Festivals & Venues: November 30
QUEENSCLIFF ‘EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS”
One of Victoria’s major regional festivals Queenscliff Music wrapped up its 21st year with expected storms bypassing the area and keeping the weather perfect.
“Our 21st festival exceeded all expectations,” said Festival Director Andrew Orvis.
It kicked off with a two-hour live broadcast on ABC Melbourne of ’The Friday Revue’ from the Uniting Church.
Hosted by Brian Nankervis & Richelle Hunt, it featured interviews and performances from The Teskey Brothers, Mia Dyson and Allysha Joy — all of whom played later in the day.
The much-loved quiz was hosted by Bob Evans, and Xavier Rudd capped off the first night on the popular Lighthouse stage.
On the Saturday, Didirri, Hat Fitz & Cara and Freya Josephine Hollick were among those performing on the Blues Train.
As the sun set, a massive crowd gathered for the new lineup of Yothu Yindi & The Treaty Project. Dhapanbal, daughter of Dr M Yunupingu, made a last minute dash from Darwin to Victoria to make her debut with the project.
Bernard Fanning’s sell-out show also included a medley of hits by the (relatively) recent departed Bowie, Prince and Tom Petty.
On Sunday, Mama Kin was joined by a 40-piece choir, Russell Morris and The Temper Trap were wildly applauded, and the Hot Potato Band and their five-piece horn section and Perth’s The Southern River Band found new fans.
UP ON THE ROOF
A teacher and an aspiring actor walked into a bar… Well, they did more than that. Cantona Joseph Stewart, 21, went on to climb up to the roof of The Envy at Broadbeach at midnight.
The beak at Southport Magistrates Court said he wouldn’t give him a conviction as Stewart planned to move to America to pursue a film career. He just got an $800 12-month good behaviour bond.
Meantime his mate Robert Terence Williams, 22 who begins as a teacher next year, who climbed up to the air-conditioning unit, left with a year, was given a $500 12-month good behaviour bond with no conviction recorded.
BOOGIE UNVEILS LINEUP
Boogie (Our Friend’s Farm, Tallarook, March 30, 31 & April 1 announced that among the acts would be US garage band Deer Tick, St. Louis-based Angel Olsen in solo mode, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, electro-punk Clowns, Cable Ties, Fraser A Gormon, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and emerging R&B singer Thando.
NAME CHANGE FOR JOLLY FROG
NSW venue Jolly Frog is about to revert to its original name of the Carrington Hotel – but live music will still remain a key part of its appeal.
In fact, its new renovations, due to finish in 2018, sees the restaurant and garden bar set around the band stage.
FLYING SAUCER FOR LIFT-OFF
After 5½ years, Melbourne’s Flying Saucer Club has outgrown the Caulfield RSL and won’t be returning there in 2018.
Their last show there will be on New Year’s Eve with Nick Barker & The Monkey Men and The Peptides.
The team will take a break immediately after, but suggestions for an alternate site can be sent to [email protected].
MIKE McCLELLAN HITS WOODFORD AFTER 20 YEARS
Veteran singer songwriter Mike McClellan will perform at this years Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland in late December –his first appearance there in 20 years!
McClellan released the acclaimed album No Intermission in July.
McClellan is best known for his 1974 Top 10 hit, ’Song & Danceman’, which was awarded the Song Of The Year at the Annual Music Industry Awards in February 1975.
He says the win took him by surprise. He was up against heavyweights as Vanda & Young’s ’Evie parts 1,2 & 3’ and Skyhooks’ ’Living In The 70’s.
LONDON CONSIDERS AGENT OF CHANGE
London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced a new proposal to protect London music venues.
New property development has seen clubs as Ministry of Sound, The Macbeth and The Troubadour forced to battle noise complaints.
The new idea of putting the onus on builders to soundproof their buildings was inspired by Melbourne’s Agent of Change.
Mayor Khan said in his proposal that councils across the capital recognise venues’ “importance to the city’s cultural fabric.”
FRENZALS, KING PARROT, FOR THRASHVILLE
Heavy rock festival Thrashville (Saturday, January 20, Hunter Valley, NSW) has booked Frenzal Rhomb (making their debut at the event), King Parrot, Batpiss, Frankenbok and The Australian Beefweek Show.
Also announced were prog-maniacs Troldhaugen, Brisbane female garage rockers Voiid, new band Post Truth featuring members of Hard-Ons and Conation, Newcastle punk bands Paper Thin, Rort Menace and Jones The Cat, plus Dashville supergroup Dashville Progress Society.
SYDNEY’S PSYCHFEST EXPANDS TO MELBOURNE
After being in Sydney since 2013, Psych Fest Australia is expanding to Melbourne in 2018
The full lineup of all things modulated, reverberated, fuzzed out, and delayed is yet to be dropped. But the first act s dropped: New Candys from Italy, as part of their Australian debut on a to-be-announced tour.
Bad Vibrations Records & Possum Stomp have the Sydney event at Manning Bar (Feb 24) and Melbourne at The Tote (March 3).
PERTH VENUES RAIDED
Police raided four venues in Perth’s entertainment precinct Northbridge as part of a probe into a $33 million drug haul.
These included the Laundry nightclub, Butterfly 73, Galaxy Lounge and Mirage Palace.
One person was arrested during the searches over drugs and firearms offences. No action was taken against the others.
SO FRENCHY SO CHIC SELLING
The promoters of So Frenchy So Chic have announced that 90% of first release tickets for Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide have sold out.
MORE ADDITIONS TO BLUE MOUNTAINS MUSIC
Added to Blue Mountains Music are the likes of The Waifs’ Vicki Thorn and All Our Exes Live In Texas, joining Missy Higgins, Kate Miller-Heidke and Archie Roach.
CANBERRA TRIES EXPERIMENTAL
Canberra’s SoundOut 2018, International Festival of Free Improvisation, Free Jazz and Experimental Music (Feb 3, 4, ANU Drill Hall Gallery, Acton) is back for its ninth year.
There are acts from Australia, Austria, Denmark, France, Malaysia, Norway, Sweden and the US” that will combine, mix, cross-fertilize, and move sound mountains to inspire inquiring ears.” Full list at http://soundout2018.blogspot.com.au/.
NEW THEATRE FOR SYDNEY’S WEST
Currently being built in Rooty Hill, in Sydney’s west by the local club is the 2,000-capacity Western Sydney Performing Arts Centre at a cost of $100 million.
It is designed for full scale theatre productions, musicals and concerts.
GOLD COAST REVENUE DOWN 30% AFTER SCANNERS
Gold Coast nightclubs have complained to the Gold Coast Bulletin that revenue is down 30% since the compulsory ID scanners were introduced in July.
They say that the revenue drop is due partly to less time to sell drinks, and to long queues.
They need two have two lines, one for those whose IDs and foreign passports work, and the other where info has to be entered manually as NZ, US and Canadian IDs are still giving problems.