Uke meets Gypsy
The Loveys are six feisty yet quite – well-mannered women who sing songs that tickle their fancy, tell a story, and celebrate the art of living large. Direct from standing ovations at the Newcastle and Melbourne Ukulele festivals, The Loveys will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. The Balkanics are masters of high-energy Gypsy music who have played stages from Womad to Woodford with intoxicating hypnotic improvisations – infectious and danceable. Cast away your worldly woes and be transported to a universe inhabited by extravagant rhythms and catchy melodies.
Club Mullum this Saturday from 7.30pm. $25 / $20 conc on the door.
Black Rabbit George at the Brewery
Black Rabbit George is another incarnation for Tijuana Cartel’s guitarist and frontman Paul George. It’s an opportunity for Paul to further explore the acoustic guitar that is at the heart of Tijuana Cartel and to pursue his longtime passion for folk and roots music.
From the wellspring of childish fantasy and a lifetime of musical evolution emerges the Black Rabbit. This is the storytelling talent of Paul A George, the musician whose guitar drives the unique sounds of Tijuana Cartel, one of the tightest and most sought-after bands on the Australian festival circuit.
If Tijuana Cartel ever lacked anything for its guitarist and vocalist, then it was the open door to a subconscious demand to tell stories – any stories – with the strings of a guitar and the words of a born storyteller.
Black Rabbit George is the culmination of a need that could not be resisted forever. Black Rabbit’s first solo track, Muse, was a melodic and emotional ode to his first great love: his guitar. And the guitar has remained a passion with him ever since, through a lifetime of highs and lows, triumphs and failures that drive the stories of all our lives.
The Black Rabbit mines these experiences with a guitar that threads itself into every line of every lyric, paying homage as it goes to the great folk storytellers and the great folk musicians.
Saturday at the Byron Brewery from 7pm.
Re-Mains Front Man at the Rails
The Re-Mains came out of Nimbin in 2001 and blazed a banjo-shaped country rock’n’roll trail across Australia, Canada and Europe. Now frontman Mick Daley returns to Byron Bay as part of an east-coast tour on Wednesday 15 Feb with his band the Don Cossacks. With two solo albums and a swag of political dirges and invective under his belt, you can expect some melody and lots of mayhem with your acoustic musical mélange, from 6.30pm.
Wednesday 15 February at the Rails.
Music for Life after the Army
The Walking Wounded is a charity that assists in the psychological rehabilitation and recovery of returned Australian service personal who experiencing hardship after their time in service. Their primary objective is to intervene and prevent the concerning incidents of suicide in young veteran community through counselling and other support.
They show them that there is Life After the Army.
There is a fundraiser for the Walking Wounded with The Soul Shakers and the Camel Tones at Crabbes Creek Hall on Saturday at 6pm.
Finger food – BYO. Tickets $20 (Kids under 14 free).
Festival Opens with Caravãna Sun
Described by Rolling Stone magazine as ‘soul-baring’, Caravãna Sun has been touring the world festival and live-show circuit with joyous abandon, doing 500 shows in five years, and have earned themselves serious accolades in the music industry. Their seamless mix of world-fuelled rebellious surf rock and explosive performances gets their audiences grooving every time. Nature and the Australian way of life inspire the four members to write euphoric songs filled with summer, arranged with highly evolved instrumentation. These guys are the real deal.
See them for yourself when Caravãna Sun take the spotlight on Friday 24 February at 8pm at the Beach Hotel for the opening night of the Byron Bay Surf Festival.
Music by the Bullhorn
There’s an old saying, popularised by The Breakfast Club: ‘you mess with the bull, you get the horns’. What does it mean? Not much really. Mostly that if you do something dangerous, you might get hurt.
One dangerous thing you could do would be to miss the crazy, brass-based, MC-led explosion that is Bullhorn at Mullum Civic Hall Saturday 4 March.
Joining them onstage will be 80s disco boogie eruption, Vaudeville Smash, who recently launched their new single Laura to massive acclaim and thrilling crowds everywhere they go.
Get ready for a massive night of musical mayhem and the irresistible urge to cut hectic shapes on the dance floor!
$22 pre sale and $25 at door. Child (under 15 – over five) $12 pre-sale – $15 at door. Tickets at redsquaremusic.com.au.
Byron Music Society launch their year
Byron Music Society have an exciting 2017 scheduled, and with new partnerships they promise to provide music events that will thrill ears, eyes, and tastebuds.
The Society has a jam-packed and festive Program Launch Day planned, including dinner by Francisco’s table pop-up restaurant.
With the screening of Le Concert, about Aleksei Guskov attempting to stage a late career comeback after losing his position as conductor of the Bolshoi Orchestra for refusing fire Jewish musicians, an address by BMS’s president Nicholas Routley and a concert by cellist Louise King. This fabulous day will be finished off with dinner by Francisco’s Table.
Francisco’s Table is a roaming restaurant popping up at different locations around the Byron Shire, regularly appearing at Coorabell, Federal, Corndale and the Bangalow A&I halls. Francisco’s food is inspired by local produce that is sourced from a wide community of growers and farmers.
You will share a table loaded with delectable dishes with your neighbours, friends and fellow food lovers.
In 2017, under the presidency of Nicholas Routley, the Society is planning to present great music-based events. Once again the Society has partnered with internationally well-known Nadine Abensur (of The Cranks Bible and a half-dozen other cookery books). Many concerts will be followed by delicious apéro prepared by Nadine.
Come along to the Program Launch Day on Sunday at St Martin’s, Mullumbimby, 3pm.
Non-members are welcome. Bookings essential. Don’t miss out! Bookings and 2017 program information available at www.byronmusicsociety.com. Contact [email protected].
Wisdom of Churchill
Drawing inspiration from his time in Europe and sojourns to Sri Lanka and Canada, Kim Churchill will take the new songs to some of his favourite regional Australian towns and cities – places where he has spent time in his formative years travelling and busking, surfing and sleeping in the back of a van.
On the Raw_Files tour, Kim will play tracks from the forthcoming album in an intimate environment. Tickets are very limited for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Friday at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall. Tickets: www.musicglue.com/kim-churchill.
A Hell of a Career
It is hard to describe John Williamson and his music without thinking that you have left something out or underrated his contribution and achievements.
Very few artists have experienced and earned the longevity of such a career as John Williamson. It’s quite rare but when you review his albums and songs you can see why. After 43 years in the music industry, touring continuously for that period, John’s career is stronger than ever and he is still writing and recording new songs. But during this time, he has shunned celebrity and resisted offers to take his music to the international stage, preferring to stay true to his passion: Australia. John is not only an artist of unbelievable musical poetry but also a man of integrity. He has always stood firm to his own beliefs and his courage of his conviction regardless of the outcome and without regrets. He is truly proud of his country and stands and sings tall with each note. John Williamson is, without question, an Australian icon. His voice and sound are as recognisable and important to Australia as the Southern Cross is to the flag. He’s performed at some of Australia’s most historic and nation-stopping events, and to battlers across this vast country. His songs and music are simply for everyone. He performs at the Ballina RSL on Friday.
