• Devan
  • Devan
  • BONAMETAL
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  • From: Darwin, Australia
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
  • Posts: 1,304

Topic: My son's private concert for an Aussie rock legend...

Yesterday, we were informed by my 12 year old son's school that his school band would be putting on a performance for an Australian rock legend - Peter Garret, former frontman for the Midnight Oils - now a Federal Minister for education, was going to be making a quick visit to check out the band.

They performed a song they had been rehearsing recently - "Lonely Boy" by the   Black Keys.  Their band teacher was kicking himself and said if he had known earlier, he might have made them rehearse a Midnight Oil number...

Their rehearsal performance in front of other kids before the actual one for Mr. Garret:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EJzgIcikA0


My son meeting Peter Garret and getting his Gretsch checked out and signed...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7233/7374 … c91b_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7230/7188 … f068_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7087/7189 … d2fc_z.jpg

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This is how most remember Peter Garret from the '80s...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejorQVy3m8E

JBLP Gold Top #129 - redubbed "#1 in Oz"
  • From: Adelaide, South Australia
  • Registered: 2011-10-14
  • Posts: 1,339

Re: My son's private concert for an Aussie rock legend...

Awesome Devan!!

Met Peter during a school visit... Great guy!!

http://www.stefanhauk.com

stefanhauk's Website

  • From: Cambridge
  • Registered: 2011-01-15
  • Posts: 912

Re: My son's private concert for an Aussie rock legend...

That is all kinds of epic!

Jonny L

Videos of my playing: http://www.youtube.com/user/JonnyLowtherMusic
  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: My son's private concert for an Aussie rock legend...

That is too cool! We didn't have anything neat like this when I was in school..? Did Mr Garret visit other schools too, or was this a one off? Regardless if he was a rock legend or not, its still great he took an interest in the kids and listened to their performance!

My "then" social studies teacher is the father of Ed Kowalczyk of the band: Live. There were always rumors they were going to come to school and put on a show, never happened..!

  • Devan
  • Devan
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  • From: Darwin, Australia
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
  • Posts: 1,304

Re: My son's private concert for an Aussie rock legend...

Thanks everyone!  Yeah, this was a pretty cool moment...

Seth - this was part of his Australia wide trip - he only visited ONE school in our city, and it happened to by my sons school.  His visit was the usual 'dignitary' one that was timed down to the second for what he was going to see and do, but he still spent about 2 to 3 minutes talking to my son and playing and complimenting his Gretsch... A real nice guy!

JBLP Gold Top #129 - redubbed "#1 in Oz"
  • From: Sussex UK
  • Registered: 2009-07-12
  • Posts: 1,465

Re: My son's private concert for an Aussie rock legend...

helrazr84 wrote:

Did Mr Garret visit other schools too, or was this a one off? Regardless if he was a rock legend or not, its still great he took an interest in the kids and listened to their performance!

you would think that the minister for education would visit a few schools and be interested in kids? wink - All we get in the UK/England (minister for Education does not have jurisdiction over Scotland, Wales, and I think NI) is some idiot ex journalist that you would not trust to be on his own with your kids... smile

Love Peter Garret, he is a tall guy, or at least he looked that way when I saw him on stage many many years ago, - that "Beds are Burning" album "Diesel and Dust" was brilliant, - BAB was not the best track on it. - He often would get up young people from the crowd and get them playing a percussion rhythm and then from that the band would break into "Beds are burning"

Well done to your son Devan, - not an the best hall acoustically to be playing in!

My YouTube channel with plenty of my Joe's videos dating from 2009 inc his first Hammersmith Odeon ones:
http://www.youtube.com/ian916fun

Ian916's Website

  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: My son's private concert for an Aussie rock legend...

Ian916 wrote:

you would think that the minister for education would visit a few schools and be interested in kids?

Yeah, you'd think that! But some people in similar positions are rarely seen doing anything other than what you'd think they'd be doing..like "standing in the trenches with the soldiers" so to speak.

I'm sure that meant the world to your son, great story!

  • From: Greater Chicagoland
  • Registered: 2012-04-21
  • Posts: 657

Re: My son's private concert for an Aussie rock legend...

Cool.  Watching the rehearsal had me thinking of the film "School of Rock". 

Had forgotten about Peter's unique stage presence, and moves.  There's a nice acoustic version of BAB also on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJiwLOUJOMA

Play like you've worked at it, and don't worry about sounding like your influences.  You can't cheat on them, or your practice, anyway.  If you've worked hard at your skill, your audience will know it.