RENOWNED as one of Western Australia’s favourite live bands, Blue Shaddy is taking its unique mix of surf-funk and roots to Fremantle on July 24 and Scarborough on July 25.
Fresh from successful tours of the east coast, playing major music festivals in New South Wales and Queensland, and a South West tour earlier this year, the band is ready to deliver its raw, infectious energy Perth audiences.
Playing a mix of groove-laden bass, rhythm harmonica, acoustic and lapslide guitars and world drumming and percussion – matched with heartfelt vocals – Blue Shaddy is riding on the success of several accolades in the past two years.
After receiving the best instrumentalist award in the 2007 Blues at Broadbeach Awards, the band was named the 2007 MusicOz Blues & Roots Artist and then reached number one on the Perth indie charts in May 2008.
Since releasing the group’s fourth album Bury My Ghost early last year, ABC Music has also picked up the song Wagtail.
“Bury my Ghost took us in many new directions,” singer-songwriter and guitarist Jim McClelland said. “We really tried to push the boundaries and, at the same time, not lose our musical roots”.
Blue Shaddy is something of a family affair with Jim’s wife Sandra on bass and brother Belly on harmonica – and all were born and bred in WA’s Wheatbelt.
Arun Satgunasingam joined the group as drummer, after growing up in Kuala Lumpur immersed in cultural family events. Soaking south Indian rhythms led him to study contemporary percussion and Latin jazz at Perth’s Conservatorium of Music.
“When you listen to Blue Shaddy’s songs you do get a strong sense of where we come from,” Jim said.
Word-of-mouth about Blue Shaddy’s live shows has seen the group continually invited back to play numerous music festivals around the country, including Byron Bay’s East Coast Blues and Roots Festival, the Big Day Out, Fremantle’s West Coast Blues and Roots Festival, Woodford Festival and the Kimberley Moon, Narooma and Broadbeach festivals.
Later this year, the band will venture back into its country farmhouse to record a fifth album with Arun in the producer’s seat, ready to capture more of Blue Shaddy’s distinct sound.
Blue Shaddy plays at Mojo’s in North Fremantle on July 24 and Scarborough’s Indi Bar on July 25 – special guest for both gigs is Mo Wilson Duo.
Tour Dates 2009
8pm, Friday, July 24
Mojo's Bar
237 Queen Victoria Street
North Fremantle
$20 entry
Special guest Mo Wilson Duo
8pm, Saturday, July 25
Indi Bar
27 Hastings St
Scarborough
$20 entry
Special guest Mo Wilson Duo
