Brenny & The Bushwhackers have maroon blood pulsing in their veins. Their Southland-centric sound—a fusion of bluegrass, a dash of country, and a whack of Irish folk with an undercurrent of rural punk—gives voice to the region’s battlers and storytellers.

Recorded at SIT Sounds’ state-of-the-art studio in Invercargill with the legendary Charlie “Chainsaw” Rodgers on the mixing desk, the album Land of the Rolling R carries listeners from the 19th-century whale-killing fields of the south coast through a cruise down Dee Street in the back seat of a Ford Falcon, pausing only at the duck pond along the way.

To celebrate this body of original Southland-centric music, the Whackers are embarking on a southern tour in May and June. The album officially launches at the Riversdale Community Centre on Friday, 9 May, but fans have already enjoyed three topical taster singles released in April:

  • “Ringers” (11 April) – a celebration of the noble art of sheep shearing
  • “Chunuk Bair” (18 April) – Brenny’s aching salute to the Anzacs’ Gallipoli sacrifice
  • “Duckshooting Day” (25 April) – a hard-rocking anthem for the annual duck harvest

Stream Brenny & The Bushwhackers’ releases on Spotify and all major platforms, and catch their video content on YouTube.

THE BAND

  • Lead vocals / harmonica / bagpipes — Brendon Fairbairn (Run The Cutter; Hokonui Celtic Pipeband)
  • Electric guitar / vocals — Liam Fairbairn (The Dense)
  • Acoustic guitar / vocals — Lachie Hayes (Lachie Hayes & The Tokanui Chainsaw Massacre; The Possum Pickers)
  • Bass / vocals — Chris Chilton (Triple Shot; Justin Funk Monkey; Pretty Wicked Head)
  • Drums — Antonio Mercuri (The River Jesters; Bad Horsie)

TOUR DATES

  • Friday 9 May: Riversdale Community Centre (official album release)
  • Saturday 17 May: Redcliff Restaurant, Te Anau
  • Saturday 24 May: Bluff Seafood and Oyster Festival
  • Sunday 25 May: Hokonui Celtic Pipe Band concert, St James Theatre, Gore
  • Saturday 7 June: Tuatara/Gadoochi, Invercargill
  • Sunday 8 June: The Little Theatre, Gore
Share this article
The link has been copied!