Swagman are like their namesakes a travelling bunch of musicians, just as familiar with the railroad as they are their own homes. They hail from simpler times (way back as far as twenty eighteen) when you could earn a keep on 4/4 time and a guitar pick moulded from the finest bakelite.
Now they are futuristic relics, forging their way through a dense jungle of threads, reels and tweets to entertain friend and foe alike wherever the railroad takes them. Next stop Newtown and the Moon. They are swagmen, they play tribal jazz and they are here for you!
Swagman grew from a musical re-connection between monster drummer Brent McFarlane, Guitarist Joe Callwood (Little Bushman/Stretchfoot), and the multi talented Gabe Davidson (Alto sax, Baritone Sax, Vibraphone, Keyboard and Percussion).
The three members of Swagman last played together in in the Mr. Bungle inspired group ‘Moeski’, which gained something of a cult following in the 90’s Wellington underground.
The music of Swagman could best be described as ‘Tribal Jazz’, taking influences from jazz improvisation, but also from the Tuareg desert blues of North Africa, Latin American Samba and Bossa Nova rhythms, Moroccan music.
Before the show Moon has The Good Taste Selector DJs playing from 6pm
