Bigger and better than ever before.
Melbourne is a city with a lot of signature things: the Nylex sign, Merri Creek, the AFL grand final and the Lilydale train line. If you’re a six-string enthusiast, however, chances are the Melbourne Guitar Show is close to the top of your fave Melbourne institutions. This year’s MGS program is better than ever, offering a timetable of events drowning in so much talent that you should probably BYO life jacket. It can be intimidating when everything on the two-day calendar is a winner, so we’ve done you a solid and narrowed down Beat’s top eight picks for this year’s Melbourne Guitar Show. Check them out below.
Sarah McLeod
McLeod is arguably best known for fronting the ARIA Award-winning Aussie rock group The Superjesus. Following the band’s initial split in 2004, McLeod embarked on a solo career for the history books. McLeod’s solo career has continued her shredding legacy, joining groove with soul and pop with hard rock techniques. Her latest album, Rocky’s Diner, came out in 2017, so be sure to catch a mix of new and old, electric and acoustic, on the Marsh Whammy Bar stage on Saturday August 3.
Ella Belfanti
Definitely one of the younger artists to pop up on this year’s MGS calendar, Belfanti is a 20-year-old vocalist and guitarist. She hails from the Gold Coast and takes inspiration from artists such as The Cat Empire, The Superjesus and Florence + The Machine. It’s hard to go wrong with those influences and Belfanti definitely hasn’t. Her percussive style of guitar playing has captured the eye of critics around the country and will definitely capture you too. So head down to the Exclusively Acoustic Stage on Saturday August 3 to watch this young gun in action.
Ash Grunwald
Grunwald is a seasoned veteran of the Aussie music industry, having released eight studio albums over his 18-year career. A locally-raised legend, Grunwald’s music is constrained to no single subculture or genre. His aim is to simply represent the inhabitants of Earth, while asking for protection of its natural wonders. Most notably, his appreciation of the American soul and blues scene is palpable (his first recorded song was a cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Going Down Slow’). It’s all well and good to describe it in words, but this is one event you really should see with your own two eyes, so catch Grunwald on the Marsh Mezzanine Stage on Saturday August 3.
Tone design for prog metal guitar
In this workshop, James Norbert Ivanyi will take you through the proper dial settings for prog metal textures, spanning all the way from a rhythm setting to a lead setting. Ivanyi is one of Sydney’s most treasured multi-instrumentalists, having self-released three instrumental albums since his solo debut in 2013. Of all the people to show you how to design your tone correctly, Ivanyi – with his modern metal meets 1970s prog rock style – is the man for the job. Check out this workshop in the Winners Circle Workshop Room at 11.30am on Sunday August 4.
Triple M Jam
Undeniably the crowning jewel of the Melbourne Guitar Show every year, the Triple M jam should not be missed. The biggest names on the roster meet with newcomers and something beautiful is born: a jam session for the ages. How many guitarists is too many on one stage? Trick question, the limit does not exist. This year’s jam is held on Sunday August 4 at the Marsh Whammy Bar stage. Pop by because you never know who might end up on stage.
Minnie Marks
Minnie Marks has been described by the show’s organisers as “an insane talent”. Playing two separate sets this year, Marks will churn through some out-of-control riffs that she titles, “dirty sweet rock’n’roll”. Marks is renowned internationally for her singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist prowess, so it’s a real gift to have her showcasing her talents at the MGS in 2019. Be sure to catch her on the Exclusively Acoustic Stage at 1.30pm on Sunday August 4.
The world of acoustic guitar
When you think of the quintessential guitar image, chances are something akin to a classic country-style acoustic comes to mind. This show will take you on a journey through culture and time via the diverse stylings of Nick Charles, Lloyd Spiegel, Van Larkins and more. Join this exploration on the Marsh Mezzanine Stage at 1.40pm on Sunday August 4.
Keith Merrow clinic
One of this year’s biggest international names, Keith Merrow is bringing his playing, songwriting, producing, engineering, demonstrating and teaching skills to the MGS, courtesy of Schecter Guitars. Having honed his six-string skills playing technical and modern heavy metal tunes, Merrow will be hosting a clinic in the Winners Circle Workshop Room, showing punters how to get the most out of their Schecters. Head over at 1.30pm on Saturday August 3 to see how it’s done.
The Melbourne Guitar Show will be held at the Caulfield Racecourse between Saturday August 3 and Sunday August 4. For more info, head to the event website.
