16th December 2022
The Chamber Pots + Open Mic
Ben Rogers – guitar — Cyril Moran – guitar — Alina Jonas – cello
“Two guitars and cello presenting a collection of up-tempo and ambient original instrumental compositions”
Fabulous night. Music was unexpected and very entertaining.
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18th November 2022 AGM +
Ukulele Night
Duplicity plus local groups.
Duplicity
Based in the Dandenong Ranges, Duplicity comprises Sue Kidd and Brendan Canty. Playing a mix of originals and covers, Duplicity captivates and delights audiences by combining beautiful vocals with clever arrangements and “taking ukuleles to places they don’t normally go”. Duplicity performs regularly at venues around Melbourne and has opened for Hannah Schmidli, Lucy Wise, Paul Jonson (NZ), Manitoba Hal Brolund (Canada) and the Screamin’ Eagles.
In addition to regular gigging, Duplicity is active on the festival circuit and was a headliner at the 2022 Blue Mountains Ukulele Festival. Duplicity has performed at many festivals including The Melbourne Ukulele Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Hills Ukulele Festival (Emerald), Newkulele (NSW), Girgarre Moosic Muster, 4 String Festival (New Zealand), SPRUKE (Brisbane), The Basin Music Festival and PAVE Festival to name a few.
Two other groups were support – Balla Balla Ukes and Langwarrin Community Centre Ukes plus Chantelle Riordan.
A great night all round.
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21st October 2022
The Weathered Heads
It was a bluegrass night
The Weathered Heads are a foot-stomping country bluegrass band from Gembrook in Victoria. Formed in 2008 this four piece band plays Bluegrass-Country-Americana music with a touch of Folk, an Australian twang and a tradesman touch! Comprising a mix of guitars, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, dobro and electric bass, the Weathered Heads keep up a lively sound with rich vocal harmonies, raging banjo, meaningless banter, and hip-swaying rhythms. This is a band that kept us smiling throughout their set.
Rat Award went to David
Members Prize went to Sue
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16th September 2022
Backyard Banjo Club
A five-piece trad-jazz/bluegrass bonanza. Think Tom Waits meets Django Reinhardt and plays a jazz cover of a Radiohead tune. High energy up-tempo jazz and the occasional sultry ballad, good times guaranteed.
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19th August 2022
Spooky Trio
Spooky Trio has a great vibe and a wide repertoire, adding their own sophisticated touch to over 300 classic songs from the 60’s to contemporary.
Spooky create their sound with Marilyn’s smooth, sultry female vocals blending beautifully with David’s versatile rhythmic acoustic guitar and his great harmonies.
Add the amazing resonance of Peter on Vibraphone to the mix and we have musical heaven!
Guitarist David is a very experienced musician, a veteran of the 60’s and 70’s music scene in the UK. This included performing at the same venues, clubs and festivals as The Beatles. His main band, the Crescendos, followed in the footsteps of The Beatles and toured Germany a few years after the Beatles made British bands popular there. He also enjoyed DJ’ing in the UK for a number of years. David has also played acoustic guitar in the UK and US, preferring intimate club settings.
On moving to Australia, David first played in pub rock bands. He then decided to create a band with a more versatile sound and formed Spooky, with a fluid mix of musicians.
Vocalist Marilyn comes from an early stage background with vocal training, followed by stints as a music teacher and as director of school productions. Her confident stage presence reflects this valuable experience, and enables her to shine as a performer, not just a vocalist.
Vibraphone player and percussionist Peter has only recently joined Spooky. Peter has had a wonderful career in music, playing percussion extensively in orchestras and musical productions worldwide. This has included backing artists such as Helen Reddy, John Farnham, Hugh Jackman and Guy Mitchell.
Peter’s current passion is reviving interest in the Vibraphone, a fascinating tuned percussion instrument that featured widely in 70’s pop, and is also a favourite of jazz musicians.Spooky takes their audience on a great journey through an eclectic mix of folk, rhythm’n’blues, soul, jazz, country, reggae, rock and pop.
Enjoy singing along with your favourites, have a dance, or just relax with Spooky’s smooth sound.
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15th July 2022
Nick Charles
With dazzling melodic fingerpicking on six and twelve string guitars, stinging bottleneck slide and a lifetime’s stories and songs gathered or written on the world’s musical highways it’s no surprise that Nick Charles is labelled internationally as “Australia’s virtuoso of acoustic roots and blues”.
During his extensive and acclaimed career, Nick has released nearly twenty albums on major Australian and US roots music labels. His recordings have garnered world-wide recognition beginning with “My Place” and now his most recent release “Guitar Music”.
This recognition has succeeded in having Nick signed to the Grammy Award winning label, Solid Air Records USA (“Home of the World’s Finest Guitarists”). The only other Australian recognized by the label being Tommy Emmanuel.
Consistently averaging 150 shows a year in Australia, New Zealand and the USA, his music encompasses a delightful and eclectic mix of acoustic roots including blues, folk and early ragtime jazz. Along the way there are stylish nods to the Great American Songbook and the finest contemporary players and composers from Chet Atkins to Lennon and McCartney to Leo Kottke.
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17th June 2022
The Weeping Willows
2021 CMAA ‘Golden Guitar’ winners, The Weeping Willows, Laura Coates and Andrew Wrigglesworth, are a couple of old souls, steeped in Bluegrass tradition and draped in Gothic Americana imagery. They regale their audiences with stories of sunshine and romance, God and The Devil, murder and decay. Real music.
2015-2020 saw The Weeping Willows nominated for 8 x CMAA ‘Golden Guitar’ awards, 4 x Country Music Channel (CMC) awards, Country ‘Live Act of the Year’ in this year’s National Live Music Awards (NLMAs), APRA AMCOS Australian Independent Country Music Single of the Year, performing at AmericanaFest (USA), Folk Alliance International (USA), Maverick Festival (UK), Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Out On The Weekend with Margo Price, Joshua Hedley and Courtney Marie Andrews and the Australian Americana Music Honours. In recent years they have supported Lukas Nelson & POTR (USA), Hayes Carll (USA), Iris DeMent (USA), Eilen Jewell (USA), Willie Watson (USA), Cory Branan (USA), Kevin Welch (USA), Tim Easton (USA), Hannah Aldridge (USA), Ben de la Cour (USA), Shane Nicholson and The Audreys and completed national and international tours in support of their sophomore album, Before Darkness Comes A-Callin’ (2016), which received four-star reviews in Rolling Stone, The Australian and The Music.
A Weeping Willows performance, whether live or caught on tape will always delight.
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20th May 2022
Phil Para and Denziel Para
Bedded into the Melbourne music psyche as the master of blues, rock and guitar wizardry Phil Para and his multi instrumentalist son Denzil Para are a powerful duo who usually play an electric mix of blues, rock and soulful tunes, both originals and covers.For something really special and for the first time ever they are coming to the Bad Folk Club as a completely acoustic act.
The vocal play and harmonies between them are sublime and this Father and Son duo will back themselves on acoustic guitar and acoustic bass for this show.After so many years of playing to packed houses with the power trio, Phil finds much enjoyment in stepping into smaller venues in duo mode occasionally where he can really connect with the audience.
Expect acoustic versions of the great guitar classics plus many of Phil’s originals.
A top class act – Catch them when you can. The acoustic set was fantastic.
Rat award went to Daniel
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24th April Sunday
A very nice gathering of a few at the rotunda at pioneer park. Played a variety of tunes and a great social get together.
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18th March 2022
Note; This event will be held at the Brentwood Neighbourhood House 21A Bemersyde Dr, Berwick VIC 3806
Dave Cox
is a former soldier and Melbourne based singer/songwriter that writes his music about life, experiences, observations, our country and human emotions. His songs reflect from a suburban life and attempts to pursue in music the positive aspects that make our lives richer. His style is country/rock and inspired by an undercurrent folk genre that creates images in a song. He believes in believing and believes in the inherent goodness of people. Dave hopes you enjoy his music and stories.
And
Lloyd Clarke
is an international and national award winning songwriter. Winning Tamworth Songwriting Association awards in 2016, 2018 & 2020. He draws inspiration for his songs from family, Australia and the iconic places and people that make Australia great and unique. He was raised in Berwick and now lives with his wife in Drouin where they both enjoy retirement and visits from their kids and grand kids.
A night of fine music. A few more supporters would have been nice though.
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18th February 2022 The Long and Short of it.
David Baird
A shy man with a deep love for singing and playing his guitar, David Baird is one of the musical duo ‘The Long and Short of It’. Playing for 30 years and singing at home, David put his shyness aside when he visited Williamstown vocal coach Steven Zammit who saw his potential.
Fellow singer Patsy Toop thinks that David is an inspiration. “He’s been playing guitar for a long time and singing by himself. The beautiful thing now is that everyone who has heard him is spellbound”.
Patsy Toop
From a very early age Patsy was musically influenced by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Cat Stevens, Pink Floyd to name a few.
Patsy has always harboured a burning desire to be able to sing and entertain people. By chance, Patsy heard David Baird playing his guitar and singing at a charity function. For David and Patsy that meeting has now developed into an extraordinary and powerful relationship when they perform together.
A great night although Tech difficulties earlier on.
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16th January 2022 (Sunday)
An afternoon of jamming and singing along at Jane’s place. Yes we have food music BYO drinks instrument, chair, vocal chords and good humour.
A little bit hot but a great afternoon anyway. Thank you Jane for hosting and to the group who attended.
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