Events

South Australia Jam Underway for 2019

16 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The Semaphore Jam Session in South Australia is back up and running for 2019. The Jam Session is the First Sunday of the Month at: Semaphore RSL Club, 10 Semaphore Road, Semaphore.

The Next Jam Session is set for Sunday, February 3rd running from around 2:00pm to 4:30pm.

(A gold coin donation to directly support the RSL with returning service men and women is kindly appreciated.)

Got a bluegrass song you want to lead? You are most welcome to sing and lead songs at these sessions. Thank you to those who played, sang and led bluegrass songs at the last session.

To request: A free on-line Bluegrass Sunday Sessions Song Book that contains a number of tunes we play, or to have a friend subscribed to this Adelaide Bluegrass Slow Jam Session Newsletter please email Michael Murphy at admin@anterohr.com.au. or call him on 0427 601 517.

Bluegrass Community Public Service Announcements

Listen: Bluegrass Unlimited, Radio Adelaide 101.5 FM, 12-1 Sundays, or online anytime. “Our passport to bluegrass music through legendary presenter Bill Lawson.”

Amanda Cook 2019 Tour Dates

16 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Last month I brought news of a pending tour with Amanda Cook who is performing with Kristy Cox at this year’s Tamworth Festival. We now have the full tour schedule for Amanda’s Australian appearances.

Amanda Cook hails from the Gulf Coast of Florida and came onto the Bluegrass Scene with drive and determination. She brings a mix of traditional and contemporary Bluegrass in every show. Audiences of all ages enjoy her live performances.

Amanda Cook Tour Dates:

22nd Jan – Tamworth Country Music Festival, International Showcase, 7:00pm
24th Jan – Tamworth Country Music Festival, Atrium Stage, 2:30PM
25th Jan – Tamworth Country Music Festival, Bluegrass Comes to Tamworth, 10:00am
25th Jan – Tamworth Country Music Festival. Tamworth Opry, 8:00pm
30th Jan – Tamborine Mountain, House Concert
31st Jan – House Concert Brisbane
1st Feb House Concert, Brisbane
2nd Feb – The Old Gazette Theatre – Dorrigo, 7:00pm

The Burning Bridges on Southern Style

15 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The Burning Bridges with Sean Lee McCoy will be performing live to air on Jan Dale’s radio show Southern Style on February 12th

The Burning Bridges are a Melbourne band that plays old-time, bluegrass, country blues, and a few reworked modern classics, drawing material from the Carter family, the Stanley brothers, the Louvin brothers, Gillian Welch and pre-war American folk tradition. Peter Somerville (banjo, vocals) and Fran Martin (tenor guitar, vocal) formed the band, which also features local legend Andrew Forrer on double bass and superb fiddle playing by Tanya Bradley. The Burning Bridges are also proud to welcome rising star Sean Lee McCoy on guitar, mouth harp, vocals and yodels.

We recently reviewed The Burning Bridges new album Down This Old Road here.

Jan Dale’s radio show, Southern Style, can also be streamed to your computer via the PBS website.

Southern Style with Jan Dale – PBS FM 106.7
Tuesdays 1:00pm to 3:00pm or online at www.pbsfm.org.au.

MPA Welcomes Coolgrass to Kick off the Year

8 Jan, 19 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Coolgrass are set to play the Mountain Pickers Association’s January club night.

Coolgrass win and delight audiences with their hilarious take on bluegrass, and are favourites throughout Australia and New Zealand. They have been featured at Australia’s National Folk Festival, the Auckland Folk Festival, Port Fairy, the Harrietville Bluegrass Convention, the Redlands Bluegrass Festival, the Fairbridge Folk Festival, the Tamworth Music Festival and many more, plus many folk clubs, wineries, town halls, arts councils, pubs and so forth across Australia and New Zealand.

This is a show not to be missed. If you haven’t ever seen Coolgrass you’re in for a treat. If you have seen them you know whats coming – great playing, great harmonies, great hats and a great night.

Book early as this will be a popular night.

Tuesday January 29th
7:45 at the Ferntree Gully Bowling Club, Glenfern Rd, Ferntree Gully
Entry $25 / $22 and $20 for MPA Members –
Table Bookings call 9753 5888

The Blue Ridge Broadcasters to Play Southern Style

3 Nov, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

The Blue Ridge Broadcasters will be playing live to air on Southern Style on November 13th.

Comprised of some of the most inspiring, innovative, and engaging young musicians on the old-time scene, the Blue Ridge Broadcasters perform a mix of driving fiddle tunes and traditional songs.

The members of the band have been working together for over a decade, teaching, recording, performing, and competing. They have appeared together at The Appalachian Stringband Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia, winning multiple first place prizes in the traditional band and fiddle contests.

Building on their deep reverence for Appalachian old-time music to create compellingly new sounds. They can crank out blistering fiddle tunes made to move dancers or draw out the mystery from a crooked, haunting melody. They can tease out the funkiness from a country blues. They can blend their voices into sweet harmonies, breathing new life into old songs.

Bluegrass Banjo For Beginners

7 Oct, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Barb Fitzpatrick’s banjo classes start again on 23 October at the St. George and Sutherland College, 127-129 Sutherland Road, Jannali NSW 2226.

Want to play banjo? Here is your chance. Have fun learning this lively style of playing in a very friendly atmosphere. Whether you have never played before or have battled along on your own for a while, this is a chance to make great progress.

Check out the website for all the information

Mustered Courage on Tour

30 Sep, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Mustered Courage is heading out on tour next month to promote the release of a new album We Played With Fire.

Here is their itinerary for the next few months:

THU 11 OCT Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall Brisbane, QLD, Australia – Free Entry
FRI 12 OCT The Bison Bar Nambour, QLD, Australia – Tickets
SAT 13 OCT Dusty Hill Vineyard Murgon, QLD, Australia SOLD OUT
FRI 19 OCT Wesley Anne Northcote, VIC, Australia – Tickets
THU 25 OCT – The Newsagency Annandale, NSW, Australia – Tickets
FRI 26 OCT Smith’s Alternative Canberra, ACT, Australia – Tickets
WED 7 NOV Creatures Next Door Fremantle, WA, Australia – Tickets
THU 8 NOV Settlers Tavern Margaret River, WA, Australia – Free Entry
FRI 9 to SUN 11 NOV Blues at Bridgetown Festival Bridgetown, WA, Australia – Tickets
WED 23 JAN Tamworth Hotel Tamworth, NSW, Australia – Free Entry
THU 24 JAN Tamworth , NSW, Australia – Free Entry
FRI 25 JAN Capitol Theatre Tamworth, NSW, Australia – Tickets
FRI 25 JAN Tamworth Hotel Tamworth, NSW, Australia – Free Entry

Kiwigrass – February 2019

31 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath 1 Comment

New Zealand’s Pipi Pickers are currently engaged in bringing New Zealand a full-scale all-bluegrass festival in February next year. It’s been almost 50 years since the last Banjo Pickers Convention in Hamilton. Kiwigrass is scheduled for 1st to 3rd February 2019 in Hamilton, New Zealand and aims to celebrate all of Bluegrass Music has to offer.

To stay in touch and learn more, check out www.kiwigrass.nz. Join the mailing list there, and follow them on Facebook. We are told that the line-up is looking outstanding with the headline act already secured with The Lonely Heartstring Band.

The Lonely Heartstring Band wowed New Zealand audiences last year when they headlined at the Auckland Folk Festival and then toured around the country, with sell-out show after sell-out show. Their unparalleled stage presence and skill left audiences speechless and hungry for more. The boys from Boston have been hard at work on a new album, adding to their already stellar repertoire. In addition to concerts, these Berklee School of Music trained musicians will be leading workshops in their instruments.

Kiwigrass is brought to you with the support of the Australasian Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association.

Where to Catch The Pipi Pickers This Spring

31 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

It’s not often we get to deliver some news from across the Tasman but on this occasion here is a gig list from the Pipi Pickers in New Zealand.

8 September 2018: Wellington Bluegrass Society, Petone, Wellington
26 September 2018: Sawmill Brewery, Matakana. 5-8pm.
9-11 November 2018: Mountaingrass, Beechworth, Victoria, Australia
7 December 2018 Katikati Folk Club, Katikati.

We also spend a lot of time organising our local folk club at the Whangateau Hall. If you haven’t been to a concert at our hall, you really should come around and have a listen. It’s a beautiful old wooden hall with perfect acoustics, and the friendliest locals you could imagine! We’ve grown a reputation world-wide as a “must play” stop for international touring musicians. You never know who you’re going to see – Jenine Abarbanel.

Roadside Holiday To Play Ferntree Gully.

28 Aug, 18 by Greg McGrath Leave a Comment

Roadside Holiday is a modern Folk/Americana acoustic band that plays the original songs of Kimberley Wheeler along with more traditional repertoire. The songs are moody and evocative, and presented in a spare acoustic style, compelling melodies, and with sophisticated vocal harmonies.

Kimberley’s award winning original songs are lyrical and quirky. In 2015 Kimberley won the Tilley’s Choice Award for ‘Watching Over Joan’. She sings about modern life, and social issues. Some tracks are pure fun and some are darkly political.

The band features Kimberley Wheeler, Tanya Bradley and Liz Frencham.

Tuesday August 28th – 7:45pm, at the Ferntree Gully Bowling Club, Glenfern Rd, Ferntree Gully,
Entry $15/$12 and $10 for Mountain Pickers’ Association Members – For table bookings call 9753 5888

Also on the bill are Backwater, Nine Mile Creek and Dave Diprose.