Dressed all in black with slicked up hair, Zilber is the purveyor of sinister swing, droll blues and fearful gospel. The decendant of poor Jewish immigrants and a murderous, bible-bashing Australian Bushranger, his influences include everything from tales of murder and despair to comedic irony. His style is influenced by such artists as Guy Forsyth, Tom Waits and the blues and swing legends of the early 20th century.
He is a multi-award winning musician and an experienced festival performer, having performed all around Australia and internationally, from large International Festivals to run down bars with no electricity, school yards to prison yards, outback bars with topless dancers to churches with born-again preachers.
Festival Appearences
Himalayan Blues Festival (Kathmandu, Nepal) Australian Blues Music Festival (NSW) National Folk Festival (ACT) Adelaide International Guitar Festival (SA) Blues on Broabeach (QLD) The Multicultural Fringe Festival (ACT) Roomsful O' Blues (ACT) National Gospel Happening (ACT) Thredbo Blues Festival (NSW) Canberra Blues & Rock Festival (ACT) Merimbula Jazz Festival (NSW) Moruya Jazz Festival (NSW)
Awards
Canberra Roots Music Young Performer 2004 & 2005 Finalist: 2006 National Youth Week Music Awards Canberra Blues Society Youth Achievement Award 2007
THE FELDONS
THE FELDONS sound as if they’d be much happier walking down Carnaby Street wearing paisley shirts or union jack waistcoats whilst being immersed in the spirit of the sexual and political revolutions of the sixties.
Alternatively they could have quite happily been seen sitting on a jetty on the Mississippi listening to old blues men with gravel voices sing about working in the thirties. Or lazing on a punt in Oxford, or hustling in dark dingy 70s pubs.
With a name derived directly from the 60s iconic pop TV program Get Smart, THE FELDONS have an interesting penchant for writing songs from any era, age or time. Melodic tunes interspersed with heavy blues and rock, soft country mixed with 1920s jazz and British influenced pop, it’s hard to pin a style upon these guys.
This is a band who feel like they are taking you on a musical journey through the late sixties and early seventies, courtesy of tight pop tunes and glorious psychedelic workouts and thought provoking lyrics. They are pure swinging sixties, eschewing all the values of classic English pop in it’s heyday with snappy drum loops, wrapped around sun-drenched chiming guitars, fuzzy melodic bass and catchy melodies and lyrics.
And yet a darker side also emerges in the deep blues rooted guitar licks of black America and frontier lives evoking images of slow rolling freight trains, dingy speakeasies, and the muddied waters of the deep south.
With James Montgomery on bass and vocals, Mark Hunstone on guitar and vocals, and drummer Nick Giles, THE FELDONS are a three piece outfit that seem to hark back to a time when love was free, flower power was king, flares and big collars were the order of the day, and people were generally a little more chilled out than today. All they need now is an army of screaming women and their image would be complete, because this is a band worth listening to, and screaming about.
Take the time and listen. You know it makes sense.
Waterford are an energising breath of florid air in the urban stink. An indie rockin' pack of mongrel dogs furiously tearing at the heart of popular songcraft, they have been described as 'loud', 'drunk' and 'quite good' by various punters caught in exit polls after shows in a collection of Canberra's finest venues!
The Wedded Bliss is a labour of love for singer/songwriter Randall-Blair. The band places its faith in the holy trinity of music – blues, country & jazz – and delivers it in an intimate & acoustic setting.
The band has also played countless pubs gigs and supports with acts like Lior, The Kill Devil Hills, Conway Savage (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds), The Angels, Lloyd Spiegel, Maurice Frawley & the Yard Hands, King Curly, Gina Villalobos (USA) and Mad Violet (Canada).
Burl Ivers is a Brisbane based singer/songwriter and composer.
His music is best described as a hybrid of various musical roots, melded together to form his own inimitable voice. For how does one who listens to, and is so passionate about so many musicians, produce one standard genre?
But… for the purposes of a bio of sorts, you are bound to recognise such tastes as: folk, bluegrass, funk, jazz, blues and roots. Burl prefers to deem his style as ‘genreless’; “It’s hard to pin it down as I might play some bluegrass stuff, then turn around and play soul or gyspy, or whatever pops up in the skull. For me it’s about understanding the style and incorporating it into your own playing. I’m really into grasping the past of music to bring something forward and keep that minstrel lineage going”
Burl’s live performances are highlighted by fluid guitar work, well crafted originals, instrumental improvisation, favourite cover tunes, a raggedy soulful voice and a rotating set list night after night. His sound may echo that of his influences which include: Jerry Garcia, Jeff Lang, Cat Stevens and the Beatles.
Burl was a founding member of Brisbane soul band The Long Green Beans. During this tenure he was the principal songwriter and arranger for the group, produced their debut album “Beanstalkin” and performed on bills with stellar Brisbane artists such as Kafka, Dubmarine, Kooii, 8 Ball Aitken, Chris Pickering, Tom Cooney and Mckisko.
Burl has played in countless venues throughout Queensland and New South Wales over the past 5 years. Recently he performed at The Island Vibe Festival in 2008 where one of his compositions “Surf Queen” was included on the festivals compilation CD. Burl regularly augments his solo show with other musicians, most recently teaming up with percussionist Ashley Farlow (Transbalkan Express, Schoolfight) to explore various world music rhythms and grooves within the confines of songs.
Originally hailing from Central Queensland, Burl is at home performing rural roots/blues to the big city jazz/funk fusion beats. All this allows for quite an eclectic fun, soulful live show.
Charlie McMahon is generally regarded as one of the world's top exponents of the Didjeridu..
KIM CHURCHILL
Kim's a great young guitarist, and in a country with so many great young guitarists, it's his ability to create new techniques and sounds from the instrument that stands out and will ultimately carry him to leaving his stamp on the Australia guitar scene.
LISA & TONY
Lisa and Tony met at a woodchip rally, got married at a blockade and had their honeymoon up a tree sit..
