Gold Coast celebrates its musical legacy with Let There Be Rock!

Let There Be Rock! is a three month multi-media celebration of the Gold Coast’s rock legacy at Coast venue HOTA (Home of the Artists).

It’s already kicked off with an exhibition of photos, posters and memorabilia, performances of rock anthems, and Q&As with Coast identities like Archie Cox of The Playroom fame, Dog Williams from the ol’ Doghouse and Samantha Morris editor in chief of Blank GC.

The Gallery at the HOTA foyer will showcase the works of Coast music photographers as Nadia Achilles, Leigh Kelly, Dan Maynard, Danny Santangelo, Leisen Standen and Peter Wheeler.

Talking Rock – Past (December 14) has Dave Graney, author Nikki McWatters and Stuart Coupe discussing the Coast in the 1980s when bands could play seven nights a week.

Talking Rock – Present (January 18) will see Double J music editor Dan Condon, publicist and podcaster Julie Solomon and Eliza Klatt of Eliza & The Delusionals explaining why the scene is buzzing right now.

Talking Rock – Future (February 15) is where singer-songwriter San Mei, Samantha  Morris (Blank  GC), Alethea  Beetson (Digi Youth Arts), Lincoln Savage (Jungle Love/Brisbane  Street Art Festival), Jake, Chris & Brett (GD FRNDS) talk the next buzz acts, venues and events.

Conversations With Nick Cave – An Evening of Talk & Music (January 11) is a Q&A with the man in black interspersed with his songs on piano. Not surprisingly, it’s already sold out.

Hell Ain’t A Place To Be – The Story of Bon Scott (January 5) stars Nick Barker.

Pub Choir (January 10) has complete strangers learning three-part harmonies in 90 minutes.

The Her Song, Her Story movie about the sociological impact of female performers through the eyes of 45 acts is on February 15.

There’s a large kids component as well.

An air guitar workshop (January 9—12) will see the ankle-biters rock out onstage at a Regurgitator kids show on January 12.

Other activities for the younger ones include creating T-shirts, making their own rock wigs and glamming a cardboard guitar.

Tracy Cooper-Lavery, director of Gallery at HOTA said from 1970–1999, the Gold Coast was a hot-spot on the bucket-list of Australia’s live music touring circuit.

“Let There Be Rock! at HOTA is a homage to this time and we have curated a program for the senses – within the Gallery, through performance, via workshops, in film, through Q&A’s and of course, music.”

Full details can be found here.