Club Red Events

Music has always been magical for me, right back to when I used to listen to my older sister's Beatles' vinyl records, or spend Sunday evenings trying to hit the tape recorder button at the right moment to download my favourite songs off the radio, so as I've cut back on my working hours in my advancing years, I thought why not create some inspirational musical events.

For fourteen happy years, I ran a backpackers' hostel business in Perth, where I had my own small bar. I played guitar and sang with thousands of backpackers, jamming with all levels of musical talent from beginners to potential contenders for talent shows. Random jam sessions would break out whenever someone started playing a guitar and I saw all kinds of innovation from young travellers using upturned coffee tins for drums to people finding tambourines and mouth organs at charity shops.

As the Irish like to say, 'the craic was mighty!', meaning we had an absolute ball.

Music inspires people and brings people together. You know that feeling, I'm sure, when you hear a song and it takes you back to a special moment in your life. Memories come flooding back to you.

I missed my happy days of guitar nights or karaoke nights in my little bar, so I began to play in Open Mics, and I especially love playing with the welcoming muso's in Bali whenever I'm on holiday.

Anyway, in early 2026, I relaunched an open mic night at the Kalamunda Tap House, thanks to a collaboration with the owner, Mark Starling (also a musician) and in collaboration with another old friend and musician, Jon Elbery. The venue has great food, wines and craft beers, and friendly service.

So far, these have been a great success, scheduled on the first Tuesday evening of every month, and it has given some local amateur musicians a wonderful platform to get used to playing in front of a live audience. My only challenge is to ensure that the standard of performance is reasonable enough to be enjoyable for the diners in a commercial enterprise. We don't want to scare away Mark's customers!