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City Sessions is coming in hot as part of the Live at the Bowl program after celebrating street dance in Melbourne’s public spaces for over nine years.
On Saturday 17 April, this iconic freestyle dance battle event will be adapted for the Sidney Myer Music Bowl as Australia’s best go head-to-head in a 2vs2 battle in the dance styles of Hip Hop, House and Funk.
Cypher Culture’s City Sessions is a series of public activations that create engaging environments to showcase diverse street dance communities through freestyle dance battles. The series is recognised as Melbourne’s largest and longest standing exchange of subcultural dance in the public space.
“Cypher Culture supports dance that comes from the city. It’s the music, the people, the community. As Melbourne is such a diverse city, City Sessions is a great way for cultural exchange. City Sessions started at a grassroots level in our city’s civic spaces and has provided an outlet for the wider street dance community to connect with the public in a celebratory manner,” says producer of City Sessions Efren Pamilacan.
The event will be held in two stages. From 10am – 3:30pm there will be a non-public Preliminary Freestyle Dance Battle. Judges will then select the winners who will go on to compete in the evening event from 5:30pm – 10pm, which will be an elimination-style tournament hosted by MCs.
To keep the music vibe at an all-time high, the final battle event will be in close collaboration with the ever-growing local music scene in Melbourne with DJs Mero and Mothafunk bringing the beats. To celebrate the diverse forms of street dance, City Sessions will also showcase communities including House of Dévine, Jungle City, Burn City Waack and L2R Dance.
City Sessions is renowned for bringing street dancers from across Victoria together for a raw and energetic celebration of street culture.
“The community are people from diverse backgrounds who meet in the city not just because it’s a civic art form, but because it was a halfway point for people coming in from all points of the compass; a focus. They are dancers from Hip Hop, House, Popping, Break, Krump, Dancehall, Footwork and Locking backgrounds so all of them operate outside of studio settings,” said Ef.
Supported by the City of Melbourne and Arts Centre Melbourne, City Sessions is presented by Cypher Culture, a community-focused street/club dance initiative that fosters experiences that create spaces for social, cultural and community dances to be celebrated.
City Sessions is a free event but tickets must be purchased to ensure formal seating allocation. Tickets will go on sale from 12pm, Monday 29 March via liveatthebowl.com.au
We’re excited to be welcoming visitors back to our venues in line with the most recent Victorian Government guidelines on COVID-19. We have opened our outdoor café Protagonist, the Sunday Markets as well as the Australian Music Vault. These openings coincided with the Live at the Bowl season, which officially kicked off on 8 January 2021.
We will continue to offer audiences the chance to experience the wonder of the performing arts via our digital hub – Together With You. For more information including: our opening plans and related health and safety policies; bookings for free and ticketed events; and other digital content and experiences, please visit artscentremelbourne.com.
Expect to hear from experts picking through topics like “the future of live events” to “kick-starting a business”. There will be opportunities to put your questions and opinions to the experts as well as discuss the events of the day with other people tuning in. There will also be select spaces for group mentoring sessions with some of the experts that will be speaking during the Firestarters event.
Many of the fundraising channels that charities rely on have been taken away. As such, every video posted in “Firestarters” will carry a donate button so viewers can donate directly from the app to UK Youth and Rethink Mental Illness.
One of the Hunter Valley’s most cherished cultural escapes, The Gum Ball, returns in 2021 for three days of musical discovery over the school holidays, 16-18th April 2021.
Held amongst idyllic bushland of the Hunter Valley, the family friendly cultural jamboree has survived many hurdles over the years. Whilst a pandemic is a new assault, organisers are confident that despite a reduced capacity in 2021, the festival will be a positive return to days of old.
In 2021, the festival continues to connect community and culture, with distinct homage to the traditional owners of the land, the Wonnarua, featured through a one-off artwork by local Indigenous artist Debbie Becker.
The Gum Ball brings a selection of the best musical acts from around Australia and showcases them in an intimate setting one by one, alongside comedy, pro skateboarding, markets, workshops, camping and more.
Dashville are pleased to reveal The Gum Ball’s musical program for 2021:
HARTS PLAYS HENDRIX + THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS + CASH SAVAGE AND THE LAST DRINKS + iOTA + EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS + EVEN + MELODY POOL + LOST RAGAS + CODA CHROMA + TORI FORSYTH + KING STINGRAY + COUSIN TONY’S BRAND NEW FIREBIRD + MURRAY COOK’S SOUL MOVERS + EAGLE EYE JONES + DAVE WELLS + LACHLAN X. MORRIS + BUDDY DINGO + JONES THE CAT + PALOMINO + THE BARREN SPINSTER + THE STAINED DAISIES + BURGER JOINT + JOHNSTON CITY + DARREN ‘D.C.’ CROSS + LOSTY AND BIG RED CAP + DASHVILLE PROGRESS SOCIETY + YOUNG GUMS BAND
HARTS PLAYS HENDRIX guitar virtuoso Harts and his band channel the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The classic roots reggae vibes of THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS. no-holds-barred rockers CASH SAVAGE AND THE LAST DRINKS, powerful soul of EMMA DONOVAN AND THE PUTBACKS, legendary rock trio EVEN, the beautiful return of songstress MELODY POOL, psychedelic alt-country soundscapes of LOST RAGAS, the innovative and atmospheric synth-pop of COUSIN TONY’S BRAND NEW FIREBIRD, the hugely talented iOTA, indigenous surf rock vibes of KING STINGRAY, who feature siblings of Yothu Yindi, the dreamy cinematic melodies of CODA CHROMA,, female pop-rock powerhouse TORI FORSYTH, the smooth funk of Murray Cook’s SOUL MOVERS, Newcastle-based psych rocker LACHLAN X. MORRIS, pop-punk upstarts JONES THE CAT, rockin’ Port Macquarie trio PALOMINO, Australiana folk icon BUDDY DINGO, psychedelic funk rockers EAGLE EYE JONES, feel good boogie tunes by Canberra based THE BARREN SPINSTER, eclectic alt-rock gang THE STAINED DAISIES, local singer-songwriter DAVE WELLS funked up duo BURGER JOINT, local legends JOHNSTON CITY, folk neu artist DARREN ‘D.C.’ CROSS and hip-hop conglomerate of LOSTY AND BIG RED CAP.
The Gum Ball runs from 2pm Friday, April 16 to Sunday midday, April 18.
Limited tickets are on sale now through Humanitix, with booking fees going to help Nutrition for Aussie School Kids.
For media inquiries contact Jo Corbett at jocorbettpublicity@gmail.com.
GUM BALL 2021 ARTISTS IN FOCUS
KING STINGRAY
King Stingray are a four piece from Yirrkala, North-East Arnhem Land. Formed by Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu (nephew of the late Dr M Yunupiŋu – Yothu Yindi frontman) and Roy Kellaway (son of Stu Kellaway – Yothu Yindi founding member and bass player), King Stingray blend ancient indigenous melodies with surf, indie and funk influences to create a genre of their own, Yolŋu surf-rock.
HARTS
Harts’ star rose when the none other than Prince discovered him and invited him to jam. “”He reminds me of how I was at that age,” Prince said at the time. Harts, real name Darren Hart, was born to athlete parents in Chennai, India. Their speciality was track and field. He moves to Australia at the age of two, and appeared on the musical landscape with his first release in August 2010. Harts is known for his Hendrix-like guitar ability and his solo work has spanned funk, soul, rock, blues, psycho-rock and post-disco.
iOTA
iOTA performed the very first Gum Ball in 2005. Aside from releasing seven critically-acclaimed albums as a singer/songwriter, iOTA has also become a critically acclaimed stage and screen actor, writer, painter, composer and voice-over artist. Notable film credits include roles in The Great Gatsby and Coma the Doof Warrior in Mad Max: Fury Road. He’s recently played to packed houses in the 2019 Sydney Festival sensation, Pigalle. He wrote and starred in Slap and Tickle and The Average Joe, and his show Young, Hard & Solo. He co-created and starred in Sydney Festival’s Smoke & Mirrors and musical rock-odyssey B-Girl. Other credits include: Hedwig and the Angry Inch; Frank ‘n Furter in The Rocky Horror Show; Graeme Murphy’s Berlin; Gale Edwards’ The Turquoise Elephant, and the touring Bowie tribute David Bowie.
His extraordinary talents have been recognised with an ARIA Award nomination for Best Album and four Helpmann Awards and Green Room and Sydney Theatre Critics’ Awards.
MELODY POOL
In 2021, Melody Pool will announce her awaited return with new music penning its way into her sets, exploring a new and re-birthed brilliance hinting at subjects of empowerment, resurgence and uprising. Dashville has heard some of these new recordings and they are absolutely amazing.
EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS
The Putbacks are stone cold pros, grizzled veterans of all the tours and all the studios. As individuals, they’re the players behind so many bands it’s difficult to list, but let’s start with Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bombay Royale, D.D Dumbo, Swooping Duck and The Meltdown. When they come together, they’re one of the tightest, sharpest, slickest, most dynamic musical units ever to exist. Their collaboration with Emma elevates their music and Emma’s songs to another level. Emma Donovan & The Putbacks released Crossover in November 2020.
EVEN
Even are a legendary three-piece indie pop rock band from Melbourne, fronted by acclaimed singer-songwriter-guitarist, Ashley Naylor with Matthew Cotter on drums and Wally Kempton on bass guitar and backing vocals. They formed in March 1994 and were a big part of the 90’s rock explosion, playing regularly at festivals, touring nationally and internationally many times. They have released seven studio albums, Less Is More (10 June 1996), Come Again (28 September 1998), A Different High (14 May 2001), Free Kicks (6 June 2004), Even (29 March 2008), In Another Time (9 December 2011), and Satin Returns (16 May 2018).
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Listen to RF Radio with Skream now: http://bit.ly/38ed8LT
Riverside Festival is excited to announce that Skream will be joining this year’s lineup. With 6 months to go until Scotland’s premiere electronic music, he is also the first guest on the festival’s new fortnightly RF Radio. The new online series will give fans the opportunity to stay connected to the RF community with the music they love.
RF Radio will drop every second Friday on the festival’s official SoundCloud and will feature some of the biggest names from Riverside’s past and present as well as plenty of fresh and local talent. Skream is no stranger to Glasgow, or the festival. A stalwart of the Scottish club scene, Skream is a regular on Glasgow’s dancefloors, hailing the Sub Club on Twitter as, “genuinely the best club in the world.”
As one of the UK’s best-loved selectors Skream has enjoyed the kind of consistency most DJs and producers can only dream of. His passion for collecting and playing music is unrelenting and runs deep to his core; disco, house, techno and everything in between. Only in his early thirties, Skream has achieved more in the last 15 years than most artists do in a lifetime, yet his hunger and enthusiasm is akin to that of someone who is only just getting started.
Skream will be joining RF21 headliners Amelie Lens, Disclosure & Jamie xx on the banks of the Clyde this September. This year will see a huge return for the festival, armed with an additional day and a formidable line-up.
While live music was paused and the world’s dancefloors were laid empty, organisers were working hard behind the scenes to ensure that when Glasgow could dance together again, it will be the biggest and best celebration of music – and of life – RF has ever thrown.
Connect with Riverside Festival
Today marks the release of The Smith Street Band’s latest album, Unplugged in Wombat State Forest. Ten tracks reworked and recorded live at the band’s Bush House Studio, released on the band’s Pool House Records.
This week the band showcase the album with full band, stripped back, semi acoustic, Covid safe, seated shows over three sold out nights at Melbourne’s iconic Forum Theatre before heading to Sydney to play at the Enmore next week.
The band have also recently announced two very special shows in Brisbane with The Brisbane Symphony Orchestra at The Fortitude Music Hall on May 21 and 22.
The new album follows on from a huge year of releases last year. In April they landed their first #1 on the ARIA Album chart with their fifth studio album Don’t Waste Your Anger. They also released two digital only live albums, Live At The Triffid and Viva La Rev which charted at #4 and #30 respectively. Frontman Wil Wagner also released Spiralling – his first solo album in eight years and his first top 10 solo recording, charting at #8 on the ARIA Album charts.
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To cap off a strong run of music releases arcing all the way back to 2018, Ben Wright Smith presents Echo Lodge, the final instalment of what’s become a definitive trilogy of material.
Ten songs encompass the eras of previous EPs Psychotropical (2018), Volcano God Head Explodes (2020), plus three new tracks, the Echo Lodge project is a career touchstone for the singer-songwriter, who has been thriving as an artist on a national scale with each release.
The process of bringing this music together has been an organic one for Ben, who has always written from the heart with pure emotional intent driving each song. The way in which his previous EP’s rolled out lined up with his approach of expressing creatively, and his desire to be in constant communication and connection with the music community he is part of.
“I wanted to start releasing the music as we were recording it. I didn’t want to record stuff and have it just sitting there. I like the idea of finishing music and putting it out in the world as you’re doing it.”
Ben Wright Smith
The music video for recent single ‘New Breeze’ (out now), is a hectic romp featuring actors Rhys Mitchell (Upper Middle Bogan, Glitch) and Maria Angelou (Sisters, Bad Jews). Filmed at Ben’s house, directed by frequent collaborator Josh Dawson, the clip brings Ben’s track into a fun imaginative space.
“When we first came up with the idea we couldn’t stop laughing at how dumb it was. Basically we trashed my place with leaf blowers and tried to imagine a floating head chasing everyone around.”
Ben Wright Smith
PRAISE FOR BEN WRIGHT SMITH
“…this track sounds like a bloody ray of sunshine! So warm and radiant. Great to hear from you again.”
Triple J, Bridget Hustwaite (‘Storm Boy’)
“Ben Wright Smith is an artist you need to name as one of your favourites immediately.”
Tone Deaf
“…a hazy jam filled with euphoric vibes that would perfectly soundtrack a road trip to the beach.”
The Music (‘Tomorrow Never Comes’)
“The result is a diverse collection of indie-folk jams that flirt with the poppier side of the occasion, that serves as a fantastic body of work.”
Pilerats (The Great Divorce)
ECHO LODGE TRACKLISTING
Storm Boy
Sleeping’s For Dreamers
Rancho Luna
Homesick
Tomorrow Never Comes
The Wire
Volcano God Head Explodes
New Breeze
Seedpods
Psychotropical Brainstorm
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The full 2021 program for Parrtjima – A Festival in Light is out and features an impressive host of high-calibre acts to perform at the iconic free event in Alice Springs next month.
Joining previously announced acts Electric Fields and Casey Donovan on the music program this year is an all-star line up of Australian artists including Miiesha, MusicNT’s Divas, Jimblah, Bow and Arrow, Dobby, OKA, Ziggy Ramo and Shellie Morris.
Shaping up to be bigger and better than ever, Parrtjima 2021 will see an exciting new show for the MacDonnell Ranges, large-scale light installations, artworks, performances, interactive workshops, music, films and talks woven into the program as part of the 2021 theme ‘Future Kultcha’.
2021 Parrtjima Curator Rhoda Roberts AO said this year’s theme ‘Future Kultcha’ is all about ensuring forward thinking of the philosophers, the artists and the dreamers.
“Enabling young guest curators such as Electric Fields and Rhyan Clapham, aka Dobby, to play a part in this year’s program gives a distinct voice of the next generation and their connection to the ancient footprints of their ancestors,” she said.
“When you combine the masters with the emerging, you see a sense of a holistic culture and knowledge that is relevant to everyone in the 21st century.”
Event attendees can also hear from a range of critically-acclaimed speakers as part of the talks program. They include award-winning writer Bruce Pascoe, artists Jungala Kriss and Raymond Walters Japanangka, and Professor Marcia Langton AM to name a few.
Northern Territory Major Events Company CEO Tim Watsford said this year’s five-star program was guaranteed to attract crowds from all over Australia.
“The 2021 program signifies a coming-of-age for the event as it enters its sixth year,” he said.
“We are thrilled with the program’s offerings, including everything from impressive new large-scale light installations and musical performances to workshops, talks, films, and of course, our unmissable light show against the MacDonnell Ranges at Alice Springs Desert Park.
“Parrtjima is a must-do for any traveller’s bucket list and I look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to the heart of Australia for this iconic festival in light.”
Other 2021 program highlights include a fabric and textiles workshop hosted by National Indigenous Fashion Awards Director Nina Fitzgerald, bushfood tastings, a wooden carvings masterclass, painting workshops, metal sculpture workshops and more.
Parrtjima has expanded over three event precincts this year, with the Araluen Arts Centre hosting parts of the 2021 program along with Alice Springs Desert Park and Todd Mall.
Children’s activities and live music provided by local DJs will feature on the nightly program, and the Araluen Arts Centre will host a film program and Araluen curator tours. Films include 1950s classic Jedda, coming-of-age comedy Bran Nue Dae featuring Jessica Mauboy and Aboriginal Rules, a documentary on the role Aussie Rules plays in a remote Territory community.
Parrtjima is the only authentic light Aboriginal festival of its kind, showcasing the oldest continuous culture on earth through the newest technology. The packed program runs alongside nightly light shows on the 300-million-year-old natural canvas of the MacDonnell Ranges.
Parrtjima is delivered by the Northern Territory Government through Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC) and produced by creative directors AGB Events.
Parrtjima takes place from 9-18 April 2021 in the cultural heart of Australia, Alice Springs.
To find out more or register for the Desert Park festival site and Araluen Arts Centre program elements, go to www.parrtjima.com.au.
“This is our chance to be the band that we’ve always wanted to be”
~ Shaun Diviney, Short Stack
UNFD is thrilled to announce Australian rock trio Short Stack as its latest signing, alongside the reveal of the band’s new single + video ‘Burn You Down‘ today. To celebrate the release, Short Stack will play one night in Sydney on Thursday with special guests Redhook. Full details below.
It comes after the trio caused a stir with the announce of their comeback national tour in early 2020 which saw multiple cities sold out in a matter of hours. The now rescheduled run is set to hit capital cities across April, with limited tickets still available HERE.
On reforming and creating new music together, Short Stack vocalist Shaun Diviney shares:
“Everything about how we approached this was different… where we used to find a lot of pressure to deliver something specific, we approached this with the thought that this is our chance to be the band we’ve always wanted to be.”
On the signing, UNFD General Manager Luke Logemann shares that the label has long-admired Short Stack for the intense fan culture they’ve built around their band.
“I’ve always admired Short Stack for their ability to build such a loyal and enthusiastic fanbase, and for how unapologetic they were in doing so. That’s always been the ethos of UNFD as a label and our bands, to care about the music and the fans first and approval last,” he says, adding:
“I saw them play Festival Hall over ten years ago, and I remember being overwhelmed by how passionately the fans sang every word back at them. They wrote huge bangers that you could never get out of your head, even if some people didn’t want to admit it. The best thing is, all of that still rings true – they still have crazy fans, they still sell out venues and they still write huge bangers. Based on how good the new material is, I reckon they’ll be doing this long into the future as well.”
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