BMC Anniversaries - An illustrated history of Concert Party 1957 to 2017

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In 1957 the Bushwhackers broke up and Concert Party became the performing arm of the Bush Music Club.

At the time BMC had 2 publications - the Newsletter (Vol.1, no.1, Oct 1955 - 1977) & Singabout Vol.1, no.1, Summer 1956 to Vol. 6, no.22, 1967).
Newsletter holdings are incomplete with only 1 issue for 1957, and none for 1958, Singabout holdings are complete.

This is first (known) reference to Concert Party.

Newsletter, 3(1), June 1957, p.1
and here's the second.




2.  Singabout 3(1), Summer 1958, cover & p.1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1959

3.  Gulgong (BMC Archives)
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c1960
4.  caption - Bush Music Club Concert Party (briefly revived name "Bushwhackers") c.1960, Sydney Botanical Gdns?
Jan Jones, Jack Barrie (bush bass), Jamie Carlin (whistle), John Meredith (accordion), Gay Scott (bones), 
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1960

 5.  Lake Canobolas Regatta, Banjo Paterson Festival - Jamie Carlin, Jan Jones, Frank Maher, Gay Scott, Alan Scott, Jack Barrie (BMC Archives)

6.  The Banjo Paterson Festival & The Bush Music Club - p.1

7.  The Banjo Paterson Festival & The Bush Music Club - p.2.  (Jamie Carlin collection, BMC Archives)
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1964 

8.  Alan Scott (whistle), Jamie Carlin (concertina), Marietta Stratton (bush bass), Janice Jones (bones), Frank Maher (bones), Ann Banks (lagerphone), Herb Gimbert & Tony McLachlan (accordions)  Singabout Vol 5, no.2, p.13 (BMC Archives)

9.  Concert Party at Abercrombie Caves - John Dengate, Frank Maher, Noel, Elaine Thornhill, Jamie Carlin, Dale Dengate, Ken Greenhalgh, Eric Bolton. (Noel Ricketts collection, BMC Archives)
 
10.  Concert Party - Frank Maher (bush bass), Eric Bolton (banjo), John Dengate (guitar), Wilma Bolton (lagerphone), Eileen Wood (singer), Dave Small  (guitar), Noel (mouth organ).
front - Jamie Carlin (concertina), Ken Greenhalgh (flute).  (Noel Ricketts collection, BMC Archives)
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1966

11.  Eric Bolton (banjo), Jamie Carlin (whistle), Chris Woodland (mouthorgan), John Dengate  (guitar)   (Chris Woodland Collection - BMC Archives)
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1968
12.  Tuena Festival  1969 -
 front - Dale Dengate, Ronda Carlin behind Jamie Carlin, unknown accordion player, 
unknown man in checked shirt probably a local musician, Eric Bolton standing, Elaine Thornhill (lagerphone), John Dengate under banner at left,  accordion player , Ken Greenhalgh behind Eric, his flute is visible in upper photo, Noel Ricketts between Eric & Elaine. 

BMC at Tuena 1968 - Eric Bolton, John Dengate, Jamie Carlin, Ken Greenhalgh, Elaine Thornhill, Dave Small, Harry Glendinning (plate from John Dengate's My Shout, 1982 - BMC Archives) 

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1969
13.  Lawson celebration, Sydney Domain - Wilma Bolton (lagerphone), Jamie Carlin (English concertina), John Dengate (guitar), Eric Bolton (banjo) (Graeme Bolton photo, BMC Archives)


14.  1969 Concert Party engagements to end of June  (Minutes 1957-1978)
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Late 1960s       Noel Ricketts collection15.  Concert Party at Cremorne - Wilma Bolton, Elaine Wood? behind Noel, back view of Eric Bolton, Jamie Carlin, Ken Greenhalgh, Dave with guitar, John Dengate - late 60s
(Noel Ricketts collection, BMC Archives)
16.  Ken Greenhalgh, John Dengate, Elaine Thornhill, Jamie Carlin, Noel Ricketts, (Noel Ricketts collection, BMC Archives)
  17.  Eric Bolton, Ken Greenhalgh, Elaine Thornhill. Noel Ricketts, John Dengate,
(Noel Ricketts collection, BMC Archives)

18.  Wilma & lagerphone in front of side curtain, Ken Greenhalgh, Jamie Carlin, John Dengate, Noel Ricketts, Eric Bolton. (Noel Ricketts collection, BMC Archives)

19.  Noel in the mid 60s. (Noel Ricketts collection, BMC Archives)
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1970

20.  31st January, 1970.    (Bob Bolton photo, caption Concert Party 701031  BMC Archives)

21.  This photo was published in Mulga Wire, no.48, April 1985, p.S3 -
University of NSW, 31st October, 1970. Left to right - Roz Uren, John Dengate, Noel Ricketts, Ken Greenhalgh, Jamie Carlin & Eric Bolton. Obscured behind are Frank Maher & Declan Affley. (Declan was a friend of Ken's & sometimes joined Concert party for a gig - source Elaine Woods nee Thornhill)





 



























22. Eric Bolton tset list c.1970 (BMC Archives)
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1970s             Bob Bolton photos


23.  John Dengate, Jamie Carlin, Frank Maher, Noel Ricketts, (unidentified woman), Eric Bolton (BMC Archives, Bob Bolton photo)

24.  John Dengate, Jamie Carlin, Noel Ricketts, Eric Bolton (BMC Archives, Bob Bolton photo)

25.  John Dengate, Frank Maher (BMC Archives, Bob Bolton photo)
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1973



26.  Article from Compass, NSW Dept of Tourism, no. 6, June 1972

27.  photo by Bob Bolton - BMC Archives)
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1980 or early 80s

28.  Attached is a photo of the concert party in the early 1980s. Maybe even 1980. Mark Dabbs was concert party leader then (Eric was playing in Selectors). I think this was taken just before or at the same time Roy, Julie, John Coombs and I started Benalong Bush Band which was just months before Tony, Steve and Kaye joined Dave and Anne in Southern Cross.

Left to right - Roy Harbour, Donna, Helen Romeo (was Brain), Michael Brain, Julie Williams (was Furneaux), Bob Cole, not sure (maybe Mrs Cole?), John Merrick, John Coombs, Kay Daunton, Steve Lockwood, Tony Romeo, Mark Dabbs. (Source Helen Romeo)

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2008
29.  Concert Party at National Folk Festival - Ralph Pride, Eric Eisler, Brian Dunnett, Bob Bolton, John Poleson, Allen Davis, Bob Foggin.  (Sandra Nixon photo)
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2010

30, 31 (Sandra Nixon photos)

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2011
32.  (Sandra Nixon photo)
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2012
 33.  (Sandra Nixon photo)

34.  (Allen Davis collection,  BMC Archives)
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2013
35.  (Sharyn Mattern collection - BMC Archives)



36.  Addison Road Centre, June 2013  (Sandra Nixon photo, BMC Archives)


37. Galston, 15th Sept 2013 (unknown photographer (BMC archives) 
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2014

38.  24th March    (Bob Bolton photo, BMC Archives)  

T39.  Turning Wave Festival, 2014 (Dale Dengate photo, BMC Archives)

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2015

40.   2015   (Sandra Nixon photo - BMC Archives)

 
41.  Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival (Sandra Nixon photo - BMC Archives)

42.  Turning Wave Festival, 2015 (Sandra Nixon photo, BMC Archives)
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2016

43.  February - group photo for NFF application  (Sandra Nixon photo, BMC Archives)

44.  Gig at Dalmar Homes, March   (Mike Young photo ,BMC Archives)

44. National Folk Festival (photo Sandra Nixon)
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2017

45.  Practice for Concert Party's appearance at Australian Tradition Concert at Illawarra Folk Festival   (Brian Jonathan photo - BMC Archives)
46.  Illawarra Folk Festival   (Sandra Nixon photo - BMC archives)
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