One meaning of ukulele ‘is jumping flea’ in reference to the movement of the player’s fingers but ukulele also means ‘the gift that came here’.
This second definition provides an excellent phrase for the upcoming Melbourne Guitar Show weekend, most surely a gift that has come to Melbourne’s Caulfield race course for guitars lovers everywhere. Oh, in case you’re wondering ukuleles as well as almost every possible type of guitar, electric, acoustic plus ‘FX and amps’ will be both on display and utilized. You will also see vintage guitars getting an airing.
I caught up with Rob Walker, AMA CEO, to have a chat about the event. As well as chatting about guitars Rob mentioned to me that he loves and is a regular visitor to Tasmania. Rob visits once a year, usually taking in MONA, the rainforests of the Derwent Valley, Battery Point and Salamanca.
From Tassie to Caulfield our chat turns to the Melbourne Guitar Show. Rob says it is open to all guitar retailers, makers (as well as watching product demonstrations you can learn how to make a guitar) and guitar lovers. There will be seminars and panels to ask questions of, free guitar lessons from ‘Professor guitar’ and ‘Professor bass’ but for those who just want to relax and listen to music, there will be a special blue grass as well as many other musical genres demonstration. Some of the best players in the world will be there to showcase their craft such as Jeff Lang, Jeff Hutchins and the first lady of guitar, in fact disregarding gender one of the first ‘people’ of guitar who just happens to be an Australian, Fiona Boyes. Rob says Australia is privileged to have some of the greatest guitar players in the world.
And Rob laughingly tells me he will be there on the day, doing a lot of ‘pointing’ as things get set up for the busy weekend. Rob adds that guitars are a love affair for their players, who are always searching for the guitar that gives that ‘extra’ sound. They are, says Rob a ‘lifelong obsession’ including his! and he hopes some Tasmanians will come along and join that obsession.
The Melbourne Guitar Show is on …
SATURDAY AUG 8 | CAULFIELD RACECOURSE |10.00am – 6.00pm | TICKETS http://bit.ly/1ELWAS8
SUNDAY AUG 9 | CAULFIELD RACECOURSE | 10.00am – 6.00pm | TICKETS http://bit.ly/1ELWAS8
Paula Xiberras
