The Bloody Marys on stage at Andrew McMillan's Living Wake benefit in 2010. Photo: Glenn Campbell, from The Northern Myth
NT original live music venue the Darwin Railway Club will hold a fundraiser on November 12.
Proceeds raised from the gig will go towards sound-proofing the venue.
Once used as a makeshift morgue during Cyclone Tracy, Darwin Railway Sports & Social Club boasts a rich history.
Located in the inner suburb of Parap, it was originally a social club for workers and in later years has become a popular live music venue – one of the few music venues in the Territory’s capital to actively support original music and local artists.
Last December an ‘Living Wake’ music benefit and art auction was held to raise funds for NT writer Andrew McMillan, facing a long convalescence after a serious illness and surgery. Some of the biggest names in the NT music and arts scenes participated and attended, including Mandawuy Yunupingu, Arts Minister Gerry McCarthy, and performers Shellie Morris and Leah Flanagan, with over $15 000 raised by night’s end.
A year ago the venue also boasted an historic one-off reunion gig for the Swamp Jockeys, one of the defining bands of the 1980s Darwin independent music scene. The venue was at capacity with photo-journalist Bob Gosford giving the gig national exposure through his Northern Exposure blog on crikey.com.
Gosford playfully described the club as “one of those older suburban single-interest clubs that has just managed to survive changing demographics, lack of a railway line within rifle-shot, the creeping gentrification of its surroundings (noise complaints!!) and a suspected arson attack”.
And recently Club members welcomed their “highest profile” performer ever to the stage, Jeff Martin, formerly of Canadian ubergroup, The Tea Party. Needless to say the gig was sold out.
Two years ago fire damaged the venue to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars. Many volunteer hours and several benefit gigs contributed toward extensive repairs..
- Set-list from the Swamp Jockeys Railway Club gig. Pic: Bob Gosford, The Northern Myth
In 2011 the venue has faced scrutiny from the Liquor Commission after complaints from several residents in the neighbourhood about noise levels.
Nominee since 2009, Kane Stewart says funds raised from the upcoming November 12 gig would be used to address the sound-proofing issues.
The all-day gig will include children’s entertainment from 2.30pm (including clowns, face-painting and puppetry), with the live music kicking off from 7.30pm.
Bands confirmed so far are Junk Time, Blue Glass and The Panes, Anna Boustead, Brian Manning, Foxxy Empire, The Bloody Marys, Unbroken Expanse and more.
As further performer slots are available, expressions of interest are being sought for further bands and artists keen to be part of the gig. Please contact Kane Stewart on 08 8981 4171.
Read more about Darwin Railway Club here and here. Visit the Railway Club Facebook Page.
Words: Megan Spencer. Source: Darwin Railway Club, NT News.
