By JOLENE OGLE
Take a glance into the past with three local musicians who lived and played around Noosa in those laidback days when the surf wasn’t crowded and the parking was right outside.
Sunshine Beach Surf Club is proud to present The Way We Were, a night of retro food, cool tunes and great company, on Saturday 21 June from 7pm.
Join musicians Barry Charles, Col Noble and Ewan MacKenzie as they provide the soundtrack to a two-course meal created by Coco’s and Angel’s chef Trisha O’Reilly and Sunshine Beach Surf Club chef Darren Sandilands.
From seedy Saturday morning gigs outside the old chemist on Hastings Street, Barry has forged a strong relationship with the iconic street after arriving in Noosa in 1972 with his guitar and dog Taj, a long way from his Melbourne family home.
A walk around the national park to pay his respects to the original custodians cemented Barry’s love of Noosa and so began a musical golden era for both Barry and Noosa.
With up to five gigs a week in Hastings Street alone, Barry tells stories of playing until 2am then partying afterwards before remembering a 9am gig was booked in the square outside the old chemist, where Aromas is now.
1974 saw the arrival of Col Noble who, at the insistence of a mate, spent a week camping at the Woods camping park where his days were spent surfing and playing music at The Green Cherry Restaurant in Pine Trees Motel.
Like many before him, Col abandoned his show-business career ambitions in Sydney and returned to live permanently in stunning Noosa.
For three years Col enjoyed a regular spot at The Green Cherry, also known as Angel’s, forming what would become a life-long friendship with Barry Charles and his band, The Rockets.
Ewan soon arrived, unannounced, and took up a residency at Coco’s with Barry and many other fine musicians after Col moved on to work in a final residency at the original Barry’s Bistro.
On Saturday 21 June, the three musicians will play together once again for The Way We Were, an event that will take visitors back in time to an era of uncomplicated life, surfing and cool tunes.
Tickets are $49.95 and are available now for the two-course meal and live entertainment that kicks off at 7pm.
Phone the surf club on 5447 5491 to book a seat.
