The Murrumbateman Country Inn will be hosting the Murrumbateman Acoustic Music Club on the last Sunday of each month, outside of December for the Christmas/New Year Period.
The club is inviting poets, singers and musicians for an open mic style performance, free of charge and with no booking required. The gatherings are set to begin at 5 pm, lasting three hours until 8 pm. Organiser Walter ‘Wal’ Brewer spoke to the Yass Valley Times about the events, including the motivation and history behind the club’s inception, and what to expect for those interested.
“We’re from a bit of a loose organisation, you’re a member the moment you walk in and sit down with us”, said Wal, explaining further;
“People come in and put their name on a list, and when the time comes, they come up, they perform usually three items, and they might be a poet, or a singer, instrumentalist, and we all sit around enjoying each others company and each others entertainment, have a meal and go home until the next month”, said Wal.
On the people who typically perform, Wal notes that the club has regulars, saying;
“We have some very good acts, we have some people who were once professionals in their line of work, and we also have amateurs like me who just get up and have a go and everyone in between.”
On the history behind the conception of the club, Wal, as a Vietnam veteran, wanted to establish a club where veterans afflicted with PTSD could gather to have a relaxed evening, and with the addition of music, Wal feels the evenings have therapeutic value;
“It started at the Murrumbateman Country Inn by David Myers some 30 or more years ago. When David was unable to continue, as regrettably he passed away, it was kept going by Eric Johns and David Grant.”
“I was involved with getting a guitar group going for Vietnam Veterans and a number of us started going along to the MAMC meetings each month from about 2011. When Eric and Dave decided to discontinue with it about eight years ago, us members from the Veterans’ Support Centre Guitar Group in Page took over the running of it. I formed a guitar group in Paige at the veteran’s support centre for Vietnam veterans who might be suffering from PTSD, who wanted to get together and I thought it might be a bit awkward just coming to sit down, so we got the guitar group going”.
Wal notes that while the evenings offer therapeutic value for veterans, he wishes for it to be available to everyone, saying;
“I want to keep it going because it’s good therapy for the veterans, but it shouldn’t be the only issue, I want it to be something for everybody”.
Extending gratitude to the Murrumbateman Country Inn, Wal spoke of their hospitality, and encourage the use of the inn and restaurant in return;
“They’re very supportive, they don’t interfere with what we do and provide for us most generously, I encourage people who come along to make it their evening meal so we’re supporting them back”, said Wal.
For those curious about the evening, Wal encourages attendance, regardless of if you wish to perform or not, saying;
“Just walk along and have a look, you don’t need to perform. If they just want to come along and say ‘what’s this all about’, that’s fine, if they want to come along I’ll look out for new people, we’ll greet them and make them welcome”
The Acoustic Music Club encourages light family entertainment, asking performers to keep a relaxed, happy atmosphere and remain apolitical.
Griffin Palen
