Ash Grunwald plays The Ferntree Gully Hotel
Vox Music Academy's student, Ash Grunwald plays The Ferntree Gully Hotel on Saturday 21st January and Dreamboogie Fundraiser at GH Hotel, St Kilda on Sunday 22nd January before heading overseas.
Check out this recent review from Ash's show at the Corner Hotel...
It's a bit of a mixed crowd at the Corner Hotel tonight. Between the hippies, the drunken louts and the clearly diehard fans, the dance floor is a flurry of unwashed hair, red-eyed reefer men and conversations along the lines of, "you'll never guess who I just met," (unresponsive pause), "Jason! You know, the guy from the RACV ad," (delayed "orright" in slurred British accent). As you can appreciate, when Ash Grunwald's set finally starts there is a resounding cheer of eager appreciation among the sober audience who are clearly regretting the decision not to share the post-work-punchbowl festivities.
Playing his first ever sold-out Corner gig, the Melbourne-born troubadour is clearly a favourite in his hometown, and while a gig at this venue may be a far cry from the open stages of Pyramid Rock - or the myriad of other festivals the blues superstar has played - the energy in the room is exactly the same. There's something so instantly attractive about music as organic as Grunwald's. Maybe it's the way he has seamlessly meshed traditional blues with his modern interpretation of it or maybe it's his raspy vocals. Whatever it is, it has no doubt been helping people all over the country get laid, since circa 2004. Opening the show with Raw from his recently released album Hot Mama Vibes, it's evident that the audience is in for a night of earthy, roots-laden blues. Songs such as Rosie Be My Girl, Walking, Break Out and Serious really get the crowd grooving, but, as always, Dolphin Song is the one that gets the loudest cheers. Grunwald, as well as relentless touring, is currently in the throes of making a documentary about the life of a travelling musician. The biographical Road Dog Diaries, Grunwald explains, is going to incorporate guest appearances from artists he has met, played with or been inspired by along the way, as well as giving us a bit of an insight as to what really goes on when you're on tour.
With Spiderbait's Kram stopping by to help out on guitar for a few tracks, there is certainly no shortage of talent. But, in all his dreadlocked glory, Ash Grunwald really exemplifies blues at its finest.
Get professional guitar lessons or singing lessons like Ash, at Melbourne’s Vox Music Academy at the northern suburbs Brunswick studio, south eastern suburbs Dandenong studio or eastern suburbs Bayswater studio.
