Howling Moon Festival

Port Macquarie will be buzzing with the newly launched Howling Moon Festival showcasing the best home-grown live blues music in an Australian premier music event. The winter festival will create the perfect space to sit back, relax and listen to some heart-starting blues and roots music, the perfect antidote for the winter blues. It's unquestionable that there is a rising tide of musical awesomeness invading Port Macquarie.

Headlining the festival is Pat Capocci who has emerged as one of Australia's most respected practitioners of Rockabilly and Roots Music. Hardworking and relentless determined, Pat spent his early years listening to and being influenced by traditional roots music of yesteryear. Many years later and with five records produced on the Presstone Label, including compilations with leading acts across Australia, he is now signed with Hollywood's Wild Records.

Pat Capocci's all or nothing mentality has gained him respect on both a national and international level. Undoubtedly being one of Australia's hardest working bands, it is no wonder why all ages and subcultures across the world admire the energy and passion fuelled music that is Pat Capocci. He has appeared at Viva Las Vegas, Rockabilly Rave, The Hot Rod Hayride, Screaming Festival and the Waldorf Weekender to name a few. Audiences all across Europe admire Pat's integrity and passion seeing him performed across 15 shows in 8 different countries for a European tour, returning to play in Germany, Belgium and Netherlands. Pat has played alongside some of the finest and most respected international artists including Deke Dickerson, Big Sandy, Imelda May and Justin Townes Earle plus many more.

Pat's unique style and charisma combined with his natural song writing ability has seen the combo transcend the typical novelty of the genre. Pat's writing style blends a unique feel of western swing, jazz, country and blues, and in the same way that all iconic artists have, Pat has used the genre as a launching pad, deepening and broadening the integrity and timelessness of the music. An energetic fusion of guitar greats such as Charlie Christian, Johnny Guitar Watson, Merle Travis, Django Reinhardt and Grady Martin, paired with great passion and determination, show exactly why Pat is regarded as one of Australia's best modern Practitioners of Rockabilly music.

Next up is voodoo soul and alternative country blues rockers Papa Pilko and the Binrats. Revisit a bygone era of swampy, bluesy, downright sleazy rock and roll with aplomb. Expect a rowdy, high-energy, hip swinging live performance. The band has earned a reputation as one of Sydney's standout live acts and have hit stages across the East Coast to much acclaim. 2015 saw the release of their debut album Till The End Of The Road which has been received very well across the country and continues to see the band rapidly expanding it's following as they tour the country with their notoriously raucous live show and unique sound.

Dressed in all black cowboy gear and an array of headgear, the seven piece provide an interesting spectacle, centred on manic front man Cyrus Pilko. It's hard to tell how much of his face-contorting, hip-swinging, hand-flailing, and sweat-drenched boot-shuffling is part of a character he has created or if it's genuinely how he is, but the singer is one of the most entertaining, charismatic, and brilliantly ridiculous Australian front-men around right now.

Independent soul, blues troubadour Shaun Kirk has come a long way since his debut release in 2010, earning him accolades such as "one of the most explosive solo acts Australia has to offer" and "one of the finest blues voices this country has ever heard". The journey began with his maiden record -Cruisin' being awarded Best Debut Album at the 2010 VIC/TAS Blues Music Awards, whilst his second album, Thank You for Giving Me the Blues shot to number 1 on the Australian Blues/Roots Airplay Charts in early 2012. Kirk's third release, The Wick Sessions; a live in the studio CD/DVD package, climbed as high as #3 on the Amrap AirIt Great Southern Charts. It also charted in the USA, reaching #6 on the Smokestack Lightning Radio Playlist amongst the likes of Buddy Guy, Gary Clark Jr, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Charlie Musslewhite. Shaun went on to release a five-track EP in late 2013 entitled Giving. It was Kirk's second release in the space of 12 months, acting as a teaser for the forthcoming full-length album Steer the Wheel which included three live tracks, showcasing his natural ability to engage an audience when he takes to the stage.

The latest album Steer the Wheel debuted at #1 on the Australian Blues iTunes Charts and is Kirk's most electrified record to date, seeing him explore beyond the blues influences that have characterised his previous work. Shaun attributes the recent purchase of a record player and a rapidly growing vinyl collection to the shift in his song writing. With influences ranging from rock, soul and rhythm and blues.

Completing the perfect line up are Port Macquarie festival favourites Karl S Williams and Claude Hay. This time around Claude is armed with a furious live band to drive his music into our brains and into our limbs and Karl has proven time and again that his earthy and dirty take on the blues can be both beautiful and gripping. Howling Moon punters are in for a glorious treat with these two brilliant artists.

Local favourites Ghost Road, Roy Rose and Phil Harmonics, Reggie D and Josephs Coat also joins the line-up.

The concert event will include a dedicated VIP area designated for 30 people only, for those who wish to enjoy the show in the vintage lounge area.

There will also be access for concert goers to Offtherayles curry, a pop up taco bar, live painting by Adam Murray, barber shop and many more experiences synonymous with blues culture.

Sunday 10 June 2018

Black Duck Brewery, 6B Acacia Avenue, Port Macquarie, New South Wales 2444

Pat Capocci, Papa Pilko and the Binrats, Shaun Kirk, Karl S Williams, Claude Hay Band

Ghost Road, Reggie D, Roy Rose and Phil Harmonics, Josesphs Coat

Tickets on sale Tuesday 13 March 2018

http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=85111