Mint (issue 12) February 2016

# 12 • february 2016 FREE MONTHLY mintmagazine.com.au mintmagazin ne.com.au – baysid bayside de & pen peninsula ninsula

WIN TICKETS!

THE WEEPING WILLOWS

news

live & local

JEN MIZE

hip to be country

GIUSEPPE PISCIOTTA

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS’ DAY

eat

arts

Corner Springvale Rd & Wells Rd, Chelsea Heights | PH 9773 4453 | www.chelseaheightshotel.com.au

THE 3/FOLD BAND

By Terri Lee Fatouros Ennis explained. “Glen and myself were invited to play at a Life Drawing class. After doing the first couple we got Rhonda in to make up our trio, thus creating a unique art experience for people. The tone of songs performed is encapsulated by the vibe and feeling present with each lesson, so we focus and tune in to the moment while we play. Additionally, we have Gemma Sheree performing exotic burlesque during our gigs!”

Featherstone interjected, “The Liberated Pencil presents Life Drawing, live music and burlesque. It’s an art class for everyone and no experience is needed, there’s no pressure or judgment. Ry Wheeler guides people through the process of life drawing while the beautiful Gemma Sheree performs burlesque and we provide the music. In other words, we travel all over the burbs and provide a unique act/experience playing live music with a burlesque dancer to Life Drawing classes and call it The Liberated Pencil. Our music inspires art and dance simultaneously. It’s heaps of fun and extremely enjoyable.”

3/Fold play at The Antique Bar in Elsternwick, General Wine Lounge in McCrae and locally around the burbs.

I CALLED into The General Wine Lounge at McCrae recently, expecting to catch a friend’s energetic Sunday arvo gig. Instead I was treated to the melodic harmonies of a trio called 3/Fold. I sensed new talent afoot.

Other patrons were equally enthralled. The woman’s voice was delicate yet strong, reaching the higher notes with aplomb. The guitars were a combo of semi-acoustic, rhythm and lead.

This trio had me intrigued from the moment I walked in, with their fine acoustic work covering the likes of Carly Simons, Radio Head, Soft Cell, Dolly Parton, 9 Inch Nails, Pink Floyd, Sia, Birdy, Led Zepplin, Diesel and heaps more.

As soon as they got a break, I grilled them.

This is what I found out.

Glen Vincon is the acoustic lead and rhythm man and happens to be a guitar teacher with a penchant for bass and ukulele. He

Ry Wheeler is a teacher and an artist who originally started The Liberated Pencil on the first Thursday of every month at the Rye Hotel.

That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t really explain why they jumped out at me. Until they dropped the bombshell.

In fact, The Liberated Pencil idea proved so popular that it now operates throughout selected Melbourne Metropolitan Art Centres and continues at The Rye Hotel with 3/Fold Band performing there on the first Thursday of each month.

Their special vibe and laid-back, well-polished method of taking an original song and changing it to suit their panache has come from participating in a cool little thing called The Liberated Pencil.

To keep abreast of when and where The Liberated Pencil is happening, scan the QR code.

Michael Ennis is a primary school teacher and just digs playing his acoustic guitar.

N NI G

TO N

MOR

As I sat there trying to figure out why they stood out from the crowd, I noticed something a little different to the many acoustic gigs I’ve seen over the years.

Rhonda Featherstone is a singing teacher and was the original choir leader for The Choir of Hard Knocks on the Mornington Peninsula, which incidentally became The Voice of Hastings Choir.

cut his teeth gigging in head-banging bands flavoured by Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath and AC/DC vibes, but claims you get mellower as you become older.

peninsula

b

music  arts  events  entertainment

y

72 Watt Road, Mornington, Victoria 3931 Australia

re

wer

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag

3

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

PUBLISHER: Cameron McCullough cameron@mpnews.com.au

EDITOR: Billy Dixon editor@mintmagazine.com.au ARTS EDITOR: Andrea Louise Thomas artseditor@mintmagazine.com.au

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Maria Mirabella creative@mintmagazine.com.au

SALES & ADVERTISING: Nicky Vassiliou 0433 330 490 nicky@mpnews.com.au

PHOTOGRAPHY Gary Sissons Yanni ...& you?

19 WEEPING WILLOWS 30 POETRY CORNER

14 RÜFÜS 27 TRACY BARTRAM

JEN MIZE

GIG GUIDE

21

23

RAINBOW SERPENT

TICKETS GIVEAWAY!

10

7

...INSIDE

Facebook mintmagazinehq Instagram mint.mintmag Snapchat mint.mag

WRITING Terri Lee Fatouros terri@mintmagazine.com.au Greg Fisher greg@mintmagazine.com.au Lachlan Bryan lachlan@mintmagazine.com.au Ray McGrotty ray@mintmagazine.com.au Stuart McCullough stuart@mintmagazine.com.au Neil Walker neil@mintmagazine.com.au

MINT is available in over 1,000 outlets and growing, from Sandringham to Portsea and everywhere in between. For advertising enquiries, visit us at 1/2 Tyabb Road, Mornington, 3931, or contact Nicky Vassiliou on 0433 330 490 or nicky@mpnews.com.au

4

MINT Magazine  February

2016

bayside & mornington peninsula

JUSTIN MCLAREN UNPLUGGED AND UP CLOSE

By Terri Lee Fatouros JUSTIN McLaren is one of those unassuming butt talented individuals who has been operating “undercover,” so to speak, for years as a producer and engineer. He’s helped hundreds of aspiring musicians produce and record original albums for public recognition.

For the last 15 years McLaren has been working more on the tech side by helping younger artists connect their instruments to their souls, enabling them to have a deeper musical experience and finding the core of their sound. He feels it refines his skills too.

He kick-started his love affair with music at the tender age of 13, way back in 1984 after landing his first professional job in musical theatre with the production of Oliver at Her Majesties Theatre in Melbourne.

“The reality is you have to connect with what is true to you, and all musicians have different musical experiences which they eventually become the sum of.”

It was his first audition, incidentally earning him a four month crash course in professionalism, along with setting the bar at the highest level for all subsequent endeavors.

“So who is Justin McLaren?” I asked.

With the thrill of applause, the joy of performance and the soul of music now firmly embedded, McLaren started playing in blues/rock bands around the suburbs, honing his licks by gigging at parties, dingy inner city pubs and the occasional Battle of The Bands.

“My future vision doesn’t include a master plan, as I don’t want to conquer the world like I did when I was a young boy. I just want things to happen with quality. I definitely want to leave a mark as I have family that relies on me to some extent. Also I have to keep the artist heart alive which is kind of difficult to do when you have mortgages and stuff. The greatest challenge of the last decade has been figuring out how to do that; how to live in this world and be true to yourself.”

Age 18 saw him gigging in Top 40 cover bands, which was to dominate his life for the next ten years.

It was in 1995 that McLaren got the chance to produce his debut EP with the help of Mark Rochelle at Back Beach Recordings.

He self funded the effort, discovered the joy of being an original artist and got hooked by the recording process. He continued to spend the next three years writing and cowriting songs in a number of fledgling indie bands.

Says McLaren, “I had my heart set on being a producer, so I went to school to learn.

At Box Hill College of Music my principal instrument was my voice, so I paid for my student lifestyle with my guitar, and by freelancing in improvised funk, soul and jazz

music  arts  events  entertainment

“That’s really a very difficult question. What makes me shine though is giving joy to people when I sing as I really enjoy it.

bands.

“During this time I learnt how to consolidate my skills, learnt how to drive the studio and met my wife.

“When school finished we made a record together under her name, Ange Caporaso and bought our own equipment. We opened a studio in Moorrabbin and called it The Tone Factory.

“Not long afterwards we created the Melbourne Rock School Freeway Community Choir and offered teaching and coaching for aspiring artists. We saw the likes of Andy Phillips from Cadillac Walk and Nicole Nehemia of Safari Motel.

“I like to do acoustic vocals and rock covers from the ’70s to present day. I cover most

genres and have been doing it for the past 30 years!

“My original material is melodic and acoustic – I tend to get inspired from life experiences and inject insight into the tunes I write.

“I use it as therapy, so to speak, as I write about things I’d like to change in society and my own life. Things like the complicity we have towards life as a society, which for me is actually irritating. Things like consumerism and the fact we are all running around in this little ant farm we call the western world and think its so wonderful. However, we’re really all slaves to money and all that sort of stuff.

“There is nothing bad about money, but in the pursuit of it, if we don’t go deep enough we quite often miss our calling.”

I quip in with “be of the world, but not in it, I guess,” to which McLaren agrees and says, “of the world and not in it... a beautiful way to say it.”

You can catch Justin McLaren gigging at Beach 162 on a regular basis as well as The General Wine Lounge in McCrae and busking the streets of Frankston as a form of “boot camp” for his voice.

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag

5

INFERNO! A DOUBLE BILL The first play, Crestfall, tells three twisted stories of oversexed wife Olive, desperate mother Alison and prostitute Tilly. Set in a dystopian wasteland strewn with animal carcasses and violence, their paths intertwine in disturbing ways. Follow them for one harrowing day as they hunt for hope among the wreckage. Written by one of Ireland’s most masterful and electrifying playwrights, Mark O’Rowe crafts a deeply moving tale that keeps audiences gripped, one revelation after another.

JADE ALICE’S DEBUT SINGLE Winner of Bank of Melbourne’s Melbourne Music Bank 2015, Jade Alice, today announced the release of her debut single, Kick Drum. The single will be launched at a gig at Shebeen on February 18 and comes to life with a beautiful performance-based video clip.

Bank of Melbourne’s flagship competition to uncover Victoria’s musical talent was an overwhelming success in its second year, attracting hundreds of submissions. Four finalists were voted by the public from twelve semi-finalists, with Jade Alice crowned the winner at a spectacular finale on the stage at Arts Centre Melbourne’s

Crestfall features an all-female team: Freya Pragt as Olive, Marissa O’Reilly as Alison and Marissa Bennett as Tilly. It’s directed by Citi-

zen Theatre’s Jayde Kirchert.

Right after, Purgatorio will open in a mysterious room where a woman suffers a painful interrogation from a man whose identity is hidden. As she unveils her deepest secrets to him, playwright Ariel Dorfman forces both Man and Woman to try and forgive each other.

Their battle between revenge and redemption impels the audience to ask: how do you repent without destroying your identity?

Now playing at L1 Studios in Melbourne, tickets are available from $22.

State Theatre.

Offering insight into the quirky, fun and incredibly catchy song, Jade Alice explains, “The melody for the song ‘Kick Drum’ actually came to me in a dream! The song is about a feeling of uncontrollable happiness; a feeling I hope resonates with others when they listen to it. The greatest reward for me as a musician is evoking the same emotion in people that I feel when I’m writing the song.”

The video for Kick Drum is a performance-based clip featuring a number of lush sets and narrative animations.

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR February approaches. School and university holidays are ending, shops and factories have reopened and our village high streets are once again buzzing with life.

I attended the famous/infamous Rainbow Serpent Festival in Lexton, which you’ll read about a little later in the magazine, and coming up at the Morrnington Racecourse we have both the Peninsula Picnic and Let Go Festival, promising events for very different demographics that are sure to nourish the social and musical needs of patrons.

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

But back to the present. Something we music fans rarely do is embrace a genre that’s not of our world. Can you imagine your grandparents, raised on classical and jazz, embracing the once-heavy metal of Metallica, or dyeing their hair black and throwing Sum41’s Chuck into their Jaguar’s trunk-mounted CD stacker?

If you’re a baby boomer, you’ve lived through some of the music’s most evolutionary moments, from the Woodstock ’60s to the hair-metal 70s to the Bowie 80s to the classic rock 90s to the pop-as-pop-can-get new milennium, with a whole hell of a lot in between. But would that lived experience reduce the social stigma associated with heavy electronic beats at underground bars and “bush-doofs” for you? It’s unlikely.

6

MINT Magazine  February

2016

Maybe it’s the nature of how we consume music that’s changed our tastes. Maybe it’s more to do with fancy computers and digital recording and production equipment, or maybe it is actually genetic! Every genre and style of music is now available at your fingertips, pretty much wherever you go, we listen to it all from a younger age and actual instruments are no longer required.

Whatever the reasons, the changes are profound and permanent. Good luck getting your kids to listen to Beethoven’s symphony #9, or sit through the intensity of Ronny James Dio. That doesn’t necessarily mean minds are closed, or that younger eardrums are less refined, but it does mean the definition of a “good song” can be utterly incompatible between generations and demographics.

So if I can ask a favour of you, dearest reader – open your mind and ears to a new style of music this year. Make a conscious effort to appreciate a form of art that’s totally foreign to you, be it Gold FM’s all-time favourite Creedence Clearwater Revival, the pleasantly trippy and confusing Gotye or the brutal electronic mashups of Pretty Lights. Your senses will broaden and your soul will reward you for it.

Billy Dixon Your MINT editor bayside & mornington peninsula

WIN, WIN, WIN!

ONE OF TWO DOUBLE PASSES TO SUMMER IN THE HILLS!

By Billy Dixon MOUNT Evelyn comes alive with Summer In The Hills Community gathering featuring troubadour Kim Churchill and special guests Jordie Lane, Woodlock, Phil Manning, Doc White w/ Steve Williams and Dave Diprose, bringing some rootsy blues splendour to the York On Lilydale on Saturday 20th of February, 2016.

Along with the great music the festival features a host of stalls dedicated to brewers of beer, cider and wine, a huge variety of delicious food, market stalls, arts craft, vintage and loads more family friendly fun!

Kim Churchill has already accomplished some amazing feats in his short time as a professional musician, matching his lyrical artistry with fierce vocals; he is a sonic architect, using his instruments to create landscapes to animate his lyrics.

Live, he is a true virtuoso. Recognised as much internationally as he is in his homeland, having performed at headline shows, festivals and as a supporting act alike all over the planet.

In recent years he has opened for Billy Bragg and Michael Franti, and performed at many notable festivals such as Montreal Jazz, Glastonbury, Cornwall Boardmasters, Victorious, Womad, Beautiful Days, Telluride Blues, SXSW, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Byron Bay Blues Festival and many more. Kim has also been added to the 2016 Byron Bay Blues Festival lineup which will be his fifth appearance at the globally recognised event, and each time his performances have left a huge impression. 2016 will be no different.

Born to a comedian and a clown, Jordie Lane spent his early years in his parents traveling circus. Many years later, not much has changed, with Lane renowned for both his relentless international touring schedule, and his witty, comedic storytelling. Lane’s music, seems like it comes from another place and time.

Featuring Kiwi brothers Zech and Eze Walters and their mate Bowen Purcell, Woodlock formed after meeting whilst music  arts  events  entertainment

travelling overseas.

Relocating to Australia and after a short stint of writing and playing the trio bought a caravan, fixed it up, somehow got it registered and took off on an adventure up and down the east coast taking their music with them to the streets of both rural and capital cities winning fans across the country.

A member of the iconic Australian band Chain, Phil Manning is a close as you get to blues rock royalty in Australia. Over a career dedicated to the blues Phil is a leading light on the Australian blues scene. Doc White plays country blues like the devil and is one of the few modern blues artists to adopt the mandolin. Doc has won a legion of fans with his musical mastery and wicked sense of humour.

Dave Diprose plays Delta Blues with all the power, passion and pizzazz you’d expect to hear on the plantations and juke joints of old Mississippi. A guitarist of renowned Dave joins a line up that is sure to guarantee that this summer in the hills will have a whole lotta soul!

Teaming up with TAC, Urban Spread “Summer in the Hills” is looking introduce a safer alternative for a new generation of music lovers in the suburbs and hills by creating quality events closer to home, Summer in the Hills is ensuring that the joy of experiencing great Australian music doesn’t need to cost young lives on the road. Australian music is alive in the hills and with the help of TAC, Urban Spread is making sure that Australian music lovers stay alive in the suburbs and hills!

This month, MINT Magazine is offering you the chance to win one of two double passes to the Summer in the Hills Festival at Mount Evelyn!

To enter, simply follow MINT Magazine and repost the competition photo to your instagram page, and tag one friend. Winners will be announced on MINT Magazine’s Instagram page @ 12pm, 15th February 2016.

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag

7

THE HALLAM HOTEL Cnr Princess Hwy & Hallam Rd Hallam TICKETS & ENQUIRIES CALL 8786 0200 FIND US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/HallamHotel

www.hallamhotel.com.au

FEAR & LOATHING @ RAINBOW SERPENT  PART 2

By Billy Dixon It was everything I dreamt it would be and more. Even the music, which I’d expected would be of a hippie bent, was varied and danceable. Psytrance with endless triple drum beats? Check. Circus tent with lunatics using classic rock as the background for an aerobics class? Check. Conventional dance music across a variety of stages?

Double check. There were so many events over the course of a very long four days that to document all of the with accuracy wasn’t possible, so I’ll try and limit myself to highlights.

of LED Christmas lights and tarpaulins. It’s a good feeling, making it comfortably without the precious commodities of hot water or electricity.

Hell, there was so much to do there that you could entertain youself for the entirety of the festival without even approaching the beats.

Food caravans from every corner of the globe formed an orbital course that linked the stages, and given the effort involved in some of the setups, I’d have to say it was very reasonably priced. It wasn’t only food, either – I came away with a very colourful bandana and a poncho that’s basically a rug with a hood, surprisingly comfortable in all conditions.

I wasn’t alone, either. The scent on the dancefloors/sandpits/mudflats was 99% human sweat, with a smattering of alcohol and dust. Normally this would be enough to make me reach for a gas mask, but somehow knowing your contribution to the aroma is on par with everyone else’s is comforting.

We found ourselves perched at the top of the northern camping grounds, in the most comfortable makeshift base one could imagine. So comfortable, in fact, that I chose to forgo sleeping in my extremely comfortable Falcon GLI and slept insted on a couch, not quite under the stars but always with a barmy breeze breathing through the dome

10

MINT Magazine  February

2016

And precious commodities they were.

3-minute shower tokens had to be purchased from administration, and there was a strict limit of two per customer, for a total of 6 minutes under running water. Long queues were a regular sight at the shower blocks, so I threw hygiene to the wind and showered in fresh country air instead.

Far away from our family-sized lean-to, on the south side of the festival area, was an enclave of smaller but equally wellconstructed “themed campsites,” A.K.A. miniserpents. Thgouh I only made it out there twice, they were every bit as action packed as the main event, minus the option of eating when your feet tire of the boogie. The sheer variety of musical, cultural and culinary experiences was staggering, and goes a long way to explaining Rainbow’s longevity.

2017 will see the festival celebrate its 20th anniversary.

But no matter how much peace, love and environmental responsibility you try and cram into your event, there will always be a few put off by your event. Lexton’s permanent population tops out at about 150 – the town is small and primarily agricultural. But the festival pours a hell of a lot of money back into the community, with the local football / netball club having its own stall. They sold food and convenience commodities, and it just happened to be the biggest building in the market.

Victoria Police, however, have a predictably different view. They are “fed up,” calling the festival a “fiasco.” The cops patrolling the camping grounds were clearly having a good time (no, not on drugs), so this press release is obviously straight out of head office.

In the most extreme attempt to influence the political debate I’ve ever seen from a public servant, Inspector Bruce Thomas said “Every year we see the event take place, every year we raise our concerns and every year we are left picking up the pieces... It’s painfully obvious that there are huge direct and indirect risks to the community as a result of the behaviour that takes place at the festival,” before claiming it was nothing short of “a miracle that no one was killed on our roads given the number of drug drivers departing from the festival.”

I’m the last person to condone drug driving,

but the eminently responsible organisers actually provided on-site alcohol and drug testing kits, allowing a not-insignificant number of drivers to pull over near the paddock exit and wait until they were deemed OK to drive. It’s something that should be mandatory in city clubs, given the ice- and alcohol-fuelled violence and road trauma that occurs in Melbourne with depressing regularity. Organisers and toxicologists have since stated that of the 900 people seen by medics at the event, only 5% were related to the consumption of drugs and alcohol – better stats than your average suburban emergency ward.

Nothing of the sort occurred at Rainbow Serpent. Festival goers knew their limits and got along with each other like a house on fire. Even with alcohol in the mix, there were no “pieces” to pick up and the lowest point would have been the four people that spent a night with paramedics after going just a little too hard.

If I can be dangerously honest, this festival is the greatest argument for the decriminalisation of drugs I’ve ever witnessed, and if a few extra harmminimisation measures were permitted, could be a working model for a party where judgement is absent, freedom is integral and love for your fellow humans and the environment that sustains us is mandatory. bayside & mornington peninsula

One serpent, many heads: (Left page, clockwise from right) Maryborough & District News reports on disparaging remarks made by Victoria Police regarding the festival; A view of the Rainbow site and camping grounds from the northern-most peak, with storm clouds rolling in; The main stage at night; (Right page, clockwise from top) Pretty Lights deploying pretty lights after the traditional Indigenous opening ceremony; The market stage and its rather conspicuous Ring of the Gods light up; One of the many campsites, complete with couches, carpet, a coffee table, indoor plants and of course, some very colourful people. music  arts  events  entertainment

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag

11

PELLY BAR

508 NEPEAN HWY, FRANKSTON | PH: 9783 9800 | THEPIERHOTEL.COM.AU

ANDREW SWIFT

By Lachlan Bryan IN these days of hirsute musicians (not to mention chefs, boutique brewers, baristas and bartenders) it can be hard to stand out from the crowd, Fortunately, Berwick-based Andrew has a secret weapon up his sleeve.

The weapon I speak of is no mere gimmick, for it is Swift’s powerful, soulful voice, complete with a seemingly huge vocal range, that sets him apart from his contemporaries. A very capable guitarist, occasional drummer and a songwriter in possession of great pop-sensibility, Swift is often found on stage with covers super-group Silverstring Outlaws or fronting his own band, The Rattlesnake Choir. But regardless of what context you see him in, it is the voice first and foremost that you will be taking home.

Over the past year, Swift has performed heavily at home and abroad, including a run of shows at the famous House of Blues venues across the USA. On Australian soil he has performed alongside Shane Nicholson, Harmony James and Andre Strong (of Commitments fame).

Swift’s latest single, Sound the Alarm, is available now via iTunes and most other online retailers, and has been enjoying the support of ABC and community radio across the country.

BRAD KENNEDY

By Billy Dixon BRAD Kennedy is no attentionseeking Who’s Got Talent contestant. He played in cover bands in his early years, but after going solo and writing his own tunes, would still revert to cover songs to get gigs on the Peninsula, primarily due to the relative lack of alternative music venues.

Slowly but surely, he built up a repertoire of songs all his own, and gradually slipped them into his cover gigs to build his brand.

It’s been a bit of a slog, but last year he released his first album, Bare Your Soul.

“There’s almost a rollerdex of musicians that play with each other on the Peninsula now, so the scene is improving,” he says.

Without these musos looking for and willing to work, the album wouldn’t exist.

playing gigs, but with a full time job and a family at home he’s quite happy to ease back into the action. “Sometimes, life throws you other things... it can get in the way. My wife and I have an 18 month boy, so I’m not the guy who’ll play three gigs a week, year-in-year-out.”

Brad genuinely loves music, and the creative process it inspires. If you dig hardworking and humble musicians with the stones to put out some original content in this day and age, add Brad Kennedy to your playlist, or check him out at the Western Port Festival on Saturday, 20th February at 10am on the RPP FM stage. For more info, check out bradkennedymusic.com.

He’s just getting back out there music  arts  events  entertainment

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag

13

RÜFÜS – BLOOM

By Billy Dixon “IN the first few years we were playing, getting to play a show at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney was a dream… when you actually get to a milestone like that, you’re pinching each other and giving high fives!” It’s a sentiment that many newer bands can relate to, as they hop from bar to pub to club, trawling the suburbs of their home state for fans. For RÜFÜS, it’s a reality that constantly surprises with generous bounties of love and recognition for the indie dance trio, consisting of Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George and James Hunt.

“You never see it coming, you can’t predict it, but you’re definitely really grateful for it… by the time we were playing the Enmore in Sydney after seeing so many shows there from the audience, to be on stage there is just crazy.” The group’s only 6 years old, remember, so to go from Tyrone’s alternative, acoustic music to the trio’s current global tour is whiplash-inducing. But, as he points out, “it has taken a lot of work, so it wasn’t entirely a surprise. To someone outside it might seem a bit out-of-nowhere, but for us, it’s been step-by-step, healthy growth.”

That’s a luxury many entertainers just don’t

14

MINT Magazine  February

2016

have. Think of the child actor who stumbles onto the set of a blockbuster. Many wound up in the wrong crowd, or dabbling with addictive drugs, but RÜFÜS are going from strength to strength.

Of course, it helps when you’re friends with your colleagues. “Jon had just finished a producing/engineering course and was DJing around Sydney when he needed some help musically… I needed help with production, and we just got along, sharing a bond over Booka Shade and Trentemøller.” Drummer James Hunt was a high school pal of Tyrone’s, and is “a machine on the drums! We got him on board and he’s been an integral part of the writing wheel as well.”

The musical bond the three share is strong enough to obviate the need for words. “We don’t have to talk too much… if one of us doesn’t like it the everyone already knows we’re moving on to the next thing, without needing to explain why. It’s a nice ‘one-brain’ process.”

No power struggles for artistic control here, just the pleasant, melodic electro tunes that

RÜFÜS are known for, the world over. “We’re three best friends having a good time in the studio, doing what we love to do.” Mixing work and hobbies can be a dangerous game, but it looks (and certainly sounds) like they’ve found the perfect balance.

Like most Australian indie-esque acts, RÜFÜS wouldn’t be where they are now without the all-encompassing platform of Australian music that is Triple J. “We used unearthed as a platform… just to get our music online.

“Then, if you’re lucky enough, you might get a few spins on Triple J. Now that they’ve launched Unearthed radio they can cover more new music for people that want to hear it.” As a disclaimer, they actually caught the finely-tuned ears of Louie McKerdie, who gave Paris Collides its first national airplay, as well as specialist plays from the odd presenter that happened to find an affinity with their music.

But their live show is their bread and butter.

“We felt a real shift in support when we released Take Me, from Atlas… it was our first song to get high rotation on the radio, and

since then it’s been going gangbusters. “For any artist to get their songs played nationwide, it’s a giant opportunity.

Even on our first two Eps, Triple J were great supporters, playing This Summer and Paris Collides. It’s almost necessary if you want to tour Australia and break even, or even run at a small loss.” It’s a nice relationship, one that every fledgling band should aim for in some capacity. “To get the feature album was a huge deal for us… it’s been one of our biggest breaks!

RÜFÜS’ second full-length studio album, Bloom, was released a couple of weeks ago, shooting straihgt to number oen on the ARIA charts. They’ll kick off their nationwide tour in Adelaide on 29th April. The record contains more of their signature sound with just a little bit of evolutionary twist, in keeping with their “step-by-step, healthy growth.” It immediately scored accolades from all over the country and should be mandatory in any playlist that features electronic or dance music. Get it now. bayside & mornington peninsula

CITRUS JAM

By Terri Lee Fatouros wielding skills.

INFLAMMABLE, combustible and highly energetic flamenco-metal duo, Citrus Jam ignited the airwaves yet again at Sound Bar in Rosebud recently to an enthusiastically packed house. With a die-hard following, the fiery-sweet duo keep thrilling their peeps with spectacular gigs at various venues on the Peninsula, including the very popular God’s Kitchen in Mornington.

With a spectacular laser show incorporating sci-fi electronic influences that now dominate their famous flamenco-metal gigs, people are really digging Citrus Jam’s new improved iteration of what some might call “controlled chaos.”

The individual known as Citrus Jam incorporates a highly energetic flamencoacoustic instrumental metal act. The infamous mastermind behind his selfcoined Tropical Acoustic Metal with Ultimate Pirate Shred genre is joined by Scorpius Pinchius on the Violin, and together they unleash massive aural forces of rhythmically energised riffs, alongside luxurious and blissful shred melodies on their journey to accomplish absolute “Le Tropical Axe”

They’re also touring, so catch them on the road while you can at the following venues.

After the launch of their second album Off the Hook in June 2015, they went on to tour nationally with a fresh and slightly more chaotic show. Currently the duo is cutting tracks for their third album, MacGyver Science.

5th February – Ontop Bar 12-14th February – Adelaide Fringe festival 11th March – Ontop Bar 5th March – Seddon Festival

THE SPOTTED MALLARD

By Terri Lee Fatouros DUBBED “the prettiest live music pub in Melbourne,” the space The Spotted Mallard now occupies wasn’t always so lively. Over the span of five decades it’s been a dining room, a nightclub and bar, reception hall and a French restaurant. However, with an emphasis on quality live music and great burgers, the Spotted Mallard is now one of Brunswick’s leading live music venues.

After walking up the wide stairway of this rather charming building you’re confronted with an elongated, well-stocked and highly atmospheric bar. This overlooks the large, elegant dance floor, boasting a stained glass dome above which reflects muted light triangles on the dancers below. An elevated stage equipped with professional lighting that does any band justice dominates a large part of the back wall. Tiered flooring at either end leads to a roomy balcony at one end and an alcove for the band, kitchen and toilets at the other end. Lampshades in varying lengths hang in clusters from the ceiling.

You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped right into a ’50s dance hall, with the music keeping you rooted in the present.

bar staff, you’d be a little confused when leaving - is it still 2016? The whole ordeal is a delightful enigma.

During the break, the Bluebells, an all-girl Charleston dance troupe who are part of Swing Patrol based in Melbourne did a blues routine called Burnt Toast and Black Coffee, incorporating moves of The Lindy Hop and Charleston. If it weren’t for the smart-talking

With this picture painted, you can understand why it attracts big name artists such as Pete “Boom Boom” Beulke, Winston Galea and Geoff Achison, who gig regularly there and blow people’s minds with their rootsy blues show once a month.

music  arts  events  entertainment

Beulke has toured Europe playing guitar with New Orleans band The Louisiana Shakers, doing gutbucket jazz and performing a variety of genres with various other bands including The Honeydrippers, Redgum, Russell Crowe, Lloyd Spiegal, Robert Susz (Dynamic Hepnotics), Dutch Tilders plus so many more. He has supported international acts such as Taj Mahal, Dr John, Buddy Guy,

John Mayall and Canned Heat to name a few.

Galea has a stellar cast to his bow including drumming with John Mayall, James Morrison, Tommy and Phil Emmanuel, Dutch Tilders, Katie Webster, Canned Heat, Lonnie Brooks, Hubert Sumlin, Lloyd Speigel, Tabasco Tom & the Swingin’ Johnsons and the list goes on. He is also a founding member` of the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society.

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag

15

BOY & BEAR HIT THE ROAD FOR LIMIT OF LOVE IT’S been a few weeks Aussie five-piece Boy & Bear released their third studio album, Limit of Love. After an impressively busy touring schedule in 2014 that saw Boy & Bear play 170 shows across three continents, the boys have decided it’s time to hit the road again.

They’ve just announced their Limit Of Love album tour. Kicking off at Odeon Theatre in Tasmania on 22 January, the tour will move through to Festival Hall, North Melbourne on 23 January, Thebarton Theatre Adelaide on 29 January, Red Hill Auditorium Perth on 30 January, Hordern Pavillion Sydney on 12 February and will wrap up at Riverstage in Brisbane on 13 February.

Written together as a full band and recorded live to tape with Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Kaiser Chiefs), lead single Walk The Wire is bounding with energy and sees the Sydney five-piece take on a slightly different approach. “It’s quite a lighthearted track for us, which has been fun,” explains vocalist David Hosking. “It’s about the internal battle that happens when you’re summoning up the courage to approach someone you like. I guess the broader sentiment is ‘don’t die wondering.’

You’ve gotta put it on the line sometimes and go for it!”

Complementing the laidback nature of the song, Boy & Bear have delivered a hilariously whacky and somewhat out-of-character video for Walk The Wire, directed by award winners Darcy Prendergast and Josh Thomas from the Oh Yeah Wow, (Goyte, The Paper Kites, Hermitude). “The clip was a lot of fun to make.

The concept was simple: Start off on the moon, of course! Then have Killian explode, catch on fire and horrendously maimed, have Killian replaced by animated Killian who then turns evil and creepy, have us clearly unimpressed with things and then have the entire crew and clip descend into brilliant, entertaining anarchy!”

With three full-length albums and hundreds of hours of gigs under their belt, the band are armed with plenty of material for a set list that will satisfy and captivate audiences. “Having had time away from playing live, we are definitely looking forward to returning to play some fairly iconic venues across the country,” says guitarist Killian Gavin. “I’ve seen a lot of artists live at these venues over the years and for us to be able to perform at them also is something we are really excited about.”

Art of Sleeping and Montaigne are also playing as Boy & Bear make their way across the country.

16

MINT Magazine  February

2016

bayside & mornington peninsula

MORDIALLOC FOOD, WINE & MUSIC FESTIVAL Delicious food, fine wine and star performers will combine for the annual two-day Mordialloc Food, Wine & Music Festival.

A massive line-up of musicians – headlined by breakthrough Melbourne band Bonjah on Saturday and Aussie music legends Brian Cadd and Grace Knight on Sunday – are set to draw the crowds to Kingston’s two-day Mordialloc Food, Wine & Music Festival.

More than 35 food and drink stalls will offer gourmet delights including jambalaya, gumbo, Jamaican jerk chicken and Venezuelan street food favourite tequenos – a fried breaded cheese stick with melted haloumi – and you can quench your thirst with craft beers, sangria and lychee-infused beer.

The much-loved annual event is on Saturday, 5th March and Sunday, 6th March at Peter Scullin Reserve, Beach Road, Mordialloc.

It will feature non-stop music across three stages, roving performers, gourmet food and wine stalls, rides, activities for the kids and more.

Mordialloc Food, Wine and Music Festival is renowned for attracting legendary musicians, up-and-coming bands, a mouth-watering selection of gourmet food,

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

regionally-made wines and boutique beers.

In 2016 the City of Kingston will be introducing a Viking Feast featuring a spit roast feast, craft beers and locally-sourced produce that’s sure to tame the wildest of appetites.

Saturday 5 AND Sunday 6 March 2016 PETER SCULLIN RESERVE MORDIALLOC

The festival, which runs 11am to 10pm on Saturday and 11am to 6pm on Sunday, is expected to attract more than 40,000 people over two days to the magnificent Mordialloc foreshore. It is a family-friendly event with no BYO or dogs allowed.

$2

ENTRY

BONJAH

$5 FAMIL

IES

BRIAN CADD

While parking is available in Mordialloc around the festival site, patrons are encouraged to use public transport to attend the event.

Grace Knight

The Mordialloc Food, Wine and Music Festival is an official event of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and is proudly presented by the City of Kingston.

JIMI HOCKING

Entry costs $2 per person, or $5 for a family.

For further details visit kingston.vic.gov.au or phone 1300 653 356.

LANKS

JASON SINGH

MORE ACTS TO BE ANNOUNCED! NEW IN 2016 Batten down the hatches – the Vikings are coming!

In 2016 the Mordialloc Food and Wine Festival’s newest addition will feature a Viking Feast – sure to tame the wildest of appetites! So come along as we set sail for a rollicking adventure featuring a spit roast feast, craft beers, locallysourced produce and live music.

CHECK OUT OUR huge RANGE OF activities and stalls!

KINGSTON.VIC.GOV.AU/MORDIFEST

- Local and regional stall holders - Lots of activities for the kids - Amusement rides - Roving street performers

plus heaps more to be announced!

ALBERT HAMMOND JR. His first solo album in five years, Momentary Masters, was released in July 2015 to critical acclaim. Now Frontier Touring presents the first headline tour by Albert Hammond Jr., the singer/songwriter and guitarist with indie rock legends The Strokes.

Hammond will perform four special headline shows in Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in February 2016.

the globe since the release of 2001’s ground-breaking Is This It. His solo work has been equally impressive: following the release of his 2006 debut Yours To Keep and 2008’s ¿Cómo Te Llama?, his latest LP is his best work yet. Momentary Masters is produced

by Gus Oberg, who previously worked on the Strokes’ Angles and Comedown Machine.

As part of garage rock giants The Strokes, Hammond Jr. has been selling multi-platinum albums across

Check out the video for the latest breezy pop single Caught By My Shadow using the QR code. While in Australia, Albert will also perform at the Mountain

Let’s take it to the basics, you in the midst of greatness. Illusive and Frontier Touring are bringing American rapper and international tastemaker A$AP Rocky out to Australia next February for his first ever run of headline shows taking in all Australian capital cities, plus a show at Auckland’s Vector Arena.

producers including Danger Mouse, Kanye West, Mark Ronson, A$AP Yams and even A$AP Rocky himself. It also features an impressive line-up of guest appearances from the likes of Rod Stewart, Miguel and Mark Ronson, Kanye West, Joe Fox and ScHoolboy Q.

A$AP Rocky’s sophomore full-length album AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP has been a huge international success since its release this May, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and at #5 on the ARIA Album Chart. The 18-track release boasts an incredible list of

2015 has also seen A$AP Rocky feature on Selena Gomez’s international hit Good For You, which has notched up more than a million sales in the US. Its seductive video clip has already picked up a whopping 146 million YouTube views... and counting!

So, it’s a warm night and I’m at this back yard party. I walk into the lounge room and come across a couple doing some type of yoga on the floor. She was underneath doing the Pelvic Floor Tilt while he was doing Straight Leg Push Ups. They must have been roasting, cause they were semi naked.

Rumour has it that a well known ‘she’ will soon become a ‘he’, and a well known ‘he’ is dating a well-known transgender. There have been arguments over who gets to wear the dresses.

18

MINT Magazine  February

2016

“As soon as I was done, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I did it!’ but in the split second that it comes, that feeling goes. It’s the same thing when you find complete happiness, you find this complete low. I feel like that’s what being creative is... accept where you are and use it.”

A$AP ROCKY

TIDBITS & TALES

An uptown muso was caught, guitar

Sounds festival in Gosford, NSW, on Saturday 20 February.

By Terri Lee Fatouros

strapped on his back, while trying on women’s nickers in the change room of a Dimmeys recently. Apparently it’s research for an upcoming role. Hmmm, what sort of role; role-playing maybe?

Anyway, I’m wandering through Frankston having a deep and meaningful with my friend about her music and getting weird looks from peeps as though she wasn’t there, which, incidentally I thought was rude. I was arguing her live performance of Piece of my Heart at Woodstock was her best performance to date. She kept ostentatiously disagreeing with me as we rounded the corner into Shannon Mall and

came across a busker with an acoustic guitar, having a full-blown shouting match with himself!

I said “Whoa man, what’s going on?”

“He claims my riffs are ‘chopped liver,’” pointing to the empty space besides him.

“There’s no-one there man”, I said thinking “what a weirdo.”

yells at no one in particular saying, “I told you I got da moves, Jimi.”

I’d had enough of crazy musos talking to themselves. They’re a bloody weird bunch, I can tell you. So with this in mind I turned to my friend and said, “Come on Janis, we’re outa here”!

Suddenly he fires up and shouts, “What, you think my riffs are shite too? Well listen to this!” and starts strumming some cool licks from Hendrix’s Watch Tower.

If you have any music related stuff or any tales or tidbits you’d like to share then email Janis Joplin. If you’d prefer to deal directly with me – I’m a little less argumentative – then email:

“Nice moves, man” I say. He smiles, then

terri@mintmagazine.com.au

bayside & mornington peninsula

RL GRIME JOINS GOOD LIFE 2016 SUMMER is here and the world’s largest under 18’s event, Good Life, returns to Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne next month.

With huge names on the line-up – including A$AP Rocky, Jeremih, Dawin, Will Sparks, Timmy Trumpet, DVBBS and Deorro, plus TV stars from ‘Geordie Shore’, ‘The Vampire Diaries’, ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and ‘Vampire Diaries’ – Good Life ’16 just got a whole lot bigger: red hot trap n’ rap New York City producer RL Grime has joined the bill!

Henry ‘RL Grime’ Steinway is no stranger to Aussie music lovers, having just wrapped a series of bangin’ dates across the country, including spots at Field Day, Beyond The Valley and Origin NYE. Now, the superstar ‘Core’ producer is heading back down under just to perform for his 13-17-year-old Aussie fans! Note there will be no 18+ shows on this visit.

He’s remixed everyone from Kanye West to

Jamie Lidell, Chris Brown and Benny Benassi, has seen hits like ‘Tell Me’ streamed millions of times and used by Adidas, sold out shows in Los Angeles and New York City in mere hours and was just last week unveiled on the 2016 line-up for Coachella.

All of this follows the release of his killer album Void, released in Nov 2015 via WeDidItRecords/Warner Music Australia.

Across 12 tracks such as ‘Scylla’, ‘Reminder’and ‘Kingpin’ RL creates a visceral, inventive experience, mixing electronic and rap music to create daring sonic beats and compositions featuring guests such as Big Sean, Boys Noize, How To Dress Well and Djemba Djemba.

He also team-up with Aussies What So Not on the ace ‘Tell Me’. Earlier recordings include EP Grapes (2012) and High Beams (2013).

With 20 of the hottest local and international stars across three massive stages, Good Life

STEPHEN CUMMINGS

By Lachlan Bryan

‘16 is the ultimate day out, and exclusively for 13-17-year-olds. Good Life returns to Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne in February 2016 and will take place at all new venues.

Brisbane Showgrounds, Melbourne Park & Hisense Arena, Sydney Showgrounds, and Claremont Showgrounds (Perth) will each play host to the festival, with each city running till 10pm. With a Theme Park, Water Park, Sports Zone, and Outdoor Cinema featuring all the hottest flicks too – PLUS the chance to meet your favourite TV celebs, up close and personal, this is one party you don’t want to miss!

Grab your BFFs – Good Life ’16 is coming! Get your tickets ASAP. To purchase tickets to Good Life, scan the QR code or visit www. goodlifefest.com.au

THE WEEPING WILLOWS @ MAIN RIDGE MARCH 4th will see the release of The Weeping Willows’ sophomore album, Before Darkness Comes A-Callin’.

Recorded in Los Angeles with Grammy Award winning engineer Ryan Freeland (Justin Townes Earle, Bonnie Raitt), Before Darkness Comes A-Callin’ is a collection of 10 tracks that are raw, earthy alt-country.

The Caravan Music Club has become well-known for hosting special musical events in a relatively intimate setting.

Now and again, a show proves so popular that two nights at the venue are required and that is exactly the case with Stephen Cummings’ imminent celebration of his two most acclaimed releases: Lovetown and A New Kind of Blue.

Whilst Cummings has enjoyed a place amongst our most revered songwriters for quite some time now, he has never quite managed to live down the artistic success of these records, released twenty-eight years ago. That’s both a blessing and a curse for the artist, music  arts  events  entertainment

but this month at The Caravan he’ll be looking on the bright side, gathering together much of his original band (including Peter Luscombe, Shane O’Mara and Steve Hadley) for an all-star performance of both records in full.

The shows will take place on February 21 and 22 (Saturday and Sunday) and tickets can be purchased from www.caravanmusic.com.au For those unfamiliar with Stephen Cummings’ particular take on pop music, a visit to The World of Stephen Cummings (aka www.stephencummings.com.au) will help you get your head around one of Melbourne’s most iconic and original voices.

The album sees Kevin Breit (Rosanne Cash) on banjo, David Piltch (Billy Bragg) on upright bass, Tommy Detamore (Ray Price) on pedal steel, Luke Moller (Kasey Chambers) on fiddle and mandolin, and guest vocals from Melbourne alt. folk duo Sweet Jean.

Lead single ‘River of Gold’ is a stunning centrepiece, whilst ‘The Pale Rider’ explores the duo’s darker edges and Lachlan Bryan – that most restless of Australian alt. country wanderers – joins for a co-write on ‘Devil’s Road’.

The Weeping Willows will be playing at T’Gallant Winery in Main Ridge on Sunday, 27th March, so don’t miss them!

Next month, MINT will be giving away two copies of The Weeping Willows’ new album, Before Darkness Comes A-Callin’. Grab a copy of MINT in March to find out how and when!

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag

19

162 beach street frankston ph: (03) 9783 7109 w: beach162.com.au e: beach162@beach162.com.au

Valentines Day Book now for a romantic dining experience

Gig Guide Fridays & Saturdays from 7pm SUNDAY SESSIONS LIVE IN THE Z ' Z E 统 &ZKD 袭WD 7TH FEB SOUNDS FAMILIAR BAND 14TH FEB RIPPLE EFFECT 21ST FEB GEOFF ACHISON 27TH FEB ANDREW WISHART

HIP TO BE COUNTRY

By Lachlan Bryan three thousand at The Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre.

Closer to the grass-roots end of the business, the now customary Late Night Alt sessions at The Tudor Hotel were a huge hit with younger fans, as well as older folks with left-of-centre taste. It’s a peculiarity of country music that the ‘alternative country’ style has more in common with traditional old fashioned music than the mainstream, but any way you look at it, the artists belting out tunes in the sweaty upstairs bandroom of the Tudor were some of the finest and most authentic at the festival. I returned home with CDs from a few of these acts – the highlights being the work of Queensland’s Jen Mize (originally from the USA) and Josh Rennie-Hynes.

February is recovery-month for many country music artists and fanatics as they return home from the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival. I was at the festival this year (my eighth in a row) and noticed a change in the atmosphere – for the better, I might add!

Perhaps it was due to the increased presence of roots, Americana and alt-country artists in town, or maybe it was simply the fact that the festival seemed to run a little earlier this year (great for school holidays) but

nearly every venue I dropped in to was full of punters – even the ticketed shows that always have to compete with the hundreds of free entertainment options. A highlight of the festival was the Golden Guitar Awards, five of which went to Troy Cassar-Daley, whose Freedom Ride record has struck a chord with listeners over the past twelve months. Paul Kelly shared some of the spoils with Troy, and the pair performed together live at the awards ceremony before a crowd of more than

Back home in Victoria, I’m pleased to inform you there’s plenty of post-Tamworth country going on. If you’re city-bound, our own Gothic-country songstress Jemma Nicole will be playing each Sunday this month at the infamous Tote in Collingwood, whilst the Peninsula’s own sweethearts The Weeping Willows will kick off their album launch tour with a performance at The Basement Discs in the CBD. Readers of this column, and frequenters of Peninsula gigs, will be very familiar with Laura and Andy of The Weeping Willows – they’ve performed regularly at

Peninsula wineries as well as local festivals for the last four or five years. On March 4th they will release their second album – titled Before Darkness Comes a calling – and will embark on an epic promotional tour to promote it. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing the record already – and reckon all us locals should be proud.

And so we are now off and running in a new year of fine country music. I’m happy to say that in the time I’ve been writing this column, the genre has had a real resurgence - growing in popularity Australia-wide. It feels like a good time to be a country artist – and it’s definitely a good time for fans to start checking out new talent!

Lachlan Bryan is primarily a singer/ songwriter. 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.

JEN MIZE

By Lachlan Bryan

Jen Mize grew up on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada. Her early years were spent loitering around casinos (both her parents worked in the gambling game) and her first jobs included ‘hypnotist’s assistant’ and ‘singing gondolier’, but she still found time to perform for First Lady Hillary Clinton at The White House, play cello with the Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra and tour as a singer with The Duke Ellington band.

Mize taught herself guitar whilst working as an entertainer on cruise ships, before settling in Queensland with her Australian husband in 2006. It was then that she began to write and perform the songs that would make up her debut album – Fear, Pride and a Few Stubborn Angels.

music  arts  events  entertainment

Recorded in Brisbane, the record was released both here in Australia and in the USA, winning over critics and fans with it’s distinctly Americana sound – after all, how could Jen, with her ancestral roots shared between North Carolina Tobacco Farmers, Appalachian Moonshiners and the Lumbee Tribe of Native Americans, be anything less than authentic!?

In truth, Mize’s voice is quite astonishing – powerful when it needs to be, warm and gentle at all other times. The album contains lovingly crafted songs and can be filed alongside the likes of Lucinda Williams and Patty Griffin – fine company indeed. If you can’t catch Jen Mize in Melbourne this month, pick up Fear, Pride and a Few Stubborn Angels on iTunes.

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag 21

BLUES ILLUSTRATED

By Greg Fisher

PENINSULA BLUES SESSIONS MASTER CLASS The Mornington Peninsula Blues Sessions (MPBS) is now a regular event on the Melbourne Blues calendar. Their third instalment (the MASTER CLASS) was held at the Peninsula Community Theatre in Mornington on Saturday January 9. An impressive line up consisting of Matt Taylor and Phil Manning along with Chris Finnen and his Blues Disciples (Peter Beulke, Greg Dodd and Winston Galea) and Lloyd Spiegel entertained a packed house of over 250 people. Each of the artists showed us why they are indeed Masters of their craft and the audience was treated to a series of rotating micro sets in both an acoustic blues and electric format. Please check out the MPBS website for details of the next session. It’s going to be a hard act to follow.

BLUES AT THE BRIARS Now in it’s fourth year the Blues at the Briars festival returns to the Briars homestead in Mt Martha on Saturday March 5. A mix of local and international acts will be performing

amidst this family friendly event in a beautiful rural setting. This year, Russell Morris will be headlining the festival and 19 Twenty will make their debut.

released album in Australian rock history.

TOWARD THE BLUES has been released since 1971 and has attained double gold album

MAXON

AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST LITTLE BLUES FESTIVAL

Don’t miss the long awaited debut of MAXON at the Mt.Eliza Music Festival on Saturday February 6 at the Canadian bay Hotel from 1PM. The festival will be a daylong event based in the Mt Eliza village centre.

PENINSULA BLUES CLUB The originators of Oz-Blues, CHAIN will return to the Caravan Music Club on Febuary 26.

Having formed some 48 years ago this iconic band has some unforgettable hits from the early 1970s. Their Blues show has been a sell out in recent years and should not be missed. With four decades of albums & performances under their belt, it doesn’t get any better than this. As the only blues band to have a number one on Australian charts (BLACK’N’BLUE) as well as a number two (JUDGEMENT), they also have the distinction of having possibly the longest permanently

status.

The Bruthen Blues and Arts festival (February 19-21), Australia’s biggest little blues festival is an event of the Bruthen Arts and Events Council Inc. All proceeds go towards keeping music and arts alive in Bruthen.

Held on the third weekend of February each year the Festival is organised entirely by volunteers. The family-friendly Festival reflects the inclusive spirit of Bruthen and East Gippsland. The Festival has its 21st anniversary in 2016 and is still going strong.

The town puts on a showcase of stalls, music in the street, workshops, garage sales and of course music at the Bruthen Inn Hotel that is the best in its class. Bruthen loves its blues music and they know how to put on a good show. This year the Festival will be hosting some of our Peninsula’s favourite bands, Safari Motel, the Mike Elrington band and Wilson and White.

NATIONAL BLUES & ROOTS AIRPLAY CHART The National Blues & Roots Airplay Chart is a true reflection of the Australian Blues & Roots music that is being played on radio.

The Airplay chart is published monthly at http://www.bluesbeatradio.com/ozchart. htm Congratulations to the Peninsula’s own Troy Wilson and Matt White for their second month in the top five in the charts.

PENINSULA BLUES CLUB The National Blues & Roots Airplay Chart is a true reflection of the Australian Blues & Roots music that is being played on radio.

The Airplay chart is published monthly at http://www.bluesbeatradio.com/ozchart. htm Congratulations to the Peninsula’s own Troy Wilson and Matt White for their second month in the top five in the charts.

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 facebook.com/GregFisherBluesIllustrated

mintmagazine.com.au 22

MINT Magazine  February

2016

bayside & mornington peninsula

EDITOR’S PLAYLIST Courtney Barnett Three Packs a Day Good for You (Milk Records) Three Packs a Day is Courtney Barnett in a nutshell. In classic deadpan style, she sings a song any uni student or impoverished rental resident can relate to. No, not cigarettes or boxes of wine - that’s yesterday’s rock topic.

We’re talking about receiving all of one’s nutrients from two-minute noodles, the simplest and possibly tastiest of culinary experiences. With enough MSG to blind a family of four, Barnett relives the joys of a simpler time in her life... it’s hard to believe she’ll be eating a pack of Mi Goreng for dinner this evening.

It’s good to know that recognition hasn’t changed her driving passions. She still creates from the heart, as opposed to taking the logical next step toward the centre ground in pop music.

Released on her own label Milk Records, Three Packs a Day is just one track on the most interesting recent collaborations.

Kim Churchill Window to the Sky Silence / Win

By Billy Dixon

Marcus Marr & Chet Faker Learning for Your Love Work (EP)

Kim Churchill has been making quite a name for himself in the past 12 months. In Germany at the time of writing, he’s taken his finely-tuned raspy vocals and fingerpicked acoustic guitar all over the world, but will be back in the country for Summer in the Hills.

If you haven’t seen the film clip for Window to the Sky, it’s worth checking out. The meandering through a lonely atmosphere creates perfect synergy with Kim’s lyrics. It’s deceptive in its simplicity, filmed in a classic aspect ratio with heavy film grain, but drips with folky feeling. Hello, vertigo!

This track builds on his earlier works from the album With Sword and Shield, with similar twangs and toness. But, thanks to some generous airplay, dedicated fans who still crave physical instruments and perhaps a little luck, has brought a whole new wave of recognition to this steadily-improving Aussie artist.

Following on from this new duo’s Trouble With Us comes Learning for Your Love.

Whether Chet Faker has decided to share the love and accolades afforded him by adulating fans the world over, or whether the pressure to improve upon that success has forced him into a musical partnership with British DJ Marcus Marr, we’ll never know, but Faker’s vocals shine right through in both tunes.

Marcus Marr is a relative unknown in this equation, at least to Australian audiences, but the boppy electro tunes and funky guitar he brings to Chet’s lyrics works in a rather unpredicatable way; the resulting songs are almost impossible to pin down genre-wise.

The good news is, there’s another two songs on this EP that haven’t even hit the airwaves! Expect more aural goodness here.

Albert Hammond Jr. Caught by My Shadow Momentary Master The curly-haired Stratocaster-master from The Strokes is using his touring downtime wisely. With his guitar strung as high as ever, Albert Hammond Jr. brings the musical background of The Strokes’ indie rock to his own personal brand.

It exemplifies the importance of Hammond Jr. to the four-piece NYC outfit - bring Julian Casablancas out on the mic and you’ve got yourself a new single from The Strokes.

The real art is in his lyrics. Hard to follow initially, they paint a fairly grim picture of cubicle-style living in New York City. Not the fun, party-hard dkind of a Juicebox, mind you, but more of a resignation that the city of lights will never bring the suburban-style living of a three-bedroom house in the suburbs.

Who’s playing in the coming weeks, and where Saturday, 13 February: Cold Turkey @ Double G Saloon, Mornington

Friday, 19 February: Kim Churchill, Jordie Lane & Ben Jansz @ Pier Hotel, Frankston

Friday, 12 February: Jimi Hocking @ Double G Saloon, Mornington

Saturday, 20 February: Andy Phillips & the Cadillac Walk @ Double G Saloon, Mornington

Saturday, 13 February: Cold Turkey @ Double G Saloon, Mornington

Saturday, 20 February: Icehouse @ Palais Theatre, St. Kilda

Sunday, 14 February: Wayne Jury @ Double G Saloon, Mornington

Friday, 26 February: House Wreckers @ Double G Saloon, Mornington

Monday, 15 February: Saskwatch @ Grand Hotel, Mornington

Saturday, 27 February: Rob Papp’s Blues Head @ Double G Saloon, Mornington

Friday, 19 February: Sammy Owen Blues Band @ Double G Saloon, Mornington

Sunday, 28 February: Wilson & White @ Double G Saloon, Mornington

Friday, 19 February: Manpower Australia - Girls’ Night Outback @ Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights

Thursday, 3 March: Adam Harvey @ Hallam Hotel, Hallam

music  arts  events  entertainment

Saturday, 5 March: Blues at the Briars @ Briars Homestead,

Mornington Friday, 11 March: Pierce Brothers @ Grand Hotel, Mornington Sunday, 13 March: Absolutely ‘80s @ Grand Hotel, Mornington Thursday 17 March: Fawlty Towers Dinner Dance @ Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights Friday, 18 March: Seven Sisters Festival @ Mount Martha Friday, 18 March: Strung Out & PEARS @ Pelly Bar, Frankston Sunday, 20 March: Peninsula Picnic @ Mornington Racecourse, Mornington Tuesday, 22 March: Rodney Rude @ Pelly Bar, Frankston Wednesday, 23 March:

Rodney Rude @ Hallam Hotel, Hallam Thursday, 24 March: British India @ Grand Hotel, Mornington Sunday, 27 March: The Weeping Willows @ T’Gallant Winery, Main Ridge Friday, 1 April: Frenzal Rhomb @ Pelly Bar, Frankston Friday, 8 April: Rodney Rude @ Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights Friday, 15 April: Saskwatch @ Grand Hotel, Mornington Friday, 22 April: Shannon Noll @ Hallam Hotel, Hallam Sunday, 24 April: The Oz Rock Tribute Concert @ Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights Friday, 6 May: The Screaming Jets @ Hallam Hotel, Hallam

The Weeping Willows are playing at T’Gallant Winery in Main Ridge on Sunday, 27th March.

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag 23

CLASSIC CUTS He also showed more political and cultural expression around this period.

The album kicks off with the iconic Like a Rolling Stone, a song that has become one of Dylan’s many great anthems.

The two chord Tombstone Blues follows in much the same vein but with a solid chugging beat like that of an old rattler on a railway track.

Released in 1965, Highway 61 revisited was Bob Dylan’s 6th studio album, reaching number 3 in the UK and 4 in the US charts.

It was Dylan’s first real electric album, having recently given in to the popularity of the British invasion by abandoning the acoustic folk sound for a more contemporary bluesbased style.

The song features legendary musician Mike Bloomfield on lead guitar.

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, it Takes a Train to Cry was originally a fast electric guitar-driven song that Dylan decided to rework on piano as a slower version.

From the locomotive to the automotive From a Buick 6 rocks along at a steady pace with its Robert Johnson blues riffs before the album changes gear into the more moody and magnificent Ballad of a Thin Man, a song that would later inspire John Lennon to refer to in his classic Beatle white album song Yer Blues.

RUDEBOX Eventually, it would come to this. Deep down, I always knew avoiding it would be possible for only so long. You can run, hide or dig a hole in the backyard and attempt to camouflage yourself, but some things are so awful that they have a near supernatural ability to seek you out and haunt you forever.

Like a rotten tooth, perhaps it’s better to confront the inevitable and get it over and done with. So, despite the inherently unpleasant nature of the task, now’s as good a time as any to face up to the colossal, stinking mess that is Robbie Williams’ “Rudebox.”

Do you remember that scene at the end of “Raiders of the Lost Ark?” The one where the Ark of the Covenant is put into a crate that’s nailed shut before being placed in a gigantic warehouse full of other wooden crates? It’s a little known fact that all those other boxes contain unsold CD copies of Robbie’s leastloved album. Truly. In fact, Robbie Williams’ “Rudebox” is not so much an album as a career suicide-note. Seventeen songs. One of them was called “Bongo Bong and Je ne T’aime Plus,” which tells you pretty much

24

MINT Magazine  February

2016

By Ray McGrotty

Dylan sings of a man who no doubt represents all of society who is aware of a cultural shift but not sure what to do with it.

It appears to reflect his own reluctance to accept the change he has had to undertake with his own musical style in order to stay in the game.

The track also features Al Kooper on organ Queen Jane Approximately is no stand out by any means, however, lyrically it does compliment the album.

The title track, Highway 61 Revisited, is typical Dylan in his epic story telling mode.

It has a solid rocking beat and comes complete with bells and whistles, literally.

The bells and whistles sound a little out of place in a song about killing Abrahams’ son, (himself).

Jay Z, ODB, Nas and Chuck D; wonderful rappers all. That the name of “Robbie Williams” does not appear in that list is no mere oversight. Robbie can carry a tune but he cannot bring the rhyme. In the event of a

Clocking in at over ten minutes it personifies the legend in every aspect. Folksy, lamenting and lyrical.

He describes the desperate and chaotic culture of the mid sixties with its barbarian attitudes towards fellow man. (They’re selling postcards of a hanging, the circus is in town).

There are many unlikely characters mentioned such as T.S.Eliot, Nero, Cinderella, Cane and Abel and even Einstein.

The lyrics are very contradictory and seem almost like a complete jumble of words, possibly indicating that Dylan himself didn’t have the answers either.

The song is a blues boogie and again features Mike Bloomfield but this time on slide guitar.

Strangely the scathing lyrics lay atop of a sweet flamenco guitar, but it seems to work.

Just Like Tom Thumbs’ Blues tells a story of corruption and despair.

The album showcases Dylan at his peak during this early period.

It’s another story telling epic with no chorus.

Poetic, political, philosophic lyrics augmented with his trademark asthmatic suck – blow harmonica style.

Dylan was very particular about getting this track sounding just the way he had imagined it.

He wasn’t usually too fussed about spending a lot of time perfecting the recording of a song, however this time he did sixteen takes.

This would be my favourite Dylan album of all and although it wasn’t a number one charting album it did go gold in the UK and platinum in the US, and it IS pure classic Dylan.

By Stuart McCullough

everything you need to know. Two of them featured the Pet Shop Boys. Need I go on?

But when someone makes so catastrophic a misstep, it prompts the question: how did things go so spectacularly wrong?

With the benefit of hindsight and (possibly) sales figures, it’s easy to pinpoint precisely why the wheels came rolling off. In short, the answer rests in one name: Guy Chambers.

Guy worked as a songwriter, producer and musical director on Robbie’s first five solo albums. These were the CDs whose cases perched precariously on every dashboard of every SUV, minivan or people mover the world over. There’s an entire generation that knows those songs because they had to listen to them whenever their Mum picked them up from school. Things were going so well. But alas, it was inevitable that Robbie should jettison a winning formula in favour of “Rudebox.”

Desolation Row is the only acoustic track on the album and is Dylan at his finest.

Hindenburg disaster as a bit of a hiccup. Two record company executives lost their jobs.

Excess compact discs were used as landfill to create new islands in the South Pacific.

For Robbie, things became so dire that he returned to a resurgent “Take That,” where he was once more forced to run errands for the other four. It prompted an immediate re-think.

microphone fight, MC Williams would surely have his metaphorical undies hiked high between the cheeks of his buttocks. In fact, since we’re talking about rap, he’d be at serious risk of a drive-by wedgie. Yet despite the fact that his strengths lie elsewhere, it’s on “Rudebox” that Robbie chooses to rap.

The results are nothing short of horrific.

To say that the album performed below expectations is like describing the

It’s no accident that Williams reunited with Guy Chambers. Together, they’ll probably continue to create the soundtrack for school pickups from now until eternity. In light of this ongoing success, they’ll tour the world, packing out stadiums wherever they go. And if you should see Robbie Williams during one of these tours, make sure to say “hi.” By all means, ask for an autograph or (if you must) a selfie. Doubtless he’ll oblige. He’s that kind of bloke. But whatever you do, don’t let the words “so what the hell was Rudebox all about?” escape your lips. Should some one else bring it up, the best response is to echo that of the Hindenburg disaster and to say: ‘Oh, the humanity.’ bayside & mornington peninsula

YOUTUBE GEMS Crazy covers, asinine antics and other stuff BOY & BEAR - LIMIT OF LOVE A somewhat haunting tune backs the title track from Boy & Bear’s new album of the same title.

The video features gallant prancing and a sterile hospital hallway, but their style is addictive!

JOSH TRANSCENDS REALITY This is a video to send to colleagues you dislike, probably disguised as a link to your latest working document.

Sneak in the night before to crank up the volume.

THIS IS LENNY! Meet Lenny, the robot designed specifically to waste telemarketers’ time. It’s basically just a bunch of recorded messages, brilliantly utilised.

THE BIG LEZ SHOW - CHOOMAH ISLAND 2 Aussiewood’s latest cultural export, a brilliantly produced 55 minute animated movie. Based on the series of the same name, it gets loud, violent and somewhat abusive.

INDIA SUPERMAN SPIDERWOMAN If you can figure out what’s going on, let me know... It looks like Bollywood’s Superman and Spiderwoman have fallen for each other.

Oh, what adventures!

music  arts  events  entertainment

Mint Magazine, PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915 email letters to: editor@mintmagazine.com.au Dear Mint Magazine, Came across Mint while sipping a latte at a local café. Love the mag and I understand the challenges you must face in seeking to inform and entertain the offspring of the baby boomers on a monthly basis.

While technologies and styles have changed significantly over the past 50 years, the DNA of the music scene has largely remained intact.

For example, the offerings at the recent Rainbow Serpent Festival would not have been out-of-place in the 1960’s context of Woodstock, Sunbury, etc. Sure we may have had more guitar, bass and drums, faulty PA systems and third world toilet facilities back then, but the images of a happy and largely wasted audience swaying in the sun reminded me of similar scenes from fifty years ago.

The response from the law and the “outraged” fraternity certainly strikes a chord – and the logistical problems of getting serious numbers into and out of rural bush settings haven’t gone away. At least now, there are first rate security and medical support resources in place so harm to participants and the community is minimised.

As to the entertainment providers, they were then as they are now creative and expressive souls who live just off Main Street and usually do it tough between gigs. Maybe there’s room to seek out some of the musos from past eras to perform and compliment today’s players? It would enable the messages and sounds from the past to be read in a context of the present – surely an appropriate theme for such a festival?

Albert Humphries Moorooduc Dear Mint Magazine, There’s gotta be a better way to organise your “Letters” section. Apart from reading like it was all written by the same guy, presumably on location at your artificially-lit but strangely dim offices, they just don’t make any sense!

First there’s some druggo talking about some festival that happened in many states. Are we to assume he attended the New Years’ Eve Falls in Mariron Bay, Lorne and the central coast? He’d either be a marathon runner or have access to wormhole technology.

Then you’ve got the Australian political equivalent of Tom Brady’s attempt to blame the NRL for his own misdeeds. While I can’t disagree with the sentiment, I question its relevance to you or your readers. If what he says is true, the author in question belongs in the column pages of The Australian, not in my favourite music, arts and CULTURE magazine.

So get your shit together and get rid of the dead wood. Either stop censoring my regular letters or start making them up. Anything to keep them interesting!

Lenny Vapour, MINT Appreciation Society

Dear Mint Magazine, The era of the instrument is drawing to a close. No longer is the music festival synonymous with 1960s Woodstock; the bush doof has become the family camping trip, house party and rock concert of the 2010s (or however you say “this decade”).

Some might despair at the loss of decades of accumulated riffs, licks and all manner of tasty jam; woe betide the ageing hippie rocker.

Not me! I see it as cause for celebration. Remember that band you only kind-of liked, but were coerced into seeing by the fans in your peer group? No longer - there’ll be something for everyone at the bush doof (as long as it’s psytrance), and it’s about so much more than just the music.

That frosty August camping trip you dreaded the thought of? Now rolled into your half-yearly forest party. House party crowd getting a little bit young for you, mister or miss Generation Y? The solution is right there in front of you.

Bush doofs are the future. They extend the life of the party such that it is measured in days, not hours. They keep all that horrid party noise away from your elderly neighbours, dumping it in the middle of almost nowhere.

The nearest security guard is several hours away by road, assuming they’re even welcome on site.

Clearly, you need to cover more bush doofs.

I don’t care if they only pop up at the last second on social media - that’s where the real action is! If you considered yourself a serious music journliast, you’d be out there in the dead of night, bringing the beats back with you to the Peninsula. So get out there and give us more doof per unit of bush.

Cheers, Billy Krudup, Gippsland somewhere.

Dear Mint Magazine, Christmas isn’t just fun and games for us all, as your contributing writer Stuart seems to imply. It’s a time of great sadness for some, as lines of credit are extended far beyond their useful lifespan and last minute present rampages cause serious physicala injury.

There have even been reported cases of PTSD amongst shoppers who’ve left it too late, and missed that perfect gift for their loved one.

I demand you treat the holiday season with more respect should you choose to once again broach the topic. Perhaps you will one day see fit to start a foundation under your brand name, a charitable organisation working to provide much needed relief for exhausted shoppers. If your company has a moral compass, let’s see it in action.

Yours in anticipation, Colin Carell, Bonnie Doon.

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag 25

PASSION FOR COOKING, RESPECT FOR FOOD

By Melissa Walsh With another chefs hat awarded to Terminus for the fourth consecutive year, Flinders Hotel head chef Giuseppe Pisciotta takes it all in his stride, remaining passionate about cuisine and inspired by his Italian upbringing.

Born in 1981 in a small town called Mazara Del Valla, in the region of Palermo, Sicily, Giuseppe grew up surrounded by food with his mum and Nona teaching him how to make pasta, and quickly becoming the biggest influence in his life.

These days, 34-year-old Giuseppe calls the peninsula his home, and has settled into the relaxed lifestyle beautifully.

“I start my days going for a run along the beach or taking my two dogs for a walk, and love working in Flinders,” says the chef who has been working at the hotel for two years, and become an integral factor behind the success of Terminus, embracing his role as head chef and continuing to inspire his team with creative culinary flare.

“My best memories are at home when my Nona and mum would show me how to make pasta, and eating food was a time when everyone would come together and enjoy each others company,” says Giuseppe. “It made me want to be a chef and gave me a strong passion for cooking, and sharing this experience with other people. It all started when I was three years old. My Nona just loved food and her thing was to keep all the family together around the table. I will never forget the smell of the sauces in the morning and the fresh baked bread. Nona would call me at 6am and my cousins and I would make bread with her.”

“We have a great kitchen garden and we all love going out and foraging for fresh produce to cook the days meals with. It is important to have respect for all the ingredients we work with, from the fruit and vegetables to the meat which a farmer has had to nurture,” says Giuseppe explaining that it is about honoring the produce as well as being able to cook.

Although a far cry from southern Italy, Giuseppe has continued his family tradition of cooking right here on the Mornington Peninsula, after coming to Australia for a holiday five years ago, and deciding to stay.

For the Italian chef this means recreating his heritage as much as possible and paying homage to his Nona using the basic elements that she taught him to use.

“I did my apprenticeships in local restaurants in Italy, as by that stage the family had moved to Milan. My most memorable time was at Camp di Cent Pertigh, a famous restaurant in a 16th century farmhouse, between Milan and Como,” says Giuseppe.

Learning to cook with his family, and growing vegetables and meat on the farm, combined with classic Italian training was the best education, young Giuseppe could have asked for, but he still dreamed of working further afield and loved watching other chefs create and learning from them.

“I worked in Michelin star restaurants and was able to learn from famous executive chefs like Carlo Cracco and Claudio Sadler, and when I came to Melbourne, worked at Caffe é Cuccina, Caffe Baci and Atlantic restaurant at Crown Casino, and Piazza San Marco as a business partner.”

26

MINT Magazine  February

2016

”To be a good chef takes a lot of dedication, patience and love of food. If you cook at a restaurant, or at home, you cook to make someone like it. What you cook has to be something that you would like yourself and you must cook with passion.”

“My favorite item on the menu is the handmade ravioli which is my Nona’s recipe. I just change the way it is presented but I have kept it in my heart for a long time since I was a child,” he says.

Giuseppe explains that most of the dishes have some Italian background, fused with Australian and modern European influences.

The unique dining experience at Terminus takes you on a journey of the senses with a strong influence on seasonal produce and some all year round favorites.

“We are preparing for the summer menu now and have aged duck which is very popular in Australia with Italian radicchio, roast onion pieces and crumble made out of pancetta and duck livers. The scallops and seafood is very popular too, as is our marinated salmon with sesame crust, and we use Australian and local ingredients as much as possible. Being in Flinders, the

seafood is amazing with baby red mullet, calamari locally caught,” says Giuseppe, who has taken himself off to the pier to catch calamari on the odd occasion, albeit unsuccessfully.

Regardless of what Giuseppe is cooking, he insists the most important thing is to have respect for everything you put on the plate.

“My secret to success is love and passion for food, and respect for every item on the plate. It has all been through a journey and other people have had to work hard to

make it happen, whether its beef, chicken or vegetables, you must have respect for the people who have grown and touched the food. The meat on the plate has to be respected. It was once alive, eating grass and drinking just like us. I try to teach that to my boys in the kitchen, respect for food and passion for cooking. My Nona taught me that.”

Flinders Hotel Terminus is at corner Cook and Wood Streets, Flinders – Give them a call on 5989 0201 to book. bayside & mornington peninsula

WHAT MATTERS MOST

By Andrea Louise Thomas Powerhouse performer Tracy Bartram has a diverse professional repertoire, but she’s probably best known as a stand up comedian and radio personality. Passionate about social change, she also puts a lot of energy into working for what she calls the ‘greater good.’ She’s particularly interested in shining a light on addiction, mental health and gender equity. Bartram will bring her passion and energy to Frankston as MC for the live streaming of All About Women - part of Sydney Opera House’s Ideas at the House program. Frankston Arts Centre’s Cube 37 hosts the event. I caught up with her before she comes to Frankston.

personality made it easier or harder for you as a woman?

MINT: How did you feel when you were offered the gig to host the live streaming of All About Women at Frankston Arts Centre?

BARTRAM: No. I think radio is. You can reach so many more people with radio than you can with stand up. Stand up has its merits, but unless it’s televised live, not many people are going to hear it at once.

BARTRAM: I was thrilled. I love International Women’s Day! Most people don’t know it’s been around for over a hundred years. All About Women is such a great initiative. I recorded my only live comedy CD at FAC so I love that venue.

I had a really happy time there. It’s a big achievement for Frankston to be connected to this stellar event coming out of the Sydney Opera House.

MINT: What do you see as the big issues facing young women today?

BARTRAM: I think there’s a whole quagmire of issues facing young women that I certainly didn’t have to deal with when I was young. Now young women are connected to their phones 24/7 so they don’t get enough sleep. They’ve got cyber bullying issues and self-esteem issues. They’ve got the airbrushing that goes on in every magazine. We don’t see so called ‘normal’ people anymore.

MINT: What challenges have you faced as a woman over the course of your professional career?

BARTRAM: It’s not a level playing field - the gender divide is very overt here. I can say that as someone who’s travelled. I’ve had situations where opportunities have been given to males in my profession though I’ve been the right person for the job or another woman has been the right person for the job. I’ve seen women bullied out of roles by the boys’ club. We’ve still got gender bias all the way through.

MINT: Has being a well-known music  arts  events  entertainment

BARTRAM: In my private life, it’s made it a lot harder. I’ve been single for a long time. If I meet a man and he realizes it’s me, he’ll run a mile. But in my public life, as a woman with a profile, I am able to use that for the greater good to support community work I’m involved in. I’m grateful because it allows me leverage. The social media part of things is really interesting because it allows you to build relationships with your community that you couldn’t do so much on air.

MINT: Do you think stand up comedy is the best medium for effecting social change?

What outcome would you like to see from events like All About Women?

BARTRAM: I would love to see more events like this - that aren’t based on fashion parades and make up and stuff that the media focuses on with so many women’s events. I want to open up a conversation. I’d love to see something like this morph into something monthly.

There’s not enough healthy, open conversation about the things that really matter to us.

MINT: What’s next for you?

BARTRAM: We’re looking at Series Two of the Intolerant Cooks though nothing’s been set in stone yet. My first book will be out this year. (I’m writing a trilogy) It’s called Serious Laughter; a Comedian’s Life in the Celebrity Fast Lane. It’s about my radio career, the people I interviewed, what I learnt from them, my decision to leave commercial radio and why. Right now I’m working on a pilot radio show with a brilliant high profile journalist. We’re pretty excited! I just need to find the right network.

See Bartram in person at All About Women at Cube 37 on Sunday, March 6 at 12:30 pm. Bookings: 9784 1060 or thefac.com.au.

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag 27

LIFE’S A BEACH AT MPRG

By Andrea Louise Thomas

28

Brooklyn (11 Feb) In 1950s Ireland and New York, a young girl named Ellis Lacey must choose between two men, as well as two countries.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Michael Zegen

Ride Along 2 (18 Feb) As his wedding day approaches, Ben heads to Miami with his soonto-be brother-in-law James to bring down a drug dealer supplying Atlanta with product.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter, Ice Cube, Olivia Munn

Deadpool (11 Feb) A former Special Forces operative is subjected to experiments that leave him with accelerated healing powers. He adopts the alter ego Deadpool.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Gina Carano

Trumbo (18 Feb) The successful career of Hollywood screenwriter, Dalton Trumbo, comes to an end when he’s blacklisted in the 1940s for being a Communist.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Elle Fanning, Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane

Zoolander 2 (11 Feb) Derek and Hansel are modelling again when an opposing company attempts to take them out of business.

Gods of Egypt (25 Feb) A common thief joins a mythical god on a quest through Egypt.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Olivia Munn, Kristen Wiig, Penelope Cruz, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Brenton Thwaites, Gerard Butler, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Concussion (18 Feb) An NFL players suffer major head injuries and lifelong debilitation from repeated concussions and efforts by the National Football League to deny it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Will Smith, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bitsie Tulloch

Pride and Prejudice of Zombies (25 Feb) Jane Austen’s classic tale from 19th century England is faced with a new challenge: an army of undead zombies.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Lena Headey, Lily James, Douglas Booth

How to be Single (18 Feb) A woman writing a book about bachelorettes finds herself mixed up in an international affair while doing research abroad.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Dakota Johnson, Alison Brie, Leslie Mann, Rebel Wilson

Son of Saul (25 Feb) In the horror of 1944 Auschwitz, a prisoner forced to burn the corpses of his own people finds moral survival through a boy he takes as his son.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------STARRING Geza Rohrig, Levente Molnar, Urs Rechn

MINT Magazine  February

Once a year, The Friends of the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery host their Life’s a Beach student art award recognizing the talents and artistic innovations of Peninsula youth, from Prep to Year Twelve. To be exhibited in such a prestigious venue really is something to brag about.

Students from 21 different schools competed, but only a dozen won a first, second or third prize, though the highly commended were also exhibited at the MPRG and other venues. From a glassdomed underwater world with intricate sculptures inside to a colourful bathing box mosaic to brilliant drawing and photography, these kids really delivered.

Come to the gallery to see the talents of today’s artists of the future. This exhibition, in conjunction On the Beach, are a great way to escape the heat and find inspiration. On display until February 28 at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Civic Reserve, Mornington. 5975 4395. www.mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au

2016

bayside & mornington peninsula

TASTE OF THE EXOTIC IN FRANKSTON

By Andrea Louise Thomas

With events and activities for all ages, such as, a pop up film festival, concerts, bilingual storytelling, craft and costume displays, soccer, capoeira, luche libre (Mexican wrestling), and educational workshops, each year Ventana gets bigger and better.

Ventana’s Street Fiesta on March 12 is a dazzling display of colour, flavour, song and dance. The “Queen of the Sea” procession kicks it off with Carnival dancers in spectacular costumes sashaying their way from the beach into the CBD. Music and dance continue until 8 pm. A food, drink and craft bazaar on Wells

BRAZILIAN CARNIVAL

Street offers the tastes and scents of Latin America. Try the pupusa from El Salvador.

The event opens on Friday, 26th February with live music, entertainment, refreshment and an immersive cultural art exhibition. An inspirational film, Landfill Harmonic, about the members of the Paraguayan Youth Orchestra who make musical instruments from the trash they collect at the local landfill screens at 8:30 pm. Opening night events at Frankston Arts Centre from 7 pm.

Don’t miss the all the cultural events and experiences of the 10th annual Ventana Festival. Opening night bookings recommended on 9784 1060. If you can only choose one event, go to the Ventana Fiesta on Saturday, March 12 starting at 11:45 from the beach at Playne Street to the Wells Street plaza for the official festival opening. The party continues until 8 pm. For more info, click on thefac.com.au.

Left Bauer Productions Brazilian House

MASTER CLASS ARA KETU

Thursday 24 September, Thursday 108pm March, 8pm Friday 25 September, 1pm

Direct from Brazil, Afro-fusion group Ara Ketu is

Terrence McNally’s Master Class is an Brazilian insightful look intojoined the lifebyand art of carnival dancers in a night of pulsating Maria Callas, opera's most rhythms beloved and percussive grooves. and controversial diva. Starring Maria From humble but energetic beginnings as a carnival Mercedes as Callas and featuring three street band in northern Brazil, Ara Ketu has grown exciting young opera talents.

into an internationally-renowned sensation – a

Tickets: Member $43, Full $48, Conc nine-piece band producing an upbeat mix of Warning: Adult themes and sexual $45,U30 $30, Group 10+ $45 traditional Bahian percussion music, reggae,15+ years. references.

Recommended Duration: 140 minutes, incl. interval

Latin beats and modern international radio pop.

music | arts | events | entertainment

Bell Shakespeare

HAMLET

Box Office: 03 9784 1060 WHAT’S ON

Each year Frankston is taken by storm as the city is immersed in the stories, music, sport, dance, food, film and arts of Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese cultures. The annual month-long Ventana Festival is a highlight of the city’s calendar providing authentic insights into the cultural diversity of Spanish-speaking countries.

thefac.com.au

By William Shakespeare Director Damien Ryan With Josh McConville and Matilda Ridgway

@the_fac #thefac

Tuesday 6 October, 8pm

Member $39, Full $45, Conc $41,

Tormented by indecision and haunted U30 $30, Group 10+ $41 by his mother’s perceived crime, Duration: 90that minutes, Hamlet knows dark acts result in including interval. darker consequences. There is little that’s darker than act of revenge.

Drumming and the Samba Workshops

with the stars of AraFull Ketu at Conc Tickets: Member $55, $66, $62, U30 before $30, Group 10+ $57 6-7pm the show.

Duration: 185 minutes, incl. interval Only $10 with your concert ticket!

Frankston Arts Centre is a Business Unit of Frankston City Council

03 9784 1060 thefac.com.au

Tickets:

Principal Theatre Partner Frankston Arts Centre is a Business Unit of Frankston City Council

visit mintmagazine.com.au | like us at facebook: mint mag 29

IT’S ALL ABOUT WOMEN

By Andrea Louise Thomas In advance of International Women’s Day on March 8, the Sydney Opera House, as part of its Talks and Ideas series, is hosting the fourth annual All About Women Festival on Sunday, 6th March.

A world-class event with speakers from all corners of the globe, All About Women is a day of talks and discussions expressing thoughts and ideas about what matters most to women whilst providing a platform for women’s voices.

2016’s event features thirty guest speakers from eight countries talking about how issues such as inequality, unconscious bias, Indigenous activism, the economy, incarceration, violence, masculinity and the power of the written word, particularly memoir, affect women.

Not only does it take over the Sydney Opera House, but four hours of the day-long event will be live-streamed to venues around the

world including, Frankston Arts Centre’s Cube 37. Melbourne comedian, Tracy Bartram, will MC the event in Frankston.

Two talks will be live-streamed to Cube 37.

The first is titled “What Needs to Change?”

A panel of prominent women across many fields will discuss what they would do if they had the power to make overnight changes to society.

Following the panel is Piper Kerman (Orange is the New Black, pictured below), who will talk about what she learnt about women during her incarceration. She’ll also talk about her work as an advocate for the rights of prisoners.

Don’t miss the opportunity to think, discuss and consider the challenges, ideas and issues that affect and matter to today’s women on Sunday, 6th March at 12.30pm at Cube 37. For bookings, call 9784 1060 or visit thefac.com.au.

POETRY CORNER An original poem by Andrea Louise Thomas

~knee to knee~ we met behind the shelter sheds for a secret smoke an illicit act because I don’t smoke and we are teachers --i watched you under music notes deep resonant bass vibration quickening the wondering --talk stretching hours --strong latte and shy eyes at Commonfolk first date we ate food that made us moan --in the garden at Mornington the scent of four thousand roses

MINT Magazine  February

our embrace could not last long enough --we laughed at plays in Rosebud drank beer by the bristling twilight sea walked the creek trail at midnight and knee to knee you finally kissed me --dozens of on dates on and you play Venezuelan waltzes and Spanish guitar i recite my poetry and you sing not so softly

i made the call

30

overwhelmed us and

2016

--french onion soup and croque monsieur four minute eyelock is mindspark touch is possible, but time is short --where to, we wonder when complications make uncertainty.

andrea louise thomas © 2016 bayside & mornington peninsula

SUSPENDED IN TIME

By Andrea Louise Thomas

Few Australian novels have captivated the Australian psyche like Lady Joan Lindsay’s Victorian gothic, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

The timeless classic turns 50 next year, but in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Peter Weir’s iconic namesake film, the National Trust presents Return to Hanging Rock at Mulberry Hill, the historic home of Lady Joan Lindsay and her artist husband, Sir Daryl Lindsay. This is where she wrote the novel in her infamous “scribbling room.”

Pictures: (Clockwise from top) A clock adorns the walls of the historic Mulberry Hill mansion, where the National Trust is currently exhibiting Return to Hanging Rock; homestead curator Cara Simpson at the entrance to the perfectly preserved manor; and a typewriter in Lady Joan Lindsay’s “scribbling room.” music  arts  events  entertainment

Featuring a mesmerising light installation that seems to warp reality – something that greatly intrigued Lindsay – as well as original costumes and props from the film (loaned by the National Film and Sound archives), contemporary artworks, photographs,

scent and sound installations and sculptural taxidermy, this is a truly interesting exhibition.

I spoke with Curator, Cara Simpson to ask a few salient questions, such as why this novel despite its dark undertones, so captivated its audience.

She explained, “We are obsessed with the myth of the lost child in Australia.

Set around 1900, people went missing all the time due to harsh and difficult terrain of the bush. This story captures that anxiety as well as the drama of the search.”

Simpson also related that Lindsay didn’t expect the novel to be such a success, but had she not been married to her famous artist husband, this novel would have made her financially independent at a time when

that was a rarity for women.

As to the actual mystery itself, Simpson would like to believe the whole narrative is true, but thinks there are true elements within it that genuinely reflect the time in which it was set. It also provides some insights into gender roles, social values and the pioneering spirit of Australians.

For a truly different exhibition, get a glimpse into Australia’s most enduring literary mystery in Return to Hanging Rock at Mulberry Hill Homestead, 385 Golf Links Road, Langwarrin South. It’s open Wednesday to Sunday from 11.00am to 3.30pm, with the last admissions to the house at 3 pm. For bookings, call the National Trust on 9656 9889 or email bookings@nattrust.com.au.

visit mintmagazine.com.au  like us at facebook: mint mag

31