Minya by Moonlight Concerts

Minya Vineyard and Winery are proud to present the 2012 Minya by Moonlight concerts series, situated in the vineyard's tranquil outdoor amphitheatre overlooking a beautiful billabong.

The Minya concert series, offers a diverse range of entertainment. Opera, Jazz, Comedy, folk, blues and other shows between January and April yearly. The Amphitheatre seats up to 200 guests and is only 15 minutes away from Geelong.

Picnic hampers are available however reservations are essential. Picnic hampers are prepared for you on your arrival to the vineyard and includes a selection of foods including antipasto, cheese, smoked salmon fruits and bread rolls.

A selection of beer and Minya wines are available at every concert.
The way to keep business running and presenting great music and entertainment is by selling wine. You will have the opportunity to purchase Minya wines for your enjoyment at home.

Ticket prices are $35 per guest, making great Birthday or Christmas gifts. Price includes a free glass of Minya wine.

Visitors only need to bring a cushion or rug, no chairs. Please contact us for more information regarding concert dinner or picnic hampers, vouchers and tickets

May Johnston
Concert 1
7.30pm Saturday January 14

Mayvis is a Melbourne based vocalist performing soul to motown classics from Aretha Franklin to Stevie Wonder. She has received radio reviews from UK, USA and Japan to be compared to the likes of Spanky Wilson, Marva Whitney and Sharon Jones; some of the best known soul vocalists in this genre.

Her band consists of seasoned professionals who have dedicated all their time and effort in supporting this talented and vivacious vocalist. Her performances have been noted as full of energy, engaging and truly inspirational.

Quadrajet
Concert 2
3.30pm Sunday January 22

The legendary Rockbottom James and his carefully hand selected members of Quadrajet always promise to fire up the four barrels with their blues based rocking tunes.

The quartet plays a lethal combination of originals laced with some good old rocking covers you may know and some so obscure you won’t know unless you can dive deep into the brain of Rockbottom James himself and this is not recommended!

Quadrajet features on guitar: Coberg Von Tipping a man larger than life itself, on electric bass old compadre “Doghouse” Dave, on drums shuffling up a storm Shane Antonie and not forgetting the man himself Rockbottom James on vocals and blasting electric harmonica.

Coolgrass
Concert 3
7.30pm Saturday January 28

Coolgrass win and delight audiences with their hilarious take on bluegrass, and are favourites throughout Australia and New Zealand.

They have been featured at Australia’s National Folk Festival, the Auckland Folk Festival, Port Fairy, the Harrietville Bluegrass Convention, the Redlands Bluegrass Festival, the Fairbridge Folk Festival, the Tamworth Music Festival and many more, plus many folk clubs, town halls, arts councils, pubs and so forth.

They have recorded 3 CDs – Toad Rage (2004), Jaguar Breakdown (2006), and Never Put The Banjo Down (2009).

Eucalypso
Concert 4
7.30pm Saturday February 11

The birth of Australia’s first traditional calypso band,
aptly named Eucalypso, is about to change the face of
“roots” music.

Whilst playing in a number of western swing and country roots bands, Gleny Rae never stopped listening to the music of the great Calypsonians; Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow, Lord Flea, The Roaring Lion... Their music is brimming with humour, political commentary, double entendre, clever rhymes and puns, but most of all the sheer joy of life in the Caribbean.

Gleny Rae’s Eucalypso takes the traditional structures and instrumentation of calypso, and adds distinctly local lyrics with plenty of puns and the odd sexual innuendo.

The result is undeniably infectious; sensual island rhythms with catchy but intelligent lyrics to make the body shimmy and the mind boggle!

Bluestone Junction
Concert 5
7.30pm Saturday February 25

Prepare to be seriously entertained!
When Bluestone Junction play you can hear the origins of Rock n Roll in the dazzling solos and hard driving beat of their authentic brand of Bluegrass.

Bluestone Junction perform like the music’s originators - playing and singing around a single large-plate microphone. There are no electronics or digital effects here, just acoustic instruments being picked up by a single high quality microphone, and the sound is electrifying!

Bluestone Junction perform original compositions from Chris Jacobs (lead vocal and guitar), Mike St. Clair-Miller (bass), as well as traditional songs and instrumentals. The band also features, Pete Fidler on mandolin and dobro, the enourmously talented Kat Mear on fiddle and Mick Harrison, perhaps Australia’s finest exponent of authentic Bluegrass five string banjo.

Pippa Wilson
Concert 6
7.30pm Saturday March 10

The jazz singer that everyone tells everyone else about. She has the rare vocal quality that snaps audiences to full attention, swinging hot or cool with the great standards from the 1920’s through to the 50’s and beyond.

Singing jazz since 1979 she made her debut with the New Harlem Jazz Band. Since that time she has worked with most of Melbourne’s top musicians and has become a well respected and popular member of the jazz fraternity.

Hearing Pippa Wilson is about experiencing a singer with immense vocal technique. The notes dip and flow with the ease that comes from artistry of a high calibre which has made her one of the most sought after and admired performers on the Australian jazz scene. “When Pippa Wilson sings, audiences
are swung and love it”

CELEBRATE THE END OF VINTAGE - BBQ & SHOW