Ghostboy with Golden Virtues

"This writer has been attending the Melbourne Fringe Festival semi-religiously for more than two decades now, and "Swallow And Exit" by Ghostboy With Golden Virtues is far and away the best thing I have ever seen there. God, where do I start? This is an extraordinary coming together of the disparate arts of poetry, songwriting and music, with punk cabaret, dance, theatre, dressing up, dressing down, audience participation, audience nudity and sex: lots and lots and lots of sex. Epic psychosexual rock opera theatre of the fucking absurd. This bunch should be bigger than The Tiger Lillies and it’s only a matter of time before they assuredly are. Maybe they’re not quite as funny, but they’re way better looking and better musicians; Ghostboy – AKA David Stavanger – and Skye Staniford are far superior writers to Martyn Jacques, and the production values are equally as high. How this show is not burning down The Spiegeltent or The Forum and how we are not paying 80 bucks a ticket eludes me. There are plenty of shows out there about sex, but very few that are anywhere near as good as the act itself, or that make you want to perform said act quite so badly. This is decidedly one of them. I defy anyone not to fall head over heals in deep, dirty love with every single person on stage, the amour fou here is palpable as a tight-jeaned erection, and once witnessed, not going back to see "Swallow And Exit" again is simply not an option. More. Don’t stop. If you only see one show at this year’s Fringe, please, please, please make it this one. Yes."

Tony McMahon - INPRESS
- INPRESS - Live Review

If you take a date to Ghostboy with Golden Virtues, I promise you will be naked together by the end of the evening. But there are only two chances left.

Their attitude is punk, but their musicianship supreme and their lyrics awaken deep desires that leave us blushing with recognition. GBGV are from Brisbane, so they already have to fight for respect in our southern climes, but remember that the city that produced Joh (why was I the only person who laughed at that reference?), also produced the likes of Ed Kueper and The Go-Betweens; perhaps the constant temperature lets music mature to perfection.

With a seduction technique somewhere between flirting with an angel and squeezing into latex for a swingers party in Frankston, Ghostboy and his stage lovers don’t believe that audiences are just there to watch. Breaking this barrier is confronting before it’s liberating, so it’s best to jump in and enjoy early because one day ‘Your smile will fade, your skin will wrinkle and no one will love you’.

GBGV are Melbourne’s type. There’s the too beautiful goth girl violinist; the hotter-than-Marilyn (Monroe, not Manson) platinum blonde guitarist and singer; the silent masked gimp bass player; curvy dancers; oddly hot musicians; and an unshaven, bald headed, divinely tattooed enigmatic lead singer who wears a black tulle petticoat and a fascinator far better than any Spring Cup goer. Melbourne, you know you want them.

Ghostboy with Golden Virtues reminds us what art can be and what it’s really all about. We love a serious mind seduction, but we’d give it all up for a f**k. And I don’t mean that tedious, it’s-1am-and-we’re-not-asleep-and-the-DVD-has-finished sex, but the uninhibited kind that leaves you groaning and tingling with the understanding that love and wildness and passion can exist together.”

Ann-Marie Peard – AUSSIETHEATRE.COM - AussieTheatre.com

Popularly viewed as a left-field performance or cabaret ensemble, GBGV’s powerhouse performance tonight is demonstrative of their credentials as a truly sterling live (art-)rock band…one of the most bizarre & brilliant gigs of the year - TIME OFF - Live Review

Ghostboy and Golden Virtues tie in the darkness of Clockwork Orange with sweet beautiful voices , it is like The Corrs has been turned into a vampire and spook musical

Katie James,
Woodford Folk Festival
- Program Manager

This year, Brisbane Cabaret Festival has brought in some stunning live acts, and Ghostboy with Golden Virtues is no exception. The Judith Wright Centre is transformed into a saucy cabaret venue where saucy girls play guitars and the lead singer can rub his face in the laps of unsuspecting audience members.

Ghostboy is an expert wordsmith who leads the delectable Golden Virtues to infinity and beyond, masterfully dealing out phrase upon phrase of lyrical goodness. He is a true showman with absolutely slamming poetry.

The stunning Skye Staniford, all legs in a hite men’s shirt and not much else, shows of her considerable vocal and musical talents. Her solo song delivered directly to Ghostboy who interjects with the story of “The Woman Who Was Heart” is utterly breathtaking.

Hannah Griffiths, Staniford’s female counterpart, is equally engaging as vocalist, pianist, and guitarist. Together the woman perform a particularly beautiful spoken piece, as well as delivering some fantastic vocals.

Guitarist Robbie Zawada is a versatile and sensitive musician who supports the main act delicately. The two young female dancers who emerge nymph like from the audience do much to add to the sensuality of the music.

Time Off, October 2008

- TIME OFF - Live Review

Golden Virtues teamed up with infamous performance poet, Ghostboy, to deliver an erotic cabaret show that would have made Iggy Pop blush. The show stopping finale - a joyous rendition of Serge Gainsborough’s – saw Ghostboy pulling punters onto the stage to participate in an orgy-for-arts-sake on the four poster bed. As the storm broke outside, the bed broke inside, under the eight of twenty-aroused festival goers.

Tsunami Magazine, Jan 2009 - Tsuanmi Magazine - live review

"This is beautiful, various and very exotic!”

Rayl Patzak, Spex Magazine (Germany)
- Spex Magazine (Germany)