Pittwater LIfe December 2019 Issue

Dining Clubs & Guide Pubs
Clubs & Pubs
December's best functions, music gigs, events and dining news...
Come and
see The
Real Thing
ROCK
SURVIVOR:
Russell
Morris.
Wind back the clock to the
early 1970s and pre-FM
radio was thick with the tones
of Aussie rock talent and local
hits – and none was more
prominent on the airwaves
than Russell Morris, who
seemingly has always found
a way to reinvent himself over
his 50-plus years in music.
Morris – who plays Pittwater
RSL on December 21
– broke through with iconic
psychedelic single ‘The Real
Thing’ which topped the
charts in 1969, with follow-up
hits ‘Sweet, Sweet Love’ and
‘Wings of an Eagle’ in 1971,
before he headed overseas
with moderate success.
However, the 1980s saw him
mix hard-working pub rock
gigs with a foray into musicals,
with roles in The Rocky Horror
Show (as Riff Raff) and in 1992
in Jesus Christ Superstar (as Simon
Zealotes, alongside John
Farnham and Kate Ceberano).
Today, Morris is in demand
at clubs and music festivals,
on the back of a remarkable
trilogy of new blues material
records.
He regards himself as
fortunate.
“Most artists who have had
past hits yearn to be current,
with something new that people
embrace,” he tells Pittwater
Life. “This rarely happens but
in my case I was very lucky.
“The past seven years have
been phenomenal as I have
played on many festivals,
something that would have
been out of my reach without
the blues trilogy.”
Morris released the first of
his ‘Australian story’ albums,
Sharkmouth, in 2012, following
up with Van Diemen’s
Land (2014) and Red Dirt – Red
Heart (2015).
“Sharkmouth was conceived
after seeing an article in the
Sydney papers, about old-time
gangsters,” Morris explains.
“Once the album was completed,
I had so many songs,
and stories screaming to be
written.
“So the first album was all
about back streets, the second
was the bigger picture for
Australia – world wars, unions,
bigger scene stories. And the
third was the recognition of
60 thousand years the original
Australians lived here – while
also saluting the dry heart.”
Not one to remain still for
long, Morris released the
album Black And Blue Heart
(produced by Powderfinger
front man Bernard Fanning)
last February.
“It was building a bridge,
and a salute from blues, going
back to my beginnings,” he
said, adding the track ‘Ain’t No
Angel’ was a tip of the hat to
Steppenwolf.
Indeed, Morris says there’s
no avoiding his roots, and he
continues to respect and pay
homage to his early success (“I
still get a thrill hearing those
songs on the radio”) – albeit
with a twist.
“Playing old songs is similar
to being a professional ballroom
dancer— the dance is
the same, but a different partner
adds different nuances,”
he says.
“At Pittwater RSL there will
be a bit of the old, a bit of the
new, and a bit unexplored…”
– Nigel Wall
* Tickets pittwaterrsl.com.
au; more info russellmorris.
com.au
Pittwater RSL
Assorted eateries
82 Mona Vale Rd Mona Vale
Join Pittwater RSL now for
FREE! *All current Dee Why
RSL Club members receive
FREE reciprocal loyalty
membership. Simply join us
at $15 for 3 years and receive
$15 worth of FREE Customer
Treasure points.
At Pittwater RSL the motto
is: “Welcome to your place!”
Their new Burger Bar – Monkey
Bun – is now open! Treat yourself
to a stacked burger, tender
wings or loaded twister fries.
Monkey Bun just introduced
Thirsty Thursdays! $5 drinks
and a Live DJ from 8pm until
late every Thursday.
Sports 365 Bar has more
than 20 screens for all your
sporting needs, hosting all major
sporting events. Sports 365
has free pool Fridays, plus TAB,
Sportspick & Beer tubes! Head
there and check it out!
Did you know Pittwater RSL
has Free Live music every Friday
and Saturday evening? Upcoming
ticketed events include
Burlesque Spectacular (Saturday
Dec 7), Forever Diamond (Saturday
Dec 14) and Aussie music
icon Russell Morris (Saturday
Dec 21). See their website for
ticketing and other details.
Looking for the perfect
venue to hold an end-of-year
event? Look no further – Rock
Lilly Events has you covered,
with flexible packages, versatile
spaces and personalised theming.
Contact the team today!
Join Pittwater RSL for Devonshire
Tea on Sunday 5th January
11am – 12pm. $15pp – with
all proceeds raised donated
directly to Northern Beaches
Women’s Shelter. Bookings are
essential on 9997 3833.
pittwaterrsl.com.au
Avalon
Beach RSL
Bistro 61
1 Bowling Green Lane
Avalon Beach
Avalon Beach RSL’s Bistro 61
is a great place to head for
a local meal, offering tasty
modern Australian dishes at
affordable prices.
Don't miss the 'Very '90s
Xmas Party' featuring Kid
Kenobi from 8pm on Saturday
December 14; tickets available
online only!
Take advantage of their new
#AVRSL MEMBER MONDAY. This
brand new weekly promotion
includes $5 drinks all day for
members, plus a $15 Roast
Meal special (lunch and dinner)
and $10 chicken wings available
to all!
There are great music
acts in December, including
Battlesnake (Fri 6th; free), That
Old Chestnut (Sat 7th; free); The
Brights (Fri 13th; free); Rebecca
Johnson Band (Fri 20th; free);
Nativosoul (Friday 20th; free);
and the monthly Karaoke Party
(Fri 27th; free).
And now available for free
download – the new Avalon
Beach RSL Club App. Earn
rewards, prizes and member
points by logging in daily.
See what's on, check out
events, view menus and more!
Bistro 61 is open for
breakfast from 9am to
11.30am. Open for lunch
and dinner seven days, with
extensive outdoor dining areas,
Bistro 61 offers a variety of
specials (lunch and dinner)
during the week, including
$12 tacos (Tues), $15 Chicken
Schnitzels (Wed), 2-4-1 pizzas
(Thurs), and a $20 burger +
beer (Fri).
Seniors are well catered for –
there are daily Seniors specials,
including beer-battered
flathead – plus they do a $5
kids meals on Sundays! (There’s
a playground, too.)
avalonbeachrsl.com.au
Royal Motor
Yacht Club
Salt Cove on Pittwater
46 Prince Alfred
Parade, Newport
The Royal Motor Yacht Club,
Broken Bay was officially
opened in 1928. Over the past
91 years, RMYC has grown
from a modest two-storey
establishment into a magnificent
clubhouse sitting
proudly on the shores of
62 DECEMBER 2019
The Local Voice Since 1991