Twenty-eight years ago, Tom moved from Chippendale to Katoomba, and on his first night out, packing his harmonica tin in search of live music, a non-trad Irish session at The Family Hotel just down the road, he struck up a friendship with the only muso not playing Irish covers, folk guitar wizard/singer and painter Graham Hallett. In the next decade, Graham played with a number of outfits, particularly Keith Young’s Irish/English & The Ragamuffins, all over the State and at the National in Canberra. Meanwhile, Tom & Graham held down a long weekly residency at The Parakeet in Katoomba and guested at other cafes around town, always unplugged, covering American alt-country and mid-Atlantic folk, but with Tom establishing a fiction writing vocation and Graham accelerating his life as a visual artist, the music never left town. Later they were stalwarts at the Duffy’s Clarendon sessions and occasionals in the Duffy’s Fab Folk collective servicing events, but never played Blue Mountains Music Festival, preferring to remain off-grid. The long collaboration ended when Tom left the mountains for the Central Coast in 2003. Seven years later, the BluesAngels trio of Tom, Cec Bucello and Frank Russell began to tread the boards, and the rest is Coast folk blues history.
Over the following years, people mentioned to Tom they’d really like to see the Hallett/Flood duo again, and a few months back, while scanning for a second act at Hotel Gosford, Tom thought why not. He rang Graham, now a well-known Blue Mountains landscape painter, cajoled him out of his tiny, oil-smeared studio (“But I haven’t picked up a guitar in three years!”) and they began putting sets together in the glow of the mountains’ autumn.
On May 6 Hallett/Flood debuted in the 21st century on a magical night of Graham’s flatpicking and Tom’s fingerstyle guitar, banjo, harmonica f/x and slide guitar at Hotel Gosford 1st Saturdays Folk, right after Blues Angels, with songs from writers Doc Watson, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Tim Buckley, Sir Walter Scott, Percy Mayfield, Gillian Welch, John Prine, Ronee Blakley, the Incredible String Band, Paul Siebel, Fred Neil, Jackson Frank, John Martyn and Tom Flood.’
They expected it might have been a once-only experience, but now, with gigs booking at Foghorn and other smaller coast bars, the Troubadour Folk Club of Woy Woy in lieu, and others messaging, it looks like the seeding of a new phase. What it will be is not to be missed – and we don’t expect the mountain’s patrons of quality venues will want to miss out either.
Slack-Off Sundays:
Its Sunday night, which means tomorrow is Monday. You could stay at home and iron a couple of long-sleeved shirts for the week ahead, but let's face it, you're gonna sit on the couch and watch tv and leave that chore to the morning. Forget that, head out to Aunty Jack's, grab a great meal and catch some of the best live music in NSW! 6:00-8:00 pm, family-friendly, free event. Slack-off this Sunday and make the weekend last a little longerl
Reservations:
Reservations are recommended for booth seating, however, please note that booths will only be reserved for patrons intending to enjoy a meal . . . but don't worry, if you're just coming along for a drink and/or a nibble, there are communal tables and bar stools on the lower level. Aunty Jack's offers full table service for diners.
What is Aunty Jacks?:
The best-est and most kitschi-est slice of retro Australiana this side of Paul Hogan throwing a prawn on the barbie! Put on your best 'thongs' (those are flip-flops, or 'flimsy sandals' for our non 'occa' speaking friends) and head to Katoomba's best 'underground' restaurant and bar (it's not a secret, it's literally under the ground in a basement - we'd keep it a secret but that's bad for business). Forget small servings of deconstructed dishes that you saw last night on Masterchef (who wants a meal out that requires assembly anyway), think 'chips, bits and gravy', 'chicken parma bites', 'meat & 3 veg', or a 'zucchini burger' for those who choose to make friends with salad. Whilst the food might remind you of a time when your grandmother used to make you a spam sandwich before you went outside to run under a sprinkler (the smartest thing kids had to play with before iPhones), the bar is all about the best beer, wine and cider you can get your hands on today . . . but don't worry - beer comes in 'tinnies' so you’ll feel right at home. If that doesn't take the lamington, Aunty Jack's is home to the best cocktails (and mocktails) in the Mountains. Long story short, the food is tasty, the bar is 'fully stocked' bro, and it’s family friendly . . . and your Aunty is welcome (even if she has a moustache).
Where is Aunty Jack’s?:
122 Katoomba street, Katoomba. If you're driving and hit Echo Point, Skippy or the Milkybar kid - turn around and ask for directions . . . unless you're a man, in which case you continue driving until you’re ready to admit you're lost.
. . . Who is Aunty Jack?:
There’s an Aunty Jack in every family. She’s the one who never had kids of her own, but knew that family was more important than anything; who travelled far and wide but always called Australia home; who wasn’t afraid to break from tradition, making new ones of her own along the way; who was unconventional and unpredictable, but always loyal and dependable; who collected trinkets wherever she went, but knew memories were the best souvenirs; who was the keeper of all the family recipes and secret ingredients; There’s an Aunty Jack in every family.