Jam session: Sleepy Hollow musos hit the stage.
JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
THE title of sleepy hollow isn’t heard much around the town these days – except at the Sleepy Hollow Blues Club.
But the name suits the laid-back style of the club and its 106 members and fans of blues, folk and roots music.
On the fourth Sunday of every month as many as 120 sidle up to a room at Geelong Trades Hall with their guitars, banjos and various bush-type stringed instruments for a jam session.
The club provides a drum kit, two guitar amps and bass amp so budding musicians can showcase their talents.
Membership officer Daryl Unthank said the Sunday afternoon jam session was always popular and an opportunity for musicians to relax and learn at the same time.
Appetites developed by the musical feast are satiated with the club’s “famous” barbecue before settling down to clap and cheer for a headline act.
Last month Stringybark McDowell and Mick Bennett cranked up the fun and this month it was multi-instrumentalist Shaun Kirk.
The club has been strumming along since foundation in 1994 by a dedicated group of blues lovers in Geelong holding “frequent social events” as befits the music scene.
Some of the local and visiting musicians have included Ash Grunwald, Geoff Achison, Rockbottom James and the Detonators, Jeff Lang, Phil Manning, Chain, Kate Meehan, Matt Corcoran, Muddy Puddles, Turning Blue, Spectrum, Wild Turkey, Oozin’ Blues, Kerry Simpson, The Big Blue, Chubby Rae and the Elevators, Lloyd Speigal and Dutch Tilders.
The club is associated with other blues clubs around Australia, including the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society and the South Australian Blues Society.
And just like the Blues Brothers of cult movie fame, the club is on a mission: To promote the enjoyment and appreciation of blues music.
“We like to foster the development of local talent by providing exposure to other musicians and the public,” Daryl said.
“Geelong is a leader in blues music because it provides a good standard of entertainment locally and that encourages a high standard of music by promoting a variety of bands and performers, both local and imported.
“We get a lot of musos through because we are close to various festivals such as Queenscliff and the Blues Train.”
One of the highlights every year is the two day Bluestone Festival at Murgheboluc public reserve featuring 10 acts.
Held every New Years’ Eve, the festival attracts around 500 blues lovers from Geelong and all over the country.
Last year it featured Sweet Felicia and the Honeytones, Brian Fraser’s Turning Blue, Stringybark McDowell, the Grizzly Bros, The Mojo Corner, Backstreet Blues Band, Wayne Jury, Dave Steel and Welcome Wagon, The Blues Reverends and Trailer Trash.
Check the website at sleepyhollowbluesclub.org.au.
