WOOT! Bukhu and Geoff are confirmed for our special multimedia installation/art piece/musical show on May 14.

I will keep saying this - if you dig our stuff, don't miss this night.

No one is stopping me from having as much fun as I can organise, and I say so myself, I can have a lot of fun. Maybe ALL the fun.

Geoff is going to play a brand new Cello composition written specially for him. It will be bonkers. CELLO! AWESOME!

Bukhu is keen. he likes the song. he's gonna be there. if you haven't seen Mongolian Singing first hand, you're gonna be 'wow that was really neat'. He is also one heckof a fiddle player.

Dr Tom is programming motorised lights.

I'm making video montages

Whether it's Glory or Hindenburg, it's not to be missed. May 14, Django Bar, get your tickx.

I'll keep reminding you because I want you there, just in case I never get it all together like this again.

https://www.stickytickets.com.au/24279/stormcellar_%40_django_bar.aspx

I'm gonna keep on plugging it, I know you'll thank me afterwards. Probably. maybe.

Hell yeah! 

This coming friday we're at Lazybones. Come along.

Controversy whirls within the Stormcellar at present as a batch of new songs have caused Vigorous Debate, which I am all for.

My working theory is that we shouldnt try and smooth over all the bumps, we should accept these forces as intrinsic to the process, a natural tension that needs to be there to do the job properly.

Ok Ok so I may have been doing my Zen reading recently but I maintain the argument that it's these differences and our willingness to embrace them that makes the dynamo work.

I have to especially single out Rosie for being willing to embrace work on a song that drives him nuts. Man Clap. (dunno what that is but imma figure something out).

Oh yeah, the whole reason for me telling you this is that we're going to be road testing the new stuff, as per usual, at the gig.  

Also, straight on after us are the subterraneans, an outstanding act.

I think there's a door charge, we start at 9 and go till 12:30. 

Howdy Folks.

I visited the new Annandale hotel this week to watch the wonderful guitar stylings of Mick and Kez of The 4 Kings at their first show there.

As we sat in the beer garden after their show, we started talking about the long gone Blues Jam at the Empire, just up the road.

It features in our creation myth - both for Mick and Kez and indeed for Stormcellar. The Empire Jam was where it all started for us.

We also took a moment to remember and reflect on the people and times from the Jam. To remember Gerard, one of the first people to say a kind word about my harp playing. To remember 'Pete' who used to do Rolling Stones covers - Dead Flowers -  every week, strutting, preening and doing his best Mick Jagger for all the world to see. for one shining instant, to be the man. To remember doing 'Can't change my ways' with Dan every Wednesday for 4 years, which to this day I thank for my facility with Draw 3 Semi Tone bend :-)

Like coral reefs, mangroves and wetlands, Jam Nights are the nurseries for our local talent.

Though the jam at the Empire is gone, it lives on up the road at the Bald Faced Stag, and in the many other jam nights that rise, fall, rise again and keep people out midweek to live their dream of being like their heroes, and for some, as a place to meet their future wives, partners, band mates or just Human Beings with the same sacred love of being within the music.

As I watched Mick & Kez being watched by the supremely talented Robert Susz, himself showing support by his simple presence at the gig, I thought about the Empire and the number of bands it inspired.

If you love music, if you play it, think about supporting your local Jam Night. It's way more fun than sitting behind a screen, you might meet people you will come to call friend, and you never know, you just might wind up in a band and go on tour overseas.

Bombino!

I’ve found myself digging on music coming out of Mali for some time now – particularly a couple of the Tuareg artists Tinariwen and Bombino. Bombino is on tour here and has been making his way around the festivals. When I saw a sideshow announced at the Basement I was well excited. What gets me about the music is even though there are familiar parts to it the approach is so different. Fascinating.

I stumbled upon Bombino while reading through the artists who were to be playing at Womadelaide and in his bio it mentioned that his latest album was produced by a member of the Black Keys which piqued my interest so I went foraging and found this song: Amidinine from the album Nomad:

Which lead me to this acoustic version:

And this song: Azamane Tiliade

So the other night we had a bit of a band excursion … as in a bit of the band went on an excursion to The Basement to see Bombino.

The show was great. Bombino himself appears not to speak much English so the second guitarist / singer / percussionist took MC duties. The set started in acoustic mode with all the band members seated down the front wearing traditional robes. It was captivating. Paul was instantly front and centre listening intently. Theo and I sat back and took it all in. The band created these hypnotic rhythms for the lead vocal to sing across. The audience was instantly up and dancing which continued through the whole show. Eventually they went into electric mode and the gig took off. The musicianship and stamina (especially the drummer!) were incredible. There were points of sheer transcendence and you forgot where you were.

So glad to have taken the time for this.

Cheers,

Rosie

Howdy Folks.

Good news and sad news.

Good news - Mr Wizard is doing an interview with Steve Flack of Australian Guitar Magazine. i'm pretty sure that's a good thing.

Sad personal note, our official band dog, our faithful sheepdog Jumbles, has gone to the great Dog Paradise beyond.

So, a bittersweet moment of 'oh great' and 'oh no'

:-(

I even stuffed up the newsletter send out because of it. Oh well.

Also - huge send out of love to Michael - McG we're super glad to have you out of hospital.

Oh, almost forgot, and welcome back to our golden roadie Carl!

So much going on.