THREE KINGS
Already being described as a Melbourne blues super group, Three Kings brings together a trio of this country’s most dedicated, authentic blues artists (Ian Collard, Benny Peters & Jason Liu), with down and dirty, totally inspiring results. With special guests: THE BREADMAKERS
DOWN & DIRTY: THE BLUES REIGN IN MELBOURNE
Officially formed in 2011 by Ian Collard (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Benny Peters (vocals and guitar), and Jason Liu Soon (drums), Three Kings’ self titled debut album took out the award for best blues CD in The Age Victorian music awards only a fortnight after release. The album entered the Australian Blues and Roots Airplay Chart at number two before shooting up to first place.
Three Kings’ hard-hitting, greasy blues style takes you on a dangerous joy ride through the back roads and juke joints of American music history, combining the sounds of artists like Kid Thomas, John Lee Hooker, Slim Harpo and Jerry McCain with their own original spin.
Collard and Peters are well known for their own combos, Collard Greens and Gravy and Benny and the Fly By Niters, as well as other line-ups and both have played to appreciative USA and European audiences. Liu Soon has supplied the beats for Chris Wilson and The Detonators. Together the tight knit trio rocks hard and blue.
United by their passion for the world’s greatest blues, all three members of Three Kings have traced the paths of the genre’s pioneers, riding Greyhound buses through placs such as LA, Memphis, Texas, Chicago, New Orleans and St. Louis to get to the source.
The Three Kings CD launch played to a sold out crowd at Melbourne’s Caravan Club and alt-country star, Justin Townes Earle (winner of the 2011 Americana Music Award for Song of the Year), said, “No one should have to follow these guys on stage. No one,” after witnessing their debut gig.
On stage the Three Kings sound like an old 45, you can practically hear the record crackle and the needle pop. As The Age newspaper reported, “Peters and Collard spent about a year working on getting a harmonica to sit tight with an electric guitar, Chicago-style, before calling Liu Soon to glue it all together. The qualities they were looking for – words like aggressive, frightening, dangerous, raw and trashy – come up.”
Dallas Frasca - BOTH GIGS
Dallas is the namesake frontwoman of the award-winning Australian rock outfit, Dallas Frasca alongside long time collaborator, Jeff Curran. A stand-out of her class and an almighty presence on the mic. Frasca has not stopped for over a decade. She’s toured the world, clocking over 1000 shows with her band including 9 international tours and has managed to put a Top 30 Australian ARIA charting album under her belt, a #10 Aus album as well as many awards including ‘Artist of the year’ at the Independent Music Awards. 2018 saw frontwoman Dallas Frasca a finalist for the inaugural Australian Women in Music Awards in the ‘Artistic Excellence’ category and in April 2018, showed off her guitar skills to an estimated 1.5 billion viewers for the closing ceremony for the Commonwealth Games held at the Gold Coast, Australia. Re-emerging from the pandemic Dallas will unleash her first-ever solo record in early 2022 doubled with a power-packed live show. “Going back to my roots made sense to me, almost like a forced message from the universe to my fiercely independent heart, reminding me of the power of songwriting. This release is for my fans.” On the tour circuit, the band has rocked the world for more than a decade, supporting the likes of Ugly Kid Joe, Patti Smith and Aerosmith, and once fronting legendary Aussie rock band Midnight Oil in support of Amnesty International.
NEIL MURRAY
Neil Murray’s life and work will remain relevant while ever Australians ask the question – what in truth does it mean to call Australia home? – Martin Flanagan, The Age
Maverick songman Neil Murray originally sprang from Victoria’s western district but in the late 1970’s with guitar in hand he set course for the Northern Territory. He emerged at Papunya in 1980 as a founding member of the pioneering Warumpi Band which over three albums ( Big Name No Blankets, Go Bush and Too much Humbug) and twenty years of performing thrust contemporary indigenous music into mainstream Australia, yielding such classic songs as My Island Home, Blackfella Whitefella, Fitzroy Crossing, Jailanguru Pakarnu, Stompin Ground, From The Bush and Waru.
He has since become one of Australia’s finest singer/songwriters, enjoying a solo career since 1989. He has released a remarkable string of albums – the latest being Blood & Longing and Tungu with Sammy Butcher.
His song writing is diverse- from the rollicking Good Light in Broome, the prayerful Native Born, and healing Myall Creek, the roots groove of Long Grass Band and Eddie Mabo, the journeyman monologues of Lights of Hay and Where my people go, the contemplation of place in Burrumbeep Hil, Whispering Casuarina and Bring Thunder & Rain to the recent Cry My Darling, Byjantic Man and Fine Open Country (with Sammy Butcher).
Collectively, his work has done much to deepen Australia’s contemporary music heritage.
In 1995, Neil Murray was awarded the APRA song of the year for My Island Home originally written for the Warumpi Band and re-recorded by Christine Anu. My Island Home featured in the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the opening ceremony of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth games.
In 2007, Jailanguru Pakarnu- (Out From Jail) the Warumpi Band’s debut 1983 single which was co-written with guitarist Sammy Butcher in the indigenous Luritja language- was honoured by the National Film And Sound Archives- “Sounds Of Australia” series- as a significant recording in Australia’s heritage- (credited as the first commercially released pop rock single in an indigenous language.) In 2016 My Island Home- as recorded by Christine Anu- received the same honour.
In recognition of his influence, Neil Murray was awarded the 2017 Port Fairy Folk Festival Artist of the Year
Neil Murray’s songs have been recorded by Mary Black, Jimmy Little, Missy Higgins, Liz Stringer, Christine Anu, Peter Denahy, Carus, Adam Brand, Amy Saunders, Powderfinger, The Tiddas, Ursula Yovich, Peter Brandy, Emma Donovan and the Warumpi Band.
In 2021 he released the single Keep Rolling On and recommenced his Covid – interrupted touring for both the Blood & Longing and Tjungu albums.
BARRY MORGAN
Barry Morgan, the ultimate organ salesman, grew up in the outer suburb of Sunnyside, Adelaide, where he still resides today as owner and proprietor of the now world famous Barry Morgan’s World Of Organs store in the beautiful Sunnyside Mall.
When he’s not busy giving the public the best organ deals in town, you can catch him performing live. Yes – Mr. Barry Morgan from Barry Morgan’s World Of Organs will delight you, the music loving public, with a memorable musical experience in the form of an organ demonstration on the latest release from the Hammond Organ company, the ‘1981 Aurora Classic’.
Barry is keen as mustard to share the ‘joy of the organ’ in what he knows is going to be a golden decade for organ lovers. His famous ‘one finger method’ is changing the lives of hoards of housewives and improving the health of many mature men and will have you champing at the bit to take out your cheque book and take an organ home.
Barry Morgan rose to fame after performing on ABC’s Spicks and Specks where he became an instant audience favourite. After his Spicks and Specks Finale appearance, Barry trended #2 on Twitter, as the Australian public’s love for this character grew.
Barry’s gone on to grace our screens on numerous shows such as Gordon Street Tonight, The Marngrook Footy Show and ABC’s New Years Eve Pub Quiz.
Barry has sold out live shows Australia wide including Melbourne Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth Fringe, the famous Spiegeltent; and performed to adoring young crowds at Homebake and Falls Festival. Barry has even travelled his show overseas to the NZ Comedy Festival and Edinburgh Fringe.
Barry’s also shown through the release of his album “The Touch of You” that he is not just one of Australia’s most entertaining performers, but one of its most accomplished musicians. He performed nightly onstage with superstar Gotye for his 2012 tour as well as having Jack Black and Kyle Gass from Tenacious D inquiring after his organ. Barry and his organ couldn’t handle the excitement that the organ blew up and they spent time in the high dependency neuro ward.