Aloha At the Treehouse
Ever felt like a trip to Hawaii but just can’t afford the flights? This Friday Aloha Baby, the brand new Hawaiian trio, will be presenting two luscious sets of silky steel-guitar instrumentals and kitsch Hapa Haole classics from 7pm at the Treehouse on Belongil this Friday – and you can afford it ’cause it’s FREE!
Getting in the Spirit
The biggest little town will have just recovered from the Mullum Music Festival when the next community event will roll in!
For those who love an all-ages, all-cultures, all-kinds-of-music, arts, yoga, ceremony and socially connective celebrations, don’t miss the free launch of the 6th Byron Spirit Festival on Sunday.
With a dual purpose of revealing the BSF 2017 lineup, themed Custodians of Culture and raising some funds for two current causes close to our hearts, it’s guaranteed to be inspiring and fun.
Spirit Festival is on over 31 March–2 April – so find out which first-time and returning local, national and international leaders in the fields of yoga, health, music, dance, ceremony, and more will grace our venues and share their wisdom. This is a free community event with limited space.
Registration is essential and via the www.spiritfestival.com.au website. Sunday 3–7pm at Mullumbimby Civic Hall.
and the grown-ups’ from 6pm
A Very Boogie Christmas
Christmas comes early this year at The Bangalow Bowlo with Bay FM’s annual Christmas discotheque Boogie Fever from 6pm till 1am, with a kids’ disco for the family from 2pm till 4pm!
The Bowlo will become an authentic 70s discotheque, with DJs spinning Absolute Disco and Funk, A sides and B sides. Bay FM loves to party with The Bangalow Bowlo, with this being its third year together creating these spectacular discotheques.
This year’s theme is 70s Hollywood Pool Glamour, so let your mind run free with creativity. The Bangalow Bowlo Shuttle will be doing a Bangalow pick-up and drop-off loop so please ‘like’ The Bangalow Bowlo Facebook page for details, for all other Disco Shuttle transport around The Shire. Check the poster or www.bayfm.org for details.
To make this Christmas extra special Bay FM are hosting their first kids Christmas disco We are Family on the same day, 2–4pm. BayFm DJs will be spinning Top 40 cool kids’ hits. We’re inviting the kids and parents to shake it together for Bay FM and have fun on the dancefloor. There will be a $3 Sausage Sizzle which you must pre-book when booking your disco ticket at www.bayfm.org, and also limited door tickets available on the day. Kids’ tickets are $12 with $4 of that ticket price donated back their school of attendance. Parents and guardians get FREE ENTRY and must stay at the venue with their children for the entire time.
Giving Charity’s a Nudge
The Cunning Stunts December Nudge Nudge Wink Wink features Sydney-based DJ James Scott, who represents one half of CO-OP and worships at the altars of disco and house. DJing here and in the UK for more than 20 years, James laces all his sets with love and will deliver an eclectic set spanning a number of genres with the sound aimed firmly at the dancefloor. Joining him in the lineup are beloved Nudge DJs Stephen Allkins, Al Royale, and Solar Love Machine (Dale Stephen and Lord Sut). Sunday 2–9.30pm at The Billinudgel Hotel. Free!
Finding Your Earth Frequency
From its origins in 2006 as a one-night landcare music event, Earth Frequency Festival has grown significantly over the past 10 years and become a highlight of the Queensland festival calendar. Now well into its second decade of operation, Earth Frequency continues to evolve and expand. In 2017, Earth Frequency will be returning to its awesome Ivorys Rock and expects to reach capacity at 5,000 attendees. The 2017 music lineup features a huge range of international and domestic talent across a wide spectrum of live and electronic music genres.
Highlight bookings include Beardyman, undoubtedly the world’s most creative beatboxer and improvised-genre-bending loop artist, the legendary Australian hip-hop collective The Herd, progressive trance masters Ace Ventura, Marcus Henriksson aka Son Kite, Sensient and Smoke Sign, and US bass music pioneers Desert Dwellers, Sixis, Digital Rust and Biolumigen. Festival favourites Opiuo, Spoonbill, Kingfisha, Hugo and Treats, Lubdub and Griff top the domestic lineup.
More than 100 artists will complete the music lineup, which spans four days and three nights. Music is not the only focus, with a massive visionary art lineup including Collin Elder (Canada), Randal Roberts and Morgan Mandala (USA), resident artist Adam Scott Miller and more than a dozen Australian artists showing art in the Osmosis Gallery and performing live painting throughout the festival. Tickets are on sale now and are selling quickly, and the organisers advise everyone wishing to attend to get in early for their tickets this year as there may not be any gate sales. For more information visit www.earthfrequency.com.au.
Dolphins at the RSL
The 2016 NCEIA Dolphin Music Awards celebrate 15 years at the Ballina RSL Club this Tuesday. There will be special guests including Kirk Pengilly from INXS and seven-times world surfing champion Layne Beachley. Ten acts will perform on this night of celebration where the drum will roll and the winners will be announced. Tickets are on sale now on the Ballina RSL website – $35 /$25 members. Doors open at 6.30pm.
To the YAC and BACK
If you haven’t been to the YAC at the heart of Byron town, then find yourself at the YAC is Back FUNdraiser to see the beautification of this well-loved community resource.
Students from the Certificate II in Hospitality and Events Management course with staff of the Byron Youth Service have put their studies to practice into conceptualising, organising, catering and running this fundraising event. Although a youth-focused centre, the YAC is available for lease by the wider community. The building, youth-purpose built in 1987, houses BYS offices, boasts a computer lab, commercial kitchen, smaller multi-purpose kitchen, conference facility, music room and the iconic Big Space, and is set within lush grounds in the heart of the Bay, minutes from the beach and situated on Crown reserve.
With music by East Atlantic, Fergo, Mercy Mercy and DJ Torusphere, face painting, fire twirling, soul surf trampoline (a new inflatable surf fun), gourmet barbecue, Pizza Loca, juice bar, massive raffle including two tickets to Bluesfest 2017, Crystal Castle vouchers, skateboards and more… YAC is Back FUNraiser – Saturday, 4–pm.
Read more about YAC is Back in the feature on pages 18–19.
Turning on Your Lightbody
Lightbody Community Dance Celebration lights up the dance floor for its ninth time at Durrumbul Hall this Saturday. This event is a co-creation of multi-talented and renowned artists in sound, visual art and movement. The celebration of dance and mesmerising visual art surrounds create a new world where you can lose yourself and find yourself at the same time. Choose between two dance floors including a mega indoor stage and outdoor tipi under the stars. DJs include: Niki Colmer, Short Circuit, Daniel Fagan, POB and Jason Lewis. Move your body to trance, funky breakbeats, psychotropic grooves and uplifting melodic soundscapes. Visual effects and art installations by Crystal Grid Production, Zakay Glass and special guest artists. Nourishing and delicious food by Luscious Catering from Byron Bay. Amongst the wood-fired pizza you’ll find chai and other bites that cater for gluten-free, vegos and vegans. Gather your tribe and experience the full night by arriving at 6pm for the setting of the sun and the start of the uplifting community celebration of music, movement and art. Durrumbul Hall closes at 12 so best to arrive early. Don’t miss out on the end-of-year dance celebration. This will be an extra-special edition of Lightbody. Bonfire, multiple stages, amazing visual art and good vibes. See you soon! $30 contribution – Tickets available at the door 6pm till Midnight. Durrumbul Hall, Coopers Lane, Main Arm. 6pm–12am.
Angel and Jack
Angel Olsen’s only show outside capital cities on her upcoming national tour will be at Lismore City Hall this Thursday. Her performances at the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne and Perth have sold out but lucky for us in the northern rivers, there are still tickets left for her performance in Lismore. Her disarming, timeless voice is even more front-and-centre than before, and the overall production is lighter. Yet the strange, raw power and slowly unspooling incantations of her previous efforts remain, so anyone who might attempt to pigeonhole Olsen as either an elliptical outsider or a pop personality is going to be wrong whichever way they choose; Olsen continues to reign over the land between the two with a haunting obliqueness and sophisticated grace. Joining Angel on the road will be Sydney’s own baritone balladeer Jack Ladder. A run of four sold-out shows on the Sydney Opera House Forecourt last year in support of Florence & The Machine were followed by Ladder’s sold-out performance at the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent – an acclaimed highlight of the 2016 Sydney Festival. With four albums to his name – two of which have been shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize – it will be a special moment witnessing Jack’s crooning narratives open the stage for Angel.
Thursday at Lismore City Hall at 7.30pm. $35. Bookings lismorecityhall.com.au or 1300 066 772.
50 Shades of Geyer
Renée Geyer’s past is Australian music history. Her career has spanned four decades and is still going strong. A precocious jazz, blues and soul singer in her late teens; Countdown royalty in her 20s; a string of pop, soul and reggae hits spanning the 70s and 80s; her LA years in the studio with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Sting, Joe Cocker and Chaka Kahn; her 90s renaissance with Paul Kelly. She is a singer, a songwriter, producer, and author.
Sometimes words aren’t enough. All the things that have and will be said about Renée Geyer – one of the world’s finest singers, Australian music legend – are true and undeniable, but saying that about her still doesn’t say enough. Renée Geyer is Renée Geyer, a unique talent, not a singer whose career is dependant on yesterday or tomorrow’s hit song, but someone who lives for her next performance, on stage or on record, someone who refuses to rest on her laurels. The voice was always there. From the first time she opened her mouth those who heard turned their heads, but that wasn’t enough for Renée Geyer, still isn’t enough for Renée Geyer. She’s much more now than she ever was.
Friday at the Ballina RSL at 7.30pm. Tickets $30.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
