Time is ticking….. We’ve asked, we’ve received and now it’s time to vote!
Late last year we put out an appeal for our community to come up with a Gig Buddies' slogan. Specifically, we were after someone to come up with some words that sum up who we are and what we do.
With so many fantastic suggestions, we called upon our user-led team, Soul Fly Buddies, to come up with their favoured picks.
And, based on their selections, we’re now calling on our community to vote for their favourite.
To select your choice, click on the image above. Voting closes next Monday (5/2).
Are you looking to volunteer?
We need volunteers! Click on the image above for current Sydney roles and the graphic below for opportunities on the Central Coast.
If you have any questions or would like more information, contact us via Facebook or email: info@gigbuddiessydney.org
Gigs, gigs, gigs
We’ve recently announced a glut of socials, all set to take place over the next two months.
Starting this Thursday with our trip to Auburn and concluding on Sunday 25 February, we have eight gatherings lined up for February.
We’re inviting buddies to us in Auburn, Edmondson Park, Darling Harbour, the CBD, Hornsby, Gymea, Longueville and Kingsford as we serve up the following: Lebanese dinner, gaming, a roaming silent disco, burgers and a movie, Super Bowl LVIII, an art exhibition, a lunch gathering, and music bingo.
Load up the links below to sign up.
Our March meet ups
The month after we bring buddies lunch, brunch, Mexican and Asian food outings, along with pub catch ups, barefoot bowls and karaoke.
To join us in Penrith, Manly, Miranda, Balmain, Ourimbah, Chippendale and Bankstown load up the links below:
If you have questions about any of our forthcoming events, get in touch: we can be reached via Facebook Messenger, email: info@gigbuddiessydney.org or via text or phone call on 0411 252 228.
Each and every month we invite buddies to connect with us for our online chats.
Our chats take place via Zoom. To attend get in touch via text: 0422 061 990 or Facebook Messenger.
Jumped the gun
Last week we announced the pairing of Alexander and Nathan (below, L - R) with no photo.
We can now share the photographic evidence! We look forward to hearing more from our latest match.
Good to go
We also want to say welcome to our newly trained volunteer.
Thanks for joining us online last week, Yasmin.
Metal meet ups
Each and every month we bring you the news and views from those who make up our user-led team, Soul Fly Buddies.
For January we hear from Stavros, who shares more about his love for metal music.
“Hi there all,
I want to tell you a bit about Metal Meet Up. It’s an event that my mate Dave Balfour organises every 6 months at the Belvedere Hotel on Kent Street in the city.
My best friend Tan Lansdell rang up Gig Buddies after I done an interview on the ABC 7:30 Report with Jess at the Bald-Faced Stag in Leichhardt (now with the new name ‘Crowbar’ and new owners). After the interview, Carol sent me a friend request for Tan Lansdell. I accepted her friend request.
After becoming friends with Tan, I also met Camron McKenzie who runs Aftershock Heavy Metal Festival. He then introduced me to Nick. He was with Temtris for a while, and now he has his new band Livewire. Lovely guy.
Tan told me that she wanted me to come to Metal Meet Up. That’s where I met more lovely people: the creator of Metal Meet Up, Dave Balfour, Luck, Wendy his wife, and Genevieve for the first time. Very lovely people, all of them.
At Metal Meet Up we talk, we eat food, we drink alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and listen to lots of heavy metal music on Luck’s iPod. We also go across the road to Utopia Records to buy everything heavy metal, from CDs, records, band patches from small to large, back patches, shirts, jumpers, books, DVDs and Blue Ray, and flags.
If you want to buy anything, the staff there great and very helpful. You can ask for any heavy metal release dates of your favourite bands and they will help you.
Overall, a great experience and great way to meet likeminded people who love lots of heavy metal music as much as I do.
My gig buddy Rodrigo and I went to lots of Temtris gigs together. All of them are lots of fun with my best mate and we have many more to come this year!
Thanks for listening all”
- Stavros
Photos supplied by Sydney Metal Meet Up.
New for 2024
We’ve had an encouraging response to our podcast appeal.
However, we're still looking for podcast enthusiasts to get involved in our new idea.
Would you like to help put together a Gig Buddies podcast? We’re looking for people to help us with:
Recording interviews
Sharing stories
Brainstorming ideas
We’re also keen on hearing from anyone who would like to help us with production, too.
Gig Buddies' staff will be facilitating this project and can provide some support around this.
If you are keen to get involved, please email the team at info@gigbuddiessydney.org.
Thank you to everyone who’s expressed an interest so far.
Join the team
And lastly…. Our user-led team, Soul Fly Buddies, are on the lookout for TWO new members.
For those not in the know, Soul Fly Buddies, formerly known as Soul Fly Band, is the project’s advisory group. Made up of participants from Sydney and the Central Coast, they meet monthly, advising and overseeing the ongoing work of Gig Buddies.
In line with ensuring a fair representation from the areas we cover, we’re looking for the following:
1x member from the Western Sydney area. This means buddies based in any of the following council areas can apply: Campbelltown, Camden, Blacktown, Parramatta, Penrith, Liverpool, Castle Hill (and the Hills Shire area).
1x member from the Southern Sydney area. This means buddies based in any of the following council areas can apply: Sutherland Shire, St George, Georges River, Liverpool or Bayside .
For those of you wanting to know more about Soul Fly Buddies, check out this brief video containing past and present members.
And if you want to know why you should join our current members (Stavros, Lachy, Jack, Alex, Nalyn, Joni, Karen and Audrey) for our monthly meetups, the following video may provide you with some answers.
Our user led-team have been around since 2016. They meet on the last Friday of each month for around 1 hour, usually via Zoom. They have an in-person meeting at least once a year.
If you would like to join the Soul Fly Buddies, register your interest by clicking here. Alternatively, if you would like more information, feel free to get in touch. We can be reached via Facebook Messenger, email (info@gigbuddiesydney.org) or text: 0412 145 819.
Matthew: Central Coast coordinator (0402 708 814)
Carol: CEO (02 9419 6951)
Chelsea: NDIS coordinator (0412 145 819)
Tony: Funding and sponsorship coordinator (02 9419 6951)
Bec: Sydney coordinator (0411 252 228)
Aylin: Western Sydney coordinator (0466 389 961)
Lara: Greater Western Sydney coordinator (0478 045 121)
Sandon: Southern Sydney coordinator (0478 043 996)
Would you like more information about Gig BuddiesSydney? You’re only a click away. Connect with us via the links below.
Fancy revelling in legendary status? If so, please support us in our cause to get more people out to live events in Sydney.
Donations over $2 are tax deductible and all are gratefully received.
The Gig Buddies Sydney project is an initiative of ACL Disability Services.
