The Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club will celebrate the 75th anniversary of moving to its present site, with a 1940s themed evening on Friday, February 2.
The night will feature music of such greats as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Hoagy Carmichael, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and many more, the club promising an evening of nostalgia rarely seen around Paynesville.
The night will turn back the clock with ‘classic’ swing, jazz and popular music of the 1940s, when it all began.
Noting a significant anniversary for the club was approaching Commodore, Neil Smith, who has been overseeing a number of musical events at the venue in recent months, including popular open-mic Sundays, and monthly Friday evening music sessions, leapt on a great excuse for a party.
“We’re drawing good crowds to our regular music events, but we wanted to celebrate the 75th anniversary with something more than just a few drinks, and a good dose of musical nostalgia seemed to be the obvious answer,” Smith said.
The evening, which is open to all club members, visitors, guests, and our local community, will feature a four-man combo comprising local artists Chris Bishoff (keyboards), Ernie Walker (sax/clarinet), Dave Morton (drums) and vocalist Tony Porter, all well-established in their respective fields.
For the Paynesville gig, they’ve drawn up an impressive list of music from the 40s and earlier, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be all Greek to the ears of younger people.
“Most of the songs on the playlist are standards that are well-known today, many of them having been revived by artists of the rock era, such as Rod Stewart and Linda Ronstadt,” Smith said.
The Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club opened in its present site on January, 31, 1949.
The February 2 event will kick off early, at 6:30pm, with the bar open at 6.pm (no BYO), with patrons welcome to bring along their own takeaway meals or nibbles to take in the sunset over the water while the music plays. All are welcome, with no cover charge.
