Gerry’s Gold - What a Laneway Music Festival it was!

The inaugural Gerry’s Gold Neighbourhood Laneway Music Festival was blessed with good weather last Saturday, and a great turn out of community and neighbours in ‘Gerry’s Lane’.

Sausages started to sizzle just before 2pm as the early crowds wandered in – many of them taking advantage of the “kids under 12 free” option.

And photographer Tashi Hall @tashihall was on the prowl!

Local musician Penny Lane played an opening set mainly on keys, with her opener on acoustic guitar. Impressive songs for a teen writing (and soon recording) her first set of material.

With the crowd building around fire pits scattered along the limestone and brick retaining wall, second act the Alder Sisters, a rarely performing duo of Ruby Pettit and Vanessa Millar, sung jaw dropping accapella folk songs, or accompanied by ukulele and guitar.

Here’s a gallery of Tashi Hall’s pics.

photo by Tashi Hall-112 anna schneider sunset

The “Gerry’s Gold” stage banner hung still, as The Quixotics in duo form (Michael & Gabe Francas) burst forth with newly released power pop gems, laughter and neighbourly conversation echoing down the lane in the song breaks.

Zani & Jas on BBQ’s were being touted early as the stars of the day, as Holland St resident Tom Brown provided warm, fuzzy lo-fi guitar and soft vocals to the relaxed afternoon, including his album title track “My Holland Street Heart”.

The audience seemed buoyed as much by the music as the fun of enjoying an afternoon out in a laneway brimming with locals and new friends. Dave Kent sung his country songs to sooth all ills, including his aptly titled, and incredibly catchy, single “Country Music”, and in another tune, the great line “I’m closer to Nannup than Nashville, but I still got those honky tonk dreams”.

And here’s another gallery of Tashi Hall’s fab shots.

From the attentive throng up near the stage to those sitting further back on chairs, yarning and laughing, Gerry’s Lane offered a little bit of something for everyone. Anna Schneider delivered the perfect serenade to a soft, slow sunset, wowing the crowd and winning more new fans with her soaring, ethereal vocals.

The clink of contributions to the 10c container bins in the last break soon made way for headliner Abbe May, who launched into her set with confidence and bravado, deftly substituting some lyrics to cater for the younger audience members, and a dancefloor formed to her cover of “Spoonful of Blues”, replete with harmonica from Amherst St resident Margaret.

In the early stages of night, everyone gradually slipped home in time for tea, as the discussion turned to “let’s do it again!” – a testament to the Gerry’s Lane residents who came up with and supported the idea, lent lights or access to toilets, rolled up the garage roller doors and brought their friends. A local scale festival, centred around a group of very talented local musicians, in a little laneway with heart!