Hotel hosting monthly music meetups

ON the first Sunday of each month, the Rokewood Hotel becomes the stomping grounds for a motley crew of musicians to meet, perform and socialise.

Since February 2020, the venue has served as the home of sonic socialisation in the form of the Rokewood Hotel Blues Jams spearheaded by musician Glenn Suckling.

Although operating infrequently, Suckling said the aim of the free events hasn’t changed since it started.

“It’s a platform for people who don’t play much or haven’t had the opportunity to play with other people,” he said.

“It’s not just delegated to blues. It’s roots music in general, country, jazz, folk, rock. It’s open and accessible.”

A Corindhap resident for about 10 years, Suckling previously ran regular jams in Melbourne and at Linton’s Railway Hotel, which he said “put it on the map.”

He’s spent over 40 years playing in bands, and hosts special guests for the monthly jams including Men at Work drummer Jerry Speiser and Graham Davidge from Goanna.

“A lot of Aussie legends have been up there and some are still wanting to come up for a jam,” Suckling said.

The next session is set for Sunday, 4 September, and the long-time muso said after running the regular events since June, he hopes they will continue to grow.

“We’re trying to get street cred but we’re doing it out in the country, and it’s great seeing people come and be part of it,” he said.

“What happens is this ends up growing into a bit of a family. In Linton we had relationships formed, bands formed, so this is all bringing people together.

“It’s so important to have people playing and interacting who don’t know each other, to throw them on a stage and see what happens. That can form friendships.”

“And I’m a happy man if I can walk away knowing that people have had a good time.”