Music festival held in shell

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
GRUYERE musician Micka Etheridge will be playing at the Healesville Music Festival at the end of May.
He made a name for himself playing with Melbourne-based band Symbiosis for four years, touring the country and supporting Australian bands The Cat Empire, Hoodoo Gurus and the Resin Dogs.
“We cut thousands of kms as a touring independent band,” Etheridge said.
Symbiosis also had songs featured on TV shows such as Underbelly and Bondi Rescue, and the band played for a number of environmental rallies including Al Gore and his Climate Change delegates at the Victorian State Library.
“We were rocking large and small scale benefit gigs such as Zero 7 Make Poverty History, Fair Trade Festival and Black GST,” Etheridge said.
His background in environmental science drives his focus on community issues.
It also drives his focus on sustainable housing in the Yarra Valley with the building company he works for during the day – Artazan Alliance Builders.
Etheridge said he has almost finished building his studio, so he can spend more time collaborating with other artists.
“I want to collaborate on projects from folk to smashing freaked-out dance floor anthems,” he said.
Etheridge said everyone should support the artists at the music festival.
“We need the first one as big and supported as it can be,” he said.
“More local music events in the places we live is only a good thing.”
The inaugural Healesville Music Festival will be held on Saturday 29 May at the Queens Park Sound Shell.
Readers can check out www.healesvillemusicfestival.com.au