The PERTH BLUES CLUB presents

Big Town Players + Tobacco Road Band

Big Town Players | 7.30pm

Big Town Players play old school Rhythm and Blues with new school Rock attitude. We’re talking Real Rhythm and Blues! Like that originally played in America in the ‘50s and ‘60s, which we’ve married to modern day rock producing an infectious repertoire with tongue in cheek lyrics that will have you dancing from the get-go. This gig will be the launch of their latest C.D.
MEMBERS: Phil Bradley (guitar and vocals) is one of Perth’s major guitar-slingers! He has been a member of legendary outfits such as The Mutants of Desire, Brutus, Subtruck, Steve Tallis and The Snakes of Desire, Polite Society, and The Jets to name just a few. He has embraced the chance to embellish the BTPs with his inimitable style and his inimitable voice.
Howie Smallman (blues harmonica and vocals) has been heavily influenced by the old Chicago blues blowers, providing gun harp in many Perth bands over decades. These include Salty Dog, The West Coast Rhythm Kings, Jaywalkers, Sneekers, Dave Hole, Feet First, The Body and Fender Band, The Hips, Smeeton and Smallman, and Datura4.
Phil Riseborough (drums and vocals) has been a stalwart of this big town’s music scene, applying his percussive skills in the ‘70s to such outfits as Spinifex and Twice Shy. Phil later became a top sound engineer to Perth bands as diverse as The Stems and Matt Taylor. Phil returned to the drummer’s stool in the naughties with The Hips, and now BTPs.

Tobacco Road Band | 9.00pm

Dave and Colin met through playing double bills with their own respective bands. It didn’t take long for these two to realise that they were into the same types of music. Music played with ‘feel and balls’ and so the Tobacco Road Band was born! After a few years rockin round Perth the band had and few lineup changes. Recruiting a new rhythm section machine was imperative to keep this motor running, that’s when Dave turned to long time collaborator Jim Awram to see if he was interested in playing bass, Luckily Jim was up for it, Jim in turn suggested Michael Arkins behind the kit and the new lineup was complete! This Embryonic Blues Band soon morphed into something more. Drawing on all of the influences of the four, Tobacco Road has developed it’s own raw edged, hard hitting sound. Come visit the heavier side of blues/rock. Playing crowd favourites such as: Deep Purple, Chickenfoot, Queen, Bad Company, Free, Status Quo, Gary Moore, Van Halen, ZZTop, Uriah Heap, Kevin Borich, Bob Seger, Beatles and hear the new “Aussie Rock Legends Set”. Tobacco are on the right track, 2022 - 2023 will see the band writing new material, so ya better stand back a little as Tobacco Road take to the stage.
Tobacco Road Band are: Dave Gillam – Lead Vocal / Rhythm Guitar, Colin Reale – Lead Guitar / Vocals, Jim Awram – Bass Guitar / Vocals, Michael Arkins – Drummer.