The Arc Riders & The Wildfires

Canberra Blues Society proudly presents THE ARC RIDERS plus The Wildfires.

It all began in 2016 when, after 50 years, on and off, as a professional musician, singer Tony Cini finally decided it was time to cut an album of original blues-based songs. Heading into the studio with the three-piece Chase The Sun, led by singer and guitarist Jan Rynsaardt, with some additional organ work courtesy Lachy Doley, the result was a powerful ten-song rock-blues album. Since it was as much a band as a solo record, rather than put it out under his own name, Cini decided to release it as The Arc Riders on his own Bad Penny Records. Alongside six songs Cini had co-written, he included four classic blues-rock covers – two from the legendary Peter Green, who founded the original Fleetwood Mac back in 1967, Frankie Miller’s Jealousy and, his all-time hero, the late great Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher’s Moonchild. The Arc Riders CD topped the Australian Blues n Roots Charts and stayed in that charts for six weeks.

When it came time to tour The Arc Riders album, the Chase The Sun boys weren’t available, so Cini put together a top-notch combo that featured Argentinian guitarist Juan Pablo Ordoñez, keyboards player Mark Clifford, bass player Stefano Cosentino and drummer Tony Boyd. The response to their live shows was immediate, but The Arc Riders run was cut short when Ordoñez found himself obliged to return to Argentina. Rather than continue without Ordoñez, Cini shelved The Arc Riders until…
Checking out The Cronulla Jazz ‘n’ Blues Festival last year, he spotted a young guitarist named Ewen Lund. Recruiting a new bass player, Jed Wesley-Smith, adding a keyboard player, Mikki Dunn and with the legendary Mick O’Shea on drums, seven years after the release of The Arc Riders, The Arc Riders are back!

Influenced by blues greats Albert King and Roy Buchanan, guitarist Ewen Lund has only been playing for some five years but has already worked with, among others, the Mitch Anderson Band and Harry Brus Band.

Bass player, Jed Wesley-Smith has returned to playing music seriously after a long break from the scene. At the end of last year, he toured with Bek Jensen and performed with Declan Kelly, Karen Lee Andrews and Clayton Doley.

Still only 23, The Arc Riders is keyboard player Mikki Dunne’s first professional outfit and cites ‘70s American keyboards wizard Edgar Winter as his main influence.

Veteran drummer Mick O’Shea has played with some of the biggest names in Australian rock music, including the late Billy Thorpe, Rose Tattoo and The Choirboys, so he brings an extraordinary depth of experience to The Arc Riders.

So, will you please welcome back The Arc Riders.

Special guest support: The Wildfires

The Wildfires bend the boundaries of country, blues and soul creating a gloriously craveable sound. Wease Wade's vocals strike through your heart with whispers of Susan Tedeschi and Bonnie Raitt and the bands soulful sounds flicker in moments of The Teskey Brothers.

Doors: 7pm
Show: 8pm