Cracking year of gigs last year– plenty of highlights but one of them was being part of SXSW-Sydney to work with Travel USA for their Texas showcase with some line dancing!
Check out our new video!
Last year we had a cracking gig up in the Hunter Valley for a corporate conference- they wanted a bit of a wild west country dance night. These nights are always fantastic– themed night (who doesn’t like that??), live music, dancing– and the called dancing has a great team building aspect to it….that no-one really realises until it’s all over!
Swamp Dawkins @ Jolene’s
Most of our gigs are for private events but we’ve got a few ones coming up at Jolene’s in the city…plus a few others!
Sat 21st Jan: Jolene’s, Sydney
Sat 21st Jan: Jolene’s Sydney 8pm-11pm
Thu 26th Jan: Bland Hotel, Quandialla 6:30pm-9:30pm
Fri 27th Jan: Jack Duggan’s, Bathurst 8pm-11pm
Sat 28th Jan: The Angler’s Rest, Brooklyn 4pm-7pm
Thu 2nd Feb: Jolene’s, Sydney 7pm-10pm
Fri 3rd Mar: Jolene’s, Sydney 8pm-11pm
Corporate Clients!
We’re about to rack up gig #300 and over the years we’ve done gigs for plenty of events and a great bunch of corporate clients. Here are some of the clients who we’ve had the pleasure to play for!
Country Cowgirl Hootenanny!
We had a sensational night the other night at Sydney University for Women’s College who put on a Country Cowgirl Hotenanny!
Hannah got in touch with us– she was waning to put together a night for all the students to celebrate the end of their semester and to get everyone together to relax, unwind, mix with each other and have a memorable night.
It was all that for sure and here’s what Hannah had to say afterwards!
“It was an incredible, incredible night!”
BEST WEDDING EVER!
We had Swamp Dawkins play at our farm wedding on March 12th. Every one of our guests had a blast!
Music to suit everyone and the barn dancing was hilarious! We bumped into someone today and they said it was the best wedding they’d ever been to! No fights, no drama- just fun! I had a great time!
We highly recommend Swamp Dawkins for your next shindig! The gang are welcome back here anytime! Great excuse for another party!
Dancing is Back!
Covid has certainly been a testing time for everyone planning in events but the good news is singing and dancing are back! And is you want that- Swamp Dawkins is what you need!
We’ve got a good year ahead of us with bookings in Central West NSW at Forbes, in the Southern Highlands and South Coast at Yass & Jervis Bay, and interstate to Adelaide.
Weddings, big birthday celebrations, community events, corporate conferences and pubs & clubs.
Dust Your Boots Off!
New Music Release
Last year I was talking to a friend– he was a bit down…he was about to get married but with Covid hitting, the plans were put on hold. As we were chatting he told me how his parents were married in Vegas. I said- “no way!” And he said “yeah man– in Vegas! And at the Clark County Courthouse!”. Well– I knew that was a line for a song and so I wrote this for him and his bride to be (who were happily married this year!).
It’s just been released on Spotify and AMRAP today…
Swamp Dawkins on Macca’s Australia All Over!
Last year we did a fantastic gig in central Queensland for the town of Barcaldine- about 100kms east of Longreach. As part of the weekend we did a workshop with the kids from the local school and we wrote a song together– “When the River Runs Dry, the River Runs Deep”. Well- we were meant to be going back again this year, until the Covid19 chaos, to play at the town’s Tree of Knowledge Festival. Well- we didn’t make it, but Macca’s on ABC702’s long running Australia All Over program played the song for everyone- here’s the snippet from the show… Australia All Over
Line-OnLine Dancing!
With the Covid19 disaster putting live performances on hold these past few months, Pinnacle Team Events got in touch to see what we could do to help with keeping team in touch with each other online. We’ve been working with Pinnacle for a while now, doing HonkyTonks, and so we put together a 45min session for teams to do some Line Dance onLine! We’ve done a string of them now and they’re great fund– a bit of a fashion parade, a quiz and then teaching “The Lockdown” to Achy Breaky Heart. It’s great fun for your team and if you’re interest them get in touch with us directly or via Pinnacle here.
It’s Showtime!
We’re about to rack up show #200! Check out our Showtime! page here to see some of our most memorable events– weddings, corporate conferences & staff parties, milestone birthday celebrations and community events!
Like any good parent, you can’t pick favourites! But there are some events that have really stood out over the years.
Country & Western Themed Christmas Staff Parties!
Are you looking for a truly original and amazing themed end of year party?
If you’re looking for a truly original– and amazingly fun– themed end of year party then it’s time to do a Country & Western themed Hoedown!
Forget the “Casino Royale”, “Go to Vegas”, “80’s Prom”, “Disco”, “Bollywood”, “Martini Club” or “Great Gatsby” themed nights– they’ve all been done to death and are common as nuts.
It’s time to think Wild West, Cowboys & Cowgirls, Hoedown, Honkytonk and Country & Western.
The dress code is anything from Dolly’s & Kenny’s, to farmyard animal onesies, to double denim (triple denim?), to plenty of boots, hats, checks and studs.
The food is anything on a spit and washed down by beer, tequila or some paint-stripping moonshine.
Get in touch with us today! We can give you a night to remember!
Swamp Dawkins has a unique show that combines music straight from the Roadhouse and mid-West bars with called dances– line dances, barn dances, bush dances & square dances– that gets everyone involved and keeps them entertained all night.
Aside from the band, we can help you with theming the night and additional bells & whistles to make it a stunning event. Typical bells & whistles include:
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Mechanical Bull (We recommend John The Bullman)
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Hay bales (We recommend Kensington Produce)
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Photo Booth (We recommend Seb & Jess from In an Instant Photo Booth)
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Plenty and wine barrels & festoon lights (Many places will hire these out or can be arranged via the venue)
And what do people have to say who we’ve played for?
Read our review here– YOU WILL NOT FIND ANY BAND IN THE COUNTRY WITH REVIEWS ANYWHERE AS GOOD AS WHAT WE GET!
Honkytonks, Country Dances, Bushdances, Line Dancing, Boot Scootin
Swamp Dawkins ~ Dust Your Boots Off!
You Don’t Have to Dust Off the Band, to Dust Off Your Boots!
Wild West Nights ~ Honkytonks ~ Country & Western Nights ~ Wild West Parties ~
Country Dances ~ Bushdances ~ Barn Dances ~ Line Dances ~ Boot Scootin’ ~
Corporate Conferences ~ Team Building ~ Private Parties ~ Weddings ~ Community Events ~
Staff Engagement ~ Themed Events ~ Christmas Parties ~ Staff Parties
Iconic Australian ~ Americana
Community Dance @ Melross Farm, Kangaroo Valley
We’ve got a fantastic gig coming up at Melross Farm in Kangaroo Valley– check it out!
http://melrossfarm.com.au/barn-dance-at-melross#barn-dance
Honkytonk Team Building @ Pinnacle Events
We’re excited to announce that we’ve teamed up with Pinnacle Events who to launch “Honky Tonk”! Pinnacle are one of the leading staff engagements & team building businesses in Sydney and provide a fantastic array of activities for bringing people together and Honky Tonk is hot of the press for anyone looking for something unique and different for their staff conferences or celebrations!
“An evening event that is sure to get the party started. Honkey Tonk presents a post dinner band formed to host corporate functions and get delegates on the dance floor. The band specialise in Country and Western whole group dances bringing to life Barn, Line, Square and Bush Dancing. The band has an extensive repertoire of Iconic Australian and Americana music performed with musicians of the highest quality and professionalism to deliver a night that your staff or guests will be talking about for years to come.”
Check it out at https://www.pinnacleteamevents.com.au/honkey-tonk.html
Country Dance @ Barcaldine, Queensland
We’ve just got back from an amazing weekend playing up at Barcaldine, Queensland. The amazing Amanda from St Joseph’s school- with 36 students- wanted to get everyone from the school and the community out to enjoy a night together and she arranged the whole night, and with the support of the local council, the school, local businesses and the Queensland Regional Arts Development Fund, she flew us up to do a dance for them as well as a fantastic song-writing workshop with the kids.
Brilliant weekend!
Community Event @ Gresford, Hunter Valley
The community at Gresford in the upper Hunter Valley decided it was time to get everyone out and on the dance floor for a country dance…and this was it! Brilliant night and here’s what Louise had to say afterwards!
What a fabulous night at the Gresford Family Country Dance!
The Swamp Dawkins Band were amazing– mums, dads, kids and grandparents all on the dance floor together having the most wonderful time– a fantastic choice of music – it just couldn’t have been better!
Thank you to Michael and the band for their energy and enthusiasm.
It truly was a night to remember!l
Wedding @ Collits Inn, Hartley Vale
Collit’s Inn at Hartley Vale was the perfect venue for Nicole and Joel’s wedding and we were delighted to be part of the celebrations!
Corporate Conference @ Dashville for The Flight Centre
Dashville has to be one of the best outdoor venues we’ve played at and it was a delight to be invited by The Flight Centre to play for the opening night of their conference. With around d450+ guests, it was a night full of energy and a sensational time for everyone…And here’s what Bec and Sarah had to say afterwards!
Michael and the team at Swamp Dawkins were a dream to work with. The lead up was seamless and the night ran incredibly well. The barn dance calls were perfect and everyone at the event joined in and had a great time. Thanks guys for making our opening night of the conference one to remember!
Bec
Swamp Dawkins gave us the best night- these guys are phenomenal! I have never seen so many non dancers hit the floor to learn some moves! Much more than just a band- these are real entertainers. 3 encores before management stepped in to tell them we had to stop!
Sarah
150th Anniversary @ The OConnell Pub
A roadtrip always goes down well and this one out to O’Connell near Bathurst for the pub’s 150th anniversary was sensational….And here’s what Michelle had to say afterwards!
Couldn’t have asked for a better night! The village of O’Connell came out in force – and wasn’t disappointed. Great time was had by all. A month after the event customers are stoping me in the street wanting to know when Swamp Dawkins will be back?!
Iconic Australian Music @ Sydney Harbour for the NRL Grand Final
We’ve been invited by SportsNet holidays to play for their guest several times and this one, on board the John Cadman II was fantastic. The cruise was part of the NRL Grand Final pre-game entertainment for the SportsNet guests… absolute pleasure to play for everyone on their way to the stadium.
Wedding @ Arcadia
It’s always a special privilege to play at people’s weddings and this one, for David and Amanda, was no exception and here’s what they sent us afterwards…
We just wanted to say a huge thank-you for helping us celebrate our wedding!
Prior to the wedding we found you were very eager to answer all our questions and make the planning go as smoothly as possible- which it did! On the day the guests were raving about your professional and relaxed manner– they loved arriving to soft acoustic music. Two friends commented that “It was great, sitting on the grass with a beer in hand watching them go!”.
Although I wasn’t involved with lots of the minor details on the night from my perspective it seemed as if people were working well, sharing the stage/ equipment etc. People loved the way the music changed as night fell as things started to pick up. A huge favourite of mine was the called dancing- everyone was laughing and having such a great time. If my husband wasn’t so eager to leave I would have loved to keep dancing! The only complaint we had from guests was that the party ended too early…but the said even 4am in the morning would be too soon!
Our first dance was lovely, thankyou for helping us with that. That song holds a special place in my husband’s heart and it will continue to do so! If we ever get married again (hopefully not!!!) we would book you!
Thanks again,
David and Amanda
Corporate Conference @ Fairmont Resort, Leura
We’ve done a fantastic few gigs up at the Fairmont Resort Leura for corporate conferences and retreats. The team there always put on a fantastic night…
Spectator Activation @ Bathurst 1000 Races, Mount Panorama
Swamp Dawkins at Bathurst Races for SportsNet Holidays!
Themed Staff End of Year Christmas Parties
Looking for something different for this years staff or office Christmas End of Year Staff Party?
It’s time for you to dust off your boots and kick up your heels for a hoedown!
It’s cowboys & cowgirls, spit roasts, a mechanical bull and a country band who will keep everyone on the dance floor all night with called barn, bush and line dances as well as a whole lot of other toe-tapping music.
Swamp Dawkins will get everyone away from the bar and onto the dance floor- caught in the moment- swinging and sliding, twisting and twirling the night away for an amazing night to remember.
Here are just some of our amazing references!
“The band were amazing!”… “A fabulous night”… “Truly a night to remember”… “The guests raved about you!”… “Professional all the way”… “A sensational night”…”So easy to deal with”… “A huge success”… “You and your team were a delight to work with!”… “Professional and relaxed”… “Created a great atmosphere”… “Our company had a blast!”… “Extremely memorable”… “Outstanding”… “Thank you to Swamp Dawkins for making the evening a huge success!”… “The band worked brilliantly!”… “A night to never forget!”… “The fabulous Swamp Dawkins Band were exceptional!”… “The best finale dinner of the conference ever!”… “Phenomenal!”… “A highly professional line up of musicians with a keen interest in meeting their clients’ expectations and enhancing any occasion.”… “These guys are truly great!”… “Everybody was dancing all night”… “Terrific performance!”… “The atmosphere the band created was excellent”… “Couldn’t have asked for a better night!”… “The dance floor was packed!”… “I would highly recommend Swamp Dawkins to anyone!”
And yes- these are just some of the references we’ve had from corporates clients, event organisers & private clients for their staff parties, client events, milestone birthdays, weddings, community events and the list goes on.
So Dust off your Boots— and have a hoedown this year!
Bush Dances | Barn Dances | Hoedowns | Americana | Iconic Australian
Corporate Entertainment | Weddings | Private Parties | Crowd Activation | Festivals | Community Events
Swamp Dawkins poster…
Gig #100!
Well- after a little over three years since we kicked of Swamp Dawkins we’ve just clocked up our 100th gig!
Thanks to everyone who’s booked us and invited us into their world!
Corporate Clients
We’ve been doing an increasing amount of events for Corporate Clients– conferences, staff parties, weekends away. All of them fantastic nights that get people involved, up from their tables, away from the bar, and onto the dance floor. Here’s a list of just some of the corporate clients we’ve entertained:
Atlassian (Staff event)- Coburns Distillery (Opening event)
- Retail Apparel Group (Christmas Party)
- Phil Gilbert Motors (Christmas Party)
- Sportsnet Holidays (Bathurst Races & NRL Grand Final VIP groups)
- Penrith City Council (Australia Day Event)
- Beyond Events (Corporate Conference)
- Dungog Film Festival (Film Festival Entertainment)
- Commonwealth Bank (Staff Event)
- Amway Latin America (Sales Conference)
- OnStage Entertainment (Corporate Entertainment)
- The Goring Hotel (Client Entertainment/ Product Launch)
- Twenty3 Group (Stadium Australia Crowd Activation)
- Bob Wood Cruise Group (Cruise Ship On-Board Entertainment)
- Professional Housekeepers Association (NSW) (Annual Dinner)
- SureSearch (Corporate Weekend)
- Fairmont Resort (Corporate Conference)
- Eleanora Heights Golf Club (Summer Event)
- Valeant Pharmaceuticals/ iNova (Corporate Conference)
- PLC (Anniversary Celebrations)
- Wesley College (O-Week Program)
- Pymble Golf Club (Summer Entertainment Program)
- NSW Child Care Co-operative (Annual Conference)
- UTS Insearch (Student Event)
- Buick Car Club of Australia (Annual Rally)
- Broken Bay Diocese (End of Year Staff Event)
- Hartmann Medical (Corporate conference)
- Abbott Diagnostics (Corporate conference)
- G1 Productions (Event planner/ Corporate EOY Party)
Happy Birthday Tracy!
Thanks to Tracy for inviting us to be part of your 40th birthday hoedown! That Footlose moment was brilliant and thanks to the special guest singers who let go of the shyness (?) at the end of the night!
Pymble Golf Club
Thanks to Pymble Golf Club who’ve been hosting us the last Friday of each month over Summer as part of their twilight golf/BBQ evenings for members and their guests. A fantastic setting to relax at the end of the week…
Busy time of year!
It’s been a busy time of year for us with Christmas approaching. Last weekend we had a roadtrip out to O’Connell; then this weekend it was a double header with a party on Saturday night and a function for members at Elanora Country Club and this coming weekend a triple header with Pymble Golf Club Friday night, another private party on Saturday night and then our last Sunday afternoon of the year at the Garden Tap. October was hectic aswell with the festival at Dungog, our Garden Tap regular afternoon, another lazy afternoon at Galley’s in Bobbin Head and up to Glenworth Valley for a corporate weekend away. We haven’t been taking bookings in December this year because of a few holidays so it’ll be a break until January for us!
On the Radio again!
Thanks to 2BS Bathurst for taking the time to interview me to talk about our upcoming gig at the O’Connell Pub! We can’t wait to get back to O’Connell again– we played there last year for their 150th Anniversary and it was a cracking night— looking forward to another one like it! Thanks to Michelle from the pub for inviting us back! And thanks to 2BS for supporting the event and especially for playing my song on your show!
CCCC NSW Conference at Glenworth Valley
We play for a many difference groups in many different settings– indoors, outdoors, barns, boats, bars and everything in between. But last Saturday was close to unbeatable as far as a serene setting goes with a wonderful group of people to match.
Community Child Care Co-operative of NSW invited us to play at their “Ignite” conference. Set in beautiful Glenwoth Valley (Horse Riding) centre, the program was aimed at introducing outdoor elements to child care programs and we were invited to entertain everyone on Saturday night and to get everyone who came– from NZ and up North- Nelson Bay- to the South Coast and Central West of NSW mixing with each other.
The setting of the open paddock, bonfire, tents, and mountains around the base of the valley was a perfect backdrop for us to play and everyone had a fantastic night.
Thanks to CCCC NSW for inviting us to play– it was a very memorable night!
New video!
Hot off the press is this new video– set to the tune of “Even though Paul Kelly”– that introduces Swamp Dawkins, tells you what we do, takes a look at some of the gigs over the past 12months and let’s you know what some of our clients have had to say about us! Click here!
On the Airwaves!
Michael’s song– “Even though Paul Kelly”– has been on the airwaves again this time on PBA89.7FM in Adelaide. It’s always a nice surprise to find out people out there who like your music out of the blue!
At the Menzies Hotel with the Professional Housekeepers Association
Many thanks to the Professional Housekeepers Association for having us along to your Hoedown night at the Menzies Hotel! We had a ball– you’re a fantastic crowd and it was a pleasure being part of your night! For anyone out there looking for the way to do a themed Hoedown night for your company or organisation– this was how to do it! Everyone was dressed for the part and the dance floor was jam packed all night. A great way to celebrate an end of financial year, Christmas, or any other occasion.
Return to O’Connell Pub
After a cracking weekend earlier in the year to help celebrate the 150th birthday of the Historic O’Connell Pub, Swamp Dawkins have been asked to come back on November 14th for another night of letting loose. Looking forward to being back in O’Connell— and to warmer weather! Thanks to Michelle for hosting us and inviting us back!
Swamp Dawkins at the Dungog Festival
Swamp Dawkins has been invited to play at the upcoming Dungog Festival on Friday 23rd October!
The festival is running from Thursday 22nd-Sunday 25th October and includes short films aswell as music and local food and wine. The full program for the festival will be out in September and go to www.dungogfestival.com.au for moire information where you can subscribe to their newsletter.
Residency at the Garden Tap/ Cooks Garden North Turramurra
We’ve been playing semi-regularly at the Garden Tap North Turramurra– our local! Many people who saw us there would ask when we were playing there next and now we can give you a simple answer! The last Sunday of every month!
Yep– that’s it:
Last Sunday of Every Month
4:00pm onwards
The Garden Tap, North Turramurra
The Garden Tap is the pub associated with the Cooks Garden– come and enjoy the afternoon! Great beers on tap (not your usual suspects), wines by the glass, the world’s best Japanese whisky (if it hasn’t been all drunk by now) and great bar food or book into the restaurant for dinner. Hope to see you there!
Sunday at the Garden Tap
Thanks to Rick and Elizabeth and the crew from the Garden Tap/ Cook’s Garden for having us play again last Sunday– and thanks to everyone who came along to enjoy Rick’s hospitality aswell! It was a packed house and a little rowdier than usual- maybe the stormy weather had wired everyone– we’re not sure but either way it was a great afternoon for everyone. Rememebr– last Sunday of every month from 4pm!
Two 50th’s and a 25th all in one go!
Thanks to Donna and Paul Wallis for having us play at your combined 50th birthdays and 25h wedding anniversary! The band made a weekend roadtrip of it – staying at the Argyle Inn ,Taralaga just 10mins from Donna and Paul’s property.
The property had a beautiful sunset view from the marquis on the hill while we played some quiet music over dinner to settle everyone in before the tables were cleared for dancing.
After a few heart-pumping songs that got everyone on the dance floor we slipped into a couple of bushdances before having a break for the formalities. After a few speeches, we settled into the rest of the evening with anything and everything from our catalogue of songs that kept everyone on the dance floor.
We even got to roll out Mamma Mia by ABBA and Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi – surely we must be the only bushband around the traps who can start the night with Kenny Rogers before finishing with ABBA, AC/DC and Bon Jovi whilst fitting in bushdances in between!
One of the guest gave us a great compliment when he said “you guys can do everything” and another guest who said “there was something for everyone – no-one had an excuse not to dance!”. That’s what we love to hear – everyone, young and old, was up and at it!
TESTIMONIAL
A belated birthday and barn opening celebration
We had a fantastic gig recently down at a beautiful property between Bundanoon and Exeter for a couple celebrating a 70th birthday and the unveiling of a completely restored historic barn!
We had a special request for music from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and so the night was a mix of bushdancing and dance hits from the 60’s – She’s so fine (Easybeats), I saw her standing there (Beatles), Route 66 (Rolling Stones), Johnny B Good (Chuck Berry), Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochrane) just to name a few.
Our hosts put on a fantastic night – from the catering, to the setting, the support band performing music before dinner from a local couple, and then the night of endless dancing with Swamp Dawkins.
As far as parties go – we do a lot of 21sts, 30ths, 40ths and 50ths – but this was our first 70th and they definitely showed us you are as young as you feel! A very memorable night all round.
A night by the Harbour Bridge on the MSC Orchestra Cruise Ship
A memorable night aboard the MSC Orchestra playing to their passengers and guests to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and welcome everyone to beautiful Sydney.
Our brief was Australian music with a special request for “I still call Australia Home” and something worthy of St Patrick’s Day celebrations – many of the passengers were from Europe and wanted a taste of Australia, and the rest of the passengers were Australian and were in the mood for a taste of home.
We took a musical trip through Australian music – the Easybeats from the 60’s, AC/DC from the 70’s, Men at Work from the 80’s, Paul Kelly and INXS from the 90’s (give or take a few decades in that list!) and slipped in some bushdancing in the middle with an Irish jig to keep St Patrick smiling.
It’s proving to be a great formula – mixing well known songs done in our own Swampy style with bush, barn and square dancing to get everyone involved. When people book Swamp Dawkins for their events they have an idea or a theme in mind, but the key aim of the event is getting people on the dance floor and enjoying the party – that’s what we do!
Thanks to all the passengers and crew from the MSC Orchestra for having us look after you and welcome you to Sydney! Check out our photos in our gallery or on Facebook.
TESTIMONIAL
Wesley College O-Week Bushdance/Hoedown
Thanks again to Sydney University’s Wesley College for having Swamp Dawkins play your annual bushdance during O-Week celebrations – what an awesome to top off the week!
Another great night of live music and bush, barn, and square dancing – and getting chaotic with a mix of great hits by Kenny Rogers, Johhny Cash, Paul Kelly and AC/DC just to name a few!
Look forward to doing it again next year!
O’Connell Hotel 150th Anniversary!
There’s nothing like serendipity!
We got a call not so long ago from Michelle Webb who runs the O’Connell Hotel, halfway between Bathurst and Oberon about 3hours west of Sydney across the mountains.
“We’re having our 150th for our historic pub which was built back in 1865 and we want a bushdance – a night of dancing and celebrating – can you help us?”
For sure. Without a doubt!
Later on I told my mum where we were playing – she grew up in the country and all of us have travelled a lot on the other side of the Blue Mountains over the years. Apparently my cousin (who I hadn’t seen in probably 25years) lives right across the road from the pub so Michelle’s call turned out to be a chance to play for my rellos as well! Serendipity indeed.
Michelle had planned a weekend of celebrations, including an outdoor film on the Firday night, followed by the bushdance on Saturday. Everyone was definitely in the festive mood with 250 or so people from the area turning up to dust off their boots and hit the dance floor for the bushdance. Swamp Dawkins also played a follow up Sunday afternoon session over lunch to show our thanks to Michelle for inviting us to play.
We had an absolute ball – below is a little clip of the dancing on the night, and you can check out our photos and share these through the Swamp Dawkins Facebook page.
A final tip: if you’re ever on your way to Bathurst from Sydney, take the scenic route. Turn off at Lithgow, drive the state’s “big dipper” road (trust me – you’ll know it when you see it), make your way through Tarana, head on to O’Connell and say g’day to Michelle from us! Fantastic beer garden, great food, very child friendly with lots of room to run around and there’s a cafe just across the road for a breakfast starter in the morning. Hope you enjoy it just as much as we did!
Asian Cup Final at Stadium Australia
I get interesting phone calls every other day from people wanting to book us, a bit like this one that I got one morning while having breakfast:
“We’d like to book your band”….. Sure
“For three hours of Australiana”……. Sure. Any dancing?
“Nope, just music, 4.30pm-7.30pm”…… Ok.
“It’s in relation to the Asian Cup”…….I see….<put down the newspaper>
“It’s for this Saturday”….ok <spill the coffee>
“It’s at Stadium Australia”…..No way! <standing up escaping the spilt coffee and almost choking on the bagel>
So that was it – after 30 seconds – we were booked to play to 80,000 people at Stadium Australia for three hours, to energise the crowd as they arrived to see our Socceroos take on South Korea!
We were set up at the main entrance to the Stadium on the concourse as part of the Spectator Activation – organised by the “Twenty3 Group”.
The Asian Cup organisers had engaged the Twenty3 Group to put on activities and entertainment for each game as part of the tournament and they wanted some Australian music to get everyone fired up and put some Australian culture on show.
And that we did!!
We played everything from Waltzing Matilda through to Paul Kelly, Men at Work and Jimmy Barnes and plenty in between – it was the day for Australian music to be played, along with greetings of “Anyong Haseyo!” for all the Korean supporters!
Having spent a few years in Seoul – some of it during the 2002 Soccer World Cup – I’d had plenty of time barracking for South Korea with the millions (yep- literally millions) of fans in red near Namdaemun gates and in the central square of Seoul during that tournament yelling “Dae Han Min Guk”.
It was a great opportunity to rustle up some of my Korean for the day to help everyone feel a little bit at home. Lots of great memories brought back for sure but this time with the Socceroos playing, and in our own backyard!
Fantastic day to say the least with such an epic game of football. Thanks to Sarah from the Twenty3 Group for booking us and also to Billy on the day for looking after us. Check out our photos which you can also share through the Swamp Dawkins Facebook page.
Allview Escape Wedding Hoedown Bushdance
“We’ve got a wedding. We want an hour of music over dinner – but it has to be quiet enough for people to talk otherwise…well – otherwise…” – Check.
“We then want an hour of bush dancing after dinner” – Double Check.
“And then we want an hour of ‘wild music’ after that. And maybe more than an hour!” – Triple Check.
Lock it in!
We get all kinds of requests – increasingly though, more and more people are looking for a hybrid night of bush dancing / barn dancing / square dancing to get everyone up and mixing, combined with good party music for people to kick on.
The wedding for Patricia – Paddy and Phid more correctly! – was one of those. Similar to the recent gigs with Phil Gilbert and at the O’Connell Hotel – the bush dancing is n’t just about bush dancing: it’s about getting everyone out of their chairs, up on their feet and swinging around the dance floor, mixing with everyone, with no shortage of smiles and everyone being in the moment.
Below is a little video of the dancing on the night, set to Michael’s original ‘At the Honkytonk’.
The bush dancing gets people up without fail and the night just takes off from there be it with more bush dancing, bopping to music from the 60’s/70’s/80’s, or rocking to iconic Australian hit songs from Paul Kelly to AC/DC, or Americana country and swampy blues.
The venue for Patricia’s wedding – Allview Escape at Blackheath – has to have one of the best views in the Blue Mountains with the marquis overlooking the magnificent valleys and escarpments that make up the iconic Blue Mountains. The gourmet BBQ, summer evening setting, guests very much in the celebratory mood, and a fantastic newly wed couple made for the perfect recipe for a night to remember.
Patricia – thanks again for inviting us to play – it’s a serious privilege to play at people’s weddings and we couldn’t be happier for you and Phid. Thanks for letting us be part of your day!
TESTIMONIAL
Phil Gilbert Motor Group Corporate Hoedown
We had a lot of fun with the cowboys and cowgirls at Phil Gilbert Motor Group for their end-of-year hoedown! Many thanks to Simone for inviting us to celebrate with your team – you organised a fantastic night and it was pleasure playing for you, meeting your team, and helping you all dance the night away!
Great also to meet up again with John ‘The Bullman’ running the mechanical bull. We’ve done a few functions where John has run the ring and it’s always a lot of fun. If you’re looking for a mechanical bull for your next event check out John The Bullman!
The party was at Dooley’s Catholic Club at Lidcombe and was a great venue for a hoedown in the function room upstairs. The room was dressed with red, black and white cow-print themed balloons and the tables were strewn with red and white tablecloths with cowboys and horses – great theming Simone!
We really enjoyed meeting the team at Phil Gilbert – everyone was so friendly and just a pleasure to be around. Big thanks to Drew for the video footage as well.
Thanks again for having us play and we look forward to another hoedown down the track! Check out our photos in our gallery or on the Swamp Dawkins Facebook page.
TESTIMONIAL
Exhumed Grand Final 2014
Swamp Dawkins was selected as one of the 10 finalists in the 2014 ABC702 Exhumed Grand Final! It was actually a double win, as Michael also entered his other band – The Outback Bushband – in the competition and that entry also made it into the Grand Final – so that’s two from two! The selected songs were Michael’s originals: Even though Paul Kelly (after “To Her Door”) and Hell it’s Hot Down Here.
Swamp Dawkins opened the Exhumed Grand Final 2014 with a bang – rocking the crowd with Hell it’s Hot Down Here.
What a way to kick-start the night!!
You can see more videos from the night on our YouTube Channel and check out the photo gallery or view and share this album on the Swamp Dawkins Facebook page.
Date: 28 August, 2014
Swamp Dawkins Selected as Finalist for Exhumed 2014!
Giddiup! — Swamp Dawkins is in the Exhumed Grand Final for 2014 with the concert to be held on August 28th at Canterbury Hurlstone RSL.
Listen to the podcast of the announcement below, including Michael chatting with James Valentine and the song– “Hell it’s hot down here and it’s goddam crowded tonight” hitting the airwaves.
Michael’s other band (and ‘sister’ band) to Swamp Dawkins – the Outback Bushband – also made the finals with Michael’s entry of Even Though Paul Kelly (after ‘To Her Door’).