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Shows

Smoke & Fire: Sat 30 Nov ’24

6.30pm, Church St Studios, 62-68 Church St, Camperdown

3 live acts, delicious pizza gifted by Mama Smoke, an open mic and jam where all are welcome. This show is BYO.

Our venue is the delightful Church St Studios, 62-68 Church St, Camperdown.

Performances by:
πŸ”₯ Mia Burlinson πŸ”₯
With a glorious voice and powerful songs, Mia’s talent is profound, and her ascent to larger stages and tours is inevitable, so come and see her in an intimate setting celebrating her first album, because her next album launch is likely to be in arenas.

πŸ”₯ The Family Flame (Acoustic) πŸ”₯
A soul, funk & hip-hop collective with eight phenomenal humans contributing to a whirlwind of music, playing stripped back versions of their tunes acoustically.

πŸ”₯ Jamability πŸ”₯
Nathan Starchild, Alicia Dudek and Jake Bennett don’t just *believe* everyone has the ability to make music and jam – their joyful, inclusive performances *prove it*.

πŸ• PIZZA BY MAMA SMOKE πŸ•
Delicious piping hot pizza by Mama Smoke is included for all punters as a gift, plus Mama’s Chilli Crisp is available for those who like it spicy! πŸŒΆ

Before the bands, we’ll have open mic time hosted by Papa Fire (get in touch to book a spot!) and after the acts, there’ll be an open jam, with all musos or vocalists welcome to jump in.

πŸ“Β ADDRESS AND INFOΒ πŸ“
Church St Studios is a 15min walk from Newtown Station, and a 6min walk from the bus stop on Parramatta Rd & Missenden Rd.
Tickets and space is limited, grab a ticket to get the address and avoid disappointment if we’re full (these shows often sell out).

Limited discounted EARLY BIRD TICKETS are available, and please reach out if you cannot afford a ticket – we do our best to balance making these nights sustainable for our venue, artists and crew while ensuring money is not a barrier to sharing love, music and community

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Shows

The Family Flame – “Stranger” Single Launch

7pm, Saturday 24 August 2024

North Bondi Backyard
– address to ticketholders


The Family Flame, Sydney’s funkiest underground 8-piece supergroup are sparking a bonfire with their debut single, “Stranger”.
This launch features 4 live acts, delicious pizza gifted by Mama Smoke, an open mic and jam where all are welcome.

Refreshments will be provided and also you’re welcome to BYO.

πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯

Our venue is a delightful North Bondi backyard – the address will be sent to ticketholders. See info below!

Performances by:

πŸ”₯ The Family Flame – ft. their debut single “Stranger” πŸ”₯
A soul, funk & hip-hop collective with eight phenomenal humans contributing to a whirlwind of music.

Full moons, human mortality and chance encounters brought The Family Flame together, and their first proper release is a celebration of their origin story and potent creativity, in the medium of drums, bass, keys, guitar, saxophone and vocal harmonies.

πŸ”₯ Shard πŸ”₯
Shard has a voice like a weapon and writes songs with enough power to level cities.

πŸ”₯ Simon. πŸ”₯
A craftsman and innovator with music and voice, Simon. is an accomplished songwriter who’s toured the world with many musical projects.

πŸ”₯ Alma To Soul πŸ”₯
Jam aficionadoos Andre and Kristine bring the rhythm and soul of Brazil to the people with their infectious love of music.

πŸ• PIZZA BY MAMA SMOKE πŸ•
Delicious piping hot pizza by Mama Smoke is included for all punters as a gift, plus Mama’s Chilli Crisp is available for those who like it spicy! 🌢

Hosted by the hostess with the mostess Thalia Joan and with visuals by our resident stargazer Nathan Starchild, the vibrant funk and soul that has made the community around the The Family Flame grow will be on full display at Cosmodigm warehouse.

This will be a show not to be missed.

Before our first act, we’ll have some OPEN MIC time, so reach out if you’d like to share a song, a poem, a story – 5 mins max so we can share the time fairly. Please reach out in advance or be there early to sign up!
After The Family Flame set will will have a FAM JAM, again if you’d like to get involved as a vocalist or muso reach out or just play it by ear.

Limited discounted EARLY BIRD TICKETS are available, and please reach out if you cannot afford a ticket – we do our best to balance making these nights sustainable for our venue, artists and crew while ensuring money is not a barrier to sharing love, music and community.

πŸ“ ADDRESS AND INFO πŸ“
Ticketholders will get address 48hrs before the show.

This North Bondi backyard venue is accessible from the 380, 387, 386 and 379 bus lines from Bondi Junction Station.

Tickets and space is limited, grab a ticket to get the address and avoid disappointment if we’re full (these shows often sell out).

We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which we gather. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging, and recognize continuing connection to country and culture.
❀️πŸ”₯ See less

Listen to “Stranger” on bandcamp now!

Categories
Shows

Smoke & Fire: Sat 18 May ’24 from 7pm

Black Bird Hum, The Family Flame, Sunstalkers, food by Mama Smoke, open mic & jam at Cosmodigm

3 live bands, delicious pizza gifted by Mama Smoke, an open mic and jam where all are welcome. This show is BYO.

Our venue is the cosy bohemian paradise of Cosmodigm – the address will be sent to ticketholders. See info below!

Performances by:

Black Bird Hum
Virtuosos of reggae, roots and dub, Black Bird Hum have grooved crowds all over the country and internationally.

Sunstalkers 
Hailing from Woodstock, NY, a bluesy, folksy, strummy, singer-songwriter with unique lyrics and voice backed by a four piece band.

The Family Flame
A soul, funk & hip-hop collective with seven phenomenal humans contributing to a whirlwind of music.

Before the bands, we’ll have open mic time hosted by Papa Fire (get in touch if you want to book a spot!) and after the acts, there’ll be an open jam, with all musos or vocalists welcome to jump in.

ADDRESS AND INFO
Ticketholders will get address 24hrs before the show –
Cosmodigm is 10mins walk from St Peters / Erskineville Stations.
Tickets and space is limited, grab a ticket to get the address and avoid disappointment if we’re full (these shows often sell out).

Limited discounted EARLY BIRD TICKETS are available, and please reach out if you cannot afford a ticket – we do our best to balance making these nights sustainable for our venue, artists and crew while ensuring money is not a barrier to sharing love, music and community

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Shows

Lovefest Northern Beaches

I’ll be performing roving music as well as running the open mic & jam space at LOVEFEST Northern Beaches on Saturday 11 May at Label in Brookvale.

Check out all the info on one of the loveliest events going round at the link.

Full disclosure – I get a small commission if you use this link, which doesn’t increase the ticket cost to you!

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Shows

The Spring Ball

From 3pm, Saturday 18 November 2023

🎢 Date: Saturday 18 November

🎢 Time: 7 PM – Midnight after dark session, earlier family friendly Day Session 3pm-7pm

🎢 Location: Inner West warehouse, short walk Sydenham Station (address to ticketholders)

🎢 BYO, Delicious pizzas by Mama Smoke included free, her gift to you.

A crew of dedicated artists are building a full-production all-ages and family-friendly event from scratch, so we’re hosting a fundraiser to give you a taste of what we’re building. Welcome to The Spring Ball!

From 7pm til late, there’s 4 live acts and 3 DJs, of course with Mama Smoke’s pizza see full lineup below.

For those with families and seeking chiller vibes, we’re kicking off from 3pm til 7pm with a family friendly Day Session featuring live music, games, arts and crafts and activities for all ages.

Our crew has built spaces & hosted performances in the most fabulous festivals in Sydney and around the world, so feel free to come dressed in your finest, freshest threads to celebrate the season! 

The Spring Ball is a mini-festival to give you a taste of our vision for our larger event next year at the Autumn Equinox. So be quick – plenty of our shows in the past have sold out, and our space has strictly limited capacity.  

After Dark Session – Full Lineup
⚫️ 7.30pm – Kaptain Skazz (blues rock)
⚫️ 8.00pm – The Family Flame (6 piece funk)
⚫️ 8.45pm – Pumbaa (6 piece reggae/soul)
⚫️ 9.30pm – Frankie (Vinyl DJ – funky eclectic)
⚫️ 10.30pm – Alyrah (live electronica)
⚫️ 11.00pm – Twilight Girl (DJ – Bass)
⚫️ 12.00pm – Luniica (DJ – Jungle/breakbeat)
⚫️  Free pizza by Mama Smoke 8pm-10pm – her delicious gift to you with love

Family Friendly Day Session – 3pm – 7pm
βšͺ️ Live Music by Papa Fire & The Family Flame
βšͺ️ DJ sets by Avian, Harklore & Rhythmic Storm
βšͺ️ Sensory Corner, Chillout Area, Bubble Party
βšͺ️ Arts & crafts, activities, games, paper plane workshop & more
βšͺ️ Free pizza by Mama Smoke – her delicious gift from our fam to yours made with love!

AFTER DARK 7pm – late VIBES

DAY SESSION 3pm – 7pm VIBES

About Mabon & The Spring Ball

Mabon is an Autumn Equinox gathering being held Camp Wollemi, Wiseman’s Ferry from 22 – 24 March 2024. A crew of dedicated artists are building a full-production all-ages and family-friendly event from scratch, so we’re hosting The Spring Ball fundraiser to give you a taste of what we’re building.

The Spring Ball will be held on Gadigal land, in Sydney’s inner west, and buying a ticket will get you access to the secret location.

Mabon is the Celtic name of the Autumn Equinox celebration. An ancient celebration, celebrated by many cultures, commemorating the natural cycles of our planet and at the same time honouring the balance of light and dark.
In the spirit of balance, we are creating a community event celebrating art and culture that all ages can enjoy and contribute to – children, youth, adults and elders.

The Mabon crew acknowledges the traditional owners of the land upon which we gather, paying respects to elders past, present and future.

Categories
Shows

Smoke & Fire, Friday 15 September 2023

3 live acts, delicious pizzas by Mama Smoke, an open mic and jam where all are welcome.

Our venue is the cosy bohemian paradise of Cosmodigm – the address will be sent to ticketholders. See info below!

Performances by:
πŸ”₯ Gabzak πŸ”₯
A passionate explosion of saxophone, piano, rhythm & melody from Chile.

πŸ”₯ Papa Fire πŸ”₯
Papa serves up fresh organic music made-to-order from a menu.

πŸ”₯ Evangelia πŸ”₯
Eva sings with her whole soul, wild and free.

Before the acts, we’ll have open mic time hosted by Alicia and Jake! After the acts, there’ll be an open jam, all musos or vocalists welcome to jump in.

πŸ“ ADDRESS AND INFO πŸ“
Ticketholders will get address 24hrs before the show – Cosmodigm is 10mins walk from St Peters / Erskineville Stations.

Tickets and space is limited, grab a ticket to get the address and avoid disappointment if we’re full (these shows often sell out).

Limited discounted EARLY BIRD TICKETS are available, and please reach out if you cannot afford a ticket – we do our best to balance making these nights sustainable for our venue, artists and crew while ensuring money is not a barrier to sharing love, music and community. ❀️πŸ”₯

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Shows Uncategorized

Loose Leaf Literature 20 July 2023

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Shows Uncategorized

15 Years Shirlow, 15 July 2023

The next Family Flame gig is on 15 July 2023, at the 15 year celebration of the venerable Shirlows. Our set will feature CC & Zeadala.

Big lineup, chuffed to be involved.

Full lineup and more details on the tickets page. ❀️πŸ”₯

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Shows

Time Has Wings

It’s been dawning on me how much has changed since I started running warehouse shows, and just how long I’ve been doing it.

In 2011 at Occupy Sydney, I met a guy in a skeleton hoodie called Stef who sang songs to me on an nylon string acoustic guitar as we slept in swags in Martin Place – songs about revolution and climbing mountains. He and I quickly became mates, he played music at my wedding to Annie the following year, and before long he’d moved into a warehouse in Chalder St Marrickville and they named it Spaceport One.

Stef had filmed one of our film clips for my band Spectacles, and he’d suggested that we play a gig at his warehouse where they’d built a stage. I’d been playing in pubs and clubs with Spectacles and various bands since about 2008, and to play a show in a warehouse was a deadset revelation. You can create a vibe within the space which doesn’t compare to a place like a pub – you can decorate it, change the lights and hang out after the show in a way you simply can’t at a place that has a closing time.

For one show at Spaceport One we replaced the fluorescent tubes with UV tubes and spread shredded paper on the floor – paper snow fights were breaking out on the dance floor.

From then on I was hooked, and I also started to get connected to the broader warehouse community, and realised the fragility of these spaces. Many of these places that were operating when I started have been shut down or placed under enormous pressure by the various powers that be.

Running a night is an act of trust, and word of mouth is key, and due to the underground nature of these shows, there’s a delicate balacing act of getting the word out, but only to a crowd who understand what these nights and these spaces are about. Email lists, text messages, and relatively low-key use of social media, where the address of the venue isn’t public.

Mingled with the wildness and freedom within the walls of a warehouse is a sober recognition that shit going south can spell disaster for not just an evening, but an entire space where genuine culture thrives.

Some of my personal rules when spreading the word about a show are not to spend a cent on sponsored posts, as I don’t trust algorithms, and I don’t want to feed the evil beast of social media empires who seem dedicated to promoting isolation – creating disconnected, depressed humans is in their interest, meaning we’ll spend more time on screen.

In the more than a decade I’ve been doing this, I’ve attended and hosted phenomenal nights of music, seen unbelievable bands and artists make magic in a space they can truly make their own. My criteria for booking acts has always been simple: if I’ve seen them live and they’ve blown me away, they’re getting on a bill at some point. That’s as true for the acts at Smokin’ Soul as ever.

It’s now 2023. Sydney’s live music culture has suffered more than a decade of lockout laws, overzealous authorities and corrupt bureaucrats, to say nothing of the pandemic lockdowns. Spaces have been shut down with depressing regularity, social media has become ever more dystopian.

And yet each time I organise a show with a crew the weariness of swimming against the tide falls away, and I’m energised by the purpose of doing this – to make space for genuine art, culture and community. I’m proud to put a full night of bands and DJs together, to make it affordable and sustainable, especially when snacks are provided, and still actually pay the acts decent coin.

I’m thankful for the crew supporting these shows – Annie aka Mama Smoke, the amazing Dan Kilp on sound, all the bands and DJs who are killers, and to Polos and the Soul Shack crew collaborating on this one. It takes a whole community to make actual culture, so hats off to everyone who contributes in big ways and small.

If you’ve made it to the end of this very long yarn, cheers! I’ll be writing more about warehouse shows in general and this one specifically in the coming days and weeks.

Categories
Shows

Flame On 3/3/2023