Festivals & Venues: March 1
ULTRA MELBOURNE SUCCESS PAVES WAY FOR 2019 EXPANSION
The success of Ultra’s much-anticipated launch in Melbourne has been praised by organisers as a huge success on all levels, and has “paved the way for greater things in 2019”, organisers said.
The event, at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, was a collaboration between Ultra Worldwide, PSV Group Australia, WAO Event Management & Lucky Entertainment.
In a joint statement, the organisers said, “We are thrilled with the response to our very first ‘Ultra Australia’ / ‘Road to Ultra’ event and are speechless with the turnout, behaviour and respect of our fans who’ve travelled from overseas and across Australia to be in Melbourne.
“We couldn’t have hoped for better and it is YOU, our fans, who have paved the way for greater things in 2019!
“See you next year in Melbourne & Sydney!”
Kicking off with the emerging DJ Moe at midday, Mashd N Kutcher and DJ Tigerlily followed suit, whilst Timmy Trumpet and Will Sparks (with guest vocalist Luciana) upped the ante.
As dusk fell and the Ultra lighting kicked in, Andrew Rayel followed, fresh from giving away his ‘Let It be Forever’ as a thank you to fans.
KSHMR expressed his delight at being on the stage with Carnage and Timmy Trumpet for the first time and performed their hit ‘Toca’.
Afrojack and MC Ambush built it up for Axwell’s closing set, having played the Bowl some years back.
GOLD COAST VENUE CLOSES AFTER TWO MONTHS
Two months after re-opening in a blaze of glory with plans to support young Australian acts, Gold Coast live music venue Forty Five 51 in Caloundra closed its doors abruptly.
Andrew and Rhonda Satterthwaite told patrons via Facebook that “due to unforeseen circumstances” they were bringing down the shutters immediately.
The local couple took over the venue when it closed suddenly last December, and said they wanted to run a place “to be proud of”.
WOMADELAIDE ISSUES COMPILATION ALBUM
Just a week away, WOMADelade has released a compilation of what’s to come over eight stages from staging March 9 to 12 at Adelaide’s Botanic Park.
The CD traces the music from around the world, including Havana Meets Kingston, Mexico’s Rodrigo y Gabriela, USA’s reggae funk duo Thievery Corporation, Brazil’s afrobeat Bixiga 70, Israel’s Victoria Hanna, Swedish/Icelandic folk duo My Bubba, Lebanon’s Ghada Shbeir, Chilean folk icon Nano Stern returning after four years, Québécois quintet Le Vent du Nord, and from Ghana, Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band and hip hopster Jojo Abot, Mongolian/French/Bulgarian trio Violons Barbares and Chile’s Chico Trujillo.
The CD is available at record stores as well as a pop-up at the festival site, while previous festival compilation CDs are available from Cartell Music.
TERMINUS BACK AFTER 30 YEARS
After remaining dark for 30 years and remembered only for its green ivy façade, The Terminus in Pyrmont, Sydney, returns after a two-year $2 million revamp.
Owners David Mathlin and Binu Katari paid $4.75 million for the 1836 building in 2016, and will also be managing it after plans to outsource it to a company fell through.
SOFT CELT
The National Celtic Festival (June 8 to 11 at Portarlington, Victoria) announced its first round of eleven artists.
Australian artists flying the Celtic flag include NSW duo Hat Fitz and Cara, the Melbourne Scottish Fiddle Club, Tim Scanlan Trio and trad-folk Trouble in the Kitchen.
On the International front, are Irish stalwarts Altan (with their appearance doubling as a 30th anniversary celebration), banjo and flute pair Maggie Carty & Máirtín Staunton, and Scotland’s Paul McKenna Band.
GUARD BASHING THUG SPARED CUSTODIAL SENTENCE
A second man involved in the assault of a 24-year-old Figtree Hotel security guard has been spared jail when he appeared at the Wollongong Local Court.
29-year-old local Curtis Harvey intervened when security guard Mounzer Alkhatib asked another man to leave due to intoxication. Harvey then assaulted the guard, who repeatedly said he didn’t want to fight.
The hotel manager and some patrons also became involved, and Alkhatib then got off the ground and returned back inside the club.
A friend of Harvey, Luke James Naughton, 28, asked if he could go inside and retrieve his mobile phone. Once inside, he slapped and choked the guard.
Naughton faced court on January 30 and was fined $700 and placed on a good behaviour bond.
Harvey, despite being told off by the magistrate for “a cowardly attack (which) involved a level of gratuitous violence”, received a 12-month corrections order.
DAREBIN ARTS ANNOUNCES SPEAKEASY PROGRAM
The City of Darebin released its annual Darebin Art’s Speakeasy program (April 3 to November 24) which it says reflects the cosmopolitan nature of the area.
Head of Programming, Beau McCafferty said, “Our drive is to foster engaging works that question the mainstream, connect communities and remove barriers for a more inclusive culture.”
The year-round theatre program covers productions exploring social issues from feminism, motherhood and mental health to Indigenous story-telling, children’s entertainment and politically charged contemporary theatre.
The Next Wave program, to be held in May, will showcase risk-taking emerging creatives.
INAUGURAL SUNSHINE COAST FESTIVAL INCLUDES THEATRE FUNDRAISER
The inaugural Pomona Music Muster (March 9 to 11) will also serve as a fundraiser for the community-run, not-for-profit Majestic Theatre.
Musicians include guitarist Phil Emmanuel, Barry Charles, Ryan Giles, The David Flower Band, Nic Reefman playing trumpet and accordion simultaneously, The Strangest Dreamers and teen duo The Dennis Sisters.
There are open mic programs, jam sessions, buskers, a songwriting competition and workshops covering guitar, ukulele, songwriting and harmonica, the latter by former Sunshine Coast mayor Bob Abbot.
10 YEAR BAN FOR KARAOKE BAR MANAGER
The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority imposed a $50,000 fine and a 10-year ban on David Trinh, previous manager of Replay Karaoke in Sydney’s Bankstown for a series of breaches including operating outside trading hours and selling full bottles of spirits.
BATTLE OVER KINGS CROSS SITE
The post-lockout drift of Sydney’s Kings Cross from entertainment hub to residential hotspot has seen a biffo over plans to erect an eight-storey apartment building on the site of the old Bourbon and Beefsteak music venue, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Residents angered by the loss of the Cross’ community elements saw 12,000 sign a Change.org petition, and 500 people make submissions over the development plans for the Darlinghurst Road site.
CMC ROCKS OFFERS KELSEA BALLERINI PRIZE
With just weeks to go, CMC Rocks Queensland is offering a prize pack for US country gal Kelsea Ballerini (now an honorary Aussie after her recent marriage to Morgan Evans) and currently with a #1 song on the country charts.
It involves a meet-and-greet, a copy of her album and a Kelsea street sign from last year’s festival.
It’s open to CMC Rocks Queensland ticket holders, who can enter the competition via email by sending a 25-word scribble on whom their all-time legend is to [email protected].
COPS GET MORE POWERS AT ADELAIDE FRINGE
The Sunday Mail revealed that in a bid to keep Adelaide Fringe activities drama-free, SA Police will again get extra powers to deal with troublemakers in its East End precinct.
Those who misbehave will be expelled, and those who try and re-enter will face fines of up to $1,250.