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Checkerboard Lounge goes to Memphis!

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Infamous blues/roots/improvisation band, 'Checkerboard Lounge' (not to be confused with the first non-segregated club in Chicago, its namesake), have been an underground institution of Melbourne, Australia for 33 years, honouring and breaking the traditions of blues and soul, now writing classic-sounding originals.

We won the 2019 MBAS Blues Challenge, the prize of which is representing Australia in the International Blues Challenge in January 2020 in Memphis Tennessee! 

We need help getting over the line to make it all happen! The prize included funds from MBAS, Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society, as a passionate community of supporters and promoters of the blues, keeping it well and truly alive in Melb, for flights and accomodation while in Memphis. We couldn't have even got off the ground without them! But we are hoping to make the best and most of our opportunity while there, so will have other accom costs, hire car, film crew and on-road expenses PLUS the opportunity to record an album in Austin Texas while we're there - exciting!

It's a dream come true for us, having almost never left the state, let alone Australia and to the home of the music we love so much. So we're asking the plethora of fans from over the years, many of whom fled Melbourne since the days of our famed 7 year residency at the Great Britain, - and many of whom we don't know how or where to find - to support us in our journey. SO it would be super generous of you to share this news with all your contacts as you never know who among your fellow-travellers remember us. 

After a relative hiatus, we reformed with what is a formidable line-up of players: master guitarist Shannon Bourne; Hammond organ virtuoso Tim Neal, the inimitable and grave-deep groovy Amos Sheehan joining me, singing drummer Carl Pannuzzo in what is the healthiest and most fun thing i do and that i want to do for years to come. The listening and responsive skill of this awesome foursome, makes for some electric and hauntingly dynamic event moments in music, no two shows being the same. And we have a right old time of it that is said to be infectious and spell-binding to our crowds.

After all these years, we finally have the opportunity to put ourselves on a map and see the fruit of our age-ripening experience come to the world's attention. We'd be the most grateful cats in the world for anything big or small that you can chip in with - and spreading the news!

Thanks a mill!

Carl
Checkerboard Lounge
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Donations 

  • Amanda Lai
    • $50 
    • 4 yrs
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Fundraising team: Checkerboard Lounge (2)

Carl Pannuzzo
Organizer
Raised $1,220 from 12 donations
Bellfield VIC
Checkerboard Lounge
Beneficiary
Tim Neal
Team member
Raised $1,510 from 6 donations
This team raised $3,947 from 45 other donations.

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