ABOUT THE EVENT:

A memoir from the creator of Pub Choir®

On Wednesday 1st October at the Red Mill Distillery, Balmain, join Astrid Jorgensen in conversation with Julia Baird.

Copies of Average At Best will be available for purchase at the venue through Roaring Stories, with Jorgensen signing copies after the discussion.

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ABOUT THE VENUE

Red Mill is based in the historic White Bay Steelworks, just across from the inner-west icon, the White Bay Power Station. Red Mill makes small batches of high-quality Rum to age in a special barrel program, blended and bottled in their wonderful, industrial home. Visiting Red Mill is a chance to see the workings of an artisanal distillery, in the historic surrounds of this remarkable building. Refreshments available to purchase include wine, beer and a signature Red Mill cocktail. We look forward to welcoming you to this unique venue.

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Seating is unallocated – another reason to arrive early to secure an optimal spot.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Astrid Jorgensen is on a mission to teach the world to sing. But she’s not promising to make anybody better at singing – she simply wants people to feel less ashamed of whatever voice they have.

By its very nature, ‘best’ is rare and elusive: you’re not going to get much of it in life. And I sure don’t want to miss out on deeply experiencing the fullness of my one precious existence, searching for the sliver of ‘best’.

Average At Best is a powerful, funny, and deeply honest memoir about embracing mediocrity if you want to get anything done. As the creator of Pub Choir® – a global phenomenon that unites complete strangers to connect, laugh, and make beautiful music – Astrid takes you behind the curtain as she unflinchingly stares down her dizzying highs, her crushing lows, and everything in between.

Astrid has performed on stages around the world, rubbed shoulders with Prime Ministers and celebrities, and has taught hundreds of thousands of people how to work together in literal harmony. Along the way, she low-key became the best at something, while sometimes feeling the worst. Is that … balance?

From almost becoming a nun (seriously) to committing unspeakable crimes against a chip packet, this joyful, inspired debut traverses the divide between confidence and doubt, performance and authenticity. Because most things happen between the extremes. This is an imperfect perfectionist’s account of how all of it counts in the end.

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ABOUT ASTRID JORGENSEN

Astrid Jorgensen OAM is a choral conductor, composer, entertainer – and now author – who believes that everybody can sing: not well, but literally. Founder and director of Pub Choir ® and its online adaptation Couch Choir, Astrid is a global leader in communal, accessible music-making. Armed with a razor-sharp wit and an unmatched enthusiasm for collaboration, Astrid has delivered her live, improvised comedy music lessons to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. Her work has been praised by the likes of Mariah Carey, Kate Bush, KISS, Radiohead and Sir Barry Gibb. Astrid’s ability to enchant audiences and guide untrained singers to musical greatness has featured in international news outlets including BBC World News, The New York Times, Vogue Magazine and NPR as well as on TV shows including Australian Story, Australia’s Biggest Singalong, Spicks and Specks, and The Project. In June 2025 she wowed judge Simon Cowell when she appeared on America’s Got Talent. Under Astrid’s leadership, Pub Choir has raised more than $550,000 for local grassroots charities – a number that continues to climb. In 2020, she was a finalist for Queensland Young Australian of the Year, and in 2024 received the Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to the community as a musical director. Beyond Pub Choir, Astrid is a valued contributor to Australian television, radio and print media. She previously worked as a high-school music teacher, and her original choral works are frequently performed around the world. Astrid lives in Brisbane with her partner Evyn, and a furious chihuahua called Penny.

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ABOUT JULIA BAIRD
Julia Baird is an award-winning author and journalist, and cohost of the Not Stupid podcast with Jeremy Fernandez. She writes columns for the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Her first book, Media Tarts, which was re-released in 2021, was based on her history PhD about the portrayal of female politicians. After moving to the United States to take up a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School, she became a columnist and senior editor at Newsweek. She was then made an oped contributor at the New York Times. Julia's biography of Queen Victoria was one of the New York Times’ top ten books of 2016. Her book, "Phosphorescence: On awe, wonder and the things that sustain you when the world goes dark", won several awards including the ABIA Book of the Year. Her most recent best-selling book is “Bright Shining: How Grace Changes Everything. Her two-year investigation into domestic violence in religious communities earned her four Walkley Our Watch awards, including the gold, and a Walkley award nomination. She lives near the sea with two children, and an abnormally large dog.

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TERMS & CONDITIONS

Refunds

Please note that tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled or postponed due to extenuating circumstances. Refunds are not issued within 48 hours notice of event date. Humanitix fee is nonrefundable.

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This event is presented by Roaring Stories Bookshop Balmain.

With thanks to our venue partner Red Mill and Simon and Schuster.

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