8 NEWS
voiceofthesouth.com.au
Closure of popular music venue mourned Donna Carman LOCAL musicians and music lovers are still mourning the closure last month of a ‘worldclass’ live music venue in downtown Denmark. Freehand Wines cellar door operated at Palm Court for only 18 months, enticing the public with biodynamic wines, plush furnishings and regular live music. During that time coowners Matt Eastman and Danni Paviour-Smith made continual improvements to the sound quality, performance space and adjacent lounge area. For five years local musician Terry Mackintosh and sound legend John Dodd used to run a monthly ‘Transmission’ music night at the CWA hall. The process took days – packing the car, setting up the gear at the hall, then bumping out and taking it all home and unpacking it. When Freehand opened its permanent stage set-up was considered a luxury, and it rapidly became a popular gathering-place for the arts community. Freehand was the venue of choice for this year’s Denmark Arts Festival of Voice performers The Ballpoint Penguins, and for the inaugural appearance by the youngest-ever solo performer at the festival, Sarah Cussons. Local musician and music appreciator Andi Adams called Freehand a world-class offering to musicians and patrons. “The quality of sound reproduction and acoustics
Matt and Danni tending the bar during the 2019 Festival of Voice. PHOTO DENMARK ARTS
Festival of Voice firsttimer Sarah Cussons. PHOTO DONNA CARMAN
Matt Eastwell and Danni Paviour-Smith at home on their Freehand vineyard at Forest Hill. PHOTO JENNY FEAST
were matched nowhere else in Denmark, and Matt made it extraordinarily easy for musicians, by providing an inhouse PA and mixing,” Andi said. Festival of Voice MC Peter Keelan, a community arts professional and musician, said that the intimate venue had been great for creating community cohesion and bringing people together. “It’s not often that someone can mix sound for long periods and
maintain a positive focus – while at the same time providing excellent wine, food and service,” he said of Matt. “The vibe in the local arts community surged during the time Freehand operated. “The need for an intimate music and spoken-word performance venue in Denmark goes hand-in-hand with emotional wellbeing.” Business mentor and Denmark Chamber of
Commerce CEO Liz Jack said that Freehand showed courage to revitalise the main street and provide a light in the dark for those seeking entertainment after hours. Matt said that Freehand was a chapter that ended, but he and Danni were hoping to create a new venue in the near future. The pair was committed to a local location, to serve Denmark’s deep connection to the arts and environment.
No.10 | 15 Aug - 28 Aug 2019
Letters Weeding out the facts about glyphosate WEEDS are plants considered undesirable or troublesome that (mostly) have no human benefit. In Denmark’s town area and along its road verges it would be impossible to pull all these unwanted plants by hand, so we must use alternative methods. The quick and easy solution is to use chemical herbicides. Due to its low cost and ease of use, a very commonly used herbicide is glyphosate, more commonly known as Roundup. Glyphosate, like most other readily available chemical herbicides, is a poison. It is designed to kill. And kill it does. Contrary to popular myth glyphosate is not biodegradable, and remains in the ground and plants for a long time. It is now known that glyphosate has moved up the foodchain from plants and been found in the flesh of some planteating animals – and consequently in the flesh of meat-eating animals, including humans. It has even been found in human breast milk. While there are no obvious short-term consequences of glyphosate exposure the long-term consequences are hotly contested. Science does not universally recognise glyphosate as carcinogenic under ‘normal’ exposure – though there is no universal agreement about what constitutes normal. Like cigarettes, you may smoke (spray) for some time before consequences begin to show, by which time it can be too late. But it doesn’t take a scientist to understand that chemical poisons do not belong in our bodies. I think that ‘Zero’ glyphosate presence is the safest bet, wherever feasible. So we must learn to tolerate weeds a bit more, spray less often, and using alternatives such as steam to kill weeds where appropriate. One good alternative spray for broadleaved weeds is what is often called ‘weeds-be-gone’ – one cup of Epsom salts and 250ml of dishwashing liquid in two litres of white vinegar. This kills weeds in less than 12 hours and is cheap, organic, and leaves no residue. - MIGUEL PEZ
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