Williamstown will get the blues in a big way this Sunday.
The final gig at the Way Out West (WOW) Roots Music Club – before the Williamstown RSL Club closes permanently on January 3 – is expected to be sold out as people come for last drinks.
WOW president Rob Rowe, who is also the Williamstown RSL vice-president, said the music venue had quickly developed a reputation after forming 15 years ago.
At its inception, Mr Rowe and his friend Terry Smith got 10 people to put in $50 each to book a band. After the first two or three gigs, musicians were phoning them to play.
“We had the best musicians in Australia play here. We’ve also had seven or eight internationals who are Grammy award- winning Blues Hall of Fame [musicians],” Mr Rowe said. “We’ve had people like Joe Louis Walker from the States; he played at George Bush’s inauguration. We had Charlie Musselwhite, who’s Blues Hall of Fame … John Hammond, also Blues Hall of Fame.”
WOW has about six gigs booked for next year as it seeks a new venue.
The Williamstown Jazz Club is also searching for a new home.
Mr Rowe said one thing was certain: WOW would be resurrected. “We’ll continue because the music’s the most important thing to us,” he said. “It’s interesting that one of the really successful RSLs is the Oakleigh RSL, which now call itself the Caravan Club. They’re doing music four or five days a week.”
“We were told once – and I got angry about it – but someone from Anzac House said music isn’t important to RSLs. Well, we beg to differ. Music’s important to everyone.”
