Drum roll to open Bendigo's 2011 National Youth Week Events
The 2011 National Youth Week FREE Music Event promised to be a great night bringing together some of Bendigo’s best youth bands. Naturally they are all rather exceptional musicians, but have you ever wondered what they are like backstage, the actual band members; back in the “bands only” area?
From Blackbird, a local rock band that has been around for about three years but whose members apparently come and go a bit with the current ensemble only having been together for just over four months. JJ, Jake and Jayme spoke of their love of Red Rock Deli chips, how they “never say no” to a gig and their pride in lead guitarist Sam being awarded Catholic College Bendigo’s musician of the year. Ingrid Thomson spoke of her dream of touring with her band after finishing year twelve, as she and fellow Blackbird member Sam Miles-Philips made sure I had spelled their names correctly and told me I simply had to YouTube their inspiration and favourite band The Darkness.
The nights MC Matt Allan chatted while he waited nervously for his next stage appearance. After a few attempts to entertain the crowd with some of his stand-up comedy, which he has deferred university to practice, he eventually gave up; deciding the crowd was more interested in the music.
For Shepparton Punk-Pop band My Best Friend BOOM! the night was bittersweet. After five years together, including last year’s Battle of the Bands win, they were breaking up. The event would be their second-last performance, the last being the one they would perform the next day with Australia’s Got Talent winners The Justice Crew. For lead vocalist and guitarist Dave the night was extra special, still in year twelve, he confided that what he was most looking forward to was his eighteenth birthday the next day. Unfortunately the night started off a bit rough for them when they realised that they had left some of their equipment back in Shepparton, however they soon recovered to deliver a solid performance that they said made their travel to perform with their Bendigo-based guitarist worthwhile.
Lowpoint’s lead singer Dylan, a history-loving year twelve student from Bendigo Senior Secondary College proved himself to be quite an interesting person. His band, which has performed mainly pub gigs, kicked the night off with a round of hard-hitting rock songs the crowd could really get into. Speaking with Dylan later I was shown his Super Mario tattoo that he is rumoured to have received whilst only fourteen years old!
Eddie Amiet and The Tides were one of the more alternative bands of the night. Essentially they have the standard instrumental rock ensemble, but their newest member, Lauren Jennings, a cellist, definitely makes them stand out from the rest. Eddie Amiet is a local Outdoor Education student from LaTrobe University who originally attended Creek Street Christian College, where he and some fellow school mates got together to form the group. Eddie said that he felt there was something “magical” about music. When asked to recall a moment from the groups past he jokingly retold a story from the Parachute for Poverty concert the band had played at. He explained that he had made a joke about someone’s parachute not opening which he had later reflected was probably a bit inappropriate. Charged with the responsibility of finishing the night Eddie Amiet and The Tides got just about everyone off their feet and dancing to their own unique musical style. T
he Escape’s Tommy and Brendan were faced with a difficult task, choosing to go ahead despite Brendan’s dislocated shoulder, (which, although he said he wished there was a better story, he injured tripping over a pile of crates). The pair had no need to worry though. From the sentimental dedication by Tommy to his brother Dave from Eddie Amiet and The Tides, of the song they first sung together in primary school, to the hit “Mr. Brightside”, to their new song which didn’t “even have a name yet” the crowd loved every minute and called for an encore.
Finally, who could forget the FREEZA Crew members? A diverse group of music lovers, professionally they range from being everything from a high school student to a maintenance worker at Saint John of God’s Hospital. One thing is certain though, there’s no way the night would have been as successful as it was without them.
