The Mik Maks are back

THE Mik Maks have won multiple awards and have a huge international audience with their material being streamed more than six billion times.

The Mik Maks will return to Swan Hill on October 3 for a one-off The Big Show appearance.

In what is very much a family affair, brothers Joel and Al McInnes are joined by Joel’s 16-year-old daughter Ava, performing songs that have become popular through the group’s hit YouTube channel.

The family is joined on stage by Drums the panda, who is a longtime friend of the brothers and always a popular character with the children. He will be, as his name suggests, drumming up a storm.

Growing up in the farming districts of western Victoria, the two former teachers bring much of their country and farming roots to the music, reflecting their upbringing.

YouTube has given the group worldwide exposure with more than six million subscribers, and they have more than 300 clips on the platform.

Al McInnes said they always ask parents after the show where they see the music and the answer is usually YouTube.

“That’s where kids go to these days to enjoy music,” Mr McInnes said.

“As far as our audience goes on the channel, Australia only makes up about 1.5 per cent of our YouTube viewership”.

This will be the fifth time the group have performed in Sawn Hill and, after last year’s performance, Joel McInnes said they had noticed a marked increase in the confidence of the children in the town as they got up to dance with each other.

“It’s great having a worldwide audience, it’s a huge honour but it also comes with tremendous responsibility that we are delivering quality content that is engaging, colourful and educational that can also be understood and comprehended by a global audience is a challenge,” Mr McInnes said.

“Although we do a lot of major events in Melbourne, we really love getting bush and going out to smaller communities and getting back to roots.

“The whole family jumping on the bus and away we go.

“Even our mother Pam helps on the merchandise stand.

“We love performing far wide and remotely and we love coming to Swan Hill.”

Al said the group had other sons and daughters helping with merchandise and social media.

“It really is a big family thing,” he said.