Sneak Peek - Blues, Roots &Folk

Tue 27th May, 2008 in Local News

Sneak Peek’s on again this Thursday night down at the Evelyn Hotel and is sure to be a fine night for any punters wanting to get the jump on the bright new acts in our city. It’s the perfect chance to catch your new favourites before they’re swamped by fame, fortune and screaming fans. So for any fans of this months focus genres – Blues, Roots & Folk – it’s simply a must.

The bill includes Jungal an energetic all girl three-piece, folk-based singer-songwriter Michelle Meehan, the dynamic folk melodies of the Fred Smith Band and Canadian born folk singer Tracy McNeil. Headlining the night is Dan Lethbridge – a one time Queenslander who shunned the sun and moved to Melbourne to strum his uplifting folk tunes.

CHECK OUT THE FULL GIG DETAILS HERE HERE

FL caught up with Dan for a quick chat to find out what he’s been up to in Melbourne and what we can look forward to on Thursday night

So Dan, why the move to Melbourne? What have we got that country Queensland/Brisbane hasn’t?
There are two reasons I moved to Melbourne. At the end of 2003 I had been living and travelling overseas for almost three years and although I was ready to come home to Australia, I wasn’t ready to give up the travelling. I had never been to Melbourne before so I decided that when I got back to Oz, that’s where I’d go. The other reason is obviously for the music. I had been playing gigs in Brisbane before I went overseas and had run the town dry. There simply isn’t as much support for original music up there as there is down here. Melbourne has more live music venues, more musicians, more people.

When you moved here it was with a band; how did end up as a solo performer?
Our three piece band formed in Seoul, South Korea if you can believe it. Our singer was Canadian and when we moved to Australia she kept running into visa problems and in the end she just couldn’t stay. Nige, the other guitarist started studying and now he actually has a real job which is more than I can say for myself. The decision to go solo wasn’t a difficult one. I just wanted to keep playing music and that was the only option. I think the only thing that has kept me going is a love for music which I can’t explain. I know it sounds clichéd but it’s true.

How did working as a solo artist change your music and song-writing?
I don’t think it really changed my songwriting too much. I wasn’t the singer in the band, but I was the one writing the songs so it felt very natural when I started singing them. A lot of the songs were very personal to me anyway so it probably makes sense that I’m singing them now, even if I can’t sing as well as a Canadian trained opera singer.

You released a debut record this year Dreamers Of The World Unite, were any of those tunes from earlier Queensland days or would you consider it to be a ‘Melbourne made’ album?
Definitely a bit of both. Some of the songs on the album are quite old now and I had been carrying them around for a long time. The album was written at different stages of my life and in different countries. Songs were written in Canada, Korea, Ireland, at the family property in Western QLD and of course Melbourne. Some of my favourites were written in Melbourne so it’s definitely had an influence.

Did recording and releasing the record last year change your thoughts about your own music or songwriting?
It made me realise that I have to improve. I am extremely happy with the album and the support it has received but I know that there are better songs still to come. The number of world-class songwriters in this town is unbelievable and they just keep coming. I just have to keep gigging, writing and recording as much as I can because it’s the only way to get any better.

And finally, what are your plans for the year?
To play as many shows as possible. Another East Coast tour would be nice before the year is out and hopefully some festivals. Then it’s on to the next album. I’ve started working on new songs lately and am happy with the results so that’s a good thing.

TO HEAR DAN’S TUNES HEAD HERE

Or better yet, get down to the Evelyn on Thursday the 29th of May and catch him live alongside other great Blues, Roots & Folk acts.