Nina Las Vegas shares some of her most cherished memories in this round of our Hometown Guide.
Moving from a small town to the big city is always a difficult transition. Where you grow up holds a special place in your heart, especially if you spend most of your childhood in one area.
Walking around town and spotting that corner store you used to go to before school, or the old neighbours who used to have that dog that always barked when someone walked past the fence. NINA LAS VEGAS has a catalogue of memories just like this from growing up in the inland New South Wales town of Wagga Wagga.
She's the curator of Saturday night's Mix Up Exclusives radio show on Triple J and the recent national House Party Tour. A DJ, a party starter and one of the busiest people we know, Nina shares with us five sites from her peaceful home town that have specific sentimental value.
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1. SOUTH WAGGA PUBLIC SCHOOL
'I went to South Wagga Public School and painted part of the school's mural. Not that I've been there in a while, but when I did go there last it was still there. FYI it's a beautiful picture of an echidna, eating ants. Duh.'
2. ADVISION GRAPHICS
'My Dad owns the design store and gallery ADVISION. It's on Gurwood Street and often the shopfront's window is dedicated to something he believes in. I'm incredibly proud of him.'
3. FORUM 6 CINEMAS
'I worked at the Forum 6 Cinemas throughout high school and because of this, I think there was a good three years that I saw absolutely everything that came through Wagga Wagga; even a film called Let's Get Skase which only had four attendees in total, counting me and my friend Kimberley.'
4. COLLINS PARK
'Before they re-did the equipment in Collins Park, one of the bullies from my primary school wrote 'Nina Agzarian is a slut' on the slide. I was nine, and there was no way in the world that I was a slut. It was there for ages; so long that when Mum called me to tell me it had been replaced, I actually think she was sad. '
5. WAGGA BATHS
'Before the pool closed and became Oasis, I went to the Wagga Baths after school religiously, as did everyone else in Wagga. They had the most intense 'towers' in the diving pool, five metres and 10 metres high. I jumped off the top about four times, and I can still feel the wedgie.'
NINA LAS VEGAS is about to embark on her latest party tour with an amazing line-up of acts. 'Parties by Nina Las Vegas For You' will be travelling all the way down the east coast, to Adelaide and across to Perth. Be sure to catch Nina and her long list of friends when they come and party in a city near you, full details below:
'PARTIES BY NINA LAS VEGAS FOR YOU' NATIONAL TOUR DATES
Thursday, 13 February 2014
Corner Hotel, MELBOURNE
Nina Las Vegas
Wave Racer
Emoh Instead
Cosmo’s Midnight
L D R U
Tkay Maidza
Friday, 14 February 2014
170 Russell (Previously Billboard), MELBOURNE
Nina Las Vegas
Motez
Emoh Instead
Indian Summer
Nile Delta
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Rocket Bar, ADELAIDE
Nina Las Vegas
Motez
Cosmo’s Midnight
Tkay Maidza
Sable
Friday, 28 February 2014
Metropolis, FREMANTLE
Nina Las Vegas
Motez
L D R U
Sable
Saturday, 1 March 2014
Republic Bar, HOBART
Nina Las Vegas
Motez
Thursday, 6 March 2014
Goodgod Smallclub, SYDNEY
Nina Las Vegas
Motez
Tkay Maidza
Sable
Friday, 7 March 2014
Goodgod Smallclub, SYDNEY
Nina Las Vegas
Cosmo’s Midnight
L D R U
Indian Summer
Playmode
Basenji
Saturday, 8 March 2014
Bowler Bar, BRISBANE
Nina Las Vegas
L D R U
Indian Summer
Tkay Maidza
Sunday, 9 March 2014
Trinity Bar, CANBERRA
Nina Las Vegas
L D R U
Plus VERY SPECIAL GUEST Ryan Hemsworth
Words by Lauren Payne
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