The Bellarine’s Queen of the Ukulele and one of Australia’s treasured singer/songwriters will perform in Ocean Grove later this month.
Sarah Carroll and Neil Murray will grace the stage at The Studio@54 for a pleasant Sunday afternoon of music and storytelling.
Murray was a founding member of the Warumpi Band, which was the first major influential Aboriginal rock group with mostly Indigenous members. He was recognised as one of Australia’s foremost songwriters at the APRA Awards of 1995 by winning Song of the Year for ‘My Island Home’.
Carroll needs no introduction to music lovers on the Bellarine. The Clifton Springs resident has performed at most of Australia’s high-profile festivals and has supported the likes of Kinky Friedman, Mic Conway, Old Man Luedecke, Eddi Reader, Renee Geyer, Tim Rogers and Monique Brumby.
“Neil and I will take turns in playing, I’ll go first and he will go second,” Carroll says.
“We’re continuing a tradition we’ve established for the last four years where we get together.
“He contacts me once a year and says let’s do a weekend and I book it.”
Carroll says she enjoys working with Murray.
“It’s funny, Neil has a reputation as a fairly dour individual, but I like dour men and I was married to a dour man for many years and I understand the dour man,” she says.
“I have a lot of respect for him. He’s been helping white Australia understand black Australia.
“I always learn something from Neil every time we work together.”
Carroll had a better 2020 than most musicians caught up in the pandemic.
“I did a lot of music from home last year – lots of online stuff,” she says.
“I was asked to be part of a number of online events and got to play a couple of local shows towards the end of the year.
“And now things are starting to open up I have a tour booked for the southwest of Victoria.
“I feel like one of the lucky ones. I teach music at the local high school so I was still able to keep working and earn a living.”
Carroll has performed at The Studio@54 once before. She says the venue is a “small space, but it works really well”.
“It’s secluded,” she says.
“It has an atmosphere all its own. It’s a classy environment.”
Carroll says punters can expect a “show that is full of deep emotions, humour and great storytelling”.
The gig is at The Studio@54, Ocean Grove, on Sunday February 28 from 2pm to 5pm. Go to trybooking.com/BOMLC for tickets.
