With a band name that’s just one heavy animal away from the blues (think Howlin’ Wolf), Smoke Stack Rhino have been captivating audiences with their electrifying live performances and authentic brand of blues and roots rock. The trio from the swamps of the Yarra Valley have taken their high-energy show to festivals across Australia like Blues at Bridgetown, Echuca Winter Blues, Grampians Grape Escape, St Kilda Blues, Mitchell Creek Rock ‘N Blues and more. They’ve found airplay on Triple M and Triple J, ran Rock The Valley Music Festival, placed on several high-profile Spotify playlists and featured on Australia’s most popular podcast The Hamish and Andy Podcast.
In 2023 they released The Mojo Funk, a heavy psychedelic blues album that reached #2 on the ARIA Blues & Jazz Albums chart. New album The Mojo Dojo expands the band’s sound with upbeat boogie rock sitting alongside acoustic and psychedelic influences and was released in July 2024. Lead single Til’ The Day has been described as ‘a blues-rock banger with more dirt in it than a 1940s Ford Pickup sitting at the bottom of a Louisiana swamp’ and is a staple of the band’s live set.
Smoke Stack Rhino are best experienced live. Singer-guitarist Ash King is a whirlwind with resonator guitar in hand, his earthy vocals reaching from deep baritone low notes to high screams, drummer Matt Berg pushes the band forward from behind the kit and bassist Shane Andison stays rock solid, holding the whole thing together with an infectious, catchy groove. Get ya mojo back.
‘Three-piece band, we like it’ – Hamish & Andy
‘Australia’s most exciting blues and roots rockers’ – Beat
‘Love the stompin’ blues sound’ – Triple J
‘Catchy, rootsy rock’ – Triple M
For tickets head to https://everglades.net.au/events/smoke-stack-rhino-the-rams-gypsy-wailers/
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