Entertainment News

This Thursday, 1st December, at 8pm, we are holding our Christmas Get-Together, and what better way to round up the year than with the fantastic Wheeze and Suck Band.

Armed with a tighter, trimmed down line up, the band consists of Ian ‘The Pump’ Macintosh – Guitar, Melodeon, Vocals; Tony ‘Pyro’ Pyrzakowski – Fiddle, Vocals; Geoff ‘Woody’ Woodhead – Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals; John ‘Bongo’ Milce – Percussion; and - returning from the UK – Nigel ‘Muddy’ Walters – Cello Mandolin, Appalachian Dulcimer, Vocals.

The band has maintained its energetic and popular mix of old time, traditional and original material. The ‘Wheezers’ gigs are unusual in several ways. For one thing, they actively invite their audiences to join in with their voices and instruments. “The spirit of roots music is in its shared experience, so our invitation extends beyond just singing along,” states ‘the Pump’.
Most striking is their dress sense. The Pump will often sport a lady’s dress, whilst Pyro wears a formal suit and Bongo an original Beatles jacket; which he claims, spuriously, to have been once worn by his fellow Liverpudlian, Ringo Starr. And to crown this strange musical apparition, all four heads sport black top hats. What else can I say? For a fantastic experience – JUST BE THERE!

North By Northwest Poetry and Folk Club meets in The Cornucopia Cafe, and is one of the best acoustic venues in Sydney. There will be refreshments for sale and BYO’s are welcome. Enquiries - Jenny/John 9559 3658 (h) / 0414 903 259 (m), jdcarter@iinet.net.au , Tony 9858 7882 (w) / 0409 784 689 (m). See you there!

How to get there:
The Cornucopia is in the grounds of the Old Gladesville Hospital, corner of Victoria Rd and Punt Rd Gladesville. Assuming you are coming by car, if you are coming from the city end over Gladesville Bridge, it is on the left, and is a few blocks before the Gladesville shops. Turn left into Punt Rd. If you are coming from the other end, you turn right into Punt Rd. There is a set of lights and a right hand turning bay there. There is a police station on the corner. Go to the end of Punt Rd, and just before Banjo Patterson cottage, there is a gate on your left. Turn into the grounds there, and then take your first turn left again up towards Victoria Rd. When you come to a fork in the road, take the left fork, still heading up towards Victoria Rd, and turn left at the top, near the fence. Building is a two-storey stone building on your left, with the sign “Cornucopia Coffee Shop”. You can actually see it from Victoria Rd. There is parking in various places near the building. On the other hand, if you’re coming by bus, the 500/501 bus stops nearby out in Victoria Rd, and you can walk in from there.

This month is North By Northwest’s 8th Birthday and they will be celebrating it in style this Thursday, November 3rd at 8pm with a double bill - which means double the fun! Black Joak Morris will be starting the night off with a display of Morris Dancing - hopefully in the newly renovated outside area - light permitting - as well as dancing later on in the night. Black Joak Morris have been dancing together since 2004 and wowing audiences at various places, including The National Folk Festival, St Albans Folk Festival and on board the James Craig. They have this to say:

“The Morris comes to us through the mists of time. It has been part of English life for at least six hundred years and many scholars would argue that it is much older. It is a tradition so ancient that the origins are uncertain and obscure. However, it is certainly associated with fertility rites and ancient Anglo-Saxon village customs. To us Morris Dance is a social event and we welcome people of any age and gender to dance or play music with us.”

Also appearing will be The Minglewood Mudcats. They are a band playing a mix of mainly good fun music, from original biting satire and social comment to “old timey” jug band music, North American swing material and some Cajun influenced songs. They have performed in a number of places, including St Albans Folk Festival and The Loaded Dog Festival. One thing is obvious - these guys are having a ball!

This will be an extra fun night, and of course there will be the birthday cake as well! If you haven’t been for a while, be sure to come to this one!

Note – Be sure to arrive early to see Black Joak Morris dancing their first set!
North By Northwest Poetry and Folk Club meets in The Cornucopia Cafe, and is one of the best acoustic venues in Sydney. There will be refreshments for sale and BYO’s are welcome.

Enquiries - Jenny/John 9559 3658 (h) / 0414 903 259 (m), jdcarter@iinet.net.au , Tony 9858 7882 (w) / 0409 784 689 (m).

How to get there:
The Cornucopia is in the grounds of the Old Gladesville Hospital, corner of Victoria Rd and Punt Rd Gladesville. Assuming you are coming by car, if you are coming from the city end over Gladesville Bridge, it is on the left, and is a few blocks before the Gladesville shops. Turn left into Punt Rd. If you are coming from the other end, you turn right into Punt Rd. There is a set of lights and a right hand turning bay there. There is a police station on the corner. Go to the end of Punt Rd, and just before Banjo Patterson cottage, there is a gate on your left. Turn into the grounds there, and then take your first turn left again up towards Victoria Rd. When you come to a fork in the road, take the left fork, still heading up towards Victoria Rd, and turn left at the top, near the fence. Building is a two-storey stone building on your left, with the sign “Cornucopia Coffee Shop”. You can actually see it from Victoria Rd. There is parking in various places near the building. On the other hand, if you’re coming by bus, the 500/501 bus stops nearby out in Victoria Rd, and you can walk in from there.

Attention Sydney folks!

This coming Thursday, September 1st, at 8pm, we feature a group who are starting to make a name for themselves - The Jim Stubbs Backing Band. They have been impressing a lot of people lately, at places such as St Albans Folk Festival and at the Loaded Dog Mini Festival. They produce a warm folk blues sound incorporating acoustic blues, Irish, gospel and old timey country music. The members of the band are Jim Stubbs, a fine blues and folk harmonica player; Steve MacDonald, a highly experienced guitarist and mandolin player from the Illawarra; Matt Foster, a veteran of many bands in the US and Australia, playing guitar and percussion; and Kellie Stubbs, who is developing a rich blues sound to add to her folk singing repertoire. You are in for a wonderful musical experience with this group, so don’t miss them!

North By Northwest Poetry and Folk Club meets in The Cornucopia Cafe, and is one of the best acoustic venues in Sydney. There will be refreshments for sale and BYO’s are welcome. Entry is $12/$10.

Enquiries - Jenny/John 9559 3658 (h) / 0414 903 259 (m), jdcarter@iinet.net.au , Tony 9858 7882 (w) / 0409 784 689 (m). See you there!

How to get there:
The Cornucopia is in the grounds of the Old Gladesville Hospital, corner of Victoria Rd and Punt Rd Gladesville. Assuming you are coming by car, if you are coming from the city end over Gladesville Bridge, it is on the left, and is a few blocks before the Gladesville shops. Turn left into Punt Rd. If you are coming from the other end, you turn right into Punt Rd. There is a set of lights and a right hand turning bay there. There is a police station on the corner. Go to the end of Punt Rd, and just before Banjo Patterson cottage, there is a gate on your left. Turn into the grounds there, and then take your first turn left again up towards Victoria Rd. When you come to a fork in the road, take the left fork, still heading up towards Victoria Rd, and turn left at the top, near the fence. Building is a two-storey stone building on your left, with the sign “Cornucopia Coffee Shop”. You can actually see it from Victoria Rd. There is parking in various places near the building. On the other hand, if you’re coming by bus, the 500/501 bus stops nearby out in Victoria Rd, and you can walk in from there.

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Review of August concert with Tony Eardley and Ecopella
A small but perfectly formed audience attended our August concert featuring Tony Eardley and Ecopella. The night started off with some floorspots. John Warner’s spot included his hilarious tale “The Briggs and Stratton Pump”, and “Touch the Children” - one of his songs from his new presentation “Sandpit Picket” which he later performed very successfully at Almost Acoustic the next week. There were also some lovely guitar tunes from David Spira.

For Tony Eardley’s performance, the atmosphere was friendly and intimate, as our small select group gathered closer. He opened with the tuneful “Finisterre”, by Ian Telford, introduced us to a thought provoking new song “Before the City Wakes”, and changed to bazouki for his song “Footsteps on an Empty Road”, and “See it Come Down”. My favourite one was a self-composition I’ve not heard before - “Water from the Well”, which is about rediscovering the music inside which might not have been tapped for some time, but “When the music’s flowing, it’s like water from a well”.

After the break, I sang “Green fields of Canada”, then it was Ecopella’s turn. Wonderfully polished as usual, they started with Leon Rosselson’s “Across the Hills”. They did a lovely rendition of one of Tony’s songs “Come away with me”, a song which was originially intended as a love song, but which evolved into a song about the environment. Other highlights included “Everything Goes”, a new twist on the old Cole Porter song, “Restless”, an amazing product of the songwriting skill of Miguel Heatwole, “The People are scratching” by Pete Seeger, and one of my favourites, the beautiful “Fragile” by Sting. Pity if you missed this night - it was a good one!

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Attention Sydney folks!

North By Northwest Poetry and Folk Club

This coming Thursday, 4th August, we have two fine acts for you - Tony Eardley and Ecopella, which should make for a great night’s entertainment. I have also included a review of the exciting night we had last month with Paul Hemphill.

Tony Eardley - Blue Mountains singer and songwriter

Tony Eardley brings a British contemporary folk sensibility to his own poetic songwriting and to his interpretation of the songs of other artists. Themes include love, death, nostalgia, environmental destruction and Australia’s treatment of its marginalised inhabitants. Based in the Blue Mountains, he is a regular performer at festivals and clubs around NSW and a member of both Ecopella and the enigmatic and exhilarating Spooky Mens Chorale. With melodic guitar and housouki accompaniment, a touch of melancholy and a dash of wit, Tony’s performances are always moving and engaging!

Ecopella - Save-The-World Music

Founded in 1998, the Sydney-based Ecopella was the first Australian choir to focus its repertoire on the environment: its beauty and fragility, the threats it faces and how we can all help to preserve it. Many of the songs are originals, composed and arranged by choir members. The songs range in moods from the sombre to the hilarious, and are passionate, chorally sophisticated and beautiful shades of green! Ecopella, led by musical director Miguel Heatwole, has sung at a wide range of events, including environmental campaign launches and protests, community gatherings and folk festivals.

North By Northwest Poetry and Folk Club meets in The Cornucopia Cafe, and is one of the best acoustic venues in Sydney. There will be refreshments for sale and BYO’s are welcome. Entry is $12/$10.

Enquiries - Jenny/John 9559 3658 (h) / 0414 903 259 (m) jdcarter@iinet.net.au , Tony 9858 7882 (w)/0409 784 689 (m). See you there!
How to get there:

The Cornucopia is in the grounds of the Old Gladesville Hospital, corner of Victoria Rd and Punt Rd Gladesville. Assuming you are coming by car, if you are coming from the city end over Gladesville Bridge, it is on the left, and is a few blocks before the Gladesville shops. Turn left into Punt Rd. If you are coming from the other end, you turn right into Punt Rd. There is a set of lights and a right hand turning bay there. There is a police station on the corner. Go to the end of Punt Rd, and just before Banjo Patterson cottage, there is a gate on your left. Turn into the grounds there, and then take your first turn left again up towards Victoria Rd. When you come to a fork in the road, take the left fork, still heading up towards Victoria Rd, and turn left at the top, near the fence. Building is a two-storey stone building on your left, with the sign “Cornucopia Coffee Shop”. You can actually see it from Victoria Rd. There is parking in various places near the building. On the other hand, if you’re coming by bus, the 500/501 bus stops nearby out in Victoria Rd, and you can walk in from there.

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Review of July concert with Paul Hemphill

In July, our featured artist was the very talented and obviously very popular Paul Hemphill. Floorspots had been booked up and the room was full and buzzing with activity well before starting time. The night started with Sue Gee and moi, and a reprise of Lemon Tart. This was followed by some fine blues (”Everything’s the same blues”) from Malcolm Harrison, then a complete change of pace with Charles Tyler. His humorous “I’m a Guru” was hilarious! Aitch, with harmonies from Rosie McDonald of the Mothers of Intention, performed two songs.

Paul Hemphill’s first set started on a light note with “Samson and Delightful”. Songs such as “Turkish Gallipoli” and “Red Rain” showed his skill at crafting not only the humorous songs for which he is well known, but also those with a more serious message.

After the break, we were blown away by an extended floorspot from the Wheeze and Suck Band, who proved that they haven’t lost any of their punch. Their treatment of “Mad Tom o’ Bedlam” was something to behold. Look forward to seeing them back here in December. There were also good floorspots from Leon Rabin and Hilton Sack.

Paul Hemphill’s second set included such favourites as “Tourquemada Blues” and “Roman Holiday”, and of course we wouldn’t let him leave without singing “I still Call Mongolia Home”. He is a thoroughly entertaining, polished performer with a wicked sense of humour, who is well worth seeing when you can catch him. It was a fantastic night - one of our best, jam-packed with a large variety of excellent music.

Attention Sydney Folks!
This Thursday at North By Northwest Poetry and Folk Club

Wallaby Stew

A new dramatic look at Australia’s pioneering days.
Neil Morrison and Penelope Grace have chosen the name WALLABY STEW for their unique presentation of Australia’s best loved songs, ballads, stories and poems. When Neil arrived in Australia from Scotland as a young boy, he took to these works with relish and immediately began to build up a substantial repertoire. For many years he performed a successful one-man show “Stir the Wallaby Stew”, doing it all from memory, in the tradition of the great recitationists.

Then, in 2002, he invited Penelope Grace, a violinist, to collaborate with him. This was a challenge she took up with enthusiasm. The music for the songs was already written, but providing an accompaniment for the spoken items involved a lot more raw creativity. For some of them, Penelope found traditional tunes that had a connection with the subject matter, for others she used well-known melodies from modern sources but put a satirical ‘slant’ on them, and for the rest she wrote entirely new music to fit the mood or highlight the drama.

Neil says that Penelope’s music has in many instances given him an even greater appreciation of the words than he had before, and she in turn enjoys supporting him in his mission to keep the spirit of this body of work alive in the Australian community.

Included in the program to be presented at North By Northwest will be works by the following:
Dame Mary Gilmore
Henry Lawson
Edward Harrington
Lance Skuthorpe
Douglas Stewart
C. J. Dennis
Victor Daley
and not forgetting Anonymous

North By Northwest Poetry and Folk Club meets in The Cornucopia Cafe, and is one of the best acoustic venues in Sydney. There will be refreshments for sale and BYO’s are welcome. It is in the grounds of the Old Gladesville Hospital, corner of Victoria Rd and Punt Rd Gladesville. Cars enter by bottom gates in Punt Rd. and first turn left up towards Victoria Rd, then left again at the top. Pedestrian access is from Victoria Rd if travelling by 500/501 bus. $12/$10.

Enquiries - jdcarter@iinet.net.au