Sleaford Mods announce Australian tour for May and June
Sleaford Mods have announced their long-awaited return to Australian shores off the back of their latest album UK GRIM.
Kicking off in Adelaide in May, the Nottingham duo’s eclectic live show will take to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Hobart and Perth, with special appearances at both VIVID Live and Dark Mofo.
Sleaford Mods Australian tour 2023
- Wednesday 31 May – The Gov, Adelaide: TICKETS
- Friday 2 June – VIVID Live @ Sydney Opera House, Sydney
- Saturday 3 June – The Forum, Melbourne: TICKETS
- Tuesday 6 June – The Princess Theatre, Brisbane: TICKETS
- Wednesday 7 June – The Great Northern, Byron Bay: TICKETS
- Friday 9 June – Dark Mofo @ Odeon Theatre, Hobart
- Sunday 11 June – Astor Theatre, Perth
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
As Sleaford Mods’ most dance-floor friendly release to date, UK GRIM is an urgent and sage-like look at life, living and the gritty reality of our era.
Angry yet artful, innovative yet possessing an instinctual energy that irresistibly moves bodies and minds, UK GRIM is an erudite electronic vision that truly engages with times that have been anything but ‘precedented’.
Stream / download UK Grim here. Pre-sale is live Thursday, 13th April at 10am (AEST), general on-sale on Friday, 13th April at this link.
The NGV Triennial brings a world of contemporary art and design to NGV this summer
Bringing contemporary art, design and architecture into dialogue with one another and traversing all four levels of NGV International, the NGV Triennial features more than 75 extraordinary projects that invite us to reflect on the world as it is, while also asking how we would like it to be.
With more than 25 world-premiere projects commissioned by the NGV especially for this presentation, the NGV Triennial reveals the extraordinary ways in which leading and emerging artists and designers have responded to the most relevant and critical global issues of our time. With many of the works on display entering the NGV Collection, the NGV Triennial establishes a lasting legacy for Victoria that can be accessed for many generations to come.
Stay up to date with what’s happening within the region’s art scene here.
NGV Triennial 2023 highlights
Polish-born Agnieszka Pilat will train Boston Dynamics robot dogs to paint autonomously – a breakthrough in her practice that explores power of technology in contemporary society. Over four months, audiences can witness the robot dogs painting a monolithic durational work. Pilat imagines that in a distant future these paintings will be revered as the first primitive art-making of AI enabled robots.
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In a special collaboration with Paris haute couture house Schiaparelli, the NGV has invited artistic director Daniel Roseberry to present a selection of works from recent collections alongside a collection of gilded surrealist accessories and body adornment. Presented within an immersive and celestial environment, the display highlights Roseberry’s interest in pushing the boundaries of couture practice, the elemental, and his view that art and fashion can question, shape and address the concerns of contemporary life.
Counter-culture icon Yoko Ono will present a large-scale text-based work on the NGV International façade. The multi-media artist who works in performance, instruction, film, installation, music, and writing, will draw upon her Instruction Pieces and major public art commissions around the world for this poignant work. Ono’s text works speak to her conceptual practice of over 60 years, and offer declarative, poetic, confessional and political commentary.
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NGV Triennial will also present an exciting selection of recently acquired work by British artist Tracey Emin, whose autobiographical and confessional practice spans film, painting, drawing, installation and sculpture. Highlights include a five-metre-high text-based neon light installation of Emin’s own handwriting, abstract and tactile bronze sculptures, plus gestural and figurative paintings that confront moments of extreme emotion, anguish, elation or pain.
Senior Paris-based and American-born sculptor Sheila Hicks presents Nowhere to Go, 2022, a major sculptural installation utilising Hicks’ signature bulbous forms of brightly coloured fibre. Stacked high against a wall, the forms gather to create an imposing and yet playful installation that celebrates the experience of architectural space and the emotional potential of colour.
David Shrigley OBE, known for his darkly humorous artworks which reflect on the banality and absurdity of everyday life, presents his monumental public sculpture, Really Good, 2016. The work was originally conceived for the Fourth Plinth in London’s iconic Trafalgar Square, in the immediate aftermath of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. Taking the form of a seven-metre-high thumbs-up, the sculpture is characteristic of the self-conscious irony often found in Shrigley’s work and is intended as both a satirical and sincere gesture.
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Collaborators Elmgreen and Dragset offer a dynamic sculptural installation where multiple works combine to traverse the artists’ unique approach to sculpture and installation. The Painter, Fig. 1, 2021, depicts a male figure, barefoot and shirtless, caught in the process of making a sweeping black mark across a white canvas. In The Balcony, a figure leans out from above to photograph the audience. Above it all is What’s left?, a tightrope stretched across the void, a lone figure clings to the rope, seemingly to drop at any moment, to a tragic fate.
Other highlights include Mun-dirra, a monumental one-hundred-metre-long woven fish fence which was produced over two years by ten artists working with apprentices in Maningrida, Arnhem Land. The immersive installation, which invites audiences inside it, represents one of the two common types of fish traps produced in the area. The weavers are from the Burarra language group from the east-side Arnhem Land who specialise in the customary weaving. The artists use the woven form to tell a powerful story of matrilineal knowledge transference, as well as how Yolngu people have lived sustainably with the land for generations.
For the NGV Triennial, Tokyo-based artist Azuma Makoto will present a room sized installation as an homage to the magical beauty and lifeforce of plants. After freezing a multitude of Australian flowers and botanicals into crystalline acrylic blocks, the artist places these jewel-like sculptural elements in dialogue with a beguiling multi-screen film depicting the life and death of flowers. Makoto asks us to explore the complex and fragile relationship between humans and plants.
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American artist Hugh Hayden, whose work explores ideas of class, race, education and cultural assimilation, will exhibit his 2022 installation, The end, for the NGV Triennial. Taking over an entire gallery space, the work depicts an apocalyptic elementary school classroom – replete with desks and chairs – that has been overrun with branches and dodo skeletons. Also on display will be Hayden’s 2020 work The Cosby’s, which comprises a series of cast iron skillets that have been reimagined as West African masks – a commentary on the cultural impact of the African diaspora on American entertainment, food, industry, and society.
Megacities is large-scale, NGV-commissioned presentation that invites ten leading street photographers to capture the urban environment of ten global megacities, with a population exceeding 10 million: Cairo, Dhaka, Jakarta, Delhi, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Seoul, Lagos, Tokyo and Mexico City. Working collaboratively with the NGV, the photographers will stage their work in a dynamic, immersive environment and present a thought-provoking fact of the twenty-first century, an urban phenomenon – enunciating that for the first time in history the dominant human habitat is the city, and that we are rapidly becoming an urban species.
Three key thematic pillars of Magic, Matter and Memory anchor the 2023 NGV Triennial. Rather than forming a structure for the exhibition’s organisation and the selection of works, the themes offer insight into the concerns of the artists and designers in the exhibition. The three themes are entangled discourses that flow between and across the projects within the exhibition.
The theme of Magic delves into belief systems, allegory and symbolism, revealing some of the ways that human spirituality has shaped the world around us. Matter draws together nature, materials and making, highlighting the central role that materials and the natural world play in shaping human culture. Finally, Memory shines a light on both the histories of people, places and objects that make up the complex tapestry of our contemporary world.
Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV, said: ‘In the three years since the last NGV Triennial, the world has experienced a great many structural shifts, including a global pandemic. Through the work of more than 100 artists, designers, architects and collectives from Australia and around the world, the NGV Triennial offers a powerful insight into the ideas and concerns empowering creative practice in 2023.
‘The artists, designers and architects of our time play an important role in helping us to understand, navigate and relate to the world around us. The 2023 NGV Triennial offers audiences a valuable opportunity to experience new and surprising forms of creative expression from around the globe, which, together, present a compelling snapshot of the world as it is, while also asking how we would like it to be,’ said Ellwood.
The NGV Triennial is on display from 3 December 2023 – 7 April 2024 at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Entry is FREE. Further information is available via the NGV website: NGV.MELBOURNE.
Further highlight commissions, acquisitions and large-scale presentations at NGV Triennial 2023:
- Hoda Afshar (b. Iran): The Fold, 2023, a newly commissioned work by Hoda Afshar investigates images by the French psychiatrist and photographer Gaëtan Gatian de Clérambault (1872-1934), who photographed veiled Islamic women, and sometimes men, in Morocco. Unfolding in three parts, Afshar’s large-scale installation continues the artist’s decade-long exploration into how the medium of photography became – and continues to serve as – one of the central tools in the project of colonialism thought its representations of Islamic women.
- Studio Fernando Laposse: Conflict Avocados, Laposse’s most ambitious project to date, explores the troubled ethics behind avocado production in Mexico, the world’s largest producer and exporter of the fruit. Focusing on town of Cherán in the state of Michoacan, Laposse recounts through furniture, objects, film and a major 40m long narrative textile – the Cherán Tapestry – the struggle by local women to defend their home from criminal cartels and preserve their forest ecosystem, which is being cleared for avocado production. Laposse offers an optimistic perspective where local solidarity, artisanal craft and ecology work together to rebalance the situation.
- John Gerrard (b. Ireland): Irish artist John Gerrard has played a central role in the development of simulation within contemporary art. Utilising real-time computer graphics, his digital artworks often examine contemporary political issues, such as energy production, food systems, information flows and climate change. His large-scale simulation, Flare (Oceania), 2022, presents a seascape based on photographs taken by the activist Uili Lousi, who is documenting the rising temperatures of his ancestral ocean near Tonga. The work offers a poignant comment on the existential threat of rising seas due to carbon induced climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels.
- Petrit Halilaj (b. Kosovo): Kosovan artist Petrit Halilaj will create a new iteration of his immersive installation, Very volcanic over this green feather, 2022. Drawing from lived experience, the installation takes inspiration from Halilaj’s childhood drawings, made in the Kukës II refugee camp in Albania during the height of the Kosovan War. Interspersing depictions of rural landscapes, animals, birds and scenes of death and destruction, the installation reveals the slippery relationship between the real and the imagined, personal and collective memory, and recorded history and lived experience.
- Sheila Hicks (b. USA): Senior American artist Sheila Hicks will stack nets filled with blue fabric to form an avalanche of colour in a corner of one large gallery space. Nowhere to Go, 2022, is a major sculptural installation utilising Hicks’ signature bulbous and joyful forms of brightly coloured fibre. Hicks is one of the world’s foremost artists and sculptors working with textiles, fibre and colour. Known for her experimental weavings and voluminous sculptural textile works, Hicks’ varied approach to weaving and tapestry made her a leader of the Fibre Art movement of the 60s and 70s.
- Yee I-Lann (b. Malaysia): For the NGV Triennial, Yee I-Lann has collaborated with Bajau Laut weavers, who reside off the coast of Sabah, Malaysia, to make tikar – woven mats. Tikar/Meja (Mat/Table) is a large-scale display of 60 Bajau Sama Dilaut mats, upon each of which is woven an image of a table. The table is a representation of administrative power and control – colonial, patriarchal and state power. They are the opposite of the non-hierarchical, community-based, open platform of the tikar. Tikar/Meja forms a message from the people on the mat to the people at the table: in rolling up the mat, the table is engulfed.
- Lehuauakea (b. Hawaii): Mele O Nā Kaukani Wai is a mixed-media wall-based installation that addresses the need to integrate Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge and western science in today’s ongoing global environmental crises. Using traditional ʻohe kāpala (carved bamboo printing tools) to print patterns that tell stories through intergenerational symbolism, Lehuauakea employs the metaphor of the meeting point of freshwater and saltwater where the river meets the sea to portray this complex issue.
- Illuwanti Ken (b. Australia): Iluwanti Ken’s newly commissioned work comprises of three paintings, collectively spanning 5 metres, which tell the story of Walawuru Tjukurpa (Mother Eagles). The large-scale paintings pulsate with energy and movement to reveal activities of the walawuru (eagles) as they journey across the landscape. The paintings will be accompanied by an audio recording of Ken singing her native Pitjantjatjara language.
- Thomas J Price (b. UK): Working primarily in figurative sculpture, Thomas J. Price’s addresses issues of identity, representation and power. For the NGV Triennial, Price will present two large-scale sculptures, All In, 2021, and Reaching Out, 2020, which confront the lack of people of colour represented in public statuary in the UK. Intentionally ambiguous, Price’s figures do not depict a certain individual, but are instead drawn from an amalgamation of found sources, including observed individuals and stereotypes represented in the media.
- Smac McCreanor (b. Australia): The video work Hydraulic Press Girl takes inspiration from videos of people reacting to the content published by the popular Official Hydraulic Press Channel, which captures a myriad of objects being compressed by a hydraulic press. Each episodes shows side-by-side frames of Smac’s interpretative movement and the active hydraulic press harmoniously in motion. Smac’s movements echo that of the pressed object and humorously highlight the absurdity of the material world.
- Betty Muffler (b. Australia): The epic scale of Ngangkari Ngura (Healing Country) – spanning 5 metres long and 3 metres high – provides an expansive representation of Country from the perspective of the eagle, including significant sites such as waterholes and waterways. Embracing a subtle monochromatic palette, the work is informed by the artist’s status as a Ngankari (traditional healer). Muffler, who started painting late in life, won Best Emerging Artist prize at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (aka NATSIAA awards) in 2017, with this work.
- NGV Kids: For the NGV Triennial, the NGV will present a world-premiere all-ages exhibition that invites kids and their families to experience the work of leading contemporary artists and designers in an interactive and playful environment. The NGV Kids Summer Festival this year celebrates the work of the NGV Triennial artists and designers with an exciting 9-day program of all-ages workshops, activities and events.
The NGV Triennial is on display from 3 December 2023 – 7 April 2024 at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Entry is FREE. Further information is available via the NGV website: NGV.MELBOURNE.
Six movies worth seeing on the big screen these school holidays
Exactly why we celebrate Easter with chocolate eggs remains a bit of a puzzle, especially as going to the movies is clearly a much more sensible way to spend time over the holidays.
Seriously, the weather’s starting to get a little chiller, the days are getting shorter, you’ve just eaten a whole bunch of chocolate eggs – a nice warm cinema is definitely where you want to be.
The only question now is, what to watch?
John Wick: Chapter 4 (in cinemas now)
It’s not news that John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is a killing machine of such lethal intensity that his fight scenes largely function like dance numbers in a musical: they’re more about expressing and exploring a mood than driving forward the story. And the story here is thin even for a John Wick movie, with the moments between fights largely about moving characters from stand-off to stand-off.
Old favourites (Ian McShane, Lawrence Fishburne) provide old pleasures, while the newcomers – most notably Bill Skarsgard as new representative of the High Table / chief baddie Marchese Vincent de Gramont and the amoral tracker “Mr Nobody” (Shamier Anderson) – fulfill their roles with aplomb. And then there’s Caine (Donnie Yen), a blind killer and old friend of Wick’s who is forced to once again pick up the gun (if he doesn’t, the High Table will kill his violin playing daughter) and could possibly be the only gunslinger who can take our hero down.
It’s all intentionally too much of a good thing, everything dialled up to eleven in a way that reflects Wick’s own exhaustion even as he beats down a dozen goons using nunchucks. Going way over the top is the point in this enjoyably excessive bloodbath.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves (in cinemas now)
It’s fantasy adventure time, and while these tales usually involve vast treasures and mighty evils here the story is basically about trying to reunite a family. There’s still quests to get magic objects and loot treasure, as those who’ve ever played a game of D&D might expect, but there’s also a bit of heart in there between the battles (with magic and without), the classic monsters (an Owlbear! A Gelatinous Cube!) and a satisfyingly sinister evil scheme.
More important is the tone, which it gets exactly right. The fighter (Michelle Rodriguez) is gruff, the magic user (Justice Smith) is battling confidence issues, the shape-shifter (Sophia Lillis) is slightly more serious and mistrustful, and the Paladin (Rene-Jean Page) is extremely Good (at everything, including avoiding becoming the straight man for a bunch of jokes). You’ve even got Hugh Grant as a dodgy con man turned ruler who is the kind of bad guy who’s up front that he’s bad so you can’t really hold it against him. He’s a lot of fun, and he’s not even central to the story.
Someone who is central is Chris Pine, despite playing a character – he used to be a kind of undercover ranger, then he became a thief, now he’s mostly playing the lute – who is so superfluous other characters actually ask “why do we need you?” As he’s shown in everything else he’s done, Pine can be charming and lightweight while still delivering the goods dramatically when needed.
But the real takeaway is that it’s funnier than you might expect; if only all Hollywood adventures could get this many laughs out of resurrecting the dead.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (in cinemas now)
There’s a lot riding on this film, and that’s not a Mario Cart joke. It’s the big kid’s movie for the school holidays, and a major international release too – so much so that it’s hitting Australian cinemas a day early to synch up with the global release. But it turns out there’s a reason why this one’s largely been kept under wraps, as Mario’s second big swing at the big screen (c’mon, who doesn’t remember the live-action version with Dennis Hopper as the bad guy?) needed a few more power-ups.
When Brooklyn plumbers Mario (the voice of Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) travel via inter-dimensional pipe to a magical mushroom kingdom ruled by Princess Peach (Ana Taylor-Joy), it doesn’t take long before Luigi is captured by the evil King Bowser (Jack Black), forcing Mario to rescue him by, well, jumping on a lot of platforms and eating mushrooms. The dodgy accents are mostly sidelined (that’s good), Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) shows up (also good), and the jokes about turning a 2-D game into a 3-D world are often inventive.
Otherwise though, this is firmly aimed at kids in a way that will probably keep them entertained while leaving older fans wishing they were back home with their console.
The Pope’s Exorcist (in cinemas April 6)
Look, it’s Russell Crowe playing an exorcist: what more do you need to know? Based on a real-life member of the Catholic Church – who claimed to have performed an extremely high number of exorcisms, but to be fair many of them seem to have been pretty casual affairs – the distributor has kept this one under wraps (though it’ll be in cinemas by the time you read this) but it seems safe to say that “demonic possession” is going to be high on this film’s list of activities if the trailer is any guide.
And look, while seeing a bunch of spooky evil activity and some kind of sinister Vatican cover-up is no doubt a big part of the appeal, getting to hear Crowe say “If you have any problems with me, you talk to my boss – The Pope” in an Italian accent is going to be pretty much worth the price of admission on its own.
Air (in cinemas April 6)
It’s the 80s, and in the sneaker business third place is last place – which is bad news for Nike, as their basketball shoe division is firmly in third place. Basketball “guru” Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) has been brought in by his friend and Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck, who also directs) to turn it around, but all his big ideas involve the one thing he can’t have: more money.
As far as sponsoring players goes, 18 year-old Michael Jordan is clearly promising, but when Sonny decides to bet everything on a big gamble to win over the Adidas-loving Jordan and his business manager mother (Viola Davis), first he has to win over Nike before he can take his shot. There’s more small pleasures than big dramas in this true story of sports marketing: the main players are all slightly shabby middle-aged men (the fanbase for a Michael Jordan story in 2023), and as the ending is never in doubt the fun comes from seeing them slowly put the pieces together.
Everyone (including Chris Tucker and Jason Bateman) proves to be an integral part of the team and gets a big speech to prove it, though Affleck plays Knight as the closest thing here to comedy relief. Jordan himself is kept off camera, but Davis comes on strong as the mother who knows driving a hard bargain is in everyone’s interests – as Sonny says, this is the rare deal where everyone comes out on top.
Mafia Mamma (in cinemas April 13)
There’s a long tradition of movies where some average naïve citizen finds themselves up to their necks in organised crime. Mickey Blue Eyes; Analyse This (and to a lesser extent, Analyse That); the list goes on – or at least, it does now with Mafia Mamma, which does at least provide the new angle of having a woman be the one stumbling into a dangerous world. This is another holiday release that’s been kept under wraps, but here’s what we do know: Kristen (Toni Collette) is dealing with a lot of drama in New York (unfaithful husband, bad job, the usual) when she gets a call that her Italian grandfather (who she didn’t even know) is dead, and she has to get to Italy ASAP to “settle his affairs”.
Thing is, he was a high-ranking Mafia boss, and his final wish was for her – as his last living relative – to take over. Is this how the Mafia really works? So long as there’s plenty of scenic Italian countryside and some decent fish-out-of-water jokes (plus the occasional shoot out), does it matter?
Coconut Shy is optimistic for the future on captivating indie-folk ballad ‘The Finest Day’
Flushed with charming introspective, unique and captivating lyrics and indie-folk soundscapes (a la Bon Iver), Melbourne-based Singer/Songwriter Coconut Shy (the moniker of Joseph Mackey) has been thoroughly embossing his name in the industry over the past couple of years with an intoxicating writing style that fluctuates between mood poetry, fable-telling and reflections from real life experiences.
With a style that blends introspective, unique and captivating lyrics with the gentle sound of his soothing acoustic guitar drawing comparisons to the likes of Ed Sheeran, Coconut Shy’s latest release ‘The Finest Day’ is a gentle, dreamy indie folk song full of heart and depth.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Independently released on 7 April 2023, ‘The Finest Day’ is Coconut Shy’s first single of the year, and his fifth overall career single since debuting with his EP Japan Town – a three-track collection of peaceful, heart-on-sleeve serenades – back in 2021.
Establishing himself as an up-and-coming singer/songwriter with a heart, and a voice, of gold, ‘The Finest Day’ takes you on a warm, chilled-out sonic journey, championed by Coconut Shy’s honey-sweet vocals, catchy melodies and adept songwriting, leaving you hanging on his every word throughout the track. He sings,
“Well I hear the sweetest sound
When you’re following me around
Into the light of day
And you’re always welcome there
“Into the lightness where
Paper tigers lie in a cage
And the beauty within your laugh
You see how the emblem’s march
So proud of where they belong”
With nods to the likes of Vance Joy, Dean Lewis, Jeff Buckley and Bon Iver, the indie-folk influences surge and flourish throughout the perfectly-timed, highly emotive and pensive track that offers an astute extension of his signature ‘acoustic campfire music’ sound. The perfect exemplar of what he is trying to do with his music: combining the delight of the six-stringed instrument with the insight of genuine, meaningful lyrics, ‘The Finest Day’ is a curious and exciting transition when one moves on from the brooding in the past to being excited about the future.
Written in 2020, ‘The Finest Day’ was written on the same day as Coconut Shy’s previously released single ‘Water, Water’ (October 2022), virtually simultaneously. During one rainy afternoon in March 2020, Shy – who should have been knee-deep in a Psychology essay – found himself toying with the idea of writing a song that focussed on the transition from life as he knew it – before the pandemic – to what things might look like in the future. In a rather unexpected fashion, the idea spilled out into two different versions: ‘Water, Water’ and ‘The Finest Day’.
“It’s difficult to talk about ‘The Finest Day’ without talking about another one of my songs, ‘Water, Water’. I wrote them practically simultaneously. One idea spilled out into two different versions; I think of them as twins. It was the strangest thing – writing two at the same time. It had never happened before that point and I don’t anticipate it to happen again,” the artist explains.
“I guess ‘The Finest Day’ draws from the same feelings and experiences as ‘Water, Water’ did, but with more of a positive light. The latter is trying to pull itself out of melancholic nostalgia, whereas the former looks directly to the future, excited and optimistic for all that is to come. The line at the end of the chorus probably sums it up best: ‘The widest grace knocking at your door, the finest day may come after all‘.”
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Neither overpowering nor complicated, ‘The Finest Day’ is a slow, sweet sonic journey that showcases Shy’s ability to seamlessly combine his smooth voice with soft acoustic instrumentals. Having performed the track live since writing it in 2020, the release of the track feels like a triumphant step to the future for the songwriter, teaming up with Simon Paparo from Four Doors Studios to guarantee its ever-lasting greatness. Thoughtful and introspective yet warm and inviting, the smooth, cohesive, feel-good atmosphere, gentle wash of acoustic guitar and eloquent tambourines throughout that makes you feel as if you’re simply gliding along with Shy’s melodic voice. It will have you feeling just a little bit lighter, and a little more at ease by the end.
Coconut Shy’s poetry is inspiring, his imagery is poignant and his performance is utterly breathtaking. The chorus, in particular, is fragile, yet bold, effervescent yet muted, the music swells with emotion and intimacy and it’s here that the melody becomes trapped in your head. It’s the perfect way to leave a budding audience satisfied, yet in desperate need of more.
Well come with me Friday
Raise for a toast
To the feeling of freedom
Down the South coast
You know with a reason
It will all begin
The widest grace knocking at your door
The Finest Day may come after all.
Though releasing music professionally has only happened in recent years, the promising Tasmanian-born solo musician has spent the last ten years carefully crafting his sound, surfing the local open mic scene, and playing gig after gig at pub after pub, to bring him to this moment, well and truly stepping into the light with ‘The Finest Day’.
If this latest release confirms anything, it is that Coconut Shy is a true artist who should not, and will not, be missed.
Listen to ‘The Finest Day’ and keep up with the latest from Coconut Shy here.
April 20th Solar Eclipse: A rare total solar eclipse will appear across the sky this April
Don’t forget to look up at the sky this month because, for the first time in 10 years, a total solar eclipse will be visible across Australia
Happening on April 20, 2023, this rare and truly beautiful celestial phenomena will allow stargazers to experience a full solar eclipse for the first time since 2012.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
A total solar eclipse is when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth, completely blocking out the sun’s light and casting a shadow on Earth’s surface. Scientifically speaking, this shadow is known as the ‘umbra’, and the area beneath the shadow, where the total eclipse can be seen, is referred to as the ‘path of totality’.
The ‘path of totality’ for this total solar eclipse will begin in Exmouth, Western Australia and travel across the north of the country, where it will be at its most impressive. The path will be about 140 kilometres wide and last for just over three minutes at its maximum point.
People in WA within this path of totality will see the phenomena at its most impressive, with the sun disappearing completely, temperature dropping and planets becoming visible as the corona (the sun’s outer atmosphere) will appear as a glowing halo for the three minutes. A real sight to be seen!
For those of us not in WA, the eclipse won’t be as sensational but will still be beautiful and worth a gaze towards the sky.
Set the alarms, the sun will disappear above Sydney at 1.36pm, Brisbane at 1.43pm, and Adelaide from 12.23pm, while in Melbourne the rare event takes place at 1.15pm.
The next opportunity for peak one of these won’t be until 2043.
Live review: King Stingray brought the joyful energy of a band that truly loves what they do to Live at the Bowl
Supported by Gretta Ray and George Alice, the show was a testament to the incredible talent and diversity the Australian music industry has become known for.
Gretta Ray lit up the stage with her signature soulful lyrics and upbeat performance style, both captivating and emotionally sucker-punching the adoring fans in the mosh pit.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
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‘Cherish’, was a highlight with Gretta managing to be heartfelt and open while dancing across the stage. Sweet and slow songs are where Gretta is at her best, commanding attention with her voice. She covered both Bill Joel and Gang of Youths with such intensity you’d be forgiven for forgetting these aren’t her own words.
Rounding out her set with a dedication to the LGBTQIA+ community in honour of Trans Visibility Day, she sang and danced to ‘the song that gave me the job I have now,’ ‘Drive’, complete with the transgender flag.
Shifting gears, from sweet and emotive pop to upbeat Australiana rock, the energy changed with the arrival of King Stingray on stage.
King Stingray has been riding the wave of success for the past 18 months and their show was a celebration of the incredible energy they bring to their album.
Walking on stage to an Avalanches-inspired soundtrack, announcing ‘We’re about to launch the Stingray,’ the energy in the Bowl immediately changed – anticipation replaced with excitement.
Launching into ‘Sweet Arnhem Land’, the band set the tone for the rest of the show, with the band members interacting and playfully enjoying their time on stage.
The six-piece play around onstage, switching instruments and dancing with each other. Watching them you see they have fun without the pressure of the unwritten (or perhaps written) rules of performing. Moving around on stage freely they jammed with each other, transforming the stage at the Bowl into what felt like the warmest, friendliest jam sesh.
Mixing their classic and surf rock inspirations with First Nations influences, the King Stingray sound is one of the most iconic in all of Australia right now. Watching that sound come to life on stage is just as iconic. Without the pretensions and polished performance style of many of our more established bands, King Stingray brings the joyful energy of a band that truly loves what they do. And that energy is matched by the crowd, grooving along to the beat-driven sounds filled with positivity and radiating good vibes.
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Watching the band perform in language and celebrating the Yolŋu heritage of several band members is a cultural celebration. Their performance involves traditional First Nations dance styles and creates a truly unique gig experience – which is probably why they’ve erupted onto our music scene with such force and finesse.
Watching their performance, Kind Stingray reminded the audience of the importance of loving what you do and celebrating the connections in your life. Each song is an homage to their NT upbringing and their community and breathes life into a place many of us views as far away.
Closing with an extended version of ‘Milkumana’, a song about their inspirations, the band soaked up every last minute of their performance before coming together, arms around each other to take three bows to a roaring crowd.
This is a band that you need to see perform – listening is just the first step in enjoying everything King Stingray has to offer.
Keep up with the latest new music and tour news from the band here.
Newtown Italian restaurant Pompei on Pakington has closed its doors
Nestled amongst the hustle and bustle at the river end of Pakington Street, Pompei Geelong was a welcome addition to the region when it opened its doors back in September 2020 with a clear focus on combining Italian simplicity with high-quality produce, delivering a delicious and authentic Italian dining experience to locals.
A local family-run business of four, comprising Alastair, Alastair’s partner Tamara, Kai, their daughter, and Brendan, their brother-in-law, Pompei combines about 50 years of experience working in food, dishing up the kind of devotedly rustic, no-frills authentic Italian food that you can feel doing you good, body and soul. Taking inspiration from their culinary experience in Pompei, classic Italian flavours were given a contemporary makeover.
The pasta menu struck all the right notes, featuring the likes of homemade tagliatelle alle cozze, spaghetti alla carbonara, homemade gnocchi Osso Bucco and penne pesto. You’ll also find a refreshing Caprese or pear e noce salad among the other items listed on the menu.
Now, two and a half years later, the venue has sadly closed its doors – permanently.
Keep up with the latest food and booze news across the region here.
Pompei Geelong bring rustic, no-frills authentic Italian food to Pakington Street
Posting to Instagram in a story on Friday, 31 March, the business announced it has closed its doors and would not be reopening.
“Hi all, sorry to say that Pompei has closed and will not reopen,” the story read.
“We have put our all into this restaurant and so sad to say goodbye to our regulars and the people who have supported us.
“Thank you all and we will miss you Newtown. Tam & Alastair.”
Owned by Geelong locals, the loss of another business is a devastating blow to the community, especially one like Pompei, which begun in the midst of COVID and the toughest time for the hospitality industry.
The idea for opening a family business was initially conceived back in 2017, but it wasn’t until COVID first struck, that the team decided to chase their dreams, stumbling upon the vacant spot on Pakington street.
“Our spot on Pakington popped up and it was such a great location with an amazing courtyard, we knew it was exactly what we were looking for,” Tamara previously told us.
“Once we decided on Italian cuisine, we reflected on a trip to Italy six years ago, where we went to Pompei and had the most delicious food in our trip, and made it clear that our name would be Pompei.”
We will miss you Pompei.
The White Rabbit Chocolate Stout is back this Easter for a limited-time only
Beer and chocolate lovers rejoice, as the White Rabbit Chocolate Stout returns for its seventh outing this Easter.
After numerous successful years, White Rabbit has once again teamed up with the Pana Organic dream team to tantalise the tastebuds of many beer lovers with a smooth and velvety stout. In other words, a perfect Easter drink.
Keep up with the latest food and booze news across the region here.
White Rabbit’s philosophy of ‘Fermentation with Imagination’ led its brewers to experiment with one of the oldest fermented foods on Earth – Cacao.
In hindsight, it seems it was only a matter of time before someone had the idea to link White Rabbit with Easter, but it took until sometime in 2016, some seven years after White Rabbit started the brewery, to do it. The original idea was to create a chocolate-infused stout in collaboration with a respected, local producer. That led to Pana Organic and the first release just in time for easter 2017.
Initially, the beer was an incredibly intricate, very crafty offering that included, along with the Cacao from Pana Organic, brandy-soaked oaked staves, barrel aging and hand filling into 750ml bottles. It proved so successful in the years to come; White Rabbit has continued to brew larger and larger volumes ever since.
For this year’s Choc Stout, notes of dark malt and chocolate reach the nose first. The mouthfeel is rich and smooth with a pleasant heat from the brandy and the finish is clean and slightly sweet.
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Speaking to the return of the beer, Jeremy said the creation of the beer goes beyond simply adding chocolate.
“Our fan favourite Chocolate Stout combines traditional darker and roasted malts and barley with a very late addition of cacao, brandy spirit, and candy syrup to produce a slightly sweet beer perfect for Easter and the coming winter months.”
White Rabbit Chocolate Stout will be available for a limited time on tap and in pack around Australia, with 375ml cans available at major liquor retailers including;
- Dan Murphy’s (National)
- BWS (VIC)
- Liquorland (National)
- First Choice (National)
- Plus ~250 other stores throughout the country.
For more information or to purchase some online, visit whiterabbitbeer.com.au
Lightning & Rhinestones is the new alt-country day festival coming to Geelong in June
Geelong, get ready for a day filled with twanging good times, country-soul glam, and psych-guitar glitz at the brand-new Lightning & Rhinestones music festival.
The first of its kind in Geelong, the alt-country festival will take place on June 18, 2023 at the Barwon Club Hotel featuring a line-up of Australia’s most talented alt-country musicians, delicious food and drinks, as well as beginner lessons in two-step dancing.
Lightning & Rhinestones
- The inaugural alt-country mini-festival hitting Geelong this year
- Barwon Club Hotel will host the alt-country Sunday Session 18 June
- The festival lineup features Freya Josephine Hollick, Ben Mastwyk and His Millions and more
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Headlining the inaugural event will be Australian cosmic country Queen Freya Josephine Hollick fresh from her cracking sets at Golden Plains, LoJo and Boogie this year and Melbourne cosmic-country-rocker Ben Mastwyk and His Millions, who promise to have the groovin’ to their country-soul glam with plenty of psych-guitar glitz.
Rounding out the lineup is ARIA nominee Georgia State Line, Melbourne Americana singer-songwriter Katie Bates evoking PJ Harvey with her heart and soul grit, and the multi-talented Patrick Wilson. Earlier in the day, festival-goers also have the opportunity to learn two-step dancing with beginner lessons run by Emma-Bee (from Americana Dance Academy) accompanied live by the Honky Tonkin’ No Sleep Til Texas.
If that wasn’t enough, punters can dust off their cowboy boots and dance to tunes spun by DJ Clip Clop between acts on the main stage.
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With a fair dose of the alt-country themes of heartbreak and yearning, balanced with a rollicking good time, festival-goers can also indulge in some finger lickin’ good food from the Barwon Club Hotel kitchen. We’re talking sticky ribs, southern fried chicken, burgers and fries. Wash it all down and keep hydrated for more dancing with great beer, wine and cocktails from the BC bar.
The festival kicks off from 12pm and runs until 8pm on Sunday 18 June 2023.
With the appetite for home-grown alt-country bands growing at lightning speed, it was only a matter of time before the Bellarine, Geelong and Surf Coast deserved to experience some of the country’s most talented musicians and this festival certainly promises to deliver.
Tickets can be purchased here or $40 on the door.
jnr. contends with heartbreak in poignant pop ballad ‘Cruel’ featuring JËVA
Released on 4 April 2023, ‘Cruel’ is the stunning cinematic and mournful synth-pop offering from producer and songwriter Ben Siva’s electro-soaked pop solo project jnr.
The Sydney-based artist – who has worked with some of the best up-and-comers Corrj, JËVA and ANGE to name a few – first introduced his solo endeavour just last year, dropping his debut single ‘Remember’ in March 2022 and has since been carving out a vast universe of vivid sound and colour that could be his and his alone.
Entirely self-produced and tapping into his own personal life every time, jnr.’s music can be appreciated as a visceral and vulnerable expression of Siva’s deepest depths, all while creating and maintaining a freshness that the music scene so greatly deserves.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
The follow-up to his single ‘I Didn’t Know Myself (Before I Met You)’, released in February this year, ‘Cruel’ is a breathtaking best foot forward for the artist, offering up a softer side to his music. From the radiant instrumental work and arresting vocals, to the sheer tightness and welcoming warmth of the single’s production, ‘Cruel’ is lively, immediate and beautifully intense as jnr. transports listeners to a beguiling, hypnotic realm.
Raw and relatable, the glitchy and delicate track is the break-up before the break-up; when you both know that something is wrong in the relationship, but you can’t leave out of fear, selfishness, or a lack of self-confidence.
jnr. sings, ‘Is it better to stay here, when I know what you’re worth, sick of sitting in silence, but if we talk it will hurt.’
‘Am I so cruel, what if it doesn’t get better than you’.
Synths shimmer, glimmer and pop as the artist dwells in a turbulent space. Featuring a heavy ambient bed and gently strummed acoustic guitars that progressively build and explode into a house-influenced drum break for the finale, ‘Cruel’ is all about pausing and reflecting on a relationship that has all but ended.
Enlisting the talents of Sydney-based musician and burgeoning pop star JËVA (Jeffrey Liu), listeners are further captivated JËVA as provides a tender addition to the second verse, adding his own story of cutting ties and uncertainty in his mournful croon.
Mixed and mastered by Julian Hoeninger, as we’re continuously rewarded with new textures throughout the near-three-minute track, it becomes clear the music and lyrics are telling the same story. The dreamy keys, swirling synths, velvety vocals and drum beat feel tactile and illusory, evoking the same palpable emotions within its listeners as the songwriting alone.
As with his previous releases, jnr. has the ability to envelop our ears and hearts in catch, charming pop wonder, though this time, offering an even more intimate journey. ‘Cruel’ is a glimmering gem in jnr.’s repertoire and shines with its personal narration and impressive technicality.
Bending the boundaries of pop in his own experimental yet digestible fashion, jnr. continues to prove that both his lyrical storytelling and instrumental capability are matchlessly refreshing. If there’s anything jnr. knows best it’s himself – one of the most versatile and capable musicians in the underground pop scene.
Keep up with the latest from jnr. here.
The Fireball World Championships is coming to Geelong in February 2024
Geelong has been named as the next home for the Fireball World Championship, to be held at The Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC) in February of 2024.
Combining the perfect sailing conditions of Corio Bay with the proximity to some of Australia’s greatest tourist destinations, such as the Great Ocean Road, the 12 Apostles and The Bellarine, this will be the first time Australia has hosted the event since 2012.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
The Fireball is a high-performance, two-person dinghy offering exciting sailing, intense competition, and a great social atmosphere off the water. With 18 National associations in Australia, Europe, North America, and Asia, the 2024 Worlds are expected to be hotly contested by a strong international fleet.
Fireball Victoria President, Glenn Peverell said “We are looking forward to racing in Geelong. It’s a great opportunity for new sailors to join the class and compete in a nationals and a worlds. We invite new sailors to join and old sailors to dust off their boats and come for the fun”
Event Chair, Fireball sailor and RGYC Board Member Brendan Garner is delighted to welcome international regattas back to Geelong after two years of uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
“Geelong is perfectly positioned to host the upcoming Fireball World Championships. With easy access to Melbourne for travel and logistics, world-class sailing and as a tourist destination, our visiting sailors and families are in for a treat”.
2024’s Summer of Sailing will see Geelong returning to pre-Covid levels of sailing activity with the keelboats at Festival of Sails in January, International Fireball World Championships in February followed by the Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong in March.
These World Championships mark the first time since Covid that the Royal Geelong Yacht Club and the Geelong community will welcome back a truly international sailing event.
In addition to the 2024 World Championships, RGYC is hosting several lead-in events and coaching opportunities. The 2023 Victorian State Titles attracted interstate and out of town visitors to the region just 12 months out from the Championships and more are expected at events next spring.
Tracy Carter, Executive Director of Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine said, “The Fireballs Worlds add to Geelong’s growing portfolio of major international events. We welcome back international participants and visitors to Geelong and the Bellarine. This is an ideal location with many visitor drawcards including award-winning wineries, boutique food producers and outdoor adventures for family fun.”
For more, head to 2024.fireballworlds.com
Peninsula Hot Springs hosts Victorian State Ballet for the first time with a performance of ‘Cinderella’
The beloved ballet classic ‘Cinderella’ will be appearing live on the Peninsula Hot Springs open-air Bath House Amphitheatre stage this April 27 for the venue’s premier staging of a ballet production.
In a unique experience, concertgoers will have the opportunity to watch this timeless performance while soaking in the stunning geothermal mineral pools, relaxing on the terraces or luxuriating on lounge chairs dotted throughout the Amphitheatre.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
As the sun sets, guests can expect to see the stage illuminated with exquisite classical ballet technique and choreography brimming with breathtaking skill and grace — including solos and pas de deuxs from the leading couple.
This first-of-its-kind special event follows a plethora of successful performances and installations that have combined art and bathing at Peninsula Hot Springs over the past few years.
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“Peninsula Hot Springs has always been about bringing people together through geothermal bathing and through celebrations of art and culture,” said Peninsula Hot Springs Group Chairman and Co-founder, Charles Davidson. “We are thrilled to be able to offer this sensational and totally unique event.”
The classic, whimsical fairytale will be performed by artists from across Australia and around the world, with the Victorian State Ballet’s leading ballerina in the title role and their leading male appearing opposite as her prince.
“Our version of ‘Cinderella’ endeavours to immerse the audience right in amidst the fairytale classic in a profound experience that is exhilarating, impacting and visually inspiring. We expect this unique performance to be extremely popular with high demand for tickets to watch Cinderella at the iconic Peninsula Hot Springs,” said Michelle Sierra, Managing Director Victorian State Ballet.
Tickets are available for $100 (including Bath House bathing) and can be found here.
Frenzal Rhomb announce Australian tour in support of their 10th album ‘The Cup of Pestilence’
Having well and truly mastered the art of punk rock with their 2017 ninth studio album Hi-Vis High Tea, Notorious 90s punk-rockers Frenzal Rhomb are back with their tenth album, The Cup of Pestilence, due for release tomorrow, 7 April.
On the eve of the album release, the Sydney band have now announced they’ll be heading on a national Australian tour to celebrate. Kicking off in Melbourne on 19 May, the tour will take the band across the country in June and July, finishing up in Hobart on 29 July.
Frenzal Rhomb ‘The Cup of Pestilence’ Tour
Fri 19 May: 170 Russell, Melbourne
Sat 20 May: The Gov, Adelaide
Fri 2 June: Drifters Wharf, Gosford
Sat 3 June: Spring Loaded, Sandstone Point
Fri 16 June: The Zoo, Brisbane
Sat 17 June: Vinnies, Gold Coast
Fri 23 June: The Mansfield, Townsville
Sat 24 June: Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
Fri 7 July: Badlands, Perth
Sat 8 July: Indian Ocean Hotel, Scarborough
Fri 21July: The Basement, Canberra
Sat 22 July: Manning Bar, Sydney
Fri 28 July: Miranda Hotel, Miranda
Sat 29 July: Uni Bar, Hobart
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
“It’s time to oil up the guitars, sharpen the drumsticks and hitch up the wallet chain-mail; it’s time for battle!*,” the band share.
“*playing a reasonable number of shows spread out over a bunch of weekends with a kinda big but not too-long setlist because we’ve been doing this for a while and our bones hurt. Please come.”
Comprised of Jason Whalley, Gordy Forman, Michael Dallinger and Lindsay McDougall, the band will be joined by special guests The Meanies.
Tickets On Sale now here.
The Cup Of Pestilence – the new album by Frenzal Rhomb – out April 7 on Virgin Music, pre-order here.
‘I Liked it… BUT’ is heading to the Furphy Hall, transforming the theatre into a pub trivia night
A very silly look at very serious shows, I Liked it… BUT transforms the theatre into a pub trivia night to find out what’s really going on in the art world.
The cabaret-dance-trivia amalgam show will head to the Furphy Hall at Little Creatures Brewery in Geelong from Thursday May 11 to Saturday 13 May for multiple performances.
Keep up with the latest in local news and entertainment here.
“This is Joel. Joel is a VERY serious, VERY important performance artist. Joel makes VERY important “works” about issues that you should definitely care about,” the show description reads.
“Please come and see Joel’s VERY important show. No-one needs that! I Liked It, BUT… (I didn’t know What the F#!K It Was About!) goes where few ‘experimental contemporary immersive performance’ works dare to tread… out of the theatre and into the bar to see what passes the ‘pub test’.”
Grab a drink and enjoy some tunes with Joel and a local musician for a Pub Trivia Night about the craziest, weirdest, most confusing stuff he’s ever had to see on and off of a stage.
Expect very silly stories about very serious people, served with tongue firmly in cheek. Together, we’ll try and work out how dance even gets made, and why we should care.
You can purchase tickets here.
Stars & Bars Music Festival
A hybrid of a country music festival, food and wine festival and regional bus tour, Stars & Bars Festival Heathcote will see punters take part in a whistle-stop tour of Heathcote and its surrounds featuring some of Victoria’s Biggest and Brightest stars on Saturday, April 22 2023.
Created by Lincon Boyd, the brains behind the beloved past NaranaFest, and offering a concept that stands out dramatically, this year’s newly minted edition returns with some fresh new locales, familiar favourites and a stellar handpicked lineup including the likes of The Seven Ups, Karl S. Williams, Leslie D. King & The Trembling Shakes, Jungle Jim Smith, Nathan Seeckts, Riley Catherall, Rhianna Fibbins & Pete Daly, representing everything from Alt-Country, Americana, Heavy Groove, Funk & Soul, Blues & Roots and Electric Jungle Boogaloo to soundtrack your sonic sojourn in Central Victoria.
As for where you’ll be heading, stops range from a 150-year-old pub Tooborac Hotel & Brewery to boutique small-batch wineries like Domain Asmara, Wren Estate and Condie Estate, with the final destination being Palling Bros Brewery, where you’ll enjoy an evening session in their recently expanded Beer Garden.
Building on from last year’s event, there are two ticket options up for grabs.
The first is the luxury bus tour, which will showcase all eight acts across five beautiful locales over 12 hours, from 10:30am to 10:30pm, with three free wine tastings sessions, afternoon tea and access to the evening session. Bus tour tickets are limited, and go for $100.
For those that can’t spend the whole day, there’s a secondary option to join the Festival at Palling Bros Brewery in the Beer Garden from 6pm – 11pm where you’ll witness four of the acts: The Seven Ups, Karl S. Williams, Leslie D. King & The Trembling Shakes, and Jungle Jim Smith. Enjoy a pre-show meal, sample some handcrafted beers or grab a Moon Dog Fizzer Seltzer from the Pop Up Bar. Evening tickets are just $40 with limited tickets available on the door on the night.
What better way could you spend the (almost) Anzac Day Long weekend than to leave the city behind and hit the road with an extended Stay-Cation? Relax with friends old and new, take some time to tune in, drop out and breathe in some of that rarefied country air.
Sisters in Strength bring Strongwoman workshop to Geelong, celebrating strength and resilience of women in the community
Sisters In Strength Australia lead coaches and founders, Kerryn Taylor and Mariko Whyte, are bringing their sixth Sisters in Strength Workshop to Strong Geelong this month, on Sunday 7 May 2023.
As seen in the recent ABC iView & ABC TV’s Strong Women documentary, Sisters In Strength Australia is a community initiative dedicated to inspiring and empowering women of all ages to find inner strength and confidence. They challenge the status quo of female stereotypes by teaching women what it is to be strong, both mentally and physically.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
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The Sisters in Strength Workshop, led by Taylor and Whyte, offers the opportunity to explore the physical and mental aspects of strength sports in a workshop that promises to be both informative and transformative.
Workshop attendees will learn practical strategies for building confidence, developing resilience, and achieving their goals. The workshop will include interactive Strongwoman exercises, group discussions and sessions with Australia’s top Strongwoman athletes.
“This workshop is an incredible opportunity for women in Geelong to come together and support each other,” Kerryn Taylor said.
“Mariko and I are passionate about empowering women, and we are excited to share our knowledge and experience with the attendees.
“We want women to leave the workshop feeling empowered and inspired,” Mariko Whyte said. “Our goal is to help them to develop the confidence and resilience they need to thrive in all areas of their lives.”
Taylor and Whyte are leading Strongwoman athletes and trainers. Both have helped countless women to overcome personal challenges and achieve their goals. Taylor is known for her warm, supportive approach, and her ability to inspire women to be their best selves. Whyte is an advocate for women’s physical and mental health and has a great passion for helping others discover their inner strength and self-belief.
The Sisters In Strength Australia workshop in Geelong promises to be a powerful and transformative experience for all attendees.
Tickets are available via Eventbrite.
James Reyne teams up with Ella Hooper for a massive Australian tour
Hooper explains, “When James came to me with this idea – I was like – hell yeah! I’ve always adored that song, it’s got such a lovely, laconic feel to it and it’s such a unique Australian song too.
James Reyne and Ella Hooper tour
May
- May 26 – Theatre Royal Hobart TAS
- May 27 – Adelaide Festival Centre Adelaide SA
June
- June 1 – The Tivoli Brisbane QLD
- June 2 – The Tivoli Brisbane QLD
- June 4 – Miami Marketta Gold Coast QLD
- June 9 – Anita’s Theatre Thirroul NSW
- June 10 – Enmore Theatre Sydney NSW
- June 17 – Palais Theatre Melbourne VIC
- June 23 – Empire Theatre Toowoomba QLD
- June 30 – Freo Social Fremantle WA
July
- July 1 – Astor Theatre Perth WA
- July 15 – Ulumbarra Theatre Bendigo VIC
- July 22 – Ballarat Civic Hall Ballarat VIC
August
- August 4 – Darwin Entertainment Centre Darwin NT
- August 11 – Townsville Regional Entertainment Centre Townsville QLD
- August 12 – Tanks Arts Centre Cairns QLD
- August 18 – Drifters Wharf Gosford NSW
- August 19 – Toronto Hotel Toronto NSW
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
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“I used to belt out this song growing up in the country, it’s a dream to be doing it for real with James! It definitely deserves another spin!” The single is available to pre-save here and is released April 21.
Reyne and Hooper will take their new version of Way Out West on the road from May through to August this year with a massive run of dates weaving right across the country.
Tickets on sale now – head to jamesreyne.com.au
Forest Claudette announced as support for Ruel on his Australian 4TH WALL TOUR
Melbourne-based songwriter and musician Forest Claudette has just been announced as the support act joining Ruel on his Australian 4TH WALL TOUR.
Claudette will open shows across the country, with dates in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Fremantle and Sydney.
RUEL 4TH WALL TOUR 2023
Friday 14 April 2023 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane
Saturday 15 April 2023 – Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide
Friday 21 April 2023 – MCA, Melbourne
Saturday 22 April 2023 – Fremantle Arts Centre, Perth
Friday 28 April 2023 – Aware Super Theatre, Sydney
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Using their craft to navigate the world around him, Forest Claudette has been captivating audiences with their unique blend of R&B and pop. Claudette’s ability to experiment and seamlessly merge different genres and styles has created a sound that is both refreshingly new and familiar. His debut EP, The Year of February, showcases this perfectly.
Lead single “Creaming Soda” dives deep into finding the balance between fear and expectation as he enters the music industry, a feeling many new artists can relate to. The track is interwoven with a heavenly vocal range and youthful abandon.
The follow-up track from the EP, “Gone Without A Trace”, chalked up enough plays on triple j to be second-most-played chart and #69 on the Airplay chart. Claudette has received a stack of praise, including being named the ‘Up Next Local’ artist by Apple Music and being recognized as one of triple j’s standout acts.
Having wrapped up a run of sold-out headline shows Forest Claudette has recently released another single from their EP, “Mess Around” featuring American hip-hop duo EARTHGANG. The track again showcases Claudette’s ability to uniquely fuse R&B, pop, hip-hop, and rap, resulting in soundscapes that oscillate between textural sonics and atmospheric production.
Ruel is both a seasoned international performer and a record-breaking musician for tomorrow’s generation. Since making his debut in 2017 when he was just fourteen, the London-born, Sydney-raised artist has fast become one of his generation’s most influential musicians. Sitting with over 2 billion global streams and 1.2 million Instagram followers, the pop sensation also holds ground-breaking records as the youngest artist ever to win Breakthrough Artist at the ARIA Awards and as the youngest musician to sell out the Sydney Opera House… twice.
Last month, Ruel’s long-awaited debut studio album, 4TH WALL hit the ground running. The album boasts a constellation of fresh and exciting tracks, along with chart-topping singles like “GROWING UP IS____” and “I DON’T WANNA BE LIKE YOU”.
Tickets on sale now at secretsounds.com