←Volume 31
August 3, 2016
In this Issue:
Cinema Review: Jason Bourne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4gJsKZvqE4 Halfway through this pyrotechnic nightmare, as I struggled to find the will to see it through to the end, it dawned on me; how dull people’s lives must be for ‘franchise’ flicks such as this to be so endlessly...
Cinema Review: Swiss Army Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrK1f4TsQfM I’ll wager even now that this is likely to be the weirdest movie that you will see all year. But it is strangely compelling and likeable. Hank (Paul Dano) is stranded on a tiny deserted island and is about...
Writing Blind – the story of Blind Tom, musician and slave
Jeffery Renard Allen interviewed by Mandy Nolan Jeffery Renard Allen’s novel Song of the Shank was inspired by the real-life story of genius musician and slave Blind Tom, who was the first African American to perform at the White House....
Immigrants at the Rails
After a few years in a bit of a musical hiatus, the much-loved Willy McElroy, formerly of The Wild Zinnias, emerges with a brand-new band, The Immigrants… and a brand-new self-titled album. So how did Willy McElroy & The Immigrants...
Over the Harpoon for Mullum Music Festival
Shawn ‘Harpoonist’ Hall and Matthew ‘Axe Murderer’ Rogers do more than evoke grisly nautical imagery. Armed with an arsenal or harmonicas, a mess of foot percussion and a road-worn Telecaster, the duo kick out raw and primal blues while infusing...
Live Music Roundup: Thursday 4 August, 2016
Off the Grid: Live on the Green Off The Grid: LIVE on the Green is an outdoor recording session at the SAE College in Byron Bay and will be featuring Global Ripple, a collaboration of musicians and singers who...
Byron Ballet Company brings dance to the heart of Byron
This year Yvonne Hall’s Byron Ballet company celebrates 10 years. Built lovingly from the ground up with her partner Clinton Hart, the company are excited about moving to a new dedicated dance location in Byron Bay – at the...
Byron Writers Festival 2016: Where Stories Take You…
Welcome to the 2016 Byron Writers Festival! This milestone year is our 20th anniversary with a stellar line-up of 150-plus writers and thinkers converging on Byron Bay for Australia’s largest regional writers’ festival. They will engage you in enlightening discussions throughout...
‘Lack of trust’ an issue for outgoing Byron Council
Byron Shire Council’s last official meeting before going into ‘caretaker mode’ for elections is this Thursday and just one of the many topics to be tabled will be the lack of public trust in council’s process regarding a major planning policy.
Devils keep fighting the losing battle
John Campbell As a geopolitical analogy, Byron Bay’s NRRRL clash with competition leaders Cudgen on Sunday was like Poland taking on a Superpower, and thus the 42–0 scoreline. The Hornets have an enormous clubhouse and enough poker machines to bankroll a...
20 years of the nourishing Byron Writers Festival
John Howard had not long moved into Paul Keating’s bedroom at the Lodge when we started our Festival 20 years ago. September 11 had not happened and Elton John’s Candle in the Wind was top of the charts. The first...
Mandy Nolan’s Soap Box: I didn’t know
When harm is incurred, there are three little magic words that people seem to believe alleviates them of all social, moral and ethical responsibility: ‘I didn’t know’. When Big Daddy Malcolm rang Indigenous Affairs minister Nigel Scullion with what...
Byron councillor’s contentious DA ‘approved a year ago’
There’s a new chapter in the long- running dispute with neighbours and a Byron Shire councillor’s self-storage operation on a short, narrow rural road in Myocum.
Planting the seeds of an ecovillage community
Bruns Ecovillage is signing up would-be residents to a comprehensive education and design process, teaching them more skills for community living and enabling them to meet their future neighbours within the village.
Listening to the First Light
It’s been two years since Dustin Tebbutt’s acclaimed debut solo recording The Breach set blogs and Triple J alight. His story of creating the bleak epic during the depths of a Scandinavian winter – where he relocated to live...
Culture Roundup: Wednesday 3 August, 2016
Comedy in Court with Ms Stella It's her last night in town and Ms Stella takes Mullumbimby hostage with her savage dark wit at the Court House Hotel’s Open Mic Comedy Night. With a bunch of very new and very...
Locals win big in tourism awards
A handful of local tourism operators have scooped awards from the North Coast Destination Network awards night held in Port Macquarie last Saturday.
Bruns Bulldogs thrive on belief
Dean Trevaskis The belief that you are good enough arrived for the Bruns Valley Bulldogs Under-11’s footy team two weeks ago. Their first-half performance against the Tweed Tigers turned the form guide on its head, and this new-found mojo underpinned a...
Fightback couldn’t save Swingers
Brian Mollet The Sunday sun stood proud and Lomath Oval glowed like a flat screen set to ‘retinal damage’ for the eastern derby in the world’s unique cricket competition, the Nick Shand Memorial. Byron’s finest Full-Tossers convoyed across the highway en...
New basketball comp keeps it fun
The Byron Bay Beez slammed the Ballina Breakers 96–52 on Saturday night to win the first game of the new Sunshine Basketball Conference. The game was played at the ‘Bee-Hive’, the Cavanbah Centre in Byron Bay, and was a ‘fantastic...
Win keeps Byron Bay Rams in the race for minor premiership...
Dogwhistle The top five contenders were looking for a strong win last weekend as the race for this year’s Football Far North Coast Premier League honours hots up. A draw between ladder leaders Goonellabah and fourth-placed Bangalow tightened the competition and...
Eco Cooka Sisters
By Vivienne Pearson. Photo by Jeff Dawson Sisters Cathy and Natasha Buirski are avid users of retained-heat cooking and they are keen to introduce it to the Byron Shire. They first heard of this cooking method during their childhoods in South...
Oyster Fest
By Vivienne Pearson There is a word that will have half of you salivating and the other half gagging. Oyster. It’s a food that divides. You’re either an oyster lover, or you’re not. Occasionally, someone switches camp, but people are usually...
‘Luscious’
By Lesley Hannaford Luscious Foods, tucked away in the Arts & Industry Estate, has long been a favourite with locals, nearby workers and any tourists lucky enough to stumble across it. With a relaxing vibe, outdoor seating and service with...
