This week music adventure started on Thursday, April 10, with a recording session with Mark Walker. We’re chipping away slowly at his album, and it’s coming along nicely. Mark played some double bass, and we laid down tracks for all the songs without any issues. However, the sitar was challenging for Mark, but we salvaged the best bits by copying and pasting from three different takes. That evening, I went to the Veranda Jam at the Jarrahdale Tavern, played a bit of drums, and had fun with the local musicians.
Friday, April 11, 2025: I was lucky to have the day off. I went to 9 am Yoga and l worked on the caravan and went food shopping.
Saturday, April 12, 2025: I played at the Mundijong morning 8 a.m. markets for the second time. I really love these markets. I arrived early and was instructed by Cody to set up in the middle of the row of market stalls. I used my iTechworld battery inverter to power all my devices without any trouble. I set up my gazebo and tied it down with weights in each corner. The day was a huge success, with a terrific profit and great positive feedback from stallholders and marketgoers. I took many requests and even played some children’s songs to keep the vibe fun and positive. Smiles on faces and happy dancing kids made it so awesome. I purchased premium steak from the pop-up butcher, put it in my portable fridge, packed up quickly, and headed to my second gig of the day.
Exchange Tavern, Pinjarra: I arrived with just under an hour before showtime, which was plenty of time to trolley the equipment from the street out front to the rear of the venue overlooking the Murray River. I kicked off the gig with my usual Stairway to Heaven cover, followed by a newly written original song called “Bound to the Blue.” It’s about a sailor and his love for the sea—how it can be cruel and dangerous, yet beautiful and tranquil. I continued to strum for an hour, and soon the set was done. My lunch a parmigiana with chips and salad was waiting on the table. I ate, then continued my last two sets. Soon, it was time to head home. My legs weary and my wrists and elbows sore, I settled in with a shower and jumped into bed for an early night.
Bistro by the Dam, Sunday, April 13, 2025: This is a great little venue with picturesque scenery overlooking the Serpentine Dam. With a chance of showers later in the afternoon, I looked at the sky and saw no threatening clouds, so I set up under the outdoor stage area. I kept a close eye on the sky and played a mix of covers and originals that kept the customers entertained. Shirley was there, doing great in her recovery from a double hip operation. She took some quality photos and sent them to me via WhatsApp. Rob and Loui a couple of Jarrahdale locals came to support me for a set and a bit before heading off on their Sunday travels. Fortunately, the rain stayed away, and I finished the gig, packed up, and headed to my brother Lindsay’s house in Serpentine for his pre-birthday celebrations. I purchased a gift at the bottle shop and presented it to him with a handshake. Other friends and family were there, and it was nice to see familiar faces. We shared lots of laughs and good conversation, and I was glad to spend time with Lindsay before he had to fly back to work the next morning. He’ll spend his birthday working in the mines.
That concludes my blog entry. I’ll be back next time.