Devon & Dowling
Polka Dot Productions welcomes back the delightful Devon Sproule to Mullum. Her debut Polka Dot gig a couple of years ago was sensational.
Born to hippy parents near Kingston, Ontario, Devon Sproule spent her childhood on a 465-acre, 100-member eco-village in rural Virginia. After moving between private, public and home schooling, she eventually left high school, recorded her first record, and began touring nationally – all before the age of eighteen. Since 2007, Sproule’s recordings have been released by Tin Angel Records, based in Coventry, England. She collaborates regularly with Toronto-based band Bernice and producer Sandro Perri. In Summer 2015 she recorded songs from a new collection, The Gold String, in Yukon and Nova Scotia. She and her husband, musician and producer Paul Curreri live in rural Virginia.
She is joined by support act Jimmy Dowling at Club Mullum (Mullumbimby Ex-Services) on Sunday 24 April at 7.30pm. Tix $20 at the door.
Raising money with music
Local Nimbin-raised lad Zeb Cheah-Wright was hit by a motor vehicle late one night in February last at Brunswick Heads and sustained multiple traumatic injuries to his body and head. The vehicle fled the scene and Zeb eventually ended up comatose in hospital. Several weeks later he emerged conscious but has severe head injuries, and remains in a wheelchair.
Phoenix Rising Café in Nimbin have organised for a benefit gig to raise funds necessary to help both Zeb’s recovery and his family’s costs, and many Nimbin locals have ‘come to the party’ to help make it happen.
Starting at 6pm Friday the cafe will put on an all-you-can-eat buffet spread for diners, with music provided on the outdoor cafe stage by local acts Vic Florey, Minus One and Khan. Then from 8pm a slew of more local musos will entertain the crowd inside the neighbouring Bush Theatre.
Bands currently on the lineup include: Unsupervised (fronted by venue owner David Hyett), Mecha Mecha, The Antibodies, and Nimbin legends Pagan Love Cult (fronted by Neil Pike, who often supplies a backdrop of engaging visuals). There are two ticketing options, with all profits forwarded to a special account set up to aid Zeb’s recovery. A $45 ticket will get you the whole smorgasbord of food and entertainment, or $10 will get you into the Bush Theatre from 8pm for the later live acts. There’s a Facebook event page providing more up-to-date information. Bookings for dinner are essential and are available online from the cafe’s webpage: www.phoenixrisingcafe.net.au/events. If you can’t make it on the night but would still like to help, details for the Summerland Credit Union account set up to help Zeb in the name of ‘P Cheah’ are: BSB 728 728, ACC 22309497. Please use ZEB as a reference when making payments. Zeb and his family thank you dearly.
Kuepper always a keeper
Ed Kuepper is an Australian music legend. He formed the Saints in Brisbane in 1973, going on to record the iconic classic I’m Stranded. His next outfit was The Laughin Clown, a rock, soul and avant-jazz group. It was a little more experimental than The Saints, and I have to say I was lucky enough to catch one of their last concerts. Since 1985 Kuepper embarked on a solo career, and this year he releases his 50th release, Lost Cities.
‘When I was a kid I always processed recordings as a kind of singular whole, so when I started to play the guitar I wanted my playing to be the entire orchestra/band rather than just the guy strumming in the corner. A good example would be the way I played Nights in Venice on the first Saints LP, or the acoustic with hyper-harmonic overtones on Today Wonder. Lost Cities continues that approach but also moves into the tonal opposite of what I did when I started.’
Ed Kuepper plays Byron Bay Theatre on Sunday 24 April.
Spy vs Spy
Formed in Sydney in 1981 Spy vs Spy are a ska/rock band that became known for tackling political issues through their music, taking on racism, homelessness and contemporary drug culture. They’ve had a few breaks along the way but in 2016 they’ve re-formed and are touring with a four-piece version featuring Mike Weiley, Paul Greene, Neil Beaver and Mick Laws. They play the Ballina RSL on Friday 22 April at 8.30pm. Tix $25 at the club.
Find Your Voice
Celebrate World Voice Day and sing with your heart with Chris James and band! Be part of this unique evening of voice and song for everyone. Chris makes it easy and fun. Discover your natural voice and be prepared to be amazed!
No experience needed. Release stress and sing with ease. Saturday at 7pm at the Ocean Shores Community Centre. Tix $20.
Multi-instrumental Matt
Hailing from New Zealand, Matthew Armitage is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and singer. His music showcases his gift for both electric and acoustic nylon-string guitar and a unique southern Pacific blues and surf rock style. Matthew has worked with a broad mix of musical groups throughout his career in New Zealand: Good Laika, Odessa, Bunnies on Ponies, Family Cactus, Ginger Brown, Boomshack Band), some taking him overseas to Berlin and New York, but only in the last couple of years has he exposed his own voice and songwriting talents.
He plays the Byron Brewery on Tuesday at 7pm. Free entry.
Little Georgia on my mind
Little Georgia was born from a true friendship. After several years on the road touring together as part of different projects, Ashleigh Mannix and Justin Carter have explored their passion for songwriting, and together launched their new project in early 2015. Non-stop touring, which included performances at the Americana Fest in Nashville and support slots for Mia Dyson, gave the pair the chance to grow creatively together with the result being Bootleg, a gorgeous album of eight tracks. After the huge success of their Bootleg album tour, Little Georgia will now hit the road again with American singer/songwriter Ryan Bingham for his Australian tour. Friday 29 April at the Byron Community Centre with Matt Bingham.
and Thursday 21 April
Sticky Fingers touched by divine
Some bands meet from lame shit such as Gumtree advertisements, while others are formed with a touch of the divine. One summer night some years ago, on a drunken street in Newtown, Dylan Frost was wrapping up a fruitless night’s busking.
Paddy walked past, when a bystanding bouncer commanded, ‘give the bloke some coin, brew!?’ Instead Paddy and Dylan struck up a chat. Bonding over mutual hobbies such as music and weed. Soon the degenerates of Hollywood, Crabz and Beaker, banded together and Sticky Fingers came to be.
Sticky Fingers at the Hotel Great Northern on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 April.
Pollinations in Heaven
‘Jaaleekaay’s cultural cross-pollinated harmony and rhythms are a match made in heaven. A place where voice, guitar, kora and percussion dance in effortless unity.’ That’s straight from the mouth of the great John Butler, a huge fan of this three-man outfit. Jaaleekaay, a West African word in the Wolof language, meaning ‘crossing point’, is the perfect name for the extraordinary musical collaboration between renowned Australian guitarist Steve Berry (Kev Carmody, Shane Howard, Robyn Archer) and two of Gambia’s leading musicians: Yusupha Ngum (vocals) and Amadou Suso (Kora).
Yusupha is from a griot family and his late father Musa Ngum was one of West Africa’s most renowned singers and proponents of Mbalax musical tradition.
Amadou is a direct descendent of Korea Musa Suso, also a griot musician, who first introduced the Kora to the world 760 years ago. Together with Steve they are capturing hearts and minds with a style that continues to build connections between Gambia and the global music scene.
When they first toured Australia two years ago Jaaleekaay received rave reviews and standing ovations at major festivals including the Mullum Music Festival. In partnership with Music Outback Foundation, the trio also visited remote Central Australia, playing and giving workshops at Aboriginal communities in far north South Australia and in the Northern Territory.
Now, in 2016, they have a new self-titled album and are touring Australia in support of its release. They finish their tour at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall on Saturday 23 April. Doors opem 7pm, show starts 8pm. www.redsquaremusic.com.au
