Pigs & Punks
ABOUT THE SHOW
Glittering images and razor-sharp observations bring Brisbane’s rock history into the present in these two superb books. The Go-Betweens’ John Willsteed joins legendary Queensland music journalist Andrew Stafford for a literary headbanger, reflecting on the city’s illustrious live music scene and the potent subcultures that propelled it.
PART OF BRISBANE WRITERS FESTIVAL
ABOUT THE ARTIST
John Willsteed is a musician and academic. He toured the world through the late 80s in The Go-Betweens, has recorded and performed with many bands and has been a member of award-winning Brisbane group Halfway since 2011. A composer and sound editor with over 90 film and television credits and three AFI/AACTA awards, he holds an adjunct position at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. He has presented papers nationally and internationally, and his academic interest is in cultural heritage, curatorial practice and storytelling. He has produced work examining Brisbane’s punk and post-punk scene, has written numerous pieces for The Conversation and contributed to academic journals and books as both writer and editor. He won the inaugural Letty Katts Award at the State Library of Queensland in 2016 and was awarded the 2024 John Oxley Library Fellowship for his project, Dive For Your Memory – Queensland music stories.
Andrew Stafford is a freelance journalist and the author of Pig City, a book about Brisbane, and Something to Believe In, a music memoir. In July 2007, Pig City was adapted into a major event by Queensland Music Festival, headlined by the first performance by the original line-up of The Saints in nearly 30 years. A 20th anniversary edition was released in 2024. His journalism appears in The Guardian, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Griffith Review and anyone else willing to pay (except News Corp).
Noel Mengel is a freelance journalist and author with a deep history in Queensland music. He served as The Courier-Mail’s music writer for 20 years. He won the Queensland Premier’s Literary Award for best unpublished manuscript in 2010 and his novel RPM was published by University of Qld Press in 2011. In 2017 he received the Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award at the Queensland Music Awards for his contribution to music in Queensland. He is a freelance music writer. He is also a musician and songwriter with his band The Trams. The band has released two albums and their song Somewhere Around Here featured in the listener-voted 4ZZZ Hot 100 for 2024.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Suitable for 15+
18 months and under free on the knee; all other ages must hold a vaild ticket
Contains adult themes
Contains coarse language
ACCESSIBILITY
ABOUT THE ARTIST
John Willsteed is a musician and academic. He toured the world through the late 80s in The Go-Betweens, has recorded and performed with many bands and has been a member of award-winning Brisbane group Halfway since 2011. A composer and sound editor with over 90 film and television credits and three AFI/AACTA awards, he holds an adjunct position at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. He has presented papers nationally and internationally, and his academic interest is in cultural heritage, curatorial practice and storytelling. He has produced work examining Brisbane’s punk and post-punk scene, has written numerous pieces for The Conversation and contributed to academic journals and books as both writer and editor. He won the inaugural Letty Katts Award at the State Library of Queensland in 2016 and was awarded the 2024 John Oxley Library Fellowship for his project, Dive For Your Memory – Queensland music stories.
Andrew Stafford is a freelance journalist and the author of Pig City, a book about Brisbane, and Something to Believe In, a music memoir. In July 2007, Pig City was adapted into a major event by Queensland Music Festival, headlined by the first performance by the original line-up of The Saints in nearly 30 years. A 20th anniversary edition was released in 2024. His journalism appears in The Guardian, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Griffith Review and anyone else willing to pay (except News Corp).
Noel Mengel is a freelance journalist and author with a deep history in Queensland music. He served as The Courier-Mail’s music writer for 20 years. He won the Queensland Premier’s Literary Award for best unpublished manuscript in 2010 and his novel RPM was published by University of Qld Press in 2011. In 2017 he received the Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award at the Queensland Music Awards for his contribution to music in Queensland. He is a freelance music writer. He is also a musician and songwriter with his band The Trams. The band has released two albums and their song Somewhere Around Here featured in the listener-voted 4ZZZ Hot 100 for 2024.
