US radio award a real blast
A GEELONG performer’s “radio cabaret” about his late grandfather has been honoured at an international level.
Inspired by a cupboard full of his grandad’s memorabilia, Joel Carnegie’s show Stardust: The Col Brain Story, won silver for Best Innovation and Best Performance at the New York Festivals International Radio Awards.
The homegrown writer and performer said the commendation hadn’t quite sunk in yet.
“The project originally started as a radio documentary about my grandfather (Colin Brain) and having all of this incredible material of his life in this cupboard,” Mr Carnegie said.
The concept took on a life of its own and turned into a live solo stage show, backed by the Geelong West brass band, which Mr Brain conducted for 25 years. It launched at Gee- long After Dark, played to a packed GPAC audience before airing on ABC Radio National.
The show has resonated with audiences, some who approached Mr Carnegie in tears after the show, having remembered going through the belongings left behind by their owns parents or grandparents.
In unearthing his grandad’s story and legacy, Mr Carnegie discovered more about how he followed a similar path in music and life to that of one of the region’s most regarded musicians of his time.
“I always felt an affinity to my grandfather given we’ve taken similar paths. He was a musician and so am I, and we also played brass instruments,” he said.
Mr Carnegie said he would like to take the show on tour.
“All the emails and texts from people around the world has been really crazy,” he said.
“Apparently the giant trophies are in the mail. I don’t know where I’ll put them.”