Blues News #731
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Blues News #731

And a Happy New Year to you all. Except, for a lot of people, it wasn’t.

Being caught in the middle of a major bushfire is no joke, as I can personally testify. There are some truly amazing stories coming out of the fires – amazing strength and determination and amazing loss.

The thing is it will take a lot of support over a lot of time before those areas get back to any semblance of normal.

As I’m writing this, comedian Celeste Barber has raised over $45 million, but even if we can’t match that, we can do something too.

The music scene always comes to the party with fundraisers, and the first cab off the rank I’ve found is at the Spotted Mallard.

Their Fires Fundraiser is sending all proceeds to the Red Cross and CFA. It’s quite a lineup – Mick Thomas, The Orbweavers, Angie Hart, Charles Jenkins, Pollyman, Opelousas, Sara Carroll with Shannon Bourne, Hollie Joyce, Skyscraper Stan, Dan Warner, Sime Nugent, Brooke Russell, Ruby Jones, The Dusty Millers, Lisa Miller with Shane O’Mara, Dirt Hand, Les Thomas, The Pheasantry. It’s on Saturday 25th Jan, The Spotted Mallard, doors at 2pm, entry $30.

Way Out West Roots Music Club is putting together a special benefit gig in response to the ongoing bushfire crisis. A fantastic list of blues artists are donating their time in support of this unprecedented tragedy. Confirmed so far are Phil Manning, Jesse Valach, Kelly Auty, Brendon Mason and Rod Paine as well as Blues Roulette. The venue is Newport Bowls Club on Friday the 17th of January, entry is $25 and all money raised on the night will go to relief agencies.

OK, something a little more upbeat now.

Those of you who made it to Pistol Pete’s Xmas party would have seen D Henry Fenton. The good news is that he’s coming back for a solo gig at Pete’s on the 18th of January. D Henry Fenton is a singer-songwriter originally from Sydney Australia who is now based in the USA. He has opened for acts including John Mayer, Kasey Chambers, Colbie Caillat, Lissie, Ed Kuepper, Pete Murray, The Corrs, Jeff Lang and Keith Urban. His music blends Americana, Folk, Blues and Indie-Rock, bringing to mind bands like Wilco, Neil Young, and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers.

He plays a vintage Harmony H78 guitar. “I bought an H-78 in Winston-Salem NC in 2004 and didn’t know much about it, I didn’t like the bridge, so I got an adjustable one put on for play-ability and that made all the difference. It is, without doubt, one of the sexiest guitars ever made and has a tone that will make people come out of the crowd and ask you what kind of guitar it is.”

It certainly sounds amazing and goes well with his voice. His songs are tuneful and well-polished.
D Henry Fenton claims he once tossed seven coins into the air and they all landed on heads, but I don’t know about that!

Definitely keep your eyes open for the bushfire fundraisers, and definitely get along to D Henry Fenton at Pistol Pete’s on the 18th.

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