Tag Archives: 2023

Good Times Festival 2023

PBSFM & Strawberry Fields Presents
GOOD TIMES IS A NEW INTIMATE CONCEPT TO COMBAT YOUR FESTIVAL FATIGUE
1st MAGICAL EDITION
Saturday 25 March 2023

ALL AGES – FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT
Cash Savage & the Last Drinks  
C.W. Stoneking & his Primitive Horn Orchestra 
FLOODLIGHTS

Wild Pie – a new collaboration between chefs Jo Barrett & Louise Daily (Little Picket), Mark La Brooy (Three Blue Ducks) and wild game providore Discovered Wildfoods.

Have you got “big festival” fatigue? The team behind iconic bush event Strawberry Fields have announced a new concept to cure what ails you. A one night only extravaganza that’s equal parts music, wellness and top shelf dining, all set on the magical banks of the winding Dhungala / Murray River. 

The aptly named “Good Times” music festival will make its debut on Saturday 25 March 2023 at the same epic riverfront venue which hosts Strawberry Fields in Tocumwal, NSW. 

With a strict capacity of just 1,000 lucky souls, the family-friendly event will feature one intimate stage, riverfront hot tubs, an epic wood-fired food program, handpicked natural wines and a lush bedouin lounge.

“While good music is fundamental to the experience, we’re placing just as much focus on slow-fun, food and relaxation,” say Festival Directors. “We want you to leave feeling better than when you arrived. Often the most treasured memories we leave festivals with are from the more intimate, in between moments, and that’s the space we want to invest in.”

A teaser of the dynamic homegrown line-up is led by Cash Savage & the Last Drinks, C.W. Stoneking & his Primitive Horn Orchestra and FLOODLIGHTS, with a full music program to be announced at the end of January.

Move over soggy chips and the usual carnival fare – the food & drink program at Good Times is set to satisfy even the most discerning foodie! Patrons will get to chow down on an exclusive sneak peak of Wild Pie – a new collaboration between chefs Jo Barrett & Louise Daily (Little Picket), Mark La Brooy (Three Blue Ducks) and wild game providore Discovered Wildfoods

For those seeking to indulge in the ultimate long lunch, a six course wood-fired feast will be on offer by fire fanatic Pip’s Plate – think steaming hot damper, paperbark smoked fish, bush lemon charred veggies and native desserts all cooked over coals. 

Other mouthwatering options include grazing plates of French cheeses from Studd Siblings, and a rockstar list of wines from renowned selector Mike Bennie of P&V Merchants.

The festival is also stepping up to do its part by the community, with all profits from Good Times’ inaugural event to be rolled into the Strawberry Fields Community Grants Fund. The same Fund has contributed over $100,000 in microgrants to local community organisations and not for profits since 2015. Causes funded over the past year include the Tocumwal Girls Shed, Tocumwal Rural Fire Brigade, Berrigan Country Women’s Association, Tocumwal Swimming Pool, CanASSIST Finely, and Barooga Public School.

Local Berrigan Shire residents will also have exclusive access to a hefty 50% off Adult Tickets for Good Times, with any local U18’s attending free of charge. Locals can simply head to the Good Times website www.good-times.com.au to claim this offer. 

Good Times is also proud to have partnered with social enterprise Humanitix, with 100% of profits from ticketing operations to be donated to a range of high-impact, evidence-backed charities that help disadvantaged children all over the world get access to education, healthcare and greater opportunity for a fair-go in life.

Festival attendees will have the option of camping under the stars with a Camping Pass or taking up a classic Aussie motel room in the nearby town of Tocumwal. Shuttles will run from Tocumwal town to and from the festival for those staying off-site.

Early bird tickets are on sale now via Humanitix. 

Full music, food & drink program TBA late January.

Music Review: Cody Parks & The Dirty South – Thunder Cash 69

Review by Peter Coates – www.facebook.com/InsideEdgePhotography

CODY PARKS & THE DIRTY SOUTH
Thunder Cash 69
Released – 20th Jan 2023

This is a raucous mash-up of White Zombie’s Thunder Kiss 65 and Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues, which on any regular analysis of current musical trends, should not work at all.

Cody Parks & The Dirty South style themselves as a “country metal” band from Nashville, that literally blends both genres in their music. Sometimes they like to do unique versions of cover songs for their live set, and Cody told me that he’s always played Folsom, but one day when they were rehearsing it, they figured we needed to make it more unique, because everyone plays the same ol’ version of that song. One of the guys started playing the Zombie riff and the rest was history.  It started poppin’ at shows and on the socials, so they figured what the hell…let’s record it!

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Album Review: Jared James Nichols- JJN

Review by Peter Coates – www.facebook.com/InsideEdgePhotography

JARED JAMES NICHOLS – JJN
Released – 13th Jan 2022
Black Hill Records

Singer, guitarist, songwriter and Gibson Guitars brand ambassador Jared James Nichols has announced his self-titled new album will be released on January 13th via Black Hill Records. Jared James Nichols, his third full-length offering, features the new single Down The Drain as well as the previously released Hard Wired. The collection showcases every side of the Nashville-based multi-talent and the various genres he grew up listening to, whether it was grunge or blues, that have influenced his authentic sound.

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Album Review: HEROES & MONSTERS

Review by Peter Coates – www.facebook.com/InsideEdgePhotography

HEROES & MONSTERS
Heroes & Monsters
Released – 20th Jan 2023
Frontiers Music

There is a significant volume of hard and melodic rock released under the Frontiers label, and a fair share of it leaves me unmoved, lacking any real spark of originality, and often seeing inter-changeable players and producers involved.

However, I am in no position to criticise the intent and dedication to releasing music, so can only comment on what resonates with me.

Every so often, something pops up that appears outside the normal Frontiers genre and the Heroes and Monsters project, formed by three rock n’ roll lifers and friends, bassist/vocalist Todd Kerns, guitarist Stef Burns, and drummer Will Hunt, seems to be one of these gems.

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Album Review : TEN – Something Wicked This Way Comes

Review by Peter Coates – www.facebook.com/InsideEdgePhotography

TEN
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES
Released – Jan 20th 2023
Frontiers Music

British hard rockers TEN have an outstanding history of releases in their lengthy back-catalogue. Starting out as a solo project built around singer and songwriter Gary Hughes, TEN found their audience playing a hard rock sound influenced by such classic / prog rock giants as UFO, Thin Lizzy, Magnum, Giant, and Whitesnake, in a time when playing this particular sound was considered commercial suicide. 

The band’s early records such as The Name Of The Rose, The Robe, Spellbound, and Babylon established the band as mainstays in the melodic hard rock genre, which has continued throughout their now 26 year career.

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The Corrs: Australian Tour Oct/Nov 2023 with Special Guests Natalie Imbruglia, Toni Childs and Germein

Irish Celtic infused pop icons, The Corrs will return to Australia in October and November 2023 for a seven date national tour. Joining them will be Aussie pop royalty Natalie Imbruglia the legendary Toni Childs and Adelaide trio, Germein.

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Siobhan Cotchin ‘How Does It Feel’ – New Single + Tour Dates

Coming off the back of a wildly successful BIGSOUND campaign, Perth’s Siobhan Cotchin has returned with a stunning new piece of music in ‘How Does It Feel?’. With the release of the single today, Cotchin also shares the news of her national tour taking place in December and January.

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