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Local Nerang vinyl-car-wrapper, Alfie Castlemaine is today staring down to the barrel of doing the unthinkable.
After 35 years in the Sunshine State, he thinks he might have to drive three quarters of an hour to see Byron Bay for the first time.
Having never left Queensland, except for one time when he accidentally crossed the Territory border as a jackaroo in 2001 and the eight times he’s been on holidays in Bali, Alf said it takes a very special occasion to convince him to travel that far south.
“All I ever wanted was a 9-5” says Alfie with a smirk, confirming cryptic Queenslander creole that the only reason he will be visiting the Northern Rivers is to see the iconic Brisbane rock band Violent Soho live at Splendour.
The long-haired Mansfield boys are this year joining Tyler The Creator, The Strokes and Flume for the 20th anniversary of Splendour In The Grass at the North Byron Parklands.
Alfie says he nearly visited Byron in the mid 2000s for a Parkway Drive gig but ultimately got lost in the Queensland side of Coolangatta and ended up spending the weekend at the Surf Club.
While he acknowledges that driving 45 minutes is a bit of an effort to see his favourite band that will likely be playing 10 minutes from his house over the next year, Alfie says he’s also promised his mum he’ll send her videos of Tim Minchin on stage.
“It’s not gonna be too bad. I think a few other Queenslanders are playing”
“Thelma is from Yeronga. So are Babe Rainbow right?”
“Grinspoon are basically Maroon. Lismore is much more like Queensland than Byron”
Alfie says he cannot confirm if he owns any linen, whatever that is, but says he’ll likely wear his 1996 Renouf Origin jersey to the three day music and arts festival.
