Out two too

It’s standard practice for me on visiting a town to find out what bands and events are on, or if larger, where are the jazz clubs and the like.  I visit Beechworth often enough to know the several windows with their A4 ads for upcoming bands and visitors.  There were 2 coming for Friday and Saturday at Tanswell’s, the main street pub.  The visitors aren’t around this weekend, but include classical singers, renowned jazzers and pop bands at times.  Meg Washington was here recently.  The two Front Bar bands at Tanswell's would be it for this visit.  We managed the first set of The Torpedoes on the Friday night, a rock-blues quartet (2xgt/vox, bs, dr) playing Summertime blues, a string of 12 bars, Allejuliah I just love her so and the like. Plenty of good vibes and noise and dancing in a small space and the inevitable crew at the bar or standing by the fire.  Not sure how the bartender managed to hear orders, but it seems to work OK.  Then the Owls on Saturday.  Again a quartet (2xgt, bs, dr, all vox), in from Melbourne.  I happened to stand at the bar and chat to the leader's partner, Irene, and he was Sean McMahon and the others were Matt Green, Josh Duiker and Tim McCormack.  Sadly the PA and room were muddy so no recognisable lyrics, and for this folk-blues-rock-indie music, for me the lyrics are the key, although there were some decent solos and grooves amongst it all.  But Sean is noted for folk and songwriting and he writes this music so lyrics would be a key.  The music seemed to be all or mostly original, not that I'd recognise this style too well regardless.  I managed a chat with bassist Tim in the break and loved his '74 PB.  I once had a '72 PB and ever dread that I sold it.  This was identical, same pickguard, sunburst colour, rosewood neck in good condition, if less in the body than where it matters.  Lovely.  And the audience could be a blast, not least the schoolies or there-abouts with the mid-winter themed costumes, the girls videoing their black and fur hat presences.  So two bands in two nights in the front bar at Tanswell's.  Good.  Excuse the low-light pics.

The Torpedoes played Tanswell's front bar on Friday night.  The Owls played there on Saturday night.  The Owls comprised Sean McMahon (guitar, vocals, songwriting), Matt Green (guitar, vocals), Tim McCormack (bass, vocals) and Josh Duiker (drums, vocals).