Earlier this year, NorthSite hosted the one-night micro-festival event, Mixed Grill, produced by The 5Five collective.
Mixed Grill closed the collectives exhibition in Gallery 2, ’other’, and was a live performance-based extension of the thematic framework of this exhibition.
‘other’ curator and Mixed Grill creative producer Nicholas Mills, worked with the The 5Five collective and the NorthSite team, to produce a diverse ‘ensemble’ night of experimental performance, new music and sound art, queer cabaret and visual media, critical yarns and DJ culture.
The exhibiting ‘other artists’, Roderick Newbury, Tegan Koster, Doula, Fletcher Glover, and John De Satge, were joined on the night by performance artists Rebecca Youdell, Jay Wymarra, Paul Barron, Rob Eakin, Derryn Knuckey and File_Error, and Calling to Country by Djabugay cultural leader Dennis Hunter.
Mixed Grill is a moving feast: activated performance spaces were enabled throughout the venue at Bulmba-ja. Punters were initially greeted at the front door and encouraged to have their picture taken in the ‘other’ booth, thus becoming part of the work ‘other is you’. DJ Whichway met the audience in the foyer with a fine selection of groove, alongside the ‘other’ exhibition and delicious food by The Toasted Goat and drinks from the Hungry Pitcher.
‘other’ booth, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
DJ Whichway, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
The audience were then led into Gallery 1, and greeted with a bare, talk-panel format, Space.
Dennis Hunter Acknowledged Country before members of The 5Five collective engaged in the yarning panel, ‘In Other Words’, moderated by John De Satge, and exploring individual and universal perceptions, and experiences, of ‘other’.
Yarn Panel with Dennis Hunter, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
Following the panel discussion, interdisciplinary practitioner Rebecca Youdell and media artist File_Error performed a delicate sound, screen and movement performance in response to the exhibition.
Other Response with Rebecca Youdell+ File_Error, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
The audience were then directed to move to Studio B, where Dennis Hunter then guided them through ‘Calling to Country’ and true history, before John De Stage’s game-show style ‘MAJORITIES live’, welcomed three attendees to test their knowledge against the expert ‘flag-guy’ in a showdown of interactive Flag Game performance.
MAJORITIES live’ with John De Satge, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
The Mixed Grill program juxtaposes work and space that compliment and contrast: the audience were then led to the rear carpark of Bulmba-ja, for the outdoor performance/ installation piece ‘Exercise In Futility’.
Produced by Nicholas Mills, and performed by the 5Five artists, with sound by Fletcher Glover and BLK+SBBTH, this ‘roving parade’ utilised discarded gym equipment and the rolling shell of an XP Ford Falcon, to illustrate a compelling visual and conceptual image.
Exercise in Futility with The 5Five, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
It was then back into Studio B for a cabaret-styled double header: Jay Wymarra presented excerpts from his new show ‘AmaJayus’, which will premiere at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Tegan Koster then set the stage for a massive retro-synth exploration, presenting a quirky and upbeat live electro/screen showing of her new art-pop sound works, as part of her ongoing project ‘Shapes’.
AmaJayus – Jay Wymarra, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
Shapes – Tegan Koster, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
After a short break, the night moved into its final gear, with cult improvisation art/noise band ‘dero’, led by File_Error, and the funk/groove contrast of DJ Mr Tarago, cutting their own aural space, for a final sound and dance floor spin.
Dero – dero, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
DJ Mr Tarago, Mixed Grill, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Cairns, 2024. Photo Gonza Ianza
Words: Nicholas Mills