Archives
''What's up Jose?"
Another year, another YouTube video
YouTube really is amazing. How did musicians do without it 10 years ago? It only started in 2005 and now it just seems to have been there forever. I never realised anyone in Slovakia might be interested in my music! The ability to store and distribute music as well as the communicate directly to listeners is just incredible. Most of the comments are from well meaning people although I've found there are a number of downright rude and nasty people out there. That's what happens with public exposure and freedom of expression!
Around the traps
Playing at shopping centres has been quite different from playing at folk clubs. At a performance venue, people go there to specifically listen to you. At a shopping centre, they listen to you because their ears have been sidetracked as they are walking to Kmart to buy a T-shirt. Still... the experience is positive and there should be more to come this year.
Jim Cantwell
Selby Folk Club and Peninsula Folk Club was fun. Selby had Andrew Winton as the guest artist and it was really nice to hear him play his lap steel instrument. Made from the roots of a tree and imported from the U.S.A. it sounded and looked impressive. February was the first time I had been to Peninsula. Maurice and I played a couple of fresh numbers with minimal rehearsal. Jim Cantwell was the featured act that night and he always puts on a good show. His rendition of "Two little boys" was great and probably was closer to the 1880's version rather than Rolf Harris' well known version.
AJ Leonard and Jenny Rowlands
I paid a visit to Mahogany House over at Frankston for their Bluegrass Jam and had fun there. This group just loves its bluegrass and has some real characters, so I'll be back for sure. I didn't realise how well known the lyrics of Jud Strunk's song - 'Daisy a day' were until I played it at Fathers in the Chapel and again at Berwick and District Folk Club this month. For February, Berwick's Old Cheese Factory saw BAD Folk host A. J. Leonard and Jenny Rowlands. What followed was some some high standard music - everything from 20's classics to the themes for James Bond and the Pink Panther. Jenny's wonderful cello accompaniment was the perfect counterpoint to A.J. Leonard's ukulele and vocals, providing a rich bass texture that allowed the intricate ukulele fingerwork and mellow vocals to shine through. An act worth seeing!
Belgrave Buskers Festival - 25 February
Chestnut Street Orchestra
(Photograph by Gary McCarten)
In Belgrave, I played twice, once individually and once in a group. The Chestnut Street Orchestra livened up Belgrave's main street and took 3rd place for group performances. Later, individually, I played at a different location and unfortunately kept on getting feedback squeal caused by a combination of location and poor amp setup; so it wasn't conducive to the best performance. Testing afterwards revealed that I had a faulty XLR cable and combined with an effects box, made it very prone to feedback. Oh well... nevermind.
The Chestnut Street Orchestra is a fairly casual group based around Maggie Duncan's Fiddle Workshop. This group meets monthly at the Ranges Community Music School in Upwey on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm to learn traditional fiddle tunes from Irish, Scottish, American and Australian traditions. Other instruments apart from violins also appear including basses, mandolins, guitars etc. and the focus is on learning the traditional tunes. From time to time the group will play at dances such as the one on Sunday 26th at the Northcote Uniting Church. The Contra Dance that night was hot, literally! 38 degree celsius temperatures made for a warm environment but the dancing continued and I even took leave from guitar playing for a couple of songs to join in, on the floor, it was just too much fun to turn down. I'm enjoying learning the "Old-Timey" genre and have a new appreciation of traditional music; I warmly recommend this group to others. Click on the picture for more about Maggie's band of traditional music devotees.
The Chestnut Street Orchestra is a fairly casual group based around Maggie Duncan's Fiddle Workshop. This group meets monthly at the Ranges Community Music School in Upwey on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm to learn traditional fiddle tunes from Irish, Scottish, American and Australian traditions. Other instruments apart from violins also appear including basses, mandolins, guitars etc. and the focus is on learning the traditional tunes. From time to time the group will play at dances such as the one on Sunday 26th at the Northcote Uniting Church. The Contra Dance that night was hot, literally! 38 degree celsius temperatures made for a warm environment but the dancing continued and I even took leave from guitar playing for a couple of songs to join in, on the floor, it was just too much fun to turn down. I'm enjoying learning the "Old-Timey" genre and have a new appreciation of traditional music; I warmly recommend this group to others. Click on the picture for more about Maggie's band of traditional music devotees.
Kelly's Bar and Kitchen
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I finally paid a visit to this icon in the Hills and was glad I did. This place has a lot of character and importantly supports live music, particularly the local musos who strut their stuff and sell their CDs every Wednesday. Scottish born Alex Legg runs the show on Wednesday nights making sure the musos behave, and that the audience has fun. The bar is basically a very large extension to a log cabin built in the 1890's, so there's lots of character. Craft beers are the go here and I can recommend their stout. See the YouTube video on the left for more info!
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The Berwick Show 25-26 February
The Berwick Show promotes horticulture, agriculture, livestock and horseriding, but also acts a focal point for Berwick art, entertainment and community groups in the Casey area. Tim Hannan and I got up onto the main stage representing the BAD Folk Club and had fun; I really enjoyed performing as a duo. Local - Tara Leigh Dowler performed after us and I was impressed with her indie-rock performance. Afterwards, the Deputy Mayor - Wayne Smith interviewed us on Radio 97.7fm Casey Radio.
Events - monthly schedule **NEW**
This new page attempts to chronologically list some regular acoustic events that recur monthly in and around the Casey area of Melbourne's South-east. I haven't visited all of Melbourne's venues yet, there are too many! Most of these places accept a little bit of poetry as well, particularly bush poetry. In a few places like Burrinja and the Peninsula Folk Club, you can buy dinner and have a beer, others have tea/coffee and biscuits. One special place even has mulled wine on offer, but I won't tell you which. Now you'll have to try all the venues!
