Editorial Note
2023, hey? We’re already rolling into the second week of February with our first edition of the year and it honestly feels as though this year is going to be the best one yet, with events, gigs, festivals, new venues and new releases left, right and centre. We’ve already had the Festival of Sails, Australian Open, Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, Great Australian Beer Festival, SummerSalt, Ballarat Summer Sundays and Midsumma… and it’s not looking to slow down any time soon.
Speaking of, Australia’s flagship regional arts event The Castlemaine State Festival has just announced its impressive 2023 season lineup. Returning to the creative capital of central Victoria from 24 March to 9 April, the diverse curation of the very best local and international art talent and events will bring focus to Castlemaine, spotlighting the wealth of the region while bringing visitors from across Australia and overseas to experience this renowned family-friendly, fun, and accessible seventeen-day event.
So who’s playing you ask? Well, the likes of Frente, Vika and Linda Bull, The Southern River Band, Jaguar Jonze and Kurt Vile and The Violators fill the headline slots, with additional performances from Kian, Ella Hooper, Jem Cassar-Daley, The Gesualdo Six, Electric Fields and Dallas Woods, theatre shows, exhibitions and more. Ahead of the festival, we caught up with Melbourne’s Frente who will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of their era-defining record Marvin the Album this year. From the beer-soaked carpet of the Punters Club in Fitzroy to massive stages the world over, Frente have won hearts and taken no prisoners over the years, proving a worthy addition to the Castlemaine State Fest!
Down to the nitty gritty and in Forte #740, we feature Australian rock musician Adalita Srsen, Melbourne’s admired and versatile songwriter and instrumentalist Liz Stringer, our Festival of Sails x Forte emerging artist stage winner Jacqui Lumsden, Geelong’s Luke Beavis, we check out new releases from the likes of Civic, Tim Rogers & The Twin Set and Bumpy, and we take a look at some of the emerging regional artists to watch for 2023 – it’s truly jam-packed.
Bring a towel, it’s time to dive in.
