Andrew Clermont plays Gilcrhist Mandolins, Epoch Violins, Maton Guitars. Photo: Jon Armstrong
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Andrew plays Epoch Violins, Maton Guitars, Gilchrist Mandolins
Photo - Jasmine

NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Contest  | The Winners| Supper Club 2012|Supper Club 2011| The Supper Club 2010 | Supper Club 2009 | Supper Club 2008 | Supper Club 2007 | Supper Club 2006 | Supper Club 2005 | Supper Club 2004 | Supper Club 2003


The Supper Club  2012


MAY TOUR 2012

Fri 11Dorrigo Arts email: bridgetsommers@yahoo.com.au  (With Siskin River instead of Brooke Schiemer)

Sat 12 Wauchope Arts Centre email: krissaw@bigpond.net.au

Sun 13 - 
6pm Dinner Available 7pm Show at North Tamworth Bowling Club email: andrewclermont@gmail.com tickets at Club closer to date

Fri 18 House Concert Lambs Valley - Julie & Brian Leaver email: bleaver@activ8.net.au (without Brooke Schiemer)

Sat 19 & SUN 20 at KARUAH : RIVER OF MUSIC (near Hexham/ Newcastle NSW)


Backbeat make it's 20 year rockin' Bluegrass reunion!!!
Celebrating the classic recording "... the sessions..."
Radial Rick (Bass), Brian Dover (Guitar & most songs), Daryl (Jack) Melbourne (Banjo),
Bruce Priddis & Ben Wordsworth (Drums)
The Beez (Germany) - extraordinary Cabaret return from the first Sat till Wed night;
  Mal Webb last seen with Totally Gourdgeous, will feature his
Mouth Music World plus stellar Bass chops all week!
Plus The Hussy Hicks
Andrew Winton & Paul Novosel (WA) Roots journey Slide,
Around the Campfire with Egon "Stories & Songs for all!"
Paul Wookey (VIC) Gold Guitar Winner
& Montz Matzumoto - Banjo
  BluGuru (the post Wedding tour!),  Brookie Schiemer, Stephen O'Hern, Jessica Stocker , Jeri Foreman, Paddy Montgomery, Tullara & Shalane Connors, Pete FidlerLawrie Minson(here & there), Emily Little Taylor Pheiffer the Banjo Girl, return, PLUS !!  Chris Rogers (Mildura) Dobro / Bass/ multi-man (touring with Clermont in Germany July 2012!

Eventually 90 performers turned up to the crowds of 1500 through the week!! A new record!!


**********For the Supper Club on MySpace click here!************

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Special Supper Club @ The Tamworth Capitol Theatre Mon Nov 7th!!

!
**************************************************

Adelaide @ The Gov, 5th June, was Andrew's 50th!!

Jane, Josh, Janet, Hugh, Alex, Jeri, Tim, Andrew (courtesy Bettina) & Andrew



Photos by Sunny Pics - montage by AC
Parvyn Kaur Singh, Josh Bennett, Brookie Schiemer, BluGuru, Stephen O'Hern , Jessica Stocker , Tullara Connors, Andrew Clermont , Lawrie Minson and infact Emily Little on the "BluGuru" Fiddle!!

Seen in May at
7pm Wed 18, The Post Office Hotel, Moree (BluGuru);
Thu 19 with Guitar Workshops arvo/ evening Concert at Golf Club Murrurundi - Fran 0265 466270;
Gunnedah Wolseley Park, 10 am Sat 20 and
Uralla, The McCrossins Mill, 7.30pm thanks to their Arts Councils; 
Sunday 21 North Tamworth Bowling Club 7pm $25 (kids free) for the final fanfare!
For more info call Andrew on 0407 753809


Stoppress!! Tullara Connors joining the Sat&Sun shows

***********************************************************

January 2011 at the North Tamworth Bowling Club
was Jan Sat 15 - Sat 22

Photo Highlights of the Supper Club 2011

by Ross Waldron, Sunshine Poschinger & Peter Brown


Martha Spencer

    

Tim, Jane,Pete, Janet, Hugh, Paddy & Alex, Montz, Jeri, Parvyn, Andrew

Jess Stocker

Quatro from Bundaberg QLD

Daniel Watkins & George Jackson

Whitetop Mountaineers vs BluGuru

The Flatfoot /Kathak Dance off!     YeeHaaNamaste!

              

Janet Gordon , Piano - Tamarisque (SA)

Tullara Connors & Steve O'Hern - under 20 legends

                  

Coolgrass - be afraid, be very afraid!!

Thanks all 80 contributors soo soo Much!

Featuring the return of
The Whitetop Mountaineers (USA Oldtime Bluegrass),
Tamarisque (SA orchestral family band), Josh Bennett & Parvyn Kaur Singh (with Clermont - CD launch - BluGuru), Pete Fidler (Class Dobro),
Steve O'Hern & Tullara Connors ('Stella' Guitars) , Montz Matzumoto(The Pigs & beyond Banjo), Tim Bennett
(freak Bass)& occasionally Elsen Price (Double Bass), Coolgrass (Crazy Bluegrass)
Christian Marsh (Harmonica), Parris Macleod (Keyboards),
Jeridene Foreman on modern Folk Fiddle Styles, Tim Hackett & Rory Ellis (return from UK)
  plus
The Hussy Hicks , Lauren Lee Williams,
Matt Abel (Drums -
hear on BluGuru's Not Real - including Brooke Schiemer
(2 theatre lead roles in a row this year! Congrats!!),
plus
a Reunion from The Kangaroo Pub World Expo Days 1992 with Brent Larkham and Steven Jaymes!! On the Night of Piano!

and so many more always in the Fellowship of the Supper Club

                       


Supper Club at Myspace



 

The Supper Club 2010

Now the Cover of the 2010 recording of The Supper Club!! Out now 70mins of treasures!

L - R Pete Fidler, Jess Stocker, Carl Pannuzzo, Peter Denahey, Liz Frencham, Tami Neilson (Nth America) and Mark Mazengarb NZ, Montz Matsumoto (Japan), Parris Macleod, Clermont & Robbie Long's Guitar! Thankyou all who attended watching or playing so very very much!!
Dedicated to the adventure and youthfulness of passion-driven music
They said, "I thought I'd died & gone to Heaven", "Please, don't ever stop", "This IS the Festival"


And so it is indeed THE 'fringe festival' where you'll see
fiddle/banjo/trombone/sax/piano/hammond/cello/harmonica/mbira/dulcimer/viola/djembe/Double
Bass/accordian/flute/whistle/mandolin/and a host of voices/stories and many surprises
from ALL OVER THE WORLD !!
Each night as unique as each treasured Sunset

with a playful , exotic, all age, surprising, lineup.
Plus on display & for sale - Clermont's "BIG PICS" landscape views from around the world 1.2 m wide in various heights. Some previews can be found in panoramio - more info soon and at myspace below

With glee we inform you that Brooke Schiemer held 2 lead rolls in a row with Tamworths Theatrical Society. Here she is defining her song power

Supper Club at Myspace

 

 

Supper Club 2009

 

Now isn't this the most National Geographic moment!  Martha leads the lads! Brilliant capture by Ross Waldron


L- R Josh Bennett, Alex Gordon, Montz Matsumoto, Daniel Watkins, Jackson, Quentin,  Martha & Andrew Clermont carefully presenting




 

2008



The Supper Club 2008 (see above)

And then you go thinking all is arranged - then look at the uncontrolled who turn up in 2007! 3 Fiddle Champions to start with and a whole lot of Fun! Jess Randall co-ordinates a 15/16 version of Catharisis.
     It's the unexpected treats we love so much at The Supper Club - Treasured times
- Photo by Ross Waldron


 

 

- THE UNOFFICIAL FRINGE FESTIVAL!!
- to Tamworth's Country Music Festival

held at the North Tamworth Bowling Club - Ph 0267 661 987

Season Gold Passes for $150 also available - but only from Andrew Clermont DIRECT

 

- More sold each year! - andrewclermont@optusnet.com.au or
Ph 0407753809

   
See Supper Club Emovies here
 




 

 
  

The Supper Club January TAMFEST 2007

STOPPRESS!!
To celebrate Sophie's wonderous contribution over the
years to the Supper Club, this Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirl
is giving ONE very special night with the Supper Club
BIG Band! New Songs, new stories, Friday Jan 26th.
www.sophieraymond.com

 

Supper Club Players Jan 2007



The Lawnmowers - Launching their New CD - "Second Cut" all week at 9pm (cept Fri 26 and Sat 27 is 7pm). 3xBanjo Champ - Dave Hellens, New Acoustic Guitar via Rob Long, join Clermont for a wild Bluegrass week including Tony Eyers' hot Harmonica on the first weekend.
Extra Special guest will be their new DoubleBass & soaring voice - Liz Frencham (Jigzag) See http://www.themowers.net/



www.TotallyGourdgeous.com
is a tourdeforce - and helped win BEST non-corporate and BEST Overall Tamworth Cavalcade Entry for the Lions Club 2006 !! (Based on the theme "Pub with No Beer", they produced 10 versions in near EVERY music style - Disco, Jamaican to Traditional Waltz!!
- Are you getting the idea!
Kind of Joni Mitchell meets James Brown in Bob Marley's Pumpkin patch via The Muppets!
www.PenelopeSwales.com (the Luthier - converting vine to violin! And guitar/ bass/ percussion etc), Carl Pannuzzo and Mal Webb (with Lano & Woodley) with their respective dot com websites have their audiences laughing hard when not amazed at the antics of their performance . Together with Andrew, you'll never see Clermont the same after this!!
www.MalWebb.com is a renown vocal gymnast, topical songwriter - toilet rolls to whale songs - nothing is too important or trivial! Also a whiz on trombone/ Bass & the African Mbira (thumb piano!) All countries music!
www.CarlPannuzzo.com - choir leader of the 130,000 strong Woodford Fire Event - R&B, Socio-political to AC/DC on songs from Starfish to Pole-sitting!

Below are the gourdatious ones in preparation to take out (with able Lions Club presentation) the Tamworth Cavalcade Best Float in Independant AND overall catagory!!! Woo Hoo! haha


Swales built standard instruments from these non-standard gourds (and they do grow enormously varied) specifically because they are such an easily renewable source of timber. Sold across the world now she has used long bean types for didgeridoo, through to those big enough for Cello & Bass! Instruments from the Flintstones are now ready for you!! But who to play them? Mal & Carl were nearby but they soon called Tamworth's own -

Andrew Clermont who had spent most years of his musically adventurous life gathering surprising (and surprised!) musicians & artists where-ever he appeared. The pinnacle of this is The Supper Club. He's been a Bluegrass Guitar Champion 3 times (see the Re-release of his solo masterpiece 'Homegrown Vol.2' on CD) and seen mostly on Fiddle & Mandolin with Tom T Hall to John Chester, Brian Young to Xavier Rudd & The Waifs. He is a true Chameleon still performing in 5 Bands - Dya Singh (a decade lapping the world Indian Sikh Style!); The Lawnmowers (the cutting 'hedge' of Bluegrass!); Celtic Conundrums (Glen Innes Celtic Fest 2005) and here - The Supper Club; regulars to Vienna(Austria) - Totally Gourdgeous & Fiddlers Feast (their 11th Tamworth)

The BEEZ - Germany!
With great pleasure we present 3 nights inclusion of this very rare group. 4 vocals soaring Unplugged with Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' while giving AC/DC distinct 'TWANG' with a Polish twist of Lime!
A decade across Europe, these guys& gals include Slide Dobro, Ukulele, Accordian, grand fun & theatrics. www.thebeez.de
9pm TUE/WED/THU

The Supper Club welcomes the return of

Annette Eldridge - Cello and Young Australian Award recipient with her younger sister Stephanie (Fiddle Champ when she was just 14!).
Willow Stahlut from the Gypsy Hot Club joined them with Clermont at the Hawksbury National Fiddle Festival this year. She'll likely turn up at the SupClub as well with show stoppers
Turkish Delight returning from Armidale on the Fiddle Night.
Steph has also been seen moonlighting with new CM heroes
"The PIGS" who will also appear in a more cultured version on the Banjo Night & Bluegrass nights with last years extra special guest
Montz Matzumoto - Banjo Maestro from Japan - now enjoying the Adelaide wine valleys.

Exotic Wu PuYu from Taiwan has been an integral part of the Supper Club for quite some years now. Deeply emotive, flying Flautist & concert pianist - she's guarenteed to bring joyous tears to your eye with her riveting performance.

Slowly motoring from Darwin we'll see the return as well of
Steve Teakle - keyboard multi-man from the ol' goanna Piano to Hammond Organ, Cajun Accordian, Melodica and Washboard linking up mainly with The Lawnmowers and whoever else he can't resist!

Likely THE most soaring and nimble fingered violinist to date is
Jess Randall, who won in 2005 and presented the Supper Club with a 'score' to tempt the fearless music readers to a 'Country Concerto'. Stunning it was and we wait with teetering anticipation for the next chapter in 2007



Extra Special Shows are

Sat 9pm NIGHT OF FIDDLE - Previous Champions mingle with a variety of styles and performers. Turkish to Cajun, Ireland to Blacktown, Bluegrass to Bulgarian.

Sun 9pm HARMONICA NIGHT featuring
'REASON TO BREATH'


Christian Marsh - Blues & Chromatic Judge & Champion of Harmonica
Wu PuYu - Classical to Jazz, Country to New Age Flute
Parris Macleod - Piano/Guitar/Percussion - Young Australia Award winner
Plus arguably Australia's greatest Didgeridooist, Tamworth's very own Mark Atkins -as at home in New York's Symphony Orchestra, or Vienna, or Berlin as out back of Dungowan and right here. Performing across the world through Sydney's 2000 ParaOlympics and the Grecian Olympics. He'll be adding jaw-dropping spice.
And if that wasn't enough, the Lawnmowers will be letting Bluegrass Harmonica man, Tony Eyers, as loose as only he can.

Mon 9pm BANJO & OLD-TIME MUSIC
From a 'cultured version of 'The Pigs', Montz Mazumoto - Japan & Europe, Champion picker Dave Hellens with The Lawnmowers and Clermont on some Tenor Banjo 'twang' let alone Matilda Sommers or just a few other possibilities

Tue 9pm THE GIRLS NIGHT with Sarah Carroll (GIT) ; The Eldridge Sisters (Fid Champ & Cello); Penelope Swales; "Hannah" Telford; Pu-Yu Macleod - a favourite from Taiwan, Leslie Avril (French songs!), Jess Randall (FIddle Champ 2005) and usually wonderfully more!

Wed 9pm FINGERPICKING/SLIDE/FLAT-PICKING GUITAR night has the eloquent Tim Rickhards, Jethro (ex-Bourkenback Boys) and nimble Ross Waldron - a wild blend of the many slippery melody makers. Tamworth's Leigh Irvin (The Remains) pedal steel to the warm Dobro of Sydney's Gary Brown plus the slide trumpet & trombone of Mal Webb (we did say Slide!!)
with Clermont anticipating plenty of surprises.



Thu 9pm THE NIGHT OF PIANO (Book Early) - usually quite a few pianos on stage at onceand as in previous years with many surprise players from throughout the Festival. The night will also welcome the return of world renown Sam McNally.

Fri 9pm SPECIAL SUPPER CLUB FEATURE ARTIST of the last years has been the ever-loved Sophie Raymond. Not only a most theatrical and alluring singer songwriter, but also a most consummate musician on Saxophone/ Harmonica/ Guitar & Piano. Creator of various animation clips and part of the Oscar winning 'Harvy Krumpet' film. She has also been helping artists develop themselves overseas with the CrocPot Showcase presentations in Canada & USA. First seen in Tamworth as "The Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirl" show with Vicky Simpson from The Waifs, she has endeared herself to the Tamworth Festival ever since.
Her ONE SHOW ONLY this time is 9pm Friday 26th 9pm

Sat 6pm THE BLUEGRASS CHAMPIONS

We take no prisoners here - always a variety of styles displaying the versatility of this very flexable music source.
Sat 9pm - the ever Fun Filled Finale! Legendary Nights always!

Every night is a new story, you may even talk Clermont into a season pass! Meanwhile the Info Centre and Venue have each show's tickets.







 

 


2006 Jan 22-28 Supper Club Poster & Some Guests

Honourable guest - Champion Banjo player from Japan - Montz Matzumoto


Jess Randall - 2005 NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Champ!





 


Performer Information 2005

Featuring - Stephanie (2002 Champ) and Annette Eldridge, (Young Australian Award winners)










 

NoHoldsBarred Australian Fiddle Contest

Here Dev'lish Mary with Clermont & Montz Matsumoto set the mood

- No.7 in 2007
via the
The Golden Fiddle Awards


The NoHoldsBarred Australian Fiddle Contest last ran during Tamworth's Country Music Festival  January 2008.  The contest is open to all fiddlers (amateur or professional) of any style, not just Bluegrass and Country. Two sections - Youth Award and Open Award.
        In 2009 the Bluegrass Championships started up again finally and the focus shifted back to there for the moment.


The judges take into account all aspects of performance.
Heats will run at Andrew Clermont's Supper Club - 6pm sessions at the North Tamworth Bowling Club on the middle Wed & Thur of Tamworth CM Festival.
 


Grand Final was usually held at the Fiddlers Festival Concert on the last Saturday of the Festival. Interested fiddlers should also attend the Wild Fiddle Night on the first Saturday Night of the Tamworth CM Festival - 9pm at Andrew Clermont's Supper Club (North Tamworth Bowling Club - Bligh St).


Competitors are restricted to one piece of music with a maximum time limit of approximately 5 minutes displaying variety to impress. There are no restrictions on the type of backing used. Judges take in account professional and/or amateur status.


First prize of a $2000 Epoch Electric/Acoustic Violin!!


Register as soon as possible at http://www.goldenfiddleawards.org.au
See also http://www.andrewclermont.com.au/videos/supper/fiddlecontest.htm for emovie sample of some previous Winners.

 


NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Contest Winners 2002 - 2008

2008
L to R is Guest Judge - Tom Fitzgerald (www.peacesongs.info) , Organiser Andrew Clermont,
Ist place winner - Somara Redman (16),
3rd Place - Caitlin MacGowan (17),
2nd place - Louise Brown (12)


 
Tom Fitzgerald, Andrew Clermont, Somara Redman, Caitlin MacGowan and Louise Brown
2007 - Winners
Youth Award - Connor Macgregor 14
Senior Award - George Jackson 17
(New Zealand - now living in Australia)
standing beside Epoch sponsor, Mark Mitchell.
And thanks for their spontaneous performances throughout the Supper
Club evenings and Fiddlers Feast





 
George Jackson - NHB winner 2007

2006 No Holds Barred Fiddle Contest Champions

Aiden Patrick and Emma Barlow -  - both from Gympie, Queensland

 

 

 

 

Aiden Patrick and Emma Barlow - 2006 Champions
2005
Youth Winner
Anna Disher

(Tragically lost her life in a traffic accident soon after - we will miss her dearly - has inspired her family to do great services for women independance in India)

2005 Senior Champion Jess Randall
Now with 'Crooked Fiddle' across the country

 






2004 Results  
Emily Little 8yr old
(Tamworth) Wins the youth section an Epoch 3/4 colour changing model Fiddle
Lachlan O'Donnell -
winning the 2004 HoHolds Barred Fiddle Contest - takes home the Senior Award  Electric/ Acoustic Gold Model
See e-movie here

 

 

NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Contest 2003 Results

 


 

Winner of the Inaugural (NoHoldsBarred) Australian Fiddle Contest for 2002 was:



Stephanie Eldridge


, 13yr old, surprise whizz from Victoria. She followed the win by being invited to play her prize $2000 Epoch Violin at the Golden Guitar Awards - Orange Blossom Special with Mark Oats, Andrew Clermont, Mick Albrecht and the house band. A knock out performance. 12 entries were narrowed down to 3 through the week including Joanne Lack (with John Wibberley) , Hamish Davidson, ( Country college graduate).

 

 

 

WORKSHOPS / SCHOOL COURSES General Information

 

A CRASH COURSE TO MUSICAL FREEDOM
 

How to make what you play, sound like it was always meant to be there. Slotting into someone else's genre/style, recognizing and adopting their idioms and producing the appropriate accompaniment. Rising above and around your Musical Plateau; and a bit on how to go ballistic musically. But wait there's more………

Alternative workshops/schools

Specific tuition in : -

A CRASH COURSE TO MANDOLIN

How to make what you play, sound like it was always meant to be there. Slotting into someone else's genre/style, recognizing and adopting their idioms and producing the appropriate accompaniment. Rising above and around your Musical Plateau; pick techniques and a bit on how to go ballistic musically. Includes a leaning to the blues

A CRASH COURSE TO FIDDLIN'

How to make what you play, sound like it was always meant to be there. Slotting into someone else's genre/style, recognizing and adopting their idioms and producing the appropriate accompaniment. Rising above and around your Musical Plateau; bowing, trills and a bit on how to go ballistic musically. Includes a leaning to the blues

Lowdown Fiddlin` - Blues and other colours of the violin or mandolin
Andrew takes you on a path to explore and express yourself through your instrument/ from Blues to Happy Days. A simple introduction to modes of scales; reactive and interactive playing; going ballistic; working out just what is needed at the time.

Improvisation is but a few notes from where you are now!


 


A CRASH COURSE TO FLAT-PICK BLUEGRASS GUITAR

How to make what you play, sound like it was always meant to be there. Fiddle tunes and the most volume you can extract from your instrument per effort. Rising above and around your Musical Plateau; and a bit on how to go ballistic musically.

 

SOUND ENGINEERING -

focused on live mixing: equalizing the whole sound system: extracting the Real tones from the instruments and voice: stacking the odds and players in your favour for a successful mix.

LEARN TO PLAY DIDGERIDOO: sure-fire techniques to crack the illusive circular breathing/ then the journey begins.

 

 The Fiddle Kids at Denmark , Western Australia in 2009, co-ordinated by Jude Iddson & Marie. A wonderful 'bubble' of Fiddledom between Margaret River, Albany & Denmark

 

 

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April, 2012