Byron Bay Blog

Presented by;

SCHOOL OF PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT AND SPIRITUAL ONENESS

August 31st till September 5th

This training is to discover and develop your psychic skills. You will receive your own ‘psychic life reading’ prior to the start of the training and will find out how you can fully use your psychic abilities. Learn about the 7 chakras, the inner man/inner woman, the inner child and about the higher self. Come to understand how you create your own reality.

Learn how to give your own psychic reading! Become a scientist of the inner world.

Rago Dahlsen has worked internationally as a psychic reader for over 20 years. She has been part of Mystery schools in India and the USA. Now she is very happy to pass on her gifts to you.

Visit their website for more information;

www.byron-bay-health-retreat.com.au

rick :: Jul.15.2008 :: Activity, Australia, Byron Bay :: No Comments »

An inspired paradise brimming with blissful music

Described by legendary Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe as “the most
exciting festival, outside a capital city…” the Bangalow Music
Festival combines world-class musicians with captivating programming,
delicious food and a festive atmosphere all surrounded by the
sub-tropical beauty of the heritage township of Bangalow, NSW.

Opening on Friday 29 August and running through until Sunday 31 August,
the program for the Festival comprises a colourful and dramatic range of
musical styles, from renaissance song, through the delights of Haydn,
Beethoven, Chopin and Schubert, to the drama and electricity of Hartmann
and contemporary Australian music by Brett Dean, James Ledger (Southern
Cross Soloists’ Composer in Focus for 2008) and Gerard Brophy.

The Festival welcomes several top performers making their debut at
Bangalow this year, including Ian Munro, piano; Graeme Jennings, violin;
Julian Smiles, cello; Kees Boersma, double bass; and young pianist,
Denny Liu, from New Zealand.

Also performing at the Festival for the first time will be Southern
Cross Soloists2, an initiative of Southern Cross Soloists and the
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. Students of the same
instrumentation as Southern Cross Soloists are auditioned to take part
in this mentoring program, creating a ‘mini-version’ of the existing
music ensemble, with the addition of a flautist.

Favourite Bangalow guests returning to the stage this year include
guitarist Slava Grigoryan, the renowned Grainger Quartet, violist
Patricia Pollett, the Queensland Choir and members of the Bangalow
Festival Chamber Orchestra.

BANGALOW MUSIC FESTIVAL 2008

Friday 29 to Sunday 31 August

Concert Venues:

Concerts 1 to 8: A&I Hall, Station Street, Bangalow, NSW,

Concert 9: St Kevin’s Church, Deacon Street, Bangalow, NSW

Seating is limited to 300. Tickets range from $45 (single ticket) to
$260 (single nine-concert subscription)

W: www.southernxsoloists.com

rick :: Jun.25.2008 :: Australia, Byron Bay, Culture :: No Comments »

May through August each year sees Byron Bay host a wide variety of events & festivals - something for everybody.

30 April - 4 May : Byron Underwater Festival, visit www.underwaterfestival.com.au.

4 May : Winter Whales Ocean Classic, 2.2km Ocean Swim, visit www.byronswimclassic.com.

10 May : Byron Bay Triathlon, Olympic Distance Triathlon, visit www.byronbaytri.com.

May 24 - June 1 : FEHVA, The festival for art lovers and artists, visit www.fehva.com.

25-27 July : Byron Bay Writers Festival, visit www.byronbaywritersfestival.com.au.

2 & 3 August : Splendour in the Grass, tickets on sale in May, visit www.splendourinthegrass.com.

So if you’re interested in the ocean, fitness, art &/or music - and looking for an excusse to visit Byron this winter, I suggest you start planning now.

rick :: Apr.09.2008 :: Activity, Australia, Byron Bay, Byron Bay News, Community, Culture, Entertainment :: Comments Off

The dates and venue for the 2008 Splendour Festival have just been announced: 2 & 3 August at Belongil Fields, Byron Bay.

Here’s the press release;

OK music lovers. It’s time to dust off your dancing shoes and put these key dates in your calendar for the much-anticipated SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS event for 2008.

SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS will return this winter, Saturday August 2nd and Sunday August 3rd, to be staged in the beautiful sub tropics of Northern NSW’s Byron Bay.

And despite efforts to stage the forthcoming event at the proposed new site of North Byron Shire Parklands, organisers can confirm that SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS will for this year be held at Belongil Fields in Byron Bay, where it has been staged successfully for the past 7 years.

Now in its 8th year, SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS will continue to deliver performances by some of the finest music acts in Australia and around the world.

Tickets for the 2008 SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS will be on sale in May with first artists on the line-up to be announced late April. Watch this space for all this and more.

To keep up to date with festival information visit www.splendourinthegrass.com

For a wide choice of available accommodation visit our Splendour Accommodation Guide

I can’t wait!

rick :: Mar.19.2008 :: Activity, Australia, Byron Bay, Byron Bay News, Entertainment :: No Comments »

This year is the 20th year for the Winter Whales Ocean Classic and the event will include the 2.2km Wategoes to Main Beach swim as well as ‘the dash for cash’ (500 m sprint) and the new ‘Mini Classic’ (800 m).

Date: First Sunday in May - 4 May 2008

Time: 10:00 am start

Location: Byron Bay Surf Club, Main Beach race starts from Wategoes

Contact: Chris Lowry aquadoctor@gmail.com

I am expecting more details soon, and will publish them here.

rick :: Feb.27.2008 :: Activity, Australia, Byron Bay, Byron Bay News :: No Comments »

“Rosella Jam” is a community a’cappella choir dedicated to creating an
opportunity for all people to experience the power of singing together.

It has only recently become common knowledge that the health benefits of
singing are outstanding, both physically and psychologically.

Rosella Jam hosts “SING OUT” Weekend Getaways which are open to the public
and are held at varying popular holiday locations throughout Northern N.S.W.
and S.E. Queensland.

“SING OUT” weekends provide a unique and valuable outlet for artistic
expression. They encompass singing, good food, excellent accommodation and
the opportunity to get away from it all for a couple of days.

The weekends are for people who wish to treat themselves, connect, have fun
and sing their hearts out while at the same time giving their immune system
a healthy boost.

ALL are welcome!

The next singing weekend will be held at the luxurious 4-star Peppers
Casuarina Lodge in the Byron Hinterland. The fun commences Friday night on
30th May at 7.00pm and finishes at 3pm on Sunday afternoon the 1st June.
This is an unbeatable value for money weekend.

Contact: Marsha Gusti 07 55982880 Email: mgusti@bigpond.net.au FOR MORE
INFO www.rosellajam.com

rick :: Feb.14.2008 :: Activity, Australia, Byron Bay, Byron Bay News, Culture :: No Comments »

The Byron Bay Safety Committee has again been formulating the program for a safe community event for this years new years eve in Byron Bay.

With the success of recent years low key, community based, alcohol free, new year event, the same formula is planned for this year to ensure a safe night. said Chair of the committee, Mayor Jan Barham.

Council has again resolved to provide a safe environment by the use of alcohol prohibition on the streets and parks in both Byron Bay and Brunswick. The format for NYE in Byron Bay will proceed as it was last year, focussing the event on the beachfront reserves and minimise the impact on local businesses.

The committee is also calling for stallholders to make an expression of interest to have food and craft stalls on the night and an opportunity for community groups to have free stalls to showcase their work and activities. Details of how to apply are available on Councils website and via advertisements

The event will commence at 3pm with childrens activities and market stalls at the beach front. The popular parade will feature again and there is a request to the community to join in by starting to prepare costumes and group presentations

This year the support of Byron United is welcomed and there is a strong spirit of cooperation to provide for a safe, community friendly NYE in Byron Bay. Licensed venues in Byron Bay will again provide exciting events but these are ticketed and size limited, so those wanting to celebrate the night will need to get in quick to ensure they get a ticket. Many restaurants in town will also be open and also require booking said Cr Barham.

The committee thanks those local performers who have offered their talents for the night and buskers are invited to apply to perform on the night. The Safety Committee also appreciates the generous donations from businesses for prizes for the parade and is hoping that there may be other support offered to assist in the provision of necessary infrastructure for the night.

If you are still looking for accommodation over New Years Eve, visit our Still Available for NYE Accommodation Guide.

rick :: Dec.04.2007 :: Activity, Australia, Byron Bay, Community, Culture, Entertainment :: No Comments »

We are a left wing think tank originally formed to see the end of John Howard. Mission accomplished. Obviously there were many punters out there who were thinking along the same lines. Congratulaions to Australia! We may now resume normal transmission.

Many people have contributed to these pages. They include Lynda and Mat for web-page advice and articles from Bruce Hammond, Gopaleen (Pseudonym of course), Alok O`brien, Giovanni Ebono, Sandra Heilpern, Neil McKenzie, Dawn Cohen, Ron Priestley, Mungo MacCallum and our yet to be named contributor of Notes from Sydney. Many others have made pithy suggestions, some of which we have accepted.

Any articles you wish to present to us will be considered. Please send them to us at

contribution@byronbayinstitute.net

The Institute was inspired by Gerard Henderson`s Sydney Institute, but any resemblance other than the name is completely erroneous. Gerard is in fact one of the journos we watch in Stoogewatch. Others include Piers Akerman, Miranda devine, Dennis Shanahan, Andrew Bolt, Janet Albrechtsen, Glen Milne. We check out their columns and often print some of their bloggers` comments in Favourite Blogs.

In speeches, we reproduce some of the more relevant speeches of our time, including Marion Scrymgour`s Charles Perkin`s Memorial Oration and Justice Michael Kirby`s 10th Annual Hawke Lecture. Jeff McMullen`s speech, Children of the Sunrise, sets the scene and asks pertinent questions about Howard`s government intervention. Also valedictory speeches by Kim Beazley and Carmen Lawrence.

In articles we produce different quirky thoughts of where our country is at. State of play keeps you up to date with current events and in Tidbits we often have amusing anecdotes. Also in articles you can read Notes from Sydney, from a well placed political insider and The Byron Voter where you may gain insight into the psyche of Byron. Quotes is a section where we show what some of the more credible journos are saying, and we often look at quarterly and monthly essays. Mungo`s section stands alone. His political insight and his(sometimes acerbic) wit make enjoyable reading. His article is also published in Byron Shire Echo and Crikey.

We look forward to hearing from you with any ideas or articles.

www.byronbayinstitute.net

rick :: Nov.30.2007 :: Australia, Byron Bay, Community :: No Comments »

Ragga Muffin Show Added For Red Devil Park, Byron Bay

Sunday February 17 – RED DEVIL PARK, BYRON BAY, Corner Bangalow and Broken Head Roads (*subject to council approval)

Doors Open 4pm, music from 5pm. General Admission tickets $112.50

Put UB40, The Wailers, Maxi Priest and Arrested Development together and what do you get? Well, first up, six hours of fantastic music! And that’s exactly the musical feast on offer at Raggamuffin, an innovative new event showcasing the best in reggae music, with a healthy dose of funk, dub, hip hop and soul!

Feedback to the Australian and New Zealand tour dates for Raggamuffin has been fantastic, and now, by popular demand, an extra show has been added at Red Devil Park, Byron Bay on Sunday February 17 (*subject to council approval).

Known as the long-time home to the Blues and Roots Festival, the venue is the ideal home for Raggamuffin and this first class line-up of bands!

Promoter Andrew McManus said: “I’ve toured UB40 three times through Australia and New Zealand and they never cease to amaze me with just how good they are and how much their fans love them. That’s where the idea of Raggamuffin came from. Reggae lovers rarely get a chance to see the music they love and that’s really the driving force behind putting this event together. We hope we can do it annually.”

Headlining the very first Raggamuffin will be UB40, arguably the world’s most popular reggae band. Their combined single and album sales are in excess of 70 million, which puts them in that elite category populated by the likes of The Police & Robbie Williams. They’ve had a staggering 51 hit singles, which is more than ANY other British outfit apart from Status Quo (and, yes, that includes The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, U2 and everyone else); and they’ve had Number 1 smash hits in virtually every chart on the planet.

There’s no doubt the eight boyhood friends of English, Scottish, Irish, Yemeni and Jamaican parentage from the inner-city areas of Birmingham, have done as much to popularise reggae globally as Bob Marley himself.

UB40’s best-known songs – ‘One In Ten’, ‘Many Rivers To Cross’, ‘Cherry Oh Baby’, ‘I Got You Babe’, ‘Don’t Break My Heart’, ‘Rat In Mi Kitchen’, ‘Kingston Town’, ‘Red Red Wine’ – always have audiences in fine voice.

Their last album, the acclaimed ‘Who You Fighting For’ was nominated for a Grammy as 2006’s Best Reggae Album. The band are currently in the studio in the UK recording their new album, which will be out in time for the Australian tour.

UB40 are pleased to have the extraordinary THE WAILERS join them on the bill for Raggamuffin.

Famed for co-starring with Bob Marley on all of his hit records and stage shows, THE WAILERS are the most celebrated reggae outfit of all time. Their live show consists of classic hits like ‘Buffalo Soldier’, ‘I Shot the Sheriff’, ‘Is This Love’, ‘No Woman No Cry’, ‘Exodus’, ‘Jamming’, ‘One Love’, ‘Get Up Stand Up’ and the list goes on and on….

Raggamuffin is pleased to welcome veteran recording artist MAXI PRIEST to the line-up.

Born in Jamaica, and raised in the UK, Maxi first gained worldwide recognition with the release of ‘Maxi’ (1988). Recorded in Jamaica with legendary musicians Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, and Willie Lindo, it contained the hit singles ‘Some Guys Have All the Luck’ and a cover of the Cat Steven’s classic ‘Wild World’.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT lit up audiences when they were last in Australia supporting INXS and Simple Minds in March this year. The two-time Grammy winners are back in action with a great new album ‘Since The Last Time’. The eight-piece band’s music shook the bootys, hearts and minds of listeners across the planet with hits like ‘Mr Wendal’, ‘Miracles’, ‘Everyday People’ and ‘Tennessee’ along the way to selling five million albums - it’s good to have them back!

So there you have it …. four great bands providing a veritable musical reggae feast, welcome to Raggamuffin! Check out the website www.raggamuffin.com.au for all the details.

rick :: Nov.30.2007 :: Activity, Australia, Byron Bay, Byron Bay News, Entertainment :: No Comments »

If you’re planning to come to the Byron Bay Blues Festival for the first time - or even if you’ve been before, there are a few things you should keep in mind as you’re looking for your ideal place to stay.

Before we get to the ‘tips’, the thing to remember is that Byron Bay is a small town - the larger annual festivals do attract more people than the town can accommodate… particularly when you take into account that the festival’s artists and crew are also staying here. Plus many people who come every year - re-book the same place each year.

Here are my 5 tips to booking accommodation for the Blues Festival;

1. People : You need to know how many people are staying with you. Accommodation in Byron is very strict on maximum numbers… sneaking a few extra friends in to sleep on the floor won’t be tolerated and could result in loss of bond &/or eviction. There are places to stay that sleep one to a limited number of places that sleep up to 10 people. Most places have 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms.

2. Duration : It’s a five day festival, most of the accommodation has a minimum stay of 5 or 7 nights. There are a few properties with 3 or less minimum night stay - if you can only come for a few nights, grab one of these ASAP.

3. Location : For 2008, the Festival has moved back to Belongil Fields - which is located on Ewingsdale Rd (the road you take from the highway into Byron Bay) about 2.5 km from the centre of town. Shirley St and Belongil offer a 2-3 km walk to and from the festival, all of Byron Bay is serviced by shuttle buses, with accommodation in the hinterland and nearby villages offering their own charms.

4. Price : The Easter long weekend is just about the most expensive time of year to stay in Byron Bay. As a rule of thumb the closer to the festival or Beach and the shorter you stay - the more expensive it will be. In Byron Bay expect to pay $75-$125 per person per night - more for luxury, less if you stay out of town.

5. How to Book : The sooner you start the wider choice you’ll have. You will have to secure your booking with a deposit (often 50%), and you may loose it for a late cancellation.

–

This information is based on my experience from publishing Byron Bay’s largest Accommodation & Visitor guide since 1997. Visit our 2008 Blues Festival accommodation guide for an up to date list of available accommodation.

rick :: Sep.01.2007 :: Australia, Byron Bay, Byron Bay News, Entertainment :: No Comments »