B2M (Bathurst to Melville) is a six-piece band from the Tiwi Islands, which formed in late December 2004 in their hometown of Nguiu. The band is made up of young Indigenous men who sing about issues facing all young people such as drugs, alcohol and suicide.
Their music is an R‘n’B pop with a traditional kind of twist to it. The lyrics in their songs come from their life experiences growing up in an Aboriginal community and seeing first hand the effects of drugs and alcohol on their own people. Educating the kids of the future through their music and encouraging people to make a change in their lives is what keeps this band going. In the words of lead vocalist Jeffrey ‘Yellow’ Simon: ‘We are giving the kids a voice through music.’
B2M’s first EP: b2m - Live at The Monsoon Sessions, Darwin - a live acoustic set recorded at Gurrumul Yunupingu's CD launch in Darwin was released in 2008. Later that year B2M won the coveted Emerging Artist Of The Year at the NT Indigenous Music Awards which included a touring package across the NT.
Some of the B2M members are also members of the Tiwi Bombers football side and in 2010 the band took to their biggest stage yet, performing two songs to 10,000 people as the main pre-match entertainment act for the ALF Indigenous All Stars game in Darwin. In April 2011, B2M released their first official track Japparika– the Tiwi Bombers’ football anthem, which has since sold extremely well through ITunes. The band has donated the proceeds of the song to support the Tiwi Bombers Football Club whose major supporter is the Essendon Football Club.
In early 2009, B2M took on a project of massive proportions giving them the opportunity to fulfil their yearning to take both their music and message to new audiences. The project, which aimed to make music the key to positive outcomes, saw B2M delivering song-writing workshops to approximately 400 young Indigenous people in 11 remote Northern Territory communities as well as recording the experience in a documentary entitled Building the Melody. The very successful outcomes of the project were highly visible and the Australian Red Cross has congratulated B2M on their achievements.
One of their first songs recorded, Mahlia, was featured byNational Broadcaster ABC as part of a program on mental health and since then, the band have continued on their admirable path of tackling social problems participating in Mental Health Week in remote communities across Arnhem Land in July 2011.
In between developing a successful format for community workshop/concert tours, B2M delivered key performances over the past few years including Arafura Games Opening (performing with Jessica Mauboy), Garma and Darwin Festival (working in collaboration with musician and producer Count Bounce [TZU]).
In 2010 an extraordinary opportunity was presented to the band to take their music to the international stage and represent Australia at the World Expo in Shanghai, China in September 2011.
Their second international performance opportunity came their way last year as B2M were selected as the Australian indigenous artists from the NT to travel to Dili, East Timor to perform with Ego Lemos at the inaugural D’Tour concert – a new music project aimed at linking Australia and Timor-Leste, through music collaboration, performance and skills exchange. B2M embraced this experience in East Timor and their performance to a local audience of around 3000 people (televised across East & West Timor) was an outstanding success.
2012 looks certain to push the band further into the spotlight. In March B2M were announced as the successful recipients of the Minister for Arts the Hon. Simon Crean’s coveted Breakthrough: Emerging Indigenous Contemporary Musicians Recording Initiative – a $25,000 grant to finalise their debut album.
Following their headline appearance at the Barunga Festival, June saw the launch of an important pilot project called ‘Strong Choices’ - a cyber safety clip that addresses the problems of inappropriate use of digital media (mobile phones, facebook etc). ‘Strong Choices’ is a campaign that will resonate with everyone – young, old, black and white – is now featured on the home page of the Australian Federal Police website and has already been presented to National Cyber Safely seminars across Australia.
Their broad range of community work and has not gone unnoticed as B2M were shortlisted for Band of the Year at the prestigious 2012 Deadly Awards – an amazing achievement without having produced a debut album !
In the band’s short history they have already accomplished what takes some bands years to achieve - role model status in their community and ambassadors to a broader Australian and international community - as they carry a positive image of their people and culture through their R’n’B music with a unique Tiwi twist.
B2M Band Members:
Jeffrey ‘Yellow’ Thomas Simon - Vocals, guitar, keyboard & band leader
Daniel Cunningham - Lead vocals & keyboard
James ‘Fab’ Kantilla - Lead vocals
Jimmy Kris - Bass & vocals
Darren Narul - Drums & vocals
Greg Orsto - Vocals & band leader
Key Performances & Achievements:
2012
- Finalists for ‘Band of the Year’ at the 2012 Deadly Awards
- Performances at the “Battle for the Tiwi Ashes” with Matthew Hayden & Alan Border, Tiwi College
- 2 x performances at the Inaugural Oceania Conference in Darwin
- Headline act at the D’Tour Concert in Darwin
- Local headline act at Milimika Tiwi Islands Festival
- First Indigenous Artists to perform at the Idolize Speigeltent in Darwin, at the Darwin Festival
- B2M headlined the 26th Barunga Festival
- ‘Strong Choices’ - Cyber safety video developed for indigenous communities in the NT. The video was produced by Skinnyfish Music as part of the Strong Choices Program and delivered through the Northern Territory Department of Justice with funding from FaHCSIA and partnership with the AFP & AMSANT. B2M & Skinnyfish Music presented ‘Strong Choices’ to Cyber Safety conventions at the MCG and at the Australian Institute of Criminology in Sydney.
- Cyber Safety / music workshops in Tennant Creek with NT Dept Justice & Aust Federal Police
- B2M & Skinnyfish Music presented ‘Strong Choices’ to Cyber Safety conventions at the MCG and at the Australian Institute of Criminology in Sydney
- Recipients of ‘Breakthrough: Emerging Indigenous Contemporary Musicians Recording Initiative’
- Recipients of the Independent Producers Grant 2012 for an international tour to USA/Canada
- Participation in multi-media music school workshops at Milingimbi for the Jimmy Little Thumbs Up! Program promoting healthy eating and health education.
2011
- First Australian artists selected to participate in the inaugural D’Tour Concert in East Timor
- Performances at the “Battle for the Tiwi Ashes” with Matthew Hayden & Alan Border, Tiwi College
- Performances and workshops for 2011 Nguiu, Galiwinku, Milingimbi and Ngukurr Festivals
- 3 performances and workshops in North East Arnhem land for Mental Health Week
- Performance at Barunga Festival supporting act to the Pigram Brothers
- Wrote and recorded the Tiwi Bombers theme song
2010
- Performances at the World Expo in Shanghai, China to represent the Northern Territory & Australia
- 2 performances in the Darwin Festival 2010 with APRA award winning Count Bounce
- Performances at the “Battle for the Tiwi Ashes” with Matthew Hayden and Alan Border, Tiwi College
- 2 performances in Garma Festival in Yirrkala, NT
- Performed to 10,000 people - pre-match entertainment at the AFL Indigenous All Stars game, Darwin
- Produced and starred in ‘Building the Melody’ - A Community Workshop by B2M DVD
2009
- Headline act of the National Telstra Art Awards in Darwin
- Artback NT Community Tour
- Performed at the Timber Creek Festival
- Supported Bomba (Nicky Bomba) band at Merrepen Arts Festival
- Fabian sang the Australian national anthem at the AFL Indigenous All-Stars’ Game
- Performed at the Riverina Playhouse, Wagga Wagga
- Presented workshops at the Riverina Juvenile Justice Centre, Wagga Wagga
- Song writing workshops & tour to 11 remote communities in the NT in association with Red Cross
2008
- Winner of Emerging Act of the Year award at the NT Indigenous Music Awards
- Headlined the Timber Creek Festival
- Release EP- B2M Live at The Monsoon Sessions, Darwin
- Support act for Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu’s album launch, Darwin Entertainment Centre
2007
- Darwin Festival, B2M performed with Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu & performed at opening concert
- Wrote songs & appeared in the documentary ‘In a league of their Own’
- Co-headlined Merrepen Arts Festival
2006
- AFL licensed "Awi" for Melbourne Channel Ten promotion
One of their first songs recorded, Mahlia, was featured byNational Broadcaster ABC as part of a program on mental health and since then, the band have continued on their admirable path of tackling social problems participating in Mental Health Week in remote communities across Arnhem Land in July 2011.
