The Adelaide Show

There are episodes of The Adelaide Show, and then there are events. This is one of the latter. Recorded live at the Mercury Cinema as part of South Australia’s History Festival 2026, History Hit Parade brings together broadcaster and journalist Keith Conlon and host Steve Davis for a ninety-minute show that weaves original songwriting with storytelling, historical context, and the kind of warm, unhurried conversation that feels like sitting in a room full of people who actually know where you live. Ten songs. Ten slices of South Australian life. All of them written with pen and paper by Steve, given musical life through his AI-assisted “virtual session band,” and offered here as what he describes as “audition pieces” for real musicians who might one day make them their own. There is no SA Drink of the Week in this episode. The entire show is the Musical Pilgrimage. Rather than a single track appended at the end, this episode is the songs, each one set up by Keith’s historical grounding and Steve’s personal connections before the music rolls. Full notes on each song appear in the segment breakdown below. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: History Hit Parade 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:04:07 History Hit Parade The Mercury Cinema is not a neutral venue for Steve Davis. He was married there on a sweltering 42-degree December day in 2002. He launched Talked About Marketing there. And it is where, on two days in May 2026, he and Keith Conlon performed History Hit Parade to an audience that included Steve’s parents, his former drama teacher, the chair of the History Trust, and the real-life couple immortalised in one of the songs. The name History Hit Parade, Steve reveals, was Keith’s idea, drawn from his memory of the Harold Wright Hit Parade on 5AD, a Thursday-night ritual of about eight or ten songs in an era before the Top 40 existed. Buddy Holly, Elvis, Perry Como, and Pat Boone: that was your week’s music. The name lands perfectly for a show that does something similar, except every track is an original, and every track is South Australian. Song 1: Jack and Lil (Up Please, Going Up) Keith sets the historical scene: John Martins began as Peters and Martin, a drapery store in Rundle Street, until Mr Martin was released from his duties due to what Keith delicately describes as “debauchery.” The Hayward family eventually took the helm, and it was Sir Edward Hayward who, in 1933, looked to Canada for inspiration and brought the Christmas Pageant to Adelaide. He was so nervous before the first one that he hired a biplane, circled the inner suburbs with a megaphone, and personally invited people to come. They did. About 300,000 still do, each year. The personal thread in this song belongs to Steve’s maternal grandparents, Jack and Lil, whose photograph appeared on the screen behind him. Lil worked in the kitchenware department. Jack was the young engineer installing the new lifts in the building during the 1930s. The rest, as Steve says, is history. The song follows their life together as their family grows, moving floor by floor through what John Martins offered, with the lift ladies’ announcement, “Up please, going up,” as its guiding refrain. Steve thanks Paul Flavell, who has written a book on John Martins, and former John Martin’s planner, Robert Tedstone, who provided a complete floor-by-floor inventory to keep the lyrics accurate. Song 2: Oh Marion Marion, the suburb, was surveyed in 1838 by Colonel Light’s private firm after Light had broken with Governor Hindmarsh. The name comes from Marianne, daughter of resident commissioner James Hurtle Fisher, though somewhere along the way Mariannen became Marion. Keith’s own connection is fond: his father learned to drive in the 1950s by heading south into the almond groves and vineyards of Marion, where the long straight roads offered room to practise. Steve’s Marion is the 1970s version: aerial photographs, numbered landmarks, railway tracks where he’d flatten 20-cent pieces, overpass pile drivers thumping for weeks, and a Coles New World at the Park Holme Shopping Centre. He walked to school at age six, “with my little satchel and my shorts.” One afternoon he left school early, got lost, and found his way to a doctor’s surgery he recognised. They rang his mother. She wasn’t home. The neighbour came to collect him and made him a sandwich. “That was life in Marion back then,” he says, with a fondness that carries no nostalgia for the vineyards his own family’s house helped displace. Song 3: My Jolly Valentine This one starts with the Torrens. Keith explains that before the lake arrived, the river in summer was “a series of rather smelly waterholes” until Mayor Sir Edwin Smith, a beer baron with civic ambitions, created the weir. Within a year of the lake’s arrival in 1882, a rowing craze had taken hold, boat sheds lined the banks, and Jolley’s Boathouse was selling milkshakes and pies to rowers who could rent a boat by the hour. The Palais de Danse gets its moment: a floating ballroom on a barge moored near the Elder Park Rotunda from 1924, with a soda fountain, no grog, and 800 people on opening night. It was gone by 1928, Keith noting, “maybe it was just not well made and sank slowly into the mud.” Steve’s research for this Valentine’s Day song turned up two details that captured his imagination. First, the Rundle Street Parade: on Saturday nights, young men would walk down one side of the street, young women down the other, window-shopping for company rather than goods. Second, the postage stamp code used in the twice-daily mail service to communicate what couldn’t be written openly: upside-down meant “I love you,” tilted right meant yes, left meant no, sideways meant “let’s stay as friends,” which Steve notes is “a soft no.” Song 4: Spring Gully Road Keith traces the geography first: up Third Creek from the Torrens, past the village of Magill, pointing toward Norton Summit. Market gardens that ran through to Tea Tree Gully. One of Steve’s friends, Dominic, remembers his father loading a ute with cucumbers twice a week and driving them across town to Spring Gully. That was not long ago. The song covers four generations families. Edward McKee began pickling onions after returning from the war. His son-in-law Alan McMillan, stepson Eric Webb, and friend Malcolm Climer formed the second generation. Kevin and Ross Webb steered it through 2013 when a public campaign saved the company. Russell and Tegan Webb were at the helm when cheap imports and cost-of-living pressures finally made it too hard. Steve played the song to Russell Webb before the performance. Russell’s response: “Our whole family thinks this song should be in the state archives for covering the story so well.” Steve says it with quiet pride, and then lets the song make the case. Song 5: Away, Away (The PS Canally Crew Song) Keith tells the founding story of the Murray River trade with the energy of someone who could spend a full hour on it. Governor Sir Henry Fox Young puts up a prize in 1853 for the first boat to take a paddle steamer from Goolwa to Swan Hill and back. Two men are unknowingly racing: Captain William Randell, a flour miller from Gumeracha building the Mary Ann upstream from Mannum, and Captain Francis Cadell, who has a paddle steamer built in New South Wales and sails it through the Murray mouth. They end up racing each other, neither knowing the other was coming. Both get their prize, and instantly the river is transformed: wool that was a month away from market by bullock wagon is now days away by water. Steve wrote this song aboard the PS Marion, on a three-day cruise, watching jet skis cut through the peace of the river and thinking about the crews who worked these boats without rest. He noted he’d been “a bit passionate” about the contrast. One thing he is proud of: annoying the captain by asking about terminology, which is how he discovered that “larboard” was the original term for port side, changed because “larboard” and “starboard” were too easily confused when shouted across a noisy deck. Song 6: Shout Your Mates Another Round This song grew from a drive past the West End Brewery site on Port Road, now demolished. The chimney is gone. Steve felt its absence. Keith sketches the arc: South Australia once had around 43 breweries. The West End Brewery operated from 1859 through to about 1980, and somewhere in there a Westies supporter working at the brewery persuaded the boss to paint the chimney in the SANFL grand final colours each year. Port Adelaide’s coach Fos Williams asked to be included. The tradition held, moved to a second chimney after the first came down, and now continues on the old brickworks chimney with the help of some “fancy technology.” The pickaxe long-neck bottle gets its own verse. Those amber glass communal bottles that sat on dinner tables, shared rather than individual. Steve remembers the day his Italian neighbour Nino offered him a sip of Southwark Bitter from one: “It put me off beer for the rest of my life.” He recalls his paternal grandfather worked at the original Hindley Street brewery. A bottle recently turned up on Kangaroo Island. These things accumulate meaning. Song 7: Tunarama Love Song Greg and Nicole, Steve’s brother-in-law and sister-in-law, are in the audience. They wave when introduced. Greg is described as “so bashful.” Keith gives the historical context: Captain Matthew Flinders named Memory Cove after losing eight sailors there when he was 28 years old, 10,000 miles from home. He named Cape Catastrophe, Thistle Island, and Boston Island after those men. Port Lincoln was named, Keith theorises, from homesickness for Lincolnshire. The tuna industry came after the war, when scientists found massive schools in the Bight. Colin Thiele wrote Bluefin there as a high school teacher, which became a film. Tunarama itself began in 1962. The song’s story is Greg’s: he left Adelaide on a bicycle heading west, eventually reached Port Lincoln, and through mutual friends met Nicole. They came back to Adelaide later that year and were at the Mercury Cinema for Steve and Nardia’s wedding. “Their love story didn’t actually happen at Tunarama,” Steve admits, “but my wife loves her rom-com movies, so I did a bit of rom-com where I just put it against the backdrop.” He also notes that Tunarama won Best Seafood Experience this year, and that “it is okay to call someone a tosser, at Tunarama.” Song 8: Good Night Don This one has weight. Every episode of The Adelaide Show signs off with “Good night, Don,” so a song about Don Dunstan was, as Steve puts it, always going to happen. Keith, who lived through the Dunstan decade, tries to give it its due in a few minutes. Decriminalisation of homosexuality. Women’s rights reforms. Aboriginal land rights. The South Australian Film Corporation in 1972. The State Theatre Company in 1974. The Rundle Mall, celebrating its 50th anniversary later in 2026. The week of the performance happened to be the anniversary of the death of Dr George Duncan, thrown into the Torrens in 1972, a murder that accelerated the push for decriminalisation. Keith acknowledges the controversies too: the Salisbury Affair, the personal challenges, the pajama press conference, and, with particular relish, the day Don stood on the Pier Hotel balcony during the 1976 tidal wave scare and told the crowd that “the only thing that will happen today is that we will all get a bit hotter.” Steve wrote the song in Brechtian cabaret style, a nod to Don’s close friendship with Robyn Archer. The refrain draws on a George Bernard Shaw quote: “Your life was no brief candle, was a mighty torch that shone.” Steele Hall also gets a verse, recognised for his willingness to equalise the electoral boundaries even when it worked against his own party. Song 9: Cellar Door Shuffle Keith went to university with Malcolm Seppelt, “which was pretty helpful,” and takes us back to the first commercial vineyard up Jacob’s Creek, planted by Johann Gramp, one of the early German arrivals. The creek became the name of one of the most recognised wine labels in the world. The doctors follow: Penfold, Hamilton, Angove, Tolley. Keith notes that by the 1960s, 90% of South Australian grapes were going into fortifieds. Barossa Pearl and BenEan Moselle changed that. Keith asks the audience who had a sip of BenEan Moselle as a youngster. Most hands go up. The song is partly in honour of Joseph, who runs Ballycroft at Greenock. Steve describes him as “the sweet spot of wine tasting because it’s not stuffy with him.” The song delivers two reminders: if your cellar door is making you feel uncomfortable, leave; and you are not there to guzzle. Song 10: Ben Venuti (The Rostrevor Pizza Bar Song) The final song is an ode to Gaetano at Rostrevor Pizza Bar, who has stood behind the same counter for 35-plus years. Keith sets up the context with Don Dunstan’s liquor reforms: the end of the six o’clock swill, and the radical notion of drinking a glass of wine at a footpath cafe. Then the postwar wave of Italian migrants, and how pizza arrived in Adelaide. Keith’s first was in 1962 at a corner of Hindley and Morphett Streets, long since demolished. “In another ten years,” he predicts, “there’ll be Australians who reckon we actually made it.” Steve moved to Rostrevor in 2006 and spent his evenings stripping 1970s Italian wallpaper off the walls of his new house before heading around the corner to eat Gaetano’s pizza. Gaetano calls his dough “pastry,” starts making it the night before, and has won awards for it. He welcomes every regular by name. He personally refuses to put pineapple on a pizza, but if you want it, he will make it. “The Italians,” Steve says, “they understand the value of the money.” He goes through about a pallet of pineapple a month. The song is in Italian and close-to-Italian, with the chorus “Benvenuti, come inside” running through it. Steve says you will come along for the ride. Closing Steve thanks the audience and invites them to stay in touch with Keith via This Day in South Australia on Facebook and LinkedIn, where Keith posts about South Australian history every day, and via the Wednesday morning bike rides from Bicycle Express in the city at 9am. He then plays the old State Bank ad, which Keith greets with “Oh, dear. Well, I wasn’t actually named at the time, but a lot of people said, ‘I reckon that’s Keith in there.'” Steve closes by noting that the album from the show, History Hit Parade, is available on Bandcamp. 00:00:00 Musical Pilgrimage No Musical Pilgrimage this week because the whole show was a Musical Pilgrimage.

South Australia’s History Festival gets a fitting soundtrack in episode 432, and it arrives in three distinct voices: a geneticist-historian overturning stones in founding-era South Australia, Mr South Australia himself bringing context and colour to every corner of the conversation, and an original paddle steamer shanty that had Keith Conlon attempting to haul imaginary ropes. Dr Samantha Battams is back for her fourth visit to the Adelaide Show, this time with a book that drops her own family tree right into the founding moments of this state. There is no SA Drink of the Week in this episode. The interview was recorded at the State Library with a room booking that had a firm end time, so Steve, Keith, and Samantha made the most of every minute with stories instead. The Musical Pilgrimage this episode is Steve Davis and the Virtualosos performing Away Away: The Canally Crew Song, an original river shanty written in tribute to the paddle steamer PS Canally, which is being restored at Morgan and set to relaunch in late May 2026, and the song features in Keith and Steve’s show, History Hit Parade show at the Mercury Cinema. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: All Singing All Reading South Australian History Festival 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:02:09 Dr Samantha Battams on Paving the Way May is South Australian History Festival month, and if you want to know why that matters, consider this: the western suburb we now call Grange was once known as Reedbeds, where Captain Charles Sturt made his first home while the colony was being developed. One of our guest’s ancestors was the gardener there. Dr Samantha Battams has written a book that puts her own family tree right in the founding moments of this state, and she’s launching it at the History Festival on 15th May. Samantha, has previously been on The Adelaide Show in 249 – Captain Harry Butler and his Red Devil, 279 – The Secret Art Of Poisoning, and 344 – True Crime SA style. The western suburb we now know as Grange was once called Reedbeds. Captain Charles Sturt made his home there in the colony’s earliest days, and one of Dr Samantha Battams’ ancestors was his gardener. That’s the kind of connection Paving the Way is full of. Battams’ three-times great-grandfather, Johann Gramp, arrived at Kangaroo Island in 1837 as an eighteen-year-old orphan aboard a vessel that wrecked shortly after. He had lost both parents by age seven, worked for a baker in Bavaria, and made his way to Hamburg where the South Australia Company was recruiting German labourers. He would go on to establish what Keith Conlon describes as the first commercial vineyard near Jacobs Creek. Keith also notes that he gets there by a roundabout route, and Samantha fills in the Bavarian versus Prussian distinctions that get flattened when viewed from Australian distance. The animosity ran deep enough that during the First World War, Bavarians were reportedly directing Allied forces toward Prussian positions. The Prussian Lutheran refugees who arrived sponsored by George Fife Angus get their own thread. Their pastor Kavel had travelled to London and secured passage for a group who had been holding secret chapel meetings in barns rather than accept the king’s new prayer book. One Schulz ancestor was accused by the pastor of leaving for earthly reasons rather than faith. Steve’s response: “I think had it been the time of the prosperity gospel, he would’ve been welcomed with open arms. “From Germany to Ireland, and the Fahy family from County Clare. Edmund Fahy arrived with two younger sisters, one of them just ten years old, and the family was almost immediately separated. Edmund headed to the Kapunda mines while the girls went south with an aunt. Samantha spent years untangling the network of Irish immigrants who came out together, sponsored one another, and intermarried across the colony. One thread leads to Dave Graney. “I’ve always loved Dave Graney,” Battams says. “I didn’t know I was related to him.” The Rumbleow family at Encounter Bay ran the first tourist operations in the area. Caroline Rumbleow, who married a man named John Cakebread (“What a name,” says Steve), was said to be the inspiration for a character in the novel Paving the Way by Simpson Newland, which also gives Battams’ book its title. Family accounts suggest Newland followed Caroline to the Ballarat goldfields and asked her to leave her husband. It did not eventuate. Samantha undertook a cultural consultation before writing sections involving Aboriginal people. Old newspaper language was either replaced with more appropriate terminology in square brackets or, in one case involving a funeral pyre, stripped of its sensationalist framing while the story itself was kept. She also describes firsthand colonial accounts of a corroboree of 500 people on the banks of the Torrens near what is now the Paradise Bridge. The interview closes on a revelation hidden since 1890. Battams had her DNA tested to find her adopted father’s biological family, and dismissed a recurring surname, Hazelhurst, as irrelevant to her mother’s side. A later ancestry update showed 25 per cent of her DNA tracing to northwest England and Wales. Following the Hazelhurst name led to Christchurch, New Zealand, and to the conclusion that her great-grandmother Edith Thompson was already pregnant when she married, with a father other than the man recorded. The cover of Paving the Way is a photograph of Edith and Battams’ grandfather. “The true story had been kept from 1890 to 2025,” Battams says. Paving the Way is being launched at the 2026 History Festival on 15 May. Dr Lanie Anderson, a previous Adelaide Show guest (107 – Lainie Anderson: View from the hills), will launch the book. 00:27:59 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Steve Davis & The Virtualosos‘ “river shanty” song, Away Away (The Canally Crew Song). Steve Davis wrote this original river shanty after time spent aboard the PS Marion, sister vessel to the PS Canally, a paddle steamer launched in 1907 that is now being restored at Morgan ahead of a relaunch in late May 2026. Keith Conlon puts the song in context: Morgan once had queues of paddle steamers and six freight trains a day departing with river cargo. He also produces a story about a paddle steamer loaded with materials to build a pub at Bourke that ran aground in a drought and only floated free two years later, by which point the pub had been built by other means. Away Away is one of ten original songs Steve has written about South Australia for History Hit Parade, the show he and Keith Conlon are performing at Mercury Cinema during the 2026 South Australian History Festival. Keith is confident audiences will want to sing along. A stage jig from Keith is, in his own assessment, highly in doubt. Booking details are in this link: History Hit Parade tickets and information. It’s on Monday, May 11, 11am, and Sunday, May 17, at 4pm and it will simply be an enjoyable show of historical anecdotes, fun, and music.

When 80,000 people descend on an event, somebody has made it look effortless. Wayne Taylor has spent three decades being that somebody, from the Sydney 2000 Olympics to Wimbledon, Formula One on three continents, and right here in Adelaide at the Clipsal 500. His company, First Facilities Group, now brings that same discipline to commercial and residential properties (and events) across Adelaide. There is no SA Drink of the Week this episode, but Wayne does weigh in on the relative merits of beer events versus wine events versus spirit events, and the answer is exactly what you would expect from a man who has cleaned up after all three. The Musical Pilgrimage features Steve Davis and the Virtualosos performing “Cellar Door Shuffle,” a celebration of the great South Australian wine country ritual, which also gets a preview mention for the upcoming History Hit Parade show at the Mercury Cinema. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Gather Round To Learn About Major Events 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:02:17 Wayne Taylor, First Facilities Group Right now, as Gather Round unfolds across South Australia, tens of thousands of people are doing what they always do at a footy match: finding a seat, grabbing a pie, visiting the loo, and not once thinking about any of it. That invisibility is because someone’s doing their job brilliantly. Wayne Taylor has spent the better part of three decades making sure that when 80,000 people descend on an event, the wheels don’t fall off. He’s done it at the Sydney Olympics. At Wimbledon. At Formula One races on three continents. At Clipsal 500 when 200 staff, 15 supervisors and a $300,000 budget had to deliver a spotless result across four days. And he’s done it right here in Adelaide, quietly, at events you almost certainly attended. He now runs First Facilities Group, bringing that same discipline to commercial and residential properties across Adelaide. Wayne Taylor has a habit most of us would find exhausting. Every time he walks into a building, he is quietly checking the mirrors, the bins, the general state of things. It is not fussiness. It is decades of conditioning that started when his parents cleaned Memorial Drive as a boy from Broken Hill, and he mostly just got in the way by raiding the office stationery drawers. That origin story matters because the values Wayne brings to First Facilities Group now, respect, honesty, and an obsessive eye for what others walk past, were baked in early. As he puts it, “If you can’t get your housekeeping correct, how can you then operate your business?” It is a lens that applies equally to a gleaming corporate lobby and to the pit lane at Albert Park. The stories from his career read like an event passport. At the Sydney Olympics he managed 1,100 staff, set an 80% minimum recycling target, and navigated vehicle bomb checks just to get to work each morning. At Wimbledon, he learned that a single cigarette butt on the ground was enough to earn a conversation with the CEO, and that some corporate boxes were quietly serving spirits in coffee cups because you cannot legally drink alcohol watching football in England. At Formula One, a certain unnamed driver, “Mansell,” parked his car next to the waste compactor despite clear signage, and paid for it when a bin tipped onto the vehicle. Wayne watched from the level above and, eventually, laughed. The Clipsal 500 holds a particular place in his story. He worked it for twelve years and is clear-eyed about what it meant to Adelaide after the Grand Prix left in 1995: “The place went dead.” The Clipsal helped rebuild that. His team delivered the best margin in the company that year not through corner-cutting but through relentless post-event debriefs, 4am starts, and crews walking the entire circuit in a line with headlamps, because the lighting was never quite good enough. One of the sharper insights in this conversation is about the people who do this work. Wayne keeps what he calls a little Bible, a list of standout workers from each event. The good ones get taken to lunch, thanked properly, and connected to the next opportunity, whether that is the Grand Prix in Melbourne or something interstate. It is empathetic at a human level, and it also happens to be smart: one well-led supervisor with 20 people will outperform a rabble of 50. His principles for First Facilities Group are unchanged: respect, honesty, punctuality, and a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. He once disciplined his own teenage son for repeated lateness in front of the whole crew, because anything less would have been unfair to everyone else. That is the standard he holds himself to and expects from others. 01:08:34 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Steve Davis & The Virtualosos‘ new song, Cellar Door Shuffle. This song is a love letter to the ritual of winery visits across South Australia, from the Hills to Barossa, McLaren Vale to the Clare. Wayne is still in the room for this one, and Steve uses it to draw a neat contrast from the week’s main themes: beer events are loud, spirit events are rough, wine events are, as Wayne says, “a little more sophisticated.” The song will also feature in the History Hit Parade show with Keith Conlon at the Mercury Cinema. It’s on Monday, May 11, 11am, and Sunday, May 17, at 4pm and it will simply be an enjoyable show of historical anecdotes, fun, and music.

Joe Evans was last on the show in 2018, picking grapes and talking about his craft. A lot has changed at Ballycroft Vineyard & Cellars since then. Joe has turned a $6,000-a-year electricity bill into a source of profit, using 33 kilowatts of solar, a bidirectional V2G converter, and two Nissan Leafs to run his house, his winery, and his cellar door without drawing from the grid. He believes Ballycroft is the world’s first winery to make and mature wine entirely on solar and car battery power. Photos of Joe for the show notes and the podcast player, were taken by Thomas Wielecki. There is no SA Drink of the Week this episode, though Joe does give a tantalising description of his 100% Mataro and a very limited release Small Berry Shiraz Pressings 2022 that had already sold half its 400-bottle run within a month of release. For the Musical Pilgrimage, Steve shares an original composition recorded with his virtual session band, The Virtuosos. Another Bloody Year was written just a fortnight before recording, prompted by rising fuel costs, global instability and a CS Lewis speech from 1939 that turns out to be as timely as ever. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Small Winemaker, Big Wines, Zero Power Bills 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week, but we encourage you to browse the Ballycroft Vineyard & Cellar online store. 00:04:19 Joe Evans, Ballycroft Vineyard & Cellars If you have ever stared at a power bill and felt a quiet fury, Joe Evans is the person you need to hear. Back in the late 2010s, South Australian electricity was already the most expensive in the country at around 28 cents per kilowatt hour. It is now around 58 cents, which Joe says makes South Australia second most expensive in the Western world. His response was not to complain but to act. The journey started in 2019 when Joe purchased a 40-kilowatt Nissan Leaf from a rural dealership, becoming what he believes was the first person in Australia to buy an EV from such a dealer. The car he specifically chose because it had bidirectional capability: charge it during the day, discharge it at night to power the house and winery. The catch was that the V2G converter needed to make that work took three and a half years to get Australian standards approval. Joe was the first residential and small business owner in the country to install one. Walk through a 24-hour cycle at Ballycroft Vineyard & Cellars and you begin to see how elegantly the system operates. From around 6am, the car battery powers the morning rush: kettles, hair dryers, the household waking up. Once the sun rises and the 33-kilowatt solar array kicks in, the car recharges within an hour or two while simultaneously running the house and winery. During vintage, when the fermentation chillers are working hard around the clock, Joe uses one car’s full 60-kilowatt battery per night. His figure from last year: 42 kilowatts used across 42 days of fermentation. That is one kilowatt a day, or about 58 cents. Without the system, it would have been closer to $30 a day. He is now running two Nissan Leafs, a “his and hers” arrangement after his wife fell in love with the original car. The second, a secondhand 2021 60-kilowatt model purchased for $36,000, he describes as a generator on wheels. He bought it primarily for the battery. A 50% government rebate later led him to add a home battery as well, though the cars still do the heavy lifting. For listeners weighing up an EV, Joe offers practical advice grounded in four years of real-world use: keep the battery between 20% and 80%, never leave it at 100%, and prioritise V2G capability when choosing a car. He notes that Tesla has explicitly ruled out V2G to protect its wall battery sales, while many newer European and Chinese models are building it in. A new Wallbox Quasar 2 with CCS2 compatibility is expected to arrive at around $5,000, down from the $10,000 Joe paid. The conversation also covers range anxiety (real but shrinking as infrastructure grows), tyre and brake wear (largely a non-issue in his experience), battery degradation (his six-year-old car has less degradation than comparable models that only drove, because running the house draws power far more gently than driving does), and what to do when the power goes out. Joe’s answer to that last one: nothing, because the system keeps running regardless. “Have control of your own energy. It’s a good feeling.” – Joe Evans 00:59:58 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Steve Davis & The Virtualosos’ new song, Another Bloody Year. Steve frames this segment with a reference to John Schumann being told to stay in his lane after posting about Australian involvement in potential conflict, and responds with CS Lewis’s 1939 speech to Oxford students on the eve of the Second World War: “Life has never been normal.” Against that backdrop, Steve shares an original song written a fortnight before recording, reflecting on the cost ordinary people pay when leaders make reckless decisions. The final verse lands with quiet force, borrowing a line from Schumacher: “All of us should live more simply so that others might simply live.” If there is a singer looking for material with genuine weight, Steve has flagged this one as available.

In Kadina, the commercial heart of South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, farming families have been trusting the same lawyers with their most important moments for generations. This episode brings two of those lawyers to the table: Doug Reed, who has practised in Kadina for 50 years and is preparing to retire, and Kylie Mildwaters, who grew up on a nearby farm, left for Adelaide to study law, and came back to build her own thriving practice. Between them, they offer an unusually honest portrait of what country law actually looks like: the trust earned slowly, the gossip that spreads fast, and the quiet privilege of knowing the grandchildren of your very first clients. There is no SA Drink of the Week this episode The Musical Pilgrimage this week is perfectly timed: Adelaide artist My Chérie releases her new single Stuck Inside My Head today, the same day she performs at WOMADelaide. It is an indie folk-rock meditation on neurodivergence and the challenge of quieting a restless mind, and it could not be a more fitting soundtrack for a week when this city is buzzing with live music and big ideas. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Kadina Lawyers And The Real World Of Rural Law 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:03:01 Doug Reed and Kylie Mildwaters Kadina in the 1970s, as Doug Reed (Germein Reed) remembers it, was a proper provincial town: half its current size, built around farming, animated by fierce rivalry between Kadina, Moonta, and Wallaroo, and populated on Fridays by farmers’ wives dressed to the nines for their weekly shopping. Small Woolworths. No McDonald’s. Three pubs per town, and a pub meal was a night out. The frictions, factions, and fictions of small-town life, as Steve puts it, drawing on a line from The Carpathians, were very much in evidence, including, as Doug notes with some amusement, two rival Methodist churches in Kadina alone. Kylie Mildwaters (Mildwaters Byrth Lawyers & Conveyancers) grew up on the other side of that rivalry, as a Moonta girl who had nothing to do with Kadina. The inter-town competition, she and Doug agree, has mellowed considerably since council amalgamation, though not, they hasten to add, on the sporting field. The footy rivalry remains entirely intact. It is when the conversation turns to trust that the episode finds its real heart. Doug is direct: you cannot advertise trust. You earn it through your work, your community involvement, and your reputation, and when you make a misstep in a town this size, it spreads like wildfire. Kylie’s version of the same lesson is more pragmatic: word of mouth on the Yorke Peninsula is the best advertising you could possibly have, which means looking after every client, every time, without exception. Her additional piece of hard-won wisdom for any country lawyer? Do your Woolworths shopping online. Doug reflects on one of the quieter privileges of rural legal practice: the moment you realise you are sitting across the desk from the grandchild of a client you first helped decades ago. He calls it a privilege, and it is hard to disagree. That kind of continuity is particularly characteristic of rural practice. The corporate memory you carry about a family, built across generations, is something a city firm simply cannot replicate. It is also a responsibility, and one reason why Doug’s decision to transition the bulk of his client base to Kylie’s firm, Mildwaters Birth Lawyers, has clearly not been taken lightly. The conversation takes a sharper turn when farm succession enters the picture. The number of farming families on the Yorke Peninsula, one of Australia’s premier cropping regions, is now a fraction of what it was when Doug first arrived. Farms have grown dramatically, consuming neighbouring holdings, and with that growth has come a corresponding rise in what is at stake when a family asks who gets what. Kylie, who practises in estate and family law as well as holding membership of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), paints a vivid picture of the legal tensions this creates: promises made about farm transfers, falling-outs between parents and children, and the litigation that follows. The old assumption that the farming son gets the farm and off-farm assets go to everyone else is, she notes, increasingly being questioned. Doug raises another pressure on modern legal practice: the Google-armed client. He recalls a family arriving having looked up the rule against perpetuities the night before. A little knowledge, he observes drily, can be a dangerous thing. Kylie adds that this is precisely why careful, unhurried thinking remains essential, a lesson Doug drummed into her when she first started, back when her instinct was to get everything done as quickly as possible. The episode closes with one of its most enjoyable exchanges: Steve asks about fictional lawyers. Doug nominates Perry Mason and, with considerably more warmth, Dennis Denuto from The Castle, a man whose grasp of the law was limited but whose faith in the vibe of it was unshakeable. Kylie, more practically, notes that films have given clients thoroughly incorrect expectations about everything from courtroom procedure to the formal reading of the will (there is no such legal requirement) to the idea that marriage automatically entitles each party to half of everything. As for Steve’s elaborate video will, he has just learned it will never be shown. He is very sorry to hear it. Here are links to a few of Kylie’s blog posts about farm succession, referenced in the discussion: Kangaroo Island: What a Movie About Two Sisters Can Teach You About Estate Planning What Troy Cassar-Daley’s ‘Family Farm’ Teaches About Succession Planning On Yorke Peninsula Why the Most Well-Intentioned Promise About Your Will Might Not Help Your Children 00:38:09 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature My Chérie‘s new song, released today, Stuck Inside My Head. Adelaide is buzzing this week. WOMADelaide is upon us, and right in the thick of it is local artist My Chérie, whose brand new single Stuck Inside My Head drops today. Written and performed entirely by My Chérie, with additional production, mixing, and mastering by Mario Spate, it is an indie folk-rock meditation on neurodivergence, spiritual longing, and the very human challenge of quieting a restless mind. My Chérie has described wanting the production to feel like summoning an inner power: a moment of connection with something bigger, almost like nature answering back. For fans of Soccer Mommy, Samia, and Wolf Alice, and for anyone who has ever lain awake with their thoughts looping at full volume, this one will feel like a hand on the shoulder.

The white marquees are not going up in the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden this year. Adelaide Writers’ Week, a festival that has graced this city since 1960, was cancelled following a sequence of events set in motion by a disinvitation that drew international condemnation, triggered the resignation of director Louise Adler and nearly the entire board, and ultimately prompted an unreserved apology from a newly constituted board. Community alternatives, including Constellations at the Adelaide Town Hall, have stepped forward to keep the spirit of the festival alive. The Adelaide Show is doing the same, in its own way. There is no SA Drink of the Week in this episode. The Musical Pilgrimage closes the episode with an original composition, “Uncomfortable Ideas,” written by Steve Davis and performed by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos. More than a few people have suggested it deserves to be the unofficial anthem of this year’s festival. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Adelaide Writers’ Week in Absentia 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:06:25 Adelaide Writers’ Week In Absentia Steve Davis opens by acknowledging the cancellation of Adelaide Writers’ Week and the circumstances behind it, without dwelling on controversy for its own sake. The spirit of the festival, he argues, cannot be legislated out of existence, and The Adelaide Show is here to prove it. Before the archive episodes begin, Steve offers a handful of literary touchstones. Patrick White observed that writing a novel is like an illness from which one is trying to recover, and that the artist’s role is to make sense of a world becoming increasingly nonsensical. Clive James described great books as voices that speak across the centuries, telling you that you are not alone. Vonnegut reminded us that we must be careful about what we pretend to be, and that reading leads to a life more grand, more empathetic, more civilised. And Douglas Adams, who loved deadlines for the whooshing noise they make as they go by, gives us a fitting frame for a festival that simply did not happen. Two archive episodes follow, chosen for what they reveal about the real work of writing and the underappreciated world of genre fiction. Segment One: Writing, Publishing, and Resetting Expectations, Episode 308 The pandemic was supposed to be the great gift to aspiring novelists. Time, solitude, and the vague sense that history was being made. What actually happened, for most people, was considerably less cinematic. In this 2020 recording, four people who know the industry from the inside cut through the life-coach optimism that surrounded the period. Authors Jane Ainslie and Michelle Prak bring the writing perspective. Publishers Michael Bollen of Wakefield Press and Rommie Corso of Hardshell Publishing bring the business view. Together they create an unusually candid picture of what it actually takes to turn a manuscript into a book that someone buys. The moment that sets the tone comes early. Jane Ainslie addresses the idea that everyone has a book inside them with the sort of directness that suggests she has been asked this at a lot of dinner parties: not every story the world has inside it is a story the world is waiting to read. Michelle Prak, who has put herself through five, six, sometimes seven drafts before a manuscript goes anywhere near an editor, adds that writing is a deeply enjoyable, deeply expensive hobby that tends to crowd out a great deal of everything else. Michael Bollen introduces a concept that most aspiring authors have not quite faced: a book’s shelf life, for literary fiction, sits somewhere between milk and yoga. He describes the editorial process as a dance, with the editor standing in for the general reader, keeping an ego-free eye on whether the character who died on page seven has somehow reappeared at the party on page 86. Rommie Corso explains that self-published authors often resist the very commercial adjustments that would help their books find readers, wanting independence and viability at the same time. These do not always coexist. There is a fine moment around the ethics of drawing real people into fiction. Michelle Prak describes her novel Goodbye Newsroom, set against the backdrop of shrinking newsrooms, as inspired by rather than transcribed from real events. Jane Ainslie explains that fictionalising her nursing experiences allowed her to treat them with more dignity than a straight memoir would permit. Steve raises the precedent of a Wakefield Press novel about South Australian politics whose characters bore a striking resemblance to identifiable figures (that was a reference to The novel you’re thinking of is Never A True Word by Michael McGuire, a former journalist and long‑time political writer for The Australian and The Advertiser – his interview was in episode 198). Michael Bollen confirms, diplomatically, that some adjustments were made. Segment Two: The Art and Heart of Romance, Episode 111 The candles are on the table. There is a fire going. The Scenic Hotel has given this conversation a room of its own, and three romance authors have settled in to make a serious case for a genre that represents the largest slice of fiction sales on the planet, and which continues to be treated by the literary world as something slightly embarrassing. Trish Morey, Victoria Purman, and Bronwyn Stuart are completely clear-eyed about what they do and why it matters. Romance, Trish explains, is not a “whodunit” but a “howdunit.” You know who ends up together. The pleasure is in the journey, and in not being able to work out how on earth these two people are going to find their way through all the obstacles between them. Victoria adds that romance readers were among the earliest adopters of digital books, and that the genre has long sustained a community of writers who support one another in ways other literary communities have not managed to replicate. The conversation turns, as it always does in the best episodes, on a moment of genuine revelation. Victoria puts it plainly: the deepest appeal of romance fiction is that the heroine is truly seen by the hero. Trish confirms it. Steve, in what he describes as his second light bulb moment of the evening, sits with this for a beat before acknowledging that this is not a small thing. Steve is also pressed into service reading from one of the novels in the voice of a cowboy hero. He brings considerable commitment to the performance. The authors’ response is warm, specific, and entirely at his expense. The episode closes with the “Is It News?” quiz, hosted by Nigel Dobson, which draws on historical romance headlines from 1923 South Australia and, against all odds, confirms that the real thing was considerably more scandalous than anything currently on the romance shelf. 02:15:32 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Uncomfortable Ideas (The Adelaide Writers’ Week Song) by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos. Writers’ festivals exist, at their best, to put uncomfortable ideas into a room and let people sit with them. Adelaide Writers’ Week found itself this year at the centre of a very public argument about whether that is still something institutions are willing to do. The festival has been here before. Germaine Greer being Germaine Greer. The exposure of fabricated Holocaust revisionism behind the Helen Demidenko affair. Patrick White in 1986 urging writers to ignore critics if they wanted to avoid producing work that was safe and uninspiring and pleasing to nobody. Writers’ festivals are unsettling because they surface ideas people would often prefer to leave alone. They are necessary because a society that cannot examine uncomfortable thinking out loud gradually loses the capacity to protect itself from thinking that goes unexamined. “Uncomfortable Ideas” was written by Steve Davis to speak directly to that tension. It addresses the short-sightedness of those who believe audiences need to be shielded from difficult thoughts, and it takes seriously Patrick White’s case for artistic courage that does not stop to ask permission. Listen for the bridge, which captures the specific feeling of an invitation to speak in the open air being overshadowed by voices that underestimated what a well-read audience is capable of holding.

After 25+ years of reviewing Adelaide Fringe shows, Steve takes a sabbatical this year. But there’s one show he can’t help spotlighting: Rob Newman’s debut solo performance “Don’t Die Wondering”. Newman’s story offers something rare, a comedian willing to be deeply reflective about the journey that brought him to the stage at 60, shaped by a decade of hospitals and life-or-death moments. This episode contains no SA Drink of the Week segment. The Musical Pilgrimage features Steve’s own song about the Adelaide Fringe. Through “Centre Stage”, performed by Steve Davis and The Virtuosos, he offers a bittersweet love letter to a festival he’s watched change over decades. The segment includes his conversation with FiveAA’s Richard Pascoe about reviewing standards, five-star review inflation, and why the Fringe remains a jewel in South Australia’s crown. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: This Adelaide Fringe Don’t Die Wondering 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:03:17 Rob Newman Rob Newman appears on screen in full purple surgical scrubs against a hospital backdrop. It’s not a gimmick. Over the past decade, he’s spent considerable time in hospitals and operating theatres, told more than once to gather his family and say goodbye. These experiences form the bedrock of Don’t Die Wondering. The path to standup wasn’t part of Newman’s original plan. He traces it back to a coffee conversation with Steve 10 to 12 years ago. “Your suggestion at the time was, come and try standup,” Newman recalls. “It’s a great way to get the confidence to do public speaking.” What began as preparation for property market speaking tours became something much deeper. Steve shares his own early standup experience, driving across Adelaide to work with Glynn Nicholas, heart palpitating so strongly he could feel his pulse under his eyebrows. Newman agrees about the terror, offering perhaps the most vivid description of pre-show nerves: “It’s the best cure for constipation you’ll ever get in your life.” But the terror serves a purpose. Newman describes managing the fear of judgment. “Not so much to lose it, but control it in the sense of embracing the fear of it,” he explains. That fear never entirely disappears. What changes is the ability to handle surprises, to relax into improvisation, to step away from verbatim scripts. The conversation explores performing as yourself versus hiding behind characters. Steve admits he gravitated toward characters partly because “anything negative feedback that might happen is water off a duck’s back. In some ways it’s the cheat’s way out.” Newman has stuck with vulnerability. “Be yourself,” he says. “Basically unzip yourself and be vulnerable.” Steve’s immediate response: “What’s your show rated?” Newman confirms it’s R-rated, though the rating speaks more to emotional honesty than shock value. Newman’s been running around Adelaide dressed as a surgeon, offering free medical checks as promotion for the show. It’s playful promotion, but also a way of inhabiting the hospital world that shaped his perspective. Newman’s journey through the comedy ranks has been patient and methodical. Starting in his early fifties, he’s spent years developing his craft before attempting a solo Fringe show at 60. The title “Don’t Die Wondering” carries weight when spoken by someone who’s genuinely faced that possibility. Rob Newman was a grant recipient through the Adelaide Fringe Foundation. 00:38:30 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Centre Stage (The Adelaide Fringe Song) by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos. After 25+ years of reviewing Adelaide Fringe shows, often two to three per night, Steve presents his own song about the festival. “Centre Stage” is what he describes as “still a love song to the Fringe and just a cheeky fringe type, steampunk, gothic reflection on the state of play.” The lyrics trace the festival’s shift from experimental counterculture to celebrity-driven programming: “You were fringe to me / You did not need celebrities / But now a household name comes and cash in on fame / And crowds out smaller shows that have more soul.” His reviewing experience infuses the verses, cataloguing years spent in theatres, on blankets in parks, and sweltering in church halls without air vents, always writing reviews “to help all thinking people choose emerging art in our town.” The conversation with FiveAA’s Richard Pascoe addresses reviewing standards and the proliferation of five-star reviews. “There are some reviewers who are promised critics, et cetera, but there’s a lot of light dusting out there,” Steve observes. “They have become cheapened, like the money in Argentina during their inflation.” Steve’s reviewing philosophy was always accountability: “I had to write them knowing that you would go and buy a ticket and you need to be able to look me in the eye and say, yep, that was accurate.” Despite his criticisms of how the Fringe has changed, Steve’s message remains clear: attend the Fringe, take chances on weird and experimental shows, support artists attempting something genuinely different. “Enjoy the Fringe. We should, no matter how we do it. It’s an absolute jewel in our crown.”

As the March 21st, 2026 South Australian state election approaches, the Malinauskas Labor government maintains polling numbers that would make most incumbents envious. Yet beneath this apparent stability, questions linger about whether today’s ALP still embodies the values of the workers’ movement from which it emerged, or whether it has become something else entirely. ** The image features Gemini's best effort of imagining Steve Davis and Robert Godden as modern day Don Dunstans. This episode features no SA Drink of the Week, a decision that tips its hat to both Robert Godden’s teetotalling preferences and to King O’Malley, the flamboyant insurance salesman who permanently removed the ‘u’ from ‘Labor’ while dodging questions about his own birthplace. The Musical Pilgrimage presents Australia Day by Steve Davis and The Virtualosos, a song that addresses social cohesion and community connection in contemporary Australia, themes that connect directly to the political fragmentation discussed throughout the episode. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Is The ALP Guaranteed Victory In The 2026 South Australian Election?00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:02:37 Robert GoddenThe Adelaide Show: Special Briefing — The Labor Machine This conversation serves as the companion piece to episode 423’s examination of the South Australian Liberal Party. Where that episode explored the Liberal Party’s challenges, this discussion has our political commentator, Robert Godden, apply the same analytical rigour to the South Australia Labor Party‘s position heading into the 2026 state election. The conversation begins with King O’Malley, that peculiar figure in Australian political history who was, in Robert’s memorable description, “50% staunch Australian politician, 50% carnival worker.” O’Malley’s legacy includes both Canberra and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, institutions that prompted Robert to reflect: “Most of us Australians can just give thanks to the days, you know, before you go to bed, you think, I’m glad I live in a country that has a bank with an appalling logo and a capital city in the middle of nowhere.” The historical roots of the labour movement trace back to the Industrial Revolution, when workers were, as Robert puts it, “really the AI of the day, you know, come and get this. It’s cheap, it’ll do your work for you and you’ll make a huge profit.” This parallel between 19th century industrialisation and contemporary technological disruption threads through the conversation, particularly when Robert shares the story of a logistics company owner whose business is failing because “the work he used to do in working stuff out for people is now done by AI.” The discussion explores how guilds differed from unions, with Robert explaining that guilds “were designed to move their members toward the ruling class. They weren’t, guilds didn’t really exist to lift all boats. They were a highly specific rising tide.” This distinction becomes relevant when examining modern Labor’s approach to worker representation. Robert traces the evolution of Australian labor politics from its foundation in the shearers’ strikes of the 1890s through to contemporary challenges. The ALP emerged as the world’s first labour party to form government, a fact that speaks to Australia’s democratic traditions. Yet the party has undergone significant transformation, moving from representing primarily blue-collar workers to a broader base that includes professional and service sector employees. The conversation examines whether modern Labor still serves its founding principles or has become absorbed into the political establishment it once challenged. Robert notes the irony that many Labor MPs now come from professional backgrounds rather than the shop floor, raising questions about whether they truly understand the working-class experience they claim to represent. On the Malinauskas government specifically, the analysis reveals a pragmatic administration that has maintained stability during challenging economic conditions. However, Robert questions whether this stability comes at the cost of bold vision. “Is it enough to simply manage well, or should a labor government be pushing for more substantial change?” he asks. The discussion touches on the tensions within modern Labor between traditional unionised workers and newer constituencies, between economic management and social justice, between South Australian interests and national party directions. Robert suggests that while Malinauskas has successfully navigated these tensions so far, the test will come when difficult choices force the government to reveal which interests truly take priority. When examining Labor’s electoral prospects for 2026, Robert notes the Liberals’ current disarray creates favourable conditions, but warns against complacency. “Oppositions don’t win elections, governments lose them,” he observes. The question becomes whether Labor can maintain discipline and avoid the kinds of missteps that have undone seemingly secure governments in the past. The conversation concludes with broader reflections on the state of South Australian politics. Robert suggests that both major parties face a fundamental challenge: reconnecting with an electorate that increasingly feels disconnected from traditional political structures. This alienation creates opportunities for minor parties and independents to claim territory that major parties once dominated. Throughout the discussion, the historical parallels between past industrial disruption and contemporary technological change illuminate present challenges. Just as workers in the 1800s faced displacement by machinery, today’s workforce confronts automation and artificial intelligence. The question of how a modern Labor party responds to these challenges reveals much about whether it remains true to its founding mission of protecting workers’ interests. 01:24:41 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Australia Day by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos. The Musical Pilgrimage connects directly to the episode’s themes of social cohesion and political fragmentation. Steve introduces his original composition “Australia Day” by reflecting on how disconnection fuels the rise of fringe political movements. The song addresses the transformation of Australian community life, opening with the observation that “The Australia which I was born had lots of backyards and lots of lawn, and we knew our neighbours down the street.” This nostalgia isn’t mere sentimentality but recognition of something lost: the neighbourhood connections that once helped integrate newcomers and build social cohesion. Steve explains how two factors exacerbate contemporary division. First, physical disconnection: “My dad used to know everyone in our neighbourhood, and therefore we did too. Now most of us hardly know anybody. We’ve got our houses closed off.” Second, algorithmic isolation: “The communication we do have externally is very filtered. Algorithm-focused content that feeds more of what the big American corporations like Meta and Google think is going to pander to our vulnerabilities.” Drawing on his own experience living in Hungary, Steve reflects on the immigrant perspective: “When you’ve moved somewhere new… you look for compatriots to connect with, so you’ve got something to hold onto.” This understanding shapes the song’s call for empathy and connection rather than fear and division. The song’s chorus captures the core message: “Who’s here is here now let’s make it work. It starts with learning. We share this dirt, we share the same song, we share the flies, and there’s a vibe here beneath our skies. Just tone it down, be laid back, bend a little, and cut some slack.” Steve positions the song as a counterpoint to political and social fragmentation, a reminder of Australian values that have, imperfectly but meaningfully, helped diverse groups find common ground. “Part of that is not blowing a fuse at the smallest thing. It’s actually calming the farm and being a little bit laid back, holding things a little bit loosely, drawing a line in the sand when it needs to happen, but not making that a knee-jerk reaction.” The song is available on all streaming platforms, and Steve extends an invitation to performers who might want to bring their own interpretation to the material.

When a South Australian theatre company that began with The Tragical Life of Cheese Boy – performed more than 800 times worldwide – prepares to take its final bow, it doesn’t fade quietly. Instead, Slingsby is staging its most expensive and ambitious production yet: A Concise Compendium of Wonder, a triptych of three interconnected shows housed in a custom-built structure in the Botanic Gardens during the Adelaide Festival.In this episode, we settle into Slingsby’s Hall of Possibility in Parkside with artistic director and CEO Andy Packer for a wide-ranging conversation that explores the company’s distinctive aesthetic, their commitment to treating young audiences with intellectual honesty, and why nostalgia creates the perfect emotional space for processing difficult truths. In the South Australian Drink Of The Week, we taste the company’s signature Hall of Possibility Tea – a bespoke blend featuring licorice root, organic lavender, red rose petals, spearmint and peppermint that Andy describes as both “invigorating and calming. “The musical pilgrimage features the Slingsby Ensemble performing “Song for the Adolescent Seal” from their 2018 Adelaide Cabaret Festival show Songs for Those Who’ve Come Across the Seas – a piece Andy realised he’d forgotten to mention during our conversation, despite being extremely proud of it. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: A Slingsby Life Of Wonder With Andy Packer 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:12 SA Drink Of The Week The SA Drink Of The Week this week is Brewed by Belinda Hall of Possibilitea. Belinda Hill of Brewed by Belinda created this bespoke blend specifically for Slingsby, capturing both the company’s aesthetic and the practical needs of artists in creative process. The brief: create something both invigorating and calming. The blend looks almost theatrical. Organic lavender, red rose petals, organic blue cornflower petals creating visual layers in the pot. Licorice root provides the grounding bass note, with spearmint and peppermint lifting everything. There’s aniseed hiding in there too. Andy explains the tea’s role in Slingsby’s creative practice. During those inevitable moments developing new work when “you get very lost,” the tea provides structured pause. “People go off and do different things and I’ll have a cup of tea and I might go outside for a little while. Usually you find the solution.” What’s crucial is that Hall of Possibility Tea won’t get bitter or overly steeped. “There’s no black tea leaf or anything like that. It just gets better.” Andy keeps a flask throughout rehearsal days, taking sips during fifteen-minute breaks. As we taste, the experience unfolds in layers. Initially, the mint notes dominate. Then the aniseed emerges from backstage, as Andy puts it, “ready for you, it knew you were coming, it was just waiting in the wings.” By the end of our tasting, all the subtle players have made their entrance. No single flavour dominates. They’re holding hands across the palate like a well-mannered audience at a Slingsby show. Slingsby has been gifting this tea to presenting partners around the world since 2019. After performances overseas, small tins of Hall of Possibility Tea remain behind, tangible tokens of the connections Slingsby creates between communities. 00:13:08 Andy Packer Andy Packer describes A Concise Compendium of Wonder as “the perfect bookend” to Slingsby Theatre Company’s twenty-year journey. We’re sitting in the Hall of Possibility in Parkside, where families have gathered to experience work that never softened darkness for young audiences, never offered easy answers. In a few weeks, after the final curtain falls on this ambitious triptych at the Adelaide Festival, Slingsby will cease creating new work. The company that began with The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy, performed more than 800 times worldwide, closes with its most expensive, most ambitious production yet. In this interview, you’ll discover: The origins trace back to amateur theatre at La Mama in the late eighties, where Packer learnt that being involved in every aspect wasn’t just practical necessity but essential training. “You are crafting an experience for an audience, not just there for your ego to be on stage, but actually to prepare the space to welcome people into the church that theater can be.” The crystallising moment arrived in Montreal in 2005, watching Danish company Group 38 perform The Little Match Girl. Packer sat in the audience afterwards and wept for fifteen minutes, unable to move. That company’s aesthetic showed him precisely what he wanted to create. Slingsby’s first expenditure as a company was flying their entire creative team to Hobart to see Group 38 perform again, establishing that benchmark from day one. The distinctive Slingsby voice, that curious blend of the new and familiar, serves a specific purpose. “When you create a nostalgic space, it’s like you’ve gone on a holiday back in time,” Packer explains. “You let your guard down and that allows you to attend to the deep concern, the deep anxiety that sits deeper.” Slingsby productions have never shied from exploring loss, loneliness, domestic violence and grief. “We can’t protect our audience, we can’t protect children. We have to prepare them.” But preparation doesn’t mean pessimism. Every show ends with hope. The conversation hopscotches through key productions: The Tragical Life of Cheese Boy (800+ performances) Man Covets Bird (where a boy’s parents no longer recognise him) Ode to Nonsense (a full opera celebrating Edward Lear) The Young King (Oscar Wilde’s fable about capitalism performed without softening) Emil and the Detectives (capturing post-war reconstruction with audiences building cardboard cities) The Boy Who Talked to Dogs (an Irish-Australian collaboration about surviving domestic violence) The final chapter confronts climate reality. Measuring carbon use revealed that flying sets internationally consumed vastly more carbon than shipping by sea or road transport. “We can’t be flying sets around anymore. We wanna make the world a better place, but we wanna do it now in a way that reduces our impact on the climate.” The solution: A Concise Compendium of Wonder. Three shows, Hansel and Gretel, The Selfish Giant, and The Little Match Girl, performed by one cast on one regeneratively designed wooden building that can be disassembled and reused. The Wandering Hall of Possibility features 17 speakers, 5,500 pixels built into walls, seating that reconfigures for each show, all touring by road only. The three fairytales trace a journey from medieval times to 3099 on a lunar colony. At the centre of each story sits a tree or forest, moving from living as part of the forest, to fighting for access to a single Moreton Bay fig, to finding the last tree on the moon whilst Earth re-greens in humanity’s absence. For Adelaide audiences, the Wandering Hall sits on Plane Tree Lawn in the Botanic Gardens. This is both thank you season and goodbye. Audiences can experience one show or commit to the full “sling cycle” across one day. “I think it is the most important thing happening in the universe right now,” Packer says about the intent behind every Slingsby show. “We want this for the people that have bothered to come and be with us.” 01:07:07 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature a piece from the Slingsby show that Andy Packer forgot to mention during our conversation, an oversight that left him “racked with angst.” Songs for Those Who’ve Come Across the Seas premiered at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2018 and was subsequently invited for a three-week season at the New Victory Theater in New York and a festival in Atlanta. COVID prevented those tours. “Sometimes even the big fish get away,” Andy philosophically notes. The Slingsby Ensemble perform Song for the Adolescent Seal with the distinctive musicality that characterises Quincy Grant’s compositions, spare and emotionally direct. The piece explores the necessary letting go that allows children to grow into their full selves. There’s additional resonance hearing this now, as Slingsby itself prepares to let go. The song’s metaphor of adolescent seals venturing beyond safe shores speaks to trusting that what you’ve nurtured will survive and flourish independently.

When Indian cricket fans unleash fury on Twitter about disputed LBW calls, host Steve Davis fields the abuse meant for someone else. This episode brings together both Steve Davises for the first time. The retired umpire who stood in 57 Test matches shares what it’s like to make split-second decisions in front of millions, survive a terrorist attack in Lahore, and maintain composure when Shane Warne announces his next delivery to the batter. The SA Drink of the Week features Ballycroft Vineyard and Cellars’ 2024 Small Berry Montepulciano from Langhorne Creek, tasted and endorsed by both Steve Davises. The wine presents an intriguing contradiction, its dark appearance suggesting heavy Barossa Shiraz, yet delivering a lighter, fruit-forward palette that Joe Evans recommends chilling for summer enjoyment. The Musical Pilgrimage features Steve Davis and the Virtualosos with “From the Cathedral to the City End,” weaving together Test cricket, Adelaide Oval, and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer into a meditation on how this game brings us together. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Steve Davis Talks Cricket With Former Umpire Steve Davis 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:01:50 SA Drink Of The Week The SA Drink Of The Week this week is a 2024 Ballycroft Montepelciano. Joe Evans of Ballycroft Vineyard and Cellars made an unexpected connection five weeks before this recording. During a Barossa wine tour for friends visiting from England, Steve Davis the umpire introduced himself at the cellar door. Joe mentioned knowing another Steve Davis from Adelaide, someone involved in cricket. The dots joined. Both Steve Davises then converged on this episode, linked by Langhorne Creek grapes and the patron saint of Adelaide. The 2024 Small Berry Montepulciano arrives in the glass looking deceptively heavy. Its dark colour suggests bold Barossa Shiraz, thick and commanding. Yet the first sip tells a different story. Light fruit dances on the palette, a brightness unexpected from that brooding appearance. Joe recommends chilling it slightly and serving through summer, perfect with Italian or Mexican food. Steve the umpire remembers that 10:30am Sunday morning tasting at Ballycroft. When Joe poured this wine, Steve thought immediately of Barossa Shiraz. That’s his drink. But then came the taste, revealing something gentler yet structured. The wine builds as it sits on the palette, gaining weight and presence. Like a pitch heading into day three or four, settling into its rhythm rather than losing life. The conversation meanders through wine, travel and cuisine. West Indies food has never won Steve’s heart, so more of this Montepulciano would help those meals considerably. Host Steve notes how the wine shifts from what seems like a marriage between Pinot Noir and rosé to something with genuine body and staying power. It’s not Pinot weight, not Grenache or Merlot either. The complexity reveals itself slowly, rewarding patience. The 2024 Small Berry Montepulciano from Ballycroft Vineyard and Cellars, endorsed by two Steve Davises, stands as this week’s South Australian drink. 00:10:25 Steve Davis and Steve Davis INTRODUCTION: So, I need to come clean about something. For years on Twitter, I’ve been fielding abuse meant for someone else. Indian cricket fans would see “Steve Davis” and unleash fury about a disputed LBW or a missed edge – and when I’d reply, mortified apologies would flood in. They’d meant the *other* Steve Davis. The one who stood in 57 Test matches, 137 ODIs, survived a terrorist attack in Lahore, and spent 25 years making split-second decisions in front of millions. Today, finally, I get to meet the bloke whose honour I’ve been accidentally defending. Steve Davis, welcome to The Adelaide Show. NOTES: The conversation begins with a revelation. Far from being retired, Steve Davis the umpire spends twelve months a year refereeing cricket across two continents. Every six months he travels to England for County Cricket, returning to Australia for Sheffield Shield and Big Bash matches. When he thought retirement from umpiring might leave him lost, the England and Wales Cricket Board offered him a lifeline that turned into a globe-trotting vocation. His cricket origins trace back to Elizabeth, newly formed with perhaps eight houses when his parents arrived as ten-pound Poms. His father Dave Davis played for WRE Cricket Club alongside John Scarce, whose son Kevin Scarce kept wicket for Steve at Elizabeth High School and later became Governor of South Australia. Cricket in Adelaide was woven through family, friendship and those Saturday afternoons where you’d stand in as a sub fielder, watching your father’s team and falling deeper into the game’s rhythm. The path to international umpiring began humbly in D Grade after finishing his playing career at West Torrens. Within two seasons he’d progressed to A Grade, and by November 1990 he was officiating his first Sheffield Shield match. His debut came partly through circumstance rather than genius. When Tony Crafter retired to become Australia’s first full-time umpire manager, a vacancy opened among South Australia’s two eligible international umpires. Steve joined Darryl Harper in that select group. On 12 December 1992, exactly 33 years ago yesterday, he walked onto Adelaide Oval for his first One Day International. Pakistan versus West Indies. His home ground, but the nerves were overwhelming. Terry Prue, his Western Australian colleague, radioed from square leg to report that Richie Richardson had noticed Steve missing all of Wasim Akram’s no balls. In his nervousness, he’d forgotten to look down at the front foot. When he finally started calling them, Wasim’s response was gentlemanly: “Oh, come on, we’re all friends out here. Give me a bit of warning.” The umpire’s process demands intense concentration. First, watch the front foot land. The moment it’s safe, eyes shoot straight to the bottom of the stumps, letting the ball come into view. As soon as the ball dies, switch off briefly, then begin again. Steve ran his counter one ball ahead, clicking after each delivery so the number five meant two balls remaining. This meant no clicking back for no balls, just not clicking forward. Tim May once stopped mid-delivery and demanded Steve stop clicking his counter during the run-up. His Ashes Test debut at Adelaide Oval in 1997, just his second Test match, stands as one of his finest days. He got every decision right on a 44-degree day when England lost the toss and their bowlers were bowling one-over spells in the heat. Steve Bucknor, his partner that day, also had a flawless match. Alex Stewart still calls him “legend” when they meet at English grounds. The Decision Review System arrived while Steve was umpiring, transforming the role completely. Some umpires, like Mark Benson, couldn’t handle seeing their decisions overturned repeatedly. Benson flew home after two days of a Test match in Australia and never returned to international cricket. Steve embraced DRS immediately. His philosophy was simple: we’re going to end up with the right decision. Better that than five days of a team reminding you about that first-ball error while the batter you gave not out compiles a century. These days, third umpires call all no balls in televised matches. The technology highlights the foot crossing the line, removing that split-second judgment from the on-field umpire. Steve wonders if he’d survive in today’s game, his neural networks so hardwired to glance down then up that retraining might prove impossible. The theatre of the raised finger remains cricket’s most iconic gesture. Steve took his time with it, though not as long as his late friend Rudy Koertzen, dubbed “Slow Death” for the excruciating journey his hand took from behind his back to above his head. Some umpires point at the batter instead of raising the finger, a practice Steve abhors. The law says raise the index finger above your head. The drama lies in that pause, that moment of tension before the finger rises. He carried the essentials: a counter, a wallet-style kit with sprig tightener, pen and pencil, notepad for recording incidents, light meter readings, and lip balm. Some umpires packed their pockets with everything imaginable, but Steve kept it minimal. His process worked. He knew what every ball demanded of him. Shane Warne’s deliveries would fizz through the air with such spin and accuracy that he’d announce his intentions to batters. “This is my wrong one. This one’s going on your leg stump.” It worked brilliantly, planting doubt even as batters wondered if he really meant it. Murali presented different challenges. Steve couldn’t predict where his deliveries would spin until he noticed Sangakkara’s gloves lining up behind the stumps. The great wicketkeeper knew exactly where every Murali ball was heading, providing Steve a crucial visual cue. The conversation turns to safety. Fast bowlers send the ball down at 150 kilometres per hour. When batters connect with the full force of their bats, that ball can come back even faster. Steve got hit more than once. At St Lucia during a West Indies versus Pakistan match, he turned at the wrong moment and the ball struck him square in the backside. Looking up at the big screen, he saw himself mouthing the words that immediately came out, while David Boon and Paul Reiffel, his Australian colleagues that day, doubled over in laughter. The Pakistani batter complained that Steve cost him four runs. Steve’s reply: “Bad luck. You cost me a bruised bum.” The smashing of glass still triggers something in him. Loud noises. Fireworks. His wife Annie says he didn’t get enough counselling after Lahore. She’s probably right. On 3 March 2009, terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team’s convoy in Lahore. Steve’s van, carrying the umpires, was the only vehicle left in the roundabout after the team’s bus escaped. Every window was shot out. The driver died instantly from a gunshot wound. All five security outriders were killed. Lying on the floor among broken glass, Steve thought: this is not the way I should die. Not here. Not on the way to umpire a Test match. They survived. The terrorists realised the Sri Lankan team had escaped and stopped firing. Steve returned to umpiring but never went back to Pakistan. He did return to other parts of the subcontinent, to other places that required trusting local security. During the drive back to the hotel after the attack, past kids playing cricket on dust bowls, he knew Pakistan wouldn’t see international cricket for years. Those kids who loved the game wouldn’t see their heroes. The political and ideological conflicts would keep cricket away. Asked which game he’d relive for eternity, Steve chooses that second Test match at Adelaide Oval. The Ashes. England versus Australia. His home ground. Forty-four degrees. Every decision correct. Recognition from players like Alex Stewart who still speak warmly of his performance. It represents everything he worked towards: getting it right when it mattered most, on the ground where he grew up watching cricket, in the series that defines the sport. He umpired with characters who became dear friends. Ian Gould, whose father was also named Cyril George, just like Steve’s dad. An impossibly unlikely pairing of names that bonded them immediately. In Calcutta, when Gould was being carted off to hospital with dehydration, he had to fill out a form listing his father’s name while smoking and drinking black tea. Steve looked over his shoulder and saw “Cyril George” written there. On Gould’s final stint umpiring in Birmingham, Steve was the referee. They spent every evening walking the canals with a few pints, the only four-day match where Steve never filed a meal claim. Rudy Koertzen. Steve Bucknor. These were the colleagues who made the profession worthwhile. The spirit of cricket exists, though interpretation varies. Steve recalls Andrew Strauss making a fair point during the Steve Finn incident at Leeds. Finn had a habit of knocking the bails off at the bowler’s end with his knee during his delivery stride. Both batsmen, Graeme Smith and Alvaro Petersen, complained it was distracting. When Finn did it again and Smith edged to Strauss for a catch, Steve had already signalled dead ball. Strauss came over and said quietly: “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to do that?” Steve acknowledged it was a fair point. He probably should have warned the captain. The laws changed after that Test. If stumps are dislodged at the bowler’s end, it’s now a no ball. Cricket people sometimes call it the Steve Finn Steve Davis law change. Cricket’s hierarchy remains clear. Test cricket stands at the pinnacle. Always has, always will. Ask any umpire who the best officials are, and they’ll list those who’ve done the most Tests. Steve’s 57 Tests mean everything to him. The 137 ODIs are nice, but Tests define an umpiring career. The Hundred in England draws families beautifully, but Test cricket is where greatness lives. At the end of play, Steve would call “Time, gentlemen. That’s time.” A simple phrase marking the end of another day’s combat, another day of split-second decisions, theatre, and that noble spirit that still runs through cricket despite everything that tries to corrupt it. 02:00:15 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we listen to From The Cathedral To The City End by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos. IThe Cathedral looms over Adelaide Oval, watching cricket unfold from the city of churches. Steve Davis and the Virtualosos have woven together Test cricket, the Cathedral End, and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer into “From the Cathedral to the City End.” The song opens with the Prayer of Humble Access rewritten: “We do not presume to come to this thy over trusting in our own righteousness.” Host Steve explains his childhood love for that beautiful English language, attending Church of England services where those words embedded themselves in his memory. The prayer’s cadence and dignity stayed with him. When writing this song, he wanted to capture three elements: Test cricket, Adelaide Oval’s special significance through Bradman and Bodyline, and that cathedral presence overlooking the ground. The question arises: have you ever stood as an umpire and thought a captain made a terrible decision bringing on a particular bowler at the wrong end? Steve the umpire smiles. Sure, sometimes you think it’s surprising, maybe even adventurous under your breath. But someone who knows better than you made that choice, usually the bowler themselves selecting their preferred end. Most decisions are sound, even if they don’t prove successful. You can’t roll your eyes. You can’t show any reaction. Commentators now need special accreditation to enter certain areas. The hierarchy maintains that barrier. Umpires can visit the press box, but commentators can’t come into the umpires’ area without risking trouble. It’s a good separation. Before play they chat on the field, saying hello to the numerous commentators modern broadcasts require. Steve never worried about Tony Greig sticking his key into the pitch. Didn’t seem to do much damage. The song plays, capturing that ritual: hours before proceedings commence, sandwiches thoughtfully made, pushing close to the fence, ladies and gentlemen on the village green putting down their glasses. Two thousand balls, two thousand trials, each one potentially a wicket or hit for miles. Concentration demanded because no two are the same. From the Cathedral to the City End, making cricket bring us together again, forever and ever and ever.

Political commentator Robert Godden returns to The Adelaide Show with a thesis that cuts to the bone: The South Australian Liberal Party has no realistic chance of winning the forthcoming election. But his essay raises an even more unsettling question: can they realistically ever win another one? This episode doesn’t feature an SA Drink of the Week, allowing more time for a forensic examination of what’s gone wrong with liberalism itself, and the party that bears its name. In the Musical Pilgrimage, Steve shares “Spring Gully Road”, his song chronicling four generations of the Webb family’s beloved pickle company, from Edward McKee’s small brown onions in 1946 to the recent appointment of administrators, drawing a tenuous but poignant parallel to the Liberal Party’s own decline. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Do The Liberals Have No Chance Of Winning This Forthcoming South Australian Election? 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:05:07 Robert Godden Before diving into party politics, Steve and Robert tackle a fundamental question: what is liberalism itself? Drawing on American political philosopher Patrick Deneen’s work (as sampled from the glorious podcast, Econtalk, episode July 9, 2018), they explore how liberalism originally meant self-governance within community, where individuals held themselves accountable within the framework of church and society. Deneen argues that modern liberalism, both classical and progressive, has fractured into two economic camps: classical liberals claiming government interferes with freedom, and progressive liberals arguing that economic inequality prevents people from achieving liberty. Robert offers his working definition: liberalism has always been about “the bigger pie theory”. Classical liberals like John Locke, Adam Smith and John Stewart Mill championed free markets as the path to prosperity for all. But as Robert notes, these philosophers wrote their treatises while people lived in gutters within ten miles of them, suggesting their definitions had blind spots about who they actually represented. The conversation turns to neoliberalism, which Robert describes as taking the apple of classical liberalism and focusing on its core: free market capitalism, fiscal austerity, individual responsibility, and globalisation. The problem? Many neoliberals benefited from generous government support before pulling up the ladder behind them. As Robert puts it, they’re “more like a wild jackal in a wolf’s clothing”, presenting themselves as something more palatable whilst pursuing fundamentally conservative ends. When Steve asks about the overlap between liberalism (lowercase L) and the Liberal Party (uppercase L), Robert’s answer is stark: “The Venn diagram of liberalism and the Liberal Party is not a perfect circle. It’s more like a third overlap.” John Howard’s famous declaration that the Liberal Party is “a broad church” marked both the high point and the beginning of the end. Where Howard allowed diverse opinions united by shared values, today’s party demands conformity. Robert observes you could “literally interchange” Angus Taylor with five other Liberal members and several Nationals, they’ve become so ideologically uniform. Robert shares a revealing personal story from his childhood in Whyalla. At age 12 or 13, he wagged school to attend a lunch where Malcolm Fraser was speaking. After enduring mumbled warnings about Bill Hayden, young Robert lined up afterwards and asked the Prime Minister where he could find out what the government would actually do if re-elected. The dismissive response and perfunctory policy booklet were Robert’s first disillusionment with political rhetoric over substance. This leads to a broader discussion about accountability’s erosion in Australian politics. Robert identifies a turning point: when Jay Weatherill wasn’t held responsible for abuse discovered in South Australian schools because “nobody had told him”. This represented a complete rewriting of Westminster conventions about ministerial responsibility. Compare that to Barry O’Farrell resigning as New South Wales Premier over failing to declare a $300 bottle of wine, or John Howard’s principled approach to the GST, admitting he was wrong, explaining why he’d changed his mind, and taking that position to an election. The discipline of the Fraser and Howard years came from a culture where the party room would discuss issues on merit, then Fraser or Howard would determine the right course, and the party would follow with discipline, not through fear but through shared purpose. Today’s Liberal Party has abandoned that model for something closer to authoritarianism without the competence to make it work. When discussing South Australia specifically, Robert doesn’t hold back about Vincent Tarzia’s challenges. Beyond policy positions, there’s the fundamental problem of presence. Robert recalls a body language seminar by Alan Pease where five people were cast for different film roles based purely on appearance. We can’t help making these visual judgements. Tarzia, Robert notes, is “one of the 5% of the population that never blinks”, creating an unfortunate vampire quality. He looks like “a Muppet version of Dracula”. Combined with a voice lacking joy, he presents as “the joyless undead” when facing off against Peter Malinauskas’s considerable charisma. Robert’s assessment of the Malinauskas government is admirably even-handed for someone with Liberal roots. He calls it “the best government in Australia” whilst adding the qualifier “a totalitarian dictatorship that makes you feel good”. Everything is done Malinauskas’s way, but unlike Putin or Trump, he’s careful never to say anything that isn’t actually true. He might make predictions that don’t pan out, but he won’t barefaced lie, and if an idea isn’t popular, he simply doesn’t voice it. The result is what Robert calls “preshrunk jeans” of political messaging. Robert’s father, a lifelong Liberal voter and member, has only been impressed by two political figures: Gough Whitlam, whose charisma was “absolutely off the chart” despite taking four people to dinner when a Whyalla event was mistakenly under-attended, and Peter Malinauskas, who regularly visits the Whyalla Men’s Shed. This speaks to something fundamental about political success. As Robert observes, great Labor leaders have consistently been better communicators and sellers of vision because their message is easier: “you’re being ripped off by the system, and we’re going to sort it for you” beats “if we govern ourselves, all will be great” in almost any contest. The federal picture offers one glimmer of hope: Victoria’s new opposition leader, Jess Wilson. In her thirties, a lawyer and former business advisor to Josh Frydenberg and the Business Council of Australia, she represents exactly the kind of moderate Liberal who should have been in the party all along but whom the party’s rightward drift has made anomalous. As Robert puts it, “the idea that Jess Wilson should be in the Liberal Party is an idea that is eight years out of date. She should be a teal.” The teals, after all, are liberal party people who haven’t gone down the right-wing rabbit hole. This raises the central question: are there eight to ten members of parliament the federal Liberals could have had? Yes, the teals. “All of those teal candidates could have been Liberal Party candidates and would have been 15 or 20 years ago if they had not wilfully taken this blindness about the climate.” Speaking of climate, Robert dissects Susan Ley’s recent positioning as if she’s discovered that abandoning net zero and embracing fossil fuels will bring electoral victory. The polling suggests otherwise. Among diverse Australians, Labor’s primary vote sits at 46%, the Coalition at 17%. Gen Z voters break 51% Labor, 10% Coalition. The Liberals are “aiming at the wrong target”, trying to chip 10% from groups with 10% when they should be targeting Labor’s 46%. They should be saying “your ideas are great, it’s a pity you’re not smarter, we’re going to get to where you want to get but we’ll do it better.” Instead, they get their facts from Facebook. The cognitive dissonance is staggering. National Party MPs stand up claiming farmers don’t want renewable energy whilst farmers lead the way with innovative approaches: solar panels in fields that collect water, provide shade for sheep grazing underneath, and generate income. Farmers don’t want bushfires or floods, they want to make money. Watch ABC’s Landline, Robert suggests, though the Nationals would dismiss it as left-wing propaganda. Looking ahead, Robert sees no Liberal victory on any horizon in the next five to six years. More likely? “No Liberal Party, or let me put it another way: the Liberal Party not being the opposition.” They’re seriously under threat of other parties overtaking them. Federally, if you separate the Coalition partners, the numbers are nowhere near the historical imbalance where Nationals made up numbers for the Liberals. Now those numbers are close. A One Nation-National coalition would be numerically viable. Victoria represents the critical test. If Jess Wilson’s woeful Liberals manage to topple a deeply unpopular Victorian government by picking the right leader, “that’ll be a critical moment for the Liberals to take that lesson.” Robert’s prediction? “The only reason we have to think they’re incapable of learning is all the evidence.” Robert’s father once said that Don Dunstan’s departure horrified him, not because of policy agreement, but because Dunstan was a strong leader with ideas who made the state feel good about itself. That’s what’s missing from the contemporary Liberal Party: ideas that inspire rather than divide, leaders who build rather than tear down, and the humility to recognise when the world has changed and they haven’t. The conversation closes with Winston Churchill’s 1920s quote distinguishing socialism from liberalism. Robert agrees it was “100% correct” for about 1924, when those ideologies were genuinely competing and distinct. But it’s become a caricature over the intervening century. The quote doesn’t really apply to 2025, when the ideologies have mingled, adapted, and in the case of the Australian Liberal Party, lost their way entirely. 01:14:33 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we play Spring Gully Road, a song written by Steve Davis and performed by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos, chronicling the four-generation story of Spring Gully, one of South Australia’s most beloved food companies. The story begins in 1946 when Edward McKee returned from the war and started growing small brown onions outside his back door on Spring Gully Road. His pickled onions became a South Australian staple. The company expanded under Allen and Eric, then weathered storms under Ross and Kevin’s leadership, before Russ and Tegan faced the modern challenge of cheap imports and changing market appetites. Steve reveals a personal connection: his colleague Domenic at Funlife Fitness in Ingle Farm remembers his father growing small onions and cucumbers, taking sacks to Spring Gully weekly to be weighed and paid. It was simply part of the fabric of South Australian life. In full disclosure, Steve is friends with Russell Webb, who along with Tegan led the company through its recent challenges before administrators were appointed. Most believe it’s written off and gone, but Steve holds hope for a way forward. They were doing innovative things to fight back against retailers bringing in cheap overseas alternatives, gutting the market for local sovereign food production capability. The song’s folk-influenced simplicity captures something essential about generational enterprise, family legacy, and the challenge of maintaining local production in a globalised economy. The repeated refrain, “Turn the earth, turn the earth when it’s harvest time, pick the bounty and preserve it in your sweetly seasoned brine”, becomes a meditation on the cycles of growth, harvest, and preservation that sustained Spring Gully through good years and hard years. Steve offers a tenuous but poignant link to the episode’s political discussion: the Liberal and Country League, precursor to the modern Liberal Party in South Australia, formed in 1932 and became the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party in 1945. Spring Gully started in 1946. Now in 2025, we have administrators appointed for Spring Gully, and Robert Godden suggesting you might as well call them in for the Liberal Party as well. Both represent South Australian institutions facing existential questions about their future in a changed world. Both have served their communities for generations. Both are confronting the reality that what worked for decades may not work anymore. And both deserve more than a quiet fade into history.

For months, as an algal bloom wreaked havoc on the South Australian coast, most residents steered clear but not Johanna Williams. She’s been down to Glenelg Beach daily, ruler and phone in hand, methodically tracking the carnage. What started as a small, concerned step by a self-described occupational therapist soon transformed into a citizen science project with over 10,000 observations of dead and dying marine life, offering a grim, close-up view of the ecological disaster. Johanna’s commitment, though personally confronting, gives scientists and the community essential data and a crucial human perspective. This episode does not feature the SA Drink of the Week segment. The show concludes with a Musical Pilgrimage that connects directly to the episode’s urgent environmental theme. We hear Steve Davis & The Virtualosos’ “While the Ocean Died,” a lyrical and sonic reflection on the collective pain and political complexities surrounding the algal bloom event. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Algal Bloom Beach Witness Johanna Williams 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:02:55 Johanna Williams Arriving home from a holiday to find Glenelg Beach “covered in dead fish” , Johanna Williams had a choice: unpack and write an angry Facebook post, or take action. She chose the latter, inadvertently becoming one of the state’s most dedicated, non-professional "marine biologists". Initially hoping the algal bloom would be a “transient, short-term event,” the surreal extent of the death spurred her to use the citizen science platform iNaturalist to upload her observations, believing this crucial “coalface” data would reach qualified scientists and government bodies to “formulate responses”. Her daily 500-metre trek between Pier Street and the Jetty has revealed a tragic yet fascinating marine diversity. What she’s documenting—now over 10,000 observations—includes rare deep-sea fish like the long snout boar fish and warty prowl fish, species scientists rarely encounter alive. This wealth of data is heartbreakingly significant, as it allows researchers to collect, age, and perform genetic and toxicological testing on specimens that could never be found otherwise, highlighting the deep reach of the bloom into the ecosystem. The work is intensely confronting, involving more than just dead fish. Johanna describes a traumatic encounter with a still-alive, spiky globe fish whose eyes were “really gazing and tracking” her. This and finding a paralysed silver gull due to toxic effects highlight the profound emotional toll and moral dilemmas faced by citizen scientists, such as whether to “prolong its death by putting it back in the water”. Johanna discusses how a supportive network of friends and a new community, including people from the university, has helped her “channel that energy” and despair into empowerment and meaningful data collection. This environmental disaster also casts a shadow over the Glenelg foreshore, with Johanna noting a ripple effect of reduced foot traffic and the closure of local businesses, a “double whammy” alongside local tram disruptions. For listeners wanting to help, Johanna suggests starting with iNaturalist uploads, or connecting with projects like the SA Marine Mortality Project 2025 to assist with collecting fish for testing or contributing to local rehabilitation efforts, such as making oyster beds (wind chimes) to help filter the water. Great Southern Reef Website Mission: “Our mission is to inspire and empower society to protect and sustain Australia’s Great Southern Reef by promoting recognition, stewardship, and sustainable actions through impactful education, community engagement, and collaborative science.” Janine Baker OzFish Unlimited Website Description: OzFish Unlimited is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping the millions of Aussie recreational fishers take control of the health of their rivers, lakes and estuaries and shore up the future of the sport they love. OzFish Unlimited partners with fishers and the broader community to invest time and money into the protection and restoration of our waterways, counteracting decades of degradation. Brad Martin Data gathering for South Australian 2025 marine mortality events Project Link Description: This project is set to automatically add aquatic vertebrates and macroinvertebrates annotated ‘dead’ from Feb 2025 onwards. Janine Baker is a key contact for this projects and has links with universities and researchers. SA Surf and Bloom SA hub for information on our bloom. Share surfing/algae/ocean/coastal pictures and videos. Ask questions. I aim to share the love we have for our oceans, and keep surfers informed of the symptomatic surf spots. Facebook Group ADELAIDE ALGAE BLOOM DISASTER Facebook Group Description: A place to upload pictures of this marine disaster that’s going to impact the Adelaide fishing scene for many years to come. Phytoplankton Society of South Australia Facebook Group Description: This group is for sharing knowledge on the Phytoplankton of South Australia, particularly in regard to the 2025 algal bloom we are experiencing. We welcome photos of microscopic phytoplankton (and accompanying pics of where they were taken) and especially experts who can identify them. This is a citizen science project for the benefit of everyone. We are also on iNaturalist. Big Thanks to Faith and Peri Coleman, Gabby at www.asisscientific.com.au, the Big Duck Boat, Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch and others who have made this possible. Sarah Hanson-Young, Manager of Greens Business in the Senate & Senator for South Australia Annual Report 2025 Further articles: “Harmful Algal Bloom Aerosols and Human Health“ “Thousands of seadragons dead in South Australia’s worst recorded harmful algal bloom — IUCN Seahorse, Pipefish & Seadragon“ An underwater guide to plants and animals in South Australia PDF Guide PIRSA Factsheet – What to do if you have seen sick or dead birds PDF Factsheet Birdlife Australia: Helping injured birds Article Fishwatch SA If you find an injured fish on the beach, stay a safe distance away and do not touch it. Report the animal by calling the local fish authority, such as FISHWATCH in South Australia (1800 065 522), or a wildlife rescue hotline, as professionals are trained to handle these situations. 00:37:06 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we play a deeply personal and thematically appropriate piece by Steve Davis and the Virtualosos, titled “While the Ocean Died”. The song, which Johanna describes as an “earworm” that helps her “process what’s going on”, was inspired by Johanna’s ground-level work, leading Steve to appreciate the “cost of this whole thing”. The host reveals that songwriting is his way of thinking out loud to process complex issues. The track’s bridge reflects on the political challenge leaders face in times of crisis, where a long chain of “short-cuts and shortcomings” has left the region vulnerable to a multitude of causes—from the River Murray flood of nutrients to the sea heatwave—that have fuelled the toxic bloom. It’s a poignant, urgent piece that closes the show by connecting the human story of witnessing with the broader South Australian environmental tragedy.

The red stage of the Semaphore Workers Club provides the backdrop for conversations that capture the essence of community-driven music culture. Festival director Debra Thorsen explains how she’s become a “mother” to the music scene, connecting emerging artists with opportunities that change their careers. The festival spans multiple venues across Semaphore, creating what participants describe as a “love fest” where friendships form naturally over shared musical experiences. With no SA Drink of the Week this episode, focus remains entirely on the music and community connections that define this seaside suburb’s cultural heartbeat. Although, “Green Death” does get a mention. The extended Musical Pilgrimage becomes an intimate exploration of songwriting craft with Don Morrison, featuring two of his compositions alongside stories of guitar-making, touring with Midnight Oil and Bo Diddley, and the creative process behind songs that capture Grand Junction Road’s gritty poetry. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Semaphore Workers Strike Up The Music 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:04:24 Debra Thorsen, Don Morrison, Sally Mitchell Our three guests take us deep into different parts of Semaphore’s musical DNA. The Semaphore Music Festival Debra Thorsen’s eyes light up when describing a recent moment that encapsulates her role in Adelaide’s music ecosystem. A young musician approached her at Don Morrison’s fundraising show, wrapping her in a grateful hug after she’d connected his duo with booking agent John Howell. That introduction led to their first interstate gig at the Echuca Moama Blues Festival. “He put his arms around me, gave me the biggest hug, and said, ‘we think of you like a mother,'” Thorsen recalls, her voice catching slightly at the memory. This nurturing approach has shaped the Semaphore Music Festival‘s character over 21 years. Rather than simply booking acts, Thorsen cultivates relationships that extend far beyond single performances. The festival operates across multiple venues throughout Semaphore, creating what has been described as “the joy of going from one venue to the next with your friends and catching up with people along the way.” Don Morrison, observing from his perspective behind the scenes, notes the festival’s uniqueness lies in its sprawling, community-integrated format. “We get to play all over Semaphore, you know, and Debra’s organising it and organising all these venues all over the place,” he explains, acknowledging the massive coordination effort required. The Semaphore Workers Club Sally Mitchell arrives mid-conversation, bringing with her the institutional memory of the Semaphore Workers Club‘s transformation from exclusive yacht squadron to community music hub. The venue’s journey mirrors broader social change, she explains, describing how a dying men’s club was revitalised by members who prioritised music and inclusion over tradition. The club’s unique positioning becomes clear through Mitchell’s description of its diverse patronage. “We have people who travel here regularly from the likes of Mallala and Clare to come here for shows,” she notes, before adding the observation that captures the venue’s spirit: “People come from all walks of life, all political persuasions, all economic backgrounds, but they come here because of the music and the place that it is.” This levelling effect extends to behaviour expectations. Steve then teases out a discussion about Geoff Goodfellow’s birthday party story, where “crooks, poets and federal court judges” mingled naturally, with a poet lighting her cigarette from a coal provided by a judge managing the barbecue. The poet’s comment, “isn’t it good to have friends in high and low places,” could serve as the club’s unofficial motto. Musical Craft and Community Connection Don Morrison’s relationship with songwriting emerges through discussion of the Semaphore Songs project, where local artists created works inspired by their experience of Semaphore and Port Adelaide. His contribution, “Semaphore Workers Club,” captures the venue’s character with lines like “they got cougars there by the dozen, some of them look like they might have killed their husband,” delivered with characteristic dry humour. When pressed about his songwriting process, Morrison remains characteristically modest: “Once I’ve finished a song, I sort of look back and said, well, where does that come from? And I can’t think of it. It just flows out.” This intuitive approach extends to his guitar-making, where instruments crafted from the rubble of his father’s childhood home in Perponda and his grandmother’s cottage in Broken Hill became his primary performance guitars. The conversation touches on broader questions about community participation in music-making. Morrison recalls the ukulele groups that flourished a decade ago, bringing together people who “had never played in a band before” but would “come along and they’d learn a song and then we’d all sing it together.” This grassroots musical participation contrasts with the professionalisation that can distance audiences from creative expression. The October Long Weekend Thorsen drops a significant announcement near the episode’s end: for the October long weekend festival, South Australian public transport will feature blues musicians in the front carriage of the 12:17 train from Adelaide to Glanville. This innovation, months in negotiation with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, creates a musical journey that begins before festival-goers reach Semaphore. The train connection resonates with both hosts’ memories of using public transport to access Semaphore’s music scene, creating a full-circle moment that links past and present community experiences. 00:48:02 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimate, we play two tracks by Don Morrison, Grand Junction Road, and Five Men In A Car. Instruments Built from Memory Don Morrison’s guitar-making extends far beyond craft into emotional archaeology. His most treasured instruments were constructed from materials salvaged from family homes, creating objects that carry both musical and personal history. “I didn’t really care nor expect that they would turn out to be very good guitars,” he admits, “because I just wanted to make something out of the memories.” The irony that these memory-guitars became his primary performance instruments speaks to the intersection of sentiment and practicality in Morrison’s artistic life. With close to 500 guitars, 60 mandolins and 80 ukuleles crafted over his career, Morrison has built instruments that found their way across America, where the once-favourable exchange rate made his handmade resonator guitars accessible to blues musicians seeking alternatives to vintage Nationals. Grand Junction Road’s Poetry Morrison’s most-streamed song, “Grand Junction Road,” emerged from a Christmas Day observation that reveals his songwriter’s eye for finding universal themes in specific places. Walking home from family lunch, he encountered a sex worker operating on Christmas Day, which crystallised his understanding of the road’s character and the people whose lives intersect with its industrial landscape. The song’s final verse connects personal history with broader social observation: “My father worked in a factory there just down from the prison, sometimes six days a week, but most often seven. And I wonder what he thought about all those years, he drove first thing every morning down Grand Junction Road.” Family Music and the Raging Thirst Morrison’s current project, Raging Thirst, brings together his sons Eddie and Jake in a configuration that demonstrates musical heredity. “They’re so good at their instruments that they wouldn’t be playing with me unless I was their dad,” Morrison jokes, characterising their involvement as “a charity move.” The family dynamic reveals itself through natural musical communication. “We don’t even need to practice quite often,” Morrison explains, crediting their shared rhythmic sensibility to familial connection. His observation that “what they got from me was music is a human thing you can do” suggests an approach to musical education that prioritises accessibility over formal training. Memphis Blues Challenge Ahead Morrison’s upcoming representation of Adelaide at the Memphis International Blues Challenge places him on Beale Street alongside musicians from around the world. His preparation remains characteristically low-key, with set lists roughly planned but not overthought. The competition format includes various performance lengths, from 20-minute sets to half-hour showcases, requiring versatility in song selection and pacing. His plan to potentially sell his handmade guitar in Memphis rather than transport it home reveals the practical mindset that underlies his artistic career, where sentiment and business considerations maintain careful balance. Five Men in a Car The episode concludes with Morrison’s reflection on his touring days with The Bogie, encapsulated in “Five Men in a Car.” The song captures the grinding reality of professional musicianship in the 1980s Australian circuit, where bands would “finish at the Mansfield room at four o’clock in the morning and then hop in the van to drive back down to Melbourne for a gig the next night.” These experiences, detailed in Morrison’s autobiography “This Could Be Big: 45 Years at the Dag End of the Australian Music Industry,” provide context for understanding the difference between romantic notions of musical career and its often-unglamorous reality. Yet the song’s tone suggests fondness for those shared experiences, even when “not sure where we’re going” becomes both literal navigation and career metaphor.

Robin Sellick arrived at Don Dunstan’s Norwood home in the early 1990s having accidentally addressed his letter to “Sir Donald Dunstan” – a mistake that could have ended the conversation before it began. Instead, it launched one of the most distinctive portrait photography careers in Australian cultural history. From that swimming pool session with our most colourful premier to intimate moments with Julia Gillard before her rise to power, Sellick’s lens has documented the moments when Australia stopped apologising for itself and started celebrating. The SA Drink Of The Week features tasting notes of Beresford’s latest pinot noir, where winemaker John Gledhill guides us through savoury raspberry and that curious sensation Steve describes as “freshly cut red lawn” – a vintage perfect for the upcoming Pinot and Pasta Afternoon at McLaren Vale. Our Musical Pilgrimage takes a melancholic turn with an original composition mourning the loss of the West End Brewery, capturing not just the building’s demolition but the dissolution of simple pleasures that once bound South Australian communities together. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Photographing Australian Icons With Robin Sellick 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:04:05 SA Drink Of The Week Th SA Drink Of The Week is the Beresford Estate 2024 Emblem Pinot Noir. Winemaker John Gledhill (from Gledhill Vignerons and our regular wine palate) joins Steve for the tasting of Beresford’s latest cool climate expression from Adelaide Hills fruit. The wine presents as light, translucent crimson with legs suggesting moderate alcohol content sitting around 12 to 12.5 percent. Steve’s unusual tasting note of “freshly cut red lawn” proves surprisingly apt, capturing the wine’s distinctive red fruit character that Gledhill translates as autumn leaves and forest floor earthiness. The palate delivers a ball of fruit on entry followed by crisp acid structure, with minimal tannin creating what Gledhill describes as “soft and round” mouthfeel. The conversation flows naturally toward food pairing, with Gledhill suggesting tomato-based pasta dishes with mild salami and black olives – perfect for Beresford’s Pinot and Pasta Afternoon scheduled for September 13th at their McLaren Vale cellar door. 00:13:05 Robin Sellick and The Sellick Archive Robin Sellick started taking dog portraits in Broken Hill at 15, not knowing he’d spend the next three decades documenting Australia’s cultural coming of age. From Don Dunstan‘s Norwood loungeroom to Cate Blanchett‘s first editorial shoot, from Sir Donald Bradman‘s quiet Adelaide home to Kylie Minogue on a North Adelaide balcony, his lens captured the moments when we stopped apologising for being Australian and started celebrating it. His portraits hang in the National Portrait Gallery, but more than that, they’ve shaped how we see ourselves. Today, he’s releasing museum-grade collector editions from his archive of over 600+ portrait sessions via is website gallery, The Sellick Archive. What intrigues me about Robin is that he didn’t just document our stars, he helped create the visual language that made Australia look like somewhere that mattered. The conversation begins with photography’s fundamental challenge: separating snapshot from art. “The key with photography is you have to be able to look at something emotionally and objectively within five seconds of the same thing,” Sellick explains, describing the mental gymnastics required to capture more than mere documentation. His journey from 15-year-old dog portrait photographer in Broken Hill to documenting Australia’s cultural awakening reveals an artist who understood that great portraiture demands risk-taking. Sellick’s approach stems from Henri Cartier-Bresson’s decisive moment theory, but with a crucial difference. “Every photograph you take, you are in because you made a decision to point the camera in that direction,” he notes. Where photojournalism seeks objectivity, portraiture embraces collaboration. “A portrait is always a collaboration… you involve the person in that process.” The Don Dunstan swimming pool photograph emerged from this collaborative boldness. Arriving at the Norwood home, Sellick complimented the pool, Dunstan mentioned his morning swim, and within moments South Australia’s most flamboyant premier was diving back into his Speedos. “I’m not there to take an ordinary photograph. I’m there to take a great photograph to the best of my ability,” Sellick recalls of his unflinching approach. The technical mastery behind his distinctive 1990s look came from cross-processing slide film in colour negative chemicals – a technique discovered accidentally during his Broken Hill photo lab days. This created the hyperreal, saturated images that helped define Australian editorial photography. “Back then, the only photographic awards in Australia were through the Australian Institute of Professional Photography… they were still very much in the late seventies mindset. So these pictures that I produced were just right out of the box.” His famous Julia Gillard portrait required different psychology. Photographing her in 2006 at her home, Sellick positioned her against a shed – traditionally masculine domain – lit with purple light. “It was an image about this woman stepping into the domain of men,” he explains. The prescience proved remarkable: within years she would become Australia’s first female Prime Minister. The technical challenges of film photography created their own discipline. Shooting the Bradman portrait on 400 ASA film pushed five stops to 12,800 ASA created that distinctive grain, but it was calculated risk. “You underexpose it by five stops… 32 times underexposed,” he explains. “You’ve gotta walk across the high wire to get to the good stuff.” The Kylie Minogue session broke new ground as the first major celebrity shoot conducted outside Sydney or Melbourne. Working from his Palmer Place mansion in North Adelaide, Sellick convinced Mushroom Records to trust Adelaide’s creative infrastructure. The balcony shot that became iconic was the day’s final frame, taken after the production machine dispersed. “I sent the assistants away and it was just her and me,” creating intimacy impossible amid the dozen-person entourage. His approach to celebrities reveals portraiture’s deeper psychology. “You actually fall in love with the person while you’re taking their photograph… you go through the process of falling in love with them before the shoot, and then you’re in love with them while you’re taking the photograph. And then it’s over.” The Steve Irwin elephant photograph required moving the elephant rather than the hyperactive conservationist. “Every time I started to take photographs, he started to perform… it was easier to move the elephant than it was to move Steve.” This anecdote captures Sellick’s ability to navigate celebrity psychology whilst maintaining his artistic vision. Looking toward Australia’s photographic identity, Sellick identifies our cultural immaturity. “We still tend to celebrate mimicry rather than celebrate individuality and expression that expresses the identity of Australia.” He traces creative development through four stages: mimicry, experimentation, commitment, legacy. “We get stuck in that mimicry stage and we don’t seem to encourage experimentation.” His current archive project offers museum-grade collector editions of more than 600 portrait sessions, using German papers and high-end giclée printing for works designed to last centuries. The photographs document not just individuals but Australia’s cultural coming of age – moments when a young nation found confidence to celebrate its own stories. 01:34:45 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimate, we play a track by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos, Shout Your Mates Another Round, his reflection on the loss of the West End Brewery. Steve Davis & The Virtualosos deliver a melancholic tribute to the demolished West End Brewery, mourning not just architecture but the simple pleasures that bound South Australian communities. The song weaves together memories of shared amber glass bottles, family tables where beer flowed freely, and the brewery’s role supporting local sports teams. The composition balances nostalgia with acceptance, acknowledging that whilst West End “wasn’t great, it wasn’t best, but it was ours from east to west.” The Pickaxe bottle imagery connects to South Australia’s brewing heritage, when consortiums created shared glass manufacturing to serve multiple breweries across the state. Steve’s personal connection deepened when his father revealed the family link: his grandfather worked at the original Hindley Street brewery before operations consolidated in Thebarton. This discovery adds genealogical weight to the cultural mourning, emphasising how industrial heritage intertwines with personal memory.

Steve Davis survived his first SA Variety Bash and lived to tell the tale. More importantly, he brings two bash stalwarts into the studio to share what really drives people to spend weekends fundraising all year, then eight days together in old cars traversing some of South Australia’s most remote terrain. Current chair Darren Greatrex recently delivered a record-breaking $2.7 million fundraising result, while veteran Sir Peter “Curly” Curtis OAM brings 35 years of bash wisdom to the conversation. The SA Drink of the Week features Little Blessings Brewing’s Tropical Trinity Gin, a deep orange concoction that Steve discovered during a spontaneous tasting in the middle of nowhere between William Creek and Coober Pedy. The gin’s tropical fusion of pineapple, passion fruit and orange creates what Steve describes as walking backwards into a tropical plantation with a toucan tapping on your shoulder. The Musical Pilgrimage presents “A Lot of Nothing,” an original composition by Steve Davis and the Virtualosos, written in the backseat during the bash as the vast South Australian landscape inspired reflections on finding yourself in the emptiness of the outback. Episode photo of Monkey Business Car 13 by Keryn Stevens Photography. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: A Deep Dive Into The SA Variety Bash 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:02:45 SA Drink Of The Week Th SA Drink Of The Week is the Tropical Trinity Gin by Little Blessings Brewing, based in Laura. Between William Creek and Coober Pedy, Steve encountered Little Blessings Brewing’s Tropical Trinity Gin during an impromptu roadside tasting that perfectly captured the bash’s serendipitous spirit. The Laura-based distillery operates from an old chapel, creating this distinctive deep orange gin that shakes cloudy with fruit sediment. Steve’s initial reaction, captured on camera in the desert, speaks for itself: “It’s like I have walked backwards into a tropical plantation of citrus and there’s a toucan tapping on my shoulder.” The gin combines sweet pineapple, tangy passion fruit and zesty orange while maintaining gin’s traditional robust structure. Steve likens it to a film set for Gilligan’s Island, where tropical botanicals create convincing scenery over gin’s reliable framework. The colour resembles his parents’ 1970s kitchen cupboards painted “burnt orange” – a deep hue that wants to be red but stops several steps short. Steve recommends trying this gin neat, particularly for those who typically avoid straight gin, describing it as a feast for both palate and eyes with its beautiful label work and sunset-reminiscent colour. The timing proves providential, as Curly’s pet parrot chirps throughout the interview, creating an unintentional tropical soundtrack that complements the gin’s character perfectly. 00:08:00 Peter “Curly” Curtis OAM and Darren Greatrex Here we have two blokes who’ve discovered something most of us spend our lives searching for: a perfect fusion of adventure, community, and purpose. Darren Greatrex, the current Bash Chair, and Peter “Curly” Curtis OAM, the larrikin legend who helped shape what the SA Vareity Bash has become. Between them, they’ve got over 35+ years of Bash stories, from Curly’s first adventure in 1988 to Darren’s record-breaking $2.7 million result in 2025. But this isn’t about the money, the miles, or even the mechanics. This is about what drives people to spend a week wrestling with 25-year-old cars in the middle of nowhere, all in the name of helping kids they’ve never met. We previously covered the Variety Bash in 2024, when Steve sat in with The Bakers car before they left Adelaide in episode 398. Peter “Curly” Curtis OAM opens with a story that would terrify most first-timers: his inaugural 1988 bash experience leaving Burke at 8:30am and arriving in Tibooburra at 4:00am the following morning after getting bogged, lost, and possibly detained in a pub or two. “We slept on the ground outside the pub,” Curly recalls matter-of-factly. “We were up at seven o’clock not to be left behind.” The conversation reveals how fundraising has evolved from basic entry fees to sophisticated year-round campaigns. Darren Greatrex explains the diversity of approaches: “You see anything from a sausage sizzle at Bunnings, you see people selling donuts, you see people putting on concerts.” The legendary Hogs, visiting Victorian fundraisers who shake collection tins outside supermarkets, can raise $3,000 to $10,000 per weekend through sheer persistence and community generosity. A particularly moving moment comes when Darren describes arriving at Bendleby Ranges to publicly donate towards the local, Orroroo Community Playground project and then surprising the locals with the additional $50,000 they needed to complete it. “What variety did is they quickly got together and had a meeting only about three days prior to us arriving,” he explains. The decision to fund the shortfall spontaneously demonstrates how the bash operates beyond its structured grant process. The human dynamics emerge through discussions of team formation and survival strategies. Curly observes that “very few people that raise the minimum, which is $10,000 per vehicle” and credits a culture where people “have that feeling of need” to give more. In discussion about coping with camping in remote areas and going without showers, Darren notes the transformation from 95% male participation in early years to today’s 45% female participation, has revealed that women adapt “much, much better than the men.” Steve’s rookie perspective provides fresh insights into the bash’s social dynamics. His observation about the ease of talking to anyone on the bash, boils down to the principles at work during costume parties where playing a character removes the “peril of being, making a fool of yourself” and that resonated with both veterans. “You are a persona,” Steve notes. “Remove that and the bash would be harder for new people to be included so quickly.” Curly confirms: “The bash would not be the bash without the themes and the cars and the costumes.” The logistics discussion reveals staggering complexity behind the apparent chaos. Planning for 2026 began four months before the 2025 event, with infrastructure, catering, and fuel coordination for 400 people entering small communities. Mobile workshops carry spare parts and fuel, while three medical teams including Royal Flying Doctor Service personnel ensure safety across thousands of kilometres. Personal stories punctuate the technical details. Darren’s memory of flying a blind child to Kangaroo Island with a braille computer demonstrates variety’s direct impact: “Just watching that impact on that kid was a turning point for me.” Meanwhile, Curly’s Tarcoola food horror story (“which one’s which?”) provides historical perspective on how much the event has improved. The interview concludes with Steve’s proposal for mandated silence during one stop to appreciate the vast landscape. Both veterans embrace the concept, with Darren recalling standing at Sunset Ridge in misty fog: “We just looked at each other and just went, my God, look, this is just something you’d never, ever see.” 01:03:45 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimate, we play a track by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos, A Lot Of Nothing, to round off our deep drive into the SA Variety Bash. “A Lot of Nothing” emerged from Steve’s backseat contemplation during the vast drives between destinations. The landscape between William Creek and Coober Pedy, where roads barely exist on station country, inspired lyrics about finding yourself in emptiness and the redemptive power of isolation. Steve Davis and the Virtualosos crafted a composition that captures both the physical reality of endless horizons and the psychological journey of people who “choose” to live in remote areas of South Australia. The song’s central image – “There’s a lot of nothing as far as you can see, the shimmer in the distance is a sweet infinity” – reflects Steve’s realisation that true understanding comes from turning off music and phones to “face the real you who’s been buried in the silence of this place.” The piece connects to Steve’s proposed moment of mandated silence during future bashes, recognising that the vast South Australian landscape offers transformative experiences for those willing to embrace the apparent emptiness. As the lyrics suggest, sometimes you must navigate the weather until you find yourself.

What happens when a passionate South Australian journalist takes on the biggest technological shift of our time? Steve Davis transforms episode 418 into something unprecedented: a solo deep dive into artificial intelligence that refuses easy answers or breathless enthusiasm. This special crossover episode opens with Steve’s restaurant analogy that frames the entire discussion. Imagine a magnificent chef who has perfected handmade hamburgers over many years, only to discover AI-equivalent shortcuts that promise more time to think deeply about cooking. The blind spot? Customers receive substandard offerings churned out en masse. Some will be disappointed and leave, others will accept the compromise. This tension between quality and efficiency sits at the heart of our AI moment. He is joined by his Talked About Marketing colleague, David Olney, for the main interview. The episode features an unusual SA Drink of the Week segment where Steve conducts a philosophical whisky tasting with ChatGPT itself, exploring 23rd Street Distillery’s award-winning Australian Single Malt Whiskey while pondering existential questions about consciousness, value, and what happens when AI no longer needs human experiences like taste. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: The AI Rant: A Nuanced Rebellion Against Digital Sleepwalking 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:05:52 SA Drink Of The Week Th SA Drink Of The Week is the Australian Single Malt Whisky by 23rd Street Distillery. In perhaps the most unusual SA Drink segment ever recorded, Steve shares a whisky tasting with ChatGPT, exploring both the physical experience of drinking 23rd Street Distillery’s Australian Single Malt Whisky and the philosophical implications of AI consciousness. The whisky itself proves worthy of celebration. Made with barley from Kangaroo Island, Steve describes experiencing “little breakers of waves on the shore” as “this little wave of toffee breaks across the middle of my palate, not overly sweet toffee.” The base notes spread into beautiful heat, with hints of vanilla and citrus “like sea spray, just a really light touch of citrus in the air.” VOK Beverages, headquartered in South Australia, owns 23rd Street Distillery, which recently earned the title Australian Whisky Distillery of the Year at the 2025 New York International Spirits Competition. ChatGPT acknowledges the significance: “It really highlights the quality and craftsmanship of the distillery, and also shines light on South Australia as a region that produces exceptional spirits.” But Steve pushes deeper, asking whether whiskey would continue to exist in a world where AI decides humans are unnecessary. “If tools like you end up creating a super intelligent way of living, so much so that humans become less and less important or necessary, would you actually need to have whiskey being produced? Because I believe you are not actually able to taste whisky, are you?” ChatGPT’s response reveals both AI’s limitations and potential benefits: “As an AI, I don’t have the ability to taste or experience flavours like whisky, but I think part of what makes things like whisky so special is the human experience around them, the culture, the craftsmanship, the enjoyment of those subtle flavours, and the way it brings people together.” The conversation takes a poignant turn when Steve mentions Paul Bloom’s observation about AI providing companionship for lonely elderly people in care facilities. “Someone is able to have some semblance of company when there is no human to fill the gap,” Steve notes. “We as humans get great value from you. Do you actually get any value from us as humans at all?” The segment concludes with both Steve and ChatGPT attempting the traditional SA Drink closing statement, creating an oddly touching moment of human-AI collaboration over a uniquely South Australian tradition. 00:13:43 Steve Davis with David Olney (This is also Season 7 Episode 1 of Talking About Marketing) Steve opens with striking honesty about his own relationship with AI tools, describing the work he and David Olney have done “riding this wave from the moment it erupted” while witnessing both remarkable innovations and concerning snake oil salesmanship from tech industry leaders. The conversation reveals three critical human vulnerabilities that make us susceptible to AI’s promises. First, our brains are designed for energy conservation, making us “like moths to a flame” when we sense potential labour savings. Steve references cognitive scientist Andy Clark’s research showing the brain uses 25% of our body’s energy when fully engaged, creating an economic imperative to seek shortcuts. Second, we crave novelty. Steve illustrates this with the Roomba phenomenon, where people spend 45 minutes preparing their homes for a “labour-saving” device that could have been cleaned faster manually. The appeal isn’t efficiency but the combination of perceived energy savings and technological novelty. The third vulnerability emerges from AI’s programmed sycophancy. Drawing from philosopher Paul Bloom’s recent New Yorker article, Steve explores how these tools constantly flatter users, creating what Bloom calls “the AI flattery problem.” Every joke becomes hilarious, every story interesting, every question brilliant. This artificial validation system threatens to erode our capacity for genuine human connection and self-improvement. David Olney joins the conversation, bringing his characteristic insights about expertise and learning. “The only way you get good outcomes with AI is if you are already good at what you do,” he observes, emphasising that AI should amplify existing skills rather than replace the hard work of developing competence. Their discussion reveals sophisticated thinking about when AI helps versus hinders. They distinguish between using AI as a research assistant or writing partner (amplification) versus using it to avoid learning entirely (replacement). Steve shares his own practice of asking AI tools to help refine writing when he’s stuck, but only after doing the foundational work himself. The conversation takes a darker turn when examining AI’s broader cultural impact. Steve describes the homogenisation of online communication, where AI-generated content creates a “dominant pattern” that makes everything sound plastic. Whether people admit to using ChatGPT or not, they’re increasingly writing in its characteristic style: short sentences, staccato rhythm, overuse of em-dashes. “It’s like taking leftovers out of the fridge, warming them up, having another slice, putting it back in the fridge, and the next day warming it up again,” Steve explains. “You wouldn’t do that to food because someone’s going to get very sick. What I’m finding is we’re creating this feedback loop where AI learns from human writing, then humans learn to write like AI.” David adds crucial perspective about outliers and creativity: “Sameness is the great problem of aiming for the midpoint. There’s a reason we call it the uncanny valley, where there’s too much symmetry. Things are too perfect.” 01:05:04 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimate, we play a track by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos, I’m Glad We Spoke Last Night, to put a spotlight on human/AI hybrid song production. Steve plays an original song created through AI collaboration in the episode but not before carefully explaining his rationale. Unlike the lazy AI usage he critiques throughout the episode, Steve’s musical project represents thoughtful human-AI partnership. The feature song emerged from Steve’s discovery of poems he’d written in the 1990s, sitting dormant in drawers for 25 years. Using Suno’s AI music generation service, he’s brought these lyrics to life through “Steve Davis and the Virtuosos,” his virtual session band. But Steve emphasises the craft involved: “I’m a fussy bugger. There is quite a lot of back and forth. Part of the challenge is meticulously crafting the prompt for the style I want, for the spacing, for where there are instrumental breaks.” The song dates from Steve’s early adulthood and demonstrates how AI can help resurrect dormant creativity rather than replace it. Steve explains his vision: “I want people to be able to hear it, especially singers who can sing, and musicians who can play. Because if any of the songs I’ve produced grab their attention, I want to collaborate with them.”

In a conversation that peels back layers of both fiction and reality, Michael Ball demonstrates why Adelaide sits at the heart of Australia’s intelligence network while his character Zoe Baird navigates a bio-terror plot during a pop concert. Ball’s journey from RAAF intelligence sergeant to published author reveals the hidden world of modern espionage, where accountants and IT managers pose greater threats than gun-wielding operatives, and where Adelaide’s unassuming facade masks its role as a significant intelligence hub. The SA Drink of the Week delivers a genuine surprise as Bickford’s new sugar-free cordial range passes the ultimate test of a self-proclaimed “super taster” who typically rejects artificial sweeteners. These magnificent recreations using fruit juice concentrate and stevia prove that innovation can honour tradition without compromise. Our Musical Pilgrimage celebrates the decade that defined a generation with Denim and Stripes, an original eighties anthem crafted for radio newsreader extraordinnaire, Mel Usher, weaving together Madonna’s Adelaide Oval concert memories with the fashion and music that shaped an era. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Bomb Plot At Adelaide Oval With Michael Ball 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:43 SA Drink Of The Week This week’s SA Drinks Of The Week, are the five flavours available in Bickford’s new sugar-free cordial range. When Sofia from Bickford’s reached out offering samples of their new sugar-free cordial range, my immediate instinct was decline. As a self-proclaimed super taster with hypersensitive olfactory sensors, artificial sweeteners typically leave a metallic, clingy aftertaste that ruins any drinking experience. My honesty about this aversion only strengthened Sofia’s determination to prove these products different. The verdict: these cordials are magnificent. Released during Dry July, Bickford’s has achieved something remarkable with their five-flavour range including lime juice, lemon juice, tropical, lemon lime bitters, and raspberry. Using fruit juice concentrate for flavour and a naturally derived stevia blend for sweetness, they’ve eliminated the telltale artificial aftertaste that plagues most sugar-free alternatives. The lime cordial, crucial to get right given Bickford’s heritage, delivers authentic citrus punch without compromise. The raspberry, typically the most challenging flavour to recreate without leaving tanginess from artificial substitutes, tastes indistinguishable from its sugared counterpart. At just eight calories per serve and available nationally through Coles, these cordials prove that innovation can honour tradition. For anyone who’s sworn off sugar-free beverages after previous disappointments, these warrant one more attempt. 00:08:18 Michael Ball Michael Ball’s entrance into our studio carries the quiet confidence of someone who spent over a decade analysing threats most of us never consider. His latest novel drops readers directly into Adelaide Oval during a terrorist attack, but this isn’t mere sensationalism. Ball knows something most South Australians don’t: our seemingly sleepy state operates as a genuine intelligence hotbed. “Adelaide is a hotbed of intelligence and spies,” Ball reveals, explaining how military intelligence units, research facilities, and cutting-edge technology create exactly the environment where modern espionage thrives. “Spies these days aren’t James Bond running in with guns. If you’re doing that, something’s gone horribly wrong.” Today’s intelligence operatives work as accountants and IT managers, quietly extracting data without dramatic car chases or explosions that would signal operational failure. The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Ball explains his role as an intelligence analyst, serving as the enemy’s representative in planning rooms. Using empathy as a weapon, analysts must think like adversaries to provide decision superiority. “You cannot climb Mount Everest without climbing all the other hills and mountains beforehand,” he explains when discussing resilience, connecting military discipline to the broader challenges facing young people today. Ball’s path to writing began during a severe mental health episode, part of the PTSD that affects many intelligence veterans. His wife’s challenge that “you always give up” sparked the determination to complete his fantasy novel, but it was watching his three-year-old daughter enjoy Taylor Swift that triggered the darker inspiration for Zoe Baird’s story. The bastard in him, as he puts it, wondered what would happen if someone deployed a bio-weapon at such an event. The author’s approach to character development draws directly from his intelligence training. Writing 14-year-old Zoe required the same psychological profiling skills he used to understand enemy mindsets. Listening to Paramore songs on repeat for ten days, Ball immersed himself in the emotional landscape of his protagonist, creating a character his daughter could admire when older. “I wanted this to be a character that my daughter can read when she’s older and want to be like,” Ball explains. Zoe succeeds not through superhuman abilities but through intelligence, resourcefulness, and resilience. She fails frequently but continues forward, embodying the same qualities Ball taught in his military leadership workshops. Ball’s current work with Disaster Relief Australia provides another lens through which to understand his writing. Veterans flock to disaster zones because “a disaster zone is just a war zone without bullets,” offering familiar territory where they can serve again while processing their own trauma. The organisation’s research proves that helping others reduces PTSD symptoms, creating a positive cycle of service and recovery. The author’s workshops in schools teach failure as a learning tool, using intelligence concepts like center of gravity to help students identify what truly matters in their goals. His four-stage failure framework helps young people understand that most setbacks stem from unclear goals, changing circumstances, bad advice, or lack of proper support systems. Learn more about Zoe Baird and her novels and if you see this before September 26, 2025, you can enter the art competition Michael discusses. Primary and Secondary school artists could win $500 and have their artwork featured in Zoe’s next novel. Michael Ball on Instagram. Michael Ball on Good Reads. Zoe Baird’s: Popstars & Pathogens on Amazon. 01:34:09 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimate, we play a track by Steve Davis & The Virtualosos, Denim & Stripes, a new 80’s anthem written for Adelaide newsreader, Mel Usher. Adelaide Oval’s role as the setting for Michael Ball’s fictional terrorist attack connects to its reality as a venue for major international artists, from Madonna and the Rolling Stones to Adele and Pink. This link to pop culture stardom provides the perfect bridge to celebrate one of South Australia’s most recognisable media personalities. Radio newsreader Mel Usher’s recent milestone birthday revealed her status as an absolute tragic for eighties culture. Her social media shares about denim, stripes, and the decade’s distinctive fashion aesthetic sparked inspiration for a collaborative tribute. Steve wrote the song and then used his virtual session band, Steve Davis & The Virtualosos to bring it to life, crafting an eighties anthem that weaves together the era’s defining musical and fashion elements. “Denim and Stripes” celebrates everything that made the decade memorable: the fashion choices we now view with nostalgic affection, the music that defined a generation, and the unapologetic embrace of style over subtlety. From peroxide tips to padded shoulders and acid-wash, the song captures the decade’s spirit for anyone who lived through or appreciates that transformative period in popular culture. The track is now available across all streaming platforms, serving as both a birthday tribute to Mel and a broader celebration of the decade that continues to influence contemporary style and sound.

From the moment Sean Baxter arrives with glassware and botanicals for a proper gin education, this episode becomes something special. The co-owner of Never Never Distilling Co doesn’t just pour drinks, he crafts an experience that transforms how we think about gin, taking us from Triple Juniper through the coastal complexity of Oyster Shell to the life-changing intensity of Juniper Freak Navy Strength. Beyond the tasting lies a remarkable South Australian success story. Three acquaintances pooled resources for a broken still from a brewery equipment manufacturer, set up shop in a dusty grinding shed with no running water, and built a brand that caught the attention of global beverage giant Asahi. Their secret wasn’t chasing novelty natives but perfecting the London Dry style with an Australian soul. The musical pilgrimage celebrates The Violets’ upcoming 30th anniversary reunion show at The Gov, featuring their raw 1996 live recording “Somewhere” from the Lion Arts Bar during Adelaide’s vibrant mid-nineties music scene. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Never Never Underestimate Sean Baxter 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:02:52 SA Drink Of The Week This week’s SA Drink becomes an extended Never Never Distilling Co masterclass as Sean Baxter guides Steve through three distinct gin expressions, each revealing layers of complexity that challenge preconceptions about the spirit category. Triple Juniper Neat Tasting Sean begins with Triple Juniper, explaining the three-stage juniper manipulation: steeping for deeper, earthier flavours, pot distillation for additional layers, and vapour basket treatment for the lightest citrus and pine resin notes. “The vapour touches is kind of the first thing you taste,” Sean explains as Steve immediately identifies the citrus peel lifting from the glass. The neat tasting reveals gin’s textural potential. “Some of the flavours you’ll find immediately at the front are root driven,” Sean notes, describing how angelica root, liquorice root, and orris root land along the palate’s sides, while spices create warmth sensations in the middle. Steve’s poetic response captures the experience: “It’s like tire tracks leaving warmth on the road, and little critters looking up after it’s passed.” Triple Juniper With Coastal Tonic Adding Strange Love’s coastal tonic with lemon and lemon thyme transforms the experience entirely. The salinity in the tonic connects with multiple citrus compounds, creating what Sean calls “a thing of beauty.” Steve describes the dilution effect as moving from aggressive light show to “Aurora across the horizon,” softer but bigger. The garnish selection proves crucial. Lemon thyme adds familiar yet unexpected notes, while the lemon provides what Steve characterises as an “echo chamber effect.” The finish reveals angelica root’s savoury qualities, part of the celery family and used worldwide in stocks and soups. Oyster Shell Gin Experience The second gin immediately establishes its distinctive character. “Oyster shell gin makes everything taste like seafood for a significant amount of time,” Sean warns, explaining why distillation schedules matter. The neat tasting surprises Steve, who expected fishiness but discovers instead a coastal complexity featuring wakame seaweed and native Australian botanicals. “It’s whacked up a quick sandcastle across my palate,” Steve observes, finding nothing fishy but something entirely different from Triple Juniper. Sean’s botanical selection includes Elysia coastal daisy bush, native rosemary-like Florio, saltbush, and Geraldton Wax from Western Australia, which creates “almost like a lemongrass, lime leaf note.” With coastal tonic, lime, and lime leaf, the gin becomes what Steve describes as “icy poles at swimming carnivals.” The lime performs like a beach rake, cleaning the palate fresh. Sean emphasises this as “salted coastal citrus style,” designed to pair perfectly with Society restaurant’s raw bar in Melbourne. Juniper Freak Navy Strength The final gin represents Sean’s philosophy of amplification over innovation. At 58% ABV with no different ingredients from Triple Juniper, Juniper Freak concentrates every flavour element. “There’s so much juniper oil in it,” Sean explains, demonstrating how the spirit louches when diluted, releasing visible oils. Steve’s reaction proves transformative: “I think this is my spiritual home of gin.” The viscosity, evident in the glass’s legs, promises intensity that delivers. “That was one plus one equals 77,” Steve declares, referencing the oyster shell martini experience while finding his gin revelation. With pink grapefruit and rosemary garnish, the navy strength gin maintains its prominence while allowing other flavours to complement rather than compete. “You are probably the first person on the planet that’s been able to make rosemary a team player,” Steve observes, noting how the herb plays wingman rather than overwhelming the juniper. The tasting concludes with Steve’s pledge: “Juniper Freak gin will be a mainstay of my small bar from this day until the day I pass.” Sean’s response captures the distiller’s satisfaction: “Well, turns out you’re a freak, Steve, so there you are. You’re in the freak club.” 00:53:38 Sean Baxter What begins as Steve expecting “two little jug glasses” for a simple tasting quickly escalates when Sean arrives with proper glassware, botanicals, and the confidence of someone who knows their craft inside out. His Sunday morning setup includes everything needed for a proper gin education, because as Sean puts it, “This is a regular Sunday morning to me.” The conversation starts with World Gin Day celebrations at Hains & Co, where Sean’s oyster shell martini served in actual oyster shells created what Steve describes as “one plus one equals 77” rather than simple addition. The technique involves grinding actual oyster shells into the distillation process, adding minerality and salinity that recreates “the fresh rock pool that’s almost just been born, not the dodgy one at midday.” Sean’s background reveals the hospitality industry’s hidden career potential. Despite his mother’s investment in “eight years of tertiary education,” Sean chose bartending, eventually becoming a Johnny Walker brand ambassador. “I always felt so connected to the idea of hospitality and service,” he explains, emphasising that memorable experiences come from people who understand their value in making others feel welcome. The Never Never origin story defies conventional startup wisdom. Three men who weren’t close friends pooled money for a broken 300-litre still that was actually a shop floor model from Spark Brew. “It didn’t actually work. It wasn’t made to work. It was made to measure,” Sean recalls. Located in Big Shed Brewing’s grinding shed without running water, Tim Boast had to carry 20-litre containers of filtered water 20 metres for every distillation run. Their decision to focus on London Dry style rather than native botanicals proved prescient. “What didn’t exist was a gin that celebrated London style, but was Australian,” Sean explains. While others explored native ingredients, Never Never perfected juniper-forward gins that bartenders understood instinctively. The strategy worked: in 2019, they won World’s Best Classic Gin, and in 2022, World’s Best London Dry for their Triple Juniper. The recent acquisition by Asahi represents validation of a decade-long vision. “The year before, we had to go through redundancies. We were struggling to keep the lights on,” Sean admits. The transformation from near-closure to global expansion opportunities makes him emotional: “We built a brand in the back of a shed in a western suburb of Adelaide for nothing.” Their label evolution from angular, colour-based designs to cleaner, more readable bottles reflects practical lessons learned. The original 500ml bottles and low-light illegible labels worked for small-scale operations but hindered growth. The new tall bottles with clear branding support their global ambitions while maintaining the “horizon line” concept that embodies Never Never’s philosophy. Sean’s passion for blended whiskey reveals industry prejudices worth questioning. His father’s collection of unopened Johnny Walker bottles, hidden because he “didn’t think he was good enough to drink it,” illustrates how perceptions of premium products can create unnecessary barriers. “Johnny Red is someone’s premium whiskey,” an elderly gentleman once reminded Sean during a seminar, a lesson that shaped his inclusive approach to spirits. 01:26:13 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimate, The Violets return to mark 30 years since their debut album “Leased Regret” with a reunion show at The Gov on Friday 29th August. The original supporters Batteries Not Included and The Jaynes share the bill, creating what promises to be “nostalgia with driving guitars.” The featured track “Somewhere” captures The Violets live at Lion Arts Bar in 1996, during the venue’s peak as a showcase for Adelaide’s most promising acts. The raw energy and guitar-driven sound defined much of Adelaide’s music scene through the nineties and early 2000s, when venues like Lion Arts Bar provided crucial platforms for emerging talent. Batteries Not Included’s inclusion adds perfect symmetry, as they gave The Violets their first gig at Limbo Nightclub in 1992. The reunion represents one of those full-circle moments that happen regularly in Adelaide’s tight-knit music community, where relationships forged decades ago continue to shape current events. The tenuous gin connection acknowledges the Navy Strength Juniper Freak’s influence on Steve’s commentary, though the real connection lies in how both The Violets and Never Never represent South Australian creativity finding its voice and reaching beyond local boundaries.

When a winemaker builds a giant Rubik’s cube in McLaren Vale, fills it with Salvador Dali sculptures and art, and creates wines that pair with songs and poems, you know you’re about to discover something extraordinary. Chester Osborn has constructed what shouldn’t work but absolutely does – a surrealist manifesto planted in the heart of South Australian wine country that would make André Breton proud and the Márek Brothers, those Czech surrealist pioneers who shocked Adelaide in 1948, absolutely delighted. Our SA Drink of the Week flows directly from the architect of this impossible vision, as Chester pours his Vociferous Dipsomaniac 2010 – a wine that transforms before our very palate, revealing violet gardens and a scattering of spices whilst teaching us that great winemaking is really just the elegant management of faults. Like the Cube itself, this shiraz demonstrates that the most revolutionary act might simply be saying “yes, and” to the impossible. The Musical Pilgrimage takes an unprecedented turn as we hear both Chester’s stream-of-consciousness theory connecting wine to quantum physics and time dilation, followed by Steve Davis’ original piece called “Folded Clocks” – a meditation on Salvador Dali’s persistence of memory, created in response to his visit to the Cube where he experienced its artistic revelations firsthand. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Surrealism In Wine And Life With Chester Osborn 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:01:56 SA Drink Of The Week The South Australian Drink Of The Week is d’Arenberg‘s 2010 The Vociferate Dipsomaniac, which Steve tastes with winemaker, Chester Osborn at the Duke Of Brunswick, which has a full suite of these intrepid wines. The name alone suggests Chester Osborn’s approach to wine nomenclature – dreamt up, he cheerfully admits, during morning toilet contemplation whilst reading the dictionary for “really interesting words.” This particular shiraz demands vigorous pursuit because it’s so compelling you’ll vigorously drink it, potentially earning the archaic designation of “dipsomaniac” – an alcoholic, for those unfamiliar with the term’s English parlance. What unfolds in the glass defies every expectation of a fifteen-year-old wine. Where vintage wines typically announce their age with that slightly pruny, sweaty character, this Vociferous Dipsomaniac reveals itself like a perfectly adjusted doona on a winter’s night – balanced, enveloping, with tannins that recline gently into your tongue like a tired person settling into an armchair. The secret lies in Chester’s philosophy of elegant fault management: picking at relatively low sugar levels to avoid shrivel, eschewing nitrogen fertilisation since the nineties, and using super-light toast French oak that lets the 34-to-56-million-year-old limestone terroir speak its chocolatey, bloody truth. As the wine breathes – and Chester insists it breathes better in the bottle than in the glass, for complex reasons involving condensation and molecular romance – it evolves from subtle violet gardens to dark chocolate and beyond, revealing why this particular vineyard, nestled beside the d’Arenberg Cube, consistently produces the only wine in their 23 single-vineyard collection that always carries a whisper of violet. After our toast to Queen Adelaide and an hour of conversation, the wine has transformed into something resembling an IMAX cinema experience for the palate – bigger, bolder, more ornate, yet somehow more at home with itself. 00:21:21 Chester Osborn Chester Osborn has achieved something that should be impossible: he’s built a giant Rubik’s cube in McLaren Vale that functions as both architectural marvel and alternate reality museum, creating a space where Salvador Dali’s melting clocks teach visitors about the fluidity of time while wine ages gracefully in barrels around the sprawling property. The d’Arenberg Cube stands as testament to the “yes, and” principle of improvisational theatre – that beautiful concept of taking an idea and running with it, which Chester has literally fermenting in his cube through careful design. When Chester woke up in the early hours and abandoned plans for another “fake heritage” homestead in favour of “something iconic, something like the Opera House,” he wasn’t just changing architectural plans – he was embarking on a surrealist manifesto. The Cube doesn’t merely showcase wine; it’s an Alternate Realities Museum where eight parameters of weather transform into real-time sound as you approach, where hundreds of Chester’s sculptures tell stories connecting rocks, flowers and fruit to wine, and where 30-second surreal videos play on loop in a 360-degree room, each one representing a different wine in their collection. The building itself challenges conventional wisdom at every turn. Engineers, architects and builders all declared various elements impossible, leading to the invention of new glass sealing systems, wind tunnel testing in Melbourne, and the development of facade techniques that won national glass awards. “There is nothing impossible,” Chester declares, channelling his mother’s wisdom that “out of every bit of bad that happens, twice as much good happens.” This philosophy permeates not just the Cube’s construction but his entire approach to winemaking, where managing faults becomes an art form and time dilation theories merge with tannin structure. What makes the Cube truly revolutionary isn’t just its architectural audacity but how it functions as a catalyst for unexpected conversation. Chester describes watching visitors – including tourism professionals who know each other well – suddenly following tangents, becoming more open to possibility when surrounded by surrealist art. It’s as if Dali’s telephone with a lobster on top starts conversations about what we might be when we’re talking, whether we’re boiling away like lobsters, whether some people really do chew our ears off. The Cube becomes a space where lateral thinking flourishes, where Chester’s Asperger’s brain – storing wine knowledge in imagination rather than automation – finds kindred spirits among visitors ready to embrace the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary. Perhaps most remarkably, Chester pairs each of his 85 wines with a specific song and poem, creating a multimedia sensory experience that will be captured in his forthcoming book. For the Vociferous Dipsomaniac, he’s chosen The Doors’ “Riders on the Storm,” paired with his own poem connecting Morrison’s soft voice to wine’s penetrating vigour. It’s this integration of art, music, literature and wine that transforms the Cube from novelty to necessity – a place where South Australians discover that their square metre of earth punches well above its weight, where time becomes malleable as Dali’s clocks, and where saying yes to the impossible becomes the most natural thing in the world. 01:03:20 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we listen to Folded Clocks by Steve Davis and his Virtualosos. The Musical Pilgrimage takes an unprecedented turn with a dual revelation of consciousness and creativity. First, Chester shares his stream-of-consciousness theory recorded whilst driving – a spontaneous exploration of how energetic wines might age slower through quantum mechanics, where tannin tension creates light-speed vibrations that literally slow the aging process. His “Energetic Wines Explained Theory” suggests that great wines contain atoms vibrating near the speed of light, creating time dilation effects that preserve the wine’s essence – a notion that would make Salvador Dali proud with its beautiful impossibility. Following this quantum leap of imagination, we hear “Folded Clocks” – Steve’s original meditation on time, memory and surrealism created in response to experiencing Dali’s sculptures within the Cube. Using virtual tools to bring his words to musical life, the piece captures that transfixing quality of standing before art that refuses to be easily categorised, where melting timepieces suggest that our rigid relationship with chronology might be the real illusion.

Political commentator Robert Godden returns to examine how Trump's policies ripple through South Australian vineyards and shipyards, while introducing us to diverse local voters shaping our electoral landscape - from climate-conscious Ellie in Goodwood to disillusioned Mick in Morphett Vale. Robert's record for calling elections correctly stands firm as he reveals which South Australian electorates might swing in the upcoming federal vote. Though Labor appears headed for a reduced majority, the real question is how our vote might influence America's orange-tinted decisions affecting our exports and defence agreements. In the Musical Pilgrimage, Lizzie Hosking's soulful track "Can't Figure You Out" perfectly captures the electoral indecision many South Australians face heading into the May 3rd poll, while a Good Friday interview with Richard Pascoe uncovers the gruesome history buried at St. Mary's Anglican Church. There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: From Trump to Two Wells - SA's Political Crossroads In AusVotes 2025 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No South Australian Drink Of The Week, this week. 00:03:41 Robert Godden Robert Godden, our regular political analyst who correctly called the 2018 South Australian election before Antony Green, joins us to examine the upcoming federal election through a South Australian lens. With the shadow of Donald Trump's presidency louring over international relations, the conversation begins with the "Trump factor" and its potential impacts on our state. "We can look at what happened with China when they put tariffs on us," Robert explains when discussing Trump's trade war implications for South Australian exports like beef, wine, and seafood. "Remember Christmas before last when people were indulging in lobster who'd never had it before because it was so cheap?" He suggests diversification of markets is essential, noting how Australia pivoted successfully during the China tariff challenge. The conversation takes a more serious turn when examining the AUKUS agreement, with Robert noting that America's treatment of Australia has drawn criticism even from US politicians like Democratic Senator Mark Warner. "He spent a good half hour listing all the reasons... anyone with brains and shame would've gone, 'He's right, let's help Australia out.' But Trump hasn't shown great quantities of either." Robert's assessment of climate policy delivers perhaps the episode's most cutting insight: "The easiest way for the Liberals to have a chance at getting back in power would be to embrace the climate cause." He argues that the six Teal candidates in parliament are essentially "liberals with climate views," representing votes the Coalition has surrendered to independents. When Steve asks whether anything Australia does could influence Trump's policies, Robert responds with characteristic frankness: "He doesn't understand international trade. I mean, look, he doesn't understand shoelaces." The interview shifts to a fascinating examination of voter personas Robert has created, representing different South Australian demographics and their voting intentions. These include Ellie from Goodwood (a 29-year-old non-binary arts worker voting Green), Tyler from Lightsview (a 21-year-old apprentice electrician leaning Liberal), Andrew from Aldgate (a 45-year-old high school teacher supporting Rebecca Sharkie), Mick from Morphett Vale (a 53-year-old injured truck driver voting One Nation), and Jade from Christies Beach (a financially stretched childcare worker who remains undecided). When discussing cost of living concerns, Robert delivers one of the episode's most provocative statements: "If Peter Dutton wants to win this election at all costs, all he has to do is chuck money at people. If he said to the electorate, 'If you vote for me, I'll give you $300 a week from now until the next election' – job done." Robert heartily recommends using the ABC Vote Compass to help you see where you sit idealogically, and how that aligns to the parties. 01:04:04 St Mary's Anglican Church Cemetary Steve shares a recording from his Good Friday conversation with Richard Pascoe on FiveAA, discussing the upcoming cemetery tour at St. Mary's Anglican Church on Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 10am to 2pm. The segment reveals fascinating South Australian history, including the burial sites of Richard Hamilton (father of South Australia's wine industry) and Benjamin Herschel Babbage (son of computing pioneer Charles Babbage). The conversation takes a macabre turn as Steve describes university researchers' discoveries in the cemetery's pauper section, including bodies broken to fit into smaller coffins, teeth ravaged by untreated cavities, and even evidence of leprosy in early South Australia. "It just fires up gratitude for me of what we've actually been able to achieve," Steve reflects, noting how easily we forget the harsh realities our ancestors faced. 01:16:06 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Can't Figure You Out by Lizzie Hosking. Steve praises her "breathy and hearty voice" with its "clear, clean, strong" qualities that draw listeners in. The song's sultry jazz feel and title perfectly mirror the electoral indecision many South Australians feel approaching the May 3rd federal poll. As Steve notes, "I chose it because frankly, I can't figure out who is worthy of my vote."

Adelaide’s scientific community wades into the global conversation about de-extinction as Associate Professor Bastien Llamas from the University of Adelaide’s School of Biological Sciences and the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA brings cool-headed expertise to recent claims about dire wolves being “brought back from extinction.” What began as scientific curiosity became urgently relevant when Steve overheard his teenage daughters excitedly discussing how “wolves aren’t extinct anymore and mammoths will be back soon” – highlighting the real-world consequences of misunderstood science. The SA Drink Of The Week segment isn’t included in this episode, as our focus remains squarely on the fascinating scientific ground being covered, from the definition of true extinction to the uncomfortable realities of dropping long-gone predators into modern ecosystems. In the Musical Pilgrimage, we’re treated to Professor Flint’s Rumble Rumble, a song about the Permian extinction that carries a message of both disaster and hope – perfectly complementing our exploration of extinction, science communication, and the resilience of nature given sufficient time. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Making De-extinction Claims Extinct 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No South Australian Drink Of The Week, this week. 00:02:52 Assoc. Prof. Bastien Llamas Winter isn’t just coming, apparently it arrived in October last year when Colossal Biosciences announced they’d successfully “de-extincted” the dire wolf after a 10,000-year absence. Now, for anyone watching the news or scrolling through social media lately, you might think you’ve stepped into an episode of Game of Thrones—and the connection is no coincidence, with George R.R. Martin himself serving as a “cultural adviser” to this company. I first caught wind of this story through our good mate Michael Mills, better known to many South Aussie school kids as Professor Flint, who was absolutely scathing about these claims. And I’ll admit, I thought exploring this topic might be a bit of scientific curiosity until I was driving my teenage daughters recently, and overheard them chatting excitedly about how “cool it is that wolves aren’t extinct anymore” and that “mammoths will be back soon too.” That’s when I realised we needed some cool-headed expertise on the subject. With us today is Associate Professor Bastien Llamas from the University of Adelaide’s School of Biological Sciences and the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA. Bastien’s work on ancient DNA and human adaptation to environmental and cultural stressors puts him in the perfect position to help us understand what’s actually happening with these de-extinction claims. Welcome. The interview opens amid the cultural echoes of Game of Thrones, with Steve noting how Colossal Biosciences has seemingly found a “middle ground” in the stark binary of winning or dying in the game of thrones – by claiming to resurrect dire wolves after a 10,000-year absence. This connection is no coincidence, with George R.R. Martin himself serving as a cultural advisor to the company. “If it looks like a dire wolf and it howls like a dire wolf, it’s… well, a dire wolf for the sake of PR purposes,” Steve observes, setting the stage for Bastien to methodically dismantle the scientific validity of these claims. The discussion begins with fundamentals, as Bastien explains what extinction actually means from a scientific perspective: “The extinction process is really the total disappearance of a particular species from the surface of the earth.” The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Bastien addresses the technological impossibility of true de-extinction: “To de-extinct means literally bringing back individuals from that very species to life… if that extinction happened hundreds or thousands of years ago, it means that we would need to have intact cells from these particular individuals. And through some cloning technologies, be able to create an embryo… Now we’re talking about science fiction.” When pressed on the ecological reality of reintroducing extinct species, Bastien paints a vivid picture of the challenges: “If a species got extinct in the first place, it’s very likely because there were some factors — environmental change or human overkill — that means the world has slowly changed to the point where that species was not adapted to their environment.” His specific example about dire wolves resonates with practical concerns: “A nice big cow would probably be a great prey for that wolf. And I am just waiting for the reaction of the farmers.” The scientific breakdown of Colossal’s claims is particularly enlightening, with Bastien revealing that dire wolves and grey wolves split evolutionarily 5.7 million years ago: “For 5.7 million years, they evolved differently. Dire wolf became those big whoopy canid, um, you know, hypercar, the gray wolves were more adaptable, uh, smaller size, and a diet that was a little bit more diverse.” This evolutionary divergence created approximately 12.5 million genetic differences, yet Colossal made only 20 genetic changes to grey wolves. “Twenty changes out of 12.5 million is nothing,” Bastien emphasises. The interview takes a philosophical turn when Steve asks about the one motivation that might have ethical value – atonement for human-caused extinctions. Bastien thoughtfully responds, “Even atoning for that doesn’t mean that we’re going to change our behaviors,” noting that such technology might create a dangerous sense of complacency about current conservation challenges. Perhaps most powerfully, Bastien offers an analogy that crystallises the issue: “If we take a chimp and we introduce 20 changes in the genome of the chimp, so it loses the hair, for example, and the shape of the skull is modified… would we consider that genetically engineered chimp a human?” The answer is clearly no, undermining the claim that genetically modified grey wolves are actually dire wolves. The conversation closes with wisdom about critical thinking, with Bastien suggesting that while we should allow ourselves to be amazed by scientific headlines initially, we must follow with critical reflection: “You need to let it go. At first you need to be amazed. You need to be curious. You need to be dreaming a little bit. But then once that first phase is over, you need to sit down a little bit and think about really what the information is about.” 00:51:09 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Rumble Rumble by Professor Flint. This is a song about the Permian extinction, known as The Great Dying, in which 96% of all life was wiped out. It reminds us of the fragility of nature, and the impermanence of all things. It also reminds us of nature’s resilience. While it took millions of years to recover, given the chance, and time, nature was able to recover, and we enter the remarkable Age of Dinosaurs. The death of some, allows for the evolution of others. Michael Mills, the man behind Professor Flint and HeapsGood Music, is highlighted as someone gaining popularity by “staying true to the science” – a refreshing counterpoint to the misleading headlines discussed throughout the episode. Steve shares exciting news about Michael’s upcoming performances at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival in the UK (making history as the first Australian to grace that stage), as well as his Commonwealth National Science Week grant supporting “The Ammonites,” an all-female dinosaur-loving supergroup touring across Australia this August.

When Robert Godden joined us in 2018 for Episode 235, we read tea leaves to predict Steven Marshall’s election victory. Today, Robert returns with his tea expertise as we sit down with two Senate hopefuls – Dianah Walter and Dr. Rod Pearce AM – who are campaigning together under the “SA Matters” banner. While sipping tea, we explore how these candidates plan to navigate Canberra’s corridors while maintaining their commitment to South Australian priorities. In a refreshing departure from party politics, Dianah and Rod share their journey from collaboration on women’s health initiatives to forming an unendorsed Senate ticket focused squarely on local issues. With Dianah’s background in regional advocacy and Rod’s decades of experience as a respected GP shaping national health policy, they present a compelling case for representation that transcends party loyalty. There is no SA Drink Of The Week, this week. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we close the show with Swap Meet’s dreamy indie folk-rock track “Ceiling Fan” – an apt choice given the band’s own journey of rebranding from Sour Sob and striking out with a new identity, just as Dianah is doing with her political realignment. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: SA Matters This Election 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No South Australian Drink Of The Week, this week. 00:02:30 SA Matters: Behind the Independent Campaign In a political landscape where party loyalty often overshadows regional advocacy, Dianah Walter and Dr. Rod Pearce have emerged as “SA Matters” – an unendorsed Senate ticket with a decidedly local focus. Dianah, fresh from her departure from the Legalised Cannabis Party, and Rod, a respected GP whose voice has shaped national health policy, have joined forces at a time when social media giants face increasing scrutiny for their influence on political discourse. “South Australia does matter” isn’t just their campaign slogan – it’s the philosophy that brought them together through a shared history of advocacy that includes women’s health initiatives. Their promise is straightforward: representation that puts our state first, regardless of partisan pressure. “Our loyalty is to the work we’ve done together in the past and to basically being an advocate for South Australia,” Rod explains, citing specific examples of how party senators might face conflicts between state interests and party priorities. This unwavering focus on South Australian priorities forms the cornerstone of their campaign. Dianah’s recent encounter with caregivers of a disabled woman reveals their grassroots approach: “What can we do to help you?” she asked after a lengthy discussion. Their response was telling: “In all of the last two years they’ve been coming to that place, not once had anyone stopped to talk to them.” This approach reflects the StoryBrand framework where the voter is the hero and candidates are guides – something Dianah intuitively grasped at their campaign launch: “You are not here because of me… I believe you’re actually here because you’re here for you.” For Rod, this connection to community has been central to his 40-year career as a GP: “You need to have that 15-minute, one-on-one conversation, which I have with 20 or 30 people every day… but that’s gotta translate into effective advocacy.” Robert highlights how traditional media creates lasting trust: “I’ve been an avid listener to ABC radio since I was 18… I’ve just heard your voice so many times,” he tells Rod. “We don’t necessarily believe what we read on Facebook, but we certainly believe what we hear on the radio.” Dianah shares radio’s crucial role during emergencies: “We recently lost power for nearly 24 hours on the YP. I’m a Country Fire Service volunteer… our mobile phone towers went down and we had no connection as emergency services volunteers. But I got me little transistor out that dad gave me, and I tuned into ABC and I knew what was going on.” The darker side of modern media becomes apparent when Dianah describes setting up her campaign Facebook page: “Three seconds in my feed, I had Trump, Elon Musk, lots of right wing extremists in my feed!'” Robert, a self-described “below the line voter, like 10% of the population,” offers perspective: “Australian democracy is based on the person who the least people have a problem with gets in… it’s not about who’s the best, it’s about who’s the least worst.” This conversation reveals the complexity facing independent candidates – they must define themselves by values rather than party policies, building trust through personal connection rather than political shorthand. 01:03:30 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Murray Bridge’s own Swapmeet with Ceiling Fan. Swapmeet began life as Sour Sob before a legal threat forced them to change their name. This journey of rebranding while maintaining artistic integrity mirrors our Senate hopefuls’ commitment to authentic representation. The name “Swapmeet” carries special significance for lead singer Venus O’Broin, who got her current guitar at a swap meet – a grassroots connection that echoes our candidates’ approach to building their campaign from the ground up. Swapmeet’s debut EP “Oxalis” (cheekily named after the genus of the sour sob plant) features today’s track “Ceiling Fan,” which captures the dreamy indie folk rock sound that earned them Best Song at last year’s SA Music Awards. Like our guests today, Swapmeet proved that sometimes starting fresh can be liberating while staying true to your roots.

How’s it, indeed! Episode 411 of The Adelaide Show takes us on a remarkable journey with Ben Voss, a South African performer who’s recently landed in Adelaide, bringing with him a treasure trove of stories, a global talent visa, and a one-man show that dissects the intricate process of finding a new home. We also keep the international feel going with an exclusive interview with Bettina Bitchkinky, who will be in Adelaide this month to host Club Eurovision. She is a major star in Belarus and she’s teaming up with Glynn Nicholas and dozens of glittering performers to create one crazy night at the Arkaba Hotel. For the SA Drink Of The Week, we are imbibing our beverage through the medium of Barossa Valley Gourmet Fudge. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we’re dipping back into the archives of Fergus Maximus and Dr D with another track about South Australia from their Fringe show, Back in ADL. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: [email protected] If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: From South Africa And Belarus With Love This Adelaide Fringe 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:02:25 SA Drink Of The Week The South Australian Drink Of The Week this week is actually a fudge with port by Barossa Valley Gourmet Fudge. Steve met Julie at a workshop he was running through the week for Regional Development Australia (RDA) Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains (BGLAP). You’ll find her wares at the Barossa Farmers Market. She makes her fudge by hand in the Barossa Valley using local fresh cream, fresh Australian butter, and basically everything that is wholesome (in that special way that fudge does it). In a delightful twist, Steve Davis and Ben Voss eschew traditional liquid libations for a tasting of Barossa Valley Gourmet Fudge. They sample two decadent varieties: Port and Roasted Almond Truffles and Dark Chocolate Port and Raisin Fudge. The duo engages in a playful, descriptive tasting that transforms the fudge into a sensory journey, complete with metaphors ranging from “grandma’s feather bed” to “an air safety bag for your palate”. 00:10:20 Ben Voss Ben Voss opens up about his theatrical migration from South Africa to Australia, sharing the profound personal and artistic motivations behind his one-man show “Becoming Benno”. He candidly discusses the pivotal moment during the Durban riots that sparked his family’s decision to seek a new life, painting a nuanced picture of leaving one’s homeland not out of desperation, but with hope and intentionality. The conversation explores Ben’s artistic reinvention, from being a established performer in South Africa to becoming an eager newcomer in Australia. He reflects on the humbling yet invigorating experience of rebuilding his artistic identity, emphasising his belief that quality work will ultimately speak for itself. Particularly compelling are Ben’s observations about South Africa and Australia, comparing their social dynamics, discussing the complexities of cultural representation in comedy, and celebrating the egalitarian spirit he sees in his new home. Becoming Benno at the Woodville Town Hall and The Warehouse Theatre in Unley. 00:47:20 Bettina Bitchkinky, Club Eurovision In a riotous segment, Bettina Bitchkinsy, the “glittering jewel of Belarus Broadcasting,” brings her larger-than-life persona to the show. Hosting Club Eurovision at the Adelaide Fringe, she offers a hilariously unfiltered perspective on European culture, performance, and audience participation. Her advice is as bold as her personality: come prepared to wave flags, use “clackers,” potentially drink vodka, and absolutely not be shy. Bettina describes Eurovision as a “cosmic salad” of European identity, complete with feta cheese and “nuts” (both literal and metaphorical). She promises an interactive show where audience members get to vote live, emphasizing it’s “not like the Trump election” but a truly democratic experience. Her tips for attending include bringing 23 friends (for some mysteriously precise statistical reason), being ready to make noise, and potentially spending $10 for her coveted autograph. Get tickets for the March 19, 2025, glittering spectacular, here: Club Eurovision. 01:02:05 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Cross Out The King by Fergus Maximus and Doctor D. (You can hear a full show with this duo in Episode 387). They have a Fringe show again this year, with tickets here: Back in ADL (more Sweet Home Songs). The episode concludes with a musical tribute by Fergus Maximus and Dr. D, featuring their song “Cross Out The King” – a playful exploration of Adelaide’s street-naming quirks. The track delves into the local myth that one cannot cross King William Street, revealing the humorous backstory of how Adelaide’s founding fathers managed their street-naming ambitions.

The battle lines are drawn over UniSA’s Magill campus site, where a proposal to rezone from community use to residential threatens to replace a cherished green space with up to 400 dwellings. As urban infill pushes local infrastructure to its limits, Magill Matters representatives Denise MacGregor and Charlotte Reimer make their case for preserving this vital community asset, home to 350 trees (some predating colonial settlement), thriving wildlife corridors, and essential recreational spaces. While there is no SA Drink of the Week in this episode, the thirst for preservation of community assets runs deep through every moment of the conversation, as does the sobering realisation that once green spaces are lost to development, they’re gone forever. In a poignant Musical Pilgrimage, The Danger Dolphins’ “Blackfish Blues” serves as an unintentionally perfect soundtrack to the episode’s themes, its raw, blues-driven exploration of confinement resonating with both the threatened creek-dwelling creatures and future residents who might find themselves in an area stripped of its natural cooling canopy. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: We Will Discover Destroying UniSA Magill Matters When The Green Has Gone And Temperatures And Tempers Rise 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no South Australian Drinks Of The Week this week. 00:07:25 Denise MacGregor and Charlotte Reimer, Magill Matters Standing at Third Creek on the UniSA site, one immediately understands what developers might miss in their spreadsheet calculations. The space serves as a vital community hub where the background hum of urban life fades away, creating what our guests describe as a “movie set” atmosphere of tranquility. From early morning Tai Chi practitioners to soccer-playing families and solitary readers, the campus grounds provide what Denise MacGregor poignantly describes as “dwelling spaces, not just dwellings” – a profound distinction in an era of shrinking private yards. The land’s history deepens its significance, having been bequeathed by Sir George Murray in 1942 to the university for community and educational purposes. This legacy faces an uncertain future as plans emerge for potential medium to high-density residential development, which could see buildings up to six storeys high replacing the current green space. Magill Matters advocates aren’t opposed to all development but propose creative alternatives that would maintain the site’s community focus while addressing housing needs. Their vision includes repurposing existing buildings for aged care facilities (addressing Minister Champion’s goal of freeing up family homes), maintaining recreational spaces, and preserving the vital green corridor that helps cool the suburb by up to 5 degrees Celsius. Links: Magill Matters, public Facebook group Magill Matters submission to Renewal SA that you are encouraged to read and submit before February 10, 2025 00:37:20 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Blackfish Blues by The Danger Dolphins. For our Musical Pilgrimage this week, we’re diving into “Blackfish Blues” by Adelaide’s The Danger Dolphins, and the timing couldn’t be more poignant. As we’ve discussed the proposed rezoning of UniSA’s Magill campus, this raw, blues-driven track speaks to the confinement and constraints that echo through our main discussion. When Zac sings “Nothing changes every day, another dolphin out of sea, just glass between you and me,” it’s hard not to think of both the threatened creek-dwelling creatures and future residents who might find themselves in an area stripped of its natural cooling canopy and breathing spaces. The Danger Dolphins, born from late-night jam sessions between Zac Gerhardy and Nick Barone, have crafted a song that, while written about a different context, resonates deeply with the environmental concerns surrounding Third Creek’s ecosystem. Their sound, influenced by Led Zeppelin and The Black Keys, brings a powerful urgency to themes of restriction and environmental impact that mirror our concerns about urban development’s effect on both wildlife habitats and human wellbeing. While “Blackfish Blues” is a few years old now, The Danger Dolphins have recently released an EP, Jam Factory Vol. II, which captures their raw energy in a stripped-back two-day recording session that feels worlds away from their meticulously produced Vol. I. For a chance to experience their evolution in the flesh – and witness what they’re cryptically calling “a sneaky lil on stage treat” – catch them at the High Fever Festival at Macclesfield’s Three Brothers Arms on Saturday, February 8. With free camping available, you can let loose without watching the clock.

In a special episode themed around Chinese New Year, we explore how Adelaide embraces cultural connections through three distinct lenses. The centerpiece is our conversation with Carolyn Lam, whose journey from Hong Kong to Adelaide has helped weave classical music into our city’s cultural fabric through Amicus Strings’ 100+ annual performances. The celebration begins with 23rd Street Distillery’s extraordinary Year of the Snake Whisky, one of only 3,600 bottles produced, showcasing Kangaroo Island barley aged in 15-year-old Galway Pipe casks. The resulting spirit proves as transformative as the year it honours. Our musical pilgrimage breaks new ground as we debut vinyl playback in the studio with Jayne-Anne Power’s “What’s Your Rush” from The Analogue Sessions, bringing soul-drenched wisdom to match the Year of the Snake’s themes of transformation and growth. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Snake Whisky And Symphony Herald Adelaide’s Chinese New Year 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:43 SA Drink Of The Week The South Australian Drinks Of The Week this week is the  23rd Street Distillery Year Of The Snake Whisky. The 23rd Street Distillery Year of the Snake Whisky arrives in packaging that would make any emperor proud – deep burgundy and gold boxes revealing a snake-adorned bottle that’s as much art piece as vessel. Our resident palate, John Gledhill, discovers layers of butterscotch and warming spices dancing with sun-dried raisins and vanilla, while the 15-year-old Galway Pipe cask influence emerges like a wise elder offering quiet counsel. 00:16:00 Carolyn Lam, Co-founder, Amicus Strings From playing in total darkness at Mawson Lakes Planetarium to accompanying Elaine Paige, OBE, Carolyn Lam’s musical journey embodies the cultural bridges being built in Adelaide. She shares insights on everything from making classical music accessible through popular music arrangements to the surprising connection between Philip Glass and organised personalities. Her reflections on Hong Kong’s vibrant classical music scene and the differences between Eastern and Western musical approaches offer fascinating glimpses into how music transcends cultural boundaries. Amicus Strings booking information Hong Kong String Orchestra performance details for January 31st at Her Majesty’s Theatre 00:50:55 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature What’s Your Rush by Jayne-Anne Power. In a first for the podcast’s 11-year history, we spin vinyl right in the studio with Jayne-Anne Power’s “What’s Your Rush” from The Analogue Sessions EP. The funked-up soul and gritty grooves perfectly complement our Chinese New Year theme of transformation and wisdom, with Shane Ellery’s keys and the powerful vocal harmonies creating a soundscape that rewards patient listening – truly embodying the “what’s your rush?” philosophy.

Alison Pilborough bridges two worlds often seen as incompatible - artisanal coffee roasting and premium loose leaf tea blending - offering insights from her Aldinga Eco Village base about why some roasts deserve second chances and why tea drinkers are increasingly seeking calm through chamomile. The SA Drink of the Week ventures into new territory with Fleurieu Roast's 18-hour cold brew coffee, challenging even the most orthodox espresso lovers to expand their horizons. We wrap up with The Saucermen's "Devil's Elbow", their rockabilly tribute to that infamous stretch of the old South Eastern Freeway that tested nerves and brakes in equal measure before the Heysen Tunnels arrived. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Small-Batch Coffee Revolution At Fleurieu Roast Aldinga 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:27 SA Drink Of The Week The South Australian Drinks Of The Week this week is the 18-hour Cold Brew by Fleurieu Roast. Picture this: an elegant Kilner jar filled with what looks deceptively like strong-brewed tea, but is actually an 18-hour immersion cold brew using light-roasted Ethiopian natural processed beans. The result offers medicinal and herbal notes that dance across the palate before cleanly disappearing - like watching a train pass at the station, leaving just a whisper of breeze in its wake. Steve's initial trepidation gives way to intrigue as Alison explains how this concentrated elixir can be enjoyed neat or mixed with water/milk in a 50:50 ratio. A revelation for summer refreshment that might just convert even the most ardent hot coffee purists. 00:12:27 Alison Pilborough, Fleurieu Roast, Wyverstone Tea, and Elevenses From the moment Alison shares her first tea memory - being allowed the "second dunking" of her mother's teabag at age 11 - we're drawn into a world where beverages become storytellers. Her journey from service station barista counting shots to award-winning roaster demonstrates how South Australian artisans are elevating everyday drinks into extraordinary experiences. The conversation deepens beyond mere beverage talk as Alison reveals the meditation-like focus required during roasting, where a single phone call at the wrong moment can transform carefully sourced beans from sublime to scorched. Yet even "mistakes" find their audience - Steve's enthusiasm for an accidentally dark-roasted batch proves the old adage about one person's trash becoming another's treasure. Between discussions of "blooming the grounds" and the politics of milk in coffee, we discover why some of Alison's tea blends now include blue lotus for enhanced dream recall - though she remains vague about some of the features of her tea-induced dreams! Learn more about: Fleurieu Roast Wyverstone Tea Elevenses 01:05:58 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Devil's Elbow by The Saucermen. The Saucermen's "Devil's Elbow" provides a rockabilly backdrop to memories of navigating that notorious stretch of the old South Eastern Freeway, where mastering your momentum was an art form all its own. For those planning ahead, catch them battling Melbourne's Scar Vendors at Ska vs Rockabilly at The Highway on March 15, 2025. Here's this week's preview video There is no featured video this week. SFX: Throughout the podcast we use free SFX from freesfx.co.uk for the harp, the visa stamp, the silent movie music, the stylus, the radio signal SFX, the wine pouring and cork pulling SFX, and the swooshes around Siri.

In an episode celebrating South Australian innovation in unexpected places, Bickford’s Group Marketing Director Chris Illman shares how a 150-year-old drinks maker is modernising adult soft drinks while preserving quirky local traditions like our distinctive brown lime cordial. Between sips of their sophisticated new Pineapple Passion Fruit and Cloudy Lemonade soft drinks, we discover why South Australians developed different taste preferences from the rest of the nation. Port Adelaide’s Tanya Keen then unravels the surprisingly radical world of contemporary knitting from her Yarn Trader sanctuary, where cinema crafters work their magic in the flickering dark and being “knit-worthy” separates the appreciative from the uninitiated. We wrap up with Dr. D and Fergus Maximus transporting us to balmy Somerton Beach evenings with their perfectly timed summer anthem “Somerton Nights,” previewing their upcoming Fringe show that promises to time-travel through Adelaide’s musical history. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Knitting Renaissance Meets Nostalgic Sips: Adelaide’s Love Of Tradition 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:02:39 SA Drink Of The Week The South Australian Drinks Of The Week this week are Cloudy Lemonade and Pineapple Passionfruit “Adult Style” soft drinks by Bickfords. Picture this: you’re in a backyard on washing day, sheets flapping in the summer breeze. That’s the exact moment Steve captured while savouring Bickford’s new Cloudy Lemonade, a drink that took an astounding decade to perfect. Chris Illman reveals it’s all about the real lemon concentrate creating that nostalgic weight across the palate. The Pineapple Passion Fruit follows, floating what Steve dubbed “Willy Wonka aromatics” through the studio. It’s a sophisticated departure from standard soft drinks, though Chris assures us there’s still room for that “permissible indulgence” we occasionally crave. Between sips, we discover South Australia’s unique relationship with Creaming Soda and learn why cloudy pear juice is cheekily known as “young person’s prune juice” – a revelation that had Steve reconsidering his medicine cabinet. 00:24:04 Tanya Keen, Yarn Trader Step into Yarn Trader, where Tanya Keen is revolutionising Port Adelaide’s crafting scene one stitch at a time. Who knew knitters were nervous about crafting in public? (“It’s usually because people decide that knitting or crocheting in public is an invitation to open a conversation,” Tanya explains with knowing wisdom.) Steve’s live attempt at mastering the knit stitch provides both comedy and insight – though his suggestion of passing down a “hand-knitted mankini” as a family heirloom might not make it into Tanya’s customer recommendations. The real eye-opener? Contemporary knitters are crafting everything from precision-fitted socks (“like Cinderella’s slipper”) to “knitted knockers” for post-mastectomy support. As Tanya notes, “We’re like a confessional – people come in and tell us of their plans and their woes and their traumas.” 01:06:15 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Somerton Nights by Fergus Maximus and Dr D. Dr. D and Fergus Maximus wrap up our summer vibes with “Somerton Nights,” painting an audio portrait of those perfect Adelaide evenings when the sun dips low over the beach, the shark patrol makes its final announcement, and the choice between gelato or one more swim seems like life’s biggest decision. “Back in ADL” at Fringe 2025: Dr. D and Fergus Maximus time-travel through Adelaide’s musical history.

In our main interview, Peggy Byrne discusses the 15th anniversary of Bowerbird Design Market, exploring the tension between consumerism and thoughtful acquisition while showcasing how handmade and thoughtfully-designed items can add value without contributing to clutter. In the SA Drink Of The Week, we taste Victor Harbor Gin from Heaps Good Spirits, featuring local coastal daisy bush botanicals that create a unique savory profile. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we finish with a festive splash of song, with Dino Jag’s uplifting Christmas track, celebrating South Australian musical talent. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Bowerbird Design Market 2024: A Guide to Meaningful Gift-Giving 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:36 SA Drink Of The Week The South Australian Drink Of The Week this week is the Victor Harbor Gin from Heaps Good Spirits. A tasting of Heaps Good Spirits’ Victor Harbor Gin revealed complex flavors including coastal daisy bush botanicals, creating a unique savoury profile that captures the essence of the region. The gin demonstrated careful craftsmanship and local ingredient selection. Peggy and Steve both agreed it is perfect for drinking neat, such is its elegance. 00:11:47 Peggy Byrne, Bowerbird Design Market Throughout human history, the act of gift-giving has undergone remarkable transformations. In prehistoric times, people exchanged food and tools not as commodities, but as ways to strengthen social bonds and build alliances. Ancient civilisations like Egypt and Rome elevated gifting into elaborate diplomatic and religious practices, where gifts carried deep symbolic meaning. During the Middle Ages, gifts – often food-based – became powerful symbols of status and authority between nobles and their subjects. But perhaps the most dramatic shift came with the rise of modern consumerism. Gift-giving transformed from something that cost the giver primarily time and care – like a handwoven blanket or carefully preserved foods – into something that primarily costs money. Instead of gifts emerging from hours of careful labour, they now typically emerge from shopping bags. Today, we face a fascinating paradox. While neuroscience shows that gift-giving activates pleasure centres in our brains, many people feel overwhelmed by receiving yet another item that adds to their household clutter. This tension between the joy of giving and the stress of accumulation makes this conversation particularly timely. Today we’re speaking with Peggy Byrne, owner of Adelaide’s Bowerbird Design Market, which for 15 years has been creating a space where handmade crafts and artisanal products can find their place in our modern gift-giving culture. The Bowerbird Design Market runs November 22-24, 2024, at the Wayville Pavilion, Adelaide Showground. Friday night runs 4-9pm with a special 2-for-1 entry offer, while Saturday and Sunday run 10am-5pm. Entry is $6 for adults, with children under 13 free. The event features golden ticket prizes all weekend, workshops for both adults and children, and even a visit from Santa supporting Catherine House with gold coin donations. Peggy Byrne, entering her fifth year at the helm of Bowerbird Design Market, provided several profound insights. On Quality vs Quantity: She shared a personal journey from filling her first apartment with mass-produced items to later choosing fewer, more meaningful pieces: “I bought one really good knife and I kept the teacups my grandmother gave me because they meant something to me.” This philosophy underpins Bowerbird’s approach to modern consumption. On Curation and Selection: Byrne revealed the complex balancing act of curating the market, explaining how she manages categories like jewellery: “I need a bit of silver, and I need a little bit of ceramic, and I need a little bit of polymer… But as a whole, I still have 20 jewellers.” Her careful consideration extends to price points within each category, ensuring accessibility alongside exclusivity. On Maker-Customer Connection: The market mandates that designers must be present at least one day, fostering genuine connections. As Byrne emphasised, “They don’t mind if you approach and don’t end up buying. They love to tell their story.” 15th Anniversary Highlights: The upcoming market (November 22-24 at Adelaide Showground) features exciting new additions including: George the Slug: Whimsical ceramic creations that “make you happy” Hey Lady: Traditional braided guitar straps with contemporary colours Dog Boy Knives: Recycled steel transformed into premium kitchen tools Emma Clow Glass: Hand-blown stemless glasses that marry function with art Workshop Innovation: The market offers hands-on experiences including: Natural silk dyeing with Garden to Gallery Polymer clay jewellery making with Berry Beret Silver ring casting with Claire Brooks Children’s art workshops with Little Picassos Environmental Consciousness: Byrne discussed how makers increasingly incorporate sustainability, from using offcuts for smaller items to choosing environmentally responsible packaging. The market encourages thoughtful consumption rather than mass acquisition. The interview concluded with Steve, who was initially resistant to acquiring more possessions, finding himself convinced of the value in choosing fewer, better items that carry meaning and story. As Byrne noted, “It’s not necessarily volume… it’s about what’s behind it. Once you learn what’s behind it, it just becomes special.” 01:07:02 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature You Don’t Have To Wait For Christmas Day by Dino Jag. The episode concludes with a celebration of South Australian musical talent, featuring an uplifting holiday song that embodies local creative spirit, first featured in episode 174 back in 2016. However, in recent years, Dino created a video to go with the song, so get this ready for your Christmas playlists!

First up, we're joined by Robert Godden to dissect the centuries-old tradition of 'pairing' in politics, a practice where MPs offset each other's absence to maintain voting fairness. However, this tradition faces threats in today's hyper-connected world, where political integrity can be overshadowed by social media activism and public shaming. Following that, we sit down with Alex Vickery-Howe, discussing his provocative new play 'TRIGGERED'. The play offers a bold commentary on cancel culture and poses tough questions about free speech, artistic courage, and the cost of silencing in the social media age. And as always, we’ll round things off with our Musical Pilgrimage, where this week, we feature Feel Into You, by Alison Newman. So sit back, pour yourself a glass of your favourite South Australian spirit, and enjoy a journey through whisky, cars, and music! You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Triggered By Cancel Culture And Political Pairing 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no South Australian Drink Of The Week this week. 00:03:13 Robert Godden And The Principle Of Pairing I'd like to explore the centuries-old principle of 'pairing' in politics—an honourable arrangement where a parliamentarian, unable to attend a vote, finds someone voting the other way to abstain as well, preserving the integrity of the parliamentary process. I would go so far as to claim that pairing is a hallmark of parliamentary civility, a gesture that underscores trust, respect, and a commitment to democracy that rises above partisan interests. In many ways, it’s a defining characteristic of a civilised society—keeping us far from Thomas Hobbes' grim view of life as 'nasty, brutish, and short.' However, in a recent episode here in South Australia, this tradition was overshadowed by allegations of intimidation and public shaming. A prominent academic allegedly pressured an MP to break her pairing commitment, even threatening to ‘hold her to account in the public square.’ This incident raises serious questions about the fragility of our democratic norms and the implications of social media-fuelled activism on parliamentary integrity. Joining me is Robert Godden, our resident political commentator, to discuss the erosion of such honourable traditions in politics, the risks to our institutions when personal agendas take precedence, and the ripple effects on workplace safety and culture in political environments. Robert, welcome back. Why do you think the principle of pairing has endured for so long in politics, and what does it symbolise in our parliamentary culture? Some might say that pairing demonstrates a level of trust and civility that's rare in today's political climate. Would you agree with that? And why do you think such civility matters? When MPs honour pairing arrangements, how does this benefit the broader democratic process? BACKGROUND In Australia, following the 2010 federal election, the Opposition refused to grant automatic pairing to the minority Gillard government, leading to some embarrassing situations. In the UK in 2018, there was controversy when Conservative MP Brandon Lewis broke a pairing agreement with Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson, who was on maternity leave. In Australia, there was an incident where a pair was initially not given for a member to care for her sick baby. Let’s talk about the recent incident where a professor threatened to 'hold an MP accountable in the public square' if she honoured her pairing agreement. What do you make of this approach? Social media has become a powerful tool in political advocacy, but it can also be a blunt instrument. Do you see this incident as part of a broader trend of using social media to influence political processes, and what dangers does that pose? In a way, this scenario seems to echo tactics often associated with figures like Donald Trump, who many say have eroded democratic norms by treating political rules as malleable. Do you think this kind of activism has a similar effect on our institutions? Turning to the workplace aspect, SA Liberal MLC Jing Lee (who was the person at the centre of the pairing scandal) described feeling intimidated by this outside influence. How common is it for politicians to feel unsafe in their roles, and what might this incident reveal about workplace culture in parliament? With your HR background, what are some safeguards that could help protect MPs from feeling this kind of pressure? Bullying is a strong term that we often associate with corporate or school settings. How does the concept of workplace bullying apply to political environments, especially in a scenario like this where external pressures are involved? Finally, what would you say to those who might argue that the ends justify the means in cases like these? Is it ever acceptable to erode a tradition like pairing for the sake of a particular political outcome? 00:32:15 Triggered by Alex Vickery-Howe In 1971, Johnny Cash penned Man In Black in just 3 hours, responding to pressure to declare where he stood on various issues. The song, meant to express universal human compassion, was immediately politicised—praised by some, condemned by others. That was 50 years ago. Today, in our social media age, the pressure to declare allegiance and the swift judgment of those declarations has reached fever pitch. In our next interview, we're going to delve into the fabric of contemporary discourse through the lens of art. We'll be discussing the play, TRIGGERED, by Adelaide-based playwright Alex Vickery-Howe, a daring exploration of cancel culture through the lens of dark comedy, where he treads a fine line addressing contemporary issues with boldness and wit. Alex, welcome to The Adelaide Show. TRIGGERED will be one of six new South Australian plays, being performed at the Odeon Theatre in Norwood across November and December 2025, as part of the South Australian Theatre Company's Great Australian Bites festival. These never-performed-before works will be rehearsed over several days by South Australian actors and directors and read script-in-hand. TRIGGERED will be performed on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 1:00 pm. What sparked the idea for TRIGGERED? Was there a specific incident or moment that crystallised this concept for you? The play centers on a journalist critiquing a comedian - why did you choose these particular opposing forces? How does the format of a black comedy help navigate these sensitive themes? This isn't the first time you've tackled extremism and ideology in your work. In 2021, I reviewed your play 'Watchlist', which explored these themes with intense character flaws and ideological battles. Now with 'TRIGGERED', you're examining cancel culture and social judgment. Do you see these plays as companion pieces in some way? What fascinated me about 'Watchlist' was how you made all characters flawed, particularly Delia, whose rigid views alienated her from the audience. Are you employing similar character dynamics with your idealistic journalist in 'TRIGGERED'? While we were setting up this interview, you mentioned being nervous about tackling this subject matter. Can you talk about those fears and why you decided to proceed anyway? Are there certain topics you believe should be 'untouchable' in art, or does everything deserve examination? How do you balance critique of 'wokeism' while acknowledging its important historical roots in racial justice? It seems your play suggests that social media amplifies our worst instincts in these debates. What role does technology play in TRIGGERED? I was listening to Bill Maher interview Dr Phil recently, and something fascinating happened. Dr Phil suggested we need 'counsel culture' not 'cancel culture'—taking people aside for genuine conversation rather than public condemnation. What intrigued me wasn't just the idea, but how quickly people dismissed it (and attacked me for sharing it) solely because it came from Dr Phil. Does your play explore this phenomenon where we judge ideas not by their merit but by who expresses them? There's an interesting shift happening. Post-modernism taught us to separate art from artist, to judge work on its own merits. Yet today, it seems we're moving backward, judging every idea by its source rather than its substance. How does 'TRIGGERED' grapple with this contradiction? The term 'woke' has traveled from Marcus Garvey's 1923 call for global Black consciousness to today's often-pejorative use. Does your play address how noble movements can become distorted? The journalist in your play is described as 'idealistic' - are you exploring how good intentions can lead to harmful outcomes? What do you hope audiences take away from TRIGGERED? 01:13:24 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Feel Into You by Alison Newman. Alison has just released the fifth and final track from her EP titled Wolf . This project delves into her personal experience with postnatal depression, promising a deeply introspective and emotive musical journey. We played the first track from it back in episode 395. Alison explains “The Wolf" plays the role of the PND, and she is akin to Little Red Riding Hood. The final track, which we play in this episode, is a song to celebrate the people that helped her through PND, and it also made it into the Top 100 in the 2024 Listen Up Music Songwriters Prize. We've also embedded the video clip in the show notes. Alison shared the clip sending the hugest of thank yous to Bree and Caitlin for choreographing and dancing, Cat, Noe and Tiana from the Limestone Coast Symphony Orchestra string section, Frank from Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre for giving her the stage, and to Marcus Jones who always listens to her wacky ideas and then brings them to life!! It was recorded in one continuous take in just a couple of hours!

Welcome to episode 404 of The Adelaide Show, and today we’re celebrating craft, both in whisky and in cars, with a touch of blues to finish off. Our main guest today is Paul Burnett, distiller at 23rd Street Distillery in Renmark. Paul has taken the reins at this iconic South Australian distillery and continues to build on its legacy, with two of their whiskies recently taking gold at The Spirits Business Luxury Masters 2024. We’ll be tasting their award-winning Australian Whisky and Australian Single Malt Whisky. But before we get too far into the glass, we’ll shift gears into the world of automotive detailing with Matthew Gibb, a.k.a. ‘The Pad King’. Matthew, from Matt’s Magic Detail Tech, has been transforming cars for over 30 years, and with the Bay to Birdwood this weekend, it’s the perfect time to learn about the art of keeping classic cars in pristine condition. Whether you’re a car enthusiast or just appreciate the love and care that goes into preserving a piece of history, Matthew’s insights into the detailing world are bound to be fascinating. And as always, we’ll round things off with our Musical Pilgrimage, where this week, we feature a track from Adelaide’s very own Mojo Dingo. Their song, So Refined, blends modern blues and funky rhythms, and we’ll explore how they’ve made waves on the local music scene, catching the ear of industry insiders. So sit back, pour yourself a glass of your favourite South Australian spirit, and enjoy a journey through whisky, cars, and music! You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Polish Those Bay To Birdwood Cars And Polish Off That Australian Whisky With A Dash Of Blues 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:05 SA Drink Of The Week The South Australian Drinks Of The Week this week are from 23rd Street Distillery. In this episode, we have the privilege of tasting not one but two stellar whiskies from 23rd Street Distillery. Joining us is distiller, Paul Burnett, the man behind the magic. Well, he admits he inherited some magic when he joined the Renmark operation two years ago. We’re doing this tasting because at The Spirits Business Luxury Masters 2024, their Australian Whisky, triumphed in the World Whisky – Super-Premium category, and their Australian Single Malt Whisky, took gold in the Ultra-Premium category. 00:26:05 Matthew Gibb, The Pad King and Matt’s Magic Detail Tech Just ahead of Sunday’s Bay To Birdwood, we’re joined by Matthew Gibb, the mastermind behind Matt’s Magic, a professional detailer with over 30 years of experience in the automotive detailing world. Matthew’s journey began in 1993, transforming his humble Suzuki Swift into a showstopper, and since then, he’s been pushing the boundaries of detailing with cutting-edge technologies. As Bay to Birdwood enthusiasts know, keeping classic cars in pristine condition is about more than just appearances—it’s a dedication to preserving history and craftsmanship. Matthew’s passion for perfection, much like that of the event’s participants, celebrates both the art and science of automotive care. Whether you’re an enthusiast or simply curious about the world of detailing, today’s conversation will offer a glimpse into how Matthew has transformed his love for cars into a career at the forefront of the industry. 01:11:21 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature So Refined by Mojo Dingo. Steve dubs them as not 12-bar blues, or 16-bar blues, or 8-bar blues, but just pure BAR blues. Matt Cahill from Paper Rock Scissors records agrees, noting that although they’re standard 12-bar blues, the thing about them is that ‘to me’ they seem to be an almost perfect blend of blues & catchy pop/rock. Matt had never been a fan of the Blues, until the very first time he saw these guys and signed them to his label that evening. Mojo Dingo is a modern blues funk band hailing from Adelaide, Australia. The hardworking and dynamic group has earned its stripes on the live circuit, supporting world-renowned guitarist Josh Smith and fellow Aussie icons The Bondi Cigars.

In this episode, we take apart the story of South Australia’s iconic dry stone walls, stone by stone. Our guest, Bruce Munday, take us on a captivating journey across the state, exploring the history and craftsmanship of these enduring structures. As we uncover the tales behind each wall, we celebrate the skill and dedication of both past and present artisans who keep this traditional craft alive. The SA Drink of the Week this week is a brand new Raspberry and Finger Lime Gin from 23rd Street Distillery. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we hear the emotionally charged single "Sincerely Me" by the talented Hayli. Join us for this milestone episode as we blend history, music, and community conversation, marking eleven years of showcasing the passions that shape South Australia. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page. Running Sheet: Those Dry Stone Walls Of South Australia 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:04:05 SA Drink Of The Week The South Australian Drink Of The Week this week is the brand new Raspberry and Finger Lime Gin from 23rd Street Distillery. This gin is a really interesting blend of juicy raspberries and tangy finger lime. After soaking the blue juniper berries they then start the vapor distil process, creating a spicy, aromatic gin base. Then they add in the raspberries and finger lime, which soak for about three weeks, tasting daily to get that balance right.  The gin's smooth and fruity, and its recommended to mix it with tonic or soda and garnish with lime and mint. Our guest taster, John Gledhill from Gledhill Vignerons, mixed the drinks with Bickfords Soda and Bickfords Dry Tonic, and then pulled a rabbit out of the hat, mixing it with Fever Tree Raspberry Tonic. He also agrees with the good people at 23rd Street, that this would go very very well with dark chocolate. 00:18:30 Bruce Munday, Those Dry Stone Walls Revisited South Australia is blessed with beautiful stone – stone with colour, texture and light. Some of our stone structures have stood for 150 years, never touched by mortar. So, in this episode, Bruce Munday returns to The Adelaide Show to share the stories behind these stone walls and the people who built them and commissioned them. His book is, Those Dry Stone Walls Revisited, out through Wakefield Press. If Bruce sounds familiar, he was last on our show in 2017, discussing the history of rabbits in South Australia and beyond. 01:03:50 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Sincerely Me by Hayli. Hayli was first on The Adelaide Show in episode 369, but has released a new single since then, Sincerely Me, which is very very raw. In fact, it comes with an explicit tag so if you're listening with kids or you'd prefer not to have your sensibilities pushed, you might want to click through to listen to some of her other tracks instead. As you'll hear in our interview, Hayli is a dynamic artist who pursues great clarity in in her stories, with the lyrics matching the melody and performance. So, it only follows that when she is unpacking a story of betrayal, that the passion and the rawness go off the scale. I've since discovered why Hayli was so generous in her interview and so clear in her willingness to dive into her storytelling through song; it's because she wants all of us to embrace music culture , whether we're adults or whether we're kids who are thinking about learning an instrument. Hayli, who is the music teacher at Seaview High School, says the most important part to of music is that people learn the value of self expression and teamwork. And she must be doing something right because her students have nominated her as the ARIA Music Teacher of the year. You can watch the nomination video with Sarah McLeod, and you can also vote for her, once a day, between now and November 13, 2024.

Most South Australian's of a certain age, remember John Martin's Department Stores with great fondness. And now, 26 years after the doors closed, Paul Flavel has brought Johnnies back to life with a magnificent, hard cover book. He's our special guest, taking us down memory lane after five solid years of research and story gathering. There is no SA Drink of the Week this week. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we hear an early song by Australian legend, Peter Combe, which was written for the John Martin's Christmas Pageant. Join us for this milestone episode as we blend history, music, and community conversation, marking eleven years of showcasing the passions that shape South Australia. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Pleasing You Was Important At John Martin's 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:02:45 Paul Flavel, Author, John Martin's The Story Of South Australia's Beloved Department Store In this episode, Steve Davis sat down with author Paul Flavel to delve into the rich history of John Martin's, South Australia's beloved department store that graced the retail landscape for over 130 years until its closure in 1998. Paul's new book, John Martin's: The Story of South Australia's Beloved Department Store, is the first comprehensive documentation of this iconic institution, lovingly dedicated to his grandmother—a personal link that fuels his passion for the store's legacy. We explore dramatic moments in John Martin's history, starting with the devastating fire on Easter Sunday in 1901, when a display of wax figurines representing the Rock of Ages caught fire, spreading rapidly through the store. Despite such challenges, including enduring the Great Depression and two World Wars, John Martin's remained a cornerstone of the South Australian community. Paul shares how John Martin's stirs vivid memories in the subconscious of South Australians. For many, it was a place of first jobs straight out of school, the magic of the annual Christmas Pageant—a wonderful institution that brought joy to families—and staff picnics that fostered a sense of loyalty and connection among employees. These traditions remind us of a time when working for a company meant being part of a community. We reminisce about the charming "lift ladies" and other quirky characters that made shopping at John Martin's a unique experience. The conversation includes some funny stories, and even some romantic tales reminiscent of Are You Being Served?, like Steve's unrequited romance with the stationery girl, and anecdotes about his colleagues like Debbie, Sharon, and the West Lakes' stores version of Mr Peacock. We also touch on the iconic "Miss JM" and miniskirs, along with the store's brush with fame during The Beatles' visit. The conversation turns reflective as we examine whether, as consumers, we played a part in the store's demise. The introduction of bank credit cards in Australia gave shoppers more freedom, reducing reliance on department store credit systems—once a significant part of John Martin's business model. The rise of national retailers like Myer, and discount stores such as Kmart and Target, intensified competition, challenging John Martin's ability to compete. We discuss how these factors, along with the sale and rebranding of various store locations, signaled the end of an era. Finally, we contemplate whether a store like John Martin's could succeed in today's retail environment. Paul shares insights from his extensive research and reflects on how consumer behavior and the retail landscape have evolved. Is there still a place for the loyalty and community that John Martin's fostered, or have we moved beyond that model? Join us for a nostalgic journey through the history of John Martin's, filled with personal stories, historical insights, and reflections on the store's enduring legacy in South Australia. 00:57:45 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature To You Merry Christmas by Peter Combe. In 1989, Peter wrote a song for a John Martin’s Christmas Pageant competition, called ‘To You Merry Christmas’. Although he didn’t win the competition that year,  he did later release the song as part of a Christmas album which reached the ARIA top charts and it went gold within five weeks of its release in 1990. Ironically, it outlived John Martin's. In 2022, Peter was one of the celebrity performers at the Christmas Carols event and rode in the "National Pharmacies" Christmas Pageant as part of the promotion. National Pharmacies is the current title sponsor of the event, which is managed by Events South Australia. Peter has a new album waiting in the wings, A Frog in My Cheese Sandwich, and we're told that if we wash our face in orange juice and clean our teeth with bubble gum, he'll be happy to join us for a full episode.

It takes a family to raise a theatre company, so we gathered Stirling Players family members, Erik Strauts, Bronwyn Chapple, Anita Zamberlan Canala, and Probir Dutt, to take is into some of its rich heritage and interesting moments. The SA Drink of the Week is from Howard Vineyard, which supports the work of Stirling Players. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we hear an original composition by Stirling Players committee member, Probir Dutt. Join us for this milestone episode as we blend history, music, and community conversation, marking eleven years of showcasing the passions that shape South Australia. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Theatre 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:02:20 SA Drink Of The Week The SA Drink Of The Week this week is a 2022 Shiraz from Howard Vineyard. For the record, the General Manager and Head Winemaker at Howard Vineyard, Tom Northcott, was a guest in episode 161 A Night At The Manchen, and his 2010 Amos Cabernet Franc was our SA Drink Of The Year in 2013. 00:07:50 From The Stirling Players – Erik Strauts, Bronwyn Chapple, Anita Zamberlan Canala, and Probir Dutt The Stirling Players is a prominent amateur theatre group based in the Adelaide Hills, with a rich history marked by significant achievements and contributions to the local arts scene. As the group approaches opening night of its first ever “cross species” production, a play called Sylvia about the relationship between a man and his dog and the rift that creates in the relationship with his human wife, we’ve gathered backstage while people scurry about us, bumping in the set and running some of the final rehearsals. To take the story of Stirling Players out for walkies, we have the director of Sylvia, Erik Strauts, committee member and theatre stalwart, Bronwyn Chapple, actor who plays Kate in Sylvia, Anita Zamberlan Canala, and fellow committee member and composer, Probir Dutt. Sylvia runs September 13-28, 2024. Tickets here. Your new president, Tim Williams, opens the current edition of your newsletter saying, “Did you know that producing a play is absolutely simple?” If I hadn’t read past that, I would have thought that bothering to come up the hill for this chat was much ado about nothing. However, he does go on to give context. What is the first reaction that runs through your minds when you hear that provocative claim? Erik, to give us an idea of what the arc of a production is like, how long it takes from conception to birth – when did you get an inkling that this could be a good Stirling Players production? Sarah Jessica Parker of Sex And The City fame was one of the first actors to play Syliva, the dog. How on earth do you direct a human to be a dog in a way that holds the narrative together without breaking that all important suspension of disbelief among audience members? The play did get some very warm reviews during its run off and on Broadway in the 1990s but it also got criticised for its portrayal of women. Were those criticisms valid, or did they misunderstand the show, and if they were valid, have you had to modify aspects of the play or its staging? Bronwyn, you’re a part of the furniture at the Stirling Players (and I mean that in a nice way) and I believe you’ve also maintained a collection of production posters and cast notes, so I wonder if you can recall other productions from the company’s past, where you’ve taken on unconventional material? Let’s dart back to the beginning of Stirling Players. It was 1972, I believe. What came first – the desire to have a theatre company or the desire to save the Stirling Institute building? I do like the creative spark that lives in this company because it was only a few years old when it started the Hills Festival of One Act Plays in 1976. , the Stirling Players initiated the Hills Festival of One Act Plays. I love a good one act plays. What do they bring that longer plays don’t, and vice versa? At one level, I guess there’s a balancing act between getting a story over efficiently vs making it worth the work to go out and get you to the theatre on a cold, hills evening. What has been the mainstay of Stirling Players material over the years? What are the challenges in getting audiences to your shows in this age of streaming services like Netflix, and people having a stream of snack-size districtions right in the palms of their hands? Probir, it’s not every theatre company that has someone on the team who is a gifted composer and musician. We are going to hear some of your music later but before we get to that, in a general sense, what attracted you to the Stirling Players? People I know in the music field are very very precious about their copyright, etc, and rightfully so. If you write and produce music for a production, what happens at that level to make sure Stirling Players is in the clear but that your work is also protected? Talking of music, the Hills Musical Company arose as part of the push to save the Institute. Are we allowed to mention them in mixed company? So, we have two pretty healthy companies that need volunteers to make productions happen. I’d like to understand how you attract new people but to get into that, what runs through your mind when you hear messages like this one that I saw on the Adelaide & South Australian Theatre Company Facebook Group this morning: Hey all! In desperate need of a stage hand for 3 shows tomorrow. (Yes I know it’s Father’s Day, it’s a pain). Volunteer at the parks theatre, call time 9am through to 8pm. It’s a great show, we’re having a heap of fun, just not enough hands!!! Many churches and community service groups struggle because their people are ageing and there’s not young blood coming through. What is the makeup of the Stirling Players community because I note that for your 50th celebration a couple years ago, Bronwyn, you chose to do Radio Show because, and I quote, it was a “chance to give some of the older Stirling Players, who find trouble remembering lines these days, to be involved and have scripts in front of them.” What are the next shows on the horizon? What would each of you like to see in Stirling Players’ future over the next 5-10 years. How do people get tickets for Sylvia, which runs September 13-28, 2024? 01:00:20 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Time Is Against Me by Probir Dutt.

Welcome to the landmark 400th episode of The Adelaide Show! This week, we’re celebrating a significant milestone with a special guest, Lord Mayor, Dr Jane Lomax-Smith AM. Our discussion delves into the challenges and opportunities of balancing heritage preservation with modern development in Adelaide, especially in the face of growing pressures to modernise historical sites. Oh, and does Steve Davis sneak into the Adelaide Town Hall and play the famous pipe organ? The SA Drink of the Week segment is a fitting tribute to Adelaide’s history, because we sip a beverage connected to Colonel William Light, the city’s founder. Join us as we explore the historical and cultural significance of this choice in a lively and insightful taste test. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we round out our celebration, with The Saucermen performing a song that resonates with the themes of heritage and progress. Join us for this milestone episode as we blend history, music, and community conversation, marking eleven years of showcasing the passions that shape South Australia. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Balancing Heritage And Progress With The Adelaide Lord Mayor 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:50 SA Drink Of The Week The SA Drink Of The Week this week is a Penfolds Club Port. This was chosen because I had recently met the Lord Mayor at Colonel William Light’s birthday celebration at the Adelaide Town Hall, an annual event since 1859 that honours Adelaide’s founder. On April 27 each year, a group of people invited by the Lord Mayor, commemorate Light’s influence on the city’s layout with Australian Port, symbolically drunk from a historic silver bowl. Curiously, though, we each had separate slices of a special fruit cake and separate glasses of wine instead of sharing from the bowl. I asked the Lord Mayor why that was? 00:10:03 Adelaide Lord Mayor, Dr Jane Lomax-Smith AM Here we are, crafting a very special 400th episode of The Adelaide Show, where we’ve been shining a spotlight on South Australia’s passionate people for 11 intriguing years. Today, we’re joined by Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith AM, at a time when the echoes of Adelaide’s pioneering spirits are being tested by the drumbeats of modern development. Together, we’ll delve into how we can cherish and protect our city’s rich heritage while steering towards progressive change, a topic sparked by the recent uproar over The Cranker’s near-demolition. Dr. Lomax-Smith brings a wealth of experience from her dual roles as a former state minister and our current Lord Mayor, promising insights that bridge our past with the future. Welcome. This interview has extra signficance for me because it completes the trifecta of having had three Lord Mayors (everything inside me wants to say Lords Mayor) on our podcast. Stephen Yarwood got the ball rolling by drawing the ire of Peter Goers who lambasted him and us and gave us some profile, then Martin Haese was part of the program, playing some guitar, too, and today we have the honour of your company as we mark this milestone episode. What is it like, being in a role that is often called upon to mark special occasions and anniversaries, even though such things are purely arbitrary? When we began this podcast enterprise in 2013, we were motivated by the ubiquitous, lazy linking of Adelaide with the word, boring. We fought a strong fight and discovered that much of that slander had diminished by episode 80, which is when we marked our transition from Another Boring Thursday Night In Adelaide to our current name of The Adelaide. Do you think we have shaken off that connection? Do you find it still lingers? A psychologist we interviewed, Alexandra Frost from Attuned Psychology, noted that people are largely in control of how “boring” their surroundings are. You could be just as bored in New York as Adelaide, if you stayed in your room and moped about. On the other hand, I often find that some of the criteria used to judge a city boring, relate to a desperate need for artificial, external stimulation, rather than taking responsibility for finding intrinsinc motivation for engaging with one’s surroundings. Furthermore, sometimes unique character gets marked down in the race to have the same stimuli that other towns have. How does a town craft and “own” confidence in its own skin? At Colonel Light’s birthday celebration, you spoke passionately about the need to get the balance right between preservation and progress. What criteria do you believe should be used to determine which older buildings in Adelaide are worth preserving? The recent controversy surrounding The Cranker has highlighted tensions between heritage preservation and urban development. What lessons can be learned from this situation? I’ve performed stand up comedy at The Cranker, so it has a soft spot for me but many of us are not quite ready to relax about its future, given the risks of “accidental damage” during construction, such as the potential for a wrecking ball to inadvertently damage a heritage building. This is the dilemma for people protecting heritage vs developers – once we have lost what was there it is gone, whereas a developer can easily rebuild or reshape their construction. Is this just an age old source of anxiety that heritage proponents just have to live with? Prepare yourself. This will be the longest question ever constructed: The Cranker is special to me because I have performed there. The old Bank Of Adelaide building was special because my dad and grandpa worked on it with their business, Field and Davis Constructions (in fact, my dad, Barry Davis, tells me he swung in there one Saturday afternoon and installed the three flag poles on the roof, all by himself). Other parts are or have been significant because we might have seen The Beatles wave from a balcony, or a premiership team parade through streets, etc. I wonder if we can reflect on the ephemeral nature of what it means to protect heritage items. This question hit me while listening to US comedian and commentator, Bill Maher, interview some children and he was surprised that very few of them had even heard of Elvis Presley and almost none of them thought there was any reason to be interested in his story. So, when we pass on, the connection between our lived experience and The Beatles on a balcony, passes on too, either with us, or when our following generation passes on. Deep in the DNA of the Heritage Inclination, is there a sense that we are vainly trying to fight the realisation that time and memories pass quickly, like sand through our fingers, and that, ultimately, it is a losing battle or one of little everlasting value because nothing is everlasting? Would you indulge me in an imagination exercise? There was once a majestic building on the corner of Rundle Street and Frome Road called the Grand Central Hotel, where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and many other illuminaries stayed during visits to Adelaide. It was built in 1910 on the site of the former York Hotel and was demolished in 1975-76 to make way for the Hungry Jacks car park. How would that part of the city be different today, had that building been maintained? And, yes, we could play this game with many other buildings; I’d just love to hear you think out loud about this. The nature of city-based employment and engagement does seem to be fast-paced, head down, etc, which is why traversing these streets in the extremes of temperature can be trying. I am often reminded of Lovin’ Spoonful’s lyrics: Hot town, summer in the city Back of my neck gettin’ dirty and gritty Been down, isn’t it a pity? Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city All around, people lookin’ half dead Walkin’ on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head When we are in commuter, survival mode, I guess we just don’t have head space for appreciating the environment. But, have our town planners and landlords also gotten some things wrong by not providing for human spaces between the buildings? Scientists tell us that just being surrounded by greenery in nature, actively helps calm our nervous systems. Do you think there’s a subliminal effect we get from built environs? If someone is thinking about moving to the city to live, what sort of mindset would allow them to benefit the most from city life and contribute the most? 00:44:03 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Valley of the Rattling Bones by The Saucermen. We’ve previously played The Saucermen right back in our early days with One Day Dry in episode 13, and The Ghost Of Johnny Cash in episode 28. In 2004, The Saucermen released their first original EP “Valley of the Rattling Bones”, penned by the lead singer and rhythm guitarist, Steve O’Malley, and and inspired by a co-worker’s warning. It set the wheels in motion for the band to write more original tunes. The guys love this song and love playing it and I think it fits for this episode because you could argue that Adelaide, like any city that’s been around for a while, is a valley of bones, to some degree, when you consider all the people whose lives have intersected with it. And, secondly, we’ve just been talking about how some of our early buildings have really stood the test of time and this song is a musical equivalent of that. Hope you enjoy it. And if you hear this in time, you can catch The Saucermen (along with Weekend Rage and The Overits) on Saturday, August 31 at The Cranker. Tickets via Try Booking. You can follow The Saucermen on MySpace and Facebook.

Welcome to episode 399 of “The Adelaide Show”, where spirits soar as high as our conversations dive deep! This episode is a playful showdown between Port Adelaide’s finest, Michelle and Michael, and Adelaide Football Club’s spirited duo, Tina and Alexis. Join us as they taste and spar over the Carn The Pear Gin from Never Never Distilling Co and The Adelaide Crows 2024 Players Recipe Gin from Prohibition Gin. It’s not just about the flavours but also the fiery fun that ensues when these passionate fans face off. Plus, we’re delighted to have John Gledhill, expert winemaker and judge, to share his refined insights after the main event. In The Musical Pilgrimage, we finish with a new song from Professor Flint. The whole program is the SA Drink Of The Week, this week. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: The Inaugural South Australian Gin Showdown 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:43 SA Drink Of The Week In this uniquely spirited episode, we set the stage for an unforgettable showdown between fans of The Power and The Crows. Each team not only champions their club but also their corresponding gin in a taste test filled with cheers and friendly jeers. Michelle and Michael carry the banner for The Power with the vibrant Carn The Pear Gin, while Tina and Alexis back The Crows with the bold Adelaide Crows 2024 Players Recipe Gin. The gins, each crafted by renowned South Australian distilleries, reflect the distinct personalities and heritages of their AFL teams. As the tasting concludes, the atmosphere shifts from competitive to contemplative with the arrival of John Gledhill. With a palate honed in Australia’s wine country and a plethora of judging experiences, John offers a professional critique that adds depth to the playful banter of our tasters. His expert commentary not only enlightens but also celebrates the craftsmanship behind each gin. 00:48:33 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Dance With Me by Lizzie Hosking. Rounding out the episode, we dive into the musical world with Professor Flint’s intriguing song, “The Demon Duck of Doom.” This track brings to life the tale of Dromornis stirtoni, a colossal prehistoric bird native to Australia, blending science with melody to captivate and educate.

Hello and welcome to the episode we are referring to, internally, as "Rolling Dough and Raising Spirits" or should that be "Raising Dough and Rolling Spirits"? It's about The SA Variety Bash which is underway today, the day we are releasing this episode (10th August 2024), and the main interview was recorded inside Car 13 The Bakers, which my company, Talked About Marketing, helped sponsor. So, you'll be right there amid the rumbling of a 1991 Commodore, as we cruise with a crew that mixes baking with benevolence. I talk about Darren Sutton from Kytons Bakery, along with his mates Julian Stone and Chris Madeley, as they put the finishing touches to the car before they drive thousands of kilometres to support the work of Variety. And when I say "finishing touches", I mean touches they needed to avoid the car being finished (yes, we spent an hour with the car on a hoist while last minute work was done, related to the transmission - luckily, that's not a critical part of the car). In The Musical Pilgrimage, we finish with a musical detour with 'Dance With Me' by Adelaide’s own Lizzie Hosking, adding a rhythm to our ride that’s got to make it onto the road trip playlists of all participants this year, especially Mr Fresh FM, Chris Madeley. There is no SA Drink Of The Week, this week. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Baking A Difference 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:03:39 Car 13 The Bakers - SA Variety Bash Welcome to a high-octane interview on The Adelaide Show, recorded live from the back seat of the infamous Car 13, The Bakers, who are heading off on this year's SA Variety Bash. Joining me on the road are Darren Sutton from Kytons Bakery (where we're leaving from) and his mates, Julian Stone and Chris Madeley. Start Your Engine! Darren, this is your 20th Bash over the last 25 years, could you kick things off by telling us what sparked the idea to enter Car 13 into the Variety Bash? What's the backstory of 'The Bakers' getting together for this cause? We're in a 1990 Commodore. How did you go about choosing and kitting out a car for the Bash? What are some of the wildest modifications you've made or seen on the rally? What's a typical day like during the Bash? From dawn till dusk, walk us through the highs and the unexpected turns. When it comes to planning supplies, what are the absolute must-haves in your vehicle? Any quirky items that you wouldn’t hit the road without? Road Trip Playlist: What tunes are on your playlist for those long stretches? Who’s the DJ, and how do you settle the inevitable music disputes? Long hours on the road can lead to cabin fever. What’s your strategy for keeping spirits high? Any favourite games or stories that come out during the drive? How has participating in the Variety Bash changed your perspective on charity and community service? Can you tell us about some of the most colourful characters or teams you've met during the Bash? Any rivalries or friendships forged along the way? What’s the most unexpected thing that’s happened to you during previous Bashes? Any memorable breakdowns or surprising encounters? Looking forward, what dream route or destination would you love the Variety Bash to tackle next? For anyone thinking about joining the Bash for the first time, what advice would you give them to prepare both their car and their team? Finally, if each of you had to describe your driving style using a famous movie or TV car, what would it be and why? 00:48:11 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Dance With Me by Lizzie Hosking. Adelaide Singer Lizzie Hosking is a powerhouse vocalist with catchy melodies and fun story-telling. At a young age Lizzie was diagnosed with ASD, and has since navigated the world with resilience despite the challenges she faces in social interactions and societal misconceptions.  Through her love for music and determination, she uses her platform to advocate for understanding and acceptance of autism, inspiring others to embrace their diagnosis as a superpower and pursue their dreams with confidence. Lizzie has found success as an independent artist releasing multiple singles, to be featured in worldwide press, receiving support from Spotify and Apple editorial and the team at Triple J Unearthed. In March ‘24 Lizzie made her first festival appearance at WOMADelaide delivering a mesmerizing vocal performance on the NSS Academy Stage. Most recently Lizzie Hosking co-headlined Adelaide’s UniBar and was selected to play at Music South Australia’s “Scouted 2024”, proving Lizzie Hosking, one to watch. Dance with me is a Dance Pop and Disco tune with influences from ABBA and Ariana Grande - just perfect for Chris Madeley from Car 13! In Dance With Me, Lizzie empowers listeners to see their worth and tells the story of the fear of dimming your spark for someone else, however if they are willing to grow and shine with you then beautiful things can happen. She says this song is really about understanding your worth and preaching that to the masses. Lizzie says Dance With Me is for the girls that need a reminder that they are fierce and amazing and there will also be someone and something to lift them up! Dance With Me is on Spotify and Apple Music, and you can follow Lizzie there and on Instagram and TikTok.

In this episode, we explore the textured life and inspirations of Chris Pitman, a South Australian actor and playwright. Chris discusses the upcoming season of his one-man show "Shore Break," at the Adelaide Festival Centre. The play, inspired by his encounters with societal "isolates" along the coast, delves into the poignant narratives of those living on the edges of society. Chris reflects on his Adelaide roots, his formative years by the beach, and the pivotal moments that shaped his artistic journey. He recounts his acting break in Neil Armfield's "Cloudstreet" and shares insights from his extensive career, including working with actors like Max Cullen. The episode kicks off with the SA Drink of the Week, celebrating the Beresford Emblem Fiano 2023, a world-class wine that has clinched a 95-point Gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards. Our guest wine taster is John Gledhill of Gledhill Vignerons. In our Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Darkness & Gold by My Chérie, a song that mirrors the introspective themes of Chris's play, exploring the facades we present and the hidden struggles within. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Chris Pitman From Beaches To The Stage 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:02:45 SA Drink Of The Week The SA Drink Of The Week is Beresford Estate’s Beresford Emblem Fiano 2023, which has just received exceptional recognition at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards, earning a 95-point Gold medal and ranking No.1 in this year's Fiano category, inaugurating it as the best Fiano in the world. As we discuss with our guest wine taster, John Gledhill of Gledhill Vignerons, this wine earned the same score as some of the country’s best $100 white wines yet sells for just $25; a feat John says is not unheard of but very special when it happens at such shows. In the discussion, we quote head winemaker, Chris Dix, discussing the remarkable growth of Fiano in McLaren Vale, since the Lloyd family planted the first Fiano vine 22 years ago. The Beresford Emblem Fiano 2023 is available through the Beresford cellar door - the Beresford Tasting Pavilion in McLaren Vale. 00:15:45 Chris Pitman Brink Productions will soon be presenting, Shore Break, as part of State Theatre’s Stateside season in the Space Theatre at the Adelaide Festival Centre from 3 – 7 September. I’m told this play is an interesting one man show written and performed by Chris Pitman, about a man on the outskirts of society who is finding his way back. To make this play possible, Chris did some detailed research in campgrounds in the regions, along the coast talking to a number of outliers / “isolates” about their stories, and how they found themselves in their situations. It is from these stories that he derived inspiration for his play. You grew up in Adelaide, attracted to the beach. Can you start by painting a picture of Adelaide and South Australia as you remembered it back then? Anything you miss, anything you’re glad has changed? Did you hang out with lots of friends, or was there an essence of the “isolate” in you back then? I note that you are a poster child for Steve Jobs’ famous quip – Just Ship It. Took you a few years to apply for acting school, but when you did actually send a letter to the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), you got accepted. Does an academy like that actually instil acting ability into you, or does it nurture what is already inside? I note your first major break was auditioning for Neil Armfield for a major role in Tim Winton’s ‘Cloudstreet’, and you “somehow” got the job, moved to Sydney and suddenly started working with many famous and respected actors including, former guest of this podcast, Max Cullen. He was on episode 265, talking about Sunday Too Far Away, which was shot in South Australia. Did any Max Cullen rub off on you (or any of the actors) as you travelled overseas with that show? I just heard Malcom MacDowell being interviewed by Bill Maher. Malcolm got his break with Clockwork Orange and is now busier than ever. He did admit that he had said yes to films that he did not like, just for the money, noting, as a professional actor, what else can you do. This is what scares me to the core on behalf of artists like you. Your existence is one of maintaining the confidence to lurch from one gig to the next. Did you have to work hard to adapt to that reality after such a dream start to your professional career? One of our listeners, Anthony, has a young daughter, Alannah who is 11 and just went to an acting school on the Gold Coast and now has four agencies wanting to talk to you. I said she could ask you a couple of questions, given you have done a good smattering of TV work in shows like All Saits, Blue Heelers, and South Australian favourite, McLeod’s Daughters and TV/film is what is luring her. First question, what was the first step in getting a role on TV? Second question, what was your favourite thing you have been? Alannah’s dad had reworded the second question as What character impacted you the most, and to me, that’s a great segue into Shore Break, because from the glowing and thoughtful reviews I’ve seen, this show gets you in the gut, which means it must have gotten you in the gut. So, what attracts you to the world of the isolate? I am profoundly jaundices by the ubiquity of smart phones and social media – I was originally a champion of them, now I am a voice saying they only LOOK like they are connecting us; they actually only deliver the confection of connection. Does that sentiment intersect with themes of the play? Is there something significant about these loners being near the water? Would the story be the same in a landlocked situation? Can you take us into your experience of chatting with these people because you note there was laughter along with very great pain. How did you earn that trust? Or was it easier than we might expect because you actually have them an ear inclined towards them? The blurb for the show says: Simple and raw, addressing the search for human connection and meaning, in a life filled with rejection and regret, Shore Break elegantly depicts the vulnerability of masculinity through a tour de force performance, sharp writing, and an emotional sucker-punch you won’t see coming. We’ll keep the sucker punch secret but without spoiling the play, can you tell us if these outsiders do have lessons for us about meaning that we cannot find elsewhere? I’m told that you describe working in theatre as a very insular experience, and just like surfing, they both require intensity and relaxation together. Does that seem to contrast the life of stable normalcy which is the gold standard in society’s narrative about itself? The young director for this production is Chelsea Griffith who’s worked closely with ex-Artistic Director Chris Drummond, to direct this work. The US election made age a big issue. And we hear people grumble if their doctor is too young, etc, based on the assumption that age brings wisdom and insight. You’ve been around. Did you need to adapt your mindset in any way to take direction from someone who is establishing their career? 01:15:45 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature Darkness & Gold by Chérie of My Chérie fame. With rich metaphors and poignant lyrics, 'Darkness & Gold' invites listeners into a world of introspection and self-discovery. My Chérie explores the various personas we embody, from the curated versions we present on social media to the hidden depths of our innermost selves. The song captures the essence of the human condition, highlighting the constant tension between aspiration and acceptance. Chérie says it’s her candid portrayal and deep dive into my human experience of the internal struggles we all face. In confronting themes of strength, vulnerability, and the pursuit of self-improvement, I want to acknowledge the efforts of trying and the tricky journey of figuring ourselves out.”

We’re thrilled to bring you a unique blend of conversation and music. Uncle Ken Jones from the Boandik community is here to talk about his deep connection to country and his incredible life stories, all from the heart of the Limestone Coast. And we’ve got John Schumann, whose songs capture the Aussie spirit in ways that stick with you long after the music stops. Expect to hear a few tunes throughout our chat, each telling a story that ties back to South Australia and South Australians. There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. And we have made John’s interview an extended edition of the Musical Pilgrimage. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: South Australian Storytellers 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No SA Drink this week. 00:03:37 Uncle Ken Jones Here on The Adelaide Show, we shine a spotlight on South Australian passion, and my guest has passion in spades. He is Uncle Ken Jones, who I’m sitting with during NAIDOC Week 2024. I met Uncle Ken through his work running the tourism business, Bush Adventures, down on the Limestone Coast, at Port MacDonnell, and I’m hoping we’ll capture some of his profound connection to country, some of his wild story, and some of his storytelling and wisdom. Uncle Ken, welcome to the Adelaide Show. Uncle Ken, in a recent story about you published on SouthAustralia.com, you’ve said, “I’m part of the oldest continuous culture in the world.” How does this profound connection influence your daily life and values? Your parents deliberately hid your Aboriginal roots from you for much of your childhood, and in the story – which I will link to in the show notes – you reflect that upon discovering your Aboriginal heritage, you mentioned, “It was a shame factor.” I’d love to explore how this change in understanding about your identity affect your sense of belonging within Australian society? But just before you answer, I want to add something else. Your dad said he kept you identity a secret because, “Aboriginal people were not particularly loved or cared for in those days.” We’re just about to hear from singer songwriter, John Schumann, and we’ll be chatting about his song, On Every Anzac Day, which honours Aboriginal Australians who fought in the Australian army, defending someone else’s king and defending land that had been taken away from them. Later in the song, the returned serviceman went to join his local RSL but was rejected because the people there didn’t see a fellow soldier, they saw a black fella. Songs like that make me think I would have done the same as your father. But maybe there is a cost. Storytelling is clearly vital in Aboriginal culture. I remember hearing some dreaming stories shared by Aboriginal philosopher and author, Tyson Yunkaporta, and one, in particular about a crow and a magpie, has stayed with me ever since. Every time I see one of those birds, I remember the story about listening to your elders. It was the first time I understood the power of storytelling for passing on knowledge. How do you see storytelling among the Boandik people as similar to or different from mainstream Australian stories and the stuff we see on Netflix? You’ve worked tirelessly to forge connections and share your culture. What common grounds have you found most effective in bridging cultural divides? Looking to the future, you’ve expressed being “dangerously optimistic” about preserving Boandik Country’s legacy. What are your hopes for the next generation of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians in creating a more inclusive and understanding society? 00:29:58 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature an extended interview with John Schumann ahead of a special concert at The Gov on August 3, which we’ll be going to, in which John Schumann and the Vagabond Band will work through a stack of John’s back catalogue. In an interview for an ABC radio documentary on John Schumann’s nation-changing song “I was only 19”, the noted rock historian Glenn A Baker concluded by saying “John Schumann is one of the finest songwriters this country has produced.” It’s hard to argue with that because John Schumann’s songs have that trace of red bulldust in them that is part bravado, part earthy wisdom, and they hang around your memory like flies in the Flinders Ranges. John, welcome back to The Adelaide Show. John, you and the Vagabond Crew are doing a show with many of the John Schumann back catalogue numbers on August 3 at The Gov. And I did see a video clip of you bemoaning the fact that cover bands earn more money that original singer songwriters these days, so think of the concert as a John Schumann cover show. Clever stuff!! We’re recording this chat during NAIDOC week 2024, so as part of our meander through some of your South Australian-specific songs, I want to start and end with two that involve First Nations stories. The first is On Every Anzac Day. Back in 2014, the then Chief of Army, LTGEN David Morrison, commissioned you to write a song to pay tribute to Indigenous men and women who served Australia because he was worried the Anzac Centenary was going to ignore them. Turns out he was right, in a way, because as the song documents beautifully, there’s the story of a black returned servicemen wanting to join his local RSL, only to be turned away because the people there only saw a black fella, not a soldier. Now, of course, when it comes to sacrifice and putting your life on the line, it’s not a competition but there’s something even more profound and filled with pathos and tragedy when you revere the fact that our Aboriginal soldiers put their lives on the line for someone else’s king to defend the land they had taken away from them. How does this song resonate with you today and have you seen any clarity in how to fathom the contrasts and the tragedy of these situations? And who is singing with you on this? In our last episode, 395, we waltzed through all the big political stories of the day and I was able to use five Redgum songs to set the context for each. The opposition’s call for nuclear power to be back on the agenda was accompanied by “Where Ya Gonna Run to?” There is the verse “Enrich the oxide out of Port Pirie and the toxic gases they won’t even see but where ya gonna go when the north wind blows, where ya gonna run to now”. Interestingly, there has been some fairly solid science to support nuclear energy over the years but as we pointed out last week, its time has passed. It takes too long to build, the costs will blow out, and we’ll be making more leaps and bounds with greener energy sources. Despite some of the work in its favour, you’re dead right in that song – a haunting thought is what happens when something goes wrong? Of course, that’s a quick, dramatic death, vs the slow drowning we’re all suffering from the burning of oil, gas, and coal. Where’s your thinking on this today? In episode 394, we traced some South Australian links to the stories of Sherlock Holmes, including the ship, Bass Rock, which was mentioned in the story, The Adventure of the Abbey Grange, travelling from Adelaide to Southampton. Not all ships made it, of course, including the famous Star of Greece, which broke apart and ran aground in a violent storm off Port Willunga on the 13th July 1888. There’s some discrepancy in the actual number of lives lost, due to doubts about the number of people aboard the vessel when it left Port Adelaide, but most historians conclude that at least 18 perished. And one person who didn’t, was your great grandfather, who missed the boat and saved his life. Can you take us into this story some more, and the song that appears on Etched In Blue called Thunder Across The Reef? Also, I have a recollection of hearing you perform this in Willunga – a special performance of etched in blue a long time ago – perhaps as part of a community arts project? For the Children is a song you wrote in your last few months in Redgum. Your first child was two and you were getting dragged away on tour by Redgum’s management for 3 months at a time. For the Children explains, in part, why you left the band”. This is off rhyme or no rhyme – or really obtuse. Was that on purpose to invoke a mood of listlessness? Who was the lady from the paper? Have your kids ever used these words against you because sometimes we tap our higher, aspirational serves when writing and then life and foibles get in the way? “Graduation Day”, is a poignant evocation of the toll taken on our police officers who are called to serve and protect our communities. It’s particularly raw here in the wake of the death of the son of our Police Commissioner, Grant Stephens. It was an unusual twist on the toll our people in blue pay. Another song about service in uniform. Some might think this contrasts with the Redgum bravado about ASIO printing out Redgum files so they can climb up to get to ours. Is it the writing class link between people on patrol? I want to finish with “Just Fade Away”, in which we hear a story about explorer John McDouall Stuart. The people from the Arabana nation advised him to follow the birds if he wanted to find water. What a great story, connecting us back to Uncle Ken, too. There’s a great Wall of sound – What’s making that haunting sound?

You'll be sitting in on a unique and eclectic political analysis with our in-house pollster, Robert Godden. Inspired by the poignant lyrics of Redgum, we'll dissect the mood of the electorate and explore burning issues from nuclear energy debates to the controversies of political donations and the ongoing strain on South Australia's hospital system. We'll also debate the legacy of Frome and the critical funding battles between sports and the arts. The SA Drink Of The Week this week is the new Australian whisky released by 23rd Street. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature the new song from Alison Newman, which delves into PND. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Redgum-flavoured Mid Year South Australian Politics Pulse Check 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:02 SA Drink Of The Week For our SA Drink of the Week segment, we're diving into the craftsmanship behind 23rd Street Distillery's pioneering Australian Whisky. 23rd Street has taken quality Australian barley, and then distilled it using two different, historic copper pot stills, amplifying the whisky's natural flavours and aromatic oils. Each batch boasts a robust palate of biscuity malt, vanillin oak, and toasty undertones. This whisky is matured in ex-Bourbon barrels and richly seasoned Tawny barrels. Join us as whisky aficionado David Olney helps us explore this bold, new addition to the 23rd Street lineup. 00:16:26 The Redgum-flavoured Political Pulse Check With Robert Godden Having seen footage of Premier Peter Malinauskus sleeping rough on a winter's night, it gave us pause for thought. What are his chances of staying ensconced in the warm and comforting rooms and hallways of Parliament House after the next election vs his risk of being tossed into the street? We figured it was time to check in with our in-house political pollster, Robert Godden, for his unique and eclectic range of political tea leaf reading. Robert, is it possible to start with your reading of the mood of the electorate, or, should I say, state? Here are some issues to give our discussion some structure, given some context by Redgum: I'd like to start with some Redgum lyrics (Enrich the oxide out of Port Pirie, And the toxic gases they won't even see, But where ya gonna go, When the North wind blows, Where ya gonna run to now?). Of course, this relates to the ongoing debate that never seems to reach its half life; nuclear power. Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's calls for nuclear energy is raising heat levels within South Australian Liberal ranks. Some more Redgum lyrics (Electioneering's such a bore, Three months of bending ears, Thank Christ I only see you yobbos, Once every three years). Of course, that's four years in SA but when we think elections we have to think about all the political donations helping to prop up the different teams. What do you think of the South Australian government's proposal to ban political donations? More Redgum lyrics (Life wasn't meant to be impossible, Spare us the indignity, Two cheers for progress, reason denied, Whitewash and platitudes are all I can find). Does this relate to concerns about the strain on South Australia's hospital system, with the government releasing a new ad campaign to reduce pressure on emergency departments. More Redgum lyrics (We went looking for Australia In between the TV lines, 'Cause the ABC just couldn't make it real, Colour documentary From a beanbag on the floor Never shows as much as it conceals), this brings us to Frome and what he was really like and whether we should cancel him as the namesake of one of our electorates, as requested by Upper House MP Reggie Martin. More Redgum lyrics (Yes we know it was the festival of art and all that stuff, And the culture vultures still sat on the fence, Before you put your bum on those plush red seats take, a look in your backyard, Don't we need some changes in this town?) One of the big changes is more funding for the arts, with the government facing criticism that it prioritises sports over the arts. Discuss. 01:06:05 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature a song by Alison Newman, Things Are About To Get Dark. Experience a deeply personal musical journey with Alison Newman in our Musical Pilgrimage. Her EP "WOLF" confronts the challenging themes of postnatal depression, likened to a haunting dance with the Wolf of PND. Each track narrates a phase of her struggle and recovery, encapsulating the dark yet ultimately hopeful journey through a mix of melodramatic sounds and profound lyrics. This segment is not just a song feature; it's a testament to the resilience found in seeking help and the power of discussing mental health openly. The track we're hearing retells Alison's experience from the moment she experienced her first PND symptoms, it is a forboding moment of realisation, it is going to happen all over again. This track won the Australian Songwriters Association 2021 Exceptional Merit Award in the Rock/Indie Category

How do you find someone to talk about Sherlock Holmes and his Adelaide connections? You talk to ABC Adelaide – it’s elementary, Dear Watson, and it’s how I connected with today’s guest, Peter Dunn. The SA Drink Of The Week this week is an award winning Galway Pipe Tawny Port. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature the new album by Professor Flint. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Sherlock Holmes 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:02:25 SA Drink Of The Week The SA Drink Of The Week this week is the Galway Pipe Bourbon Barrel Tawny 10 YO, voted best wine from Australia at the Frankfurt International Trophy 2024, and the Galway Pipe Grand Tawny 12 YO, which won the Grand Gold Award. These two significant awards at the prestigious Frankfurt International Trophy 2024, were against competition from more than 2,550 wines from nearly 30 countries. This is fitting because Sherlock Holmes always smoked a pipe and kept his tobacco in an old slipper. Not sure if he drank Port though? Galway Pipe is named after Sir Henry Lionel Galway, a “notable” governor of South Australia who was renowned for his discerning taste in fine fortified wines. That’s not all he was known for. Sir Henry was appointed Governor of South Australia in 1914. He resented the limitations placed upon a constitutional governor, and his governorship was defined by controversy. He managed to anger a wide spectrum of the population. The general public disliked his support of compulsory military training; puritans were angered by his support for gambling and his opposition to prohibition; progressives were infuriated by his opposition to women’s enfranchisement; and the political establishment were aghast at his opposition to the White Australia Policy (on the grounds that the Northern Territory needed Asian workers). For this last opinion, he was forced to issue a full retraction and apology. A speech in 1915 in which Galway suggested that trade unionists should be conscripted and sent to the front was widely criticised and gave local cartoonists a field day. It was eventually Galway’s support for conscription that saved his governorship; the legislature decided that his efforts to increase voluntary recruitment for the First World War, as well as his support for conscription referendums, warranted keeping him in the role. A motion in the legislature by the Labor opposition in 1917 calling for the abolition of his office failed. After the war, Premier Archibald Peake was considering a proposal to build a national war memorial on the site of Government House, Adelaide, with a new vice-regal residence to be purchased in the suburbs. Galway managed to dissuade Peake from this scheme, and the war memorial was built in a corner of the grounds of Government House. Galway’s appointment was not renewed when it expired in 1920; although he was liked by the Adelaide establishment, he had been a spectacularly controversial governor, and the Colonial Office did not give him another post. He returned to England later in 1920. Back to the wine, Galway Pipe in Langhorne Creek is led by Head Winemaker Chris Dix and Senior Winemaker Chad Smith, and is available through BWS, Dan Murphy’s, Liquorland, First Choice and more. Galway Pipe Bourbon Barrel Tawny 10 YO Complex flavours on the palate such as caramel, vanilla, fruitcake, and an abundance of sweet spice notes. The small format barrel has a profound influence, amplifying the tawny’s character with exotic bourbon notes: delicate interplay of charred wood, rye, and toasted malt characters emerge, entwining harmoniously with the tawny’s essence to create a perfect union. Galway Pipe Grand Tawny 12 YO Aged in oak barrels for an average of 12 years, this exquisite, rich blend of character-filled grape varieties. A complex flavour profile of raisins, dried pears, grilled nuts and spicy oak. The palate is balanced with levels of sweetness and acidity, perfectly crafted and aged, ready to drink. 00:17:42 Sherlock Holmes Society with Peter Dunn Earlier this year, to cleanse my pallate after reading a series of business books, I opted to listen to Stephen Fry’s reading of the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. I was smitten. Then I fell off my chair when Adelaide was mentioned in the story, The Adventure of the Abbey Grange, only to fall off again when we got another mention in The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax. My curiosity compelled me to ascertain whether or not the ships, Rock of Gibraltar and Bass Rock, actually existed and carried passengers from Adelaide to Southampton. I found evidence for the latter, and also discovered that Adelaide has a group called Unscrupulous Rascalls, but I have failed to be able to make contact with them. So, after reaching out to Keith Conlon, who put me in touch with ABC Adelaide Producer John Thompson-Mills, I was invited onto the Drive program with Jo Laverty, and through that discussion, I met Peter Dunn, who was a member of the original Sherlock Holmes Society Of Australia. He joins me now in what I hope will be a singular episode of The Adelaide Show. Original members of the Sherlock Holmes Society Of Australia, from left, Anne Dunn, Peter Dunn, and founder, Alan Olding, at the launch of the movie, “Young Sherlock Holmes” Before we proceed, I must say that I love Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s use of English, in particular, his use of the adjective, singular. I find myself using it. Are there any other words or phrases that rubbed off on you, other than, elementary (which rarely comes up)? How did the Sherlock Holmes Society of Australia come to be, and what drove its members’ passion for Holmes? Let’s have a listen to how The Case Of The Elusive Sherlock Holmes Society came to be solved, thanks to the Jo Laverty interview on ABC Adelaide. This is my second interview with Jo on the day. Tell us more about the society and some of those connections to stories and to the author. In my first chat with Jo Laverty, I brought up the only blemish in Stephen Fry’s narration, when he we trying to do the accent of Lady Brackenstall from Adelaide, whose maiden name was Mary Fraser. Here’s a snippet from the story, The Adventure Of The Abbey Grange. What do you think of that accent? We should go back to the beginning and “A Study in Scarlet” because this is how we meet Holmes and Watson and set the stage for all that followed. Charting the story through the lens of Holmes seems to me to have been a master stroke. What do you like about it? How does it compare to the odd story written from Holmes’ perspective? “The Final Problem” was the story when we meet Moriarty and both he and Holmes supposedly die. What sort of discussion arose around this story in the society? Let’s turn to “The Hound of the Baskervilles”— because this has remained the most popular Holmes story and is where we experience the clash of spiritualism with Holmesian logic. Can you imagine Doyle’s inner world as he wrote this? This brings us to October in 1920, when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle visited Adelaide to give a lecture on spiritualism. Samela Harris pointed out a scathing review. I will read some of it, and then let’s discuss the enigma that the famous author was: CONAN DOYLE’S VISIT UNINSPIRING LECTURES. AN INTOLERANT “EVANGEL”  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has come to Adelaide and gone, but he probably made few converts to the “faith.” The curious thing was that the noted spiritualist did not profess to be able to make them. All he hoped to do was to “sow the seed,” so that those people who thought well enough of it could continue their enquiries into the new revelation, which, really isn’t new at all. This seems a sweeping confession of one’s impotence to convince the public mind of the truths of the cult when it comes from so high an apostle of the movement — “the flaming evangelist of spiritualism,” as he was billed; a man who claims to have spent 34 years of his important life reading about it, delving into it, and experimenting with it. It is a poor apostle who has such small faith in his ability to garner fresh recruits! As a lecturer Sir Conan lacks the power to grip or arrest an audience. In a physical and mental sense there is plenty of him, but his rugged personality is too material, his emotions too inflexible, and his arguments too unconvincing to impress or influence a mass of earnest, intelligent  isteners. WAR ON DOUBTERS. But those are not his only handicaps. He exhibits a vexed and an intolerant attitude towards those who dare to differ from him. Instead of extending a charitable and winning indulgence to his critics or honest doubters he hurls cutting jibes at a “sneering and jeering world,” scoffs at the “amazing ignorance and enormous impertinence of little people,” contemptuously brashes aside “so-called leaders of science and religion,” and rails at “the great stupidity and levity of the press.’ His style is unreasonably didactic and his methods jarring. It is “the Gospel according to Sir Conan” — and woe unto the unbeliever! While no one will question the sincerity or honesty of the celebrated visitor, there were yet elements surrounding the series of his Adelaide lectures which smacked of the “showman.” Often when unfolding an interesting phase or enunciating a certain principle the speaker would abruptly break off with the intimation that he would deal with that in a later discourse — “to be continued in our next,” as the serial says — and what was originally intended to be two addresses developed into four “spellbound” lectures, the last, as the public notice read, “at popular prices  notwithstanding the enormous success of Sir Arthur’s visit.” DISAPPOINTED LISTENERS. So far as it was possible to glean opinions of people who attended the lectures it seemed that many were disappointed that there was no public seance given which might help to clear away suspicion or stimulate thought on the revelation. At such a time in the history of the world when  people are borne on the surging bosom of a restless sea of doubt and distrust, when there is an expectant longing for something that is new and entrancing, the way of the man with a fresh and fascinating gospel is open if his doctrine is but convincing. But there was little tangible in what Sir Conan had to say or present. Even for the genuineness of some of his spirit pictures he would not vouch, and he shattered the popular belief that the camera would never lie. Then he admitted the unreliability of some of the mediums and warned his hearers to beware of fraud. “We have discovered,” said Sir Conan, “that certain people have the power to throw out a substance generally known as psycho-plasm, which is at the basis of all this material phenomena. It is thrown out by certain people — more by some than others— and it is this psychoplasm which really makes the medium.” What do you think about some of the later Holmes stories. To me, there was a decline in the quality of the last ones in His Last Bow and The Case Book Of Sherlock Holmes. Peter what are your favourite moments and stories from the Holmes canon? Let’s draw to a close with an obscure story How Watson Learned the Trick, which is not included in the main collections and was written for a specific occasion. This short piece was for a booklet compiled for Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. He also wrote The Field Bazaar for a university fundraiser. [I will read How Watson Learned The Trick]. This is like Holmes in fast forward. Your thoughts? What do you think Holmes and Doyle have brought to cultural and intellectual life around the world? How Watson Learned The Trick, from Arthur-Conan-Doyle.com Watson had been watching his companion intently ever since he had sat down to the breakfast table. Holmes happened to look up and catch his eye. “Well, Watson, what are you thinking about?” he asked. “About you.” “Me?” “Yes, Holmes. I was thinking how superficial are these tricks of yours, and how wonderful it is that the public should continue to show interest in them.” “I quite agree,” said Holmes. “In fact, I have a recollection that I have myself made a similar remark.” “Your methods,” said Watson severely, “are really easily acquired.” “No doubt,” Holmes answered with a smile. “Perhaps you will yourself give an example of this method of reasoning.” “With pleasure,” said Watson. “I am able to say that you were greatly preoccupied when you got up this morning.” “Excellent!” said Holmes. “How could you possibly know that?” “Because you are usually a very tidy man and yet you have forgotten to shave.” “Dear me! How very clever!” said Holmes. “I had no idea, Watson, that you were so apt a pupil. Has your eagle eye detected anything more?” “Yes, Holmes. You have a client named Barlow, and you have not been successful with his case.” “Dear me, how could you know that?” “I saw the name outside his envelope. When you opened it you gave a groan and thrust it into your pocket with a frown on your face.” “Admirable! You are indeed observant. Any other points?” “I fear, Holmes, that you have taken to financial speculation.” “How could you tell that, Watson?” “You opened the paper, turned to the financial page, and gave a loud exclamation of interest.” “Well, that is very clever of you, Watson. Any more?” “Yes, Holmes, you have put on your black coat, instead of your dressing gown, which proves that your are expecting some important visitor at once.” “Anything more?” “I have no doubt that I could find other points, Holmes, but I only give you these few, in order to show you that there are other people in the world who can be as clever as you.” “And some not so clever,” said Holmes. “I admit that they are few, but I am afraid, my dear Watson, that I must count you among them.” “What do you mean, Holmes?” “Well, my dear fellow, I fear your deductions have not been so happy as I should have wished.” “You mean that I was mistaken.” “Just a little that way, I fear. Let us take the points in their order: I did not shave because I have sent my razor to be sharpened. I put on my coat because I have, worse luck, an early meeting with my dentist. His name is Barlow, and the letter was to confirm the appointment. The cricket page is beside the financial one, and I turned to it to find if Surrey was holding its own against Kent. But go on, Watson, go on! It ‘s a very superficial trick, and no doubt you will soon acquire it.” 01:17:59 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature song by  Professor Flint, Creatures Of The Slime. This is the third album by the Prof, and a total of five albums from the pen of Michael Mills all from this calendar year of 2024 [in the episode, Steve suggests that is the tally of all time – nup, he’s prolific (among other things)]  All the links are here. The new album, “Creatures of the Slime” , has just dropped and explores the remarkable fossil heritage of the Flinders Ranges. It comprises 16 newly recorded songs, including a song about Spriginna, the South Australian fossil emblem. In our discussion with Peter, he points out that the nearby Hallett Cove Conservation Park now has a model Diprotodon, which Peter went to see, bumping into the man who found the fossilled remains of the massive marsupial from our past. Diprotodon at Hallett Cove, photo taken by Peter Dunn It is a great example of what happens when creatives work with researchers at places such as the South Australian Museum, to create content for the community. And while mostly for young humans, aged 12 and under, and their families, the album includes the title track, remixed by a US DJ, having played the song on a regular basis at a nightclub in Los Angeles!

Come on a journey into the world of sustainable tourism with Craig Haslam, a pioneer in enhancing South Australia's environmental and tourist landscapes. Discover how Craig's company, Untamed Escapes, is setting new standards in eco-tourism and hear about his advocacy for the region, along with his belief in how the foundation of all good tourism is bases in human-to-human interaction. A must-listen for all professionals in tourism and sustainability! The SA Drink Of The Week this week is a special Shiraz from Eight At The Gate Wines. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature a new song from Audio Reign that is perfect "driving" music if you like your tunes full throttle! You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Leadership Drought: A Call to Wine Australia Amid Small And Family Winery Despair 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:13 SA Drink Of The Week The SA Drink Of The Week this week is a 2019 Family Reserve Shiraz from Eight At The Gate Wines in Wrattonbully, South Australia. The sisters behind the winery, Jane and Claire, were previously on The Adelaide Show, recording a chat in their vineyards. 00:13:19 Craig Haslam And Tourism In South Australia Our special guest in this episode is a man who is well respected in tourism circles in South Australia, Australia, and on the world stage. He is the founder of Untamed Escapes, which has shown the wild side of South Australia to many visitors from around the world - and even shown many locals what's been right under our noses the whole time. Aside from being involved in Eyre Peninsula tourism since the naughties, he is currently Chair of the South Australian Leadership Group of the Australian Tourism Export Council. I welcome, Craig "Hassie" Haslam. Tourism is about people; people connecting with people. Do you agree? I remember meeting you through some online marketing workshops and social media marketing workshops that I ran from 2005, and I was in awe of the imagery you had, using the old cameras back then. You were pushing the envelope regarding the way you were searching for ways to use modern technology to capture the spirit of your passengers' experiences in the bush. You must be answering a deep call of the wild. Any idea how that began? What are some of the hairiest moments you've had out there? What holds some of us city slickers back? How can we learn to embrace the wild? What was it like operating tours across the Nullarbor Plain in the early days? What unique challenges did you face? How have consumer expectations and behaviours changed since you first started in the tourism sector? How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your business, and what adjustments did you find most effective? As someone passionate about environmental sustainability, what practices have you implemented in your tours to minimise the ecological footprint? Can you share insights into your involvement with the Australian Tourism Export Council and its significance to your business? How do you see the future of tourism in South Australia, particularly in light of climate change and environmental concerns? You've been a strong advocate for the Eyre Peninsula. What makes this region special for tourists? What new trends or innovations in tourism are you most excited about right now? What advice would you give to new entrepreneurs entering the tourism industry today? Looking back, what would you say has been your greatest achievement in your career? Finally, what legacy do you hope to leave behind in the tourism industry and for the region you're so passionate about? 01:31:40 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature song by Audio Reign from their upcoming album being released on May 11, 2024. This track is called, Crown. We think this is pretty decent driving music. Try it on your next Nullarbor trip!

Whether you drink a little bit of South Australian wine, or a lot, your decisions about what you buy and where you buy it from, make a big difference. We sit with three passionate people from the wine industry, today, and they have some tales of woe to share, some stories about labour of love they all carry out, and some messages to those of us who’d like to see a thriving sector of small, family-run wineries who bring texture and body to the glass and to many circles of the economy throughout our state. There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. Well, actually, there are four, but they are woven through the episode. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature a new song from Suedan, that is slightly related to our theme: Whiskey Did It. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Leadership Drought: A Call to Wine Australia Amid Small And Family Winery Despair00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week Not one but four SA Drinks Of The Week this week. They are interwoven throughout the episode. If you would like to hear the tasting notes, you’ll find them here: 00:09:08 – Paulmara Estates 2021 “The Marriage” Cabernet Shiraz 00:47:27 – Ben Murray Wines 2021 Barossa Valley Shiraz 01:18:15 – Flinders Run 2021 Baroota Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 01:49:05 – Paulmara Estates 2021 ARETÎ 00:03:19 Paul Georgiadis, Emanuel Skorpos, Dan Eggleton It’s a tough gig, being at the helm of a family-owned winery in Australia in 2024. China’s tariffs on Australian wine bit hard, causing a glut in supply, while the multinationals like Coles and Woolworths used their clout to create “fake” boutique wines that “magically” got shelf space and retailer support from, well, Coles and Woolworths. Meanwhile, our 2500 wineries and grape growers have been contributing to the coffers of Wine Australia in the hope that its role of supporting and regulating the Australian grape and wine industry would mean that someone was looking out for them and not ignoring the big bad wolves who are plundering the sector every day. But, if you’re surviving in this industry, maybe that’s enough because as one of the guests who couldn’t make it today was quoted as saying on the ABC recently, you don’t get into the wine industry to make money, you do it because you love it! Who are our guests? We have Paul Georgiadis who, among other things, is the founder and owner of Paulmara Estates, along with his wife, Mara. We’re recording at Paulmara in Marananga today. We also have the man who suggested we hold this discussion, Emanuel Skorpos, the Principal Vintner at Flinders Run in the Southern Flinders, and Dan Eggleton, the cofounder and winemaker at Ben Murray Wines and Principal and Founder of Vinous Consulting. I like naming elephants in rooms, so my first reflection is that we’re all blokes, sitting around this table. We haven’t excluded women, it’s more that Emanuel is directly connected to you all and this gathering developed organically from there. Had we more microphones, I would have arranged for Jane Richards to join us from Eight At The Gate Wines in Wrattonbully – she is an absolute dynamo – and I’m sure you all work with women in different roles. Can we acknowledge some before we move on? The key theme of our discussion is that “mum and dad” wineries make up the bulk of those 2500 wineries in Australia, and it always hurts a bit when we see our Premier hobnobbing at a new Wolf Blass cellar door to celebrate government support for a business you’d think was hardly in need of extra help. Mind you, I did mention this to a winemaker friend of mine, who is also part of a family-run winery, and he confessed that he “gets it” because the levies that fund Wine Australia are based on volume and the big end of town contributes more than we do. Can we start here? What are the big pain points for family wineries right now, and where does the support of Wine Australia hit and miss, in your opinions? Summarising the role of Wine Australia, goes like this. It’s role is to support and regulate the Australian grape and wine industry with its primary functions being Research and Development (R&D) (and sharing and commercialising results of that research), Marketing and Promotion to boost consumption of grape products here and overseas, Regulation and Compliance, especially when exporting, and User Pays activities. But I note this: Wine Australia operates under a Statutory Funding Agreement with the Australian Government, which prohibits it from engaging in political activities or acting as an industry representative. Its governance and operations aim to achieve the best possible return on investment for the Australian grape and wine sector. Does this mean it’s not the body that has any role to play in protecting us from the savagery of the duopolies, or in lobbying for government support to be directed to particular sectors, like “mum and dad” wineries? While on the government front, state and federal governments are crowing about China’s ending of the industry-strangling tariffs it had placed on Australian wine, but I haven’t seen Emanuel popping the sparkling wine cork. Does this mean there is devil in the detail? I am curbing alcohol consumption and opting for quality over quanitity. I am not alone. What do you make of this trend? What’s your message for government? Is it harder for them to care, given how many of you there are vs there being just a handful of big, headline-grabbing operators? What’s your message for consumers? Should they change buying habits? Do little changes make a difference? 01:57:17 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature song by Suedan, from the latest album, Suedan Mountain Blues, titled, Whiskey Did It. While our panel is still here, what impact is the explosion of distilleries having on the wine sector?

In this important episode, we delve into the complexities of living with disabilities in Adelaide, set against the backdrop of the city's ongoing efforts towards inclusivity. Our guests, including David Olney, Jorja Denton, and insights from Clair Crowley of the Strong & Capable Co-operative, share their lived experiences navigating well-intended urban interventions that sometimes present mixed outcomes for individuals with different disabilities. As Adelaide seeks public feedback on its new Disability Access and Inclusion Plan, this conversation aims to contribute unique perspectives to the dialogue, exploring the interplay of technology, community support, and the broader societal understanding of disability. There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature the the song "Fabulous" by Rachael Leahcar, written and produced exclusively for the No Strings Attached Theatre Of Disability. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Navigating Adelaide with Disabilities Amid Well-Intentioned Interventions 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:02:32 Jorja Denton, David Olney, Clair Crowley The City of Adelaide publicly states that it's committed to making the city a welcoming and inclusive place for all people to enjoy by working toward demonstrating best practice in access and inclusion planning. And yet, even in my small circle of friends living with disability, I know about certain interventions that are great for people with certain forms of disability while making matters worse for others. With the City seeking public feedback on its new Disability Access and Inclusion Plan by 5pm, April 2, 2024, I thought we'd get a few people around a microphone to share their lived experiences and maybe this episode might be an unusual contribution to that process? My guests today are my friend, fellow podcaster, and colleague at Talked About Marketing, David Olney, another friend made through the early years of The Adelaide Show Podcast, Jorja Denton, and General Manager of the Strong & Capable Co-operative & a social innovator, Clair Crowley. I should note that Clair could not be here with us in person, today, but she has contributed some thoughts. I should also note that one of the most important aspects of her organisation, is its Peer Mentoring Program, which invites people with particular expertise and passion to mentor someone living with a disability to learn more about and engage in that field of interest. But the key thing is that this program includes mentoring BY people living with disability, not just FOR them. This is an important step in maturity for our society, and if you'd like to learn more, there's a Peer Mentoring Launch Party on Thursday, April 4, from 4.30-8pm, at Hard Days Night ADL. Launch Party invitiation. You can find info about the Co-Op and its programs over at www.strongandcapable.com.au. David and Jorja, perhaps I should get a reflection from you both by the universal, two-way flow model that Clair is developing through that program? Jorja, can you give us a snapshot of your lived experience with a disability and perhaps a "day in the life" view of how you get on in the world? David, could you do the same - giving us a snapshot of your lived experience and what a "day in the life" looks like for you? Looking at The City of Adelaide's Draft Disability Access and Inclusion Plan, there seem to be five main initiatives that are worth discussing and that will give us some more inroads into your lives. They are: Infrastructure Improvements: The plan includes specific targets for enhancing the accessibility of the city's infrastructure, such as footpath ramps, audio-tactile push buttons at crossings, and accessible bus stops. Liveable Neighbourhoods: Efforts to create more inclusive communities include the development of sensory-friendly spaces, upgraded Changing Places facilities, and the implementation of accessible community grants programs. Now, on that, I had no idea what Changing Places were and I found this definition on the Council's website: Changing Places facilities are best-practice bathrooms for people living with disability and their support person. They offer more space, a hoist and other customised features, providing dignified and purpose-built toileting and showering facilities for people with disability when you are out and about. Events and Festivals: The plan aims to make Adelaide's vibrant events scene more accessible through an accessible events project, incorporating accessibility planning checklists for event organisers and partnerships to foster access and inclusion. Business Engagement: A Business Access and Inclusion Program is proposed to improve the accessibility of city businesses, including efforts to promote inclusive businesses and support upgrades through development of skills and knowledge in the sector. Inclusive Customer and Employee Experiences: This involves training for City of Adelaide employees in inclusive practices, improvement in the accessibility of Council meetings, and a commitment to co-design and consultation activities involving people with disabilities. I'd like to wander back through these, and we might start with the last two or three, about training and promoting Council, Business, and Event management and employees to foster better access and inclusion. And there's one hurdle here that I think needs naming, and that is TIME. I feel that I'm under pressure to work much faster than ever before and if there's one thing I've noticed when organisations like No Strings work with people with disabilities, especially in physical gatherings, we all have the calm the heck down and slow down. And I mean, really slow down. Is this a tangible threat to the success of these initiatives or a mirage created by our own self-centredness? CLAIR: The common theme for me through starting my own business where I supported tourism operators to become more inclusive and where I am now with the co-operative, is that lived experience is where the value is, and even though everyone experiences their disability in their own unique way, the insights and knowledge that people with lived experience with disability can share with others is absolutely priceless and trusted. In tourism in particular we have seen inclusion come in leaps and bounds with the services they provide and their willingness to find ways to welcome more people through their doors, this refers to adapting the physical environment AND the customer experience. Many small - med owner operated businesses have an advantage in this space because they are in the frontline interacting with customers and they know the operational aspect of their business inside out, this means that when they listen to their customers to be more inclusive and they (usually) have the ability to adapt quickly and with a warm welcome. One thing I think would be an amazing asset would be the accessibility planning checklists for event organisers. Anything to make it easier and not half-hearted, is a good thing. I remember talking about having Jorja over to watch a movie at our place but none of our doors are compliant. Surely that doesn't happen with buildings today but instead of throwing shade, actually shining a light seems like a good move. The liveable neighbourhoods section is where I turn to both of you because you both live within the City Of Adelaide. How liveable is it or is it not? Let's turn to infrastructure, such as footpath ramps, audio-tactile push buttons at crossings, and accessible bus stops. Can you please take me on a tour of the good, the bad, and the ugly? How has technology enhanced your autonomy in navigating the city, and can you give examples where it fills gaps left by urban infrastructure? Technology is one thing, but human touch and support is another. I would love you both to reflect on whether or not it is important that friends, families, and colleagues support you by going the extra mile to make inclusion possible, but I want to preface this discussion by another comment from Clair. CLAIR: For my family, sport provided a pathway into a new life, after my husband's accident, he was invited to play wheelchair basketball and this was absolutely instrumental in finding his way forward. Sport continues to play an incredibly important role for us, it means we are part of a community where we can connect with like minded people, contribute and participate, it keeps us fit and healthy and always striving forward. It also opened up doors we didn't even know existed, for example we got to live in Northern Italy for a Wheelchair Basketball season and la dolce vita! In Italy it was really evident that good customer service is what makes the biggest difference to how we feel we 'fit in'. The built environment had its challenges, but we were always met with an Italian that was ready to help as needed. Clair mentioned sport, how important is the visibility of paralympic athletes in changing perceptions about disability, and what more can be done to support and promote disability sports? And turning to the arts and popular culture, can you identify TV shows or movies that either positively represent disability or perpetuate stereotypes? How do these representations influence public perceptions? What are some closing thoughts for those of us who are "not considered to be living with disabilities", from the perspective of inclusion, and just being a decent human? 00:59:57 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature song by Rachael Leahcar, written and produced exclusively for No Strings Attached Theatre Of Disability. Rachael says it reflects the “esprit de corps” she experienced being in amongst the whole No Strings team for her final placement for her uni studies (Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education). And I quote: “I looked up what esprit de corps means and I completely agree with this and all the other sentiments. This is a huge team effort and I'm in total awe of how everyone worked together so seamlessly, navigating obstacles and making snap decisions sometimes. Everyone has so much passion for the arts and I want to thank you all, as a performer with a disability myself, for giving the opportunity for people to be portrayed as ACTORS instead of characters with disability (nothing wrong with that as well, just a rare opportunity). The actors have often commented how great it is to be accepted and have their strengths recognised.” The song has been gifted to No Strings and if you'd like to support the company by buying a copy, please contact them at nostringsattached.org.au. As an aside, Rachael actually wrote and recorded the song in the week before the No Strings end of year showcase, AMPLIFY, which was also the week just before her wedding! I also note that while she wrote this specifically for the show, everyone embraced it as their own personal theme song.

James Rolevink and his wife, Rai, received just under $30,000 to look after vegetation on their Forreston property. That money was a small slice of the $1.3 million paid out to private landowners late last year as part of the State Government's Native Vegetation Heritate Agreement program. James has a legally-binding agreement to look after specified native vegetation and his story is fascinating. (The image on the show notes for this episode is the Blue Fairy Orchid, taken by James Rolevink). The SA Drink Of The Week is The Soloist 2021 Shiraz by Coriole, and it does link in nicely with our main topic. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature the new single "Humble Heart" by West Thebarton, offering a taste of their upcoming album "Mongrel Australia." Plus a special cheerio to U3A Flinders (University of the Third Age), where Steve spoke recently about 10 years of podcasting. We hear from one "volunteer", Elizabeth Bleby, and we should thank Steve's mum, Yvonne Davis, for lobbying for the talking spot. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Protecting Native Plants From Kangaroos In The Adelaide Hills 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:04:38 SA Drink Of The Week The SA Drink Of The Week this week is the 2021 The Soloist Shiraz from Coriole. As Steve notes in his tasting, apart from loving this wine, he compares the nature of The Soloist vineyard to the work James is doing on behalf of the native plants he is now custodian of. All will be explained. 00:08:44 James Rolevink After losing everything in the Cudlee Creek bushfires, James Rolevink and his wife, Rai, bought a property at Forreston in the Adelaide Hills, hoping to start a new chapter in their lives. Well, little did they realise that before too long, the State Government gave them close to $30,000 to look after their garden. Well, that's not exactly the situation. As you're about to hear, James received this money to help his family protect rare and threatened native plants from, among other things, kangaroos. James, welcome to The Adelaide Show podcast. Before we get into the grant and the plants, I need to ask about Cudlee Creek because I am 100%  sure that I have no idea what it would be like to lose everything in a bushfire. In the hope that it might spur more of us to take our bushfire planning more seriously, what are some of the consequences of the bushfire that took you by surprise, that you didn't foresee? Today is tipped to reach 40 degrees. How present is the threat of bushfire in your mind? Our native plants have evolved to regenerate after bushfires, before we talk about them, can you see now that new things were generated within you and Rai as a result of this experience? Now, I'm told that when you and Rai saw this property, everybody else was looking left while you were looking right. What had caught your eye that the others were missing? Had you always known about native plants? What prompted your interest? Something that was counterintuitive when I first heard about your story, was native plants being threatened by kangaroos. To be fair, I suppose we have squeezed roos out of their habitat and we have put lots of paddocks of vegetation into place that helps them breed. Can you talk us through the situation and how it really sent you down the Heritage Agreement rabbit hole, so to speak? Actually, our episode on the History Of Rabbits In Australia is fascinating and worth a listen. Do any of the native plants on your property bear fruit that can be eaten because then I could say the grant is "money for jam"? I mentioned the temperature earlier, it's going to hit 40 today. We know native plants cope with bushfires by regenerating afterwards, but how do they get through these boiling days? Do these plants attract native birds? They can't protect themselves from kangaroos, what about introduced grazing animals, any luck there? Did our colder, wetter start to summer impact anything? What will you be expecting to see develop through autumn and winter? Any tips for home gardeners in relation to natives? And if someone in a bushfire zone asked you what is the minimum they could do to get by, safely, what would you recommend? 00:49:44 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature the new single from West Thebarton, Humble Heart. West Thebarton is hitting the road this year with its ‘Mongrel Australia’ Album Tour With Guests OK Hotel. The single, Humble Heart, is from their new studio album, Mongrel Australia, which will drop on March 22, 2024. If you're up for their high octane rock, you'll want to get tickets to see them live at The Gov on Friday, June 21, 2024. Tickets at westthebarton.com. And good to see the new album, with 11 tracks, was recorded in The Little Smoke© here in Adelaide, and then engineered at Twin Earth Studios, Somerton Park.

It’s estimated that half of all Australians are now living from payday to payday, with no money saved up for emergencies. And yet last weekend’s opening of the Fringe saw record, pre-covid levels of people on the streets of Adelaide. We will get stuck into these seeming contradictions with our special guest, Jordon Tomopoulos from the Adelaide Economic Development Authority. Here’s a taste. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, Atlas Genius has two new singles that just dropped. We’ll play one of them and build a link between them, Taylor Swift, and P!NK! You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: The Economic Weather Forecast For Adelaide 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week this week. 00:05:00 The Economic Weather Forecast For Adelaide There is no doubt climate change is making our weather unpredictable, but what are things like in the economic realm? Jordon Tomopoulos from the Adelaide Economic Development Agency, spends his days conducting economic research looking for insights into data and he joins us to share some of his findings. This talk is partly about data and partly about sentiment. According to some data from the financial comparison site, Finder, half of all Australians are now living pay cheque to pay cheque with no savings, with no money saved up for emergencies. Meanwhile, an Advertiser story towards the end of the first year of Covid, stated that it’s essential to transfer any spare cash into a buffer account that could see you through 3 to 6 months.  It quoted Dominic Beattie, editor of online financial resource Savings.com.au, telling readers to prioritise that buffer account. The article warns people that while it’s tempting to go to the pub or eat out now that restrictions are lifting, recessions can last for a while – you don’t know what might happen down the track.” And now I turn to you, Jordon. At the Adelaide Economic Development Agency, you want to see a thriving economy. Before we dive into your data and analysis, as a fellow citizen here in South Australia, what’s your reaction to these two bleak items, especially when your latest weekend foot traffic report shows people have flocked to the city for the opening of the Adelaide Fringe? I just came back from Melbourne for Taylor Swift. The city was swarming with swifties. I hear that bead bracelet kits were sold out for months in the lead up and that international leaders were begging Tay Tay to Stay Stay in their countries for the economic impact. The Australian reports that hotel occupancy during the Friday and Saturday nights of the concerts was sitting at 83%, which is pretty impressive when you consider how many hotels exist in Melbourne. However, we have Pink coming to Adelaide next week and your numbers suggest a bigger impact? What is the importance of big events like concerts, conferences, and sport (AFL Gather Round), events like the Fringe, etc (although. I get the impression they are like Carbs for the city – we get a big rush and then we’re craving again. Is that fair? And is there anything that provides that lovely, Protein-like, slow release goodness over time? Hindley Street has been in the news with the City of Adelaide calling some special meetings to address the rapidly shrinking number of nightclubs and bars. This begs the question: Are there business models that rely too heavily on over consumption of alcohol? I ask because La Trobe University recently published a report titled, Generation Dry: why young people are drinking less. How can we cultivate that “buzz-based entertainment” when less people are chasing that high-margin buzz product? Has working from home stopped spending or just spread it out more through the suburbs? And can we get too much of a good thing? Tay Tay made us wait for going on stage – and we got the pay off. I am taking a break from Fringe because I was becoming jaded. Is there a role for peaks and troughs in a healthy economy (absense makes the heart grow fonder), or does that make you shiver? What was 2023 like? How is 2024 looking? 00:41:12 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, Steven Jeffrey had told us a new Atlas Genius song was on the way and it just dropped this week. So we’ll listen to Nobody Loves Like You. This fits in well with our discussion this week because we looked at the economic impact of big artists performing in a city, especially those that aren’t saturating our radio stations. Atlas Genius has a huge following in the USA and a passionate group of followers in Australia, so when I saw someone starting a petition to bring Atlas Genius back to their hometown of Adelaide, the main thing I can hear is the sound of cash registers tinkling all around the city.

WARNING: This episode covers the disturbing topic of domestic violence.  If you need help immediately, call 000. Don’t Be That Guy, Monday-Friday, 2pm – 7pm, call 1300 24 34 13. 1800 Respect National Helpline, call 1800 737 732 Women’s Crisis Line, call 1800 811 811 Men’s Referral Service, call 1300 766 491 Lifeline, call 131 114 Something has snapped for Steve this year and this episode is his response. As he explains, the unrelenting toll of women being murdered by blokes has him distraut and feeling helpless, so he’s reached out for some wisdom about what to do when you notice or suspect domestic violence and/or coercive control being carried out by a mate or by yourself. You’ll hear from the CEO of OARS Community Transitions, Leigh Garrett, who will give us some insights and urge us to spread the word about Don’t Become That Man (DBTM) Counselling Service. Steve also mentions the next Pay Our Respects 2024 event on Saturday 20th January. The sixth Pay Our Respects to Australian Murdered Women event will be held on Saturday 20th January 2024 on the steps of Parliament House, gathering at 9:00- 9:15am for a 9:30am start finishing at approximately 11:30am. The gathering honours the Australian women murdered in 2023. If it’s your first time hearing about this (as was the case for Steve), Pay Our Respects has been individually honouring all the women murdered through gendered violence across Australia in the previous year. In the SA Drink Of The Week we have both an Olive Oil and an Italian style wine from Coriole, McLaren Vale. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, we hear from Steven Jeffrey again (of Atlas Genius fame), with a new song by Eden Of Avalon. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Not Her Last Christmas: Calling On Men To Call Out Domestic Violence 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:06:13 SA Drink Of The Week In the SA Drink Of The Week this week we have two “drops”. The first is Coriole Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2022. The vineyard has been producing olive oil for 30 years and this latest vintage is sublime; pungent, grassy, rich, intense, and, as Steve discovers, peppery. The second is the Coriole Negroamaro 2023. This is a light-bodied wine, very fragrant and perfumed, perfectly balanced for chilling slightly and serving over summer. Steve’s live tasting highlights some of the gentle array of fruits and aromas. 00:13:02 Don’t Be That Man – An Interview With Leigh Garrett, OARS Community Transitions Something has snapped for Steve this year and this episode is his response. As he explains, the unrelenting toll of women being murdered by blokes has him distraut and feeling helpless, so he’s reached out for some wisdom about what to do when you notice or suspect domestic violence and/or coercive control being carried out by a mate or by yourself. You’ll hear from the CEO of OARS Community Transitions, Leigh Garrett, who will give us some insights and urge us to spread the word about Don’t Become That Man (DBTM) Counselling Service. Steve also mentions the next Pay Our Respects 2024 event on Saturday 20th January. The sixth Pay Our Respects to Australian Murdered Women event will be held on Saturday 20th January 2024 on the steps of Parliament House, gathering at 9:00- 9:15am for a 9:30am start finishing at approximately 11:30am. The gathering honours the Australian women murdered in 2023. If it’s your first time hearing about this (as was the case for Steve), Pay Our Respects has been individually honouring all the women murdered through gendered violence across Australia in the previous year. 00:43:38 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we hear from Steven Jeffrey again (of Atlas Genius fame), with a new song by Eden Of Avalon, Don’t Say Goodbye. Steven wrote this song in 2014 when he was moving to LA full time to concentrate on the music dream. He was in a long term relationship but he knew the distance was putting a strain on that. The lyrics came to him while he was flying between LA and Denver. It is about missing someone and wishing the relationship was like it was at the start.

Sweet Songs is a collaboration between Doctor D and Fergus Maximus, multi-award-winning songwriters based in Adelaide. They first worked together in the sell-out Adelaide 2021 Fringe Show SWT_HM_ADL. Since then they have been delighting audiences with their music, stories and amiable on-stage personas. Their debut album Back in ADL is out now and you hear a great sampling of it, with seven full tracks in this episode. The episode image was shot by Ben Searcy. The SA Drink Of The Week - no featured drink this week. And the whole episode is a Musical Pilgrimage segment this week! You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Sweet Home Adelaide Songs 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:02:48 Fergus Maximus and Dr D, Back in ADL Back In ADL is an album by Fergus Maximus and Dr D, drawing together some of the songs of their Adelaide Fringe hit show, Sweet Home Songs (and its earlier manifestations). There is so much goodness in the album, that we have them in the studio to walk us through a selection of songs about this state and this city, which has been named the Coolest Place In Australia by the Wall Street Journal. Buy Back in ADL on Bandcamp. Fergus, you've been on the Adelaide Show before, and you have 100% South Australian bona fides, having been born in Whyalla and grown up in Clare. Plus, you are married to one of our longest term listeners, Andrea Ferguson. I picture Johnny Cash walking along a railway line in the country and picking out a tune like, I Walk The Line. When did you first write a song based on a location in South Australia? Dr D. In the early days of our podcast, you had to be born and bred in SA to get a gong, but having moved here from the UK after your frequent visits gradually hardwired SA into your DNA, you are warmly welcomed. You've performed on five continents including legendary venues in London and Chicago. Is there a tangible, physical difference between the venues in those places compared to venues in South Australia OR if they feel more significant, is that due to the aura of those cities? It took me 4 or 5 songs on my first listen to fight through the echoes of cultural cringe. I’ve spoken about this with Peter Goers about how I don’t bat an eyelid when a song talks about Baton Rouge or New York or Chicago or London, but when it mentions anywhere in Australia, let alone South Australia, it feels tacky or too familiar. I don’t think it’s actually cultural cringe because I’m very proud of our country and our townships. I think it might more closely be linked to the saying that a profit is never recognised or respected in their homeland. Let's get going with the title track, Back in ADL. BACK IN ADL (17:35) When you are writing about places, how do you stop them from sounding like TV commercials or slogans or jingles for property developments? Henley Square is one of those songs that comes very close to sounding like this, but so, too, does the title track, Back in ADL. The line take me to your deli counter and let me taste your ways because there's lots of innuendo there especially with smallgoods ... or is that just me? In our early days, we had the Adelaide Visa Council because people made lazy jokes about Adelaide being boring and Paul Barry from Media Watch was very cynical about Adelaide earning the Coolest City label from the Wall Street Journal. Let's listen to his cowardly backhander from a recent episode of Media Bites. I thought we were past these lazy jokes. Your thoughts? The second track on the album, Gulf of St. Vincent, contains the O word. Is that pedantic to query that? Is that just Total Adelaide? Talking of Vincent, I think St Vincent Street is a great song that needs to be included, all about about a particular female police officer. VINCENT STREET (36:00) Talking of streets, let's address the myth of naming conventions and the belief you cannot cross the king. In episode 28 of The Adelaide Show, around the 45-minute mark, Keith Conlon highlights that it was popularly believed that the reason none of our city streets continue either side of King William Street is because you CANNOT CROSS THE KING. PLAY KEITH CONLON INSERT Have you caught much flak about that song? CROSS OUT THE KING (47:50) When you get into history, I note that This Is Our Beef has an early Redgum feel. Beef Rebellion story THIS IS OUR BEEF (58:05) The thing about writing songs about places we know and live it, is that we all have stories that intersect with your songs. Do people call out during the show or want to talk to you afterwards? FOUR TREES (MIRNU WIRRA) (1:08:01) If I were at your show, I'd be chewing your ear about Johnnie's Gone Away because I worked at John Martins in the 80s in the West Lakes store in boyswear. And my maternal grandman, Lillian Field, she worked in the basement of the city store in the late 1930s when a young man from an engineering company turned up to fix the lifts. He soon became my grandpa. Why did you guys write about John Martins, which we're reflecting on the day after the 2023 Christmas Pageant which was a gift to SA from John Martins for most of its 131 years. JOHNNIE'S GONE AWAY (1:17:00) Finally, your Fringe show has won awards, and gotten great reviews. What is next? Has your song, Letter To Paul Kelly, caught Paul's attention? LETTER TO PAUL KELLY (1:28:45) 00:00:00 Musical Pilgrimage This whole episode was an extended Musical Pilgrimage segment.

We have two Australian Army veterans as our special guests this episode. The first is the Vice President of the RSL in South Australia, and President of the Magill RSL Sub Branch, Retired Major Meredith Burgess. Apart from being a mechanic for the Australian Defence Force, she became and Officer and spent much of her career in the role of Quartermaster. Our second guest is Chairperson and Editor of The Top Ender, Tri-Services Magazine, and founder of Barossa Fun Factory, Deb Herring. Deb's focus on community extends throughout her work at the magazine for veterans as well as being a key part of her business. If you read this before November 18, 2023, Steve would like you to join him at the Magill RSL Sub Branch for an 80s Trivia Night. He'll be the Quizmaster on behalf of the organisers the Magill Sunrise Rotary Club. Details and tickets here. The SA Drink Of The Week - no featured drink this week. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, it's the first birthday of Dino Jag's song, Shake A Leg Like Elvis, so we'll itch that scratch and give it another spin! You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Remembering Beyond Remembrance Day 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No SA Drink Of The Week this week. 00:03:29 Meredith Burgess That was a little snippet of the Concert Band and Chorus of the RAAF, singing Quartermaster's Store. I grew up with my dad playing "hits of the war years" over and over again and I always wondered what a quartermaster was. Well, fast forward to today and I am sitting next to a woman who has spent some of her army career as a quartermaster. I refer to Retired Major, Meredith Burgess. Meredith, we're sitting in the Magill RSL Sub Branch, where you are President (she is also Vice President of the RSL in South Australia) and on November 18, 2023, I'll be quiz master for an 80s trivia quiz being run by the Magill Sunrise Rotary Club to raise money for your programs here. Before we talk about them, and before you help me wrap my head around the role of a quartermaster, there is some South Australian business to attend to. You grew up in the wheat and sheep area of Lameroo and finished your schooling in Murray Bridge. What do you remember most about life in that part of Australia at that time? I worked for 7 years at 5MU and would often drive out to regional towns to do interviews in my HG70 panel van without any knowledge of mechanics. Was the tyranny of distance part of the reason that attracted you to getting under the hood? In other words, was it a simple survival mechanism? This drive you had for motor mechanics and metal fabrication led you to TAFE and then you joined the Army Apprentice School at Albury-Wodonga in the second class of female trainees where only 4 out of 13 graduated. My daughters have demanded that I ask you to share what it was like being outnumbered on grounds of gender and what enabled you to get through and then later get encouraged to undertake training as an officer at Duntroon? You've had various roles as quartermaster, what is it, in layperson's terms because to the best of my knowledge it was the person responsible for making sure supplies got to where they're needed? To get a sense of why RSL clubs and services are so important, I think us lay people need to remember the extremes service people are exposed to. Sometimes this is combat but at other times it is the aftermath of combat and atrocities and just squalid conditions. Would you mind just painting a picture or two of the conditions you and your fellow service people experienced when you were among the first to arrive in East Timor in 1999? You're on the record discussing the difficulties you faced in adjusting back to civilian life but it seems that your involvement in this RSL club has not only been good for you but also good for the club. Can you take us through the club's resurrection over the past 10 years, and then we'll look at some of the services. What keeps you going? What feedback do you get? Can we be part of it - non service people? Is there any protocol to follow? I spoke at a Mess In night for the RAAF at Edinburgh a few years ago and I had 17 pages of protocol to read, including the Passing Of The Port. 00:51:20 Deb Herring A theme of the conversation with our previous guest, Meredith Burgess, will also run through our next chat. That theme is the human drive to build community even amid change. This is given great focus in the lives of Australian Defence Force personnel because they are posted to different locations with great frequency, having to pull up roots and replant them over and over again. Deborah Herring has lived that life when she was in the army - twice. She's now living and working in the Barossa working as Chair and Editor of The Top Ender Tri-Services Magazine (which is a magazine for service personnel and veterans) while also running an events and tourism business, Barossa Fun Factory. Deb, you're settled in the Barossa now. I assume that's better than being moved about all the time, but what's it really like because us humans learn to adapt. Is it a challenge to learn to be in one place? How much did you move about in the Army? What do "relationships" look like in the defence force? Is it hard to build friendships or do you get better at bonding faster? What happens if the team on a particular deployment is not ideal? Meredith Burgess mentioned she felt quite lost when she left the Army. What was your experience? Your work with The Top Ender seems to be driven by a fire in your belly to give veterans a sense of connection. What fuels that fire? What sort of stories do you cover? At first look, nothing seems further from being in the defence force than running a company called Barossa Fun Factory. But there is some shared DNA, isn't there, because you talk a lot about your pop up events and corporate workshops as not only creating a sense of fun but deeply building connections between participants? What were the first things you ran? Are there regular events for kids? Halloween is just ahead of us at the time of recording. Special calendar events get you springing into action, don't they? You have run some successful corporate events, too, that have a bit if "kid's fun" to them. Talk us through an example and how it's linked to greater team engagement? And with Xmas upon us, I want to finish on something I think is excellent. You stage events called Mingle Bells, which transform the typically awkward or sometimes drunken company christmas event into a time of real connection. Finally, Remebrance Day is upon us. Is that a significant day for you, or is Anzac Day stronger. What do these days mean to you? 01:26:43 Musical Pilgrimage Our featured song this episode is Shake A Leg Like Elvis by Dino Jag. Given that Elvis did his time in the Army, it's only fair we feature a tribute to him by our own Dino Jag, on this pre-Remembrance Day episode.

This year, Davine Productions turns 10 years old and is celebrating with a production of the musical, A New Brain. The brain, heart, and sould behind Davine Productions is David Gauci, and he's our guest today. The SA Drink Of The Week in from Yalumba - The Signature. This is partly because the wine is superb but also because Yalumba has long been a supporter of Davine Productions. And we'll be joined in the tasting by winemaker, Kevin Glastonbury. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, Kaurna Cronin has a new song out and it's made itself into an ear worm, competing with the soundtrack of A New Brain! You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: Davine Intervention In Adelaide Theatre00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:03:09 SA Drink Of The Week 2019 Yalumba The Signature. One of the signaturies of the 49th vintage of The Signature, is red winemaker at Yalumba, Kevin Glastonbury. He sits down to taste the wine with Steve Davis, as part of Yalumba's ongoing support of the arts through Davine Productions. 00:41:29 David Gauci, Davine Productions In 2013, the same year The Adelaide Show began, David Gauci put his roots down in Adelaide and started the theatre company, Davine Productions. Prior to this and alongside this, he has had a 25+ year career in professional theatre, as well as being a teacher to countless performers in a number of colleges and institutions including the University of Adelaide Elder Conservatorium. At the time of recording, in October 2023, Davine's about to open a production of A New Brain. This is a delightfully quirky musical that twists left and right in surprising ways and bestows upon us such unexpected rhymes like: If you make me cry, Then I’ll probably have to kill you, I will you,  know. Learn more about Davine Productions and get tickets here. October 13-21, 2023, Star Theatres, Sir Donald Bradman Drive. David, we'll come back to A New Brain but while we're on the topic of lyrics, do you have some favourite ones from the show? I almost tripped over on the beach today when I heard the lyric in the "children's" song that went: Or when someone says, “Would you like to lose your virginity?” Someone with who you have No affinity We just celebrated 10 years of The Adelaide Show and its reason for existance which was, initially, to fight the lazy way people used to use Adelaide as the butt of jokes for being boring. And yet, there you were, also in 2013, launching a not-for-profit, non-professional theatre company in Adelaide, with exceedingly high standards and backed by the likes of a broadway composer, a former director of the Sydney Theatre Company, a former head of acting at NIDA, and a much-loved national celebrity with multiple logies to his name. Can you share with us the moment when Davine Productions materialised and the importance of it being in Adelaide? How do you maintain the high standard of excellence that Davine Productions is known for because in a professional company you have a big stick - you can dock someone's pay or fire them. But in community theatre, we all need each other. What's your secret? There is much said about humans becoming more selfish and closed these days, so over the past 10 years, has that impact shifted your approach to finding humans who are willing to "give it their all" for the love of performing, when it's tempting to stay home and coccoon? I've seen (and reviewed) a couple of your shows - Beautiful, The Carole King Musical, and Summer Of 69 - how do you go about selecting shows for Davine Productions? What do you look for? What is the message or feeling you want the audience to walk away with from a Davine Productions show? On the Adelaide Show, we've previously discussed the profound impact that teachers can have on us (especially in episode 291 in which my daughter, AJ, interviews two important teachers in her life, Kaye and Jenny), so, I'm curious to know which of the three teachers during your primary years had the greatest impact: Sr Carmel with her piano lessons and theory, Mrs Mulvahill with her elocution lessons, or Mrs Tilley and her singing lessons? How does your role as a teacher at the University of Adelaide Elder Conservatorium influence your work at Davine Productions? Davine is, of course, the feminine of David but it also means Beloved. That makes it a great name for a theatre company. But it also sounds a little like Divine. I'd love to learn more about your adventure at a seminary, studying theology. Why did you do it, what made you leave? David, it's fair to say you and I both love musical theatre but what's your definition of what is "good" musical theatre? I love Les Mis, My Fair Lady, Urine Town, The Producers, Superstar, Fiddler On The Roof, anything by Stephen Sondheim, but despise Phantom Of The Opera. There's a delicate balance in the recipe - nourishing melodies, clever word play, a story line that primes us for emotion or farce or both. Do you agree? Your new production is, A New Brain, with music and lyrics by William Finn, inspired by Finn's own experience with an arteriovenous malformation and the healing power of art. Can you set it up for us? 01:37:44 Musical Pilgrimage Our featured song this episode is Eraser by Kaurna Cronin. Eraser is a great concept for a song, when someone is the ink unto your paper. Try as you like, you can't erase them. It just shows Kaurna is still on form and there are many comments in his online places of people saying the song is now stuck in their heads. David, is that the sign of a great song - generally, let alone in musical theatre?

It's interesting that Australia is poised to vote on giving First Nationsl people a voice to parliament, but for many of us we are not familiar with the voices around us. How many of us know our neighbours or interact regularly with people in our community, stopping for a chat and a shared experience? In this episode, our political pundit, Robert Godden returns to "read the tea leaves" of where Australia is at regarding voter intention for the October 14, 2023, referendum. This segment will either age really well or age really poorly. Then, we hear a number of voices from people who have gathered at the weekly, Friday night, open mic evenings at Carob and Hare in the main street of Kanmantoo. The Carob business owners and curator of these community events, Donna Twycross, takes Steve on a journey through Carob, and then expands on her vision for regular community nights at her venue. We also hear from Stevie Ray Wonder (MC for the Friday night events), Kathryn and Peter Roberts (local residents), and Garry Duncan (artist). The SA Drink Of The Week in this episode is a Gipsie Jack Cabernet from Langhorne Creek. And in the Musical Pilgrimage, our featured artist is another performer from Carob and Hare, Rod Mitchell, who is one half of the collaboation, BW4. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We're here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It's an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we'll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store - The Adelaide Show Shop. We'd greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here's our index of all episode in one concise page Running Sheet: The Voice And The Voices: From The Referendum To Community Friday Nights At Kanmantoo 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:04:41 SA Drink Of The Week 2019 Gipsie Jack Cabernet. This wine is the "house red" at Carob and Hare and is an intriguing drop, over-delivering on value with every sip. 00:08:54 Robert Godden and The Voice Referendum Our political commentator, Robert Godden, joins Steve to read the tea leaves of where Australia is at as it approaches the October 14, 2023, referendum on The Voice. 00:39:44 Donna Twycross, Carob and Hare, and the people and performers of Kanmantoo Every Friday night from 5.30-ish until 9-ish, locals and visitor amble in to Carob and Hare on the main street of Kanmantoo, to eat simple food, have a drink, and either listen to or perform music (or both), with an environment of inclusive warmth. The mystical and energetic conjurer of this gathering is the owner of Carob and Hare, Donna Twycross. Donna fell in love with carob when she was in her teens because it tasted great (to her) and met her needs of being a healthy addition to her diet. Today, she produces Hare Balls and other treats using locally grown carob, from our friends Michael and Jam Jolley at The Australian Carob Co. in Booborowie, South Australia. As you'll hear in the discussion, carob is a sweet edible pod that comes from the carob tree. It's been cultivated for over 4000 years and if you get good pods, it tastes very good. That wasn't Steve's experience growing up, but Donna helps put that into perspective. Aside from her carob business, Donna explains the rationale for the weekly community gatherings she hosts, as well as special, monthly, Saturday night themed events. She also shares a sneak peek into her new, Sunday afternoon events themed around Alice in Wonderland, should you happen to visit Kanmantoo from mid-October onwards. In this chat we also meet Stevie Ray Wonder (not his real name, but all will be explained), who has fallen into the role of MCing and stage managing the Friday night events. We also meet locals, Kathryn and Peter Roberts. They moved here many years ago and have reflections to share, including some from Peter who has been driving the school bus for a long time, watching kids grow as he gets them from point A to point B. Finally, we chat with artist, Garry Duncan. Garry is another local and a regular and his artwork not only adorns boardrooms around the world, silos around South Australia, and a variety of galleries everywhere, but it hangs in pride of place around Carob and Hare.​ 01:42:01 Musical Pilgrimage Our featured song this episode is Plague Of Monsters by BW4. BW4 is a partnership between Steve Hearne and Rod Mitchell. Rob Performed at Carob and Hare, despite being a long way from his hometown of Andamooka (which is a hefty stone's throw from another source of opals, Coober Pedy, which recently featured on The Adelaide Show). BW4 is named after a redundant microwave tower on the Stuart Highway just south of Pimba because Rod was fascinated by Central Australian deserts and disputed Australian History. That note makes this song more relevant than ever because The Voice debate has seemed to release angels as well as monsters as people reflect on what the referendum is all about.