Festivals & Venues: February 21

MORE ACTS FOR DALLAS FRASCA’S HITCH TO STICKS

US band Ugly Kid Joe’s singer Whitfield Crane has joined blues-rcck singer Dallas Frasca’s A Hitch To The Sticks.

As reported in TMN recently, the idea is for 50 ticketholders to get on a bus with the singer fir three days (March 16—18) and been taken over 710 kms to 10 music events to catch 30 acts.

In addition to the already announced Nicky Bomba and Beechworth-born singer songwriter Liv Cartledge are Northeast Victorian acts Benny Williams, Dj Eddy and Rambunctious, Mandy Connell, Whiskey Dram, The Quick & The Dead, Rhyece O’Neill & The Narodniks, Droid, Rick Steward & the Greensmen, Marisa Quigley, Sara Flint, Time Rob & The Stealing Hours Band and Mikaylah & Leticia.

More will be announced. Tickets on sale now via www.ahitchtothesticks.com.

SYDNEY’S IMPERIAL REOPENS IN TIME FOR MARDI GRAS

The Imperial in Sydney’s Erskineville is reopening on March 2 in time for the Mardi-Gras. It closed late last year for a $3 million revamp.

Operators said, “After a much needed nip and tuck, this old girl is back and more beautiful than ever!”

The ground floor, “swathed in opulence and luxurious delights” features an art deco style bar and a new 100-seat restaurant Priscilla’s, flaunting a plant based “soil-to-plate’ menu.

The Basement continuing to operate as a club accommodating up to 400 dancing bodies, giant LED TV and an exclusive VIP booth area.

MOUNTAIN SOUNDS ALLEGED ASSAULT

A 20-year-old man faces Gosford Local Court on March 27 on charges that he assaulted two policemen after he was told to leave Mountain Sounds on the NSW Central Coast.

A second man was arrested for possession and supply of drugs with an alleged stash of 90 ecstasy tabs.

MONASH LAUNCHES MLIVE, A NEW ERA IN PERFORMANCE

Professor Paul Grabowsky, executive director of Monash Academy of Performing Arts and jazz identity, has announced the inaugural season of MLIVE.

The eclectic program of Australian and international live music, theatre and dance is “curated as a cultural response to Melbourne’s diverse and open-minded communities.”

Contemporary music names joining orchestral and theatre works are Vince Jones, Megan Washington, Christine Anu, Peter Garrett, Lior and Cat Empire’s Felix Riebi.

The inaugural MLIVE season begins with peerless acapella sextet, The King’s Singers in the only Melbourne performance of their Gold 50th Anniversary world tour.

EDM CLUB BANS ON MOBILES EXTENDS TO HARD ROCK

EDM clubs in Europe have long banned mobile phones because they took away from the night’s vibe and the joy of communicating with other human beings face to face.

Last year some warehouse parties in Sydney had started to frown seriously opon them, enough for patrons to get the message.

Now the hard rock Cherry Bar in Melbourne’s AC/DC Lane in the city is also thinking of going down that path after getting feedback from other patrons.

Owner James Young has no issue with patrons who take the occasional photo of the band screaming on stage.

Young gets annoyed with those who spend the entire set filming which he tells TMN “wrecks the vibe and isn’t really rock and roll.”

COMPLAINTS AGAINST ACT BUSH DOOFS

ACT residents want the ACT Government to start getting tough on illegal bush doofs on the grounds they are dangerous and death traps waiting to happen.

The Canberra Times reported that the folks near Tharwa, south of Canberra, are concerned because six of them have been held in the past 18 months.

They draw between 900 and 2000, and police who turned up to one found one girl had overdosed and they couldn’t get much sense out of the promoters because they were apparently off their faces.

There was no fire fighting or medical equipment, and the doof’s “bring yer dog” policy was a calamity as the pooches attacked nearby wildlife.

$38M PLAN TO DEVELOP BONDI PABILION SCRAPPED?

The $38 million plan to redevelop the run-down Bondi Pavilion under the previous Waverly Council – to include a new theatre and create space for restaurants – looks like being given the heave-ho.

However current mayor John Wakefield agrees that it’s been “ignored for too long” and has recommended a cheaper option ($20 million – $25 million) that would address the problems of insufficient female toilets and substandard waste management.

It seems to be quite an emotional topic. The previous mayor apparently got a death threat when some of the community railed against the $38 million spend.

ADELAIDE FRINGE HOSTS MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Adelaide Fringe has its own music and theatre precinct Grounded, in a pop up venue in Victoria Square.

It hosts Supermassive, a festival within a festival this Sunday (February 25) with Sarah Blasko, Frente!, Heaps Good Friends, Adam Page, Solli Raphael and DJ Tr!p.

FOUR WINDS GOING ANNUAL

Four Winds, held every two years in Bermagui on the NSW far south coast (this year: March 28 – April 1) will go annual next year, its new artistic director James Crabb told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Crabb, an accordion player, performed at the classical and world music festival in 2012.

Plans outlined to the SMH included concerts at homes away from the picturesque site (a natural amphitheatre surrounded by bushland), get more involved in music education for younger patrons and forge closer links with the local indigenous mobs.

WINERY TO ATTRACT MORE INTERNATIONAL NAMES

Sutton Grange Winery in regional Victoria had put forward plans to expand its capacity for six concerts a year from 6000 to 15,000 as it was one of the venues that Neil Diamond was to play at in March.

The Diamond tour has been scrapped but the ticket sales suggested there was an audience for a large regional venue.

It got the approval from local council this week.

Local farmers and residents were a bit apprehensive, wondering how the extra thousands would affect emergency services during the bushfire season.

Council responded that organisers would have to abide by extensive emergency management conditions.

Sutton Grange Winery owner Peter Sidwell said that the extra capacity would allow the place to pitch for international acts to play there.

REDCLIFFE ON THE MURRAY ADDS SUNDAY SESSIONS

Regional WA music venue and restaurant Redcliffe on the Murray in Pinjarra has introduced live music on Sunday sessions.

Starting this weekend, it has booked the Gold Coast’s Hussy Hicks followed the weekend after with Americana singer Paddy McHugh.

Owner Nicole Young said she was only interested in showcasing original music.

SUNSHNE ROCK AND BLUES IS ALL AUSSIE

Sunshine Rock and Blues (June 22-24, Caloundra RSL) is determined it’s going to be an event that only celebrates Australian music.

Among the 20 acts spread over three stages are Jon Stevens, The Black Sorrows, Wendy Matthews, Ash Grunwald, Richard Clapton, Russell Morris. Phil Emmanuel, 8 Ball Aitken, Lecia Louise. Bondi Cigars and Bourbon Street.

Proceeds go to children’s charity drive Give Me 5 for Kids, to raise money for local hospitals.