Good Events
Great times. All for something.
Andy Fithall creates events that bring people together — and leaves the community better than he found it.
Need an MC who actually gets it?
Andy Fithall has been behind a microphone in one form or another for most of his adult life. Trained as an audio engineer, he’s produced and hosted community radio, presented live broadcasts to tens of thousands of viewers, hosted telethons, run awards nights, and emceed countless Ground Level events.
He’s warm, quick on his feet, and instinctively knows how to read a room. He’s equally comfortable with a corporate crowd, a community gathering, or a room full of parents at a school fundraiser. He’s been told he’s “West Footscray’s best MC” — though he notes that’s a title he gave himself.
What Andy Brings to an Event
Andy doesn’t just show up and read a script. He researches, prepares, and brings genuine energy to every event he hosts. He’s good at making people feel comfortable, keeping things moving, and finding the moment of levity when a crowd needs it.
He’s hosted everything from live-streamed telethons to intimate business workshops, community fundraisers to panel discussions. If your event needs someone who can hold a room together and keep the energy right — he’s your person.
Warm & natural on the mic
Over a decade of broadcasting, podcasting, and live hosting experience. Never sounds like he’s reading from a card.
Community events specialist
From intimate business nights to large-scale fundraising gigs. Knows how community events work and what makes them land.
Flexible and prepared
Comfortable with scripted formats, panel discussions, awards nights, fundraisers, or free-flowing community nights. Adapts to what the event needs.
Purpose-led
Andy only takes on events he believes in. If you’re running something good for the community, he’s genuinely interested.
Good Event - Dadstock
Dadstock is a fundraising gig unlike any other. The concept is simple: get a group of middle-aged dads who used to play music — before life, kids, and mortgages got in the way — dust off their gear, squeeze into their stage clothes, and play a proper gig for a great cause.
The brainchild of Andy Fithall, Dadstock debuted at Kindred Bandroom in Yarraville in November 2025. Three bands made up of Inner West Melbourne dads performed across the night, raising funds and awareness for men’s mental health in partnership with Movember. Andy played in the band Dad Boddhi, alongside 5 Minute Drive and The Blac.
It was exactly what it sounds like: equal parts nostalgia, chaos, and joy. The crowd loved it. The dads probably loved it more.
Why Dadstock Matters
Men’s mental health is something Andy cares about deeply — and something he believes the community can address better than any campaign or billboard. Dadstock was built on a simple insight: getting men out of the house, on a stage, doing something they love, in front of a room full of people cheering them on — that’s good for the soul.
It’s not a charity gala. It’s not a networking event with a charity component bolted on. It’s a real gig, with real bands, raising real money for Movember and the mental health programs it funds. The fact that it’s also wildly entertaining is the whole point.
Dadstock is already being planned for a return. If you’d like to be involved — as a band, a sponsor, or an audience member — get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Good Events
A range of community, fundraising, and small business events — all with a purpose behind them. Past events include Dadstock (a men’s mental health fundraising gig at Kindred Bandroom), Funkin’ 4 Foodbank (a live telethon raising over $6,000 for Foodbank Victoria), Ground Level social events, and small business community nights across Melbourne’s inner west. Every event is designed to bring people together around something that matters.
Events happen throughout the year alongside Ground Level’s regular meeting schedule. Some are annual (like Dadstock), others are one-off community events. Follow The Good Machine on Instagram and Facebook, or sign up to the Ground Level mailing list, to stay across what’s coming up.
Absolutely — community events are open to everyone, and Ground Level events welcome guests. Just come along. The more the merrier.
Dadstock is a fundraising gig created by Andy Fithall featuring bands made up entirely of inner west Melbourne dads who used to play before life got in the way. It raises funds and awareness for men’s mental health in partnership with Movember. The first Dadstock ran at Kindred Bandroom in Yarraville in November 2025. It was brilliant.
That’s the plan. Dadstock is designed to become an annual event. If you want to be involved — as a band, a sponsor, or just a very enthusiastic audience member — get in touch via the contact form and Andy will be in touch as the next one takes shape.