Industrial Strength: April 12

RÜFÜS tour starting to sell out

In the wake of RÜFÜS’ Bloom album kicking Adele off #1 on the ARIA chart, the act has announced an Australian run as part of a world tour. It represents a venue update to theatres this time: of six dates originally announced between April 29 to May 14, second shows have already been added to Melbourne Festival Hall and Sydney Hordern Pavilon. Opening acts are Canadian duo Bob Moses and Byron Bay electronic outfit Tora.

For many it’s the first time they’ve played Bloom live. Drummer James Hunt says, “When we approach the live show I think a really exciting thing for us is to re-imagine the songs and try to bring a new dimension and new journey to our music. A big part of what we do whether it be writing a record or performing it live, is that sense of progression and that sense of tension and release. We’ve been absorbing so much live music lately so there are a million little things we want to try.”

RÜFÜS DU SOL (pictured), as they’re known abroad, are currently on the Bloom World Tour. Of the eleven shows in Europe between March 10 to 26, seven sold out. The current North American run, between March 30 and April 23 and including the Coachella festival, five of the 14 dates hit capacity.

Adelaide live music moves into different shopfronts

A new initiative in Adelaide beginning this week will see live music in cafes, shop-fronts and stores. Called Shopfront, it is a team up between two companies, the Ryan Winter co-founded Elastico and Sian Walden’s Little Acorn Music. It not only gives musicians new spaces to play in (with each show in a different location and atmosphere), but also draws punters to check out the products in these spaces. Winter explains, “We’re looking to use the platform for promotion that live music offers to help draw attention to some exceptional local independent businesses.”

The first of the Shopfront series is at the newly opened Mama Jambo warehouse café and wine bar on Eliza Street. Folk artists Maggie Rutjens and Ryan Martin John play there on Thursday April 14. Mama Jambo, which stocks locally sourced food, beers and wine, will host three more shows alternating between Thursday and Saturday nights.

Flume reveals album release date …

Sydney producer Flume has revealed through his emailed newsletter that his next album Skin will be released on May 27 through Future Classic. He wrote, “I’m in LA this week preparing for some shows at Coachella. I wanted to give you this news before anyone since you’ve been signed up to the Flume newsletter for a while.” He’s also giving away another track, Wall Fuck as a free download.

…so does Bernard Fanning

Bernard Fanning has wound up recording for his third solo album and reveals it’ll be out in winter. The follow up to 2013’s Departures was recorded in Byron Bay with producer Nick DiDia. Fanning moved there last year after returning to Australia after a stay in Spain. Last Saturday, Fanning delighted the near-15,000 crowd in Geraldton, WA at triple j’s One Night Stand when he appeared with Boy & Bear for three songs – his own Songbird which B & B used to do in their early days, a cover of Crowded House’s Fall At Your Feet and Southern Sun from Harlequin Dream.

More inaugural festivals hit the circuit

More inaugural festivals are joining the national festival circuit. The latest is Nervo Entertainment’s three-day Sandalphon. Held October 1 to 3 (Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend) it takes over 225 acres of private land in Tamborine in the Gold Coast hinterland with seven stages (including one built on a lake), international and Australian indie bands, DJs and R&B acts with free camping, an open air cinema, restaurants and farmers food markets.

Sad By Sad West, put together by Lesstalk Records on Friday April 22 to Sunday April 24 in inner west Sydney, covers six bands, 20 visual artists and 14 poets in three venues.

The first time Silver Raven in the Barossa Valley in South Australia was “glorious”, according to organisers, including the weather, the food and a US and SA bill including Jason Isbell (coming out onstage to a rock star roar), The Audreys (their last before a lengthy hiatus), Eilen Jewell, Endless Boogie, Bad//Dreems, Koral Hana & Jessie-Lee and Ollie English. However attendance was down to an unofficial estimate of a thousand or so, which is a start to build up on.

WA’s Ship-Wrecked was cut short by Manic Events Management after thunderstorms and lightning created a safety risk for the audience and the acts. Headliners Thundamental agreed not to go on.

Long Flat Music, in Port Macquarie, NSW as part of a plan to bring blues and rock acts to the region, was held last weekend at Travellers Rest Hotel. Organisers expected up to 400 to see sets headlined by Angry Anderson.

Music and arts Rose Quartz, in remote NW Tasmania’s Lake Pedder on a glacier, didn’t quite hit its 500 capacity. But attendees marvelled at its laid back atmosphere, although that was shattered when cops and sniffer dogs arrived and nabbed five for minor drug issues.

Deadline to register interest in Adelaide’s inaugural Umbrella – Winter City Sounds (July 15 to August 7) has been extended to April 29 at www.umbrellaadelaide.com.au.

Poor turnout for Roar

A low turnout to the EDM Roar festival in Dubbo last Saturday left organisers “confused” and “disappointed”, the Daily Liberal reported. They had expected a bill including Seth Sentry, Marlo, Hayden James, Tkay Maidza, Slumberjack and Savage to draw between 5000 to 10,000. But only 1000 to 2000 turned up, even after 50,000 visits to the festival website and 20,000 visited the ticketing site.

One of the promoters, Brett Anderson, told the paper, “We promoted it very well, the site was world class, the acts were world class and unique, we had modern music. Heaps of money and work went into it. It could have been a pricing thing, but we haven’t had any feedback about that, maybe it was too big to start off with. We just don’t know. If we had a different type of music it might have been more successful but we wanted to do something for the younger people.”

More Festival Updates: fundings, returning, inquests

* Nextwave and Tyalgum Music are two festivals being subsidised by the NSW Government’s $1 million fund for 27 innovative arts and cultural projects across the state.

Nextwave Festival got $60,000 to showcase nine outstanding projects by emerging artists and curators. Tyalgum Music Festival received $16,000 towards its 2016 production of classical and contemporary musicians, street entertainment and interactive projects,

Also getting funded in the round to the tune of $45,000 was Neural Pathways, an Accessible Arts investigation of mental health and the arts, with and by artists with mental illness and addiction. The project will include a series of community workshops and a cross-disciplinary installation.

* Blacken Heavy Metal returned to Alice Springs for a fourth year, this time rebranded as a festival, a new venue (Gapview Hotel) and with nine of the 20-strong metal acts from outside NT. It reported 600 attendees.

* An inquest into the death of Irish tourist Brendan Hickey who drowned after he fell into Sydney’s Cockle Bay during the 2014 Vivid light show, began yesterday at the Glebe Coroner’s Court. Counsel for coroner Mark Cahill, in his opening, said that the 34-year-old was drunk and could not swim. Cahill also said that an issue to be probed through the week-long inquiry would be Vivid organisers continuing with the opening light show while police divers searched for the man’s body.

NSW unveils arts and cultural program

The NSW Government is inviting musicians, artists and organisations to apply for a wide array of funding opportunities under its 2016/17 Arts and Cultural Development Program. Aside from music and regional touring, it also covers visual arts, museums, literature, theatre, dance, capital works and professional development.

Minister for the Arts Troy Grant said the program is a major part of the Create in NSW 10-year framework, which aims to raise state-wide participation and attendance in arts and culture, particularly in the priority areas of Western Sydney and regional NSW. “As I have travelled around the state, I have seen first-hand how the program is supporting a range of quality arts and cultural experiences for artists and audiences alike,” he said.

Full Force Media moving to Tamworth

In the wake of a successful 2016 Tamworth Country Music Festival and after a short break from the industry, Full Force Media is moving its headquarters to Tamworth in May. It has just extended its publicity deal with Adam Brand and signed up a new roster of acoustic sibling duo Innocent Eve from a Central Queensland property, 24-year old Bunbury-born coal miner’s daughter and truck driver Gemma Kirby, Sydney guitarist and singer songwriter Ben Ransom and original Hi-5 member Tim Harding.

Full Force Media was formed in 2012 by former Southern Cross Austereo and pay-TV executive Jill Stewart and one time Sony Music exec Scott Mcilveen. “We offer something completely different than the standard artist management approach,” explains Stewart. “Artists are crying out for something different to help them stand out in the industry and media are crying out for it too! We simply connect the dots.”

154 outlets join Record Store Day Australia activities

154 stores have joined this year’s Record Store Day Australia (Saturday April 16), reports organiser Australian Music Retailers Association (AMRA). Victoria had the most sign-ups with 49, followed by NSW / ACT (44), Queensland (23), Western Australia (19), South Australia (13) and Tasmania (6). This year AMRA has moved to using the international logo and colours. Ambassadors are Adam Brand, Ella Hooper and Tim Dalton.

Record stores in metro and regional areas have their own activities. Full list at www.recordstoreday.com.au. Among them are:

NSW: The Vintage Record in Annandale and The Record Store in Darlinghurst have 10 bands paying tribute to Lou Reed and Velvet Underground … Metal mecca Utopia Records recalls the exciting old days with a midnight opening (for an hour) with 200 RSD releases and 10% of all other stock … St. Mary’s Sound in Richmond has Kaylens Rain playing at midday and an offer where anyone buying a blues album gets a free Eric Bibb tee shirt … Music Farmers in Wollongong has exclusive releases, live gigs and 7” singles its record label … Frank’s Wild Years in Thirroul is also featuring local acts.

ACT: at Songland Records in Canberra, owner Frog Harris wants customers to bring in their unwanted cassettes and vinyl to sell and raise money for the local animal shelter.

Victoria: Greville Records in Melbourne’s Prahran has a Bowie Day with instore performances from Mick Harvey, Tim Rogers, Dan Kelly and Ash Naylor among others. … Basement Discs in the city has trivia quiz, prices, give-aways, discounts and special RSD releases with live sets by Alyce Platt & Band, Sean McMahon & The Moonmen, Russell Morris, The Models, Tracy McNeil & The Good Life and Raised By Eagles … Lost and Found in Brunswick East put their staff in cowboy gear and have the hillbilly The Chopped Jalopies at 1 pm and 2.30 pm along with vintage vinyl and RSD releases … Eureka Rebellion Trading in Collingwood has music inspired flash tattoos, door prizes, 70% off vinyl and of limited editions.

South Australia: RockTherapy Records in Adelaide has original members of the Masters Apprentices at 2 pm to chat and sign records.

Queensland: Tyms Guitars in Fortitude Valley has six bands, exclusive vinyl, a DJ spinning vinyl all day and ginger beer … Rockaway Records on level 1 at Westfield Carindale has Adam Brand doing a handful of songs and meet’n’greet from 10 am.

West Australia: Mills Records in Fremantle opens early at 8 am, with Pete Bibby and DJs, and a lucky dip … Rhubarb Records in Perth is, after opening two hours early, having a party with cold drinks in the afternoon with DJs and RSD issues.

Punk For West Papua hits the road

After its one-off screening in Sydney, the award winning Punks For West Papua documentary is hitting the road. The doc, instigated by Jody Bartolo of Sydney punk band Diggers With Attitude captures Australia’s punk community support for the West Papua liberation movement.

Screenings are at Rosemount Hotel, Perth (Wednesday May 4), Sydney University (Tuesday May 24) and Crowbar Black, Fortitude Valley (Wednesday May 25) with more screenings to be announced. Check out the trailer here at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33Uur4YqY78. Filmmaker Anthony ‘Ash’ Brennan will be on hand, and a number of local punk bands from each city will play. The Sydney and Brisbane events also feature the leader of the Free West Papua campaign and two time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Benny Wenda.

Gurrumul “racial profiling” issue heats up

Will there be legal fisticuffs between Gurrumul Yunupingu’s record label exec and manager Mark T Grose and NT Health Minister John Elferink? Grose accused the Royal Darwin Hospital of racial profiling, alleging that Gurrumul was kept waiting for eight hours in emergency on March 27 despite the fact he was bleeding internally and vomiting blood. Elferink called his claims a publicity stunt, a comment which saw Grose chatting to his lawyer this week. The singer songwriter is in meantime recuperating at home.

Hit Network remains #1 digital radio brand

Research company Nielsen says that Southern Cross Austereo’s Hit Network remains the #1 digital radio brand. It has over 30,000 daily browsers ahead of its nearest rival. The claim was based on latest figures, covering February.

SCA’s outgoing Chief Digital Officer Vijay Solanki said: “Once again these results go to show we’re leading the radio industry when it comes to digital”. He added that the firm was continuing to create quality content. “The scale of our audience only goes to demonstrate the quality of our content and how engaged our audience is.”

The rest of February’s Top 5 was Nova, KIIS, Triple M and 2GB.

Taite Music Prize acknowledges NZ’s first rap record

The Taite Music Prize, presented by Independent Music New Zealand on April 20 in Auckland, announced the recipient of the Independent Music NZ Classic Record award. It explained the category “aims to acknowledge Aotearoa’s rich history of making fine records that continue to inspire us and define who we are.”

The track honoured is revolutionary reggae outfit Upper Hutt Posse’s E Tu, the country’s first political rap record, released in 1988 through the Jayrem label. It combined the revolutionary fervour of African American hip hop with a Maori call for self-affirmation paying homage to rebel Maori warrior chiefs during colonial rule including Hone Heke, Te Kooti and Te Rauparaha.

The band’s Te Kupu (aka D-Word aka Dean Hapeta) said: “It’s great for a conscious song of resistance to be respected in this way, and although it already has a firm place in the hip-hop musical history of Aotearoa, this award is somewhat unexpected and therefore a little extra pleasing.”

Musician and author Peter McLennan, who was one of those on the judging panel, emphasised, “E Tu is a hugely important record, both culturally and politically. It showed local rap fans and budding rappers that we could make this exciting new genre our own, with rhyming in Te Reo and English, and by name-checking local history. Upper Hutt Posse are our hip-hop pioneers, and they opened the gates for the likes of Dam Native, Three The Hard Way and Che Fu.”

Previous recipients of the category were Gordons’ Gordons (Flying Nun Records) in 2013, AK-79 credited to Various Artists (Ripper Records) in 2014, and Herbs’ What’s Be Happen? (Warrior Records) last year.

Best Practice Guide adds chapter on sexual harassment

The latest update of Music Victoria’s Best Practice Guidelines for Live Music Venues contains new chapters on sexual harassment, attendance of minors, protection of hearing, planning law reform and copyright.

The sexual harassment chapter encourages venue owners to cultivate a safe respectful culture which also promotes gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness. “Venue owners should not direct staff to flirt with patrons and/or dress in a manner that makes the staff member feel uncomfortable. Staff should monitor patrons they believe may be the target of, or vulnerable to an instance of sexual harassment or assault, and actively monitor or check their well-being.”

Given that under-age gigs are important for gigs “and for teaching appropriate behaviour, venue owners are advised to sell affordable tickets, establish crowd control plans and refuse to tolerate harassment of young people.”

The copyright section emphasises the need to contact APRA AMCOS to check legal requirements and the PPCA to attain licences for recordings.

Venue Updates: living with lockouts, sales, delays, re-openings

* In a session conducted with five Sydney bar operators by b&c magazine on how they’re coping post-lock out laws, investment in food seemed the most recurrent theme. Applejack’s Hamish Watts whose venues inclide Della Hyde on hard-hit Oxford St, “Most of our venues have heavily invested in food, which with the lockouts is a safety net.”

Others in the session, saying they’d lost about 20% of trade and the post-midnight crowd, said that tempting punters into their establishments in the evenings with cocktails and good chow compensated for restricted trading hours later in the night. Meantime, the Barber Shop in Barangaroo is living up to its name by installing a real live barber shop where patrons get a trim while sipping on their cocktails.

* A long needed performing arts venue in Goulburn, NSW, might take a bit longer. Council voted to put a working party together to investigate the need and location for such a space before committing $8 million to it. The Federal Government has already promised $1 for the initiative, currently mooted for McDermott Centre.

* Venue response to the ACT’s white paper to introduce 3 am last drinks for Canberra’s venues and hefty fee rises to those who want to stay open until 5 am, was swift. “To increase the fees by 500 per cent, I might as well close the doors,” Frank Condi, whose joints include the Academy nightclub and Mr. Wolf, told the Canberra Times. “I definitely agree that something has to be done to stop alcohol violence, I just don’t think this is right. To alienate one group, and say, ’We’re going to lump the problem with you’, I think that’s pretty harsh.”

* Brisbane’s The Tivoli looks like it’s spared from the wrecking ball. A consortium of music fans – ex-Brisbane Powerhouse producer Dave Sleswick, his brother Steven and Dalton Catering’s Jerome Dalton – have stumped out a reported $8 million to buy it and keep it running as a live music destination.

* The main theatre of the Events Centre in Caloundra, Queensland, has reopened with 900 new seats. It will aim to attract more performers as a result. The Centre’s smaller venue, the Playhouse, will undergo a$665,000 facelift from August.

* Sydney R&B, hip hop & old skool, brand OMG has reopened at Le Pub in King Street in the city CBD.

* The Victorian Government is proposing that from August 2017 smoking is banned in outdoor areas in bars and pubs where food is served. Anyone flouting the rules cop a maximum $758 fine. A dozen health and community groups reckon it’s a bonzer idea.

* In announcing this year’s Scorcher Festival, organisers Karen King and Andrew Cooper noted that Perth’s Rosemount Hotel is longest consecutive Scorcher Fest. Others like Melbourne’s Espy and Sydney’s Annandale have had periods where they stopped live music. The Rosemount will be its host for the 14^th consecutive year. It has hosted 350 acts as part of Scorcher, and 50 of these have returned between 2 to 7 times.

Live entertainment returns to V8 Supercars

Live entertainment returns to Townsville’s V8 Supercars for a second year as part of its Rock And Race format. Icehouse and The Choirboys will perform at the 2016 Castrol EDGE Townsville 400, July 8 – 10 at Reid Park. Last year when organisers trialled Rock And Race by flying in Birds of Tokyo and The Living End from their overseas bases, the car race drew 152,873 – a 7% rise from the year before and the event’s second largest crowd since its inception in 2009.

Bonjah call it quits

One of Melbourne’s best live acts, roots/alt-rock Bonjah are parting ways, and will play a final show at their spiritual home, The Corner Hotel, on Friday June 24. Forming in New Zealand in 2006, they made the news almost to the day when they arrived in Melbourne ten years ago. “Keeping the band together is simply not possible due to a beautiful thing called life happening. We are all still brothers & the closest of friends — we never wanted to be a band playing RSLs thinking of the glory days.”

Workshop ideas for community radio conference

Anyone with ideas for workshops for the community radio conference in Melbourne (November 10 – 12) should communicate these to the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia by 5 pm AEST Sunday April 24, They should focus on these themes: conflict resolution, volunteer management, financial viability, technology development, community engagement, governance and engaging with rural and regional communities.

New digs for Perth’s 96FM

No less than the Premier of WA, Colin Barnett, was at the opening of 96FM Perth’s new studios. The $3 million upgrade by Australian Radio Network comprises of six sound studios, 15 large format LCD screens and full HD video and audio livestreaming. A soundlock area was built to accommodate live, local performances, and a 30sqm control room utilises backup power facilities to ensure uninterrupted broadcast. The opening follows the appointment last month by the station of Geoff Watts as Head of Content and Wayne McLean as Music Director

Recording acts fly flag at Camp Gallipoli

Recording artists are among those entertaining thousands of young folk keeping the ANZAC spirit alive by taking part in national Camp Gallipoli events the day before. The camps aim to instil in them the same Anzac ideals of mateship, courage, inclusiveness and self-sacrifice the night before they wake for the Dawn Services. Playing at the April 24 camps are Louise Adams (Adelaide), Dami Im (Brisbane), Taylor Henderson (Melbourne), Stan Walker (Perth) and Cyrus (Sydney).

Trees chopped at Rymill Park

Despite a grassroots community campaign, 77 trees have begun to be chopped down at Adelaide’s Rymill Park and Rundle Park, home of some of the city’s major festivals. It part of a redesign by the SA Government. The wood will be stored for later use as furniture, art and play equipment for the parks.

ABC TV launches Comedy Showroom

To overcome the unfortunate combination of over-supply of comedic talent and a limited budget, ABC-TV has launched Comedy Showroom. Six TV show pilots will be chosen by viewers for one to be aired on TV weekly and on the streaming iView service.

ABC Head of Comedy Rick Kalowski explained, “We thought all six were shows we’d be proud to have on the air as series. If you look at them, you can see how they could fit onto the ABC’s usual comedy slate. They’re either big, broad shows or are led by a particular comedian, or they’re a niche experimental show that you might see on ABC2 or iview. There’s a place for all those shows on our schedule. It’s just a question of how many we’re able to bring back and how they go with audiences.”

Number Crunching

$150 million paid out by Bandcamp to artists in eight years, of which $4.3 million was in the last 30 days.

406,000 UK sales in 2016 for Adele’s 25 has kept it as that country’s biggest seller this year so far. It sold 2 million in the UK last year.

Vale

Corbett Shaw made a huge contribution to commercial radio news gathering and presenting. He started at 2GB and was founding Editor of the 3AW Melbourne News Room in the 1960s before moving to 3EA and 2EA, now known as SBS Radio. Colleague Ian Holland posted in tribute, “He was dynamic, forward thinking, and an inspirational leader.”

And A Few Other Things …

Aussie actress has Rebel Wilson denies reports that she wants to play Adele in a biopic, calling the rumour a “completely made up tabloid story.”

In a bid to get rid of the ghosts floating about the corridors of 104.9 Mix FM building in Darwin, morning crew Greg Vincent and Ali Burton broadcast on the night shift with Darwin’s Most Haunted. Stories abound of photocopiers suddenly stirred into action, strange figures floating by the studio window and fire alarms going off when Vincent walked into the building wearing a fire fighters T-shirt.

Over in New Zealand, ZM broadcasters Jase and PJ spent 25 hours hugging each other, which seemed a good idea perhaps when someone mooted it, but definitely became an irritating drag when toilet breaks called and dinner time meant hand-fed pizza slices by station staff.

NSW-based country music singer songwriter Karl Broadie’s pancreatic cancer has gone to Stage 4 (very advanced) and spread to the liver “with several more malignant tumours” he reports. Broadie is remaining positive. “I’m entirely defiant upon hearing the prognosis; incurable, inoperable, fatal, terminal. I’m not having it. I CAN DO THIS and I will be unfaltering in my belief that no matter how difficult a journey I have up ahead, I will emerge healthier and stronger than ever.” Meantime the medical bills are piling up, so the cream of the country music community – lead by Kasey Chambers, Adam Harvey and Catherine Britt – holds Concert For Karl on April 17 at Rooty Hill RSL

Meantime Britt celebrated the end of her cancer treatment by throwing a party for friends and family, and going on Nine’s The Morning Show to perform You And Me Against The World. She’s also been doing F U Cancer shows with friends around the country, and her one time mentor Elton John sent her a video message to wish her the best and held up a poster with a F U Cancer message.

Britt is also taking part in Stars Of Newcastle, a fund raiser for the Cancer Council of NSW on Saturday, June 25 at Wests Leagues Club (New Lambton). Last year’s event raised $140,000 allowing the Council to 3,300 local patients and carers this year. Performers include radio, TV and sports identities.

Sydney 2GB presenter Ben Fordham and wide Jodie are expecting their second baby.

Split Enz’s keyboard player Eddie Rayner is one of the major Australasian names playing a 25-song tribute to David Bowie this weekend in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Bowie: Waiting In The Sky, promoted by Liberty Stage Presents sees him joined by Alastair Riddell (who introduced Rayner to Bowie’s music in the early ‘70s when both played in Space Waltz). Jordan Luck of Dance Exponents, Finn Andrews of The Veils, Zaine Griff of Human Instinct, and Australians Olympia and Skyscraper Stan will perform 30 Thin White Duke songs. Rayner says he appreciated Bowie but was never a great fan, until he began rehearsing the songs and realised what a great impact the British pioneer had on his own work.

Melbourne man James Zombolas, 31, faces Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on April 28 on 149 charges related to allegedly fleecing concert-goers of almost $40,000 of non existent tickets through the Gumtree trading website They were for shows by One Direction, Coldplay, Chet Faker and Falls Festival between 2013 and 2015.

New Adelaide online radio station iSA Radio which plays only independent SA acts is looking for submissions at www.iSAradio.com.au.

JB Hi-Fi is opening a store in Dubbo, NSW, in Orana Mall in September. It replaces Bernardi Group’s Supa IGA store, which closes on May 1.

All the past and present members of The Wiggles came together onstage when Yellow Wiggle (Emma Watkins) and Purple Wiggle (Lachlan Gillespie) married in Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands after keeping their relationship a secret for two years.

Gold Coast hip hop artist Btrail (Nick Hilton) is selling his traditional castle-style home (complete with military battlement) in Benowa. He bought it seven years ago as a bachelor pad/ party house with friends.

Perth’s 100.9FM Noongar Radio got kudos in WA Parliament by MP John Quigley who called it “just an absolutely wonderful radio station” with “wonderful programs.”

Far North Queensland country music singer songwriter Keely Johnson’s debut single The Man In The Hat is an ode to her hero and mentor Lee Kernaghan. Their duet Turn This To Gold in 2014 topped the country charts. Proceeds from the new single goes to her charity the Golden Octopus Foundation through which she plans to raise $1million in funds by the end of 2016 to specifically help children diagnosed with cancer in regional areas. Diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of cancer herself, the 17-year-old hasn’t grown since she was 10-years.