Koroit Irish Festival photos 2014 (April 26th)

Gig guide Warrnambool 24th April 2014

THURS
Tabasco Jazz: Hotel Warrnambool.
Jason Bull: The Whalers, Warrnambool
FRI
Louie Clancey Band - Star of the West
Bec and the Big River Trio, Kirkstall Hotel
Louis Helmsley: Vic Hotel, Warrnambool
Old Melbourne Road: Commercial Hotel, Koroit.
Christou: The Whalers, Warrnambool
Nancie Schipper, The Last Coach, Warrnambool
SATURDAY
Louie Clancey Band - Stump
Rusty Bucks Band: Micky Bourkes, Koroit
All-day entertainment: Commercial Hotel, Koroit
Bec and the Big River Trio (night): Commercial Hotel, Koroit
Luke Willnko: Vic Hotel, Warrnambool
Barely Wayne: Vic Hotel, Port Fairy
Alfa Tides & Evarign: The Whalers, Warrnambool
SUNDAY
Big Love (arvo): Vic Hotel, Warrnambool
Lost in Suburbia - Hotel Warrnambool
TUESDAY
Loose Cannons: Royal Hotel, Warrnambool
WEDNESDAY
Rusty Bucks Band: Micky Bourkes, Koroit
Segamas & Evarign: The Whalers, Warrnambool
Loose Cannons: Royal Hotel,Warrnambool
THURSDAY
Alfa Tides & Evarign: The Whalers, Warrnambool
Loose Cannons: Royal Hotel,

Warrnambool region gig guide for Easter 2014

Thursday 17th April 2014
Caravana Sun, Jay Hoad: The Loft, Warrnambool
Ben Cross: Whalers Hotel, Warrnambool

FRIDAY 18TH APRIL
Hug Therapy, Max Goes To Hollywood: The Loft
Richard Tankard: ClubWarrnambool
Nick Howe: Victoria Hotel, Port Fairy

SATURDAY
Calling All Cars, TheLove Junkies, The Sinking Teeth: The Loft
Jason Bull: Whalers Hotel
The Hemingways: Victoria Hotel,Warrnambool
Nick Fletcher: Victoria Hotel, Port Fairy

SUNDAY
Acoustic Al: Victoria Hotel, Warrnambool
Whisky River (arvo): City Memorial Bowls Club, Warrnambool
Rusty Bucks (arvo): Hotel Warrnambool
Barely Wayne: Victoria Hotel, Port Fairy

TUESDAY
Richard Tankard: Cally

Zuzu Angel

Zuzu Angel enjoys Unearthed resurgence - THURSDAY, April 17, 2014 The Warrnambool Standard

ZUZU Angel have returned to the Unearthed charts, taking on sole representation of south-west artists. Bands with south-west connections featured prominently in the Unearthed charts last month, with positions in the top 100 taken by Buddha in a Chocolate Box, Sons of May, Silverkane and Verema. With each now dropping out, it is Zuzu Angel, including former Port Fairy musician Jordan Lockett, enjoying chart success with recent releases Rio and Serial Killer sitting at 89 and 96 respectively. The rock-pop songs last week had a resurgence on Unearthed after their initial release months earlier. 2014 has been a busy year already for the Melbourne based band, launching its self-titled EP in early February and recording a summer single a few weeks later. Last month Zuzu Angel were set to play alongside Nine Inch Nails and The Hives at the Silverlake Music Festival in Thailand, but the festival was cancelled due to civil unrest. Punters finding themselves in Melbourne on June 21 can catch up with the band at the Rock N Load festival at The Espy, performing with Ten Thousand, MyEcho, Tumbleweed, Sun God Replica
and The Morrisons.

Ian Bidge Boyd @ Commercial Hotel Koroit

Wednesday 9th of April 2014 saw Ian "Bidge" Boyd perform as support act for Vanessa Lea at the Commercial Hotel Koroit. His set included some country classics such as "Good Hearted Woman" and "In a town this size" (the Keiran Kane song also recorded by John Prine).

Gig guide Warrnambool area 10th April 2014

THURS
Eales, Hewson, Tankard, Conlan, Emry: Hotel Warrnambool

FRI
The Infants, King Evil: The Loft,Warrnambool
The Bracelets: Victoria Hotel,Warrnambool
Maton Season: Whalers Hotel, Warrnambool
Nick How: Kirkstall Hotel
Louie Clancey Band - Star of the West

SATURDAY
The Fire Alive, The Residual, Jordan Riddle: The Loft
Michelle’s Velocity: Whalers Hotel
Louis Helmsley: Victoria Hotel, Warrnambool

SUNDAY
Big Love (arvo): Victoria Hotel, Warrnambool
Louie Clancey Band: Hotel Warrnambool

TUESDAY
Keira: Cally Hotel, Warrnambool

New album for Blue Heat - Warrnambool Standard April 10th 2014

New album for Blue Heat - Warrnambool Standard April 10th 2014
LOCAL blues legends Blue Heat are midway through post-production on their first album in almost 20 years. Late last month the five-piece outfit recorded 10 songs live in 24 hours at the Big Red Shed in Nirranda. Renowned Blue Heat guitarist Marco Goldsmith used Sutcliffe Guitars, an Epiphone Casino and his trademark 65 L Series Strat, as well as hand-wired Quantrelle valve amps on all the tunes, according to manager Robert Quantrelle. “The new album is classic Blue Heat with a few surprises thrown in for good measure,” he said. “We are currently editing the last tunes on Pro-Tools, then it will be ready for mixing. We are excited by the results so far and about prospects for the future.” Quantrelle thanked Brad Harrison and his family for the recording location along with producer Brenton Smith for working on the mix.

Tommy Tuddy and Mick

Warrnambool Standard April 10th 2014
Local trio takes out inaugural award
FIRST there was Tommy and Tuddy. Then there was Tommy, Tuddy and Mick. Now the trio have added the 2014 Koroit Irish Festival artist of the year award to their esteemed and lengthy musical careers. It is the first time the artist of the year has been awarded and it will be presented prior to the Australian Danny Boy Championship final on Saturday, April 26. The trio, already legends of the Koroit music scene, are thrilled to receive the honour. Tommy Brooks and Frank “Tuddy” Bowman have been playing music together for about 50 years while the youngster of the trio, Irishman Michael Morgan, joined them in 1997.Brooks, 72, said all three felt very surprised to receive the award but very proud to have been chosen. “Music expresses the better side of everybody when you are up singing. People can relate to what you are doing,” Brooks said.The trio rarely set time to rehearse but incorporate new songs after hearing them in a type of organic process. “We just perform,” Brooks said. He said the Koroit Irish Festival committee had done “a brilliant job” in lifting Koroit’s profile on the music festival calendar. “It’s a credit to the committee to get a little town like Koroit up and going.” Both Brooks and Bowman are born-and-bred locals and have never played in any other musical group. They specialise in Irish and Australian country music and are regular performers at Koroit hotels and clubs and some other south-west venues. Morgan was roped into the group about 1997 after the other two heard of his talents as a harmonica player and singer.

Southwest Biz magazine article on 3WAY

 Published in SouthWest biZ magazine Vol. 29 Autumn 2014

Southwest biz magazine article on Russ Goodear

 Published in SouthWest biz magazine Vol. 29 Autumn 2014

Dennis O'Keeffe dies March 2014

Dennis O’Keeffe leaves rich musical legacy
By PETER COLLINS - As published in Warrnambool Standard March 11 2014

DENNIS O’Keeffe’s status as one of Australia’s most respected music researchers, singers and writers was acknowledged when Port Fairy Folk Festival crowds stood to sing Waltzing Matilda when told of his death on Sunday.
The 57-year-old Warrnambool resident lost a battle with cancer and died in St John of God Hospital surrounded by his wife Anne and sons Joel and Ryan, who have also carved a career in music with their successful rock band Airbourne.
Mr O’Keeffe had conducted extensive research into the origins of the iconic Waltzing Matilda and performed it for years at the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival where the tune was first heard in 1894 by Christina Macpherson, who later passed it on to poet Banjo Paterson, who wrote the lyrics.
In 2012 Mr O’Keeffe launched his book about “the secret story of Australia’s favourite song”. His research was regarded as ground breaking in delving into the real history behind what is often regarded as Australia’s unofficial national anthem. It was later incorporated into a musical, The Man They Call The Banjo, by Mr O’Keeffe’s brother-in-law Felix Meagher and filmed by the ABC during a performance at Camperdown last year. “He’s been singing and writing songs for most of his life,” Mr Meagher told The Standard yesterday.
“For years he was a songwriting tutor at the Lake School of Celtic Music in Koroit and was  highly regarded.

“The bond between him and his students will live on.

“He also ran the Australian music section at the national folk festival in Canberra and we’ll have music sessions in his honour at the Lake School.

“Dennis was loved by many people.”

Mr O’Keeffe was raised in the Killarney district in a large family that traced its history in the area back to the 1850s.

Mr O’Keeffe graduated from Monash University in 1999 with a graduate diploma of arts in Australian folklife studies, but gained most of his experience in writing and performing at least 40 songs based on Aussie stories.

Mary of the Cross (honouring the life of  former nun, now Catholic saint, Mary MacKillop) and Billy McLean (about a union shearer shot during the 1894 strike) are some of his pieces.

His performances included a 12-month stint with son Joel as Father and Son after Mr O’Keeffe underwent major surgery for a benign brain tumour. “He was so proud of his son’s achievements with Airbourne,” Mr Meagher said.

“Dennis supported them and loved them.”

He also ran an optometry sales business in Warrnambool, which he expanded into several branches across regional Victoria before selling them.