I am privileged to have a friend who is not Greek. Yes, I have friends who are not Greek! This friend is a talented international artist who once helped create murals in Sydney’s Inner West, including the Greek mural at Marrickville Lane. Her name is Kasane Low—a Canadian-Chinese-French-First Nations-Aussie woman—who has been slowly introduced to Greek culture thanks to yours truly and a few visits to Steki Taverna, one of our stops last Friday night.
I had told Kasane about some special artists and creative minds in the Greek community, and she willingly tagged along. While dancing at the Thanasis Vasilakos and Master Tempo concert at The Arena—admittedly better than I can—she was able to meet some of Sydney’s most talented creatives. Among them were Tom Skolarikis of Ouzo Talk podcast, author Vasilis Vasilas (Little Athens: Marrickville), Krazy Kon—the brains behind the concert—filmmaker Tim Anastasi of Luna Studio, and playwright Alex Lykos. We even chatted with national treasure George Ellis, a brilliant conductor and musician, fresh off a sold-out performance of Songstresses of the Golden Age of Greek Cinema with Dioni Vertzayas for the Greek Festival of Sydney.
Our night actually began at the Greek-owned Factory Theatre in Marrickville, where we watched Lykos’ NEANDERTHAL. The show was a brilliant and contemporary take on male relationships and their connection to women, seasoned with political humour. It was an encore performance by the filmmaker whose recent hit Disconnect Me screened nationally and earned him a slot at the Sydney Comedy Festival.
When I spoke to Lykos before the show, he shared how honoured he was to be invited by the Festival to perform an encore and a shorter version for Best of Fest. His audience includes both mainstream Australians and Greek-Aussies.
As for Kasane, she may as well be from ancient Greece—her creativity is celebrated both here and abroad. This November, she’ll be one of the featured exhibitors at Sculpture by the Sea, one of the world’s most iconic public art exhibitions. Having her along for my cultural adventures is truly inspiring.
One thing she quickly picked up: DJ Krazy Kon knows how to throw a party. The ARIA-charting DJ, fresh from a tour in South Africa, made us feel welcome—as did the performers, who engaged with the audience in a way that reminded us of classic Greek warmth. Master Tempo made sure my selfies looked great, just as he lit up the stage. As a longtime fan, I credit him with helping put Greek hip hop on the map. His hit song Διακοπές στο Miami, a collaboration with Krazy Kon, charted in 2019. Krazy Kon’s Greece Mix Volume 29 is still on rotation in my home—and probably yours, too.
Vasilakos told me this was his third visit to Australia. He delivered an energetic performance, full of praise for Sydney. Master Tempo shared similar sentiments, telling Neos Kosmos:
“Every time I have the chance to entertain the Greek people of the diaspora, I feel a great sense of honour and responsibility. That’s why we took great care in creating this tour—a huge party with Thanasis Vasilakos.”
It seems that Greek Australians are among the most enthusiastic supporters of Greek entertainment anywhere in the world.
Kasane asked thoughtful questions about the songs and their meanings. Unsurprisingly, many focused on love and relationships—which led to some meaningful conversations, especially after watching Lykos’ show earlier in the evening.
We later met up with Lykos and other creatives at Steki Taverna, where we clinked glasses—filled with water, I swear—and watched the younger generation of Greek-Aussie guys dominate the dance floor. Sydney continues to offer so much for lovers of Greek music, art, and culture. That same night, just down the road at the Atlas Community & Culture Centre, Hellenic Theatre Inc. premiered The Community Circle, which runs until 25 May. According to Vasilis Vasilas, it’s a powerful performance I need to see.
As I prepare for a June trip to Greece, last Friday felt like perfect training. I’m lucky to share this kind of cultural richness with friends like Kasane—and to witness the extraordinary work of Greek artists bringing a touch of Greece to Sydney’s Inner West.
