AKoVA [surf coast column]
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AKoVA [surf coast column]

Acoustic roots and world musician AKoVA is coming to the Surf Coast as part of his tour of Australia’s east coast. He’ll be playing gigs at the Torquay Hotel on October 24 and Martians Café in Deans Marsh on October 25. AKoVA says he’s excited about making his Surf Coast debut.
“I’m so looking forward to it. I haven’t been down there yet. We’ve done the east coast, west coast, but we haven’t been down the bottom yet, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
The Gold Coast product describes his music as ‘raw’ and ‘real’, and it’s exclusively acoustic. He plays as many as nine or ten instruments at any gig, including guitar, ukulele and djembe. He says his original songs contain subtle messages that speak to his concerns in life.
“It’s all about planet and people for me. It’s about looking after the planet, looking after the people. It’s what’s close to my heart at the moment … It’s just life I guess and the spiritual journey I’m on at the moment. I guess that makes you see things a little more clearly. It’s just the lack of common sense that’s around at the moment in all fields. It’s something that concerns me so I write about it, but I try not to get too heavy about it. I don’t like being told what to do or preaching or anything like that.
“What it is, I believe, people are just working way too hard. People aren’t having fun anymore. It’s all good to have a purpose and a cause but you can’t forget to have a beer and have a party as well.”
’60s Scottish folk icon Donovan is AKoVA’s greatest musical influence, and he thinks there are elements of Donovan in all the songs he writes.
“He was basically what started me playing music. I was going for a drive with the old man and the Donovan song ‘Sunshine Superman’ came on the radio and that was it for me. It was guitar shopping time. I went out and got an album of his and I’ve been hooked ever since. There’s a little bit of Donovan in all [my songs] I guess.”
And sticking to the acoustic sound can certainly have its benefits: “There was a gig we were doing down the coast and the most beautiful thing about it was the power went out,” he says. “Everything went dead quiet – all the fridges were quiet, there was nothing on bar a few candles on the tables. But I could still keep going and it was the most beautiful twenty minute set I’ve ever done. It was extraordinary.”
Surf Coast audiences can expect to hear music that suits the coastal atmosphere and culture. “We only do the coast, we haven’t gone inland at all,” he says. “The coast really, really suits it, it’s just got that sort of vibe. I sing a lot about surf as well, so it’s got a bit to do with the surf and the beach, so it works really well.
“I’d just love to see them [Surf Coast audiences]. It’s just something very unique – I’ve been told it’s been done before, but not the way I do it. So it’s going to be something different. And I look forward to that when I play at a new venue.”
* Half the proceeds from AKoVA’s tour will be donated to the World Wildlife Federation.
Where&When: Torquay Hotel – October 24 & Martians Café – October 25
By Daniel Waight
 

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