Upcoming Gigs.
Fred Smith @ Nannup Music Festival
Songwriter, diplomat, philosopher, poet and raconteur, in 2025 Fred Smith was awarded an Order of Australia for services to music and foreign affairs. Reflecting this improbable combination, his songs blend shimmering melody with hard-nosed realism to paint a vivid picture of the world we live in.
Australian Folk Music Awards Solo Artist of the Year (2022), “Fred Smith is simply the best folk/country musician working in this country…beyond writing some of the finest songs about Australians at war, he has created a repertoire that is wry, literate, witty, powerfully emotional and insightful.” (Bruce Elder, SMH).
With whip-smart lyrics, wry humour, some lovely melodies, and a brain and a heart, he consistently offers performances rich in thought and feeling.
Fred is the subject of an Australian Story documentary about his work in Afghanistan and on peace keeping operations in the war-torn islands of the South Pacific. His song-cycles have become important historical documents bringing to life the human complexities of the countries he has worked in: PNG, the US, Afghanistan and most recently Australia.
Backed by a band of WA’s most sensitive musicians, Fred will be presenting a range of sets rich in thought, feeling and story. With an extraordinary back catalogue of songs and new material, Fred Smith never repeats a song at a festival. Fred Smith and band will be performing songs from his rich back catalogue and his new shows “America” and “Domesticity” which premiered to five-star reviews at the Adelaide Fringe.
“Fred Smith is an Australian national treasure. Diplomat, philosopher, poet and raconteur, his songs reverberate with the prophetic voice of humanity.” (Peter Wilkins, Canberra Critics Circle)
Fred Smith "America" @ Fremantle Park Club
FRED SMITH'S TRAGICOMICAL MUSICAL SAFARI THROUGH THE USA, A TROUBLED COUNTRY JUST SOUTH OF CANADA
With America in the midst of ‘interesting times’, Fred Smith and band take audiences on a musical safari through the United States of Anxiety to help make sense of it all. One of the few Australian folk singers with both a US merchant mariner's license and a US Marine Corps medal, Smith spent four years working American cruise ships, touring the interstate highways, and living with soldiers in Afghanistan. Drawing on his travelogue albums Texas and Great, the show blends songs, stories, and sharp observations to deliver a wry take on American politics, history, and quirks. Expect Fred doing what he does best: weaving music, yarns, images, and humour into a sympathetic account of a complex society—a nourishing feast for those who like substance with their song. Featuring David Hyams, Josh Gray and Reuben Kooperman.
Fred Smith "Domesticity" @ Arts Narrogin
Fred Smith, with his band, presents Domesticity – a show that will touch you where you live: at home!
After years in Afghanistan, Fred Smith returns with something completely different: reports from the domestic frontier!
This concert is a collection of love songs for middle aged people! These have been described as
“a stunning cycle of deeply personal songs about marriage, babies, love, tolerance, decency and the complexity of modern life … sublime study in tenderness and vulnerability”.
Bruce Elder (SMH)
Backed by some of Australia’s most sensitive musicians, Fred Smith brings his trademark subtlety, with and observation to bear on the quiet struggles in our little lives: the homes we live in, the children we raise, the marriages we hope to sustain, and the dishwasher we wish would work.
Fred Smith "Domesticity" @ Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre
Fred Smith, with his band, presents Domesticity – a show that will touch you where you live: at home!
After years in Afghanistan, Fred Smith returns with something completely different: reports from the domestic frontier!
This concert is a collection of love songs for middle aged people! These have been described as
“a stunning cycle of deeply personal songs about marriage, babies, love, tolerance, decency and the complexity of modern life … sublime study in tenderness and vulnerability”.
Bruce Elder (SMH)
Backed by some of Australia’s most sensitive musicians, Fred Smith brings his trademark subtlety, with and observation to bear on the quiet struggles in our little lives: the homes we live in, the children we raise, the marriages we hope to sustain, and the dishwasher we wish would work.
Jon Cope Celtic County Blues @ Your Roots Are Showing - Belfast, UK
From Fremantle, Western Australia, singer-songwriter Jon Cope is a folk roots musician whose music has taken him across continents, from Australia to Asia to Europe. Playing a compelling mix of original songs and timeless folk classics, Jon’s rich vocals and evocative storytelling bring warmth and depth to every performance.
His latest music project, Jon Cope Celtic County Blues, brings together an intergenerational collective of Australian folk and jazz musicians. Together, they craft an immersive blend of heartfelt contemporary folk, reimagined trad ballads, and soulful blues roots, infused with the spirit of jazz improvisation and folk spontaneity. Their live shows are vibrant, genre-blending and authentic, resonating across generations.
“Jon Cope is the best male folk singer in the West Australian folk scene.”
— Terry Bonnett, WA Folk Federation, 2021
Jon’s career spanned music festivals, concert halls, folk clubs, and pub gigs, and his versatility as an engaging performer shines through. As a young musician, he spent many years travelling the curious ‘scenic route’ of the industry, living in Ireland and the UK, and touring throughout Europe, Asia and Australia playing solo and with previous bands. In recent years, he’s worked in the Australian world and folk music industry as a director, manager, and producer of festivals, concerts, and film. Performing and touring again now with his new band with intergenerational family connection is a great privilege and joy to share.
Festival appearances include:
• Australia: National Folk Festival, Port Fairy Music Festival, Illawarra Folk Festival, Fairbridge Festival, Nannup Music Festival, Blues at Bridgetown festival, Bunbury Shanty Festival, and the Albany International Folk and Shanty Festival.
• International: Cropredy Festival (UK), Warwick Folk Festival (UK), Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland), Celtic Festival of Japan, among others.
Folk and World Music Industry Roles
Jon is the Artistic Director of the Fairbridge Festival, a renowned three-day folk, world, and roots music event held since 1993 at Fairbridge Village near Pinjarra, Western Australia. For over three decades, the festival has showcased a rich and diverse program featuring traditional and contemporary folk, world, and roots music, along with related arts. It proudly presents a dynamic mix of international, national, regional, and local artists.
(Website: www.fairbridgefestival.com.au)
Jon is the Producer and Facilitator of World Music Café, a regular performance platform that celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity through music. Established in 2019, World Music Café engages professional and community artists from a range of cultural backgrounds across Perth, Western Australia. As a successful social enterprise, it also provides employment, training, and social connection for the crew of refugees and new migrants. Jon and World Music Cafe was a national Social Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in 2022.
(Website: www.worldmusiccafe.com.au)
Jon created Kaleidoscope Multicultural Arts Management (KMAM) in 2014, as a specialist music agency focused on producing culturally diverse arts events and delivering impactful community cultural development programs. (Website: https://kaleidoscopemam.com). Previously, Jon was CEO of Kulcha Multicultural Arts of Western Australia, and has decades of experience in arts management and community
Josh Gray & Eli Metcalf Dual Album Launch @ The Ellington Jazz Club
Perth musicians Josh Gray and Eli Metcalf return to The Ellington to launch their new albums – “The Time Between” and “Flow of Causality”, two distinct collections of original music. With contrasting approaches to composition, the pair will present an evening of fresh music alongside a stellar band in an intimate setting.
Josh Gray – Guitar
Reuben Cope – Piano
Aaron Caldwell – Alto Saxophone
Callum Thomson – Drums
Finn McKibbin – Upright Bass
Eli Metcalf – Piano
Callum Thomson – Drum
Finn McKibbin – Upright Bass
Josh Gray – Guitar
Zoe Boyd – Flugelhorn
Aaron Caldwell – Alto Saxophone
Lindsay Bush – Trombone
Doors 6pm
Show 7pm
Jazz on the Corner @ Tom's Providore & Wine Bar
Pete Jeavons - Upright Bass
Josh Gray - Acoustic Guitar
Aaron Deacon - Acoustic Guitar
Josh Gray Acoustic Quartet - Perth International Jazz Festival
Bringing a lively vibe to the classic sounds of jazz, the Josh Gray Acoustic Quartet is made up of some of Perth’s brightest young talents. Led by Josh Gray on guitar, the quartet features fellow guitarist Aaron Deacon, Aaron Caldwell on alto saxophone, and Finn McKibbin on double bass. The group’s repertoire spans from uptempo tunes to relaxed ballads, and includes reinterpretations of timeless jazz compositions from the likes of Cole Porter, Duke Ellington and Django Reinhardt. Driven by the rhythmic pulse of the guitars and complemented by catchy melodies, this quartet is sure to get your foot tapping.
Ellen Kirkwood (SYD) meets the WAAPA Big Band
Award-winning composer, trumpeter and bandleader Ellen Kirkwood performs with the WAAPA Big Band in a concert that’ll blow the roof off the Richard Gill Auditorium! Winner of the 2019 NSW APRA Art Music Award for Jazz Excellence and the 2012 Jann Rutherford Memorial Award for Young Women in Jazz, Kirkwood is known for the rich emotional depth and intricate arrangements of her music, often blending contemporary jazz with traditional influences. This one-off concert showcases Kirkwood’s innovative compositions and exceptional trumpet playing, backed by the powerhouse sound of the WAAPA Big Band.
Josh Gray Trio @ Pep's Wine Bar
Josh Gray - Guitar
Sofie Kerr - Vocals
Finn McKibbin - Bass