The Dirt Floor Alliance will be playing a few gigs from Brisbane to the Sunshine coast.
It’s not all about the dust of the outback although one could be forgiven for thinking so when the words ‘dirt floor’ get bandied about.
But if not dust, then sparks will certainly fly when the bluegrass & blues-based Dirt Floor Alliance play their first Australian gigs in July.
“The dirt floor bit has to do with the music and poems we perform,” says Steve Apirana from his home in Cooran on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
“It’s a sort of bluegrass, country blues and folk mix based loosely on what gets called American roots music. My mate Jim Doak is a bluegrass player of some renown while Ainsley my wife sings heavenly, Carter Family harmonies. Add Mark Raffills’ performance poetry and my gospel blues background to the mix and you’ve got the dirt floor sound – an alliance of friends whose hearts beat to the same rhythm, you could say.”
The Dirt Floor Alliance is playing venues in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast during the latter half of July this year – the first time the group will have performed together in Australia.
“We’ve played four separate tours throughout New Zealand over the last three years or so,” Steve explains.
“Jim and Mark live in Nelson and have organised the NZ gigs for the group with Ainsley and myself hopping on a plane to join them. This time the travelling roles will be reversed and it is Ainsley who has arranged this low key tour for us.”
Steve and Ainsley have performed solo and as a duo throughout Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe. Between them they have released four albums.
The Venues
- Monday 18 July: Music Kafe, West End, Brisbane 8.30 pm
- Wednesday 20 July: Kookaburra Folk Club, Paddington, Brisbane 7.30 pm
- Friday 22 July: Cooran Memorial Hall 7.30 pm
- Saturday 23 July: China Town Mall, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane 11.30 am
- Saturday 23 July: Community Hall, Tambourine Mountain 7.30 pm
- Sunday 24 July: Point Lookout Bowls Club, Stradbroke Island 3.00 pm
- Saturday 30 July: Turners Farm, Eudlo, Sunshine Coast 5.00 pm
- Sunday 31 July: The Vine Community Church, Springwood, Brisbane 6.00 pm