28 June – Glenn Bidmead, Bridie King & Soulmates, Swamp Donkeys

Daddy Longlegs & the Swamp Donkeys

Bridie King & the Soul Mates

Glenn Bidmead

From the murky depths of the Balgowlalooga swamp, rises the smokey mud stained rhythms of the Swamp Donkeys.

Riding astride the donkeys like a golf ball balanced on eight toothpicks is the auburn vagabond known as Mr Daddy Long Legs. He can be heard growling his “Gut Butter Blues” throughout the urban forest.

When these creatures of musical madness step together, the sound of their march is like an infusion of blues/rock/rambles.

Their journey has taken them to various festivals and venues throughout the distant corners of Australia.

Once bitten by their muscular mating songs, the venom spreads through your system with an addictive force causing its victim to dance like a possessed penguin on crack. A musical experience that has to be seen to be believed. They are: Aaron ‘Daddy Long Legs’ Houston – Guitar/vocals, Jay McCray – Harp, Stevie de Wilde – Drums, Felix Funk Master Flex Akurangi – Bass

After journeying across vast landscapes, Daddy Longlegs & the Swamp Donkeys have returned home to share their debut single ‘Salty Sea Dog’ (out now). As heard on Double J and community radio across the country, the song is a journey within itself featuring the howling vocals & gritty dobro from Aaron Houston aka Daddy Longlegs, the wailing harmonica of Jay McKay, driving bass grooves of Felix Akurangi and thumping drums of Steve de Wilde.

Bridie King’s piano rolls and pumps its way through blues and soul music, holding down the grooves for Leon Beshlei’s mighty, soaring saxaphone while Nadya Golski’s deep voice will reach knto your soul, whooping and hollering in true blues style, with Skeet Gerbasch growling his rock’n’roll and crooning his sweet Southern soul. 4 top shelf artists. Reviewing Bridie’s 4th album ‘Blue Ivories’ in The Australian, John McBeath commented “Right from the jump opening of Memphis Slim’s Nat Dee Special, the style and exuberance of authentic barrelhouse, blues and boogaloo piano leaps out …” Bridie King’s career dates right back to the late 70s and the halcyon days of the Sydney blues and r’n’b scene. Playing in this vibrant pub scene allowed Bridie to not only hone her considerable musical skills but provided the impetus to explore the vast treasure trove of American music styles – everything from New Orleans soul and r’n’b to jazzy piano based boogaloo. With 16 years studying classical piano including a 6 year stint at the Sydney Con she already had a head start when it came to keyboard technique but the experience of the live scene was invaluable. In 1997 Bridie became a bandleader in her own right when she formed Bridie & The Boogie Kings, sustaining a record 9 year residency at Rozelle’s Bridge Hotel. During that time the band became an academy for some of Sydney’s finest young musicians including Ray Beadle, Adam Pringle and Stephanie Marchant to name just a few – with the actual residency voted in the Top 10 of Sydney gigs in 2002 by The Sunday Telegraph. Testament to her ability as a musician and the high regard in which she is held is the number of international artists who have played as guests with Bridie including Albert Collins, Buddy Miles (Jimi Hendrix Band), Jimmy Vaughan (Stevie Ray Vaughan and The Thunderbirds), JohnnieJohnson and Soko Richardson (Tina Turner’s Band). Bridie has also been in strong demand for radio and TV appearances including a spot accompanying The Animals’s Eric Burdon on Bert Newton’s Good Morning Australia numerous other TV shows and live performances on both ABC and community radio.

Glenn is an accomplished singer, songwriter and live performer. His work spreads across all genres of music, encompassing everything from Pop & Rock to Country. Glenn’s songs are drawn from his life travelling the outback of Australia. Spending 15 years on the road doing songwriting workshops with schools and remote communities, he feels very fortunate to have met so many Australians in so many towns. He has also co-written with many successful Australian and International songwriters such as Mick Jones (Foreigner), The Veronicas, Brooke McClymont (The McClymonts) and Adam Thompson (Chocolate Starfish). As well as Glenn also performed as Lead Vocalist and Guitarist with Iconic Australian band Matt Finish Glenn performs solo acoustic as well as with his bands, The Ungrateful Brothers, Lemonjuice and Kerosene. Glenn’s solo recordings include Seven Seconds, Songs In Black & White, Lifeblood, Waking Up The Ghost Town, Booralie Road as well as the Last Chance Café EP, the Lemonjuice album The Sound Of Strawberry and the Kerosene country rock album, Art Of Survival. Glenn is an exciting songwriter and live performer with a unique voice and catchy infectious songs.