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# 15 • may 2016 FREE MONTHLY mintmagazine.com.au – bayside & peninsula

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THE SCREAMING JETS

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THE SCREAMING JETS LOVE THEIR CHROME

By Terri Lee Fatouros Australia’s iconic classic rock band The Screaming Jets are back after an eight-year hiatus between albums, with their latest and greatest new release entitled Chrome. This seventh studio album has been a labour of love, with a mix of new songs that has a slightly new bent to their sound, to say the least, leaving the boys wildly excited with the finished product.

He’s a great guitar player and I just love his voice.”

The Screaming Jets will be touring and showcasing their new material, but keeping authentic to their rockin’ history by pulling out all their biggest hits along the way.

It certainly appears it is a formula fans enjoy because for the last few years, The Jets have been doing one tour a year, keeping their loyal supporters in the loop and staying active in the industry.

I chatted to Dave Gleeson recently and this is what the effervescent front man had to say.

“We are really excited to have the new album and realize it has been too long in between but nevertheless we are pumped. We actually played a bunch of the new songs during our tour in December last year, when Chrome was supposed to be released, and were delighted with the response. Paul Woseen wrote the bulk of the songs and Jimi Hocking and I wrote a couple as well. It was a great process working with Paulie, as he came in with about 25 acoustics. We listened to them all and then whittled it down to the songs we wanted to concentrate on, then built them up from there, which was a first, really. Paulie writes awesome rock songs, awesome in their arrangement, and he’s a great lyricist.

I can’t wait to hear what people think of the album!”

I assured him most fans would realize that’s just “Dave being Dave.” Chuckling, he said, “There’s two kinds of vibe for me. Obviously when we do our shows and go on tour, you can’t go on stage too loose, but when it comes to playing parties and stuff... well, I let loose and get into my songs.”

However, with their latest album Chrome being officially launched during their forthcoming national tour in May, this may very well change.

“This is the first time we’ve released this sort of album in this brave new world of

digital music. But keep in mind there’s still plenty of stuff we want to do in an oldschool format, like recording a full album rather than recording a song here and there. We still want to connect with people from our past, and as a band continuing on, we want to connect and bring on board people hearing us for the first time as well.

Chrome deals with everything from domestic violence, redemption, and raunchiness to homelessness. So many different topics are covered – hopefully we’ll be able to please our old fans and get some new ones as well.”

rock band and in Gleeson’s words, “We are not old blokes simply going through the motions – classic rock is a genre. To me it’s two guitars, bass, great lead breaks, drums, great chorus, meaningful songs and everything from Aerosmith and AC/DC to The Angels. Supporting us is a band called Massive, comprising a bunch of guys in their 20s who embrace the true classic rock band image and sound. They don’t sound old and jaded, rather new and fresh and are totally in the mode of classic rock. That’s what we are too, and proudly so.”

Gleeson rather enjoys the odd vinyl or two and recently dusted off his record player and got into a vintage collection he’s had stashed for years. I guess enthusiasts would be advised to keep an eye out for the vinyl version of Chrome because Gleeson told me there will be a run on.

The Screaming Jets are founding members Dave Gleeson and Paul Woseen with Mickl Sayers, Jimi Hocking and Scott Kingman.

Their national tour kicks off on Saturday, 7th May at the Corner Hotel in Richmond. Go see them and have a blast!

The Screaming Jets are your classic, loud

www.facebook.com/TheScreamingJets

For more info visit:

Recently The Jets gigged with legendary guitarist/songwriter, Rockin’ Rob Riley at the Boom Boom Room in Adelaide. Riley is best known for churning out remarkable songs for Rose Tattoo, Dallimore and The Party Boys.

Slash from Guns n Roses claims Riley is his favourite guitarist of all times.

N NI G

TO N

MOR

Laughs Gleeson, “On the night I might have had a couple of sherbets before the show, but that’s because I was enjoying Rob’s gig.

porter NO ADDITIVES. NO PRESERVATIVES.

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A music, arts, events & entertainment magazine for the Peninsula & Bayside.

PUBLISHER: Cameron McCullough cameron@mpnews.com.au

EDITOR: Billy Dixon editor@mintmagazine.com.au

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PHOTOGRAPHY Gary Sissons Yanni ...& you?

18 THE MAN IN BLACK

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ROSS BALBUZIENTE

40 GOOD BEER WEEK

TASTE OF SORRENTO 39

HEN’S TEETH TATTOO 34

ANDY PHILLIPS

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MUSIC ON THE HILL ROCKIN’ THE SHIRE

By Terri Lee Fatouros Robin Griffith acted on a “spark of inspiration” twenty months ago when he decided to create a boutique-style music venue in Red Hill, known as Music On The Hill, or MOTH for short. Robin and a small group of like-minded music lovers wanted to create an experience they wished to enjoy, and luckily for us they did.

Blues to name a few. Accompanied by the incomparable Clare Reynolds on vocals, keys and percussion, they have created a duet show that’s garnering huge praise worldwide’.

Says Lane, “Frederick Steele McNeil Ferguson was my great grandfather’s name and the song is based on him going to WW1. All my songs are original and all have special meanings, with emphasis on Australian and American folk, including tales and stories I’ve experienced.”

MOTH is held on the first Friday evening of the month at the Red Hill Pavilion, 184 Arthurs Seat Road. The combined sporting clubs under the banner of Red Hill Sports Clubs host the event and showcase some of the Peninsula’s finest musicians. MOTH’s format is roots and singer-songwriter based – the night usually starts off with a local artist followed by a headlining national or international artist.

There’s some sort of “warp-drive” buzz around MOTH. On entering, you’re greeted visually with a classy yet simply-transformed atmosphere. A floor-to-ceiling black curtain adorns the pop-up stage down the front, accompanied by professional sound and lighting equipment. Row after row of chairs are crammed together, which incidentally get taken by the many locals who consume in large quantities the prodigious local wine and delicious cheese platters available for purchase during the sophisticated and talented performances on the night.

MOTH is carving its mark on the national and international map and is booked 12 months in advance, with several remarkable artists headlining later in the year.

The support act I saw on the night was local 8-piece, all-female, world music acappella outfit, Ling Marra. Kelly World, Zoe Palin, Bek Hyde, Claire Burrows, Jill McPartlane, Terryn Hickinbotham, Yolande Strengers and Carolyn McDonald are a bunch of local mums who get together weekly at Hickinbotham Winery and sing traditional and world music songs in

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When not on tour with Lane, Reynolds is a full time songwriter for film and television, as many of L.A’s. artists are.

“Los Angeles is a great place, as everyone comes to town to write... there are always lots of projects going on. L.A. is also a great base for touring and being right in the heart of the scene means we are getting some really great shows as a duo. Within the next 12 months or so we will be touring the U.S.A.,” says Reynolds.

various languages.

Some say they’re a drinking group with a singing problem, rehearsing at the winery each week. Check them out on their Ling Marra Facebook page, because not only do they do lots of charity performances, they also support big-name acts like Archie Roach.

However, the starring act that blew my mind was the Jordie Lane Duo, comprising singing partners Jordie Lane and Clare Reynolds.

These two have been touring the world for the last few years and are achieving critical acclaim.

Thornbury born but now a Los Angeles transplant, Lane returned to Australia and to MOTH with Reynolds to release Frederick Steele McNeil Ferguson, the first single from their third album, slated for release later this year.

“Since his critically acclaimed folk/blues inspired Blood Thinner album back in 2011, Jordie has gone on to tour the world several times over, with appearances at Philadelphia, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Celtic Connections folk festivals, as well as tours with Billy Bragg, Old Crow Medicine Show and The Moody

Lane’s acoustic guitar and soulful vocals really did send shivers down my spine. Poignant emotion radiated throughout his songs, leaving some a little teary eyed. Between the two, beautiful heartfelt harmonies perfect in pitch and tone merged to create sweet, melodious ascents which were simply spellbinding.

Jordie Lane and Clare Reynolds are truly worldclass. You can check them out at the Jordie Lane Facebook page.

If you’re looking for a cruisy, mellow evening tinged with class while boasting an international boutique music feel, then MOTH is the place to go. As Molly Meldrum would say, “Do yourself a favour” and get down to MOTH – you’ll be pleasantly thrilled.

Tickets $25.00 non-members, $20.00 members.

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MIDNIGHT KITES

Off the back of a #8 ARIA album and a #1 ARIA Australian album chart debut for their all-nighter of an album, twelvefour, The Paper Kites have just completed their Midnight video trilogy of late-night stories with the nostalgic Renegade. Including ethereal videos for two other tracks off the album, Electric Indigo and Revelator Eyes, the trilogy portrays stories that are set between the hours of 12 and 4am; different cities, different people, but all taking place within this transient timeframe.

HIDING FROM KARMA Melbourne indie electro-pop act The Hiding have today announced their new single, Karma My Life, along with an artistic, emotive video clip and several show dates kicking off in Bendigo at the Rifle Brigade Hotel on 29th April, moving through to Mynt Lounge (Werribee) on 6th May and finishing up at Revolver (Melbourne) on the 21st.

The band’s folk-inspired percussive guitar sound takes influence from the many acoustic performances in Central Park, experienced whilst living in New York.

Adhering to the theme, Renegade follows a gang of kids who break into an aquatic cinema, La Cinequatic, in the early hours of the morning. Taking inspiration for the video

trilogy from imaginary places and those latenight hours, lead singer Sam Bentley says, “It’s been really cool actually seeing these places on screen in the videos, with people watching and asking us where they can find them – I think the idea was to create places that we would love to go to.”

The vibrant concept was brought to life by director Dan Huiting and his team, alongside a real-life gang of kids as the video’s cast.

Bentley enthuses, “He has such a great team and they all just tackle every challenge with such enthusiasm... he knew a local skate crew of young kids that he wanted to use for the video – it worked out perfectly.”

With a memorable hook and a happy, roadtripping vibe, the single touts a supremely positive message, a recurring theme that flows through the band’s songwriting. “Life can throw up so many speed bumps and The Hiding has experienced its fair share of these,” explains lyricist and guitarist, Anthony Salce. “It can be deflating and soul-damaging, but these are life lessons we all experience and Karma My Life is about accepting these journeys, appreciating the turning point and celebrating the ‘positive experience’ that changed your life.”

...A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Remember the birth of electronic music?

Then the bands of the late ’80s that went pure synth-pop? The first electronic sounds appeared in the late 1920s, progressing with the advent of the magnetic tape recorder in the ’40s and ultimately algorithmic composition – first heard right here in Australia in the early ’50s. From there, it was a sudden, possibly even galling transition for music artistry that many would prefer to forget.

spawned by real instruments – guitars, keyboards and even drums are undergoing the PC treatment.

In fact, much of the world has – while the impact on the music industry was one of prominence and permanence, it’s a struggle to recall any electronic groups or artists of significance from earlier times.

Whether or not you’re a musical purist, the exponential expansion of the music industry, its constant devolution into the hands of one-time bedroom artists and an unlimited proliferation of no-copyright sounds means more music for everyone.

That’s a far cry from the scene today. Groups like M83 and Passion Pit have added an entirely new spectrum of polish to their almost-entirely-digital sounds, with additional layers of complexity compared with earlier formulaic efforts, while artists like Calvin Harris have used the genre to introduce a wide range of individual vocalists and singers that might otherwise have remained undiscovered.

But the innovation doesn’t end there.

While last millenium’s challenge may have been to create electronic songs that were recognisable in the world of rock, the bulk of today’s effort is somewhat more refined, focusing on digitally enhacing sounds music | arts | events | entertainment

The result? While the epicentre of electronica is still the humble DJ atop the club’s podium, the realm has expanded beyond recognition. Entirely new genres have risen to prominence in mainstream culture, housing everything from PsyTrance to Experimental Art to Electronic Dance Music (EDM). Fan or not, we are undoubtedly all the better for it.

Every race of people, every ethnic creed in every socio-economic tier in every country on the planet now have access to a virtuallyunlimited library of songs, from the popular to specifically vocational. More people are creating than ever before, boosting the cultural fabric of the human race, whether it’s a one-off amateur-hour job or the beginning of a professional career.

Singing, Guitar & Piano lessons BOOK NOW for our Songwriting Workshop !!

Music: Earth’s greatest equaliser. This may not be an electronic renaissance akin to 1960s Woodstock, but it’s damn close.

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THE IMMUTABLE ANDY PHILLIPS UNPLUGGED AND UP CLOSE

By Terri Lee Fatouros Behind Andy Phillips’ humble demeanor is a musician with soul and drive, whose gentle but unfailing approach to music has been making moves since he first started his band, The Cadillac Walk, in late 2013.

His popularity as a performer has increased exponentially in the last couple of years, to the point where he’s now a favourite on the gig and festival circuit.

The best way to describe Andy Phillips & The Cadillac Walk – Glenn Sharp on bass and slide guitar, Brendan Burking on vocals, bass guitar and double bass, Rocky on drums and backing vocals and of course Andy Phillips, leading the charge in song and guitar – is a talented, hardworking, professional blues and rock’n’roll band that have been blowing away audiences since their inception. The band blends cool, classic retro-rock hits, high-energy Texas blues and some good oldfashioned rock’n’roll to boot, with a healthy dose of original tunes.

Working as a full-time professional musician has seen Phillips rack up an impressive resume playing at many of the top blues festivals in Australia, New Zealand and even Austin, Texas in the United States. In recent months, Phillips has teamed up with 2016 Chain Music Award finalists Keith Hall and Pat Dow, which led to him recording on their new album, A Sense of Place. In April, the band toured with Phillips in Melbourne and will continue through May with Phillips in South Australia. While there, Phillips will record his own album. If all goes to plan, both bands will tour the United Kingdom together later this year.

Recently, Phillips has been performing aboard the Lady Cutler Melbourne showboat, doing blues cruises. His partner and manager Heidi LaFaerie has more planned for this year. Keep the cruise on Saturday, 27th August in mind, where Phillips performs with feature artists The Jackson Four and Tony J. King in a Blues Hip Jive cruise party, departing from the Docklands. This event will

be high-octane and absolutely awesome.

he does with his band.

In the mean time, there’s a cruise happening before this date on Sunday, 15th May aboard the Hygeia Party Boat from 2-5pm.

The Hygeia is Geelong’s largest and most luxurious bay cruiser. Bookings can be made on 03 5254 1111.

The Blues Hip Jive concept shows have also been a huge success in collaboration with U.K. chart toppers, The Jackson Four.

The show is a blues, jazz, Hammond B3, swing, rock’n’roll dance event, which draws hundreds of people from all over Melbourne.

Keep your eyes peeled for these events as they are definitely worth attending.

Andy Phillips is a sought after entertainer, recently he was invited to perform at the annual Cars for Kids Good Friday Appeal organized by Guzzlers Rod’n’Custom, held at Keilor Hotel. He’s extremely passionate about his music and makes every effort to perform whenever he can. Of late, he’s been honing his chops busking in the streets of Frankston, enjoying solo gigs on top of performing as a duo with either Glen Sharp on lap steel and harmonica, Aaron Roberts on keys and vocals or with Peter Jackson on congas and vocals.

All are very different performances to what

TIDBITS & TALES

Hey lovelies!

Did you know Katzenjammer Records opened up at 10 Young Street in Frankston recently? It’s next to Bar Twe12e.

It takes me back to my hippie days when I hung out in heavy metal and world music stores, browsing the vinyl and eyeing the hot guys coming in.

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MINT Magazine | May

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Phillips’ fortitude towards life and music has no bounds and like many true and dedicated musicians, the band often donate their time to raising funds for people in need. A fundraiser event held recently at the Wishing Well Tavern in Carrum for a family in desperate need of medical funds saw many of the Peninsula’s finest, along with Phillips, singing their hearts out to raise money for this family.

Says Phillips, “music has soul and a life unto

its self. When you see people coming alive to its rhythm and being moved by its essence, you understand it’s a powerful force that can change and heal lives. Music can inspire and bring out the very best in people.”

Wise words indeed and interestingly, I’ve observed Phillips’ mastery and dedication to his music grow stronger over the years.

There is no doubt he’s a devotee to his craft – imbued with spiritual belief and gentle living practices, Andy Phillips will continue to carve out a respectful name for himself in the industry he so loves.

After the Hygeia Party Boat, Andy and crew return to the Mornington Peninsula for gigs in Mornington and Mount Eliza: Friday, 20th May, 8-11pm @ Canadian Bay Hotel, Mount Eliza (free) Saturday, 21st May, 8-11.30pm @ Double G Saloon, Mornington (free)

By Terri Lee Fatouros

The dude running the shop is Blair and he’s covering all heavy metal needs as well as anything else you may be after.

He’s got it covered, with heavy metal music and CDs, vinyl, DVDs, Blu-rays, even VHS, cassette tapes, board games, posters, figurines, books, T-shirts, comics, beer glasses, smoking utensils, collectables and a whole lot more. There is a big “buy new and used” ethos, along with information on

UFO & conspiracies.

I like the shop as it’s a little left of center and just a tad twisted. Give Blair a call on 9769 6842, or go touch base with him and have a browse.

It was so good to see the loveable rogues of Didi Reyes and The Blues Maniacs reform and gig at a charity benefit bash recently.

The guys disbanded some time ago to chase their own personal stuff. But Martin Reyes (Didi Reyes), Andy Phillips (Cadillac Walk), Glenn Sharp (Cadillac Walk), Larry Dennis (Electric Larry) and Jordie J Fitzgerald got together for just one night and shook the joint apart. Thanks guys, my ears are still buzzing, but it was worth it!

Many thanks to all the other lovelies that lent their time and energy, too. bayside & mornington peninsula

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BLUES ALLEY

By Terri Lee Fatouros

When a band plays covers from the Beatles and Taj Mahal, you’d hope they do it well.

Thankfully, Blues Alley not only do justice to songs like Come Together and Paint My Mailbox Blue, they really nail it in making the tunes their own.

Blues Alley is a recently formed blues and rock band with funk, playing covers from Muddy Waters, Rolling Stones, Howling Wolf, Jimi Hendrix, Freddy King and more, with a smattering of originals thrown into the mix. Long time friends Darren McColldrums and Alex Pavlis are both experienced musicians from other bands, who realised the moment had come to star in their own show. So, Dorian Johnson, an experienced bass player specializing in funk’n’groove, came on board to complete their fresh, bluesy and funky signature sound.

Blues Alley is doing it cool. Amidst McColl’s alternating loud rim shots and accented sharp fills, Pavlis’ gutsy riffs (albeit flamboyant in context) and Johnson’s deadpan “in the zone” expression, the guys are trailblazing their sonic blend to some packed-out venues. Word is getting around that these guys are worth the watch.

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Says Pavlis, “when I write, it isn’t about being deep and meaningful or political.

I have no message in particular except ‘I want to have a good time’ and ‘I want the songs to be good-time songs’. I can swing from writing a heavy blues song to rock’n’roll to swing to whatever I feel like at the time. If I come up with a riff then I’ll often get together with Darren, as we have been writing together for the last 40 years, and swing it past him. When we’re all together and one of us comes up with an idea, we’ll throw it around a bit until we come up with a song. It’s no deeper than that.

“I do go through periods when I get into a particular vibe and write a song. I’ll pick up the guitar and play a thousand riffs until I feel it’s the right one. The lyrics don’t have any real meaning in particular. As long as they rhyme and make sense and have a catchy chorus line, then that’s great.”

No truer words spoken – Pavlis’ songwriting versatility is evident with hot little stealers like Working Man Blues, a sexy Texas shuffle. Fill Me Up is layered with swing overtones, while Too Hot embraces a

rocky edge and Big Old Ford is a rockabilly rock’n’roll tune. All punch out catchy guitar riffs and tight rhythms.

These three mates bounce off each other rather well and its clear they are having a rockin’ good time gigging together.

“I just want to have fun with the band, as I enjoy the enjoyment side of it.” Laughs McColl. “If people are having fun with the band, then to me, that’s what it’s all about.”

Blues Alley is currently doing the rounds at some of the peninsula’s finest venues, including the prominent Double G Saloon in Mornington.

Glenn Pain looks after the restaurant side of what used to be a little Italian Trattoria, while Glen Bryant runs the music operation, making bookings, researching bands, and ensuring the venue has topnotch blues and rock every weekend. For all correspondence regarding music, give him a call on 0414 496 654. www.dgsaloon.com.au www.facebook.com/bluesalleymelbourne

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DANTANIO

A TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF POP

By Billy Dixon After many years on the road with American Kenny Wizz as the venerable star, Showtime Australia’s Michael Jackson HIStory Show is on the verge of re-launching down under. To mark the King of Pop’s return from the dead, MINT interviewed the tribute show’s new star, a South African by the name of Dantanio.

scouted by Showtime’s director, Mr. Johnny van Grinsven. I think we all have uniqueness in us. I had to step into becoming the best Michael Jackson I can be. I can only say that I approached the show with my own emotional and philosophical content.

MINT: I read that your launch shows in South Africa were Thriller-themed – is there a particular aspect of Jackson’s work you’re focusing on this time around?

For someone walking in the shoes of perhaps the world’s greatest celebrity, he’s a modest chap with a clear appreciation of opportunity – an unexpected breath of fresh air in an entertainment industry that’s often aimed at the lowest common denominator.

DANTANIO: Again, I double check everything. I draw a lot of inspiration from the early years but I always consider and view all areas as much as I can. It’s an encyclopaedia. Everything matters.

MINT: I understand you’ve released quite a bit of your own musical work – what was it that drew you back to Michael Jackson’s art as opposed to continuing your solo journey?

MINT: There are probably tens of thousands of MJ impersonators out there in the world – what was it that set you apart in the eyes of Showtime?

DANTANIO: I would have Showtime answer this one as it may seem boastful or over confident if I do. At a guess I would say character, humanity and most important – the very first answer I gave my director was “I’m here to learn and grow along with this spectacular team.”

DANTANIO: As a performer I always felt incomplete with my total expression of my abilities to perform as Michael Jackson. My family and friends always rooted for me to share the gift on a greater scale. So it’s fulfilling a calling.

MINT: Michael Jackson’s live performance was often about the spectacle, the dancing and entertainment as much as it was about the music – you’ve obviously got the vocal skills but do you ever lip-synch so you can focus purely on dancing?

MINT: Finally, are there any particular aspects of the show you want to draw attention to, or anything specific you’d like to mention for the article?

DANTANIO: I fight back the tears every night we do She’s Out of My Life.

Teamwork is key for us as a musical family. What we do on stage is truly from our hearts. It humbles me to star in such a world production. I hope the fans remember the magic and wonder of Michael Jackson with every performance we give!

DANTANIO: I do extensive physical practice to build my stamina and performance ability. I do my best to perform all my vocals live. I think it’s important not to cheat and to give yourself honestly to the audience.

MINT: In his heyday he was a global phenomenon – having travelled the world extensively, do you find any particular crowds or communities with a particularly strong affinity for Jackson’s (and thus your) work?

DANTANIO: Yes, I do. The attention to

others focus on the little details. It’s

MINT: American Kenny Wizz did the show for its first few years – how did you come to take over the role? Do you see yourself as having “big shoes to fill” or is it a different experience this time round?

always interesting to learn from the fans.

DANTANIO: I was auditioned and

detail is important to me and I double check everything. Some fans are really passionate about the big stuff while

See Dantanion in the flesh this July at the Frankston Arts Centre – more than just quality reminiscence of the days when Jackson ruled the roost, he’ll have you believing the legend lives on.

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MINT Magazine | May

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bayside & mornington peninsula

PARTY MACHINE OF WISDOM The Bennies recently wrapped up their Australian Wisdom Machine tour in Maroochydore on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Two weeks and 15,000 kilometers later, they were playing a festival in Berlin, Germany. It’s indicative of the work ethic of the Melbourne band, who’ve earnt a reputation for not only hard partying but heavy touring.

So far, 2016 has been a whirlwind for the guys. In January, Wisdom Machine’s first single Party Machine reached number 88 on triple j’s Hottest 100, some two months before physical copies of the album were even available. They toured the country to sold-out shows wherever they went, including Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. While they have always built their name around their live show, with Wisdom Machine, people were now talking loudly about their music.

They graced the covers of magazines, scored “album of the week” accolades and infiltrated the charts, with the album debuting at number 40 on the ARIA Album charts and number 10 on the Australian chart.

They drew the attention of Less Than Jake drummer and owner of Florida-based label Paper & Plastic, Vinnie Fiorello, who released their album in the U.K. and U.S.A., and were even invited to play at Belgium’s Groezrock festival, alongside their heroes Rancid.

Spending April and May on their fourth continent in as many years, The Bennies will return home from their European and U.K. tour to continue the second phase of their Wisdom Machine tour.

Constantly outdoing themselves with everything they release, this will be their biggest and most expansive tour to date, with 27 shows across each state, regional shows and new destinations they haven’t previously visited, including Townsville, Albany, Karratha, Werribee and, by popular demand, Nimbin.

Proudly presented by triple j, catch The Bennies pack out dance floors this June and July, supported by Poison City label mates Clowns – also fresh from European tour dates. Along for the wild ride will be Perth power-pop outfit Axe Girl, featuring Ness from Jebediah. music | arts | events | entertainment

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PONYFACE PAY HOMAGE TO THE BOSS

By Lachlan Bryan

It seems that Australians hold a special place in their hearts for Bruce Springsteen.

Perhaps it’s his working-class values that permeate his songs, his apparent love for the underdog or the fact he gives us our money’s worth with epic three-hour live shows. Then again, maybe we’re just impressed a man of his age can keep himself in such excellent physical shape. Whatever the attraction, “The Boss” can do no wrong in our eyes.

It’s a curious fact that, despite a career based around epic rock songs and a huge live band, one of Spingsteen’s most acclaimed records was made on a four-track tape machine in his kitchen and contained little more than a gruff voice, an acoustic guitar and the occasional harmonica interlude. Nebraska, with it’s startlingly sparse narratives about Americans struggling to find meaning in the suburbs of East Coast cities and small towns in the Midwest, is undoubtedly a fine piece of work.

Ponyface, a Melbourne collective with an all-star lineup including local legends Shane O’Mara and Matt Walker, are presenting their unique take on Nebraska in full at the Caravan Music Club on Friday, 20th May. It’s a fitting tribute to The Boss to see some our most respected original artists tackle this very special selection from his catalogue. Tickets are available now at www. caravanmusic.com.au.

PORCUPINE FREE Visionary musician, Steven Wilson, who has changed the direction of rock music is set to tour Australia and New Zealand in October 2016.

In 2013 Steven Wilson toured Australia with one of the most elaborate productions ever witnessed in rock venues. Those lucky music fans who attended the shows were immersed in a sensory audio-visual experience, simultaneously overwhelming and uplifting.

This October, Steven brings Hand. Cannot.

Erase. to antipodean audiences, with a show that’ll both exhilarate and take your breath away.

The former Porcupine Tree leader has built a reputation as a musician’s musician, with a track record venerated by fans and peers

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MINT Magazine | May

2016

alike. As well as four solo studio albums and more than 20 Porcupine Tree albums, Steven has collaborated with the who’s who of forward thinking musicians, including Opeth, Robert Fripp, Yoko Ono, Anathema, Ian Anderson, Steve Hackett, Marillion, OSI and Dream Theater.

Steven is also responsible for acclaimed new mixes for artists as diverse as Emerson Lake & Palmer, XTC, King Crimson, Hawkwind, Caravan, Jethro Tull, Yes, and Tears For Fears.

But for all these achievements, it’s in the live arena that Steven’s music truly comes to life.

With a band of gifted and inspiring musicians behind him, an immersive visual experience filling the stage and full quadraphonic surround sound saturating the room with sound and effects, this truly is a show not to

be missed.

Steven Wilson will leave you spellbound with a performance you’ll remember forever.

“Wilson is a star in a fiercely partisan, niche genre” Rolling Stone Magazine ‘What transpired over the next two and a half hours was a stunning musical exhibition that displayed all of Wilson’s talents, and then some.’ Guitar World ‘I collected my jaw from the ground and walked out slightly dazed. Steven Wilson does it again.’ Pure Grain Audio “Hand. Cannot. Erase. is easily the strongest of Wilson’s solo output in terms of cohesive narrative and dynamic song structure.”

PopMatters bayside & mornington peninsula

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LET’S GET IT ON! Award-winning musicians Andrew De Silva and Vika Bull are set to make a grand entrance at the Mornington Winter Jazz and Blues Festival this June in the international production of Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On. Andrew De Silva, who recently released his single I See The Future to rave reviews, says he is a perfect fit for the show. “Marvin Gaye has always been one of my idols, and I’m extremely excited to have been given this opportunity to portray this music icon on stage.”

Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On has just returned from a sell-out season in South Africa. The producers were very keen to cast local singing personalities for the show and found their stars in Andrew De Silva and Vika Bull.

Andrew shot to fame as a member of the ’90s boy group CDB and won the 2012 season of Australia’s Got Talent. He has since gone on to tour Australia and overseas.

Vika Bull has firmly established herself as one of Australia’s most powerful female voices, having supported legendary musicians such as Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Sting and Joe Cocker until 2012, when she was cast in the leading role of At Last: The Etta James Story. She’s since performed in every major theatre around Australia and received the continuous praise of every critic that has seen the show.

narrative concert that celebrates the life and music of the multi-talented musician, singer and songwriter acknowledged as The Prince of Motown – The Prince of Soul.

The show features some of Marvin’s most beloved songs, including I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, his stunning spiritual masterpiece What’s Going On, the Grammy Award-winning Sexual Healing and many more.

The show explores Marvin’s humble beginnings, his troubled relationship with his father, his search for meaning and the music that defined a generation. The voice that formed the soundtrack to countless liaisons in the ’60s and ’70s was tragically silenced thirty years ago.

The scale of that tragedy is reinforced in the retelling of his story. From the opening number – Stars and Stripes Marvin-style – to the finale, the show channels “the main man” in a tribute that is more music than just musical, more lyrics than script.

Andrew and Vika will be backed by some of Australia’s finest and funkiest musicians, The Funk City Band.

Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On will be at The Grand Hotel in Mornington on Sunday, 12th June. For tickets phone (03) 5975 2001 or go to www.grand.net.au.

Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On is a two-hour

WOODLOCK Woodlock is comprised of three members; Kiwi brothers Zech and Eze Walters on guitar and vocals and their mate Bowen Purcell, who provides the percussion.

Zech, Eze and Bowen formed a strong friendship after meeting whilst travelling overseas. From there, Woodlock was born.

They’ve worked hard to perfect the sounds they craft in the studio for a live setting.

Their efforts focus on strong, energetic and creative live shows to take their performance to the next level.

Now based in Melbourne, the boys have gained some great recognition and created a strong following after tirelessly busking on every corner of Melbourne’s central business district.

Woodlock released their second EP, titled music | arts | events | entertainment

Labour of Love in 2014, produced by Wayne Connolly (Josh Pyke, The Vines). Labour of Love made it to the top 100 ARIA charts, as well as charting on iTunes. They’ve sold around 29,000 EPs to date independently.

Woodlock released Sirens in September 2015, which gained them spots on the independent charts, top 50 iTunes charts and top 10 spots on the Spotify viral charts.

They wrapped up a huge tour selling out rooms all over the country and finished up last year at NYE on The Hill and Falls Festival.

Local fans will have their chance to see Woodlock live in the flesh when they head to The Grand Hotel in Mornington on Friday, 3rd June.

For tickets phone (03) 5975 2001 or go to www.grand.net.au.

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17

THE MAN IN BLACK

By Billy Dixon With a career spanning almost twenty years, half a million album sales, gold and platinum albums and eight Golden Guitar Awards, Adam Harvey is back in black, telling the story of Johnny Cash with country music belle Catherine Britt.

The Man In Black has been reloaded after two sell-out seasons at the Sydney Opera House and an 18-month Australia-wide tour. The acclaimed show, originally starring Tex Perkins narrating the life of Johnny Cash, won a Helpmann Award for Best Contemporary Australian Concert.

Starring in this year’s tour of The Man In Black, Adam Harvey is one of Australia’s most popular and enduring recording artists.

“My Dad brainwashed me with Johnny Cash records when I was a kid and I’ve loved his music for as long as I can remember... it’s a great privilege to tell the story. He had an incredible rollercoaster of a life and his music reflected that,” Adam explains.

He’ll be taking up the mantle of The Man In Black with Catherine Britt, revealing the tumultuous love story and singing the timeless classics of country music legends

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MINT Magazine | May

2016

Johnny Cash and June Carter.

During the mesmerising two-hour performance, Harvey’s full-bass voice booms out the lyrics to 20 of Cash’s best-known songs including Ring of Fire, I Walk the Line, Folsom Prison Blues, A Boy Named Sue, and Jackson, all with the boom-chica-boom rhythms of his band The Tennessee Three.

Following Tex’s efforts with the show, Adam and Catherine have really made it their own. Says Catherine, “I’ve never really done anything like it before... but it’s Johnny Cash’s story and music, and it doesn’t get much better than that. It’s so well written, it’s challenging and the songs are just so great.

It feels fresh every time we walk on stage!”

The duo have been friends for years, and have immense respect for each other’s musical abilities – a wonder to behold on stage, and the possibilities are almost endless. “We’re talking about doing some overseas stuff... I’m up for anything!” notes an excited Catherine.

They’re playing at the Frankston Arts Centre on Friday, 3rd June. Tickets available online @ www.thefac.com.au or call 9784 1060.

bayside & mornington peninsula

THE MAN IN BLACK THE J OHN N Y C AS H S T O RY

ADAM HARVEY & CATHERINE BRITT

STARRING

WITH THE TENNESSEE THREE

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THE EAGLES STORY

THE CLASSIEST TRIBUTE SHOW IN AUSTRALIA

By Billy Dixon John Wells has been on the road with Drawcard Entertainment for more than a decade, but one element stands out from the rest – The Eagles Story is, in John’s words, “the classiest tribute show in Australia.”

time for himself.

With the passing of Eagles legend Glenn Frey earlier this year, the gang are back on the road for one last time, taking the opportunity to say “thanks for all the music” and writing a fitting end to the story.

When the devastating bushfires struck Victoria on Black Saturday, they played 13 concerts in venues big and small, raising more than $200,000 toward replacing what was lost. They even talked the Hawthorn footy club into recreating valuable memorabilia lost in a Narre Warren wildfire, and are always looking to help out kids that struggling with a variety of serious health issues.

Unfortunately for the fans, this will also be John Wells’ final show with the group. Having battled cancer for six long years, he’s decided it’s time to hang up the guitar and focus on his health. Together, they’ve raised many thousands of dollars for all manner of charities and causes – nobody will begrudge him this

Operating as a six-piece outfit, The Eagles Story is a genuine rendition of the band’s journey til now. With dozens of instruments including the signature twelve-string, they travel with four crew just to ensure it all arrives. It’s not solely about the music, either – more than an entertainment experience, they

interweave the Eagles’ complex and colourful tales with some of rock’s greatest music.

The show has two distinct halves as a result – starting with great harmonies and primarily acoustic sounds, it gradually descends into the heavier, Joe Walsh-inspired guitar work.

Whatever your taste in music, if you appreciate the sheer skill and quality tunes so often associated with the Eagles, you’ll be a fan in no time.

For their closing shows, they will be donating to the RSPCA dog shelter over the next 6 months – another inspiration courtesy of Drawcard Entertainment, the driving force behind their giving.

A great cause, good people, rock music’s greatest hits and it’s all for the last time – this is not a show you’ll want to miss.

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MINT Magazine | May

2016

bayside & mornington peninsula

THE ROCKSTAR BAR The RockStar Bar is Melbourne’s new home of Rock ‘n’ Roll!

Not just for the locals of the Mornington Peninsula, it will be a major tourist destination for all Melbournians, Australians and the international community.

Situated in the heart of the vibrant waterfront of Frankston – which has long been a centre for the arts – The RockStar Bar’s retro feel will take you back to the classic days of The Rainbow, The Whisky AuGo-Go and Studio 54, all the while merging with modern sound, lighting and production techniques.

The ambience promises to create a space for lovers of rock music to call their own.

The RockStar Bar is a place you’ll want to be seen at – the team have globe-trotted the world and seen the best of the best.

Now they’ve brought it home for everyone to enjoy!

With more than 30 years in the music industry as musicians, promoters, technicians and punters between them, The RockStar Bar’s proprietors began to develop an idea... the seed was planted and the decision was made to bring a venue of such quality to Melbourne.

With a well-stocked bar and wall-to-wall music memorabilia, this is a true fest for the music buff and rock historians out there.

Their team of dedicated staff want you to feel genuinely comfortable upon entry, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the vibe – there’s plenty of parking, easy access and it’s close to public transport, with an ethos focused firmly on bringing the best of national and local acts to Melbourne’s often-neglected South East and Mornington Peninsula region.

so you not only have a great musical tribute, but a fully-fledged show that will leave you feeling as if you have just witnessed AC/DC themselves in the ’70s! Lead vocalist, B.J. Vernal sounds so much like Bon Scott on early AC/DC records you’d be forgiven for thinking “he’s possessed by the great man’s spirit”, as many fans have put it.

make-up and costumed show! Focusing on classic early Crue with music from Too Fast For Love, Shout At The Devil and a few hits from later albums, tickets will be available at the door and www.moshtix.com.au, 1300 GET-TIX, on moshtix.mobi and all moshtix outlets.

Opening the night will be the Melbourne debut of Shout At The Devil - The Motley Crue tribute we’ve been waiting for, with a full

The first 5 people to text ROCKSTAR to 0414 352 225 will win free entry for two, plus a free drink to boot!

Whilst initially concentrating on a diverse musical roster, The Rockstar Bar will eventually expand to incorporate all elements of the arts, from music workshops and clinics to film nights and art shows. It’ll soon grow to implant itself as an Iconic part of the musical landscape of the Mornington Peninsula and the nation.

Headlining their opening event is the AC/DC tribute band, Thunderstruck.

When it comes to tribute bands, you can’t go past this show. Thunderstruck is not only one of the best tribute shows going around, they are regarded as the best AC/DC tribute in Australia.

Thunderstruck gives you the full spectacle,

mintmagazine.com.au

SUAVE AS FOLK

By Lachlan Bryan

We may not be able to print the full name of Don Walker’s current band in MINT, but we can highly recommend heading down to see them at The Caravan on Saturday, 4th June.

Primarily known as the songwriting genius behind Aussie rock icons Cold Chisel, Don Walker has carved a niche for himself as a potent and witty wordsmith and idiosyncratic singer and piano player. Outside of Chisel, he’s composed songs for a plethora of Australian artists including country music legend Slim Dusty, for whom he penned the hit songs Charleville and Looking Forward, Looking Back, as well as Get Along (which appears on Dusty’s 104th album and

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MINT Magazine | May

2016

is reputed to be the final song he ever recorded).

As a solo artist, Walker has had limited commercial success but met with considerable acclaim. The songs are not always immediately accessible and rarely if ever fashionable, but their dark humour rarely fails to enduce a wry smile from those who listen closely. Whether with his own band or Tex, Don and Charlie (with Tex Perkins and Charlie Owen), Walker’s live performances over the past fifteen years have a reputation for spontaneity and great musicicianship. His upcoming Melbourne date with the unprintable band name will surely be no exception. bayside & mornington peninsula

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PLUS ENJOY MORNINGTON AS IT COMES ALIVE WITH FREE LIVE MUSIC at venues across Mornington POP UP KIDS ZONES all weekend MUSIC AFTER DARK Mornington Bowling Club JAZZ AT THE STATION Mornington Historical Railway COUNTRY & WESTERN EXHIBITION Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery QUEENS BIRTHDAY RACE MEET Mornington Racecourse

TICKETING AND FULL PROGRAM OF EVENTS

THE PEARLY SHELLS PLAY RAY

By Lachlan Bryan On Friday, 20th May, Steve Purcell’s Pearly Shells Big Band take on Ray Charles at St Kilda’s Memo Music Hall (located at The St Kilda RSL). Performing the music of Ray, one of the twentieth century’s greatest and most influential artists, is an intimidating task but one that, in the hands of Purcell and co., should turn out to be a joyous spectacle.

The Pearly Shells are the very closest we Australians in 2016 will ever get to the great Hollywood big bands of the 1930s, complete with the signature shell-backed music stands (you’ve probably seen these before in the great dance numbers of old Hollywood films,

such as Singin’ in the Rain). For those of us, myself included, who missed Charles’ final tour to Australia in the early 2000s, this will probably also be the closest we get to the great man himself – well, unless you count Jamie Foxx’s excellent portrayal in the biopic Ray. Memo, an old hall but a relative newcomer on the live scene, is the perfect setting for this show – with plenty of room for dancers.

With Purcell as charismatic front-man and a slew of special guests, this is a show not to be missed – it may even be the perfect Mothers’ Day present!

SONGS FROM THE WEST COAST

By Lachlan Bryan

Perth’s Davey Craddock follows in the great tradition of Australian songwriters for whom tiny details form the nucleus of powerful songs. Don’t know what I’m talking about?

Think of Paul Kelly’s How to Make Gravy, Cold Chisel’s Khe Sanh or pretty much anything from Tim Rogers’ or Perry Keys’ catalogue.

Clean cut, articulate and friendly, Craddock subverts the notion of the brooding songwriter, yet manages to compose truly affecting tunes that capture the experience of being a twenty, thirty or even fortysomething in a modern Australian city.

City West, Craddock’s debut album, follows music | arts | events | entertainment

a couple of well-received EPs and sees Craddock’s acoustic guitar-based narratives fleshed out but never overpowered by an electric band. Particular highlights include Peaceful Bay, which tells the story of a lonely young girl dealing with isolation and pregnancy whilst working at a coastal caravan park, and Number 9 – a clever, thought-provoking look at adulthood through the eyes of a spectator watching the last few overs of a local cricket match.

A regular visitor to Melbourne, Craddock’s next local performance is at The Melbourne Folk Club – recently relocated to Bakehouse Studios in Richmond – on Sunday, 15th May with James Kenyon.

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DOUG PARKINSON BRINGS HIS JOE COCKER TRIBUTE TO TOWN They lived on opposite sides of the world, but gravel-voiced Englishman Joe Cocker and equally-gritty Australian vocalist Doug Parkinson had many things in common.

Both were born in steel towns â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cocker in Sheffield and Parkinson in Newcastle; both had hits with The Beatles songs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cockerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s With A Little Help From My Friends and Parkinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dear Prudence.

Both were born with unmistakable voices, and both lived rockstar lifestyles tainted by drug and alcohol abuse that jeopardized their health and often got them into trouble with authority.

So it made sense that, a year after the Englishmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death, Doug Parkinson honours the achievements of Cocker, backed by some of the finest Rhythmâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Blues musicians in the land.

A handful of live sellout shows and a standing ovation at concerts are proof that this tribute is something very special.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a completely different singer to Joe Cocker,â&#x20AC;? Parkinson says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our styles are poles apart, yet the common perception is that we are very similar. The punters want to hear the songs again, sung by a voice that reminds them of the original.â&#x20AC;?

Parkinson said he hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t attempted to copy Cockerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s twitchy visual antics, leaving that to his imitators. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s completely about the music â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I like to think that somehow Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m helping to preserve his memory and the respect that is his due,â&#x20AC;? he adds.

Adding another element to the mix, the opening half of the show features Parkinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own impressive hits and favourites. Audiences clearly believe the â&#x20AC;&#x153;two sides of the same coinâ&#x20AC;? format is a winner.

Doug Parkinson is bringing his Joe Cocker tribute show to the Frankston Arts Centre on Saturday, 18th June. Tickets available from (03) 9784 1060 or at www.thefac.com.au.

DOUG PARKINSON AUSTRALIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GREATEST SOUL VOICE & HIS EIGHT PIECE BAND

HONOURS

JOE COCKER

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A ROLLED GOLD SUPERSTARâ&#x20AC;?

THE AUSTRALIAN

SAT 18 JUNE â&#x20AC;˘ FRANKSTON ARTS CENTRE )662 56> (; ;/,-(* *64 (< 69 7/65, music | arts | events | entertainment

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BLUES ILLUSTRATED

By Greg Fisher

JIMI HOCKING In a career that spans more than 30 years, Jimi Hocking has written music for film and TV, recorded and played for a variety of artists and continues to write, record and perform with tireless enthusiasm. Whether it be a small lounge or festival, he is in his element live on stage – his combination of banter and story-telling makes him one of the most entertaining acts around. With a catalogue of some 15 albums ranging from electric blues and rock to solo acoustic and blues mandolin, Jimi’s musical CV is crammed with awards; MBAS 2003 Male Blues Artist of the Year, MBAS 2004 Blues Performer of the Year and winner of the International Blues challenge in Memphis in 2005 to name just a few. Jimi Hocking performs regularly on the Peninsula (solo and full band) so don’t miss a chance to catch one of his shows. For more information please check http://www. jimihocking.com/

KEVIN BUCKINGHAM BLUES BAND After a short hiatus Kevin Buckingham is back with a new line-up of seasoned musicians. Founded in August 2015, the Kevin Buckingham Blues band consists of Kevin Buckingham on guitar and vocals, Winston Galea on drums and vocals, David Brimacombe on guitar and vocals and Peter Neagoe on bass guitar. Playing mainly Blues and Rock, many songs are originals along with the band’s own take on some well-

known classics. This band has drawn huge attraction since launching last year and their connection and energy is obvious. This is one band not to be missed. Check https:// www.facebook.com/The-Kevin-BuckinghamBand-167960322894379 for more event details.

CECIL B. FARDOULLI & THE BIG BOO Formed in Melbourne Australia, Cecil B. Fardoulli & The Big Boo are Phill Raymond and Billy Kavanagh. Both seasoned professional musicians with many years of experience between them, they have teamed up together as an acoustic blues duo and recently recorded a 6-track EP called A Foot A’tappin’ Boogie. Phill Raymond is the lead singer and guitarist of Blues Rock band Pacific Blues Union and was a recent solo contestant in the 2015 Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society (MBAS) International Blues Challenge (IBC). Billy Kavanagh is the lead singer and guitarist of Blues band Billy Kavanagh’s Blues Affliction and is a past winner of the MBAS-IBC, which earned him a place in Memphis in 1997. For more information and some sample tracks from the album, visit cecilbandthebigboo.com/

YOUTH IN BLUES 2016 The 2016 season of the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society (MBAS) Youth in Blues program kicked off on Saturday, 30th April at the new MBAS, Flemington Bowls Club venue.

Wayne Jury is once again facilitating this program and mentors include Jimi Hocking, Felicia Bassgal, Kelly Auty and Michael Pollitt. Participants gain valuable knowledge from the program and make firm friends to jam and gig with. Further information can be obtained from MBAS President John Jerman on 0425 776 613 and the enrolment form can be found on the MBAS website at www.mbas.org.au.

GREENHATCH PLAYS THE BLUES Luke Dylan Greenhatch (ex Stibbo and Greenhatch) has embarked on a solo career and is attracting a loyal following around town. Get along to one of his shows for some great laid-back acoustic blues. Rumour has it a new recording is in the wings.

Please check https://www.facebook.com/ StibboandGreenhatch/ for more details.

JUMP DEVILS If you are looking for something just a little different check out the Jump Devils. The Jump Devils’ sound harks back to the days of the 1940s, before the arrival of rhythm and blues and rock’n’roll. The Jump Devils are a four piece unit with Alf Mott on drums, John Walton on bass, Mark Harpo Greenway on guitar and Chris Stibbo Hanger on vocals and harp. The Jump Devils are getting down to the Peninsula quite regularly these days so please check their Facebook page for event details https://www.facebook.com/TheJump-Devils-844587772288772/

Greg writes monthly for MINT and broadcasts on Southern FM – if you know of something special happening in the Blues world please drop him a line at: bluesillustrated@ gmail.com or https://www.facebook.com/ GregFisherBluesIllustrated

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MINT Magazine | May

2016

bayside & mornington peninsula

HIP TO BE COUNTRY

By Lachlan Bryan

at a local pub at 4 in the afternoon is considered “a bit cool.”

Country music – and particularly the altcountry Americana style of it – has had a huge resurgence in recent years. I’d like to think I was on the bandwagon fairly early, but I have to admit that nowadays it seems that every man, woman and his or her dog is either playing, or at least listening to, country music of some sort or another.

Which leads me to the question that must be asked of anything that has been infashion for a while… is the country music resurgence over?

Of course, this question is more applicable to alt-country Americana than it is to mainstream country music – mainstream country isn’t really “in vogue” any moreso than it usually is. It’s been a fairly steady market for a long time now, even if overall sales are down, as they are in all corners of the music industry. But the alt-country Americana stuff has undoubtedly emerged over the past decade and a bit – mainly thanks to the cross-over popularity of people like Ryan Adams, Gillian Welch and more recently, Jason Isbell. In recent years

The trouble is, once everybody starts making a particular type of music, it all starts to sound the same. Think about all the pop-punk bands that followed the lead of Green Day, or the droning one-man Sunday session roots guys that took their lead from John Butler, Jack Johnson and Ben Harper. Even typing about those guys makes me start to yawn, and I fear that the same thing is happening all over again with a country twist.

it’s become acceptable for indie artists to embrace a bit of twang not just as they get a bit older, but right when they enter the world of barroom gigs in their teens or early twenties. Of course, for thirty and fortysomethings this has been a huge blessing – finally, a type of music that can be enjoyed

So what’s the solution? How do we continue to enjoy and perform this style of music, without just becoming yesterday’s news?

Well, as always, I think we need to look at what’s happening in other parts of the world, particularly America – they invented this stuff, after all. Over in the U.S., it seems to me that the guys and girls at the top of the tree are doing something that we Aussies often forget to do – they’re being entertaining! Alt-country and Americana are considered failry subtle,

CLASSIC CUTS

Australia’s heavy blues rockers Band of light were a Sydney band formed back in 1972 by vocalist and guitarist Phil Key with bass player Peter Roberts – both previously with the La Da Da’s.

There’s lashings of guitar solos, whilst lyrically the song attacks the politicians who legislate greedy policies that lead to the starvation of children around the world.

Spaces Of Time is another very memorable riff-based blues rocker with strong vocals and the usual dose of slide guitar and some wah thrown in for good measure. It sounds like a hybrid of Buffalo and Blackfeather, both musically and vocally.

Their sound was solid, heavy blues-rock based around the driving riffs and dual slide guitars of Key and Roue. The lyrics were generally centred around social and spiritual issues.

The band toured mainly between Sydney and Melbourne along with the likes of the Coloured Balls, Buffalo, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs and Chain.

In early 1973, they signed with WEA records and soon released their first single The Destiny Song, which became a chart hit for the band in July of that year. They followed up with their debut album Total Union, which also managed to hit the charts, peaking at #13 nationally.

The single didn’t appear on the original album, however it was included as one of the bonus tracks on the Aztec Records CD reissue music | arts | events | entertainment

in 2006.

What the lyrics are about is anyone’s guess.

There are a lot of references to space and the cosmic universe, so it’s possibly a cryptic expression of the desire for astral travel or something... nevertheless, the music is contagious and persistent.

All of the original album’s six tracks were written by Key and his wife Pam, under the pseudonym of “Wheel.”

If is the rockiest track on the album and is pure 12-bar blues, with just the right amount of “come to be expected” guitar soloing and slide guitar.

The album opens with an infectious wah-wah guitar riff which is soon accompanied by some tasty slide over a slow-but-funky blues beat. The lyrics pertain to the reluctance of leaving my first home.

Vocally, it sounds a lot like early Rod Stewart and the Faces. In fact, the track itself would not be out of place on the Faces’ A Nod’s As Good As A Wink album.

Free From Hunger is a rock driven blues song

So that’s my take on it folks – we have to think big and be great if we’re to let altcountry grow to its full potential. Let’s not settle for mediocrity!

Lachlan Bryan is primarily a singersongwriter. His third album, Black Coffee, is out now. He also moonlights as a gifted observer and music journalist, writing monthly for MINT Magazine on all things folk/country/bluegrass. If you’ve got a new release, upcoming show or you’d like to get in touch with Lachlan, drop him a line at lachlan@mintmagazine.com.au.

By Ray McGrotty

with a strong, relentless guitar riff.

They were soon joined by drummer Tony Buettel, slide guitar player Norm Roue and Ian Rilen, who replaced Roberts just a couple of weeks into the band’s formation.

understated sub-genres, but the best exponents are showmen and women.

We need look no further than Grammy Winners Chris Stapleton (pictured) and Sturgill Simpson, artists that have emerged from the alternative world and taken on the mainstream – complete with great musicianship, ambitious arrangements and stunning vocal performances. These are the ingredients of proper entertainment!

Earthbound Blues is a classic blues dirge.

It’s the slowest-burning, bluesiest track on

the album and comes with a powerhouse of screaming guitar work which cuts through like a razor.

By now, we’ve firmly established the style of the band and what to expect, and the album’s finisher doesn’t let you down.

Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse is possibly my favourite track on the album. The vocals are outstanding and very similar in tone to those of Paul Rodgers, of the band Free.

Once again, a very riff-laden, moderate-tempo blues rocker which has everything from the trademark dual slide guitars to a solid bass line and a locomotive drum beat that will have you foot tapping and grooving for a full 5 minutes and 34 seconds, and wanting more.

This has to be one of the best Aussie blues rock albums ever!

Full of punchy guitar riffs, crisp dual slide guitars laced with wah-wah and fuzz guitars, all topped off with some gutsy vocals.

The album was out of print for over 30 years, so I recommend you grab a copy of the reissue CD while you still can.

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31

EDITOR’S PLAYLIST

with Billy Dixon

M83

A.B. Original

Deep Street Soul

Birds of Tokyo

Do It, Try It

2 Black 2 Strong

Souls Come Alive

Anchor

Junk

(First feature-length album)

Come Alive!

Anchor EP

M83’s breakout hit Midnight City was one of the decade’s biggest tracks, hitting the airwaves heavily and being endlessly remixed and altered in clubs for years after its release.

Their Sophomore effort – not including their flawless work on the soundtrack for the somewhat-flawed Tom Cruise film Oblivion – Do It, Try It, isn’t such a clearly-cut electropop hit, but they lay a solid foundation that’ll likely have the same extended shelf life.

The lyrics are at once more basic and less adventurous, sticking to familiar club and dance themes, but the way they’re interspersed with a sparsely-populated soundscape simply works.

M83’s second gift from the album Junk will be the track Solitude - sparser still, and a very strong indicator of the way M83 want to be received on the international scene. Keep listening to these guys!

This song is a hilarious if somewhatconfronting tune about being aboriginal in Australia, perhaps summed up most ironically with the phrase “hit you with that Andrew Bolt of lightning.”

If you’re offended by coarse language, this would be a good track to stay away from. But this would come at the risk of missing a new patch on Australia’s cultural quilt – rapper Briggs and producer Trials have not only created a uniquely-Australian rap album in the vein of ’90s supergroup NWA, in doing so they’re taking on that underlying tone of racism we’re often accused of out here... and they certainly don’t pull any punches.

These are some of the hardest-hitting hiphop lyrics I’ve ever heard. Whether you like your tunes political or not, this is a track everyone should listen and respond to.

Do you know what contemporary funk and soul music sounds like?

The answer is this. From the distorted, amplified electric piano intro to Mighty May’s booming yet boundless vochal chords, you can see the genre hasn’t changed fundamentally over the decades, but has instead gained layer upon layer of polish.

It’s definitely still raw enough to feel, but the production values blend into this track so well that it’s hard to tell at times whether this took months of fine-tuning to complete or simply came out that way after a bumper jam.

Even if this isn’t your genre of choice, it’s worth putting a finger on the pulse of musicians not currently found in your playlist from time to time, and Deep Street Soul will not let you down for your willingness to branch out.

Moving away from their contomporary altrock roots, Birds of Tokyo have subscribed to the trend of supplementing their fivepiece instrument outfit with thick synths and electronic sounds.

Ian Kenny’s a far cry from his work with Karnivool here – fans of his previous effort might not be so pleased with the transition either. It’s significantly softer and lyrically more delicate, yet deeply satisfying when analysed in a vacuum.

Released last year, Anchor was the prelude to Playlist, Birds of Tokyo’s first compilation album. True to industry fashion, they’ve used it to slip a couple of previouslyunreleased tracks into the world. It peaked at number 4 on the charts. You don’t get multi-platinum certified if you’re not doing something right, so if you’re new to the group, Playlist is worth checking out.

MISSED THE MARK

The Louvin Brothers – Satan is Real

fuse, who used to smash his mandolin to pieces when it went out of tune, only to glue it back together once he’d sobered up.

Don’t get me wrong – this is a fantastic album and if you don’t already own a copy, you really ought to do something about it.

It contains tight, brotherly harmonies of a kind that everyone from the Everly Brothers to Simon and Garfunkel would spend their careers trying to emulate. The musicianship is also top notch. Sprightly snare, dancing piano and a hummingbird mandolin make this the blueprint for hundreds of country artists. So why does this splendid record belong in Missed the Mark? In two simple words: the cover.

Without doubt, the cover of Satan is Real is one of the most confronting in the history of modern music. The concept came from the brothers themselves and it’s a photo that could only ever appeal to the committed or the curious, but absolutely nobody else.

The brothers stood in their white suits in a quarry, in front of a twelve-foot devil made of plywood, whilst the eternal embers of hell were simulated with kerosene-soaked tyres.

The rest, as they say, is slightly-charred history.

Ira and Charlie Loudermilk performed under

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2016

By Stuart McCullough

What also makes this record something of an acquired taste is the subject matter. Lots of people are familiar with gospel music of some variety or other. Much like traditional hymns, they’re mostly tunes sung to the glory of God. This album is different. It is, in effect, an attempt to restore the balance.

the name The Louvin Brothers and they liked to intersperse more traditional country fare with gospel albums. To describe them as “God fearing” does not do them justice.

More likely terrified. And Ira Louvin lived like a man with the devil forever at his heels. He may have sung songs such as The Christian Life (later covered by the Byrds on Sweetheart of the Rode) and The Kneeling Drunkard’s Plea, but in truth he was a chronic alcoholic with a supremely short

Likely figuring that salvation and everlasting happiness were hogging all the attention, the Louvins wanted to set the record (quite literally) straight with a timely reminder that Satan and eternal damnation were also real. The results are terrifying.

There are songs about the intemperate use of alcohol (including The Drunkard’s Doom) and dying (including the evercheery Dying From Home, and Lost). But there’s some lightness too, including the wonderful There’s a Higher Power. It’s a beautiful, strange shot across the bow from proselytising brothers who warned against sin whilst one of them was wading through it up to his earlobes. In that sense, it’s a product not just of its era but of the

kind of people who made it. The Louvins were the rural South of America midcentury version of the Gallagher brothers, I suppose. Except, unlike Liam and Noel, they were mavericks. That’s what made them dangerous.

Satan is Real was released in 1959. The Louvin Brothers continued to work as a duo until 1963, when it all got too much for Charlie, who decided to quit.

Charlie released solo albums. Ira got shot six times by his third wife, who lamented that a lack of bullets prevented her from getting the job done. In the end, Ira and wife number four died in 1965 in a car accident. Killed, somewhat ironically, by a drunk driver. Charlie passed away in 2011, at the ripe old age of 83.

The cover and the subject matter might seem a little off-putting, but it’s worth the effort. On this record, you’ll find some of the most sublime singing ever committed to vinyl. It’s hard to imagine anyone releasing a mainstream record like this today, and that’s exactly what makes Satan is Real so remarkable. bayside & mornington peninsula

YOUTUBE GEMS Crazy covers, asinine antics and other weird and not-sowonderful rarities from the web’s deepest & darkest corners BINGO!

The Angry Birds Movie (12 May) Join Red, Chuck, and Bomb, along with the rest of Bird Island on an adventure to discover what made them such Angry Birds.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Kate McKinnon, Peter Dinklage, Bill Hader, Danny McBride

X-Men: Apocalypse (19 May) One of the most powerful super villains emerges and threatens to destroy the planet. It’s up to the X-men and some old foes to stop him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Sophie Turner, Michael Fassbender

The Free State of Jones (12 May) As civil war divides the nation, a poor farmer from Mississippi leads a group of rebels against the Confederate army.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Matthew McConaughey, Keri Russell, Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Alice Through the Looking Glass (26 May) Alice returns to the whimsical world of Wonderland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Andrew Scott

Criminal (19 May) The memories and skills of a deceased CIA agent are implanted into an unpredictable and dangerous convict in the hope he will complete the mission.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, Alice Eve

The Nice Guys (26 May) A private eye investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.

Keanu (19 May) Friends hatch a plot to retrieve a stolen cat by posing as drug dealers for a street gang.

Bastille Day (2 Jun) A young artist and former CIA agent embark on an anti-terrorist mission in France.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Will Forte, Keegan-Michael Key, Nia Long

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Idris Elba, Richard Madden, Kelly Reilly

The Meddler (19 May) An aging widow from New York City follows her daughter to Los Angeles in hopes of starting a new life after her husband passes away.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Rose Byrne, Susan Sarandon

Money Monster (2 Jun) Lee Gates is a TV personality whose insider tips have made him the money guru of Wall Street.

music | arts | events | entertainment

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Ryan Gosling, Matt Bomer, Russell Crowe

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Dominic West

Originally produced to showcase new digital animation software in the early ’90s, it’s one of the creepiest things I’ve seen on the web to date. Especially if you have a phobia of clowns.

DEBT COLLECTORS OF DEATH A response to a letter from debt collectors, apparently from beyond the grave! That’s one brave “ghost,” responding through our reality.

ROCK ME DIABEETUS A mashup of Wilford Brimley’s smooth-talking infomercials about the hazards of contracting diabetes (or is that diabeetus?) and the soundtrack from Planet of the Apes.

NOBLE GASES The internet is clearly an incredible educational tool. This video is just one example of the ways YouTube is changing the world. Will teachers soon be rendered obsolete..?

EVERYBODY DANCE NOW Recalling a classic ’90s disco tune, this kid busts a serious move. Look out for him on this season of America’s Got Talent!

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AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP

By Melissa Walsh

Erin and Alyssa were never friends at school.

It wasn’t that they hated each other – they just hung out in different groups. Alyssa was a bit of a loner and Erin was more out there, despite having a policeman for a father. Cut to September 2014 and this unlikely duo create quite the stir in the male-dominated tattoo industry, with the opening of Hen’s Teeth Tattoo Company.

“It’s funny how life takes you in different directions,” said the 28-year-old tattoo company owners. “We both went to high school in Rosebud and now years later run a shop together down the road in Dromana.”

The wonderful thing about Hens Teeth Tattoo is its surprisingly feminine nature. Walking into the waiting room at the front is like walking into a beauty spa with wonderful mirrors, bright pictures, black and white photos and a very cool wallpaper mural. The girls are welcoming, too. Both individuals, but sharing this incredible passion for tattoo art.

“I got my first tattoo at 18,” explains Erin.

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MINT Magazine | May

2016

“Much to my father’s horror, who has been a police officer for 40 years. The tattoo was a dragon fly on my wrist. I always knew I wanted to be tattooed but Dad didn’t talk to me for a while.”

A self-confessed needle and blood test hater, Erin admits the first one did hurt, but she loved the results so much she just kept going back for more.

“I am a bit of a sissy and still have to psych myself up to have it done, but I just love the result and the pain is only fleeting. Once it’s done it’s done and it just feels like sunburn.”

These days, Erin has her own style of glam – a stunning Hollywood makeup with a rockabilly edge and of course, lots of brightlycoloured tattoos.

Somewhat more sedate, Alyssa shines with her own style, her tattoos darker and her look more mainstream.

“I was a total nerd at school and didn’t have any tattoos or knowledge of the industry for

a while. I had just dropped out of a science degree and came down to see my mum here.

We were at the café next door to where Erin was working and I saw the sign they had a job advertised so I went in and got it,” says Alyssa, who found her passion for tattoo art and creativity from that serendipitous meeting.

While the two girls worked together and loved expanding their skills, it was only a matter of time before the idea of a joint business came up.

“The tattoo industry has always been maledominated, but times are changing. We wanted to do things our way and create a place where women and men could come and feel comfortable to have their tattoos done. We found a shop in Dromana and it was perfect. It all came together very quickly,” says Erin.

Now, the girls are flat out with clients of all ages and backgrounds coming for their individualised work.

“We do everything from the smallest tattoo like a love heart on the finger to full body work. I guess the ratio is about 60-40 women to men,” said Alyssa, explaining that she’d recently tattooed a woman who was 72 and wanted a commemoration of her son.

For Erin, her dad is now cool with her tattoos and has even had a couple of small ones himself.

“Dad even helped us with the practical side of getting the business ready,” said Erin, of the studio which has private rooms, a welcoming waiting area, is extraordinarily clean and a great place to relax.

“We are on a mission to create a place that is comfortable and welcoming to everyone. So come on down, say hello and we look forward to putting some beautiful work on your skin,” the girls explain.

Hen’s Teeth Tattoo Company is at 7/143 Point Nepean Road, Dromana. Phone 5981 4649 or visit www.hensteethtattooco.com. bayside & mornington peninsula

GET YOUR FREE 7 DAY PASS! PLUS! NO JOINING FEE IN MAY! visit www.optimafitness.com.au to find out more

More than just a gym • Mixed Gym • Ladies Only Gym • Open 24 Hours • Creche & Occasional Care • Group Exercise • Yoga & Pilates • Small Group Training • Over 50 group fitness classes a week • A wide range of membership options

Wellness zone • Dietitian • Exercise Physiologist • Dietary Advice • Personal Training • 8 Week Special Fitness Program Reception hours are 8:30am-1pm and 4pm-7pm 36 Milgate Drive, Mornington (off Mornington-Tyabb Road)

info@optimafitness.com.au 03 5976 4000

Wedding Expo

Sunday 19th June, 2016 11am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2pm Mornington Racecourse Racecourse Rd, Mornington, Vic, 3931 FREE ENTRY | FREE SHOWBAGS \ MAGAZINE GIVEAWAYS | FASHION PARADE

Register your attendance at

http://www.peninsulaweddings.com.au/upcoming-events/

Audi Mornington Photo Courtesy Sarah Coyle Photography

Sarah Coyle Photography

HERE COMES THE BRIDE Mornington Peninsula Weddings Expo – Sunday, 19th June

The Mornington Peninsula remains a community of warm and friendly people, where the stresses of city life can be left behind. As one bride said, ”organising your wedding on the Mornington Peninsula from interstate really means you invest a lot of faith in someone to do their job and everyone we dealt with from Mornington Peninsula Weddings Inc. exceeded our expectations!

They were all professional, reliable and easygoing. Nothing was too much to ask.”

Mornington Peninsula Weddings Inc. is a notfor-profit organisation of local wedding and event suppliers who together promote the Mornington Peninsula as a premier wedding destination. The organisation’s members are a close team of professionals, all working together on achieving the same outcome: music | arts | events | entertainment

a dream wedding for each unique bride.

Their success comes from their members, all of whom have a wealth of knowledge about the wedding industry and are reliable, professional and passionate about Mornington Peninsula weddings.

The Mornington Peninsula is the ultimate wedding destination in Victoria. Whether you wish to say your vows on a stunning clifftop overlooking crystal clear waters, or prefer an intimate country estate, MPW members can assist. And the best part of it all? Access to the Mornington Peninsula from Melbourne is less than an hour’s drive.

From the highest-quality venues right down to the headpiece you wear in your hair (and everything in between of course), you’ll find

everything you need in the MPW directory – 100% local wedding suppliers.

So for you and your bridal party’s wedding attire, accommodation, hair and makeup, photographers, celebrants to suit every couples personality, catering, flowers, live music or dj… nothing is left to chance. They even have wedding planners, so you can just kick back and let it all be organised for you from the very beginning.

Thinking of getting married or already planning a wedding on the Mornington Peninsula? Then get ready for this year’s Annual Mornington Peninsula Weddings Expo on the magnificent Mornington Peninsula, Sunday, 19th June at the Mornington Racecourse from 11am–2pm. They’re

expecting this event to be even bigger and better than last year, so make sure you don’t miss out on your chance to attend!

Everything you need to make your special day truly magical – all in one place. All bridal couples, bridal parties and don’t forget mum of course… are welcome to attend.

To register your attendance for the 2016 Mornington Peninsula Wedding Expo, please go to http://www.peninsulaweddings.com. au/upcoming-events/ See you there!

Follow Mornington Peninsula Weddings on Facebook, Instagram and more recently Pinterest, for all your wedding inspiration.

Alternatively, visit their website at www. peninsulaweddings.com.au.

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NICK CHRYSTIE When you grow up surrounded by surfing and cricket, it’s hard to not get caught up in it, but Rye man Nick Chrystie always knew his interest was in a different direction. When his mates were out surfing on the weekends, Nick was loading up his race car on Friday nights in readiness to take off for the race meeting on Saturday.

Now in his fourth season, Nick’s career has taken off in leaps and bounds. The 22-yearold was looking good for the state titles, held over the Anzac Day long weekend.

“My family has always been involved in Speedway since I can remember, but my interest really took off seven years ago when my dad took me to watch my cousin Brody go racing in Junior Sedans,” said Nick. He soon found his passion for the sport taking him to race meets all over Victoria. “For me, if it wasn’t for Speedway racing right now, I would be struggling for other hobbies... I’m not that good at cricket, surfing or footy!”

Across Nick’s four-season racing career, he has built up to and had numerous podium finish results, including a sixth place finish behind his Uncle Mick in his first-ever state title.

“I had a rollover in another and a stewards’ penalty in the third, which sent me to the back of the field. However last season included a massive highlight by way of a win in the prestigious SuperAxe 1000, which pays $1000 to win against some thirty plus other drivers. The SuperAxe is considered by most drivers to be only second to actually being the state champion each season,” explains Nick, referring to the win that catapulted him into the rankings along with the best drivers in Victoria.

hard-charging drivers.

In motorsport, however, the tables can turn at any time and this season Nick and his crew have hit a few hurdles. Nonetheless, they’ve all but proven you can’t keep a good man down.

“We went to Wangaratta for the SuperAxe to defend our win last season. The final was a rigorous affair, after starting in second position, almost reaching the lead whilst having a great battle against Ben Randall and Cameron Dike. Steering problems pushed me back into the field for fifth. It was a great race, we had our chances and I can honestly say we’re feeling pretty confident that we are ready to go for the upcoming Victorian title.”

“This has been more of a season to forget, with the car being smashed beyond repair early in the season before blowing a differential at another and throwing the fan belts at a third,” he quips. Even so, Nick continued to persevere regardless and finished fifth in this year’s version of the SuperAxe 1000 behind two other young,

Luckily for Nick, support for the Peninsula driver has been second-to-none, with Brad Harris Turf recently getting behind Nick Chrystie Racing. “Racing costs money and I am very grateful for all the support I have received,” Nick states, whose sponsors include Brad Harris Turf, Russell Construction, BBG Temporary Fencing, G&J

Gillies, Home Hardware, Rattray and Walker, Rosebud Wreckers, Stirling Automotive, Coast Runner Gardencare, and Oberon Merrijig Farm Stay bed and breakfast.

With the Victorian Speedway state title at Hamilton Speedway held during the Anzac Day long weekend, Nick was comfortable that things were on the up following the Wangaratta race meeting result. “We ran well at Hamilton early this season and got a feel for the track, which I really like. I’m very much looking forward to going back for the title.”

There were a total of 55 cars entered for this state title. Each car did 5 heat races, with 10 to 12 cars per race. Nick’s heat race results were 6th, 5th, 1st, 4th and “did not finish.”

With these results, Nick qualified in 19th position.

The top 18 cars automatically qualified for the A-main final, which saw Nick start in pole position in the B-main final. He held his position against some hefty competition and won the race, setting the fastest lap time for the weekend in the B-main, at 19.125 seconds. The winning and second-placed cars from the B-main race started from 19th and 20th respectively in the A-main event.

The A-main race and state title are 30 laps.

Tragically for Nick, his car succumbed to damage susatined on the 28th lap, when he collided with a car that had spun out in front of him. Even still, he managed to make his way back to 6th position from 19th after the incident. He also posted the quickest lap time in the final, at 19.331 seconds.

A damn fine result for the local, whose future is no doubt a bright one.

Nick Chrystie’s sponsors:

Brad Harris Turf

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2016

bayside & mornington peninsula

TASTE OF SORRENTO Historical, seaside Sorrento is again hosting its mouth-watering food, wine and beer festival during the first weekend in June, and it’s set to be the best yet.

The program includes a variety of gastronomical delights including masterclasses, cooking demonstrations, tutored tastings, degustations, gourmet menus, foodies’ market and more, all in the heart of Sorrento village. Starting Thursday evening and continuing throughout the weekend, a variety of gourmet lunches, dinners and classes will take place in restaurants, cafes and even the demonstration kitchen in the “Taste” marquee hosted at the Claret & Co (previously Three Palms) courtyard at 154 Ocean Beach Road.

Taste of Sorrento is proud to play host to several highly-acclaimed chefs and food writers in this year’s event, who’ll present masterclasses not to be missed. Just a few of these include:

• Jacques Reymond (pictured) – Michelin star and three-hatted chef • Adrian Li – Saigon Sally • Adam D’Sylva – executive chef at Coda and Tonka in Melbourne • Paul Mercurio – chef, author and TV presenter • Bob Hart – food writer, broadcaster (3AW and the Herald Sun), chef, author (Heat And Smoke, 1 And 11 – Mastering the Dark Art of Real Barbeque) The highly popular foodies’ market and “Taste” day will be extended in 2016 to feature across 2 days! From 10am to 3pm on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th June, producers, provedores, wineries and brewers will put out their best gourmet supplies while a series of demonstrations are provided in the Marquee kitchen. With music and kids’ entertainment filling the street, it will be a great day for tasting, sipping, listening

and indulging in the best that Sorrento and the Mornington Peninsula have to offer.

With many more interesting boutique activities all set in a spectacular, historic seaside village only 90 minutes south of Melbourne, or a relaxing 40 minutes by ferry across the bay from the Queenscliff, Taste of Sorrento is a great way to treat the senses and embrace all that winter has to offer.

A full event program is available at www. tasteofsorrento.com.au, or you can download the Sorrento – Live the Life app from the App Store or Google Play to make direct bookings and find event locations.

Brought to you by the SorrentoPortsea Chamber of Commerce and proudly supported by Searoad Ferries, with thanks to sponsors Mornington Peninsula Shire, Tourism Victoria, Bayside Automotive Group and the Mornington Peninsula News Group.

ExPERiment with our new

Enjoy a complimentary regular chips with burger, wrap or pita purchase.

Nando’s Mornington Mornington Village S/C, 241 Main St Ph: 03 5975 4959 T&C’s: This ‘voucher’ must be handed over with full burger, wrap or pita purchase to redeem offer. One offer per chicken lover per day. One free item per transaction. Complimentary regular chips does not include extras and cannot be changed for any other item. Offer valid at restaurant stated only. Not valid with any other offer. PERi-Perks points will not be awarded for entire transaction purchases in association with any offer or discount. Please enjoy PERi-PERi responsibly. 9DOLG XQWLO music | arts | events | entertainment

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MORNINGTON PENINSULA BREWERY TAPS INTO GOOD BEER WEEK Mornington Peninsula Brewery continues to move from strength to strength. With a range of core beers and an ever-growing list of their famous Specialty beers, it’s no wonder MPB is consistently ranked with the top breweries in Australia.

As part of Good Beer Week 2016, MPB is excited about the events in which it is involved. As well as the continued favourite Great Australasian Beer Spectapular (GABS), MPB has partnered with some excellent venues.

Belleville in the Melbourne’s CBD is hosting a dinner with drinks hailing from two of Victoria’s finest gourmet regions; Four Pillars Distillery of the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula Brewery. The menu is looking fantastic, but be quick – only a few tickets remain.

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MINT Magazine | May

2016

Forgotten Words Arcade Bar in Collingwood brings back the ever-popular lock-in sessions.

All the arcade games, beers and burgers you could ever hope for, with a tap takeover from a different brewery each night.

sausage, being complemented by Mornington beers on tap.

The Post, based in St Kilda, is hosting the Best of the Wurst; a celebration of the pan-European sensation that is the humble

During the week the Brewery Bar in Mornington is also firing, with a variety of beers including their famous Imperial range. bayside & mornington peninsula

W W W. G O O D B E E R W E E K . C O M . A U

RED HILL BREWERY

RIDE WITH THE BREWERS

OPEN

FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY Light lunches on Fridays. BBQ on weekends.

On the final Sunday of Good Beer Week, Red Hill Brewery hosts a guided mountain bike ride around the trails of Red Hill with the Red Hill Riders mountain bike club. The event is followed by a social session of beer, barbecue and tales of extreme achievement.

Kicking off at 9am with coffee and a chat, riders are grouped into riding ability to head off on a three-to-four-hour ride around the hidden trails of Red Hill. Even non-riders are welcome for the day.

• Advanced “all mountain/gravity” ride, 15km+, high fitness & MTB skills needed • Intermediate “XC” 10km+ single track/ off road. Medium fitness & some MTB skills needed

• Non Riders – bring your walking shoes and take a FREE walk or run along the track (4km) to coffee, shopping or one of the many great local wineries!

Recently, the trails of Red Hill have become accessible to mountain bike riders, thanks in no small part to the hard work of the Red Hill Riders mountain bike club. Ride the trails that have been planned and groomed by the club, and are now world class MTB terrain with ever-improving features.

Come and try some of the best downhill action in Australia, right on the doorstep of the brewery! After the ride it’s all social, with beer and food available to riders and nonriders alike at bar prices.

MEAD MAKING WITH MOONLIGHT AND THE BEES Join Moonlight Meadery from the U.S., John Winkels from Pure Peninsula Honey and Red Hill Brewery for a day showcasing the humble bee. The day will feature a live mead-making event and some unique insight into the world’s oldest fermented beverage, with Moonlight founder and mead advocate Michael Fairbrother. This event will also showcase Red Hill Brewery’s foray into the world of fermented honey, with Dave the head brewer making mead and exploring the world of honey beers.

Over 30 Moonlight Meads will be on display.

Local honey producer John Winkels from Pure Peninsula Honey will be showcasing Mornington Peninsula honey and will be on site to talk all things honey. music | arts | events | entertainment

The ticket price of $20 includes beer and mead tastings, a brewery tour, meet the brewer, meadmaker from Moonlight Meadery and Honey Farmer. Food and beer available at bar prices on the day.

Mead Making with Moonlight and the Bees Thur 19th May

Join Moonlight Meadery from the US in a unique mead making day and exploration day featuring Pure Peninsula Honey.

Ride With The Brewers Sun 22nd May

Join the Red Hill Riders MTB club to discover the hidden trails of Red Hill with the Red Hill brew crew.

9am meet followed by social lunch and beers.

Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend BBQ & BEER Fri 10th – Mon 13th June BBQ smoking up a storm, specialty dark beers to match.

11am-6pm, 88 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South. 5989 2959 www.redhillbrewery.com.au info@redhillbrewery.com.au visit mintmagazine.com.au | like us at facebook: mint mag 41

Indulge your tastebuds & your senses in historic seaside Sorrento with an exciting mix of gourmet food, wine & beer events.

Masterclasses, demonstrations, themed dinners, tastings, weekend foodieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market & more....

SAT JUNE 4

THUR JUNE 2 Flavours By The Bay June 2 - 5 Searoad Ferries (From Sorrento) 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, $40, Ferry terminal, The Esplanade, Sorrento Seafood Thursday Cakes & Ale From 5.30pm, $20 102 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento Duck Dinner Loquat 6.30pm, $70 3183 Point Nepean Rd, Sorrento 03 5984 4444

FRI JUNE 3

Breakfast Degustation Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club 9.00am sharp, $45 3154 Point Nepean Rd, Sorrento Taste Foodies Market 10.00am-3.00pm Sorrento Village

Craft Beer Tasting Station June 4 & 5 The Continental Hotel 3.00pm-5.00pm, 1-21 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento 03 5984 2201

Celebrity Chef Masterclass Kitchen June 4 & 5 Claret & Co Courtyard Marquee $20 Entry Fee 154 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento

Gin Masterclass & Dinner by Bass & Flinders Distillery Hotel Sorrento Cellar Bar 4.30pm, $160 5-15 Hotham Rd, Sorrento

Jacques Reymond Masterclass 11.00am-12.00pm

“Plat Du Jour” Lunch Special June 3 - 5 Cakes & Ale 12pm-3pm, $30 102 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento

Adrian Li Masterclass 12.30pm-1.30pm

Taste of Sicily Sorrento Trattoria 6.30pm, $55 20 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento Menu Du Jour June 3 & 5 Loquat 6.00pm, $40 3183 Point Nepean Rd, Sorrento 03 5984 4444

Flavours Of Kenya & India Lunch Specials Buckley’s Chance 12.00pm-3.00pm, 174 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento

Adam D’Sylva Masterclass 2.00pm-3.00pm

Tutored Tastings & Tapas With Garry Crittenden Claret & Co Courtyard Marquee 5.00pm, $30 154 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento Mini Degustation of Conti Pub Classics The Continental Hotel 6.00pm, $50 1-21 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento 03 5984 2201 Dinner with Dr. John Tickell Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club 6.30pm sharp, $120 3154 Point Nepean Rd, Sorrento Weekend of Chocolate Indulgence June 4 & 5 Just Fine Food From 9.00am,

23 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento Oils Aint Oils June 4 & 5 Dariwil Farm From 10.00am, 51 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento

SUN JUNE 5 Taste Foodies Market 10.00am-3.00pm Sorrento Village High Tea on the High Seas 11am-1pm, $45 Searoad Ferries (From Sorrento) Ferry terminal, The Esplanade, Sorrento Celebrity Chef Masterclass Kitchen Claret & Co Courtyard Marquee 154 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento

Vanilla Slice Eating Competition Just Fine Food 2.00pm-3.00pm, 23 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento Dinner for the Garden Cakes & Ale 6.00pm 102 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento Tasting Station Scicluna’s Real Food Merchants 10.00am-3.00pm, 31 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento

MON JUNE 6 Hotel Belvedere Bellagio Acquolina 7.00pm, $70 26 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento

DOWNLOAD THE Bob Hart Masterclass 11.00am-12.00pm

Paul Mercurio Masterclass 1.00pm-2.00pm

For further information and bookings: www.tasteofsorrento.com.au or phone 1300 19 19 76

SORRENTO APP FOR FURTHER DETAILS

PASSION PLAY

By Andrea Louise Thomas

outside into the weather. It’s always playing to the question of what happens when the outside comes inside figuratively and literally.

Actor/producer Ross Balbuziente was born for the stage. The acting bug bit him in high school and he never looked back.

He studied drama and then went straight into professional acting work. In 2006 he co-founded shake & stir theatre co. Now celebrating their tenth anniversary, shake & stir are bringing Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights to the stage in spectacular fashion.

Balbuziente is playing Heathcliff to rave reviews. I spoke with him prior to Wuthering Heights arriving at Frankston Arts Centre.

MINT: What’s the most challenging aspect of this production?

BALBUZIENTE: Maintaining focus for every performance and really trying to dig deep into the emotional blackness that Heathcliff definitely experiences.

MINT: You’re also the Co-Artistic Director of Shake and Stir, what doe this role entail?

MINT: What’s it like playing one of literature’s most complicated characters?

BALBUZIENTE: The artistic director makes all artistic decisions for the company. We program every single thing. We also lead our very dedicated team of 15 full-time people. We’re all in it together. We each take different roles to create, be that writing, directing or acting.

BALBUZIENTE: It’s a hell of a ride, but also incredibly fulfilling. You don’t often get to sink your teeth into such a complex character. I get to do it once or twice a day!

It’s emotionally and physically draining, but you’d shortchange an audience if you didn’t go as deep as you can in each performance.

You have to bring 100% especially when you’re playing such an iconic character.

MINT: Why Wuthering Heights?

BALBUZIENTE: It’s a classic that we collectively love for a lot of different reasons.

Gothic literature really speaks to us and excites us. We love the book so we remain incredibly faithful to the original. Artistically we then put a whole other spin on it and a) re-imagine the book for some or b) introduce this epic saga to others.

MINT: How did you prepare for the role?

BALBUZIENTE: A lot of foundation work was done reading and re-reading and trying to find justification and understanding of what he wants in order to really delve into the conflicted mind of this poor guy who is often completely misunderstood.

MINT: What’s next for you?

BALBUZIENTE: We’re back in Brisbane for a production of Samuel Beckett’s End Game.

That’s our newest work. We’re doing that at QPAC (Queensland Performing Arts Centre).

MINT: This is a highly technical production.

Do you find any of it distracting?

BALBUZIENTE: Technically it’s pushing the boundaries, but we were really fortunate to have had all of that technicality in the rehearsal room right from the get go. There’s a really beautiful harmony with our design team.

MINT: How do “the elements” play a part in Wuthering Heights?

BALBUZIENTE: All four elements feature live on stage speaking to the internal/external conflict. These characters are hell bent on keeping the tempestuous weather outside,

but it comes into their homes and infects their lives and their minds and for some it’s their ultimate demise. Then there are other liberating moments when the characters run

See Shake and Stir’s incredibly talented team bring Wuthering Heights to life at Frankston Arts Centre on Friday, May 13 at 12:30 pm or 7:30 pm. Bookings: 9784 1060 or thefac.com.au Photo by Dylan Evans.

WORDS BY THE BAY

By Andrea Louise Thomas Bayside Library Service is presenting an Authors Expo for Library and Information Week as part of its Words By the Bay literary festival. Bringing together a fabulous line up of local talent, over fifty authors are participating. A wide range of topics will be covered in a panel discussion format hosted by playwright,

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MINT Magazine | May

2016

Kieran Carroll.

Covering promotion and marketing, developing appealing work, publishing and writing across a number of genres, this is a not to be missed day for writers. The afternoon will include discussions, book sales, book signings, interviews, Q&A, mini-workshops with published authors,

Bayside Writers in Residence past and present and more.

Authors Expo is on Sunday, May 29 from 1 to 5 pm at Beaumaris Library, 96 Reserve Road, Beaumaris. Talks are free and no bookings are necessary.

bayside & mornington peninsula

FRANK CREATES

By Andrea Louise Thomas

On the occasion of its first anniversary, FRANK Cre8 Inc. (Frankston Regional Artisan’s Network) has a lot to celebrate. Located in a repurposed dental surgery in Frankston’s CBD, this new gallery offers fortnightly rotating exhibitions with affordable art across all mediums.

For artists, it’s a place to meet, collaborate and exhibit at a nominal fee to the artist. FRANK also provides a very affordable studio space for rent.

There are meeting rooms, a pop in studio, shared workspaces, outdoor meeting areas and even an onsite masseuse!

in the art marketplace.

Their initiative offers a hub for individual artists to work in an encouraging collaborative crossgenerational and inclusive workplace that supports the wealth of creative talent in Frankston and surrounding areas.

Stepping through their golden door into FRANK Gallery reveals crisp white walls covered with painting in all styles.

The cabinets showcase jewellery, ceramics and woodwork. The space is generous, yet intimate.

FRANK Cre8 feels it provides the missing link

THE STORM AND THE FURY

Dance workshops: DoArtFAC.com.au

By Andrea Louise Thomas

Using state of the art digital projections, sound and ‘the elements’ the special effects in this production are just as much the stars of the stage as its stellar

cast. Shake and Stir, who also produced amazing stage adaptations of novels, 1984 and Dracula, really bring the passion and drama to Brontë’s twisting and turning classic novel in a sexy and thrilling performance.

Experience unforgettable theatre with the sweeping saga and stage spectacle of Wuthering Heights at Frankston Arts Centre on Friday, May 13 at 12:30 pm or 7:30 pm. Bookings: 9784 1060 or thefac. com.au

PHYSICAL THEATRE / DANCE Dislocate

IF THESE WALLS...

Emily Brontë wrote only one novel in her lifetime, but it left a lasting impression.

Published in 1847, Wuthering Heights, a story of obsessive love, jealousy and revenge is a gothic masterpiece. Shake and Stir Theatre Company have created a spectacularly dramatic adaptation that literally brings the storm to the stage.

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK Thursday 9 June, 7.30pm An intricate mesh of slapstick theatre, astonishing circus skills and powerful story- Tickets: telling, bringing to life the stories of five generations of tenants inhabiting a single Principal apartment – a place of birth and death, joy Theatre Partner and despair, the mundane and the beautiful.

03 9784 1060 thefac.com.au

Tickets: Member $33, Full $39, Conc $35, U30 $30, Group 10+ $35 Warning: Mild adult themes. Recommended 14+ years.

music | arts | events | entertainment

@the_fac | #thefac Frankston Arts Centre is a Business Unit of Frankston City Council

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SYDNEY WRITERS’ FESTIVAL IN FRANKSTON During Library and Information Week the Frankston Library will host the Sydney Writer’s Festival’s Live and Local digital live-streaming event bringing the biggest names in the Australian and international literary world. A selection of fifteen sessions will be live-streamed to Frankston. Jonathan Franzen, Andrew Denton, William Boyd, Julian Barnes, David Gonski, Magda Szubanski, Anabel Crabb, Leigh Sales and Bob Brown are some, but not all, of the speakers featured.

AUTHOR TALK

Melbourne writer, Sophie Laguna won the Miles Franklin Literary Award for her second novel, Eye of the Sheep. The film rights have already been optioned. Originally Laguna planned to be a lawyer, but finding it was not for her, she switched to acting. Though she had success as an actor, it was writing that was her true passion – now, nothing stops her.

Author Talk: Sophie Laguna is on Wednesday, 25th May, 6.00-7.30 pm. Free, but bookings are essential. To book phone 9784 1020 or book online at: library.frankston.vic.gov.au/ whats_on.

Photograph: Dylan Evans

Laguna writes across all age groups, producing acclaimed picture books for young children, best-selling series books for older

readers and award winning novels for adults.

A consummate author and true talent, Laguna comes to Frankston Library as a guest speaker in their Author Talks series as part of Libraries and Information Week. Don’t miss her.

Drama workshop: DoArtFAC.com.au

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

shake & stir theatre co

WUTHERING HEIGHTS Friday 13 May, 12.30pm & 7.30pm A new adaption of Emily Brontë’s classic gothic masterpiece from the company behind the critically acclaimed productions of George Orwell’s Animal Farm and 1984.

Tickets: Member $44, Full $49, Conc $46, U30 $30, Group 10+ $46, Schools $17 Warning: Mild coarse language, simulated violence, strobe lighting effects, fog / haze effects. Recommended 14+ years.

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MINT Magazine | May

Local writer, Andrea Louise Thomas will MC the live-streamed event welcoming questions and leading conversations between sessions.

Some of the topics covered are: Why Women Should Rule the World, Let Nature be Your Teacher, Optimism, the Gonski Reform, History and Fiction as well as insights into murder, animal husbandry and politics. There is something for everyone. Bring a notebook and a pen. Should there be any technical hiccups, the audience could become writers.

Do not miss this outstanding series of free talks starting on Friday, 20th May from

REACHING OUT TO BURT BACHARACH In December 2012, Jack Howard, trumpet player with Australian rock legends Hunters & Collectors, together with pop-jazz outfit Ambassadors Of Love, performed Burt Bacharach’s famous Reach Out LP from start to finish, as part of Pure Pop’s Summer Of Classic Albums.

The show was a hit - powerful, emotional, sensational performances, grown men weeping…

DRAMA

2016

03 9784 1060 thefac.com.au

10am until Sunday, 22nd May at4 pm.

Bookings essential for David Gonski: I Gave a Gonski and Magda Szubanki and George Megalogenis: Rated PG talks. To book phone 9784 1020 or book online at: library. frankston.vic.gov.au/whats_on.

Since then, the Ambassadors have developed the show into The Look Of Love - The Songs of Bacharach and David and they’ve been performing to packed houses and great acclaim at The Flying Saucer Club, The Caravan Club and others. The show is coming to Cube 37 at Frankston Arts Centre on Saturday,

21st May at 7.30pm and audiences can expect to hear the songs made famous

by Dionne Warwick, Elvis Costello, Shirley Bassey, Sergio Mendes, Sandi Shaw and more.

The wide appeal of the songs is undeniable - Say A Little Prayer, Always Something There To Remind Me, Alfie and countless others - and the band is all class and all heart. Featuring the fabulous Michael sisters - Heather on flute and vocals, Marj on violin and vocals, John Berto on guitar and vocals, Rob Walker on bass, Greg Murray on drums, Amy Valent Curlis on percussion and Jack on trumpet and vocals, the show is a sure-fire winner. Tickets: $30 $45 from thefac.com.au, or 9784 1060.

Tickets:

Principal Theatre Partner

@the_fac | #thefac Frankston Arts Centre is a Business Unit of Frankston City Council

bayside & mornington peninsula

TALKING WALLS AND WALKING ON AIR

By Andrea Louise Thomas If These Walls Could Talk brings the best of physical theatre to the stage, but better yet it uses that physicality as a vehicle to convey story in a very affecting way. Combining circus skills, slapstick comedy, dance and breathtaking acrobatics, this production from Dislocate, one of Australia’s leading independent theatre ensembles tells a powerful story without need for words.

Set in a single apartment the show sees the lives of six generations of occupants. Each generation lives a life and leaves a layer of memory behind.

Removalists then cleverly change the set making way for the next generation of tenants and the cycle of life begins again bringing laughter, joys and sorrows.

Inspired by the Berthold Brecht quote, “Do not fear death, but rather the inadequate life,” If These Wall Could Talk bristles with humour and a sense of fun, but it also tackles tough subjects such as death, euthanasia and suicide. It’s a beautiful theatrical production with images and imaginings sure to linger long after the theatre seats empty.

See Dislocate’s If These Walls Could Talk at Frankston Arts Centre on Thursday, June 9 at 7:30.

Dislocate are offering a physical theatre workshop on Wednesday, June 8 at 5:30 in Cube 37. Bookings: 9784 1060 or fac.com.au.

LANDSCAPES AND EVENTIDE

By Andrea Louise Thomas Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery presents two interesting new exhibitions.

Country and Western examines the national landscape from the perspective of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists.

Eventide is a print exhibition centred on the time between day and night.

When the Papunya Tula dot and circle paintings came to prominence in the early 1970s, it was hailed as the greatest art movement of the 20th century. So radically different was their representation of the Australian landscape that it sent shockwaves through the art world. It influenced non-Indigenous Australian artists.

Country and Western looks at the impact of this movement. It also considers issues affecting the land and its inhabitants, such as, environmental changes, mining, land degradation, dispossession, identity and

collaboration. The exhibition celebrates the natural beauty and majesty of the Australian continent. Featuring the work of thirtynine artists, this show is certain to expand perceptions.

Eventide, that magic window between day and night is a time of transition and transformation. Thirty-one Australian printmakers explore this in the Eventide exhibition. The exacting nature of printmaking with the use of positive and negative space evocatively conjures images of this in-between time that so captivates the imagination.

Country and Western and Eventide run from Friday, 13th May to Sunday, 3rd July at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery MPRG, Civic Reserve, Mornington. 5975 4395. www.mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au.

Picture: John Olsen Desert Seedling 2008-2010 watercolour on paper Gold Coast City Gallery Collection.

Gift of the artist under the Cultural Gifts Program, 2012 (c) John Olsen / Licensed by Viscopy. music | arts | events | entertainment

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