Tour & Catchup – Bendigo to Mallacoota to Tamworth, Canberra and cross to Adelaide Oct 2018

Photo : Chris Bentley

Concerts & Events near you over the next while plus some catch up!

and even if we miss your realm, perhaps your friends are close!

Of course you may find it’s time to host your own gathering – we can help!!

Howdy Hi everyone! Quite the busy year and I hope life has shared some kindness to to all – even if it can be a tad hard to spot, particularly those who wore the brunt of the droughts in recent time. One night in Tamworth there were 800 folk in the Town Hall praying for rain – extreme times indeed!

However a few milestones to mention regardless. The turning 20 of Totally Gourdgeous, that most unpindownable band of how to look at life ever differently! We did a rare tour through the midst of winter (rare given the 20 years and now 5th CD “Gourd in the Act” underway along side a possible third live video

Peter, Paul, James & Andrew… clearly The Apostle Tour!
Here at our fav Campbell ACT Garden Concert!

But of course there is much more to it.
First just quickly, the areas we are going!
Bendigo (Quarry Hill) The Old Church on the Hill, this Fri 8pm
Melbourne – The Lomond, this Sat
Mallacoota – The Mudbrick Theatre Tue 23 Oct
Cobargo Hall Wed 24
Nethercote Hall Thu 25
Sussex Inlet – House Concert (HC) near Tomerong Fri 26
Congo (Moruya) HC Mon 29
Newcastle – Royal Exchange Wed 31
Tamworth / Calala Enrec Studio Concert Thu Nov 1
Murrurundi Chicken in the Window Barn Fri 2
Campbell, Canberra Garden Concert Sun 4th
Mitta Mitta (near Wodonga) – Witches Garden Mon 5th
Beechworth George Kerferd Hotel Thu 8th
Beechworth as MountainGrass Supper Club with
Jack Melbourne, Paul Cooper, James Gillard (Paddy Montgomery (Sat)),The Gordons and a host of festival infiltration! Friday & Sat 9&10th
Back to Apostle Tour with Paddy swapping for Peter!
Frances SA St Aubins HC Tue 13

Casterton Vic Wed 14
Mt Gambier – Limestone Coast Pantry – Thu 15
Spech Guest Louise Adams
Wirrina Bluegrass & Roots Fest Fri- Sun 16-18

Then a massive Supper Club @ The Risk, near Kyogle Sat 24th Nov!!
Steve Berry joins Shenzo Gregorio, Willy Qua, Quentin Eyers @ Hanna with Clermont & sound by Stuart Battens!!

The Apostle String Band Tour story!

Andrew Clermont met Paul Wookey at The Snowbird at Mt Hotham in the very early 80s. He had only just got a handle on the fiddle though would soon win his first National Bluegrass Guitar Championship. Wookey on the other hand was already quite the legend, opening for many International Artists.

A few years later in ’88 Clermont would meet James Gillard at Perisher & The Station Inn jamming while he was himself entertaining as Art Gecko Bush Band during the first year of Mt Blue Cow’s existence (recovering from a sliced left hand finger tip injury no less).

Wookey eventually moved to Tamworth where a few jams at gigs would happen between he & Clermont while James would connect with them individually ever so fleetingly but with plenty promise of “we must do more!”

But time gets away and between family & living in 3 different states (one could almost say, worlds!) It’s taken till now for these ships in the night to meet at a port!

Dobro player Pete Fidler & Clermont had a step by step aquaintance through the Harrietville Bluegrass festivals and then increasingly more at the likes of The National Folk Festival & Tamworth Januarys until they could play and parry their music together as tango dancers might – though perhaps more like sword wielding fencers!
Those who have followed bass man James Gillard’s history will recall a trail from Richard Clapton through Mondo Rock, The Fargone Beauties, The Flood, and beloved Shanley Del with performances on an endless list of albums of nearly everyone! His cool tenor voice and stage presence have also kept a glow around him.

Andrew Clermont could be considered a Festival secret weapon! Plays a heap of instruments super well, but more importantly, gathers a whole swag of young through to well ripened players & performers via his 20 years of Supper Club events around Oz and even way out to Estonia!
But even from the 20 years before that, he seems make a musical wish list and then see who is up for it and “Wallah!” up spring country/ folk “orchestras” as very extensively shown in recent years during the Golden Fiddle Shows let alone his International Supper Clubs.
However there is a tour spin-off in the last years, bringing together that Gold Guitar winning Paul Wookey with Clermont – who has his own GG through the Three Chord Wonders in the 80s! They lapped from Melbourne to Tamworth and back playing all days of the week(s).

Wookey famed by his highly adaptive and encompassing voice reflects like magic through 200 years of song & melody – you see he’s not at all a slouch on the flat-pick guitar either! From Eric Clapton style in Cream tribute shows or similarly of The Kinks through to a re-make of the entire Dylan in Melbourne concert of 1966 – just a few years back. Coincidentally a most refined song-writer and with a voice to melt the most hardened soul. And that be still just the tip of the iceberg!
Add the steel of Pete Fidler, also deft on Mandolin, Guitar & Harmony, the wry wit of James Gillard on Double Bass and the years tumble into a seamless catchment of songs that will embrace 2000 years of nods & winks into unforgettable nights of a month’s Apostle Tour! more info at andrewclermont.com.au

Coming up at Woodford Folk Fest this year – Clermont’s Clinic (by request of the Festival) and joined by the mighty Steve Berry on Guitar & powering youth, Lucy Kammerman from Adelaide – do let me know should you want to head for that!

Next Supper Club details are growing – 19-26th January 2019
Special Guests include Germany’s Mensch! Monique! through to Fred Smith and Peter Daffy plus Willy Qua back (Galapagos Duck), String Loaded and a host of return favourites, let alone the forever surprises!
Continuing detail at …
http://www.andrewclermont.com.au/specialevents.htm

Remember to book early for the Golden Fiddle Show @ The Capitol
10am Wed 23rd Jan – it Sold Out last year!!

Please keep Tabs at http://www.andrewclermont.com.au particularly see under Blogs

Thanks for all the thoughts & help along the way if you’ve been in that position by chance. In this constantly up & down music life it’s your friends & communities which make the trail worth while!
We are most grateful

much thanks, Andrew Clermont