XXIV Magazine is a South Australian magazine sharing news, reviews and gig updates on music, arts and culture across Australia.
In 2015 I contributed to their site, interviewing and reviewing both Australian and international bands. Take a read below and discover some new music.
Uncertainty continues to loom for artists and musicians as society further delves into a digitally consumed world.
Posting artistic material on the Internet is inevitable for musicians and is often their only point of contact with their listeners.
Undeniably, there are many pros to the vast possibilities of the Internet.
But are consumer access points like music streaming sites and pirate websites destroying an artist’s chance to make money off their work?
I take a further look into this story. Listen here.
*Originally broadcast on the 24th June 2015 on SYN 90.7 program Panorama.
Wow, do I have some talented relatives!
Family affairs aside—Ben is an extremely talented musician who has been in a variety of alternative, rock and folk bands before creating his own music under the name Ben R. Mackie.
You will find him making a beautiful mix of folk-Americana with a touch of country, and the mix is absolutely captivating.
He’s always been handy with the guitar and is naturally gifted with a uniquely husky singing voice—But since teaching himself to play the harmonica, his music has taken on a whole new form.
While folk and alt-country are becoming increasingly popular amongst mainstream audiences in Melbourne and Australia, it’s safe to say Ben has been honing this style for a long while now.
No doubt if he was still in Melbourne he would be taking audiences by storm, but instead you can find him playing to intimate audiences in a tucked away downtown Manhattan or Brookyln bar.
NYC audiences should keep an eye out for him. We all know how much great music the great city of NYC can produce, but this is definitely a sound you just can’t pass up.
The 2015 federal budget has finally been released.
After last year’s budget, many people have been firmly focusing on the important areas that were missed.
The mental health sector is one of these areas, and one that did not seem to be largely discussed.
According to Mental Health Australia, 20% of the Australian population will find themselves experiencing a mental illness during any given year (MHA 2015).
So that’s why it is really important that we keep mental health services on the agenda.
All we know so far, is that mental health services are safe with funding being prolonged for an extra 12 months—But only while the Government reviews mental health service recommendations.
However uncertainty still looms as not much is yet known on what the Government’s new mental health plan will be.
Listen to hear more.
**This story was originally broadcasted on SYN 90.7 on Panorama on Wednesday the 13th May 2015.
1700‘s ‘Tunesday’ team a.k.a Justin Sumner and myself, were lucky enough to travel to Bendigo to broadcast and represent 1700 at Grooving The Moo Festival.
It didn’t take long for Justin, Rhiannon (our EP) and myself to get amongst all the fun and excitement of the festival.
Kicking off the day, we got to head backstage of the festival and experience all the fun from behind the scenes.
We were in the presence of some amazing musicians; including Dylan Frost from Sticky Fingers, Harts, The Delta Riggs, and the up and coming rapper Tkay Maidza who everyone at GTM was hanging to see.
We hung out with the boys from Fountaineer who were Triple J’s chosen winners to play the GTM’s local headline spot, and also had a chat with the quirky and humorous hardcore dancer Dancing Accountant (who despite being injured was still in high spirits).
Here is one snippet of what went down when 1700 travelled to Grooving The Moo.
A new study from the Australian National University found a staggering 90 percent of Australians say they are proud to be Aussie.
Australia today continues to grow and become more culturally diverse, yet Australia also has a history of harshness towards those who ‘don’t fit in’.
So what exactly makes someone the Australian they’re so proud to be? And where will this pride take us.
Generation Y: The Millenials, the self absorbed bunch, the young-hip-tech obsessed individuals of society—Whatever Gen Y is referred to as, it is undeniable that these group of individuals have faced their fair share of slack.
But these pre-existing ideas may be up for a challenge as a new study has found that these preconceived notions may not actually be true.
Listen here for more…
More and more people are choosing to live alone a new study finds.
Those who live alone are predominantly, young and successful women.
So what is sparking this fast growing movement?
Listen for more…
Thousands of people from all walks of life turned up for the March in March rally, taking a stand for what they really care about.
The chants of disgruntled nurses, construction workers, students and many more Victorian workers could be heard through the city’s streets as they fought against unfair federal government cuts.
Listen to hear this story in detail.
Chelsea Olle 