Festivals & Venues Update: September 14
VERUCA SALT, THE LEMONHEADS JOIN MONSTER AUSSIE LINEUP FOR DAY ON THE GREEN
Two iconic US indie bands are joining The Living End, Spiderbait, The Fauves and Tumbleweed for a rock-focused Day On The Green that could, if you squint a little, be mistaken for a late-90s Big Day Out.
The event series takes place at wineries around the country, with this instalment taking place in NSW, Tasmania, Victoria, SA and Queensland in February and March next year. (The Lemonheads will, however, miss the SA show.)
Veruca Salt are also taking the opportunity to play headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne on March 1 and 9 respectively.
SYDNEY GETS INTO B.E.D. MOBILE …
Sydney’s latest venue B.E.D. (Mobile ) launched at the Portugal Community Club in Marrickville last night. The brainchild of Nick Rice, former partner at the old BED Lounge in Glebe, it operates on Wednesdays and Fridays with Portuguese food.
Tomorrow, they open up for the late night BED Social Club, with live funk, soul and reggae music.
“We think we are offering a slightly different experience to what else might be available in Marrickville, which has now become something of a hub for live entertainment,” they say.
…WHILE MIDNIGHT SHIFT WINDING UP
Oxford Street’s The Midnight Shift looks like shuttering on October 1, bowing out with the grand final of the Cash 4 Queens Last Girl Standing competition.
After opening in 1981, it was quickly adopted by the club and gay communities.
Its closure also means the end of the Sydney Hellfire Club, five months before it celebrates its 25th birthday.
SO FRENCHY SO CHIC EXPANDS TO ADELAIDE
When So French So Chic returns in January 2018, it’ll make its inaugural stop in Adelaide (the 12th, at Pinky Flat) before going on to Melbourne (14th, Werribee Park) and Sydney (20th, Bicentennial Park, Glebe).
PERTH’S SEWING ROOM STITCHES IT ON
After two years of snipping red tape and four months of renovations, Perth’s Sewing Room is showcasing emerging acts, major and touring bands and electro-DJs.
The Murray Road establishment gets its name from the fact the basement was until 2011 where garments for the Pierucci fashion label were made.
It features the world’s first antique Singer sewing machine chandelier.
THE PLOT UNRAVELS SIX MORE
After checking them out at BIGSOUND in Brisbane, The Plot (November 18, Parramatta Park, Sydney) has added Stella Donnelly, Clowns, Hatchie, Sloan Peterson, Dobby and South Africa’s Youngsta CPT.
Over 20 more acts will be added to their local and 2150 Stage, along with food, beverage and community elements.
CLOUD CONTROL HEADLINE GROW YOUR OWN
Cloud Control return to NSW’s Great Lakes area after recording their new album n Charlotte Bay last year. This time it’s to headline the second Grow Your Own (November 22, Tuncurry Footy Fields.).
The one-day festival will also feature Skegss, The Belligerents, The Babe Rainbow, The Gooch Palms, Ruby Fields, Alex The Astronaut, LOS SCALLYWAGGS, The Ruiins and The Little Quirks, with DJ sets from I OH YOU DJs and Pina Coladascope.
The festival, which is also about showcasing local produce and a local clothing label, has as its 2017 theme ‘Growth in Dark Times’.
“Taking influence from the natural beauty of our area we are shining light on positive and creative aspects that can come from such a turbulent political time,” explains Creative Director Lee McConnell–former Mambo Art Director who did the artwork of Dune Rats’ album The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit).
HUNKA HUNKA BURNING LOVE: PARKES ELVIS FEST UNVEILS PROGRAM
The NSW own of Parkes unveiled its 150 events for the 25,000 who will visit to the town Wednesday January 10 – Sunday 14 for the Parkes Elvis Festival.
Next year celebrates the 50th year since a slimmed leather-bound Elvis shot back to post-Beatlesmania relevancy via the NBC TV special.
There’ll be featured concerts, a gospel service, a street parade, a Miss Priscilla dinner, El impersonators, competitions, dancing, and this year, a new train service, the Blue Suede Express which will join the Elvis Express this year, featuring luxury heritage passenger train the Blue Zephyr and plenty of on-board entertainment.
HOBART BOUNCERS CHARGED
Three security men working at a number of Hobart CBD and Salamanca venues have been charged with assault.
Police said CCTV footage showed the men, aged 27 to 31, were allegedly seen slapping, kicking and striking drunken patrons.
All three have left or were sacked after the allegations emerged.
GOLD COAST COUNCIL TO VOTE ON MAJOR FESTIVAL
The Gold Coast Council will vote tomorrow on green-lighting the staging a local version of Alabama’s Hangout Festival on Coolangatta Beach.
The two day event, on December 1 and 2, 2018, has been pitched by TEG Dainty, Cross Promotions and US promoter AEG. It will be called SandTunes, and is set up to cater for 35,000 with a bill of 50 acts.
The Council’s decision is almost a foregone conclusion. The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that it has the blessing of Gold Coast Tourism and the Live Music Taskforce.
SandTunes is expected to bring in millions of tourist dollars and offset the $60 million hole left on the Coast’s summer events calendar in the wake of the demise of the Big Day Out and Summafieldayze.
Paul Dainty has also stated that if the Gold Coast don’t take SandTunes, the likes of Fremantle, Melbourne’s St. Kilda and Byron Bay have already signalled their desire for it.
ART FACTORY BRINGS BACK XRAYSPEX
Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory has brought back the second instalment of all-ages event XraySpeX, partnering with record label I OH YOU.
Playing the Saturday November 4 event are The Belligerents, Jack River, Bleeding Knees Club and Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird.
The lineup also hosts a selection of underage acts including triple j Unearthed High finalist Taj Ralph, Newcastle’s shoegaze queen FRITZ and Canberra five-piece Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers.
The event is built to expose students to live music while giving those involved in the production of the event, an experience normally only obtained by professionals.
MULLUM STRESSES GENDER DIVERSITY
NSW’s Mullum Music is proud of the fact that when too many festivals around the country have male-dominated bills, theirs 50% women – either as solo acts or part of bands
One of them, R&B and soul singer Kodi Twiner of LadySlug is writing a thesis on eco feminism and women in music.
“We have to confront these issues in the music industry because music is so integral in social movements and the progression of our culture,” she says.
Twiner believes that less women are on festival bills because there are less women in key positions of power in the music industry.
‘I think the industry is largely controlled by people who have been in power for a long time and they have predominantly been white men and we have been conditioned to put value on that.
“To move forward we need to meet diversity quotas. If we get festival parity across the board, it will support a more dynamic industry.”
LIVE AT THE BACKLOT
Live at the Backlot – Up Close and Personal is a new program presented by Perth’s Around the Sound at the 50-seat Backlot.
A regular series, it has an acoustic performance and a Q&A format.
It kicks off on Thursday September 28 with Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse. The Q&A is hosted by Around the Sound’s Bob Gordon.
GIZZFEST ADELAIDE LANDS AT THE GOV
King Gizzard And The Wizard Lizard’s national Gizzfest lands in Adelaide on Wednesday November 29 at the Gov.
Playing over two stages are, aside from the Gizzard, Kikagaku Moyo (Japan), La Luz (USA), The Murlocs, Orb and Parsnip.
NEW MUSIC BAR FOR GOLD COAST
Opening in a few weeks in Burleigh is a 100-capacity live music bar called Night Jar. Called by its operators “a real grunge place where you can let your hair down”, it is the brainchild of Scott Imlach and Mike Craighead who recently opened the speakeasy Soho Place in Broadbeach.
FAIRBRIDGE OPENS SONGWRITING COMP
WA’s Fairbridge Festival has brought back its folk, roots and world music Quest Youth Song-Writing Competition.
Aimed at 12-15 year olds and 16-18 year olds, and the deadline for entry is March 3.
Prizes include a live slot at the festival, a recording session voucher at John Butler Studio, a HK Photography photoshoot, entry to WAM Song of the Year, a WAMCon 2018 ticket, a mentoring session from WAM, and the opportunity of a Perfect Pitch Publishing deal.
NEW OWNERS FOR THE BATEAU BAY
The live music-showcasing Bateau Bay Hotel on the NSW Central Coast has new owners, who paid $13 million to the Laundy family. Their identity is not known, but they’re said to be a local hotel group operating a number of venues.