Surfers Paradise Festival

Saturday saw the launch of the Surfers Paradise Festival, now in its second year. Mrs SS GC, with her newly singularized Bianchi, and I went in to catch the opening concert.

Sadly I was there too late to see the John Steel Singers or Busby Marou, Dan Hannaford (who I saw the previous week busking at Brunswick Heads) or Frankie and the Moon. I did see Clare Bowditch, who was great, and a couple of songs by Pete Murray. Sorry to say to Pete, who seems like a nice guy and all, but there are only so many sorrowful dirges I can listen to before I have to walk away for the sake of my sanity. On the night, my limit was 1.5. 
Beach stage at Surfers

Last years impromptu beach stage has given way to a permanent affair care of the foreshore renos at Surfers. When there’s no concert on you wouldn’t realise this thing was a stage, but when several thousand women are pressing forward to swoon at Pete Murray you realise what a great venue we’ve created down there.

The night finished with fireworks. No photos. Fireworks are a bit like watching your mate fall off his bike, you really have to be there. Doesn’t stop the TV from televising fireworks each New Year.

The Surfers Paradise Festival goes for about a month and there’s heaps of good stuff to see. The real highlight last year was the One Way Festival, held as part of the Surfers Paradise Festival, which is a local counterpart to the Laneway Festivals seen racing through Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 
The stage at night with groovy new photo FX.

The One Way Festival was a showcase for local bands and artists combined with a street market and various other distractions. The “Zero Tolerance” Gold Coast Council somehow overlooked the many street artists attending and ignored the fact that we celebrated as they spray-painted a wall. This year look forward to Beastman doing the same. Come down and watch the artist in motion. The music on the night was some best I’ve seen on the Gold Coast, a highlight being Brothers, who I think have sadly disbanded though I hope I’m wrong.

Other highlights of the Surfer Paradise Festival are In The Bin, Shorts On The Green, al a cart in the park and the street performers championships. 

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