Bass Coast Pickers and friends play an all-in gig. By Joan Woods
“THERE’S a song in my head which won’t go to bed and it’s connecting me to you.” These words by Mark Pottinger, lead singer of the Nine Mile Creek band, were inspired by a songwriters workshop at the Wonthaggi Golf Club last Saturday.
“THERE’S a song in my head which won’t go to bed and it’s connecting me to you.” These words by Mark Pottinger, lead singer of the Nine Mile Creek band, were inspired by a songwriters workshop at the Wonthaggi Golf Club last Saturday.
They held immediate appeal for an audience of about 70 gathered to hear a concert by Nine Mile Creek and to see and hear the premiere of Songcatcher, Songs of South Gippsland, a short film featuring our own local musicians.
The Bass Coast Pickers’ philosophy is to encourage acoustic music in South Gippsland and bring outside bands to the area to entertain. Twenty new songwriters attended the workshop which was followed by a concert featuring three groups and the premiere of a film on local songwriters and musicians.
Bass Coast Pickers and friends play an all-in gig.
First up were the Harmonizers, a local group featuring Jacqui Paulson and her daughters Jessie and Dani. They held the audience spell bound with wonderful harmonies, including their own version of the Soweto Gospel singers and a medley of shorter pieces. They also presented unheard melodies in keeping with the spirit of the occasion.
They were followed by the Bass Coast Pickers, a four-piece band that has gathered a following over the past two years. Mary Whelan on banjo shared the vocals with Alison Chapman on guitar, while Michael Whelan also plays guitar and Andrew Bartram on bass was borrowed from Nine Mile Creek for the night.
Their performance is increasingly professional. All the audience smiled with delight at their style and the vivacious harmonies of Alison and Mary. They played some old favourites as well as newer bluegrass songs. The quick quick pulse of the beat made for an audience tapping fingers and hands.
The main item for the night was the premiere of Songcatcher, produced by Inverloch film-maker Mick Green from Drift Media, with help from Alison Chapman, and featuring musicians and songwriters from the Bass Coast area. John Coldebella, Tom Saunders, Jacqui Paulson and her girls, Alison Chapman, the late Rob Gray (introduced by Cathie Firth) and Magella spoke of why they live where they live (Inverloch, Wonthaggi, Phillip Island and French Island) and gave a taste of their original songs. We also got a brief view of a local ukulele band local group, The Happy Humming Strummers.
A concert by guest band Nine Mile Creek, from the outskirts of Melbourne, completed the program. It comprised Andrew on bass, Doug Wallace on guitar, Mark Pottinger vocals and mandolin and Colin Weight, vocals and banjo. They played jazz, rock and roll and finished with bluegrass. Their tempo, so much faster than that shown by The Pickers, increased the toe tapping of the audience. The lively and entertaining performance extracted an encore.
One of Mark Pottinger’s songs was, ‘I can’t get up when I’m down.’ Everyone was up, with not a downer in the place after Nine Mile Creek’s performance.
The Songcatcher playlist
The Bass Coast Pickers’ philosophy is to encourage acoustic music in South Gippsland and bring outside bands to the area to entertain. Twenty new songwriters attended the workshop which was followed by a concert featuring three groups and the premiere of a film on local songwriters and musicians.
Bass Coast Pickers and friends play an all-in gig.
First up were the Harmonizers, a local group featuring Jacqui Paulson and her daughters Jessie and Dani. They held the audience spell bound with wonderful harmonies, including their own version of the Soweto Gospel singers and a medley of shorter pieces. They also presented unheard melodies in keeping with the spirit of the occasion.
They were followed by the Bass Coast Pickers, a four-piece band that has gathered a following over the past two years. Mary Whelan on banjo shared the vocals with Alison Chapman on guitar, while Michael Whelan also plays guitar and Andrew Bartram on bass was borrowed from Nine Mile Creek for the night.
Their performance is increasingly professional. All the audience smiled with delight at their style and the vivacious harmonies of Alison and Mary. They played some old favourites as well as newer bluegrass songs. The quick quick pulse of the beat made for an audience tapping fingers and hands.
The main item for the night was the premiere of Songcatcher, produced by Inverloch film-maker Mick Green from Drift Media, with help from Alison Chapman, and featuring musicians and songwriters from the Bass Coast area. John Coldebella, Tom Saunders, Jacqui Paulson and her girls, Alison Chapman, the late Rob Gray (introduced by Cathie Firth) and Magella spoke of why they live where they live (Inverloch, Wonthaggi, Phillip Island and French Island) and gave a taste of their original songs. We also got a brief view of a local ukulele band local group, The Happy Humming Strummers.
A concert by guest band Nine Mile Creek, from the outskirts of Melbourne, completed the program. It comprised Andrew on bass, Doug Wallace on guitar, Mark Pottinger vocals and mandolin and Colin Weight, vocals and banjo. They played jazz, rock and roll and finished with bluegrass. Their tempo, so much faster than that shown by The Pickers, increased the toe tapping of the audience. The lively and entertaining performance extracted an encore.
One of Mark Pottinger’s songs was, ‘I can’t get up when I’m down.’ Everyone was up, with not a downer in the place after Nine Mile Creek’s performance.
The Songcatcher playlist
- Drifting Sands: John Coldebella (Wonthaggi)
- The Other Island: The Coast Road (French Island)
- Gippsland Hills: Tom Saunders (Corinella)
- Music Circle: Jacqui Paulson (Wonthaggi)
- Box In The Sky: Rob Gray with Colin Mathews and E.J VanGeest (Phillip Island & Cape Paterson)
- Tarwin Town: Alison Chapman (Inverloch)