Entertainment
10 June, 2021
Local musicians kicking goals
WE all know locally-grown produce has unbeatable freshness, taste and quality, and that goes for homegrown music too!
A tasty smorgasbord of homegrown music, from alternative rock through to funk, reggae and more can be sampled at an upcoming festival at the North Cairns Tigers Football and Netball Club on June 26.
The Underground Live Music event starts at 2pm and will feature ten hours of live music, including Spare Tyre Politics, Mick Porter Band, Eddie Skiba, Raconteurs, Howlin Dingoes, Bobby Maguire, Moses Band, Cheap Shampoo and Pauly P.
Local folk singer Charm Quayle and Elixir Music Bar owner Sky Rixon started running Underground Live Music Events every second Thursday at the bar four years ago to encourage talented local songwriters, an event which continues to be a huge success.
“There is an incredible depth of talent in the Cairns nurtured by local venues and TAFE, developing musicians, so we started Underground at Elixir Music Bar to give emerging talent and travelling musicians a platform to play to appreciative local audiences,” she said.
The success of that event encouraged Ms Quayle to organise something bigger, so she put on a festival at the Tigers Football Club in February, and is expecting an even bigger response to next month’s event.
Local rocker Eddie Skiba said he was excited to front a full five-piece band again for the first time since before COVID-19, which drove many venues to downsize their bookings to soloists and duos only.
Local guitar legend and singer-songwriter Mick Porter said he was also excited to give flight to his latest musical group after a hiatus due to COVID-19.
“It’s all groove-based, with a lot of fusion of jazz and funk, primarily bass-driven, with lots of energy, big harmonies, solid crazy lyrics, catchy riffs, and some big guitar solos of course,” he said.
Fellow musician Skeet Mate heads up six-piece band ‘Spare Tyre Politics,’ many of whose members also play in local cover bands but use Spare Tyre as their outlet for freedom and creativity.
“We don’t have any music sheets, we don’t sort of ask anyone to play the same thing twice the same way, it’s kind of what the moment asks for,” said Skeet.
Only 200 tickets are available and can be purchased for $60 from www.ticketebo.com.au/undergroundtigers
