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Articles : ‘Your Local’ – An Inside Look

By on March 5, 2017

your local dream on dreamer

Playing original music, writing, recording and playing live and touring, is a tough gig. There is no money in it, unless you happen to be in the lucky one-percent who are actually making a living from it, and the number of venues where up and coming bands can display their live wares seems to be diminishing every year. That’s why when someone gets off their arse and creates a scene for minimal reward for themselves, it should be hailed and celebrated.

Such is the case with a young man by the name of James Slacik. He lives in Melbourne’s outer east and puts on a weekly live event called ‘Your Local’ at The Irish, Knox Ozone Hotel in Wantirna. He joined us recently to tell us a bit about his night, his inspirations for putting it on and everything else ‘Your Local’.

Tell the readers about the night you put on?

“Your Local is a weekly alternative night that we started back in June last year,” Slacik opens, “where we try to provide our patrons with a good mixture of live original bands, fun DJ’s in a comfortable environment for you and your friends at an affordable price.”

What was your motivation for starting it?

“I have been involved with house music nightclubs for the past few years, but as I have always liked live music and some of my best memories growing up were at concerts, I started this as a passion project to provide something fresh for people that enjoy this music without the hassle of having to go to the city.”

What do you hope to achieve by running it?

“I want to provide somewhere that people find safe and fun to come with their friends every week without feeling intimidated. Also, I want to provide another venue for bands to showcase their talent to their friends and new audiences which can be rare nowadays with so many venues being shut down.”

What bands have you had on?

“We have had Storm The Sky, Polaris, Belle Haven, Stepson (Brisbane) and a couple of my favourite up and comers Aburden & Ocean Sleeper, to name a few.”

What are your long-term goals for Your Local?

“Probably longevity for one and to keep growing and being able to provide local bands opportunities to play shows with some more known bands they otherwise would not be able to.”

***

Slacik has a ripping night coming up next Thursday, March 9th, which will feature high-profile metalcore act Dream on Dreamer, plus emerging acts Dregg, Earthbound, and a brand new band called In Deception, who are paying their first ever gig.

Andrew Burnham from In Deception was happy to have a chat to Metal Obsession as well!

What does big night out mean to you?

“This show means the world to us,” Burnham enthuses. “We’re entering uncharted waters, and with a band as big as Dream On Dreamer headlining the bill, we know we’re in for a big one. We hope to come out of this gig stronger, wiser, and hopefully with plenty more shows to come. We’ll put our best foot forward and give it our all, as we intend to always do.”

Are you nervous about the show?

“Naturally, yes. But this is something we love and the first show – for any band really – is a huge milestone so the nerves are outweighed by excitement.”

What are your long-term plans and goals as a brand new band?

“Keep writing music that’s real to us, as In Deception. We hope to keep bringing something new to the table with everything we do, whether it be musically or in our performance. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but to be real and stay fresh is our aim. We were never one for the stagnant or reused, instead we want to keep progressing as a band and as people.”

***

James Heath from Dregg had a few choice words to say about the night and his band, too.

How are you feeling about this upcoming gig at ‘Your Local’?

“Yeah, pretty good man,” Heath states. “We haven’t had a chance to play south-east suburbs yet, so we’re looking forward to seeing how everyone out there likes to do it.”

Do you feel it’s important to give brand new bands a chance at supporting more established bands such as yourselves and Dream On Dreamer?

“Absolutely! To be honest it will be the only way we ever see any real growth in the scene. Smaller bands need these opportunities to play in front of bigger crowds that more established artists can pull. If bands are never given this chance they will never make it out of the local youthie. We will say they should be deserving of such a chance, as well.”

Were you guys given any opportunities like this in the past?

“We kinda feel like from the beginning we have been given all the opportunities we could have asked for. Such as Atreyu, Invasion Fest and Hellions. Gigs like that have helped massively with our growth and has presented more opportunities further along the track which is the biggest thing for us.”

If you’re in Melbourne or visiting, be sure to make it along next Thursday on March 9th when Dream On Dreamer perform at Your Local, alongside Dregg, Earthbound, and In Deception!

About

Rod Whitfield is a Melbourne-based writer and retired musician who has been writing about music since 1995. He has worked for Team Rock, Beat Magazine, themusic.com.au, Heavy Mag, Mixdown, The Metal Forge, Metal Obsession and many others. He has written and published his memoirs of his life and times in the music biz, and also writes books, screenplays, short stories, blogs and more.