Original Geraldton tunes are finding their way into the spotlight, with voices from the scene saying attitudes towards locally penned music are shifting into a new key.
Geraldton act Good Strife will take over the Freemasons Hotel with upbeat home-grown pop, laced with power vocals and primed for dancing.
If 12 months ago you told the band members they would be playing at a major venue on a Friday night, they may not have believed you.
“When we started writing our own music, we found it difficult to find venues accepting of original music,” said the band in the joint statement.
“Local original artists often get labelled and categorised as background and easy-listening, or do not get the same opportunities to perform as often as cover artists or more well-known artists from out of town.”
Good Strife's music smashes this stereotype and shows Geraldton is collaborative and creative, with the band stressing original songs are not always just one person and a guitar.
“Venues like the Freemasons Hotel are opening their doors to original artists and are providing them a platform for exposure and to share their content the way it was meant to be shared.”
Gero music mentor, Dancing Brolgas Music managing director and former Fitzroy Xpress bassist Daron Keogh says the musicians he works with — such as Good Strife — are mindful of their audience and perform to win over the crowd.
“At the end of the day, if people have a good time and walk away having enjoyed the way the music made them feel they will (share) and tell friends and family. This is a great outcome for the venue, the music arts scene, and life in our community,” he said.
Events manager and 65thirty owner Lane Place said the shift had a lot to do with demographic changes. He said the younger crowd hitting pubs like the Freo was hungry for new and varied sounds, such as RATSALAD. and Good Strife.
These bands talk to the younger generation,
Freemasons Hotel owner Kris Drage said her venue always did its best to support local musicians and original music blossomed during the pandemic.
“We’ve just become so much more aware of it and we love it ... they're young and edgy and play music from all sorts of genres,” she said.
She mentioned RATSALAD. and FOXXFACE as acts well received by her patrons.
“Most venue owners put on what people support,” she said.
“If you support (original music), you’ll see more of it.”
