The Deans of Soul

The Offtopics GIG UPDATES July and Onwards

Gig Updates, but wait… there’s more!

Soul, Funk and Ska at the Macedon Lounge – Saturday 24 July

Well, here we are on the other side of a snap lockdown in Victoria and live music is more important in the community than ever. With that in mind we’re taking a double-headliner show with our friends The Deans of Soul to the Macedon Lounge on Saturday 24 July for the good folk up there.

This will be an all ages, free-entry gig so if you’re in the area, bring the kids and pile on the winter calories while we put the “go-go-go!” in “dinner and show”.

You can find a Facebook event here if that sort of thing is useful for you: https://fb.me/e/1degMoKOL

Back in Richmond the following week…

Our monthly residency kicks off at P.O.M.E on Saturday 31 July. There really is no place like P.O.M.E…

Based on our first two performances there we’ll be experimenting with our show which means new songs, new schtick and… NEW STEPS! (apologies for the Strictly Ballroom Reference… though Tim will do the pasodoble to make up for it). There are even plans to make use of P.O.M.E’s unique projection set-up to make things interesting.

It’s tough being a band that plays dance music when a global pandemic forces the government to go all Footloose just to keep us alive. But we’re committed to taking creative risks while keeping the biological risks under control to keep the show fresh and fun.

POME’s great, the staff are amazing and the cocktails will blow your minds! What’s even better is that our first residency show coincides with POME’s Oysterlux experience so come down to one or all of these shows there. The combination of Oysters, Cocktails and The Offtopics are proven to be great for your mental health!

The Offtopics at POME.

Speaking of Mental Health…

Today marks the final day of the Push-Up Challenge to raise awareness and funds for mental health causes. Polash has been a passionate pusher-upperer for three years now. By the end of today he will have completed 3318 push-ups across 25 days to raise money for Lifeline.

If thought of his little, balding head bobbing up and down make you feel charitable then you can donate here: https://www.thepushupchallenge.com.au/pushuperer/37161

All donations above $2 are tax-deductible of course (and they might even help someone back from the brink)

Well, that’s if for this newsletter. We’d love to see you at a show soon!

Lots of love,

From THE OFFTOPICS

The Offtopics NEWS June/July

Hey there Offtopicos!

We’ve got big gig news for you with a slate of gigs starting in July. Yes, we know we’re not even into June yet but if you’re anything like us then HEAPS of notice is needed before even your pinkie toe ventures out the front door. That stakeholder management takes time!

So with that in mind, here’s a slew of gig dates for you to put in your diaries. Hopefully we’ll see you at a couple at least…

The Macedon gig is something Linc and Polash have been working on almost since the day Linc moved his family up the mountain. Both of them have a lot of community in the Macedon area – particularly amongst the cats and dogs.

Linc took up the reigns this year as the juniors coach of the Macedon Cats Football Club while Polash has a dog-sharing arrangement with a local family.

Both The Offtopics and Linc’s band The Deans of Soul will play for the good folk of the Macedon Ranges on the 24th of July.
Mash the “wonder dog” stars in this video clip Polash made during the second lockdown in Melbourne.

Following on from that is the start of our monthly residency at P.O.M.E. What can we say about this venue? They’ve been so good to us, offering us our first post-Covid live show back in March and then another one in May. Things have gone pretty well since then to the extent that they’ve locked us in for five more shows throughout the year.

The lucky folk who came to those both of those early shows would have picked up on the evolution between the two gigs including this impromptu duet between Linc and Polash.

Photo by Lorinda

We’ll continue to keep things fresh and different so you can expect new songs, special guests, obscure covers, danceable tunes and of course the deliciously awkward pre-show interview conducted by Bernie the proprietor. For some, watching Polash squirm before the show is the highlight of the night!

Photo by Lorinda

Bookings for our shows at this amazing venue in Richmond are live now on their website.

That’s all the news for now! Don’t be afraid to drop us a line if you want to get in touch or you’d like The Offtopics to play at your event. We’d love to hear from you!