The Lithgow Lowdown
With financial support from the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal, the Greater Blue Mountains Creative Arts Network is organising a major live music event for the Seven Valleys (Lithgow) community.
As a celebration of community and collaboration, we have gathered together some of Australia’s leading musicians who will be offering their collective centuries of experience to a handful of emerging Lithgow artists of all ages and genres. This will involve mentoring the young musicians and performing with them at the event.
Date: Saturday 25 November, 1PM-6PM @Lithgow Bowling Club
Tickets: $20, available on the door, or via https://events.humanitix.com/lithgow-lowdown
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/697405972234739/697405972234739/?onload_action=open_invite_flow
PROGRAM
—FEATURING THE LITHGOW ALL-STARS:
- Colin Burgess (AC/DC, The Masters Apprentices)
- Denny Burgess (The Masters Apprentices)
- Charlie McMahon(Midnight Oil, Gondwanaland)
- Steve Hall (Jimmy & The Boys)
- Dr. Jason Thornton (Frank Sinatra, Cher, Cat Stevens)
The Lithgow All-Stars are rounded out by members of the following local bands:
OTHER SUPPORTING PERFORMERS INCLUDE:
- Yanhadarrambal/Jade Flynn – independent set
- Acid Amora – emerging Blue Mountains rock band
- Sam Bucca – independent set/All-Stars member
- Lez Fender – All-Stars member
The event will be MC’d by Marty Bright, with a Welcome To Country by Aunty Helen Riley of the Mingaan Wiradjuri Aboriginal Corporation
The Lithgow Lowdown is a family-friendly, star-studded local hoedown taking place from 1PM-6PM at Lithgow Bowling Club on November 25, (just a few minutes away from Lithgow train station on Main St).
Headlining act The Lithgow All-Stars are a large handpicked group featuring talented members of some of Australia’s best rock acts of the 60s, 70s and 80s: Colin Burgess (AC/DC, The Masters Apprentices), Denny Burgess (The Masters Apprentices), and Charlie McMahon (Midnight Oil, Gondwanaland). McMahon and the Burgess brothers are joined by Steve Hall, of new wave shock rockers Jimmy & The Boys, and esteemed saxophonist Dr. Jason Thornton, hired gun for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Cher, and Cat Stevens.
The Lithgow All-Stars and their collaborators will be performing new renditions of songs from their prime respective acts: AC/DC, Midnight Oil, and The Masters Apprentices.
Learning about stagecraft, songwriting, and performance skills in the process, many participants are overjoyed to be working with Aussie rock royalty. This maintains a tradition of mentorships from event co-organisers Retro Rehash, who have previously put local musicians on stages with the likes of Angry Anderson from Rose Tattoo, Steve Kilbey from The Church, and Michael Smith from The Atlantics. The event also provides a setting for the formation of new artistic connections, between the local government areas of Lithgow and the Blue Mountains.
Emerging Blue Mountains rock band Acid Amora will also perform on the night, in-between sets from co-organiser Sam Bucca, and Indigenous singer-songwriterYanhadarrambal/Jade Flynn. International comedian Marty Bright will host as MC.
“The more experience that you have playing in front of people, the better you will be at your craft. You can be very experienced but you can still pick up something from younger guys. Enthusiasm counts for a lot.” – Denny Burgess, The Masters Apprentices & The Australian Songwriters Association
“I was very impressed with the band I’ve been working with, Hollowpoint…they’re extraordinary. I hope I can give them some of my experience and help them get into some original composing”. – Charlie McMahon, Midnight Oil & Gondwanaland
“It was great to meet Charlie, he’s such an iconic part of the Australian music industry, with a lifetime of musical experience. We can’t wait to catch up with him again.” – Hollowpoint
“Lithgow needs this type of stuff as it struggles a bit in some areas. Things like this bring people together.” – Glen Snow, Glam Jam
Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Helen Riley from the Mingaan Wiradjuri Aboriginal Corporation (MWAC) will be presenting the Welcome To Country for the event, which reinforces an important Indigenous focus for the organisers of the Lithgow Lowdown. The event will raise money for the MWAC and their climate-aware fire training and cultural burn programs, which preserve and present traditional land management practices, such as cool burning, in readiness for bushfire season. An information session about cool burning will also take place at the event. The Lithgow Lowdown will also raise money for the MWAC’s Indigenous Ranger Program, which helps to promote cultural understanding of traditional practices.
Sam Williams and Willem Hendriksen have curated this event for the Greater Blue Mountains Creative Arts Network working in collaboration with Retro Rehash, and Lithgow Bowling Club.
The Lithgow Lowdown is shaping up to be an awesome afternoon of community collaboration and old time rock ’n’ roll, backed by Lithgow tourism, small businesses, and the local Indigenous community