Birregurra Music Salon - A magical night with Miles and Simone
Birregurra Christ Church sparkled with sound and vision on a cold winters night!
It was a chilly night on
Saturday 23rd July but that didn’t stop over 85 eager music lovers
head to Birregurra Christ Church for a night of amazing music and a chance to
enjoy a mulled wine with friends and neighbours by fairy lights and fires.
With wines in hand, the crowd
streamed in to the beautiful church and got comfy by candlelight for the first
of two sets.
First to the stage was Miles—an Irish flame haired Ned Kelly look alike with the vocal tones of
famous country baritone, Johnny Cash. Moments later, Simone fluttered down the
aisle like a beautiful fairy wren adorned in lace and jewels and flowers—a
vision instantly beguiling everyone in the audience, big and small.
In their ‘other’ lives, Simone
Page Jones is a classically trained opera singer who went to school in Geelong
and Miles O’Neil an actor who grew up in Torquay…and before too long, the
alternate lives of these best friends came permeating through.
Their set list, mostly original,
could be described as Alt Country with sprinkles of nostalgia, heart break and
a peppering of tongue in cheek banter about the dating game and dog trainers.
Most importantly, it was melodically mesmerising and before too long, the duo
had the crowd firmly wrapped around their fingers….including a clutch of little
people swaying their tiny hips in the aisle.
A short break enjoying a wine by
the fire later, the crowd was back in the church pews enjoying the second set.
Somewhere in the break though, it seems the shoe slipped on the other foot and
the duo became mesmerised and beguiled with Birre and our church. Admittedly,
it was the last show on a state wide tour as part of Regional Arts Victoria’s
fabulous touring program and emotions were high. But after asking if they could
come back to Birre again sometime next year, Miles was quickly reminded that we
would see him on Friday 2nd December with his theatre trio, Suitcase
Royale in his junkyard theatre show “The Battle of Backbone Joe”.
Birregurra Community Arts Group
donated $500 of takings to the Support Sienna Trust. An additional $100 was
provided in donations.
Suitcase Royale’s
junkyard theatre show, The Battle of Backbone Joe, will play at Birregurra
Hall on Friday 2nd December. The talented trio will then return with
a free rockabilly gig at Birregurra Royal Mail Hotel on Saturday 3rd
December. Tickets announced soon.
The next Birregurra Music Salon at 8pm Friday 26 August features David Bridie, seven time Aria award winner and member of My Friend the Chocolate Cake. Tickets are $25+BF (online) and are on sale now via http://bit.ly/davidbridie26Aug or at Birregurra Community Health Centre.
