Stories in the key of GC's podcast

Emmeline Anthony is a student at Somerset College and performed this story as part of Storyfest 2020.  Her story 'When This Becomes Enough' tackles an issue I know I felt when I was in my teens. Why go outside when I am totally comfortable inside my room? My perfectly safe space. I asked Emmeline, if her story was a song, what would the lyrics be? I then used her lysics to write the song in this episode. Thanks so much to Andrea Lewis and the Storyfest team and to all the staff and students at Somerset College on the Gold Coast. And thank you Emmeline for writing and performing this story for us. Thanks also to Jake Morton for the beats and samples and to Somerset students, Aleeza Tariq and Riddhi Athota for the introductions. I hope you enjoy.  

Ayla Chirathivat-Geralds loves the world and when the pandemic hit in 2020, she knew that she would not be going on an aeroplane for quite some time. But luckily for her she discovered that the place she calls home is a pretty wonderful place. This Stories in the Key of GC performance was presented at Somerset Storyfest 2022 held at the wonderful Somerset College on the Gold Coast. Thanks so much to Andrea Lewis and the Storyfest team for having us and especially to Ayla for writing and performing her story for this event. Thanks also to Jake Morton for running the sound design whilst I played the piano and to Somerset students, Aleeza Tariq and Riddhi Athota for the introductions.

Script writer and comedian Marni Little shares her powerful story '20/20 is Hindsight'.  It explores 12 months filled with the promise of a new life in a new city, a career trajectory on the up and a cancer diagnosis that could have taken her down. With humour and a sense of wonder, Marni navigates the peaks and valleys life throws her way as she makes a home for her young family on the Gold Coast. I play flute, piano and guitar alongside my wingmen for the night Daniel Booth on electric guitar and Jake Morton on drums. We had a lot of fun putting this music together.  Thanks again to Bern Young for hosting the evening, to HOTA for all their support with the venue, BlankGC and to RADF, Regional Arts Development Fund for all their support. And a huge thank you to Marni and to everyone in the crowd that night.

Take a trip with comedian Desh as he tells his hilarious and poignant story of his coming of age in a tale - 'Smells Like GC' Told via three seperate car trips to the Gold Coast, you will smell the beer soaked Arts Center in the early 2000's and you will definitly smell the sweat of the frenzied crowd at Fishos for the infamous Nirvana gig on Australia Day in 1992.  Strap yourself in. I play piano and bass guitar alongside Stories regular Jake Morton on drums and Daniel Booth on electric guitar. The music is pretty loose and wild...just like Desh's story. Thanks again to Bern Young for hosting the evening, to HOTA for all their support with the venue, BlankGC and to RADF, Regional Arts Development Fund for all their support. And a huge thank you to Desh and to everyone in the crowd that night.

Award winning Brisbane author, Nick Earls takes you back to the 1980's golden age of jingle writing in his hilarious story 'Still Gold'. From a legendary lost gold mine, to the rise and fall of Christopher Skase, complete with song and dance routine. There's a most unexpected encounter with ol' blue eyes himself and believe it or not, seals .. from space. I suggested to Nick that he revisit his heyday as a songwriter to pen some lyrics for a number of little songlets (as he called them) taking this Story in the Key of GC to new places. I played piano, acoustic guitar and sang the 'songlets' . Daniel Booth played the electric guitar and Jake Morton was on the drums. Trevor Jackson graciously provided his voice for the mock theme park ride promo. Thanks Trevor. Thanks again to Bern Young for hosting the evening and to HOTA for all their support with the venue. And thanks also to BlankGC and to RADF, Regional Arts Development Fund for all their support. A huge thank you to Nick and to everyone in the crowd that night.

Gold Coast author Sally Breen (The Casuals, Atomic City) delivers a tryptic of stories from the heart of Surfers Paradise. There is the ever present sea, a divide within the Surfers community and everyone's favourite things written on beer coasters at The Rose and Crown. Cameron Wilson from Gold Coast band The Daisycutters plays electric guitar while I play piano, glockenspiel and drum machine. Everyone in the room joins in on the last story. I hope you enjoy this episode. I had a lot of fun putting it together. Thanks to Sally, Cam, Bern Young, Richard Muecke for the audio on the night and HOTA, Home of the Arts for hosting us. Thanks also to RADF, Regional Arts Development Fund for the ongoing support of Stories in the Key of GC. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland. Check out https://hota.com.au/music/stories-in-the-key-of-gc/ for details of the next live Stories in the Key of GC event.

Frontman and guitarist Cameron Wilson from longtime Gold Coast band The Daisycutters, shares an almost mythical story of how he was gifted his first guitar...Was it fate that led him to find the guitar floating in The Broadwater?...or was it a gift from the Gods?.....Did he really have to sell his soul like Robert Johnson....regardless, it makes for a great story. I play my trusty nylon stringed guitar and at times my guitar slips out of tune, sounding like the beaten up old guitar Cam is telling us about. Maybe that too was fate on the night. Please enjoy Cam's story 'Crossroads on The Broadwater'. Thanks to Bern Young, Richard Muecke for the audio on the night and HOTA, Home of the Arts for hosting us. Thanks also to RADF, Regional Arts Development Fund for the ongoing support of Stories in the Key of GC. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.  

Musician, author and children's entertainer Lucas Proudfoot shares a story of a weekend at his Nan's place on the Tweed Coast and his first time going out on the early morning fishing boats to learn his saltwater culture. And when Lucas sees the jullum (mullet) while surfing up here on the Gold Coast, he often thinks of Nan's Place. This story opened our live show in March 2021 with me playing my trusted nylon stringed guitar alongside Lucas. Thanks to Bern Young, Richard Muecke for the audio on the night and HOTA, Home of the Arts for hosting us. Thanks also to RADF, Regional Arts Development Fund for the ongoing support of Stories in the Key of GC. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

Walkley award winning journalist and podcast creator Hedley Thomas (The Teachers Pet, The Night Driver), shares his story of a youthful wild night on the Gold Coast and the hairs breadth away from potential disaster we all were as kids. There is a lucky streak at the races, a moving tribute to a lost friend and a healthy dose of Talking Heads. Oh, and Hedley's first brush with the long arm of the law. I play baritone electric guitar and Jake Morton plays the drums. Thanks to Bern Young for the wonderful intro, Tommy for the sound and all the crew at HOTA, Home of the Arts. Thanks also to RADF, Regional Arts Development Fund for the ongoing support of Stories in the Key of GC. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.  

Gold Coasters know and love Sam Morris as the co/founder of the local street press BlankGC, The Gold Coast Music Awards and her passionate conservation work. In this episode we are treated to a personal story that spans three generations. It is a story about the strength of love through the challenges that life throws in our way, and the junk food you can't keep a Mémé from giving her grandson. I (Cold Ghost) play the grand piano and Jake Morton is on the skins. I use a recording of the upper reaches of Tallebudgera Creek at the beginning. Thanks Bern Young for the introduction and to Tommy for the sound. And thanks to HOTA, Home of the Arts, BlankGC and RADF, Regional Arts Development Fund for the ongoing support of Stories in the Key of GC. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

Poet, Vivi Baker delivers a goodbye letter to the Gold Coast as she prepares to leave for the city of Melbourne. Though, this is not a eulogy.  It took a few attempts to come up with the right music for this story, But I think we found the right vibe to explore and contemplate the GC from a seat on the 700 bus driving up the Hwy. Jake Morton plays the drums and sampler as I switch from guitar to bass flute to melodica, with a few twinkles of a glockenspiel. Thanks Bern Young for the introduction and to Tommy for the sound. And thanks to HOTA, Home of the Arts, BlankGC and RADF, Regional Arts Development Fund for the ongoing support of Stories in the Key of GC. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the City of Gold Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

The theme for this special night at HOTA was 'Love on the Beach'. GC Bulletin journalist, Ann Wason Moore performs her story of the same name. It is her love of Texas, USA and her love of the Gold Coast. Circumstance may have taken her from one to the other. But one day she would have to choose. I perform the soundtrack to Ann's story on my trusty hollow body electric guitar whilst playing HOTA's baby grand piano. Thanks to Ben Quinn for the recording and thanks again to Bern Young for Ann's introduction. I hope you enjoy the story.

Matt Eaton takes us back to his teenage years at Keebra State High School in the early 80's. You know...those awkward years negotiating puberty, love and the opposite sex. The story ends on New Years Eve 1981 in the heart of Surfer's Paradise. I'll let you discover what happens. I supply a slightly cheesy 'John Hughes' inspired soundtrack and play a little guitar too. I hope you enjoy Matt's story 'When Love was a Flash in the Pan'. Thanks to Ben Quinn at HOTA for recording the live performance.

Sean Flanagan, aka Flan, delivered this story only a few hours after the death of his Father. For a guy best known for making people laugh, this story explores the power of love and family in facing sickness and death. The music is largely improvised over a number of pre prepared themes. Sean and myself never actually rehearsed this story. I play Sean's own beloved steel string guitar and Jake Morton joins in on drums at the end. Thanks for your honesty and bravery in sharing this story Sean. It is a powerful performance.

Amy McDonald recounts her hilarious experience at a volunteers training day for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. There are a classic cast of characters, from the Canadian training staff to 'Itchy Guy' and one very special character steers the story into an almost calamitous sequence of events. Introducing 'Val', the ultimate volunteer. I play a button accordion, upright guitar (like an upright bass) and trigger pre prepared music inspired by cheesy corporate promo soundtracks. Thanks to Jake Morton for sitting in on the drums. Please enjoy 'The Volunteer'.  

Lystra Bisschop delivers a personal story about facing death and finding the cure. It is a testament to making brave life choices and gives truth to surfing as a healing practise.  I play the bass and concert flutes and use a loop station to create a breathy, ethereal sound design to support Lystra's narrative and Bern Young introduces the performance. Lystra's story is called 'Death Cures' Correction: The title for Lystra's debut novel is 'The Upwelling' and the protagonist's name is Kirra.

Tim Baker performs his slam-poem story 'A Surfer's Paradise'. It explores his move to the Gold Coast as young surf writer, the initial disconnect and the growing love for the GC over the decades. The music is inspired by Gansta rap, surf rock and the jangly, muted guitar stylings of Ernest Ranglin. Fletch (aka Cold Ghost) and Tim are joined on stage by drummer Jake Morton with Bern Young introducing. The story comes with apologies to Coolio and Jim Cavill.