Special mention to Peter and Julie Roberts for dropping in at the Coogee Beach Markets last week. It was nice to see some friends from my days in Lake King as a rural merchandise reseller. Peter also coached me when I played football for Lake King, and I worked for him on his farm for a few weeks around the year 2000. Really nice country folk that now have retired to Coogee.
Since writing my blog on Wednesday , February 19, 2025, I’ve been busy at home. My friend Mark Walker called in to record some songs he had written with our other mate, Peter Wearing,
Mark had played me the songs recently while I stayed with him and his partner, Jane, at their house in Swan View. I was looking forward to the project. He arrived around 3:30 p.m and after a cup of tea, we went straight to work in my studio. I hadn’t turned my Mac computer on for months, but as I waited for it to boot up, everything seemed normal. I created a new session, put a microphone in front of Mark, and he strummed his way through the first song. After a couple of takes, we had the bones of the first track down. We listened back through headphones, and I eventually got the studio monitors to work. Although a little rusty as an audio engineer, things slowly came back to me, and I eventually had everything working properly. “Could you play some double bass on the track, Hayden?” said Mark. “Sure, why not?” I replied. With that, I grabbed it from the other room, tuned it, placed a microphone in front of it, and basically relearned to play the instrument while nutting out the progression. I rosined up the bow, and after many takes, we had the bass track done. The result was amazing. The haunting sound of the double bass played with a bow was a good addition to the track. It was a great start. We called it a day and enjoyed a bottle of red and ate a delicious bolognese that I cooked the day before.
The next day 8:30am, Thursday, February 20, 2025, Mark helped me take my work van down to get serviced at Galvin Motors. After takeaway coffee and a home made breakfast, we recorded the foundations of three other tracks. Another successful recording session. We picked up my van once it was serviced, and Mark left in the evening. I went for a quick walk to clear my head, had dinner at the local tavern, and settled in for an early night, ready for an evening gig the next day at The Old Courthouse in Fremantle.
My usual 9 a.m. yoga session at the town hall was a great way to start the day Friday, February 21, 2025. We twisted and stretched through an hour-long session, and I left feeling good before heading home to make breakfast. Sourdough lightly toasted with Vegemite and avocado—my usual go-to—and a coffee to wash it down. I brushed up on some new songs for a few hours, revised my set list, and had a late lunch of leftovers from a Bolognese. Pretty soon, it was time to head off on the hour-long journey to Fremantle for a gig at The Old Courthouse, booked through my agent, Leslie Hinton Entertainment. The traffic was bumper-to-bumper in places along the freeway. Nevertheless, I arrived with plenty of time to set up.
It was fresh and windy, and it had been raining at the venue. I got to see the artist Mark Stone performing in the early time slot inside. After he finished, we chatted briefly and talked about guitars and PAs—typical musical nerdy stuff. The rain had stopped by this time, but the wind was still blowing its guts out. I trolleyed my equipment up the concrete ramp and was set up inside with time to choose my dinner and enjoy a glass of water or two. Shirley had arrived and found a seat to listen from. I commenced the show at 8 p.m. and strummed through three hours of acoustic tunes.
At the beginning, people sat, watched, and listened. I even got tipped $50 from one young couple as they enjoyed the set. “Can you play any Pink Floyd, Hayden?” a group of people asked. “Sure thing!” I exclaimed. With that, I played “Wish You Were Here.” Afterwards, huge applause. I even sold an album to the same people. As the night went on, staff and patrons bustled through the restaurant, coming and going, until it was time to pack up and head for home. I said goodbye to Shirley and was home and in bed just after midnight. A quick message to a friend, and I soon fell asleep.
Only five hours later, my alarm woke me, and soon after, I’d had breakfast, showered, and was on the road heading to the Peel Produce Markets in Dawesville again. Some of the park had been subject to rain and a puddle had formed where I normally play. Meagan was there organizing the event when I arrived and asked if I could set up under a pine in a new location facing north. I said, “Not a problem.” The morning air was cool, and the clouds provided a cooling overhead blanket as they shaded the park from the sun. (I still wear my Bronco Akubra and sunscreen, even if it’s overcast.) My battery-powered speakers did the job once again, only to have the six AAs die halfway through. Luckily, I carry spares. The highlight of the day was seeing a few familiar faces from previous market days. I’m getting to know the stallholders as well. Benny, the biltong guy, gave a quick handshake and a nod while chatting with his customers. Highco, who sells the CBD gummies, was there again, so I stocked up, purchasing another jar. Phil, the painter who comes every week, loves a chat. I enjoyed a beverage from Vincent, the coffee van, and drank over three liters of water during the four hours. I wasn’t going to suffer dehydration again. When it was time to eat, I grabbed a cheese toasty from a vendor. It was hot and delicious. I earned a good amount and was on the road heading for home just after 1 p.m.
That evening was the monthly open mic night at the Jarrahdale Tavern, hosted and organized by Dave and Moral. They asked if they could borrow my electric piano and amp. I said, “Not a problem,” and dropped it off around 3 p.m. I quickly went home, had a nap, and was back at the Jarrahdale just after 5 p.m. The night was enjoyable, with people playing bass, guitar, drums, and my piano. It was midnight when I arrived home, and I was a little anxious about being tired for tomorrow’s gig.
The next day, Sunday, February 23, 2025, was a gig at Ocean Reef Tavern, another booking through my agent. I tried to sleep in, but my body clock had other ideas. Arrgh. I checked the clock and calculated how much time I had up my sleeve before I had to make the hour-long trip to Ocean Reef, north of the city. I dozed on and off, and feeling a little hungover, I had to step up and get moving. Two Nurofen, a quick shower, and breakfast later, I was in the van heading down the hill. Traffic was gridlocked around Success, but I had allowed enough time to get there with time to set up and chill, regardless of any delays. I arrived a little weary, but the day was beautiful, and a cooling breeze made it pleasant enough to wear jeans. An outdoor stage with a loading ramp and built-in green room makes it a dream to load in and play here. It’s my first time on the big stage. I set up my Bose L1 and Roland Street Cube, and the sound was amazing as some natural reverb amplified from the stage cast the sound over the outdoor beer garden.
My support crew, Shirley, looking tired from her late-night dog racing trials the night before, arrived in time to see me strum the first chord. It’s always great to see Shirley, but I see pain in her eyes as she suffers from debilitating arthritis in her lower body. I pray for her and hope to see her improve after she has a risky yet life-changing operation.
Timber tables and seating are a permanent fixture here, with huge umbrellas providing shade. Groups of people milled around the tables, and staff busily delivered meals as the tavern door got its fair workout. The outdoor Bali-style kitchen was utilized to cook pizzas and serve cocktails. The clock struck 1pm and I started with a classic hit from Led Zeppelin, “Stairway to Heaven.” With a great response from the audience, I was off, playing a good mix of covers and originals. Children played and danced to my music, and one little girl requested, “Can you play me a song by Taylor Swift?” “Sure thing,” I replied, and sang “Shake It Off.” Afterwards, huge applause from the crowd. The highlights were a generous $100 cash tip from one fellow and selling three CDs of my original album, Hear the Sound, to three different customers. With great feedback from staff and patrons, I felt amazing—gigs like this make all the hard work worth it.
I packed up and headed for home to find the freeway clear all the way, making it a dream run. I called into the tavern for a pint to unwind, literally falling asleep at the bar before heading home and crashing into bed after entering the house.
This concluded my blog entry for Monday, February 24, 2025. Have a great day, and I’ll be back next week. Till then, be safe and happy. Don’t forget to stream my music on your favourite streaming platform.