Musician and great grandmother Sharon Burgess-Close lived out a dream this month - playing bass guitar to thousands of people with rock royalty.
Hundreds of guitarists, one outdoor stage is the premise of Those Who Rock, an initiative by Joseph O’Farrell (JOF). Bringing together 200 guitarists from across the country to take to the stage with Australian rock royalty, Kram of Spiderbait, Dave Gleeson of The Screaming Jets, Patience Hodgson of The Grates, KISSperience and and The Good Band (feat. Members of Cheap Fakes/George/Delta Goodrem band), as hosted by Myf Warhurst at the Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast, Those Who Rock is a union of rock music.
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In amongst that rocking group of guitar virtuoso’s was local musician Sharon Burgess-Close. Proudly a great-grandmother and ultimate rock chick, Burgess-Close was one of a handful of bass players selected to be part of the 2024 Those Who Rock tribe.
Responding to an EOI, Burgess-Close then engaged in months of rehearsals and workshops across May and June. The Those Who Rock process divided the 200 applicants into rehearsals at seven different locations, with each location having their own song to learn – each session made up of 20 to 30 participants.
It all culminated in a huge concert at Gold Coasts Home of the Arts on Saturday 6 July to a sea of rock enthusiasts, ready to get blown away by the explosive guitar sounds of the Those Who Rock experience.
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For Burgess-Close, she was selected as one of two playing with Dave Gleeson and one of five playing with Kram, along with playing the final showstopper song on stage with the entire 200 guitarists for ACDC’s legendary ‘For Those About To Rock’.
Her striking red hair whipping as she rocked out on her matching red bass guitar, Sharon Burgess-Close was in her element!
“All rockstars on stage together is surreal! The sound it produces is phenomenal – it’s like you’re in another world,” says Burgess-Close of the experience.
Those Who Rock is an annual event, with next year set to be a be even bigger. Keep up to date with the Those Who Rock program here.
Keep up to date with Sharon Burgess-Close rock journey here.
