Troubadour Central Coast 2021-22
Presidents Report for AGM,
27 October 2022, Everglades Club
In retrospect, the past year, 2021-22, was a successful year for the Troubadour. We held a large number of well attended events with paid performers at the Everglades Club and started a new and successful series of Club Performance concerts at the Empire Bay community hall. The twice-monthly sessions also continued, the first in Woy Woy with a change of venue to the Lutheran Church Hall, with the perfect address for an Australian folk club, on the corner of Jumbuck and Swagman Cres, in Woy Woy; the second each at the Eco-Gardens in Kariong.
But it was not easy going. The Covid pandemic continued, after a few months of welcome respite, with an enforced lockdown in ‘Greater Sydney’ (which included the Central Coast) that commenced on the night of one of the most anticipated and long awaited concerts scheduled with the New Graces on 26 June 2021 and lasted until mid-October. Four Troubadour events had to be cancelled, breaking our hearts, as were all the Folk Festivals and other musical events at the same time, including the popular St Albans Folk Festival over the Anzac weekend in April 2022. During this time the Troubalukers were also strongly affected as the social isolation precautions used to contain contagion from the Covid-19 virus effectively prevented group practices and performances.
One the rather unexpected impacts of the lockdown strategies was the enthusiasm for the live music events held by the club in late 2021 and early 2022. Unable to use the former St Luke’s Hall in which we had previously held club performances, we are grateful to have been welcomed by the Everglades club and have settled in there comfortably. The facilities and the availability of food and drink proven popular, and we have experienced exceptional attendances at a number of our concerts, as can be seen from the record of the events listed in the Troubadour Performance Calendar 2021-22 on the following page. However the impact of the virus continues. A number of our members and regular attendees regularly report that fear of contagion keeps them attending events.
Similarly, the disappointment we experienced after the cancellation of the Super-Session we had planned for the Sunday of the Australia Day weekend (29 January) this year, provided the motivation to develop an alternative series of events – the very successful monthly Club Performers Nights held now in Empire Bay. These events have proven popular with both performers who are able to book a stage spot of 15 minutes or a shorter blackboard spot, and with other audience members.
The Troubadour was also awarded a grant of $1,000 in May to enable our participation in the inaugural Central Coast Music Festival, scheduled to be held in Gosford in September 2022.
Troubadour Performance Calendar 2021-22
| Date | Performers | Event/ Venue | Paid Attendance |
| 2021
Sat 26 June |
The New Graces (Vic) | Covid -Cancelled | – |
| Sat 28 Aug |
The Water Runners and Tuppenny Uprights (The Baistows) |
Covid -Cancelled | – |
| Sat 25 Sept | Highly Strung Rock and Roll Orchestra | Covid -Cancelled | – |
| Sat 31 October | Anna Saleh Trio | Everglades Auditorium | 94 |
| Sat 27 Nov | Fred Smith and Jane Germain | Everglades Starlight | 100 |
| Sat 18 Dec |
Troubadour End of Year Event |
Everglades Auditorium | 53 |
|
2022 Sat 29 Jan |
Super Session at Kariong Eco Gardens | Covid -Cancelled | – |
| Sat 5 March |
Highly Strung Rock and Roll Orchestra |
Everglades Auditorium | 162 |
| Sat 2 April |
Gordie Tentrees (Yukon, Canada) |
Everglades Auditorium | 63 |
| Sat 9 April |
Troubadour Performers Concert |
Empire Bay Hall | 35 |
| Fri 22-24 April |
St Albans Folk Festival |
Cancelled | – |
| Sat 12 May |
Troubadour Performers Concert |
Empire Bay Hall | 25 |
| Sat 28 May
|
Snez + |
Everglades Starlight | 40 |
| Sat 11 June |
Troubadour Performers Concert |
Empire Bay Hall | 26 |
| Sat 25 June
|
Famous Families of Folk: Karen Law Trio and Margaret and Bob Fagan |
Everglades Starlight | 67 |
The success and strength of the club is undoubtedly due to the community spirit, musical enthusiasm and persistence of its members and others who contribute their time. The contribution of Committee members has been particularly important. MaryAnne Howland as Club Secretary and now as MC and co-manager of the Club Performance nights deserves particular attention, as does the ongoing and very important administration and event planning provided by Ina Fine. Jeff Wille and Mike Madden have been fantastic as our sound engineers, helping the club to present top quality sound that performers and audiences alike applaud.
Hugh Worrall is completely unmissable, as Vice-President of the club, facilitator of our bi-monthly sessions, Co-Director of the Club Performance Nights and as our lighting director, regular stage manager and general assistant. I am also very grateful the efforts also put in by other Committee members this year. Cally Chambers and Mary O’Mahony, and our two associate members Ruth Herman and Sandy Rudman. Thanks are also due to Michael O’Mahony as a Public Officer, and to a number of others.
So much of what we have achieved over the past ten years or so has been due in part or in whole to the fantastic work that Ken Grose has put in in a number of capacities, but particularly as the director of our sound production. Ken is retiring this year from the Committee, but we hope he will continue as an active club member for many years to come. So too must I thank Ruth Herman for her contribution in recent years. We look forward to continuing our association with her in future.
Michael Fine
President, 27 October 2022
The Troubadour Sessions
The sessions continue to chugg along on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month despite fires, floods and covid. We usually find a way and it’s a lovely afternoon! Our session music books continue to develop and provide the structure for us to share our music. Each 3rd Sunday the Kariong Ecogarden has carried us through the pandemic. Being able to meet outside in such a lovely space, under cover, was wonderful. We met at the Kariong Community Hall when the winter was too cold to meet outside and that’s a huge well-ventilated space. We started at the Lutheran Church (on the corner of Swagman and Jumbuck Sts!) for the 1st Sunday of each month in April and have been going there since. We’ve been meeting under the Paperbark trees in the park next to the church when we can and in their dining/meeting space when it’s too cold or wet.
Financially, the sessions are self-supporting. People pay about $4 per session and all the money goes as a donation to the Ecogarden or the Lutheran Church. The Kariong Hall charges $40 per Sunday session (which is very community-minded!).
Hugh Worrall
Vice-President, Facilitator of the Troubadour Sessions.
NOTE: Annual financial reports
Financial are available, but are not published on the web.