Dustyesky, who focus on Russian songs and drinking vodka, are making headlines on the other side of the world.

A choir of vodka-enthusiasts from the northern New South Wales town of Mullumbimby has caught the attention of the Russian media. The 28-strong male choir, dubbed Dustyesky, was formed in 2014 out of a love of vodka and Russian songs, and has now appeared on Russian national broadcaster Channel One to an audience of 250 million people.

“We’re just a bunch of ratbags who like to get together and have a bit of a sing on a Tuesday night,” chorister Mark Swivel told the ABC. “It doesn’t get crazier really.”

^{Dustyesky. Photo © Lyn McCarthy}

None of the choristers speak Russian or have any personal connection to the country, until they were booked – due to their choice of repertoire – to sing at an event for Russian expats in Brisbane and were mentioned in a Russian-Australian newspaper.

“The article went online and subsequently a newspaper in Belarus lifted the article and re-jigged it, and each time I’ve read a further article that’s been translated it becomes more bizarre,” said Andrew...