; these two were clearly the comedy picks of the night.
FINDING YOUR FREQUENCY One of the most immersive festivals of the year is Earth Frequency Festival. Happening 15–18 February at Ivory Rock in SE QLD, this is a weekend of wild DJ sets, primal dancing, art installations, mind-bending light shows with strong messages about sustainability and travelling lightly on the planet. Festival director Paul Abad spoke with The Echo about what’s in store for 2019. Who is Android Jones – how do you include a ‘visionary artist’ in the lineup? What is he planning for EF? Android Jones is one of the highest regarded visionary artists, but he’s one of the few of this calibre who works entirely digitally. His art is totally next level, and now he’s exploring immersive 360-degree projections and virtual reality. He’ll be showing art and VJing and speaking at our festival, and also presenting his 25-minute film Samskara in full 360 mode at the Brisbane planetarium just before and after Earth Frequency. So what is planned for the lineup? This year we’re extremely happy to have Clozee as our festival headliner. She’s a French electronic producer who has blown up massively. Her final set of the tour will be on Sunday night
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on the main stage. Her music bridges between world / tribal music and modern bass music styles such as dubstep and trap but it’s hard to categorise. She’ll have Android Jones VJing for her set. I think other unmissable sets are Dub FX in live band mode, the Grouch in Dub band, and for the techno and trance lovers… Electrypnose and Luigi Madonna. What makes Earth Frequency unique? Is it becoming our Australian version of Burning Man? I think Earth Frequency is unique mainly because of its iconic venue, super-chilled vibe, and the fact we pull together an epic international lineup while keeping the size of the festival under 5,000 people. Burning Man is a totally decentralised festival of about 70,000 people in the middle of the desert, while we have 5,000 people in the lush SE QLD nature, so there’s a very different experience to be had at the two festivals. I see you have introduced Bunkhouse Cabins. Tell me a bit about the camping and accommodations on offer; it seems festivals have really taken on the idea that festival-goers really like a bit of comfort! Our 4-day passes include general camping, but we have a range of upgrades on offer. For people with all the right setup but who want electricity, close camping, and one day early access, we have deluxe camping. We also offer 4m and 5m bell tents. And this year our venue has installed close to 100 bunkhouse cabins, which offer complete festival luxury – double bed, power, fridge, private toilet and shower, power and even a desk! For anyone wanting to pimp their festival experience, but also for young families and anyone with disabilities or heat sensitivities, this is a great option to make a super comfy festival experience. What are the core values for Earth Frequency Festival? How does permaculture play a role? Earth Frequency started as a 300-person tree-planting doof and it’s developed over 14 years to what it is now. We try to balance the party vibe with an element of education, positive social impact, environmental awareness and personal transformation. We’re now doing tree plants in the local area, donating to local environmental causes, and we have a week-long permaculture retreat in the organic farm on the venue run by Grounded Permaculture. What are the other local events that we have happening in our local area leading up to EFF? This year we have a show with Thankyou City, copresented by Electric Forest on 12 January, and also Harmonic Spaces, which is our annual visionary art exhibition and sacred sound event, will be happening on 2 February –- both events at the Byron Theatre on Jonson Street. What should we be expecting from EFF for 2019? We’ve worked hard on making a really standout lineup this year, across all the creative art forms. We also have two weddings happening at the festival so there is going to be lots of LOVE and we’re trending towards our biggest turnout yet. So for anyone who’s curious about our festival, it’s a great year to jump in. Earth Frequency Festival is happening at Ivory Rock in SE QLD, 15–18 Feb. For tickets and program info go to earthfrequency.com.au.
Women Like Us at the Byron Services Club – Monday 14 January and at the Pottsville Hall on Saturday 19 January. Both shows are $35 with tix online at womenlikeus.com.au for both or at the club in Byron or at Dune in Pottsville, or at the door if any left!
SOUTH IN SELF EXILE Produced and directed by landscape artist Jack Bailey, South in Self Exile is an abstract visual and sonic essay, recorded during a six-week journey traversing South America’s broken spine. From the southern reaches of Chilean Patagonia, to Northern Argentina’s vast desert plains, this cinematic meditation takes the participant through the wormhole into an alternative vantage point on the interface between man and his manifested milieu. Disconnect from the demented devices that exist to exert everincreasing increments of influence through the dis-ease of distraction… force-feeding mass-produced misinformation. Lift your head beyond your lap and witness the unfiltered wonder of the natural world. ‘The more time we spend removed from the mediocrity of society, the less we depend upon it.’ Turn on, tune in, drop out. Original synthematic score by Vinnie Laduce. South In Self Exile by Jack Bailey at the Byron Theatre on Friday at 7pm – $10.
STARLIGHT FESTIVAL SHINES The 23rd Starlight Festival will feature four transformational days of keynote speakers, soundbaths, yoga, workshops, chant, breathwork and much more. Keynote speaker Brandon Bays is one of the most dynamic, inspirational and innovative teachers in the field of personal growth and cellular healing. Her radically transformative work has grown organically and exponentially over the last 20 years. Brandon Bays is one of Brandon is an authentic living the keynote speakers example of her work. Her open, for Starlight Festival candid honesty combined with her genuine compassion for the human condition and her relaxed, warm-hearted humour, bring her teachings alive with insight, depth, humanity and grace. Nurture your mind, body and soul at the Starlight Festival this January 3–6 at the A&I Hall in Bangalow. $25 one-day pass. 4-day pass $60. Locals 2-for-1 days on 3 and 4 January. Tickets at the door or online– starlightfestival.com.au.
WRITING YOUR HOT SHORT The Drill Hall Theatre Company (DHTC) is excited to announce that its biennial short-play competition HOT SHORTS is on again this year. Writers are now invited to submit their plays, which must be original, not previously performed, no longer than 10 minutes, and with minimal staging difficulties. Entries close on Sunday 30 June 2019. The entry fee per writer is $15, which covers any number of plays submitted. This also makes writers associate members of the DHTC and entitles them to discount tickets to our shows. The entry form outlines details of competition costs and rules. Up to 10 plays will be selected for performance at The Drill Hall in November 2019 and will be eligible for prizes. DHTC can help playwrights with production of their plays should they be chosen for performance. You can request an entry form by emailing the company at drillhalltheatre@gmail.com or from their website drillhalltheatre.org.au.
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