Help keep Australia’s longest running blues music venue alive
The legendary Blues Train has launched a new GoFundMe campaign to help keep the iconic venue alive.
Since its beginning more than 25 years ago, the blues event has become an integral part of the Queenscliff Tourism and Victorian Music Industries but has since been brought to its knees as the current pandemic rips through the music industry and is now asking for public support.
Providing a unique way to enjoy live music on the Bellarine, The Blues Train combines four carefully selected Australian Blues acts, a Bellarine Railway heritage train, dinner and drinks for 200 patrons running Saturday nights 10 months of the year. An experience like none other, it’s a beauty, to say the least.
We’re not the only ones who think so either. The Tesky Brothers, C W Stoneking, Dallas Frasca and Ash Grunwald are just some of the big names that started their careers ridin’ the rails, while Australian Blues legends Jimi Hocking, Geoff Achison, Lloyd Spiegel and the late Chris Wilson have all been an integral part of the Blues Train history. The list of names of other artists who have performed over the years goes on for miles, with new blues artists like The Ethan Farmer band are creating a new generation of Blues Train fans.
Despite receiving some government assistance, their vigilant application for Grants from the State and Federal Governments, and Hugo T’s Superannuation injection, their bank account is running dry. JobKeeper is propping them up for now but the bills are adding up and soon enough, the funds will dry up and The Blues Train will have run out of stream. They can no longer do this alone; now The Blues Train need your help.
“June saw us hopeful and preparing for October trains, we were rostering staff and booking our artists for a Blues Train return. Unfortunately, a second wave began sweeping through Victoria, and dealt us with a second blow, extending our foreseeable chance to return to 2021,” they announced in a statement today.
“We need monetary support to make sure The Blues Train sees it through the remainder of 2020.
“We need money to fire up The Blues Train and, when JobKeeper dries up, to keep our loyal staff on board. We estimate at least $70,000 is needed to make this a reality.
“Help us to continue to foster the next generation of Blues musicians. Give, so our legendary Blues musicians continue to hone their craft. Give, so our volunteer-run Bellarine heritage railway can continue to pull the legend that is The Blues Train.”
You can help The Blues Train stay alive by donating to their GoFundMe campaign here.
