Ballarat's only radio podcast is back

Greetings, thankyou for the cards (none), the calls (none) and the hookers'n'blow so deserving of a high quality showbiz team that are so central to life in Ballarat and the wider western Victoria region.

What, with one member succumbing to lung ebola, another finding explosives packed in his lower intestine and another having his scapula smashed by a ballpeen hammer in a freak Easter accident, it's been touching to know the community has been there, hanging on edge

Through it all Len's been the rock.. the roll, the country (pretty sure that's what he called me) and something of the punk by keepin' the band kickin. Ballarat's turning to its dark side... the months where bands are formed, relationships are broken up, bottles are drained and the lights stay on... a long hard winter needs good'n'hard radio.

And the best little radio podcast in the wilds of Australia is the B-Town Show With No Name...

April bums in Q-Bar edition

Whereby the intrpid duo of Len and Floppy Cocksure investigate the hidden mystery behind Ruddo the WonderTort's new high priced meals dispute; a revelation of the lost Rick Rubin/Slim Dusty recordings and a sneak peak at Slim's version of a Nirvana classic; the dangers of wandering in to a Ballarat takeaway food shop, pointing at the roasted chickens and yelling "THAT'S NOT THE GOOSE"; guest spot by Ballarat showbiz supremo and stalwart Dr Tony Hardstart.



Leading us to the reunion of aformentioned members and the return to form...

Back in the saddle - episode 1.



In which Jesus drops his gaspers. Professor Tad Shabster addresses the Ballarat DeceptivelyStupid Bastards Society when his public speech on alcohol and public health develops into his new theory and invention for underwater flight. The hidden history of false killer whales in 90s Australian folk music; the new Minki system for clubbing your way on to Victorian public transport; the new beer ad to be filmed in Ballarat and the promise of barrell rolling on Sturt Street...

And then, after the cheezels were handed around - part 2



Tracking down The Ballarat Prune Strudlers' meeting and behind-closed doors action; the Smear Jesus for Ballarat festival; the lost story of St Interruptus in the story of Jesus and the disciples and the lost story of of just trying to snap off a length while a hundred people ask you meaningless questions; outrageous scenes in a local church sermon... it just gets a bit odd there for a bit... and the link between Australia's traditional exploding balls of test cricket, the Pope's midget handlers and the Humpty Doo football clubroom...

Show With No Name podcast pre-Easter discharge edition

Here 'tis served meaty and fresh to all our outta town Mexicali greebos, B-Town beer slingers and bus-drivin' cohorts out there: some of the latest slices out of the Utility Dim Sim Research Area from the Show With No Name, broadcast most Tuesday nights on radio 99.9FM as they are ingested and experienced via the majestic O'Brien Rooms recording studios in Ballarat.

Part 01
Just before Easter the fellas give us a quick whip around some of the mighty festivals that have happened outside and around the village of Ballarat, including the Heidegger Festival; a discussion speeding judges and why they might want to lie in order to get out of a traffic fine; the involvement of European wasps in so many Australian speeding incidents; the Ballarat muppethespians weekend master class of dancing; the special preview of the new Willie Nelson film; controversy brewing in biblical circles over the the Pope's comments on condoms (although we are indeed anticipating giving the new Pell mechanical dinger a red hot soon); and a look at the Vatican's new plans to shield itself from the descending moral chaos by blasting off from the Earth until it gets better



Part 02
Humphrey and Fat Cat together on a new hip-hop tour; a bumper year for films and the new French sound recordist detective opening in Ballarat's alternative cinemas this week (and the surprise the re-appearance of Wally Walpimuir); the long history of philosopher plumbers and detectives in crime cinema and the wider role of European philosophers in rock; the sad news about the rise in Doug Parkinson's Disease in ageing Australian musicians and the effort to rehabilitate the Dave Grey wing of one of the key medical centres; the special case of Leo Sayer and the cop buddy series Sayer to Sayer, the rise and rise of new Australian reality show You Make Feel Like Hanson; and the final recognition of Kank Wolverang in the Logie nominations, along with the special mention for Herbert and Sherbet Berbet... and you know Don Lane is evoked not long after. Let 'er rip!



And so we kick on into Easter - until then, drive the nail that little bit further!

Roll back the rock, it's Easter time in Ballarat

There are some things that just get funnier as time goes on. One of them is how intensely bizarre the whitefolk of B-Town get in their desperate clinging to some sort of patchwork collection of beliefs, traditions and annual 'festive' gatherings.

Exhibit (a) I give you Easter in Ballarat. Here we have not music festivals - like Apollo Bay, Mortlake, Mildura, Meredith or the Town That Makes Us Shelbyville, Bendigo.

We have a special festival that's even better than live, living culture and artists belting it out to a beat that makes the kids dance.

We have the Sonrise festival.

Just to clarify:

Bendigo = Paul Kelly, Augie March, Tim Rogers, Tex Perkins/Charlie Owen/James Curickshank & Matheson

Ballarat = This Easter Saturday celebration is a FREE community event with a carnival atmosphere providing fun, food, entertainment and a message of hope for the whole family hosted by churches from across the city. Includes Free live music, jumping castles, giant games, prizes and giveaways. Also free fairy floss, popcorn, snow cones and sausage sizzle.3pm - 6:30pm - Lake Wendouree near Apex playgroundThis event is supported by the City of Ballarat, Community Grants Program.

More news as it comes to hand... I'm returning to the cave.