Tune that axe and hold onto your whammy bars because the Melbourne Guitar Show is back for another rocking year.
The Australian Music Association’s 2019 Melbourne Guitar Show is set to be the biggest yet, and their colossal program is promised to fill any guitar-lover’s heart with joy.
Sponsored by both Triple M and Australian Musician, there’s an impressive lineup of both international and homegrown musos. Along with the world-class performances and artists, Melbourne Guitar Show is also holding a gear expo with an amazing haul of goodies. Within which, a gigantic variety of electric and acoustic guitars, effects pedals, amps and more state-of-the-art guitar technology, both home-grown and from around the world, await.
If all of that hasn’t struck a chord with you, there’s also information seminars and demonstrations for those looking to upskill.
“This year’s show is just building on the last four, and this year’s shaping to be one of the biggest,” Melbourne Guitar Show organiser, Rob Walker tells us. “The product always excites me the most, I think, just seeing all the new guitars around and the new colours. Just being able to present the guitar in all of its glory to thousands of people is a really exciting thing.”
The first lineup announcement for the extravaganza features a star-studded bill including the likes of Keith Merrow and Dennis Jones (both from the USA) as well as local legends Sarah McLeod, Ash Grunwald, Minnie Marks, Lloyd Spiegel, Anna Scionti, and Dave Leslie, just to name a few.
“We’ve got such a great guitar community that it’s hard to select the people who do appear,” Walker says. “Lloyd Spiegel, probably one of the best acoustic blues players you’d ever see anywhere, I’ve seen him play in front of audiences in America and just lay them in the aisles. To have Lloyd Spiegel as one of our highlight performers is a great thrill.”
There are tonnes of events and special programs put on just for this show. There’s a loud stage on level two, an acoustic bar for acoustic artists playing solo or in duos, a room for great players demonstrating the latest big guitars and tech and a ‘meet the musician’ series with some better-known players doing intimate seminars and chats.
Day one of the guitar show falls on International Blues Day and to celebrate the occasion, Melbourne Guitar Show will be putting together a big acoustic blues jam featuring Nick Charles, Shannon Bourne, Phil Manning and a host of other talent.
Even more excitingly, Periphery’s own Jake Bowen will be giving Melbourne an exclusive of his Ibanez masterclass. “It’ll be great for some Melbourne people to be able to learn some stuff from Jake in a really close ‘meet the musician’ type environment too. It’ll be a big thrill for some people who really are fans of his, so we’re looking forward to that,” Walker says.
If you’re worried about where your ticket proceeds go, the Australian Music Association is a not-for-profit organisation representing all the people who deal in musical instruments in Australia. The proceeds from this event will go into next year’s Melbourne Guitar Show and will create employment for all the musicians. The profits are then regenerated into other activities that promote music making.
“We just want more people to enjoy playing music, and we want to present our industry in the most positive way we can,” Walker explains. “That’s what the Guitar Show is all about. It’s all about getting your hands on instruments you want and seeing the people playing them who will inspire you to go and make some more music yourself.”
Melbourne Guitar Show comes to Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday August 3 and Sunday August 4. Tickets and the full schedule can be found at australianmusician.com.au.
