By Luke Voogt
For Drysdale muso Jack Woodfine playing the guitar was a birthright – of sorts.
“When I was born, I was given a guitar,” the 18-year-old told the Independent ahead of his upcoming Potato Shed gig.
Despite the natal gift Woodfine did not take to the instrument initially when his guitarist mum tried to teach him.
But that changed after “doing a bit of singing” in primary school, he said.
“People were telling me I was good. So I picked up guitar again and just fell in love with it.”
Fast forward to 2020, Woodfine had been playing gigs at pubs and festivals across Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula while stacking shelves at the local Woolies, when COVID-19 hit.
He had to cancel his gap year travel plans for 2020 before he begins studying psychology at uni next year.
“I was supposed to do a wedding this year too and that ended up being cancelled, which sucks,” he said.
“There have been some challenging times, I guess. I’m just lucky being able to work still – pretty much full-time.”
Woodfine hoped his live-streamed gig at the Potato Shed at 4pm next Friday, July 24, would help him reach a new audience.
“I decided it would be a good opportunity for me to practice and get my name out there a little bit more,” he said.
The young muso bounces around genres, from pop to indie, but said his latest gig would be “more quiet and chilled”.
He plans to cover contemporary tracks like Lime Cordiale’s On Our Own, Cyclone by Sticky Fingers and Pete Murray’s Opportunity.
Like many artists performing online during the pandemic, he misses live audiences.
“After my gigs I love talking to people and getting feedback,” he said
“Hopefully I might receive some messages online afterwards.”
He also planned to have another crack at song-writing soon, he said.
“I’ve tried in the past and haven’t quite found my style. I’m about to get some new gear, so I feel that might inspire me to create my own stuff.”
