We were invited to play tunes at the All Saints Church Fair in South Hobart, Tasmania, in early December 2021 (before our borders opened and masks became a good idea). There were LOTS of stalls and it was a fun day. Their Op shop was also open and it is something to behold! There was the possibility of rain so we snuggled in under a marquee (those of us who are short enough), stowing our cases under the Church hall, in bushes, wherever we could find.
You just never know who you are going to bump into in Hobart. The Hobart City Council asked us to play some tunes on Elizabeth St in central Hobart, Tasmania, at the end of November 2021. Who should we find bouncing around but a very colourful elf who was clearly not at work making toys in anybody’s workshop, but instead was bopping along to our tunes and chatting with passersby. A talking cockatoo in a tree also walked past… or should we say, believe it or not, the tree walked past … it’s in the photo standing innocently behind the elf … like we said, you just never know …
It was sitting room only as we played for the 24th annual Buttongrass Ball at New Town (Hobart) Tasmania, proceeds going to the Tasmanian National Parks Association.
The theme was “Birds on Beaches” in celebration and support of our amazing shorebirds, some of which fly 15,000 km each way to Siberia/Alaska and back every year, but are threatened on our Tasmanian beaches and mud-flats by human, canine and other activity.
Dances were backed by old and new Tasmanian bush/folk dances dedicated to the natural and cultural heritage of Tasmania, and supper kept everybody going!
We do love the Buttongrass Ball.
We visited Campbell Town in Tasmania to play for an event celebrating the town’s history. Everything was happening on the gorgeous village green in the middle of town.
The sun was out in full that day and as it crept slowly over us and then down in front of us, we crept slowly backwards and up under the marquee. HOT string band we may be, but we also try to be cool.
Leading up to Xmas, we had three enjoyable Saturday mornings playing outside Mathers House, as part of a series of events and entertainment sponsored by the Hobart City Council (a big thank you to the events team)
On 5 December 2020 we just managed to beat the rain and thunder to play for le buisson danse … of la Francais style … at South Hobart.
We played for the Folk Federation’s Buttongrass Ball on Friday, 9th October. It was the annual fundraiser event for the NTPA, being our first public gig since Covid-19 appeared. Much playing while sitting at a distance for the dancers, sanitising for all, but it worked well, had a good crowd and much enthusiasm for a good cause.
The band travelled down to the Channel district to play for a family bush dance, which was called by Sarah ‘twinkletoes’ Lewis.
The band, as is customary, again descended on this quaint country town that hosts Tasmania’s premiere folk festival. We were welcomed at a popular eatery where we entertained the passing crowd from their courtyard (thus enabling us to keep our hats on in the howling gale!)
We again took our music to this event, with the weather behaving for once! (you will see that the photos are lacking sleet, wind, unhappy players). The hall was full of colour and daffodil-ly-like smells and we had almost 100% attendance.
HOT String Band 
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