Lucky Bar – Big Night Out Benefit Concert – December 12

Jack McCoubrie plays in ‘Late Night Tales’ band and says, “Lucky Bar & Café has been very good to us. They never charge for security and also provide a sound system. It is important to bands like ours to have such a supportive venue as there is not a wide selection of such venues to play at in Whanganui.”

So during lockdown the band came up with the idea of having a benefit concert for Lucky Bar & Cafe, partly because it “helped kick off our band to the next level.” However, the Bar was sold but the new guys are carrying on the helpful approach.

Apart from this support, Jack says, “It has an underground bar charm and although it has been done up it still has the vibe. They have upgraded it while retaining the charm. It is a warm, safe place to go to.”

Jack contacted a number of bands and they were more than happy to play for free. All profits will be donated to Lucky Bar. The bands include:

• Well known ‘Damm Raucous Brass’ which includes father and son, Bruce and Hamish Jellyman.
• Ripple Effect – they are from Palmerston North. Jack describes them as “really nice people playing a catching reggae style.”
• DRXNES – again genuinely nice guys “who are now quite big nationally but are down to earth. They didn’t need to get involved but they were more than happy to help out.”
• Late Night Tales, who include another well-known Whanganui musician, Chris Skudder. Hamish Jellyman will also join them for a song or two.

The cost is $5 to $10, deliberately kept cheap to encourage as many people as possible to come. It starts at 6.30pm and goes till 2am. Lucky Bar & Café is at 53 Wilson Street.

River City Press 10/12/20