The Weekend Warriors are an integral part of the regular music at The Gov, generally hosting monthly showcase jams in the Front Bar on Saturday afternoons.
We caught up with club President, Rob Green, to find out about the group.
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I’ve been playing in bands for over 40 years.
I got started in Weekend Warriors in Round 8, and we’re now in Round 40! That’s over 10 years!
What is so great about the Weekend Warriors?
Meeting lots of like-minded musicians and being able to create bands across different genres. You can find people that love similar sounds to yourself.
There’s something for everyone – whether you’re into soul, country rock, blues, anything.
The beauty of it is that because we’re non-profit it makes it a lot easier because everybody simply does it for the fun of it.
How does it work?
People register and go through Weekend Warriors national program.
Say you’re a shower singer for example. You enlist in the program and they listen to you, and then you go through the round and put on a show at The Gov to strut your stuff on stage.
Once you’ve played that gig you then become a member of the local branch and can join the club, meet everyone and hook up with people looking for a singer.
That can lead to getting out to play gigs like at Club Cool and the Front Bar at The Gov as well as at Council shows and different showcases.
What’s it like playing shows at Club Cool, the monthly event for people with disabilities and their families?
We love it! It’s always so much fun.
We’ve started to regularly play a well-known song and getting 8-9 people up on stage to play along with us. It’s so great to see their faces.
The Weekend Warriors have had a long association with The Gov, what do you get up to here?
We call it our clubrooms. It’s fantastic to be associated with such an iconic hotel.
We’ve got a round kicking off in October and we like to do a Saturday afternoon once a month in the front bar, which keeps us getting together and catching up.
Are new members welcome?
Absolutely! We have long-term people in the club, but are always encouraging new players.
It’s definitely a great way to get out and keep music being played live.
It’s for everyone, no matter the age or level of skill – you can join in and have some fun. “
