“I’LL BE GONE”

Not too many years ago this might’ve been seen as an unlikely combination, but Mike Rudd teaming with the affable piano accordionist George Butrumlis has been a fact for more than two years now and it seems as if it was always destined to be!

In any case, George’s experience with bands like the Black Sorrows, Zydeco Jump, The Purple Dentists and Raga Dolls tells you that he’s eminently qualified to join Mike in this (almost) acoustic reappraisal of Ruddy bands like Spectrum, The Indelible Murtceps and Ariel – the duo’s repertoire is drawn from the sometimes confronting, but always intriguing catalogue of songs penned by Mike (and his alter–ego My Crudd) from the early ‘70s to the present day.

There are the versions of the singles of course, like the most famous of all Rudd’s songs, I’ll Be Gone (Someday I’ll have money), The Indelible Murtceps’ Esmeralda and Ariel’s Jamaican Farewell, but there’s slightly less famous material drawn from the albums, Spectrum Part One and the innovative double set Milesago, The Indelible Murtceps’ Warts Up Your Nose, Ariel’s A Strange Fantastic Dream and the Abbey Road album Rock & Roll Scars.

There are newer songs too, from the Living on a Volcano CD and Breathing Space series of EPs rubbing crotchets with the occasional blues standard – maybe now Mike has a new palette to play with, we can anticipate new era of Rudd-songs to emerge.

Meanwhile you can enjoy watching and listening to Mike Rudd’s evolution from a well-established prog-rock rock artist to singer/songwriter/raconteur playing accessible versions of his inimitable oeuvre with an assortment of guitars, blues harps and even a recorder accompanied by George Butrumlis, a gifted accordionist and singer and one of the best musicians around.

Tickets include Morning Tea – Scones with Jam and Cream.