In this podcast:
Pause Fest 2019 • Flow • Deep Listening • Being Human
I was excited about this chat. I have watched Mykel weave his unique blend of music, charisma and comedy at the last few Pause Fest events. Mykel emerged from a career in music (he studied Jazz at Adelaide University) and found himself using his on-stage talents to inspire and teach others to embrace their creative sides. His role at Pause recently has been to bring the audience back to life with his band. I remember the first morning I walked into the room and saw the band I thought, oh man, here we go, this is going to be cheesy. But no. Mykel has a way of connecting instantly with a crowd and engaging them in a way that pulls you out of your seat. In this conversation, he likened it to a 2am jam at a house party, and that is how it feels. Over the weekend I was camping with some mates on the Murray River, someone picked up a guitar and started playing a tune. Soon there was a harmonica, then some spoons and a series of ridiculous made-up songs. That feeling of connection with the music and more importantly ‘the moment’ is what Mykel is all about.
“An unexpected collision over a grand piano with wine.”
Back to Pause. I had been podcasting all morning when Mykel arrived with Anna and suggested a round of beers. The perfect start to a conversation in my opinion! I had not met Anna before but quickly learnt about her incredible work in the fields of human rights, social work and public policy. As well as the years she spent travelling around Australia in a pop-top combi listening to the stories of First Nations Australians.
What followed was a great yarn that touches the heart of why we wanted to update the name of our podcast (to Humans Aren’t Robots). Both Anna and Mykel spoke so fluently about some of the challenges that face us as ‘modern humans’ and the disconnect we often find ourselves in. I particularly loved the concept of Dadirri that Anna brought up, an indigenous term for ‘deep listening’ – something we should all practice more often!
I hope you enjoy the chat and please check out both Anna and Mykel’s work, two shining, positive rays of light in a sometimes gloomy world.
Tickets for Pause Fest 2020 are on sale now – they are selling fast this year so get in early. If you would like to find out more about the event, feel free to reach out!
More about Pause Fest
Pause Fest Website | Pause Fest Facebook | Pause Fest Instagram
Find Mykel Dixon
Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram
Find Anna McCracken
Linkedin
