Gig Guide - 19 July to 1 August

Each fortnight I post any gigs that I think might be worth a look. The list is usually heavy on folk, blues, jazz, country, punk and singer/songwriters but sometimes includes a surprise. This is not a guide to everything that is going on in Hobart just the gigs that appeal to me. It will be continually updated as the fortnight passes by. I will also post gigs on my Patron of the Art Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/michelleleecastle/


19 July - Coyote Serenade - Bright Eyes Café - Free
19 July - Black Swans of Trespass & Hui - Moonah Arts Centre - $10
19 July - Middle Kids - Uni Bar
19 July - Liam Johnston - Willie Smiths - Free
21 July - Tiff Eckhardt & Dave Steel - Frank's Cider, Franklin - Free
21 July - Inscape Fundraiser (Singles Bar) - Republic - $5
21 July - The Vice Captains - Salty Dog - Free
21 July - The Foley Artists - Story Bar - Free
24 July - Reeba Von Diamond - Homestead - Free

26 July - Bridget Pross - Central Bar - Free
26 July - Patron Saints - Bright Eyes Café - Free
26 July - Robert Forster - MONA - $45
26 July - Olivia - Willie Smiths - Free
26 July - Ryan Garth & Heath Richardson/Dave Elliston - Homestead - Free
26 July - Sleepyheads/Tinderboxes/Monique How - Altar - Free
27 July - The Singles Bar - Irish Murphy's - Free
27 July - Black Swans of Trespass - Homestead - Free
27 July - Tim & Scott - Story Bar - Free
28 July - 120ys - Republic - Free
28 July - The Foley Artist - Story Bar - Free
1 August - Trad Celtic Tunes Session (Luke Plumb) - Fern Tree Tavern - Free

Northern Tasmania

19 July - Thomas Mitchell & Henry Rippon - Wharf Inc, Ulverstone - Free
20 July - Grim Fawkner - Moutain Mumma, Sheffield
26 July - Pete Cornelius & Claire Anne Taylor - Wharf Inc, Ulverstone - Free

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Live music has limitless ability to trigger an emotional response. It can make you cry, it can make you angry, it can bring you peace but best of all it can make you laugh. There is nothing in the world quite like naughty lyrics that make you look differently at the world or lyrics that reveal the foibles of human kind. The connection that you feel when you realise that your ridiculous secret thoughts and behaviours are actually shared by others is something special. This was brought home to me when I went to The Homestead to see The Tuck Shop Ladies.

The Tuck Shop Ladies are two Melbourne girls, Rosie and Sam, with a ukulele and a bass uke singing folk/bluegrass inspired tunes that cut to the core of the modern Australian life. I consider that it is a good sign that a gig is going to be fun when the sound check has you laughing and, by those standards, this gig was going to be cracker. The show was a rollicking good time from start to finish. It is not every day that you find songs that express the real pain of having five keep cups in your cupboard but you want a coffee now so you’ll have to buy another or being away from your love and having ten missed calls from them only to discover that they only want the Netflix password. We’ve all been there.

The Tuck Shop Ladies also take to you to intellectual depths with “Nothing Rhymes with Orange”, and share the trauma of adulting with “My Dog Won’t Lick”. They pose the big questions like why don’t we ever see baby pigeons and what to do about cheese addiction. The song writing is brilliant in its simplicity and these girls can really sing. Their harmonies are beautiful and without flaw.

Just when you think the fun is at its zenith then they pull out their covers. The 90’s hip hop medley was fun, I mean there’s nothing quite like a folksy/bluesy version of Kriss Kross making you go jump. The trashing of the bridge in Beyoncé’s “All the Single Ladies” or as they would say putting it in the fridge was side-splitting fun but my favourite was their uproarious version of George Michael’s “Faith”. I mean who cares what words you sing in the verses? You got to have faith, faith, faith.

Despite the fabulous musicianship, the highlight of the Tuck Shop Ladies’ show is the banter between Rosie, Sam and the audience. The genuine love and affection between the musicians is spread to the audience and you feel more than just onlookers but part of their show. You feel as though you are in the gang and they are letting you in on the secret – life isn’t worth living without a good laugh.

Gig Guide - 28 June to 19 July 2019

Each fortnight I post any gigs that I think might be worth a look. The list is usually heavy on folk, blues, jazz, country, punk and singer/songwriters but sometimes includes a surprise. This is not a guide to everything that is going on in Hobart just the gigs that appeal to me. It will be continually updated as the fortnight passes by. I will also post gigs on my Patron of the Art Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/michelleleecastle/

28/6 to 14/7 Festival of Voices

29 June - Rogue Folk Cruise - Coles Bay - $42
30 June - The Merindas - Spring Bay Mill - $35
30 June - The Songbooks - The 90s - Salty Dog - Free
2 July - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts - Brunswick Hotel - $30
4 July - Kerryn Fields Solo - North Hobart Uniting Church - $25

5 July - Proper Deadly Night - Moonah Arts Centre - $10
5 July - Tuck Shop Ladies - Homestead - Free
6 July - Mat Woolley - Bright Eyes Café - Free
6 July - Kerryn Fields Trio - North Hobart Uniting Church - $30
6 July - Henry Wagons & the Only - Altar - $35
6 July - kunanyi Folk Club presents Dave Steel - Fern Tree Tavern - $12
6 July - Chase City - Hobart Brewing Co - Free
7 July - Mirumo - Willie Smiths, Grove - Free
7 July - Ben Salter - Salty Dog - Free
10 July - Annia Baron - Hadleys Orient Hotel - $25
11 July - Electric Fields-  Odeon - $50

12-14/7 Huon Valley Midwinter Festival

12 July - Handsome Young Strangers - HVMWF - $45
12 July - Holy Holy - Odeon 59
13 July - Handsome Young Strangers - HVMWF - $50
13 July - 80s Chorus - Odeon - $39
14 July - AlfanAnt - Republic - Free

Northern Tasmania

5 July - Andrew Swift & Harmony James - Bridport Hotel - $25
6 July - Andrew Swift & Harmony James - Royal Oak Hotel - $25
6 July - Rogers & Hammerstein (TSO) - Albert Hall, Launceston - $80
7 Jul - Kazarama 2 (Bad Dad, Pete Cornelius) - Royal Oak Hotel - $10

10 July - TSO - Stillwater Restaurant - $120
12 July - Greg Wells & the Blackwater Band - Grinners Dive Bar - Free
13 July - Grim Fawkner - Gunners Arms Tavern - $10
13 July - AlfanAnt - Kingsway Bar - Free