The Burning Bridges Trio
How long have you been living locally? What suburb are you in?
Fran has lived in the inner north for over 20 years; Peter escaped here from the eastern suburbs in 2008. Tom was born here. We live in Thornbury.
What do you love about your home town/suburb?
What we love most about living in the inner north is being in the thick of a vibrant music community. Before the ‘rona, a normal weekend for us might include playing a gig at a local venue like The Lomond, Bar Open, or Brothers Public House, catching another live band somewhere else in the neighbourhood, and hanging out with some of our local muso friends. We love being part of the beating creative heart of this city.
What genre of music do you generally play?
Our music reaches back to the bedrock of American country music and includes country blues, bluegrass, old time, original songs and tunes and a little contemporary material reworked for a classic sound.
Are you a solo artist and/or do you play with a band? Would you like to list them?
The Burning Bridges Trio is a family band. It features renowned banjo maestro Peter Somerville (banjo, guitar, dobro and vocals; has recorded with Paul Kelly, Kasey Chambers and many others), Fran Martin (guitar and vocals), and 11 year-old Tom Somerville (guitar and mandolin).
Where is your favourite live music venue to play locally?
The Lomond Hotel, without a doubt! In the inner(-inner) north, also The Drunken Poet.
Where is your favourite live music venue to play in world-wide?
The International Bluegrass Music Association annual bluegrass extravaganza in Kentucky, USA. Failing that, the Sunday afternoon beer garden gig at the Guildford Banjo Jamboree in central Victoria (aka far north Northcote).
If you could play with any other musician in the world, who would it be?
Ralph Stanley, Hazel Dickens, Johnny Cash, Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton.
Some artists have part time/full time jobs when they are not gigging – do you have one? (and do you want to share it?)
Peter is a fulltime banjo picker--teacher, recording artist, performer; Fran is a wage slave. Tom is a fulltime child and budding performer.
What hobby have you taken up during isolation? (eg. baking sourdough!)
Baking sourdough! How did you guess?
What are you looking forward to doing again, post COVID-19 restrictions?
Leaving the house; catching some live music--and performing for a live audience!
What has been your favourite thing about isolation?
The serenity.
What has been the hardest part about isolation?
The serenity.
If people want to learn more about your music where can they head to?
https://www.facebook.com/TheBurningBridgesMelbourne
