Three of Australia’s true ‘heritage legends’ bands come together for an unforgettable night of music. All three have had a mighty 50 years or more in the business, each creating their own distinctive sound. Chain, Stars and The Bushwackers have each stamped their own original brand on Australian music history, and this is your chance to experience them live, all on the same massive bill.
Thur May 23 | Lighthouse Theatre Warrnambool
Fri May 24 | The Memo, Healesville
Sat May 25 | Bunjil Place, Narre Warren
Sun May 26 | The Athenaeum, Melbourne
Thu May 30 | The Capital, Bendigo
Fri May 31 | Costa Hall, Geelong
Sat June 1 | West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
Sat June 2 | Frankston Arts Centre, Frankston
The Godfathers of Oz Blues, Chain have been the most influential blues/rock band in Australia since the late sixties. They have put an indelible Australian style stamp on blues music like no other act has done. They were managed early on by a teenage Michael Gudinski and went on to become one of the original Mushroom Records bands. Original members Phil Manning and Matt Taylor are legends in their own right and songs like ‘Black and Blue’ and ‘I Remember When I Was Young’ still resonate. They are a great live act and the experience of seeing and hearing Chain is really a ‘must’.
Country-Rock band, Stars got together in Adelaide around 1974. After a short while supporting bands like Dingoes and LRB, they started to write their own songs, were signed up by Michael Gudinski to Mushroom, and success soon followed. Their memorial show to their late band-mate Andrew Durant was a landmark event, a best-selling great album and an oft-repeated Nightmoves TV special. Still one of Australia’s hardest working bands, original members Mick Pealing and Roger McLachlan are joined by Geoff Achison on lead guitar, (original Sports guitarist) Ed Bates on pedal steel, Nick Charles and Erik Chess on drums.
The Bushwackers play a much-loved style of Australian music, mostly based on traditional folk and working songs, infused with their unmistakable larrikin brand. Now in their 52nd year, The Bushwackers are still led by the mighty lagerphone of Dobe Newton (co-writer with Bruce Woodley of ‘I Am Australian’) and the musical direction of Roger Corbett.
Any one of these bands could headline a show; seeing them all performing in the one huge night, then coming together for an unforgettable finale is truly a ‘once in a life-time’ experience for lovers of true-blue Oz Blues, Country Rock and Folk.