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April 19, 2024

Culture Roundup – Wednesday 28 December, 2016

Latest News

Not enough letters like this about Gaza in The Echo?

The Echo’s studied indifference to the plight of the Palestinians and its reluctance to publish letters on the subject...

Other News

Aid workers killed

I along with the Israeli and Jewish community in general mourn with the rest of the world for the...

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Shopping Centres Scare Me

I feel trapped. There isn’t a single time I attend where I don’t check my proximity to the exits, or imagine what I’d do if there was a fire, or worse, a shooter. The sense of being enclosed is unnatural, I can’t tell what time of day it is, I lose my sense of direction. It’s designed to be disorienting. It feels otherworldly. And never in a good way. They are designed to make you stay longer. They are by design, disorienting.

A festival in laneways

Mullumbimby, a town known for its abundance of artists and creatives with a passion for what drives them, is set to host the much-anticipated Laneways Festival 2024 on May 4 and 5.

WATER Northern Rivers says Rous County Council is wrong

WATER Northern Rivers Alliance says despite decades of objection, Rous County Council have just commissioned yet another heritage and biodiversity study in the Rocky Creek valley, between Dunoon and The Channon, in the heart of the Northern Rivers.

Statement of faith leaders following attack in Sydney

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper have released a joint statement from a diverse group of NSW faith leaders, in an effort to calm tensions following the recent knife attack at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in south western Sydney.

Metal is back at The Northern

Beast Machine are coming home from a successful spell in the United States and the thrash/metal two-piece with their massive sound layered with riff-driven guitars and thundering drums are coming to lift the roof off of the Backroom. Check out their new music video currently out for their latest single ‘Pretend’, which is featured in HEAVY magazine.

Rev Your Scooters! Ellen Briggs & Mandy Nolan performing Women Like Us at the Ballina RSL Friday 6 January
Rev Your Scooters! Ellen Briggs & Mandy Nolan performing Women Like Us at the Ballina RSL Friday 6 January

Women Like Us in Ballina

Get those scooters on charge and get to the Ballina RSL when Mandy Nolan and Ellen Briggs present Women Like Us, the sensation that’s been called ‘a two Tena pad show’.

Two women of wit doing one hour of standup each. It’s the full show. Wild, wondrous and totally irreverent. Come and celebrate your dysfunction with these middle-aged hornbags. Friday 6 January, 8pm. Tix at ballinarsl.com.au or at the club.

Austen Tayshus at the Byron Services Club on Monday 9 January
Austen Tayshus at the Byron Services Club on Monday 9 January

Many Austen Tayshus Returns!

There are few comics with the tenacity and killer instinct of Austen Tayshus. The comedy superstar who first came into being in 1981 has the ability to take a room hostage just with his tongue. Topical, dangerous, irreverent, he’s the High Priest of Satire, unflappable and relentless. He’s the closest thing the Australian comedy scene has to Bill Hicks. Except Austen is very much alive. Every show is unique. He has the ability to weave current politics, what’s happening in the room, philosophy, anthropology, religion and of course sport – and let’s not forget the pope – into one gag.

Tayshus is a man of controversy. There is no subject he won’t dissect. Uncomfortable, confronting, but always illuminating, an Austen Tayshus show is both comic and cleansing. Austen remarked once that he sees his role as being a social agitator, as the prickle in the paw that makes the public think. He doesn’t need you to like him. In fact he’d probably prefer if you didn’t.

Austen Tayshus headlines at the Byron Services Club on Monday 9 January.

Doors 7pm. Show 8pm. Tickets $20/25 at the club or online at mandynolan.com.au.

Thomgallery is now showing the work of Conchita Carambano and is open Thursday–Monday  Midday–5pm (outside hours call 0411 813 999)
Thomgallery is now showing the work of Conchita Carambano and is open Thursday–Monday  Midday–5pm (outside hours call 0411 813 999)

Thomas Up for Conchita

Thomgallery is now showing the work of Conchita Carambano and welcome all to come and view her stunning abstract works. To view outside these hours, phone 0411 813 999.

Furthest Up the Beach

The Byron Bay Surf Festival is stoked to announce it will host the second edition of the McTavish Trim.

The McTavish Trim – Furthest Up The Beach, is a unique surfing event whereby the longest distance surfed is the goal for each of the 12 invited trimmers. Surfboards must be more than 10 foot in length, requiring a significant amount of skill and panache to surf. The event will take place during the always popular freestyle and stoke surf sessions, on the Sunday of the festival, which could not be better this year with the unique addition of the Trim. On this stoke-filled day you’ll also enjoy the classic surf sessions, which this year include torpedoes (bodysurfing), finless (timber, surfmat or softboards), fish, logs, mermaids (gals only), Tandem, and the partywave! These sessions are non-competitive and are more or less based on artistic interpretation with a decided peer vote for which waverider shows the most pure stoke and freestyling fun on any particular wave during each of the sessions.

Sunday 26 February at Wategos!

For his Big Heart!

Most of the Shire would be aware of the work of Paul Barrett and the Samba-Blisstas. Moving here around a decade ago Paul kicked off community drum groups with his ensembles leading and opening festivals and events throughout the region. Sadly three weeks ago Paul had a major heart attack and remains in hospital. He gives so much to the community, near and far.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for him and community members are being asked to donate to: www.gofundme.com/3134voo.

SAE Institute have just announced regional scholarship program with info session at the Byron Campus on 19 January
SAE Institute have just announced regional scholarship program with info session at the Byron Campus on 19 January

SAE’s $ for Creatives

Recognising the value of the creative industries to the NSW northern rivers – and the employment opportunities this sector offers local youth, mature age students and career changers – SAE Institute has announced a 2017 Northern Rivers Creative Media Scholarship program.

A scholarship amount of up to $8,000 will be available for up to 50 students commencing a Diploma in Screen and Media in Digital Video Production, Music Industry in Electronic Music Production or Sound Production. The scholarship provides approximately $8,000 towards tuition fees for a seven-month, full-time Diploma course (or part-time equivalent).

To apply, students must meet SAE’s diploma enrolment criteria and scholarship criteria, which include residing in the northern rivers region during their studies, and participating in an interview process to determine motivation, aspirations and creative-media experience. For the purpose of the scholarship, the northern rivers region includes Byron Shire, Ballina Shire, Lismore City, Tweed Shire, Richmond Valley, Kyogle Shire and Clarence Valley councils. This scholarship will also be made available to students who have already enrolled to commence a Diploma at SAE Byron Bay in February 2017 and meet the scholarship criteria.

A scholarship information session will be held at Byron Bay campus on 19 January 2017 at 4–7pm. Applications for scholarships close on Monday 23 January 2016.

For more information visit sae.edu.au/scholarships.


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