Live music Armidale – Music in the mall this Christmas – Photos credit to James Brook Photography
What a year it’s been for live music in Armidale, the music rich, jazz loving, opera singing, theatre performing country city has seen some great achievements by local artists and crushing blows as well.
As we fly into the silly season we get to celebrate some of our local greats with their returns for the holidays. For a lot of artists this year, however, we get to live vicariously through their star-power social media updates as they dominate the entertainment industry around Australia, and secretly pray that they come back to visit us some day.
This Friday the 16th, Armidale Live, The Armidale Club, & the Armidale Regional Council will be holding a pop-up gig in the mall. This All Ages gig will run from 5pm, is a free event and celebrates three of the regions most talented artists.
Simon Mellor proudly presented by magic electricity box , who’s songs have been picked up by the legendary Anh Do for his new book “What do they do with all the poo from all the animals at the zoo”, will open the gig with a dedicated, funny, inclusive hour of kid friendly awesomeness that adults can enjoy too.
Duke (Box) Bailey is a new name to Armidale, but has been in the music scene since 2011 when he released his first studio EP “What’s in the Box”, and following album release in 2013. Duke “kicks stereotypes to the wall, waxing lyrical about being a strong black man of Australia and youth empowerment”. Following his debut Armidale performance at Reclaim the Night in November, his new fans will agree, for all ages that appreciate raw talent, inspirational, and fun hip hop tunes, this is an act not to be missed.
Returning musician Georgia Smith, is a singer/song-writer from Guyra, and will headline the gig with her down-to-earth, undeniable talent. Georgia has recently returned to the region, from Melbourne, where she is completing her music degree. Previously performing at open-mic nights at The Armidale Club, the Black Gully Festival & Guyra’s lamb & potato festival, and with singles listed on triple J unearthed, she has grown a local fan base that I’m almost certain she is not aware of.
As we look forward to this event, and the many others events supported and encouraged by Armidale Regional Council, we’d also like to do a shout out to the many highs and lows of 2016.
The highs saw Felt Tip Theatre Company’s theatre director/actor Alex Robson http://www.alexkendallrobson.com/ make the move the Sydney and continue as the Artistic Director of Felt Tip Theatre, while using his talents to write plays in Sydney, perform in videos and scheme to bring his shows back to Armidale. Check out his website www.alexkendallrobson.com to stay in the loop of his exciting career. Mezzo-Soprano Ruth Strutt has been performing in Brisbane, make sure you check out her website for updates; and Armidale was graced with an opening concert for Melanie Gray’s debut tour at this year’s winter festival, just after the release of her debut EP and just before heading back to the NT where she is dominating the music scene.
The lows saw Armidale’s iconic bar, the Armidale Club, set a light and it’s 5000 some members at a loss for where to hang out and experience new music and night life. The fire happened in between film shoots of doco ‘Inside the Venue’, and we look forward to seeing the final result. It will be a crazy & frustrating story, that no doubt has a brilliant yet-to-be-decided ending if their operations and events are anything to go by. In the meantime the A-Club are still actively involved in Armidale’s live music scene, holding an A-Club gig at the Golf Club, allowing the A-Club choir to run at an alternative venue, and co-hosting the pop-up gig this Friday evening in the mall. The Armidale Club is known as the backbone of live music and entertainment in Armidale and we so badly look forward to hearing their new plans to get back on their feet.
Post by Dragonfly.guru