Mat McHugh and Sway On Sunset Announced for Bleach* Surfing the Fringe Festival

Fashion and Music collaboration Sway on Sunset added to 2012 Gold Coast Surf Culture Festival lineup. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) January 12, 2012 - Gold Coast, Australia ~ The stellar sounds of The Beautiful Girls frontman, Mat McHugh, will feature at a special live performance slotted for Bleach* Surfing the Fringe festival's fashion and music opus, Sway on Sunset, on the 18th February 2012.

Taking place on the beachside deck of Coolangatta's Komune, Sway on Sunset will celebrate the most spoken about fashion item in the world, the bikini, on a runway suspended across an outdoor pool.

Curated by swimwear aficionado Heidi Bartholomew, Sway on Sunset will take the audience on a three-part journey into the bikini's evolution. Beginning with a collection of authentic vintage swimwear from the fashion eras of 1940's right through to the frivolous 80's, the show continue on with a glimpse of designs from local favourites Karen Neilsen, Tallow, Alope and bikini lover, and finish with a very special advance preview of the Summer 2012 Billabong bikini range.
"Sway on Sunset will pay homage to the bikini and aims to bring style, sophistication and playfulness back to the beach. We'll be focusing on the bikini's incarnations from vintage glamour to coastal modern fashion, restoring and resurrecting the bikini's status as a true style icon," said Bartholomew.

To add to the outdoor summer ambiance, Mat McHugh will perform a set filled with hits from his band, The Beautiful Girls, plus air a special glimpse of some of his newer material. The Bleach* performance will also mark a rapid departure for the popular artist. In a change from earlier incarnations of Mat's solo efforts, Bleach* will see Mat pairing his new stripped back sound with a drummer and bassist.

"I've been working on a new solo record so I've been spending the last twelve months just touring completely solo with an acoustic guitar, just paying some dues, supporting some people and traveling the world. And from this point on I think this event at Komune is the first I'll actually be playing with a band. So I'll be playing with drums and bass from now on, and pretty much focusing on that more than The Beautiful Girls for the foreseeable future. This is the first show, it should be really fun," said McHugh.

In 2002 the frontman of The Beautiful Girls began riding the wave as the band's Morning Sun EP became a radio hit of Summer. In 2010, after 12 world tours, eight records and 285,000 album sales, they reached a high mark with their dub tour de force, Spooks. The album hit number 6 on the US Billboard Reggae Charts and debuted at number one on the Australian Independent charts. But after touring with John Butler through the US solo, Mat found a new appreciation for keeping things simple. His more recent solo work is roots in every sense of the word, and will be the perfect accompaniment for a sunset session bikini show like no other.
"I'll be playing at the beach, and I'm playing in a spot that I love and in an event I'm fully behind," said McHugh, adding that as a surfer he's excited by the whole Bleach* concept. "An event that celebrates all different sides of surfing and music and the whole culture of it in a festival is just something that I couldn't basically not be a part of once I heard about it."

Sway on Sunset is presented by Bleach* in association with Billabong, Komune and Gold Coast Airport.

The Gold Coast's inaugural surf culture festival will host over fifty-five art and photography installations, film screenings, music, talks, fashion, theatre and food events staged across the spectacular beaches, foreshores and major venues unique to the Southern Gold Coast from 11-26 Feb 2012. For 16 days, across 10kms, over 80 artists and musicians will be on display at Bleach* Surfing the Fringe's array of over 55 events.

Bleach* Music Programming:

10 Feb Paper Kites, Sound Lounge Currumbin, from $12 + BF
11 Feb Bleach* Street - King Tide, Band of Frequencies, The Lamplights, The Oceanics, Haldaine's Daughters, Tomewin St Currumbin, FREE
11 Feb Bleach* Opening Party - Goons of Doom, Never Land Coolangatta, Door $15
12 Feb Travelling Music Truck, FREE
12 Feb Elephant Rock Sunday Session - Band of Frequencies, Elephant Rock Café Currumbin, pre-book $35
17 Feb Tijuana Cartel, Sound Lounge Currumbin, from $30 + BF
18 Feb Kirra Dreaming, Circular Rhythm children's music culture workshops w/ Lucus Proudfoot, Kirra Hill C&CC, FREE
18 Feb Depths of Balsa & Nick Chalmers art installation, Never Land Coolangatta, Door $15
18 Feb Sway On Sunset Featuring Mat McHugh, Komune Coolangatta, Door $10
19 Feb Travelling Music Truck, FREE
24 Feb The Break and Inner Tube, Sound Lounge Currumbin, from $22 + BF
25 Feb Sea Salt Sunrise feat. Inner Tube & Isaac Paddon, Kirra Foreshore, Kirra Surf Lifesaving Club, pre-book $45
25 Feb Sure Cut Kids & Claudio Kirac's Dreamland installation, Never Land, Coolangatta, Door $15
26 Feb Travelling Music Truck, TBA, FREE
26 Feb Blue King Brown and Tabura, Sound Lounge Currumbin, from $33 + BF

See Mat McHugh's video interview about Bleach* and Sway on Sunset here:
http://vimeo.com/34916644

Stay tuned for another special announcement in coming weeks by visiting the Bleach* Facebook page, www.facebook.com/BleachFestival

For festival updates visit the newly launched Bleach* website filled with event descriptions, ticketing information, artist profiles, and venue details: www.bleachfestival.com.au

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