Sometimes it's good to let the young ones have their head, and we promise to keep it down and observe the 11pm cut-off time in future.
I missed their show -- I was playing in the Caboodle in Ridgway St with Lydia and the Bedfords the following day, and I needed to pace myself, as you do when you are in your late 60s.
Once again the club got great feedback from the out-of-town bands. They love the old Savage Club Hall and, time and again, we are told: "Wish there was a club like this in Auckland or Wellington."
The club has a reputation for turning on a good crowd and the Savage Club hall is becoming a "must play" venue.
This February, for club night, we bring you The Slacks, a fun four-piece from the 'Naki. Check out their song Big Aroha on YouTube.
They will be preceded by an open mic for club members. Be early to get your name on the board, or even to get a seat these days -- Friday, February 3; from 7pm to 11pm, BYO before 9pm only.
This year promises to be an interesting one. At the end of last year we took over ownership of the halls from the Savage Club and are coming to terms with maintaining an acre of heritage building, meeting all the compliance requirements and integrating all the different users.
Fortunately, the Wanganui Rock and Roll Club has moved up the hill to our hall. This fits nicely into the musicians' club vision of this historic community venue as a centre for another original song competition.
The club is putting up $1000 in prize money and will record all the entrants as they perform in a competition open to any club member (membership $20).
This event is partially funded by a Whanganui District Council Creative Communities grant; more details on club night.
Last year Terry Sarten ran a few trial songwriting workshops and the feedback was positive, so we plan more this year. The club intends to continue bringing in new people to run workshops to help musicians learn and gain confidence and skills.
Our monthly club nights are very popular but can get rowdy and a tad "honky-tonky" for serious musicians who want to be heard. Some have suggested an acoustic night similar to that run at Jolt last year. Another suggestion is for the older musicians: a weekly practice during the day aimed at a Sunday concert for an older audience.
In April the club will host Phil Garland's farewell tour, which will interest songwriters and folk musicians. Phil started out playing rock 'n' roll and his band, The Playboys, was No1 on the Coca-Cola Hit Parade in 1962 with Little Band Of Gold. He then immersed himself in folk music, touring Australia and Zealand. This will be the last chance to hear this living legend.
Finally, a word about the Anything Goes Band, starting on February 21 and run by the Community Education Service. Local brass band maestro Bruce Jellyman takes a random group of musicians of varying abilities and instruments and, over eight weeks, welds them into a performance-ready band.
I took up playing an instrument late in life and was largely self-taught, but there is nothing like playing with other musicians to give you confidence. I have found the Anything Goes Band a great way to continue learning and make new friends. Highly recommended.
�When Fred Frederikse is not building, he is a self-directed student of geography and a traveller. In his spare time he is co-chairman of the Whanganui Musicians' Club.
