Joel Beasant here. I
work with the Redfern Aboriginal Housing Company, to put on community music
festivals, at The Block, called ‘Rock the Block’. The festivals, which started
in ’06 have so far featured Rock, Indigenous youth and Reggae events.
As well as raising money for
community facilities (like a women and children’s dance studio) the events have
also brought thousands of people to The Block to hear community leaders speak
about Indigenous issues, advance knowledge of improvements needed, and to experience
the community’s cultural spirit for themselves (while enjoying great music).
Performers at the events in
’06 included:
- Bart Willoughby
- Wire MC (Gunbayngirri
descendant- musician, beatboxer and B-Boy from Bowraville) - Combat Wombat (Eco Hip hop eco from Melbourne)
- The Urban Guerillas (Legendary Sydney punk
rockers) - The Resurrectors (and members of Fat Freddy’s
Drop) - James Henry
(Jimmy Little’s Grandson) - Ozi Batla
(from The Herd) - and my band Andorra, among many others.
The events not only benefited
The Block financially, but also brought a sense of optimism and artistic
momentum to a community that has endured such heavy social criticism and
stereotyping over a long period.
Now, The Block is the only
community in Sydney
which is staging public festivals featuring the talents of locals and other
artists, for the education and entertainment of the whole city.
The events are rolling on for
2007. I am working with Donald Enoch (formerly of Bangarra) and
Lani Tuitavake, General Manager of the Housing Company, to stage the
events.
I am writing to you to see if
you, or someone you know, is interested in being involved as a performer, or
through lending your support.
Rock the Block ’07 is to be
held on Saturday May 5, in Redfern, between 11am and 4pm. The first half of the
day will be made available to young performers and from 1-4pm for recognised
acts.
The purpose of the event,
again is to raise awareness and money for the dance studio, which is located at
the Tony Mundine Gym. The studio, which is partly completed, needs roof
repairs, the installation of sound and air conditioning systems, money to pay
instructors and for the student’s equipment (dance shoes etc).
In the lead up to the event
we are hoping to record a theme song, to be made available on the day. We are
hoping to receive permission to record a version of ‘‘Solid Rock’ by Goanna.
The Redfern Community Centre has made their recording facilities available on
Saturday April 14 and 21 for this purpose. Andorra will record the
instrumental parts of the song before-hand so only vocals will be required. We
envisage collaboration between a number of artists performing together ‘We are
the world’ style
Please let us know if you are
interested and able in being part of the event and/or recording. If so, I will
send you a DVD documenting all the successful events from last year.
Joel Beasant. Andorra Phone: 02 97971339 joel@andorramusic.com.au
Please find a biography of my
band below, to get a bit more background on us.
Andorra
Andorra is a rock
band that makes music and organises shows, for the things we care about, in a
positive way and with pro-active resilience.
History
Andorra
(formed in 2003) are Joel Beasant- lead singer, Greg Penkow- bass,
Eric Bellingham- lead guitar, Steve Barrett-drums, & Matthew
Campbell- keys.
All bands either ride the wave of popular style or carve out
something new. Andorra’s
plan, from it’s beginning, has been to deliver its own unique style of songs
with catchy melodies and social/poetic lyrics.
Venues played in Sydney in 2005-06
Sydney Festival for Peace- Leichhardt; ‘Rock the Block’-
Redfern; Addison Rd Community Centre- Marrickville; Cat & Fiddle; Vic on
the Park; Harp Hotel; Hopetoun; Metro
Theatre; The Marquee; Arncliffe; Annandale Hotel + more
Discography
’06 Keysar Trad Jazz ’06
Baxter EP and DVD and video
’05 Live at The Cat Vol II (track) ‘04 Boom Boom/Bling Bling EP
’04 Morgue Age EP and video ‘03
One person per sun EP
Radio Interviews and
airplay
FBI Sydney 08/11/06+24/06/06; Skidrow Sydney
10/11/06+ 20/03/06; Koori Radio Sydney 08/04/06 + 23/03/06; 2SER Sydney 27/04/06 + 12/04/06; KND Melbourne 02/05/06; 2SSR Sydney 02/05/06; 2RDJ Sydney 30/04/06; 5GTR Mount Gambier; 27/02/06; City Radio Launceston 14/03/06 + more
General radio airplay
includes:
Edge FM Bega;
2BOB Taree; 3CR; 8CCC Alice Springs;
2RRR; FBI Sydney
TV airplay ‘06
Noise TV- SBS.
04/03/06 ; ‘RAGE’- ABC. 04/03/06
Channel 31 documentary played throughout October 2006
Actively Radical TV-
Syd: Interview, studio performance. 26/03/06;
Unsigned & Inspiring- Syd: Interview, screening of
Baxter 01/04/06