Author: Hobart Old Time String Band

Entertaining the crowd at the Family Fun Night held at Bunnings Derwent Park on Thursday Dec 7th 2023

We were excited to play again for the Buttongrass Ball, this year held on Sat April 29th. We love playing for this Ball! The dancers had a lot of fun and really made playing for them a lot of fun for us too.

Sustainable Living Tasmania held their Big Weekend on Sat 25th and Sun 26th March 2023 at the Brighton Civic Centre, and Botanical Institute not far from Hobart, Tasmania. It was a Free Family Event and there were lots and lots of ideas for everybody and lots going on all weekend. We played there on Saturday and enjoyed exploring the various stalls beforehand and after.

The atmosphere was wonderful at the Wooden Boat Festival this year; happy and relaxed crowds found lots to enjoy on top of the fabulous variety of boats.

We played for a bit beside the lively Salamanca Market, as we love to do from time to time, then made our way onto the deck of a boat moored amongst the rest of the nautical throng. It was a really gorgeous day.

The Cygnet Folk Festival was back on again this year from first stirrings on Thursday Jan 12th to final official notes played and sung on Sunday Jan 15th. It was wonderful for musicians and festival-goers to meet up and enjoy a vast array of music and fun together. The weather was great, although a bit wiltingly hot on Saturday, and the festival was friendly and relaxed.

HOT String Band at The Port Cygnet Cannery

We began with a performance at The Port Cygnet Cannery early on Saturday afternoon, enjoying the spacious, cool atmosphere inside. It’s a lovely venue to play in.

A very hot string (and accordionist) band

Later on in the afternoon we played tunes for bush dances being taught by Fiona for anybody who wished to join in. It was sweltering and we were in awe of the dancers who skipped about regardless!

We love dancers!

We finished the day with a concert on the stage at Loongana Park where folk could lie back on the grass and enjoy a smorgasbord of entertainment. It was windy and the shelter kept billowing down onto the heads of those of us at the back, but at least it was jamming our hats on!

At Loongana Park

What a great day! Thank you Cygnet Folk Festival Organisers.

On Saturday Dec 10 2022 we had a wonderful time playing at the annual All Saints Christmas Market in Hobart. The weather was kind and we even had a portrait done by a young artist!

Under cover in case of rain but luckily for the stallholders and visitors it was fine if a bit chilly at times, then hot at others! Normal Tassie day.

What a great portrait!!! Thanks Eadie!

We are excited to have been invited again to play for the next Buttongrass Ball on Sat April 29th 2023. We love playing for this Ball and hope you’ll join us!

We were fortunate to be visited on 10th November 2022 by Smith Allen Peterson i.e. Beverly, Kellie and Pete, touring Australia from U.S.A, at our practice session. They play fiddle guitar and banjo and demonstrated their old-timey style to us. This was really good to reinforce the roots of our band with the emphasis on ‘keep it simple’ and rhythmic unison. 

On Saturday October 15th 2022 we met up at the lobster pots beside the Salamanca Market in Hobart and enjoyed sharing a few tunes with passersby.

Oh my goodness, Saint James Hall at New Town in Hobart was absolutely brimming with energy on Saturday evening April 30 2022. The band had a ball (so to speak) playing for everybody as David Wanless and Sarah Lewis ushered them through a series of slow and fast and simple and more intricate dances. There was a lot of rollicking noise and bounce and we hoped we could still be heard, but if not, it obviously didn’t matter! The Broom dance was pretty gripping (no pun intended) for us to watch from our spot on the stage, and it was delightful when people had the steps down pat then started adding their own flavour. Words about the reason for the Ball, fundraising for the protection of our beautiful south coast wilderness, were heartfelt and illuminating. What a night!