Speech: Why won't the Australian Government act to end the illegal imprisonment of Assange?

<p>In news that sees regional Elvis fans all shook up, the producers of the beloved Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth & Queensland Elvis Festivals recently announced they would be bringing a Geelong Elvis Festival to the regional city for the very first time.

Taking place across two days in August, this four-concert international event was tipped to feature some truly incredible superstar Elvis tribute artists direct from Memphis and Graceland.

And now, more details have been revealed about the highly-anticipated event.

Stay up to date with whats happening in and around the region <a href= "https://fortemag.com.au/entertainment/">here</a>. </i></b></p> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content"> <p><a href= "https://fortemag.com.au/theres-a-geelong-elvis-festival-happening-this-year-bringing-gracelands-best-to-regional-victoria/"> Theres a Geelong Elvis Festival happening this year, bringing Gracelands best to regional Victoria</a></p> </blockquote> <p>In a post to the festivals social media, the Geelong Elvis Festival revealed it would be heading to Geelong on August 25 and 26 2023.</p> <p>Bringing Gracelands best to Geelong, the festival also announced it would be hosting incredible International act, including Bill Cherry and Jay Dupuis, who are Gracelands Ultimate Champions, and Ted Torres Martin who in his own right could win it every year and an unbelievable act specifically 68 and the early 70s.</p> <p>These guys are simply three of the worlds best. They have the look, the voice, the aura and the Elvis feeling on stage.</p> <p>The iconic Sphinx Hotel has also been revealed as the Elvis Hub for the duration of the festival, which will feature four unique concerts over two days. Shows including Jumpsuit Heaven showcasing four iconic jumpsuits, Elvis at the movies and Sun to Sundial which will take you on a journey from the years 55-77. All shows have been coined as different and will feature different music from the Elvis era.</p> <p>Theres clearly been some heavy demand for local acts too, with the festival revealing that local acts Jack Gatto & Damien Mullin, both are booked and unavailable. They are both great acts, and if we can fit them in down the track we will.</p> <p><strong>Tickets go on sale soon and...</strong></p>

Having just announced a special local date as part of their Fantastical Country Club Experience, Lime Cordiale has added a second show in Torquay after the first show sold out in less than a day!

Theyll now perform on Sunday 23 April at Torquay Hotel in Torquay, alongside on Saturday 22 April (sold-out), in what is one of the few chances for you to see them in a headline appearance in Australia in 2023, and perhaps the only chance you will ever see them in such an intimate venue. Tickets to the new show are on sale now here.

Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

Lime Cordiale announce new headline show in Torquay this April

The show will feature all their hits, new songs, and a few surprises and coming along for the ride are a rotation of the finest new talent that the Country Club officials could muster in Bella Amor,...

Gifting the destination of Echuca-Moama an immersive experience not to be missed, Murray River Councils award-winning Moama Lights will once again light up the Murray with dazzling displays from 30 June 23 July 2023 and tickets are available to purchase now!

Set against the backdrop of Moamas Horseshoe Lagoon, Moama Lights is a sound and light trail sharing stories from across the region through state-of-the-art installations, projections and cutting-edge moving light technology this winter.

Stay up to date with whats happening in and around the region here.

Created and produced by world-class design studio Mandylights, Moama Lights 2023 is the events third exciting instalment and will guide visitors through a brand-new experience, celebrating the history and natural beauty of Echuca Moama through an evocative sea of colour, movement and sound.

An unforgettable night out with family or friends, this years event will also feature an outdoor ice-skating rink, the American Hotel beer garden, food trucks and kids entertainment.

 

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Mannnn, Melbournes hardcore community has had it good recently. And when I say good, I mean really good. First, there was Comeback Kid & Drains mammoth summer tour; then Turnstile and Speed absolutely annihilated The Forum, and now Knocked Loose have come along and delivered a set chaotic enough that it deserved to be filmed by hate5six, its been beyond a dream for hardcore lovers citywide, but this set was a bit different.

As proudly stated by the groups lead singer Bryan Garris, This is something you dont get at Knotfest; no barricade.

Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

Hes right. A US-based, large-scale act playing in an intimate no-barrier club setting? This was the kind of show that Melbourne-based hardcore fans had been pining over for years now. Naturally, it wasnt an opportunity they were going to waste.

And they didnt. The second Oldham County hardcore outfit hit the stage, the crowd went into turbulent overdrive. Front-flipping stage divers; riotous chanted singalongs and some of the finest two-steppin our city has ever seen it was utter chaos.

But as Garris affirmed, Knocked Loose love chaos and so, they incited it as much as possible.

Opening with the jagged, beatdown heavy Where Light Divides The Holler, before tearing straight into Trapped in the Grasp of a Memory, Knocked Loose hit the stage with an unmistakable ferocity, barely letting the crowd breathe in between songs as they powered through their blistering 45-minute set.

The heavy, machine gun-esque intro of God Knows kicked in with cataclysmic effect, as did the piercing, high-pitched guitars of Billy No Mates and the sludgey bounce of Bellevilles bassline.  Maintaining the energy was Deadringer, which gained an immense crowd reaction with punters happily complying with Garris request to see everyone in here stage dive tonight.

With the crowd still buzzing from Deadringers closing breakdown, Oblivions Peaks opening riff almost sent them absolutely manic, with the pit opening up even larger as punters found a second wind for the older favourite.

But as I said, Knocked Loose love chaos, so before the crowd could even stop and think, that was sick, I cant believe theyre playing older tracks, Garris quickly introduced, This is the oldest song well play tonight. Instinctively the crowd clued into the opening drumbeat of 2014s All My Friends and went abs...

The State Government has announced the extension of the e-scooter trial in Victoria, confirming the existing arrangements for the shared e-scooter scheme in Ballarat will continue for a further six months.

Alongside the extension, privately owned e-scooters can also be used under the same trial rules during this period across the entire state.

Stay up to date with whats happening in and around the region here.

The rules now allow for people 16 years and over to ride, require users to wear a helmet, travel at maximum speeds of 20 km/h and ride on local roads that have a speed limit of up to 60km/h.

At the conclusion of the State Governments extended trial, a report will be prepared for Council to consider the next steps for shared e-scooter schemes in Ballarat.

In the interim, the existing shared e-scooter arrangements with Neuron will continue.

Neurons data shows that riders in Ballarat have travelled more than 450,000 kilometres on the shared e-scooters during the trial, with more than 200,000 individual trips taken.

The average trip is 2.3 kilometres, which is longer than the average trip in the Melbourne trial.

More than 63 percent of rides taken on the Ballarat e-scooters replaced what would have otherwise been a car trip.

The top safety concerns identified as part of the Ballarat trial so far have been riding on footpaths and not wearing a helmet.

Any users riding on footpaths or disobeying other rules face penalties.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said with the popularity of e-scooters in Ballarat it was exciting to have the trial extended.

The e-scooters provide a safe, fun, and environmentally friendly way to see our beautiful city, he said.

For more information on the e-scooter rules visit VicRoads website

The post Ballarat e-scooter trial has been extended appeared first on Forte Magazine.

Giving back is in the DNA of Hawkes Brewing Co. When Nathan Lennon and David Gibson approached former PM Bob Hawke with the goal of co-founding a brewery with them, he agreed, but on one condition: that 100% of his share of royalties go to Landcare Australia, the environmental charity he helped set up in 1989. For Bob, beer would become an even more significant piece of his legacy, with every pint, pot and tinnie ensuring his influence would continue to support our most precious asset  the planet.

While Nathan and David had always been set on creating a beer business with purpose, Bobs decision to connect Landcare Australia set the moral and ethical foundation for how Hawkes would be operated as a whole.

Bobs early decision making, Nathan says, shaped not only the direction of the business but how we do business. Our ESG [Environmental, Social & Governance] responsibilities are something we take seriously. Starting out with a plan for sustainability and impact creates the set of values to which you live by. It informs the decisions you make. Not just doing it because everyone is doing it. Its what Bob wanted but its also what we always wanted.

Since partnering with Landcare Australia in 2017, Hawkes Brewing Co. has raised over $400,000, with these funds supporting on-the-ground projects across the country, such as bushfire recovery for native and endangered wildlife, volunteer groups removing invasive species and restoring native habitats, mangrove regeneration and Woodfordias native plant nursery.

But it was the construction of their brewery in Marrickville in 2021 that opened up a whole new world of opportunities for Hawkes Brewing Co. It also shaped Brodie Frenchs role as head brewer into something even more innovative than perfecting flavour profiles of crisp, clean froths (although thats definitely still in the job description).

From day zero, Brodie tasked himself with a responsibility to brew with minimal environmental impact, Nathan said.

Whats the impact of a brewery? And how has Hawkes been trimming it down? The three main areas are energy consumption, water usage and waste, and theyve already made steps in the right direction.

For a start, the facilitys 100kw rooftop solar farm powers most of the brewerys operations, with additional energy purchased via a renewables-focused, community-owned provider. Then there a...

For the first time since 2010, Back To Back Theatre are bringing their inventive and unique piece of theatre, small metal objects, back to Victoria. From 27 to 30 April, the International Ibsen Award-winning theatre company pairs people watching with an enthralling urban thriller at Market Square Geelong.

Challenging the audiences assumptions of what it means to live with disability, small metal objects is a unique play that unravels amidst the hustle and bustle of urban foot traffic, in this case that of Market Square Shopping Centre.

Stay up to date with whats happening within the regions art scene here. 

Driven by an ensemble of actors with intellectual disabilities, the performance explores how respect is withheld from outsiders the disabled or unemployed who society deems unproductive.

Each audience member watches from a raised bank with individual sets of headphones, allowing them to be wired into the intensely personal drama. As the story unfolds, the audience is drawn into the world of two men, Gary and Steve, who are normally unnoticed but tonight, they play a crucial role in the plans of two ambitious executives. 

 

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If youve been craving for a drop of delicate pinot noir straight from the source, or perhaps youve been wanting to visit The Whiskery ever since it opened, or youre just keen for a day trip across the Bellarine Peninsula but you dont want to drive yourself, then youre in luck with a brand-new service thats just landed in the region.

Created by husband and wife duo Sara and Jon, Hop It is Bellarines first and only hop on hop off bus service. Establishing itself with services in the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula, Hop It offers a service that allows you to visit the Bellarine Peninsula at an affordable price and plan your own day around a variety of different Hop It Stops.

Looking for more? Heres where to go for the best winery tours in the Geelong region. 

 

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<p>These shows come fresh off the announcement of Lastlings Sophomore album <em>Perfect World</em>, which is scheduled for release on June 23, 2023. To celebrate the news of the new album, Lastlings released the album announcement video which was shot in Death Valley, LA.</p> <h3>Lastlings Australian tour</h3> <ul> <li dir="ltr">Fri 30 June Forum, Melbourne / Naarm</li> <li dir="ltr">Sat 1 July Princess Theatre, Brisbane / Meanjin</li> <li dir="ltr">Sat 8 July Metro Theatre, Sydney / Eora</li> <li dir="ltr">Sat 15 July Jack Rabbit Slims, Perth / Boorloo</li> </ul> <p class="p1"><b><i>Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews </i></b><a href= "https://fortemag.com.au/music/"><span class= "s1"><b><i>here</i></b></span></a><b><i>.</i></b></p> <p><em>Perfect World</em> follows on from the widely successful debut album First Contact from the brother-sister duo, which was released on RFS DU SOLs Rose Avenue Records and saw the band tour sold-out headline shows across Australia & the US in 2021 & 2022. Lastlings now return to these cities armed with new music & a fresh signature captivating live performance.

Since their inception, Lastlings have cultivated a dedicated fanbase as their talents combined on and off stage, have created a sensational catalogue pairing Amys mesmerizing vocals complemented by Joshs indie electronic production known for transporting listeners on a cosmic journey.</p> <p>With an already impressive discography, the duo signed to RFS DU SOLs Rose Avenue and have worked with producers like SG Lewis and toured with industry giants like RFS DU SOL, Bob Moses and Glass Animals.</p> <p>In the last few years, the duo have played in iconic venues & festivals including Coachella, Colorados Red Rocks, NYs Forest Hills Stadium, Beyond The Valley, Falls Festival, and 88 Risings Head In The Clouds festival. Theyve also released a number of performance videos showcasing their live capabilities, shot on stunning landscapes throughout Australia.</p> <p>Dont miss out on Lastlings headline shows which are known to internationally sell out! To access tickets first you must sign-up for the pre-sale here!</p> <p><strong>Tickets go on sale April 5. For ticket info, <a href="https://www.lastlings.com/">head here.</a></strong></p> <p>The post <a href= "https://fortemag.com.au/lastlings-announce-australian-tour-this-june/" rel="nofollow">Lastlings announce Australian tour this June</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fortemag.com.au" rel= "nofollow">Forte Magazine</a>.</p>

Former lifeguard Paul Gaertner, who now works as a First Aid instructor for FirstAidPro, had a chat with us about the importance of First Aid training and his experiences within the industry.

I was a lifeguard for many years. Thats how I got into the First Aid area. I had an accident about 20 years ago where I broke my neck. The only reason that Im still walking around is the people that dealt with me, the first responders immediately at the site, otherwise Id be sitting in a wheelchair having a lot of issues.

Stay up to date with whats happening in and around the region here.

Paul, who has worked with FirstAidPro for over 6 years now, tells us how students often come back with stories about the effect First Aid training has had on their lives. He emphasises how an emergency situation can happen at any moment, and knowing the correct procedure can save lives.

A friend of mine, she was laying in bed with her husband (42 years old) and she rolled over and he was as cold as anything, he was having a heart attack. Shed only done the class a couple of weeks before. She dragged him onto the ground and started doing CPR. The guys alive because she did the First Aid class.

Its remarkable when you see a person (student) a year later and they tell you their mum (or) their dad had a heart attack, and theyve saved their life because of the training that youve done for them. It makes it worthwhile.

FirstAidPro is a Registered Training Organisation specialising in First Aid Training Nationally, delivering high-quality First Aid Courses tailored to meet your specific requirements.

The students rock up at half past 8, have a chat before we start and then we go through the process. We do CPR first, then we do the babies, then we do children. Its just a very relaxed atmosphere. I know that people come in and theyre tense (theyve had a death in the family etc), theyre really stressed and think its gonna bring it all back to them. We deal with that in a very heartfelt, kind way to make that person feel comfortable doing it.

Paul describes how at FirstAidPro they try to make the class engaging.

A lot of our trainers use their own real life experiences to make it real. We dont just talk about what you need to do, we tell you why you need to do it. Ive always believed that if a person knows why theyre doing something, theyre more inclined to do it than if you just say, this is what you need to do. Thats what I think FirstAidPro does really well, we engage.

Pauls role at FirstAidPro focuses specifically on child First Aid.

Passengers travelling to and from Victorias second-largest city will have more travel options this month with a free ferry service operating as the Andrews Labor Government delivers level crossing removal works on the Geelong rail line in April and May.

Free express ferry services from the Port Phillip Ferries will operate between Steampacket Pier in Geelong and Harbour Esplanade at Docklands from April 11 to May 3, providing the direct service for passengers each weekday while travel changes are in place.

Stay up to date with whats happening in and around the region here.

It will operate Monday to Friday, with one service travelling from Geelong to Docklands at 7am, and a return service in the evening from Docklands to Geelong at 5.30pm. Free parking is available at Geelong Station and is around 10 minutes walk from the pier.

The journey will take about 90 minutes and the accessible ferry features comfortable seating, work tables, charging stations, a cafe and free Wi-Fi. Bookings for the ferry service are essential and must be made in advance online.

Geelong trains will be disrupted in various sections from Tuesday 11 April to Wednesday 3 May while crews work to remove the Mt Derrimut Road, Deer Park level crossing, build the new Deer Park Station and carry out V/Line maintenance.

Alongside the free express ferry service, coach replacements and shuttle buses will connect with metropolitan services during this time.

Once the Mt Derrimut Road level crossing is gone, it will mean the line is boom gate-free between the city and Deer Park, easing delays for the 23,000 vehicles that pass through the crossing every day, where boom gates can be down for up to 60 per cent of the morning peak.

The Labor Governments program of Big Build works is boosting the economy, creating more than 50,000 jobs and transforming the way Victorians travel.

To plan your journey before you travel, including booking the ferry, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au.

The post Free ferry service launched for Geelong to Melbourne commuters this month appeared first on Forte Magazine.

The national tour will see the band play their first Australian headline tour in five years in support of their highly successful 8th studio album, Truth Decay.

You Me At Six have a laundry list of accolades including amassing over half a billion streams across all digital platforms, have graced the covers of global magazines and have had two UK Number 1 albums and five Top 10 records.

You Me At Six Australian tour with special guests Set It Off

• Sunday 9 July 2023 Magnet House, Perth 18+
• Tuesday 11 July 2023 The Gov, Adelaide Lic Aa
• Thursday 13 July 2023 The Tivoli, Brisbane 18+
• Friday 14 July 2023 Roundhouse, Sydney Lic Aa
• Sunday 16 July 2023 Forum Theatre, Melbourne 18+

Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

In the years since their last Australian visit, You Me At Six have completed multiple sold out tours across UK and Europe, recently finishing up a massive European tour alongside The Hunna and supported by Australian pop-punk favourites Yours Truly.

Really looking forward to coming back down under. Australia has always been our favourite place to tour and our fans are special there, says Josh Franceschi.

Nothing like an Aussie crowd. Truth Decay is coming!

Set It Off have become known for creating their own original brand of pop music, infusing bold electronic elements with rock instrumentations and guitar riffs as catchy as the choruses and an overall feel-good, dance-worthy vibe.

Forming in Florida in 2008, the genre-blending group has released four previous albums and their Top 10 Spotify tracks have racked up 528 million plays. Their 2022 release Elsewhere is a transitional, moody, and forward-thinking release, one in which they have faced their demons and come out happier and more full of life than ever before.

General tickets on sale Tuesday 11 April @ 10am local time Tickets from destroyalllines.com.

The post You Me At Six announce Australian tour appeared first on Forte Magazine.

Where are all the Easter songs? Mr Cool Stuff over there in December has plenty of them, but with Easter the pickings are slim. Theres no Last Easter. Theres no Easter in Hollis. Theres no All I Want for Easter is You. Mariah Carey would make a killing. Maybe Beastie Boys Egg Man should get the nod.

Sure, it was written about the trios liking for throwing eggs at people, which isnt cool, but perhaps if this egg was chocolate and filled with a surprise it is something one could get around? Easter needs something, thats all.

Take a break from your Easter egg hunting for a festival or two       

Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival

Macedon throughout April

You in your autumn sweater 

Following their 2022 Events and Festival Victorian Tourism Award win, the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival is back to show theyre worthy winners. The month-long festival features free and ticketed events, including the Autumn Gardens Trail, Pie and Tart Trail, Edgy Veg Trail, Creatures of the Night and Gardener Puppets.  

More through visitmacedonranges.com

 

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Unit rents mooning

Property for sale has sunk even further below the half-decade average, according to CoreLogic:

The growth in unit rents has slowed somewhat in Canberra, Hobart, and Darwin, as supply has increased.

However, rents are mooning for units in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. 

Source: CoreLogic

Looks like it's set to be a big few years for units in the big cities. 

Inflation is beyond peak

Lending for building crashes

Building approvals were once again atrocious at around 12,600 in February, the recent weakness being driven by a drop in unit approvals in Sydney and Melbourne.

Pre-sales are far too weak to get new projects out of the ground, and apartment prices will need to rise significantly from here before that changes. 

Youll be picking glitter out of your smalls for weeks thanks to Briefs Factory, the Australian collective known for their outrageous queer cabaret shows.

Arriving as part of Australias flagship regional arts event The Castlemaine State Festival, Dirty Laundry will take place under the Big Top in Castlemaine on Tuesday, 4 April at 8pm.

Stay up to date with whats happening in and around the region here.

Led by Fez Faanana, aka Shivanana, Dirty Laundry features a lineup of the most beloved Briefs boys, as well as some shiny new talent, and you can expect a night of exceptional drag and boylesque turns, as well as acrobatics and raucous, unapologetic comedy.

This crew has being selling out festivals worldwide for 10 years, so dont even think about missing out on your opportunity to party.

With more glitter stains and ballsy attitude than ever before, your favourite Briefs misfits give you a night of intoxifying physicality, gob-smacking comedy, unapologetic truths, and ridiculous showmanship.

Turn your cycle to HOT as you watch these boys tumble dry and experience a night of irreverent comedy, unapologetic truths, and ridiculous showmanship.

To celebrate the shows arrival in Castlemaine, were giving away two double passes to the show under the Western Reserve Big Top at 8pm.

All you need to do is fill in the form below to be in the running. Youve got to be in it to win it.

The competition closes Tuesday, April 4. By entering, you agree to receive marketing collateral from Forte and competition partners. For more info, check out our privacy policy.

Find out more about the show...

On the back of the crazy success of their last album the 2021s #4 ARIA Album charting Im Sorry Sir, That Riffs Been Taken, the Hard-Ons have announced the release date of their new album, Ripper 23, slated for June 2, as well as the April 20 release of the albums first single Apartment for Two.

To celebrate the new album, theyve also announced their Ripper 23 tour, which will take place June 22-July 8, in between the albums release and their 20th European tour.

Hard-Ons Ripper 23 Tour

22/6 Ballarat, Volta
23/6 Torquay, Torquay Hotel
24/6 Melbourne, Brunswick Ballroom
25/6 Castlemaine, The Bridge Hotel (matinee)
29/6 Wollongong, La La Las
30/6 Sydney, Crowbar
6/7 Maroochydore, Sol Bar
7/7 Brisbane, Brightside
8/7 Gold Coast, Vinnies Dive

Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

 

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The annual Bet365 Geelong Country Discovery Good Friday Race Day comes to the Geelong Racing Club for the very first time in 2023, bringing along plenty of FREE family fun, hospitality packages, food and entertainment, $1.4 million dollars in prize money and MUCH more.

This is Geelong Racing Clubs first stand-alone race day and competitive racing is a guarantee on Good Friday, 7 April.

Keep up with the latest in local news and entertainment here.

Perfect for the whole family, there will be a FREE kids zone including a giant easter egg hunt, carnival rides, pony rides, Kelly sports activities, face painting, and a jumping castle. There will be food trucks, a local farmers market, live music and much more to make it a fun day out for all racegoers.

Punters can attend the races in luxury with a number of hospitality and dining options available to purchase prior to Good Friday. Dining experiences start at $99 per person and are available in the Silks Dining Room where kids meals will be available. Or, gather your friends and enjoy a lawn experience trackside in your own private marquee or umbrella package, or just opt for general admission which is an easy $25 for an adult. There is an option for everyone on Good Friday at Geelong!

 

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The stroll takes in 12 sites along a 6.8km stretch around Elwood, telling an oral history through songs celebrating a wonderfully broad range of local topics from weavers to water rats; music halls to middens; sourdough to spotties; migration and many more to delight and enlighten listeners of all ages.

What do you get when you take your very best jokes from over the last 30 years, lovingly restore, refine and remaster each one, jam them all into a single hour, and finally, sprinkle in some brand-new material with a hint of improv? You get the best of Arj Barker. Also known as Power Hour.

This year, Australias favourite American comedian Arj Barker is bringing his Power Hour show to Geelong on Saturday 28 October 2023.

Keep up with the latest in local news and entertainment here.

In recent years, he has spent more time in our country than his own and has come to understand our culture perhaps better than we understand it ourselves. His stand-up is both insightful and pointed, like a mind-reading thumb tack, if there were one of those.

Arj has gained major International exposure from his role as Dave on HBOs Flight of the Concords. This, as well as dozens of appearances on popular Aussie TV shows like the original Hey Hey Its Saturday (yep, hes been coming here for a while) Thank God Youre Here, The Glasshouse, Good News Week, Rove Live, The Project, Talkin Bout My Generation, Spicks and Specks, the Great Debate and of course the MICF Gala, he has become a household name in Australia. He was also the very first guest ever to appear on Gordon St. Tonight with Adam Hills, and nobody can ever take that away from him, no matter what happens.

In his home country (well, country of birth at least), he has appeared regularly as a guest on many popular shows including those hosted by David Letterman, Jay Leno, Conan OBrian, Jimmy Kimmel and Bill Maher. He has also had three of his very own comedy specials on Comedy Central.

Arj has been a popular act at the most celebrated comedy festivals worldwide, including the Edinburgh Fringe, Just For Laughs in Montreal, and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival now for almost two decades. A prolific and hardworking comic, who tours constantly, Arj has released five DVDS, two of which have been nominated for ARIAs in Australia although he aint won yet. But winning aint everything. There can be only one winner, but there are many losers. So all were saying is, maybe theres something to be said for strength in numbers??

Some of Arj Barkers other projects include The Marijuana-Logues (co-creator), stony parody of the Vagina Monologues which ran off-broadway in NYC for an entire year, and the whimsical animated web series Ari and Poopy (co-creator}, which has a cult online following of fans ranging from 3 to 76 years. Turns...

The threat of chilly weather and a drizzle could not dampen the spirits of an excited crowd keen to relive iconic moments of music history with legends Jon Stevens, Cyndi Lauper and Rod Stewart.

Stevens got the crowd moving with his most celebrated anthems from the Billboard charts, before a now 69-year-old Cyndi proved age was absolutely nothing but a number with her still pitch-perfect vocal cords and vibrant energy that a double shot coffee spiked Gen Zer would envy.

Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

There was an air of activism that echoed through the night with Cyndis Girls Just Wanna Have Fun accompanied by thought-provoking imagery of womens rights activists worldwide, before seemingly clearing the skies with a beautiful sunset-lit rendition of her True Colours ballad.

If anyone was ever worried about Stewarts health after his previous delay for this concert, they neednt have been. Rod, donned in a larger-than-life metallic gold jacket, stormed the stage with otherworldly gusto. Escorted by glittering members of his stunning 13-piece band, he announced his arrival with Addicted to Love a Robert Palmer cover, but you wouldnt have known it. Stewart made it sound as if it has been his song for the last three decades.

 

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