This week’s Entertainment Odyssey

After collecting our British friend Jade from the airport last weekend we’ve taken her on an odyssey of music and entertainment!

It was bookended with two Melbourne Fringe Festival Shows- a live radio experience of weekly comedy show Lime Champions in the RRR performance space on Monday and the operatically awesome Artists for Artist Proof at The Workers Club in Fitzroy on Sunday.

In between we showed off Ballarat’s delights, from Mick Trembath’s music trivia to the Bridge Hotel’s Open Jam, and two great gigs at Portico over the weekend- Victoriana Gaye on Friday and the Funky Turtles on Saturday. Wow!
She wondered if this was a typical week for us and I said Usually!

So, lets work back from last night and the unique and hugely enjoyable Artists for Artists Proof. I love this idea, of combining visual art with projection and live music, and it was pulled off with style, set in the atmospheric back room of the Workers Club, to match the “ethereal, dramatic and romantic” sounds of Artist Proof (duo Chis Pattendon and Drew Schapper, joined by guitar, synth and trumpet for the gig). Visual art from exciting Melbourne artists hung on the walls as the songs that inspired the images spun their spell for the audience, performing a strange and wonderful dance with one another. There’s another show on next Sunday, same place same time- don’t miss it! Book here and check out the fringe program while you’re at it!

And for something completely different- the Funky Turtles played to a packed out Portico on Saturday where Jade and I had the pleasure of sharing a pot of tea and a chocolate brownie whilst hearing them rock out on themes as varied as kazoos and beach cafes. We were so inspired, we’ve asked to join the band! Great energy, and fun had by all.

Friday night also combined the fabulous Victoriana Gaye (Vicki Gaye and Jeff Raglis) with a screening of To Kill a Mockingbird (I love you Atticus Finch!) and teaching the non-Australians how to ‘nutbush.’ (Photographic evidence of this has been suppressed…)

Jade also got her first taste of The Tinderbox on Thursday, helping with a range of interviews and spinning some tunes, and we’re now dreaming of turning one of her stories into a radio play so stay tuned!

What wonders will we encounter next week?
Thanks to all who have contributed to this week’s entertainment odyssey!