MARITA MANGANO (ABOVE) IS A LOCAL MUSICIAN BASED ON THE EAST COAST. RIGHT, TOM WOLFE AND THE WOLFE BROTHERS PERFORMS AT LONGLEY INTERNATIONAL. PICS: RICHARD JUPE.
another. And the arts are important for people’s mental health as well, if it’s not on people are just sitting at home doing nothing and that’s where people start struggling. There is no better feeling than being at a live gig when the place is pumping.” Further down south, the Longley International has built a proud history of hosting local and touring bands, and live music is still a core part of their identity. The popular venue has been in the Brereton family for more than two decades, with current manager Hannah continuing to pour resources into keeping live music a staple that draws repeat visitation to the area. “My parents took it over 20 years ago and worked really hard putting live music on Fridays and Sunday afternoons for those 20 years to build it up to what it is now, which is a place where everyone wants to be,” Hannah says. “When we have large events here people come that haven’t been before, they may not even know we are here, but then they come and they might go ‘let’s come back during the week’ and they get a different experience. I think it is really important for venues to give live music a go, it is important for the community and for the artists.” One of those artists who started from humble beginnings at the Longley International and are now recognised globally are the Wolfe Brothers. Hailing
from the region, and only minutes from the pub, Tom and Nick Wolfe’s first taste of playing to a crowd came at their local, alongside original band members Brodie Rainbird and Casey Kostiuk. For several years the Wolfe Brothers were a staple of the Tasmanian pub scene – before auditioning for the sixth season of Australia’s Got Talent in 2012 and a subsequent second placed finish rocketed them to stardom. “Longley International is such a supporter of live local music. You can have some of the biggest acts in Australia here and the next night have a fantastic local act.” - Wolfe Brothers member Tom Wolfe The band is now a household name not only across the country but internationally – in June last year Tom was invited to a listening party with rock legends Bon Jovi in Nashville – but no matter where the industry takes him, Tom never forgets his roots and the importance of live music to the hospitality scene. “This is one of the first venues that supported us before we were anything. Some of the first gigs we did were here with our dad in the old stage, we would
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Tasmanian Hospitality Review Oct/Nov Edition
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